Chapter 31: Lord Kapila's Instructions on the Movements of the Living Entities

 

3.31.1

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa

jantur dehopapattaye

striyāḥ praviṣṭa udaraḿ

puḿso retaḥ-kaṇāśrayaḥ

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; karmaṇā — by the result of work; daiva-netreṇa — under the supervision of the Lord; jantuḥ — the living entity; deha — a body; upapattaye — for obtaining; striyāḥ — of a woman; praviṣṭaḥ — enters; udaram — the womb; puḿsaḥ — of a man; retaḥ — of semen; kaṇa — a particle; āśrayaḥ — dwelling in.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Personality of Godhead said: Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter into the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body.

 

3.31.2

kalalaḿ tv eka-rātreṇa

pañca-rātreṇa budbudam

daśāhena tu karkandhūḥ

peśy aṇḍaḿ vā tataḥ param

 

kalalam — mixing of the sperm and ovum; tu — then; eka-rātreṇa — on the first night; pañca-rātreṇa — by the fifth night; budbudam — a bubble; daśa-ahena — in ten days; tu — then; karkandhūḥ — like a plum; peśī — a lump of flesh; aṇḍam — an egg; vā — or; tataḥ — thence; param — afterwards.

 

TRANSLATION

 

On the first night, the sperm and ovum mix, and on the fifth night the mixture ferments into a bubble. On the tenth night it develops into a form like a plum, and after that, it gradually turns into a lump of flesh or an egg, as the case may be.

 

3.31.3

māsena tu śiro dvābhyāḿ

bāhv-ańghry-ādy-ańga-vigrahaḥ

nakha-lomāsthi-carmāṇi

lińga-cchidrodbhavas tribhiḥ

 

māsena — within a month; tu — then; śiraḥ — a head; dvābhyām — in two months; bāhu — arms; ańghri — feet; ādi — and so on; ańga — limbs; vigrahaḥ — form; nakha — nails; loma — body hair; asthi — bones; carmāṇi — and skin; lińga — organ of generation; chidra — apertures; udbhavaḥ — appearance; tribhiḥ — within three months.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the course of a month, a head is formed, and at the end of two months the hands, feet and other limbs take shape. By the end of three months, the nails, fingers, toes, body hair, bones and skin appear, as do the organ of generation and the other apertures in the body, namely the eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth and anus.

 

3.31.4

caturbhir dhātavaḥ sapta

pañcabhiḥ kṣut-tṛḍ-udbhavaḥ

ṣaḍbhir jarāyuṇā vītaḥ

kukṣau bhrāmyati dakṣiṇe

 

caturbhiḥ — within four months; dhātavaḥ — ingredients; sapta — seven; pañcabhiḥ — within five months; kṣut-tṛṭ — of hunger and thirst; udbhavaḥ — appearance; ṣaḍbhiḥ — within six months; jarāyuṇā — by the amnion; vītaḥ — enclosed; kukṣau — in the abdomen; bhrāmyati — moves; dakṣiṇe — on the right side.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Within four months from the date of conception, the seven essential ingredients of the body, namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen, come into existence. At the end of five months, hunger and thirst make themselves felt, and at the end of six months, the fetus, enclosed by the amnion, begins to move on the right side of the abdomen.

 

3.31.5

mātur jagdhānna-pānādyair

edhad-dhātur asammate

śete viṇ-mūtrayor garte

sa jantur jantu-sambhave

 

mātuḥ — of the mother; jagdha — taken; anna-pāna — by the food and drink; ādyaiḥ — and so on; edhat — increasing; dhātuḥ — the ingredients of his body; asammate — abominable; śete — remains; viṭ-mūtrayoḥ — of stools and urine; garte — in a hollow; saḥ — that; jantuḥ — fetus; jantu — of worms; sambhave — the breeding place.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Deriving its nutrition from the food and drink taken by the mother, the fetus grows and remains in that abominable residence of stools and urine, which is the breeding place of all kinds of worms.

 

3.31.6

kṛmibhiḥ kṣata-sarvāńgaḥ

saukumāryāt pratikṣaṇam

mūrcchām āpnoty uru-kleśas

tatratyaiḥ kṣudhitair muhuḥ

 

kṛmibhiḥ — by worms; kṣata — bitten; sarva-ańgaḥ — all over the body; saukumāryāt — because of tenderness; prati-kṣaṇam — moment after moment; mūrcchām — unconsciousness; āpnoti — he obtains; uru-kleśaḥ — whose suffering is great; tatratyaiḥ — being there (in the abdomen); kṣudhitaiḥ — hungry; muhuḥ — again and again.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bitten again and again all over the body by the hungry worms in the abdomen itself, the child suffers terrible agony because of his tenderness. He thus becomes unconscious moment after moment because of the terrible condition.

 

3.31.7

kaṭu-tīkṣṇoṣṇa-lavaṇa-

rūkṣāmlādibhir ulbaṇaiḥ

mātṛ-bhuktair upaspṛṣṭaḥ

sarvāńgotthita-vedanaḥ

 

kaṭu — bitter; tīkṣṇa — pungent; uṣṇa — hot; lavaṇa — salty; rūkṣa — dry; amla — sour; ādibhiḥ — and so on; ulbaṇaiḥ — excessive; mātṛ-bhuktaiḥ — by foods eaten by the mother; upaspṛṣṭaḥ — affected; sarva-ańga — all over the body; utthita — arisen; vedanaḥ — pain.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Owing to the mother's eating bitter, pungent foodstuffs, or food which is too salty or too sour, the body of the child incessantly suffers pains which are almost intolerable.

 

3.31.8

ulbena saḿvṛtas tasminn

antraiś ca bahir āvṛtaḥ

āste kṛtvā śiraḥ kukṣau

bhugna-pṛṣṭha-śirodharaḥ

 

ulbena — by the amnion; saḿvṛtaḥ — enclosed; tasmin — in that place; antraiḥ — by the intestines; ca — and; bahiḥ — outside; āvṛtaḥ — covered; āste — he lies; kṛtvā — having put; śiraḥ — the head; kukṣau — towards the belly; bhugna — bent; pṛṣṭha — back; śiraḥ-dharaḥ — neck.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Placed within the amnion and covered outside by the intestines, the child remains lying on one side of the abdomen, his head turned towards his belly and his back and neck arched like a bow.

 

3.31.9

akalpaḥ svāńga-ceṣṭāyāḿ

śakunta iva pañjare

tatra labdha-smṛtir daivāt

karma janma-śatodbhavam

smaran dīrgham anucchvāsaḿ

śarma kiḿ nāma vindate

 

akalpaḥ — unable; sva-ańga — his limbs; ceṣṭāyām — to move; śakuntaḥ — a bird; iva — like; pañjare — in a cage; tatra — there; labdha-smṛtiḥ — having gained his memory; daivāt — by fortune; karma — activities; janma-śata-udbhavam — occurring during the last hundred births; smaran — remembering; dīrgham — for a long time; anucchvāsam — sighing; śarma — peace of mind; kim — what; nāma — then; vindate — can he achieve.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The child thus remains just like a bird in a cage, without freedom of movement. At that time, if the child is fortunate, he can remember all the troubles of his past one hundred births, and he grieves wretchedly. What is the possibility of peace of mind in that condition?

 

3.31.10

ārabhya saptamān māsāl

labdha-bodho 'pi vepitaḥ

naikatrāste sūti-vātair

viṣṭhā-bhūr iva sodaraḥ

 

ārabhya — beginning; saptamāt māsāt — from the seventh month; labdha-bodhaḥ — endowed with consciousness; api — although; vepitaḥ — tossed; na — not; ekatra — in one place; āste — he remains; sūti-vātaiḥ — by the winds for childbirth; viṣṭhā-bhūḥ — the worm; iva — like; sa-udaraḥ — born of the same womb.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus endowed with the development of consciousness from the seventh month after his conception, the child is tossed downward by the airs that press the embryo during the weeks preceding delivery. Like the worms born of the same filthy abdominal cavity, he cannot remain in one place.

 

3.31.11

nāthamāna ṛṣir bhītaḥ

sapta-vadhriḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ

stuvīta taḿ viklavayā

vācā yenodare 'rpitaḥ

 

nāthamānaḥ — appealing; ṛṣiḥ — the living entity; bhītaḥ — frightened; sapta-vadhriḥ — bound by the seven layers; kṛta-añjaliḥ — with folded hands; stuvīta — prays; tam — to the Lord; viklavayā — faltering; vācā — with words; yena — by whom; udare — in the womb; arpitaḥ — he was placed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The living entity in this frightful condition of life, bound by seven layers of material ingredients, prays with folded hands, appealing to the Lord, who has put him in that condition.

 

3.31.12

jantur uvāca

tasyopasannam avituḿ jagad icchayātta-

nānā-tanor bhuvi calac-caraṇāravindam

so 'haḿ vrajāmi śaraṇaḿ hy akuto-bhayaḿ me

yenedṛśī gatir adarśy asato'nurūpā

 

jantuḥ uvāca — the human soul says; tasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; upasannam — having approached for protection; avitum — to protect; jagat — the universe; icchayā — by His own will; ātta-nānā-tanoḥ — who accepts various forms; bhuvi — on the earth; calat — walking; caraṇa-aravindam — the lotus feet; saḥ aham — I myself; vrajāmi — go; śaraṇam — unto the shelter; hi — indeed; akutaḥ-bhayam — giving relief from all fear; me — for me; yena — by whom; īdṛśī — such; gatiḥ — condition of life; adarśi — was considered; asataḥ — impious; anurūpā — befitting.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The human soul says: I take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in His various eternal forms and walks on the surface of the world. I take shelter of Him only, because He can give me relief from all fear and from Him I have received this condition of life, which is just befitting my impious activities.

 

3.31.13

yas tv atra baddha iva karmabhir āvṛtātmā

bhūtendriyāśayamayīm avalambya māyām

āste viśuddham avikāram akhaṇḍa-bodham

ātapyamāna-hṛdaye 'vasitaḿ namāmi

 

yaḥ — who; tu — also; atra — here; baddhaḥ — bound; iva — as if; karmabhiḥ — by activities; āvṛta — covered; ātmā — the pure soul; bhūta — the gross elements; indriya — the senses; āśaya — the mind; mayīm — consisting of; avalambya — having fallen; māyām — into māyā; āste — remains; viśuddham — completely pure; avikāram — without change; akhaṇḍa-bodham — possessed of unlimited knowledge; ātapyamāna — repentant; hṛdaye — in the heart; avasitam — residing; namāmi — I offer my respectful obeisances.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I, the pure soul, appearing now bound by my activities, am lying in the womb of my mother by the arrangement of māyā. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him who is also here with me but who is unaffected and changeless. He is unlimited, but He is perceived in the repentant heart. To Him I offer my respectful obeisances.

 

3.31.14

yaḥ pañca-bhūta-racite rahitaḥ śarīre

cchanno 'yathendriya-guṇārtha-cid-ātmako 'ham

tenāvikuṇṭha-mahimānam ṛṣiḿ tam enaḿ

vande paraḿ prakṛti-pūruṣayoḥ pumāḿsam

 

yaḥ — who; pañca-bhūta — five gross elements; racite — made of; rahitaḥ — separated; śarīre — in the material body; channaḥ — covered; ayathā — unfitly; indriya — senses; guṇa — qualities; artha — objects of senses; cit — ego; ātmakaḥ — consisting of; aham — I; tena — by a material body; avikuṇṭha-mahimānam — whose glories are unobscured; ṛṣim — all-knowing; tam — that; enam — unto Him; vande — I offer obeisances; param — transcendental; prakṛti — to material nature; pūruṣayoḥ — to the living entities; pumāḿsam — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I am separated from the Supreme Lord because of my being in this material body, which is made of five elements, and therefore my qualities and senses are being misused, although I am essentially spiritual. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental to material nature and the living entities, because He is devoid of such a material body, and because He is always glorious in His spiritual qualities, I offer my obeisances unto Him.

 

3.31.15

yan-māyayoru-guṇa-karma-nibandhane 'smin

sāḿsārike pathi caraḿs tad-abhiśrameṇa

naṣṭa-smṛtiḥ punar ayaḿ pravṛṇīta lokaḿ

yuktyā kayā mahad-anugraham antareṇa

 

yat — of the Lord; māyayā — by the māyā; uru-guṇa — arising from the great modes; karma — activities; nibandhane — with bonds; asmin — this; sāḿsārike — of repeated birth and death; pathi — on the path; caran — wandering; tat — of him; abhiśrameṇa — with great pains; naṣṭa — lost; smṛtiḥ — memory; punaḥ — again; ayam — this living entity; pravṛṇīta — may realize; lokam — his true nature; yuktyā kayā — by what means; mahat-anugraham — the mercy of the Lord; antareṇa — without.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The human soul further prays: The living entity is put under the influence of material nature and continues a hard struggle for existence on the path of repeated birth and death. This conditional life is due to his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, without the Lord's mercy, how can he again engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord?

 

3.31.16

jñānaḿ yad etad adadhāt katamaḥ sa devas

trai-kālikaḿ sthira-careṣv anuvartitāḿśaḥ

taḿ jīva-karma-padavīm anuvartamānās

tāpa-trayopaśamanāya vayaḿ bhajema

 

jñānam — knowledge; yat — which; etat — this; adadhāt — gave; katamaḥ — who other than; saḥ — that; devaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; trai-kālikam — of the three phases of time; sthira-careṣu — in the inanimate and animate objects; anuvartita — dwelling; aḿśaḥ — His partial representation; tam — unto Him; jīva — of the jīva souls; karma-padavīm — the path of fruitive activities; anuvartamānāḥ — who are pursuing; tāpa-traya — from the threefold miseries; upaśamanāya — for getting free; vayam — we; bhajema — must surrender.

 

TRANSLATION

 

No one other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as the localized Paramātmā, the partial representation of the Lord, is directing all inanimate and animate objects. He is present in the three phases of time — past, present and future. Therefore, the conditioned soul is engaged in different activities by His direction, and in order to get free from the threefold miseries of this conditional life, we have to surrender unto Him only.

 

3.31.17

dehy anya-deha-vivare jaṭharāgnināsṛg-

viṇ-mūtra-kūpa-patito bhṛśa-tapta-dehaḥ

icchann ito vivasituḿ gaṇayan sva-māsān

nirvāsyate kṛpaṇa-dhīr bhagavan kadā nu

 

dehī — the embodied soul; anya-deha — of another body; vivare — in the abdomen; jaṭhara — of the stomach; agninā — by the fire; asṛk — of blood; viṭ — stool; mūtra — and urine; kūpa — in a pool; patitaḥ — fallen; bhṛśa — strongly; tapta — scorched; dehaḥ — his body; icchan — desiring; itaḥ — from that place; vivasitum — to get out; gaṇayan — counting; svamāsān — his months; nirvāsyate — will be released; kṛpaṇa-dhīḥ — person of miserly intelligence; bhagavan — O Lord; kadā — when; nu — indeed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Fallen into a pool of blood, stool and urine within the abdomen of his mother, his own body scorched by the mother's gastric fire, the embodied soul, anxious to get out, counts his months and prays, "O my Lord, when shall I, a wretched soul, be released from this confinement?"

 

3.31.18

yenedṛśīḿ gatim asau daśa-māsya īśa

sańgrāhitaḥ puru-dayena bhavādṛśena

svenaiva tuṣyatu kṛtena sa dīna-nāthaḥ

ko nāma tat-prati vināñjalim asya kuryāt

 

yena — by whom (the Lord); īdṛśīm — such; gatim — a condition; asau — that person (myself); daśa-māsyaḥ — ten months old; īśa — O Lord; sańgrāhitaḥ — was made to accept; puru-dayena — very merciful; bhavādṛśena — incomparable; svena — own; eva — alone; tuṣyatu — may He be pleased; kṛtena — with His act; saḥ — that; dīna-nāthaḥ — refuge of the fallen souls; kaḥ — who; nāma — indeed; tat — that mercy; prati — in return; vinā — except with; añjalim — folded hands; asya — of the Lord; kuryāt — can repay.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Lord, by Your causeless mercy I am awakened to consciousness, although I am only ten months old. For this causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the friend of all fallen souls, there is no way to express my gratitude but to pray with folded hands.

 

3.31.19

paśyaty ayaḿ dhiṣaṇayā nanu sapta-vadhriḥ

śārīrake dama-śarīry aparaḥ sva-dehe

yat-sṛṣṭayāsaḿ tam ahaḿ puruṣaḿ purāṇaḿ

paśye bahir hṛdi ca caityam iva pratītam

 

paśyati — sees; ayam — this living entity; dhiṣaṇayā — with intelligence; nanu — only; sapta-vadhriḥ — bound by the seven layers of material coverings; śārīrake — agreeable and disagreeable sense perceptions; dama-śarīrī — having a body for self-control; aparaḥ — another; sva-dehe — in his body; yat — by the Supreme Lord; sṛṣṭayā — endowed; āsam — was; tam — Him; aham — I; puruṣam — person; purāṇam — oldest; paśye — see; bahiḥ — outside; hṛdi — in the heart; ca — and; caityam — the source of the ego; iva — indeed; pratītam — recognized.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The living entity in another type of body sees only by instinct; he knows only the agreeable and disagreeable sense perceptions of that particular body. But I have a body in which I can control my senses and can understand my destination; therefore, I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whom I have been blessed with this body and by whose grace I can see Him within and without.

 

3.31.20

so 'haḿ vasann api vibho bahu-duḥkha-vāsaḿ

garbhān na nirjigamiṣe bahir andha-kūpe

yatropayātam upasarpati deva-māyā

mithyā matir yad-anu saḿsṛti-cakram etat

 

saḥ aham — I myself; vasan — living; api — although; vibho — O Lord; bahu-duḥkha — with many miseries; vāsam — in a condition; garbhāt — from the abdomen; na — not; nirjigamiṣe — I wish to depart; bahiḥ — outside; andha-kūpe — in the blind well; yatra — where; upayātam — one who goes there; upasarpati — she captures; deva-māyā — the external energy of the Lord; mithyā — false; matiḥ — identification; yat — which māyā; anu — according to; saḿsṛti — of continual birth and death; cakram — cycle; etat — this.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, my Lord, although I am living in a terrible condition, I do not wish to depart from my mother's abdomen to fall again into the blind well of materialistic life. Your external energy, called deva-māyā, at once captures the newly born child, and immediately false identification, which is the beginning of the cycle of continual birth and death, begins.

 

3.31.21

tasmād ahaḿ vigata-viklava uddhariṣya

ātmānam āśu tamasaḥ suhṛdātmanaiva

bhūyo yathā vyasanam etad aneka-randhraḿ

mā me bhaviṣyad upasādita-viṣṇu-pādaḥ

 

tasmāt — therefore; aham — I; vigata — ceased; viklavaḥ — agitation; uddhariṣye — shall deliver; ātmānam — myself; āśu — quickly; tamasaḥ — from the darkness; suhṛdā ātmanā — with friendly intelligence; eva — indeed; bhūyaḥ — again; yathā — so that; vyasanam — plight; etat — this; aneka-randhram — entering many wombs; mā — not; me — my; bhaviṣyat — may occur; upasādita — placed (in my mind); viṣṇu-pādaḥ — the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, without being agitated any more, I shall deliver myself from the darkness of nescience with the help of my friend, clear consciousness. Simply by keeping the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu in my mind, I shall be saved from entering into the wombs of many mothers for repeated birth and death.

 

3.31.22

kapila uvāca

evaḿ kṛta-matir garbhe

daśa-māsyaḥ stuvann ṛṣiḥ

sadyaḥ kṣipaty avācīnaḿ

prasūtyai sūti-mārutaḥ

 

kapilaḥ uvāca — Lord Kapila said; evam — thus; kṛta-matiḥ — desiring; garbhe — in the womb; daśa-māsyaḥ — ten-month-old; stuvan — extolling; ṛṣiḥ — the living entity; sadyaḥ — at that very time; kṣipati — propels; avācīnam — turned downward; prasūtyai — for birth; sūti-mārutaḥ — the wind for childbirth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kapila continued: The ten-month-old living entity has these desires even while in the womb. But while he thus extols the Lord, the wind that helps parturition propels him forth with his face turned downward so that he may be born.

 

3.31.23

tenāvasṛṣṭaḥ sahasā

kṛtvāvāk śira āturaḥ

viniṣkrāmati kṛcchreṇa

nirucchvāso hata-smṛtiḥ

 

tena — by that wind; avasṛṣṭaḥ — pushed downward; sahasā — suddenly; kṛtvā — turned; avāk — downward; śiraḥ — his head; āturaḥ — suffering; viniṣkrāmati — he comes out; kṛcchreṇa — with great trouble; nirucchvāsaḥ — breathless; hata — deprived of; smṛtiḥ — memory.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Pushed downward all of a sudden by the wind, the child comes out with great trouble, head downward, breathless and deprived of memory due to severe agony.

 

3.31.24

patito bhuvy asṛń-miśraḥ

viṣṭhā-bhūr iva ceṣṭate

rorūyati gate jñāne

viparītāḿ gatiḿ gataḥ

 

patitaḥ — fallen; bhuvi — on the earth; asṛk — with blood; miśraḥ — smeared; viṣṭhā-bhūḥ — a worm; iva — like; ceṣṭate — he moves his limbs; rorūyati — cries loudly; gate — being lost; jñāne — his wisdom; viparītām — the opposite; gatim — state; gataḥ — gone to.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The child thus falls on the ground, smeared with stool and blood, and plays just like a worm germinated from the stool. He loses his superior knowledge and cries under the spell of māyā.

 

3.31.25

para-cchandaḿ na viduṣā

puṣyamāṇo janena saḥ

anabhipretam āpannaḥ

pratyākhyātum anīśvaraḥ

 

para-chandam — the desire of another; na — not; viduṣā — understanding; puṣyamāṇaḥ — being maintained; janena — by persons; saḥ — he; anabhipretam — into undesirable circumstances; āpannaḥ — fallen; pratyākhyātum — to refuse; anīśvaraḥ — unable.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After coming out of the abdomen, the child is given to the care of persons who are unable to understand what he wants, and thus he is nursed by such persons. Unable to refuse whatever is given to him, he falls into undesirable circumstances.

 

3.31.26

śāyito 'śuci-paryańke

jantuḥ svedaja-dūṣite

neśaḥ kaṇḍūyane 'ńgānām

āsanotthāna-ceṣṭane

 

śāyitaḥ — laid down; aśuci-paryańke — on a foul bed; jantuḥ — the child; sveda-ja — with creatures born from sweat; dūṣite — infested; na īśaḥ — incapable of; kaṇḍūyane — scratching; ańgānām — his limbs; āsana — sitting; utthāna — standing; ceṣṭane — or moving.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Laid down on a foul bed infested with sweat and germs, the poor child is incapable of scratching his body to get relief from his itching sensation to say nothing of sitting up, standing or even moving.

 

3.31.27

tudanty āma-tvacaḿ daḿśā

maśakā matkuṇādayaḥ

rudantaḿ vigata-jñānaḿ

kṛmayaḥ kṛmikaḿ yathā

 

tudanti — they bite; āma-tvacam — the baby, whose skin is soft; daḿśāḥ — gnats; maśakāḥ — mosquitoes; matkuṇa — bugs; ādayaḥ — and other creatures; rudantam — crying; vigata — deprived of; jñānam — wisdom; kṛmayaḥ — worms; kṛmikam — a worm; yathā — just as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In his helpless condition, gnats, mosquitoes, bugs and other germs bite the baby, whose skin is tender, just as smaller worms bite a big worm. The child, deprived of his wisdom, cries bitterly.

 

3.31.28

ity evaḿ śaiśavaḿ bhuktvā

duḥkhaḿ paugaṇḍam eva ca

alabdhābhīpsito 'jñānād

iddha-manyuḥ śucārpitaḥ

 

iti evam — in this way; śaiśavam — childhood; bhuktvā — having undergone; duḥkham — distress; paugaṇḍam — boyhood; eva — even; ca — and; alabdha — not achieved; abhīpsitaḥ — he whose desires; ajñānāt — due to ignorance; iddha — kindled; manyuḥ — his anger; śucā — by sorrow; arpitaḥ — overcome.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this way, the child passes through his childhood, suffering different kinds of distress, and attains boyhood. In boyhood also he suffers pain over desires to get things he can never achieve. And thus, due to ignorance, he becomes angry and sorry.

 

3.31.29

saha dehena mānena

vardhamānena manyunā

karoti vigrahaḿ kāmī

kāmiṣv antāya cātmanaḥ

 

saha — with; dehena — the body; mānena — with false prestige; vardhamānena — increasing; manyunā — on account of anger; karoti — he creates; vigraham — enmity; kāmī — the lusty person; kāmiṣu — towards other lusty people; antāya — for destruction; ca — and; ātmanaḥ — of his soul.

 

TRANSLATION

 

With the growth of the body, the living entity, in order to vanquish his soul, increases his false prestige and anger and thereby creates enmity towards similarly lusty people.

 

3.31.30

bhūtaiḥ pañcabhir ārabdhe

dehe dehy abudho 'sakṛt

ahaḿ mamety asad-grāhaḥ

karoti kumatir matim

 

bhūtaiḥ — by material elements; pañcabhiḥ — five; ārabdhe — made; dehe — in the body; dehī — the living entity; abudhaḥ — ignorant; asakṛt — constantly; aham — I; mama — mine; iti — thus; asat — nonpermanent things; grāhaḥ — accepting; karoti — he does; ku-matiḥ — being foolish; matim — thought.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By such ignorance the living entity accepts the material body, which is made of five elements, as himself. With this misunderstanding, he accepts nonpermanent things as his own and increases his ignorance in the darkest region.

 

3.31.31

tad-arthaḿ kurute karma

yad-baddho yāti saḿsṛtim

yo 'nuyāti dadat kleśam

avidyā-karma-bandhanaḥ

 

tat-artham — for the sake of the body; kurute — he performs; karma — actions; yat-baddhaḥ — bound by which; yāti — he goes; saḿsṛtim — to repeated birth and death; yaḥ — which body; anuyāti — follows; dadat — giving; kleśam — misery; avidyā — by ignorance; karma — by fruitive activities; bandhanaḥ — the cause of bondage.

 

TRANSLATION

 

For the sake of the body, which is a source of constant trouble to him and which follows him because he is bound by ties of ignorance and fruitive activities, he performs various actions which cause him to be subjected to repeated birth and death.

 

3.31.32

yady asadbhiḥ pathi punaḥ

śiśnodara-kṛtodyamaiḥ

āsthito ramate jantus

tamo viśati pūrvavat

 

yadi — if; asadbhiḥ — with the unrighteous; pathi — on the path; punaḥ — again; śiśna — for the genitals; udara — for the stomach; kṛta — done; udyamaiḥ — whose endeavors; āsthitaḥ — associating; ramate — enjoys; jantuḥ — the living entity; tamaḥ — darkness; viśati — enters; pūrva-vat — as before.

 

TRANSLATION

 

If, therefore, the living entity again associates with the path of unrighteousness, influenced by sensually minded people engaged in the pursuit of sexual enjoyment and the gratification of the palate, he again goes to hell as before.

 

3.31.33

satyaḿ śaucaḿ dayā maunaḿ

buddhiḥ śrīr hrīr yaśaḥ kṣamā

śamo damo bhagaś ceti

yat-sańgād yāti sańkṣayam

 

satyam — truthfulness; śaucam — cleanliness; dayā — mercy; maunam — gravity; buddhiḥ — intelligence; śrīḥ — prosperity; hrīḥ — shyness; yaśaḥ — fame; kṣamā — forgiveness; śamaḥ — control of the mind; damaḥ — control of the senses; bhagaḥ — fortune; ca — and; iti — thus; yat-sańgāt — from association with whom; yāti sańkṣayam — are destroyed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

He becomes devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, fortune and all such opportunities.

 

3.31.34

teṣv aśānteṣu mūḍheṣu

khaṇḍitātmasv asādhuṣu

sańgaḿ na kuryāc chocyeṣu

yoṣit-krīḍā-mṛgeṣu ca

 

teṣu — with those; aśānteṣu — coarse; mūḍheṣu — fools; khaṇḍita-ātmasu — bereft of self-realization; asādhuṣu — wicked; sańgam — association; na — not; kuryāt — one should make; śocyeṣu — pitiable; yoṣit — of women; krīḍā-mṛgeṣu — dancing dogs; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One should not associate with a coarse fool who is bereft of the knowledge of self-realization and who is no more than a dancing dog in the hands of a woman.

 

3.31.35

na tathāsya bhaven moho

bandhaś cānya-prasańgataḥ

yoṣit-sańgād yathā puḿso

yathā tat-sańgi-sańgataḥ

 

na — not; tathā — in that manner; asya — of this man; bhavet — may arise; mohaḥ — infatuation; bandhaḥ — bondage; ca — and; anya-prasańgataḥ — from attachment to any other object; yoṣit-sańgāt — from attachment to women; yathā — as; puḿsaḥ — of a man; yathā — as; tat-sańgi — of men who are fond of women; sańgataḥ — from the fellowship.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The infatuation and bondage which accrue to a man from attachment to any other object is not as complete as that resulting from attachment to a woman or to the fellowship of men who are fond of women.

 

3.31.36

prajāpatiḥ svāḿ duhitaraḿ

dṛṣṭvā tad-rūpa-dharṣitaḥ

rohid-bhūtāḿ so 'nvadhāvad

ṛkṣa-rūpī hata-trapaḥ

 

prajā-patiḥ — Lord Brahmā; svām — his own; duhitaram — daughter; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; tat-rūpa — by her charms; dharṣitaḥ — bewildered; rohit-bhūtām — to her in the form of a deer; saḥ — he; anvadhāvat — ran; ṛkṣa-rūpī — in the form of a stag; hata — bereft of; trapaḥ — shame.

 

TRANSLATION

 

At the sight of his own daughter, Brahmā was bewildered by her charms and shamelessly ran up to her in the form of a stag when she took the form of a hind.

 

3.31.37

tat-sṛṣṭa-sṛṣṭa-sṛṣṭeṣu

ko nv akhaṇḍita-dhīḥ pumān

ṛṣiḿ nārāyaṇam ṛte

yoṣin-mayyeha māyayā

 

tat — by Brahmā; sṛṣṭa-sṛṣṭa-sṛṣṭeṣu — amongst all living entities begotten; kaḥ — who; nu — indeed; akhaṇḍita — not distracted; dhīḥ — his intelligence; pumān — male; ṛṣim — the sage; nārāyaṇam — Nārāyaṇa; ṛte — except; yoṣit-mayyā — in the form of a woman; iha — here; māyayā — by māyā.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Amongst all kinds of living entities begotten by Brahmā, namely men, demigods and animals, none but the sage Nārāyaṇa is immune to the attraction of māyā in the form of woman.

 

3.31.38

balaḿ me paśya māyāyāḥ

strī-mayyā jayino diśām

yā karoti padākrāntān

bhrūvi-jṛmbheṇa kevalam

 

balam — the strength; me — My; paśya — behold; māyāyāḥ — of māyā; strī-mayyāḥ — in the shape of a woman; jayinaḥ — conquerors; diśām — of all directions; yā — who; karoti — makes; pada-ākrāntān — following at her heels; bhrūvi — of her eyebrows; jṛmbheṇa — by the movement; kevalam — merely.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just try to understand the mighty strength of My māyā in the shape of woman, who by the mere movement of her eyebrows can keep even the greatest conquerors of the world under her grip.

 

3.31.39

sańgaḿ na kuryāt pramadāsu jātu

yogasya pāraḿ param ārurukṣuḥ

mat-sevayā pratilabdhātma-lābho

vadanti yā niraya-dvāram asya

 

sańgam — association; na — not; kuryāt — one should make; pramadāsu — with women; jātu — ever; yogasya — of yoga; pāram — culmination; param — topmost; ārurukṣuḥ — one who aspires to reach; mat-sevayā — by rendering service unto Me; pratilabdha — obtained; ātma-lābhaḥ — self-realization; vadanti — they say; yāḥ — which women; niraya — to hell; dvāram — the gateway; asya — of the advancing devotee.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One who aspires to reach the culmination of yoga and has realized his self by rendering service unto Me should never associate with an attractive woman, for such a woman is declared in the scripture to be the gateway to hell for the advancing devotee.

 

3.31.40

yopayāti śanair māyā

yoṣid deva-vinirmitā

tām īkṣetātmano mṛtyuḿ

tṛṇaiḥ kūpam ivāvṛtam

 

yā — she who; upayāti — approaches; śanaiḥ — slowly; māyā — representation of māyā; yoṣit — woman; deva — by the Lord; vinirmitā — created; tām — her; īkṣeta — one must regard; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; mṛtyum — death; tṛṇaiḥ — with grass; kūpam — a well; iva — like; āvṛtam — covered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The woman, created by the Lord, is the representation of māyā, and one who associates with such māyā by accepting services must certainly know that this is the way of death, just like a blind well covered with grass.

 

3.31.41

yāḿ manyate patiḿ mohān

man-māyām ṛṣabhāyatīm

strītvaḿ strī-sańgataḥ prāpto

vittāpatya-gṛha-pradam

 

yām — which; manyate — she thinks; patim — her husband; mohāt — due to illusion; mat-māyām — My māyā; ṛṣabha — in the form of a man; āyatīm — coming; strītvam — the state of being a woman; strī-sańgataḥ — from attachment to a woman; prāptaḥ — obtained; vitta — wealth; apatya — progeny; gṛha — house; pradam — bestowing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A living entity who, as a result of attachment to a woman in his previous life, has been endowed with the form of a woman, foolishly looks upon māyā in the form of a man, her husband, as the bestower of wealth, progeny, house and other material assets.

 

3.31.42

tām ātmano vijānīyāt

paty-apatya-gṛhātmakam

daivopasāditaḿ mṛtyuḿ

mṛgayor gāyanaḿ yathā

 

tām — the Lord's māyā; ātmanaḥ — of herself; vijānīyāt — she should know; pati — husband; apatya — children; gṛha — house; ātmakam — consisting of; daiva — by the authority of the Lord; upasāditam — brought about; mṛtyum — death; mṛgayoḥ — of the hunter; gāyanam — the singing; yathā — as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A woman, therefore, should consider her husband, her house and her children to be the arrangement of the external energy of the Lord for her death, just as the sweet singing of the hunter is death for the deer.

 

3.31.43

dehena jīva-bhūtena

lokāl lokam anuvrajan

bhuñjāna eva karmāṇi

karoty avirataḿ pumān

 

dehena — on account of the body; jīva-bhūtena — possessed by the living entity; lokāt — from one planet; lokam — to another planet; anuvrajan — wandering; bhuñjānaḥ — enjoying; eva — so; karmāṇi — fruitive activities; karoti — he does; aviratam — incessantly; pumān — the living entity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Due to his particular type of body, the materialistic living entity wanders from one planet to another, following fruitive activities. In this way, he involves himself in fruitive activities and enjoys the result incessantly.

 

3.31.44

jīvo hy asyānugo deho

bhūtendriya-mano-mayaḥ

tan-nirodho 'sya maraṇam

āvirbhāvas tu sambhavaḥ

 

jīvaḥ — the living entity; hi — indeed; asya — of him; anugaḥ — suitable; dehaḥ — body; bhūta — gross material elements; indriya — senses; manaḥ — mind; mayaḥ — made of; tat — of the body; nirodhaḥ — destruction; asya — of the living entity; maraṇam — death; āvirbhāvaḥ — manifestation; tu — but; sambhavaḥ — birth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this way the living entity gets a suitable body with a material mind and senses, according to his fruitive activities. When the reaction of his particular activity comes to an end, that end is called death, and when a particular type of reaction begins, that beginning is called birth.

 

3.31.45-46

dravyopalabdhi-sthānasya

dravyekṣāyogyatā yadā

tat pañcatvam ahaḿ-mānād

utpattir dravya-darśanam

 

yathākṣṇor dravyāvayava-

darśanāyogyatā yadā

tadaiva cakṣuṣo draṣṭur

draṣṭṛtvāyogyatānayoḥ

 

dravya — of objects; upalabdhi — of perception; sthānasya — of the place; dravya — of objects; īkṣā — of perception; ayogyatā — incapability; yadā — when; tat — that; pañcatvam — death; aham-mānāt — from the misconception of "I"; utpattiḥ — birth; dravya — the physical body; darśanam — viewing;

 

yathā — just as; akṣṇoḥ — of the eyes; dravya — of objects; avayava — parts; darśana — of seeing; ayogyatā — incapability; yadā — when; tadā — then; eva — indeed; cakṣuṣaḥ — of the sense of sight; draṣṭuḥ — of the seer; draṣṭṛtva — of the faculty of seeing; ayogyatā — incapability; anayoḥ — of both of these.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the eyes lose their power to see color or form due to morbid affliction of the optic nerve, the sense of sight becomes deadened. The living entity, who is the seer of both the eyes and the sight, loses his power of vision. In the same way, when the physical body, the place where perception of objects occurs, is rendered incapable of perceiving, that is known as death. When one begins to view the physical body as one's very self, that is called birth.

 

3.31.47

tasmān na kāryaḥ santrāso

na kārpaṇyaḿ na sambhramaḥ

buddhvā jīva-gatiḿ dhīro

mukta-sańgaś cared iha

 

tasmāt — on account of death; na — not; kāryaḥ — should be done; santrāsaḥ — horror; na — not; kārpaṇyam — miserliness; na — not; sambhramaḥ — eagerness for material gain; buddhvā — realizing; jīva-gatim — the true nature of the living entity; dhīraḥ — steadfast; mukta-sańgaḥ — free from attachment; caret — one should move about; iha — in this world.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, one should not view death with horror, nor have recourse to defining the body as soul, nor give way to exaggeration in enjoying the bodily necessities of life. Realizing the true nature of the living entity, one should move about in the world free from attachment and steadfast in purpose.

 

3.31.48

samyag-darśanayā buddhyā