rule


 

 

 

Canto 11

Vibhâvarî S'esha

 

 Chapter 21: On Distinguishing between Good and Bad

(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'They who give up on these means of achieving Me, consisting of the devotion, the knowledge and the work to be done, are by the insignificance of the flickering lusts they cultivate with the senses, confronted with the finality of a material existence. (2) The steadiness each one has in his own position is declared to be the actual virtue and the opposite [of being unsteady] is indeed the vice; this is the final conclusion about the two [see also B.G. 2: 16]. (3) What would be pure or impure concerning the religion, what would be vice or virtue in normal affairs and what would be favorable or unfavorable for one's physical survival are matters one must evaluate from the same category of elements, o sinless one [what is good for the body e.g. is not necessarily good for the religion]. (4) This approach [of distinguishing between good and bad] I put forward for the sake of those who suffer the burden of religious principles. (5) Earth, water, fire, air and ether are the five basic elements that, from Lord Brahmâ down to the nonmoving creatures, constitute the bodies of the living beings who are all connected in the Supreme Soul. (6) Although they consist of the same elements and in that sense are equal, assign the Vedas different names and forms to them in service of their self-interest [see varnâs'rama].

(7) What would be the right and wrong considerations concerning the time, place, the things and so on, is established by Me with the purpose of restricting materially motivated activities. (8) Among all places are those places spoiled where there is no respect for the brahminical and the spotted antelopes are missing. And even when there are spotted antelopes [left, viz. not all being killed] is a place that is without saintly, cultured men, an uncivilized place where the practices are unclean and the earth is barren [see mleccha and *]. (9) That time is correct and suitable which either by its own nature [viz. not manipulated against nature] or understood according to the person [the Lord, but also according the season, the money - the lakshmî -, the availability of something] is suitable for executing one's prescribed duty. Wrong and not suitable is the time which impedes someone in the performance of his duty, the time that is not fit for doing work [a lust motivated, arbitrary notion of time, see 11.20: 26, kâla and kâlakûtha **]. (10) The pure or impure of a thing [or of a substance] is determined with the help of another thing, in respect of what one says about it, by means of a ritual performance, by the reference of time or according the relative magnitude [see ***]. (11) Depending one's power or impotence, intelligence and wealth, condition and place, imposes it [viz. the quality of a thing] accordingly upon a person a sinful [or pious] reaction. (12) By a combination of time, air, fire, earth and water or by each of them separately [are matters purified like] grains, things made of wood, clay and bone, thread, skins, liquids and things won from fire. (13) That is considered purifying which by touching the impure removes a bad smell or dirt and so restores the original nature of that object. (14) By bathing, charity and austerity, by virtue of his age, his heroism, ritual purification and his prescribed duties a twice-born man [being the doer] should, in the remembrance of Me, perform according to the pure, the cleanliness of the [original] self. (15) The purification derived from a mantra is a consequence of the correct knowledge about it and the purification by a certain act is the consequence of one's dedication to Me. Religiosity is achieved by [the purity of] the six factors [as mentioned: the place, the time, the substance, the mantras, the doer and the devotional act], whereas the irreligious is there as a consequence of the contrary.

(16) Sometimes a virtue turns into a vice though and a vice turns by the power of vedic instruction into a virtue. Respecting the regulative principles one is thus faced with the fact that the distinction [between that what is proper and improper] factually is effaced by them [4*]. (17) The same karma because of which someone fell down is not the cause of another falldown. Someone who fell [in love...] doesn't fall further; for such a one the natural attachment changes into a virtue. (18) Whatever one desists from one is freed from - this is for human beings the foundation of religious life that takes away the suffering, fear and delusion. (19) Presuming the objects that gratify the senses to be good rises from that assumption the attachment of a person, from that attachment originates the lust and because of lust there is quarrel among people. (20) From quarreling there is the anger difficult to handle and the consequent ignorance; thus is someone's consciousness quickly overtaken by darkness. (21) O saintly one, a living being bereft that way [of clear understanding] becomes empty-headed so that, consequently fallen away from his goals in life, he similar to dull matter is as good as dead [compare B.G. 2: 62-63]. (22) Overly absorbed in the sensual he, vainly living the lifestyle of a tree, fails in knowing himself and knowing the other so that his breathing is nothing but pumping air. (23) The awards promised in the scriptures are for man not the highest good; they are merely enticements to create a taste for the ultimate good, similar to what one says to make someone take a medicine. (24) Simply by their birth alone strive mortals against the interest of their souls, because their minds are entangled in the care for the objects of their desire, their vital functions and their loved ones. (25) Submissive [religiously] wander they unaware in regard of their real self-interest the path of disaster. Why would the intelligent [the vedic authority] lead those who enter the darkness further into sense engagement [see also 5.5: 17]? (26) Some people, they who this way with a perverted intelligence do not understand the actual conclusion, speak in flowery statements of the material awards about which he who really knows the Vedas doesn't speak [see also B.G. 2: 42-44]. (27) The lusty, miserly and greedy ones take the flowers for the ultimate truth; bewildered by the fire do they, suffocating by the smoke, not know their position [of being an individual soul instead of being a body]. (28) They, armed with their expressions, My dear, do not know Me who is seated within the heart and from whom this universe has risen that is also Me - they, self-indulgent, are like people staring in fog. (29-30) They without understanding My confidential conclusion [see also 10.87 and B.G. 9] are, being absorbed in the sensual, attached to the violence that may be [an itegral part of nature], but certainly never is encouraged for the sacrifices. In reality taking pleasure in being violent with the animals that in the desire for their own happiness were slaughtered, they are in their ritual worship of the gods, the forefathers and the leading ghosts, mischievous people. (31) That unholy world [they uphold] can be compared to a dream that, sounding nice, is about mundane achievements with which they, imagined in their hearts like they were businessmen, have forsaken the actual purpose [of realizing the soul]. (32) Established in the mode of passion, goodness or ignorance they worship the gods and others headed by Indra who likewise delight in passion, goodness and ignorance. But I am thus not worshiped the proper way [see also B.G. 9: 23 and 10: 24 & 25]. (33-34) 'When we here with our sacrifices to the gods are full of worship, we will enjoy the pleasures of heaven and next on earth all live in a barn of a house and be high-born.' With their minds thus bewildered by the flowery words [of the Vedas] they despite of these words, as proud and most greedy men, are not attracted to My topics.

(35) The trikânda divided Vedas have the spiritual understanding of the true self, the soul, as their subject matter, but also the vedic seers who more esoterically privately express themselves are dear to Me [the 'other gurus']. (36) The transcendental sound [the s'abda-brahman] manifesting itself in the prâna, the senses and the mind [of the self-realized, enlightened person] is something most difficult to understand, it is unlimited and is as unfathomably deep as the ocean. (37) The groundless, changeless Absolute of endless potencies that I promote [as My nature, see Omkâra], is represented within the living beings in the form of soundvibrations, the way a lotus stalk is represented by a single strand of fiber [see also 11.18: 32 and 6.13: 15]. (38-40) Just as a spider from the heart weaves its web through its opening, is the breath of God [the prâna] from the ether manifesting the soundvibration through the mind in the form of the different phonemes. Full of nectar comprising all the shapes that branch out in thousands of directions, has the Master, decorated with consonants, vowels, sibilants and semivowels, expanded from the syllable om. By the elaborated diversity of expressions and metrical arrangements that each have four more syllables, He creates and Himself withdraws again the great unlimited expanse [of the vedic manifestation of sound, see also B.G. 15: 15]. (41) For instance the metres Gâyatrî, Ushnik and Anushthup; Brihatî and Pankti as also Trishthup, Jagatî, Aticchanda, and Atyashthi, Atijagatî and Ativirâth [have each in this order four more syllables]. (42) What they [karma-kânda] enjoin [to be done], what they [upâsana-kânda] indicate [as being the object of devotion], what aspects they describe or what alternatives they [jñâna-kânda] thus literarily offer [as philosophy], the heart of this matter is in this world not known by anyone else but Me [compare 11.20, B.G. 4: 5, 7: 26, 10: 41]. (43) I am the object of worship, the concern of the enjoined action and the alternative that is offered and explained away [5*]. The transcendental sound vibration of the Vedas establishes Me as being their meaning and elaborately describes the material duality as simply being the illusory one has to emasculate to ultimately become happy.'

 

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 Second edition, loaded July 1 2009

 

 

 

 

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Text 1

The Supreme Lord said: 'They who give up on these means of achieving Me, consisting of the devotion, the knowledge and the work to be done, are by the insignificance of the flickering lusts they cultivate with the senses, confronted with the finality of a material existence.

(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'They who give up on these means for achieving Me, consisting of the devotion, the knowledge and the work to be done, are by the insignificant of the flickering lusts with the senses that they cultivate, confronted with the finality of life. (Vedabase)

 

Text 2

The steadiness each one has in his own position is declared to be the actual virtue and the opposite [of being unsteady] is indeed the vice; this is the final conclusion about the two [see also B.G. 2: 16].

Steadiness of each in his own position as such is declared to be the virtue and the opposite is indeed the vice; this is the definite conclusion about the two [see also B.G. 2: 16]. (Vedabase)

   

Text 3

What would be pure or impure concerning the religion, what would be vice or virtue in normal affairs and what would be favorable or unfavorable for one's physical survival are matters one must evaluate from the same category of elements, o sinless one [what is good for the body e.g. is not necessarily good for the religion].

A particular object is to be evaluated within the same category of objects and thus is for the purpose of the religion the pure and impure, for the ordinary dealings the virtue and the vice and for one's physical survival the auspicious and inauspicious established, o sinless one. (Vedabase)

 

Text 4

This approach [of distinguishing between good and bad] I put forward for the sake of those who suffer the burden of religious principles.

This way of proceeding [distinguishing between good and bad] is revealed by Me for those bearing the burden of religious principles. (Vedabase)

 

Text 5

Earth, water, fire, air and ether are the five basic elements that, from Lord Brahmâ down to the nonmoving creatures, constitute the bodies of the living beings who are all connected in the Supreme Soul.

Earth, water, fire, air and ether are the five basic elements that, from Lord Brahmâ down to the nonmoving creatures, make up the bodies of all living beings equally relating to the Supreme Soul. (Vedabase)

 

Text 6

Although they consist of the same elements and in that sense are equal, assign the Vedas different names and forms to them in service of their self-interest [see varnâs'rama].

Though being equal in their elements are, in relation to them, Uddhava, by the Veda different names and forms conceived for the achievement of their self-interest [see varnâs'rama]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 7

What would be the right and wrong considerations concerning the time, place, the things and so on, is established by Me with the purpose of restricting materially motivated activities.

O most truthful one, the positive quality and the detrimental of the space and time and so on of the states of existence and of things, are by Me established to be sure of the restriction of profit minded activities. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 8

Among all places are those places spoiled where there is no respect for the brahminical and the spotted antelopes are missing. And even when there are spotted antelopes [left, viz. not all being killed] is a place that is without saintly, cultured men, an uncivilized place where the practices are unclean and the earth is barren [see mleccha and *].

Among the places are the places where there is no respect for the brahminical and the spotted antelopes are missing, spoiled; and even if there are spotted antelopes [left, viz. not all being killed] is a place without saintly cultured men, a place uncivilized where the practice is unclean and the earth is barren [see mleccha and *]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 9

That time is correct and suitable which either by its own nature [viz. not manipulated against nature] or understood according to the person [the Lord, but also according the season, the money - the lakshmî -, the availability of something] is suitable for executing one's prescribed duty. Wrong and not suitable is the time which impedes someone in the performance of his duty, the time that is not fit for doing work [a lust motivated, arbitrary notion of time, see 11.20: 26, kâla and kâlakûtha **].

That time is valid which, either by its own nature [the not-for-profit time of nature] or the same way to the person [the Lord, or the object, the lakshmî, the time for harvesting etc.], is suitable for executing one's prescribed duty; and bad and offensive is the time that impedes one's duty, the time that is unsuitable for doing work [lust- and profit-minded time, see 11.20: 26, kâla and kâlakûtha **]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 10

The pure or impure of a thing [or of a substance] is determined with the help of another thing, in respect of what one says about it, by means of a ritual performance, by the reference of time or according the relative magnitude [***].

The pure or impure of a thing [or: the substance] is there by another thing, by the speech and by a ritual performance or else by time or according the relative magnitude [see ***]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 11

Depending one's power or impotence, intelligence and wealth, condition and place, imposes it [viz. the quality of a thing] accordingly upon a person a sinful [or pious] reaction.

Depending one's power or impotence, the intelligence and increase of wealth, as also to one's condition or place, causes it to oneself a sinful [or pious] reaction accordingly. (Vedabase)

 

Text 12

By a combination of time, air, fire, earth and water or by each of them separately [are matters purified like] grains, things made of wood, clay and bone, thread, skins, liquids and things won from fire.

By time, by air, by fire, by earth and by water in combination or separately [do also wither away] the grains, things of wood and bone, thread and liquids, things won from fire and skins and things of clay. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 13

That is considered purifying which by touching the impure removes a bad smell or dirt and so restores the original nature of that object.

That which touching the impure removes a bad smell or dirt and so restores the original nature of that object, that is for that matter considered as purifying. (Vedabase)

 

Text 14

By bathing, charity and austerity, by virtue of his age, his heroism, ritual purification and his prescribed duties a twice-born man [being the doer] should, in the remembrance of Me, perform according to the pure, the cleanliness of the [original] self.

By bathing, charity and austerity, by virtue of his age, his heroism, ritual purification and his prescribed duties should a twice-born man [: the doer] in the remembrance of Me, perform to the pure, the cleanliness of the self. (Vedabase)

 

Text 15

The purification derived from a mantra is a consequence of the correct knowledge about it and the purification by a certain act is the consequence of one's dedication to Me. Religiosity is achieved by [the purity of] the six factors [as mentioned: the place, the time, the substance, the mantras, the doer and the devotional act], whereas the irreligious is there as a consequence of the contrary.

(15) The purification derived from a mantra so follows the correct knowledge of it and the purification by a certain act so follows the dedication to Me; the religiousness is achieved by the six [as mentioned: the place, the time, the substance, the mantras, the doer and the devotional act] but the irreligious follows the contrary. (Vedabase)

  

Text 16

Sometimes a virtue turns into a vice though and a vice turns by the power of vedic instruction into a virtue. Respecting the regulative principles one is thus faced with the fact that the distinction [between that what is proper and improper] factually is effaced by them [4*].

Sometimes a virtue turns into a vice though and turns a vice on the strength of vedic instruction into a virtue; it is actually in regard of this restriction of the two that the distinction falls away [4*]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 17

The same karma because of which someone fell down is not the cause of another falldown. Someone who fell [in love...] doesn't fall further; for such a one the natural attachment changes into a virtue.

The same karma is for those who are fallen not a cause of a falldown; with the one who lies down not further falling down is the natural attachment a virtue. (Vedabase)

 

Text 18

Whatever one desists from one is freed from - this is for human beings the foundation of religious life that takes away the suffering, fear and delusion.

(18) Whatever one desists from, from that is one liberated - this is for human beings the foundation of dharma that takes away the suffering, fear and delusion. (Vedabase)

 

Text 19

Presuming the objects that gratify the senses to be good rises from that assumption the attachment of a person, from that attachment originates the lust and because of lust there is quarrel among people.

Presuming the objects of gratification to be good rises from that presumption the attachment of a person, from that attachment springs the lust and from the lust so the quarrel among people. (Vedabase)

 

Text 20

From quarreling there is the anger that is difficult to handle and the consequent ignorance; thus is someone's consciousness quickly overtaken by darkness.

From the quarrel there is the anger diffcult to handle and the ignorance that follows the anger; thus is of a man the broadmindedness, swiftly seized by darkness. (Vedabase)

  

 Text 21

O saintly one, a living being bereft that way [of clear understanding] becomes empty-headed so that, consequently fallen away from his goals in life, he similar to dull matter is as good as dead [compare B.G. 2: 62-63].

O saintly one, a living being bereft of that [wider consciousness] becomes empty-headed so that, consequently fallen down from his goals in life, he like dull matter is as good as dead [compare B.G.: 2: 62-63]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 22

Overly absorbed in the sensual he, vainly living the lifestyle of a tree, fails in knowing himself and knowing the other so that his breathing is nothing but pumping air.

Overly absorbed in the sensual knows he, in vain living to the lifestyle of a tree, not himself nor the other and is his breathing mere bellowing. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 23

The awards promised in the scriptures are for man not the highest good; they are merely enticements to create a taste for the ultimate good, similar to what one says to make someone take a medicine.

Those awards the scriptures speak are for man not the highest good; they are merely enticements with the idea of prompting for the ultimate good, just the same as what one says to make someone take a medicine. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 24

Simply by their birth alone strive mortals against the interest of their souls, because their minds are entangled in the care for the objects of their desire, their vital functions and their loved ones.

Simply by birth do mortals, attached in the mind to the cause of their objects of desire, their vital functions and their folks, defeat the purpose of their soul. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 25

Submissive [religiously] wander they unaware in regard of their real self-interest the path of disaster. Why would the intelligent [the vedic authority] lead those who enter the darkness further into sense engagement [see also 5.5: 17]?

Submissive [religiously] do they ignorant to their real self-interest wander the path of disaster; for what reason would the intelligent [the vedic authority] cause them, entering the darkness, to engage further in that all? [see also 5.5: 17]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 26

Some people, they who this way with a perverted intelligence do not understand the actual conclusion, speak in flowery statements of the material awards about which he who really knows the Vedas doesn't speak [see also B.G. 2: 42-44].

Some, this way with a perverted intelligence not understanding the actual conclusion, speak in flowery statements of the material awards that the one who knows the Veda's indeed doesn't speak of [see also B.G. 2: 42-44]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 27

The lusty, miserly and greedy ones take the flowers for the ultimate truth; bewildered by the fire do they, suffocating by the smoke, not know their position [of being an individual soul instead of being a body].

The lusty, miserly and greedy ones think the flowers to be the ultimate truth; bewildered by the fire do they, suffocating from the smoke, not know their own place [of being an individual soul instead of being a body]. (Vedabase)

 

Text 28

They, armed with their expressions, My dear, do not know Me who is seated within the heart and from whom this universe has risen that is also Me - they, self-indulgent, are like people staring in fog.

They, armed with their expressions, My dear, do not know Me who is seated within the heart and from whom this universe has risen - they, self-indulgent, are like persons with their eyes in the fog. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 29-30

They without understanding My confidential conclusion [see also 10.87 and B.G. 9] are, being absorbed in the sensual, attached to the violence that may be [an itegral part of nature], but certainly never is encouraged for the sacrifices. In reality taking pleasure in being violent with the animals that in the desire for their own happiness were slaughtered, they are in their ritual worship of the gods, the forefathers and the leading ghosts, mischievous people.

They without understanding My confidential conclusion [see also 10.87 and B.G. 9] are, when absorbed in the sensual, attached to the violence that may be, but certainly never is encouraged in the sacrificial prescriptions. Indeed taking pleasure in being violent with the animals that in the desire for their own happiness were slaughtered, are they in their worshiping the gods, the forefathers and the leading ghosts with rituals, mischievous people. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 31

That unholy world [they uphold] can be compared to a dream that, sounding nice, is about mundane achievements with which they, imagined in their hearts like they were businessmen, have forsaken the actual purpose [of realizing the soul].

That world unholy [upheld by them] equals a dream that sounding nice is about mundane achievements with which they, imagined in their hearts like a businessman, do give up the purpose [of realizing the soul]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 32

Established in the mode of passion, goodness or ignorance they worship the gods and others headed by Indra who likewise delight in passion, goodness and ignorance. But I am thus not worshiped the proper way [see also B.G. 9: 23 and 10: 24 & 25].

Not worshiping Me the proper way do they, established in the mode of passion, goodness or ignorance worship the gods and others headed by Indra who delight in that passion, goodness and ignorance [see also B.G. 9: 23 and 10: 24 & 25]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 33-34

'When we here with our sacrifices to the gods are full of worship, we will enjoy the pleasures of heaven and next on earth all live in a barn of a house and be high-born.' With their minds thus bewildered by the flowery words [of the Vedas] they despite of these words, as proud and most greedy men, are not attracted to My topics.

'Worshiping out here will we by our sacrifices to the gods enjoy in heaven and at the end of that enjoyment will we on earth become great housekeepers of high standing', thus with their minds bewildered by the flowery words have they nevertheless, as proud and most greedy men, no attraction for My topics. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 35

The trikânda divided Vedas have the spiritual understanding of the true self, the soul, as their subject matter, but also the vedic seers who more esoterically privately express themselves are dear to Me [the 'other gurus'].

The tri-kânda divided Vedas have the spiritual understanding of the Self as their subject matter but also dear to Me are the vedic seers esoterically expressing themselves in indirect terms [the 'other gurus']. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 36

The transcendental sound [the s'abda-brahman] manifesting itself in the prâna, the senses and the mind [of the self-realized, enlightened person] is something most difficult to understand, it is unlimited and is as unfathomably deep as the ocean.

The spiritual sound [the s'abda-brahman] manifesting itself in the prâna, the senses and the mind knows no limit and is unfathomably deep like the ocean. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 37

The groundless, changeless Absolute of endless potencies that I promote [as My nature, see Omkâra], is represented within the living beings in the form of soundvibrations, the way a lotus stalk is represented by a single strand of fiber [see also 11.18: 32 and 6.13: 15].

The groundless, changeless Absolute of endless potencies [that I am], is, as promoted by Me [see omkâra], represented within the living beings in the form of soundvibrations, the way a single single strand of fiber is on a lotus stalk [see also 11.18: 32 and 6.13: 15]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 38-40

Just as a spider from the heart weaves its web through its opening, is the breath of God [the prâna] from the ether manifesting the soundvibration through the mind in the form of the different phonemes. Full of nectar comprising all the shapes that branch out in thousands of directions, has the Master, decorated with consonants, vowels, sibilants and semivowels, expanded from the syllable om. By the elaborated diversity of expressions and metrical arrangements that each have four more syllables, He creates and Himself withdraws again the great unlimited expanse [of the vedic manifestation of sound, see also B.G. 15.15].

Just as a spider from its opening from within emits its web, is the breath of God [the prâna] from the ether manifesting the soundvibration through the mind in the form of the different phonemes. Comprising all the shapes full of nectar branching out in thousands of directions, has the Master, decorated with consonants, vowels, sibilants and semivowels, expanded from the syllable om. By the elaborated diversity of expressions and metrical arrangements each having four more syllables, does He create and Himself withdraw the great unlimited expanse [of the vedic literature, see also B.G. 15: 15]. (Vedabase)

 

  Text 41

For instance the metres Gâyatrî, Ushnik and Anushthup; Brihatî and Pankti as also Trishthup, Jagatî, Aticchanda, and Atyashthi, Atijagatî and Ativirâth [have each in this order four more syllables].

For instance the metres: Gâyatrî, Ushnik and Anusthup; Brihatî and Pankti as also Tristhup, Jagatî, Aticchanda, and Atyasthi, Atijagatî and Ativirâth [have each in this order four more syllables]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 42

What they [karma-kânda] enjoin [to be done], what they [upâsana-kânda] indicate [as being the object of devotion], what aspects they describe or what alternatives they [jñâna-kânda] thus literarily offer [as philosophy], the heart of this matter is in this world not known by anyone else but Me [compare 11.20, B.G. 4: 5, 7: 26, 10: 41].

What they [karma-kânda] enjoin, what they [upâsana-kânda] indicate, what aspects they describe or what alternatives they [jñâna-kânda] thus literarily offer, that heart in this world, is not known by anyone else but by Me [compare 11.20, B.G. 5: 5, 7: 26, 10: 41]. (Vedabase)

 

 Text 43

I am the object of worship, the concern of the enjoined action and the alternative that is offered and explained away [5*]. The transcendental sound vibration of the Vedas establishes Me as being their meaning and elaborately describes the material duality as simply being the illusory one has to emasculate to ultimately become happy.'

I am the object of worship enjoined and I am the alternative offered and argued; I thus am the meaning of all the Vedas that establish Me,the transcendental soundvibration, and elaborately describe the material duality as simply the illusory to negate to ultimately become happy. (Vedabase)

 

*: S'rîla Madhvâcârya quotes from the Skanda Purâna as follows: 'Religious persons should reside within an eight-mile radius of rivers, oceans, mountains, hermitages, forests, spiritual cities or places where the s'âlagrâma-s'îlâ [a black oval river-stone suitable for worship] is found. All other places should be considered kîkatha, or contaminated. But if even in such contaminated places black and spotted antelopes are found, one may reside there as long as sinful persons are not also present. Even if sinful persons are present, if the civil power rests with respectable authorities, one may remain. Similarly, one may dwell wherever the Deity of Vishnu is duly installed and worshiped.'

**: The paramparâ adds here: 'Political, social or economic disturbances that obstruct the execution of one's religious duties are considered inauspicious times.' Therefore is the - form of, type of - time with which one achieves the association of the Supreme Lord or the Lord's pure devotee, the most auspicious time, whereas the form of time which is politically, economically or socially determined and with which one loses such association, most inauspicious. Religous timing - to the sun and moon e.g. - is sat kâla, or true timing and proper conditioning, whereas humanly determined timing is asat kâla, or time conditioning by false authority, a karma motivated time driven by ulterior motives. Scientifically it concerns a biological conflict at the level of the nervous system between natural stimuli of time, like the regularity of daylight, and the cultural stimuli of time that oppose with linear and generalized concepts of time like mean time and zone time. The time sense of modern man is for this reason disturbed, he suffers psychological time, an unstable sense of time which is fundamental to the cultural neurosis.

***: An example to illustrate this rather abstract formulation is the clock: the clock is pure or impure relative to its object measured: the time of nature as another 'thing' of time. This is called the criterion of scientific validation or the determining of the zero point of measurement. But also speaking of it in a scientific lecture telling that the mean of time, the clock deviating from nature, is derived from and refers to nature itself through a scientific formula that expresses the socalled equation of time, is a political way of sanctifying, declaring the truth of, an obviously deviating clock. Furthermore is there also the religious ritual that presents the cross of Jesus Christ for instance, or the Mahâmantra of Lord Caitanya, to the standard of time on the clock in order to forgive the sin of the pragmatical deviating from God's nature of time and the scientific rationalization about it. Next we can simply set the clock to the nature of time, to the time of Krishna, to be true to the religious insight [see f.c.o.]. And finally, realizing that the confidentiality of Krishna's time cannot be imposed politically, there is the purity to the relative magnitude, as this verse states, that with the modern complexity of time awareness can be respected with a dual display of time offered by some clocks or else with two clocks combined: one display set to nature and one to the politics of pragmatical timekeeping. Thus we can by this verse tolerate the impurity of profit motivated karmic time manipulations and still manage with purity as devotees [Prabhupâda who at the one hand demanded punctuality, requested his devotees to further study the subject of time. 'All days and hours are the same to me. I leave that matter to you', he confided in 'A Transcendental Diary' by Hari S'auri Dâsa].

4*: According to S'rîla Madhvâcârya, persons above the age of fourteen are considered capable of distinguishing between good and bad and are thus responsible for their pious and sinful activities.

5*: This 'explaining away' is associated with the relationship between form and content. In bhakti one is faced with His form, the form of the âcârya and the form of the other devotees as the entrance gate giving access to the Vedic knowledge. Once having passed that gate on one's way inside, the gate for which the Lord stands with His form is of a lesser importance than the content taken care of by jñâna. When one has accessed the content, the form is just as obsolete as the package of a product is when one wants to use it after being bought. But Lord Krishna is of course just as well the form as the content. In that sense one rather finds Him on one's way inside. The explaining away pertains to the form thus. Thus is the necessity demonstrated of the trikânda threefoldness of yoga: karma-yoga constitutes the way, bhakti-yoga constitutes the shop and jñâna-yoga shows the contents of spiritual realization to procure there.

 
 

 

 

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.
The painting is called: ' Saguna'.
©
Wim Kuenen, used with permission.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time


 

 

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