SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 3

(1) S'rî S'aunaka said: "Although unborn Himself, did the Supreme Lord, personally by His own potency take birth as Lord Kapila, the analyst of the ultimate truth, in order to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the human race. (2) Indeed hearing about Him, the greater of whom cannot be found among men, the foremost of all yogis and the godhead of the Vedas, are my senses sated. (3) Please describe me faithfully whatever the praiseworthy is that the Supreme Lord so full of the delight of the soul by His internal potency does."

(4) Sûta said: ''Being a friend of Vyâsadeva spoke the venerable Maitreya then as follows to Vidura, as he was pleased with being asked about the transcendental knowledge. (5) Maitreya said: 'When the father had left for the forest, stayed Lord Kapila behind at lake Bindu-sarovar with the desire to please His mother indeed. (6) To Him seated at ease, her Son who was capable of showing her the path to the goal of the ultimate reality, spoke Devahûti remembering the words of Brahmâ.

(7) Devahûti said: 'O my Lord, I am very disgusted by the prevalence of untruth of the agitated senses, which made me fall into the abyss of ignorance. (8) At the end of many births, by Your mercy I attained to the transcendental eye of You so that I can now overcome the darkness of ignorance which is so difficult to defeat. (9) He who is the origin, de Supreme Lord of all beings and in fact the Master of the Universe has, with You, alike the sun, risen to the eye that was blinded by the darkness of ignorance. (10) Now, my Lord, feel pleased to dispel the delusion, the misconception of I and Mine in this, with which You, as You know, have kept me busy. (11) With the desire to know about the material and the personal aspect, I offer You, who are the greatest of the seers of the true nature, my obeisances having taken to the shelter of You, as You are that person worth it; for the ones depending on You, You are the ax that cuts the tree of material existence.'

(12) Maitreya said: 'Thus hearing from His mother about the uncontaminated wish of man to gain in self-realization on the path of liberation, He with a grateful mind, slightly smiling with His beautiful face, explained about the way of the transcendentalists. (13) The Supreme Lord said: 'The discipline of yoga of men of relating to the soul carries My approval for the sake of the ultimate detachment from whatever pleasure and distress.

(14) I will now explain the very same to you as I explained formerly, o pious mother, to the sages who were eager to hear about all ins and outs of the yoga-system. (15) It is so that the consciousness of him, who in bondage is after the freedom of the self, is under the spell of the modes of material nature, but when one is moved in attraction of being conditioned to what is the mother of virtue, is one of liberation. (16) From the impurities of lust and greed and such, resulting from the misconception of I and Mine, is one freed, when the mind is pure in being equipoised, without distress and pleasure. (17) It is then that the person, pure and transcendental to the material world sees himself not bound and not fragmented as being non-different and self-effulgent. (18) Of spiritual knowledge and renunciation and connected in devotion one regards the material of existence indifferently, finding it reduced in strength. (19) Apart from performing in devotional service for the Supreme Lord is there, to the complete of the Soul, no other yogic path as auspicious for the perfection of the spirit. (20) Any man of knowledge knows that strong attachment is the entanglement of the soul, but that that same attachment managed by devotees opens the door to liberation. (21) Tolerant, compassionate, friendly to all living beings and inimical to no one, peaceful and abiding by the scriptures is the sâdhu [the man of virtue, of holiness, a seer] adorned with sublime qualities. (22) Unto Me unwavering in performing their devotional service do those staunch for My sake, renounce to act in desire, giving up on their own family and friends. (23) In delight of hearing stories about Me they chant and fix their thoughts on Me, not troubling anyone in their various penances. (24) Unto those very devotees, o virtuous mother, who are freed from all attachments, you must seek to be attached, as verily they are the ones who counter the harmful effects of material entanglement. (25) Through association with the ones of truth, in discussing My heroism, become the stories cultivated a joy to the ear and heart and will quickly follow the devotion in due order after the firm faith and attraction on the path of liberation. (26) By devotional service having developed a distaste for the sensual of what is seen and heard, constantly thinking about My doings and with the mind engaged in the control of the connectedness of yoga, will one find ease on the path of one's endeavor to unite the consciousness. (27) As a person not serving the modes of nature, does one through spiritual knowledge, with renunciation developed in yoga, fixed on Me and devoted to Me, in this very life attain to the Absolute of the soul.'

(28) Devahûti said: 'What is unto You the proper concept of devotion fit for me of which I, without delay, will find liberation at Your feet? (29) What is, aiming at the One Supreme, o embodiment of heaven, the nature of that yoga You explained about; in how many divisions is the reality understood by it? (30) Please explain that very same thing to Me whose intelligence is but slow, o my Lord, so that I by Your grace may easily comprehend what for a woman is so difficult to understand.'

(31) Maitreya said: 'Kapila understanding what His mother was after found, being born from her body, compassion for her and described the truths of the analytic of yoga the way they were handed down and in fact reach to the devotional of a united consciousness. (32) The sweet Lord said: 'The divine of relating to the material qualities works according the scriptures; and so is the oneness of mind in fact but naturally inclined to a goodness of undivided devotional service towards the Supreme One, which exceeds the single mastery. (33) It dissolves quickly the subtle internal dealings like food is consumed by the fire of digestion. (34) The pure devotees who, engaged in the service of My lotus feet endeavor to attain Me, never desire anyway to be one with Me; they assemble to glorify with one another My personal activities. (35) O mother, they see My smiling face and eyes as beautiful as the morning sun and speak with Me in favorable terms of the benevolence of the transcendental forms. (36) By those forms charming in all their limbs, exalted pastimes, smiling glances and the pleasing of their delightful words are their minds and senses captivated and is in their devotion over their resentment the subtle secured of My abode. (37) Then they do not desire My opulence or the eightfold mastery of lording over the illusion [the siddhis, see 3.15:45] or follow for the splendor of the Supreme Divinity; blissful of Me as the Supreme One, those devotees enjoy but their simple lives. (38) O mother, never, by no time nor weapon destroying, will My devotees lose Me, who was chosen to be their dearest self, son, friend, preceptor, benefactor and deity. (39-40) Accordingly roaming in both this world and that world of the subtle body, do those who relating to the embodiment have given up in this world on wealth, cattle, houses and everything else worship Me, the all-pervading Lord of liberation in unflinching devotion, as I take them to the other side of birth and death. (41) By no other than Me, the Supreme Lord and ruler as the original person, the Soul of all souls, can the terrible fear [of birth and death] be forsaken. (42) Fearing Me does the wind blow and does the sun shine; out of fear for Me showers Indra the rain and burns the fire and afraid of Me goes death around. (43) Connected by the knowledge and renunciation, do yogis through bhakti-yoga without fear take shelter of My feet for the benefit of the eternal. (44) Only insofar as one's mind is fixed in an intensive practice of devotion to Me, will men in this world going for the perfection of life, be steady.'

S'rî S'aunaka said: "Although unborn Himself, did the Supreme Lord, personally by His own potency take birth as Lord Kapila, the analyst of the ultimate truth, in order to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the human race.

S'rî S'aunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole human race. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Indeed hearing about Him, the greater of whom cannot be found among men, the foremost of all yogis and the godhead of the Vedas, are my senses sated.

S'aunaka continued: There is no one who knows more than the Lord Himself. No one is more worshipable or more mature a yogî than He. He is therefore the master of the Vedas, and to hear about Him always is the actual pleasure of the senses. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Please describe me faithfully whatever the praiseworthy is that the Supreme Lord so full of the delight of the soul by His internal potency does."

Therefore please precisely describe all the activities and pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is full of self-desire and who assumes all these activities by His internal potency. (Vedabase)

Text 4

Sûta said: ''Being a friend of Vyâsadeva spoke the venerable Maitreya then as follows to Vidura, as he was pleased with being asked about the transcendental knowledge.

S'rî Sûta Gosvâmî said: The most powerful sage Maitreya was a friend of Vyâsadeva. Being encouraged and pleased by Vidura's inquiry about transcendental knowledge, Maitreya spoke as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Maitreya said: 'When the father had left for the forest, stayed Lord Kapila behind at lake Bindu-sarovar with the desire to please His mother indeed.

Maitreya said: When Kardama left for the forest, Lord Kapila stayed on the strand of the Bindu-sarovara to please His mother, Devahûti. (Vedabase)

Text 6

To Him seated at ease, her Son who was capable of showing her the path to the goal of the ultimate reality, spoke Devahûti remembering the words of Brahmâ.

When Kapila, who could show her the ultimate goal of the Absolute Truth, was sitting leisurely before her, Devahûti remembered the words Brahmâ had spoken to her, and she therefore began to question Kapila as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Devahûti said: 'O my Lord, I am very disgusted by the prevalence of untruth of the agitated senses, which made me fall into the abyss of ignorance.

Devahûti said: I am very sick of the disturbance caused by my material senses, for because of this sense disturbance, my Lord, I have fallen into the abyss of ignorance. (Vedabase)

Text 8

At the end of many births, by your mercy I attained to the transcendental eye of You so that I can now overcome the darkness of ignorance which is so difficult to defeat.

Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births. (Vedabase)

Text 9

He who is the origin, de Supreme Lord of all beings and in fact the Master of the Universe has, with You, alike the sun, risen to the eye that was blinded by the darkness of ignorance.

You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin and Supreme Lord of all living entities. You have arisen to disseminate the rays of the sun in order to dissipate the darkness of the ignorance of the universe. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Now, my Lord, feel pleased to dispel the delusion, the misconception of I and Mine in this, with which You, as You know, have kept me busy.

Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion. Due to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your mâyâ and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily relations. (Vedabase)

Text 11

With the desire to know about the material and the personal aspect, I offer You, who are the greatest of the seers of the true nature, my obeisances having taken to the shelter of You, as You are that person worth it; for the ones depending on You, You are the ax that cuts the tree of material existence.'

Devahûti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Maitreya said: 'Thus hearing from His mother about the uncontaminated wish of man to gain in self-realization on the path of liberation, He with a grateful mind, slightly smiling with His beautiful face, explained about the way of the transcendentalists.

Maitreya said: After hearing of His mother's uncontaminated desire for transcendental realization, the Lord thanked her within Himself for her questions, and thus, His face smiling, He explained the path of the transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization. (Vedabase)

Text 13

The Supreme Lord said: 'The discipline of yoga of men of relating to the soul carries My approval for the sake of the ultimate detachment from whatever pleasure and distress.

The Personality of Godhead answered: The yoga system which relates to the Lord and the individual soul, which is meant for the ultimate benefit of the living entity, and which causes detachment from all happiness and distress in the material world, is the highest yoga system. (Vedabase)

Text 14

I will now explain the very same to you as I explained formerly, o pious mother, to the sages who were eager to hear about all ins and outs of the yoga-system.

O most pious mother, I shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga system, which I explained formerly to the great sages. It is serviceable and practical in every way. (Vedabase)

Text 15

It is so that the consciousness of him, who in bondage is after of the self in bondage, is under the spell of the modes of material nature, but when one is moved in attraction of being conditioned to what is the mother of virtue, is one of liberation.

The stage in which the consciousness of the living entity is attracted by the three modes of material nature is called conditional life. But when that same consciousness is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the consciousness of liberation. (Vedabase)

Text 16

From the impurities of lust and greed and such, resulting from the misconception of I and Mine, is one freed, when the mind is pure in being equipoised, without distress and pleasure,

When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from the false identification of the body as "I" and bodily possessions as "mine," one's mind becomes purified. In that pure state he transcends the stage of so-called material happiness and distress. (Vedabase)

Text 17

It is then that the person, pure and transcendental to the material world sees himself not bound and not fragmented as being non-different and self-effulgent.

At that time the soul can see himself to be transcendental to material existence and always self-effulgent, never fragmented, although very minute in size. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

Of spiritual knowledge and renunciation and connected in devotion one regards the material of existence indifferently, finding it reduced in strength.

In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Apart from performing in devotional service for the Supreme Lord is there, to the complete of the Soul, no other yogic path as auspicious for the perfection of the spirit.

Perfection in self-realization cannot be attained by any kind of yogî unless he engages in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that is the only auspicious path. (Vedabase)

Text 20:

Any man of knowledge knows that strong attachment is the entanglement of the soul, but that that same attachment managed by devotees opens the door to liberation.

Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation. (Vedabase)

Text 21:

Tolerant, compassionate, friendly to all living beings and inimical to no one, peaceful and abiding by the scriptures is the sâdhu [the man of virtue, of holiness, a seer] adorned with sublime qualities.

The symptoms of a sâdhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

Unto Me unwavering in performing their devotional service do those staunch for My sake, renounce to act in desire, giving up on their own family and friends.

Such a sâdhu engages in staunch devotional service to the Lord without deviation. For the sake of the Lord he renounces all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly acquaintances within the world. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

In delight of hearing stories about Me they chant and fix their thoughts on Me, not troubling anyone in their various penances.

Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sâdhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

Unto those very devotees, o virtuous mother, who are freed from all attachments, you must seek to be attached, as verily they are the ones who counter the harmful effects of material entanglement.

O My mother, O virtuous lady, these are the qualities of great devotees who are free from all attachment. You must seek attachment to such holy men, for this counteracts the pernicious effects of material attachment. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

Through association with the ones of truth, in discussing My heroism, become the stories cultivated a joy to the ear and heart and will quickly follow the devotion in due order after the firm faith and attraction on the path of liberation.

In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

By devotional service having developed a distaste for the sensual of what is seen and heard, constantly thinking about My doings and with the mind engaged in the control of the connectedness of yoga, will one find ease on the path of one's endeavor to unite the consciousness.

Thus consciously engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees, a person gains distaste for sense gratification, both in this world and in the next, by constantly thinking about the activities of the Lord. This process of Krishna consciousness is the easiest process of mystic power; when one is actually situated on that path of devotional service, he is able to control the mind. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

As a person not serving the modes of nature, does one through spiritual knowledge, with renunciation developed in yoga, fixed on Me and devoted to Me, in this very life attain to the Absolute of the soul.'

Thus by not engaging in the service of the modes of material nature but by developing Krishna consciousness, knowledge in renunciation, and by practicing yoga, in which the mind is always fixed in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life, for I am the Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth. (Vedabase)

Text 28

Devahûti said: 'What is unto You the proper concept of devotion fit for me of which I, without delay, will find liberation at Your feet?

On hearing this statement of the Lord, Devahûti inquired: What kind of devotional service is worth developing and practicing to help me easily and immediately attain the service of Your lotus feet? (Vedabase)

Text 29

What is, aiming at the One Supreme, o embodiment of heaven, the nature of that yoga You explained about; in how many divisions is the reality understood by it?

The mystic yoga system, as You have explained, aims at the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is meant for completely ending material existence. Please let me know the nature of that yoga system. How many ways are there by which one can understand in truth that sublime yoga? (Vedabase)

Text 30:

Please explain that very same thing to Me whose intelligence is but slow, o my Lord, so that I by Your grace may easily comprehend what for a woman is so difficult to understand.'

My dear son, Kapila, after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness. (Vedabase)

Text 31:

Maitreya said: 'Kapila understanding what His mother was after found, being born from her body, compassion for her and described the truths of the analytic of yoga the way they were handed down and in fact reach to the devotional of a united consciousness.

S'rî Maitreya said: After hearing the statement of His mother, Kapila could understand her purpose, and He became compassionate towards her because of being born of her body. He described the Sânkhya system of philosophy, which is a combination of devotional service and mystic realization, as received by disciplic succession. (Vedabase)

Text 32:

The sweet Lord said: 'The divine of relating to the material qualities works according the scriptures; and so is the oneness of mind in fact but naturally inclined to a goodness of undivided devotional service towards the Supreme One, which exceeds the single mastery.

Lord Kapila said: The senses are symbolic representations of the demigods, and their natural inclination is to work under the direction of the Vedic injunctions. As the senses are representatives of the demigods, so the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind's natural duty is to serve. When that service spirit is engaged in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better even than salvation. (Vedabase)

Text 33:

It dissolves quickly the subtle internal dealings like food is consumed by the fire of digestion.

Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat. (Vedabase)

Text 34:

The pure devotees who, engaged in the service of My lotus feet endeavor to attain Me, never desire anyway to be one with Me; they assemble to glorify with one another My personal activities.

A pure devotee, who is attached to the activities of devotional service and who always engages in the service of My lotus feet, never desires to become one with Me. Such a devotee, who is unflinchingly engaged, always glorifies My pastimes and activities. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

O mother, they see My smiling face and eyes as beautiful as the morning sun and speak with Me in favorable terms of the benevolence of the transcendental forms.

O My mother, My devotees always see the smiling face of My form, with eyes like the rising morning sun. They like to see My various transcendental forms, which are all benevolent, and they also talk favorably with Me. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

By those forms charming in all their limbs, exalted pastimes, smiling glances and the pleasing of their delightful words are their minds and senses captivated and is in their devotion over their resentment the subtle secured of My abode.

Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee almost loses all other consciousness. His senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devotional service. Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he attains liberation without separate endeavor. (Vedabase)

Text 37:

Then they do not desire My opulence or the eightfold mastery of lording over the illusion [the siddhis] or follow for the splendor of the Supreme Divinity; blissful of Me as the Supreme One, those devotees enjoy but their simple lives.

Thus because he is completely absorbed in thought of Me, the devotee does not desire even the highest benediction obtainable in the upper planetary systems, including Satyaloka. He does not desire the eight material perfections obtained from mystic yoga, nor does he desire to be elevated to the kingdom of God. Yet even without desiring them, the devotee enjoys, even in this life, all the offered benedictions. (Vedabase)

Text 38:

O mother, never, by no time nor weapon destroying, will My devotees lose Me, who was chosen to be their dearest self, son, friend, preceptor, benefactor and deity.

The Lord continued: My dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them; neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such opulences. Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor and Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of their possessions at any time. (Vedabase)

Text 39-40:

Accordingly roaming in both this world and that world of the subtle body, do those who relating to the embodiment have given up in this world on wealth, cattle, houses and everything else worship Me, the all-pervading Lord of liberation in unflinching devotion, as I take them to the other side of birth and death.

Thus the devotee who worships Me, the all-pervading Lord of the universe, in unflinching devotional service, gives up all aspirations to be promoted to heavenly planets or to become happy in this world with wealth, children, cattle, home or anything in relationship with the body. I take him to the other side of birth and death. (Vedabase)

Text 41:

By no other than Me, the Supreme Lord and ruler as the original person, the Soul of all souls, can the terrible fear [of birth and death] be forsaken.

The terrible fear of birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls. (Vedabase)

Text 42:

Fearing Me does the wind blow and does the sun shine; out of fear for Me showers Indra the rain and burns the fire and afraid of Me goes death around.

It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me. (Vedabase)

Text 43:

Connected by the knowledge and renunciation, do yogis through bhakti-yoga without fear take shelter of My feet for the benefit of the eternal.

The yogis, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear. (Vedabase)

Text 44:

Only insofar as one's mind is fixed in an intensive practice of devotion to Me, will men in this world going for the perfection of life, be steady.

Therefore persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life. (Vedabase)