Canto 11
Chapter 10
The Soul Free, The Soul Bound
(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'A soul free from desire accepting the shelter of Me should, taking care in the personal duties to God I spoke of [see also in e.g. 10.60: 52 and B.G. 3: 35], practice the varnâs'rama system of society [B.G. 4: 13]. (2) A purified soul should see how of those embodied who self-centered keep the sensual for true, all endeavors are doomed to fail [see also B.G. 13: 32]. (3) What the meditator sees in the realm of sleep or in his fantasy is futile as much as it is varied in its nature; the same way is the intelligence in the separated self by the modal qualities quite useless [B.G. 2: 41 & B.G. 9.15]. (4) Dedicated to Me one should perform the work to be done for the detachment [nivritti] and give up on the activities in attachment [pravritti], as perfectly engaged in the search for the spiritual truth one shouldn't take heed of the injunctions of working for results [see 7.15: 47]. (5) The one devoted must always observe the major rules [the commandments, the vidhi] and the minor ones at times [the niyama], and be of service to the peaceful guru who, knowing My form, is not different from Me [see also: 7.14: 41-42]. (6) With humility, not considering oneself the doer, be industrious, non-possessive, fixed in friendship, do not haste, take interest being inquisitive and be free from spite and idle talk. (7) Remaining neutral to the wife, the children, the home, the land, one's folk and bank-account and such, should one see one's self-interest equally in all alike [see B.G. 5: 18].
(8) The soul is the seer self-enlightened differing from the body gross and subtle, just as the fire burning to illumine is relative to the firewood to burn [see also B.G. 2: 16-24]. (9) Within [the wood] having entered assuming its various qualities of being dormant, manifest, tiny and large, accepts the same way the entity transcendent the qualities to the body [see also 3.24: 6, 4.9: 7, 10.37: 10-11, 10.46: 36]. (10) That which with this body constructed by the modes is tied to that samsâra that for sure is of the Original Person [see B.G. 8: 4], is this entity alive cut loose by the knowledge of the Soul. (11) Therefore by cultivating knowledge of the Soul as situated in oneself [2.2 en B.G. 9: 5], should one, approaching pure in realizing the Supreme, gradually give up this concept of the material affair [as being a reality apart]. (12) The âcârya as considered the kindling wood below, with the disciple at the top and the instructions as the stick used in between, is the knowledge like the fire that brings happiness [compare 9.14: 44-46]. (13) This purest intelligence available from the experienced [the âcâryas], repels the illusion stemming from the gunas and is, completely burning up what's established by them, pacified itself as fire is without the fuel [see also 11.3: 12].
(14-16) If you thus think of the variegatedness of the performers of fruitive activities, of those enjoyers of happiness and distress; if you then think of the perpetual existence of the material world, the time, the traditional records and the soul; if you think of the original certainty of the actual situation of all material objects to which, by the difference of all the objects' their forms and changes, the knowledge was born; then, o Uddhava, [you must admit from merely that material vision * that] there are constantly the states of existence of being born [old age and disease] and so on, since any one embodied is in contact with a body [conditioned] by the different limbs [or divisions to the sun and moon, see 3.11 ] of time. (17) Of the performer who as the enjoyer therein furthermore is of fruitive activities, is clearly seen the lack of independence and the happiness and unhappiness; what value indeed can be derived not [really for the lasting happiness, see B.G. 9: 3 and 11.9: 1] being in control? (18) Sometimes is there with the embodied not even with the one's intelligent the happiness and likewise it is so with the unhappiness of the foolish; the egotism [of that] is completely vain [see also B.G. 2: 15 and 11.9: 4]. (19) Even if they know how to achieve the happiness and remove the distress, still do they not know the uniting of the consciousness [the yoga process], by which death will not exert its power [compare B.G. 10: 34]. (20) What certainty of happiness or lust provides a material object the person who, with death standing nearby giving no satisfaction, like someone condemned to be killed is led to the place of execution? (21) What we heard of [heaven] or have seen already [earth] is contaminated by rivalry, faultfinding, lapse and decay; just like with agriculture are there many obstacles shipping with the but fruitless desiring for [see also 11.3: 20]. (22) If one, in one's dharma not being affected by obstacles, is of an excellent performance, will even the status accomplished that way be gone [at last], so please hear this [see also B.G. 2: 14].
(23) Out here having worshiped the gods with sacrifices goes the performer to the heavenly worlds where he may enjoy like a god the celestial pleasures by him achieved [see B.G. 3: 11 and 4: 12]. (24) By his accumulated merit shining in the temple [the 'vimâna'], is he changing [for heaven] in the midst of goddesses wearing charming clothes, by the singers of heaven glorified with songs. (25) With the heavenly women faring to his desire with that notion of order being decorated with circles of bells, does he, having a good time, not consider his own fall-down as he relaxes comfortably in the pleasure gardens of the godly [see e.g. 7.15: 69-73]. (26) He, that long enjoying in the heavens until his pious credit is used up and his piety is exhausted, falls, moved away from time [being unsteady with -], against his will, down from heaven [compare B.G. 9: 20-22].
(27-29) If, due to materialistic association he is engaged in actions against the dharma or, not having conquered the senses, lives wantonly as a miserable greedy philanderer, is of violence with other living beings, kills animals against the rules and worships hordes of ghosts and spirits [compare 7.12: 12], will a living being, once he's gone, helplessly next land in the deepest darkness of the hellish worlds and will he because of those activities again accept a material body to perform activities that [again] bring him great unhappiness in the future; what happiness is found in swearing by activities that invariably lead to death [see also 5.26: 37 and B.G. 16: 19-21]? (30) In all the worlds and among all their leaders is there fear for Me; the individual souls living for a kalpa fear Me and even the one supreme, Brahmâ who lives for two parârdhas, fears Me [see also 1.13: 17-20, 3.8: 20, 3.11: 33, 3:25: 42, 3.26: 16, 3.29: 37, 3.29: 40-45 , 5.24: 15, 5.24: 28]. (31) The material senses set in motion by the modes of nature give rise to activities and the individual jîva, indeed fully engaged with the materially oriented senses and the gunas, experiences the various karmic results [see also 3.32 and B.G. 3.27]. (32) As long as there are the separate existences of the modes of nature will there be the different states of existence of the soul, and as long as there are the different states of existence of the soul, there for sure will be [the karmic] dependence indeed [see also B.G. 17: 2]. (33) As long as one is not free from the dependence will there be fear of the Controller [the Time]; those who devote themselves to this [dependence] will, bewildered as they are, always be absorbed in sorrow. (34) When there is the agitation of the modes of nature, do they thus call Me variously the Time, the Self, the Vedic Knowledge, the World, the Nature, as surely also the Dharma.'
(35) S'rî Uddhava said: 'Though being present in the midst of the modes of nature is the one embodied not bound by what springs from a material body [the happiness and distress], in other words, how does it happen that one [factually] never being covered by the modes, gets bound, o Almighty One? (36-37) What way is he situated, by what does he enjoy, or by what symptoms would he be known; what would he eat or how would he evacuate, lie down or sit? [compare B.G. 14: 21] Explain this what I ask to me, o Infallible One, o Best of All Who Know to Answer Questions; this at the same time being eternally bound and eternally being liberated is for certain something that confuses me.
Source Texts:
The Nature of Fruitive Activity
The Supreme Lord said: 'A soul free from desire accepting the shelter of Me should, taking care in the personal duties to God I spoke of [see also in e.g. 10.60: 52 and B.G. 3: 35], practice the varnâs'rama system of society [B.G. 4: 13].
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.
A purified soul should see how of those embodied who self-centered keep the sensual for true, all endeavors are doomed to fail [see also B.G. 13: 32].
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.
What the meditator sees in the realm of sleep or in his fantasy is futile as much as it is varied in its nature; the same way is the intelligence in the by the modal qualities separated self quite useless [B.G. 2: 41 & B.G. 9.15].
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.
Dedicated to Me one should perform the work to be done for the detachment [nivritti] and give up on the activities in attachment [pravritti], as perfectly engaged in the search for the spiritual truth one shouldn't take heed of the injunctions of working for results [see 7.15: 47].
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.
The one devoted must always observe the major rules [the vidhi] and the minor ones at times [the niyama], and be of service to the peaceful guru who, knowing My form, is not different from Me [see also: 7.14: 41-42].
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.
With humility, not considering oneself the doer, be industrious, non-possessive, fixed in friendship, do not haste, take interest being inquisitive and be free from spite and idle talk.
The servant or disciple of the spiritual master should be free from false prestige, never considering himself to be the doer. He should be active and never lazy and should give up all sense of proprietorship over the objects of the senses, including his wife, children, home and society. He should be endowed with feelings of loving friendship toward the spiritual master and should never become deviated or bewildered. The servant or disciple should always desire advancement in spiritual understanding, should not envy anyone and should always avoid useless conversation.
Remaining neutral to the wife, the children, the home, the land, one's folk and bank-account and such, should one see one's self-interest equally in all alike [see B.G. 5: 18].
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.
The soul is the seer self-enlightened differing from the body gross and subtle, just as the fire burning to illumine is relative to the firewood to burn [see also B.G. 2: 16-24].
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.
Within [the wood] having entered assuming its various qualities of being dormant, manifest, tiny and large, accepts the same way the entity transcendent the qualities to the body [see also 3.24: 6, 4.9: 7, 10.37: 10-11, 10.46: 36].
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.
That which with this body constructed by the modes is tied to that samsâra that for sure is of the Original Person [see B.G. 8: 4], is this entity alive cut loose by the knowledge of the Soul.
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.
Therefore by cultivating knowledge of the Soul as situated in oneself [2.2 en B.G. 9: 5], should one, approaching pure in realizing the Supreme, gradually give up this concept of the material affair [as being a reality apart].
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.
The âcârya as considered the kindling wood below, with the disciple at the top and the instructions as the stick used in between, is the knowledge like the fire that brings happiness [compare 9.14: 44-46].
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.
This purest intelligence available from the experienced [the âcâryas], repels the illusion stemming from the gunas and is, completely burning up what's established by them, pacified itself as fire is without the fuel [see also 11.3; 12].
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.
If you thus think of the variegatedness of the performers of fruitive activities, of those enjoyers of happiness and distress; if you then think of the perpetual existence of the material world, the time, the traditional records and the soul; if you think of the original certainty of the actual situation of all material objects to which, by the difference of all the objects' their forms and changes, the knowledge was born; then, o Uddhava, [you must admit from merely that material vision * that] there are constantly the states of existence of being born [old age and disease] and so on, since any one embodied is in contact with a body [conditioned] by the different limbs [or divisions to the sun and moon] of time.
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.
Of the performer who as the enjoyer therein furthermore is of fruitive activities, is clearly seen the lack of independence and the happiness and unhappiness; what value indeed can be derived not [really for the lasting happiness, see B.G. 9: 3 and 11.9: 1] being in control?
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?
Sometimes is there with the embodied not even with the ones intelligent the happiness and likewise it is so with the unhappiness of the foolish; the egotism [of that] is completely vain [see also B.G. 2: 15 and 11.9: 4].
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.
Even if they know how to achieve the happiness and remove the distress, still do they not know the uniting of the consciousness [the yoga process], by which death will not exert its power [compare B.G. 10: 34].
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.
What certainty of happiness or lust provides a material object the person who, with death standing nearby giving no satisfaction, like someone condemned to be killed is led to the place of execution?
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?
What we heard of [heaven] or have seen already [earth] is contaminated by rivalry, faultfinding, lapse and decay; just like with agriculture are there many obstacles shipping with the but fruitless desiring for [see also 11.3: 20].
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.
If one, in one's dharma not being affected by obstacles, is of an excellent performance, will even the status accomplished that way be gone [at last], so please hear this [see also B.G. 2: 14].
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.
Out here having worshiped the gods with sacrifices goes the performer to the heavenly worlds where he may enjoy like a god the celestial pleasures by him achieved [see B.G. 3: 11 and 4: 12].
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.
By his accumulated merit shining in the temple [the 'vimâna'], is he changing [for heaven] in the midst of goddesses wearing charming clothes, by the singers of heaven glorified with songs.
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.
With the heavenly women faring to his desire with that notion of order being decorated with circles of bells, does he, having a good time, not consider his own fall-down as he relaxes comfortably in the pleasure gardens of the godly [see e.g. 7.15: 69-73].
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.
He, that long enjoying in the heavens until his pious credit is used up and his piety is exhausted, falls, moved away from time [being unsteady with -], against his will, down from heaven [compare B.G. 9: 20-22].
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.
If, due to materialistic association he is engaged in actions against the dharma or, not having conquered the senses, lives wantonly as a miserable greedy philanderer, is of violence with other living beings, kills animals against the rules and worships hordes of ghosts and spirits [compare 7.12: 12], will a living being, once he's gone, helplessly next land in the deepest darkness of the hellish worlds and will he because of those activities again accept a material body to perform activities that [again] bring him great unhappiness in the future; what happiness is found in swearing by activities that invariably lead to death [see also 5.26: 37 and B.G. 16: 19-21]?
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?
In all the worlds and among all their leaders is there fear for Me; the individual souls living for a kalpa fear Me and even the one supreme, Brahmâ who lives for two parârdhas, fears Me [see also 1.13: 17-20, 3.8: 20, 3.11: 33, 3:25: 42, 3.26: 16, 3.29: 37, 3.29: 40-45 , 5.24: 15, 5.24: 28].
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.
The material senses set in motion by the modes of nature give rise to activities and the individual jîva, indeed fully engaged with the materially oriented senses and the gunas, experiences the various karmic results [see also 3.32 and B.G. 3.27].
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.
As long as there are the separate existences of the modes of nature will there be the different states of existence of the [embodied] soul, and as long as there are the different states of existence of the soul, there for sure will be [the karmic] dependence indeed [see also B.G. 17: 2].
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.
As long as one is not free from the dependence will there be fear of the Controller [the Time]; those who devote themselves to this [dependence] will, bewildered as they are, always be absorbed in sorrow.
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.
When there is the agitation of the modes of nature, do they thus call Me variously the Time, the Self, the Vedic Knowledge, the World, the Nature, as surely also the Dharma.'
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.
S'rî Uddhava said: 'Though being present in the midst of the modes of nature is the one embodied not bound by what springs from a material body [the happiness and distress], in other words, how does it happen that one [factually] never being covered by the modes, gets bound, o Almighty One?
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?
What way is he situated, by what does he enjoy, or by what symptoms would he be known; what would he eat or how would he evacuate, lie down or sit? [compare B.G. 14: 21] Explain this what I ask to me, o Infallible One, o Best of All Who Know to Answer Questions; this at the same time being eternally bound and eternally being liberated is for certain something that confuses me.
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?
*: This philosophy is known to be propounded by the the followers of Jaimini Kavi that defend the pravritti mârga of regulated sense-gratification before the nivritti-mârga of activities in renunciation; something to which the paramparâ offering this book, with this verse, strongly opposes pointing out that one thus eternally is stuck, nitya-baddha, in repeated birth, old age, disease etc.
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