Second edition,
loaded June 17, 2009
Source
Texts:
The
Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge
Text
1
The
Supreme Lord said: 'Someone who, endowed with knowledge
according to the oral tradition, is self-realized and not loses
himself in speculations for true knowledge, must, known with
the fact that this universe as well as the knowledge about it
is illusory to a high degree, turn his steps towards
Me.
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: A self-realized person
who has cultivated scriptural knowledge up to the point of
enlightenment and who is free from impersonal speculation,
understanding the material universe to be simply illusion,
should surrender unto Me both that knowledge and the means
by which he achieved it. (Vedabase)
Text
2
For the
spiritual philosopher I am the only beloved one, the only
self-interest, motive and final conclusion as also the
elevation and way to heaven; indeed, next to Me as the favorite
one, he has no other purpose.
For
learned, self-realized philosophers I am the only object of
worship, the desired goal of life, the means for achieving
that goal, and the settled conclusion of all knowledge.
Indeed, because I am the cause of their happiness and their
freedom from unhappiness, such learned souls have no
effective purpose or dear object in life except Me.
(Vedabase)
Text
3
They who have
fully perfected their knowledge and wisdom know My lotus feet
as the supreme object [of worship] and for that reason
is the learned transcendentalist who by means of spiritual
knowledge keeps to Me, most dear to Me [see also B.G.
7:
17-18].
Those
who have achieved complete perfection through philosophical
and realized knowledge recognize My lotus feet to be the
supreme transcendental object. Thus the learned
transcendentalist is most dear to Me, and by his perfect
knowledge he maintains Me in happiness. (Vedabase)
Text
4
That what by
means of austerities, visiting holy places, doing japa,
performing charity and being of other pious deeds is awarded
cannot bear comparison with the perfection awarded by but a
fraction of this spiritual knowledge [compare
10.46:
32-33].
That
perfection which is produced by a small fraction of
spiritual knowledge cannot be duplicated by performing
austerities, visiting holy places, chanting silent prayers,
giving in charity or engaging in other pious activities.
(Vedabase)
Text
5
Worship
for that reason Me in a loving mood with the spiritual
knowledge with which you know your soul and are of success with
the knowledge and wisdom.
Therefore,
My dear Uddhava, through knowledge you should understand
your actual self. Then, advancing by clear realization of
Vedic knowledge, you should worship Me in the mood of loving
devotion. (Vedabase)
Text
6
With the
sacrifice of vedic knowledge and wisdom the sages ensured
themselves of the highest perpection by worshipping Me, the
Lord of All Sacrifices who is the Supersoul inside of
them.
Formerly,
great sages, through the sacrifice of Vedic knowledge and
spiritual enlightenment, worshiped Me within themselves,
knowing Me to be the Supreme Lord of all sacrifice and the
Supersoul in everyone's heart. Thus coming to Me, these
sages achieved the supreme perfection. (Vedabase)
Text
7
O Uddhava, the
manifest world which is divided in three divisions and is
constantly transforming, consists of the bewildering energy
which proves itself in the present. But because it is not there
in the beginning nor in the end, you may wonder what their
relation [the relation of the modes] would be to
[the true of] you. They relate only to the birth of
your material body and all of that. That what at first was not
there and in the end isn't there either, is only of a temporary
presence.'
My
dear Uddhava, the material body and mind, composed of the
three modes of material nature, attach themselves to you,
but they are actually illusion, since they appear only at
the present, having no original or ultimate existence. How
is it possible, therefore, that the various stages of the
body, namely birth, growth, reproduction, maintenance,
dwindling and death, can have any relation to your eternal
self? These phases relate only to the material body, which
previously did not exist and ultimately will not exist. The
body exists merely at the present moment. (Vedabase)
Text
8
S'rî
Uddhava said: 'O Controller of the Universe, o You in the Form
of the Universe, please explain the bhakti-yoga unto You that
is also sought by the great, and encompasses this extensive,
thoroughly settled knowledge that is as traditional as the
[original] detachment and wisdom [of
Brahmâ].
S'rî
Uddhava said: O Lord of the universe! O form of the
universe! Please explain to me that process of knowledge
which automatically brings detachment and direct perception
of the truth, which is transcendental, and which is
traditional among great spiritual philosophers. This
knowledge, sought by elevated personalities, describes
loving devotional service unto Your Lordship.
(Vedabase)
Text
9
O Lord, for the
one who, tormented on the violent material path, is overwhelmed
by the threefold miseries [see 1.17:
19], I see
no other shelter but the canopy of Your two lotus feet that
shower the nectar.
My
dear Lord, for one who is being tormented on the terrible
path of birth and death and is constantly overwhelmed by the
threefold miseries, I do not see any possible shelter other
than Your two lotus feet, which are just like a refreshing
umbrella that pours down showers of delicious nectar.
(Vedabase)
Text
10
Please uplift
this person who, bitten by the snake of time, hopelessly fell
down in this dark pit. Uplift this person craving so badly for
some insignificant happiness. O Might of Understanding, pour
out your words of mercy that awaken one to
liberation!'
O
almighty Lord, please be merciful and uplift this hopeless
living entity who has fallen into the dark hole of material
existence, where the snake of time has bitten him. In spite
of such abominable conditions, this poor living entity has
tremendous desire to relish the most insignificant material
happiness. Please save me, my Lord, by pouring down the
nectar of Your instructions, which awaken one to spiritual
freedom. (Vedabase)
Text
11
The Supreme
Lord said: 'This you ask now was in the past by the king who
considered no one his enemy [Yudhishthhira] inquired
from Bhîshma, the best of the upholders of dharma, while
we were all present attentively listening [see
1.9:
25-42].
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, just
as you are now inquiring from Me, similarly, in the past
King Yudhishthhira, who considered no one his enemy,
inquired from the greatest of the upholders of religious
principles, Bhîshma, while all of us were carefully
listening. (Vedabase)
Text
12
When the war
between the descendants of Bharata was over, he asked,
overwhelmed by the destruction of his beloved well-wishers,
what, after all he had heard about the many principles of
religion, the nature of liberation finally would
be.
When
the great Battle of Kurukshetra had ended, King
Yudhishthhira was overwhelmed by the death of many beloved
well-wishers, and thus, after listening to instructions
about many religious principles, he finally inquired about
the path of liberation. (Vedabase)
Text
13
I'll describe
to you the vedic knowledge consisting of detachment,
self-realization, faith and devotional service, as it was heard
from the mouth of the one vowed to God [viz.
Bhîshma].
I
will now speak unto you those religious principles of Vedic
knowledge, detachment, self-realization, faith and
devotional service that were heard directly from the mouth
of Bhîshmadeva. (Vedabase)
Text
14
When one with
the nine, eleven, five and three elements
one finds in all living entities truthfully sees the one
element [of the Absolute Spirit, the Supersoul, the Lord,
see 1.2:
11] within
them, carries that spiritual knowledge My
approval.
I
personally approve of that knowledge by which one sees the
combination of nine, eleven, five and three elements in all
living entities, and ultimately one element within those
twenty-eight. (Vedabase)
Text
15
Not being of
all the elements subject to the three modes but rather seeing
the One who maintains, creates and annihilates this universe,
is one actually of the knowledge of self-realization
[vijñâna].
When
one no longer sees the twenty-eight separated material
elements, which arise from a single cause, but rather sees
the cause itself, the Personality of Godhead - at that time
one's direct experience is called
vijñâna, or self-realization.
(Vedabase)
Text
16
Only that must
be considered true and eternal which is present in the
beginning as well as in the middle with the changes of one form
into the other, as also in the end when it remains upon the
annihilation of everything.
Commencement,
termination and maintenance are the stages of material
causation. That which consistently accompanies all these
material phases from one creation to another and remains
alone when all material phases are annihilated is the one
eternal. (Vedabase)
Text
17
With the four
types of evidence - the vedic truth [s'ruti],
the truth of direct experience [pratyaksha], the
truth by tradition [aitihya or smriti],
and the truth of logical inference
[anumâna] - one develops detachment from
the flickering nature of the dual reality [see
pramâna].
From
the four types of evidence - Vedic knowledge, direct
experience, traditional wisdom and logical induction - one
can understand the temporary, insubstantial situation of the
material world, by which one becomes detached from the
duality of this world. (Vedabase)
Text
18
Because all
material activities are transient there is up to the world of
Viriñca
[Brahmaloka] inauspiciousness. An intelligent person
knowing that everything that was experienced is time-bound will
also understand that the same is true for everything else in
the universe [see also shath-ûrmi,
11.3:
20 and B.G.
8:
16].
An
intelligent person should see that any material activity is
subject to constant transformation and that even on the
planet of Lord Brahmâ there is thus simply
unhappiness. Indeed, a wise man can understand that just as
all that he has seen is temporary, similarly, all things
within the universe have a beginning and an end.
(Vedabase)
Text
19
Because of your
love for Me I previously spoke to you about bhakti-yoga, o
sinless one. Let Me also expound now on the way in which the
elevation of My devotional service is achieved.
O
sinless Uddhava, because you love Me, I previously explained
to you the process of devotional service. Now I will again
explain the supreme process for achieving loving service
unto Me. (Vedabase)
Text
20-24
Faith in the
nectar of the narrations about Me, always chanting My glories,
fixed in the attachment of ceremonial worship, to relate with
hymns and prayers to Me; being of a high regard for My
devotional service, with all of one's body to be offering
obeisances, to be of the first-class worship of My devotees, to
be conscious of Me being present in all living beings, to
dedicate all one's normal activities to Me and also the with
words defending of My qualities, placing the mind in Me and
rejecting all material desires; for My sake giving up on money
as also on sensual pleasures, material happiness and passions,
being of charity and offering in sacrifice, chanting the names
to achieve Me and keeping to vows and austerities; that are the
ways, Uddhava, in which, with those human beings who actually
commit themselves to the dharma, devotional service for Me
develops - what other purpose would remain for My
devotee?
Firm
faith in the blissful narration of My pastimes, constant
chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial
worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great
respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with
the entire body, performing first-class worship of My
devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities,
offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional
service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the
mind to Me, rejection of all material desires, giving up
wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense
gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable
activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and
austerities with the purpose of achieving Me - these
constitute actual religious principles, by which those human
beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me
automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or
goal could remain for My devotee? (Vedabase)
Text
25
When in peace
one's consciousness is absorbed in the soul, one achieves,
strengthened by the mode of goodness, religiosity, spiritual
knowledge, detachment and opulence.
When
one's peaceful consciousness, strengthened by the mode of
goodness, is fixed on the Personality of Godhead, one
achieves religiosity, knowledge, detachment and opulence.
(Vedabase)
Text
26
But when one
being fixed upon the material variety, chases one's senses in
every direction and one thus is enslaved by passion, you should
know that one by that [materialist] consciousness
dedicated to the impermanent will attain the
opposite.
When
consciousness is fixed on the material body, home and other,
similar objects of sense gratification, one spends one's
life chasing after material objects with the help of the
senses. Consciousness, thus powerfully affected by the mode
of passion, becomes dedicated to impermanent things, and in
this way irreligion, ignorance, attachment and wretchedness
arise. (Vedabase)
Text
27
The dharma is
said to lead to My devotional service. The spiritual is honored
as the vision of the Supreme Soul being present. Detachment one
calls the loss of interest in the sense-objects and the
opulence is recognized by the animâ and such
[perfections and powers see 11.15
& 11.16
and bhaga].'
Actual
religious principles are stated to be those that lead one to
My devotional service. Real knowledge is the awareness that
reveals My all-pervading presence. Detachment is complete
disinterest in the objects of material sense gratification,
and opulence is the eight mystic perfection, such as
animâ-siddhi. (Vedabase)
Text
28-32
S'rî
Uddhava said: 'How many types of don'ts [yama]
or does [niyama] does one speak of, o Subduer of
the Enemy, what is equilibrium, what is self-control, dear
Krishna, what is tolerance and what is constancy, my Lord? What
is penance, what is austerity, heroism, what does one say about
reality and truth, what is renunciation and wealth, what is
desirable, a sacrifice and what is religious financial
compensation? What do you think is the strength of a person, o
Fortunate One, the opulence and gain, o Kes'ava, what is
education, modesty, what is superior, what is beauty and what
is happiness as also unhappiness? Who is learned, who is a
fool, what is the real path and what the false path, what is
heaven and what is hell and who do You say is a friend and what
is home? Who is wealthy, who is poor, who a miser and who is a
controller; please speak to me about these matters as also
about the opposite qualities, o Lord of the
Truthful.'
S'rî
Uddhava said: My dear Lord Krishna, O chastiser of the
enemies, please tell me how many types of disciplinary
regulations and regular daily duties there are. Also, my
Lord, tell me what is mental equilibrium, what is
self-control, and what is the actual meaning of tolerance
and steadfastness. What are charity, austerity and heroism,
and how are reality and truth to he described? What is
renunciation, and what is wealth? What is desirable, what is
sacrifice, and what is religious remuneration? My dear
Kes'ava, O most fortunate one, how am I to understand the
strength, opulence and profit of a particular person? What
is the best education, what is actual humility, and what is
real beauty? What are happiness and unhappiness? Who is
learned, and who is a fool? What are the true and the false
paths in life, and what are heaven and hell? Who is indeed a
true friend, and what is one's real home? Who is a rich man,
and who is a poor man? Who is wretched, and who is an actual
controller? O Lord of the devotees, kindly explain these
matters to me, along with their opposites. (Vedabase)
Text
33-35
The Supreme
Lord said: 'Nonviolence, truthfulness, not coveting or stealing
the property of others, detachment, modesty,
non-possessiveness, belief in God, celibacy as also silence,
steadiness, forgiveness and fearlessness on the one hand, and
[inner and outer] cleanliness, doing the rosary,
penance, sacrifice, trustfulness, hospitality, worship of Me,
visiting holy places, acting and striving for the Supreme,
contentment and serving the spiritual master on the other hand
are the twelve elements one remembers of yama
that together with those of niyama
by human beings are cultivated with devotion, my dearest, and
depending on what someone wants yield results [in the sense
of beatitude or prosperity].
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Nonviolence,
truthfulness, not coveting or stealing the property of
others, detachment, humility, freedom from possessiveness,
trust in the principles of religion, celibacy, silence,
steadiness, forgiveness and fearlessness are the twelve
primary disciplinary principles. Internal cleanliness,
external cleanliness, chanting the holy names of the Lord,
austerity, sacrifice, faith, hospitality, worship of Me,
visiting holy places, acting and desiring only for the
supreme interest, satisfaction, and service to the spiritual
master are the twelve elements of regular prescribed duties.
These twenty-four elements bestow all desired benedictions
upon those persons who devotedly cultivate them.
(Vedabase)
Text
36-39
Equilibrium
means steady absorption of the intelligence in Me [see also
11.16:
10] and
self-control is the perfect discipline of the senses; tolerance
means to endure unhappiness and constancy is the conquering of
the tongue and genitals. The highest charity is to give up the
rod [to punish others], penance is remembered as giving
up the lust, heroism is to conquer one's self-love and reality
implies to see the Lord everywhere. Truthfulness means to be of
the pleasing and true words that are approved by the sages,
cleanliness means that one is detached from performing
productive labor [see also e.g. 1.1:
2 and B.G.
18:
6]
and renunciation is said to be the renounced order of
sannyâsa. For human beings religiousness is the
wealth to desire for, I am the Most Fortunate, religious
remuneration is the donation [in return] for the
spiritual knowledge enjoyed and breathcontrol is the supreme
strength.
Absorbing
the intelligence in Me constitutes mental equilibrium, and
complete discipline of the senses is self-control. Tolerance
means patiently enduring unhappiness, and steadfastness
occurs when one conquers the tongue and genitals. The
greatest charity is to give up all aggression toward others,
and renunciation of lust is understood to be real austerity.
Real heroism is to conquer one's natural tendency to enjoy
material life, and reality is seeing the Supreme Personality
of Godhead everywhere. Truthfulness means to speak the truth
in a pleasing way, as declared by great sages. Cleanliness
is detachment in fruitive activities, whereas renunciation
is the sannyâsa order of life. The true desirable
wealth for human beings is religiousness, and I, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, am sacrifice. Religious remuneration
is devotion to the âcârya with the
purpose of acquiring spiritual instruction, and the greatest
strength is the prânâyâma system of
breath control. (Vedabase)
Text
40-45
Opulence is My
divine nature [see 11.16
and bhaga],
gain is My bhakti, education
is the nullifying of the dividedness of the self
[see
siddhânta
and advaita]
and modesty is the disgust with failing in prescribed duties
[with sin]. Beauty means to be of good qualities like
being detached from material desires and such, happiness means
to transcend hap and mishap, unhappiness entails that one
meditates on the happiness of lust, and a wise person is
someone who knows to tell the difference between liberation and
bondage. A fool is someone who identifies himself with the body
and so on [the mind etc.], the right path is leading to
Me, the wrong path is to be understood as the one leading to
the perplexion of consciousness and heaven implies the
predominance of the mode of goodness. Hell is the predominance
of the mode of ignorance, the real friend is the spiritual
master who is Me, My dear friend and the human body is one's
home. A rich person for sure is called he who is enriched with
good qualities while a poor person is someone who is
discontented. The wretched one is the one who has not conquered
his senses, a controller is someone whose intelligence is not
attached to the material affair and the one attached to sense
gratification is of the opposite [qualities].This,
Uddhava, are the subjects of your inquiry I have thus all
properly elucidated. But what's the use of describing
elaborately the characteristics of good and bad qualities when
seeing good and bad still means that one fails to see the true
goodness [of transcendence] which stands apart from the
two [compare with 3.10:
28-29,
6.16:
10-11,
11.7:
8,
11.11:
16 and B.G.
7:
5].'
Actual
opulence is My own nature as the Personality of Godhead,
through which I exhibit the six unlimited opulences. The
supreme gain in life is devotional service to Me, and actual
education is nullifying the false perception of duality
within the soul. Real modesty is to be disgusted with
improper activities, and beauty is to possess good qualities
such as detachment. Real happiness is to transcend material
happiness and unhappiness, and real misery is to be
implicated in searching for sex pleasure. A wise man is one
who knows the process of freedom from bondage, and a fool is
one who identifies with his material body and mind. The real
path in life is that which leads to Me, and the wrong path
is sense gratification, by which consciousness is
bewildered. Actual heaven is the predominance of the mode of
goodness, whereas hell is the predominance of ignorance. I
am everyone's true friend, acting as the spiritual master of
the entire universe, and one's home is the human body. My
dear friend Uddhava, one who is enriched with good qualities
is actually said to be rich, and one who is unsatisfied in
life is actually poor. A wretched person is one who cannot
control his senses, whereas one who is not attached to sense
gratification is a real controller. One who attaches himself
to sense gratification is the opposite, a slave. Thus,
Uddhava, I have elucidated all of the matters about which
you inquired. There is no need for a more elaborate
description of these good and bad qualities, since to
constantly see good and bad is itself a bad quality. The
best quality is to transcend material good and evil.
(Vedabase)
For
this original translation was used the Vedabase of the BBT offering
the work
that Svâmi Prabhupâda's pupils did to complete his
translation of the Bhâgavatam.
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
links-page
for this and more books of Prabhupâda.
Production: Filognostic
Association
of The
Order of Time
Feed-back |
Links
| Downloads
| Music
| Pictures
| What's
New |
Search |
Donations
