S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 11
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)
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Canto 11: 'General History'
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Chapter Ten: The Nature of Fruitive Activity
TEXT 1
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca
mayoditeshv avahitah
sva-dharmeshu mad-âs'rayah
varnâs'rama-kulâcâram
akâmâtmâ samâcaret
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mayâ - by Me; uditeshu - spoken; avahitah - with great care; sva-dharmeshu - in the duties of devotional service to the Lord; mat-âs'rayah - one who accepts Me as shelter; varna-âs'rama - the Vedic system of social and occupational divisions; kula - of the society; âcâram - conduct; akâma - devoid of material desires; âtmâ - such a person; samâcaret - should practice.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said - Taking full shelter in Me, with the mind carefully fixed in the devotional service of the Lord as spoken by Me, one should live without personal desire and practice the social and occupational system called varnâs'rama.
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TEXT 2
anvîksheta vis'uddhâtmâ
dehinâm vishayâtmanâm
guneshu tattva-dhyânena
sarvârambha-viparyayam
anvîksheta - one should see; vis'uddha - purified; âtmâ - soul; dehinâm - of the embodied beings; vishaya-âtmanâm - of those who are dedicated to sense gratification; guneshu - in the material objects of pleasure; tattva - as truth; dhyânena - by conceiving; sarva - of all; ârambha - endeavors; viparyayam - the inevitable failure.
TRANSLATION
A purified soul should see that because the conditioned souls who are dedicated to sense gratification have falsely accepted the objects of sense pleasure as truth, all of their endeavors are doomed to failure.
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TEXT 3
suptasya vishayâloko
dhyâyato vâ manorathah
nânâtmakatvâd viphalas
tathâ bhedâtma-dhîr gunaih
suptasya - of one who is sleeping; vishaya - sense gratification; âlokah - seeing; dhyâyatah - of one who is meditating; vâ - or; manah-rathah - merely a creation of the mind; nânâ - a large variety; âtmakatvât - due to having the nature of; viphalah - bereft of the real perfection; tathâ - in that way; bheda-âtma - in that which is separately constituted; dhîh - intelligence; gunaih - by the material senses.
TRANSLATION
One who is sleeping may see many objects of sense gratification in a dream, but such pleasurable things are merely creations of the mind and are thus ultimately useless. Similarly, the living entity who is asleep to his spiritual identity also sees many sense objects, but these innumerable objects of temporary gratification are creations of the Lord's illusory potency and have no permanent existence. One who meditates upon them, impelled by the senses, uselessly engages his intelligence.
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TEXT 4
nivrittam karma seveta
pravrittam mat-paras tyajet
jijñâsâyâm sampravritto
nâdriyet karma-codanâm
nivrittam - regulative duties; karma - such work; seveta - one should perform; pravrittam - activities for sense gratification; mat-parah - one who is dedicated to Me; tyajet - should give up; jijñâsâyâm - in searching for spiritual truth; sampravrittah - being perfectly engaged; na - not; âdriyet - one should accept; karma - any material activity; codanâm - injunctions governing.
TRANSLATION
One who has fixed Me within his mind as the goal of life should give up activities based on sense gratification and should instead execute work governed by the regulative principles for advancement. When, however, one is fully engaged in searching out the ultimate truth of the soul, one should not accept the scriptural injunctions governing fruitive activities.
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TEXT 5
yamân abhîkshnam seveta
niyamân mat-parah kvacit
mad-abhijñam gurum s'ântam
upâsîta mad-âtmakam
yamân - major regulative principles, such as not to kill; abhîkshnam - always; seveta - one should observe; niyamân - minor regulations, such as cleansing the body; mat-parah - one who is devoted to Me; kvacit - as far as possible; mat-abhijñam - one who knows Me as I am in My personal form; gurum - the spiritual master; s'ântam - peaceful; upâsîta - one should serve; mat-âtmakam - who is not different from Me.
TRANSLATION
One who has accepted Me as the supreme goal of life should strictly observe the scriptural injunctions forbidding sinful activities and, as far as possible, should execute the injunctions prescribing minor regulative duties such as cleanliness. Ultimately, however, one should approach a bona fide spiritual master who is full in knowledge of Me as I am, who is peaceful, and who by spiritual elevation is not different from Me.
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TEXT 6
amâny amatsaro daksho
nirmamo dridha-sauhridah
asatvaro 'rtha-jijñâsur
anasûyur amogha-vâk
amânî - without false ego; amatsarah - not considering oneself to be the doer; dakshah - without laziness; nirmamah - without any sense of proprietorship over one's wife, children, home, society, etc.; dridha-sauhridah - being fixed in the mood of loving friendship with the spiritual master, who is one's worshipable deity; asatvarah - without becoming bewildered due to material passion; artha-jijñâsuh - desiring knowledge of the Absolute Truth; anasûyuh - free from envy; amogha-vâk - completely free from useless conversation.
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TEXT 7
jâyâpatya-griha-kshetra-
svajana-dravinâdishu
udâsînah samam pas'yan
sarveshv artham ivâtmanah
jâyâ - to wife; apatya - children; griha - home; kshetra - land; svajana - relatives and friends; dravina - bank account; âdishu - and so on; udâsînah - remaining indifferent; samam - equally; pas'yan - seeing; sarveshu - in all of these; artham - purpose; iva - like; âtmanah - of oneself.
TRANSLATION
One should see one's real self-interest in life in all circumstances and should therefore remain detached from wife, children, home, land, relatives, friends, wealth and so on.
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TEXT 8
vilakshanah sthûla-sûkshmâd
dehâd âtmekshitâ sva-drik
yathâgnir dâruno dâhyâd
dâhako 'nyah prakâs'akah
vilakshanah - having different characteristics; sthûla - from the gross; sûkshmât - and the subtle; dehât - from the body; âtmâ - the spirit soul; îkshitâ - the seer; sva-drik - self-enlightened; yathâ - just as; agnih - fire; dârunah - from firewood; dâhyât - from that which is to be burned; dâhakah - that which burns; anyah - other; prakâs'akah - that which illuminates.
TRANSLATION
Just as fire, which burns and illuminates, is different from firewood, which is to be burned to give illumination, similarly the seer within the body, the self-enlightened spirit soul, is different from the material body, which is to be illuminated by consciousness. Thus the spirit soul and the body possess different characteristics and are separate entities.
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TEXT 9
nirodhotpatty-anu-brihan-
nânâtvam tat-kritân gunân
antah pravistha âdhatta
evam deha-gunân parah
nirodha - dormancy; utpatti - manifestation; anu - tiny; brihat - large; nânâtvam - the variety of characteristics; tat-kritân - produced by that; gunân - qualities; antah - within; pravisthah - having entered; âdhatte - accepts; evam - thus; deha - of the material body; gunân - qualities; parah - the transcendental entity.
TRANSLATION
Just as fire may appear differently as dormant, manifest, weak, brilliant and so on, according to the condition of the fuel, similarly, the spirit soul enters a material body and accepts particular bodily characteristics.
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TEXT 10
yo 'sau gunair viracito
deho 'yam purushasya hi
samsâras tan-nibandho 'yam
pumso vidyâ cchid âtmanah
yah - which; asau - that(subtle body); gunaih - by the material modes; viracitah - constructed; dehah - the body; ayam - this (gross body); purushasya - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hi - certainly; samsârah - material existence; tat-nibandhah - tied to that; ayam - this; pumsah - of the living entity; vidyâ - knowledge; chit - that which cuts apart; âtmanah - of the soul.
TRANSLATION
The subtle and gross material bodies are created by the material modes of nature, which expand from the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material existence occurs when the living entity falsely accepts the qualities of the gross and subtle bodies as being his own factual nature. This illusory state, however, can be destroyed by real knowledge.
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TEXT 11
tasmâj jijñâsayâtmânam
âtma-stham kevalam param
sangamya nirased etad
vastu-buddhim yathâ-kramam
tasmât - therefore; jijñâsayâ - by the cultivation of knowledge; âtmânam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; âtma - within oneself; stham - situated; kevalam - pure; param - transcendental and supreme; sangamya - approaching by realized knowledge; niraset - one should give up; etat - this; vastu - within material objects; buddhim - concept of reality; yathâ-kramam - gradually, step by step.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, by the cultivation of knowledge one should approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead situated within oneself. By understanding the Lord's pure, transcendental existence, one should gradually give up the false vision of the material world as independent reality.
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TEXT 12
âcâryo 'ranir âdyah syâd
ante-vâsy uttarâranih
tat-sandhânam pravacanam
vidyâ-sandhih sukhâvahah
âcâryah - the spiritual master; aranih - sacred kindling wood used in the sacrificial fire; âdyah - held beneath; syât - is to be considered; ante-vâsî - the disciple; uttara - at the top; aranih - kindling wood; tat-sandhânam - the stick in the middle, which connects the upper and lower wood; pravacanam - instructions; vidyâ - transcendental knowledge; sandhih - like the fire, arising from the friction, that spreads throughout the firewood; sukha - happiness; âvahah - bringing.
TRANSLATION
The spiritual master can be compared to the lower kindling stick, the disciple to the upper kindling stick, and the instruction given by the guru to the third stick placed in between. The transcendental knowledge communicated from guru to disciple is compared to the fire arising from the contact of these, which burns the darkness of ignorance to ashes, bringing great happiness both to guru and disciple.
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TEXT 13
vais'âradî sâti-vis'uddha-buddhir
dhunoti mâyâm guna-samprasûtâm
gunâms' ca sandahya yad-âtmam etat
svayam ca s'âmyaty asamid yathâgnih
vais'âradî - available from the expert; sâ - this; ati-vis'uddha - most pure; buddhih - intelligence or knowledge; dhunoti - repels; mâyâm - illusion; guna - from the modes of material nature; samprasûtâm - produced; gunân - the modes of nature themselves; ca - also; sandahya - completely burning up; yat - from which modes; âtmam - constituted; etat - this (material existence); svayam - itself; ca - also; s'âmyati - is pacified; asamit - without fuel; yathâ - just as; agnih - fire.
TRANSLATION
By submissively hearing from an expert spiritual master, the expert disciple develops pure knowledge, which repels the onslaught of material illusion arising from the three modes of material nature. Finally this pure knowledge itself ceases, just as fire ceases when the stock of fuel has been consumed.
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TEXTS 14 - 16
athaishâm karma-kartËnâm
bhoktËnâm sukha-duhkhayoh
nânâtvam atha nityatvam
loka-kâlâgamâtmanâm
manyase sarva-bhâvânâm
samsthâ hy autpattikî yathâ
tat-tad-âkriti-bhedena
jâyate bhidyate ca dhîh
evam apy anga sarveshâm
dehinâm deha-yogatah
kâlâvayavatah santi
bhâvâ janmâdayo 'sakrit
atha - thus; eshâm - of those; karma - fruitive activities; kartrînâm - of the performers; bhoktrînâm - of the enjoyers; sukha-duhkhayoh - of happiness and distress; nânâtvam - variegatedness; atha - moreover; nityatvam - perpetual existence; loka - of the materialistic world; kâla - material time; âgama - Vedic literatures recommending fruitive activities; âtmanâm - and the self;
manyase - if you think; sarva - of all; bhâvânâm - material objects; samsthâ - the actual situation; hi - certainly; autpattikî - original; yathâ - as; tat-tat - of all different objects; âkriti - of their forms; bhedena - by the difference; jâyate - is born; bhidyate - and changes; ca - also; dhîh - intelligence or knowledge;
evam - thus; api - even though; anga - O Uddhava; sarveshâm - of all; dehinâm - embodied beings; deha-yogatah - by contact with a material body; kâla - of time; avayavatah - by the portions or limbs; santi - there are; bhâvâh - states of existence; janma - birth; âdayah - and so on; asakrit - constantly.
TRANSLATION
My dear Uddhava, I have thus explained to you perfect knowledge. There are philosophers, however, who challenge My conclusion. They state that the natural position of the living entity is to engage in fruitive activities, and they see him as the enjoyer of the happiness and unhappiness that accrue from his own work. According to this materialistic philosophy, the world, time, the revealed scriptures and the self are all variegated and eternal, existing as a perpetual flow of transformations. Knowledge, moreover, cannot be one or eternal, because it arises from the different and changing forms of objects; thus knowledge itself is always subject to change. Even if you accept such a philosophy, My dear Uddhava, there will still be perpetual birth, death, old age and disease, since all living entities must accept a material body subject to the influence of time.
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TEXT 17
tatrâpi karmanâm kartur
asvâtantryam ca lakshyate
bhoktus' ca duhkha-sukhayoh
ko nv artho vivas'am bhajet
tatra - in the matter of one's ability to obtain happiness; api - furthermore; karmanâm - of fruitive activities; kartuh - of the performer; asvâtantryam - the lack of independence; ca - also; lakshyate - is clearly seen; bhoktuh - of the one who is trying to enjoy; ca - also; duhkha-sukhayoh - happiness and unhappiness; kah - what; nu - indeed; arthah - value; vivas'am - for one who is not in control; bhajet - can be derived.
TRANSLATION
Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not independent or in control of their destiny. When a person is always under the superior control of another, how can he expect any valuable results from his own fruitive actions?
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TEXT 18
na dehinâm sukham kiñcid
vidyate vidushâm api
tathâ ca duhkham mûdhânâm
vrithâhankaranam param
na - not; dehinâm - of embodied beings; sukham - happiness; kiñcit - some; vidyate - there is; vidushâm - of those who are intelligent; api - even; tathâ - similarly; ca - also; duhkham - unhappiness; mûdhânâm - of the big fools; vrithâ - useless; ahankaranam - false ego; param - only, or completely.
TRANSLATION
It is observed within the material world that sometimes even an intelligent person is not happy. Similarly, sometimes even a great fool is happy. The concept of becoming happy through expertly performing material activities is simply a useless exhibition of false egotism.
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TEXT 19
yadi prâptim vighâtam ca
jânanti sukha-duhkhayoh
te 'py addhâ na vidur yogam
mrityur na prabhaved yathâ
yadi - if; prâptim - achievement; vighâtam - removal; ca - also; jânanti - they know; sukha - of happiness; duhkhayoh - and of distress; te - they; api - still; addhâ - directly; na - not; viduh - do know; yogam - the process; mrityuh - death; na - not; prabhavet - would exert its power; yathâ - by which.
TRANSLATION
Even if people know how to achieve happiness and avoid unhappiness, they still do not know the process by which death will not be able to exert its power over them.
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TEXT 20
ko 'nv arthah sukhayaty enam
kâmo vâ mrityur antike
âghâtam nîyamânasya
vadhyasyeva na tusthi-dah
kah - what; nu - certainly; arthah - material object; sukhayati - gives happiness; enam - to a person; kâmah - sense gratification derived from material things; vâ - or; mrityuh - death; antike - standing nearby; âghâtam - to the place of execution; nîyamânasya - of one who is being led; vadhyasya - of one who is to be killed; iva - like; na - not at all; tusthi-dah - gives satisfaction.
TRANSLATION
Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from material objects or the gratification they provide?
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TEXT 21
s'rutam ca dristha-vad dustham
spardhâsûyâtyaya-vyayaih
bahv-antarâya-kâmatvât
krishi-vac câpi nishphalam
s'rutam - material happiness which is heard of; ca - also; dristha-vat - just like that which we have already seen; dustham - is contaminated; spardhâ - by jealousy; asûyâ - by envy; atyaya - by death; vyayaih - and by decay; bahu - many; antarâya - obstacles; kâmatvât - because of accepting happiness with such characteristics; krishi-vat - like agriculture; ca - also; api - even; nishphalam - fruitless.
TRANSLATION
That material happiness of which we hear, such as promotion to heavenly planets for celestial enjoyment, is just like that material happiness we have already experienced. Both are polluted by jealousy, envy, decay and death. Therefore, just as an attempt to raise crops becomes fruitless if there are many problems like crop disease, insect plague or drought, similarly, the attempt to attain material happiness, either on earth or on the heavenly planets, is always fruitless because of innumerable obstacles.
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TEXT 22
antarâyair avihito
yadi dharmah sv-anusthhitah
tenâpi nirjitam sthânam
yathâ gacchati tac chrinu
antarâyaih - by obstacles and discrepancies; avihitah - not affected; yadi - if; dharmah - one's execution of regulated duties according to Vedic injunctions; sv-anusthhitah - excellently performed; tena - by that; api - even; nirjitam - accomplished; sthânam - status; yathâ - the manner in which; gacchati - it perishes; tat - that; s'rinu - please hear.
TRANSLATION
If one performs Vedic sacrifices and fruitive rituals without any mistake or contamination, one will achieve a heavenly situation in the next life. But even this result, which is only achieved by perfect performance of fruitive rituals, will be vanquished by time. Now hear of this.
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TEXT 23
isthveha devatâ yajñaih
svar-lokam yâti yâjñikah
bhuñjîta deva-vat tatra
bhogân divyân nijârjitân
isthvâ - having worshiped; iha - in this world; devatâh - the demigods; yajñaih - with sacrifices; svah-lokam - to the heavenly planets; yâti - goes; yâjñikah - the performer of sacrifice; bhuñjîta - he may enjoy; deva-vat - like a god; tatra - therein; bhogân - pleasures; divyân - celestial; nija - by himself; arjitân - achieved.
TRANSLATION
If on earth one performs sacrifices for the satisfaction of the demigods, he goes to the heavenly planets, where, just like a demigod, he enjoys all of the heavenly pleasures he has earned by his performances.
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TEXT 24
sva-punyopacite s'ubhre
vimâna upagîyate
gandharvair viharan madhye
devînâm hridya-vesha-dhrik
sva - his own; punya - by the pious activities; upacite - accumulated; s'ubhre - shining; vimâne - in an airplane; upagîyate - is glorified by songs; gandharvaih - by the heavenly Gandharvas; viharan - enjoying life; madhye - in the middle; devînâm - of heavenly goddesses; hridya - charming; vesha - clothes; dhrik - wearing.
TRANSLATION
Having achieved the heavenly planets, the performer of ritualistic sacrifices travels in a glowing airplane, which he obtains as the result of his piety on earth. Being glorified by songs sung by the Gandharvas and dressed in wonderfully charming clothes, he enjoys life surrounded by heavenly goddesses.
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TEXT 25
strîbhih kâmaga-yânena
kinkinî-jâla-mâlinâ
krîdan na vedâtma-pâtam
surâkrîdeshu nirvritah
strîbhih - with heavenly women; kâma-ga - going wherever one desires; yânena - with such an airplane; kinkinî-jâla-mâlinâ - decorated with circles of bells; krîdan - having a good time; na - not; veda - does consider; âtma - his own; pâtam - falldown; sura - of the demigods; âkrîdeshu - in the pleasure gardens; nirvritah - being comfortable, relaxed and happy.
TRANSLATION
Accompanied by heavenly women, the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice goes on pleasure rides in a wonderful airplane, which is decorated with circles of tinkling bells and which flies wherever he desires. Being relaxed, comfortable and happy in the heavenly pleasure gardens, he does not consider that he is exhausting the fruits of his piety and will soon fall down to the mortal world.
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TEXT 26
tâvat sa modate svarge
yâvat punyam samâpyate
kshîna-punyah pataty arvâg
anicchan kâla-câlitah
tâvat - that long; sah - he; modate - enjoys life; svarge - in the heavenly planets; yâvat - until; punyam - his pious results; samâpyate - are used up; kshîna - exhausted; punyah - his piety; patati - he falls; arvâk - down from heaven; anicchan - not desiring to fall; kâla - by time; câlitah - pushed down.
TRANSLATION
Until his pious results are used up, the performer of sacrifice enjoys life in the heavenly planets. When the pious results are exhausted, however, he falls down from the pleasure gardens of heaven, being moved against his desire by the force of eternal time.
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TEXTS 27 - 29
yady adharma-ratah sangâd
asatâm vâjitendriyah
kâmâtmâ kripano lubdhah
straino bhûta-vihimsakah
pas'ûn avidhinâlabhya
preta-bhûta-ganân yajan
narakân avas'o jantur
gatvâ yâty ulbanam tamah
karmâni duhkhodarkâni
kurvan dehena taih punah
deham âbhajate tatra
kim sukham martya-dharminah
yadi - if; adharma - in irreligion; ratah - he is engaged; sangât - due to association; asatâm - of materialistic people; vâ - or; ajita - due to not conquering; indriyah - the senses; kâma - material lusty desires; âtmâ - living for; kripanah - miserly; lubdhah - greedy; strainah - a woman-hunter; bhûta - against other living beings; vihimsakah - committing violence;
pas'ûn - animals; avidhinâ - without the authority of Vedic injunctions; âlabhya - killing; preta-bhûta - ghosts and spirits; ganân - the groups of; yajan - worshiping; narakân - to hells; avas'ah - helplessly, being under the control of fruitive activities; jantuh - a living being; gatvâ - having gone; yâti - approaches; ulbanam - extreme; tamah - darkness;
karmâni - activities; duhkha - great unhappiness; udarkâni - bringing in the future; kurvan - performing; dehena - with such a body; taih - by such activities; punah - again; deham - a material body; âbhajate - accepts; tatra - therein; kim - what; sukham - happiness; martya - always leading to death; dharminah - of one sworn to activities.
TRANSLATION
If a human being is engaged in sinful, irreligious activities, either because of bad association or because of his failure to control his senses, then such a person will certainly develop a personality full of material desires. He thus becomes miserly toward others, greedy and always anxious to exploit the bodies of women. When the mind is so polluted one becomes violent and aggressive and without the authority of Vedic injunctions slaughters innocent animals for sense gratification. Worshiping ghosts and spirits, the bewildered person falls fully into the grip of unauthorized activities and thus goes to hell, where he receives a material body infected by the darkest modes of nature. In such a degraded body, he unfortunately continues to perform inauspicious activities that greatly increase his future unhappiness, and therefore he again accepts a similar material body. What possible happiness can there be for one who engages in activities inevitably terminating in death?
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TEXT 30
lokânâm loka-pâlânâm
mad bhayam kalpa-jîvinâm
brahmano 'pi bhayam matto
dvi-parârdha-parâyushah
lokânâm - in all the planetary systems; loka-pâlânâm - and for all the planetary leaders, such as the demigods; mat - of Me; bhayam - there is fear; kalpa-jîvinâm - for those who live for a kalpa, or a day of Brahmâ; brahmanah - of Lord Brahmâ; api - even; bhayam - there is fear; mattah - from Me; dvi-parârdha - two parârdhas, totalling 311,040,000,000,000 years; para - supreme; âyushah - whose duration of life.
TRANSLATION
In all the planetary systems, from the heavenly to the hellish, and for all of the great demigods who live for one thousand yuga cycles, there is fear of Me in My form of time. Even Brahmâ, who possesses the supreme life span of 311,040,000,000,000 years, is also afraid of Me.
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TEXT 31
gunâh srijanti karmâni
guno 'nusrijate gunân
jîvas tu guna-samyukto
bhunkte karma-phalâny asau
gunâh - the material senses; srijanti - create; karmâni - pious and impious material activities; gunah - the three modes of nature; anusrijate - set into motion; gunân - the material senses; jîvah - the minute living entity; tu - indeed; guna - the material senses or the material modes of nature; samyuktah - fully engaged in; bhunkte - experiences; karma - of activities; phalâni - the various results; asau - the spirit soul.
TRANSLATION
The material senses create material activities, either pious or sinful, and the modes of nature set the material senses into motion. The living entity, being fully engaged by the material senses and modes of nature, experiences the various results of fruitive work.
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TEXT 32
yâvat syâd guna-vaishamyam
tâvan nânâtvam âtmanah
nânâtvam âtmano yâvat
pâratantryam tadaiva hi
yâvat - as long as; syât - there is; guna - of the modes of material nature; vaishamyam - separate existences; tâvat - then there will be; nânâtvam - different states of existence; âtmanah - of the soul; nânâtvam - different states of existence; âtmanah - of the soul; yâvat - as long as there are; pâratantryam - dependence; tadâ - then there will be; eva - certainly; hi - indeed.
TRANSLATION
As long as the living entity thinks that the modes of material nature have separate existences, he will be obliged to take birth in many different forms and will experience varieties of material existence. Therefore, the living entity remains completely dependent on fruitive activities under the modes of nature.
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TEXT 33
yâvad asyâsvatantratvam
tâvad îs'varato bhayam
ya etat samupâsîrams
te muhyanti s'ucârpitâh
yâvat - as long as; asya - of the living being; asvatantratvam - there is no freedom from dependence on the modes of nature; tâvat - then there will be; îs'varatah - from the supreme controller; bhayam - fear; ye - those who; etat - to this material concept of life; samupâsîran - devote themselves; te - they; muhyanti - are bewildered; s'ucâ - in lamentation; arpitâh - always absorbed.
TRANSLATION
The conditioned soul who remains dependent on fruitive activities under the material modes of nature will continue to fear Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, since I impose the results of one's fruitive activities. Those who accept the material concept of life, taking the variegatedness of the modes of nature to be factual, devote themselves to material enjoyment and are therefore always absorbed in lamentation and grief.
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TEXT 34
kâla âtmâgamo lokah
svabhâvo dharma eva ca
iti mâm bahudhâ prâhur
guna-vyatikare sati
kâlah - time; âtmâ - the self; âgamah - Vedic knowledge; lokah - the universe; svabhâvah - different natures of different living entities; dharmah - religious principles; eva - certainly; ca - also; iti - thus; mâm - Me; bahudhâ - in many ways; prâhuh - they call; guna - of the modes of nature; vyatikare - agitation; sati - when there is.
TRANSLATION
When there is agitation and interaction of the material modes of nature, the living entities then describe Me in various ways such as all-powerful time, the Self, Vedic knowledge, the universe, one's own nature, religious ceremonies and so on.
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TEXT 35
s'rî-uddhava uvâca
guneshu vartamâno 'pi
deha-jeshv anapâvritah
gunair na badhyate dehî
badhyate vâ katham vibho
s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; guneshu - in the modes of material nature; vartamânah - being situated; api - although; deha - from the material body; jeshu - born; anapâvritah - being uncovered; gunaih - by the modes of nature; na - not; badhyate - is bound; dehî - the living entity within the material body; badhyate - is bound; vâ - or; katham - how does it happen; vibho - O my Lord.
TRANSLATION
S'rî Uddhava said - O my Lord, a living entity situated within the material body is surrounded by the modes of nature and the happiness and distress that are born of activities caused by these modes. How is it possible that he is not bound by this material encirclement? It may also be said that the living entity is ultimately transcendental and has nothing to do with the material world. Then how is he ever bound by material nature?
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TEXTS 36 - 37
katham varteta viharet
kair vâ jñâyeta lakshanaih
kim bhuñjîtota visrijec
chayîtâsîta yâti vâ
etad acyuta me brûhi
pras'nam pras'na-vidâm vara
nitya-baddho nitya-mukta
eka eveti me bhramah
katham - in what way; varteta - he is situated; viharet - he enjoys; kaih - by which; vâ - or; jñâyeta - would be known; lakshanaih - by symptoms; kim - what; bhuñjîta - he would eat; uta - and; visrijet - would evacuate; s'ayîta - would lie down; âsîta - would sit; yâti - goes; vâ - or;
etat - this; acyuta - O Acyuta; me - to me; brûhi - explain; pras'nam - the question; pras'na-vidâm - of all those who know how to answer questions; vara - O the best; nitya-baddhah - eternally conditioned; nitya-muktah - eternally liberated; ekah - singular; eva - certainly; iti - thus; me - my; bhramah - confusion.
TRANSLATION
O my Lord, Acyuta, the same living entity is sometimes described as eternally conditioned and at other times as eternally liberated. I am not able to understand, therefore, the actual situation of the living entity. You, my Lord, are the best of those who are expert in answering philosophical questions. Please explain to me the symptoms by which one can tell the difference between a living entity who is eternally liberated and one who is eternally conditioned. In what various ways would they remain situated, enjoy life, eat, evacuate, lie down, sit or move about?
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