S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 11
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupâda his pupils
(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 Twenty-two: Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation
TEXTS 1 - 3
s'rî-uddhava uvâca
kati tattvâni vis'ves'a
sankhyâtâny rishibhih prabho
navaikâdas'a pañca trîny
âttha tvam iha s'us'ruma
kecit shad-vims'atim prâhur
apare pañca-vims'atim
saptaike nava shath kecic
catvâry ekâdas'âpare
kecit saptadas'a prâhuh
shodas'aike trayodas'a
etâvattvam hi sankhyânâm
rishayo yad-vivakshayâ
gâyanti prithag âyushmann
idam no vaktum arhasi
s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; kati - how many; tattvâni - basic elements of creation; vis'va-îs'a - O Lord of the universe; sankhyâtâni - have been enumerated; rishibhih - by great authorities; prabho - O my master; nava - nine (God, the individual soul, the mahat-tattva, false ego and the five gross elements); ekâkas'a - plus eleven (the ten knowledge-acquiring and working senses together with the mind); pañca - plus five (the subtle forms of the sense objects); trîni - plus three (the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, making altogether a total of twenty-eight); âttha - have stated; tvam - You; iha - during Your appearance in this world; s'us'ruma - so I have heard;
kecit - some; shath-vims'atim - twenty-six; prâhuh - they say; apare - others; pañca-vims'atim - twenty-five; sapta - seven; eke - some; nava - nine; shath - six; kecit - some; catvâri - four; ekâdas'a - eleven; apare - still others; kecit - some; saptadas'a - seventeen; prâhuh - say; shodas'a - sixteen; eke - some; trayodas'a - thirteen;
etâvattvam - such calculations; hi - indeed; sankhyânâm - of the different ways of counting the elements; rishayah - the sages; yat vivakshayâ - with the intention of expressing what ideas; gâyanti - they have declared; prithak - in various manners; âyuh-man - O supreme eternal; idam - this; nah - to us; vaktum - to explain; arhasi - You should please.
TRANSLATION
Uddhava inquired - My dear Lord, O master of the universe, how many different elements of creation have been enumerated by the great sages? I have heard You personally describe a total of twenty-eight - God, the jîva soul, the mahat-tattva, false ego, the five gross elements, the ten senses, the mind, the five subtle objects of perception and the three modes of nature. But some authorities say that there are twenty-six elements, while others cite twenty-five or else seven, nine, six, four or eleven, and even others say that there are seventeen, sixteen or thirteen. What did each of these sages have in mind when he calculated the creative elements in such different ways? O supreme eternal, kindly explain this to me.
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TEXT 4
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca
yuktam ca santi sarvatra
bhâshante brâhmanâ yathâ
mâyâm madîyâm udgrihya
vadatâm kim nu durghatham
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yuktam - reasonably; ca - even; santi - they are present; sarvatra - everywhere; bhâshante - they speak; brâhmanâh - brâhmanas; yathâ - how; mâyâm - the mystic energy; madîyam - My; udgrihya - resorting to; vadatâm - of those who speak; kim - what; nu - after all; durghatham - will be impossible.
TRANSLATION
Lord Krishna replied - Because all material elements are present everywhere, it is reasonable that different learned brâhmanas have analyzed them in different ways. All such philosophers spoke under the shelter of My mystic potency, and thus they could say anything without contradicting the truth.
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TEXT 5
naitad evam yathâttha tvam
yad aham vacmi tat tathâ
evam vivadatâm hetum
s'aktayo me duratyayâh
na - it is not; etat - this; evam - so; yathâ - as; âttha - say; tvam - you; yat - which; aham - I; vacmi - am saying; tat - that; tathâ - thus; evam - in this way; vivadatâm - for those who argue; hetum - over logical reasons; s'aktayah - the energies (are impelling); me - My; duratyayâh - unsurpassable.
TRANSLATION
When philosophers argue, 'I don't choose to analyze this particular case in the same way that you have,' it is simply My own insurmountable energies that are motivating their analytic disagreements.
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TEXT 6
yâsâm vyatikarâd âsîd
vikalpo vadatâm padam
prâpte s'ama-dame 'pyeti
vâdas tam anu s'âmyati
yâsâm - of which (energies of Mine); vyatikarât - by the interaction; âsît - has arisen; vikalpah - difference of opinion; vadatâm - of those arguing; padam - the subject of discussion; prâpte - when one has achieved; s'ama - the ability to fix his intelligence on Me; dame - and control of his external senses; apyeti - disappears (that difference of opinion); vâdah - the argument itself; tam anu - consequently; s'âmyati - subsides.
TRANSLATION
By interaction of My energies different opinions arise. But for those who have fixed their intelligence on Me and controlled their senses, differences of perception disappear, and consequently the very cause for argument is removed.
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TEXT 7
parasparânupraves'ât
tattvânâm purusharshabha
paurvâparya-prasankhyânam
yathâ vaktur vivakshitam
paraspara - mutual; anupraves'ât - because of the entrance (as subtle causes within gross manifestations, and vice versa); tattvânâm - of the various elements; purusha-rishabha - O best among men (Uddhava); paurva - in terms of prior causes; aparya - or of resultant products; prasankhyânam - enumeration; yathâ - however; vaktuh - the speaker; vivakshitam - wants to describe.
TRANSLATION
O best among men, because subtle and gross elements mutually enter into one another, philosophers may calculate the number of basic material elements in different ways, according to their personal desire.
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TEXT 8
ekasminn api dris'yante
pravisthânîtarâni ca
pûrvasmin vâ parasmin vâ
tattve tattvâni sarvas'ah
ekasmin - in one (element); api - even; dris'yante - there are seen; pravisthâni - entered within; itarâni - others; ca - also; pûrvasmin - in a prior (subtle causal element, such as the dormant presence of ether within its cause, sound); vâ - either; parasmin - or in a later (produced element, such as the subtle presence of sound within its further product, air); vâ - or; tattve - in some element; tattvâni - other elements; sarvas'ah - in the cases of each of the different enumerations.
TRANSLATION
All subtle material elements are actually present within their gross effects; similarly, all gross elements are present within their subtle causes, since material creation takes place by progressive manifestation of elements from subtle to gross. Thus we can find all material elements within any single element.
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TEXT 9
paurvâparyam ato 'mîshâm
prasankhyânam abhîpsatâm
yathâ viviktam yad-vaktram
grihnîmo yukti-sambhavât
paurva - considering causal elements to include their manifest products; aparyam - or assuming elements to include their subtle causes; atah - therefore; amîshâm - of these thinkers; prasankhyânam - the counting; abhîpsatâm - who are intending; yathâ - how; viviktam - ascertained; yat-vaktram - from whose mouth; grihnîmah - We accept it; yukti - of reason; sambhavât - because of the possibility.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, no matter which of these thinkers is speaking, and regardless of whether in their calculations they include material elements within their previous subtle causes or else within their subsequent manifest products, I accept their conclusions as authoritative, because a logical explanation can always be given for each of the different theories.
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TEXT 10
anâdy-avidyâ-yuktasya
purushasyâtma-vedanam
svato na sambhavâd anyas
tattva-jño jñâna-do bhavet
anâdi - without beginning; avidyâ - with ignorance; yuktasya - who is joined; purushasya - of a person; âtma-vedanam - the process of self-realization; svatah - by his own ability; na sambhavât - because it cannot occur; anyah - another person; tattva-jñah - the knower of transcendental reality; jñâna-dah - the bestower of real knowledge; bhavet - must be.
TRANSLATION
Because a person who has been covered by ignorance since time immemorial is not capable of effecting his own self-realization, there must be some other personality who is in factual knowledge of the Absolute Truth and can impart this knowledge to him.
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TEXT 11
purushes'varayor atra
na vailakshanyam anv api
tad-anya-kalpanâpârthâ
jñânam ca prakriter gunah
purusha - between the enjoyer; îs'varayoh - and the supreme controller; atra - herein; na - there is no; vailakshanyam - dissimilarity; anu - minute; api - even; tat - of them; anya - as being completely different; kalpanâ - the imagined idea; apârthâ - useless; jñânam - knowledge; ca - and; prakriteh - of material nature; gunah - a quality.
TRANSLATION
According to knowledge in the material mode of goodness, there is no qualitative difference between the living entity and the supreme controller. The imagination of qualitative difference between them is useless speculation.
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TEXT 12
prakritir guna-sâmyam vai
prakriter nâtmano gunâh
sattvam rajas tama iti
sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavah
prakritih - material nature; guna - of the three modes; sâmyam - the original equilibrium; vai - indeed; prakriteh - of nature; na âtmanah - not of the spirit soul; gunâh - these modes; sattvam - goodness; rajah - passion; tamah - ignorance; iti - thus called; sthiti - of the maintenance of universal creation; utpatti - its production; anta - and its annihilation; hetavah - the causes.
TRANSLATION
Nature exists originally as the equilibrium of the three material modes, which pertain only to nature, not to the transcendental spirit soul. These modes &emdash; goodness, passion and ignorance &emdash; are the effective causes of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe.
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TEXT 13
sattvam jñânam rajah karma
tamo 'jñânam ihocyate
guna-vyatikarah kâlah
svabhâvah sûtram eva ca
sattvam - the mode of goodness; jñânam - knowledge; rajah - the mode of passion; karma - fruitive work; tamah - the mode of ignorance; ajñânam - foolishness; iha - in this world; ucyate - is called; guna - of the modes; vyatikarah - the agitated transformation; kâlah - time; svabhâvah - innate tendency, nature; sûtram - the mahat-tattva; eva - indeed; ca - also.
TRANSLATION
In this world the mode of goodness is recognized as knowledge, the mode of passion as fruitive work, and the mode of darkness as ignorance. Time is perceived as the agitated interaction of the material modes, and the totality of functional propensity is embodied by the primeval sûtra, or mahat-tattva.
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TEXT 14
purushah prakritir vyaktam
ahankâro nabho 'nilah
jyotir âpah kshitir iti
tattvâny uktâni me nava
purushah - the enjoyer; prakritih - nature; vyaktam - the primeval manifestation of matter; ahankârah - false ego; nabhah - ether; anilah - air; jyotih - fire; âpah - water; kshitih - earth; iti - thus; tattvâni - the elements of creation; uktâni - have been described; me - by Me; nava - nine.
TRANSLATION
I have described the nine basic elements as the enjoying soul, nature, nature's primeval manifestation of the mahat-tattva, false ego, ether, air, fire, water and earth.
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TEXT 15
s'rotram tvag dars'anam ghrâno
jihveti jñâna-s'aktayah
vâk-pâny-upastha-pâyv-anghrih
karmâny angobhayam manah
s'rotram - the sense of hearing; tvak - the sense of touch, experienced upon the skin; dars'anam - sight; ghrânah - smell; jihvâ - the sense of taste, experienced upon the tongue; iti - thus; jñâna-s'aktayah - the knowledge-acquiring senses; vâk - speech; pâni - the hands; upastha - the genitals; pâyu - the anus; anghrih - and the legs; karmâni - the working senses; anga - My dear Uddhava; ubhayam - belonging to both these categories; manah - the mind.
TRANSLATION
Hearing, touch, sight, smell and taste are the five knowledge acquiring senses, My dear Uddhava, and speech, the hands, the genitals, the anus and the legs constitute the five working senses. The mind belongs to both these categories.
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TEXT 16
s'abdah spars'o raso gandho
rûpam cety artha-jâtayah
gaty-ukty-utsarga-s'ilpâni
karmâyatana-siddhayah
s'abdah - sound; spars'ah - touch; rasah - taste; gandhah - fragrance; rûpam - form; ca - and; iti - thus; artha - of sense objects; jâtayah - the categories; gati - movement; ukti - speech; utsarga - excretion (by both the genitals and anus); s'ilpâni - and manufacture; karma-âyatana - by the above-mentioned working senses; siddhayah - accomplished.
TRANSLATION
Sound, touch, taste, smell and form are the objects of the knowledge-acquiring senses, and movement, speech, excretion and manufacture are functions of the working senses.
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TEXT 17
sargâdau prakritir hy asya
kârya-kârana-rûpinî
sattvâdibhir gunair dhatte
purusho 'vyakta îkshate
sarga - of creation; âdau - in the beginning; prakritih - the material nature; hi - indeed; asya - of this universe; kârya - the manifest products; kârana - and subtle causes; rûpinî - embodying; sattva-âdibhih - by means of goodness, passion and ignorance; gunaih - the modes; dhatte - assumes its position; purushah - the Supreme Lord; avyaktah - not involved in material manifestation; îkshate - witnesses.
TRANSLATION
In the beginning of creation nature assumes, by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, its form as the embodiment of all subtle causes and gross manifestations within the universe. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not enter the interaction of material manifestation but merely glances upon nature.
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vyaktâdâyo vikurvânâ
dhâtavah purushekshayâ
labdha-vîryâh srijanty andam
samhatâh prakriter balât
vyakta-âdayah - the mahat-tattva and so on; vikurvânâh - undergoing transformation; dhâtavah - the elements; purusha - of the Lord; îkshayâ - by the glance; labdha - having attained; vîryâh - their potencies; srijanti - they create; andam - the egg of the universe; samhatâh - amalgamated; prakriteh - of nature; balât - by the power.
TRANSLATION
As the material elements, headed by the mahat-tattva, are transformed, they receive their specific potencies from the glance of the Supreme Lord, and being amalgamated by the power of nature, they create the universal egg.
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TEXT 19
saptaiva dhâtava iti
tatrârthâh pañca khâdayah
jñânam âtmobhayâdhâras
tato dehendriyâsavah
sapta - seven; eva - indeed; dhâtavah - elements; iti - thus saying; tatra - therein; arthâh - the physical elements; pañca - five; kha-âdayah - beginning with ether; jñânam - the spirit soul, who is the possessor of knowledge; âtmâ - the Supreme Soul; ubhaya - of both (the seen nature and the jîva who is its seer); âdhârah - the fundamental basis; tatah - from these; deha - the body; indriya - senses; asavah - and vital airs.
TRANSLATION
According to some philosophers there are seven elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether, along with the conscious spirit soul and the Supreme Soul, who is the basis of both the material elements and the ordinary spirit soul. According to this theory, the body, senses, life air and all material phenomena are produced from these seven elements.
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TEXT 20
shad ity atrâpi bhûtâni
pañca shasthhah parah pumân
tair yuita âtma-sambhûtaih
sristhvedam samapâvis'at
shath - six; iti - thus; atra - in this theory; api - also; bhûtâni - the elements; pañca - five; shasthhah - the sixth; parah - the transcendental; pumân - Supreme Personality; taih - with those (five gross elements); yuktah - conjoined; âtma - from Himself; sambhûtaih - created; sristhvâ - sending forth; idam - this creation; samupâvis'at - He entered within it.
TRANSLATION
Other philosophers state that there are six elements - the five physical elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and the sixth element, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That Supreme Lord, endowed with the elements that He has brought forth from Himself, creates this universe and then personally enters within it.
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TEXT 21
catvâry eveti tatrâpi
teja âpo 'nnam âtmanah
jâtâni tair idam jâtam
janmâvayavinah khalu
catvâri - four; eva - also; iti - thus; tatra - in that case; api - even; tejah - fire; âpah - water; annam - earth; âtmanah - from the Self; jâtâni - all arising; taih - by them; idam - this cosmos; jâtam - has come about; janma - the birth; avayavinah - of the manifest product; khalu - indeed.
TRANSLATION
Some philosophers propose the existence of four basic elements, of which three - fire, water and earth - emanate from the fourth, the Self. Once existing, these elements produce the cosmic manifestation, in which all material creation takes place.
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TEXT 22
sankhyâne saptadas'ake
bhûta-mâtrendriyâni ca
pañca pañcaika-manasâ
âtmâ saptadas'ah smritah
sankhyâne - in the enumeration; saptadas'ake - in terms of seventeen elements; bhûta - the five gross elements; mâtra - the five subtle perceptions pertaining to each; indriyâni - and the five corresponding senses; ca - also; pañca pañca - in groups of five; eka-manasâ - along with the one mind; âtmâ - the soul; saptadas'ah - as the seventeenth; smritah - is so considered.
TRANSLATION
Some calculate the existence of seventeen basic elements, namely the five gross elements, the five objects of perception, the five sensory organs, the mind, and the soul as the seventeenth element.
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TEXT 23
tadvat shodas'a-sankhyâne
âtmaiva mana ucyate
bhûtendriyâni pañcaiva
mana âtmâ trayodas'a
tadvat - similarly; shodas'a-sankhyâne - in counting sixteen; âtmâ - the soul; eva - indeed; manah - as the mind; ucyate - is identified; bhûta - the five gross elements; indriyâni - the senses; pañca - five; eva - certainly; manah - the mind; âtmâ - the soul (both the individual soul and the Supersoul); trayodas'a - thirteen.
TRANSLATION
According to the calculation of sixteen elements, the only difference from the previous theory is that the soul is identified with the mind. If we think in terms of five physical elements, five senses, the mind, the individual soul and the Supreme Lord, there are thirteen elements.
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TEXT 24
ekâdas'atva âtmâsau
mahâ-bhûtendriyâni ca
asthau prakritayas' caiva
purushas' ca navety atha
ekâdas'atve - in the consideration of eleven; âtmâ - the soul; asau - this; mahâ-bhûta - the gross elements; indriyâni - the senses; ca - and; asthau - eight; prakritayah - natural elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego); ca - also; eva - certainly; purushah - the Supreme Lord; ca - and; nava - nine; iti - thus; atha - furthermore.
TRANSLATION
Counting eleven, there are the soul, the gross elements and the senses. Eight gross and subtle elements plus the Supreme Lord would make nine.
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TEXT 25
iti nânâ-prasankhyânam
tattvânâm rishibhih kritam
sarvam nyâyyam yuktimattvâd
vidushâm kim as'obhanam
iti - in these ways; nânâ - various; prasankhyânam - enumeration; tattvânâm - of the elements; rishibhih - by the sages; kritam - has been done; sarvam - all this; nyâyyam - logical; yukti-mattvât - because of the presentation of rational arguments; vidushâm - of those who are learned; kim - what; as'obhanam - lack of brilliance.
TRANSLATION
Thus great philosophers have analyzed the material elements in many different ways. All of their proposals are reasonable, since they are all presented with ample logic. Indeed, such philosophical brilliance is expected of the truly learned.
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TEXT 26
s'rî-uddhava uvâca
prakritih purushas' cobhau
yady apy âtma-vilakshanau
anyonyâpâs'rayât krishna
dris'yate na bhidâ tayoh
prakritau lakshyate hy âtmâ
prakritis' ca tathâtmani
s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; prakritih - nature; purushah - the enjoyer, or living entity; ca - and; ubhau - both; yadi api - although; âtma - constitutionally; vilakshanau - distinct; anyonya - mutual; apâs'rayât - because of shelter; krishna - O Lord Krishna; dris'yate na - it does not appear; bhidâ - any difference; tayoh - between them; prakritau - within nature; lakshyate - is apparently seen; hi - indeed; âtmâ - the soul; prakritih - nature; ca - and; tathâ - also; âtmani - in the soul.
TRANSLATION
S'rî Uddhava inquired - Although nature and the living entity are constitutionally distinct, O Lord Krishna, there appears to be no difference between them, because they are found residing within one another. Thus the soul appears to be within nature and nature within the soul.
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TEXT 27
evam me pundarîkâksha
mahântam sams'ayam hridi
chettum arhasi sarva-jña
vacobhir naya-naipunaih
evam - thus; me - my; pundarîka-aksha - O lotus-eyed Lord; mahântam - great; sams'ayam - doubt; hridi - within my heart; chettum - cut; arhasi - You should please; sarva-jña - O omniscient one; vacobhih - with Your words; naya - in reasoning; naipunaih - very expert.
TRANSLATION
O lotus-eyed Krishna, O omniscient Lord, kindly cut this great doubt out of my heart with Your own words, which exhibit Your great skill in reasoning.
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TEXT 28
tvatto jñânam hi jîvânâm
pramoshas te 'tra s'aktitah
tvam eva hy âtma-mâyâyâ
gatim vettha na câparah
tvattah - from You; jñânam - knowledge; hi - indeed; jîvânâm - of the living beings; pramoshah - stealing away; te - Your; atra - in this knowledge; s'aktitah - by the potency; tvam - You; eva - alone; hi - indeed; âtma - Your own; mâyâyâh - of the illusory potency; gatim - the real nature; vettha - You know; na - not; ca - and; aparah - any other person.
TRANSLATION
From You alone the knowledge of the living beings arises, and by Your potency that knowledge is stolen away. Indeed, no one but Yourself can understand the real nature of Your illusory potency.
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TEXT 29
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca
prakritih purushas' ceti
vikalpah purusharshabha
esha vaikârikah sargo
guna-vyatikarâtmakah
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prakritih - nature; purushah - the enjoyer, living entity; ca - and; iti - thus; vikalpah - complete distinction; purusha-rishabha - O best among men; eshah - this; vaikârikah - subject to transformation; sargah - creation; guna - of the modes of nature; vyatikara - the agitation; âtmakah - based upon.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said - O best among men, material nature and its enjoyer are clearly distinct. This manifest creation undergoes constant transformation, being founded upon the agitation of the modes of nature.
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TEXT 30
mamânga mâyâ guna-mayy anekadhâ
vikalpa-buddhîs' ca gunair vidhatte
vaikârikas tri-vidho 'dhyâtmam ekam
athâdhidaivam adhibhûtam anyat
mama - My; anga - My dear Uddhava; mâyâ - material energy; guna-mayî - consisting of the three modes; anekadhâ - manifold; vikalpa - different manifestations; buddhîh - and perceptions of these differences; ca - and; gunaih - by the modes; vidhatte - establishes; vaikârikah - the full-blown manifestation of transformations; tri-vidhah - having three aspects; adhyâtmam - called adhyâtma; ekam - one; atha - and; adhidaivam - adhidaiva; adhibhûtam - adhibhûta; anyat - another.
TRANSLATION
My dear Uddhava, My material energy, comprising three modes and acting through them, manifests the varieties of creation along with varieties of consciousness for perceiving them. The manifest result of material transformation is understood in three aspects - adhyâtmic, adhidaivic and adhibhautic.
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TEXT 31
drig rûpam ârkam vapur atra randhre
parasparam sidhyati yah svatah khe
âtmâ yad eshâm aparo ya âdyah
svayânubhûtyâkhila-siddha-siddhih
drik - the function of sight (as adhyâtma); rûpam - visible form (as adhibhûta); ârkam - of the sun; vapuh - the partial image (as adhidaiva); atra - in this; randhre - aperture (of the eyeball); parasparam - mutually; sidhyati - cause the manifestation of each other; yah - which; svatah - by its own power; khe - in the sky; âtmâ - the Supersoul; yat - which; eshâm - of these (three features); aparah - separate; yah - who; âdyah - the original cause; svayâ - by His own; anubhûtyâ - transcendental experience; akhila - of all; siddha - manifest phenomena; siddhih - the source of manifestation.
TRANSLATION
Sight, visible form and the reflected image of the sun within the aperture of the eye all work together to reveal one another. But the original sun standing in the sky is self-manifested. Similarly, the Supreme Soul, the original cause of all entities, who is thus separate from all of them, acts by the illumination of His own transcendental experience as the ultimate source of manifestation of all mutually manifesting objects.
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SB 11.22.32
TEXT 32
evam tvag-âdi s'ravanâdi cakshur
jihvâdi nâsâdi ca citta-yuktam
evam - in the same way; tvak-âdi - the skin, the sensation of touch and the demigod of the wind, Vâyu; s'ravana-âdi - the ears, the sensation of sound and the demigods of the directions; cakshuh - the eyes (described in the previous verse); jihvâ-adi - the tongue, the sensation of taste and the god of water, Varuna; nâsa-âdi - the nose, the sensation of smell and the As'vinî-kumâras; ca - also; citta-yuktam - along with consciousness (implying not only conditioned consciousness together with the object of that consciousness and the presiding Deity Vâsudeva, but also the mind together with the object of thought and the moon-god Candra, intelligence with the object of intelligence and Lord Brahmâ, and false ego together with the identification of false ego and Lord Rudra).
TRANSLATION
Similarly, the sense organs, namely the skin, ears, eyes, tongue and nose - as well as the functions of the subtle body, namely conditioned consciousness, mind, intelligence and false ego - can all be analyzed in terms of the threefold distinction of sense, object of perception and presiding deity.
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TEXT 33
yo 'sau guna-kshobha-krito vikârah
pradhâna-mûlân mahatah prasûtah
aham tri-vrin moha-vikalpa-hetur
vaikârikas tâmasa aindriyas' ca
yah asau - this; guna - of the modes of nature; kshobha - by the agitation; kritah - caused; vikârah - transformation; pradhâna-mûlât - which is generated from the pradhâna, the unmanifest form of the total material nature; mahatah - from the mahat-tattva; prasûtah - generated; aham - false ego; tri-vrit - in three phases; moha - of bewilderment; vikalpa - and material variety; hetuh - the cause; vaikârikah - in the mode of goodness; tâmasah - in the mode of ignorance; aindriyah - in the mode of passion; ca - and.
TRANSLATION
When the three modes of nature are agitated, the resultant transformation appears as the element false ego in three phases - goodness, passion and ignorance. Generated from the mahat-tattva, which is itself produced from the unmanifest pradhâna, this false ego becomes the cause of all material illusion and duality.
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TEXT 34
âtmâparijñâna-mayo vivâdo
hy astîti nâstîti bhidârtha-nisthhah
vyartho 'pi naivoparameta pumsâm
mattah parâvritta-dhiyâm sva-lokât
âtma - of the Supreme Soul; aparijñâna-mayah - based on lack of full knowledge; vivâdah - speculative argument; hi - indeed; asti - (this world) is real; iti - thus saying; na asti - it is not real; iti - thus saying; bhidâ - material differences; artha-nisthhah - having as its focus of discussion; vyarthah - worthless; api - although; na - does not; eva - certainly; uparameta - cease; pumsâm - for persons; mattah - from Me; parâvritta - who have turned; dhiyâm - their attention; sva-lokât - who am nondifferent from them.
TRANSLATION
The speculative argument of philosophers - 'This world is real,' 'No, it is not realî - is based upon incomplete knowledge of the Supreme Soul and is simply aimed at understanding material dualities. Although such argument is useless, persons who have turned their attention away from Me, their own true Self, are unable to give it up.
PURPORT
If one doubts the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will inevitably doubt the reality of the Lord's creation. Thus, without understanding Lord Krishna, mere argument and debate over the reality and nonreality of the material world are useless. The material world is real specifically because it emanates from the supreme reality, Lord Krishna. Without understanding the reality of Lord Krishna one can never definitely ascertain the reality of His creation; one will always wonder if he is actually seeing something or merely thinking that he is seeing it. This kind of speculation can never be resolved without taking shelter of the Supreme Lord and is therefore useless. The devotees of the Lord are not inclined to such argument, because they are factually advancing in spiritual enlightenment and are fully satisfied with their progressively more beautiful experience of Krishna consciousness.
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TEXTS 35 - 36
s'rî-uddhava uvâca
tvattah parâvritta-dhiyah
sva-kritaih karmabhih prabho
uccâvacân yathâ dehân
grihnanti visrijanti ca
tan mamâkhyâhi govinda
durvibhâvyam anâtmabhih
na hy etat prâyas'o loke
vidvâmsah santi vañcitâh
s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; tvattah - from You; parâvritta - diverted; dhiyah - whose minds; sva-kritaih - done by them; karmabhih - by the fruitive activities; prabho - O supreme master; ucca-avacân - higher and lower; yathâ - in which way; dehân - material bodies; grihnanti - they accept; visrijanti - give up; ca - and;
tat - that; mama - to me; âkhyâhi - please explain; govinda - O Govinda; durvibhâvyam - impossible to understand; anâtmabhih - by those who are not intelligent; na - not; hi - indeed; etat - about this; prâyas'ah - for the most part; loke - in this world; vidvâmsah - knowledgeable; santi - they are; vañcitâh - who are cheated (by material illusion).
TRANSLATION
S'rî Uddhava said - O supreme master, the intelligence of those dedicated to fruitive activities is certainly deviated from You. Please explain to me how such persons accept superior and inferior bodies by their materialistic activities and then give up such bodies. O Govinda, this topic is very difficult for foolish persons to understand. Being cheated by illusion in this world, they generally do not become aware of these facts.
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TEXT 37
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca
manah karma-mayam nËnâm
indriyaih pañcabhir yutam
lokâl lokam prayâty anya
âtmâ tad anuvartate
s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; manah - the mind; karma-mayam - shaped by fruitive work; nËnâm - of persons; indriyaih - along with the senses; pañcabhih - five; yutam - conjoined; lokât - from one world; lokam - to another world; prayâti - travels; anyah - separate; âtmâ - the soul; tat - that mind; anuvartate - follows.
TRANSLATION
Lord Krishna said - The material mind of men is shaped by the reactions of fruitive work. Along with the five senses, it travels from one material body to another. The spirit soul, although different from this mind, follows it.
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TEXT 38
dhyâyan mano 'nu vishayân
dristhân vânus'rutân atha
udyat sîdat karma-tantram
smritis tad anu s'âmyati
dhyâyat - meditating; manah - the mind; anu - regularly; vishayân - on the sense objects; dristhân - seen; vâ - or; anus'rutân - heard from Vedic authority; atha - subsequently; udyat - rising; sîdat - dissolving; karma-tantram - bound to the reactions of fruitive work; smritih - remembrance; tat anu - after that; s'âmyati - is destroyed.
TRANSLATION
The mind, bound to the reactions of fruitive work, always meditates on the objects of the senses, both those that are seen in this world and those that are heard about from Vedic authority. Consequently, the mind appears to come into being and to suffer annihilation along with its objects of perception, and thus its ability to distinguish past and future is lost.
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TEXT 39
vishayâbhinives'ena
nâtmânam yat smaret punah
jantor vai kasyacid dhetor
mrityur atyanta-vismritih
vishaya - in (new) objects of perception; abhinives'ena - because of absorption; na - not; âtmânam - his previous self; yat - the situation in which; smaret - remembers; punah - any more; jantoh - of the living entity; vai - indeed; kasyacit hetoh - for any reason or other; mrityuh - known as death; atyanta - total; vismritih - forgetfulness.
TRANSLATION
When the living entity passes from the present body to the next body, which is created by his own karma, he becomes absorbed in the pleasurable and painful sensations of the new body and completely forgets the experience of the previous body. This total forgetfulness of one's previous material identity, which comes about for one reason or another, is called death.
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TEXT 40
janma tv âtmatayâ pumsah
sarva-bhâvena bhûri-da
vishaya-svîkritim prâhur
yathâ svapna-manorathah
janma - birth; tu - and; âtmatayâ - by identification with oneself; pumsah - of a person; sarva-bhâvena - completely; bhûri-da - O most charitable Uddhava; vishaya - of the body; svî-kritim - the acceptance; prâhuh - is called; yathâ - just as; svapna - a dream; manah-rathah - or a mental fantasy.
TRANSLATION
O most charitable Uddhava, what is called birth is simply a person's total identification with a new body. One accepts the new body just as one completely accepts the experience of a dream or a fantasy as reality.
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TEXT 41
svapnam manoratham cettham
prâktanam na smaraty asau
tatra pûrvam ivâtmânam
apûrvam cânupas'yati
svapnam - a dream; manah-ratham - a daydream; ca - and; ittham - thus; prâktanam - previous; na smarati - does not remember; asau - he; tatra - in that (present body); pûrvam - the previous; iva - as if; âtmânam - himself; apûrvam - having no past; ca - and; anupas'yati - he views.
TRANSLATION
Just as a person experiencing a dream or daydream does not remember his previous dreams or daydreams, a person situated in his present body, although having existed prior to it, thinks that he has only recently come into being.
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TEXT 42
indriyâyana-sristhyedam
trai-vidhyam bhâti vastuni
bahir-antar-bhidâ-hetur
jano 'saj-jana-krid yathâ
indriya-ayana - by the resting place of the senses (the mind); sristhyâ - because of the creation (of identification with a new body); idam - this; trai-vidhyam - threefold variety (of high, middle and low class); bhâti - appears; vastuni - in the reality (the soul); bahih - external; antah - and internal; bhidâ - of the differences; hetuh - the cause; janah - a person; asat-jana - of a bad person; krit - the progenitor; yathâ - as.
TRANSLATION
Because the mind, which is the resting place of the senses, has created the identification with a new body, the threefold material variety of high, middle and low class appears as if present within the reality of the soul. Thus the self creates external and internal duality, just as a man might give birth to a bad son.
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TEXT 43
nityadâ hy anga bhûtâni
bhavanti na bhavanti ca
kâlenâlakshya-vegena
sûkshmatvât tan na dris'yate
nityadâ - constantly; hi - indeed; anga - My dear Uddhava; bhûtâni - created bodies; bhavanti - come into being; na bhavanti - go out of being; ca - and; kâlena - by time; alakshya - imperceptible; vegena - whose speed; sûkshmatvât - because of being very subtle; tat - that; na dris'yate - is not seen.
TRANSLATION
My dear Uddhava, material bodies are constantly undergoing creation and destruction by the force of time, whose swiftness is imperceptible. But because of the subtle nature of time, no one sees this.
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TEXT 44
yathârcishâm srotasâm ca
phalânâm vâ vanaspateh
tathaiva sarva-bhûtânâm
vayo-'vasthâdayah kritâh
yathâ - as; arcishâm - of the flames of a candle; srotasâm - of the currents of a river; ca - and; phalânâm - of fruits; vâ - or; vanaspateh - of a tree; tathâ - thus; eva - certainly; sarva-bhûtânâm - of all material bodies; vayah - of different ages; avasthâ - situations; âdayah - and so on; kritâh - are created.
TRANSLATION
The different stages of transformation of all material bodies occur just like those of the flame of a candle, the current of a river, or the fruits of a tree.
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TEXT 45
so 'yam dîpo 'rcishâm yadvat
srotasâm tad idam jalam
so 'yam pumân iti nrinâm
mrishâ gîr dhîr mrishâyushâm
sah - this; ayam - the same; dîpah - light; arcishâm - of the radiation of a lamp; yadvat - just as; srotasâm - of the currents flowing in a river; tat - that; idam - the same; jalam - water; sah - this; ayam - the same; pumân - person; iti - thus; nrinâm - of men; mrishâ - false; gîh - statement; dhîh - thought; mrishâ-âyushâm - of those who are wasting their life.
TRANSLATION
Although the illumination of a lamp consists of innumerable rays of light undergoing constant creation, transformation and destruction, a person with illusory intelligence who sees the light for a moment will speak falsely, saying, 'This is the light of the lamp.' As one observes a flowing river, ever-new water passes by and goes far away, yet a foolish person, observing one point in the river, falsely states, 'This is the water of the river.' Similarly, although the material body of a human being is constantly undergoing transformation, those who are simply wasting their lives falsely think and say that each particular stage of the body is the person's real identity
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TEXT 46
mâ svasya karma-bîjena
jâyate so 'py ayam pumân
mriyate vâmaro bhrântyâ
yathâgnir dâru-samyutah
mâ - does not; svasya - of the self; karma-bîjena - by the seed of his activities; jâyate - take birth; sah - he; api - indeed; ayam - this; pumân - personality; mriyate - dies; vâ - or; amarah - immortal; bhrântyâ - because of illusion; yathâ - as; agnih - fire; dâru - with wood; samyutah - joined.
TRANSLATION
A person does not actually take birth out of the seed of past activities, nor, being immortal, does he die. By illusion the living being appears to be born and to die, just as fire in connection with firewood appears to begin and then cease to exist.
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TEXT 47
nisheka-garbha-janmâni
bâlya-kaumâra-yauvanam
vayo-madhyam jarâ mrityur
ity avasthâs tanor nava
nisheka - impregnation; garbha - gestation; janmâni - and birth; bâlya - infancy; kaumâra - childhood; yauvanam - and youth; vayah-madhyam - middle age; jarâ - old age; mrityuh - death; iti - thus; avasthâh - ages; tanoh - of the body; nava - nine.
TRANSLATION
Impregnation, gestation, birth, infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, old age and death are the nine ages of the body.
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TEXT 48
etâ manoratha-mayîr
hânyasyoccâvacâs tanûh
guna-sangâd upâdatte
kvacit kas'cij jahâti ca
etâh - these; manah-rathah-mayîh - achieved by meditation of the mind; ha - certainly; anyasya - of the body (who is separate from the self); ucca - greater; avacâh - and lesser; tanûh - bodily conditions; guna-sangât - because of associating with the modes of nature; upâdatte - he accepts; kvacit - sometimes; kas'cit - someone; jahâti - gives up; ca - and.
TRANSLATION
Although the material body is different from the self, because of the ignorance due to material association one falsely identifies oneself with the superior and inferior bodily conditions. Sometimes a fortunate person is able to give up such mental concoction.
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TEXT 49
âtmanah pitri-putrâbhyâm
anumeyau bhavâpyayau
na bhavâpyaya-vastûnâm
abhijño dvaya-lakshanah
âtmanah - one's own; pitri - from the father or ancestors; putrâbhyâm - and the son; anumeyau - can be surmised; bhava - birth; apyayau - and death; na - is no longer; bhava-apyaya-vastûnâm - of all that is subject to generation and destruction; abhijñah - one who is in proper knowledge; dvaya - by these dualities; lakshanah - characterized.
TRANSLATION
By the death of one's father or grandfather one can surmise one's own death, and by the birth of one's son one can understand the condition of one's own birth. A person who thus realistically understands the creation and destruction of material bodies is no longer subject to these dualities.
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TEXT 50
taror bîja-vipâkâbhyâm
yo vidvân' janma-samyamau
taror vilakshano drasthâ
evam drasthâ tanoh prithak
taroh - of a tree; bîja - (birth from) its seed; vipâkâbhyâm - (destruction subsequent to) maturity; yah - one who; vidvân - in knowledge; janma - of birth; samyamau - and death; taroh - from the tree; vilakshanah - distinct; drasthâ - the witness; evam - in the same way; drasthâ - the witness; tanoh - of the material body; prithhak - is separate.
TRANSLATION
One who observes the birth of a tree from its seed and the ultimate death of the tree after maturity certainly remains a distinct observer separate from the tree. In the same way, the witness of the birth and death of the material body remains separate from it.
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TEXT 51
prakriter evam âtmânam
avivicyâbudhah pumân
tattvena spars'a-sammûdhah
samsâram pratipadyate
prakriteh - from material nature; evam - in this way; âtmânam - the self; avivicya - failing to distinguish; abudhah - the unintelligent; pumân - person; tattvena - because of thinking (material things) to be real; spars'a - by material contact; sammûdhah - completely bewildered; samsâram - the cycle of material existence; pratipadyate - attains.
TRANSLATION
An unintelligent man, failing to distinguish himself from material nature, thinks nature to be real. By contact with it he becomes completely bewildered and enters into the cycle of material existence.
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TEXT 52
sattva-sangâd rishîn devân
rajasâsura-mânushân
tamasâ bhûta-tiryaktvam
bhrâmito yâti karmabhih
sattva-sangât - by association with the mode of goodness; rishîn - to the sages; devân - to the demigods; rajasâ - by the mode of passion; asura - to the demons; mânushân - and to human beings; tamasâ - by the mode of ignorance; bhûta - to the ghostly spirits; tiryaktvam - or the animal kingdom; bhrâmitah - made to wander; yâti - he goes; karmabhih - because of his fruitive activities.
TRANSLATION
Made to wander because of his fruitive work, the conditioned soul, by contact with the mode of goodness, takes birth among the sages or demigods. By contact with the mode of passion he becomes a demon or human being, and by association with the mode of ignorance he takes birth as a ghost or in the animal kingdom.
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TEXT 53
nrityato gâyatah pas'yan
yathaivânukaroti tân
evam buddhi-gunân pas'yan
anîho 'py anukâryate
nrityatah - persons who are dancing; gâyatah - and singing; pas'yan - observing; yathâ - just as; eva - indeed; anukaroti - imitates; tân - them; evam - thus; buddhi - of the material intelligence; gunân - the acquired qualities; pas'yan - seeing; anîhah - although not himself engaged in activity; api - nevertheless; anukâryate - is made to imitate.
TRANSLATION
Just as one may imitate persons whom one sees dancing and singing, similarly the soul, although never the doer of material activities, becomes captivated by material intelligence and is thus forced to imitate its qualities.
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TEXTS 54 - 55
yathâmbhasâ pracalatâ
taravo 'pi calâ iva
cakshusâ bhrâmyamânena
dris'yate bhramatîva bhûh
yathâ manoratha-dhiyo
vishayshânubhavo mrishâ
svapna-dristhâs' ca dâs'ârha
tathâ samsâra âtmanah
yathâ - as; ambhasâ - by water; pracalatâ - moving, agitated; taravah - trees; api - indeed; calâh - moving; iva - as if; cakshushâ - by the eyes; bhrâmyamânena - which are being turned about; dris'yate - appears; bhramatî - moving; iva - as if; bhûh - the earth;
yathâ - as; manah-ratha - of a mental fantasy; dhiyah - the ideas; vishaya - of sense gratification; anubhavah - the experience; mrishâ - false; svapna-dristhah - things seen in a dream; ca - and; dâs'ârha - O descendant of Das'ârha; tathâ - thus; samsârah - the material life; âtmanah - of the soul.
TRANSLATION
The soul's material life, his experience of sense gratification, is actually false, O descendant of Das'ârha, just like trees' appearance of quivering when the trees are reflected in agitated water, or like the earth's appearance of spinning due to one's spinning his eyes around, or like the world of a fantasy or dream.
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TEXT 56
arthe hy avidyamâne 'pi
samsritir na nivartate
dhyâyato vishayân asya
svapne 'narthâgamo yathâ
arthe - in truth; hi - certainly; avidyamâne - not existing; api - even though; samsritih - material existence; na nivartate - does not stop; dhyâyatah - who is meditating; vishayân - on the objects of sense gratification; asya - for him; svapne - in a dream; anartha - of unwanted things; âgamah - the coming; yathâ - just as.
TRANSLATION
For one who is meditating on sense gratification, material life, although lacking factual existence, does not go away, just as the unpleasant experiences of a dream do not.
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TEXT 57
tasmâd uddhava mâ bhunkshva
vishayân asad-indriyaih
âtmâgrahana-nirbhâtam
pas'ya vaikalpikam bhramam
tasmât - therefore; uddhava - My dear Uddhava; mâ bhunkshva - do not enjoy; vishayân - the objects of sense gratification; asat - impure; indriyaih - with senses; âtma - of the self; agrahana - inability to realize; nirbhâtam - in which is manifest; pas'ya - see it; vaikalpikam - based on material duality; bhramam - the illusion.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, O Uddhava, do not try to enjoy sense gratification with the material senses. See how illusion based on material dualities prevents one from realizing the self.
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TEXTS 58 - 59
kshipto 'vamânito 'sadbhih
pralabdho 'sûyito 'tha vâ
tâditah sanniruddho vâ
vrittyâ vâ parihâpitah
nisthhyuto mûtrito vâjñair
bahudhaivam prakampitah
s'reyas-kâmah kricchra-gata
âtmanâtmânam uddharet
kshiptah - insulted; avamânitah - neglected; asadbhih - by bad men; pralabdhah - ridiculed; asûyitah - envied; atha vâ - or else; tâditah - chastised; sanniruddhah - tied up; vâ - or; vrittyâ - of his means of livelihood; vâ - or; parihâpitah - deprived;
nisthhyutah - spat upon; mûtritah - polluted with urine; vâ - or; ajñaih - by foolish men; bahudhâ - repeatedly; evam - thus; prakampitah - agitated; s'reyah-kâmah - one who desires the highest goal in life; kricchra-gatah - experiencing difficulty; âtmanâ - by his intelligence; âtmânam - himself; uddharet - should save.
TRANSLATION
Even though neglected, insulted, ridiculed or envied by bad men, or even though repeatedly agitated by being beaten, tied up or deprived of one's occupation, spat upon or polluted with urine by ignorant people, one who desires the highest goal in life should in spite of all these difficulties use his intelligence to keep himself safe on the spiritual platform.
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TEXT 60
s'rî-uddhava uvâca
yathaivam anubudhyeyam
vada no vadatâm vara
s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; yathâ - how; evam - thus; anubudhyeyam - I may properly understand; vada - please speak; nah - to us; vadatâm - of all speakers; vara - O You who are the best.
TRANSLATION
S'rî Uddhava said - O best of all speakers, please explain to me how I may properly understand this.
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TEXT 61
su-duhshaham imam manya
âtmany asad-atikramam
vidushâm api vis'vâtman
prakritir hi balîyasî
rite tvad-dharma-niratân
s'ântâms te caranâlayân
su-duhsaham - most difficult to tolerate; imam - this; manye - I consider; âtmani - upon oneself; asat - by ignorant people; atikramam - the attacks; vidushâm - for those who are learned; api - even; vis'va-âtman - O soul of the universe; prakritih - one's conditioned personality; hi - certainly; balîyasî - very strong; rite - except for; tvat-dharma - in Your devotional service; niratân - those who are fixed; s'ântân - peaceful; te - Your; carana-âlayân - who reside at the lotus feet.
TRANSLATION
O soul of the universe, the conditioning of one's personality in material life is very strong, and therefore it is very difficult even for learned men to tolerate the offenses committed against them by ignorant people. Only Your devotees, who are fixed in Your loving service and who have achieved peace by residing at Your lotus feet, are able to tolerate such offenses.
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