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rmad-Bhgavatam
Canto 11 - General History

1. The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty

This chapter gives a hint of the destruction of the Yadu dynasty, which
took place owing to the appearance of an iron club. Hearing this narration
is a great impetus for becoming detached from the material world.
Lord r Ka expertly arranged the great Kuruketra battle between the
Kurus and the Pavas and thus removed to a great extent the earth's
burden. But the Supreme Lord, whose influence is inconceivable, was not
yet satisfied, because of the continued presence of the undefeatable Yadu
family. The Lord desired to bring about the destruction of the Yadu
dynasty so that He could completely wind up His pastimes on the earth
and go back to His own abode. Using the pretense of a curse by an
assembly of brhmaas, He withdrew His entire dynasty from the surface
of the earth.
By r Ka's desire, many great sages, headed by Nrada and Vivmitra,
assembled at the holy place named Piraka, near the city of Dvrak.
The young boys of the Yadu family, absorbed in a playful mood, also
arrived there. These boys dressed Smba in the guise of a pregnant woman
about to give birth and inquired from the sages about the fruitfulness of
Smba's so-called pregnancy. The sages cursed the mocking boys by
saying, "She will give birth to a club that will destroy your family." The
Yadus, frightened by this curse, immediately lifted the garment from
Smba's abdomen and found a club. Hurrying to the assembly of
Ugrasena, the King of the Yadus, they offered a report of everything that
had taken place. Fearing the brhmaas' curse, Yadurja Ugrasena ordered
the club ground to powder and thrown into the ocean. Within the ocean,
a fish swallowed the last remaining lump of iron, and the waves carried all
the bits of ground powder to the shore, where they were implanted and
eventually grew into a grove of canes. Fishermen caught the fish, and a

hunter named Jar used the iron lump found in its belly to fashion an
arrow. Although the Supersoul, Lord r Ka, understood what was
happening, He did not wish to do anything to counteract it. Rather, in the
form of time He sanctioned these events.
TEXT 1
r-uka uvca
ktv daitya-vadha ka
sa-rmo yadubhir vta
bhuvo 'vatrayad bhra
javiha janayan kalim
r-uka uvcar uka said; ktvhaving performed; daityaof the
demons; vadhamthe killing; kaLord Ka; sa-rma
accompanied by Balarma; yadubhiby the Yadus; vtasurrounded;
bhuvaof the earth; avatrayatcaused to be lessened; bhramthe
burden; javihammost sudden, leading to violence; janayanraising;
kalima state of quarrel.
r ukadeva Gosvm said: Lord r Ka, accompanied by Balarma
and surrounded by the Yadu dynasty, executed the killing of many
demons. Then, further to remove the burden of the earth, the Lord
arranged for the great Battle of Kuruketra, which suddenly erupted in
violence between the Kurus and the Pavas.
The Eleventh Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam begins with a reference to the
pastimes executed by Lord r Ka in the Tenth Canto. The beginning
of the Tenth Canto describes that when the earth was overburdened by
demoniac rulers, the personified earth, Bhmi, approached Lord Brahm
with tears in her eyes, begging for relief, and Brahm immediately went
with the demigods to approach the Supreme Lord in His form of
Krodakay Viu. As the demigods waited respectfully on the shore of
the milk ocean, the Supreme Lord announced through Brahm that He
would soon incarnate on earth and that the demigods should also descend
to assist in His pastimes. Thus from the very beginning of Lord Ka's
appearance it was understood that He would descend to the earth to
remove the demons.
As rla Prabhupda states in his commentary to Bhagavad-gt (16.6),
those who agree to obey the injunctions of revealed scriptures are known

as demigods, whereas those who defy the orders of Vedic scriptures are
known as asuras, or demons. The Vedic literatures are presented within
the universe for the guidance of the conditioned souls, who are trapped
under the three modes of material nature and who are therefore rotating
in a continuous cycle of birth and death. By strictly adhering to the Vedic
injunctions, we can easily satisfy our material needs and at the same time
make tangible progress on the path back home, back to Godhead. Thus
we can achieve an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in the Lord's own
abode simply by obeying the Lord's instructions as they are presented in
Vedic literatures such as Bhagavad-gt and rmad-Bhgavatam. The
demons, however, minimize or even mock the absolute authority of the
Supreme Lord and His teachings. Because these asuras envy the sovereign
status of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they minimize the
importance of the Vedic scriptures, which emanate directly from the
breathing of the Lord. The demons establish a society governed by their
own concocted whims and inevitably create chaos and misery, especially
for pious living entities who sincerely desire to follow the will of God.
Lord r Ka states in Bhagavad-gt that when there is a predominance
of such chaotic, irreligious societies on the earth, He personally descends
to rectify the imbalance. Thus from the very beginning of His
transcendental infancy, Ka systematically killed the powerful asuras, or
demons, who were an intolerable burden for the earth. Lord r Ka was
assisted by His brother, Balarma, who is also the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Although God is one, He can expand Himself to enjoy in many
forms at once. That is His omnipotence. And the first such expansion is
Balarma, or Baladeva. Balarma killed many noteworthy demons,
including Dhenuksura, Dvivida and the envious Rukm. Ka was also
accompanied by the members of the Yadu dynasty, many of whom were
demigods who had descended to assist the Lord.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, however, has revealed that
although many demigods had taken birth in the Yadu dynasty to assist the
Lord, some members of the Yadu dynasty were actually inimical toward
Ka. Because of their mundane vision of the Lord, they considered
themselves to be on the same level as Ka. Having taken birth in the
family of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, they had
inconceivable strength, and thus they misunderstood Ka's supreme
position. Having forgotten that Ka is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, they would constitute a great burden, and consequently it was

necessary for Ka to remove them from the earth. There is a popular

saying that familiarity breeds contempt. To destroy the contemptuous
members of His own dynasty, the Lord caused a quarrel among them. For
this purpose, He arranged for Nrada and other sages to display anger
against the Kras, the members of His family. Although many Yadus
who were devoted to Ka were apparently killed in this fratricidal war,
Lord Ka actually returned them to their original positions as universal
directors, or demigods. It is the Lord's promise in Bhagavad-gt that He
will always protect those who are favorable to His service.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, in his commentary on this verse, has
given a summary of the entire Eleventh Canto as follows. Chapter One
describes the beginning of the mauala-ll, or the prelude to the
destruction of the Yadu dynasty. Chapters Two through Five describe the
conversations between the nine Yogendras and King Nimi. Chapter Six
describes the prayers of Brahm, iva and other residents of heaven.
Chapters Seven through Twenty-nine present the conversation between
Ka and Uddhava that is known as the Uddhava-gt. Chapter Thirty
describes the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty from the earth. The final
chapter describes the disappearance of Lord Ka.
TEXT 2
ye kopit su-bahu pu-sut sapatnair
durdyta-helana-kaca-grahadibhis tn
ktv nimittam itaretarata sametn
hatv npn niraharat kiti-bhram a
yethey who; kopitwere angered; su-bahuexcessively, time and
time again; pu-sutthe sons of Pu; sapatnaiby their enemies;
du-dytaby duplicitous gambling; helanainsults; kaca-grahaa
grabbing the hair (of Draupad); dibhiand other impetuses; tn
them (the Pavas); ktvmaking; nimittamthe immediate cause;
itara-itarataconfronting one another on opposite sides; sametnall
assembled; hatvkilling; npnthe kings; niraharattook away once
and for all; kitiof the earth; bhramthe burden; athe Supreme
Lord.
Because the sons of Pu were enraged by the numerous offenses of
their enemies, such as duplicitous gambling, verbal insults, the seizing
of Draupad's hair, and many other cruel transgressions, the Supreme

Lord engaged those Pavas as the immediate cause to execute His

will. On the pretext of the Battle of Kuruketra, Lord Ka arranged for
all the kings who were burdening the earth to assemble with their
armies on opposite sides of the battlefield, and when the Lord killed
them through the agency of war, the earth was relieved of its burden.
The Pavas were repeatedly harassed by their enemies, such as
Duryodhana and Dusana. As innocent young princes, the Pavas
had no enemy, but Duryodhana was constantly plotting against his
helpless cousins. The Pavas were sent to a house of lac, which was
later burned to the ground. They were administered poison, and their
chaste wife Draupad was publicly insulted when her hair was pulled and
an attempt was made to strip her naked. Throughout these dangers, Lord
r Ka constantly protected the Pavas, who were fully surrendered
to Him and who knew no shelter other than Him.
In this verse the word itaretarata is significant. Previous to the Battle of
Kuruketra, Ka had personally killed many demons, including Ptan,
Ke, Aghsura and Kasa. Now, Ka wanted to complete His mission
of removing the earth's burden by killing the remaining impious persons.
But as stated here, ktv nimittam: the Lord did not personally kill, but
empowered His devotees Arjuna and the other Pavas to remove the
impious kings. Thus acting personally and through His immediate
expansion Balarma, as well as by empowering His pure devotees such as
the Pavas, Ka fully displayed the pastimes of the yugvatra by
reestablishing religious principles and ridding the world of demons.
Although the general purpose of the Kuruketra battle was to kill the
demons, by Ka's arrangement some great devotees such as Bhma also
appeared to be inimical toward the Lord. But as described in the First
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.9.39) by the words hat gat svarpam,
many great devotees played with the Lord as enemies and upon being
killed by Ka returned immediately to His abode in the spiritual sky in
their original spiritual bodies. Because God is absolute, by His killing He
simultaneously removes the demons from the earth and encourages His
pure devotees.
TEXT 3
bh-bhra-rja-ptan yadubhir nirasya
guptai sva-bhubhir acintayad aprameya
manye 'vaner nanu gato 'py agata hi bhra

yad ydava kulam aho aviahyam ste

bh-bhraexisting as the burden of the earth; rjaof the kings;
ptanthe armies; yadubhiby the Yadus; nirasyaeliminating;
guptaiprotected; sva-bahubhiby His own arms; acintayatHe
considered; aprameyathe unfathomable Lord; manyeI think;
avaneof the earth; nanuone may say; gatait is gone; apibut;
agatamit is not gone; hiindeed; bhramthe burden; yatbecause;
ydavamof Yadus; kulamthe dynasty; ahoah; aviahyam
intolerable; steremains.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead used the Yadu dynasty, which
was protected by His own arms, to eliminate the kings who with their
armies had been the burden of this earth. Then the unfathomable Lord
thought to Himself, "Although some may say that the earth's burden is
now gone, in My opinion it is not yet gone, because there still remains
the Ydava dynasty itself, whose strength is unbearable for the earth."
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has remarked in this regard that
although ordinary people might think that the Lord had now removed the
burden of the earth by killing the demons, reestablishing dharma, and so
on, Lord r Ka Himself could detect that there was further danger
from the irreligious activities of His own family members who were acting
improperly. It is stated in rmad-Bhgavatam that a just king will refuse
to punish his own enemy if his enemy is innocent but will punish his own
son if his son actually deserves punishment. Thus although in the eyes of
the world the members of the Lord's own dynasty are always worshipable,
Lord Ka detected that by their intimate association with Him some
members of the Yadu dynasty had become indifferent to His will. Since
such whimsical members of the Yadu dynasty could act freely, being
relatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they would surely cause
great misfortune for the world, and foolish persons would take such
whimsical behavior to be the will of Ka. Thus the Lord, whose desires
are inconceivable, began to consider the need to annihilate the indifferent,
contemptuous members of the Yadu family.
From the viewpoint of ordinary persons, all the demons had been killed
by the Supreme Lord's pastimes in Dvrak and Mathur, as well as by the
Battle of Kuruketra, and the earth was now free of its burden.
Nevertheless, to free the earth from the remaining burden of His own

puffed-up family members, Lord r Ka transferred them away from

the earth by causing a fratricidal quarrel among them. In this way He
prepared for His own disappearance from the earth.
rdhara Svm has pointed out that the word bhubhi, "by His arms," is
used in the plural (rather than the dual) to indicate that the Lord caused
the destruction of the Yadu dynasty in His four-armed form. The original
form of Ka as Govinda is two-armed, but it was by the plenary portion
of the four-armed Nryaa that the Lord killed all the demons on the
earth and ultimately removed the burdensome members of His own
family. It may be asked, If certain members of the Yadu family had
become indifferent to the will of the Lord, why didn't they oppose the
Lord in His plan to remove them from the earth? Therefore the word
aprameya is used, which indicates that it is impossible for anyone, even
the Lord's own family members, to understand His will completely.
rla Jva Gosvm has given another reason for the destruction of the
Yadu dynasty. He emphasizes that the activities of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead should never be taken to be ordinary material
activities. Nor are the Lord's associates ordinary persons. Although Lord
Ka apparently incarnates within this world for some time and then
goes away, it should be understood that the Supreme Lord is eternally
situated with His entourage in His various abodes in the spiritual sky,
such as r Gokula, Mathur and Dvrak. The members of the Yadu
dynasty are eternal associates of the Lord, and therefore they cannot bear
to be separated from the Lord. Since Ka was preparing to give up His
earthly pastimes, if He were to leave the Yadu dynasty on the earth they
would surely become so disturbed by His absence that in their highly
agitated state of mind they would trample and destroy the earth.
Therefore, Ka arranged the disappearance of the Yadu dynasty prior to
His own disappearance.
rla Jva Gosvm concludes that ultimately the members of the Yadu
dynasty are never to be considered irreligious. Vaiava cryas have
mentioned that the story of the disappearance of the Yadu dynasty is
especially meant to help the conditioned souls achieve liberation from the
bondage of materialistic life. Within the three worlds there were none as
powerful and opulent as the Yadu dynasty. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the possessor of unlimited opulencesbeauty, strength,
knowledge, fame and so onand the members of the Yadu dynasty, being
the personal associates of the Lord, were also endowed with inconceivable

opulences. Therefore, when we see how a fratricidal war suddenly

deprived the members of the Yadu dynasty of all of their earthly
possessions and even their lives, we can understand that there is no
permanent position within this material world. In other words, although
the members of the Yadu dynasty are eternal associates of the Lord and
were immediately transferred to another planet where the Lord was
appearing, their sudden disappearance through fratricidal war is meant to
impress upon the conditioned souls the temporary nature of this world.
Therefore, the apparent indifference or enmity of certain members of the
Yadu dynasty toward Ka should not be taken to be actual irreligion on
their part. The entire situation was arranged by Lord Ka to teach a
lesson to the conditioned souls. In this connection rla Jva Gosvm has
cited several verses from the Bhgavatam to prove that the members of the
Yadu dynasty achieved their exalted birth in the Lord's own family by
innumerable pious activities and by complete absorption in thought of
Lord Ka. In fact it is said that in sleeping, sitting, walking and
speaking, they were unable to remember their own selves, because they
were simply thinking of Ka.
In the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.15.33), rla Prabhupda has
commented as follows on the disappearance of the Yadu dynasty: "The
setting of the sun does not mean the end of the sun. It means that the sun
is out of our sight. Similarly, the end of the mission of the Lord on a
particular planet or universe only means that He is out of our sight. The
end of the Yadu dynasty also does not mean that it is annihilated. It
disappears along with the Lord, out of our sight."
TEXT 4
naivnyata paribhavo 'sya bhavet kathacin
mat-sarayasya vibhavonnahanasya nityam
anta kali yadu-kulasya vidhya veustambasya vahnim iva ntim upaimi dhma
nanot; evacertainly; anyatafrom another cause; paribhava
defeat; asyaof this (dynasty); bhavetthere can be; kathacitby any
means; mat-sarayasyawhich has fully taken shelter of Me; vibhava
with its power; unnahanasyaunrestricted; nityamalways; anta
within; kalima quarrel; yadu-kulasya-the Yadu dynasty; vidhya
inspiring; veu-stambasyaof a clump of bamboo plants; vahnima fire;
ivaas; ntimpeace; upaimiI shall achieve; dhmaMy eternal

personal abode.
Lord Ka thought, "No outside force could ever bring about the defeat
of this family, the Yadu dynasty, whose members have always been
fully surrendered to Me and are unrestricted in their opulence. But if I
inspire a quarrel within the dynasty, that quarrel will act just like a fire
created from the friction of bamboo in a grove, and then I shall achieve
My real purpose and return to My eternal abode."
Even though Lord Ka wanted to arrange for the disappearance of the
members of the Yadu dynasty, He could not personally kill them, as He
had killed many demons, because the Yadu dynasty was His own family.
One might ask why Lord Ka did not arrange for them to be killed by
others. Therefore it is stated in this verse, naivnyata paribhavo 'sya
bhavet kathacit: because the Yadu dynasty was the Lord's own family, no
one within the universe was capable of killing them, not even the
demigods. In fact, Vivantha Cakravart hkura points out that no one
within the universe was capable of even insulting the members of the
Yadu dynasty, what to speak of defeating or killing them. The reason is
given here by the words mat-sarayasya. The members of the Yadu
dynasty had fully taken shelter of Ka, and therefore they were always
under the personal protection of the Lord. It is stated, mre ka rkhe
ke, rkhe ka mre ke: If Ka protects someone, no one can kill him,
and if Ka wants to kill someone, no one can save him. Ka had
originally requested all of His associates, along with the demigods, to
appear on the earth to assist Him in His pastimes. Now that His pastimes
were coming to an end on this particular planet and would be transferred
to another planet in another universe, Ka wanted to remove all of His
associates from the earth so that in His absence they would not constitute
a burden. Since the powerful Yadu dynasty, being the Lord's personal
family and army, could not possibly be defeated by anyone, Ka
arranged an internal quarrel, just as the wind in a bamboo forest
sometimes rubs the bamboos together and creates a fire that consumes the
entire forest.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat has pointed out that ordinary people,
hearing of the adventures of the Yadu family, might think that the heroes
of the Yadu dynasty are as worshipable as Ka or that they are
independent controllers. In other words, people polluted by Myvda
philosophy might see the Yadu dynasty as being on the same level as

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Ka. Therefore, to establish that even the most powerful living entity
can never equal or surpass the Supreme Lord, Ka arranged for the
destruction of the Yadu dynasty.
TEXT 5
eva vyavasito rjan
satya-sakalpa vara
pa-vyjena vipr
sajahre sva-kula vibhu
evamin this way; vyavasitadeciding for certain; rjanO King;
satya-sakalpawhose desire always proves true; varathe Supreme
Lord; pa-vyjenaby the pretext of a curse; viprmof brhmaas;
sajahrewithdrew; sva-kulamHis own family; vibhuthe Almighty.
My dear King Parkit, when the supreme almighty Lord, whose desire
always comes to pass, had thus made up His mind, He withdrew His
own family on the pretext of a curse spoken by an assembly of
brhmaas.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has made a very important
comment on this verse. He states that since the intentions of the Supreme
Lord, Kacandra, are always perfect, it was certainly in consideration of
the greatest benefit for the entire world that He destroyed His own family
on the pretext of a curse by brhmaas. In this connection,
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has shown a parallel in the pastimes of
r Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is Ka Himself appearing as His own
devotee.
Lord Caitanya appeared along with His first plenary expansion, known as
Lord Nitynanda Prabhu, and with Lord Advaita Prabhu. All three
personalitiesCaitanya Mahprabhu, Nitynanda Prabhu and Advaita
Prabhuare accepted by Vaiava cryas to be in the category of viutattva, the full status of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These three
Personalities of Godhead perceived that in the future Their so-called
seminal descendants would get undue recognition and thus, being puffed
up, would commit grave offenses against those who were actually
Vaiava gurus or representatives of the Lord.
Every living being is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, as stated in the
Bhagavad-gt (mamaiva). Every living entity is originally a son of

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God, yet to execute His pastimes the Lord selects certain highly qualified
living entities whom He allows to take birth as His personal relatives. But
those living entities who appear as descendants of the Lord's personal
family may undoubtedly become proud of such a position and thus abuse
the great adulation they receive from ordinary people. In this way such
persons may artificially get undue attention and divert people from the
actual principle of spiritual advancement, which is to surrender to the
pure devotee who represents the Lord. The last 1eight verses of the

adve sarva-bhtn, maitra karua eva ca, nirmamo

nirahakra, sama-dukha-sukha kam, santua satata
yog, yattm dha-nicaya, mayy arpita-mano-buddhir, yo
mad-bhakta sa me priya
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Bg 12.13-14 - One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living
entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false
ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is tolerant,
always satisfied, self-controlled, and engaged in devotional service with
determination, his mind and intelligence fixed on Me-such a devotee of
Mine is very dear to Me.

yasmn nodvijate loko, lokn nodvijate ca ya

harmara-bhayodvegair, mukto ya sa ca me priya
Bg 12.15 - He for whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not
disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear
and anxiety, is very dear to Me.

anapeka ucir daka, udsno gata-vyatha

sarvrambha-parityg, yo mad-bhakta sa me priya
Bg 12.16 - My devotee who is not dependent on the ordinary course of
activities, who is pure, expert, without cares, free from all pains, and
not striving for some result, is very dear to Me.

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Twelfth Chapter of Bhagavad-gt give a description of the pure devotees

the Lord permits to act as cryas, or spiritual leaders of mankind. In
other words, simply to take birth in the personal family of Ka is not
the qualification for being a spiritual master, since according to Bhagavadgt, pitham asya jagata: every living entity is eternally a member of the
Lord's family. Ka says in Bhagavad-gt, samo 'ha sarva-bhteu na me
dveyo 'sti na priya: [Bg. 9.29] "I am equal to everyone. No one is My
enemy, and no one is My special friend." If the Supreme Personality of

yo na hyati na dvei, na ocati na kkati

ubhubha-parityg, bhaktimn ya sa me priya
Bg 12.17 - One who neither rejoices nor grieves, who neither laments
nor desires, and who renounces both auspicious and inauspicious
things-such a devotee is very dear to Me.

sama atrau ca mitre ca, tath mnpamnayo, toa-sukhadukheu, sama saga-vivarjita, tulya-nind-stutir maun,
santuo yena kenacit, aniketa sthira-matir, bhaktimn me priyo
nara
Bg 12.18-19 - One who is equal to friends and enemies, who is
equipoised in honor and dishonor, heat and cold, happiness and
distress, fame and infamy, who is always free from contaminating
association, always silent and satisfied with anything, who doesn't care
for any residence, who is fixed in knowledge and who is engaged in
devotional service-such a person is very dear to Me.

ye tu dharmmtam ida, yathokta paryupsate

raddadhn mat-param, bhakts te 'tva me priy
Bg 12.20 - Those who follow this imperishable path of devotional
service and who completely engage themselves with faith, making Me
the supreme goal, are very, very dear to Me.

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Godhead appears to have a special family, such as the Yadu dynasty, such
a so-called family is a special arrangement of the Lord's pastimes in order
to attract the conditioned souls. When Ka descends, He acts as if He
were an ordinary person in order to attract the living entities to His
pastimes. Therefore Ka acted as though the Yadu dynasty was His
personal family, although in fact every living entity is a member of His
family.
Ordinary people, however, not understanding the higher principles of
spiritual knowledge, easily forget the actual qualifications of a bona fide
spiritual master and instead give undue importance to people born in the
Lord's so-called family. r Caitanya Mahprabhu, therefore, avoided this
impediment on the path of spiritual enlightenment by leaving behind no
children. Although Caitanya Mahprabhu married twice, He was
childless. Nitynanda Prabhu, who is also the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, did not accept any of the natural sons born of His own son, r
Vrabhadra. Similarly, Lord Advaita crya divested of His association all
of His sons except Acyutnanda and two others. Acyutnanda, the chief
faithful son of Advaita crya, had no seminal progeny, and the
remaining three of the six sons of Lord Advaita fell from the path of
devotion to the Lord and are known as rejected sons. In other words, the
appearance of Caitanya Mahprabhu allowed little facility for continuing a
so-called seminal family to create confusion. The respect shown to the
conception of seminal lineage in deference to the ideas of the smrtas is
unfit to be accepted by one who actually understands the supreme truth
from Vedic authority.
Other cryas, or spiritual masters, have also demonstrated this point in
their own families. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupda, our own beloved spiritual master, who is the mighty author
of this rmad-Bhgavatam series, was born in a family of pure devotees,
and he himself exhibited all the symptoms of pure devotional service from
his very childhood. rla Prabhupda eventually came to the Western
countries and exhibited unprecedented spiritual potency in establishing
the Ka consciousness movement all over the world. In a few short
years, he translated more than fifty large volumes of Vedic philosophy. By
his practical activities he is certainly understood to be a most empowered
representative of the Lord. Nonetheless, his own family members,
although devotees of Ka, did not at all come up to the proper standard
of devotional service and are therefore not given attention by the

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members of ISKCON. The natural tendency for the members of the

International Society for Krishna Consciousness would be to offer all
reverence and worship to the members of rla Prabhupda's immediate
family. But since by Ka's arrangement these family members are not at
all on the platform of pure devotional service, the members of ISKCON
give them hardly any attention but instead worship those who actually
exhibit the qualities of highly advanced Vaiavas, regardless of their socalled birth. In other words, birth cannot constitute the qualification for a
respectable person, even when one is born in the Lord's own family or in
the crya's family, what to speak of an ordinary wealthy or learned
family.
In India there is a class of men known as nitynanda-vaa, who claim to
be direct descendants of Lord Nitynanda and therefore worthy of the
highest respect for their position in devotional service. In this regard, rla
Prabhupda has written in The Nectar of Devotion, "In the Middle Ages,
after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya's great associate Lord
Nitynanda, a class of priestly persons claimed to be the descendants of
Nitynanda, calling themselves the gosvm caste. They further claimed
that the practice and spreading of devotional service belonged only to
their particular class, which was known as nitynanda-vaa. In this way
they exercised their artificial power for some time, until rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the powerful crya of the Gauya
Vaiava sampradya, completely smashed their idea. There was a great
hard struggle for some time, but it has turned out successful, and it is now
correctly and practically established that devotional service is not
restricted to a particular class of men. Besides that, anyone who is
engaged in devotional service is already a high-class brhmaa. So rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura's struggle for this movement has come
out successful. It is on the basis of his position that anyone, from any part
of the universe, can become a Gauya Vaiava."
In other words, the essence of spiritual knowledge is that every living
being, regardless of his present status in life, is originally a servant of the
Supreme Lord, and it is the mission of the Lord to reclaim all of these
fallen living entities. Despite his past situation, any living being who is
willing to surrender again at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord or His
bona fide representative can purify himself by strictly adhering to the
rules and regulations of bhakti-yoga and thus act as a high-class brhmaa.
Nonetheless, the seminal descendants of the Lord think themselves to

15

have acquired their ancestor's character and position. Thus the Supreme
Lord, who is the well-wisher of the entire universe and especially of His
devotees, bewilders the discriminatory power of His own descendants in
such a contradictory way that these seminal descendants become
recognized as deviant and the actual qualification to be a representative of
the Lord, namely unalloyed surrender to the will of Ka, remains
prominent.
TEXTS 6-7
sva-mrty loka-lvayanirmukty locana nm
grbhis t smarat citta
padais tn kat kriy
cchidya krti su-lok
vitatya hy ajas nu kau
tamo 'nay tariyantty
agt sva padam vara
sva-mrtyby His own form; lokaof all the material worlds; lvaya
the beauty; nirmuktywhich takes away; locanam(He attracted) the
eyes; nmof men; grbhiby His words; t smaratmof those
who remembered them; cittamthe mind; padaiby His feet; tn
katmof those who saw them; kriythe physical activities
(walking, etc.); cchidyahaving attracted; krtimHis glories; sulokmpraised by the best verses; vitatyahaving spread; hicertainly;
ajaseasily; nuindeed; kauupon the earth; tamaignorance;
anayby those (glories); tariyantipeople will cross over; itithus
thinking; agtHe obtained; svam padamHis own desired position;
varathe Lord.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka, is the reservoir of all
beauty. All beautiful things emanate from Him, and His personal form
is so attractive that it steals the eyes away from all other objects, which
then seem devoid of beauty in comparison to Him. When Lord Ka
was on the earth, He attracted the eyes of all people. When Ka
spoke, His words attracted the minds of all who remembered them. By
seeing the footsteps of Lord Ka, people became attracted to Him, and
thus they wanted to offer their bodily activities to the Lord as His

16

followers. In this way Ka very easily spread His glories, which are
sung throughout the world by the most sublime and essential Vedic
verses. Lord Ka considered that simply by hearing and chanting
those glories, conditioned souls born in the future would cross beyond
the darkness of ignorance. Being satisfied with this arrangement, He left
for His desired destination.
According to rdhara Svm, these two verses indicate that Lord Ka,
having achieved all the purposes for which He had descended, went back
to His spiritual kingdom. It is natural that people in the material world
hanker to see a beautiful object. In materialistic life, however, our
consciousness is polluted by the influence of the three modes of nature,
and therefore we hanker for material objects of beauty and pleasure. The
materialistic process of sense gratification is imperfect, because the laws
of material nature will not allow us to be happy or satisfied in
materialistic life. The living entity is constitutionally an eternal servant of
God and is meant to appreciate the infinite beauty and pleasure of the
Supreme Lord. Lord Ka is the Absolute Truth and the reservoir of all
beauty and pleasure. By serving Ka we can also share in His ocean of
beauty and pleasure, and thus our desire to see beautiful things and enjoy
life will be fully satisfied. The example is given that the hand cannot enjoy
food independently but can assimilate it indirectly by giving it to the
stomach. Similarly, by serving Lord Ka the living entity, who is part
and parcel of the Lord, will derive unlimited happiness.
The inconceivable Supreme Lord, r Ka, by displaying His own true
form, freed the living entities from falsely seeking forms of beauty other
than His form, which is itself the source of all beautiful things. Simply by
seeing His lotus feet, fortunate living beings could distinguish between
the ungodly endeavors of the karms, who seek gross enjoyment for their
own sense gratification, and the practice of dovetailing one's activities
with the service of the Lord. Although philosophers perpetually speculate
about the nature of God, Lord Ka directly liberated the jva souls from
all speculative misunderstandings about Him by displaying His actual
transcendental form and activities. Superficially, Ka's personal form,
words and activities resemble those of ordinary conditioned souls. rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura explains that this apparent
resemblance between the Lord's activities and those of the living entities
is a merciful concession by the Lord so that the conditioned souls will be

17

attracted to Him and become eligible to return to His kingdom for an

eternal life of bliss and knowledge. By showing His own spiritual form
and kingdom to the living entities in a way tangible for them, Lord Ka
drove away their false enjoying attitude and removed their long-standing
indifference to His personality. As stated in Bhagavad-gt, if one can
understand the position of r Ka as the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one will never again fall into the network of material illusion.
Such a falldown can be avoided if one constantly hears about the unique
transcendental form and beauty of the Lord from authorized Vedic
literatures.
As explained in Bhagavad-gt (2.42-43):
ym im pupit vca
pravadanty avipacita
veda-vda-rat prtha
nnyad astti vdina
kmtmna svarga-par
janma-karma-phala-pradm
kriy-viea-bahul
bhogaivarya-gati prati
"Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of
the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to
heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being
desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is
nothing more than this."
On the other hand, certain parts of Vedic literature are specifically meant
to award material sense gratification to the conditioned soul and at the
same time gradually condition him to obey the Vedic injunctions. The
portions of the Vedas that recommend fruitive activities for regulated
sense gratification are themselves dangerous, because the living being
who engages in such activities becomes easily entangled in the material
enjoyment offered and neglects the ultimate purpose of the Vedas. The
ultimate purpose of Vedic literature is to bring the living entity back to
his original consciousness, in which he acts as an eternal servant of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. By rendering service to the Lord, the
living entity can enjoy unlimited spiritual bliss in the association of the

18

Lord in His own kingdom. Thus, one who seriously desires to advance in
Ka consciousness should specifically hear the Vedic literature that
deals with pure devotional service to the Lord. One should hear from
those who are highly advanced in Ka consciousness and avoid
interpretations that stimulate materialistic desires for enjoyment.
When the tiny living entity is finally able to see the difference between the
temporary affairs of this world and the transcendental activities of Lord
Trivikrama, Ka, he devotes himself to the Lord and removes from his
heart the dark covering of matter, no longer desiring sense gratification,
which is enjoyed under the two headings sin and piety. In other words,
although people within this world are considered sinful or pious, on the
material platform both sin and piety are performed for one's personal
gratification. If one can understand that his real happiness lies in giving
pleasure to Ka, Lord Ka takes such a fortunate living being back to
His own abode, which is called Goloka Vndvana. According to
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the Lord first gives a sincere soul the
opportunity to hear about His pastimes. When the devotee has advanced
in his spontaneous attraction to such narrations, the Lord gives him the
opportunity to take part in His spiritual pastimes as they appear within
this world. By taking part in the pastimes of the Lord within a particular
universe, the living being becomes completely detached from the material
world, and ultimately the Lord brings him to His personal abode in the
spiritual sky.
Foolish people cannot understand this substantial benefit offered by the
Lord, but Lord Ka acts for the benefit of such foolish people by saving
them from their absorption in the temporary world of false enjoyment.
The Lord does this by personally displaying His own superlative
transcendental beauty, transcendental words and transcendental activities.
rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out that the words tamo 'nay tariyanti
indicate that although Lord Ka appeared five thousand years ago, one
who hears and chants about the activities, form and words of the Lord
will get exactly the same benefit as those who personally experienced
these things as contemporaries of Lord Ka. In other words, he will also
cross over the darkness of material existence and achieve the Lord's
abode. Thus rla Jva Gosvm concludes that if such an exalted
destination is available to all living beings, it must certainly have been
awarded to the Ydavas, who were personal associates of the Lord.
It is stated in this verse that by His beauty Ka stole away the vision of

19

people who saw Him. Ka's speaking was so attractive that those who
heard Him became speechless. Since generally those who cannot speak are
also deaf, the Lord's words also stole away the ears of those who heard
Him, since they were no longer interested in hearing sounds other than
the Lord's speaking. By displaying the beauty of His footsteps, Ka stole
away from those who saw them the power to perform materialistic
activities. Thus by His appearance in this world Ka took away the
senses of mankind. In other words, He made people blind, dumb, deaf,
mad and otherwise invalid. Therefore Vivantha Cakravart hkura
asks, "Since He took away everything people possessed, who would
properly call Him merciful? Rather, He is just a thief." In this way, he
indirectly offers the highest praise to the beauty of the Lord. Vivantha
Cakravart hkura also points out that although Ka gave liberation to
the demons by destroying them, to those who were attracted to Him,
Ka gave pure love of God and drowned them in the ocean of His own
beauty. Thus Ka is not like a person who gives charity without
discrimination. And Ka is so merciful that not only did He give the
highest benediction to the inhabitants of the earth, but He empowered
great saintly persons such as Vysadeva to describe His pastimes with
beautiful poetic verses. Thus people born on the earth in the future could
easily cross over the ocean of birth and death by those glories, which are
compared to a strong boat. In fact, those of us who are now enjoying the
glories of Ka through the transparent medium of the Bhaktivedanta
purports to rmad-Bhgavatam, by the mercy of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, are the fortunate recipients of the
mercy of Ka, who was merciful even to persons yet to be born.
Quoting from the Amara-koa dictionary, rla Vivantha Cakravart has
also stated, pada vyavasita-tra-sthna-lakmy-aghri-vastuu: the
possible definitions for padam are "that which has been decided," "place
of deliverance," "fortune," "foot" or "object." Thus he translates the word
padam as also meaning vyavasita, "that which has been decided." In other
words, the statement agt svam padam vara indicates not only that
Ka went to His abode, but that Ka realized His determined desire. If
we say that Ka returned to His eternal abode, we imply that Ka had
been absent from His abode and was now returning. Therefore,
Vivantha Cakravart hkura points out that it is incorrect to say in a
normal sense that Ka "went back to His abode." According to the
Brahma-sahit, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka, is always

20

present in His eternal abode in the spiritual sky. Yet by His causeless
mercy He also manifests Himself from time to time within the material
world. In other words, God is all-pervading. Even when present before us
He is simultaneously in His abode. The ordinary soul, or jva, is not allpervading like the Supersoul, and therefore by his presence in the material
world he is absent from the spiritual world. In fact, we are suffering due
to that absence from the spiritual world, or Vaikuha. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, however, is all-pervading, and therefore
Vivantha Cakravart hkura translates the words agt sva padam to
mean that Ka achieved exactly what He desired. The Lord is allpervading and self-sufficient in fulfilling His perfect desires. His
appearance and disappearance in this world should never be compared to
ordinary material activities.
Vivantha Cakravart has quoted a statement by Uddhava at the
beginning of the Third Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (3.2.7) wherein
Uddhava compares the disappearance of Lord Ka to the setting of the
sun. In his purport to this verse, rla Prabhupda has written, "The
comparison of Ka to the sun is very appropriate. As soon as the sun
sets, darkness automatically appears. But the darkness experienced by the
common man does not affect the sun itself either at the time of sunrise or
at sunset. Lord Ka's appearance and disappearance are exactly like that
of the sun. He appears and disappears in innumerable universes, and as
long as He is present in a particular universe there is all transcendental
light in that universe, but the universe from which He passes away is put
into darkness. His pastimes, however, are everlasting. The Lord is always
present in some universe, just as the sun is present in either the eastern or
western hemisphere. The sun is always present either in India or America,
but when the sun is present in India the American land is in darkness,
and when the sun is present in America the Indian hemisphere is in
darkness."
rla Jva Gosvm has quoted a verse from the end of the Eleventh Canto
that further clarifies that the abode of the Lord is as eternal as the Lord
Himself: "The ocean immediately swallowed Dvrak, O Mahrja, taking
away the Lord's personal abode, which the Lord had abandoned. The
Supreme Lord, Madhusdana, is always present in Dvrak, which merely
by being remembered takes away everything unfavorable. It is the most
auspicious of auspicious places." (SB 11.31.23-24) Just as the sun appears
to be swallowed by the night, Ka or His abode or His dynasty seems to

21

disappear, but actually the Lord and all of His paraphernalia, including
His abode and dynasty, are eternal, in the same way as the sun is always in
the sky. rla Prabhupda says in this connection, "As the sun appears in
the morning and gradually rises to the meridian and then again sets in
one hemisphere while simultaneously rising in the other, so Lord Ka's
disappearance in one universe and the beginning of His different pastimes
in another take place simultaneously. As soon as one pastime is finished
here, it is manifested in another universe. And thus His nitya-ll, or
eternal pastimes, are going on without ending."
TEXT 8
r-rjovca
brahmayn vadnyn
nitya vddhopasevinm
vipra-pa katham abhd
vn ka-cetasm
r-rj uvcathe King said; brahmaynmof them who were
respectful to the brhmaas; vadnynmcharitable; nityamalways;
vddha-upasevinmengaged in serving elders; vipra-pathe
brhmaas' curse; kathamhow; abhtdid it come about; vnmof
the Vis; ka-cetasmwhose minds were totally absorbed in thought
of Lord Ka.
King Parkit inquired: How could the brhmaas curse the Vis, who
were always respectful to the brhmaas, charitable, and inclined to
serve senior and exalted personalities and whose minds were always
fully absorbed in thought of Lord Ka?
Brhmaas generally become angry at persons who disrespect the
brahminical class, who are uncharitable and who decline to serve senior,
respectable personalities. The Vis, however, were not like that, and
thus they are described here by King Parkit as brahmaynm, or sincere
followers of brahminical culture. Further, even if the brhmaas became
angry, why would they curse members of Ka's own family? Since the
brhmaas were well learned, they must have known that it is offensive to
oppose personal associates of the Supreme Lord. The Yadu dynasty is
specifically described here as vnnm and ka-cetasm. In other words,
they were Lord Ka's own men, and they were always absorbed in

22

thinking of Ka. Therefore, even if somehow or other the brhmaas

had cursed them, how could that curse have had any effect?
These are the questions of Parkit Mahrja.
Although the Vis are described in this verse as ka-cetasm, always
absorbed in thinking of Ka, it is clearly indicated that Ka desired
that the brhmaas become angry and curse the Yadu dynasty. The
Supreme Lord desired to remove His personal dynasty from the earth, and
therefore uncustomary offensive behavior was exhibited by the young
boys of Ka's own family.
It is to be understood from this incident that when a man displays envy
and ridicule of devotees of Viu, his brahmayat, or high spiritual
qualifications, along with his reverence for r Ka, are all destroyed.
Contempt and ridicule directed toward respectable persons and true
brhmaas vanquish all good qualities. If there is a break in etiquette
toward His devotees, the Supreme Lord will become ill-disposed even to
His own relatives and friends and thus arrange to destroy those who
oppose His devotees. If foolish persons in the guise of members of Ka's
personal family express enmity toward Vaiavas, such offenders cannot
properly be called offspring of Lord Ka's dynasty. That is the supreme
equality of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 9
yan-nimitta sa vai po
ydo dvija-sattama
katham ektman bheda
etat sarva vadasva me
yat-nimittaarising by what cause; sathat; vaiindeed; pa
curse; ydawhat kind; dvija-sat-tamaO purest of twice-born
brhmaas; kathamhow; eka-tmanmof those who shared the same
soul (r Ka); bhedathe disagreement; etatthis; sarvamall;
vadasvaplease tell; meto me.
King Parkit continued inquiring: What was the motive for this curse?
What did it consist of, O purest of the twice-born? And how could such
a disagreement have arisen among the Yadus, who all shared the same
goal of life? Please tell me all these things.
Ektmanm means that the Yadus all shared the same opinion, namely

23

that Ka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was the goal of their life.
Therefore, Parkit Mahrja could not see any obvious reason for such a
destructive quarrel among the members of the Yadu dynasty, and he was
anxious to know the actual cause.
TEXT 10
r-bdaryair uvca
bibhrad vapu sakala-sundara-sannivea
karmcaran bhuvi su-magalam pta-kma
sthya dhma ramama udra-kti
sahartum aicchata kula sthita-ktya-ea
r-bdaryaiukadeva Gosvm, the son of Bdaryaa; uvcasaid;
bibhratbearing; vapua divine body; sakalaof all; sundara
beautiful things; sanniveamthe amalgamation; karmaactivities;
caranperforming; bhuvion the earth; su-magalamvery auspicious;
pta-kmabeing satisfied in all His desires; sthyaresiding;
dhmain His abode (Dvrak); ramamaenjoying life; udrakrtiHe whose glories are very magnanimous in themselves;
sahartumto destroy; aicchataHe wanted; kulamHis dynasty;
sthitathere remaining; ktyaof His business; easome remnant.
ukadeva Gosvm said: The Lord, who bore His body as the
amalgamation of everything beautiful, dutifully executed the most
auspicious activities while on the earth, although He was, in fact,
without any endeavor already satisfied in all desires. Residing in His
abode and enjoying life, the Lord, whose glorification is in itself
magnanimous, now wanted to annihilate His dynasty, as there still
remained some small part of His duty to be carried out.
This verse answers Parkit Mahrja's question as to how the powerful
members of the Yadu dynasty could be cursed by the brhmaas and thus
destroy themselves in a fratricidal war. By the words sahartum aicchata
kulam it is clearly stated that Lord Ka Himself desired to withdraw His
dynasty and therefore engaged the brhmaas as His agent. Vivantha
Cakravart hkura remarks here that Ka had clearly demonstrated the
insurpassable beauty and strength of His personal form, pastimes and
pleasures to all the residents of the earth. Thus His incarnation to kill the
demons, save the devotees and reestablish religious principles had been

24

completely successful. When Lord Ka noticed that His mission was

now complete, everything having been done perfectly, He desired to
return to His transcendental abode, along with the Vis. Thus the Lord
personally arranged for the Yadu dynasty to be cursed by the brhmaas.
According to Vivantha Cakravart hkura, pta-kma means that
Ka is always self-satisfied, and yet in order to execute His
transcendental pastimes He arranged to destroy His own dynasty for three
specific purposes, namely, to reestablish in the heavenly planets those
demigods who had taken birth among the Yadus to assist Him, to
reestablish His plenary Viu expansions in Their abodes, such as
Vaikuha, vetadvpa and Badarikrama, and to remove Himself from
the vision of the material world, along with His eternal associates.
In this connection, Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat has made several important
remarks about the destruction of the Yadu dynasty. He states that many
so-called religious persons have fallen down by committing the second
offense against chanting the holy name, namely viau sarvevaree taditara-sama-dh, considering another living entity to be equal to Lord
Viu, who is the Lord of lords. One who is captured by the impersonal
tendency of Myvda philosophy falsely thinks that the external,
material energy of the Lord is equal to His internal, spiritual potency. In
this way, one equates ordinary living entities with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, taking Ka to be another aspect of my. This
is a most unfortunate misconception, for it spoils one's opportunity to
understand God as He actually is.
Persons inclined toward this illusory conception of life would
undoubtedly consider the members of the Yadu dynasty equal in all
respects to Ka and worship the future descendants of Ka's family as
being equal to Ka Himself. Thus the continued presence of the Yadu
dynasty on the earth would certainly constitute a great impediment on the
path of spiritual understanding and a great burden on the earth. To
counteract the danger to the world from the offense of equating Viu
with the family of Viu, the Lord decided to crush the Yadu family.
The Supreme Lord, r Ka, is always affectionate to His devotees, but
whenever the familial descendants of Lord Ka become inimical or
indifferent to Him, not loving His pure devotees or making friendship
with His servants, such so-called family members of the Lord become
impediments to His will. There is a tangible danger that ignorant living
beings will worship such inimical persons, revering them as close

25

associates of Ka. For example, to consider Kasa the maternal uncle of

Ka and therefore a faithful servant of Ka would be a completely
erroneous conclusion. By such a misconception, evil men who oppose the
Lord may be accepted as His intimate associates, and persons inimical to
Ka may be thought of as His surrendered dependents appearing in His
own family. The purpose of the destruction of the Yadu dynasty was to
eradicate the false logic of the Myvds who desire to see everything as
one in all respects and who therefore improperly reason that the enemies
of Ka's devotees can be His intimate family members.
TEXTS 11-12
karmni puya-nivahni su-magalni
gyaj-jagat-kali-malpahari ktv
kltman nivasat yadu-deva-gehe
piraka samagaman munayo nis
vivmitro 'sita kavo
durvs bhgur agir
kayapo vmadevo 'trir
vasiho nraddaya
karmifruitive rituals; puyapiety; nivahniwhich bestow; sumagalnimost auspicious; gyatchanting (about which); jagatfor
the whole world; kaliof the current, degraded age; malathe
impurities; apahariwhich take away; ktvhaving performed; klatmanby Him who is the very personification of time; nivasat
residing; yadu-devaof the lord of the Yadus (King Vasudeva); gehein
the home; pirakamto the pilgrimage site known as Piraka;
samagamanthey went; munayathe sages; nisbeing let out;
vivmitra asita kavathe sages Vivmitra, Asita and Kava;
durvs bhgu agirDurvs, Bhgu and Agir; kayapa
vmadeva atriKayapa, Vmadeva and Atri; vasiha nradadayaVasiha, Nrada and others.
The sages Vivmitra, Asita, Kava, Durvs, Bhgu, Agir, Kayapa,
Vmadeva, Atri and Vasiha, along with Nrada and others, once
performed fruitive rituals that award abundant pious results, bring
great happiness and take away the sins of Kali-yuga for the whole world
by merely being recounted. The sages duly executed these rituals in the

26

home of the chief of the Yadus, Vasudeva, the father of Lord Ka.
After Lord Ka, who was staying in Vasudeva's house as time
personified, respectfully sent the sages off at the conclusion of the
ceremonies, they went to the holy place called Piraka.
In this verse, ukadeva Gosvm begins to narrate the story of the
brahminical curse that arose against the Yadu dynasty by the Lord's
desire. According to rdhara Svm, certain religious rituals, such as the
avamedha-yaja, generate pious reactions. On the other hand, activities
such as caring for one's children give immediate pleasure in the present
only, whereas rituals performed as atonement take away sinful reactions.
But the religious activities mentioned in verse 11, which are indicated by
the words karmi puya-nivahni su-magalni gyaj-jagat-kalimalpahari, were pious in all respects. They produced abundant pious
results and great joy and were so potent that merely glorifying these
rituals relieves one from all the sinful reactions of Kali-yuga.
The sages called to Vasudeva's house to perform such auspicious religious
activities were satisfied with proper gifts and then sent by Ka to
Piraka, a nearby holy place situated about two miles from the Arabian
Sea on the coast of Gujarat. Its current name is still Piraka.
Significantly, Lord Ka is mentioned here as kltman, the form of
time, or the Supersoul. In the Eleventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gt the
Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to Arjuna as time
personified, appearing on the Battlefield of Kuruketra to destroy all the
kings and armies who constitute a burden to the earth. Similarly,
kltman nivasat yadu-deva-gehe: Ka was staying in the home of His
father Vasudeva as time personified, thus indicating that the time was
approaching for the destruction of His own dynasty according to His
desire.
TEXTS 13-15
krantas tn upavrajya
kumr yadu-nandan
upasaghya papracchur
avint vinta-vat
te veayitv str-veai
smba jmbavat-sutam
e pcchati vo vipr

27

antarvatny asiteka
prau vilajjat skt
prabrtmogha-daran
prasoyant putra-km
ki svit sajanayiyati
krantaplaying; tnthem (the sages); upavrajyaapproaching;
kumrthe young boys; yadu-nandanthe sons of the Yadu dynasty;
upasaghyataking hold of the sages' feet; papracchuthey asked;
avintnot humble; vinta-vatacting as if humble; tethey;
veayitvdressing; str-veaiin a woman's clothes and ornaments;
smbam jmbavat-sutamSmba, the son of Jmbavat; ethis woman;
pcchatiis asking; vayou; viprO learned brhmaas; antarvatn
pregnant; asita-kanblack-eyed; praumto ask; vilajjat
embarrassed; sktdirectly herself; prabrtaplease speak; amoghadaranO you whose vision is never bewildered; prasoyantshe who
is just about to give birth; putra-kmand desirous of getting a son; kim
svitwhat indeed (a son or daughter?); sajanayiyatiwill she give
birth to.
To that holy place, the young boys of the Yadu dynasty had brought
Smba, son of Jmbavat, dressed in woman's garb. Playfully
approaching the great sages gathered there, the boys grabbed hold of
the sages' feet and impudently asked them with feigned humility, "O
learned brhmaas, this black-eyed pregnant woman has something to
ask you. She is too embarrassed to inquire for herself. She is just about
to give birth and is very desirous of having a son. Since all of you are
great sages with infallible vision, please tell us whether her child will
be a boy or a girl."
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat has made the following comment: "The
impudent behavior of the young Yadus toward the sages headed by
Nrada, who were all brhmaas and devotees of the Lord, was a display
of deviation from the path of Lord Ka. Similarly, although the prktasahajiys think of themselves as intimate associates of Ka, the
supremely merciful Lord's determination is perfectly correct in working to
finish such false devotees. Such impostors actually never accept real
service to Ka. The yadu-kumras' deception is termed 'seemingly

28

humble,' meaning that in fact they were anything but humble. Therefore,
the ridiculing of Vaiavas by the Lord's family resulted in a great offense
against the devotees of the Lord."
A similar incident occurred during the pastimes of r Caitanya
Mahprabhu when His own mother offended r Advaita crya. r
Caitanya Mahprabhu personally rectified this offense against a great
Vaiava, and thus the Lord showed His magnanimity. Lord Ka's
pastime of destroying the Yadu dynasty is also a demonstration of His
mercy to His devotees.
Believing the brhmaas, Vaiavas and is to be foolishly lacking
knowledge in material affairs of sense gratification, the yadu-kumras
dressed Smba, the son of Jmbavat, as a woman and tried to mock the
saintly assembly. Lord Ka wanted to teach that such an offense
committed against great devotees by His associate Smba would be the
cause of the Yadu dynasty's destruction, all as part of His ll.
In modern times such misbehavior has also manifested itself within the
Gauya Vaiava community. Unauthorized persons have initiated the
process of deceitfully bestowing a woman's dress on their followers. This
process is to be counted as a variety of apardha, or offense against Ka.
Such an attempt to cheapen and ridicule devotional service to Ka is
certainly caused by envy toward the real Vaiavas, who are faithfully
engaged in devotional service according to the rules and regulations of the
Vedic literature. Thus Rpa Gosvm has said:
ruti-smti-purdipacartra-vidhi vin
aikntik harer bhaktir
utptyaiva kalpate
[Brs. 21.2.101]

ruti-smti-purdipacartra-vidhi vin
aikntik harer bhaktir
utptyaiva kalpate
2

"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic

literatures like the Upaniads, Puras and Nrada-pacartra is simply

29

"If one wants to demonstrate his great devotion to the Supreme Lord but
his process of devotional service violates the standard rules of revealed
scriptures such as ruti, smti, Puras and Nrada-pacartra, then his
alleged love of Godhead will simply disturb society by misleading people
from the auspicious path of spiritual advancement." (Bhakti-rasmtasindhu 1.2.101) The taking of a woman's clothing by a man in ka-ll
was intended to point out this fact. Such an act amounts to cheating and
ridicule of the devotees of Ka. Smba is a personal associate of the
Lord, but acting as a harbinger of the future misfortune to be created in
Kali-yuga by bogus followers of r Caitanya Mahprabhu, Smba
displayed this didactic pastime to help the living entities be blessed on the
correct path of devotional service.
The boys said to the sages, "O is, O brhmaas, O Nrada and other
great personalities, can you tell us whether it will be a son or a daughter
that will be born from this pregnant woman's womb?" By addressing pure
Vaiavas in this way, they anticipated the fraudulent sampradyas of the
modern age in their practice of sakh-bheka, or dressing men as female
associates of the gops. This unauthorized activity constitutes contempt
and mockery of the pure devotees of the Lord.
Many false yogs, imagining they are distributing first-class devotion on
the liberated platform, attempt to award the status of "pure devotee" to
candidates totally ignorant of the transcendental tastes of madhura-rati, or
the Lord's conjugal love in the spiritual world. Even though they know
that the general populace is unfit to imitate the liberated associates of the
Lord, they artificially decorate ordinary persons with the ornaments of
spiritual perfection, such as tears, a melted heart, and the standing on end
of the bodily hairs. Thus these bogus yogs introduce a process that
misleads the world. Because r Caitanya Mahprabhu understood that
the great misfortune caused by such false yogs, or kuyogs, was impossible
to forestall in the Kali-yuga, He infected them with insane desires for
material objects of lust so that ordinary persons can easily identify such
false yogs as deviated from the path of pure devotional service.
The mockery of the brhmaas and Vaiavas by the young boys of the
Yadu dynasty who dressed Smba in woman's garb, and the resultant
destruction of the Yadu dynasty, conclusively demonstrate the uselessness

an unnecessary disturbance in society." Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.101

30

of the sahajiy-sampradyas.
rla Jva Gosvm has confirmed that the lack of humility shown by the
sons of the Yadu dynasty was an arrangement by the Lord Himself. In
other words, the members of the Yadu dynasty are ultimately associates of
Lord Ka, and to facilitate the instructive pastimes of the Lord they
acted in apparently unethical ways.
TEXT 16
eva pralabdh munayas
tn cu kupit npa
janayiyati vo mand
muala kula-nanam
evamthus; pralabdhtricked; munyayathe sages; tnto those
boys; cuthey spoke; kupitangered; npaO King Parkit;
janayiyatishe will give birth; vafor you; mandO fools;
mualamto a club; kula-nanamwhich will destroy the dynasty.
Thus ridiculed by deceit, the sages became angry, O King, and told the
boys, "Fools! She will bear you an iron club that will destroy your
entire dynasty."
The four defects of the conditioned soul, namely the tendency to commit
mistakes (bhrama), illusion (pramda), imperfect senses (karapava)
and the tendency to cheat (vipralips), are not found in pure devotees of
the Lord. Lord Ka, however, arranged for the young members of His
own family, the Yadu dynasty, to exhibit the dangerous lower propensities
of mankind. Thus the Ydava boys imitated the activities of the followers
of a pseudodevotional cult.
Just before His disappearance, Ka desired that the sages become angry
at the young members of the Yadu dynasty, in order to teach that
Vaiavas cannot be thought of as foolish, ignorant or mundane and to
reduce the false pride of His own family members. Sometimes misguided
persons assume the roles of pseudodevotees and blaspheme the actual
process of pure devotional service and the pure devotees who are
surrendered to preaching the mission of the Lord. Such foolish
pseudodevotees think that their hatred or envy of the actual preaching
mission of the Lord constitutes bhakti, but in fact it constitutes the cause
of all trouble both for them and for the unfortunate people who follow

31

them. The preachers of pure devotional service expose the pernicious

attempts of pseudodevotees, and similarly the sages headed by Nrada,
who were all exalted devotees of the Lord, addressed the young boys of
the Yadu dynasty as bewildered fools and told them, "Within this false
womb or false dress of a sdhu, a club will take birth that will be the
source of your dynasty's destruction."
Especially in India, but now also in the Western countries, there is a class
of polluted sense enjoyers who also call themselves Gauya Vaiavas
and pretend to exhibit the highest state of prema-bhakti. They declare that
they are on the highest stage of devotion and therefore concerned only
with the most intimate affairs of mdhurya-ll, as exhibited in Vndvana.
Sometimes they even dress as gops, making a false show of entering into
the pastimes of Ka without actually following the standard regulations.
In the name of prema-bhakti, they sometimes commit grievous offenses
against the pure devotees of Ka. By this incident concerning the iron
club from the so-called womb of Smba, Lord Ka Himself taught the
dangerous results of such pseudodevotion.
TEXT 17
tac chrutv te 'ti-santrast
vimucya sahasodaram
smbasya dadus tasmin
muala khalv ayasmayam
tatthat; rutvhaving heard; tethey; ati-santrastextremely
afraid; vimucyauncovering; sahashastily; udaramthe belly;
smbasyaof Smba; daduthey saw; tasminwithin it; mualama
club; khaluindeed; aya-mayammade of iron.
Upon hearing the curse of the sages, the terrified boys quickly
uncovered the belly of Smba, and indeed they observed that therein
was an iron club.
Upon hearing the words of the Vaiavas, headed by Nrada, the Yadu
boys lifted the garment covering Smba's abdomen and saw the fruit of
the offense they had committed against Vaiavas by their deceit: an
actual club was there to destroy their dynasty. This example shows that in
a polluted society the club of duplicity can never bring the peace found in
the society of devotees. Rather, such duplicity smashes all the

32

nondevotional activities and whimsical doctrines of the pseudodevotees.

The Yadu boys were wary about jeopardizing their advanced position and
indeed had been thinking that as long as they kept their trickery
concealed, others would never be able to detect such sophisticated
cheating. Nonetheless, they were unable to protect their family from the
reaction of their grievous offense against the devotees of the Lord.
TEXT 18
ki kta manda-bhgyair na
ki vadiyanti no jan
iti vihvalit gehn
dya muala yayu
kimwhat; ktamhas been done; manda-bhgyaiwho are very
unfortunate; naby us; kimwhat; vadiyantiwill they say; nato
us; janthe family; itithus speaking; vihvalitoverwhelmed;
gehnto their homes; dyataking; mualamthe club; yayuthey
went.
The young men of the Yadu dynasty said, "Oh, what have we done? We
are so unfortunate! What will our family members say to us?" Speaking
thus and being very disturbed, they returned to their homes, taking the
club with them.
TEXT 19
tac copanya sadasi
parimlna-mukha-riya
rja veday cakru
sarva-ydava-sannidhau
tatthat club; caand; upanyabringing; sadasiinto the assembly;
parimlnacompletely faded; mukhaof their faces; ryathe beauty;
rjethe King; vedaym cakruthey informed; sarva-ydavaof all
the Yadus; sannidhauin the presence.
The Yadu boys, the luster of their faces completely faded, brought the
club into the royal assembly, and in the presence of all the Ydavas they
told King Ugrasena what had happened.

33

Vivantha Cakravart hkura points out that the word rje refers to
King Ugrasena and not to r Ka. Because of their shame and fear, the
boys did not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka.
TEXT 20
rutvmogha vipra-pa
dv ca muala npa
vismit bhaya-santrast
babhvur dvrakaukasa
rutvhearing about; amoghaminfallible; vipra-pamthe curse of
the brhmaas; dvseeing; caand; mualamthe club; npaO
King; vismitamazed; bhayawith fear; santrastdistraught;
babhvuthey became; dvrak-okasathe inhabitants of Dvrak.
O King Parkit, when the inhabitants of Dvrak heard of the infallible
curse of the brhmaas and saw the club, they were astonished and
distraught with fear.
TEXT 21
tac crayitv muala
yadu-rja sa huka
samudra-salile prsyal
loha csyvaeitam
tatthat; crayitvhaving ground to bits; mualamclub; yadurjathe King of the Yadus; sahe; hukahuka (Ugrasena);
samudraof the ocean; salilein the water; prsyathe threw; loham
the iron; caand; asyaof the club; avaeitamthe remnant.
After having the club ground to bits, King huka [Ugrasena] of the
Yadus personally threw the pieces, along with the remaining lump of
iron, into the water of the ocean.
King Ugrasena thought, "Smba and the others should not feel any shame
or fear," and thus without even consulting r Ka he ordered the club
ground to bits and thrown into the water, along with a small iron lump
that remained, which he considered insignificant.

34

TEXT 22
kacin matsyo 'grasl loha
crni taralais tata
uhyamnni vely
lagnny san kilairak
kacita certain; matsyafish; agrastswallowed; lohamthe iron;
crnithe bits of powder; taralaiby the waves; tatafrom that
place; uhyamnnibeing carried; velymon the shore; lagnni
becoming stuck; santhey became; kiluindeed; eraka particular
species of grass with long, sharp-edged blades.
A certain fish swallowed the iron lump, and the bits of iron, carried
back to the shore by the waves, implanted themselves there and grew
into tall, sharp canes.
TEXT 23
matsyo ghto matsya-ghnair
jlennyai sahrave
tasyodara-gata loha
sa alye lubdhako 'karot
matsyathe fish; ghtabeing seized; matsya-ghnaiby fishermen;
jlenawith a net; anyai sahaalong with other fish; aravewithin
the ocean; tasyaof the fish; udara-gatamcontained in the stomach;
lohamlump of iron; sahe (Jar); alyeon his arrow; lubdhakaa
hunter; akarotplaced.
The fish was caught in the ocean along with other fish in a fisherman's
net. The iron lump in the fish's stomach was taken by the hunter Jar,
who fixed it as an arrowhead at the end of his shaft.
TEXT 24
bhagavn jta-sarvrtha
varo 'pi tad-anyath
kartu naicchad vipra-pa
kla-rpy anvamodata

35

bhagavnthe Supreme Lord; jtaknowing; sarva-arthathe

meaning of everything; varaquite capable; apialthough; tatanyathotherwise; kartumto make; na aicchatHe did not desire;
vipra-pamthe brhmaas' curse; kla-rpexhibiting His form of
time; anvamodataHe gladly sanctioned.
Knowing fully the significance of all these events, the Supreme Lord,
though capable of reversing the brhmaas' curse, did not wish to do so.
Rather, in His form of time, He gladly sanctioned the events.
Ordinary persons may be surprised or bewildered that the Lord gladly
sanctioned the cursing and destruction of His own dynasty. The word
anvamodata used here indicates taking pleasure in something, or giving
sanction or approval. It is also mentioned, kla-rp: Ka gladly gave
His sanction to the brhmaas' curse in the form of time. rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat Prabhupda has commented that the Supreme
Lord, Kacandra, decided to maintain the curse intact in order to
protect the actual principles of religion and destroy the unbecoming
offense of the deceitful members of the Kra dynasty. It is clearly
explained in Bhagavad-gt that the whole purpose of the Lord's descent
into the material world is to reestablish the authentic principles of
religion by which the conditioned souls who are suffering intensely under
the laws of material nature can regain their original existential status as
eternally liberated servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka.
The living entity comes to this material world with a desire to lord it over
material nature, although the living entity is in fact not a lord but an
eternal servant. Due to this perverted tendency to exploit the entire world
for his sense gratification, the living entity is also prone to try to pervert
the principles of spiritual life so that the eternal religious principles
become appropriate to his own material sense gratification. Religion,
however, is meant for pleasing the Supreme Lord by obeying His laws.
And therefore Lord Ka Himself personally comes from time to time to
revive and enliven the correct method of devotional service to His lotus
feet. In the Eleventh Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam it is clearly stated that
Lord Ka had completed the vast majority of His pastimes on the earth
and was now making the final arrangements for His departure. Therefore,
He wished to leave behind a vivid lesson for the living entities of this age
that any so-called religious person, even if he is so exalted as to take birth
in the Lord's personal family, cannot violate the respect and reverence

36

which is due to the pure devotees of the Lord, such as Nrada Muni. The
principle of serving the pure devotee of Ka is so essential for spiritual
advancement that the Lord exhibited the inconceivable pastime of causing
the destruction of His entire dynasty just to impress this point upon the
conditioned souls of Kali-yuga.
rmad-Bhgavatam hints at the great misfortunes that would come after
the disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such
misfortunes also occurred after the disappearance of Lord r Caitanya
Mahprabhu, who is accepted by Gauya Vaiavas as Ka Himself.
Through various instructions, the Bhgavatam provides for eliminating
the cheating pseudoreligion that comes forth in human society after the
departure of the Lord.
Lord Caitanya, exhibiting His magnanimous pastimes, drove away from
South India all the false doctrines of the apasampradyas, or so-called
disciplic traditions of pseudodevotees, who had gained great influence by
resorting to the atheistic theories of the Buddhists and Jains. Thus He
turned all of India toward the devotional service of Lord Ka, so that
due to the extensive preaching of Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu and His
followers there remained no topic of discussion in the world other than
devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Tridaipda Prabodhnanda
Sarasvat has elaborated on this in his verse str-putrdi-kath jahur
viayia.
r Narahari Sarakra hkura, in his book Ka-bhajanmta, has
corrected the improper statements of the gaurga-ngar-vds,
sakhbheka-vds, and others of the eleven pseudodisciplic chains that
claim to follow r Caitanya Mahprabhu. These unauthorized persons
present cheating in the guise of religion and advertise their duplicity as
kath, or pure worship of the Lord. Just as Ka brought about a furious
quarrel to destroy His own family, r Caitanya Mahprabhu arranged for
the world to be flooded by varieties of Myvda and karma-vda
philosophies just after His disappearance. He did this to destroy persons
who belonged to the eleven apasampradyas, or unauthorized disciplic
traditions, as well as the many other apasampradyas that would appear in
the future and presume to call themselves devotees of r Caitanya
Mahprabhu or pretend to be descendants in His family line. At the same
time, Caitanya Mahprabhu arranged for His own men to be kept away
from the pseudodevotion of these cheaters. The devotees of Lord
Gaurasundara, Caitanya Mahprabhu, can discern the mysteries of His

37

pastimes that manifest in the pastimes of Lord Ka. The activities of the
transcendental body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be
understood in any ordinary mundane way. That is the essential meaning
of this chapter.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, First Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty."

38

2. Mahrja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras

In this chapter Nrada gives instructions in bhgavata-dharma to the

faithful and inquisitive Vasudeva by recounting a conversation between
Mahrja Nimi and the nine Yogendras.
Greatly eager to see Lord Ka, Devari Nrada resided almost
exclusively in Dvrak. Vasudeva, bewildered by the Lord's illusory
potency, had previously offered worship to the Supreme Lord Ananta for
the purpose of getting a son, but had failed to worship Him for liberation.
Once Nrada arrived at the home of Vasudeva, who worshiped him
according to proper etiquette, greeted him respectfully and requested to
hear about pure devotional service, which frees one from all kinds of fear.
Nrada praised Vasudeva's fixed intelligence and then related the ancient
history of the conversation between the nine Yogendras, who were sons of
Lord abhadeva, and Nimi, the King of Videha.
Svyambhuva Manu's son was Priyavrata. His son was gndhra, whose
son was Nbhi. Lord abhadeva, the plenary portion of Vsudeva,
incarnated as the son of Nbhi. The oldest of abhadeva's one hundred
sons was Bharata, an exalted devotee of Nryaa by whose name this
earth, previously called Ajanbha-vara, became famous as Bhrata-vara.
Nine other sons of abhadeva were widely known as the nava-yogendras:
Kavi, Havir, Antarka, Prabuddha, Pippalyana, virhotra, Drumila,
Camasa and Karabhjana. They were well versed in knowledge of the self,
fixed in their goal and always striving for perfection. Nine other sons of
abhadeva took on the duty of katriyas and became masters of the nine
dvpas comprising Bhrata-vara. His other eighty-one sons became
brhmaas expert in smti doctrines who propagated the path of fruitive
sacrifice.
The nine Yogendras, free to move without impediment, traveled
everywhere as they wished. They were direct associates of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Madhusdana, and wandered freely to give
protection to the various planets in the universe. The human body can be
lost at any moment, but it is still a very rare attainment. Still rarer is to get
the association of the confidential devotees of the Lord of Vaikuha

39

while in this very human body. The association of such saintly persons,
even for a fraction of a second, bestows all benefits on a living being.
Therefore King Nimi offered the nine Yogendras suitable seats, worshiped
them, humbled himself with obeisances and joyfully inquired from them
about bhgavata-dharma. Bhgavata-dharma, or pure devotional service to
the Lord, is the only means of ultimate good fortune for the soul. The
Supreme Lord, being pleased by such service, offers His own self to the
devotee.
In answer to the King's question, one of the nine Yogendras, Kavi, spoke
as follows: "Those means of advancement which are described by the
Personality of Godhead Himself and which enable even foolish persons
easily to achieve perfect self-realization are called bhgavata-dharma. This
bhgavata-dharma, manifested as service to the lotus feet of the infallible
Supreme Lord, eradicates all fear for the living being. By abiding in
bhgavata-dharma one will never stumble or fall, even while running with
both eyes closed. Whatever one does with his body, mind, words,
intelligence, consciousness, senses and natural proclivities should all be
offered to Lord Nryaa. Living entities averse to the Lord's lotus feet
come under the control of the Lord's illusory energy, my. They forget
the Lord's identity and are trapped by the illusion of identifying with the
temporary body. Under the sway of material attraction, they become
greatly fearful. Thus the best thing for them is to surrender their very life
energy to a qualified guru and execute worship of the Supreme Lord, the
absolute controller of my, with pure devotion. Just as by eating one
gradually appeases his hunger and with every bite feels more and more
satisfied and nourished, a surrendered devotee achieves detachment from
all objects other than Ka, gains direct personal experience of the Lord
and relishes pure love for the Lord, all simultaneously."
Next Havir spoke, describing the different characteristics of first-class,
second-class and third-class devotees: "One who offers prescribed
worship with faith to the Deity of Lord Viu but has no devotion for
Vaiavas and things related to Viu is a materialistic devotee. One who
shows love for the Lord, friendship for the Lord's devotees, mercy for the
ignorant and indifference for the enemies of Viu and the Vaiavas is an
intermediate devotee. And one who sees the presence of the Supreme
Lord in everything and sees everything within the Lord is the topmost
devotee." The first-class devotees are described in eight verses, which
conclude by stating that the first-class devotee keeps the Supreme Lord

40

perpetually fastened to his own heart with ropes of affection. Lord Hari
never leaves the heart of such a devotee.
TEXT 1
r-uka uvca
govinda-bhuja-gupty
dvravaty kurdvaha
avtsn nrado 'bhka
kopsana-llasa
r-uka uvcar uka said; govindaof Lord Govinda; bhujaby the
arms; guptymprotected; dvravatymin the capital Dvravat; kuruudvahaO best of the Kurus; avtstdwelled; nradaNrada Muni;
abhkamconstantly; ka-upsanato engage in the worship of
Ka; llasawho had great eagerness.
r ukadeva Gosvm said: Eager to engage in the worship of Lord
Ka, O best of the Kurus, Nrada Muni stayed for some time in
Dvrak, which was always protected by the arms of Govinda.
In the Second Chapter of this canto, bhgavata-dharma, or pure
devotional service to Ka, is explained by Nrada Muni to Vasudeva,
who had inquired with devotion. Nrada Muni cites a conversation
between King Nimi and the Jyanteyas. According to Jva Gosvm, the
word abhkam indicates that although Nrada Muni was frequently sent
by Lord Ka here and there for various pastimes, such as inquiring
about the affairs of the world, Nrada continuously returned to reside in
Dvrak. The word kopsana-llasa indicates that Nrada was very
eager to be near Ka and worship Him. Because of the curse of Daka,
Nrada is never allowed to live continuously in one place. rdhara Svm,
however, has pointed out, na tasy pde prabhva: in Dvrak there
is no influence of curses or other such evils, because Dvrak is the abode
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is always protected by His
arms, as shown by the word govinda-bhuja-guptym. The conditioned
souls are struggling within the kingdom of my against the cruel laws of
material nature, such as birth, death, old age and disease, but if such
conditioned souls have the good fortune to enter the city of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, whether Dvrak, Mathur or Vndvana, and
live there under the direct protection of the omnipotent arms of the

41

Supreme Lord, Ka, they will experience the unlimited transcendental

bliss of real life, which is eternal and which is meant to be lived in the
personal company of God.
TEXT 2
ko nu rjann indriyavn
mukunda-carambujam
na bhajet sarvato-mtyur
upsyam amarottamai
kawho; nuindeed; rjanO King; indriya-vnpossessed of senses;
mukunda-caraa-ambujamthe lotus feet of Lord Mukunda; na bhajet
would not worship; sarvata-mtyubeing faced by death on all sides;
upyamworshipable; amara-uttamaiby the best of liberated
personalities.
My dear King, in the material world the conditioned souls are
confronted by death at every step of life. Therefore, who among the
conditioned souls would not render service to the lotus feet of Lord
Mukunda, who is worshipable even for the greatest of liberated souls?
The word indriyavn is significant in this verse. Indriyavn means
"possessing senses." Although we are conditioned within the material
world, by the mercy of the Supreme Lord we are awarded a human body,
which possesses distinct senses, such as the eyes, ears, tongue, nose and
skin. Generally the conditioned souls use these senses in a false attempt to
exploit the material nature for sense gratification. But our material senses
and their objects are temporary, and it is not possible to become peaceful
or happy in the attempt to gratify our temporary senses with the
temporary sense objects offered by my, the illusory energy of the Lord.
In fact, our strenuous endeavor to satisfy the material senses inevitably
brings exactly the opposite result, namely material suffering. A man is
attracted to a woman. Being sexually aroused he marries her, and soon
there is a family that requires ever-increasing support. In this way his
innocent and simple life is ended, and he spends the major portion of his
life working hard like an ass to support the demands of his family. In the
Third Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, Lord Kapila describes very clearly
that in spite of the exhausting work a man performs throughout his life,
his family is ultimately dissatisfied, and when the exhausted father

42

reaches old age, the irritated family members look upon him just as
farmers look upon an old and useless ox. Sometimes the sons dream of
receiving their father's money as an inheritance and secretly wish for him
to die. Nowadays people strongly resent the trouble of caring for elderly
parents and therefore send them to an institution, where they die lonely
and neglected after a life of hard work for their so-called loved ones. One
doctor in England is seriously proposing euthanasia for elderly persons
who are no longer productive.
Nowadays some people, desiring material sense gratification but hoping
to avoid the inconvenience of family life, try to enjoy "free" sexual
relations with women, without the trouble of marriage. Through birth
control and abortion they eliminate the disturbance of caring for children.
In this way they hope to enjoy material sense gratification without any
material impediment. By the laws of nature, however, such persons
become bound in a network of sinful reactions by avoiding their real duty
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by thoughtlessly causing
violence and suffering to others for increasing their own sense
gratification. Caught in a network of impious activities, they drift further
and further away from their original pure consciousness and gradually
lose all power to understand the laws of nature. Therefore it is stated here,
sarvato-mtyu. Mtyu means "death." Death suddenly appears, startling
such confident sense gratifiers, and destroys their entire program of socalled material happiness. Often such persons are afflicted with ghastly
diseases and undergo inconceivable suffering, which ends in death. If a
sincere well-wisher points these facts out to them, trying to inform them
of the reality, they become angry and accuse him of being a pessimist or a
religious fanatic. In this way they blindly ignore the laws of nature until
these laws inevitably smash them down and drag them out of their fool's
paradise. Because of an excessive accumulation of sinful results, they are
forced into situations of great distress by the laws of karma. Sinking down
into the lower species of life, they lose all awareness of that which lies
beyond their gross material senses.
Sometimes a living being is able to understand the miserable result of
materialistic sense gratification. Being frustrated by the pain and suffering
of materialistic life and being ignorant of any superior life, he adopts a
neo-Buddhist philosophy and seeks shelter in so-called nothingness. But
there is no actual void within the kingdom of God. The desire to merge
into nothingness is a reaction against material pain; it is not a tangible

43

concept of the Supreme. For example, if I feel unbearable pain in my leg

and the pain cannot be cured, I may finally agree to have my leg
amputated. But it is far better to remove the pain and keep my leg.
Similarly, because of false ego we think, "I am everything. I am the most
important person. No one is as intelligent as me." Thinking in this way,
we suffer constantly and experience intense anxiety. But as soon as we
purify the ego by admitting that we are insignificant eternal servants of
Ka, our ego will give us great pleasure.
r Ka, the Lord of the blissfully variegated spiritual sky, called
Vaikuha, is always absorbed in transcendental enjoyment. In fact, r
Ka is the reservoir of all pleasure. People absorbed in materialistic
enjoyment are bound by the laws of omnipresent death, but if we
endeavor instead to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we can
immediately be connected to His hldin akti, or blissful potency. If we
serve Ka under the guidance of His authorized representative, the
spiritual master, we can immediately get relief from material distress.
Then we shall not yearn after nothing, but instead we shall be able to
relish unlimited spiritual bliss in the service of the Supreme Lord.
Sarvato-mtyu also indicates that birth and death occur on every planet
in the universe. Therefore our so-called space travel and cosmic
consciousness are useless, since there is no eternal life anywhere within
the material cosmos. In conclusion, to understand the futility of engaging
in the service of anything other than Ka and to engage instead in
serving that which is eternal and full of bliss is the highest possible
development of intelligence. Although our present intelligence is narrow,
being conditioned by the laws of nature, we can create unlimited good
fortune for ourselves by taking shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda,
learning to discriminate between that which is temporary and useless and
that which is eternal and real.
TEXT 3
tam ekad tu devari
vasudevo ghgatam
arcita sukham snam
abhivdyedam abravt
tamhim; ekadonce; tuand; deva-imthe sage among the
demigods, Nrada; vasudevaVasudeva, the father of Lord Ka; ghagatamwho had come to his house; arcitamworshiped with

44

paraphernalia; sukham snamcomfortably seated;

respectfully greeting him; idamthis; abravtsaid.

abhivdya

One day the sage among the demigods, Nrada, came to the house of
Vasudeva. After worshiping Nrada with suitable paraphernalia, seating
him comfortably and respectfully bowing down to him, Vasudeva spoke
as follows.
TEXT 4
r-vasudeva uvca
bhagavan bhavato ytr
svastaye sarva-dehinm
kpan yath pitror
uttama-loka-vartmanm
r-vasudeva uvcar Vasudeva said; bhagavanO lord; bhavataof
your good self; ytrthe coming; svastayefor the benefit; sarvadehinmof all embodied beings; kpanmof the most wretched;
yathas; pitrothat of a father; uttama-lokathe Supreme Lord, who
is praised by excellent verses; vartmanmof those who are fixed on the
path toward.
r Vasudeva said: My lord, your visit, like that of a father to his
children, is for the benefit of all living beings. You especially help the
most wretched among them, as well as those who are advanced on the
path toward the Supreme Lord, Uttamaloka.
Vasudeva herein describes the glories of Nrada Muni. The words
kpan yath pitror uttama-loka-vartmanm are significant.
Kpanm refers to the most wretched persons, whereas uttama-lokavartmanm refers to the most fortunate, those who are advanced in Ka
consciousness. rdhara Svm has stated, tath bhagavad-rpasya bhavato
ytr sarva-dehinm svastaya iti. The word bhagavad-rpasya indicates
that Nrada Muni is an expansion of the Supreme Lord and that his
activities therefore bring immense benefit for all living beings. In the First
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, Nrada Muni is described as a manifestation
of the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There it is stated
that Nrada is especially empowered to give instructions in the art of
devotional service to Ka. Nrada is especially able to advise the

45

conditioned souls as to how they can dovetail their present activities with
the devotional service of Ka without unnecessarily disrupting their
present life.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat has defined the word kpaa by quoting
from the Bhad-rayaka Upaniad (3.9.10). Etad akara grgi
aviditvsml lokt praiti sa kpaa: "O daughter of Gargcrya, he who
leaves this world without learning about the infallible Supreme is a
kpaa, or miser." In other words, we are awarded the human form of life
so that we may understand our eternal, blissful relationship with the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. As indicated in verse 2 of this chapter
by the word indriyavn, the human body is specifically awarded so that we
may serve the Supreme Lord, Ka. This human form of body is the
greatest fortune because the highly evolved intelligence of human life
enables us to understand Ka, the Absolute Truth. If we are unable to
understand our eternal relationship with God, we shall derive no
permanent benefit whatsoever in this present life, nor can we ultimately
benefit others. One who receives a great treasure but can neither use it
himself nor dedicate it to the happiness of others is called a miser.
Therefore, a person who leaves this world without having understood his
actual position as servant of God is called a kpaa, or miser.
This verse states that Nrada Muni is so empowered in the devotional
service of Ka that he can lift even miserly rascals out of their illusion,
just as a kind father goes to his child and wakes him from a distressing
nightmare. Our present materialistic life is just like a troublesome dream,
from which great souls such as Nrada can wake us. Nrada Muni is so
powerful that even those already advanced in devotional service to Ka
can greatly enhance their spiritual position by hearing his instructions, as
they will be given here in the Eleventh Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam.
Therefore r Nrada is the guru and father of all living beings, who are
originally devotees of the Lord but who are now artificially attempting to
enjoy the material world in the material bodies of human beings, animals,
and so on.
TEXT 5
bhtn deva-carita
dukhya ca sukhya ca
sukhyaiva hi sdhn
tvdm acyuttmanm

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bhtnmof the living beings; deva-caritamthe activities of demigods;

dukhyaresult in the misery; caalso; sukhyain happiness; caas
well; sukhyain happiness; evaonly; hiindeed; sdhnmthat of
saints; tvdmlike you; acyutathe infallible Supreme Lord;
tmanmwho have accepted as their very soul.
The activities of demigods lead to both misery and happiness for living
beings, but the activities of great saints like you, who have accepted the
infallible Lord as their very soul, result only in the happiness of all
beings.
This verse clearly states that the pure devotees of the Lord such as Nrada
Muni are saintly persons, to be considered superior even to the demigods,
the living beings empowered by the Supreme Lord to administer the
entire universe. In Bhagavad-gt (3.12) it is stated:
in bhogn hi vo dev
dsyante yaja-bhvit
tair dattn apradyaibhyo
yo bhukte stena eva sa
"The demigods in charge of the various necessities of life, being satisfied
by the performance of yaja [sacrifice], supply all necessities to man. But
one who enjoys these gifts without offering them in return to the
demigods is certainly a thief." In this connection rla Prabhupda has
made the following comment regarding the demigods: "The demigods are
empowered administrators of material affairs. The supply of air, light,
water and other blessings for maintaining the body and the soul of all
living entities are entrusted to the demigods, who are innumerable
assistants in the different parts of the body of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Their pleasure and displeasure depend on the performance of
yajas by the human being." In other words, by the Lord's arrangement,
material prosperity depends upon the satisfaction of the demigods. If the
demigods are dissatisfied due to nonperformance or improper
performance of sacrifice, they are empowered to impose various types of
suffering upon human beings. Usually this suffering takes the form of
either excessive or insufficient supply of material necessities. For
example, sunshine is necessary for life, but if there is excessive heat or
insufficient heat from the sun, we suffer. Excessive or insufficient rain is

47

also a cause of suffering. Thus the demigods bestow either happiness or

suffering upon human beings, in accordance with the performance of
sacrifice.
As stated here, however, great saintly persons such as Nrada Muni are
always merciful to all living beings.
titikava kruik
suhda sarva-dehinm
ajta-atrava nt
sdhava sdhu-bha
"The symptoms of a sdhu 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." (SB 3.25.21) rla
Prabhupda, in his commentary on this verse, has portrayed the sdhu as
follows: "A sdhu as described above is a devotee of the Lord. His concern,
therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service to the Lord. That is
his mercy. He knows that without devotional service to the Lord, human
life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country door to door
preaching, 'Be Ka conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Ka. Don't spoil
your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is
meant for self-realization, or Ka consciousness.' These are the
preachings of a sdhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He
always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality
toward all the fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is
kruika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching
work he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the
sdhu, or devotee of the Lord, has to be very tolerant. Someone may illtreat him, because the conditioned souls are not prepared to receive the
transcendental knowledge of devotional service. They do not like it; that
is their disease. The sdhu has the thankless task of impressing upon them
the importance of devotional service. Sometimes devotees are personally
attacked with violence. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. Haridsa hkura
was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal
assistant, Nitynanda, was violently attacked by Jagi and Mdhi. But
still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver the fallen
souls. One of the qualifications of a sdhu is that he is very tolerant and is
merciful to all fallen souls. He is merciful because he is a well-wisher of

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all living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but a

well-wisher of animal society as well. It is said here, sarva-dehinm, which
indicates all living entities who have accepted material bodies. Not only
does a human being have a material body, but other living entities, such
as cats and dogs, also have material bodies. The devotee of the Lord is
merciful to everyonethe cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living entities
in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from this material
entanglement. ivnanda Sena, one of the disciples of Lord Caitanya, gave
liberation to a dog by treating the dog transcendentally. There are many
instances where a dog got salvation by association with a sdhu, because a
sdhu engages in the highest philanthropic activities for the benediction of
all living entities. Although the sdhu is not inimical toward anyone, the
world is so ungrateful that even a sdhu has many enemies.
"What is the difference between an enemy and a friend? It is a difference
in behavior. A sdhu behaves with all conditioned souls for their ultimate
relief from material entanglement. Therefore, no one can be more friendly
than the sdhu in relieving a conditioned soul. A sdhu is calm, and he
quietly and peacefully follows the principles of scripture and at the same
time is a devotee of the Lord. One who actually follows the principles of
scripture must be a devotee of God because all the stras instruct us to
obey the orders of the Personality of Godhead. Sdhu, therefore, means a
follower of the scriptural injunctions and a devotee of the Lord. All these
characteristics are prominent in a devotee. A devotee develops all the
good qualities of the demigods, whereas a nondevotee, even though
academically qualified, has no actual good qualifications or good
characteristics according to the standards of transcendental realization."
Vasudeva, therefore, has used the word sdhu to describe Nrada Muni,
indicating that the position of the devotee of the Lord is superior even to
that of the demigods.
TEXT 6
bhajanti ye yath devn
dev api tathaiva tn
chyeva karma-saciv
sdhavo dna-vatsal
bhajantiworship; yethey who; yathin which way; devnthe
demigods; devthe demigods; apialso; tath evajust in that way;

49

tnthem; chyin a shadow; ivaas if; karmaof material work and

its reactions; sacivthe attendants; sdhavasaintly persons; dnavatsalmerciful to the fallen.
Those who worship the demigods receive reciprocation from the
demigods in a way just corresponding to the offering. The demigods are
attendants of karma, like a person's shadow, but sdhus are actually
merciful to the fallen.
The words chyeva karma-saciv are significant here. Chy means
"shadow." The shadow of the body precisely follows the movements of
the body. The shadow has no power to move in a way different from the
movement of the body. Similarly, as stated here, bhajanti ye yath devn
dev api tathiva tn: the results the demigods award to living beings
correspond exactly to the living beings' actions. The demigods are
empowered by the Lord to follow precisely the particular karma of a
living entity in awarding him happiness and distress. Just as a shadow
cannot move independently, the demigods cannot punish or reward a
living being independently. Although the demigods are millions of times
more powerful than the human beings on earth, they are ultimately tiny
servants of God whom the Lord allows to play as the controllers of the
universe. In the Fourth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, Pthu Mahrja, an
empowered incarnation of the Lord, states that even the demigods are
subject to punishment by the Lord if they deviate from His laws. On the
other hand, devotees of the Lord such as Nrada Muni, by their potent
preaching, can interfere in the karma of a living being by persuading him
to give up his fruitive activity and mental speculation and surrender to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. In material existence, one works hard
under the bondage of ignorance. But if one becomes enlightened by
association with a pure devotee of the Lord, one can understand one's
actual position as an eternal servant of God. By rendering such service,
one dissolves his attachment to the material world and the reactions of his
previous activities, and as a surrendered soul he is endowed with
unlimited spiritual freedom in the service of the Lord. In this regard, the
Brahma-sahit (5.54) states:
yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-karmabandhnurpa-phala-bhjanam tanoti
karmi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhj
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi

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"I adore the primeval Lord, Govinda, who burns to the root all the fruitive
activities of those imbued with devotion. For those who walk the path of
workno less for Indra, king of the demigods, than for the tiny insect
indragopaHe impartially ordains the due enjoyments of the fruits of
activities in accordance with the chain of works previously performed."
Even the demigods are bound to the laws of karma, whereas a pure
devotee of the Lord, having completely given up the desire for material
enjoyment, successfully burns to ashes all traces of karma.
In this regard, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has commented
that unless one is engaged as a surrendered soul in the devotional service
of the Lord, he cannot actually be considered nikma, or free from all
personal desire. Sometimes a materialistic person will engage in charity or
altruistic activities and in this way consider himself a selfless worker.
Similarly, those who engage in mental speculation with the ultimate goal
of merging into the impersonal Brahman aspect of the Lord also advertise
themselves as being selfless or desireless. According to rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, however, such karms and jns, while busy in
their so-called "selflessness," are in fact servants of lusty desires. In other
words, they have not perfectly understood their position as eternal
servants of God. The altruistic karm falsely considers himself the best
friend of humanity, although he is unable to give actual benefit to others
because he is ignorant of the eternal life of bliss and knowledge beyond
the temporary hallucination of material existence. Similarly, although the
jn proudly declares himself God and invites others to become God
also, he neglects to explain how the so-called gods have come to be bound
by the laws of material nature. Actually, the attempt to become God is
based not on love of God but on the desire to take the same status as God.
In other words, the desire to be equal in all respects to the Supreme is
simply another materialistic desire. Therefore the karms and jns,
because of their dissatisfaction in artificially trying to fulfill their own
desires, can show no actual mercy to the fallen souls. In this regard, r
Madhvcrya has quoted the Uddma-sahit:
sukham icchanti bhtn
pryo dukhsah nm
tathpi tebhya pravar
dev eva hare priy

51

"is want happiness for all beings and are almost always incapable of
tolerating the unhappiness of men. Nevertheless, the demigods are
superior because they are very dear to Lord Hari." But although rla
Madhvcrya has placed the demigods in a higher position than the
merciful is, rla Jva Gosvm has stated, sdhavas tu na karmnugat:
the sdhus are actually better than the demigods because the sdhus are
merciful regardless of the pious or impious acts of the conditioned souls.
This apparent disagreement between Madhvcrya and Jva Gosvm is
resolved by Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, who points out that in the
statement by rla Madhvcrya, the word i, or "sage," indicates the socalled sdhus or saintly persons among the karms and jns. Ordinary
fruitive workers and speculative philosophers certainly consider
themselves to be at the summit of pious morality and altruism. However,
since they are ignorant of the supreme position of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, they cannot be considered equal to the demigods,
who are all devotees of the Lord and aware that all living beings are
eternal servants of the Lord. Even such demigods, however, cannot be
compared to the pure devotees such as Nrada. Such pure devotees are
empowered to award the highest perfection of life to both pious and
impious living beings, who have only to follow the orders of such pure
devotees.
TEXT 7
brahmas tathpi pcchmo
dharmn bhgavats tava
yn rutv raddhay martyo
mucyate sarvato bhayt
brahmanO brhmaa; tath apinevertheless (although I am
completely satisfied just by seeing you); pcchmaI am inquiring
about; dharmnreligious duties; bhgavatnwhich are specifically
meant for pleasing the Supreme Lord; tavafrom you; ynwhich;
rutvhearing; raddhaywith faith; martyaone destined to die;
mucyatehe is freed; sarvatafrom all; bhaytfear.
O brhmaa, although I am satisfied simply by seeing you, I still wish
to inquire about those duties which give pleasure to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Any mortal who faithfully hears about them is
freed from all kinds of fear.

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According to rla Jva Gosvm, Nrada Muni might have been reluctant
to instruct Vasudeva because of natural respect for Vasudeva's exalted
position as the father of Ka. Nrada might have thought that since
Vasudeva was already perfect in Ka consciousness there was no need
to instruct him in the process of devotional service. Therefore,
anticipating Nrada's possible reluctance, Vasudeva specifically requested
Nrada to preach to him about devotional service to Ka. This is the
symptom of a pure devotee. A pure devotee of Ka never considers
himself exalted. To the contrary, he meekly feels that his devotional
service is most imperfect but that somehow or other Lord Ka, out of
His causeless mercy, is accepting such imperfect service. Caitanya
Mahprabhu has stated in this regard,
td api suncena
taror api sahiun
amnin mnadena
krtanya sad hari
[Cc. di 17.31]
"One can chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind,
feeling himself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more
tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer
all respect to others." (ikaka 3) The conditioned souls in this
material world become falsely proud of their so-called family lineage. This
pride is false because one who has taken birth in the material world is in a
fallen situation, even in the best of cases. Vasudeva, however, was
certainly not fallen, since he had taken birth in the family of Ka. Since
he was Ka's father, his position was most exalted, yet because he was a
pure devotee he did not become proud of his special relationship with
Ka. Instead, considering himself deficient in spiritual understanding,
he took advantage of the appearance of Nrada Muni, a great preacher of
Ka consciousness, by immediately inquiring from him about
devotional service. This incomparable humility of a pure devotee of Ka
is far superior to the false humility of the impersonalist, who actually
maintains a desire to be equal to God though adopting the external
behavior of a meek and saintly person.
Bhayam, or fear, is caused by seeing something other than Ka
(dvitybhiniveata). Everything is actually an emanation from the

53

Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated in Vednta-sutra (janmdy asya

yata [SB 1.1.1]) and as confirmed in Bhagavad-gt (aha sarvasya
prabhava [Bg. 10.8], vsudeva sarvam iti, etc. [Bg. 7.19]). Ka is the
well-wishing friend of every living entity (suhdam sarva-bhtnm [Bg.
5.29]). If a living being gives up his misguided attempt to defy the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrenders to the Lord, certainly he
becomes confident in his eternal relationship with Ka. A surrendered
soul can actually experience that Ka is his well-wishing friend, and
since that friend is the supreme absolute controller of all existence, there
is certainly no cause for fear. The son of a rich man certainly feels
confident while touring the estate of his father. Similarly, an empowered
representative of the government feels confident in the discharge of his
duty. In the same way, a devotee of Ka, acting as a representative of the
Supreme Lord, feels confident because he can understand at every
moment that the entire material and spiritual creation is strictly under the
control of his benevolent master. The nondevotee, however, denies the
supreme position of Ka and therefore imagines that something is
different from Ka. For example, if a servant of the government thinks
that there is some dangerous obstacle that cannot be controlled by the
government's power, he becomes fearful. If a child feels that there is some
power that cannot be subdued by his father, then he becomes fearful.
Similarly, because we artificially think that there is something within
existence that is not under the strict control of the benevolent Lord, we
become fearful. Such a concept of a second thing (something other than
Ka) is called dvitybhinivea, and it immediately creates a foreign
atmosphere of bhayam, or fear. Ka is called abhayakara, which means
that He destroys all fear in the heart of His devotee.
Sometimes so-called scholars, distraught after many years of impersonal
speculation and enjoyment of materialistic life, become fearful and
anxious. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat compares such disturbed
philosophers to the bound vulture in the Chndogya Upaniad. Desiring
liberation from fear, such speculators unfortunately concoct an imaginary
liberation (vimukta-mnina) and try to take shelter of impersonal
spiritual existence or voidness. But the Bhgavatam (10.2.32) states,
ruhya kcchrea para pada tata/ patanty adho 'ndta-yumadaghraya: because such speculators have not rectified their original
mistake of rejecting their eternal relationship with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, they fall from their concocted liberation and thus

54

remain in a fearful condition. Vasudeva, however, is openly eager to hear

more and more about devotional service to Ka, and therefore he states,
yn rutv raddhay martyo mucyate sarvato bhayt: simply by hearing
about pure devotional service to Ka, a conditioned soul can easily free
himself from all types of fear, and this transcendental freedom is certainly
eternal.
TEXT 8
aha kila purnanta
prajrtho bhuvi mukti-dam
apjaya na mokya
mohito deva-myay
ahamI; kilaindeed; puralong ago; anantamthe Supreme Lord,
who is unlimited; praj-arthawanting a child; bhuvion the earth;
mukti-damthe Lord, who awards liberation; apjayamI worshiped; na
mokyanot for liberation; mohitabewildered; deva-myayby the
illusory energy of the Lord.
In a previous birth on this earth, I worshiped the Supreme Lord,
Ananta, who alone can award liberation, but because I desired to have a
child, I did not worship Him for liberation. Thus I was bewildered by
the Lord's illusory energy.
According to rdhara Svm the word kila (meaning "indeed, it is true,"
"it is said" or "as is well known") indicates that Vasudeva was
remembering the words the Lord had spoken to him when the Lord had
appeared as four-armed Viu in the prison of Kasa. rla Jva Gosvm
states that from the anxiety of Vasudeva, which is expressed in this verse
by the words apjaya na mokya mohito deva-myay, it is to be
discerned that Vasudeva had heard of the curse of the brhmaas at
Piraka against the Yadu dynasty and that he could understand from
this curse that the Lord's disappearance from the earth was imminent.
Vasudeva understood that the Lord's manifest pastimes within this
universe were coming to an end, and he now lamented that he had not
directly taken advantage of the opportunity to worship Ka to go back
home, back to Godhead.
Significantly, Vasudeva has used the word mukti-dam to describe the Lord.
Mukti-dam is a synonym of Mukunda, or that personality who can give

55

liberation from the cycle of birth and death. It is stated in Vedic literature
that even the demigods are bound to the cycle of birth and death,
although their life span is inconceivably long by earthly calculations. It is
the almighty God alone who can free the conditioned soul from the
reactions to his previous sinful activities and award him an eternal life of
bliss and knowledge.
Vasudeva lamented that he had desired Ka to come to him as a son
instead of desiring to go back to Ka, back to Godhead, to serve the
Lord in the spiritual sky. Commenting on this incident in the Tenth
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, rla Prabhupda has emphasized that we
should desire to go back home, back to Godhead, rather than try to bring
the Lord to this world as our son. Nor can we artificially imitate the
severe penances Vasudeva and Devak performed for thousands of
heavenly years in their previous births as Sutap and Pni. In this
connection rla Prabhupda states, "If we want to get the Supreme
Personality of Godhead to become one of us in this material world, this
requires great penance, but if we want to go back to Ka (tyaktv deha
punar janma naiti mm eti so 'rjuna [Bg. 4.9]), we need only understand
Him and love Him. Through love only we can very easily go back home,
back to Godhead." rla Prabhupda goes on to explain that Caitanya
Mahprabhu freely bestows the benediction of love of Ka, which
allows one to return to Ka's abode, through the chanting of the Hare
Ka mantra. This chanting process is far more effective in this age than
artificial attempts to perform severe penances and austerities. rla
Prabhupda concludes, "Therefore, one need not undergo severe
penances for many thousands of years. One need only learn how to love
Ka and be always engaged in His service (sevonmukhe hi jihvdau
svayam eva sphuraty ada [Brs. 31.2.234]). Then one can very easily go

ata r-ka-nmdi
na bhaved grhyam indriyai
sevonmukhe hi jihvdau
svayam eva sphuraty ada
3

"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form,
quality and pastimes of r Ka through his materially contaminated
senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental

56

back home, back to Godhead. Instead of bringing the Lord here for some
material purpose, to have a son or whatever else, if we go back home,
back to Godhead, our real relationship with the Lord is revealed, and we
eternally engage in our eternal relationship. By chanting the Hare Ka
mantra, we gradually develop our eternal relationship with the Supreme
Person and thus attain the perfection called svarpa-siddhi. We should
take advantage of this benediction and go back home, back to Godhead."
(SB 10.3.38 purport)
Although Vasudeva and Devak desired that Ka become their son, it
should be understood that they are devotees eternally situated in love of
Ka. As stated by the Lord Himself (SB 10.3.39), mohitau devamyay:
Vasudeva and Devak, His pure devotees, were covered by His internal
potency. In the Fourth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (4.1.20) the great
sage Atri Muni prayed to the Lord, prajm tma-sam mahya
prayacchatu: "Kindly be pleased to offer me a son exactly like You." Atri
Muni said he wanted a son exactly like the Lord, and therefore he was not
a pure devotee, because he had a desire to be fulfilled and that desire was
material. If he had desired the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his
child, he would have been completely free of material desires because he
would have wanted the Supreme Absolute Truth, but because he wanted a
similar child, his desire was material. Thus Atri Muni cannot be counted
among the pure devotees. Vasudeva and Devak, however, did want the
Lord Himself, and therefore they were pure devotees of the Lord. In this
verse, therefore, Vasudeva's statement apjaya na mokya mohito devamyay should be taken to mean that Ka's internal potency bewildered
Vasudeva so that he would desire Ka as his son. This paved the way for
the Lord's appearance as the son of His loving devotees.
TEXT 9
yath vicitra-vyasand
bhavadbhir vivato-bhayt
mucyema hy ajasaivddh
tath na dhi su-vrata
yathso that; vicitra-vyasantwhich is full of various dangers;

service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and
pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." (Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.234)

57

bhavadbhibecause of you; vivata-bhayt(from this material world)

which is fearful everywhere; mucyemaI may be liberated; hiindeed;
ajaseasily; evaeven; addhdirectly; taththus; naus; dhi
please instruct; su-vrataO you who are always true to your vow.
My dear lord, you are always true to your vow. Please instruct me
clearly, so that by your mercy I may easily free myself from material
existence, which is full of many dangers and keeps us constantly bound
in fear.
The word mucyema is significant here. In the previous verse Vasudeva
stated that because he had been bewildered by the illusory energy of the
Lord he could not achieve from the Supreme Personality of Godhead the
boon of liberation. Therefore he is now approaching the pure devotee of
the Lord, confident that by the mercy of the Lord's devotee he will
certainly achieve liberation from material bondage.
In this connection the words ajas, "easily," and addh, "directly," are
very important. Although foolish persons proudly want to jump up
directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead without accepting His
pure devotee as spiritual master, those who are experienced in spiritual
science know that by submission and service at the lotus feet of a pure
devotee one directly contacts the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the
rmad-Bhgavatam (11.17.27) Lord Ka has stated, crya m
vijnyn nvamanyeta karhicit. Thus one should understand that the pure
devotee of Ka stands on the same spiritual level as the Lord Himself.
This does not mean that a pure devotee is also God, but because of his
intimate loving connection with the Lord, he is accepted by the Lord as
being the Lord's very soul. In other words, Ka is always in the heart of
His pure devotee, and the pure devotee is always in the heart of Ka.
Although r Ka is eternally the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one
without a second, the Lord is more pleased to see His pure devotee
worshiped. Therefore the Lord says, crya m vijnyt. One must
offer the same respect to the Vaiava spiritual master as one would offer
to the Lord. Therefore as soon as one pleases the Vaiava spiritual
master, one immediately pleases Ka and makes spiritual advancement.
The word ajas means that this bona fide process is the easiest method
of achieving spiritual perfection. And because the pure devotee is a
transparent medium, the word addh, "directly," is used, indicating that
service rendered to the pure devotee goes directly to the lotus feet of

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Ka, whereas service one whimsically offers to Ka directly, bypassing

the bona fide spiritual master, is not actually accepted and is therefore
useless.
Those who actually desire the highest perfection, that of going back
home, back to the eternal, blissful kingdom of Ka, should study very
carefully the example shown by r Vasudeva in these two verses. He
indicates that although one cannot achieve liberation by directly
worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can very easily
achieve the perfection of life simply by a moment's association with a pure
devotee of Lord Ka such as Nrada Muni, the exalted Vaiava saint
among the demigods.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the word vivato-bhayt indicates that
Vasudeva very much feared the curse of the brhmaas. As one can
become perfect by worshiping the Vaiavas, by displeasing the Vaiavas
one can bring about all misfortune. Thus Vasudeva feared the curse
delivered by the brhmaas at Piraka-trtha.
TEXT 10
r-uka uvca
rjann eva kta-prano
vasudevena dhmat
prtas tam ha devarir
hare sasmrito guai
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; rjanO King; evamthus;
kta-pranaquestioned; vasudevenaby Vasudeva; dhmatthe
intelligent; prtapleased; tamto him; haspoke; deva-ithe
sage among the demigods; hareof Lord Hari; sasmritamade to
remember; guaiby the qualities.
ukadeva Gosvm said: O King, Devari Nrada was pleased by the
questions of the highly intelligent Vasudeva. Because they suggested
the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
they reminded Nrada of Lord Ka. Thus Nrada replied to Vasudeva
as follows.
TEXT 11
r-nrada uvca

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samyag etad vyavasita

bhavat stvatarabha
yat pcchase bhgavatn
dharms tva viva-bhvann
r-nrada uvcaNrada Muni said; samyakcorrectly; etatthis;
vyavasitamdetermined; bhavatby you; stvata-abhaO best of the
Stvata clan; yatbecause; pcchaseyou are asking about; bhgavatn
dharmnduties toward the Supreme Lord; tvamyou; viva-bhvann
which can purify the entire universe.
r Nrada said: O best of the Stvatas, you have quite correctly asked
about the eternal duty of the living entity toward the Supreme Lord.
Such devotional service to the Lord is so potent that its performance
can purify the entire universe.
A similar statement was made by r ukadeva Gosvm in the first verse
of the Second Canto when he congratulated Parkit Mahrja for asking
about Ka.
varyn ea te prana
kto loka-hita npa
tmavit-sammata pus
rotavydiu ya para
[SB 2.1.1]
"My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all
kinds of people. The answer to this question is the prime subject matter
for hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists."
Similarly, rla Sta Gosvm congratulated the inquiring sages of
Naimiraya in the following words:
munaya sdhu po 'ha
bhavadbhir loka-magalam
yat kta ka-samprano
yentm suprasdati
"O sages, I have been justly questioned by you. Your questions are worthy
because they relate to Lord Ka and so are of relevance to the world's

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welfare. Only questions of this sort are capable of completely satisfying

the self." (SB 1.2.5)
Nrada will now answer Vasudeva's inquiry about the process of
devotional service. Later, at the end of their conversation, he will reply to
Vasudeva's comments about Vasudeva's own faulty intentions.
TEXT 12
ruto 'nupahito dhyta
dto vnumodita
sadya punti sad-dharmo
deva-viva-druho 'pi hi
rutaheard; anupahitasubsequently chanted; dhytameditated
on; dtafaithfully accepted; vor; anumoditapraised when
performed by others; sadyaimmediately; puntipurifies; satdharmapure devotional service; devato the demigods; vivaand to
the universe; druhathose who are hateful; api hieven.
Pure devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord is spiritually so
potent that simply by hearing about such transcendental service, by
chanting its glories in response, by meditating on it, by respectfully and
faithfully accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of others,
even persons who hate the demigods and all other living beings can be
immediately purified.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has commented that the word
sad-dharma refers to bhgavata-dharma. This is also confirmed by rdhara
Svm. Bhgavata-dharma is spiritually so powerful that even those who
by worldly standards are implicated in various ways in sinful behavior can
easily be purified by adopting any of the processes mentioned in this
verse. In the practice of ordinary piety, one worships God with the
expectation of receiving something in return for one's service. Similarly,
the impersonalist aspires for his own liberation, wishfully thinking that he
will become equal to God. In bhgavata-dharma, however, there is no
such impurity. Bhgavata-dharma is devotional service to the Lord in
which the only objective is the satisfaction of the Lord. If one rejects this
process and instead wants to hear about, teach or meditate upon another
process, the chance for immediate purification is lost.
Neither ordinary materialistic yoga processes meant for achieving mystic

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powers nor impersonal processes based on speculation have the power to

purify immediately those who have fallen into sinful behavior. Saddharma, or bhgavata-dharma, pure devotional service to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is unique in that even the most fallen souls can
immediately rise to the highest perfectional stage by surrendering at the
lotus feet of Ka or His pure devotee. This was vividly demonstrated in
the preaching work of Caitanya Mahprabhu, especially in the case of the
sinful brothers Jagi and Mdhi.
TEXT 13
tvay parama-kalya
puya-ravaa-krtana
smrito bhagavn adya
devo nryao mama
tvayby you; paramasupremely; kalyablissful; puyavery
pious; ravaahearing; krtanaand chanting (about whom);
smritabrought to memory; bhagavnthe Supreme Lord; adya
today; deva nryaaLord Nryaa; mamamy.
Today you have made me remember my Lord, the supremely blissful
Personality of Godhead, Nryaa. The Supreme Lord is so auspicious
that whoever hears and chants about Him becomes completely pious.
rla Jva Gosvm has stated, nryaas tda-dharme madya-guru-rpo
nryaari. The word nryaa in this verse refers to the incarnation of
Godhead Nryaa i, who acted as Nrada's spiritual master in this
dharma. rla Jva Gosvm has also pointed out, smrita iti
kopsanveena tasypi vismarat. The word smrita, "he is brought
back to memory," indicates that because of Nrada's absorption in the
worship of Ka he had forgotten Lord Nara-Nryaa. In other words, if
intense engagement in devotional service makes one sometimes forget the
Personality of Godhead, by Ka's arrangement such a sincere servitor
will again be reminded of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 14
atrpy udharantmam
itihsa purtanam
rabh ca savda

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videhasya mahtmana
atra apiin this very matter (of describing bhgavata-dharma);
udharantiis given as an example; imamthis; itihsamhistorical
account; purtanamancient; rabhmof the sons of abha; ca
and; savdamthe conversation; videhasyawith Janaka, King of
Videha; mah-tmanawho was a great broad-minded soul.
To explain the devotional service of the Lord, sages have related the
ancient history of the conversation between the great soul King Videha
and the sons of abha.
The words itihsam purtanam, meaning "ancient historical account," are
significant here. rmad-Bhgavatam is nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam
[SB 1.1.3], the ripe fruit of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge. In the
pages of the Bhgavatam we find true historical narrations relating to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and the liberation of the conditioned
souls. These historical accounts are not fiction or mythology, but describe
the wonderful activities of the Lord and His devotees that took place in
yugas previous to the advent of this puny age. Although mundane
scholars have foolishly tried to depict the Bhgavatam as a mythological
work or a recent creation, the actual fact is that rmad-Bhgavatam is a
perfect transcendental literature describing not only the entire situation of
this universe but also that which lies far beyond this universe, in both the
material and spiritual skies. If one seriously studies the rmadBhgavatam he becomes the most learned intellectual man. Caitanya
Mahprabhu desires that all pious persons become highly learned by
hearing rmad-Bhgavatam and then preach the glories of the Lord in a
scientific way all over the world. It is essential that we hear these
historical narrations, such as the conversation between the nava-yogendras
and King Videha, with complete faith and submission. Then, as stated in
verse 12 of this chapter, even if our former life is filled with abominable
activities, simply by hearing rmad-Bhgavatam we shall be promoted to
the same transcendental status as the Lord and His pure devotees. This is
the extraordinary power of bhgavata history, as contrasted with useless,
mundane historical accounts, which ultimately serve no purpose.
Although mundane historians justify their work on the plea that we have
to learn from history, we can practically see that the world situation is
now rapidly deteriorating into unbearable conflict and chaos while so-

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called historians stand helplessly by. But the bhgavata historians who
have faithfully heard rmad-Bhgavatam can give perfect and potent
instructions for the restoration of a peaceful and blissful world. Therefore
those who are inclined to enrich their intellectual life through the study of
history should educate themselves in the historical narrations of rmadBhgavatam. This will bring them the perfection of intellectual and
spiritual life.
TEXT 15
priyavrato nma suto
mano svyambhuvasya ya
tasygndhras tato nbhir
abhas tat-suta smta
priyavrataMahrja Priyavrata; nmaby name; sutathe son;
mano svyambhuvasyaof Svyambhuva Manu; yawho; tasyahis;
gndhra(son was) gndhra; tatafrom him (gndhra); nbhi
King Nbhi; abhaLord abhadeva; tat-sutahis son; smtais so
remembered.
Svyambhuva Manu had a son named Mahrja Priyavrata, and among
Priyavrata's sons was gndhra. From gndhra was born Nbhi, whose
son was known as abhadeva.
The genealogical background of the sons of abhadeva is given in this
verse.
TEXT 16
tam hur vsudeva
moka-dharma-vivakay
avatra suta-ata
tasysd brahma-pragam
tamHim; huthey call; vsudeva-aama plenary expansion of the
Supreme Lord, Vasudeva; moka-dharmathe process of attaining
liberation; vivakaywith the desire to teach; avatramappeared in
this world; sutasons; atamone hundred; tasyaHis; stthere
were; brahmathe Vedas; pra-gamwho perfectly assimilated.
r abhadeva is accepted as an expansion of the Supreme Lord,

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Vsudeva. He incarnated in this world to propagate those religious

principles that lead living entities to ultimate liberation. He had one
hundred sons, all perfect in Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 17
te vai bharato jyeho
nryaa-paryaa
vikhyta varam etad yannmn bhratam adbhutam
temof them; vaiindeed; bharataBharata; jyehathe oldest;
nryaa-paryaacompletely devoted to Lord Nryaa; vikhytam
is famous; varamthe planet; etatthis; yat-nmnby whose name;
bhratamBhrata-vara; adbhutamwonderful.
Of the one hundred sons of Lord abhadeva, the eldest, Bharata, was
completely devoted to Lord Nryaa. It is because of Bharata's fame
that this planet is now celebrated as the great Bhrata-vara.
TEXT 18
sa bhukta-bhog tyaktvem
nirgatas tapas harim
upsnas tat-padav
lebhe vai jannabhis tribhi
sahe; bhuktaused up; bhogmall the pleasures; tyaktvrejecting;
immof this (earth); nirgatahaving left home; tapasby austerities;
harimthe Supreme Lord, Hari; upsnahaving worshiped; tatpadavmHis destination; lebhehe achieved; vaiindeed; janmabhi
in births; tribhithree.
King Bharata rejected this material world, considering all types of
material pleasure temporary and useless. Leaving his beautiful young
wife and family, he worshiped Lord Hari by severe austerities and
attained the abode of the Lord after three lifetimes.
The complete narration of the three lives of Bharataas a king, as a deer
and as an exalted paramahasa devotee of the Lordis given in the Fifth

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Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam.
TEXT 19
te nava nava-dvpapatayo 'sya samantata
karma-tantra-praetra
ektir dvijtaya
temof them (the one hundred sons of abhadeva); navanine; navadvpaof the nine islands (comprising Bhrata-vara); patayathe
masters; asyaof this vara; samantatacovering it entirely; karmatantraof the path of fruitive Vedic sacrifices; praetrainitiators;
ektieighty-one; dvi-jtayatwice-born brhmaas.
Nine of the remaining sons of abhadeva became the rulers of the nine
islands of Bhrata-vara, and they exercised complete sovereignty over
this planet. Eighty-one sons became twice-born brhmaas and helped
initiate the Vedic path of fruitive sacrifices [karma-ka].
The nine dvpas, or islands, ruled by nine sons of abhadeva are the nine
varas of Jambdvpa, namely Bhrata, Kinnara, Hari, Kuru, Hiramaya,
Ramyaka, Ilvta, Bhadrva and Ketumla.
TEXTS 20-21
navbhavan mah-bhg
munayo hy artha-asina
rama vta-rasan
tma-vidy-virad
kavir havir antarka
prabuddha pippalyana
virhotro 'tha drumila
camasa karabhjana
navanine; abhavanthere were; mah-bhggreatly fortunate souls;
munayasages; hiindeed; artha-asinaengaged in explaining the
Absolute Truth; ramathus exerting great endeavor; vta-rasan
dressed by the wind (naked); tma-vidyin spiritual science;
viradlearned; kavi havi antarkaKavi, Havir and Antarka;
prabuddha pippalyanaPrabuddha and Pippalyana; virhotra

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virhotra; athaalso; drumilaDrumila; camasa karabhjana

Camasa and Karabhjana.
The nine remaining sons of abha were greatly fortunate sages who
worked vigorously to spread knowledge of the Absolute Truth. They
wandered about naked and were very well versed in spiritual science.
Their names were Kavi, Havir, Antarka, Prabuddha, Pippalyana,
virhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhjana.
Nimi, the King of Videha, asked the following nine questions of the nine
Yogendras, the saintly sons of abha. (1) What is the highest good?
(Chapter Two, verse 30); (2) What are the religious principles (dharma),
natural proclivities (svabhva), behavior (cra), speech (vkya) and
outward symptoms (lakaa) of a bhgavata, a Vaiava devotee of the
Lord? (2.44); (3) What is the external energy of Viu, the Supreme
Lord? (3.1); (4) How can one become dissociated from this my? (3.17);
(5)What is the true identity of Brahman? (3.34); (6) What are the three
types of karma, namely karma based on the enjoyment of the fruits of
work, karma offered to the Supreme Lord, and naikarmya? (3.41); (7)
What are the various pastimes of the various incarnations of God? (4.1);
(8) What is the aim or destination of one who is against the Supreme Lord
and devoid of bhakti (in other words, a nondevotee)? (5.1); and (9)What
are the respective colors, forms and names of the four yugvatras, the
four incarnations of the Supreme Lord who appear in the four ages, and
what is the process of worshiping each of Them? (5.19).
The transcendental answers to these inquiries were given by the great
devotees Kavi, Havir, Antarka, Prabuddha, Pippalyana, virhotra,
Drumila, Camasa and Karabhjana. These nine paramahasas answered
the nine questions, each in turn, in the following verses: (1) 2.33-43; (2)
2.45-55; (3) 3.3-16; (4) 3.18-33; (5) 3.35-40; (6) 3.43-55; (7) 4.2-23; (8)
5.2-18; and (9) 5.20-42.
TEXT 22
ta ete bhagavad-rpa
viva sad-asad-tmakam
tmano 'vyatirekea
payanto vyacaran mahm
te etethese (nine Yogendras); bhagavatof the Supreme Lord; rpama

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form; vivamthe entire universe; sat-asat-tmakamconsisting of both

gross and subtle objects; tmanafrom the self; avyatirekeaas
nondifferent; payantaseeing; vyacaranthey wandered; mahmthe
earth.
These sages wandered the earth seeing the entire universe, with all its
gross and subtle objects, as a manifestation of the Supreme Lord and as
nondifferent from the self.
According to rla rdhara Svm, it is clearly demonstrated in this and
the following verse that the nine saintly sons of abhadeva known as the
nava-yogendras were situated in the highest stage of spiritual perfection,
called pramahasya-caritam, or "having fully developed the character of
paramahasas." In other words, they were pure devotees of the Lord.
According to rdhara Svm and Jva Gosvm, the words tmano
'vyatirekea indicate that the nine sages saw the universe as being
nondifferent from themselves as well as nondifferent from the Supreme
Soul, Lord Ka. Vivantha Cakravart hkura has additionally
commented, tmana paramtmana sakd avyatirekea, vivasya tacchakti-mayatvd iti bhva: "tmana indicates the Supersoul. This
universe is not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Paramtm, since the entire universe is composed of His energy."
Although it is stated here that the cosmic manifestation is nondifferent
from both the living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one
should not think that either the living entity or the Supreme Lord is
material. A Vedic aphorism states, asago hy aya purua: "The living
entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead have nothing to do with
the material world." Furthermore, Bhagavad-gt says that the entire
universe, consisting of eight gross and subtle elements, constitutes the
bhinn prakti, or apar praktithe separated, inferior energyof the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Ka clearly states in Bhagavadgt that He has eternally established His own abode in the kingdom of
God, where life is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge, and that the living
entity, being part and parcel of God, is also eternal (mamaivo jva-loke
jva-bhta santana [Bg. 15.7]). Furthermore, once having gone to that
eternal abode of the Lord the living entity never returns to this temporary
manifestation (ya prpya na nivartante tad dhma parama mama).
One may therefore ask why the living entity and the Supreme Lord are
stated to be nondifferent from the material universe. The question is very

68

nicely answered by rla Nrada Muni in the First Canto of rmadBhgavatam (1.5.20). Ida hi viva bhagavn ivetaro yato jagat-sthnanirodha-sambhav: "The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead is
Himself this cosmos, and still He is aloof from it. From Him only has this
cosmic manifestation emanated, in Him it rests, and unto Him it enters
after annihilation." Commenting on Nrada's statement, rla Prabhupda
has very nicely explained this delicate philosophical point: "For a pure
devotee, the conception of Mukunda, Lord r Ka, is both personal and
impersonal. The impersonal cosmic situation is also Mukunda because it
is the emanation of the energy of Mukunda. For example, a tree is a
complete unit, whereas the leaves and branches of the tree are emanated
parts and parcels of the tree. The leaves and branches of the tree are also
the tree, but the tree itself is neither the leaves nor the branches. The
Vedic version that the whole cosmic creation is nothing but Brahman
means that since everything is emanating from the Supreme Brahman,
nothing is apart from Him. Similarly, the part-and-parcel hands and legs
are called the body, but the body as the whole unit is neither the hands
nor the legs. The Lord is the transcendental form of eternity, cognition
and beauty. And thus the creation of the energy of the Lord appears to be
partially eternal, full of knowledge and beautiful also....
"According to the Vedic version, the Lord is naturally fully powerful, and
thus His supreme energies are always perfect and identical with Him. Both
the spiritual and the material skies and their paraphernalia are emanations
of the internal and external energies of the Lord. External energy is
comparatively inferior, whereas the internal potency is superior. The
superior energy is living force, and therefore she is completely identical
[with the Lord], but the external energy, being inert, is partially identical.
But both the energies are neither equal to nor greater than the Lord, who
is the generator of all energies; such energies are always under His
control, exactly as electrical energy, however powerful it may be, is always
under the control of the engineer.
"The human being and all other living beings are products of His internal
energies. Thus the living being is also identical with the Lord. But he is
never equal or superior to the Personality of Godhead."
rla Prabhupda has clearly explained here that both the cosmic
manifestation and the living entities are emanations from the Supreme
Lord, as confirmed both in Vedanta-sutra and in the opening statement of
rmad-Bhgavatam. Janmdy asya yata: [SB 1.1.1] "The Absolute Truth

69

is that from which everything emanates." Similarly, the opaniad states:

o pram ada pram ida
prt pram udacyate
prasya pram dya
pram evvaiyate
[o Invocation]
The Supreme Lord, the Absolute Truth, is pra, or complete in Himself.
And since this cosmic world is a manifestation of His potency, it also
appears to be pra. In other words, because this material world is an
emanation from the Supreme Lord, it is nondifferent from Him, exactly as
the sun's rays are nondifferent from the sun globe, which is the source of
their emanation. Similarly the living beings, who are expansions of the
superior, or conscious, energy of the Supreme Lord, are also nondifferent
from Ka, although this nondifference is qualitative and not
quantitative. The gold found in golden ornaments such as rings and
bracelets is qualitatively identical with the gold in a mine, but the gold in
the mine is quantitatively far superior to the tiny quantity of gold in a
bracelet or ring. Similarly, although we are qualitatively one with God,
being spiritual emanations of His unlimited potency, we are quantitatively
infinitesimal and eternally subordinate to His supreme power. Therefore
the Lord is called vibhu, or infinitely potent, and we are au, or
infinitesimal and dependent. This is further confirmed in the Vedic
literature by the statement nityo nityn cetana cetannm/ eko bahn
yo vidadhti kmn (Kaha Upaniad 2.2.13). There are innumerable
eternal living entities who are eternally and totally dependent upon the
supreme singular living entity, the Supreme Lord. That dependence is not
an illusion created by material existence, as stated by the impersonalist
philosophers, but is an eternal relationship in which the Lord is eternally
superior and we are eternally inferior. The Lord is eternally independent,
and we are eternally dependent. The Lord is eternally absolute in Himself,
and we are eternally relative to His supreme personality.
Although the Lord is infinitely greater than any other living being, or than
all of them combined, every living being is qualitatively nondifferent from
the Lord, because all living beings are parts and parcels emanating from
Him (mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana [Bg. 15.7]). Therefore,
in one sense, the living entity is also not different from the material

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cosmic manifestation, which is an inferior sister energy of the Lord. Both

the living entity and the material nature are prakti, or feminine,
dependent expansions of the supreme purua. The difference is that the
living entity is the superior energy of the Lord, because the living entity is
conscious and eternal like the Lord, whereas material energy is the
inferior energy of the Lord, lacking consciousness and eternal form.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has emphasized in this regard
that the absolute substance is one and is called Paramtm, or the
Supersoul. When one has achieved but a partial vision of the Paramtm,
one's understanding of life is called tma-darana, or self-realization. And
when even this partial understanding is lacking, one's existential
condition is called antma-darana, or ignorance of the self. In the state of
partial realization of the Supersoul, without recognition of the
Paramtm's distinction from the individual soul, the living entity tends
to become puffed up by his spiritual achievement, be carried away by
mental concoction, and consider himself equal in all respects with God.
On the other hand, the living entity situated in antma-darana, or
material ignorance, feels that he is completely different from the Supreme
Lord; and since everyone in this material world is interested in himself,
the living entity forgets about God, thinking that God is completely
different from him and that there is therefore no substantial relationship
between him and God. In this way the impersonal transcendentalists
emphasize only the oneness between God and the living entity, whereas
the ordinary materialists overemphasize the difference between God and
the living entity. But Caitanya Mahprabhu has clearly revealed that the
Ultimate Truth is simultaneous oneness and difference (acintyabhedbheda-tattva). Actually we are eternally different from God. Because
the living entity and God are eternally separate individual entities, there
exists the possibility of an eternal relationship. And because every living
entity is qualitatively one with the Supreme Lord, that relationship
constitutes the essence of the ultimate reality for every living being. As
stated in the Caitanya-caritmta (Madhya 20.108), jvera 'svarpa' hayakera 'nitya-dsa.' The ultimate essential identity of every living entity is
his relationship with the Supreme Lord as a servitor of the Lord.
If one can understand that he is an eternal servant of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, one can correctly understand that both the living
entity and the material universe are identical with Ka, being
emanations from Him, and that they are therefore nondifferent from each

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other. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat has stated, "The material world is a

manifestation of simultaneous difference and nondifference, and it is a
form of the Supreme Lord. Thus the temporary, perishable and everchanging material world is different from Vaikuha, the eternal world."
It should be noted that in this verse the word sad-asad-tmakam, or "made
up of gross and subtle objects," does not refer to material and spiritual
objects. This universe is stated to be composed of sat and asat, gross and
subtle material objects. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, "The
very subtle state within the manifest world is known as 'the unmanifest,'
and the realm beyond the manifest world is called 'transcendental.' Within
the coverings surrounding the manifest, in the region of the time factor, is
the phase of material existence experienced by the controlling deities; in
this phase exist the two functions cause (asat) and effect (sat). In the
universe, which is a third tattva, or reality (apart from and containing
both sat and asat), and which is a form of the Supreme Lord, it is
impossible to produce any contradiction to the nondual Absolute Truth."
In other words, although ignorant, materialistic scientists may zealously
carry out research to find a material principle that can negate or render
unnecessary the existence of God, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat clearly
states that since the universe is an emanation from the Lord and therefore
spiritually identical with Him, there cannot possibly exist anywhere
within the universe a material law, principle or phenomenon that in any
way contradicts the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. In fact, the
entire universe, along with the spiritual sky, exists as eternal testimony to
the unlimited glory of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka. With
this understanding, the nine Yogendras were traveling about the earth in
transcendental bliss.
TEXT 23
avyhatea-gataya sura-siddha-sdhyagandharva-yaka-nara-kinnara-nga-lokn
mukt caranti muni-craa-bhtanthavidydhara-dvija-gav bhuvanni kmam
avyhataunimpeded; ia-gatayain moving as they please; suraof
the demigods; siddhaperfected mystics; sdhyaSdhyas; gandharva
heavenly musicians; yakaassociates of Kuvera; narahuman beings;
kinnaraminor demigods who can change their form at will; ngaand
serpents; loknthe worlds; muktfree; carantithey travel; muniof

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the sages; craaangels; bhta-nthaghostly followers of Lord iva;

vidydharaVidydharas; dvijabrhmaas; gavmand of the cows;
bhuvannithe worlds; kmamhowever they want.
The nine Yogendras are liberated souls who travel freely to the planets
of the demigods, the perfected mystics, the Sdhyas, the heavenly
musicians, the Yakas, the human beings, and the minor demigods such
as the Kinnaras and the serpents. No mundane force can check their
free movement, and exactly as they wish they can travel as well to the
worlds of the sages, the angels, the ghostly followers of Lord iva, the
Vidydharas, the brhmaas and the cows.
TEXT 24
ta ekad nime satram
upajagmur yadcchay
vityamnam ibhir
ajanbhe mahtmana
tethey; ekadonce; nimeof King Nimi; satramthe soma sacrifice;
upajagmuthey
approached;
yadcchayas
they
wished;
vityamnambeing carried out; ibhiby sages; ajanbhein
Ajanbha (the old name for Bhrata-vara); mah-tmanaof the great
soul.
Once in Ajanbha [the former name of the earth], they came upon the
sacrificial performance of the great soul Mahrja Nimi, which was
being carried out under the direction of elevated sages.
TEXT 25
tn dv srya-sakn
mah-bhgavatn npa
yajamno 'gnayo vipr
sarva evopatasthire
tnthem; dvseeing; sryathe sun; saknwho rivaled in
brilliance; mah-bhgavatnthe pure devotees of the Lord; npaO
King (Vasudeva); yajamnathe performer of the sacrifice (Nimi
Mahrja); agnayathe fires; viprthe brhmaas; sarveeveryone;

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evaeven; upatasthirestood in respect.

My dear King, seeing those pure devotees of the Lord, who rival the sun
in brilliance, everyone presentthe performer of the sacrifice, the
brhmaas and even the sacrificial firesstood in respect.
TEXT 26
videhas tn abhipretya
nryaa-paryan
prta sampjay cakre
sana-sthn yathrhata
videhaNimi Mahrja; tnthem; abhipretyarecognizing; nryaaparyanas devotees whose only goal was Nryaa; prtasatisfied;
sampjaym cakrehe fully worshiped them; sana-sthnwho had been
seated; yath-arhataas they deserved.
King Videha [Nimi] understood that the nine sages were exalted
devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, overjoyed
at their auspicious arrival, he offered them suitable sitting places and
worshiped them in a proper way, just as one would worship the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The word yathrhata is significant here. According to Vivantha
Cakravart the word yathrhata means yathocitam, or "according to the
proper etiquette." It is clearly mentioned here that the nava-yogendras are
nryaa-paryaa, exalted devotees of the Supreme Lord, Nryaa, or
Ka. Therefore, the word yathrhata indicates that the King worshiped
the nine sages according to the standard Vaiava etiquette. The etiquette
for worshiping exalted Vaiavas is expressed by Vivantha Cakravart
hkura with the words skd-dharitvena samasta-strai: an exalted
Vaiava, being totally surrendered to the will of the Supreme Lord, is
taken to be a transparent medium for the Lord's will. In the Caitanyacaritmta it is stated that even by a moment's association with the pure
devotees of the Lord one can achieve all perfection in life. Therefore, as
indicated by the word prta, King Nimi was overjoyed by the auspicious
arrival of the sages, and therefore he worshiped them just as one would
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Although impersonalist philosophers claim that every living entity is

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equal to God, they callously step over the heads of their so-called spiritual
masters and freely speculate on the nature of the Absolute, giving their
own whimsical opinions in defiance of the impersonal whims of their socalled gurus. In other words, although Myvd impersonalists claim that
everyone is God, they ultimately show an offensive mentality toward the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in rejecting the reality of His eternal
form and pastimes. Thus, they unwittingly belittle the eternal position of
all living beings by denying their eternal personality and activities in the
kingdom of God. The impersonalists, through their mental concoctions,
try to minimize the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
the living entities who are part of Him, reducing them theoretically to a
formless, nameless light, which by their concoction they claim to be the
Absolute God. The Vaiavas, however, welcome the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and easily understand that the unlimited Supreme Personality
has nothing to do with the conditioned, limited, mundane personalities
we find in the material world. The impersonalists arrogantly assume that
there could not be any transcendental or unlimited personality beyond
our present experience. But the Vaiavas intelligently understand that
there are many wonderful things far beyond our limited experience.
Therefore they accept the words of Ka, who states in Bhagavad-gt
(15.19):
yo mm evam asammho
jnti puruottamam
sa sarva-vid bhajati m
sarva-bhvena bhrata
"Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without
doubting, is the knower of everything, and he therefore engages himself
in full devotional service, O son of Bharata." In this connection rla
Prabhupda states, "There are many philosophical speculations about the
constitutional position of the living entities and the Supreme Absolute
Truth. Now in this verse the Supreme Personality of Godhead clearly
explains that anyone who knows Lord Ka as the Supreme Person is
actually the knower of everything. The imperfect knower goes on simply
speculating about the Absolute Truth, but the perfect knower, without
wasting his valuable time, engages directly in Ka consciousness, the
devotional service of the Supreme Lord.... It is not that one should simply
speculate academically. One should submissively hear from Bhagavad-gt

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that these living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Anyone who is able to understand this, according
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, r Ka, knows the purpose of
the Vedas; no one else knows the purpose of the Vedas." Therefore,
exalted devotees such as the nine Yogendras always accept the supremacy
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as expressed here by the word
nryaa-paryan.
King Nimi was a Vaiava, and therefore he worshiped the great sages
with the same respect with which he would worship the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, as shown by the word yathrhata. Although
impersonalists falsely claim that every living entity is equal to God, they
cannot properly respect any living being, because of their original offense
at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality. Their so-called worship, even
of their own gurus, is ultimately self-serving and opportunistic. When an
impersonalist imagines that he has become God, he has no further need
for his so-called guru. The Vaiava, however, because he accepts the
supremacy of the eternal Personality of Godhead, is ready and willing to
offer eternal respect to all living beings, especially to those most fortunate
living beings who have achieved shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord. A
Vaiava's worship of the Lord's representative is not self-serving or
opportunistic, but is an expression of eternal love for the Lord and His
representatives, as indicated here by the word prta. Therefore it is clear
from this verse that not only the nine exalted sons of abhadeva but also
King Nimi himself were all great devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in defiance of the artificial and limited concept of
impersonalism.
TEXT 27
tn rocamnn sva-ruc
brahma-putropamn nava
papraccha parama-prta
prarayvanato npa
tnthem; rocamnnglowing; sva-rucby their own effulgence;
brahma-putra-upamnjust like the sons of Brahm; navanine;
papracchahe asked; parama-prtatranscendentally overjoyed;
prarayawith humility; avanatabowed down; npathe King.
Overwhelmed by transcendental joy, the King humbly bowed his head

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and then proceeded to question the nine sages. These nine great souls
glowed with their own effulgence and thus appeared equal to the four
Kumras, the sons of Lord Brahm.
rla rdhara Svm has pointed out that the word sva-ruc indicates that
the nava-yogendras glowed from their own spiritual effulgence and not
due to their ornaments or any other cause. The Supreme Soul, Lord
Ka, is the original source of all light. His brilliantly glowing body is the
source of the all-pervading brahmajyoti, the immeasurable spiritual light
that is the resting place of innumerable universes (yasya prabh
prabhavato jagad-aa-koi [Bs. 5.40]). The individual soul, being part and
parcel of the Lord, is also self-effulgent. In fact, everything in the kingdom
of God is self-effulgent, as described in Bhagavad-gt (15.6):
na tad bhsayate sryo
na aako na pvaka
yad gatv na nivartante
tad dhma parama mama
It has already been described in many ways that the nava-yogendras were
pure devotees of the Lord. Being completely Ka conscious souls, they
naturally radiated the intense effulgence of the soul, as indicated here by
the word sva-ruc. rla rdhara Svm has also pointed out that the word
brahma-putropamn, meaning "equal to the sons of Brahm," indicates
that the nava-yogendras were on the same spiritual platform as the four
exalted Kumra brothers. It has been described in the Fourth Canto that
Mahrja Pthu received the four Kumras with great love and reverence,
and here King Nimi is similarly receiving the nine sons of Lord
abhadeva. Receiving exalted Vaiavas with love and reverence is
standard spiritual etiquette for those who desire progress and happiness
in life.
TEXT 28
r-videha uvca
manye bhagavata skt
pradn vo madhu-dvisa
vior bhtni lokn
pvanya caranti hi

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r-videha uvcaKing Videha said; manyeI consider; bhagavataof

the Supreme Lord; sktdirectly; pradnpersonal associates; va
you; madhu-dviaof the enemy of Madhu; visoof Lord Viu;
bhtnithe servants; loknmof all the worlds; pvanyafor the
purification; carantithey move about; hiindeed.
King Videha said: I think that you must be direct associates of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is famous as the enemy of the
demon Madhu. Indeed, the pure devotees of Lord Viu wander
throughout the universe not for their personal, selfish interest, but to
purify all the conditioned souls.
King Nimi here welcomes the great sages by glorifying their
transcendental activities. It is well known that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is transcendental to the three modes of material nature, as stated
in Bhagavad-gt (7.13): mm ebhya param avyayam. Similarly, His pure
devotees are also on the transcendental platform. One may ask how such
transcendental living beings as the associates of Lord Viu could be seen
within the material world. Therefore it is stated here, pvanya caranti hi:
the associates of Lord Viu travel throughout the universe to reclaim the
fallen, conditioned souls on behalf of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. A representative of the governor may be seen moving within
the prison house, but that does not mean that the governor's
representative has become a conditioned prisoner. It is understood that he
is within the prison to negotiate the possible release of those prisoners
who have rectified their criminal propensity. Similarly, the devotees of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead called parivrjakcryas wander
throughout the universe inviting everyone to surrender to Lord Ka and
go back home, back to Godhead, for an eternal life of bliss and
knowledge.
In the Sixth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam the mercy of the associates of
Lord Viu has been described in connection with the salvation of
Ajmila. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that the
associates of Lord Viu are as merciful as the Lord Himself. Even though
the ignorant members of human society are not interested in approaching
the servants of Lord Viu, the devotees of the Lord, without any false
prestige, act to liberate the conditioned souls from their perpetual
misfortune.

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TEXT 29
durlabho mnuo deho
dehin kaa-bhagura
tatrpi durlabha manye
vaikuha-priya-daranam
durlabhadifficult to achieve; mnuahuman; deha-body;
dehinmfor embodied beings; kaa-bhaguraprone to be destroyed
at any moment; tatrain that human body; apieven; durlabhammore
difficult to achieve; manyeI consider; vaikuhapriyaof those who are
dear to the Supreme Lord, Vaikuha; daranamthe vision.
For the conditioned souls, the human body is most difficult to achieve,
and it can be lost at any moment. But I think that even those who have
achieved human life rarely gain the association of pure devotees, who
are dear to the Lord of Vaikuha.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word dehinm means bahavo deh
bhavant ye te, "the conditioned souls, who accept innumerable
material bodies." According to some wishful thinkers a living entity in the
human form of life will never be degraded to a lower form such as that of
an animal or plant. But despite this wishful thinking, it is a fact that
according to our activities at the present, we will be elevated or degraded
by the laws of God. At the present time in human society there is no clear
or precise understanding of the nature of life. Foolish scientists have
invented highly sophisticated terminologies and theories to bluff innocent
people into believing that life comes from chemical reactions. His Divine
Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda has exposed this bluff in his
book Life Comes From Life, which points out that although scientists claim
that life comes from chemicals, they cannot produce so much as an insect,
even from unlimited quantities of chemicals. Actually, life and
consciousness are symptoms of the spirit soul.
In Life Comes From Life (page 43), rla Prabhupda has stated, "Living
beings move from one bodily form to another. The forms already exist.
The living entity simply transfers himself, just as a man transfers himself
from one apartment to another. One apartment is first class, another is
second class, and another is third class. Suppose a person comes from a
lower-class apartment to a first-class apartment. The person is the same.
But now, according to his capacity for payment, or karma, he is able to

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occupy a higher-class apartment. Real evolution does not mean physical

development, but development of consciousness." Within every species of
life there is consciousness, and that consciousness is the symptom of the
living entity, who is the superior energy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Without understanding this essential point of the
transmigration of the conscious living entity throughout 8,400,000
species of life, one cannot possibly understand the words durlabho mnuo
deha, "the human body is very rarely achieved."
People are now being cheated of this essential understanding. They are
completely unaware of the danger of slipping back into the eight million
species that lie below the human species. It is natural that a human being
think in terms of progress. We want to feel that our life is progressing and
that we are advancing and improving the quality of our life. Therefore, it
is urgent that people be informed of the great danger of misusing the
valuable human life and that they know of the great opportunity the
human life affords, the opportunity to take to Ka consciousness. Just as
on earth different residential areas are divided into high class, middle
class and low class, within the universe there are upper-class, middle-class
and lower-class planets. By practice of the yoga system, or by meticulous
execution of religious rituals, one can transfer himself to the higher
planets within this universe. On the other hand, by neglecting religious
principles one will degrade himself to a lower planet. But the Supreme
Lord, Ka, declares in Bhagavad-gt (8.16), brahma-bhuvanl lok
punar vartino 'rjuna. Thus the final conclusion is that every planet within
the material universe is an unsuitable and inappropriate residence,
because on each planet there are the primal defects old age and death. The
Lord assures us, however, that in His transcendental abode, which lies far
beyond the material cosmos, life is everlasting, blissful and absolutely
cognizant. The material world is temporary, troublesome and rife with
ignorance, but the spiritual world, called Vaikuha, is eternal, blissful
and full of perfect knowledge.
The highly evolved human brain is a gift given by God so that we may use
our intelligence to distinguish between that which is eternal and that
which is temporary. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (2.16),
nsato vidyate bhvo
nbhvo vidyate sata
ubhayor api do 'ntas
tv anayos tattva-daribhi

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"Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that matter has no
permanent existence whereas the spirit soul never ceases to exist. Learned
seers have concluded this by studying the nature of both."
Those who have accepted the Supreme Lord and His abode as the ultimate
goal of life are called vaikuha-priya. Here King Nimi states that to have
the personal association of such learned transcendentalists is certainly the
perfection of human life. In this connection rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura suggests that we consider the following verse:
n-deham dya su-labha su-durlabha
plava su-kalpa guru-karadhram
maynuklena nabhasvaterita
pumn bhavbdhi na taret sa tma-h
"[The Supreme Lord said:] The best of bodies, a human body, is a great
attainment, rarely achieved, and may be compared to a boat. The guru is
an expert captain for this boat, and I have sent favorable winds (the
Vedas). Thus I have given all facilities for crossing over the ocean of
material existence. Any human being who has achieved these excellent
facilities of human life but does not cross over the material ocean is to be
considered the killer of his own self." (SB 11.20.17)
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, the eternal servants of the
Supreme Lord, being controlled by powerful feelings of mercy, descend
into the material world as Vaiavas to deliver the conditioned souls who
are bound by the results of their own mundane work. Such Vaiavas also
distribute their mercy to those who are laboriously searching after the
impersonal Absolute. r Nrada Muni has stated that without ecstatic
love of Godhead such laborious, impersonal contemplation of the
Absolute is certainly troublesome (naikarmyam apy acyuta-bhvavarjitam), and what to speak of the innumerable problems of ordinary
gross materialistic life. We have practical experience that in the Western
countries most people are working hard to get money, laboring under
heavenly dreams of sense gratification. Others, having become frustrated
with ordinary materialistic life, are trying to negate their personal
existence and merge into the existence of God through so-called yoga and
meditation. Both classes of unhappy people are receiving the mercy of the
Ka consciousness movement, putting aside their dreams of sense
gratification as well as their troublesome impersonal speculation. They are

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learning to chant the holy names of God, dance in ecstasy, and feast on
the holy food offered to the Lord. They become enlivened by the
transcendental knowledge spoken by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavadgt. As the Lord states in Bhagavad-gt (9.2), susukha kartum avyayam.
The actual process of spiritual freedom is joyful to perform and has
nothing to do with fruitive activities aimed at sense gratification or with
dry impersonal speculation. More and more people are taking to the
process of Ka consciousness, becoming joyful, and eagerly distributing
Ka's mercy to others. Thus the whole world will be enlivened and
inspired by the Ka consciousness movement, which is the practical
demonstration of the mercy of the Vaiavas.
TEXT 30
ata tyantika kema
pcchmo bhavato 'nagh
sasre 'smin kardho 'pi
sat-saga evadhir nm
atatherefore; tyantikamsupreme; kemamgood; pcchmaI am
asking; bhavatafrom you; anaghO sinless ones; sasrein the
cycle of birth and death; asminthis; kaa-ardhalasting only half of
one moment; apieven; sat-sagathe association of devotees of the
Lord; evadhia great treasure; nmfor human beings.
Therefore, O completely sinless ones, I ask you to kindly tell me what
the supreme good is. After all, even half a moment's association with
pure devotees within this world of birth and death is a priceless
treasure for any man.
The word evadhi, or "a great treasure," is significant in this verse. Just as
an ordinary man is overjoyed to discover an unexpected treasure, one
who is actually intelligent is overjoyed to gain the association of a pure
devotee of the Lord, by which one's life can easily be perfected. According
to rla Jva Gosvm the words tyantika kemam, or "the supreme
good," indicate that situation in which one cannot be touched by even the
slightest fear. Now we are entangled in the cycle of birth, old age, disease
and death (sasre). Because our entire situation can be devastated in a
single moment, we are constantly in fear. But the pure devotees of the

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Lord can teach us the practical way to free ourselves from material
existence and thus to abolish all types of fear.
According to Vivantha Cakravart hkura, normal etiquette would
dictate that a host immediately ask a guest who has arrived about his wellbeing. But such an inquiry is unsuitable to place before self-satisfied
devotees of the Lord, who are themselves the bestowers of all well-being.
According to rla Vivantha, the King knew that it would be useless to
ask the sages about their business affairs, since the only business of the
pure devotees of the Lord is the achievement of the supreme goal of life.
According to Bhagavad-gt, the goal of life is to free oneself from the
cycle of birth and death and reinstate oneself as an eternal servant of God
on the platform of spiritual bliss. Pure devotees of the Lord do not waste
their time with ordinary mundane affairs. Sometimes foolish relatives of a
Vaiava preacher lament that such a transcendental preacher has not
used his life for material business and that so much money has therefore
been lost by the practice of spiritual life. Such ignorant persons cannot
imagine the unlimited prosperity available on the spiritual platform to
those who have surrendered heart and soul to the mission of the Lord.
King Nimi was himself a learned Vaiava, and therefore he did not
foolishly ask the sages about ordinary worldly affairs. He immediately
inquired about tyantika kemam, the highest, most perfect goal of life.
According to Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the word anagh, "O
sinless ones," has two meanings. Anagh indicates that the nine
Yogendras were themselves completely free of sins. It also indicates that
merely by the great fortune of seeing them and hearing from them
submissively, an ordinary, sinful man could also be freed of his sins and
achieve everything he desired.
One might object that since the great sages had just arrived, the King
should not have been so impatient as to inquire from them about the
perfection of life. Perhaps the King should have waited until the sages
themselves invited his inquiry. Such a hypothetical objection is answered
by the words kardho pi. Even a single moment's association with pure
devotees, or even half a moment's association, is sufficient to give one the
perfection of life. An ordinary person who is offered a great treasure will
immediately desire to claim such a treasure. Similarly, King Nimi was
thinking, "Why should I consider myself fortunate enough to have such
great sages stay here for a long time? Because I am an ordinary person,
undoubtedly you will soon be leaving. Therefore, let me immediately take

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advantage of your holy association."

According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, in this world there are
different varieties of mercy. But ordinary mercy cannot bring about the
cessation of all unhappiness. In other words, there are many
humanitarians, altruists and social reformers who certainly work for the
betterment of humanity. Such persons are universally considered
merciful. But in spite of their mercy, humanity continues to suffer in the
grip of birth, old age, disease and death. I may distribute free food to the
needy, but even after eating my merciful gift, the recipient will again
become hungry, or he will suffer in some other way. In other words, by
mere humanitarianism or altruism, people do not actually become free
from unhappiness. Their unhappiness is merely postponed or altered.
King Nimi was joyful upon seeing the nava-yogendras because he knew
that they were eternally perfect associates of the Supreme Lord. Therefore
he thought, "You are not prone to sinful activities like unfortunate
mundane people such as me. Thus the words you speak carry no
deception or exploitation."
The materially conditioned souls spend their days and nights discussing
various topics of sense gratification. They never find time to hear about
transcendental knowledge. But if even only briefly or accidentally they
hear hari-kath, topics of Ka, in the association of pure devotees of the
Lord, their propensity to suffer in material existence will slacken. When
one sees liberated persons, hears about Ka from them, remembers their
saintly behavior and so on, one's tendency to bind himself in the illusion
of sense gratification is diminished, and he becomes eager to serve the
Supreme Lord.
TEXT 31
dharmn bhgavatn brta
yadi na rutaye kamam
yai prasanna prapannya
dsyaty tmnam apy aja
dharmn bhgavatnthe science of devotional service; brtaplease
speak; yadiif; naof us; rutayeto hear properly; kamamthere is
the capacity; yaiby which (devotional service); prasannabeing
satisfied; prapannyato one who has taken shelter; dsyatiHe will
give; tmnamHimself; apieven; ajathe unborn Supreme Lord.

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Please speak about how one engages in the devotional service of the
Supreme Lord, if you consider me capable of properly hearing these
topics. When a living entity offers loving service to the Supreme Lord,
the Lord is immediately satisfied, and in return He will give even His
own self to the surrendered soul.
Within the material world there are two classes of mundane philosophers
who present their opinions about the Supreme Lord. Some so-called
theologians claim that we are infinitely different from God, and therefore
they tend to look upon the Lord as something far beyond our power to
understand. Such extreme dualistic philosophers outwardly or officially
claim to be pious and religious believers in God, but they consider God so
much different from that which is within our experience that according to
them there is little profit in even trying to discuss the personality or
attributes of the Supreme Lord. Such outwardly faithful persons generally
take to fruitive activities and gross materialistic sense gratification, being
infatuated with the mundane relationships of the material world, which
appear under the headings society, friendship and love.
The advaita-vds, or nondualistic philosophers, claim that there is no
difference between God and the living entity and that the highest goal of
life is to give up our personal existence, which is due to illusion, and
merge into the impersonal Brahman effulgence, which is devoid of name,
form, paraphernalia and personality. Thus neither class of speculative
philosopher is able to understand the transcendental Personality of
Godhead.
Caitanya Mahprabhu, in His sublime teaching of acintya-bhedbhedhatattva, or simultaneous oneness and difference, has clearly demonstrated
that we are qualitatively one with God but quantitatively different. God is
personal consciousness, and He has His personal form. Similarly we are
also personal consciousness, and ultimately, when liberated, we also have
eternal forms. The difference is that the eternal form and personality of
the Supreme Lord contain unlimited potency and opulence whereas our
potency and opulence are infinitesimal. We are conscious of our personal
body, whereas Lord Ka, the Absolute Truth, is conscious of everyone's
body, as stated in Bhagavad-gt (ketra-ja cpi m viddhi sarvaketreu bhrata [Bg. 13.3]). But although God is infinitely greater than
the living entity, both God and the living entities are eternal personalities
with form, activities and feelings.

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The Supreme Lord, Ka, expands Himself into innumerable living

entities to enjoy rasas, or ecstatic relationships, with them. The living
entities are part and parcel of Lord Ka, and they are meant to serve
Him with love. Although the Supreme Lord is eternally the predominator
and the living entity is eternally the predominated, when the living entity
surrenders unto the Lord with a sincere loving attitude, desiring to serve
the Lord eternally without the slightest expectation of personal reward for
such service, the Lord immediately is pleased, as expressed here by the
word prasanna. Ka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is so
unlimitedly merciful and magnanimous that in His gratitude to such a
surrendered and loving servitor, He is immediately inclined to offer
anything, even Himself, to His surrendered devotee.
There are numerous practical, historical examples of this loving
propensity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of the love of
Mother Yaod, child Ka, in His form as Dmodara, surrendered
Himself to His loving mother and allowed Himself to be bound with ropes
as a childhood punishment. Similarly, feeling indebted to the Pavas
for their intense love for Him, Ka in His form as Prtha-srathi happily
agreed to drive the chariot of Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruketra.
Similarly, Ka in Vndvana is always thinking of ways to satisfy the
gops, who are universally recognized as the most exalted loving devotees
of the Lord.
Such intense loving feelings exchanged between the Lord and His pure
devotees would not be possible were the living entities not qualitatively
one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and indeed inseparable
parts and parcels of the Lord. On the other hand, because both the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entities are eternally
individuals, each with his own eternal individual consciousness, such
loving exchanges are a perpetual reality in the kingdom of God. In other
words, absolute oneness with God and absolute difference from God are
theoretical imaginations of different schools of speculative philosophy.
The perfection of spiritual love, as described in this verse, is based on
simultaneous oneness and difference, and this absolute reality was
elaborately presented by Lord Ka Himself in His brahminical
incarnation as Caitanya Mahprabhu. The followers of Caitanya
Mahprabhu have expounded this perfect doctrine in innumerable books,
culminating in the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupda, who has most perfectly presented this knowledge in a

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way that is understandable not only in India but to all the people of the
world. Our present insignificant attempt is simply to complete his
translation and commentary on rmad-Bhgavatam, and we are
constantly praying for his guidance so that this work can simply be
completed exactly as he would have desired. If one can understand these
teachings of Caitanya Mahprabhu as they are being presented in Western
languages, surely the Lord will be satisfied with such a sincere seeker of
spiritual truth.
TEXT 32
r-nrada uvca
eva te nimin p
vasudeva mahattam
pratipjybruvan prty
sa-sadasyartvija npam
r-nrada uvcar Nrada said; evamthus; tethey; niminby
King Nimi; pquestioned; vasudevaO Vasudeva; mahat-tam
those best of saints; pratipjyaoffering him words of respect in return;
abruvanthey spoke; prtyaffectionately; sa-sadasyawho was
accompanied by the members of the sacrificial assembly; tvijamand by
the priests; npamto the King.
r Nrada said: O Vasudeva, when Mahrja Nimi had thus inquired
from the nine Yogendras about devotional service to the Lord, those
best of saintly persons sincerely thanked the King for his questions and
spoke to him with affection in the presence of the members of the
sacrificial assembly and the brhmaa priests.
According to rdhara Svm, not only the King but also the members of
the assembly and the priests conducting the sacrifice were all devoted to
hearing and chanting the glories of devotional service to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The sages, beginning with Kavi, will now each
speak in turn, answering the questions of the King.
TEXT 33
r-kavir uvca
manye 'kutacid-bhayam acyutasya
pdmbujopsanam atra nityam

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udvigna-buddher asad-tma-bhvd
vivtman yatra nivartate bh
r-kavi uvcar Kavi said; manyeI consider; akutacit-bhayam
fearlessness; acyutasyaof the infallible Lord; pda-ambujaof the lotus
feet; upsanamthe worship; atrain this world; nityamconstantly;
udvigna-buddheof one whose intelligence is disturbed; asatthat
which is only temporary; tma-bhvtby thinking to be the self; vivatmanthoroughly; yatrain which (service to the Lord); nivartate
ceases; bhfear.
r Kavi said: I consider that one whose intelligence is constantly
disturbed by his falsely identifying himself with the temporary material
world can achieve real freedom from fear only by worshiping the lotus
feet of the infallible Supreme Lord. In such devotional service, all fear
ceases entirely.
In the opinion of rla rdhara Svm the word asad-tma-bhvt in this
verse indicates that the living entity is constantly disturbed by fear
because he identifies his eternal self with the temporary material body and
its paraphernalia. Similarly, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has
stated, bhakti-pratikla-deha-gehdiv saktim. Because of one's
attachment to one's temporary body and so-called home, family, friends
and so on, one's intelligence is always disturbed by fear, and one is unable
to appreciate or practice pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Socalled religious activities executed in the bodily conception of life are
always accompanied by fear and anxiety about the ultimate result. But
pure devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead frees one
from fear and anxiety because it is executed on the platform of Vaikuha,
or the spiritual plane, where there is no fear or anxiety. According to rla
Jva Gosvm, the process of bhakti-yoga is so powerful that even in the
stage of sdhana-bhakti, in which one is practicing devotional service
through rules and regulations, the neophyte can have a direct experience
of fearlessness by the mercy of the Lord. As one's devotional service
becomes mature, the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee, and all fear is
totally vanquished forever.
Every living entity has a natural propensity to serve God, but because of
false identification with the temporary body one loses touch with this
pure, constitutional propensity and instead inauspiciously becomes

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attached to temporary sense gratification in the form of body, home,

family and so on. The result of such false attachment is continuing
distress, which can be eradicated only by devotional service to the
Supreme Lord.
In this connection, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat has quoted the
following verse:
tvad bhaya dravia-deha-suhn-nimitta
oka sph paribhavo vipula ca lobha
tvan mamety asad-avagraha rti-mla
yvan na te 'ghrim abhaya pravta loka
"O my Lord, the people of the world are embarrassed by all material
anxietiesthey are always afraid. They always try to protect wealth, body
and friends, they are filled with lamentation and unlawful desires and
paraphernalia, and they avariciously base their undertakings on the
perishable conceptions of 'I' and 'mine.' As long as they do not take shelter
of Your safe lotus feet, they are full of such anxieties." (SB 3.9.6)
TEXT 34
ye vai bhagavat prokt
upy hy tma-labdhaye
aja pusm avidu
viddhi bhgavatn hi tn
yewhich; vaiindeed; bhagavatby the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; proktaspoken; upymeans; hiindeed; tmalabdhayefor realizing the Supreme Soul; ajaeasily; pusmby
persons; avidumless intelligent; viddhiknow; bhgavatnto be
bhgavata-dharma; hi-certainly; tnthese.
Even ignorant living entities can very easily come to know the Supreme
Lord if they adopt those means prescribed by the Supreme Lord
Himself. The process recommended by the Lord is to be known as
bhgavata-dharma, or devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
There are many Vedic scriptures, such as Manu-sahit, that present
standard injunctions for the peaceful management of human society. Such

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Vedic knowledge is based on the varrama system, which scientifically

divides human society into four occupational divisions as well as four
spiritual divisions. According to rla rdhara Svm, however,
knowledge that can bring one directly in contact with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is called ati-rahasyam, or the most confidential
knowledge (ati-rahasyatvt sva-mukhenaiva bhagavatvidum api pusm
aja sukhenaivtma-labdhaye).
Bhgavata-dharma is so confidential that it is spoken by the Lord Himself.
The essence of bhgavata-dharma is given in Bhagavad-gt, wherein
Ka personally instructs Arjuna. Yet in the Eleventh Canto of rmadBhgavatam the Lord will give instructions to Uddhava that surpass even
the teachings given to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gt. As rla Prabhupda has
stated, "Undoubtedly Bhagavad-gt was spoken by the Lord on the
Battlefield of Kuruketra just to encourage Arjuna to fight, and yet to
complete the transcendental knowledge of Bhagavad-gt the Lord
instructed Uddhava. The Lord wanted Uddhava to fulfill His mission and
disseminate knowledge which He had not spoken even in Bhagavad-gt."
(SB 3.4.32 purport) Similarly, it is understood that the knowledge that
will be presented here by the nine Yogendras is not their personal
concoction but is authorized knowledge originally spoken by the Lord
Himself.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, the living entities, in the
course of their wanderings throughout the cycle of birth and death, lose
all trace of the Personality of Godhead. But when they hear the eternally
auspicious topics spoken by the Supreme Lord for their benefit and
understand their eternal identities as spirit souls, the realized experience
of being an eternal servant of Ka becomes the basis of bhgavatadharma. In the soul's experience as a pure Vaiava, or servant of God,
there is no consideration of being different from God or the same as God,
nor is one interested in the kingdom of material sense gratification. The
pure devotee simply perceives his particular devotional service to the
Supreme Lord and sees himself as an individual part and parcel of the
ultimate shelter. A pure devotee experiences that his very being is tied, by
ropes of loving devotion, to the ultimate shelter Himself in one of His
direct personal expansions. And in such a perfect state of consciousness,
the devotee can perceive the all-pervading variegated forms of the
Absolute Truth.

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TEXT 35
yn sthya naro rjan
na pramdyeta karhicit
dhvan nimlya v netre
na skhalen na pated iha
ynwhich (means); sthyaaccepting; naraa man; rjanO King;
na pramdyetais not bewildered; karhicitever; dhvanrunning;
nimlyaclosing; vor; netrehis eyes; na skhaletwill not trip; na
patetwill not fall; ihaon this path.
O King, one who accepts this process of devotional service to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead will never blunder on his path in this
world. Even while running with eyes closed, he will never trip or fall.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word aja ("easily"), which is
used in the previous verse, is explained in this verse. He states, ajapadenokta su-karatva vivoti: "By the word aja the ease of
performing bhakti-yoga is established, and this will be elaborated in the
present verse." In Bhagavad-gt (9.2) the Lord Himself states,
pratyakvagama dharmya susukha kartum avyayam: "The process of
devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, and
it is very joyfully and naturally performed." rla Prabhupda comments,
"The process of devotional service is a very happy one. Why? Devotional
service consists of ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23], so one can
simply hear the chanting of the glories of the Lord or can attend
philosophical lectures on transcendental knowledge given by authorized
cryas. Simply by sitting, one can learn; then one can eat the remnants of
the food offered to God, nice palatable dishes. In every state devotional
service is joyful. One can execute devotional service even in the most
poverty-stricken condition. The Lord says, patra pupa phalam: He is
ready to accept from the devotee any kind of offering, never mind what.
Even a leaf, a flower, a bit of fruit or a little water, which are all available
in every part of the world, can be offered by any person, regardless of
social position, and will be accepted if offered with love. There are many
instances of this in history. Simply by tasting the tulas leaves offered to
the lotus feet of the Lord, great sages like Sanat-kumra became great
devotees. Therefore the devotional process is very nice, and it can be
executed in a happy mood. God accepts only the love with which things

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are offered to Him."

The essential point to be understood here is that when a living entity
surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he tells the Lord, "My
dear Lord, although I am most sinful and unqualified and for so long have
been trying to forget You, now I am taking shelter at Your lotus feet.
From this day on I am Yours. Whatever I possessmy body, mind,
words, family, richesI am now offering at Your lotus feet. Please do
with me as You like." The Supreme Lord, Ka, has repeatedly given
assurance in Bhagavad-gt that He will protect and redeem such a
surrendered living entity, bringing him back home, back to Godhead, for
an eternal life in the Lord's own kingdom. Thus the qualification of
surrendering to the Lord is so great and spiritually potent that even if a
surrendered soul is deficient in other aspects of pious life, his elevated
status is protected by the Lord Himself. In other processes, however, such
as yoga, because one depends upon his own determination and
intelligence and does not actually seek shelter of the Lord, one is subject
to fall at any moment, being protected only by one's own flimsy, limited
potency. Therefore, as stated in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.2.32), ruhya
kcchrea para pada tata/ patanty adho 'ndta-yumad-aghraya: if
one gives up the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and instead
tries to advance in the yoga process by one's own determination, or if one
tries to make progress in knowledge by one's own speculative power,
surely one will eventually fall again to a mediocre material platform,
having no protection other than one's own fallible strength. Therefore the
Vaiava cryas, in their commentaries on this verse, have illustrated in
various ways the vast superiority of bhakti-yoga, or pure devotional
service. In this connection, rdhara Svm states, nimlya netre dhvann
api iha eu bhgavata-dharmeu na skhalet. nimlana nmjna,
yathhu-'ruti-smt ubhe netre vipr parikrtite/ ekena vikala ko
dvbhym andha prakrtita' iti. "Even if running with both eyes closed, a
devotee on this path of bhgavata-dharma will not stumble. 'Closing one's
eyes' refers to being in ignorance [of standard Vedic literatures]. As it is
said, 'The ruti and smti scriptures are the two eyes of the brhmaas.
Lacking one of them, a brhmaa is half blind, and deprived of both he is
considered completely blind.' "
In Bhagavad-gt (10.10-11) the Lord has clearly stated that even if a
devotee is lacking in Vedic knowledge or ignorant of Vaiava literature,
the Lord personally enlightens him from within his heart if the devotee is

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actually engaged in loving service to the Lord. In this connection, rla

Prabhupda states, "When Lord Caitanya was in Benares promulgating
the chanting of Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare
Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare, thousands of people were
following Him. Praknanda, a very influential and learned scholar in
Benares at that time, derided Lord Caitanya for being a sentimentalist.
Sometimes philosophers criticize the devotees because they think that
most of the devotees are in the darkness of ignorance and are
philosophically naive sentimentalists. Actually that is not the fact. There
are very, very learned scholars who have put forward the philosophy of
devotion, but even if a devotee does not take advantage of their literatures
or of his spiritual master, if he is sincere in his devotional service he is
helped by Ka Himself within his heart. So the sincere devotee engaged
in Ka consciousness cannot be without knowledge. The only
qualification is that one carry out devotional service in full Ka
consciousness."
Yet this facility given by the Lord cannot justify unauthorized concoctions
put forward about the process of devotional service in the name of
spontaneous devotion. In this connection rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura has stated, bhagavat-prpty-artha pth-mrga-karaa tv atidavaham eva: "If one manufactures his own process of devotional
service for the sake of attaining the Supreme Lord, such a concoction will
cause total ruination." rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura goes on to
quote:
ruti-smti-purdipacartra-vidhi vin
aikntik harer bhaktir
utptyaiva kalpate
[Brs. 41.2.101]

ruti-smti-purdipacartra-vidhi vin
aikntik harer bhaktir
utptyaiva kalpate
4

"Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorized Vedic

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"If one's so-called unalloyed devotion to Lord Hari does not take into
account the regulations of the ruti, smti, Puras and Pacartra, it is
nothing more than a disturbance to society." In other words, even if one
is not learned in the Vedic literatures, if he is engaged in the loving
service of the Lord he is to be accepted as a pure devotee; nonetheless,
such loving devotion cannot in any way contradict the injunctions of
revealed scriptures.
Such groups as the prkta-sahajiys ignore the standard regulations of
Vaiava dharma and engage in illicit, degraded activities, dressing as
Rdh and Ka in the name of spontaneous devotion. They claim that
because such spontaneous devotion is revealed by the Lord Himself, they
need not refer to standard scriptures. Similarly, all over the world there
are pseudoreligionists who manufacture their own processes and claim
they are receiving knowledge from the Lord Himself within their hearts.
Therefore it is very important to understand, as stated here, that
spontaneous revelation by the Lord within the heart is meant not to alter
the eternal process of devotional service to the Lord, but to give a
supplementary facility to a sincere devotee who is ignorant of revealed
scriptures. In other words, the revealed scriptures describe the eternal
process of service to the Lord. Since the Lord is eternal and the living
entity is eternal, the process of their loving relationship is also eternal.
The Lord never changes His essential nature, nor does the living entity.
Therefore there is no need to change the essential process of loving
service to the Lord. Special revelation by the Lord is meant to give
scriptural knowledge by another means, and not to contradict scriptural
knowledge.
On the other hand, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has stated that if
a devotee is executing all the basic principles of bhakti-yoga and
advancing in devotional service, such a Vaiava should not be criticized
for neglecting the secondary procedures. For example, His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda established hundreds of spiritual
communities in the Western countries for practicing Ka consciousness.
The devotees in these communities give up all illicit sex, gambling,
intoxication and meat-eating and constantly engage in service to Ka.

literatures like the Upaniads, Puras and Nrada-pacartra is simply

an unnecessary disturbance in society." Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.101

94

Such followers of rla Prabhupda are able to make wonderful spiritual

advancement and convert many thousands of people to the process of
devotional service. In fact, all the faithful members of ISKCON who
follow the standard regulations remain free from material contamination
and make visible progress in going back home, back to Godhead. Such
members of ISKCON cannot possibly execute all the details of the
varrama-dharma system. In fact, many Western devotees can barely
pronounce Sanskrit words and are not very expert in performing elaborate
sacrifices based on chanting of mantras and offering of oblations. But
because they are executing all the essential principles of bhakti-yoga by
giving up material sense gratification and constantly engaging in loving
service to Ka, their position is guaranteed both in this life and in the
next.
We have seen many sophisticated Sanskrit scholars and learned experts in
the details of Vedic sacrifice who can hardly even follow the basic
principles of human life, namely no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no
gambling and no intoxication. Such brilliant scholars and ritualistic
performers are generally seen to be attached to a materialistic conception
of life and are fond of mental speculation. Although in Bhagavad-gt the
Lord Himself has given perfect knowledge for all time, such so-called
scholars consider themselves more intelligent than the Lord and thus
speculate on the meaning of Vedic literature. Such speculation certainly
constitutes a fall from perfect spiritual life, and what then is to be said of
materialistic fruitive activities, which are illusory in every sense of the
term. The transcendental devotees are able to remain aloof from the
pollution of fruitive activity and mental speculation, and that is the
essential purport of this verse.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has warned that the words yn
sthya indicate that the exalted status of a Vaiava can never be
accorded to one who is not following the basic regulations of bhakti-yoga.
Nor can it apply to one who is sometimes serving Ka and sometimes
serving the illusory energy, my, by mental speculation or fruitive
activities. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has concluded, "In all
dharmas other than bhgavata-dharma one must consider the conditioned
soul's qualification. But a soul surrendered to the Lord is never
confounded by error, even if unqualified in all other respects. His feet
never stumble, and he never falls. Even though wandering in the world at
whim, he always resides in an auspicious place by the influence of his

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unswerving worship. The unique potency of bhagavata-dharma does not

appear in any of the other dharmas of the world. There is no comparison
between a surrendered individual who has taken shelter of bhgavatadharma and the practitioner of any other dharma."
TEXT 36
kyena vc manasendriyair v
buddhytman vnusta-svabhvt
karoti yad yat sakala parasmai
nryayeti samarpayet tat
kyenawith the body; vcspeech; manasmind; indriyaisenses;
vor; buddhywith the intelligence; tmanthe purified
consciousness; vor; anustafollowed; svabhvtaccording to one's
conditioned nature; karotione does; yat yatwhatever; sakalamall;
parasmaito the Supreme; nryaya itithinking, "This is for
Nryaa"; samarpayethe should offer; tatthat.
In accordance with the particular nature one has acquired in
conditioned life, whatever one does with body, words, mind, senses,
intelligence or purified consciousness one should offer to the Supreme,
thinking, "This is for the pleasure of Lord Nryaa."
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has commented in this regard
that a person who engages all the sensory activities of his body, mind,
words, intelligence, ego and consciousness in the service of the Supreme
Lord cannot be considered to be on the same level as a karm working for
his personal sense gratification. Although apparently still a conditioned
soul, one who offers the fruits of all his activities to the Lord can no
longer be touched by the countless miseries that arise from the reactions
to materialistic activities.
Because of enmity against the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His
omnipotent authority, the conditioned living entity performs activities
against the order of the Lord. Yet self-realized souls continue to perform
all types of work within this world to carry out the mission of the
Supreme Lord. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura,
those karms who are sufficiently pious follow the example of the selfrealized souls by trying to offer the fruits of their own duties at the lotus
feet of the Lord. Although this is counted as karma-mir bhakti, or

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devotional service mixed with the desire to execute fruitive activities,

such mixed devotional service is gradually transformed into pure
devotional service. As the pious fruitive workers disengage themselves,
step by step, from the bogus philosophy of "enjoyment of one's hardearned rewards," pure devotional service rewards them with complete
good fortune.
rla rdhara Svm has commented, tman cittenhakrea v anusto
ya svabhvas tasmt: although one may still be in the bodily concept of
life, he should offer the fruit of his work to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Those with a primitive, materialistic concept of the Supreme
Lord consider the Lord present only in a temple or church. They make
some offering to the Lord in the place of worship, but in their normal
activities they claim proprietorship, not thinking that God is present
everywhere and within everyone. We have practical experience of many
so-called religious men who become very offended if their children try to
become servants of the Supreme Lord. They feel, "God should be pleased
with whatever humble offering I give Him, but my family and ordinary
business affairs belong to me and are under my control." The perception
of anything as separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His
proprietorship is called my, or illusion. rla rdhara Svm has quoted,
na kevala vidhita ktam eveti niyama; svabhvnusri laukikam api:
"The regulation that one should serve the Supreme Lord does not refer
only to prescribed religious paths, ceremonies and regulations; rather, all
the activities one performs in this world according to one's personal
nature should be dedicated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
The words karoti yad yat sakala parasmai nryayeti samarpayet tat in
this verse are very significant. A similar verse is found in Bhagavad-gt
(9.27):
yat karoi yad ansi
yaj juhoi dadsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruva mad-arpaam
"O son of Kunt, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and
give away, and all the austerities that you perform should be done as an
offering unto Me." The objection may be raised, Since our ordinary
activities are performed with a material body and material mind, not by
the spirit soul, how can such activities be offered to the Supreme Lord,

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who is completely transcendental to the material world? How can such

activities be considered spiritual? In answer to this it is stated in the Viu
Pura (3.8.8):
varramcra-vat
puruea para pumn
viur rdhyate panth
nnyat tat-toa-kraam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
One who wants to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viu,
must accept the system of varrama-dharma and worship the Lord
through the execution of his prescribed duties. In Bhagavad-gt (4.13)
the Supreme Lord has personally taken credit for establishing the system
of varrama-dharma: ctur-varya may sa gua-karmavibhgaa. Therefore if one offers his work within the varramadharma system to the Supreme Lord, such work is counted as devotional
service. According to one's svabhva, or nature, one may work as an
intellectual or priest, as an administrator or military man, as an
agriculturist or mercantile man, or as a laborer or craftsman. And while
working, everyone should meditate on the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, thinking, yat sakala parasmai nryaya: "I am working for
the Supreme Lord. Whatever result comes from my work, I shall accept
the bare minimum for my personal maintenance, and the rest I shall offer
for the glorification of Lord Nryaa."
rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out, kmin tu sarvathaiva na
dukarmrpaam: one cannot offer dukarma, or sinful, wicked activities,
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The four pillars of sinful life are
illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Such activities are
never acceptable as offerings to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
example may be given that although in a free society each person is
allowed to choose his own occupation, even a democratic government
will not allow a citizen to choose the occupation of thief or murderer. In
the same way, according to the laws of God one is invited to work
according to his own nature in the varrama system, but one is
forbidden to adopt a criminal life of sinful activities violating the laws of
God.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has given a nice description of how

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one should offer one's ordinary activities to the Supreme Lord. He says
that an ordinary sense gratifier begins his activities in the morning by
passing stool and urine, cleaning his mouth, brushing his teeth, bathing,
meeting his friends and family members and discussing with them the
day's business. In this way one has so many activities during the day, and
a sense gratifier executes all these activities for his personal material
enjoyment. A karm, on the other hand, working under the jurisdiction of
the karma-ka section of the Vedas, will perform the same activities for
the pleasure of the demigods and his forefathers. Thus, according to rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura, a devotee of the Supreme Lord, Nryaa,
should similarly perform all of his daily activities for the pleasure of the
Supreme Lord. In this way everything we do throughout the day will
become bhakty-aga, or a supplementary aspect of our devotional service
to Ka.
It should be understood that as long as one identifies oneself in terms of
the varrama-dharma system rather than as part and parcel of Ka one
is still on the platform of ahakra, or false ego, because the varrama
system is designed according to the modes of nature acquired by the
living entity through his material body. But the cryas have emphasized
in their commentaries on this verse that such a false ego, by which one
identifies oneself as a brhmaa, katriya, vaiya, dra, sannys, ghastha
and so on, should also be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, when one becomes very much attracted
to hearing and chanting about the Supreme Lord and not merely offering
Him the fruits of one's work, one has attained the stage called svarpasiddh bhakti, or the stage in which actual devotion becomes visible. The
example may be given that although any good citizen will pay his taxes to
the government, he may not necessarily love the government or its
leaders. Similarly a pious living entity can understand that he is working
under the laws of God, and therefore in accordance with Vedic
injunctions or the injunctions of other scriptures he offers a portion of his
assets to the Supreme Lord in religious ceremonies. But when such a
pious person actually becomes attached to chanting and hearing about the
personal qualities of the Lord and when love thus becomes visible, he is
considered to be reaching the mature stage of life. In this regard, rla Jva
Gosvm has quoted several verses that very nicely show the development
of love for Godhead. Anena durvsan-dukha-daranena sa karu-maya
karu karotu: "May the merciful Lord show mercy on me by

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demonstrating the misery created by sinful desires." Y prtir avivekn

visayev anapyin/ tvm anusmarata s me hdayn npasarpatu:
"Unintelligent persons have unflinching affection for the objects of sense
gratification. Similarly, may I always remember You, so that that same
attachment, applied to You, never leaves my heart." (Viu Pura
1.20.19) Yuvatn yath yni yn ca yuvatau yath/ mano 'bhiramate
tadvan mano me ramat tvayi: "As the minds of young girls take pleasure
in thinking of a young boy and those of young boys take pleasure in
thinking of a young girl, may my mind take pleasure in You." Mama
sukarmai dukarmai ca yad rga-smnyam, tad sarvato-bhvena
bhagavad-viayam eva bhavatu: "Whatever attraction I have for pious or
sinful activities, let that attraction be wholeheartedly invested in You."
TEXT 37
bhaya dvitybhiniveata syd
d apetasya viparyayo 'smti
tan-myayto budha bhajet ta
bhaktyaikayea guru-devattm
bhayamfear; dvityain something seeming to be other than the Lord;
abhiniveatabecause of absorption; sytit will arise; tfrom the
Supreme Lord; apetasyafor one who has turned away; viparyaya
misidentification; asmtiforgetfulness; tatof the Lord; myayby
the illusory energy; atatherefore; budhaan intelligent person;
bhajetshould worship fully; tamHim; bhaktywith devotion;
ekayunalloyed; amthe Lord; guru-devat-tmone who sees his
own spiritual master as his lord and very soul.
Fear arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the material
body because of absorption in the external, illusory energy of the Lord.
When the living entity thus turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also
forgets his own constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This
bewildering, fearful condition is effected by the potency for illusion,
called my. Therefore, an intelligent person should engage
unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord, under the
guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he should accept as his
worshipable deity and as his very life and soul.
According to rla rdhara Svm the objection may be raised that since

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fear is caused by ignorance, it can be dispelled by knowledge and there is

no need to worship the Supreme Lord. The living entity falsely identifies
with his material body, family, society and so on, and he simply has to
give up this false identification. Then what will my be able to do?
In reply to this argument, rla rdhara Svm has quoted the following
verse from Bhagavad-gt (7.14):
daiv hy e gua-may
mama my duratyay
mm eva ye prapadyante
mym et taranti te
"This divine energy of Mine consisting of the three modes of material
nature is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me
can easily cross beyond it." The living entity, called jva-tattva, is one of
the potencies of the Supreme Lord, but the constitutional position of the
living entity is taa-stha, or marginal. Being minute, every living entity is
eternally dependent upon the supreme living entity, Ka. This is
confirmed in the Vedic literature as follows: nityo nityn cetana
cetann/ eko bahn yo vidadhti kmn. "Among all the eternally
conscious beings there is one supreme eternal living being who is
supplying the needs of all the innumerable others." (Kaha Upaniad
2.1.12) Kadsa Kavirja has stated, ekale vara ka, ra saba bhtya:
"Ka is the only independent controller; all other living entities depend
upon Him." (Cc. di 5.142) Just as the finger is part and parcel of the
body and therefore must always be engaged in bodily service, we as parts
and parcels of Ka (mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana [Bg.
15.7]) have the eternal duty (santana-dharma) of engaging in the
unalloyed service of the Lord.
The potency of the Lord that enlightens us in the Lord's service is called
cit-akti. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura comments that when the
living entity develops a spirit of independence he is forced to come to the
material world, where he enters into various types of petty and
undesirable behavior that create a fearful situation for him. The
bahirag-akti, the illusory potency of the Supreme Lord, covers all trace
of the cit-akti and imposes one material body after another upon the
living entity for his gross sinful enjoyment. As further punishment, the
living entity who has given up his loving relationship with Ka loses all

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power to perceive the eternal, blissful form of the Supreme Lord, who is
his actual shelter. Instead the living entity becomes attached to many
temporary, phantasmagorical forms, such as his personal body, the bodies
of his family members and friends, his nation, his city, with its buildings
and cars, and innumerable types of ephemeral material scenery. In such a
state of gross ignorance the idea of returning to one's original identity no
longer even crosses the mind.
By the laws of God the three modes of material nature are constantly in
conflict, as stated in the Bhagavad-gt. This conflict is described in many
places in the Bhgavatam as gua-vyatikaram. When the living entity is
bewildered by the interactions of the modes of material nature, he comes
to the conclusion of relativity and assumes that God and worship of God
are simply by-products of the relative, contradictory interactions of
nature's modes. In the name of anthropological, sociological or
psychological perspective, the living entity falls deeper and deeper into
the darkness of materialistic ignorance, dedicating himself to mundane
piety, economic development, sense gratification, or speculation in which
he regards the Absolute as lacking variety and personality, which he
assumes to be products of the interactions of nature's modes.
The illusory potency of the Supreme Lord is duratyay; it is impossible to
escape without the direct mercy of Ka (mm eva ye prapadyante mym
et taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). The example may be given that when the sun
is covered by clouds, no man-made apparatus can remove them from the
sky, but the sun itself, which created the clouds, can immediately burn
away the cloudy covering and reveal itself. Similarly, when we become
covered by the illusory potency of the Lord we identify with our
temporary material body, and thus we are always in fear and anxiety. But
when we surrender to the Lord Himself, He can immediately free us from
this illusion. The material world is pada pada yad vipadm; [SB
10.14.58] it is dangerous at every step. When a living entity understands
that he is not the material body but an eternal servant of God, his fear is
vanquished. As stated by rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, atra
bhaktai sasra-bandhn na bhetavya sa hi bhaktau pravartamnasya
svata evpayti: "In this bhgavata-dharma devotees have no need to fear
the bondage of material existence. That fear goes away of its own accord
for one who engages in devotional service."
It is important to make clear that bhayam, or fear, cannot ultimately be
vanquished simply by impersonal self-realization as expressed by the

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words aha brahmsmi, "I am spirit soul." In rmad-Bhgavatam (1.5.12)

Nrada Muni says to Vysadeva, naikarmyam apy acyuta-bhva-varjita
na obhate: mere naikarmyam, or cessation of material activities and
repudiation of the bodily concept of life, cannot ultimately save one. The
living entity must find a superior shelter on the spiritual platform;
otherwise he will come back to the fearful situation of material existence.
That is stated in stra: ruhya kcchrea para pada tata patanty adho
'ndta-yumad-aghraya (SB 10.2.32). Although one may with great
labor and effort struggle up to the Brahman platform (kleo 'dhikataras
tem avyaktsakta-cetasm [Bg. 12.5]), if he does not find a suitable
shelter he will come back to the material platform. His so-called liberation
is vimukta-mna, liberation by imagination.
The living entity is by nature pleasure-seeking, nanda-maya. Now we are
suffering because we are falsely seeking pleasure on the material platform
and as a result we are becoming entangled in the painful complexities of
material existence. But if we try to give up the pleasure-seeking
propensity altogether, we shall eventually become frustrated and return to
the platform of material pleasure-seeking. Although there is eternal
existence on the Brahman platform of impersonal realization, there is no
nanda. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. In the Vaikuha planets
there is actual, spiritual nanda. Ka is there in His ecstatic, spiritual
form, surrounded by His blissful associates, all of them eternally full of
bliss and knowledge. They have nothing to do with material existence. In
the spiritual planets even the scenery and birds and animals are fully
conscious of Ka and are absorbed in transcendental bliss. Yad gatv na
nivartante tad dhma parama mama (Bg. 15.6). One who goes to the
blissful, spiritual planet of Ka will be fully satisfied and never come
back to the material platform. Therefore Vivantha Cakravart hkura
has said, ki ctra bhaktai sasra-bandhn na bhetavyam. Only the
bhakta actually becomes free from fear.
In this connection rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has
emphasized the necessity of accepting a bona fide spiritual master who is
vrajendranandana-preha, the dearmost servitor of the son of Nanda
Mahrja, Ka. The bona fide spiritual master is completely free from
envy of other living entities, and therefore he freely distributes knowledge
of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the
living entities who are inimical to the service of the Lord somehow hear
this knowledge submissively, they become free from the illusory potency

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of the Lord, which has covered them and thrown them into various
miserable species of life. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura, by the mercy of the spiritual master the faithful disciple
gradually realizes the transcendental position of Lord Nryaa, who is
served with great awe and reverence by hundreds and thousands of
goddesses of fortune. As the disciple's transcendental knowledge
gradually increases, even the paramaivarya, or supreme opulence, of the
Lord of Vaikuha becomes pale in the light of the beauty of Govinda,
Ka. Govinda has inconceivable potency to enchant and give pleasure,
and by the mercy of the spiritual master the disciple gradually develops
his own blissful relationship (rasa) with Govinda. Having understood the
blissful pastimes of Lakm-Nryaa, r St-Rma, RukmiDvrakdha and finally Lord Ka Himself, the purified living entity is
given the unique privilege of participating directly in the devotional
service of Ka, who becomes his only object and shelter.
TEXT 38
avidyamno 'py avabhti hi dvayo
dhytur dhiy svapna-manorathau yath
tat karma-sakalpa-vikalpaka mano
budho nirundhyd abhaya tata syt
avidyamnanot present in reality; apialthough; avabhtiis
manifest; hiindeed; dvayaduality; dhytu-of the person
experiencing; dhiyby the intelligence; svapnaa dream; manarathauor the conceiving of a desire; yathas; tattherefore; karma
of material activities; sakalpa-vikalpakamhaving the functions of
forming positive and negative desires; manathe mind; budhaan
intelligent person; nirundhytshould bring under control; abhayam
fearlessness; tatain this way; sytthere may be.
Although the duality of the material world does not ultimately exist, the
conditioned soul experiences it as real under the influence of his own
conditioned intelligence. This imaginary experience of a world separate
from Ka can be compared to the acts of dreaming and desiring.
When the conditioned soul dreams at night of something desirable or
horrible, or when he daydreams of what he would like to have or avoid,
he creates a reality that has no existence beyond his own imagination.
The tendency of the mind is to accept and reject various activities based

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on sense gratification. Therefore an intelligent person should control

the mind, restricting it from the illusion of seeing things separate from
Ka, and when the mind is thus controlled he will experience actual
fearlessness.
Although the conditioned mind is bewildered by the objects of sense
gratification offered by my, illusion, if one takes to the unalloyed
devotional service of the Lord such material sense gratification gradually
dissipates, for it is merely a mental concoction of the conditioned soul.
rla rdhara Svm has emphasized by the words avyabhicri bhakti
that one cannot dissipate the illusion of material sense gratification unless
one takes to the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. As rla Rpa
Gosvm has stated:
anybhilit-nya
jna-karmdy-anvtam
nuklyena knulana bhaktir uttam
[Cc. Madhya 19.167]
[Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 51.1.11]
Unalloyed devotional service cannot be mixed with material sense
gratification or mental speculation. The servant must act only for the
satisfaction of the master. Similarly, Lord Ka states in Bhagavad-gt,
mm eka araa vraja. One must see only Ka everywhere and must
act exclusively for the satisfaction of Lord Ka, the eternal master of
every living entity.

anybhilit-nya
jna-karmdy-anvtam
nuklyena knulana bhaktir uttam
5

"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord

Ka favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through
fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure
devotional service." Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.1.11

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rla Madhvcrya has quoted several verses from the Hari-vaa

illustrating that the living entity bewildered by identifying with his
material body, home, family, friends and so on and thus entangled in the
cycle of birth and death accepts phantasmagoria as reality. According to
rla Jva Gosvm, ravaa-krtandi-lakaa-mtratva yato na
vyhanyeta: if one seriously desires to vanquish the duality of material
illusion, one must adopt the process of chanting and hearing the glories of
the Supreme Lord. r Caitanya Mahprabhu also cited the following
Vedic reference:
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva kevalam
kalau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
[Cc. di 17.21]
(Bhan-nradya Pura)
According to Vedic literatures the living entities of this Kali-yuga are very
feeble in their power to understand spiritual knowledge (mand
sumanda-matayo manda-bhgy hy upadrut [SB 1.1.10]). Their minds
are always disturbed. and they are lazy and misguided by so many bogus
leaders. They are further described in the Bhgavatam as nisattvn
(impatient and impious). durmedhn (possessed of weak intelligence) and
hrasityua (very short lived). Therefore one who seriously wants to
overcome the ignorance of material life must surrender to the process of
chanting and hearing the holy name of the LordHare Ka, Hare
Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare
Hareas well as reciting and rendering submissive aural reception to the
transcendental literatures presented by the Lord, such as Bhagavad-gt,
rmad-Bhgavatam and Caitanya-caritmta. It should be understood that
the living entity is completely spiritual and never actually becomes mixed
with material energy (asago hy aya purua). According to rla Jva
Gosvm, tasmin uddhe 'pi kalpyate: although the living entity is uddha,
pure spirit soul, he imagines that he is a material creation and thus
entangles himself in the network of illusion called dehpatya-kalatrdi [SB
2.1.4].
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has used the word mnasa-pratyaka
to describe the experience of material life. Mnasa-pratyaka means "that

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which is experienced only within the mind." The actual pratyaka is

described in Bhagavad-gt (9.2):
rja-vidy rja-guhya
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakvagama dharmya
susukha kartum avyayam
When one submissively hears the instructions given by the Lord Himself
in Bhagavad-gt, which constitute the king of all knowledge (rja-vidy)
and the most confidential of all information (rja-guhyam), by associating
with such spotless spiritual knowledge (pavitram idam uttamam) one can
directly experience one's eternal nature (pratyakvagamam). By
experiencing one's eternal nature, one becomes thoroughly religious
(dharmyam), blissful (susukham) and eternally engaged in the devotional
service of the Lord (kartum avyayam).
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has quoted the following rutimantra in this connection: vijita-hka-vyubhir adnta-manas turagam.
"By the very senses and life air one has conquered, the uncurbed mind
will again drag one away." According to rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura the meaning of this verse is samavahya guro caraam: if one
rejects the lotus feet of one's spiritual master, all of one's previous
spiritual advancement becomes null and void. This has already been
indicated in the previous verse by the words guru-devattm. Unless one
accepts a bona fide spiritual master in the authorized parampar as one's
worshipable deity and life and soul, there is no question of overcoming
the duality of material life.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has made the following
comments on this verse. "Control of the mind is a result of living a life of
devotional service to the Lord. By the influence of fixed devotional
service, the accepting and rejecting mind can stop its thirst for sensory
enjoyment apart from Ka. In transcendental Ka consciousness there
is no contradiction, pettiness or lack of ecstasy. In other words, it is not
like a material object, which always proves temporary and constantly
miserable. Having forgotten Ka, the conditioned living entity is
suffering the misdirection and perversion of his own so-called
intelligence. The living entities are fragmental parts of the supreme
shelter, Ka, but have fallen from Ka's kingdom of spiritual pastimes.

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Because of forgetting the Supreme Lord, they become prone to sinful life
and turn their attention to dangerous material objects, which fill them
with constant fear. If one desires to subdue the mind, which is constantly
engaged in the duality of mental concoction, one must take to the
devotional service of Lord Ka."
TEXT 39
van su-bhadri rathga-per
janmni karmi ca yni loke
gtni nmni tad-arthakni
gyan vilajjo vicared asaga
vanhearing; su-bhadriall-auspicious; ratha-aga-peof the
Supreme Lord, who holds a chariot wheel in His hand (in His pastime of
fighting with grandfather Bhma); janmnithe appearances; karmi
activities; caand; yniwhich; lokein this world; gtniare chanted;
nmninames; tat-arthaknisignifying these appearances and
activities; gyansinging; vilajjafree from embarrassment; vicaret
one should wander; asagawithout material association.
An intelligent person who has controlled his mind and conquered fear
should give up all attachment to material objects such as wife, family
and nation and should wander freely without embarrassment, hearing
and chanting the holy names of the Lord, the bearer of the chariot
wheel. The holy names of Ka are all-auspicious because they
describe His transcendental birth and activities, which He performs
within this world for the salvation of the conditioned souls. Thus the
holy names of the Lord are sung throughout the world.
Since the holy names, forms and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead are unlimited, no one can hear or chant about all of them.
Therefore the word loke indicates that one should chant the holy names of
the Lord that are well known on this particular planet. Within this world,
Lord Rma and Lord Ka are very famous. Their books, Rmyaa and
Bhagavad-gt, are studied and relished all over the world. Similarly,
Caitanya Mahprabhu is gradually becoming famous all over the world, as
He Himself predicted. Pthivte che yata nagardi grma/ sarvatra pracra
haibe mora nma: "In every town and village on this earth the glories of
My name will be chanted." Therefore in conformity with the authorized

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statement of this verse of rmad-Bhgavatam, the Ka consciousness

movement emphasizes the mah-mantraHare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka
Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Harealong
with the Paca-tattva mah-mantrar-ka-caitanya prabhu-nitynanda
r-advaita gaddhara rvsdi-gaura-bhakta-vnda.
According to rla rdhara Svm, this blissful process of chanting the
holy names of the Lord without any material conception is called
sugama mrgam, a very enjoyable path. Similarly, Lord Ka has
described the process of bhakti-yoga as susukha kartum, very joyfully
performed, and rla Locana dsa hkura has sung, saba avatra sra
iromai kevala nanda-ka. Caitanya Mahprabhu's process for
worshiping Ka is kevala nanda-ka, simply joyful. In this
connection rla Prabhupda has stated that people in any part of the
world can assemble, chant the Hare Ka mantra, read from authorized
books such as Bhagavad-gt As It Is, and accept ka-prasdam
sumptuously, just as Caitanya Mahprabhu did in Navadvpa.
To be successful in this program, however, Locana dsa hkura has
warned, viaya chiy: one must give up material sense gratification. If
one indulges in material sense gratification, surely he will be in the bodily
concept of life. One who is in the bodily concept of life will undoubtedly
have a materialistic understanding of the pastimes of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Thus, by considering the Lord's pastimes
mundane, one will come within the category of Myvda, or
impersonalism, in which one considers the transcendental body of the
Lord to be a creation of material nature. Therefore the word asaga in
this verse is very significant. One must chant the holy name of the Lord
without mental speculation. One must accept Lord Ka as He presents
Himself in Bhagavad-gt, wherein He states that He alone is Puruottama,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that His transcendental form is
eternal (ajo 'pi sann avyaytm).
rla Jva Gosvm has emphasized, yni stra-dvr sat-parampar-dvr
ca loke gtni janmni karmi ca, tni van gya ca: if one wants to be
successful in chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, one must
adopt the process as it is coming down in the sat-parampar, the
transcendental disciplic succession. And the sat-parampar can be
identified by reference to bona fide Vedic scriptures. Contrary to the
opinion of uninformed critics, the followers of Ka consciousness are
not mindless or fanatical. They intelligently follow the system of checks

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and balances called guru, sdhu and stra. That is, one must accept a
bona fide spiritual master, who must in turn be confirmed by the opinion
of great saintly persons and revealed scriptures. If one accepts a bona fide
spiritual master, follows the example of great saintly persons and becomes
conversant with authorized literature such as Bhagavad-gt As It Is and
rmad-Bhgavatam, one's program of chanting the holy names of the
Lord and hearing about the Lord's pastimes will be completely successful.
As Ka states in Bhagavad-gt (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam
eva yo vetti tattvata
tyaktv deha punar janma
naiti mm eti so 'rjuna
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and
activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in the
material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has stated that throughout the world
the Supreme Lord is known by many names, some of them expressed in
vernacular language, but any name used to indicate the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is one without a second, beyond the
influence of material nature, can be accepted as a holy name of God,
according to this verse. That is indicated by the word loke.
One should not misinterpret the word vicaret, "one should wander," to
mean that while chanting the holy names of Ka one may go anywhere
or engage in any activity without discrimination. Therefore it is stated,
vicared asaga: one may wander freely, but at the same time one must
strictly avoid the association of those who are not interested in Ka
consciousness or who are engaged in sinful life. r Caitanya Mahprabhu
has stated, asat-saga-tyga-ei vaiava cra (Cc. Madhya 22.87): a
Vaiava is known by his complete avoidance of all mundane association.
If in the course of traveling and chanting the glories of the Lord a
Vaiava preacher finds a submissive nondevotee who is willing to hear
about Ka, the preacher will always give his merciful association to such
a person. But a Vaiava should strictly avoid those who are not interested
in hearing about Ka.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, those who do not
engage in hearing the astonishing pastimes and holy names of the

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Supreme Personality of Godhead and who do not relish the Lord's

pastimes are simply executing mundane, illusory activities or indulging in
false, materialistic renunciation. Frustrated living entities sometimes take
to dry impersonalism and avoid the descriptions of the Supreme Lord's
eternal name, form, qualities, entourage and pastimes. But if one gains the
association of a pure devotee, one gives up the path of dry speculative
argument and becomes situated on the actual Vedic path of devotional
service to the Lord.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura says that the word dvaita, or
"duality," expresses the false understanding that some object has a
substantial existence independent of Ka. The Myvda conception of
advaita, which lacks any spiritual distinctions, is simply another
manifestation of the mind's function of acceptance and rejection. The
eternal appearance and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
never contradict the concept of advaya-jna, or transcendental
knowledge beyond duality.
TEXT 40
eva-vrata sva-priya-nma-krty
jtnurgo druta-citta uccai
hasaty atho roditi rauti gyaty
unmda-van ntyati loka-bhya
evam-vratawhen one thus engages in the vow to chant and dance;
svaown; priyavery dear; nmaholy name; krtyaby chanting;
jtain this way develops; anurgaattachment; druta-cittawith a
melted heart; uccailoudly; hasatilaughs; athoalso; roditicries;
rautibecomes agitated; gyatichants; unmda-vatlike a madman;
ntyatidancing; loka-bhyawithout caring for outsiders.
By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage
of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal
servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a
particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As
his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or
shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is
indifferent to public opinion.
In this verse, pure love of God is being described. rla rdhara Svm has

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described this spiritual situation as samprpta-prema-lakana-bhaktiyogasya sasra-dharmtt gatim, or the perfectional stage of life in
which one's devotional service to the Supreme Lord is enriched by ecstatic
love. At that time, one's spiritual duties are entirely beyond the scope of
worldly affairs.
In r Caitanya-caritmta (di 7.78), there is the following statement by
r Caitanya Mahprabhu:
dhairya dharite nri, hailma unmatta
hsi, kndi, nci, gi, yaiche mada-matta
"While chanting the holy name of the Lord in pure ecstasy, I lose myself,
and thus I laugh, cry, dance and sing just like a madman." Caitanya
Mahprabhu immediately approached His spiritual master to ask him why
He had apparently become mad by chanting the holy name of Ka. His
guru replied:
ka-nma-mah-mantrera ei ta ' svabhva
yei jape, tra ke upajaye bhva
"It is the nature of the Hare Ka mah-mantra that anyone who chants it
immediately develops his loving ecstasy for Ka." (Cc. di 7.83) In this
connection rla Prabhupda has commented, "These symptoms are very
prominently manifest in the body of a pure devotee. Sometimes when our
students of the Ka consciousness movement chant and dance, even in
India people are astonished to see how these foreigners have learned to
chant and dance in this ecstatic fashion. As explained by Caitanya
Mahprabhu, however, actually this is not due to practice, for without
extra endeavor these symptoms become manifest in anyone who sincerely
chants the Hare Ka mah-mantra."
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has warned us in this regard
about the ungodly sahajiys who imitate the pastimes of the Supreme
Lord in an unauthorized way, neglecting the standard injunctions of
Vedic scriptures, foolishly trying to take the position of Ka as
Puruottama, and thus making a cheap farce of the exalted pastimes of the
Lord. Their so-called ecstatic symptoms like crying, shivering and falling
on the ground are not to be confused with the advanced features of
devotional service described by rdhara Svm as samprpta-prema-

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lakaa-bhakti-yoga. rla Prabhupda comments in this regard, "One who

has attained this bhva stage is no longer under the clutches of the
illusory energy." Similarly, Kadsa Kavirja states:
pacama pururtha-premnandmta-sindhu
mokdi nanda yra nahe eka bindu
"For a devotee who has actually developed bhva [love of Godhead], the
pleasure derived from dharma, artha, kma and moka appears like a drop
in the presence of the sea." (Cc. di 7.85) As already stated in the
previous verse of this chapter, gyan vilajjo vicared asaga: one exhibits
the ecstatic symptoms of love of Godhead when he is asaga, free from all
attachment to material sense gratification.
The word loka-bhya in this verse indicates that a pure devotee on the
platform of prema, love of Godhead, is not at all concerned with ridicule,
praise, respect or criticism from ordinary people in the bodily concept of
life. Ka is the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and when He reveals Himself to a surrendered servant, all doubt and
speculation about the nature of the Absolute are vanquished forever.
In this connection rpda Madhvcrya has quoted a verse from the
Varha Pura:
kecid unmda-vad bhakt
bhya-liga-pradarak
kecid ntara-bhakt syu
kecic caivobhaytmak
mukha-prasdd drhyc ca
bhaktir jey na cnyata
"Some devotees of the Lord exhibit external symptoms, acting like
madmen, others are introspective devotees, and still others partake of
both natures. It is by one's steadfastness and by the merciful vibrations
emanating from one's mouth that one's devotion can be judged, not
otherwise."
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has given a very nice example to
illustrate ecstatic laughing and other symptoms of love of Godhead: 'Oh,
that thief Ka, the son of Yaod, has entered the house to steal the
fresh butter. Grab Him! Keep Him away!' Hearing these menacing words

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spoken by the elderly gop Jarat, Ka immediately prepares to leave the

house. The devotee to whom this transcendental pastime is revealed
laughs in ecstasy. But suddenly he can no longer see Ka. He then cries
in great lamentation, 'Oh! I achieved the greatest fortune in the world,
and now it has suddenly slipped from my hands!' Thus the devotee cries
loudly, 'So my Lord! Where are You? Give me Your answer!' The Lord
answers, 'My dear devotee, I heard your loud complaint, and so I have
again come before you.' Upon seeing Lord Ka again, the devotee begins
to sing, 'Today my life has become perfect.' Thus overwhelmed with
transcendental bliss, he begins to dance like a madman."
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura also notes that the word druta-citta
or "with a melted heart," indicates that one's heart, melted by the fire of
anxiety to see the Lord, becomes like Jambnad, a river of roseapple
juice. The crya further points out, nma-krtanasya sarvotkaram: the
present and previous verse clearly distinguish the exalted position of
ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing the name and
glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Caitanya Mahprabhu also
emphasized this by quoting:
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva kevalam
kalau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
[Cc. di 17.21]
"In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is
no alternative for spiritual progress but the holy name, the holy name, the
holy name of the Lord." In his purports to Caitanya-caritmta (di 7.76),
rla Prabhupda has given an elaborate explanation of this verse.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura recommends that we study the
following verse in this connection:
parivadatu jano yath tath v
nanu mukharo na vaya vicrayma
hari-rasa-madir-madti-matt
bhuvi viluhmo namo nirvima
"Let the garrulous populace say whatever they like; we shall pay them no
regard. Thoroughly maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating beverage

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of love for Ka, we shall enjoy life running about, rolling on the ground
and dancing in ecstasy." (Padyval 73)
TEXT 41
kha vyum agni salila mah ca
jyoti sattvni dio drumdn
sarit-samudr ca hare arra
yat ki ca bhta praamed ananya
khamether; vyumair; agnimfire; salilamwater; mahmearth;
caand; jyotithe sun, moon and other celestial luminaries;
sattvniall living beings; diathe directions; druma-dntrees and
other immovable creatures; saritthe rivers; samudrnand oceans; ca
also; hareof the Supreme Lord, Hari; arramthe body; yat kim ca
whatever; bhtamin created existence; praametone should bow to;
ananyathinking nothing to be separate from the Lord.
A devotee should not see anything as being separate from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka. Ether, fire, air, water, earth, the sun and
other luminaries, all living beings, the directions, trees and other
plants, the rivers and oceanswhatever a devotee experiences he
should consider to be an expansion of Ka. Thus seeing everything
that exists within creation as the body of the Supreme Lord, Hari, the
devotee should offer his sincere respects to the entire expansion of the
Lord's body.
rla Jva Gosvm has given this example from the Puras: yat payati,
tat tv anurgtiayena "jagad dhana-maya lubdh kmuk kminmayam" iti-vat hare arram. "Because of a greedy person's obsession
with money, wherever he goes he sees an opportunity for acquiring
wealth. Similarly a very lusty man notices women everywhere." In the
same way, a pure devotee should see the transcendental form of the Lord
within everything, since everything is an expansion of the Lord. It is our
practical experience that a greedy man will see money everywhere. If he
goes to the forest he will immediately consider whether it would be
profitable to purchase the forest land and sell the trees to a paper mill.
Similarly, if a lusty man goes to the same forest he will look everywhere
for beautiful women tourists who might happen to be there. And if a
devotee goes to the same forest he will see Ka there, knowing correctly

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that the entire forest, as well as the sky canopy above, is the inferior
energy of the Lord. Ka is supremely sacred, being the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and since everything that exists expands directly
or indirectly from the body of the Lord, everything is sacred when seen
through the eyes of a self-realized person. Therefore as stated in this
verse, praamet: one should offer one's sincere respects to everything.
rla Jva Gosvm has mentioned that we should see the personal form of
Ka everywhere.
This verse does not approve of the impersonal, atheistic philosophy that
everything is God. In this regard, rla Madhvcrya has quoted from the
Hari-vaa:
sarva harer vaatvena
arra tasya bhayate
ananydhipatitvc ca
tad ananyam udryate
na cpy abhedo jagat
vio pra-guasya tu
"Because everything is under the control of the Supreme Lord, Hari,
everything is considered to be His body. He is the original source and
master of everything, and therefore nothing should be seen as different
from Him. Nonetheless, one should not foolishly conclude that there is
absolutely no difference between the material universe and Lord Viu,
who is full of His own unique spiritual qualities."
The example is often given of the sun and the sun's rays. The sunshine is
nothing but an expansion of the sun globe, and therefore there is no
qualitative difference between the sun and its rays. But although the
sunshine is situated everywhere and although everything is a
transformation of the sun's energy, the sun globe itself, the source of the
sunshine, is not everywhere, but is situated in a particular place in the
vast sky and has its own specific form.
If we penetrate further into the sun globe we shall find the sun-god,
Vivasvn. Although pseudointellectuals of the modern age who are
incapable of even counting the hairs on their own heads will consider the
sun-god a mythological figure, it is actually the foolish mythology of
modern men to think that such a sophisticated apparatus as the sun,
which provides heat and light for the entire universe, can function

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without intelligent administration. Transformations of solar energy make

life possible on earth, and thus the earth can be understood to consist of
an endless variety of secondary manifestations of all-pervading solar
energy.
So within the sun planet is the personality Vivasvn, the chief
administrator of the solar functions; the sun globe itself is localized; and
the sun's rays expand everywhere. Similarly r Ka, ymasundara, is
the original Personality of Godhead (bhagavn svayam); He expands
Himself as the localized Supersoul (Paramtm) in everyone's heart; and
finally He expands His potency by His personal bodily glow, the allpervading spiritual effulgence called the brahmajyoti. The entire material
manifestation floats within the rays of this brahmajyoti. Just as all life on
earth is a transformation of the all-pervading rays of the sun, the entire
cosmic manifestation is a transformation of the spiritual rays of the
brahmajyoti. As stated in the Brahma-sahit (5.40):
yasya prabh prabhavato jagad-aa-koikoiv aea-vasudhdi vibhti-bhinnam
tad brahma nikalam anantam aea-bhta
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is endowed with great
power. The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the
impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited and
which displays the varieties of countless planets, with their different
opulences, in millions and millions of universes." Therefore, the
brahmajyoti is the spiritual light that emanates directly from the body of
the Lord. This universe is a transformation of that spiritual energy, and
therefore everything that exists is in one sense connected directly with the
personal body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is emphasized here that we should offer respect to everything that
exists, recognizing it to be the energy of the Lord. The example may be
given that if a man is important his property is also important. The
president of a country is the most important person in the country, and
therefore everyone must respect his property. Similarly, everything that
exists is an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should
be respected accordingly. If we fail to see everything that exists as the
energy of the Lord, we risk the danger of drifting into the Myvda

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philosophy, which according to Caitanya Mahprabhu is the most deadly

poison for one trying to advance in actual spiritual life. Myvdi-bhya
unile haya sarva-na (Cc. Madhya 6.169). If we try to understand Ka
alone, without the expansion of His potency, we shall not understand
such statements in Bhagavad-gt as vsudeva sarvam and aha sarvasya
prabhava [Bg. 10.8].
As already explained in this chapter, bhaya dvitiybhiniveata syt:
fear or illusion arises from thinking that there is something not dependent
upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now, in this verse, the specific
process for overcoming this fearful illusion is given. One must train one's
mind to see everything that exists as an expansion of the potency of the
Supreme Lord. By offering respects to everything and meditating upon
everything as part of the body of the Lord, one will become free from fear.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt (5.29), suhda sarva-bhtnm: Ka is the
well-wishing friend of every living being. As soon as one understands that
everything that exists is under the powerful control of one's most beloved
friend, one comes to the stage in which the whole universe becomes a
blissful abode (viva pra-sukhyate), because he sees Ka
everywhere.
If Ka's personality were not the source of everything and if everything
were not connected to Ka, one might be proper in concluding that
Ka's personality is a material manifestation of some impersonal truth.
As stated in Vednta-stra, janmdy asya yata: [SB 1.1.1] the Absolute
Truth is that from which everything emanates. Similarly, Ka says,
aha sarvasya prabhava: [Bg. 10.8] "I am the source of everything." If
we see anything totally disconnected from the personal body of Ka, we
may doubt whether Ka's personality is actually the absolute source
described in Vednta-stra. As soon as one feels this way, he becomes
fearful and should be understood to be under the control of the Lord's
illusory energy.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has warned us that if we do not
see everything as a manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
we shall become victims of phalgu-vairgya, or immature renunciation.
Whatever we see as disconnected from Ka will have in our mind no
relationship to Ka's service. But if we see everything as connected to
Ka, we shall use everything for Ka's satisfaction. This is called
yukta-vairgya. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura,
"One who has experienced his own true identity understands that all

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things exist as paraphernalia for giving ecstatic pleasure to the Supreme

Lord. Thus one becomes free from the separatist vision in which one sees
the world as existing for one's own enjoyment. In the transcendental state,
whatever a devotee sees reminds him of Ka, and thus his
transcendental knowledge and bliss increase." Because the impersonalist
philosophers fail to see everything as belonging to the personal form of
Ka, they reject this world as having no true existence (jagan mithy).
But since the material world is an emanation from the supreme reality,
Ka, it does in fact exist. Its nonexistence is simply a creation of the
imagination, and one cannot possibly act on such an imaginary platform.
Therefore, having proposed an illusory theory and being unable actually
to live on such a platform, the impersonalist comes back to the material
platform for altruistic or gross sense gratificatory activities. Since the
impersonalist does not accept the personal proprietorship of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, he does not know how or for whom to engage
the things of this world, and since it is impossible to reject this world
totally while living within it, he runs the risk of again becoming entangled
in material fruitive activities. Therefore as stated in Bhagavad-gt (12.5),
kleo 'dhikataras tem: the impersonal path of imaginary philosophy is
very painful to follow.
The conclusion is that this verse is spoken to help the devotee of the
Supreme Lord advance in Ka consciousness. It can be understood from
the previous verses of this chapter that the ultimate goal is pure
devotional service to Lord Ka. If one falsely interprets this verse to
sanction the imaginary Myvda philosophy that everything is God, one
will simply become bewildered and fall from the path of spiritual
advancement.
TEXT 42
bhakti parenubhavo viraktir
anyatra caia trika eka-kla
prapadyamnasya yathnata syus
tui pui kud-apyo 'nu-ghsam
bhaktidevotion; para-aof the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
anubhavadirect perception; viraktidetachment; anyatrafrom
everything else; caand; eathis; trikagroup of three; eka-kla
simultaneously; prapadyamnasyafor one in the process of taking
shelter of the Supreme Lord; yathin the same way as; anatafor one

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engaged in eating; syuthey occur; tuisatisfaction; pui

nourishment; kut-apyaeradication of hunger; anu-ghsam
increasingly with each morsel.
Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from
other thingsthese three occur simultaneously for one who has taken
shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that
pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and
increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating.
rla Jva Gosvm has explained this analogy as follows: Bhakti, or
devotion, may be compared to tui (satisfaction) because they both take
the form of pleasure. Parenubhava (experience of the Supreme Lord)
and pui (nourishment) are analogous because both sustain one's life.
Finally, virakti (detachment) and kud-apya (cessation of hunger) may
be compared because both free one from further hankering so that one
may experience nti, or peace.
A person who is eating not only becomes uninterested in other activities
but increasingly becomes uninterested in the food itself, according to his
satisfaction. On the other hand, according to rla Jva Gosvm, although
one who is experiencing the blissful Personality of Godhead, Ka,
becomes uninterested in anything other than Ka, his attachment to
Ka increases at every moment. Therefore it is to be understood that the
transcendental beauty and qualities of the Supreme Lord are not material,
since one never becomes satiated by relishing the bliss of the Supreme
Lord.
The word virakti is very significant in this verse. Virakti means
"detachment," whereas tyga means "renunciation." According to rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the word renunciation can be used in a
situation in which one considers giving up an enjoyable object. But by
considering everything to be potential paraphernalia in the service of Lord
Ka, as described in the previous verse, one need not give thought to
renunciation, for one uses everything in the proper way in the service of
the Lord. Yukta-vairgyam ucyate.
The very pleasant analogy of a good meal is given in this verse. A hungry
man busily consuming a sumptuous plate of food is not interested in
anything else happening around him. In fact, he considers any other topic
or activity a disturbance to his concentration on the delicious meal.
Similarly, as one advances in Ka consciousness one considers anything

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unrelated to the devotional service of Ka an obnoxious disturbance.

Such concentrated love of Godhead has been described in the Second
Canto of the Bhgavatam by the words tvrea bhakti-yogena yajeta
purua param (SB 2.3.10). One should not make an artificial show of
renouncing the material world; rather, one should systematically train the
mind to see everything as an expansion of the opulence of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Just as a hungry materialistic man, upon seeing
sumptuous food, immediately desires to put it in his mouth, an advanced
devotee of Ka, upon seeing a material object, immediately becomes
eager to use it for the pleasure of Ka. Without the spontaneous hunger
to engage everything in the service of Ka and to dive deeper and deeper
into the ocean of love of Ka, so-called realization of God or loose talk
about so-called religious life is irrelevant to the actual experience of
entering the kingdom of God.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the path of bhakti-yoga
is so joyful and practical that even in the stage of sdhana-bhakti, in which
one follows rules and regulations without an advanced understanding,
one can perceive the ultimate result. As stated by rla Rpa Gosvm
(Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.187),
h yasya harer dsye
karma manas gir
nikhilsv apy avasthsu
jvan-mukta sa ucyate
As soon as one surrenders to the Supreme Lord, Ka
(prapadyamnasya), giving up all other activities (viraktir anyatra ca), one
is immediately to be considered a liberated soul (jvan-mukta). The
Supreme Lord, Ka, is so merciful that when a living entity understands
that the personality Ka is the source of everything and surrenders to
the Lord, Ka personally takes charge of him and reveals to him within
his heart that he is under the Lord's full protection. Thus devotion, direct
experience of the Personality of Godhead, and detachment from other
objects become manifest even in the beginning stage of bhakti-yoga, since
bhakti-yoga begins at the point of liberation. Other processes have as their
final goal salvation or liberation, but according to Bhagavad-gt (18.66),
sarva-dharmn parityajya
mm eka araa vraja

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aha tv sarva-ppebhyo
mokayiymi m uca
If one surrenders to Ka one is immediately liberated and thus begins
his career as a transcendental devotee with complete confidence in the
Lord's protection.
TEXT 43
ity acyutghri bhajato 'nuvtty
bhaktir viraktir bhagavat-prabodha
bhavanti vai bhgavatasya rjas
tata par ntim upaiti skt
itithus; acyutaof the infallible Supreme Lord; aghrimthe feet;
bhajatafor one who is worshiping; anuvttyby constant practice;
bhaktidevotion;
viraktidetachment;
bhagavat-prabodha
knowledge of the Personality of Godhead; bhavantithey manifest; vai
indeed; bhgavatasyafor the devotee; rjanO King Nimi; tatathen;
parm ntimsupreme peace; upaitihe attains; sktdirectly.
My dear King, the devotee who worships the lotus feet of the infallible
Personality of Godhead with constant endeavor thus achieves
unflinching devotion, detachment and experienced knowledge of the
Personality of Godhead. In this way the successful devotee of the Lord
achieves supreme spiritual peace.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt (2.71):
vihya kmn ya sarvn
pum carati nispha
nirmamo nirahakra
sa ntim adhigacchati
"A person who has given up all desires for sense gratification, who lives
free from desires, who has given up all sense of proprietorship and who is
devoid of false egohe alone can attain real peace." rla Prabhupda
comments, "To become desireless means not to desire anything for sense
gratification. In other words, desire for becoming Ka conscious is
actually desirelessness." There is a similar statement in the Caitanya-

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caritmta (Madhya 19.149):

ka-bhakta-nikma, ataeva 'nta'
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-km sakali 'anta'
"Because a devotee of Lord Ka is desireless, he is peaceful. Fruitive
workers desire material enjoyment, jns desire liberation, and yogs
desire material opulence; therefore they are all lusty and cannot be
peaceful."
Generally there are three classes of living entities afflicted with selfish
desire. These are the bhukti-km, mukti-kmi and siddhi-kmi. Bhuktikm refers to those ordinary persons who desire money and everything
money can buy. Such a primitive mentality is based on the desire to enjoy
money, sex and social prestige. When a living being becomes frustrated
with this hallucination, he takes to the path of speculative philosophy and
analytically tries to track down the source of illusion. Such a person is
called mukti-km because he desires to negate material illusion and merge
into an impersonal spiritual state, free from anxiety. The mukti-km is
also motivated by personal desire, although the desire is somewhat more
elevated. Similarly the siddhi-km, or the mystic yog who desires the
spectacular powers of mystic yoga, such as reaching one's hand across the
world or making oneself smaller than the smallest or lighter than the
lightest, is also infected by material or selfish desire. Therefore it is said,
sakali 'anta.' If one has any personal desire, whether it be material,
philosophical or mystic, he will be anta, or ultimately frustrated,
because he will see himself as the central object of satisfaction. This
egocentric concept is in itself illusory and therefore ultimately frustrating.
On the other hand, ka-bhakta nikma, ataeva 'nta': [Cc. Madhya
19.149] a devotee of Lord Ka is nikma; he has no personal desire. His
only desire is to please Ka. Lord iva himself has praised this
outstanding quality of the pure devotees of the Lord by stating,
nryaa-par sarve
na kutacana bibhyati
svargpavarga-narakev
api tulyrtha-darina
"A person who is devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,

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Nryaa, is not afraid of anything. Elevation to the heavenly kingdom,

condemnation to hell and liberation from material bondage all appear the
same to a devotee." (SB 6.17.28) Although the impersonalist philosopher
proposes that everything is one, the devotee of the Lord is actually
tulyrtha-dar, or empowered with the vision of oneness. The devotee
sees everything as the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
therefore desires to engage everything in the service of the Lord, for the
Lord's satisfaction. Since the devotee does not see anything as dvitya, or
outside the scope of the Lord's potency, he is happy in any situation.
Having no personal desire, the devotee of Ka is actually nta, or
peaceful, because he has achieved the perfection of life, love of Ka. He
is actually situated in his eternal constitutional position under the direct
shelter and protection of the omnipotent Paramevara, Ka.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, this verse ends the
answer given by the first of the nine Yogendras, Kavi, to Mahrja Nimi's
first question, "What is the highest good?"
TEXT 44
r-rjovca
atha bhgavata brta
yad-dharmo ydo nm
yathcarati yad brte
yair ligair bhagavat-priya
r-rj uvcathe King spoke; athanext; bhgavatamabout the
devotee of the Personality of Godhead; brtaplease tell me; yatdharmahaving what duties; ydahaving what nature; nm
among men; yathhow; caratihe behaves; yatwhat; brtehe
speaks; yaiby which; ligaivisible symptoms; bhagavat-priya(he
is known as) one dear to the Supreme Lord.
Mahrja Nimi said: Now please tell me in greater detail about the
devotees of the Supreme Lord. What are the natural symptoms by
which I can distinguish between the most advanced devotees, those on
the middle level and those who are neophytes? What are the typical
religious activities of a Vaiava, and how does he speak? Specifically,
please describe those symptoms and characteristics by which Vaiavas
become dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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The great sage Kavi has informed King Nimi about the general external
symptoms of a devotee of the Lord, namely his appearance, personal
qualities and activities. But now King Nimi asks how to make further
distinctions among the servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead so
that the first-class, second-class and lower-class Vaiavas can be clearly
identified.
According to rla Rpa Gosvm, keti yasya giri ta manasdriyeta:
"One should mentally honor any devotee who chants the holy name of
Lord Ka." (Upademta 5) Any living entity who is faithfully chanting
the holy name of Ka is to be considered a Vaiava and at least within
the mind is to be offered respect. But for practical advancement in Ka
consciousness one should associate at least with a second-class devotee.
And if one can receive the mercy of a first-class devotee of the Lord, one's
perfection is very easily guaranteed. Thus Nimi Mahrja is humbly
inquiring, "What are the character, behavior and speech of devotees?"
The King wants to know the particular symptoms of body, mind and
speech by which the different categories uttama-adhikr, madhyamaadhikr and kaniha-adhikr are clearly identified. In response to the
King's inquiry, another of the nava-yogendras, namely Havir, will give a
further elaboration of the science of Ka consciousness.
TEXT 45
r-havir uvca
sarva-bhteu ya payed
bhagavad-bhvam tmana
bhtni bhagavaty tmany
ea bhgavatottama
r-havi uvcar Havir said; sarva-bhteuin all objects (in matter,
spirit, and combinations of matter and spirit); yaanyone who; payet
sees; bhagavat-bhvamthe ability to be engaged in the service of the
Lord; tmanaof the supreme spirit soul, or the transcendence beyond
the material concept of life; bhtniall beings; bhagavatiin the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; tmanithe basic principle of all
existence; eathis; bhgavata-uttamaa person advanced in
devotional service.
r Havir said: The most advanced devotee sees within everything the
soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, r Ka.

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Consequently he sees systematically everything in relation to the

Supreme Lord and understands that everything that exists is eternally
situated within the Lord.
In Bhagavad-gt (6.30) the Lord says,
yo m payati sarvatra
sarva ca mayi payati
tasyha na praaymi
sa ca me na praayati
"For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never
lost, nor is he ever lost to Me." rla Prabhupda comments, "A person in
Ka consciousness certainly sees Lord Ka everywhere, and he sees
everything in Ka. Such a person may appear to see all separate
manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is
conscious of Ka, knowing that everything is the manifestation of
Ka's energy. Nothing can exist without Ka, and Ka is the Lord of
everything-this is the basic principle of Ka consciousness."
The qualification for seeing Ka everywhere is stated in the Brahmasahit (5.38):
premjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santa sadaiva hdayeu vilokayanti
ya symasundaram acintya-gua-svarpa
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee
whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal
form of ymasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee." A
devotee of the highest level of spiritual qualification is glorified for the
expansiveness of his spiritual vision. For example, when the stalwart
demon Hirayakaipu questioned his self-realized son Prahlda Mahrja
as to the whereabouts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Prahlda,
being a mah-bhgavata, or pure devotee, answered straightforwardly that
the Supreme Lord is everywhere. The demoniac father then asked if God
was in the pillar of the palace. When Prahlda answered yes,
Hirayakaipu, being a bona fide demon, struck the pillar with his sword,
trying to kill God, or at least disprove His existence. Then Lord

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Nsihadeva, the most ferocious form of the Supreme Lord, immediately

appeared and finished forever the illicit program of Hirayakaipu. Thus
Prahlda Mahrja can be accepted as an uttama-adhikr devotee.
A pure devotee is completely free from the tendency to enjoy things
separately from the Lord's service. He does not see anything in the
universe as unfavorable, because he sees everything as the expanded
potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee's purpose
in existing is to give pleasure somehow or other to the Supreme Lord.
Thus everything that a pure devotee experiences, moment by moment,
increases his ecstatic loving desire to satisfy the transcendental senses of
the Lord.
The three modes of material nature torment the conditioned soul, who
absorbs his mind in the separated, material energy of the Lord. The
function of this separated energy, bhinn prakti, is to take the living
entity away from the reality, which is that everything is within Ka and
Ka is within everything. Being covered by gross ignorance, the
bewildered conditioned soul believes that only the objects of his own
limited vision actually exist. Sometimes such foolish persons speculate
that if a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear it, there will actually be
no sound. The conditioned souls do not consider that since the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is all-pervading, there is no question of no one's
hearing; the Lord always hears. As stated in the Thirteenth Chapter of
Bhagavad-gt (13.14), sarvata rutimal loke: the Supreme Lord hears
everything. He is upadraa, the witness of everything (Bg. 13.23).
In this verse the word bhgavatottama, "the most advanced devotee,"
indicates that there are those who are not gross materialists but who are
not the highest devotees. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura, those who cannot properly distinguish between devotees and
nondevotees and who therefore never worship the pure devotees of the
Lord are to be known as kaniha-adhikris, devotees on the lowest stage
of devotional service. Such kaniha-adhikris engage in worship of the
Supreme Lord, especially in the temple, but are indifferent to the Lord's
devotees. Thus they misunderstand this statement by Lord iva in the
Padma Pura:
rdhann sarve
vior rdhana param
tasmd paratara devi

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tadyn samarcanam
"O Dev, the most exalted system of worship is the worship of Lord Viu.
Greater than that is the worship of tadya, or anything belonging to
Viu." rla Prabhupda comments on this verse, "r Viu is sac-cidnanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. Similarly the most confidential servant of Ka,
the spiritual master, and all devotees of Viu are tadya. The sac-cidnanda-vigraha, guru, Vaiavas and things used by them must be
considered tadya, and without a doubt worshipable by all living beings."
(Cc. Madhya 12.38 purport)
Typically the kaniha-adhikr is eager to engage his materialistic
qualifications in the service of the Lord, mistaking such material expertise
to be the sign of advanced devotion. But by continuing to serve the
Supreme Lord and the devotees engaged in propagating the Lord's
mission, the kaniha-adhikr also advances in his realization and comes
to the stage of dedicating his activities to helping more advanced
Vaiavas. Even such kaniha-adhikrs can help ordinary living entities
by their association, since at least the kaniha-adhikrs have faith that
Ka is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because of this faith, the
kaniha-adhikr gradually becomes inimical to those who are opposed to
the Lord. As he gradually becomes more and more inimical to those who
hate the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and becomes
more attracted to friendship with other faithful servants of the Lord, the
kaniha-adhikr approaches the second-class stage, called madhyama. In
the madhyama stage the Vaiava sees the Lord as the cause of all causes
and the chief goal of everyone's loving propensity. He sees the Vaiavas
as his only friends within this morbid world and is eager to bring
innocent people within the shelter of Vaiava society. Also, a madhyamaadhikr strictly avoids associating with the self-proclaimed enemies of
God. When such an intermediate qualification becomes mature, the
concept of supreme qualification begins to present itself; that is, one
comes to the stage of uttama-adhikr.
A kaniha-adhikr guru, one who is simply attached to performing
religious ceremonies and worshiping the Deity, without appreciation for
other Vaiavas, especially those who are preaching the message of the
Lord, will especially appeal to persons interested in the dry cultivation of
knowledge. As a living entity develops mundane piety, he proudly devotes
himself to regulated work and nobly tries to detach himself from the fruits

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of his work. Through such regulated detached work, knowledge or

wisdom gradually arises. As knowledge or wisdom becomes prominent,
the pious materialist becomes attracted to altruistic and charitable work
and gives up gross sinful activities. If he is fortunate, he then becomes
favorable to the transcendental devotional service of the Lord. Desiring a
mere intellectual understanding of devotional service, such a pious
materialist may seek shelter at the feet of a kaniha-adhikr. If able to
advance to the madhyama qualification, he then becomes attracted to a
Vaiava actively engaged in preaching Ka consciousness. And when
fully mature on the platform of intermediate devotion, he becomes
attracted to the mah-bhgavata level and is awarded a glimpse of the
exalted position of the mah-bhgavata spiritual master by the grace of
Ka within his heart. If one gradually goes on in the devotional service
of the Lord, one becomes established as a paramahasa mah-bhgavata.
At this stage all of his actions. movements and engagements in preaching
are dedicated solely to the satisfaction of Ka. The illusory potency,
my, has no power to throw or cover such a purified living entity. In
Upademta (5) rla Rpa Gosvm has described this stage of life as
bhajana-vijam ananyam anya-ninddi-nya-hdam.
A mah-bhgavata, being empowered by the Supreme Lord, Yogevara, is
endowed with the supernatural power to inspire and give success to the
madhyama-adhikr who follows in his footsteps and to elevate a
kaniha-adhikr gradually to the intermediate platform. Such devotional
power springs automatically from the ocean of mercy found within the
heart of a pure devotee. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura points
out that a mah-bhgavata has no desire to inflict punishment on the
enemies of the Lord. Rather, he engages the madhyama-adhikrs and
kaniha-adhikrs in preaching work to purify the polluted mentality of
the inimical souls, who are falsely imagining the material world to be
separate from Ka.
There are unfortunate living entities who are unable to understand the
glory of a kaniha-adhikr within the realm of devotional service, have
no praise for the more advanced state of intermediate devotion and
cannot even begin to understand the most exalted stage, that of the
uttama-adhikr. Such unfortunate souls, attracted to impersonal
Myvda speculation, follow faithfully in the footsteps of Kasa, Agha,
Baka and Ptan and are thus killed by r Hari. In this way the
community of sense gratifiers remains uninterested in service at the lotus

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feet of the Supreme Lord, and according to the individual perverted vision
of so-called self-interest, each materialist chooses his own misfortune in
the form of repeated birth and death in various types of material bodies.
There are 8,400,000 species of material forms, and the materialistic living
entities select the particular flavors of birth, old age, disease and death
they wish to inflict upon themselves under the hallucinations of so-called
material progress.
The analogy is given that a lusty man, being agitated by sexual desire, sees
the whole world as filled with sensuous women. In a similar way, a pure
devotee of Ka sees Ka consciousness everywhere, although it may
be temporarily covered. Thus one sees the world just as one sees himself
(tmavan manyate jagat). On this basis one may argue that the vision of
the mah-bhagavata is also illusioned, since the Bhgavatam has already
stated throughout that those conditioned by the three modes of material
nature are not at all Ka conscious but in fact are inimical to Ka. But
although the conditioned living entity may appear inimical to the Lord,
the eternal, unalterable fact is that every living being is part and parcel of
Ka. Although one's ecstatic love for Ka may now be covered by the
influence of my, by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead the conditioned soul will gradually be promoted to the stage of
Ka consciousness.
In fact, everyone is suffering the pangs of separation from Ka. Because
the conditioned soul imagines that he has no eternal relationship with
Ka, he is unable to ascertain that all his miseries are due to this
separation. This is my, or "that which is not." Actually, to think that
misery arises from anything other than separation from Ka is to be in
illusion. So when a pure devotee sees living entities suffering within this
world, he correctly feels that just as he is suffering because of separation
from Ka, all other living beings are also suffering from separation from
Ka. The difference is that a pure devotee correctly ascertains the cause
of his heartbreak whereas the conditioned soul, bewildered by my, is
unable to understand his eternal relationship with Ka and the
unlimited pain arising from neglect of that relationship.
rla Jva Gosvm has quoted the following verses, which illustrate the
ecstatic feelings of the topmost devotees of the Lord. In the Tenth Canto
of rmad-Bhgavatam (10.35.9) the goddesses of Vraja speak as follows:
vana-lats tarava tmani viu
vyajayantya iva pupa-phalhy

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praata-bhra-viap madhu-dhr
prema-ha-tanavo vavu sma
"The creepers and trees of the forest, their branches weighed down by
rich coverings of flowers and fruits, seemed to manifest Lord Viu within
their hearts. Exhibiting eruptions of ecstatic love upon their bodies, they
poured down rains of honey." Elsewhere in the Tenth Canto (SB
10.21.15) it is said:
nadyas tad tad upadhrya mukunda-gtam
varta-lakita-mano-bhava-bhagna-veg
ligana-sthagitam rmi-bhujair murrer
ghanti pda-yugala kamalopahr
"Hearing the song of Lord Mukunda's flute, the rivers then stopped their
currents, although the minds of the rivers could still be ascertained from
the presence of whirlpools. With the arms of their waves the rivers seized
the two lotus feet of Murri, taking help from the lotus plants, and thus
He became trapped in their embrace." And in the last chapter of the Tenth
Canto (10.90.15), the queens of Dvrak pray:
kurari vilapasi tva vta-nidr na ee
svapiti jagati rtrym varo gupta-bodha
vayam iva sakhi kaccid gha-nirviddha-cet
nalina-nayana-hsodra-llekitena
"Dear kurar, now it is very late at night. Everyone is sleeping. The whole
world is now calm and peaceful. At this time, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is sleeping, although His knowledge is undisturbed by any
circumstance. Then why are you not sleeping? Why are you lamenting
like this throughout the whole night? Dear friend, is it that you are also
attracted by the lotus eyes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by
His sweet smiling and attractive words, exactly as we are? Do those
dealings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead pinch your heart as they
do ours?" rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has also given mother
Yaod as an example of an uttama-adhikr, for mother Yaod actually
saw all living beings within the mouth of Ka during the Lord's
Vndvana ll.

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rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura also points out in his commentary,

atra payed iti tath darana-yogyataiva vivakit, na tu tath daranasya
srva-klikat. "In this verse the word payet, or 'one must see,' does not
mean that at every moment one is visualizing the form of Ka; rather, it
means that one has reached the exalted platform of devotional service on
which he is fit to see or is capable of seeing Ka's form." If only those
who constantly see the form of Ka are to be considered uttamaadhikrs, then Nrada, Vysa and ukadeva cannot be considered
topmost devotees, since they do not always see the Lord everywhere. Of
course, Nrada, Vysa and ukadeva are considered to be on the highest
standard of pure devotional service, and therefore the real qualification is
tad-didkdhikya, or having an overwhelming desire to see the Lord.
Therefore the statement of Bhagavad-gt that a devotee should see Ka
everywhere (yo m payati sarvatra) can be understood in terms of the
example of a lusty man's thinking that the world is full of beautiful
women. Similarly, one should become transcendentally so desirous of
seeing the Lord that one can perceive within the entire universe nothing
but Ka and His potency. Vsudeva sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. In rla
Prabhupda's correspondence in 1969 with Professor J. F. Staal of the
University of California, rla Prabhupda claimed that all of his disciples
who were strictly following the intense program of Ka consciousness
were in fact sudurlabha-mahtms who were seeing vsudeva sarvam. In
other words, if one is constantly engaged in Ka consciousness with an
intense desire to please the Lord and one day gain His association, it is to
be understood that in one's life there is nothing but Ka. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura has warned us, however, that a mere
theoretical or academic understanding that Ka is everything does not
qualify one as a first-class devotee. One must actually have developed love
for Ka. Therefore it can be practically understood that anyone who
enthusiastically adopts the Ka consciousness program and eagerly
participates in the preaching activities of the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness is acting on the platform of a madhyama-adhikr
devotee. When such a devotee becomes overwhelmed by his desire to
serve Ka and associate with the Lord, so much so that he is not
attracted to anything else within the universe, he should be understood to
be an uttama-adhikr Vaiava, as mentioned in this verse.
TEXT 46

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svare tad-adhneu
blieu dviatsu ca
prema-maitr-kpopek
ya karoti sa madhyama
vareunto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat-adhneuto
persons who have taken fully to Ka consciousness; blieuunto the
neophytes or the ignorant; dviatsuto persons envious of Ka and
Ka's devotees; caand; premalove; maitrfriendship; kp
mercy; upeknegligence; yaanyone who; karotidoes; sahe;
madhyamaa second-class devotee.
An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama-adhikr,
offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere
friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people
who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
According to Bhagavad-gt, every living entity within the material world
is eternally a minute fragmental portion of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana (Bg. 15.7). But
because of the influence of my the puffed-up conditioned souls become
inimical to the service of the Lord and the Lord's devotees, choose leaders
among the materialistic sense gratifiers, and thus engage busily in a
useless society of the cheaters and the cheated, a society of the blind
leading the blind into a ditch. Although the community of Vaiavas is
sincerely eager to serve the conditioned souls by bringing them back to
their constitutional position, by my's influence the materialistic living
entity becomes hardhearted and rejects the mercy of the Lord's devotees.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, although a secondclass devotee is eager to preach to the innocent conditioned souls, he
should avoid the atheistic class of men so that he will not become
disturbed or polluted by their association. rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura has confirmed that a Vaiava should be indifferent to those who
are envious of the Supreme Lord. It is practically seen that when such
persons are informed of the glories of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, they attempt to ridicule the Supreme Lord, thus further
deteriorating their polluted existence. In this connection rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura has quoted from the Tenth Canto of rmad-

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Bhgavatam (10.20.36):
girayo mumucus toya
kvacin na mumucu ivam
yath jnmta kle
jnino dadate na v
"Sometimes in autumn the water falls down from the tops of the hills to
supply clean water, and sometimes the water stops. Similarly, sometimes
great saintly persons distribute clear knowledge, and sometimes they are
silent."
In this regard, rla Jva Gosvm has mentioned that although the firstclass devotee of the Lord may at times exhibit apparent hatred toward the
demons because of entering the mood of the Lord's pastimes, the
intermediate devotees should avoid such feelings. Furthermore, the
intermediate devotee should not in any way associate with the powerful
atheistic class of men, because there is danger that his mind will become
bewildered by such association. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura, if a Vaiava preacher encounters one who is envious of him,
the preacher should remain far away from such an envious person. But
the Vaiava preacher may meditate upon ways to save the envious class
of men. Such meditation is called sad-cra, or saintly behavior. rla Jva
Gosvm has mentioned Prahlda Mahrja as an example of a saintly
person. In rmad-Bhgavatam (7.9.43) there is the following statement by
Prahlda:
naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitarays
tvad-vrya-gyana-mahmta-magna-citta
oce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyrthamy-sukhya bharam udvahato vimhn
"O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material
existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thought of Your
glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are
making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their
families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with love for
them." Although a Vaiava preacher constantly meditates on the welfare
of all living entities, he will not associate with those who are unreceptive
to the message of the Supreme Lord, Ka. In this regard rla Vivantha

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Cakravart hkura states that even Bharata Mahrja, Vysadeva and

ukadeva Gosvm do not exhibit their mercy indiscriminately.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has given an elaborate
explanation to prove that the discrimination employed by a madhyamaadhikr preacher does not at all show a lack of mercy. He states that
upek, or neglect, as mentioned in this verse, is the proper medicine for
those who are inimical to the Supreme Lord and His devotees.
Indifference from the preacher checks feelings of hostility on both sides.
Although there is a Vedic injunction that one should cut out the tongue of
a person who offends the Supreme Lord and His devotees, in this age it is
best simply to avoid potential offenders and thus prevent them from
committing further sinful activities against the Vaiavas. It is the duty of
a Vaiava preacher to point out the futility of any process besides
surrendering to the Supreme Lord. An envious person, however, will
resent such strong preaching by a Vaiava and disrespect him,
considering the devotee to be unnecessarily criticizing others. Such a
person, who cannot appreciate the mercy of Vaiavas, should be
neglected. Otherwise, according to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura, his cheating mentality will increase day by day.
Those who are not attracted to the sakrtana movement of r Caitanya
Mahprabhu and who disrespect the faithful servants of Lord Caitanya,
considering their strong statements about the sakrtana movement to be
obstacles to their own worship of the Lord, will never be able to fix their
minds on Ka, but will gradually fall down from the path of devotion by
confusing the external activities of the material world with the actual
worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka. Such
bewilderment has been expressed by the words bhaya
dvitybhiniveata syt.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has strongly rejected those
foolish persons who, under a plea of mercy and equal vision, perceive that
a faithless person is also a devotee of the Supreme Lord and who thus try
to thrust the hari-nma, or holy name of God, upon such offensive people.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta has stated, "When childish people think themselves
mah-bhgavatas and act in defiance of the Vaiava spiritual master, such
behavior simply holds them back from receiving the mercy of the
Vaiava guru. Bewildered by false ego, these self-proclaimed devotees
gradually become fit to be ignored by pure devotees on the intermediate
platform and are cheated of the mercy that comes from the devotees'

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satisfaction. Thus they become asdhu by constantly committing offenses

against the devotees who preach the holy name of Ka. Pure devotees,
therefore, in all circumstances display indifference to those who falsely
imagine themselves to be viuddha-bhaktas, or pure devotees of the Lord.
This indifference is an excellent manifestation of their mercy." In other
words, those who criticize the Vaiava preachers on the second-class
platform for discriminating between those who are fit to receive the Lord's
mercy and those who are simply envious are misunderstanding the
mission of the Lord. Ka Himself states in Bhagavad-gt (4.8):
paritrya sdhn
vinya ca duktm
dharma-sasthpanrthya
sambhavmi yuge yuge
"To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to
reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after
millennium." Even such a great Vaiava as ukadeva Gosvm, one of the
twelve mahjanas in this universe, expressed his contempt for the evil
Kasa.
rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out that even though the mah-bhgavata
devotee may act on the second-class platform for preaching, his rejection
of the envious living entities does not obstruct his vision of the Lord as
all-pervading. Rather, when a first-class devotee or even a second-class
devotee rejects the atheistic class of men, he is expressing the mission of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A first-class or second-class
Vaiava never actually becomes envious of another living entity, but out
of intense love for the Supreme Lord he becomes angry when the Lord is
offended. Also, understanding the Lord's mission, he discriminates
according to the position of a particular living entity. To consider such a
Vaiava preacher an ordinary, envious person, or to consider him
sectarian because of his proclamation of pure devotional service as the
most exalted of all methods of spiritual advancement, reflects a
materialistic vision called vaiave jti-buddhi or guruu nara-mati. Such
an offense drags the offender down to a hellish condition of life by the
laws of nature.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, although a mah-bhgavata sees every
living entity as a pure spirit soul, such a mah-bhgavata still experiences

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special ecstasies and other symptoms upon meeting another Vaiava.

This is not contradictory to his vision as a topmost devotee; rather, it is a
symptom of his love for Ka. A pure devotee sees every living entity as
part and parcel of Ka and therefore expresses his love for Ka
through love for all the expansions and creations of Ka. Still, such a
mah-bhgavata feels special ecstatic love upon seeing another living
entity directly pleasing the senses of the Supreme Lord. Such feelings are
manifest in the statement of Lord iva to the Pracets:
kardhenpi tulaye
na svarga npunar-bhavam
bhagavat-sagi-sagasya
martyn kim utia
"If one by chance associates with a devotee, even for a fraction of a
moment, he no longer is subject to attraction by the results of karma or
jna. What interest then can he have in the benedictions of the
demigods, who are subject to the laws of birth and death?" (SB 4.24.57)
Similarly, Lord iva also stated:
atha bhgavat yya
priy stha bhagavn yath
na mad bhgavatn ca
preyn anyo 'sti karhicit
"You are all devotees of the Lord, and as such I appreciate that you are as
respectable as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. I know that
in this way the devotees also respect me and that I am dear to them. Thus
no one can be as dear to the devotees as I am." (SB 4.24.30) Similarly, in
the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.7.11) rla ukadeva Gosvm is
mentioned as nitya viu-jana-priya, especially dear to the pure
devotees of the Lord.
The wonderful loving dealings between Vaiavas on the topmost
platform are demonstrated in the pastimes of Caitanya-caritmta. In
other words, although a Vaiava sees every living entity as part and
parcel of Ka, he must discriminate in his external behavior so as not to
interfere with the original purpose of the Lord's creation, which is to
reform the living entities so that they can gradually come back home,

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back to Godhead. A pure devotee does not foolishly pretend equal vision
and approach envious persons; rather, he respects the mission of the
Lord, as stated in Bhagavad-gt (4.11) by the words ye yath m
prapadyante ts tathaiva bhajmy aham.
On the other hand, if it is the Lord's desire, a pure devotee can offer his
respects to all living beings. For example, rla Jva Gosvm mentions
that Uddhava and other pure devotees of the Lord were always prepared
to offer respectful obeisances even to such persons as Duryodhana.
Madhyama-adhikrs, however, should not imitate such uttama-adhikr
behavior. In this connection, the distinction between madhyama-adhikr
and uttama-adhikr is stated by rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura as
follows: atra sarva-bhteu bhagavad-darana-yogyat yasya kadcid api
na d. A madhyama-adhikr cannot at any time perceive the presence
of the Supreme Lord within all living beings, whereas an uttama-adhikr,
however he acts on the second-class platform to carry out the Lord's
mission, is aware that every living entity is ultimately a forgetful Ka
conscious living entity. Therefore, although a devotee may externally
engage four different types of behavior, as mentioned in this verse
namely, worship of the Lord, friendship with the devotees, preaching to
the innocent and rejection of the demonshe is not necessarily on the
second-class platform, since an uttama-adhikr also may exhibit these
symptoms to carry out the Lord's mission. In this regard, rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura mentions that it is the duty of the
madhyama-adhikr to extend himself as the right hand of the uttamaadhikr, vowing to work for the benefit of others and offering to help in
distributing love of Ka.
Finally, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has given a nice
explanation of the difference between arcana and bhajana. Arcana refers
to the platform of sdhana-bhakti, in which one serves the Lord to carry
out the rules and regulations of the process. One who has achieved the
shelter of the Lord's holy name and is totally engaged in the attempt to
serve the Lord should be considered to be on the platform of bhajana,
even though his external activities may sometimes be less strict than those
of the neophyte engaged in arcana. This apparent lack of strictness,
however, refers to laxity not in the basic principles of sane behavior and
renunciation of sense gratification, but rather in the details of Vaiava
ceremonies.

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TEXT 47
arcym eva haraye
pj ya raddhayehate
na tad-bhakteu cnyeu
sa bhakta prkta smta
arcymDeity; evacertainly; harayeto Lord Hari; pjmworship;
yawho; raddhayfaithfully; hateengages; nanot; tatof Ka;
bhakteutoward the devotees; caand; anyeutoward people in
general; sahe; bhakta prktamaterialistic devotee; smtais
called.
A devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the Deity in the
temple but does not behave properly toward other devotees or people in
general is called a prkta-bhakta, a materialistic devotee, and is
considered to be in the lowest position.
rla Madhvcrya comments that one in the lowest stage of devotional
service faithfully worships the Deity in the temple but is not aware that
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually all-pervading. This same
mentality can be seen in the Western countries, where people commit all
types of sinful activities in their homes and in the street but then piously
go to a church and pray to God for mercy. Actually, God is in our home,
God is in the street, God is in our office, God is in the forest, God is
everywhere, and therefore God should be worshiped everywhere by the
process of devotional service at His lotus feet. As stated in verse 41 of this
chapter,
kha vyum agni salila mah ca
jyoti sattvni dio drumdn
sarit-samudr ca hare arra
yat ki ca bhta praamed ananya
"A devotee should not see anything as being separate from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka. Ether, fire, air, water, earth, the sun and
other luminaries, all living beings, the directions, trees and other plants,
the rivers and oceanswhatever a devotee experiences he should
consider to be an expansion of Ka. Thus seeing everything that exists
within creation as the body of the Supreme Lord, Hari, the devotee should

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offer his sincere respects to the entire expansion of the Lord's body." This
is the vision of the mah-bhagavata devotee of the Lord.
rla Madhvcrya states that a madhyama-adhikr, a devotee in the
intermediate stage, sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause
of all causes and therefore offers his love to the Lord. Such a devotee is a
sincere friend of other devotees, is merciful to the ignorant and avoids the
atheists. Nonetheless, tad-vaatva na jnti sarvasya jagato 'pi tu: his
realization of the all-pervading feature of the Supreme Lord is imperfect.
Although he does have a general sense that everyone is ultimately meant
to be a devotee of the Supreme Lord and he tries to use everything in the
service of Ka, aware that everything belongs to the Lord, he may be
bewildered by association with atheistic men.
rla Madhvcrya states, arcym eva sasthitam/ vium jtv tadanyatra naiva jnti ya pumn. A kaniha-adhikr has no idea that the
Supreme Lord has the power to exist outside a church or temple.
Furthermore, being puffed up by his own ceremonial worship (tmano
bhakti-darpata), a kaniha-adhikr cannot imagine that anyone is more
pious or religious than he, and he is not even aware that other devotees
are more advanced. Thus he cannot understand the madhyama or uttama
standard of devotional service, and sometimes, because of his false pride,
he criticizes the more advanced devotees of the Lord, neglects them or
simply has no understanding of their exalted position as preachers or
completely self-realized souls.
Another symptom of the kaniha-adhikr is that he is infatuated by the
material qualifications of so-called great materialistic persons. Having a
bodily concept of life himself, he is attracted by material opulence and
thus minimizes the position of the Supreme Lord, Viu. Such a kanihaadhikr, therefore, is disturbed if a second-class devotee criticizes the
nondevotees of the Lord. In the name of compassion or kindness, a
kaniha-adhikr approves of the nondevotional activities of such
materialistic men. Because the kaniha-adhikr is ignorant of the higher
realms of devotional service and the unlimited transcendental bliss of
Ka consciousness, he sees devotional service merely as the religious
aspect of life but thinks that life has many enjoyable and worthwhile
nondevotional aspects. Therefore he becomes angry when second-class
devotees, who are experiencing that Ka is everything, criticize the
nondevotees. Madhvcrya says that such a person, because of his
rudimentary faith in Ka, is considered a devotee, but he is

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bhaktdhama, a devotee on the lowest standard. If such materialistic

devotees follow the rules and regulations of Deity worship, they will
gradually be elevated to a higher standard and eventually become pure
devotees of the Lord, unless they commit offenses against other devotees,
in which case their advancement will be checked.
rla Madhvcrya states, tad-bhaktnm upekak kuryur viv api
dveam. Those who neglect or show indifference to the devotees of the
Lord are to be considered offenders at the lotus feet of Viu. Similarly,
those who disrespect the demigods will become bereft of devotional
service and be forced to rotate again and again within sasra, the cycle
of birth and death. Pjy devs tata sad: the demigods are always to be
offered respect, since they are devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. If someone is envious of the demigods, he is to be considered
envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, one who offers
sincere respect to the demigods is considered to be respecting the will of
the Supreme Lord. A Vaiava does not foolishly think that there are
many gods. He knows that there is one Supreme Personality of Godhead.
But as stated many times in rmad-Bhgavatam, the Lord has a mission
within this material world, which is to reform the conditioned living
entities through the cruel laws of nature. In the Lord's mission within this
world, the demigods are to be considered limbs of the Lord's body. It is
stated in Bhagavad-gt (7.20):
kmais tais tair hta-jn
prapadyante 'nya-devat
ta ta niyamam sthya
prakty niyat svay
"Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto
demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship
according to their own natures." But there are many examples of devotees
who worshiped the demigods to get benedictions for serving Lord Ka.
The gops worshiped the demigods to achieve Ka, and similarly
Rukmidev, on the day of her marriage, engaged in such demigod
worship, her only goal being Ka. Even today the preachers of the Ka
consciousness movement cultivate important people with all kindness and
diplomacy so that such wealthy or influential people will engage their
resources in the devotional service of Ka to glorify Ka all over the
world. Similarly, offering all respects to the demigods so that they will

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give facility for the devotional service of Ka is not against the bhaktimrga, although nowadays such demigod worship has also deteriorated.
Therefore, Caitanya Mahprabhu has recommended hari-nma sakrtana,
chanting the holy names of Ka, as the only realistic process for this
age. Nonetheless, a devotee of the Lord should not misinterpret Bhagavadgt's injunctions against demigod worship as a license to offend the
demigods, who are bona fide Vaiavas.
rla Madhvcrya notes,
vior upekaka sarve
vidvianty adhika sur
pataty avaya tamasi
hari tai ca ptita
"All the demigods are extremely inimical to one who does not respect
Lord Viu. Such a person is pushed into the darkest regions by the Lord,
as well as by the demigods." From this statement by rla Madhvcrya,
the devotional sentiments of the demigods can be understood. It is stated
that in the supreme liberation achieved by an uttama-adhikr, the most
exalted devotee of the Lord, the devotee enjoys transcendental bliss in the
direct association of the Supreme Lord and the demigods.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, since a kaniha-adhikr who cannot
properly respect other devotees will certainly fail to offer respects to
ordinary living entities who are not even devotees, a kaniha-adhikr is
useless for practical preaching work unless he comes to a higher platform
of understanding. rla Jva Gosvm says, iya ca raddh na
strrthvadhraa-jt. Because the kaniha-adhikr's faith is not
actually based on the statements of Vedic literature, he cannot understand
the exalted position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within
everyone's heart. Therefore he cannot actually manifest love of Godhead,
nor can he understand the exalted position of the devotees of the Lord.
Ka is so glorious that Ka's intimate associates must also be glorious.
But this is unknown to a kaniha-adhikr. Similarly, the essential
qualification of a Vaiava, which is to offer all respects to others
(amnin mandena krtanya sad hari [Cc. di 17.31] is also
conspicuous by its absence in a kaniha-adhikr. If such a person,
however, has faith in the Vedic literatures and tries to understand the
statements of Bhagavad-gt and rmad-Bhgavatam, he will gradually be

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elevated to the secondand first-class stages of devotional service.

According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, a kaniha-adhikr
should very seriously engage in regulated worship of the Deity. The Deity
is a particular incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord
Ka can present Himself before the worshiper in five different
manifestations, namely His original form as Ka (para), His quadruple
expansions (vyha), His pastime incarnations (vaibhava), the Supersoul
(antarym) and the Deity (arc). Within the Deity form (arc) is the
Supersoul, who in turn is included within the Lord's pastime forms
(vaibhava). The Supreme Lord's vaibhava-praka is an emanation from
the catur-vyha. This quadruple expansion of the Lord is situated within
the supreme truth, Vsudeva, who Himself is situated within the svayapraka-tattva. This svaya-praka consists of expansions of the ultimate
svaya-rpa-tattva, the original form of Ka within Goloka Vndvana
in the spiritual sky. This hierarchy of the expansions of the Supreme Lord
in the spiritual world is realized even within the material world in terms
of one's eagerness to render service to the Lord. A beginner in the lowest
stage of devotional service should try to dedicate all his activities to the
satisfaction of the Lord and cultivate the worship of Ka in the temple.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, all the plenary
expansions of the Supreme Lord mentioned above descend into this world
and enter within the Deity, who exhibits the function of the Supersoul by
accompanying the daily life of the Vaiava. Although the vaibhava, or
pastime expansions, of the Lord incarnate at specific times (rmdimrtiu kal-niyamena tihan [Bs. 5.39]), the Supersoul and Deity forms
are constantly available for the spiritual advancement of the devotees in
this world. As one comes to the madhyama-adhikr platform, one is able
to understand the expansions of the Supreme Lord, whereas the kanihaadhikr's entire knowledge of the Lord is limited to the Deity.
Nonetheless, Ka is so kind that to encourage even the lowest class of
Vaiavas He condenses all of His various forms into the Deity so that by
worshiping the Deity the kaniha-adhikr devotee is worshiping all the
forms of the Lord. As the devotee makes advancement, he can understand
these forms as they appear in their own way, both within this world and
in the spiritual sky.
As long as one remains on the third-class platform, one has no
transcendental appreciation of the blissful reality of the Supreme Lord's
paraphernalia and entourage. r Caitanya Mahprabhu was very pleased

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with King Pratparudra when the King, upon receiving an outer cloth
from the Lord, immediately installed it as a Deity and began to worship it
as being as good as the Lord Himself. Lord iva himself has stated, tasmd
paratara devi tadyn samarcanam. Worship of the paraphernalia,
entourage or devotees of the Lord is even better than worship of the Lord,
because the Lord is more pleased by worship of His devotees and
entourage than by worship of Himself personally.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the inability of the
kaniha-adhikr to appreciate the Lord's devotees, entourage and
paraphernalia indicates that such a materialistic Vaiava is still affected
by the speculative understanding of the karma-vads and Myvds, those
who are dedicated to sense gratification and impersonal speculation about
the Absolute. rla Prabhupda often said that only the impersonalist
desires to see Ka alone; we desire to see Ka with His cows, His
friends, His parents, His gops, His flute, jewelry, forest scenery and so on.
Ka is gorgeous in the setting of Vndvana. It is in the land of
Vndvana that Lord Ka, surrounded by so many beautiful associates,
manifests His exalted indescribable beauty. Similarly, the unique mercy of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is exhibited in the activities of His
pure devotees who selflessly travel around the universe distributing the
dust particles from Ka's lotus feet on the heads of the conditioned
souls. One who is uninterested in the Lord's paraphernalia, entourage and
devotees has a stunted conception of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. This must be due to contamination from the impersonal and
sensuous understandings of life.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura states that after hundreds of
lifetimes of faithfully worshiping the Deity of Lord Vsudeva with
external paraphernalia, one realizes the true nature of His transcendental
name and mantras, and the bondage of one's materialistic mentality
slackens. In this way, as a kaniha-adhikr gradually comes to perceive
the mental activities of a devotee and tries seriously to advance to a higher
stage, his materialistic conceptions will go away of their own accord. He
then exhibits loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
makes friendship with the devotees who are the dearmost sons of the
Lord, and by appreciating the universal quality of devotional service to
Ka he becomes very much eager to engage other innocent people in
the service of the Lord. Further, as he begins to make significant
advancement he becomes inimical to anything or anyone that hinders the

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progress of his devotional life, and thus he avoids atheistic people who
cannot benefit by good instruction.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, founded by His
Divine Grace O Viupda Paramahasa Parivrjakcrya 108 r
rmad Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda, is so nice that anyone who
helps this society immediately engages in preaching work for the Lord.
Thus there is great facility for the members of this society to come quickly
to the second-class stage of devotional service. If in the name of Ka
consciousness one gives up preaching and instead becomes interested
simply in collecting funds for maintenance, he is showing a type of envy
of other living entities. This is a symptom of the third-class platform.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, verses 45 through 47
constitute the answer to King Nimi's two questions "What is the nature of
devotional service to the Lord?" and "What are the specific duties of the
Vaiavas?"
TEXT 48
ghtvpndriyair arthn
yo na dvei na hyati
vior mym ida payan
sa vai bhgavatottama
ghtvaccepting; apieven though; indriyaiwith his senses;
arthnobjects of the senses; yawho; na dveidoes not hate; na
hyatidoes not rejoice; vioof the Supreme Lord, Viu; mym
the illusory potency; idamthis material universe; payanseeing as;
sahe; vaiindeed; bhgavata-uttamaa first-class devotee.
Even while engaging his senses in contact with their objects, one who
sees this whole world as the energy of Lord Viu is neither repelled
nor elated. He is indeed the greatest among devotees.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the position of the uttama-adhikr, or
first-class devotee of the Lord, is so worshipable that additional symptoms
are now given in eight verses. It should be understood that unless one
comes in contact with the lotus feet of a pure devotee of the Lord, the
path of freedom from material illusion is very difficult to understand. In
the fifth verse of r Upademta rla Rpa Gosvm has stated,
uray bhajana-vijam ananyam anya-ninddi-nya-hdam psita-saga-

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labdhy: "One should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee
who is advanced in undeviated devotional service and whose heart is
completely devoid of the propensity to criticize others." rla Prabhupda
comments, "In this verse rla Rpa Gosvm advises the devotee to be
intelligent enough to distinguish between the kaniha-adhikr,
madhyama-adhikr and uttama-adhikr. A neophyte Vaiava or a
Vaiava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples,
but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be
understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal
of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be
careful to accept an uttama-adhikr as a spiritual master." Therefore
additional symptoms will now be given so that the conditioned soul who
desires to go back home, back to Godhead, can properly identify the bona
fide spiritual master.
According to rla rdhara Svm and rla Jva Gosvm, associating with
a pure devotee of the Lord is so important that now that the various
categories of devotional service have been defined, eight additional verses
are given concerning the qualifications of a pure devotee, so that students
of rmad-Bhgavatam will make no mistake in this connection. Similarly,
in the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gt Arjuna asked Ka about the
symptoms of a completely Ka conscious person, and Ka elaborately
explained the symptoms of one who is praj pratihit, or established in
Ka consciousness.
The particular qualification mentioned in this verse is vior mym ida
payan: one should see the entire material universe as a product of the
illusory energy of the Lord. There is no question of lamenting or rejoicing
for that which is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Within this world one generally laments upon losing something desirable
and rejoices upon acquiring the object of his wish. But since a pure
devotee has no personal desire whatsoever (ka-bhakta nikma-ataeva
'nta' [Cc. Madhya 19.149]), there is no question of gain or loss. As the
Lord says in Bhagavad-gt (18.54):
brahma-bhta prasanntm
na ocati na kkati
sama sarveu bhteu
mad-bhakti labhate parm
"One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme

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Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have
anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he
attains pure devotional service unto Me." Similarly, Lord iva says to his
wife, Prvat, while glorifying the character of King Citraketu,
nryaa-par sarve
na kutacana bibhyati
svargpavarga-narakev
api tulyrtha-darina
"Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Nryaa, never fear any condition of life. For
them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the
same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord." (SB
6.17.28)
This state of complete satisfaction in the devotional service of Ka is not
a mental concoction achieved by artificial meditation, but is a result of
having experienced the superior nature of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is a reservoir of transcendental bliss. As stated in
Bhagavad-gt (2.59), rasa-varja raso 'py asya para dv nivartate.
When impersonalists and voidists artificially try to push material things
out of their minds, they undergo great hardships and ordeals in their
artificial meditation.
kleo 'dhikataras tem
avyaktsakta-cetasm
avyakt hi gatir dukha
dehavadbhir avpyate
(Bg. 12.5)
According to Lord Ka, it is only with great inconvenience and suffering
that one can achieve impersonal liberation, because every living being is
eternally a person, being part and parcel of the Supreme Person, Ka.
The concept of giving up one's personal identity is a reaction to the
terrible frustration of material egotism. It is not a positive program. If one
is suffering unbearable pain in his hand, he may agree to have the hand
amputated, but the real solution is to remove the infection so that the
healthy hand may become a source of pleasure. Similarly ego, or the sense

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that "I am," is a source of unlimited happiness when we understand what

we are, namely servants of Ka. Impersonal meditation is dry and
troublesome. A pure devotee realizes that he is an eternal person, part and
parcel of the Supreme Person, Lord Ka, and that he has the privilege as
the son of God to participate in the ecstatic eternal pastimes of the
Supreme Lord, loving Ka and playing with Him forever. For such a
devotee the pale material nature, which is but a perverted reflection of the
spiritual world, becomes totally unattractive. Therefore, one who is
completely attached to Ka and uninterested in the manifestations of
my can be considered bhgavatottama, a pure devotee of the Lord, as
described in a previous verse (bhakti parenubhavo viraktir anyatra ca
[SB 11.2.42]).
rla Madhvcrya has stated, vior my viv-icchdhnm: "The
words vior mym in this verse indicate that the illusory energy always
remains dependent upon the will of Lord Viu." Similarly the Brahmasahit (5.44) says, si-sthiti-pralaya-sdhana-aktir ek chyeva yasya
bhuvanni bibharti durg. My is like a shadow of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead who serves Him in the creation, maintenance and
annihilation of this world. Just as a shadow has no independent power of
movement but follows the substance that casts the shadow, the illusory
energy of the Lord has no independent power, but bewilders the living
entities according to the Lord's desire. One of Ka's opulences is that He
is supremely detached; when a living entity wants to forget Him, Ka
immediately employs His illusory energy to facilitate the foolishness of
the conditioned soul.
According to rla Jva Gosvm the words ghtvpndriyair arthn
indicate that the pure devotee of the Lord does not cease acting within
this world; rather, he uses his senses in the service of the Lord of the
senses, Hkea. Hkea hkea-sevana bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya
19.170]. rla Rpa Gosvm has stated that if one gives up those material
things which are favorable for serving Ka, considering them material
and therefore an impediment to his spiritual advancement, his
renunciation is merely phalgu-vairgya, or immature and imperfect
renunciation. On the other hand, one who accepts all material things for
the service of Ka without any personal desire for sense gratification is
actually renounced (yukta vairgyam ucyate).
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has warned in his commentary on
this verse that by envying any of the three classes of devoteesuttama-

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adhikr, madhyama-adhikr or kaniha-adhikrone falls down to the

platform of impersonalism and loses all power to benefit others or even
himself. Therefore those who are trying to advance in Ka
consciousness should not endanger their transcendental experience by
unnecessarily criticizing other Vaiavas. According to rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, if one engages in phalgu-vairgya, or
renouncing material things that are favorable to the service of Lord Ka,
one runs the risk of being polluted by impersonal philosophy. On the
other hand, by sticking to the principle of yukta-vairgya, engaging
everything for Ka without personal desire, one can remain aloof from
the danger of material sense gratification and gradually come to the mahbhgavata platform, as mentioned in this verse.
TEXT 49
dehendriya-pra-mano-dhiy yo
janmpyaya-kud-bhaya-tara-kcchrai
sasra-dharmair avimuhyamna
smty harer bhgavata-pradhna
dehaof the body; indriyasenses; pralife air; manamind;
dhiymand intelligence; yawho; janmaby birth; apyaya
diminution; kuthunger; bhayafear; tarathirst; kcchraiand the
pain of exertion; sasraof material life; dharmaiby the inseparable
features; avimuhyamnanot bewildered; smtybecause of
remembrance; hareof Lord Hari; bhgavata-pradhnathe foremost
of devotees.
Within the material world, one's material body is always subject to
birth and decay. Similarly, the life air [pra] is harassed by hunger and
thirst, the mind is always anxious, the intelligence hankers for that
which cannot be obtained, and all of the senses are ultimately
exhausted by constant struggle in the material nature. A person who is
not bewildered by the inevitable miseries of material existence, and
who remains aloof from them simply by remembering the lotus feet of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is to be considered bhgavatapradhna, the foremost devotee of the Lord.
According to rla Madhvcrya there are three classes of intelligent living
beings within this world, namely the demigods, ordinary human beings,

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and demons. A living being endowed with all auspicious qualitiesin

other words, a highly advanced devotee of the Lordeither on the earth
or in the higher planetary systems is called a deva, or demigod. Ordinary
human beings generally have good and bad qualities, and according to
this mixture they enjoy and suffer on the earth. But those who are
distinguished by their absence of good qualities and who are always
inimical to pious life and the devotional service of the Lord are called
asuras, or demons.
Of these three classes, the ordinary human beings and demons are terribly
afflicted by birth, death and hunger, whereas the godly persons, the
demigods, are aloof from such bodily distress. The demigods remain aloof
from such distress because they are enjoying the results of their pious
activities; by the laws of karma, they are unaware of the gross suffering of
the material world. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gt (9.20),
trai-vidy m soma-p pta-pp
yajair iv svar-gati prrthyante
te puyam sdya surendra-lokam
ananti divyn divi deva-bhogn
"Those who study the Vedas and drink the soma juice, seeking the
heavenly planets, worship Me indirectly. They take birth on the planet of
Indra, where they enjoy godly delights." But the next verse of Bhagavadgt says that when one uses up the results of these pious activities, one
has to forfeit his status as a demigod, along with the pleasure of the
heavenly kingdom, and return to earth as a nara, or ordinary human
being (ke puye martya-loka vianti [Bg. 9.21]). In fact the laws of
nature are so subtle that one may not even return to earth as a human, but
may take birth as an insect or tree, depending on the particular
configuration of his karma.
The pure devotee of the Lord, however, does not experience material
misery, because he has given up the bodily concept of life and identifies
himself correctly as an eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Ka. As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gt (9.2),
susukha kartum avyayam. Even in the stage of regulative practice, the
process of bhakti-yoga is very joyful. Similarly, Locana dsa hkura, a
near contemporary of r Caitanya Mahprabhu, said, saba avatra sra
iromai kevala nanda-ka. Although there are various kas, or

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divisions, of Vedic discipline, such as karma-ka (fruitive ceremonies)

and jna-ka (regulated speculation), Caitanya Mahprabhu's harinma sakrtana movement is kevala nanda-ka, the pathway of pure
bliss. Simply by chanting the holy names of Ka, eating the remnants of
sumptuous food offered to the Supreme Lord and hearing the enchanting
pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, one merges into an ocean of bliss
called Ka consciousness.
Fortunately this blissful ocean is the eternal situation of every living
entity, provided he gives up all of his bogus concepts of life. One should
not identify himself as a gross material body, nor as a fickle mind, nor as
speculative intelligence, nor should one foolishly identify himself with the
so-called void of Buddhist imagination. Nor should one even identify
himself with the ocean of impersonal spiritual life called the brahmajyoti,
which illuminates the great outdoors of the spiritual sky beyond the
covered universe. One should rather identify himself correctly as an
eternal individual servant of the supreme individual Personality of
Godhead. By this simple admission of one's constitutional position and by
sincere engagement in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, one is
quickly promoted to direct participation in the eternal pastimes of Ka,
just as Arjuna got the opportunity to play with Ka as a soldier on the
Battlefield of Kuruketra.
rla Madhvcrya has given an elaborate description of the process by
which material miseries arise. When a conditioned soul of demoniac
mentality identifies himself with the gross material body, he undergoes
miseries of constant drowsiness and unquenchable sexual desires that
burn all mental peace and serenity to ashes. When a demoniac person
identifies himself with pra, the life air, he suffers from hunger, and by
identifying himself with the mind he suffers panic, fear, and hankering
that ends in disappointment. When he identifies himself with intelligence,
he suffers profound existential bitterness and frustration deep within his
heart. When he identifies himself with the false ego, he feels inferiority,
thinking, "I am so low." And when he identifies himself with the process
of consciousness, he is haunted by memories of the past. When a demon
tries to impose himself as the ruler of all living beings, all of these
miseries expand simultaneously.
According to rpda Madhvcrya, sinful life is the demoniac standard
for happiness. We can observe that in demoniac societies the dark, late
hours of night are considered most appropriate for recreational activity.

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When a demon hears that someone is rising at four o'clock in the morning
to take advantage of the godly early-morning hours, he is astonished and
bewildered. Therefore it is said in Bhagavad-gt (2.69),
y ni sarva-bhtn
tasy jgarti sayam
yasy jgrati bhtni
s ni payato mune
"What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the selfcontrolled; and the time of awakening for all beings is night for the
introspective sage." rla Prabhupda has commented, "There are two
classes of intelligent men. The one is intelligent in material activities for
sense gratification, and the other is introspective and awake to the
cultivation of self-realization." Thus the more one can increase illicit sex,
intoxication, meat-eating and gambling, the more one advances his
prestige in a demoniac society, whereas in a godly society based on Ka
consciousness these things are abolished completely. Similarly, as one
becomes blissfully attached to the holy name and pastimes of Ka, one
becomes more and more alienated from the demoniac society.
The demons are self-proclaimed enemies of the Supreme Lord, and they
mock His kingdom. Thus they are described by rla Madhvcrya as
adho-gate, or those who have purchased their tickets to the darkest
regions of hell. On the other hand, if one is undisturbed by the miseries of
material life, he is on the same spiritual level as the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (2.15),
ya hi na vyathayanty ete
purua puruarabha
sama-dukha-sukha dhra
so 'mtatvya kalpate
"O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by
happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for
liberation." One can come to this transcendental stage only by the mercy
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the words of r Madhvcrya,
samprnugrahd vio.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has described the process by

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which one becomes an uttama-adhikr If one is fortunate, he gradually

becomes disgusted with the limited vision and activities of the kanihaadhikr and learns to appreciate the expanded vision of the madhyamaadhikr, who is able to recognize that every living entity should become a
devotee of Ka and that one achieves the perfection of life by following
in the footsteps of an uttama-adhikr devotee of the Lord. As one's
devotional service gradually intensifies and one repeatedly bathes in dust
from the lotus feet of a pure devotee, the harassment of birth, death,
hunger, thirst, fear and so on gradually cease disturbing the mind. As
stated in Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu (1.2.114),
alabdhe v vinae v
bhakycchdana-sdhane
aviklava-matir bhtv
harim eva dhiy smaret
"Even if a devotee is frustrated in his attempt to eat properly or clothe
himself properly, he should not allow this material failure to disturb his
mind; rather, he should use his intelligence to remember his master, Lord
Ka, and thus remain undisturbed." As one becomes mature in this
process of remembering Ka in all circumstances, he is awarded the title
mah-bhgavata.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta gives the example that just as a child's ball may be
fastened to the end of a rope so that it cannot bounce away, a devotee
who surrenders to Ka becomes tied to the rope of Vedic injunctions
and is never lost in worldly affairs. In this connection rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has quoted from the g Veda (1.156.3)
as follows: o sya jnanto nma cid vivaktan mahas te vio su-mati
bhajmahe o tat sat. "O Viu, Your name is completely transcendental.
Thus it is self-manifest. Indeed, even without properly understanding the
glories of chanting Your holy name, if we vibrate Your name with at least
a small understanding of its gloriesthat is, if we simply repeat the
syllables of Your holy namegradually we shall understand it." The
supreme entity indicated by the praava o is sat, or self-revealing.
Therefore, even if one is disturbed by fear or envy, the transcendental
form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will become manifest to one
who continues to chant the Lord's holy name. Further evidence is given in
rmad-Bhgavatam (6.2.14):

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sketyam prihsya v
stobha helanam eva v
vaikuha-nma-grahaam
aegha-hara vidu
"One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the
reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly (to indicate
something else), jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully.
This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures."
TEXT 50
na kma-karma-bjn
yasya cetasi sambhava
vsudevaika-nilaya
sa vai bhgavatottama
nanever; kmaof lust; karmafruitive work; bjnmor of material
hankerings, which are the seeds of fruitive activity; yasyaof whom;
cetasiin the mind; sambhavachance to arise; vsudeva-eka-nilaya
one for whom the Supreme Lord, Vsudeva, is the only shelter; sahe;
vaiindeed; bhgavata-uttamais a first-class devotee.
One who has taken exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord, Vsudeva,
becomes free from fruitive activities, which are based on material lust.
In fact, one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord is freed
from even the desire to enjoy material sense gratification. Plans for
enjoying sex life, social prestige and money cannot develop within his
mind. Thus he is considered bhgavatottama, a pure devotee of the
Lord on the highest platform.
According to rla rdhara Svm, this verse describes the behavior of a
devotee of the Lord. The activities of a pure devotee are devoid of material
envy, false elation, delusion and lust. According to the Vaiava
commentators, the word bjnm in this verse refers to vsan, or deeply
rooted desires, which gradually fructify in the form of activities, for which
the living entity becomes subject to reactions. Thus the compound word
kma-karma-bjnm indicates the deep-rooted desire to lord it over the
material world through the enjoyment of sexual pleasure and the
expansions of sexual pleasure mentioned in the Bhgavatam (5.5.8) as

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gha-ketra-sutpta-vittai, that is, a beautiful residential building and

ample land for producing sumptuous food to fill the belly, as well as
children, friends, social contacts and a large bank balance. All of these
material items are essential for completely forgetting that one is an eternal
servant of the Supreme Lord. Therefore as stated in the Bhgavatam,
janasya moho 'yam aha mameti: [SB 5.5.8] intoxicated by these objects of
material illusion, the conditioned soul becomes madly convinced that he
is the center of the universe and that everything in existence has been
created only for his personal sense gratification. Whoever obstructs such
illusory enjoyment becomes immediately his enemy and subject to be
killed.
Because of this bodily concept of life and the shackles of illusion, the
whole world is being violently shaken by conflict arising from envy and
lust. The only possible solution is to accept the leadership of the Lord's
pure devotees, who are described here. A popular expression used to
justify democratic government is "Power corrupts and absolute power
corrupts absolutely." Such homilies may be valid on the material
platform, but it is specifically mentioned here that a pure devotee of the
Lord who has completely taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet cannot
even consider taking part in material envy and sense gratification. His
mind remains perpetually clear and sober, and he is always aware of the
ultimate good of every living entity. The Ka consciousness movement
is strenuously endeavoring to inform the earth's suffering living entities of
the serious need for a brain in human society. A brain racked by fever
cannot give proper direction, and if the so-called thinkers of society are
burning with selfish desires, they are no better than feverish, delirious
brains. Delirious governments are gradually destroying all traces of
happiness in human society. Therefore it is the duty of Vaiava preachers
to act on the platform of bhgavatottama so that they can give clear
guidance to humanity, without being corrupted or even slightly attracted
by the material opulence that may be offered to a saintly person. All
intelligent human beings who are unable to take directly to the process of
bhakti-yoga should at least be sufficiently educated to recognize the firstclass devotee of the Lord and accept his guidance. In this way human
society can be very nicely organized so that not only all human beings but
even the animals, birds and trees can make advancement in life and
gradually go back home, back to Godhead, for an eternal life of bliss and
knowledge.

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rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has emphasized that those

seriously interested in achieving the perfection of Ka consciousness
must live in a community of Vaiavas. rla Prabhupda has also
mentioned several times in his literature that it is not possible to achieve
the stage of perfect Ka consciousness unless one accepts the shelter of
the pure devotees by living in the Ka conscious communities being
established all over the world by the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has emphasized
that this does not mean that spiritual life is restricted only to those
celibate students who can live within a temple compound. Devotees in the
ghastha order, that of spiritual family life, can also take shelter of the
Vaiava community by regularly attending temple functions. Those who
are living in family life should daily see the Deity of the Supreme Lord,
chant His holy names in His personal presence, accept the remnants of
food offered to the Deity and hear learned discourses on Bhagavad-gt
and rmad-Bhgavatam. Any householder who regularly takes advantage
of these spiritual facilities and follows the regulative principles of spiritual
life, namely no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling and no
intoxication, is to be considered a bona fide member of the Vaiava
community. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, those
who remain inimical to the devotional service of the Lord are to be
considered lifeless puppets in the hands of the illusory energy of the Lord.
TEXT 51
na yasya janma-karmabhy
na varrama-jtibhi
sajjate 'sminn aha-bhvo
dehe vai sa hare priya
nathere is not; yasyaof whom; janmaby good birth; karmabhym
or meritorious acts; nanot; vara-ramaby adherence to rules of
occupational or religious duty; jtibhior by belonging to a certain class
of society; sajjateattaches itself; asminin this (body); aham-bhva
egotistic sentiment; dehein the body; vaiindeed; sahe; hareto
Lord Hari; priyais dear.
Birth in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and pious
activities certainly cause one to take pride in himself. Similarly, if one
enjoys a prestigious position within society because his parents are

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highly respected members of the varrama social system, one

becomes even more infatuated with himself. But if despite these
excellent material qualifications one does not feel even a tinge of pride
within himself, he is to be considered the dearmost servitor of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word janma ("good birth") refers to
such classes as the mrdhvasiktas (children of brhmaa fathers and
katriya mothers) and ambahas (children of brhmaa fathers and vaiya
mothers), both of which are considered anuloma since the father comes
from a higher caste. Marriages in which the mother comes from a higher
class than the father are called pratiloma. In any case, one who becomes
proud of his so-called prestigious birth is certainly in the bodily concept
of life. Birth in any material body is a serious problem, which one should
solve by surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can
thereby release himself from the golden shackles of a so-called aristocratic
material body.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, kaniha-adhikrs
think that karma-mira bhakti, or devotional service mixed with material
endeavor, is the ultimate in spiritual life. They become attached to verses
such as this:
varramcra-vat
puruea para pumn
viur rdhyate panth
nnyat tat-toa-kraam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viu, is worshiped by the
proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of vara and rama.
There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One
must be situated in the institution of the four varas and ramas." (Viu
Pura 3.8.9) Thus they think that material work in which a portion of
the fruits are offered to God forms the highest platform of human life.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, there are several
smti literatures that have encouraged such mixed devotional service.
Such books are taken by materialistic devotees as facility for offending the
holy name of the Lord because of egotistic attachment to the material
body. Thus one thinks that a prestigious position in the varrama

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system according to birth and so-called pious activities is a prerequisite

for becoming successful in life.
But those who have actually taken shelter of the holy name of Ka never
boast about their birth in the material world, nor do they pride themselves
on their so-called expertise in material work. As long as one's mentality is
encumbered by the material designations of the varrama system, one
has very little chance of becoming free from material bondage and
establishing himself as dear to the Lord. In this regard, Caitanya
Mahprabhu emphatically declared that He could not identify Himself
with any varrama designation, such as that of a great intellectual or
priest, a courageous warrior in the Lord's army, a brilliant businessman
making money for the Lord, or the hardest worker for the Lord. Nor
could Caitanya Mahprabhu identify Himself as a stalwart brahmacr, a
noble householder or an exalted sannys. These designations reflect the
material pride that can infiltrate the execution of devotional service.
Although a devotee may carry out the standard duties of varrama, his
only designation is gop-bhartu pada-kamalayor dsa-dsnudsa [Cc.
Madhya 13.80], the eternal servant of the servant of the servant of the
Lord, the master of the gops, Ka.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, when a devotee
understands that the process of bhakti-yoga is complete in itself and he
becomes absorbed in hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, the
supremely merciful Personality of Godhead affectionately lifts such a firstclass devotee onto His own lap. The Supreme Lord can be pleased only by
unalloyed devotion, and not by any arrangement of the gross body,
composed of five material elements, or the subtle body, composed of
innumerable speculations and bogus pride. In other words, Lord Ka
can never be pleased by one's so-called aristocratic body, which is due to
be devoured by worms or vultures. If one becomes proud of his material
birth and so-called pious activities, by such false pride one gradually
develops the impersonal mentality of merely renouncing the fruit of work
or else the karm mentality of enjoying the fruits of work. Neither the
karms nor the jn speculators are aware that the fruit of work actually
belongs to Ka. The conclusion is that one should carefully give up all
false pride and always remember that he is a humble servant of Ka. As
stated by Caitanya Mahprabhu, amnin mnadena krtanya sad hari
[Cc. di 17.31].

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TEXT 52
na yasya sva para iti
vittev tmani v bhid
sarva-bhta-sama nta
sa vai bhgavatottama
nathere is not; yasyaof whom; sva para iti"mine" and "someone
else's"; vitteuabout his property; tmaniabout his body; vor;
bhidby thinking in terms of duality; sarva-bhtato all living beings;
samaequal; ntapeaceful; sahe; vaiindeed; bhgavatauttamathe best of devotees.
When a devotee gives up the selfish conception by which one thinks
"This is my property, and that is his," and when he is no longer
concerned with the pleasures of his own material body or indifferent to
the discomforts of others, he becomes fully peaceful and satisfied. He
considers himself simply one among all the living beings who are
equally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a
satisfied Vaiava is considered to be at the highest standard of
devotional service.
The vision described by the phrase sarva-bhta-sama, "seeing all living
entities equally," does not include one's vision of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. In this connection rla Madhvcrya has quoted from the
Har-vaa as follows:
na kvpi jva viutve
sastau moka eva ca
"Under no circumstance should one consider the living entity equal to
Lord Viu, either in conditional life or in liberation." The impersonal
speculative philosophers are fond of imagining that although in our
present illusion we appear to be individual entities, at liberation we shall
all merge into God and be God. Such wishful thinkers cannot reasonably
explain how the omnipotent God could arrive at the embarrassing
position of having to enter a yoga studio, pay weekly fees, press His nose
and chant mantras to regain His divinity. As stated in the Vedas, nityo
nityn cetana cetannm eko bahn yo vidadhti kmn (Kaha
Upaniad 2.2.13). The individuality or plurality of living entities is not a

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product of material existence. The word nitynm, denoting the plurality

of eternal entities, clearly indicates that the living entities are eternally
individual parts and parcels of the Lord, who is the singular unique entity
described here as eka. In Bhagavad-gt (1.21) Arjuna said to Ka,
ratha sthpaya me 'cyuta: "My dear Acyuta, please place my chariot
between the armies." This body is also ratha, a vehicle, and therefore the
best policy is to request the infallible Lord to take charge of our
conditioned body and guide us on the path back to the kingdom of God.
The word acyuta means "the infallible" or "one who never falls." Learned
or sane human beings will not entertain the silly notion that the
omnipotent, omniscient God has slipped and fallen because of my. No
amount of wishful thinking can erase our eternal servitorship at the lotus
feet of the Lord.
This fact is stated by the Lord Himself in the Varha Pura:
naiva tvaynumantavya
jvtmham iti kvacit
sarvair guair su-sampanna
daiva m jtum arhasi
"You should never think Me one of the ordinary living entities in the jva
category. In fact I am the reservoir of all opulences and godly qualities,
and therefore you should understand that I am the Supreme Lord."
According to rla Jva Gosvm and rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura,
this verse of rmad-Bhgavatam does not forbid using a particular object
in the Lord's service, since a devotee is free to use anything favorable for
serving Lord Ka. This acceptance of favorable objects in the service of
Ka is called yukta-vairgya. As stated by rla Rpa Gosvm,
nirbandha ka-sambandhe: one should be attached for Ka's sake,
never for one's own sake. If one interprets this verse to indicate that one
should not exercise control over any material object, even if it is favorable
for serving Ka, one falls into the bad understanding called phalguvairgya, or immature renunciation. Great kings such as Mahrja
Yudhihira and Mahrja Parkit engaged the entire earth, and other
Vaiavas have engaged the entire universe in the service of Ka. But
they completely gave up the sense of their personal proprietorship. That is
the point made in this verse. Just as one becomes very much concerned
about any pain in one's own body, one should be concerned with bringing

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the conditioned souls to the platform of devotional service so that all of

their suffering will be banished forever. That is the actual purport of not
distinguishing between one body and another.
TEXT 53
tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave 'py akuhasmtir ajittma-surdibhir vimgyt
na calati bhagavat-padravindl
lava-nimirdham api ya sa vaiavgrya
tri-bhuvanaof the three worlds comprising the material universe;
vibhava-hetavefor the sake of the opulences; apieven; akuhasmtiwhose remembrance is undisturbed; ajita-tmaof whom the
unconquerable Lord is the very soul; sura-dibhiby the demigods and
others; vimgytwhich are sought; na calatihe does not go away;
bhagavatof the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pada-aravindtfrom
the lotus feet; lavaof eight forty-fifths of one second; nimiaor of
three times that; ardhamone half; apieven; yawho; sahe;
vaiava-agryathe foremost of devotees of Lord Viu.
The lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are sought even
by the greatest of demigods, such as Brahm and iva, who have all
accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as their life and soul. A
pure devotee of the Lord can never forget those lotus feet in any
circumstance. He will not give up his shelter at the lotus feet of the
Lord for a single momentindeed, not for half a momenteven in
exchange for the benediction of ruling and enjoying the opulence of the
entire universe. Such a devotee of the Lord is to be considered the best
of the Vaiavas.
According to rla rdhara Svm one may ask, "If one were able to gain
the opulence of the entire universe in exchange for leaving the Lord's
lotus feet for just half a moment, what would be the harm in leaving the
Lord's lotus feet for such an insignificant amount of time?" The answer is
given by the word akuha-smti. It is simply impossible for a pure
devotee to forget the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, since
everything that exists is in fact an expansion of the Supreme Lord. Since
nothing is separate from the Supreme Lord, a pure devotee of the Lord
cannot think of anything but the Lord. Nor can a pure devotee

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contemplate ruling or enjoying universal opulence; even if given all the

opulence of the universe, he would immediately offer it at the lotus feet of
the Lord and return to his position of a humble servant of the Lord.
The words ajittma-surdibhir vimgyt are very significant in this verse.
The lotus feet of Lord Ka are so opulent that even the lords of all
material opulence, namely Brahm and iva, as well as the other
demigods, are always searching for a glimpse of the Lord's lotus feet. The
word vimgyt indicates that the demigods are not actually able to see the
lotus feet of the Lord, but are endeavoring to see them. An example of this
is given in the Tenth Canto when Lord Brahm offers prayers to Viu,
begging the Lord to rectify the disturbances on the earth.
A similar verse is found elsewhere in rmad-Bhgavatam (11.14.14):
na pramehya na mahendra-dhiya
na srvabhauma na rasdhipatyam
na yoga-siddhr apunar-bhava v
mayy arpittmecchati mad vinnyat
"The devotee who has offered his soul to Me does not want anything if it
is separate from Menot the position of the supreme demigod of the
universe, Brahm, nor that of Lord Indra, nor kingship over the entire
earth or over the lower planetary systems, nor the mystic perfections of
yoga, nor even freedom from the cycle of rebirth."
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the word ajittm can
also be taken to mean ajitendriy, or "those whose senses are
uncontrolled." Although the demigods are all to be respected as devotees
of Lord Viu, the absence of gross material discomfort in the higher
planetary systems makes them tend to become affected by the bodily
concept of life, and sometimes they experience some spiritual difficulty
due to the gorgeous material facilities available to them. Such
disturbances, however, cannot exist within the mind of a pure devotee of
the Lord, as indicated in this verse by the word akuha-smti. According
to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, we can understand from this
verse that since none of the material facilities available in any of the
universal planetary systems can distract a pure devotee of the Lord, such a
devotee can never possibly fall or become inimical to the Lord's service.
TEXT 54

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bhagavata uru-vikramghri-khnakha-mai-candrikay nirasta-tpe

hdi katham upasdat puna sa
prabhavati candra ivodite 'rka-tpa
bhagavataof the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uru-vikrama
which have performed great heroic deeds; aghriof the lotus feet;
khof the toes; nakhaof the nails; maiwhich are like jewels;
candrikayby the moonshine; nirasta-tpewhen the pain has been
removed; hdiin the hearts; kathamhow indeed; upasdatmof those
who are worshiping; punaagain; sathat pain; prabhavatican have
its effect; candrewhen the moon; ivajust as; uditerisen; arkaof the
sun; tpathe burning heat.
How can the fire of material suffering continue to burn the hearts of
those who worship the Supreme Lord? The Lord's lotus feet have
performed innumerable heroic deeds, and the beautiful nails on His
toes resemble valuable jewels. The effulgence emanating from those
nails resembles cooling moonshine, for it instantly relieves the suffering
within the heart of the pure devotee, just as the appearance of the
moon's cooling light relieves the burning heat of the sun.
When the moon rises, the expansion of its rays drives away the distress of
the sun's fierce heat. Similarly, the cooling rays emanating from the lotus
nails of the Personality of Godhead's lotus feet vanquish all distress for
the Lord's pure devotee. According to the Vaiava commentators it is to
be understood from this verse that material lust, exemplified by
uncontrolled sexual desire, is exactly like a blazing fire. The flames of this
fire burn to ashes the peace and happiness of the conditioned soul, who
perpetually wanders in 8,400,000 species of life, vainly struggling to
extinguish this intolerable fire. The pure devotees of the Lord place the
Lord's cooling, jewellike lotus feet within their hearts, and thus all of the
pain and suffering of material existence are extinguished.
The word uru-vikramghri indicates that the Lord's lotus feet are quite
heroic. r Ka is famous for His incarnation as Vmana, the dwarf
brhmaa, who extended His beautiful toes up to the outer limits of the
universe and perforated the universal shell, thus bringing the waters of
the holy Ganges into the universe. Similarly, when Ka was entering the
city of Mathur to challenge the demoniac King Kasa and His entrance

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was impeded by a ferocious elephant named Kuvalaypa, Lord Ka

kicked the elephant to death and peacefully entered the city gates. Lord
Ka's lotus feet are so exalted that the Vedic literatures state that the
entire material manifestation rests beneath His lotus feet: samrt ye
pada-pallava-plava mahat pada puya-yao murre (SB 10.14.58).
TEXT 55
visjati hdaya na yasya skd
dharir avabhihito 'py aghaugha-na
praaya-rasanay dhtghri-padma
sa bhavati bhgavata-pradhna ukta
visjatiHe leaves; hdayamthe heart; nanever; yasyaof whom;
sktHimself; hariLord Hari; avaaaccidentally; abhihita
called; apieven though; aghaof sins; oghaheaps; nawho
destroys; praayaof love; rasanayby ropes; dhtaheld; aghripadmaHis lotus feet; sahe; bhavatiis; bhgavata-pradhnathe
foremost devotee; uktacalled.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is so kind to the conditioned
souls that if they call upon Him by speaking His holy name, even
unintentionally or unwillingly, the Lord is inclined to destroy
innumerable sinful reactions in their hearts. Therefore, when a devotee
who has taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet chants the holy name of
Ka with genuine love, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can
never give up the heart of such a devotee. One who has thus captured
the Supreme Lord within his heart is to be known as bhgavatapradhna, the most exalted devotee of the Lord.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the essence of a pure devotee's
qualifications is given in this verse. A pure devotee is one who has
attracted the Lord by his love so that the Lord cannot give up the
devotee's heart. According to rla Jva Gosvm, the word skt in this
verse indicates that a pure devotee has realized knowledge of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, having given his heart to the Supreme Lord,
Ka, who is all-attractive in six opulences, including beauty. A pure
devotee can never be attracted by the fleshy bags of women's breasts or by
the hallucinations of so-called society, friendship and love within the
material world. Therefore his clean heart becomes a suitable abode for the

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Supreme Lord. A gentleman will live only in a clean place. He will not live
in a polluted, contaminated place. Educated people in the Western
countries are now greatly protesting the pollution of water and air by
urban industrial enterprises. People are demanding the right to live in a
clean place. Similarly, Lord Ka is the supreme gentleman, and
therefore He will not live in a polluted heart, nor will He appear within
the polluted mind of a conditioned soul. When a devotee surrenders to
Lord Ka and becomes a lover of the Lord by direct realization of
Ka's all-attractive nature, the Lord makes His residence in the clean
heart and mind of such a pure devotee.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, ya etda-praayavs tennena tu
sarvad paramvaenaiva krtyamna sutarm evam evghaugha-na
syt. If a devotee is absorbed in the loving transcendental service of Ka,
directly or indirectly he is always glorifying the Lord by transcendental
loving service. Therefore, even if he chants the holy name of Ka with
improper attention due to being absorbed in the Lord's service, the mercy
of the Lord purifies his heart of all sinful reactions. As stated in rmadBhgavatam (2.1.11):
etan nirvidyamnnm
icchatm akuto-bhayam
yogin npa nirta
harer nmnukrtanam
"O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of
the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all,
including those who are free from all material desires, those who are
desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by
dint of transcendental knowledge." Therefore if one who has not come to
the platform of loving devotional service chants the holy name of Ka,
he will also be gradually freed from all sinful reactions. In the Sixth Canto
of rmad-Bhgavatam, in the purports to the history of Ajmila, rla
Prabhupda has elaborately explained the holy name's potency to purify
even an ordinary person.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has nicely explained the process of
bringing the Supreme Lord under control. Mother Yaod bound the child
Ka to a grinding mortar with a rope. Ka, being attracted by the
inconceivable love of His devotees, allowed Himself to be bound.

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Therefore, although Lord Ka binds all the conditioned souls by the

chains of His illusory potency, my, if those same conditioned souls
become pure devotees of the Lord they can in turn bind Ka by the
chains of love of God.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, all the world's
inauspicious conditions due to sinful activities can be immediately
eradicated by the chanting of the Lord's holy name. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead never leaves the hearts of those who give up all
sinful behavior and chant His holy name. Even if such chanting is not yet
perfect, devotee who always remains in the Lord's service will gradually
come to the stage of prema-nih, or steady love of Godhead. Then they
are to be considered mah-bhgavatas, or pure devotees of the Lord.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Second Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Mahrja Nimi Meets the Nine
Yogendras."

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3. Liberation from the Illusory Energy

In answer to four questions spoken by Mahrja Nimi, this chapter

describes the nature and activities of the illusory potency (my), the
method of becoming free from my's insurmountable grip, the
transcendental situation of the Supreme Lord Nryaa, and the process
of karma-yoga, by which one becomes free from all material activities.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original cause of all causes,
created the five material elements, from which the material bodies of the
conditioned souls are created so that the conditioned souls may cultivate
either sense gratification or ultimate liberation. Appearing as the
Supersoul, the Supreme Lord enters the material bodies of the created
beings and activates the eleven senses of the conditioned souls. The
conditioned soul misidentifies the created material body with his actual
self and thus engages in various fruitive activities. Impelled by the
reactions of his own activities, he repeatedly takes birth in various species
of life and thus suffers greatly until the time of the cosmic annihilation.
When the annihilation is imminent, the soul of the universal form
withdraws the entire material creation within Himself, and then He
Himself enters into the original cause of all causes. In this way the Lord
empowers His illusory potency, consisting of the three modes of material
nature, for the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material
universe.
Accepting the roles of male and female in this material world, the
conditioned souls unite in sexual relationships. Although these souls
constantly make material endeavors to eliminate their unhappiness and
unlimitedly increase their pleasure, they inevitably achieve exactly the
opposite result.
Permanent happiness cannot be found in this world-either on the earthly
planets or on the heavenly planets, which one can attain in the next life
after performing ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices. Both on earth and in
heaven the living entity is harassed by the envy and rivalry of others.
Therefore any person who seriously desires. to find permanent relief from
the sufferings of material existence should take shelter of the lotus feet of

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a bona fide spiritual master. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that
he has realized the conclusions of the Vedic scriptures by deliberation and
is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities,
who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material
considerations, should he understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.
Accepting the bona fide spiritual master as one's life and soul, the
submissive disciple should learn from him the process of pure devotional
service, which satisfies the Supreme Lord. By thus following the path of
devotional service, the disciple gradually develops all good qualities.
One should hear, glorify and meditate upon the wonderful transcendental
activities, appearance, qualities and holy names of the Lord. Whatever one
finds pleasing or enjoyable he should immediately offer to the Supreme
Lord; even his wife, children, home and very life air should all be offered
at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should serve
others and also accept instructions from others. Especially, one should
serve and learn from those who are pure devotees of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
By chanting the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the
association of devotees, one becomes satisfied and happy and develops a
loving friendship with the devotees. In this way one becomes able to give
up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering. When a
devotee attains the stage of pure love of Godhead, the hairs of his body
stand on end, and he manifests various ecstatic symptoms; he personally
meets the Supreme Lord and becomes full of transcendental bliss. By
learning the science of devotional service and practically engaging in the
devotional service of the Lord, the devotee comes to the stage of love of
Godhead. When completely devoted to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Nryaa, the devotee easily crosses over the illusory energy,
my, which is extremely difficult to cross.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of the creation,
maintenance and destruction of the universe, yet He has no prior cause.
Situated within the temporary and constantly changing material world,
the Supreme Lord remains eternal and unchanging. He cannot be
understood by the unaided mind or senses, and He is transcendental to
the manifestation of the material world, which takes place as the subtle
cause and material effect visible in the appearance of gross material
objects. Although He is originally one, by expanding His illusory potency
(my) He appears in many different forms. He is always free from birth,

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growth, decay and death, and He is the Supersoul, the all-pervading

witness who perceives the mentalities of all living entities. He is the
Supreme Brahman and is known as Nryaa.
When one seriously engages in devotional service to the lotus feet of Lord
Nryaa, the impure desires lodged within one's heart as a result of one's
previous work within the three modes of material nature are destroyed.
When the heart is thus purified, one can directly perceive both the
Supreme Lord and one's self as transcendental entities.
Through authorized study of the transcendental Vedic literature, one can
properly understand the meaning of prescribed duties, nonperformance of
such duties, and forbidden activities. This difficult subject matter can
never be understood by mundane speculation. Vedic injunctions
indirectly lead one to the path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing
fruitive religious activities, just as a father promises his child candy so
that the child will take his medicine. If an ignorant person who has not
conquered the material senses does not perform the Vedic injunctions, he
will certainly engage in sinful and irreligious activities. Thus his reward
will be repeated birth and death. On the other hand, if one executes the
regulated activities prescribed in the Vedas, without attachment, and
offers the result of such work to the Supreme Lord, one attains perfect
freedom from the bondage of material work. The material fruitive results
offered in the revealed scriptures are not the actual goal of Vedic
knowledge, but are meant for stimulating the interest of the performer. If
a conditioned soul worships the Supreme Lord Hari by following the
regulations found in Vedic literatures such as the tantras, he will quickly
become free from the bondage of false ego.
When a devotee obtains the mercy of his spiritual master, who reveals to
him the injunctions of Vedic scriptures, he worships the Supreme
Personality of Godhead in the particular personal form he finds most
attractive. In this way the devotee quickly becomes liberated from all
material bondage.
TEXT 1
r-rjovca
parasya vior asya
myinm api mohinm
my veditum icchmo
bhagavanto bruvantu na

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r-rj uvcathe King said; parasyaof the Supreme; vioViu;

asyathe Lord; myinmfor the possessors of great mystic power;
apieven; mohinmwhich is bewildering; mymthe illusory potency;
veditumto understand; icchmawe desire; bhagavantamy lords;
bruvantuplease tell this; nato us.
King Nimi said: Now we wish to learn about the illusory potency of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, r Viu, which bewilders even great
mystics. My lords, please speak to us about this subject.
According to rla rdhara Svm, in this chapter various saintly sons of
abhadeva will speak about the illusory energy (my), the means for
crossing beyond it, the characteristics of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and prescribed duties for human beings. The forty-eighth verse
of the previous chapter stated, vior mym ida payan: "A devotee of
Ka should see the entire universe to be the illusory potency of the
Lord." Therefore King Nimi is now pursuing this subject matter by
requesting more detailed information from the saintly Yogendras.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the demigods,
headed by Lord Brahm, and the human beings of the earth are all driven
by their particular desires for material sense gratification. Thus they direct
their senses toward research for material knowledge. The subtle celestial
senses of the demigods and the gross senses of human beings are all busy
in ascertaining the measurements of material sense objects. To understand
fully the actual nature of my, the illusory potency, which causes the
conditioned souls to become averse to Ka consciousness and surrender
to bewildering material manifestations, King Nimi is inquiring from
another of the nine Yogendras, r Antarka.
TEXT 2
nnutpye juan yumadvaco hari-kathmtam
sasra-tpa-nistapto
martyas tat-tpa-bheajam
na anutpyeI am not yet satiated; juanengaging; yumatyour;
vacain the words; hari-kathof the topics of the Supreme Lord, Hari;
amtamthe nectar; sasraof material existence; tpaby the misery;
nistaptatormented; martyaa mortal human; tat-tpaof that pain;

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bheajamthe medical treatment.

Although I am drinking the nectar of your statements about the glories
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, my thirst is not yet satiated.
Such nectarean descriptions of the Lord and His devotees are the actual
medicine for conditioned souls like me, who are tormented by the
threefold miseries of material existence.
According to rla rdhara Svm, one may argue that since the
symptoms of a pure devotee of the Lord have already been elaborately
described, one can perfect his life by advancing to the platform mentioned
in the previous verse, and there is no need for further questions. But harikathmtam, topics about the Lord and His devotees, are so pleasing and
beautiful that one cannot give up hearing them, even after spiritual
liberation. Caitanya Mahprabhu, in this connection, has quoted the
following verse:
tmrm ca munayo
nirgranth apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaituk bhaktim
ittham-bhta-guo hari
"Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external, material desires
are also attracted to the loving service of r Ka, whose qualities are
transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of
Godhead, is called Ka because He has such transcendentally attractive
features." (SB 1.7.10) Material medicine is not desirable once a disease
has been cured, but on the absolute platform the means and the end are
not different. So chanting and hearing the glories of Lord Ka are both
the means and the end of transcendental bliss.
King Nimi said to the sages, "You are all great saintly persons absorbed in
love of Godhead. Therefore although you will speak about my, or
illusion, the conclusion will undoubtedly be Ka consciousness. Please
don't think that you have already explained everything to me. The
intoxicating nectar of your instructions has left me more eager than ever
to hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
King Nimi was also a great devotee of the Lord, otherwise there would
have been no question of his personally conversing with such exalted
living entities as the nine Yogendras. But as a humble Vaiava he

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considered himself an ordinary conditioned soul covered by material

designations. Thus he showed his eagerness to understand the actual
nature of my in order to be safe from her future attempts to place him
in the burning fire of material existence.
TEXT 3
r-antarka uvca
ebhir bhtni bhttm
mah-bhtair mah-bhuja
sasarjoccvacny dya
sva-mtrtma-prasiddhaye
r-antarka uvcar Antarka said; ebhiby these (material
elements); bhtnicreatures; bhta-tmthe Soul of all creation; mahbhtaiby the elements of the mahat-tattva; mah-bhuja-O mightyarmed King; sasarjaHe created; ucca-avacniboth high and low;
dyathe original person; svaof His own parts and parcels; mtr
the sense gratification; tmaand the self-realization; prasiddhayefor
facilitating.
r Antarka said: O mighty-armed King, by activating the material
elements, the primeval Soul of all creation has sent forth all living
beings in higher and lower species so that these conditioned souls can
cultivate either sense gratification or ultimate liberation, according to
their desire.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the illusory energy
(my) is explained in this verse through a description of her potencies,
namely the modes of material nature. In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka has
described my as guamay, "consisting of the material modes of nature."
The material modes of nature are alluded to in this verse by the word
uccvacni, "high and low species of life." Various species of life become
manifest, as do varieties of beauty, ugliness, strength, weakness and other
characteristics within a particular species, according to the proportionate
development of the modes of nature. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gt
(13.22), kraa gua-sago 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu: "This is due to
the living being's association with material nature in good and evil
species." Similarly we find this statement:

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rdhva gacchanti sattva-sth

madhye tihanti rjas
jaghanya-gua-vtti-sth
adho gacchanti tmas
"Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the
higher planets, those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets,
and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds." (Bg.
14.18)
The three general divisions of material life are called deva, tiryak and
narathat is, demigods subhuman creatures and human beings. In the
various species of life there are various facilities for material sense
gratification. Different species are distinguished by differently formed
senses, such as the genitals, nostrils, tongue, ears and eyes. Pigeons, for
example, are given the facility for almost unlimited sex. Bears have an
ample opportunity for sleeping. Tigers and lions exhibit the propensities
for fighting and meat-eating, horses are distinguished by their legs for
swift running, vultures and eagles have keen eyesight, and so on. The
human being is distinguished by his large brain, which is meant for
understanding God.
The phrase sva-mtrtma-prasiddhaye is very significant in this verse. The
word sva indicates possession. All living beings belong to the Supreme
Lord (mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana [Bg. 15.7]). Therefore
according to this verse they have two options-mtr-prasiddhaye and
tma-prasiddhaye.
Mtr refers to the material senses, and prasiddhaye refers to effective
accomplishment. Therefore mtr-prasiddhaye means "efficiently engaging
in sense gratification."
On the other hand, tma-prasiddhaye refers to Ka consciousness. There
are two categories of tmthe jvtm, or ordinary living entity, who is
dependent, and the Paramtm, the supreme living entity, who is
independent. Some living entities desire to understand both categories of
tma, and in this verse the word tma-prasiddhaye indicates that the
material world is created to give those living entities the opportunity to
achieve such an understanding and thus return to the kingdom of God,
where life is eternal and full of bliss and knowledge.
rla rdhara Svm confirms this by quoting a verse from the veda-stuti
of rmad-Bhgavatam (10.87.2):

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buddhndriya-mana-prn
jannm asjat prabhu
mtrrtha ca bhavrtha ca
tmane 'kalpanya ca
"The Lord created the intelligence, senses, mind and vital air of the living
beings for sense gratification, for performing sacrifices to attain higher
births, and ultimately for offering sacrifices to the Supreme Soul."
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the actual purpose of the Lord's creation
is only one: to facilitate the advancement of devotional service to the Lord
Himself. Although it is stated that the Lord facilitates sense gratification, it
should be understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not
ultimately condone the foolishness of the conditioned souls. The Lord
facilitates sense gratification (mtr-prasiddhaye) so that the living entities
will gradually understand the futility of trying to enjoy without Him.
Every living entity is part and parcel of Ka. In the Vedic literature the
Lord gives a regulative program so that the living beings can gradually
exhaust their tendencies to be foolish and learn the value of surrender
unto Him. The Lord is undoubtedly the reservoir of all beauty, bliss and
satisfaction, and it is the duty of every living entity to engage in the loving
service of the Lord. Although there are apparently two purposes for
creation, it should be understood that ultimately the purpose is one. The
arrangement for sense gratification is ultimately meant to bring the living
entities to the single purpose of going back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 4
eva sni bhtni
pravia paca-dhtubhi
ekadh daadhtmna
vibhajan juate gun
evamin the manner just described; snicreated; bhtnithe living
beings; praviahaving entered; paca-dhtubhi(created) by the five
gross elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether); ekadhonefold (as the
overseer of the mind); daadhtenfold (as the overseer of the five senses
of perception and five organs of action); tmnamHimself; vibhajan
dividing; juateHe engages (He causes the individual soul to engage);
gunwith the material modes.

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The Supersoul enters the material bodies of the created beings,

activates the mind and senses, and thus causes the conditioned souls to
approach the three modes of material nature for sense gratification.
The following is a summary of rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura's
commentary on this verse.
The one Supersoul enters the gross material elements (earth, water, fire,
air and ether) and uses the activated material mind to subtly divide the
sensory activities of the conditioned souls among the five knowledgeacquiring senses (the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin) and, by a further
gross division, the five working senses (the hands, legs, speech, genitals
and anus). Because liberated souls have a strong tendency to serve the
Lord, they are not attracted by the dualities of material good and evil.
They derive their pleasure through devotion and love for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who eternally enjoys His own transcendental
pastimes beyond the material manifestation.
When the conditioned souls forget their loving relationship with the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, they develop illicit desires. Therefore,
unable to serve the form, taste, fragrance and other aspects of Lord Viu,
these souls become bound to the bitter fruits of fruitive activities. But if
their love of Godhead is somehow or other awakened, the conditioned
souls can dovetail all their sensory activities in the service of the Lord's
transcendental pastimes.
Actually, all materialistic activities are most undesirable. But the
conditioned soul, under the influence of illusion, sees apparent
distinctions between good and bad, pleasing and displeasing, and so on.
The Lord, the Supersoul, having entered the collective and individual
consciousness of the living entities, knows the heart of everyone.
Therefore when a sincere soul aspires for spiritual perfection, the Lord
frees him from material bondage and arouses his propensity to serve the
Lord of Vaikuha. Love of Godhead flourishes in the variegated flavors of
transcendental enjoyment. In ignorance, however, the conditioned soul
considers himself the proper object of service and thus misunderstands
the entire existential situation.
TEXT 5
guair gun sa bhujna
tma-pradyotitai prabhu
manyamna ida sam

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tmnam iha sajjate

guaiwith the modes (the senses); gunthe modes (the objects of
the senses); sahe (the individual living being); bhujnaenjoying;
tmaby the Supreme Soul; pradyotitaienlivened; prabhuthe
master; manyamnathinking; idamthis; samcreated (body);
tmnamas his own self; ihain this; sajjatehe becomes entangled.
The individual living being, the master of the material body, uses his
material senses, which have been activated by the Supersoul, to try to
enjoy sense objects composed of the three modes of nature. Thus he
misidentifies the created material body with the unborn eternal self and
becomes entangled in the illusory energy of the Lord.
In this verse the living entity is called prabhu, or "master," because he is
a minute part and parcel of the supreme master, Ka. Similarly, in
Bhagavad-gt (15.8) the Lord has described the living entity as vara,
"the controller."
arra yad avpnoti
yac cpy utkrmatvara
ghtvaitni sayti
vyur gandhn ivayt
"The living entity in the material world carries his various conceptions of
life from one body to another as the air carries aromas." rla Prabhupda
has commented in his purport, "Here the living entity is described as
vara, the controller of his own body. If he likes, he can change his body
to a higher grade, and if he likes he can move to a lower class. Minute
independence is there. The change his body undergoes depends upon
him." This statement confirms the words sva-mtr and tma-prasiddhaye
in text 3 of this chapter. If the Supreme Lord were to interfere with the
minute independence of the living entity, there would be no question of
the living entity's engaging in the loving service of the Lord, since love
implies a spontaneous free choice by the lover. Here the word prabhu
indicates that just as a child, having received a toy car from his father,
pedals on the sidewalk, imitating the father, who drives an actual car, the
living entity pedals around the material universe in the innumerable
material bodies selected for him by the Supreme Lord from an assortment

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of 8,400,000 species. Thus the living entity, infatuated with the false ego
of the material body, creates a fearful situation in which he undergoes
repeated birth and death, as described in the statement bhaya
dvitybhiniveata syt (SB 11.2.37).
rla Jva Gosvm has given another explanation for this verse. If the
word prabhu is taken to mean the Supreme Lord, the word guai can be
understood to mean "good qualities," since gua can refer to the material
modes of nature or to admirable qualities (as in the verse yasysti bhaktir
bhagavaty akican sarvair guais tatra samsate sur [SB 5.18.12]). This
verse would then mean that the Lord, by His transcendental qualities
(guai), such as mercy, is able to relish the transcendental qualities
(gun) of His pure devotees. tma-pratyoditai would then indicate that
by surrendering unto the Lord, who is the reservoir of all good qualities,
the pure devotees become similarly endowed with godly qualities. The
words manyamna ida sam tmnam would indicate that the Lord
accepts the body of His pure devotee to be on the same spiritual level as
He Himself, as indicated in the verse crya m vijnyn nvamanyeta
karhicit [SB 11.17.27]. The Lord is attracted by the loving devotional
service of His pure devotees and thus becomes entangled in the network
of their loving relationship with Him. For example, after the Battle of
Kuruketra, when Ka was leaving for His own city, Dvrak, the loving
appeal of Mahrja Yudhihira forced the Lord to remain for several more
weeks in Hastinpura. Similarly, when the elderly gops of Vndvana
clapped their hands, Ka would dance like a puppet, keeping time to
their rhythm. In relation to this subject matter, rla Jva Gosvm has
quoted a verse from rmad-Bhgavatam (9.4.68):
sdhavo hdaya mahya
sdhn hdaya tv aham
mad-anyat te na jnanti
nha tebhyo mang api
"The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always
in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything but
Me, and I do not know anyone but them."
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura the word prabhu may
also be understood as follows. The word pra indicates prakarea, or
"excessively," and bh indicates bhavati, or "taking birth." Thus prabhu

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indicates prakarea deva-tiryag-diu bhavatti sa, or repeatedly taking

birth among the demigods, animals, human beings and other forms of life.
Confirming the statement by rla Jva Gosvm concerning the Lord's
attachment to the spiritualized body of a pure devotee, rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has quoted the following verses from
Caitanya-caritmta (Antya 4.192-93):
dk-kle bhakta kare tma-samarpaa
sei-kle ka tre kare tma-sama
"At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service
of the Lord, Ka accepts him to be as good as Himself."
sei deha kare tra cid-nanda-maya
aprkta-dehe tra caraa bhajaya
"When the devotee's body is thus transformed into spiritual existence, the
devotee, in that transcendental body, renders service to the lotus feet of
the Lord."
TEXT 6
karmi karmabhi kurvan
sa-nimittni deha-bht
tat tat karma-phala ghan
bhramatha sukhetaram
karmivarious kinds of fruitive work; karmabhiby the
karmendriyas, the organs of action; kurvanperforming; sa-nimittni
which are imbued with motivating desires; deha-bhtthe proprietor of
the material body; tat tatvarious; karma-phalamresults of work;
ghanaccepting; bhramatihe wanders; ihathroughout this world;
sukhahappiness; itaramand otherwise.
Impelled by deep-rooted material desires, the embodied living entity
engages his active sense organs in fruitive activities. He then
experiences the results of his material actions by wandering throughout
this world in so-called happiness and distress.
The argument may be given that if a living entity were subject to the

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results of his previous activities there would be no scope for free will;
once having committed a sinful action, the living entity would be bound
in an endless chain of suffering, being perpetually subject to previous
reactions. According to this speculation there cannot be a just and
omniscient God, since the living entity is forced to commit sinful
activities by the reactions of his previous activities, which were reactions
to still previous activities. Since even an ordinary gentleman will not
unfairly punish an innocent person, how could there be a God witnessing
the helpless suffering of the conditioned souls within this world?
This foolish argument can easily be refuted by a practical example. If I
purchase a ticket for an airline flight, board the plane and commence the
flight, once the plane has taken off my decision to board the plane forces
me to continue flying until the plane lands. But although I am forced to
accept the reaction of this decision, on board the plane I have many new
decisions I can make. I may accept the food and drink from the
stewardesses or reject it, I may read a magazine or newspaper, I may
sleep, walk up and down the aisle, converse with other passengers and so
on. In other words, although the general contextflying to a particular
cityis forcibly imposed upon me as a reaction to my previous decision
to board the plane, even within that situation I am constantly making new
decisions and creating new reactions. For example, if I cause a
disturbance on the airplane I may be arrested when the plane lands. On
the other hand, if I make friends with a businessman sitting next to me on
the plane, such a contact may lead to a favorable business transaction in
the future.
Similarly, although the living entity is forced to accept a particular body
by the laws of karma, within the human form of life there is always scope
for free will and decision-making. Therefore the Supreme Personality of
Godhead cannot be considered unjust for holding the living entity in
human life responsible for his present activities despite the living entity's
undergoing the reactions of his previous work.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura the influence of my is
so strong that even in a hellish condition the proud conditioned soul
thinks that he is enjoying life.
TEXT 7
ittha karma-gatr gacchan
bahv-abhadra-vah pumn

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bhta-samplavt sargapralayv anute 'vaa

itthamin this way; karma-gatthe destinations determined by his past
activities; gacchanobtaining; bahu-abhadramuch that is inauspicious;
vahwhich involve; pumnthe living being; bhta-samplavtuntil
the dissolution of the created universe; sarga-pralayau-birth and death;
anutehe experiences; avaahelplessly.
Thus the conditioned living entity is forced to experience repeated birth
and death. Impelled by the reactions of his own activities, he helplessly
wanders from one inauspicious situation to another, suffering from the
moment of creation until the time of cosmic annihilation.
According to rla Madhvcrya, after hearing that the living entity is
repeatedly subjected to birth and death within the material world, if one
still considers such a helpless entity equal to God in all respects one will
surely fall into the darkest regions of the universe, from which it is
difficult to rise.
TEXT 8
dhtpaplava sanne
vyakta dravya-gutmakam
andi-nidhana klo
hy avyaktypakarati
dhtuof the material elements; upaplavethe dissolution; sanne
when it has become imminent; vyaktamthe manifest cosmos; dravya
gross objects; guaand the subtle modes; tmakamconsisting of;
andiwithout beginning; nidhanaor end; klatime; hiindeed;
avyaktyainto the unmanifest; apakaratidraws.
When the annihilation of the material elements is imminent, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form of eternal time withdraws
the manifest cosmos, consisting of gross and subtle features, and the
entire universe vanishes into nonmanifestation.
In the Third Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam Lord Kapiladeva teaches that
the material nature originally exists in an inert state of equilibrium called
pradhna. When Lord Viu casts His potent glance in the form of kla, or

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time, material interactions take place, culminating in the variegated

creation of the material cosmos. In this verse it is stated that at the end of
universal time the same kla that originally incited the female nature into
manifestation again withdraws the cosmos into its original state of inert
nonmanifestation. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura,
the time potency itself, kla, is then withdrawn, and it merges into the
Supreme Soul, who manifests Himself as the original cause of material
nature (andir dir govinda sarva-kraa-kraam [Bs. 5.1]).
Such technical arrangements for creation and annihilation, birth and
death, do not exist in the eternal spiritual kingdom of God. In the
spiritual sky the variegated spiritual enjoyment of the Lord and His
devotees is not hampered by the inferior cycles of birth, maintenance and
destruction found in the material world.
TEXT 9
ata-var hy anvir
bhaviyaty ulba bhuvi
tat-klopacitorko
loks trn pratapiyati
ata-varlasting one hundred years; hiindeed; anvidrought;
bhaviyatithere will be; ulbaterrible; bhuvion the earth; tat-kla
in that duration of time; upacitaaccumulated; uawhose heat;
arkathe sun; loknthe worlds; trnthree; pratapiyatiwill greatly
burn.
As cosmic annihilation approaches, a terrible drought takes place on
earth for one hundred years. For one hundred years the heat of the sun
gradually increases, and its blazing heat begins to torment the three
worlds.
TEXT 10
ptla-talam rabhya
sakaraa-mukhnala
dahann rdhva-ikho vivag
vardhate vyunerita
ptla-talamthe planet Ptla; rabhyabeginning from; sakaraamukhafrom the mouth of the Supreme Lord in His form as Sakaraa;

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analathe fire; dahanburning; rdhva-ikhaits flame going

upward; vivakall the directions; vardhategrows; vyunby winds;
ritaimpelled.
Beginning from Ptlaloka, a fire grows, emanating from the mouth of
Lord Sakaraa. Its flames shooting upward, driven by great winds, it
scorches everything in all directions.
TEXT 11
savartako megha-gao
varati sma ata sam
dhrbhir hasti-hastbhir
lyate salile vir
savartakaof annihilation; megha-gaahoards of clouds; varati
will rain; smaindeed; atam samfor one hundred years; dhrbhi
with torrents; hasti-hastbhi(raindrops measuring the length of)
elephant trunks; lyatewill merge; salilein the water; virthe entire
universe.
Hoards of clouds called Savartaka pour torrents of rain for one
hundred years. Flooding down in raindrops as long as the trunk of an
elephant, the deadly rainfall submerges the entire universe in water.
TEXT 12
tato virjam utsjy
vairja puruo npa
avyakta viate skma
nirindhana ivnala
tatathen; virjamthe universe; utsjyagiving up (as his body);
vairja puruathe personality of the universal form (Hirayagarbha
Brahm); npaO King Nimi; avyaktamunmanifest nature (the
pradhna); viatehe enters; skmamsubtle; nirindhanadevoid of
fuel; ivalike; analaa fire.
Then Vairja Brahm, the soul of the universal form, gives up his
universal body, O King, and enters into the subtle unmanifest nature,

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like a fire that has run out of fuel.

According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura the word vairja in
this verse indicates the totality of the individual conditioned souls who
originally take birth from Brahm and are amalgamated back into him at
the time of annihilation. By the manifestation of the vir-purua, the
universal form of the Lord, there is a temporary display of forms, qualities
and activities within the material creation. But the entire cosmic scene
reverts to inert formlessness when the creation is withdrawn by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord's universal form
cannot be accepted as an eternal form of the Lord. It is merely the
temporary imaginary resemblance of His personal form within the
kingdom of my. In the First Canto of the rmad-Bhgavatam, as well as
in the Second Canto, the universal form of the Lord is clearly explained to
be an imaginary form offered to the neophyte for meditation on God.
Those who are excessively materialistic are totally unable to understand
that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually sac-cid-nandavigraha [Bs. 5.1], or the eternal form of bliss and knowledge,
transcendental to the exhibition of material energy. Therefore to
encourage such gross materialists to become faithful theists, the Vedic
literature instructs them to meditate upon the physical universe as the
gigantic body of the Supreme Lord. This pantheistic conception does not
reflect the ultimate reality of the Supreme Lord but is a technique to bring
the mind gradually toward God.
rla rdhara Svm has quoted the following verse as evidence that Lord
Brahm is supposed to go back to Godhead at the time of annihilation:
brahma saha te sarve
samprpte pratisacare
parasynte kttmna
pravianti para padam
"At the time of final annihilation all self-realized souls enter with Brahm
into the supreme abode." Since Brahm is sometimes considered the best
devotee of the Supreme Lord, he surely should obtain liberation rather
than merely entering into the unmanifest state of material nature called
avyakta. In this connection rla rdhara Svm points out that there is a
class of nondevotees who attain the planet of Brahm by performing
avamedha-yajas and other sacrifices, and in certain cases Brahm

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himself may not be a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So

the words avyakta viate skmam can be understood to indicate that
such a nondevotee Brahm cannot enter the spiritual sky, despite having
achieved the ultimate universal status of material expertise. But when
Brahm is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the word
avyaktam can be taken to indicate the spiritual sky; since the spiritual sky
is not manifest to the conditioned souls, it may also be considered
avyakta. If even Lord Brahm cannot enter the kingdom of God without
surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then what to speak
of other so-called pious or expert nondevotees.
In this regard rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has pointed out that
there are three categories within the status of Brahm, namely those of
karm, jn and devotee. A Brahm who is the most exalted karm of the
universe will have to come back to the material world; a living entity who
has achieved the post of Brahm by being the greatest speculative
philosopher within the universe may attain impersonal liberation; and a
living entity who has been awarded the post of Brahma due to being a
great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead enters into the
personal abode of the Lord. In the rmad-Bhgavatam (3.32.15) yet
another case is described: a Brahm who is a devotee of the Lord but who
has the tendency to think himself independent of or equal to the Lord
may achieve Mah-Viu's abode at the time of annihilation, but when
creation begins again he has to return and again take the post of Brahma.
The word used in this case is bheda-dy, which refers to the tendency to
think oneself independently powerful. The various destinations possible
for such an exalted living entity as a Lord Brahm definitely prove that
any material position is worthless for guaranteeing an eternal life of bliss
and knowledge. In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka promises that if one gives up
all other so-called obligations and surrenders to the devotional service of
the Lord, the Lord will personally protect him and bring him back to the
supreme abode in the spiritual sky. It is futile and foolish to try to achieve
perfection by one's own strenuous endeavor and not surrender to the
lotus feet of Ka. Such a blind attempt is described in the Eighteenth
Chapter of Bhagavad-gt as bahulysam, indicating that it is work in the
material mode of passion. Brahm is the lord of passion, and his creation
and management of the entire universe are certainly bahulysam, or
strenuous endeavor, in the most exalted sense. But all such passionate
work, even that of Lord Brahm, is ultimately useless without surrender

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to the lotus feet of Ka.

TEXT 13
vyun hta-gandh bh
salilatvya kalpate
salila tad-dhta-rasa
jyotivyopakalpate
vyunby the wind; htadeprived; gandhof its quality of aroma;
bhthe element earth; salilatvya kalpatebecomes water; salilam
water; tatby that (the same element, wind); hta-rasamdeprived of its
quality of taste; jyotivya upakalpatebecomes fire.
Deprived of its quality of aroma by the wind, the element earth is
transformed into water; and water, deprived of its taste by that same
wind, is merged into fire.
rmad-Bhgavatam gives several descriptions of the material creation, by
which air is expanded from ether, fire from air, water from fire, and earth
from water. Now, in the reverse order, the creation is wound up. Thus
earth merges back into the water from which it came, and water similarly
merges into fire.
TEXT 14
hta-rpa tu tamas
vyau jyoti pralyate
hta-sparo 'vakena
vyur nabhasi lyate
kltman hta-gua
nabha tmani lyate
hta-rpamdeprived of its quality of form; tucertainly; tamasby
darkness; vyauinto air; jyotifire; pralyatemerges; hta-spara
deprived of touch; avakenaby the element space; vyuair;
nabhasiinto space; lyatemerges; kla-tmanaby the Supreme Soul
in the form of time; hta-guamdeprived of its tangible quality;
nabhaspace; tmaniinto false ego in the mode of ignorance; lyate
merges.
Fire, deprived of its form by darkness, dissolves into the element air.

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When the air loses its quality of touch by the influence of space, the air
merges into that space. When space is deprived of its tangible quality
by the Supreme Soul in the form of time, space merges into false ego in
the mode of ignorance.
TEXT 15
indriyi mano buddhi
saha vaikrikair npa
pravianti hy ahakra
sva-guair aham tmani
indriyithe senses; manathe mind; buddhiintelligence; saha
vaikrikaialong with the demigods, who are products of false ego in
the mode of goodness; npaO King; praviantithey enter; hiindeed;
ahakramthe element ego; sta-guaialong with its qualities
(goodness, passion and ignorance); ahamego; tmaniinto the mahattattva.
My dear King, the material senses and intelligence merge into false ego
in the mode of passion, from which they arose; and the mind, along
with the demigods, merges into false ego in the mode of goodness. Then
the total false ego, along with all of its qualities, merges into the mahattattva.
TEXT 16
e my bhagavata
sarga-sthity-anta-kri
tri-var varitsmbhi
ki bhya rotum icchasi
ethis; mymaterial energy; bhagavataof the Supreme Lord;
sargaof creation; sthitimaintenance; antaand dissolution (of this
universe); krithe agent; tri-varconsisting of three modes
(goodness, passion and ignorance); varithas been described;
asmbhiby us; kimwhat; bhyafurther; rotumto hear; icchasi
do you wish.
I have now described my, the illusory energy of the Supreme

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Personality of Godhead. This illusory potency, consisting of the three

modes of material nature, is empowered by the Lord for the creation,
maintenance and annihilation of the material universe. Now, what more
do you wish to hear?
King Nimi had expressed to the nava-yogendras his fear of the illusory
potency of the Lord and had requested a detailed explanation of my so
that he could avoid becoming a victim at her hands. Now, r Antarka,
having described the illusory potency, is suggesting that the King inquire
about the means to become totally free of my's influence. Not waiting
for the King to ask such a question, r Antarka himself is suggesting,
"Now that you have heard about my's influence, you should inquire
about the process of becoming free of such influence." According to
rdhara Svm, that is the significance of r Antarka's question ki
bhya rotum icchasi, "What more do you wish to hear?"
The following is a summary of rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura's
explanation of the process of annihilation described in the previous
verses. Vsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the presiding
Deity of consciousness, which becomes manifest within the mahat-tattva.
By further transformations of the mahat-tattva the threefold false ego
appears as follows. (1) From vaikrika, false ego in the mode of goodness,
appears the eleventh sense, the mind, whose presiding Deity is
Aniruddha. (2) From taijasa, false ego in the mode of passion, comes
intelligence, whose presiding Deity is Pradyumna, and the five working
senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses with their various presiding
deities. (3) From false ego in the mode of ignorance arises the subtle form
of sound, and from that sound, or abda, all the material elements
gradually become manifest, beginning with ether and the sense of hearing.
The presiding Deity of these three divisions of false ego is Sakaraa.
This description is taken from Chapter 26 of the Third Canto of rmadBhgavatam, verses 21, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32 and 35.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead's external potency, my, causes the
birth, maintenance and destruction of the material world. She is tricolored
red, white and black. In her red feature the material nature is created, in
white it endures, and in black it is annihilated. The mahat-tattva arises
from this my, and from the mahat-tattva come the three varieties of false
ego mentioned above. At the time of annihilation the five great elements,
namely earth, water, fire, air and ether, merge into false ego in the mode

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of ignorance, from which they were originally generated; the ten senses
and intelligence merge into false ego in passion; and the mind, along with
the demigods, merges into false ego in the mode of goodness, which then
merges into mahat-tattva, which further takes shelter of the prakti or
unmanifest pradhna.
As described above, each of the gross elements is wound up when its
distinguishing quality is removed; the element then merges into the
previous element. This can be understood as follows. In space or ether
there is the quality of sound. In air there are the qualities of sound and
touch. In fire there are sound, touch and form. In water there are sound,
touch, form and taste. And in earth there are sound, touch, form, taste
and aroma. Therefore from ether down to earth each element is
distinguished by the addition of its own unique quality, called guavieam. When that quality is removed, an element becomes nondifferent
from its previous element and thus merges into it. For example, when
great winds take aroma away from earth, earth contains only sound,
touch, form and taste and thus becomes nondifferent from water, into
which it merges. Similarly when water loses its rasa, or taste, it contains
only sound, touch and form, thus becoming nondifferent from fire, which
also contains those three qualities. So the wind takes away aroma to
merge earth into water and takes away taste to merge water into fire. Then
when the universal darkness removes form from fire, fire merges into air.
Space then removes the sense of touch from air, and air merges into space.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead as the time element removes sound
from space, and space then merges into the false ego in the mode of
ignorance, from which it arose. Finally, false ego is merged into the
mahat-tattva, which is merged into the unmanifest pradhna, and thus the
universe is annihilated.
TEXT 17
r-rjovca
yathaitm aivar my
dustarm akttmabhi
taranty aja sthla-dhiyo
mahara idam ucyatm
r-rj uvcaKing Nimi said; yathhow; etmthis; aivarmof the
Supreme Lord; mymmaterial energy; dustarmunsurpassable; aktatmabhiby those who are not self-controlled; tarantithey may cross

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over; ajaeasily; sthla-dhiyapersons whose intelligence is dulled

by materialistic attachments; maha-eO great sage; idamthis;
ucyatmplease tell.
King Nimi said: O great sage, please explain how even a foolish
materialist can easily cross over the illusory energy of the Supreme
Lord, which is always insurmountable for those who are not selfcontrolled.
According to rla rdhara Svm, sthla-dhiya indicates those who
ignorantly identify themselves with the gross material body and who are
therefore unable to analyze the subtle laws of nature by which the soul
transmigrates in illusion. rla Jva Gosvm comments that sthla-dhiya
also indicates so-called pious persons who execute pompous religious
ceremonies for material sense gratification rather than trying to prepare
themselves to go back home, back to Godhead, by engaging in the loving
devotional service of the Lord.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, King Nimi was already
an advanced devotee of the Lord and therefore knew that one can cross
over the illusory energy, my, by surrendering to the lotus feet of the
Lord and pleasing Him by pure devotional service. Therefore the King was
asking the question for the benefit of those who falsely consider
themselves very much learned but in fact are addicted to materialistic
fruitive activities, which increasingly entangle them in illusion. In this
regard rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has quoted from the Amarakoa dictionary to show that akttmabhi indicates apratvam, or one
whose life is empty.
Every living being has an eternal relationship with the supreme living
being, Ka. One may love Ka by thinking of Him as one's eternal
master, one's most intimate friend, one's beloved child or the object of
one's conjugal attraction. Of course, such ecstasies should never be
confused with ordinary, material emotions, which are perverted
reflections of spiritual rasas, or relationships. In the material world we try
to relish these same relationships of servitude, friendship, parental love
and conjugal love, but the object of such feelings is a temporary material
body, which is quickly devastated by the laws of nature. These loving
feelings should be directed toward the spiritual body of the Supreme
Personality, Ka, who is the reservoir of all beauty and transcendental
bliss. One who has not learned the art of directing his love to Ka is

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apra, or one whose life is ultimately empty.

According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, one whose life is
empty can also be called manda-dh, or one whose intelligence is crippled
by a lack of broad experience. King Nimi, a pure Vaiava, was so kind
that he asked, "How can such cripple-minded people cross over my in
the easiest way possible, since by nature they are very lazy in spiritual
matters?"
TEXT 18
r-prabuddha uvca
karmy rabhamn
dukha-hatyai sukhya ca
payet pka-viparysa
mithun-cri nm
r-prabuddha uvcar Prabuddha said; karmifruitive activities;
rabhamnmmaking endeavors in; dukha-hatyaifor the
elimination of distress; sukhya caand for gaining happiness; payet
one should see; pkaof the result; viparysamcontrary outcome;
mithun-crimwho are coupled as men and women; nmof such
persons.
r Prabuddha said: Accepting the roles of male and female in human
society, the conditioned souls unite in sexual relationships. Thus they
constantly make material endeavors to eliminate their unhappiness and
unlimitedly increase their pleasure. But one should see that they
inevitably achieve exactly the opposite result. In other words, their
happiness inevitably vanishes, and as they grow older their material
discomfort increases.
Without the mercy of a pure devotee it is exceedingly difficult to free
oneself from the bodily concept of life, which is the illusory basis of
sexual attraction.
TEXT 19
nityrtidena vittena
durlabhentma-mtyun
ghpatypta-paubhi
k prti sdhitai calai

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nityaconstantly; rti-denagiving pain; vittenawith wealth;

durlabhenahard to acquire; tma-mtyundeath for the self; gha
with one's home; apatyachildren; ptarelatives; paubhiand
domestic animals; kwhat; prtihappiness; sdhitaiwhich are
gained (by that wealth); calaiunsteady.
Wealth is a perpetual source of distress, it is most difficult to acquire,
and it is virtual death for the soul. What satisfaction does one actually
gain from his wealth? Similarly, how can one gain ultimate or
permanent happiness from one's so-called home, children, relatives and
domestic animals, which are all maintained by one's hard-earned
money?
TEXT 20
eva loka param vidyn
navara karma-nirmitam
sa-tulytiaya-dhvasa
yath maala-vartinm
evamin this way; lokamthe world; paramnext (after this life);
vidytone should understand as; navaramimpermanent; karmanirmitamcreated from fruitive work; sa-tulyacharacterized by (the
rivalry of) equals; atiayaand superiors; dhvasamand by ruination;
yathas; maala-vartinm(the rivalries) of minor rulers.
One cannot find permanent happiness even on the heavenly planets,
which one can attain in the next life by ritualistic ceremonies and
sacrifices. Even in material heaven the living entity is disturbed by
rivalry with his equals and envy of those superior to him. And since
one's residence in heaven is finished with the exhaustion of pious
fruitive activities, the denizens of heaven are afflicted by fear,
anticipating the destruction of their heavenly life. Thus they resemble
kings who, though enviously admired by ordinary citizens, are
constantly harassed by enemy kings and who therefore never attain
actual happiness.
rla rdhara Svm has quoted the following text from the Chndogya
Upaniad (8.1.6): tad yatheha karma-cito loka kyate, evam evmutra
puya-cito loka kyate. "One's present status of material pleasure, the

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result of one's previous work, will eventually be vanquished by time.

Similarly, although by executing pious activities one will be elevated to a
higher status in the next life, that future situation will also be
vanquished." The basis of material enjoyment is the particular body one
has acquired. The material body is karma-cita, the accumulated result of
one's previous material activities. If one is awarded a body decorated with
beauty, education, popularity, strength and so on, his standard of material
enjoyment is certainly high class. On the other hand, if one is ugly,
mentally retarded, crippled or repulsive to others, there is very little hope
for his material happiness. In both cases, however, the situation is
flickering and temporary. One who has acquired an attractive body
should not rejoice, since death will quickly bring an end to such an
intoxicating situation. Similarly, one who has taken birth in an obnoxious
situation should not lament, since his suffering is also temporary. The
beautiful man and the ugly man, the rich and the poor, the educated and
the foolish should all endeavor to become Ka conscious so that they
can be elevated to their eternal constitutional situation, which is to reside
in the planets beyond this material universe. Originally every living entity
is unimaginably beautiful, intelligent, wealthy, and so strong that his
spiritual body lives forever. But we foolishly give up this eternal, blissful
situation because we are unwilling to meet the condition for eternal life.
The condition is that one should be a lover of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Ka. Although love of Ka is the most exquisite ecstasy,
surpassing by millions of times the most intense pleasure of the material
universe, we foolishly break off our loving affair with the Supreme Lord
and artificially try to become independent enjoyers in the material
atmosphere of self-delusion and false pride.
Even if one reaches the exalted heavenly planets of this universe he will
be afflicted by various types of suffering. Every conditioned soul in the
material world wants to become the greatest person. Therefore one is
constantly harassed by his equals who have a similar desire. This situation
is commonly termed the "rat race" of material existence. Even on the
heavenly planets there is a similar rat race for heavenly distinction. Since
some persons inevitably excel our own achievements, our hearts burn
with envy upon seeing others enjoying the very rewards we have strived
for. And because our whole situation is temporary, we must undergo fear,
anxiety and death even on the heavenly planets. The example given here
is very nice. Minor kings may be enviously admired by ordinary citizens

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for their wealth, power and fame, but such kings themselves constantly
burn with jealousy, resentment and fear due to rivalry and threats from
other kings. Similarly, modern politicians are constantly harassed by envy
and fear.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that the
conditioned souls, being eager to acquire material happiness and avoid
distress, take shelter of sexual relationships and thus surrender to the
hard labor of fruitive activities. Those who are enlightened, however, can
perceive the ultimate futility of such gross materialistic endeavors. One's
so-called wife, home, children, relatives, bank account and so on are all
temporary phantasmagoria, and even while manifest they can never give
real satisfaction to one's senses. To acquire wealth in this world one is
practically forced to become the killer of his own soul. There is no
possibility of acquiring pleasure from materialistic activities, since they
are performed with temporary senses in the hot pursuit of temporary
sense objects. When the conditioned soul achieves his goal he becomes
proud and brags to others as if his achievements were permanent. And
when defeated he is submerged in lamentation. Such a tendency to
consider oneself the doer is a sign of weak intelligence, since in fact the
living entity is merely desiring within the material body. The body itself is
moved by the forces of material nature, under the control of God. The
relationships of master and servant, father and son, husband and wife
entail exchanges of well-wishing and service that give a sense of material
gratification, but such ephemeral devotion can never bring about the
eternal absolute benefit of the soul. By such temporary gratification, my
induces the conditioned soul to wander throughout the material world,
pursuing the relative rewards of material nature. According to the subtle
laws of karma, the living entity achieves happiness and distress. One
cannot obtain happiness by force, no matter how strenuously or how long
one tries. Therefore those whose intelligence is uncontaminated should
surrender at the lotus feet of Ka and give up the ludicrous pursuit of
permanent material happiness, a pursuit which can be compared to a
dog's chasing its tail.
TEXT 21
tasmd guru prapadyeta
jijsu reya uttamam
bde pare ca nita

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brahmay upaamrayam
tasmttherefore; guruma spiritual master; prapadyetaone should
take shelter of; jijsubeing inquisitive; reya uttamamabout the
highest good; bdein the Vedas; parein the Supreme; caand;
nitamperfectly knowledgeable; brahmai(in these two aspects) of
the Absolute Truth; upaama-rayamfixed in detachment from
material affairs.
Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a
bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The
qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the
conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince
others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken
shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material
considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word bde refers to the Vedic
literature, and pare refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
bona fide spiritual master must be nitam, deeply experienced in
authorized Vedic literatures and in practical understanding of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without scriptural knowledge and
practical realization of the Personality of Godhead, a so-called guru will be
unable to dissipate the doubts of his disciples and therefore unable to
execute the function of bringing the sincere student back home, back to
Godhead. The symptom of realized understanding of the Vedas and Ka
is upaamrayam. In other words, the bona fide spiritual master is one
who has retired from the glittering illusions of materialistic society,
friendship and love.
Within the material world one is certainly attracted to becoming a great
intellectual, a powerful politician, the loving father of many beautiful and
affectionate little children, a most honored welfare worker or a highly
admired and successful businessman. But none of these material positions
have a permanent basis, nor do they afford permanent happiness, because
they are all based on the primary misunderstanding by which one
identifies himself with the material body.
Anyone can readily experience that he is not the body but consciousness.
Even if one loses a limb of his body, he does not cease to exist as a
conscious entity. Ultimately, the entire body is lost at the time of death,

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and the living entity acquires a new body. The preliminary understanding
of one's identity as consciousness is called self-realization. But beyond this
elementary knowledge is the elaborate subject matter of how the soul
came to exist within the cycle of 8,400,000 material species of life. And if
the living entity is not the material body but consciousness, he must
ultimately have an original status on a higher platform.
Punishment implies reward also; a powerful man who can punish is also
able to reward. Therefore, the existence of punishment for the living
being, who is forced to take a miserable material body subject to birth, old
age, disease and death, also logically implies the existence of a reward for
him. Although we mistakenly consider material sense gratification the
ultimate reward of life, material happiness is actually another type of
punishment, since it entices one to continue rotating in the cycle of birth
and death. In the Western countries violent prisoners are placed in
solitary confinement whereas well-behaved prisoners are sometimes
allowed to work in the warden's garden or library as a reward. But any
position in prison is ultimately a punishment. Similarly, the existence of
higher and lower categories of material sense gratification does not
explain the living entity's ultimate reward, which must constitute the
natural antithesis of the punishment of material existence. That actual
reward is an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in the kingdom of God,
where there is no punishment. The kingdom of God is Vaikuha, or
unconditional pleasure. There is no punishment in the spiritual world; it
is a place of ever-increasing pleasure.
A bona fide spiritual master is one who is expert in all of these subject
matters, not by his personal imagination or speculation but by mature
understanding of the authorized Vedic literatures, which are the literary
manifestation of the causeless mercy of God. The Lord says in Bhagavadgt (9.3).
araddadhn puru
dharmasysya parantapa
aprpya m nivartante
mtyu-sasra-vartmani
"Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot
attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this
material world." Therefore the spiritual master must awaken the disciple
to the eternal existence of devotional service. The example may be given

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that in the early morning a mother may enter her child's room to wake
him up so that he can attend school. The child does not want to get up,
but the loving mother forces him to get up and sends him off to school to
be educated. Similarly, the bona fide spiritual master awakens the sleeping
soul and sends him to the gurukula, or the rama of the spiritual master,
where he can be trained in perfect knowledge.
If the disciple has doubts about the value of Ka consciousness, the
bona fide spiritual master must dissipate those doubts by superior
knowledge. One who himself doubts the authority of Ka or Vedic
knowledge cannot become a bona fide spiritual master. On the other
hand, kib vipra, kib nys, dra kena naya/ yei ka-tattva-vett, sei
'guru' haya: [Cc. Madhya 8.128] any human being from any social or
economic status can become a bona fide spiritual master if he knows the
science of Ka. r Caitanya Mahprabhu said,
yre dekha, tre kaha 'ka'-upadea
mra jya guru ha tra ei dea
"Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord r Ka as they are given
in Bhagavad-gt and rmad-Bhgavatam. In this way become a spiritual
master and try to liberate everyone in this land." (Cc. Madhya 7.128)
Only by the order and authority of the Supreme Lord one can become a
spiritual master, not by one's own so-called erudition.
The duty of the bona fide guru is to connect the disciple to Ka. A
scholar or meditator has no potency to connect another living being with
Ka if that scholar or meditator himself is not connected with Ka.
Although many sports fans attend gymnastic competitions and applaud at
the exhibition of difficult calisthenic feats, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is not such a gymnastic spectator, and He does not applaud the
calisthenics exhibited by foolish persons in the name of yoga. Nor is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead impressed by mediocre attempts at
philosophical speculation, since the Lord has already given His own
opinion in Bhagavad-gt (u me parama vaca). The word of Ka is
parama vaca, the last word in knowledge. And Ka says, yaj jtv
neha bhyo 'nyaj jtavyam avaiyate: "When you know this knowledge
there shall remain nothing further to be known." Ka has also referred
to His knowledge as rja-vidy, the king of all knowledge.
If one does not become a lover of Ka, his connection with Ka takes

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place indirectly, through the illusory potency of the Lord. The idea that
one can attract the Supreme Lord through mere gymnastics or foolish
speculation on the Absolute Truth is certainly a product of my. One
who is connected to Ka through His external, illusory potency can
serve only as a material master to connect his so-called disciples to the
same illusory energy. On the other hand, in Bhagavad-gt (9.13) it is
said,
mahtmnas tu m prtha
daiv praktim rit
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jtv bhtdim avyayam
Those who are actually great souls have surrendered to the internal
potency of the Lord and can similarly connect others to the internal
pleasure-giving potency. A mahtm is described in Bhagavad-gt as
follows: vsudeva sarvam iti sa mahtm sudurlabha [Bg. 7.19]. "He
knows Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is
very rare." It is to such a spiritual master, who has reached the mature
understanding that Vsudeva is everything, that one must surrender.
According to r Nrada Muni, yo vidvn sa gurur hari: such a great soul
is to be considered the external manifestation of Ka Himself. Ka
states this also:
crya m vijnyn
nvamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhysyeta
sarva-devamayo guru
"One should know the crya to be My self and never disrespect him in
any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he
is the representative of all the demigods." (SB 11.17.27)
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, if a spiritual master
cannot destroy his disciple's doubts by superior knowledge, the disciple
will gradually become despondent in spiritual life. Because a bogus guru
cannot actually give Ka to the disciple according to the principle of
rasa-varja raso 'py asya, the disciple will again become attracted to
material happiness, not having achieved the bliss of Ka's association.

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Such a weak disciple of a weak spiritual master will gradually become

hopeless and discouraged in his attempt at self-realization and will again
become fascinated by the temptations of illusion, such as women, money
and so-called intellectuality based on speculation and imagination.
Further symptoms of the bona fide spiritual master are given in the
Upademta (1) as follows:
vco vega manasa krodha-vega
jihv-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etn vegn yo viaheta dhra
sarvm apm pthiv sa iyt
"A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands,
the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is
qualified to make disciples all over the world." rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura has stated, upaamraya krodha-lobhdy-ava-bhtam: a bona
fide spiritual master cannot be under the control of ordinary anger, greed
and lust.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, one who has
understood the futility of material existence can approach a bona fide
spiritual master. In the two previous verses the futility of earthly and
heavenly sense gratification has been described. Now, the natural
conclusion is that one who has understood this should approach a bona
fide spiritual master. The bona fide spiritual master broadcasts the sound
vibration from the spiritual planets called Vaikuha. The inhabitants of
the spiritual planets, headed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
Himself, are certainly not deaf and dumb; they are in constant
communication through unlimited transcendental bliss and knowledge.
And the bona fide spiritual master can transmit this sound vibration of
bliss and knowledge to his disciple. Just as a radio broadcasts mundane
news, the bona fide guru broadcasts the news from Vaikuha. This is
confirmed by Narottama dsa hkura: golokera prema-dhana, hari-nmasakrtana. The spiritual master also transmits to the disciple the holy
name of Ka, which is nondifferent from Ka Himself. The bona fide
guru informs his disciple that every living entity is qualitatively one with
the Supreme Lord but quantitatively different and thus engages the
disciple in the loving service of the Lord. Because the living entity is
qualitatively one with the Lord and is part of Him, there is an eternal

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loving relationship between them. And because the living entity is

quantitatively different, that relationship is eternally one of service.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, even though one
may have the good fortune to accept a bona fide, highly qualified guru, if
one maintains a taste for fruitive activities or mental speculation one's
advancement will be checked. But if a serious student surrenders to a
bona fide spiritual master there is absolutely no impediment to the
transmission of perfect knowledge and bliss in the devotional service of
the Lord.
TEXT 22
tatra bhgavatn dharmn
iked gurv-tma-daivata
amyaynuvtty yais
tuyed tmtma-do hari
tatrathere (in the association of the spiritual master); bhgavatn
dharmnthe science of devotional service; iketshould learn; gurutma-daivatahe for whom the spiritual master is his very life and
worshipable deity; amyaywithout deceit; anuvttyby faithful
service; yaiby which (devotional science); tuyetcan be satisfied;
tmthe Supreme Soul; tma-dawho bestows His own self; hari
Lord Hari.
Accepting the bona fide spiritual master as one's life and soul and
worshipable deity, the disciple should learn from him the process of
pure devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the
soul of all souls, is inclined to give Himself to His pure devotees.
Therefore, the disciple should learn from the spiritual master to serve
the Lord without duplicity and in such a faithful and favorable way that
the Supreme Lord, being satisfied, will offer Himself to the faithful
disciple.
According to rla rdhara Svm the Lord's tendency to give Himself to
His pure devotee is demonstrated in the case of Bali Mahrja, who
sacrificed his universal kingdom for the pleasure of Lord Vmanadeva.
Lord Vmana was so pleased by the selfless surrender of Bali Mahrja
that the Lord became the doorman in the palace of Bali who was
reinstalled as a great leader in the universe.

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rla Jva Gosvm comments that the spiritual master is to be considered

the tm, or the very life, of the disciple, since real life begins when one is
initiated by a bona fide spiritual master. Although one may experience
many seemingly wonderful or important events in a dream, one's real life
begins when he wakes up. Similarly, since the spiritual master gives birth
to the disciple by awakening him to spiritual life, a bona fide disciple
understands that his spiritual master is the very basis of his life.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
the reservoir of all pleasure, and thus the Lord's giving Himself to a pure
devotee indicates that such a devotee becomes immersed in the highest
possible ecstasy. In this connection there is the following ruti-mantra:
nandd dhmni bhtni jyante. "Indeed, it is from the all-blissful
Supreme that all these creatures have come into being." rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura has further pointed out that when the Lord bestows
His own self upon a pure devotee such a fortunate devotee can actually
see the Lord, touch Him and directly engage in His service.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, one should never
consider one's spiritual master to be mundane or on an equal level with
one's self. One should see the spiritual master as being always under the
shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. One should never try to
engage the spiritual master in one's personal service with the mentality of
lording it over the spiritual master and attaining through him some
material gain. One who is actually advancing will become more and more
eager to serve the spiritual master, and thus such a disciple experiences
the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
rla Rpa Gosvm has delineated four preliminary requisites for
advancement for the sincere disciple:
guru-pdrayas tasmt
ka-dkdi-ikaam
virambhea guro sev
sdhu-vartmnuvartanam
"[1] Accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master,
[2] becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to
discharge devotional service from him, [3] obeying the orders of the
spiritual master with faith and devotion, and [4] following in the
footsteps of great cryas [teachers] under the direction of the spiritual
master." (Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.74) One who has executed these

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preliminary duties is qualified to relish rmad-Bhgavatam.

When one actually hears the sound vibration of rmad-Bhgavatam as it
is, he becomes free from the desire for sense gratification and mental
speculation and is happy and satisfied in the service of Lord Ka.
yasy vai ryamy
ke parama-prue
bhaktir utpadyate pusa
oka-moha-bhaypah
"Simply by giving aural reception to rmad-Bhgavatam, the feeling for
loving devotional service to Lord Ka, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion
and fearfulness." (SB 1.7.7) One should hear rmad-Bhgavatam from a
bona fide spiritual master who can expertly engage the propensity for
loving Ka that arises from hearing the transcendental sound of the
Bhgavatam. Such a transcendental, authorized engagement is called
bhgavata-dharma. Within the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness there are many thousands of authorized engagements
pertaining to the Society's missionary activities. And by hearing the
rmad-Bhgavatam and performing such engagements the Society's
members feel relief from oka (lamentation), moha (illusion) and bhaya
(fear).
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, those who have
achieved a mature understanding of the transcendental sound vibration of
rmad-Bhgavatam may adopt the order of tridai-sannysa, as
described in the Hasa-gt, the Thirteenth Chapter of this canto. A socalled Vaiava who whimsically neglects the strict control of the body,
mind and speech cannot actually achieve shelter at the lotus feet of a bona
fide spiritual master. Even if such a whimsical sense enjoyer makes a
show of assuming the dress and daa of Vaiava sannysa, he will not
attain the desired result, love of Ka. A bona fide Vaiava should work
earnestly to free himself from any tinge of sense gratification and mental
speculation, and with a loving heart he should carry out the orders of his
bona fide spiritual master. By always remembering the exalted position of
the bona fide spiritual master, the disciple will achieve shelter at the lotus
feet of Ka.

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TEXT 23
sarvato manaso 'sagam
dau saga ca sdhuu
day maitr praraya ca
bhtev addh yathocitam
sarvataeverywhere; manasaof the mind; asagamdetachment;
dau-in the beginning; sagamassociation; caand; sdhuuwith
saintly persons; daymmercy; maitrmfriendship; prarayam
reverence; caand; bhteufor all living beings; addhthus; yath
ucitamas is suitable.
A sincere disciple should learn to dissociate the mind from everything
material and positively cultivate association with his spiritual master
and other saintly devotees. He should be merciful to those in an inferior
position to him, cultivate friendship with those on an equal level and
meekly serve those in a higher spiritual position. Thus he should learn
to deal properly with all living beings.
rla Madhvcrya has quoted from the Garua Pura to demonstrate
that within this universe those who take birth as demigods, great is or
pious human beings are all considered santa, or saintly persons.
According to Bhagavad-gt, traiguya-viay ved: the varrama
culture described in Vedic literature deals mostly with the living entities
who are struggling within the three modes of nature. The Vedic literatures
teach such conditioned souls that material happiness can be achieved only
through pious works. In this sense, the demigods are to be considered the
most pious living entities within the three modes of material nature. The
is, or the great saintly mystics of the universe, who are able to travel at
will to various planets and who cultivate mystic powers, are to be
considered somewhat below the demigods. And those human beings on
earth who perfectly execute the Vedic rituals are to be considered in the
third or lowest category of santa, or saintly persons. But a devotee of the
Lord is beyond the three modes of material nature. Lord Ka says in
Bhagavad-gt (14.26),
m ca yo 'vyabhicrea
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gun samattyaitn

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brahma-bhyya kalpate
"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in
any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and
thus comes to the level of Brahman." Thus Lord Ka clearly says that a
Vaiava who does not fall down from the regulations of bhakti-yoga is
beyond the three modes of nature. And Lord Ka advised Arjuna, a
ka-bhakta, to transcend the three material qualities of the illusory
creation of my (nistraiguyo bhavrjuna). But in the Eighteenth Chapter
of Bhagavad-gt (18.40) the Lord says,
na tad asti pthivy v
divi deveu v puna
sattva prakti-jair mukta
yad ebhi syt tribhir guai
"There is no being existing, either here or among the demigods in the
higher planetary systems, who is free from the three modes of material
nature." Thus the demigods are not exempt from the pollution of the
three modes of material nature, whereas a pure devotee actually becomes
gutta, or transcendental to the influence of my.
Therefore, one should cultivate the association of the uttama-adhikr, or
pure devotee of the Lord, as stated previously (SB 11.3.21):
tasmd guru prapadyeta
jijsu reya uttamam
bde pare ca nita
brahmay upaamrayam
"Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a
bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The
qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions
of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these
conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the
Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be
understood to be bona fide spiritual masters."
On the other hand, one should avoid the association of a materialistic
person even if such a person is outwardly chanting the holy names of

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Ka. rla Rpa Gosvm has advised in this respect,

keti yasya giri ta manasdriyeta
dksti cet praatibhi ca bhajantam am
uray bhajana-vijam ananyam anyaninddi-nya-hdam psita-saga-labdhy
One may mentally offer respect to any living entity who is chanting the
holy name of Ka, but one should avoid intimate association with
materialistic persons, especially those attached to sex enjoyment. Tamodvra yoit sagi-sagam. If one associates with a sensuous person
who is attached to the company of women, by such association one will
surely go to hell.
But if a materialistic person approaches a pure devotee with a sincere
desire to hear from him about spiritual improvement, that first-class
devotee may mercifully give his association, provided the purpose of such
a meeting is advancement in the devotional service of Ka. By such
association even a materialistic person can gradually become a pure
devotee of Ka. If an advanced devotee is not able to engage a
materialistic person in the devotional service of Ka, such association is
strictly forbidden.
In the Garua Pura it is stated,
vieata svottameu
vin saga na mucyate
sva-nceu tu deveu
vin saga na pryate
"One cannot be liberated without association with a pure devotee of the
Lord. And unless one shows mercy to those in an inferior position, one's
life will be superficial." It is our practical experience in the Ka
consciousness movement that those who are expanding their mercy by
preaching the message of Ka are making rapid spiritual progress, and
their life is filled with transcendental bliss. Those who neglect the quality
of mercy, being uninterested in the missionary activities of the Ka
consciousness movement, are not filled with transcendental pleasure as
described here by the word pryate. Not being filled with spiritual
pleasure, surely such persons attempt to fill their lives with material
pleasure through sense gratification and mental speculation, associating

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with women or reading innumerable mundane novels, newspapers,

newsmagazines, and so on. According to r Caitanya Mahprabhu the
preaching activities of the Ka consciousness movement are
nandmbudhi-vardhanam, the ever-increasing ocean of bliss. Missionary
activities are based on the principle of daym, or mercy to those who are
fallen. Those who are actually preaching become enlivened by associating
with other preachers. This principle is called maitrm, or friendship
among equals. The power to carry out such preaching activities, as well as
the proper guidance for distributing Ka's message, comes through the
principle of prarayam, or humble service at the lotus feet of spiritual
authorities such as the spiritual master. If one preaches Ka
consciousness sincerely under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master
and in the company of fellow preachers, one is perfectly fulfilling the
statement of this verse of rmad-Bhgavatam, and thus he will come to
the point of sarvato manaso 'sagam, or complete detachment from the
illusory energy of the Lord. Caitanya Mahprabhu has stated, lava-mtra
sdhu-sage sarva-siddhi haya [Cc. Madhya 22.54]. By becoming attached
to the devotees of the Lord, one will achieve all perfection in life, going
back home, back to Godhead.
If one neglects the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by
engaging in sinful life, he is certainly not merciful. One who ignores his
eternal status as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and who instead
covers himself more and more with material illusions in the form of
temporary designations"I am American," "I am Russian," "I am Indian,"
"I am black," "I am white" and so onis certainly a killer of his own soul
and cannot be considered merciful. Similarly, those who support animal
slaughter by eating meat, fish and eggs cannot be considered merciful.
Sometimes the argument is given that if one does not harm others he is
perfectly religious. But because we are now in a state of ignorance, we
have no idea whatsoever of the future reactions to our present activities.
Ignorantly boasting that one is not harming others, without an awareness
of the subtle laws of nature, does not make one a religious person. One
becomes religious by surrendering to the laws of God as they are stated by
the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gt. As long as a living entity is infatuated
with his own mental speculations, which carry him away like the waves of
the ocean, he cannot understand the process of devotional service to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mental speculations based on our
experience of the variegated creations of the Lord's illusory energy are

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incapable of bringing us to perfect knowledge. One must give up

materialistic association and make company with pure devotees of the
Lord, those who are engaged twenty-four hours a day in perfectly pleasing
the Supreme Lord.
One should cultivate association with those who are more advanced than
oneself in devotional service. One's advancement can be measured by
one's detachment from sense gratification and his ability to distribute
Ka consciousness to others. In this connection rla Narottama dsa
hkura has said, chiy vaiava-sev, nistra pyeche keb: "Who can
attain salvation if he gives up the service of the Vaiavas?" By serving the
lotus feet of pure devotees, one is immediately enlightened with spiritual
knowledge. All of the so-called pleasures of the material world,
culminating in many varieties of sexual fantasy and impersonal visions of
oneself as God, become useless to one who has achieved the mercy of the
lotus feet of a pure devotee of Ka. The entire material creation is
compared to an insignificant bubble in the ocean. The material universe
rests on the spiritual potency of the Lord called brahmajyoti, just as an
insignificant bubble rests on the potency of the unlimited ocean. By
serving the lotus feet of a pure devotee one can enter the ocean of eternal
happiness and experience his constitutional position as a servant of Ka.
The mercy of the Vaiavas is unlimited, and one who has tasted that
mercy becomes mad after the lotus feet of Ka, not caring for the
hallucinations of so-called material pleasure or mental speculation. The
mercy of the Vaiavas is substantial and as powerful as Ka Himself,
whereas impersonal speculations and hopeless dreams of society,
friendship and love merely constitute various means by which my
cheats the conditioned souls and keeps them in perpetual frustration.
TEXT 24
auca tapas titik ca
mauna svdhyyam rjavam
brahmacaryam ahis ca
samatva dvandva-sajayo
aucamcleanliness; tapaausterity; titikmtolerance; caand;
maunamsilence; svdhyyamstudy of the Vedas; rjavamsimplicity;
brahmacaryamcelibacy; ahismnonviolence; caand; samatvam
equanimity; dvandva-sajayoin situations perceived in terms of
duality.

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To serve the spiritual master the disciple should learn cleanliness,

austerity, tolerance, silence, study of Vedic knowledge, simplicity,
celibacy, nonviolence, and equanimity in the face of material dualities
such as heat and cold, happiness and distress.
aucam, or "cleanliness," refers to both internal and external purity. One
should remain externally clean by bathing with soap and water at least
once and, if possible, three times daily. One is considered internally pure
when he is free from the pollution of false pride and egotism. Tapa, or
"austerity," means that despite the irrational impulses of the mind one
should remain fixed in executing his proper duty in life. Specifically, one
must control burning anger and the urge for wanton sex life. If a human
being does not control the impulses of lust, anger and greed, he loses his
power to understand his actual situation. Human life is a golden
opportunity to solve the overwhelming problems of birth, death, old age
and disease. According to the Viu Pura (3.8.9),
varramcra-vat
puruea para pumn
viur rdhyate panth
nnyat tat-toa-kraam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58]
Every human being can achieve spiritual perfection by dedicating the
fruits of his prescribed work to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Viu. Similarly, in Bhagavad-gt (18.45) Lord Ka clearly states, sve
sve karmay abhirata sasiddhi labhate nara. One does not have to
adopt a monastic life or live in the forest as a yog; one can achieve
perfection by dedicating his occupational duties to the Supreme Lord.
Similarly, Bhaktivinoda hkura has said, nmraya kari' yatane tumi,
thakaha pana kje. If one sincerely takes shelter of the holy names of
Ka by chanting Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare
Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare, he will achieve spiritual
perfection within the compass of his normal daily activities.
Unfortunately, if a human being neglects the regulative principles of
civilized life that prohibit illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and
gambling, he will surely be overwhelmed by the waves of lust and anger,
which completely cover one's consciousness of the reality of spiritual life
and draw one to engage in the phantasmagoria of the temporary material

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body. As Lord Ka has stated in Bhagavad-gt (3.39),

vta jnam etena
jnino nitya-vairi
kma-rpea kaunteya
duprenalena ca
"Thus a man's pure consciousness is covered by his eternal enemy in the
form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire."
Therefore, the word tapa, or "austerity," in this verse indicates that one
must remain in his prescribed duty and not become impatient or
unregulated due to the waves of lust, anger and greed.
The word titikm, or "tolerance," indicates that a transcendentalist must
be forgiving. The material world is full of embarrassing and irritating
situations, and unless one is inclined to be very much forgiving he will
become infected by a vindictive mentality, which spoils one's spiritual
consciousness. Maunam, or "silence," means that one should not speak on
worthless or frivolous topics, but should discuss the actual issues of
human life such as going back home, back to Godhead. Remaining
completely silent is a symptom of ignorance; a stone is silent due to a lack
of consciousness. Since every material thing has its spiritual counterpart,
the Vedic stras contain negative and positive injunctions.
Corresponding to the negative injunction against speech is the positive
injunction that one should always speak about Ka. Satata krtayanto
mm [Bg. 9.14]. One should always speak about the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, glorifying His holy name, fame, pastimes, entourage, and so
on. In the rmad-Bhgavatam also it is stated, rotavya krtitavya ca
dhyeya pjya ca nityad. One should always hear about, glorify,
meditate upon and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka.
In the twenty-first verse of this chapter it was stated, bde pare ca
nitam. The bona fide spiritual master is expert in bde pare, or the
transcendental sound vibration describing the spiritual world. One cannot
artificially remain empty-headed or speechless, as advocated by foolish
proponents of concocted systems of meditation and yoga. But one should
be so absorbed in the loving service of Ka, and so lovingly attracted to
praising Ka, that one has not a single moment free to speak nonsense.
That is the purport of the word maunam.
Svdhyyam means that one should study Vedic literature according to

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his individual ability and also teach others. In Bhagavad-gt it is

mentioned that a brhmaa should have the qualities of jna and
vijna, scriptural knowledge and practical realized application of
knowledge. Specifically one should study those books which increase
one's desire to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His Divine
Grace O Viupda Paramahasa Parivrjakcrya Aottara-ata r
rmad Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda has written in a few short years
a veritable library of transcendental knowledge. It is being practically seen
throughout the world that when the principle of svdhyyam, or Vedic
study, is applied to these books, such as rmad-Bhgavatam, Bhagavadgt As It Is, Caitanya-caritmta and The Nectar of Devotion, the sincere
reader becomes infused with the ecstatic determination to serve the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The entire International Society for
Krishna Consciousness is expanding all over the world on the basis of this
transcendental literature. Svdhyyam does not indicate speculative or
imaginary interpretations of religious scriptures, nor should one try to
read many books to increase his false prestige as a so-called scholar. One
should read those books which inspire practical spiritual advancement in
knowledge and renunciation, as exemplified by the books of rla
Prabhupda.
The word rjavam indicates simplicity or straightforwardness. According
to rla rdhara Svm svacchatm, or "clarity, transparency," is a
synonym for straightforwardness. Unless one is pure in consciousness he
will adopt many crooked means. Straightforwardness does not indicate
that one should insult others in the name of honesty, but that one should
speak the humble truth. The word brahmacaryam, or "celibacy," indicates
either renouncing completely the association of women or following
strictly the Vedic principles of householder life, which regulate sex life for
the purpose of procreating saintly children. Ahism indicates that one
should not commit violence against any living entity. Unless one is aware
of the subtle laws of karma, by which a living being enjoys and suffers,
one cannot actually practice ahis, or nonviolence. Ultimately the
material world is full of violence, and the laws of nature, which impose
old age, disease and death upon every living creature, are themselves filled
with violence. Therefore, if somehow or other one can convince others to
surrender to Ka and thus release themselves from the violent laws of
material nature, that is the perfection of ahis.
Samatva dvandva-sajayo indicates that one should keep a cool head

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even when disturbing material dualities become manifest. Ka says in

Bhagavad-gt (2.14):
mtr-spars tu kaunteya
toa-sukha dukha-d
gampyino 'nitys
ts titikasva bhrata
"O son of Kunt, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress,
and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and
disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense
perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them
without being disturbed."
TEXT 25
sarvatrtmevarnvk
kaivalyam aniketatm
vivikta-cra-vasana
santoa yena kenacit
sarvatraeverywhere; tmafor one's true self; varaand for the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; anvkmmeditation by keeping
continuously in view; kaivalyamsolitude; aniketatmhaving no fixed
residence; vivikta-crascraps of cloth found in unfrequented places;
vasanamwearing; santoamsatisfaction; yena kenacitwith anything.
One should practice meditation by constantly seeing oneself to be an
eternal cognizant spirit soul and seeing the Lord to be the absolute
controller of everything. To increase one's meditation, one should live
in a secluded place and give up false attachment to one's home and
household paraphernalia. Giving up the decorations of the temporary
material body, one should dress himself with scraps of cloth found in
rejected places, or with the bark of trees. In this way one should learn
to be satisfied in any material situation.
Kaivalyam, or living in a secluded place, indicates a place free from
material disturbances. Therefore, one should live in the association of
Vaiavas, where the common goal is advancement in Ka
consciousness. Especially in the Kali-yuga, if one tries to remain

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physically isolated from all others the result will be degradation or

insanity. Aniketatm means that one should not be intoxicated by the
ephemeral satisfaction of one's "home sweet home," which will vanish at
any moment by the unforeseen circumstances produced by one's previous
activities. In this age it is not actually possible to dress in tree bark in
modern cities, nor to wear mere scraps of cloth. Previously, human
culture accommodated those practicing tapasya, or penances in the
interest of spiritual advancement. In this age, however, the most urgent
necessity is for preaching the message of Bhagavad-gt throughout
human society. Therefore, it is recommended that Vaiavas dress with
clean and neat cloth, covering the body decently so that the conditioned
souls will not be frightened or repulsed by the severe penances of the
Vaiavas. In the Kali-yuga the conditioned souls are extremely attached
to material sense gratification, and extreme austerities are not appreciated,
but are instead considered abominable denials of the flesh. Of course,
austerity is required for spiritual advancement, but the practical example
set by rla Prabhupda in successfully spreading the Ka consciousness
movement was that all material things should be used to attract people to
Ka consciousness. Therefore, Vaiavas may at times adopt ordinary
dress to serve the higher principle of distributing Ka consciousness. In
any case, one should learn to be satisfied in any material situation so as to
prepare for the moment of death. According to Bhagavad-gt, at the time
of death the particular consciousness we have created in this life will carry
us to our future situation. Therefore, human life can be seen as a type of
practice for successfully fixing one's mind on the Absolute Truth during
the severe trials of death.
TEXT 26
raddh bhgavate stre
'nindm anyatra cpi hi
mano-vk-karma-daa ca
satya ama-damv api
raddhmfaith; bhgavaterelated to the Supreme Lord; strein
scripture; anindmnot blaspheming; anyatraothers; caalso; api hi
indeed; manaof the mind; vkspeech; karmaand one's activities;
daamstrict control; caand; satyamtruthfulness; amaselfcontrol of the mind; damauand of the external senses; apialso.

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One should have firm faith that he will achieve all success in life by
following those scriptures that describe the glories of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Bhagavn. At the same time, one should avoid
blaspheming other scriptures. One should rigidly control his mind,
speech and bodily activities, always speak the truth, and bring the mind
and senses under full control.
The definition of raddh, or faith, is given as follows in Caitanyacaritmta (Madhya 22.62):
'raddh'-abde-vivsa kahe sudha nicaya
ke bhakti kaile sarva-karma kta haya
"By rendering transcendental loving service to Ka, one automatically
performs all subsidiary activities. This confident, firm faith, favorable to
the discharge of devotional service, is called "raddh." Thus a devotee
should be confident that by carrying out the injunctions of bhgavatastra, or Vedic literature that directly, rather than indirectly, describes
devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will easily
achieve all knowledge and the perfection of life.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, mano-vk-kyadaam, or strict control of the mind, speech and bodily activities, means
mnasa-vcika-kyika-vikarma-rhityam; that is, one should rigidly
abandon all sinful activities with his mind, speech and body. As rla
Prabhupda has repeatedly pointed out, sense control does not mean
stopping sensory activities, thus becoming like a dead body, but rather
engaging one's mental, vocal and bodily activities in the service of Ka.
rla Rpa Gosvm has stated,
h yasya harer dsye
karma manas gir
nikhilsv apy avasthsu
jvan-mukta sa ucyate
"A person acting in Ka consciousness, in the service of Ka, with his
body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person, even within the
material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material
activities." (Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.187) Thus one can achieve
vikarma-rhityam, or freedom from unauthorized, sinful activities, by

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engaging one's senses, mind, intelligence and speech twenty-four hours

daily in the service of Ka. In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka says that only
those pious living entities who are vikarma-rahita, completely free from
sinful life, can achieve freedom from the illusory duality of material
nature (samatva dvandva-sajayo). The Lord says,
ye tv anta-gata ppa
jann punya-karmam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukt
bhajante m dha-vrat
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose
sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the
duality of delusion engage themselves in My service with determination."
(Bg. 7.28) In his purport to this verse, His Divine Grace rla Prabhupda
has stated, "Those eligible for elevation to the transcendental position are
mentioned in this verse. For those who are sinful, atheistic, foolish and
deceitful, it is very difficult to transcend the duality of desire and hate.
Only those who have passed their lives in practicing the regulative
principles of religion, who have acted piously and have conquered sinful
reactions can accept devotional service and gradually rise to the pure
knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, gradually, they
can meditate in trance on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is
the process of being situated on the spiritual platform. This elevation is
possible in Ka consciousness in the association of pure devotees who
can deliver one from delusion."
rla Madhvcrya has quoted the following statement from the
Brahma Pura: "One should have complete faith in transcendental
literature such as rmad-Bhgavatam and other literature that directly
glorifies the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should also have faith
in Vaiava tantras, the original Vedas, and Mahbhrata, which includes
Bhagavad-gt and which is considered the fifth Veda. The Vedic
knowledge originally emanated from the breathing of Viu, and Vedic
literature has been compiled in literary form by rla Vysadeva, the
incarnation of Viu. Therefore, Lord Viu should be understood to be
the personal speaker of all this Vedic literature.
"There are other Vedic literatures, called kal-vidy, which give
instructions in material arts and sciences. Since all such Vedic arts and

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sciences are ultimately intended to be used to render devotional service to

the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Keava, saintly persons in the
renounced order of life should never blaspheme such apparently
mundane literatures; because such literatures are indirectly connected
with the Supreme Lord, one may go to hell for blaspheming these
secondary literatures.
"raddh indicates a faithful mentality, which can be analyzed in two
sections. The first type of faith is a firm conviction that all the statements
of the multifarious Vedic literatures are true. In other words, the
understanding that Vedic knowledge in general is infallible is called
raddh, or faith. A second type of faith is the belief that one must
personally carry out a particular injunction of Vedic literature in order to
achieve his goal in life. A devotee of the Supreme Lord should thus apply
the first type of faith to the various kal-vidys, or Vedic material arts and
sciences, but he should not accept such scriptures as pointing out his
personal goal in life. Nor should he carry out any Vedic injunction that is
contradictory to the injunctions of Vaiava scriptures such as the
Pacartra.
"Thus one should faithfully accept all Vedic literature as directly or
indirectly describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should not
blaspheme any portion of it. Even for Lord Brahm, as well as for other
creatures, down to the insignificant unmoving species such as trees and
stones, blasphemy of any Vedic literature causes one to merge into the
darkness of ignorance. Thus the surasthe demigods, great sages and
devotees of the Lordshould understand that the Pacartric literatures,
as well as the four Vedas, the original Rmyaa, the rmad-Bhgavatam
and other Puras, and the Mahbhrata, are Vedic literatures that
establish the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
unique transcendental position of the Lord's devotees according to their
status of spiritual advancement. Any other vision of Vedic literatures is to
be considered an illusion. In all authorized religious scriptures the
ultimate goal is to understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
the controller of everything and everyone, and that the Lord's devotees are
not different from Him, although such devotees are to be understood in
terms of their level of spiritual advancement." Lord Ka has stated in
Bhagavad-gt, vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedyo/ vednta-kd veda-vid eva
cham: "By all the Vedas, I am to be known; indeed, I am the compiler of
Vednta, and I am the knower of the Vedas." Similarly, the Lord states:

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yasmt karam atto 'ham

akard api cottama
ato 'smi loke vede ca
prathita puruottama
"Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible,
and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in
the Vedas as the Supreme Person." (Bg. 15.18)
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura mentions that one cannot
develop the godly qualities mentioned in the preceding verses unless one
accepts the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide Vaiava spiritual
master. Tasmd guru prapadyeta jijsu reya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. In
this connection, he has quoted the following statement:
arcayitv tu govinda
tadyn nrcayet tu ya
na sa bhgavato jeya
kevala dmbhika smta
"One who performs worship of Lord Govinda but fails to worship His
devotees should be understood to be not a devotee of the Lord but simply
a victim of false pride." For one who has accepted shelter at the lotus feet
of a pure devotee of Ka, it is very easy to execute worship of the Lord
Himself.
For such a surrendered soul there is no need of artificial penances and
austerities. In this regard rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has
quoted the following (from Nrada Pacartra):
rdhito yadi haris tapas tata ki
nardhito yadi haris tapas tata kim
antar bahir yadi haris tapas tata ki
nntar bahir yadi haris tapas tata kim
"If one is worshiping Lord Hari, what is the use of performing extraneous
penances? And if one is not worshiping Lord Hari, no such penances will
save one. If one can understand that Lord Hari is all-pervading, within
and without, what is the need of performing penances? And if one is not
able to understand that Hari is all-pervading, all his penances are useless."

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A Vaiava is always absorbed in executing his devotional service to

Ka. If a devotee becomes falsely proud of executing severe penances
and austerities and meditates on accepting and rejecting material objects
instead of thinking of his service to Ka, his so-called austerities become
an impediment to devotional service.
A devotee should not be disturbed by the word jugglery of those who are
against the devotional service of the Lord. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura has emphatically pointed out that devotional service to the lotus
feet of the Supreme Lord is the only means of achieving the final
perfection of life. Therefore a Vaiava should practice maunam, or
silence, by ignoring those literatures which are full of false arguments,
such as those of the Myvda school, and those karma-ka scriptures
which promote sense gratification in the name of religious life. If one
becomes overwhelmed by mundane unhappiness due to not achieving
immediate success in self-realization, or if one becomes deluded by sense
gratification and tries to take shelter of materialistic men and doctrines,
one's devotional progress will immediately be checked. Similarly, if a
devotee expresses love for things separate from Ka or tries to find fault
in the process of devotional service or the philosophy of Bhagavad-gt in
order to justify absorbing himself in the sense gratification of seeing
things separate from Ka, his progress in spiritual enlightenment will be
seriously disturbed. Such an illusory concept is called dvitybhinivea, or
absorption in illusion. On the other hand, if one is attracted to the
vibration of Vedic sound by the consensus of self-realized authorities
called the vaiava-parampar and thus engages enthusiastically in kanma-krtana, or chanting the holy names of the Lord, then one's practice
of mauna, or silence, is perfect.
One should avoid prajalpa, or whimsical conversations unrelated to
devotional service. Merely restraining the senses artificially without
chanting and hearing the glories of the Supreme Lord cannot be
considered the spiritual perfection. The example is given that although
many domestic animals in the barnyard are sometimes forced to practice
celibacy when isolated from one another, such animals cannot be
considered brahmacrs, or spiritual students. Similarly, one is not
considered spiritually advanced simply because of dry speculative
arguments or temporary austerities. One must submissively hear the
message of the Vedic sound vibration, especially as it is summarized in
Bhagavad-gt by the Lord Himself. Vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya [Bg.

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15.15].
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has warned us that if one
becomes attracted to nontheistic ethical philosophies, such as those of the
Buddhists and Jains, which glorify such mundane principles as ahis, or
nonviolence, one's mundane faith in godless ethics is spiritually suicidal.
To restrict the senses by artificial austerities and to undertake huge social
arrangements to facilitate mass sense gratification are both godless
attempts to regulate human society in an artificial way that hides the
eternal relationship of every living being with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the natural leader of society. When so-called moral
philosophers spoil the opportunity of human life, the opportunity to
revive our eternal relationship with Ka, in the name of ethics such
foolish persons commit the greatest violence against human society.
Therefore, Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm has said,
r-ka-caitanya-day karaha vicra
vicra karile citte pbe camatkra
"If you are indeed interested in logic and argument, kindly apply them to
the mercy of r Caitanya Mahprabhu. If you do so, you will find such
mercy strikingly wonderful." (Cc. di 8.15)
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura a mah-bhgavata,
or pure devotee of the Lord, is one who sees that both the material and
spiritual worlds are nondifferent from Lord Ka, being expansions of
His potency, but also sees that Vrajendranandana, Ka, keeps Himself
eternally distinct by His unique quality of all-attractiveness. Thus a pure
devotee of the Lord is aniketana, without a fixed residence, meaning that
he accepts neither the gross nor subtle body as his eternal residence. Since
one's so-called home and family are expansions of his body, such material
creations are also not to be considered one's actual residence. Caitanya
Mahprabhu said,
ayi nanda-tanuja kikara
patita mm viame bhavmbudhau
kpay tava pda-pakajasthita-dhl-sada vicintaya
[Cc. Antya 20.32, ikaka 5]
"O Ka, son of Mahrja Nanda, I am Your eternal servitor, yet

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somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please
pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at
Your lotus feet." (ikaka 5) Thus a devotee should understand that his
eternal residence is fixed in the dust of the lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. A Vaiava should reject the gross sense
gratification of living in the forest in the mode of goodness, in the city in
the mode of passion, or in the gambling house in ignorance. A pure
devotee may travel all over the world distributing Ka consciousness,
but he should never consider any material place to be his actual residence.
One who has become mature in this understanding may take the tridaasannysa order of life under the direct shelter of the Lord.
The impersonalist cannot understand how the devotee of the Lord,
although fixed in the duality of seeing himself as eternally different from
the Lord, sees all existence as nondifferent from the Lord. Those who
attempt to acquire knowledge by impersonal speculation based on their
tiny experience of the material cosmic manifestation cannot understand
the transcendental reality of acintya-bhedbheda-tattva, the Absolute
Truth's simultaneous oneness with and difference from His creation. The
process of assimilating this transcendental knowledge is given in these
verses, starting with tasmd guru prapadyeta [SB 11.3.21]. One is
recommended to accept a bona fide spiritual master and serve him
according to the direction of these verses. The essence of such
instructions is that one should abandon the association of Myvd
impersonalists, ritualistic fruitive workers and those who are whimsically
indifferent to the ultimate purpose of life, and instead one should devote
himself to associating with the devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. A falsely proud neophyte may imagine himself a great devotee
of the Lord without taking to the company of the Lord's followers, but
without such association it is not possible to become advanced in Ka
consciousness.
TEXTS 27-28
ravaa krtana dhyna
harer adbhuta-karmaa
janma-karma-gun ca
tad-arthe 'khila-ceitam
ia datta tapo japta

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vtta yac ctmana priyam

drn sutn ghn prn
yat parasmai nivedanam
ravaamhearing; krtanamchanting; dhynamand meditation;
hareof the Supreme Lord, Hari; adbhuta-karmaawhose activities
are wonderful; janmaof His incarnations; karmapastimes; gunm
transcendental qualities; caand; tat-arthefor His sake; akhilaall;
ceitamendeavors; iamwhatever worship one performs; dattam
whatever charity; tapapenance; japtamwhatever mantras one chants;
vttampious activities performed; yatwhat; caalso; tmanato
oneself; priyamdear; drnwife; sutnsons; ghnhome; prn
vital air; yatwhich; parasmaiunto the Supreme; nivedanamoffering.
One should hear, glorify and meditate upon the wonderful
transcendental activities of the Lord. One should specifically become
absorbed in the appearance, activities, qualities and holy names of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus inspired, one should perform all
of one's daily activities as an offering to the Lord. One should perform
sacrifice, charity and penance exclusively for the Lord's satisfaction.
Similarly, one should chant only those mantras which glorify the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. And all one's religious activities
should be performed as an offering to the Lord. Whatever one finds
pleasing or enjoyable he should immediately offer to the Supreme Lord,
and even his wife, children, home and very life air he should offer at the
lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In Bhagavad-gt (9.27) Lord Ka has ordered,
yat karoi yad ansi
yaj juhoi dadsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruva mad-arpaam
"O son of Kunt, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and
give away, and all austerities that you perform should be done as an
offering unto Me." rla Prabhupda has commented on this verse as
follows: "Thus, it is the duty of everyone to mold his life in such a way
that he will not forget Ka in any circumstance. Everyone has to work

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for maintenance of his body and soul together, and Ka recommends

herein that one should work for Him. Everyone has to eat something to
live; therefore he should accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to
Ka. Any civilized man has to perform some religious ritualistic
ceremonies; therefore Ka recommends, 'Do it for Me,' and this is called
arcanam. Everyone has a tendency to give something in charity; Ka
says, 'Give it to Me,' and this means that all surplus money accumulated
should be utilized in furthering the Ka consciousness movement.
Nowadays people are very much inclined to the meditational process,
which is not practical in this age, but if anyone practices meditating on
Ka twenty-four hours by chanting the Hare Ka mantra round his
beads, he is surely the greatest yog, as substantiated by the Sixth Chapter
of Bhagavad-gt."
Many persons who become attracted to the devotional service of Ka are
bewildered by the material possessions, reputation or skills they have
accumulated by their previous material activities. According to rla Jva
Gosvm these two verses indicate that all such material opulences
accumulated by one's previous karma should be used as an offering to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. One's fame, education, wealth and so
on should all be used to carry out the mission of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. Sometimes envious materialists ask why one should waste
one's wealth and education in the Lord's service when such things could
be better used to gratify the temporary material body. Actually, however,
whatever we possess, including this body, is ultimately the property of the
Supreme Lord, who is the creator, maintainer and annihilator of all
existence. Therefore, one should be blessed by dovetailing one's so-called
opulences in the devotional service of the Lord. Otherwise, as stated in
Bhagavad-gt, mtyu sarva-hara cham: [Bg. 10.34] the Supreme Lord
will appear before us at the time of death as mtyu, death personified, and
violently take away all of our possessions. Therefore, such possessions
should be peacefully offered to the lotus feet of the Lord while we are still
living and able to enjoy the pious result of such an offering.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, tapa, austerity, means
that one should observe vows such as Ekda-vrata, in which one fasts
from grains and beans twice a month. The word japtam refers to chanting
the holy names of the Lord, such as Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka,
Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura has further pointed out that one can offer

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one's wife, children and home to the Lord by converting one's family into
devotees of the Supreme Lord. Rather than becoming artificially puffed up
in the pursuit of so-called status symbols, one's family should be trained
to understand that they are eternal servants of the Supreme Lord. And
when the entire family becomes dedicated to the Lord's service, a very
beautiful situation is created.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that if a human
being is not initiated into the process of bhgavata-dharma he must
depend upon the uncertain knowledge derived from his gross material
senses. Indifferent to the sublime descriptions of the Lord's eternal
appearances, pastimes and innumerable transcendental qualities, the
faithless materialist wanders about on the platform of mundane
enjoyment. But if one can understand the reality of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead as He is described in authorized Vedic literature,
then one should accept the order of tridaa-sannysa, or at least one
should practice restraint of the body, mind and words and thus become
self-controlled and fixed in the Absolute Truth. Then all of one's desires,
all the charity he gives, and his penances and chanting of mantras-in other
words, his entire personality, his home, his children, his wife and his very
life airbecome heartfelt offerings to the Supreme Lord. When a living
entity constantly hears the authorized descriptions of the Supreme Lord
and dovetails all of his activities in the Lord's service, avoiding other
activities, he is considered to be fixed on the platform of bhgavatadharma.
TEXT 29
eva ktma-ntheu
manuyeu ca sauhdam
paricary cobhayatra
mahatsu nu sdhuu
evamthus; ka-tma-ntheufor those who take Lord Ka as the
Lord of their soul; manuyeuhumans; caand; sauhdamfriendship;
paricarymservice; caand; ubhayatrarendered to both (moving and
nonmoving creatures, or the Lord and His devotees); mahatsu
(especially) to the pure devotees of the Lord; nuto human beings;
sdhuuthose who are fixed in saintly behavior.
One who desires his ultimate self-interest should cultivate friendship

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with those persons who have accepted Ka as the Lord of their life.
One should further develop an attitude of service toward all living
beings. One should especially try to help those in the human form of
life and, among them, especially those who accept the principles of
religious behavior. Among religious persons, one should especially
render service to the pure devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the highest duty for
devotees of the Supreme Lord is to establish friendship with those who
have completely surrendered to Ka and who have thus achieved
aragati, shelter at the Lord's lotus feet. One should render service to
both the Lord and His devotees, since the Lord is more pleased by sincere
service rendered to His pure devotees. One should not only officially offer
respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His devotees and His
worshipful paraphernalia, but should actually render service to the
representatives of the Lord, who are known as mah-bhgavatas.
TEXT 30
parasparnukathana
pvana bhagavad-yaa
mitho ratir mithas tuir
nivttir mitha tmana
parasparamutual; anukathanamdiscussion; pvanampurifying;
bhagavatof the Supreme Lord; yaaglories; mithamutual; rati
loving attraction; mithamutual; tuisatisfaction; nivtticessation
of material miseries; mithamutual; tmanaof the soul.
One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by
gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is
most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they
feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one
another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is
the cause of all suffering.
According to rla rdhara Svm, those who are advanced in Ka
consciousness should not envy one another or quarrel among themselves.
Giving up all such mundane feelings, they should gather together and

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chant the glories of the Supreme Lord for mutual purification. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura has pointed out that glorification of the
Supreme Lord is especially potent when performed in the association of
pure devotees. When devotees engage in sakrtana, chanting the glories
of the Lord together, they experience the highest transcendental bliss and
satisfaction. Thus they encourage one another to give up material sense
gratification, which is based on illicit sexual connections with women.
One devotee will say to another, "Oh, you have given up sense
gratification. Starting today, I shall also give it up."
One should learn to increase one's love for the devotees, to satisfy them
and to give up sense objects unfavorable to serving Ka. And one
should learn to view the entire universe as paraphernalia for the Lord's
service. By engaging the objects of the senses in Ka's service, one
automatically becomes detached from them. And as one passes one's days
in the association of the Lord's devotees, one's transcendental ecstasy
increases more and more, through discussions about the topics of rmadBhgavatam and Bhagavad-gt. Therefore, one who wants to be free from
the harassment of my in the form of sense gratification must constantly
associate with pure devotees of the Lord who have no engagement other
than chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord and carrying out His
mission on earth.
rla Madhvcrya has pointed out that just as one should cultivate
friendship with devotees, one must cultivate a spirit of friendship toward
the demigods, who manage the universe on the Lord's behalf. Thus one
should live peacefully within this world.
TEXT 31
smaranta smrayanta ca
mitho 'ghaugha-hara harim
bhakty sajtay bhakty
bibhraty utpulak tanum
smarantaremembering; smrayanta caand reminding; mithaone
another; agha-ogha-haramwho takes away everything inauspicious from
the devotee; harimthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktyby
devotion; sajtayawakened; bhaktyby devotion; bibhratipossess;
utpulakmagitated by ecstasy; tanumbody.
The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the

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Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly

remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and
pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of bhakti-yoga,
the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from
them everything inauspicious. Being purified of all impediments, the
devotees awaken to pure love of Godhead, and thus, even within this
world, their spiritualized bodies exhibit symptoms of transcendental
ecstasy, such as standing of the bodily hairs on end.
The word aghaugha-haram is very significant in this verse. Agha refers to
that which is inauspicious or sinful. The living entity is actually sac-cidnanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], or eternal and full of bliss and knowledge, but
by neglecting his eternal relationship with Ka, the Personality of
Godhead, he commits sinful activities and undergoes the inauspicious
result in the form of material suffering. The chain of sinful reactions is
called ogha, or a relentless wave of suffering. Ka is aghaugha-hara
harim; He takes away the sinful reactions of His devotees, who are thus
entitled to experience the inconceivable bliss of the kingdom of God even
while remaining in this world.
The words bhakty sajtay bhakty indicate that there are two divisions
of bhakti-yoga: sdhana-bhakti and rgnuga-bhakti. rla Prabhupda has
elaborately explained in his book The Nectar of Devotion the progress of
the devotee from sdhana-bhakti, or the execution of regulative principles,
to rgnuga-bhakti, or service executed in love of Godhead. According to
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, a liberated soul is always
enthusiastic due to the appearance of transcendental ecstasy within his
body. Thus he always aspires to remain overwhelmed in chanting the
glories of the Personality of Godhead, Hari.
TEXT 32
kvacid rudanty acyuta-cintay kvacid
dhasanti nandanti vadanty alaukik
ntyanti gyanty anulayanty aja
bhavanti t param etya nirvt
kvacitsometimes; rudantithey cry; acyutaof the infallible Supreme
Lord; cintayby the thought; kvacitsometimes; hasantithey laugh;
nandantitake great pleasure; vadantispeak; alaukikacting
amazingly; ntyantithey dance; gyantising; anulayantiand

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imitate; ajamthe unborn; bhavantithey become; tmsilent;

paramthe Supreme; etyaobtaining; nirvtfreed from distress.
Having achieved love of Godhead, the devotees sometimes cry out loud,
absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord. Sometimes they laugh, feel
great pleasure, speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing. Such
devotees, having transcended material, conditioned life, sometimes
imitate the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes. And
sometimes, achieving His personal audience, they remain peaceful and
silent.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has explained the symptoms of love
of Godhead. Rudanti: The devotees cry, thinking, "Another day has
passed, and still I could not obtain Ka. Then what will I do, where will
I go, from whom shall I inquire, and who can possibly help me reach
Ka?" Hasanti: It is late at night, the sky is dark, and Ka is
determined to steal from the house of one of the elderly gops. He is
hiding underneath a tree in the corner of the courtyard belonging to one
of the cowherd men. Although Ka thinks that He is completely
concealed, He suddenly hears a voice from one of the elderly members of
the family. "Who are You there? Who are You? I say." Thus Ka has
been caught, and He begins to flee the courtyard. When this humorous
scene is revealed to the devotee, the devotee begins to laugh heartily.
Nandanti: When Ka actually reveals His transcendental form to the
devotee, the devotee experiences the highest transcendental bliss. Vadanti:
The devotee says to the Lord, "O Ka, after so many days I have finally
achieved You."
When all of the devotee's senses are absorbed in r Ka, the devotee
has successfully transcended the material condition of life. This is
indicated by the word alaukik. Alaukik, or the transcendental
platform, is explained by the Lord in Bhagavad-gt (14.26):
mm ca yo 'vyabhicrea
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gun samattyaitn
brahma-bhyya kalpate
"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in
any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and

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thus comes to the level of Brahman."

According to rla rdhara Svm, aja harim, anulayanti tal-llm
abhinayanti: "Anulayanti indicates that out of extreme ecstasy the
devotees sometimes imitate or act out the pastimes of the Supreme Lord."
This ecstatic symptom was manifested by the gops in Vndvana during
Ka's absence.
In the twenty-first verse of this chapter it was stated that one who has
understood that there is no happiness either on earth or in material
heaven must surrender at the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master.
Tasmd guru prapadyeta jijsu reya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. The
following verses gave many detailed instructions regarding the activities
of a bona fide disciple. Now this verse is describing the mature fruit of
devotional service, namely, pure love of Godhead. Everyone has the
opportunity to come to this platform of transcendental bliss by taking the
dust of the lotus feet of Ka's representative on his head. One should
give up the mentality of envy and false prestige and humbly take shelter
of the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master
is to be considered the incarnation of the Lord's mercy. There is
absolutely no doubt that a sincere soul who serves a bona fide spiritual
master will achieve the highest perfection of life (reya uttamam). He will
enjoy eternal bliss and knowledge in the personal abode of the Lord.
TEXT 33
iti bhgavatn dharmn
ikan bhakty tad-utthay
nryaa-paro mym
ajas tarati dustarm
itithus; bhgavatn dharmnthe science of devotional service;
ikanstudying; bhaktyby devotion; tat-utthaygenerated by it;
nryaa-paracompletely devoted to the Supreme Lord, Nryaa;
mymthe illusory energy; ajaeasily; taraticrosses beyond;
dustarmimpossible to cross.
Thus learning the science of devotional service and practically engaging
in the devotional service of the Lord, the devotee comes to the stage of
love of Godhead. And by complete devotion to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Nryaa, the devotee easily crosses over the illusory
energy, my, which is extremely difficult to cross.

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rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out that mukti, or liberation, which is
described in this verse by the words mym ajas tarati dustarm, is
actually a by-product or secondary result of pure love of Godhead. In the
second verse of rmad-Bhgavatam it is pointed out, dharma projjhitakaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsar sat/ vedya vstavam atra vastu
ivada tpa-trayonmlanam [SB 1.1.2]. rmad-Bhgavatam teaches the
science of devotional service, in which the ultimate goal is pure love of
Godhead. According to the Vaiava cryas, mukti, or liberation, is a byproduct of love of Godhead. ivada tpa-trayonmlanam. One should
not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead for liberation, since
one is automatically liberated by obeying the order of the Lord. Ka's
order is given at the end of Bhagavad-gt: sarva-dharmn parityajya mm
eka araa vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Every living being should give up his
mundane conceptions of life and take full shelter of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka. If one carries out this order the Lord
automatically provides liberation (mukti). Actual happiness comes from
loving God without any tinge of mental speculation or fruitive desire.
anybhilit-nya
jna-karmdy-anvtam
nuklyena knulana bhaktir uttam
[Cc. Madhya 19.167]
"One should render transcendental loving service to Lord Ka favorably
and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or
philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service." (Bhaktirasmta-sindhu 1.1.11) So crossing over the insurmountable ocean of
illusion, as described here, is not actually the principal result of
bhgavata-dharma, or devotional service to the Lord, but is a by-product
of pure love of Godhead.
TEXT 34
r-rjovca
nryabhidhnasya
brahmaa paramtmana
nihm arhatha no vaktu
yya hi brahma-vittam

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r-rj uvcathe King said; nryaa-abhidhnasyaof the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, named Nryaa; brahmaaof the Absolute
Truth; parama-tmanaof the Supersoul; nihmthe transcendental
situation; arhathayou may kindly; nato us; vaktumspeak; yyam
all of you; hiindeed; brahma-vit-tamthe most expert knowers of the
Supreme.
King Nimi inquired: Please explain to me the transcendental situation
of the Supreme Lord, Nryaa, who is Himself the Absolute Truth and
the Supersoul of everyone. You can explain this to me, because you are
all most expert in transcendental knowledge.
According to rla rdhara Svm, in the previous verse the sages
informed the King, nryaa-paro mym ajas tarati dustarm: simply by
unalloyed devotion to Lord Nryaa, one can very easily cross over the
ocean of material illusion. Therefore, in this verse the King is requesting
specific information about the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Nryaa. It is significant in this verse that the King refers to the Supreme
Lord as Nryaa, Brahman and Paramtm. Although King Nimi is
already understood to be a devotee of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, by his question he wants to clarify that the Personality of
Godhead is the highest transcendental truth. In the Bhgavatam (1.2.11):
vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattva yaj jnam advayam
brahmeti paramtmeti
bhagavn iti abdyate
"Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this
nondual substance Brahman, Paramtm or Bhagavn." Therefore it is to
be understood that the word nryaa in this verse refers to the Bhagavn
feature of the Supreme Lord in the spiritual world.
Generally the speculative philosophers become attracted to the
impersonal Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth, whereas the mystic
yogs meditate upon the Paramtm, the Supersoul within everyone's
heart. On the other hand, those who have achieved mature transcendental
knowledge surrender directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Bhagavn, who is eternally situated in His own abode, called Vaikuhadhma. In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka clearly says, brahmao hi

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pratihham: "I am the source of the impersonal Brahman." Similarly, it is

described in rmad-Bhgavatam that the Supersoul, Krodakay Viu,
is a secondary plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Ka. King Nimi wants the sages to make clear that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the original feature of the Absolute Truth, and
therefore he places his question before the next of the nine Yogendras,
Pippalyana.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura the word nih can
also be translated as "firm faith." In this sense, Nimi Mahrja is inquiring
about the process of developing perfect faith in the Supreme Lord
(bhagavan-nih).
TEXT 35
r-pippalyana uvca
sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetur ahetur asya
yat svapna-jgara-suuptiu sad bahi ca
dehendriysu-hdayni caranti yena
sajvitni tad avehi para narendra
r-pippalyana uvcar Pippalyana said; sthitiof the creation;
udbhavamaintenance; pralayaand destruction; hetuthe cause;
ahetuitself without cause; asyaof this material universe; yatwhich;
svapnain dream; jgarawakefulness; suuptiuin deep sleep or
unconsciousness; satwhich exists; bahi caand external to them as
well; dehaof the material bodies of the living entities; indriyathe
senses; sulife airs; hdayniand minds; carantiact; yenaby
which; sajvitnigiven life; tatthat; avehiplease know; paramto
be the Supreme; nara-indraO King.
r Pippalyana said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause
of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe, yet He
has no prior cause. He pervades the various states of wakefulness,
dreaming and unconscious deep sleep and also exists beyond them. By
entering the body of every living being as the Supersoul, He enlivens
the body, senses, life airs and mental activities, and thus all the subtle
and gross organs of the body begin their functions. My dear King, know
that Personality of Godhead to be the Supreme.
In the previous verse King Nimi inquired about various aspects of the

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Absolute Truth, namely Nryaa, Brahman and Paramtm. Now the

sage r Pippalyana explains these three features of the Absolute Truth in
the same order in which the King mentioned them. Sthity-udbhavapralaya-hetu refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who expands
Himself as the triple purua incarnations-Mah-Viu, Garbhodakay
Viu and Krodakay Viu. As described in the Bhgavatam (1.3.1):
jaghe paurua rpa
bhagavn mahad-dibhi
sambhta oaa-kalam
dau loka-siskay
"In the beginning of the creation, the Lord first expanded Himself in the
universal form of the purua incarnation and manifested all the
ingredients for the material creation. And thus at first there was the
creation of the sixteen principles of material action. This was for the
purpose of creating the material universe." Thus the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Nryaa, is mentioned here as hetu, or the supreme cause
of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the cosmic situation.
Still, there is no cause of the Lord Himself; He is ahetu. As expressed in
the Brahma-sahit, andir dir govinda sarva-kraa-kraam [Bs. 5.1].
The Supreme Lord is the cause of all causes, and being the eternal
Absolute Truth, He has no cause of Himself. The word ahetu has also
been explained by rla Jva Gosvm to indicate that the Supreme Lord
has His original form as Ka in His own transcendental abode, called
Kaloka. Since Ka is always engaged in His blissful pastimes in the
company of His eternally liberated associates, He is aloof from the affairs
of this world, which is created by His external potency, known as my.
Therefore it is stated, jaghe paurua rpam. The Lord expands Himself
as Nryaa and Viu to facilitate the gross illusion and gradual
rectification of the conditioned souls. The Lord's aloofness from the
material creation is also described in the Vedas: na tasya krya karaa
ca vidyate. The Absolute Truth has nothing to do, since everything is done
self-sufficiently by His multipotencies. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura has pointed out that even though the Supreme Lord Ka is
ahetu, or causeless and aloof from the cause of material creation, the
Lord is also described in this verse as hetu, or the ultimate cause of the
creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material manifestation,
because He expands Himself as Paramtm, or the Supersoul, who acts as

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the prime mover of the cosmic manifestation.

The word ahetu may also be understood in another way. In Bhagavadgt (7.5) the Lord says,
apareyam itas tv any
prakti viddhi me parm
jva-bht mah-bho
yayeda dhryate jagat
The conditioned living entities (jva-bhta) desire to engage in sense
gratification with their material senses (mana-ahnndriyi praktisthni karati [Bg. 15.7]). Thus the creation of the material world
becomes necessary. In fact, the material cosmic manifestation continues
to exist because of the desires of the conditioned souls to exploit it
(yayeda dhryate jagat [Bg. 7.5]). The government must create a prison
to accommodate those citizens who are inclined to criminal activity.
There is no need for any citizen to live in the obnoxious conditions of the
prison, but because a certain portion of the population is inclined toward
antisocial behavior, the prison becomes necessary. In a higher sense, the
prisoners themselves can be considered the hetu, or the cause, for the
construction of the prison. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
expands His internal potency according to His own desire to increase the
nanda, or transcendental bliss, of Himself and His pure devotees, but He
manifests the material universe in response to the illicit desires of the
conditioned souls to live a life of sense gratification in willful
forgetfulness of Him. Therefore the conditioned living entities themselves
can be considered the hetu, or cause, of the material manifestation. The
external potency of the Lord, my, who is charged with the duty of
material manifestation, is called chy, or the shadow of the Lord's
internal potency. Si-sthiti-pralaya-sdhana-aktir eka/ chyeva yasya
bhuvanni bibharti durg [Bs. 5.44]. The Lord does not personally desire
to manifest the shadow potency, called Durg or my. The blissful
spiritual planets, eternally manifest, contain the best possible facilities for
the living entities who are parts and parcels of the Lord. But the
conditioned souls, rejecting the inconceivable, eternal living arrangements
the Lord has kindly provided, prefer to seek their misfortune in the
shadow kingdom called the material world. Thus, both Durg and the
conditioned living entities may be considered the hetu, or cause, of the

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material manifestation. Since Lord Ka is ultimately sarva-kraakraam [Bs. 5.1], the cause of all causes, He is to be known as the
ultimate supreme cause. But how the Lord functions as the supreme cause
of the material manifestation (sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetu) is described
in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gt. Upadranumant ca: the
Lord acts as overseer and permitter. The actual desire of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is stated very clearly in Bhagavad-gt: sarvadharmn parityajya mm eka araa vraja [Bg. 18.66]. The Lord
desires every living entity to give up the shadow potency my and return
to the actual substance (vstava vastu), which is the eternal kingdom of
God.
Although various aspects of the Absolute Truth are being described, the
Absolute Truth is ultimately one, as stated in this verse (tad avehi para
narendra). King Nimi inquired about Brahman, and now this verse says,
yat svapna-jgara-susuptiu sad bahi ca. The Lord's all-pervading feature
within wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep, and His existence beyond
these three mental states, are understood to be manifestations of
Brahman, the spiritual potency of the Lord. Finally, the statement
dehendriysu-hdayi caranti yena sajvitni can be understood to refer
to the Paramtm feature of the Lord. When the Lord expands Himself as
Krodakay Viu, the third of the three Viu features, and enters the
heart of every living entity, the gross and subtle organs of the body
become enlivened for continuing the chain of fruitive activity called
karma.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the multifarious
manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead do not
compromise His supremacy as one without a second. The Absolute Truth
is paramavyoma-ntha, or the Lord of the spiritual sky, who appears as
two-armed ymasundara, as four-armed, as eight-armed or as having one
thousand arms. In each aspect His body is eternal and full of bliss and
knowledge (sac-cid-nanda-mrti). He appears on earth as Vsudeva and
within the Causal Ocean as Mah-Viu. He lies on the Milk Ocean as
Krodakay Viu and rescues His helpless young devotee as
Nsihadeva. Appearing as Lord Rmacandra, He acts. as a perfect king.
And appearing as Ka He steals the heart of everyone, and especially of
young beautiful women. All these features of the Lord are indicated by the
word Nryaa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the word
president indicates not only the official duties of the president but his

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personal family life and long intimate friendships as well. According to

rmad-Bhgavatam, kas tu bhagavn svayam [SB 1.3.28]. When one
transcends an official understanding of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and comes to the superior status of love of God, one can
understand the Lord to be Ka, the cause of all causes. The innumerable
Viu expansions of the Lord are also understood to be plenary portions
of r Ka. Kas tu bhagavn svayam. As the Lord Himself states in
Bhagavad-gt, aha sarvasya prabhava [Bg. 10.8]. These points have
been explicitly clarified in the Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam as well
as in the opening verse, o namo bhagavate vsudevya, janmdy asya
yato 'nvayd itarata crtheu [SB 1.1.1].
TEXT 36
naitan mano viati vg uta cakur tm
prendriyi ca yathnalam arcia sv
abdo 'pi bodhaka-niedhataytma-mlam
arthoktam ha yad-te na niedha-siddhi
nacannot; etatthis (Supreme Truth); manathe mind; viatienter;
vkthe function of speech; utanor; cakusight; tmintelligence;
prathe subtle airs supporting life; indriyithe senses; caor;
yathjust as; analama fire; arciaits sparks; svown; abda
the authoritative sound of the Vedas; apieven; bodhakabeing able to
indicate by verbal reference; niedhataybecause of denying such;
tmaof the Supreme Soul; mlambasic evidence; artha-uktam
expressed indirectly; hadoes express; yat-tewithout which
(Supreme); nathere is not; niedhaof the negative statements of
scripture; siddhiultimate purpose.
Neither the mind nor the faculties of speech, sight, intelligence, the life
air or any of the senses are capable of penetrating that Supreme Truth,
any more than small sparks can affect the original fire from which they
are generated. Not even the authoritative language of the Vedas can
perfectly describe the Supreme Truth, since the Vedas themselves
disclaim the possibility that the Truth can be expressed by words. But
through indirect reference the Vedic sound does serve as evidence of
the Supreme Truth, since without the existence of that Supreme Truth
the various restrictions found in the Vedas would have no ultimate
purpose.

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The small sparks generated by a blazing fire have no power to illuminate

the original fire, nor can they burn it. The quantity of heat and light in the
original fire is always superior to the quantity found in the insignificant
sparks. Similarly, the minute living entity is generated from the internal
potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated in Vednta-stra
(janmdy asya yata [SB 1.1.1]) and Bhagavad-gt (aha sarvasya
prabhava [Bg. 10.8], mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana [Bg.
15.7]). The minute living entities, being aa, or sparks of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, can never equal the Supreme Godhead in the
quantity of their potency. The quantity of knowledge and bliss in the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is always superior. Therefore, when a
foolish conditioned soul tries to illuminate the subject matter of the
highest truth with his tiny brain, he merely illuminates his own
foolishness. The Personality of Godhead has personally spoken Bhagavadgt, which is the blazing fire of perfect knowledge that burns to ashes the
insignificant speculations and theories of so-called philosophers and
scientists regarding the ultimate truth.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is called Hkea, or the Lord of
everyone's senses. Because the Personality of Godhead has supreme seeing
power, hearing power, touching power, smelling power and tasting
power, the living entities in a limited sense can also see, hear, touch, smell
and taste, by the mercy of Hkea. This idea is expressed in the Bhadrayaka Upaniad (4.4.18): prasya pram uta cakua cakur uta
rotrasya rotram annasynna manaso ye mano vidu. "The Supreme
Truth is understood to be the life air sustaining everyone's life air, the
vision of everyone's eyes, the hearing power of the ear, and the sustenance
of food itself." The obvious conclusion is that the Supreme Truth can be
known by His own causeless mercy, and not by our foolish attempts to
bring the all-pervading truth within the insignificant boundaries of our
intelligence. It is stated in the Taittirya Upaniad (2.4.1), yato vco
nivartante aprpya manas saha: "The descriptive power of speech fails in
the realm of the Supreme Truth, and the speculative power of the mind
cannot achieve Him."
But because such statements of Vedic rutis are in themselves descriptions
of the Absolute Truth, one may consider such Vedic statements
contradictory. Therefore, in this connection it is stated, abdo 'pi bodhakaniedhataytma-mlam arthoktam ha: although the Vedic ruti (abda)
forbids us to speculate upon the Absolute Truth, such restrictive

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injunctions indirectly constitute positive assertions of the existence of the

supreme living entity. In fact, the Vedic restrictions are meant to save one
from the false path of mental speculation and ultimately bring one to the
point of devotional surrender. As Lord Ka Himself states in Bhagavadgt, vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya: [Bg. 15.15] by all Vedic literatures
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be known. The assertion that a
particular process, such as mental speculation, is useless (yato vco
nivartante aprpya manas saha) constitutes an indirect assertion of the
existence of a correct path of achieving the Supreme. As rla rdhara
Svm has stated, sarvasya niedhasya svadhitvt: "Every negative
injunction is understood to have a specific limit. Negative injunctions
cannot be taken as applicable in all cases." For example, a negative
injunction is that no living entity can be equal to or greater than the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. But rmad-Bhgavatam clearly states
that because of the intense love of the residents of Vndvana for Ka,
they sometimes assume a superior position. Thus mother Yaod binds
Ka with ropes, and the influential cowherd boys sometimes ride on the
shoulders of Ka or defeat Him in wrestling. Negative injunctions,
therefore, may sometimes be adjusted according to the transcendental
situation.
Although the Absolute Truth is transcendental to the material creation
and therefore beyond the scope of material senses, when those same
material senses are saturated with love of Godhead they become
spiritualized and empowered to perceive the Absolute Truth. As stated in
Brahma-sahit (5.38),
premjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santa sadaiva hdayeu vilokayanti
ya ymasundaram acintya-gua-svarpa
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda. who is always seen by the devotee
whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal
form of ymasundara within the heart of the devotee." In Bhagavad-gt
(11.8) Lord Ka says to Arjuna,
na tu m akyase draum
anenava sva-caku
divya dadmi te caku

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paya me yogam aivaram

"But you cannot see Me with your present eyes. Therefore I give you
divine eyes by which you can behold My mystic opulence." Similarly,
rmad-Bhgavatam describes many incidents in which the Supreme
Absolute Truth revealed Himself to His devotee, as in the histories of
Prahlda Mahrja, Dhruva Mahrja, Pthu Mahrja, Kardama Muni,
the Pavas and the gops. Therefore, the Vedic assertions that the
Absolute Truth is beyond the power of the eyes refer to those who have
not received transcendental eyes by the mercy of the Personality of
Godhead. But the Lord's own transcendental senses, which are the source
of our limited senses, are confirmed in the ruti, as in the following
statement from the Kena Upaniad (1.4): yad vcnabhyudita yena vg
abhyudyate/ tad eva brahma tva viddhi neda yad idam upsate.
"Brahman, the Absolute, should be understood to be that which cannot be
ascertained by the material power of speech; speech itself is evinced by
that Supreme Truth." By the statement yena vg abhyudyate, "our power
of speech is expressed by the Absolute Truth," it is clearly expressed that
the Absolute Truth has His own transcendental senses. Therefore He is
called Hkea.
rla Nrada Muni has stated, hkena hkea-sevana bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Our senses cannot approach the Absolute Truth by
their own power, but when engaged in loving devotional service to satisfy
the Lord of the senses, our limited senses must become connected with
the Lord's unlimited senses, and thus by the Lord's mercy He can be
understood.
rla Madhvcrya has quoted the following statement from the Brahmatarka:
nando nednanda
ity ukte lokata param
pratibhti na cbhti
yathvad darana vin
"The transcendental bliss of the Absolute Truth cannot be compared to
the ordinary happiness of the material world." Similarly, in the Vedntastra the Absolute Truth is described as nandamaya, or full of bliss.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, in this verse r

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Pippalyana is more or less describing the impersonal feature of the

Absolute Truth. The nine Yogendras were themselves devotees of the
personal feature of the Lord, so King Nimi asked his question about the
different features of the Absolute Truth to clarify that the Personality of
Godhead is the source of all the variegated aspects of the advaya-jna, or
transcendental reality. This is also expressed by the following statement in
ruti: ta tv aupaniada purua pcchmi. "I am inquiring about that
Supreme Person revealed in the Upaniads."
If the Absolute Truth were actually inaccessible by words, there would be
no meaning to the Vedic literature, which consists of collections of
transcendental words. Since the Vedic descriptions of the truth are to be
taken as infallible, it is impossible to maintain that the power of speech is
in all cases unable to describe the truth. After all, the Vedic mantras
themselves are meant to be spoken and heard. Therefore, the injunction
that neither the mind nor speech can approach the Absolute Truth (naitan
mano viati vg uta) cannot be taken as applicable in all cases; rather, it is
a warning to those who foolishly try to encompass the Absolute Truth by
their own puny speculative powers. Since the Vedic injunctions, either
positive or negative, are to be taken as realistic descriptions of the
Absolute Truth, the process of hearing and repeating Vedic knowledge
(ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23]) can be understood as a separate
process in which one's hearing and speaking power becomes spiritualized
by submissive reception of transcendental knowledge. This process
depends upon one's faith in the bona fide spiritual master, who is a
devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is stated,
yasya deve par bhaktir
yath deve tath gurau
tasyaite kathit hy arth
prakante mahtmana
[U 66.23]

yasya deve par bhaktir

yath deve tath gurau
tasyaite kathit hy arth
prakante mahtmana
6

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"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and
the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically

"Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the
Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic
knowledge are automatically revealed." (vetvatara Upaniad
6.23)
ata r-ka-nmdi
na bhaved grhyam indriyai
sevonmukhe hi jihvdau
svayam eva sphuraty ada
"No one can understand Ka as He is by the blunt material
senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased
with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him."
(Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.234)
bhakty mm abhijnti
yvn ya csmi tattvata
tato m tattvato jtv
viate tad-anantaram
"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by
devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of
the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the
kingdom of God."
These are Vedic instructions. One must have full faith in the words of the
spiritual master and similar faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Then the real knowledge of tm and Paramtm and the distinction
between matter and spirit will be automatically revealed. This tma-tattva,
or spiritual knowledge, will be revealed within the core of a devotee's
heart because of his having taken shelter of the lotus feet of a mahjana
such as Prahlda Mahrja.

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revealed." (vetvatara Upaniad 6.23) As the Lord Himself states in the

Hari-vaa,
tat-para parama brahma
sarva vibhajate jagat
mamaiva tad ghana tejo
jtum arhasi bhrata
"That Supreme Truth, Parabrahman, expands itself into all the
variegatedness of this universe. You should know it to be My own
concentrated effulgence, O Bhrata." The words jtum arhasi, "you must
know it," spoken by the Lord Himself, indicate that the Absolute Truth is
to be known, but one must surrender to the truth, rather than waste time
in foolish speculation.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has pointed out that according to
authorized statements of Vedic literature the Lord's transcendental form is
understood to be brahmamaya, or completely spiritual, with no trace of
material contamination. Therefore, in such statements as nlotpala-dalaymam, "the Lord's form is beautifully manifest with the hue of dark blue
lotus petals," it is understood that a transcendental dark blue color is
being described. Still, the Lord is inconceivably merciful to His devotees,
even those on the neophyte platform who are trying to come to the state
of love of Godhead. Therefore the Lord gradually purifies the senses of a
conditioned soul who is trying to understand Him, and eventually the
Lord appears before such a rectified servitor. According to rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura, prkta-nlotpala-varatvena bhaktair
dhytam atdam api. In the beginning, being conditioned by previous
materialistic activities, a devotee meditating on the Lord's transcendental
form may base his meditation on his experience of material forms and
colors within this world. The Lord's transcendental form has nothing to
do with material forms and colors, but since the object of this meditation
is Ka, such meditation will eventually be transformed into
transcendental experience of the actual form, color, activities, pastimes
and entourage of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words,
transcendental knowledge depends not on material logic but on the
pleasure of the Personality of Godhead. If the Lord is pleased by His
devotee's sincere attempt to understand Him, the Lord can immediately
circumvent all the so-called technicalities of material logic and Vedic

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injunctions and reveal Himself to His pure devotee. Unless one accepts
this omnipotency of the Personality of Godhead, there is no hope of
approaching the Absolute Truth. Therefore it is stated in the Kaha
Upaniad (1.3.12), dyate tv agryay buddhy: the Absolute Truth is seen
by transcendental intelligence.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that knowledge
acquired through the interaction of the material senses with the modes of
nature is merely hypothetical and not factual. Empirical knowledge deals
with our ephemeral experience of the sense objects generated by material
nature. For example, there are many wars currently going on because of a
false concept of nationalism. Similarly, there is conflict throughout the
world, and great world leaders fight like cats and dogs for the economic
development of their countries. Thus, material language is used to
designate temporary objects perceived by the eyes, nose, tongue, touch
and taste. This type of language and experience is useless for approaching
the Absolute Truth. But the transcendental sound from the spiritual sky
has a completely different effect. We should not foolishly try to use
materially concocted language to include the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as an object of the material world. The Supreme Lord is
completely transcendental and is known as tma-praka, or selfmanifested. Therefore, as stated in the Padma Pura,
ata r-ka-nmdi
na bhaved grhyam indriyai
sevonmukhe hi jihvdau
svayam eva sphuraty ada
[Cc. Madhya 17.136]
"Material senses cannot appreciate Ka's holy name, form, qualities and
pastimes. But when a conditioned soul is awakened to Ka
consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord's
holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord's food, the tongue is
purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Ka really is." If
one surrenders to the Supreme Lord, taking shelter at His lotus feet, one's
spiritualized senses gradually become empowered to perceive the Lord.
Mere empiricism and material logic have a limited jurisdiction within the
external energy of the Supreme Lord and cannot apply to those things
which are eternal. In this regard, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
has quoted the following verse from rmad-Bhgavatam (7.5.32):

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nai matis tvad urukramghri

spaty anarthpagamo yad-artha
mahyasm pda-rajo-'bhieka
nikicann na vta yvat
"Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a
Vaiava completely freed from material contamination, persons very
much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet
of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. Only by
becoming Ka conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord
in this way can one be freed from material contamination."
Although r Pippalyana is expressing that the Absolute Truth cannot be
approached by material senses, the sage himself is describing the Absolute
Truth with transcendental senses, and King Nimi is able to understand
this transcendental sound because he has surrendered at the lotus feet of
pure devotees, the nava-yogendras. Therefore, one should not foolishly try
to understand this verse out of context, in an impersonal way, but should
follow the example of King Nimi, who was trying to understand how the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is ultimately the source of everything.
TEXT 37
sattva rajas tama iti tri-vd ekam dau
stra mahn aham iti pravadanti jvam
jna-kriyrtha-phala-rpatayoru-akti
brahmaiva bhti sad asac ca tayo para yat
sattvamgoodness; rajapassion; tamaand ignorance; itithus
known; tri-vtthreefold; ekamone; dauin the beginning, before
creation; stramthe power to act; mahnthe power of consciousness;
ahamand the false ego; itithus; pravadantiis called; jvam(false
ego, which covers) the living entity; jnathe demigods as the
embodiment of knowledge; kriythe senses; arthasense objects;
phalaand fruitive results such as happiness and distress; rpatay
assuming the forms; uru-aktipossessing great varieties of energy;
brahma evathe Supreme alone; bhtiis manifest; sat asat caas both
gross objects and their subtle causes; tayoboth; parambeyond; yat
which is.
Originally one, the Absolute, Brahman, comes to be known as threefold,

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manifesting itself as the three modes of material naturegoodness,

passion and ignorance. Brahman further expands its potency, and thus
the power to act and the power of consciousness become manifest,
along with the false ego, which covers the identity of the conditioned
living being. Thus, by the expansion of the multipotencies of the
Absolute, the demigods, as the embodiment of knowledge, become
manifest, along with the material senses, their objects, and the results
of material activity, namely happiness and distress. In this way the
manifestation of the material world takes place as the subtle cause and
as the material effect visible in the appearance of gross material objects.
Brahman, which is the source of all subtle and gross manifestations, is
simultaneously transcendental to them, being absolute.
In the previous verse the sage Pippalyana described the Absolute,
Brahman, as being beyond the range of material sense perception and
mental speculation. At the same time, it was stated, tma-mlam
arthoktam ha yad-te na niedha-siddhi: the negative injunctions of the
Vedas indirectly indicate the existence of the Absolute Truth. This
Absolute Truth can be approached by correct means. Now, in the present
verse, it is clearly described that the Absolute Truth possesses
innumerable potencies (uru-akti brahmaiva bhti). Thus by the expansion
of the Absolute Truth the gross and subtle features of the material world
become manifest. As stated by rla rdhara Svm, krya krad
bhinna na bhavati: "The result is not different from its cause." Therefore,
since the Absolute is eternal existence, this material world, being the
potency of the Absolute, must also be accepted as real, although the
various manifestations of the material world are temporary and thus
illusory. The material world should be understood to consist of the
bewildering interactions of real elements. The material world is not false
in the imaginary sense of the Buddhists and Myvds, who state that in
fact the material world does not exist outside the mind of the observer.
The material world, as the potency of the Absolute, has real existence. But
the living entity becomes bewildered by the temporary manifestations,
foolishly taking them to be permanent. Thus the material world functions
as an illusory potency, causing the living entity to forget the spiritual
world, wherein life is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. Because the
material world thus bewilders the conditioned soul, it is called illusory.
When a magician performs his tricks onstage, that which the audience

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apparently sees is an illusion. But the magician actually exists, and the hat
and rabbit exist, although the appearance of a rabbit coming out of a hat
is an illusion. Similarly, when the living entity identifies himself as part
and parcel of the material world, thinking, "I am American," "I am
Indian," "I am Russian," "I am black," "I am white," he is bewildered by
the magic of the Lord's illusory potency. The conditioned soul must come
to understand, "I am a pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Ka. Now let
me stop my useless activities and serve Ka, since I am part of Him."
Then he is free from the illusion of my. If one artificially tries to escape
the clutches of the illusory energy by declaring that there is no illusory
potency and that this world is false, he merely falls into another illusion
created by my to keep him in ignorance. Ka states in Bhagavad-gt
(7.14),
daiv hy e guamay
mama my duratyay
mm eva ye prapadyante
mym et taranti te
Unless one surrenders at the lotus feet of Myea, the Lord of the illusory
potency, there is no possibility of escaping from illusion. Childishly
declaring that there is no illusory potency is useless, since my is
duratyay, or insurpassable for the tiny living entity. But Lord Ka, the
omnipotent Personality of Godhead, can immediately call off the illusory
potency.
In this verse the expansion of the material world from Brahman, the
Absolute, is described. Since Brahman is one of the subordinate features
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (brahmeti paramtmeti bhagavn
iti abdyate [SB 1.2.11]), one who understands this material world to be
Brahman is freed from the tendency to exploit the material energy
through sense gratification and mental speculation aimed at one's own
satisfaction.
The question may be raised, Since Brahman is stated to be ekam, or one,
how does it become manifest in the innumerable varieties of the material
world? Therefore this verse uses the word uru-akti. The Absolute
contains multipotencies, as stated in the Vedas (vetvatara Upaniad):
parasya aktir vividhaiva ryate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. The
Absolute Truth is not akti, or energy, but aktimn, the possessor of

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innumerable potencies. According to rla rdhara Svm, one should

submissively hear these authorized descriptions of the Absolute Truth. As
stated in the previous verse, yathnalam arcia sv: the insignificant
sparks of a fire have no power to illuminate the blazing fire, which is itself
the source of illumination. Similarly, the tiny living entity, who is like a
spark of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot illuminate the
Personality of Godhead by his insignificant intellectual power. One may
argue that the sun expands its potency in the form of its rays and it is
through the illumination of those rays that we are able to see the sun. In
the same way, we should be able to perceive the Absolute Truth by the
expansion of its potency. In answer to this it may be stated that if the sun
creates a cloud covering the sky, then despite the presence of sun rays the
sun cannot be seen. Therefore, ultimately the power to see the sun
depends not only on the sun's rays but on the presence of a clear sky,
which is also an arrangement by the sun. Similarly, as stated in this verse,
one can understand the existence of the Absolute Truth by the expansion
of its potencies.
Although in the previous verse the power of the material senses and mind
was rejected, the authorized descriptions given here inform us that one
can directly perceive everything that exists to be the potency of the
Personality of Godhead. In this regard, Nrada Muni advised King
Prcnabarhi as follows:
atas tad apavdrtha
bhaja sarvtman harim
payas tad-tmaka viva
sthity-utpatty-apyay yata
"You should always know that this cosmic manifestation is created,
maintained and annihilated by the will of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Consequently, everything within this cosmic manifestation is
under the control of the Lord. To be enlightened by this perfect
knowledge, one should always engage himself in the devotional service of
the Lord." (SB 4.29.79) As stated here, bhaja sarvtman harim: one must
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that one's consciousness
will become clean and pure, just like the clear blue sky in which the
potent sun is fully manifest. When one sees the sun, he immediately sees
the sun's rays in full potency. Similarly, if one engages in the devotional
service of Ka, one's mind becomes cleansed of material dirt, and thus

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he can see not only the Lord but the Lord's expansions as the spiritual
world, as the pure devotees, as the Paramtm, as the impersonal
Brahman effulgence and as the subsequent creation of the material world,
the shadow of the kingdom of God (chyeva), in which so many material
varieties become manifest.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the word phalam can also be understood
to mean pururtha-svarpam, or the actual form of the goal of life, or, in
other words, the transcendental form of the Lord Himself. The living
entity in his original pure state is not different from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Similarly, the infinite multicolored opulence of
the kingdom of God, called Vaikuha, is nondifferent in quality from the
Lord. Thus when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is personally
present with His unparalleled opulence and His pure spiritual servitors,
the living entities, a very happy situation is created. The mundane
concept of family is a perverted reflection of the happy situation created
when the Lord is united in full spiritual opulence with His pure devotees.
Every living entity has the option to join the Lord in His opulent eternal
kingdom. Thus one should understand from this verse that everything
within the gross and subtle cosmic manifestations is the potency of the
Lord and is therefore meant to be used in the Lord's service. vsyam
ida sarvam [o mantra 1].
rla Jva Gosvm has given an elaborate explanation proving that the
entire cosmic situation is the natural potency of the Absolute Truth.
Sometimes superstitious people, without knowledge of the Personality of
Godhead, say that material activities are controlled by an independent
devil and that God is struggling with such a devil. Such gross ignorance of
the omnipotent status of the Personality of Godhead can be removed by
understanding the purport of this verse. Just as a spark is a tiny
emanation from a blazing fire, everything that exists is but an insignificant
spark of the potency of the Personality of Godhead. The Lord therefore
says in Bhagavad-gt (10.42),
athav bahunaitena
ki jtena tavrjuna
viabhyham ida ktsnam
ekena sthito jagat
"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a

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single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe." The
omnipotent Personality of Godhead is actually the well-wishing friend of
every living entity (suhda sarva-bhtnm [Bg. 5.29]). Therefore, if one
becomes sane and understands that one's well-wishing friend Ka is the
ultimate source and controller of everything that exists, one attains
immediate peace (jtv m ntim cchati). Fear and illusion arise when
one foolishly thinks that even one atom of the creation is not the
controlled potency of the Personality of Godhead. Bhaya
dvitybhiniveata syt. Denying the existence of the material world also
creates a very dangerous situation of illusion. Both types of atheism
namely, seeing the material world as belonging to oneself (and therefore
being meant for one's sense gratification) and declaring the nonexistence
of the material worldare futile attempts to avoid one's eternal
subordination to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the actual
owner and enjoyer of everything. rla Jva Gosvm has quoted the
following question stated by r Maitreya to r Parara in the Viu
Pura (1.3.1):
nirguasyprameyasya
uddhasypy amaltmana
katha sargdi-karttva
brahmao 'bhyupagamyate
"How are we to understand that Brahman, the Supreme Soul, is the
executor of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material
world, even though it is devoid of qualities, immeasurable, unembodied
and free from any fault?" In reply, r Parara stated:
aktaya sarva-bhvnm
acintya-jna-gocar
yato 'to brahmaas ts tu
sargdy bhva-aktaya
bhavanti tapat reha
pvakasya yathoat
"Mere logic cannot explain how even material objects expand their
potency. These things can be understood by mature observation. The
Absolute Truth expands His potency in the creation, maintenance and

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annihilation of the material world just as fire expands its potency of heat."
(Viu Pura 1.3.2) rla Jva Gosvm explains that one can understand
the power of a valuable gem not by logical statements but by observing
the effect of the gem. Similarly, one can understand the potency of a
mantra by observing its power to achieve a particular effect. Such potency
doesn't depend on so-called logic. There is no logical necessity for a seed's
growing into a tree and giving fruits that nourish the human body. One
may argue that the genetic code for the entire tree is contained within the
seed. But there is no logical necessity for the existence of the seed, nor for
the seed's expanding itself into a gigantic tree. Ex post facto, or after the
manifestation of the wonderful material nature, the foolish material
scientist traces out the expansion of a seed's potency in an apparently
logical sequence of events. But there is nothing within the realm of socalled pure logic that dictates that a seed should expand into a tree.
Rather, such expansion should be understood to be the potency of the
tree. Similarly, the potency of a jewel is its mystic power, and various
mantras also contain innate potencies. Ultimately the mah-mantraHare
Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma,
Rma Rma, Hare Harehas the potency to transfer one to the spiritual
world of bliss and knowledge. In the same way, the Absolute Truth has
the natural quality of expanding itself into innumerable varieties of
material and spiritual worlds. We may logically describe this expansion
after the fact, but we cannot deny the expansion of the Absolute Truth.
The conditioned soul who purifies his consciousness through the process
of devotional service can scientifically observe the expansion of the
Absolute Truth as described here, just as one who is not blind can observe
the expansion of a seed into a huge tee. One can understand the potency
of a seed not by speculation but rather by practical observation. Similarly,
one must purify his vision so that he can practically observe the
expansion of the Absolute Truth. Such observation can take place either
by the ears or by the eyes. Vedic knowledge is abda-brahma, or
transcendental potency in the form of sound vibration. Therefore, one can
observe the functions of the Absolute Truth through submissive hearing
of transcendental sound. stra-cakus. When one's consciousness
becomes fully purified one can perceive the Absolute Truth with all of
one's spiritualized senses.
The Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, is devoid of material
qualities such as mundane goodness, passion and ignorance because He is

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an ocean of transcendental qualities and therefore has no need for the

inferior qualities of the material world. As stated in the vetvatara
Upaniad (4.10), my tu prakti vidyn myina tu mahevaram:
"Understand that my is the material energy whereas the Supreme Lord
is the Supreme Lord of my."Similarly, it is stated in the rmadBhgavatam, my ca tad-apraym: my is always under the control
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Just as it is understood from the above discussion that the material world
is an emanation from the impersonal Brahman potency of the Lord,
Brahman itself is an expansion of the potency of Ka, as stated in
Bhagavad-gt (brahmao hi pratihham).
yasya prabh prabhavato jagad-aa-koikotiv aea-vasudhdi vibhti-bhinnam
tad brahma nikalam anantam aea-bhta
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
(Bs. 5.40)
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that in the
impersonal Brahman there is neither transcendental activity nor the
supreme pum-artha, or benefit of human life, namely prema, love of
Godhead. Therefore, if one is prematurely dazzled by the expansion of the
Lord's bodily effulgence, known as Brahman, and therefore does not
actually come to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no
possibility of actually understanding one's eternal identity as an eternal
blissful expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The subject
matter is summarized in the Caitanya-caritmta (di 1.13):
yad advaita brahmopaniadi tad apy asya tanu-bh
ya tmntarym purua iti so 'sya-vibhava
a-aivaryai pro ya iha bhagavn sa svayam aya
na caitanyt kj jagati para-tattva param iha
TEXT 38
ntm jajna na mariyati naidhate 'sau
na kyate savana-vid vyabhicri hi
sarvatra avad anapyy upalabdhi-mtra
pro yathendriya-balena vikalpita sat

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nanever; tmthe soul; jajnawas born; nanever; mariyatiwill

die; nadoes not; edhategrow; asauthis; nadoes not; kyate
become diminished; savana-vitthe knower of these phases of time;
vyabhicrimas they occur in other, changing beings; hiindeed;
sarvatraeverywhere; avatconstantly; anapyinever disappearing;
upalabdhi-mtrampure consciousness; pra yathjust like the life
air within the body; indriya-balenaby the force of the senses;
vikalpitamimagined as divided; satbecoming.
Brahman, the eternal soul, was never born and will never die, nor does
it grow or decay. That spiritual soul is actually the knower of the youth,
middle age and death of the material body. Thus the soul can be
understood to be pure consciousness, existing everywhere at all times
and never being destroyed. Just as the life air within the body, although
one, becomes manifest as many in contact with the various material
senses, the one soul appears to assume various material designations in
contact with the material body.
The Vedic aphorism sarva khalv ida brahma, "Everything is Brahman,"
has been explained in this chapter of the Bhgavatam. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the original source of everything. By expanding
His internal potency, He manifests the spiritual world, and by expanding
His external potency He manifests the material cosmos. The conditioned
living entity is originally part and parcel of the superior, internal potency
of the Lord, but being in contact with illusion, he falls under the clutches
of the external potency. In any case, since everything is an expansion of
the potency of the Supreme Brahman, everything is part and parcel of the
Lord's spiritual potency. Bhaya dvitybhiniveata syd d apetasya
viparyayo 'smti. When a living entity thinks that the material world is
not part and parcel of the Lord's potency but is a separate existence, liable
to be controlled and enjoyed by the tiny jva soul, he is under viparyaya,
or a wrong conception. Asmti. Thus the living entity forgets that the
Supreme Lord is the proprietor of everything, everything being an
expansion of the Lord.
rla rdhara Svm has pointed out that although the Lord's external
potency is subject to transformations such as birth, growth, decay and
death, one should not foolishly conclude that the Lord's internal potency,
the living entity, is also subject to these changes. Both the living entity
and material nature are ultimately Brahman, being expansions of the

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Supreme Brahman. But the Vedas clearly say, parsya aktir vividhaiva
ryate: [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport] the Lord's potencies are vividh, or
multifarious. Thus, according to this verse, ntm jajna na mariyati
naidhate 'sau na kyate: the soul is never born, nor does he die, and he
certainly cannot grow or decay like a material body. Although the visible
material body passes through boyhood, adolescence and old age, or
although one may take birth as a demigod, human being, plant or animal,
the spirit soul never changes his eternal constitutional position. Rather,
he falsely identifies with the external transformations of the material body
and thus imposes upon himself a psychological condition called illusion.
This miserable illusory experience of seeing oneself transformed and
ultimately annihilated by the laws of nature can be nullified by
transcendental knowledge of one's eternal status as the superior energy of
the Lord.
The word sarvatra in this verse should not be foolishly misinterpreted to
mean that the individual jva soul is all-pervading. The soul is not born,
nor does he die. Yet in our present conditioned state we falsely identify
with the birth and death of the body. Therefore, because an all-pervading
soul would never fall into illusion, sarvatra cannot indicate that the
individual soul is all-pervading. Illusion implies an incomplete
understanding of reality, which would not be possible for an all-pervading
entity. Therefore, the word sarvatra is understood to mean that the pure
spiritual soul exists in all material conditions. In deep sleep, for example,
consciousness may not overtly be manifest, and yet the spirit soul is
understood to be present within the body. Similarly, it is understood from
Bhagavad-gt that the spirit soul (nitya sarva-gata) may exist even
within fire, water or outer space, since the existence of the soul never
depends upon material conditions but is an eternal fact. The
consciousness of the soul is more or less manifest according to the
possibilities offered by a particular material situation, just as electric light
is manifest in a particular intensity and color according to the bulb
available. The electrical energy is one, but it is manifested variously
according to material conditions.
The argument may be raised that although the spirit soul is pure
consciousness (upalabdhi-mtram), it is our practical experience that
consciousness is constantly transformed. If I am thinking of a blue object
such as the sky, then my previous thought of a yellow object such as a
flower is destroyed. Similarly, if I become aware that I am hungry, then

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my consciousness of the blue sky is destroyed. In this way, consciousness

is constantly being transformed. rla rdhara Svm has replied that
consciousness itself is eternal, but in contact with the material senses it
may be manifest in various ways. The example of the life air is very
appropriate. Pra, or the life air, is one, but in contact with the different
senses it is manifest as the power to see, the power to hear, and so on.
Similarly, consciousness, being spiritual, is ultimately one, but when in
contact with the various senses it may be perceived in terms of particular
sensory functions. But the state of consciousness is an eternal fact that
cannot be changed, although it may be temporarily covered by my.
When one becomes Ka conscious, he is understood to be dhra (dhras
tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]). At that time one is no longer subject to
bewilderment by falsely identifying his consciousness with the
transformations of material nature.
From the statement tat tvam asi, found in the Chndogya Upaniad, it is to
be understood that spiritual knowledge is not impersonal but entails
gradually perceiving the pure spiritual soul within the material body. Just
as in Bhagavad-gt Ka repeatedly says aham, or "I," this Vedic
aphorism uses the word tvam, or "you," to indicate that just as the
Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the individual
spark of Brahman (tat) is also an eternal personality (tvam). Therefore,
according to rla Jva Gosvm it is to be understood that the individual
spark of Brahman is eternally conscious. Vivantha Cakravart hkura
has further pointed out that instead of wasting time trying to understand
the truth in its impersonal aspect, which is merely the negation of
temporary material variety, one should try to understand oneself to be an
eternally conscious entity in the jva category. In other words, one should
understand oneself to be eternally a conscious servitor of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
In this regard rla Madhvcrya has quoted the following statement from
the Moka-dharma section of the Mahbhrata:
aha hi jva-sajo vai
mayi jva santana
maiva tvaynumantavya
do jvo mayeti ha
aha reyo vidhsymi
yathdhikram vara

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"The living entity, known as jva, is not different from Me, for he is My
expansion. Thus the living entity is eternal, as I am, and always exists
within Me. But you should not artificially think, 'Now I have seen the
soul.' Rather, I, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will bestow this
benediction upon you when you are actually qualified."
TEXT 39
aeu peiu taruv aviniciteu
pro hi jvam upadhvati tatra tatra
sanne yad indriya-gae 'hami ca prasupte
ka-stha ayam te tad-anusmtir na
aeuin (species of life born from) eggs; peiuin embryos; taruu
in plants; aviniciteuin species of indeterminate origin (born from
perspiration); prathe vital air; hiindeed; jvamthe soul;
upadhvatifollows; tatra tatrafrom one species to another; sanne
they are merged; yatwhen; indriya-gaeall the senses; ahamithe
false ego; caalso; prasuptein deep sleep; ka-sthaunchanging;
ayamthe subtle covering of contaminated consciousness, the ligaarra; te-without; tatof that; anusmti(there is) subsequent
remembrance; naour.
The spirit soul is born in many different species of life within the
material world. Some species are born from eggs, others from embryos,
others from the seeds of plants and trees, and others from perspiration.
But in all species of life the pra, or vital air, remains unchanging and
follows the spirit soul from one body to another. Similarly, the spirit
soul is eternally the same despite its material condition of life. We have
practical experience of this. When we are absorbed in deep sleep
without dreaming, the material senses become inactive, and even the
mind and false ego are merged into a dormant condition. But although
the senses, mind and false ego are inactive, one remembers upon
waking that he, the soul, was peacefully sleeping.
When a living entity is awake the material senses and mind are constantly
active. Similarly, when one is sleeping the false ego recollects one's
waking experiences, and thus one experiences dreams or fragments of
dreams while sleeping. But in the state of prasupti, or deep sleep, both the
mind and the senses become inactive, and the false ego does not recall

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previous experiences or desires. The subtle mind and false ego are called
liga-arra, or the subtle material body. This linga-arra is experienced
in the form of temporary material designations such as "I am a rich man,"
"I am a strong man," "I am black," "I am white," "I am American," "I am
Chinese." The sum total of one's illusory conceptions of oneself is called
ahakra, or false ego. And due to this illusory conception of life the
living entity transmigrates from one species of life to another, as clearly
explained in Bhagavad-gt. The spirit soul, however, does not change its
constitutional position of eternity, knowledge and bliss, although the soul
may temporarily forget this position. To cite an analogous situation, if one
dreams at night that he is walking in the forest, such a dream does not
change one's actual position of lying in bed within his apartment. Thus it
is stated in this verse, ka-stha ayam te: despite the transformations of
the subtle body, the spirit soul does not change. rla rdhara Svm has
given the following example to illustrate this point. Etvanta kla
sukham aham asvpsam, na kicid avediam. One often thinks, "I was
sleeping very peacefully, although I was not dreaming or aware of
anything." It can be logically understood that one cannot remember
something of which he has had no experience. Therefore, since one
remembers peacefully sleeping although there was no mental or sensual
experience, such a memory should be understood to be a vague
experience of the spirit soul.
rla Madhvcrya has explained that the demigods, who are a superior
race of humanlike entities on the higher planetary systems of this
universe, do not actually undergo the gross ignorance of deep sleep as do
ordinary human beings. Because the demigods have superior intelligence,
they are not merged into ignorance at the time of sleeping. In Bhagavadgt Lord Ka says, matta smtir jnam apohana ca [Bg. 15.15]. Sleep
is apohanam, or forgetfulness. Sometimes by dreaming there is smti, or
memory of one's actual condition, although in a dream one may
experience one's family or friends in an altered, illusory state. But all such
conditions of remembering and forgetting are due to the presence of the
Supersoul within the heart. By the mercy of the Supersoul one can have a
preliminary glimpse of the soul by remembering how one was peacefully
resting even without mental or sensual experience.
According to the authorized commentaries on this verse, aviniciteu
means sveda-jeu, or born from perspiration. rla Madhvcrya has
pointed out, bh-svedena hi pryo jyante: the earth's dew is to be

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considered the perspiration of the earth, and various species of life are
generated from dew.
In the Muaka Upaniad (3.1.9) the situation of the soul in relation to
pra is explained:
eo 'ur tm cetas veditavyo
yasmin pra pacadh savivea
prai citta sarvam otam prajn
yasmin viuddhe vibhavaty ea tm
"The soul is atomic in size and can be perceived by perfect intelligence.
This atomic soul is floating in the five kinds of air [pra, apna, vyna,
samna and udna]. The soul is situated within the heart, and it spreads
its influence all over the body of the embodied living entities. When the
soul is purified from the contamination of the five kinds of material air, its
spiritual influence is exhibited." Thus in the innumerable species of life
the spiritual soul remains situated within pra, or the material life air.
TEXT 40
yarhy abja-nbha-caraaiaayoru-bhakty
ceto-malni vidhamed gua-karma-jni
tasmin viuddha upalabhyata tma-tattva
kd yathmala-do savit-praka
yarhiwhen; abja-nbhaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose
navel is shaped like a lotus; caraathe feet; eaaydesiring (only);
uru-bhaktyby powerful devotional service; cetaof the heart;
malnithe dirt; vidhametcleanses away; gua-karma-jnigenerated
from the modes of nature and material activities in those modes; tasmin
in that; viuddhecompletely purified (heart); upalabhyateis perceived;
tma-tattvamthe true nature of the self; sktdirectly; yathjust as;
amala-doof pure eyes; savitof the sun; prakathe
manifestation.
When one seriously engages in the devotional service of the Personality
of Godhead, fixing the Lord's lotus feet within one's heart as the only
goal of life, one can destroy the innumerable impure desires lodged
within the heart as a result of one's previous fruitive work within the
three modes of material nature. When the heart is thus purified one can

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directly perceive both the Supreme Lord and one's self as

transcendental entities. Thus one becomes perfect in spiritual
understanding through direct experience, just as one can directly
experience the sunshine through normal, healthy vision.
In the previous verse it was explained that one can have a preliminary
glimpse of the eternal, unchanging soul by remembering one's experience
of peacefully sleeping even while the mind and senses were totally
inactive. One may ask, If in deep sleep there is a preliminary experience of
the soul, why upon waking does one return to illusory material existence?
It may be answered that because of material desires lodged within the
heart the conditioned soul is addicted to the nescience of material sense
gratification. A prisoner may glimpse through the bars the free light
outside the prison window but still remain captive behind the bars.
Similarly, although a conditioned soul may have a glimpse of the spirit
soul, he remains captured within the bondage of material desires.
Therefore, although one may have a preliminary understanding of the
eternal soul that exists within the temporary body, or even of the
Supersoul that accompanies the individual soul within the heart, a
specific process is still required to eliminate the cause of material
existence, namely material desire.
As explained in Bhagavad-gt (8.6),
ya ya vpi smaran bhva
tyajaty ante kalevaram
ta tam evaiti kaunteya
sad tad-bhva-bhvita
"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that
state he will attain without fail." According to one's desire at the time of
death a suitable material body is awarded by material nature. Karma
daiva-netrea jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. According to one's fruitive
desires and actions and under the jurisdiction of the representatives of the
Lord called demigods, the living entity is awarded a particular material
body, which is inevitably subject to harassment by birth, death, old age
and disease. If one can eliminate the cause of a particular phenomenon,
logically he also eliminates the effect. Therefore, this verse states that one
should desire only to achieve shelter at the lotus feet of the Personality of
Godhead. One should give up illusory desires for material society,

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friendship and love, since such desires cause further material bondage.
One should fix his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka,
so that without fail one can remember Ka at the time of death. As the
Lord states,
anta-kle ca mm eva
smaran muktv kalevaram
ya prayti sa mad-bhva
yti nsty atra saaya
"Whoever, at the time of death, quits his body remembering Me alone, at
once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt." (Bg. 8.5) The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka, is the actual shelter for every living being.
And the Lord can be directly perceived as soon as one's heart has become
transparently clean through bhakti-yoga.
Bhagavad-gt describes the state of achieving the Supreme Personality of
Godhead by the words tato m tattvato jtv viate tad-anantaram, and
sometimes impersonalists falsely interpret these words to be a description
of brahma-syujyam, or impersonal merging into the existence of the
Lord. It is clearly mentioned in this verse that one must fix his mind and
devotion on the lotus feet of abja-nbha, or the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. If the individual living entity were equal to the Personality of
Godhead, the living entity could simply think of himself in order to be
purified. But even then a contradiction would arise: the Personality of
Godhead has no need to be purified, since He is described in Bhagavadgt as pavitra paramam, or the supreme pure. Therefore, one should not
artificially try to twist an impersonal meaning out of the statements of the
Vedic literature.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has stated that the perfect stage of
devotional service indicated in this verse can be observed in the activities
of such great devotees as Dhruva Mahrja. Dhruva Mahrja approached
the Personality of Godhead desiring a political adjustment on the material
platform, but when purified by chanting the holy name of God (o namo
bhagavate vsudevya) he felt no further need for material sense
gratification. As stated in the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, janayaty
u vairgyam. As soon as one advances in devotional service, one is freed
from the embarrassment of superficial material desires.
The words upalabhyata tma-tattvam are significant in this verse.

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Vivantha Cakravart hkura says that tma-tattvam, or knowledge of

the soul, indicates knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
along with His various expansions such as the impersonal brahmajyoti
and the marginal living entity himself. As indicated here by the word
skt, perceiving the Personality of Godhead means seeing the personal
form of the Lord, His hands and legs, His various transcendental vehicles
and servants, and so on, just as by devotion to the sun-god one can
gradually perceive the personal body of the sun-god, along with his
chariot and personal attendants.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that in verses 35
through 39 the various stages of standard logic are demonstrated. Verse
35 establishes the viaya, or general thesis. Verse 36 manifests saaya, or
an expression of doubt. Verse 37 gives the prva-paka, or opposing
argument. And verse 38 definitely establishes the siddhnta, or
conclusion. Verse 39 presents sagati, the summary. The sagati, or final
word, is that one should become a pure devotee of the Personality of
Godhead and worship the Lord's lotus feet. Thus by cleansing the mirror
of the heart one can see the Lord, just as a normal human being with
healthy 20/20 vision can very easily see the brilliant rays of the sun or as
an advanced devotee of the sun-god himself can see the personal body of
the sun-god.
TEXT 41
r-rjovca
karma-yoga vadata na
puruo yena saskta
vidhyehu karmi
naikarmya vindate param
r-rj uvcathe King said; karma-yogamthe practice of dovetailing
one's work with the Supreme; vadataplease tell; naus; puruaa
person; yenaby which; sasktabeing refined; vidhyagetting rid
of; ihain this life; u-quickly; karmimaterialistic activities;
naikarmyamfreedom from fruitive reactions; vindateenjoys; param
transcendental.
King Nimi said: O great sages, please speak to us about the process of
karma-yoga. Purified by this process of dedicating one's practical work
to the Supreme, a person can very quickly free himself from all material

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activities, even in this life, and thus enjoy pure life on the
transcendental platform.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt (3.5),
na hi kacit kaam api
jtu tihaty akarma-kt
kryate hy avaa karma
sarva prakti-jair guai
"All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the
modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing
something, not even for a moment." Since the living entity cannot remain
inactive, he must learn to dedicate his activities to the Lord. rla
Prabhupda comments on this verse from Bhagavad-gt as follows: "It is
not a question of embodied life, but it is the nature of the soul to be
always active. Without the presence of the spirit soul, the material body
cannot move. The body is only a dead vehicle to be worked by the spirit
soul, which is always active and cannot stop even for a moment. As such,
the spirit soul has to be engaged in the good work of Ka consciousness,
otherwise it will be engaged in occupations dictated by illusory energy. In
contact with material energy, the spirit soul acquires material modes, and
to purify the soul from such affinities it is necessary to engage in the
prescribed duties enjoined in the stras. But if the soul is engaged in his
natural function of Ka consciousness, whatever he is able to do is good
for him."
Ordinary people often question the busy activities of the devotees of the
Ka consciousness movement, mistaking such activities to be ordinary
material work. rla Jva Gosvm has stated in this connection, kmyakarmy eva tyjitni, na tu nitya-naimittikni, phalasyaiva vininditatvt.
One should give up selfish activities performed for one's personal sense
gratification, since the result of such thoughtless work is further material
bondage. But one should offer one's regular or occasional occupational
duties to the Supreme Lord, and thus such activities become
transcendental devotional service. By the words tasmd guru prapadyeta
jijsu reya uttamam [SB 11.3.21], this chapter has clearly explained
that dovetailing one's work with the service of the Lord is an art one
should learn at the lotus feet of the bona fide spiritual master. Otherwise,

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if one whimsically declares his materialistic work to be transcendental

devotional service, there will be no actual result. Therefore, according to
r Jva Gosvm, one should not mistake the word naikarmyam to
indicate inactivity; rather, it indicates transcendental activity under the
guidance of the Lord and His representative.
TEXT 42
eva pranam n prvam
apccha pitur antike
nbruvan brahmaa putrs
tatra kraam ucyatm
evamsimilar; pranama question; nto the sages; prvam
previously; apcchamI asked; pituof my father (Ikvku Mahrja);
antikein front; na abruvanthey did not speak; brahmaaof Lord
Brahm; putrthe sons; tatraof that; kraamthe reason;
ucyatmplease say.
Once in the past, in the presence of my father, Mahrja Ikvku, I
placed a similar question before four great sages who were sons of Lord
Brahm. But they did not answer my question. Please explain the
reason for this.
According to rla rdhara Svm the words brahmaa putr, "the sons
of Brahm," refer to the four Kumras headed by Sanaka i. rla
Madhvcrya has quoted a verse from the Tantra-bhgavata stating that
the reason the four sons of Lord Brahm, although mahjanas and experts
in the science of devotional service, declined to answer King Nimi was
that they wanted to demonstrate clearly that even those who are expert in
the cultivation of speculative knowledge cannot understand the actual
science of pure devotional service. rla Jva Gosvm has further
commented that the sages avoided answering the question from the King
because at that time King Nimi was a young boy and therefore not mature
enough to understand the answer fully.
TEXT 43
r-virhotra uvca
karmkarma vikarmeti
veda-vdo na laukika

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vedasya cevartmatvt
tatra muhyanti sraya
r-virhotra uvcathe sage virhotra said; karmathe execution of
duties prescribed by scripture; akarmafailure to perform such duties;
vikarmaengagement in forbidden activities; itithus; veda-vda
subject matter understood through the Vedas; nanot; laukika
mundane; vedasyaof the vedas; caand; vara-tmatvt-because of
coming from the Personality of Godhead Himself; tatrain this matter;
muhyantibecome confused; sraya(even) great scholarly authorities.
r virhotra replied: Prescribed duties, nonperformance of such duties,
and forbidden activities are topics one can properly understand through
authorized study of the Vedic literature. This difficult subject matter
can never be understood by mundane speculation. The authorized
Vedic literature is the sound incarnation of the Personality of Godhead
Himself, and thus Vedic knowledge is perfect. Even the greatest learned
scholars are bewildered in their attempts to understand the science of
action if they neglect the authority of Vedic knowledge.
Prescribed duties authorized by revealed scripture are called karma,
whereas the failure to execute one's highest duty is called akarma. The
performance of forbidden activities is called vikarma. Thus karma, akarma
and vikarma are established by the authorized explanations of Vedic
literature. They cannot be ascertained merely through mundane exercises
in logic. In the rmad-Bhgavatam (6.16.51) the Lord says, abda-brahma
para brahma mamobhe vat tan: "I am the form of the transcendental
vibrations of the Vedas, such as okra and Hare Ka Hare Rma, and I
am the Supreme Absolute Truth. These two forms of Minenamely, the
transcendental Vedic sound and the eternally blissful spiritual form of the
Deityare My eternal forms; they are not material. " Similarly, it is stated
in the Bhgavatam (6.1.40), vedo nryaa skt svayambhr iti uruma:
"The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nryaa,
and are self-born. This we have heard from Yamarja." In the Purua-skta
(g Veda, maala 10, skta 90, mantra 9) it is stated, tasmd yajt sarvahuta ca smni jajjire/ chandsi jajjire tasmt: "From Him, Yaja,
came all sacrificial offerings, hymns of invocation and songs of praise. All
the mantras of the Vedas come from the Lord." All the incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead are completely transcendental and free

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from the four defects of conditional life, namely mistakes, illusion,

cheating and imperfect senses. So Vedic knowledge, being a plenary
manifestation of the Supreme Lord, is similarly infallible and
transcendental.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that in the
material world, which is controlled by the illusory energy of the Lord, a
particular sound vibration is discarded after describing its object. But on
the spiritual platform called Vaikuha nothing is ever lost, and thus
abda-brahma, or the Personality of Godhead in His form as
transcendental sound, is eternal.
In ordinary human discourse one can ascertain the meaning of human
words by understanding the intention of the speaker. But since Vedic
knowledge is apaurueya, or transcendental, one can appreciate its
purport only by hearing from the standard authorities in the chain of
disciplic succession. This process is prescribed by the Lord Himself in
Bhagavad-gt (eva parampar-prptam [Bg. 4.2]). Thus, even highly
learned scholars who proudly neglect this simple descending process are
certainly bewildered and embarrassed in their hopeless attempt to
ascertain the ultimate meaning of Vedic knowledge. The four sons of Lord
Brahm declined to answer the question of King Nimi since at that time
the King was a mere child and therefore not capable of seriously
surrendering to the process of hearing through disciplic succession. rla
Madhvcrya has pointed out in this regard, vartmatvd varaviayatvt. Because the Vedas describe the unlimited Personality of
Godhead, Vedic knowledge cannot be approached by mundane methods
of comprehension.
TEXT 44
paroka-vdo vedo 'ya
blnm anusanam
karma-mokya karmi
vidhatte hy agada yath
paroka-vdadescribing a situation as something else in order to
disguise its real nature; vedaVedas; ayamthese; blnmof
childlike persons; anusanamguidance; karma-mokyafor liberation
from material activities; karmimaterial activities; vidhatteprescribe;
hiindeed; agadama medicine; yathjust as.

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Childish and foolish people are attached to materialistic, fruitive

activities, although the actual goal of life is to become free from such
activities. Therefore, the Vedic injunctions indirectly lead one to the
path of ultimate liberation by first prescribing fruitive religious
activities, just as a father promises his child candy so that the child will
take his medicine.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt, traiguya-viay ved nistraiguyo bhavrjuna.
The Vedas apparently offer fruitive results within the three modes of
material nature. Those who perform ritualistic ceremonies or austerities
in the mode of goodness are offered the chance for promotion to the
higher planetary systems called Svargaloka. Ananti divyn divi devabhogn. Similarly, those who perform karma-ka, or fruitive religious
activities in the mode of passion, are allowed to become great rulers or
wealthy men on earth and enjoy great prestige and earthly power. But as
stated in the Manu-sahit, pravttir e bhtn nivttis tu mah-phal:
"Although fruitive religious activities are very much popular among the
conditioned souls, the actual perfection of life is achieved when one gives
up all fruitive endeavor."
If a father tells his child, "You must take this medicine by my order," the
child may become fearful and rebellious and reject the medicine.
Therefore, the father entices his child by saying, "I am going to give you a
delicious piece of candy. But if you want this candy, first just take this
little bit of medicine, and then you can have the candy." Such indirect
persuasion is called paroka-vda, or an indirect description that
conceals the actual purpose. The father presents his proposal to the child
as if the ultimate goal were to receive the candy and only a minor
condition must be fulfilled to receive it. Actually, however, the father's
goal is to administer the medicine to the child and cure him of his disease.
Thus, describing the primary purpose indirectly and concealing it with a
secondary proposal is called paroka-vda, or indirect persuasion.
Since the great majority of conditioned souls are addicted to sense
gratification (pravttir e bhtnm), the Vedic karma-ka rituals offer
them a chance to become free from temporary materialistic sense
gratification by making them greedy for fruitive Vedic results such as
promotion to heaven or a powerful ruling position on earth. In all Vedic
rituals Viu is worshiped, and thus one is gradually promoted to the
understanding that one's actual self-interest is to surrender to Viu. Na te

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vidu svrtha-gati hi vium [SB 7.5.31]. Such an indirect method is

prescribed for blnm, those who are childish or foolish. An intelligent
person can immediately understand by direct analysis the actual purpose
of Vedic literature as described by the Lord Himself (vedai ca sarvair
aham eva vedya [Bg. 15.15]). All Vedic knowledge ultimately aims at
achieving shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Without such shelter one must rotate within the 8,400,000 species offered
by the illusory energy of the Lord. Ordinary material vision, either
through gross sense perception or the subtle perception of rational
induction, always yields imperfect knowledge distorted by the desire for
illusory material enjoyment. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
comments that the cultivation of impersonal self-realization is also a
disturbance to the conditioned souls, since the impersonal speculative
process is an artificial attempt to become completely formless. Such an
attempt is not at all in accord with the proper judgment of the Vedas,
which is described in Bhagavad-gt (vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya
[Bg. 15.15]).
In Lord Caitanya's movement there is no need to childishly pursue
fruitive material results and gradually be dragged to actual knowledge.
According to Caitanya Mahprabhu:
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva kevalam
kalau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
[Cc. di 17.21]
In Kali-yuga life is very short (pryelpyua), and people are generally
undisciplined
(mand),
misguided
(sumanda-mataya),
and
overwhelmed by the unfavorable results of their previous activities
(manda-bhgy). Thus their minds are never peaceful (upadrut), and
their very brief life span vitiates the possibility of their gradually
progressing through the path of Vedic ritualistic activities. Therefore, the
only hope is to chant the holy names of the Lord, harer nma [Cc. di
17.21], In the rmad-Bhgavatam (12.3.51) it is stated:
kaler doa-nidhe rjann
asti hy eko mahn gua
krtand eva kasya

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mukta-saga para vrajet

Kali-yuga is an ocean of hypocrisy and pollution. In Kali-yuga all natural
elements are polluted, such as water, earth, sky, mind, intelligence and
ego. The only auspicious aspect of this fallen age is the process of
chanting the holy names of the Lord (asti hy eko mahn gua). Simply by
the delightful process of ka-krtana one is freed from his connection to
this fallen age (mukta-saga) and goes back home, back to Godhead
(para vrajet). Sometimes the preachers of the Ka consciousness
movement also use the paroka, or indirect method of persuasion, offering
a nice transcendental sweet to the conditioned soul to entice him to come
to the lotus feet of the Lord. Caitanya Mahprabhu's movement is kevala
nanda-ka, simply blissful. But by the mercy of Caitanya Mahprabhu
even one who is indirectly attracted to the Ka consciousness
movement achieves very quickly the perfection of life and goes back
home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 45
ncared yas tu vedokta
svayam ajo 'jitendriya
vikarma hy adharmea
mtyor mtyum upaiti sa
na caretdoes not perform; yawho; tubut; veda-uktamwhat is
prescribed in the Vedas; svayamhimself; ajaignorant; ajitaindriyanot having learned to control his senses; vikarmaby not
executing scriptural duty; hiindeed; adharmeaby his irreligion;
mtyo mtyumdeath after death; upaitiachieves; sahe.
If an ignorant person who has not conquered the material senses does
not adhere to the Vedic injunctions, certainly he will engage in sinful
and irreligious activities. Thus his reward will be repeated birth and
death.
In the previous verse it was stated that although fruitive activities are
prescribed in the Vedas, the actual goal of human life is to free oneself
from all materialistic activities. Therefore, one may conclude that there is
no need to perform the Vedic rituals, which offer regulated sense
gratification. But an ignorant person, or, in other words, one who has not

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understood that he is not the material body but an eternal spiritual soul,
part and parcel of Ka, will invariably be unable to control the urges of
the material senses. Therefore, if such a materially inclined person
neglects the Vedic injunctions that administer regulated sense
gratification, he will surely fall down into unregulated sense gratification
in ppa, or sinful life. For example, those who are affected by sexual
desire are ordered to accept the vivha-yaja, or religious marriage
ceremony. We often see that because of false pride a so-called brahmacr,
or celibate student of Vedic knowledge, rejects the marriage ceremony as
my, or material illusion. But if such a celibate student is unable to
control his senses he will undoubtedly degrade himself by eventually
engaging in illicit sex, which has no connection to Vedic culture.
Similarly, a neophyte in Ka consciousness is encouraged to eat kaprasdam to his full satisfaction. Sometimes an immature practitioner of
bhakti-yoga tries to make a show of severe eating habits and eventually
falls down into eating unregulated and abominable foodstuffs.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the words mtyor
mtyum upaiti mean that a sinful person is awarded a free ticket to hell by
the lord of death himself, Yamarja. This is also described in the Vedas as
follows: mtv punar mtyum padyate ardyamna sva-karmabhi.
"Persons who cause themselves severe pain by their materialistic activities
gain no relief at the moment of death, for they are placed again in a
situation in which death will occur." Therefore, Vedic ritualistic activities
such as the wedding ceremony or the relishing of sumptuous yaja-ia,
or food remnants of sacrifice, should not be given up by those whose
senses are not yet controlled.
The previous verse gave the example of a father's administering candy to
his son to induce the child to take medicine. If the child rejects the
father's offer, thinking that the candy is unnecessary, the child also misses
the opportunity to take the medicine that will cure him. Similarly, if a
materialistic person rejects the Vedic injunctions that administer
prescribed sense gratification, he will not be purified but instead will be
further degraded. rla Jva Gosvm has described a materialistic person
as one whose mind and intelligence are not faithfully fixed in the message
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gt r Bhagavn,
Lord Ka, gives wonderful explanations to the conditioned souls,
represented by Arjuna, concerning the actual goal of life. One who cannot
fix his mind on these instructions is to be considered a materialistic

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person who is inclined toward sinful activities and who must therefore
submit himself to the standard Vedic injunctions. Such Vedic injunctions,
even though fruitive. are considered puya, or pious, according to rla
Jva Gosvm, and thus one who strictly performs them will not go to hell.
Lord Ka Himself states in the Bhgavatam (11.20.9),
tvat karmi kurvta
na nirvidyeta yvat
mat-kath-ravadau v
raddh yvan na jyate
"One should continue to perform the Vedic ritualistic activities until one
actually becomes detached from material sense gratification and develops
faith for hearing and chanting about Me."
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains that the Vedas prescribe that
one rise early in the morning, bathe, and chant the Gyatr mantra. If one
artificially gives up such a disciplined, regulated life, one will gradually
become a victim of activities for gross sense gratification, such as eating in
restaurants and indulging in illicit connections with women. Thus losing
control of his senses, he becomes just like an animal, engaging from the
early morning until the night in dangerous activities. rla Madhvcrya
has commented in this regard, aja sann carann api. Although in
ignorance, one continues to act, not considering the future result of one's
activities. Such indifference to the future result of one's activities is
described in Bhagavad-gt to be a symptom of the mode of ignorance.
Just as an intelligent man will not drive his car on a highway if he knows
the highway will lead him to danger, an intelligent man will not perform
non-Vedic activities if he knows that the ultimate result will be the
disaster described here by the words mtyor mtyum upaiti. rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has stated that ignorant persons
sometimes think that after death one automatically attains everlasting
peace. But by the powerful reactions of one's sinful activities one comes to
a most unpeaceful condition, for one must suffer hellish miseries in
exchange for the meager temporary fruits of material work. Such hellish
reactions occur not once but perpetually, as long as one is indifferent to
the Vedic injunctions.
TEXT 46

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vedoktam eva kurvo

nisago 'rpitam vare
naikarmya labhate siddhi
rocanrth phala-ruti
veda-uktamthe regulated activities described by the Vedas; eva
certainly; kurvaperforming; nihsagawithout attachment;
arpitamoffered; vareto the Supreme Lord; naikarmyamof
liberation from material work and its reactions; labhateone achieves;
siddhimthe perfection; rocana-arthfor the purpose of giving
encouragement; phala-rutithe promises of material results given in
the Vedic scriptures.
By executing without attachment the regulated activities prescribed in
the Vedas, offering the results of such work to the Supreme Lord, one
attains the perfection of freedom from the bondage of material work.
The material fruitive results offered in the revealed scriptures are not
the actual goal of Vedic knowledge, but are meant for stimulating the
interest of the performer.
Human life is an opportunity offered by the laws of nature to the
conditioned soul so that he may understand his eternal relationship with
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unfortunately, even in the human
form of life most living entities remain addicted to improving the standard
of animal activities, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating.
Almost no one is interested in the actual success of life, Ka
consciousness.
rotavydni rjendra
n santi sahasraa
apayatm tma-tattva
gheu gha-medhinm
"Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the
knowledge of ultimate truth, have many subject matters for hearing in
human society, O Emperor." (SB 2.1.2)
It is stated, parama-kruiko veda"Vedic knowledge is supremely
merciful"because it engages the animalistic human beings in a gradual
process of purification that culminates in full consciousness of Lord

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Ka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed by the

Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gt (vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya [Bg.
15.15]). The majority of human beings are not able to suddenly give up
material sense gratification, even though they understand from Vedic
literature that such sense gratification causes a pernicious future effect.
We have practical experience in the Western countries that when the
government informed the citizens that smoking cigarettes causes lung
cancer, most people were unable to give up their smoking habit.
Therefore, the Vedic literature prescribes a gradual process of purification
in which the conditioned soul learns to offer the results of his material
activities to the Supreme Lord, thus spiritualizing those activities.
Material sense gratification is based on two organs, namely the tongue for
tasting and the genitals for sex life. By offering palatable food to the Deity
of Ka and then enjoying the remnants as ka-prasdam and by
accepting the rules and regulations for Vedic householder life and
begetting of Ka conscious children, one can gradually bring the full
range of material activities to the platform of pure devotional service. By
offering the fruits of one's ordinary activities to the Supreme Lord, one
gradually understands that the Lord Himself, and not material sense
gratification, is the actual goal of life. Lord Ka warns in Bhagavad-gt
that if people are prematurely encouraged to give up householder life or
the sumptuous remnants of the Lord's prasdam, such artificial
renunciation will have the opposite effect.
There is a class of duplicitous men who misunderstand the transcendental
purpose of the Vedas and falsely claim that material fruitive results such
as promotion to heaven, which is offered in the agnioma sacrifice,
constitute the ultimate goal of the Vedas. Such foolish men have been
described by Lord Ka:
ym im pupit vca
pravadanty avipacita
veda-vda-rat prtha
nnyad astti vdina
kmtmna svarga-par
janma-karma-phala-pradm
kriy-viea-bahul
bhogaivarya-gati prati

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"Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of
the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to
heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being
desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is
nothing more than this." (Bg. 2.42-43) To refute such a foolish
understanding of the Vedic purpose, this verse uses the word nisaga,
which means "without attachment to material results." The actual
purpose of the Vedas is arpitam vare, to offer everything to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The result is siddhim, or the perfection of life,
Ka consciousness.
The words rocanrth phala-ruti clearly indicate that the fruitive results
promised in the Vedic literature are meant to stimulate a materialistic
person to have faith in the Vedic injunctions. The example is given that a
child may be offered candy-covered medicine. The child becomes
enthusiastic to take the medicine because of the candy coating, whereas a
mature person will be enthusiastic to take the medicine itself, knowing
that such medicine is meant for his real self-interest. The mature platform
of Vedic understanding is mentioned in the Bhad-rayaka Upaniad
(4.4.22): tam eta vednuvacanena brhma vividianti brahmacaryea
tapas raddhay yajennakena ca. "By the teaching of the Vedas and by
celibacy, penances, faith and controlled eating, great brhmaas come to
know the Supreme." The Supreme is Ka, as stated in Bhagavad-gt.
Although the prescribed rituals of the Vedas may sometimes resemble
material fruitive work, the activity is spiritualized because the result is
offered to the Supreme. Candy-covered medicine and ordinary candy may
appear or taste the same. But the candy-covered medicine has a
therapeutic effect not found in ordinary candy. Similarly, the words
naikarmya labhate siddhim in this verse indicate that a faithful follower
of the Vedic injunctions will gradually be promoted to the highest
perfection of life, pure love of Godhead, as stated by Caitanya
Mahprabhu (prem pum-artho mahn).
TEXT 47
ya u hdaya-granthi
nirjihu partmana
vidhinopacared deva
tantroktena ca keavam

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yaone who; u-quickly; hdaya-granthimthe knot of the heart (false

identification with the material body); nirjihrudesirous of cutting;
partmanaof the transcendental soul; vidhinwith the regulations;
upacarethe should worship; devamthe Supreme Personality of
Godhead; tantra-uktenawhich are described by the tantras (the
supplementary Vedic literatures that give detailed instructions for
spiritual practice); caas well (in addition to those regulations which are
directly vedoktam); keavamLord Keava.
One who desires to quickly cut the knot of false ego, which binds the
spirit soul, should worship the Supreme Lord, Keava, by the
regulations found in Vedic literatures such as the tantras.
The Vedic literatures contain mysterious descriptions of the Absolute
Truth that stimulate philosophical speculation. The Vedas also offer
heavenly rewards for the performance of ritualistic ceremonies. But as
stated in verse 44 of this chapter such jna-ka and karma-ka
sections of the Vedas are blnm anusanam; that is, because less
intelligent or childish persons are addicted to mental speculation and
fruitive activity, these sections of the Vedas are meant to attract such
persons to take shelter of the Vedic injunctions for gradual promotion to
the perfect stage of Ka consciousness.
Now that the path for those who are materialistic has been described in
several verses, this verse describes the process for those who are vija, or
learned transcendentalists. Such learned transcendentalists are advised to
follow the regulated worship described in such Vaiava tantras as r
Nrada-pacartra for pleasing the Supreme Lord directly. The words
upacared deva tantroktena ca keavam indicate that one should directly
worship Keava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in
many different incarnations to please His devotees. rla Jayadeva
Gosvm has described the pastimes of the Lord in his song describing ten
prominent incarnations of the Personality of Godhead, Keava: Lord Fish,
Lord Tortoise, Lord Boar, Lord Nsihadeva, Lord Vmana, Lord
Paraurma, Lord Rmacandra, Lord Balarma, Lord Buddha and Lord
Kalki. The words upacared devam indicate devotional service to the
Personality of Godhead. And therefore the word tantroktena, or
"injunctions of the tantras," should be understood to indicate vaiavatantras such as r Nrada-pacartra, which give explicit and detailed
instructions for worshiping Keava. The Vedas are referred to by the term

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nigama. And the elaborate explanation of these nigamas is called gama,

or tantra. When the transcendental living entity becomes perturbed by the
obnoxious harassment of material bodily dualities, he becomes eager to
hear from the Vedas about his transcendental situation. The word u in
this verse indicates that those who are eager to put a quick end to material
existence and situate themselves in the eternal blissful life of perfect
knowledge should directly worship Lord Ka, bypassing the preliminary
Vedic rituals described in the previous verses.
TEXT 48
labdhvnugraha cryt
tena sandaritgama
mah-puruam abhyarcen
mrtybhimataytmana
labdhvhaving obtained; anugrahamercy; crytfrom the
spiritual master; tenaby him; sandaritabeing shown; gama(the
process of worship given by) the vaiava-tantras; mah-puruam-the
Supreme Person; abhyarcetthe disciple should worship; mrtyin the
particular personal form; abhimataywhich is preferred; tmanaby
himself.
Having obtained the mercy of his spiritual master, who reveals to the
disciple the injunctions of Vedic scriptures, the devotee should worship
the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the particular personal form of
the Lord the devotee finds most attractive.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the word labdhvnugraha indicates
formal initiation by a bona fide spiritual master. It is stated in the Padma
Pura,
a-karma-nipuo vipro
mantra-tantra-virada
avaiavo gurur na syd
vaiava vapaco guru
A bona fide spiritual master must be a soul surrendered at the lotus feet of
the Supreme Lord. In the Brahma-vaivarta Pura it is stated,
bodha kaluitas tena

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daurtmya praka-ktam
gurur yena parityaktas
tena tyakta pur hari
"One pollutes his own intelligence and exhibits severe weakness of
character when he rejects his own spiritual master. Indeed, such a person
has already rejected the Supreme Lord, Hari." The bona fide disciple
should always remember that his entire understanding of Vedic
knowledge is coming through the mercy of his bona fide spiritual master.
If one superficially or whimsically accepts and rejects a bona fide Vaiava
spiritual master, sometimes becoming attracted to another spiritual
master, one commits a vaiava-apardha, a great offense against the
devotees of the Lord. Sometimes a foolish neophyte mistakenly thinks
that the relationship with the spiritual master is meant for the sense
gratification of the disciple, and therefore in the name of spiritual
aspirations such a fool gives up a bona fide Vaiava guru. One should
understand oneself to be the eternal servant of the guru. rla Jva
Gosvm, however, has quoted this verse from the Nrada-pacartra:
avaiavopadiena
mantrea niraya vrajet
puna ca vidhin samyag
grhayed vaiavd guro
"One who is initiated into a mantra by a non-Vaiava must go to hell.
Therefore he should again be initiated properly, according to the
prescribed method, by a Vaiava guru."It is the duty of the bona fide
spiritual master to examine carefully the qualification of the disciple, and
the disciple should similarly approach a bona fide spiritual master.
Otherwise, the foolish disciple and the indiscriminate guru may both be
punished by the laws of nature.
One should not artificially try to assimilate all of the apparently
conflicting branches of Vedic knowledge. Vedai ca sarvair aham eva
vedya [Bg. 15.15]. Conditioned souls have various conflicting natures,
which are engaged by apparently conflicting Vedic injunctions called
pravtti and nivtti-mrga. But the easiest path is simply to learn the
process of regularly worshiping advaya-jna, Lord Viu. All the
demigods mentioned in the Vedas are paraphernalia for the service of the

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Supreme Lord, Viu. Whatever exists in the visible material world is also
meant to be engaged in the Lord's service; otherwise, it has no value. If
one artificially renounces material things useful in the service of the
Supreme Lord, he loses his spiritual qualification of seeing everything as
meant for Ka's pleasure and will be forced to think of material objects
as meant for his own sense enjoyment. In other words, material things
should be accepted or rejected according to the pleasure of the Supreme
Lord. Otherwise, one will fall down from the standard of pure devotional
service. As stated in this verse, labdhvnugraha cryt: such
discrimination can be learned when one receives the mercy of a bona fide
spiritual master, who reveals to the sincere disciple the practical
application of Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 49
uci sammukham sna
pra-sayamandibhi
pia viodhya sannysakta-rako 'rcayed dharim
uciclean; sammukhamfacing (the Deity); snathus seated;
pra-sayamana-dibhiby pryma (breathing exercises) and other
means; piamthe gross body; viodhyapurifying; sannysaby
placing transcendental marks of tilaka on various places of the body; ktarakain this way invoking the Lord's protection; arcayetone should
worship; harimLord Hari.
After cleansing oneself, purifying the body by pryma, bhta-uddhi
and other processes, and marking the body with sacred tilaka for
protection, one should sit in front of the Deity and worship the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Pryma is the authorized Vedic process for controlling the air within
the body. Similarly, bhta-uddhi is a process for purifying the body. The
word uci means that one should be internally and externally clean.
uci means that one should perform activities only for the pleasure of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. If somehow or other one can remember
the Supreme Lord constantly by chanting and hearing His holy name, one
will come to the pure stage of life, as described in this Vedic mantra:

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o apavitra pavitro v
sarvvasth gato 'pi v
ya smaret puarkka
sa bahybhyantara-uci
(Garua Pura)
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that although one
may mark the body with sacred tilaka, perform mudrs and chant mantras,
if one is thinking within his mind of material sense gratification his
worship of Lord r Hari is bogus. Therefore the word uci here indicates
that one should worship the Lord in a favorable frame of mind,
considering the Lord to be sacred and one's self to be an insignificant
servant of the Lord. Those who are not favorably inclined toward the
Supreme Personality of Godhead do not like to worship the Deity in the
temple, and they discourage people from going to the temple of the Lord
by saying that since the Lord is omnipresent there is no need to do so.
Such envious persons prefer the gymnastic exercises of haha-yoga or the
rja-yoga system. But statements by the Lord Himself, such as vsudeva
sarvam iti and m eka araa vraja [Bg. 7.19], indicate that in mature
transcendental realization one understands that the Supreme Personality
of Godhead is the source of everything and therefore the only worshipable
object. Thus the devotees who worship the Deity of the Lord according to
the pacartra system are not attracted by any yoga process except bhaktiyoga.
TEXTS 50-51
arcdau hdaye cpi
yath-labdhopacrakai
dravya-kity-tma-ligni
nipdya prokya csanam
pdydn upakalpytha
sannidhpya samhita
hd-dibhi kta-nyso
mla-mantrea crcayet
arc-dauin the form of the Deity and His paraphernalia; hdayein the
heart; ca apialso; yath-labdhawhatever is available; upacrakai
with ingredients of worship; dravyathe physical items to be offered;

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kitithe ground; tmaone's own mind; ligniand the Deity;

nipdyapreparing; prokyasprinkling with water for purification;
caand; sanamone's seat; pdya-dnthe water for bathing the
Deity's feet and other offerings; upakalpyagetting ready; athathen;
sannidhpyaplacing the Deity in His proper place; samhita
concentrating one's attention; ht-dibhion the Deity's heart and other
places of the body; kta-nysahaving drawn sacred marks; mlamantreawith the appropriate basic mantra for worshiping the
particular Deity; caand; arcayetone should offer worship.
The devotee should gather whatever ingredients for worshiping the
Deity are available, make ready the offerings, the ground, his mind and
the Deity, sprinkle his sitting place with water for purification and
prepare the bathing water and other paraphernalia. The devotee should
then place the Deity in His proper place, both physically and within his
own mind, concentrate his attention, and mark the Deity's heart and
other parts of the body with tilaka. Then he should offer worship with
the appropriate mantra.
ata r-ka-nmdi
na bhaved grhyam indriyai
sevonmukhe hi jihvdau
svayam eva sphuraty ada
[Cc. Madhya 17.136]
(Padma Pura)
The Absolute Truth can never be understood by ordinary material sense
perception. The conditioned souls engrossed in the vain pursuit of
material sense gratification are completely indifferent to the
transcendental loving service of the Lord. Their materially conditioned
minds are always impure and disturbed by the endless flow of material
dualities, such as prosperity and poverty, winter and summer, fame and
infamy, youth and old age. Such disturbed conditioned souls cannot
recognize the personal presence of the Absolute Truth in the form of the
Deity.
The Lord's incarnation as arc-avatra, the Deity form, is a special
manifestation of the Lord's mercy toward the materialistic or neophyte
devotees who are still under the influence of material designations. They

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are unable to perceive the Lord in His eternal abode, and therefore the
Lord descends as the Deity form, manifesting the praka incarnations
and even the svaya-praka, or the original form of the Lord. The
praka incarnations exhibit various pastimes within this world, whereas
svaya-praka, the Lord's original form, is the source of all avatras.
To one who sincerely worships the Deity, the Deity manifests Himself as
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are most unfortunate
cannot even recognize the Supreme Lord in His merciful Deity expansion.
They consider the Deity an ordinary material object. But by surrendering
at the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, who is a pure devotee of
the Lord, one can learn to worship the Deity, as mentioned in this verse,
and thus revive one's lost relationship with the Lord. One who considers
such transcendental Deity worship to be equivalent to idol worship is
grossly covered by the three modes of material nature. A person wearing
rose-colored glasses sees the entire world to be rose colored. Similarly,
those unfortunate living entities who are thickly covered by the material
modes of nature see everything, including the Supreme Lord, as material
due to their polluted vision.
TEXTS 52-53
sgopg sa-prad
t t mrti sva-mantrata
pdyrghycamanydyai
snna-vso-vibhaai
gandha-mlykata-sragbhir
dhpa-dpopahrakai
sgam sampjya vidhivat
stavai stutv named dharim
sa-againcluding the limbs of His transcendental body; upgmand
His special bodily features such as His Sudarana disc and other weapons;
sa-pradmalong with His personal associates; tm tmeach
particular; mrtimDeity; sva-mantrataby the Deity's own mantra;
pdyawith water for bathing the feet; arghyascented water for
greeting; camanyawater for washing the mouth; dyaiand so on;
snnawater for bathing; vsafine clothing; vibhaaiornaments;
gandhawith
fragrances;
mlyanecklaces;
akataunbroken
barleycorns; sragbhiand flower garlands; dhpawith incense; dpa

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and lamps; upahrakaisuch offerings; sa-agamin all aspects;

sampjyacompleting the worship; vidhivatin accordance with the
prescribed regulations; stavai stutvhonoring the Deity by offering
prayers; nametone should bow down; harimto the Lord.
One should worship the Deity along with each of the limbs of His
transcendental body, His weapons such as the Sudarana cakra, His
other bodily features and His personal associates. One should worship
each of these transcendental aspects of the Lord by its own mantra and
with offerings of water to wash the feet, scented water, water to wash
the mouth, water for bathing, fine clothing and ornaments, fragrant oils,
valuable necklaces, unbroken barleycorns, flower garlands, incense and
lamps. Having thus completed the worship in all its aspects in
accordance with the prescribed regulations, one should then honor the
Deity of Lord Hari with prayers and offer obeisances to Him by bowing
down.
rla rdhara Svm has mentioned that akata, or unbroken barleycorns
(mentioned in verse 53), are to be used in decorating the Deity with tilaka,
and not in the actual pj. Nkatair arcayed viu na ketaky
mahevaram: "Lord Viu should not be worshiped with unbroken
barleycorns, and Lord iva should not be worshiped with ketak flowers."
TEXT 54
tmnam tan-mayam dhyyan
mrti sampjayed dhare
em dhya iras
sva-dhmny udvsya sat-ktam
tmnamoneself; tatin the Lord; mayamabsorbed; dhyyanso
meditating; mrtimthe personal form; sampjayetshould fully
worship; hareof Lord Hari; emthe remnants of worship; dhya
taking; irasupon one's head; sva-dhmniin His place; udvsya
putting; sat-ktamrespectfully.
The worshiper should become fully absorbed in meditating upon
himself as an eternal servant of the Lord and should thus perfectly
worship the Deity, remembering that the Deity is also situated within
his heart. Then he should take the remnants of the Deity's

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paraphernalia, such as flower garlands, upon his head and respectfully

put the Deity back in His own place, thus concluding the worship.
The word tan-mayam in this verse is significant. One who is purified by
worshiping the Deity form of the Lord can understand that he, the
worshiper, is an eternal servant of the Lord and is qualitatively one with
the Lord, being like a tiny spark of the original fire, the Personality of
Godhead. rla Madhvcrya has stated in this regard,
vior bhtyo 'ham ity eva
sad syd bhagavan-maya
naivha viur asmti
viu sarvevaro hy aja
"One should think, 'I am an eternal servant of Viu, and therefore,
because I am His eternal part and parcel, I am eternally one with Him. But
I am not Viu Himself, because Viu is the supreme controller of
everything.' "
The basic principle of Deity worship is that one must understand oneself
to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. One who is addicted to
sexual gratification, foolishly identifying himself with the external
material body, cannot change his conception of himself from that of an
enjoyer to that of the enjoyed. Such a person interprets the word tanmayam to mean that the worshiper is himself also the worshipable object.
r Jva Gosvm Prabhupda has written in his Durga-sagaman, his
commentary on r Rpa Gosvm Prabhu's Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu, that
ahagrahopsan, or the process of worshiping oneself as the Supreme, is
a gross misidentification of one's own self with the Supreme, who is
actually one's eternal shelter. The six Gosvms have repeatedly clarified
this point. But unintelligent persons within the prkta-sahajiy
community become influenced by the bogus ideas of the Myvd
philosophers and thus display the deluded misconception that the
worshiper becomes the supreme shelter. Such a hallucination is an
apardha, an offense against the Lord. Therefore the word tan-maya in
this verse should not be offensively understood to mean that the
worshiper becomes equal to his eternal worshipable object.
TEXT 55
evam agny-arka-toydv

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atithau hdaye ca ya
yajatvaram tmnam
acirn mucyate hi sa
evamthus; agniin fire; arkathe sun; toyawater; dauand so on;
atithauin the guest at ones's home; hdayein one's heart; caalso;
yawho; yajatiworships; varamthe Supreme Personality of
Godhead; tmnamthe Supreme Soul; acirtwithout delay; mucyate
becomes liberated; hiindeed; sahe.
Thus the worshiper of the Supreme Lord should recognize that the
Personality of Godhead is all-pervading and should worship Him
through His presence in fire, the sun, water and other elements, in the
heart of the guest one receives in one's home, and also in one's own
heart. In this way the worshiper will very soon achieve liberation.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Third Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Liberation from the Illusory Energy."

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4. Drumila Explains the Incarnations of Godhead to King Nimi

The various forms of the past, present and future incarnations of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, r Hari, and the various transcendental
characteristics of each of these avatras constitute the subject matter of
this chapter.
Even if it were ever possible to count all the particles of dust on the face
of the earth, any attempt to count all the innumerable transcendental
qualities of the unlimited Lord Hari, the foundation of all potencies,
would be simply madness. The Personality of Godhead Nryaa created
the universe out of the five elements manufactured by His own my,
entered into that universe in the form of the Supersoul and became
known as the Purua-avatra. He effects the work of creation in the mode
of passion through the personal form of Brahm, of protection in the
mode of goodness through the form of the Lord of sacrifice, Viu, and of
annihilation in the mode of ignorance through the form of Rudra.
Incarnating in the form of Nara-Nryaa, the greatest of sages, from the
womb of Mrti, the daughter of Daka and wife of Dharma, He preached
by His own practical demonstration the science of naikarmyam. When
Cupid (Kandarpa) and his hosts were sent to Badarikrama by King
Indra, who had become fearful and envious at seeing the austerities of
Lord Nara-Nryaa, that best of sages welcomed Cupid as an honored
guest. The pacified Cupid then offered prayers to the Supreme Personality
Nara-Nryaa i. By the order of the sage, Cupid returned from there
with Urva and upon presenting himself before Indra related to him
everything that had taken place.
The Personality of Godhead Lord Viu has appeared in various partial
incarnations for the benefit of the entire world and has given instructions
in spiritual knowledge in the forms of Hasa, Datttreya, Sanaka and the
other Kumra brothers, and abhadeva. In the form of Hayagrva He
killed the demon Madhu and saved all the Vedas. In the avatra of Matsya,
the fish, He protected both the earth and Satyavrata Manu. In the
incarnation of Varha, the boar, He delivered the earth and destroyed
Hirayka; in that of Krma, the tortoise, He carried Mandara Mountain

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upon His back; and in the form of r Hari He gave liberation to the king
of the elephants. The Lord delivered the Vlakhilyas, who had been
trapped in the water in a cow's hoofprint, He delivered Indra from the
reaction for murdering a brhmaa, and He delivered the wives of the
demigods from imprisonment in the palaces of the demoniac asuras. In
the avatra of Nsiha, He killed Hirayakaipu. In the reign of each
Manu He kills the demons, fulfills the needs of the demigods and protects
all the planetary systems. In the form of Vmana, the dwarf brhmaa boy,
He cheated Bali Mahrja; in the form of Paraurma He rid the earth of
katriyas twenty-one times; and in the form of r Rma He brought the
ocean under His submission and killed Rvaa. Descending into the Yadu
dynasty, He removed the burden of the earth. In the form of Buddha, by
His argumentative preaching in defiance of the Vedas He bewildered the
demons who were unqualified to perform sacrifices, and at the end of
Kali-yuga He will destroy the dra kings in His form of Kalki. In this way
the innumerable appearances and activities of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead Lord Hari are described.
TEXT 1
r-rjovca
yni ynha karmi
yair yai svacchanda-janmabhi
cakre karoti kart v
haris tni bruvantu na
r-rj uvcathe King said; yni ynieach; ihain this world;
karmiof the activities; yai yaiby each; svacchandaassumed
independently; janmabhiof the appearances; cakreHe performed;
karotiis performing; kartwill perform; vor; harithe Supreme
Lord, Hari; tnithese; bruvantuplease tell; naus.
King Nimi said: The Supreme Personality of Godhead descends into the
material world by His internal potency and according to His own desire.
Therefore, please tell us about the various pastimes Lord Hari has
performed in the past, is performing now and will perform in this world
in the future in His various incarnations.
In this Fourth Chapter the son of Jayant, Drumila, will address King
Nimi. The forty-eighth verse of the Third Chapter stated,

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mrtybhimataytmana: "One should worship the particular form of the

Lord most attractive to oneself." Similarly it was stated in the previous
chapter, stavai stutv named dharim: "One should bow down to Lord Hari
after glorifying Him with prayers." Thus it is assumed that the worshiper
has knowledge of the Supreme Lord's transcendental qualities and
pastimes in order to execute the process of worship previously described.
King Nimi, therefore, is eagerly inquiring about the various incarnations
of the Supreme Lord so that he can ascertain which particular form of the
Supreme Lord is most suitable for his personal worship. It is understood
that King Nimi is a Vaiava, or devotee, who is trying to advance in the
transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is important to note in this regard that the word abhimata-mrti,
meaning "one's most desirable form," does not indicate that one may
concoct a form of the Lord by one's own whim. Advaitam acyutam andim
ananta-rpam [Bs. 5.33]. All the forms of the Supreme Lord are andim, or
eternal. Thus there is no question of concocting a form, because such a
concoction would be di, or the origin of the concocted form. Abhimatamrti means that among the eternal forms of the Lord one should select
that form which most inspires one's love for the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Such love cannot be imitated, but it is automatically aroused
when one follows the prescribed rules and regulations given by the bona
fide spiritual master and submissively hears these descriptions of rmadBhgavatam.
TEXT 2
r-drumila uvca
yo v anantasya gunn anantn
anukramiyan sa tu bla-buddhi
rajsi bhmer gaayet kathacit
klena naivkhila-akti-dhmna
r-drumila uvcar Drumila said; yawho; vaiindeed;
anantasyaof the unlimited Lord; guruthe transcendental qualities;
anantnwhich are unlimited; anukramiyantrying to enumerate;
sahe; tucertainly; bla-buddhiis a person of childish intelligence;
rajsithe particles of dust; bhmeon the earth; gaayetone may
count; kathacitsomehow; klenain time; na evabut not; akhilaakti-dhmna(the qualities) of the reservoir of all potencies.

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r Drumila said: Anyone trying to enumerate or describe fully the

unlimited qualities of the unlimited Supreme Lord has the intelligence
of a foolish child. Even if a great genius could somehow or other, after a
time-consuming endeavor, count all the particles of dust on the surface
of the earth, such a genius could never count the attractive qualities of
the Personality of Godhead, who is the reservoir of all potencies.
In reply to King Nimi's request that the nava-yogendras describe all the
qualities and pastimes of the Lord, r Drumila here explains that only the
most foolish person would even attempt such a comprehensive
description of the unlimited qualities and pastimes of the Personality of
Godhead. Such foolish, childish persons, however, are far more advanced
than ignorant materialistic scientists who actually try to describe all
knowledge without even referring to the Personality of Godhead. In other
words, although it is impossible to describe the Lord fully, foolish
atheistic scientists attempt to describe all knowledge without even having
reached the most preliminary knowledge of the Personality of Godhead.
Such atheistic persons should be understood to be shortsighted and of
very weak intelligence, despite their showy material achievements, which
ultimately end in great suffering and destruction. It is said that Lord
Anantadeva Himself, with His innumerable tongues, cannot even begin to
vibrate completely the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The example given in this verse is very nice. No human being can hope to
count the number of particles on the surface of the earth; therefore no one
should foolishly try to understand the Supreme Lord by his own tiny
endeavor. One should submissively hear knowledge of God as it is spoken
by God Himself in Bhagavad-gt, and thus one should gradually be
elevated to the stage of hearing rmad-Bhgavatam. According to
Caitanya Mahprabhu, by tasting a drop of seawater one can get a general
idea of the flavor of the entire ocean. Similarly, by submissively hearing
about the Personality of Godhead one can acquire a qualitative
understanding of the Absolute Truth, although quantitatively one's
knowledge can never be complete.
TEXT 3
bhtair yad pacabhir tma-sai
pura virja viracayya tasmin
svena via purubhidhnam
avpa nryaa di-deva

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bhtaiby the material elements; yadwhen; pacabhifive (earth,

water, fire, air and ether); tma-saicreated by Himself; puramthe
body; virjamof the universe in its subtle form; viracayyahaving
constructed; tasminwithin that; sva-aenain the manifestation of His
own plenary expansion; viaentering; purua-abhidhnamthe name
Purua; avpaassumed; nryaaLord Nryaa; di-devathe
original Personality of Godhead.
When the primeval Lord Nryaa created His universal body out of the
five elements produced from Himself and then entered within that
universal body by His own plenary portion, He thus became known as
the Purua.
The words bhtai pacabhi in this verse refer to the five gross material
elementsearth, water, fire, air and skywhich form the basic building
blocks of the material world. When the conditioned living entity enters
within these five elements, consciousness becomes manifest, along with
the functions of the mind and intelligence. Unfortunately, the
consciousness manifest under the modes of material nature is governed by
ahakra, or false ego, in which the living entity wrongly considers
himself the enjoyer of the material elements. Although the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Puruottama, enjoys His pure transcendental
existence in the spiritual sky, the material elements are also meant for His
enjoyment, through the process of yaja, or sacrifice. This material world
is called Dev-dhma, or the abode of the illusory energy of the Lord,
My-dev. The Brahma-sahit explains that the Supreme Person is not
at all attracted to His inferior energy, my, but when the material
creation is used in the devotional service of the Lord, the Lord becomes
attracted by the devotion and sacrifice of the living entities, and thus,
indirectly, He is also the enjoyer of the material world.
We should not think that the pastimes of Lord Nryaa as the Supersoul
and creator of this universe are on a lower spiritual level than Nryaa's
eternal pastimes in the spiritual world. Were Lord Nryaa in any way to
diminish His transcendental bliss and knowledge in His activities of
material creation, He would have to be considered a conditioned soul,
affected by contact with the illusory potency. But since Lord Nryaa is
eternally aloof from the influence of my, His activities as the Supersoul
of this universe are exactly on the same transcendental level as His
activities in the spiritual world. All the activities of the Supreme

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Personality of Godhead are part and parcel of His unlimited spiritual

pastimes.
TEXT 4
yat-kya ea bhuvana-traya-sanniveo
yasyendriyais tanu-bhtm ubhayendriyi
jna svata vasanato balam oja h
sattvdibhi sthiti-layodbhava di-kart
yat-kyewithin whose body; eathis; bhuvana-trayaof the three
planetary systems making up the universe; sanniveathe elaborate
arrangement; yasyaof whom; indriyaiby the senses; tanu-bhtmof
the embodied living beings; ubhaya-indriyiboth kinds of senses
(knowledge-acquiring and active); jnamknowledge; svatadirectly
from Him; vasanatafrom His breathing; balamstrength of the body;
ojastrength of the senses; hactivities; sattva-dibhiby nature's
modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; sthitiin maintenance; laya
destruction; udbhaveand creation; di-kartthe original doer.
Within His body are elaborately arranged the three planetary systems of
this universe. His transcendental senses generate the knowledgeacquiring and active senses of all embodied beings. His consciousness
generates conditioned knowledge, and His powerful breathing produces
the bodily strength, sensory power and conditioned activities of the
embodied souls. He is the prime mover, through the agency of the
material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. And thus the
universe is created, maintained and annihilated.
When a conditioned soul becomes completely exhausted by his strenuous
activities, or when he is overcome by disease, death or fear, he loses all
power to manifest practical knowledge or activities. Thus we should
understand that independent of the mercy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead we can neither work nor cultivate knowledge. By the mercy of
the Personality of Godhead the conditioned soul acquires a material body,
which is a perverted reflection of the unlimited spiritual body of the Lord.
Thus the living entity engages in ignorant materialistic activities for
society, friendship and love. But the entire program suddenly vanishes
with the unforeseen dissolution of the material body. Similarly, our
material knowledge is always subject to become null and void within an

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instant, since the material nature is itself constantly changing. The

Supreme Personality of Godhead is the prime mover behind the birth,
maintenance and destruction of the universe. And the living entity should
try to understand that Personality of Godhead who has given him so
much facility for illusion. The Personality of Godhead actually wants the
conditioned soul to surrender to Him and regain an eternal life of bliss
and knowledge at the Lord's side. The conditioned soul should reason, "If
the Lord is giving me so much facility to merge into ignorance, surely He
will give even more facility to come out of this ignorance if I humbly
follow His direction without foolish speculations."
This verse describes Garbhodakay Viu, the second phase of the
purua incarnations of the Lord. This Garbhodakay Viu, who is
glorified in the Purua-skta prayers, expands Himself as the Supersoul to
enter the heart of every living being. Through chanting the holy names of
the LordHare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma,
Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hareeven in this degraded age one can
find the Supreme Lord within one's heart. The Lord is a person as much
as we are, but He is unlimited. Still, a personal loving relationship exists
between the tiny living entity and the unlimited Supreme Lord. In
consideration of this personal relationship, bhakti-yoga is the only suitable
process by which to come to the ultimate understanding of our
constitutional position as eternal servants of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 5
dv abhc chata-dht rajassya sarge
viu sthitau kratu-patir dvija-dharma-setu
rudro 'pyayya tamas purua sa dya
ity udbhava-sthiti-lay satata prajsu
dauin the beginning; abhtHe became; ata-dhtiLord Brahm;
rajasby the material mode of passion; asyaof this universe; sarge
in the creation; viuLord Viu; sthitauin maintenance; kratupatithe Lord of sacrifice; dvijaof the twice-born brhmaas;
dharmaof the religious duties; setuthe protector; rudraLord iva;
apyayyafor annihilation; tamasby the mode of ignorance;
puruathe Supreme Person; saHe; dyaoriginal; itithus;
udbhava-sthiti-laycreation, maintenance and destruction; satatam
always; prajsuamong created beings.

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In the beginning, the original Supreme Personality manifested the form

of Brahm through the material mode of passion in order to create this
universe. The Lord manifested His form as Viu, the Lord of sacrifice
and protector of the twice-born brhmaas and their religious duties, to
maintain the universe. And when the universe is to be annihilated the
same Supreme Lord employs the material mode of ignorance and
manifests the form of Rudra The created living beings are thus always
subject to the forces of creation, maintenance and destruction.
In the previous verse the Supreme Personality of Godhead was described
as di-kart, the original person responsible for the creation, maintenance
and annihilation of the material world. According to rdhara Svm, dikart, or "the original doer," implies subsequent creators, maintainers and
annihilators. Otherwise there would be no meaning to the word di, or
"original." Therefore this verse describes that the Absolute Truth expands
Himself into the guvatras, or incarnations who carry out the creation,
maintenance and annihilation of the universe through the modes of
passion, goodness and ignorance respectively.
It is significant here that although this verse mentions creation through
the material mode of passion and annihilation through the material mode
of ignorance, it does not mention maintenance by Viu through the
material mode of goodness. That is because Viu is viuddha-sattva, or
existing on the platform of unlimited transcendental goodness. Although
Lord iva and Lord Brahm are somewhat affected by their prescribed
duties as superintendents of the modes of nature, Lord Viu is viuddhasattva, completely beyond contamination even by the material mode of
goodness. As described in the Vedas, na tasya krya karaa ca vidyate:
the Lord has no occupational duty. Whereas Lord iva and Lord Brahm
are understood to be servants of the Lord, Viu is completely
transcendental.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, Viu, described in this verse as kratupati, the Lord of sacrifice, is understood to have appeared in a previous
age as the incarnation Suyaja, the son of Prajpati Ruci. Whereas Brahm
and iva faithfully engage in service to the Supreme Lord, Viu is the
Supreme Lord Himself, and therefore His activities of maintaining the
brhmaas and religious principles, as mentioned in this verse (dvijadharma-setu), are not occupational duties but ll. So in addition to being
a guvatra, Viu is also a llvatra, according to rla Jva Gosvm.

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The Mahbhrata (nti-parva) describes the birth of Lord Brahm from

the lotus flower emanating from Viu and the subsequent birth of Lord
iva from the angry eyes of Lord Brahm. Viu, however, is the selfmanifested Personality of Godhead who enters the material universe by
His own internal potency, as stated in rmad-Bhgavatam (3.8.15):
tal loka-padma sa u eva viu
prvviat sarva-guvabhsam
In conclusion, Lord Viu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the
supreme controller whose personal form is full of eternal existence,
knowledge and bliss, who is beginningless but is the beginning of
everything, who is known as Govinda, and who is the original cause of all
causes, as stated in Brahma-sahit. Still, that same eternal Lord manifests
Himself as Brahm and iva in the sense that the primeval controllers
Brahm and iva manifest the potency and supreme will of the Lord,
although they themselves are not supreme.
TEXT 6
dharmasya daka-duhitary ajania mrty
nryao nara i-pravara pranta
naikarmya-lakaam uvca cacra karma
yo 'dypi csta i-varya-nievitghri
dharmasya(the wife) of Dharma; daka-duhitariby the daughter of
Daka; ajaniawas born; mrtymby Mrti; nryaa naraNaraNryaa; i-pravarathe best of sages; prantaperfectly peaceful;
naikarmya-lakaamcharacterized by the cessation of all material
work; uvcaHe spoke; cacraand performed; karmathe duties;
yawho; adya apieven today; caalso; steis living; i-varyaby
the greatest sages; nievitabeing served; aghriHis feet.
Nara-Nryaa i, who is perfectly peaceful and is the best of sages,
was born as the son of Dharma and his wife Mrti, the daughter of
Daka. Nara-Nryaa i taught the devotional service of the Lord, by
which material work ceases, and He Himself perfectly practiced this
knowledge. He is living even today, His lotus feet served by the greatest
of saintly persons.

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It is understood that Nara-Nryaa i spoke transcendental knowledge

to great saintly persons such as Nrada Muni. On the basis of these
teachings, Nrada was able to describe naikarmyam, or the devotional
service of the Lord, which eradicates material work, as mentioned in
rmad-Bhgavatam (1.3.8): tantra stvatam caa naikarmya
karma yata. The tma-svarpa, or eternal form of the living entity, is
devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. But our perception of
our eternal form is covered by a material concept of life, just as our
normal understanding of our life is covered by a dream. Naikarmyam, or
the cessation of material work, is possible only by the devotional service
of the Lord, as stated by Nrada Muni himself: naikarmyam apy acyutabhva-varjita na obhate jnam ala nirajanam (SB 1.5.12). The
process of transforming ordinary karma into naikarmya, or
transcendental work, is summarized by rla Prabhupda in his
commentary on this verse spoken by Nrada Muni. "Fruitive work, in
which almost all people in general are engaged, is always painful either in
the beginning or at the end. It can be fruitful only when made subservient
to the devotional service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gt also it is
confirmed that the result of such fruitive work may be offered for the
service of the Lord, otherwise it leads to material bondage. The bona fide
enjoyer of the fruitive work is the Personality of Godhead, and thus when
it is engaged for the sense gratification of the living beings, it becomes an
acute source of trouble." According to the Matsya Pura (3.10), Dharma,
the father of Nara-Nryaa i, was born from the right breast of Brahm
and later married thirteen of the daughters of Prajpati Daka. The Lord
Himself appeared from the womb of Mrti-dev.
TEXT 7
indro viakya mama dhma jighkatti
kma nyayukta sa-gaa sa badary-upkhyam gatvpsaro-gaa-vasantasumanda-vtai
str-prekaeubhir avidhyad atan-mahi-ja
indraLord Indra; viakyafearing; mamamy; dhmakingdom;
jighkatiHe wants to devour; itithinking thus; kmamCupid;
nyayuktahe engaged; sa-gaamwith his associates; sahe (Cupid);
badar-upkhyamto the rama named Badarik; gatvgoing; apsaragaawith the heavenly society girls; vasantathe spring season; sumanda-vtaiand the gentle breezes; str-prekaa(consisting of) the

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glances of women; iubhiwith his arrows; avidhyatattempted to

pierce; atat-mahi-janot knowing His greatness.
King Indra became fearful, thinking that Nara-Nryaa i would
become very powerful by His severe penances and seize Indra's
heavenly kingdom. Thus Indra, not knowing the transcendental glories
of the incarnation of the Lord, sent Cupid and his associates to the
Lord's residence in Badarikrama. As the charming breezes of spring
created a most sensuous atmosphere, Cupid himself attacked the Lord
with arrows in the form of the irresistible glances of beautiful women.
This verse and the following nine verses illustrate the Personality of
Godhead's opulence of supreme renunciation. The word atan-mahi-ja,
"not understanding the glories of the Lord," indicates that King Indra was
placing the Personality of Godhead on the same level as he himself,
considering the Lord an ordinary enjoyer who would be attracted by
mundane sex life. Indra's plot to cause the falldown of Nara-Nryaa i
could not affect the Lord, but it reveals the shortsightedness of Indra
himself. Because Indra is attached to his heavenly kingdom, he took it for
granted that the Supreme Lord was performing austerities to acquire such
flickering phantasmagoria as the kingdom of heaven (tridaa-pr kapupyate).
TEXT 8
vijya akra-ktam akramam di-deva
prha prahasya gata-vismaya ejamnn
m bhair vibho madana mruta deva-vadhvo
ghta no balim anyam ima kurudhvam
vijyaunderstanding perfectly; akraby Indra; ktamcommitted;
akramamthe offense; di-devathe original Personality of Godhead;
prhaHe spoke; prahasyalaughing; gata-vismayafree from pride;
ejamnnto those who were trembling; m bhaiplease have no fear;
vibhoO mighty one; madanaCupid; mrutaO god of the wind; devavadhvaO wives of the demigods; ghtaplease accept; nafrom
Us; balimthese gifts; anyamnot empty; imamthis (rama);
kurudhvamplease make.
The primeval Lord, understanding the offense committed by Indra, did

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not become proud. Instead He spoke laughingly as follows to Cupid and

his followers, who were trembling before Him: "Do not fear, O mighty
Madana, O wind-god and wives of the demigods. Rather, please accept
these gifts I am offering you and kindly sanctify My rama by your
presence."
The word gata-vismaya, or "free from false pride," is very significant. If
one becomes proud by performing severe penances, such penances are
considered material. One should not think, "I am a great, austere
personality." r Nara-Nryaa could immediately understand the
foolishness of Indra, and thus He was amused by the whole situation.
Cupid and the heavenly women, understanding their great offense, were
trembling before Nara-Nryaa in fear of receiving a powerful curse. But
the Lord, exhibiting most sublime saintly behavior, reassured them by
saying, m bhai"Don't worry about it"and actually offered them nice
prasdam and articles of worship. "If you do not give Me the opportunity
to act as host to the demigods and other respectable personalities," He
said, "what will be the use of My rama? My rama will be void without
the opportunity to receive respectable personalities such as you."
Similarly, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is
establishing beautiful centers in all the major cities of the world. In some
of these centers, such as those in Los Angeles, Bombay, London, Paris and
Melbourne, the Society has established very gorgeous preaching ramas.
But the Vaiavas who live in these beautiful buildings feel that the
buildings are void if guests do not come to hear about Ka and chant
His holy name. Thus, one may establish a beautiful rama not for one's
personal sense gratification but to execute Ka consciousness peacefully
and encourage others to take to Ka consciousness also.
TEXT 9
ittha bruvaty abhaya-de nara-deva dev
sa-vra-namra-irasa sa-gha tam cu
naitad vibho tvayi pare 'vikte vicitra
svrma-dhra-nikarnata-pda-padme
itthamin this way; bruvatiwhen He had spoken; abhaya-dethe giver
of fearlessness; nara-devaO King (Nimi); devthe demigods (Cupid
and his associates); sa-vraout of shame; namrabowed; irasa
with their heads; sa-ghambegging for compassion; tamto Him;

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cuthey said; nais not; etatthis; vibhoO almighty Lord; tvayi

for You; parethe Supreme; avikteunchanging; vicitramanything
surprising; sva-rmaof those who are self-satisfied; dhraand those
who are sober-minded; nikaraby great numbers; natabowed down
to; pda-padmewhose lotus feet.
My dear King Nimi, when Nara-Nryaa i thus spoke, eradicating
the fear of the demigods, they bowed their heads with shame and
addressed the Lord as follows, to invoke His compassion: Our dear
Lord, You are always transcendental, beyond the reach of illusion, and
therefore You are forever changeless. Your causeless compassion
toward us, despite our great offense, is not at all unusual in You, since
innumerable great sages who are self-satisfied and free from anger and
false pride bow down humbly at Your lotus feet.
The demigods said, "Our dear Lord, although ordinary living entities such
as the demigods and ordinary men are always disturbed by material pride
and anger, You are always transcendental. Therefore it is not surprising
that we fallible demigods could not appreciate Your glories."
TEXT 10
tv sevat sura-kt bahavo 'ntary
svauko vilaghya parama vrajat pada te
nnyasya barhii baln dadata sva-bhgn
dhatte pada tvam avit yadi vighna-mrdhni
tvmYou; sevatmfor those who are serving; sura-ktmade by the
demigods; bahavamany; antarydisturbances; sva-okatheir
own abode (the planets of the demigods); vilaghyacrossing beyond;
paramamthe supreme; vrajatmwho are going; padamto the abode;
teYour; nathere are not such; anyasyafor another; barhiiin ritual
sacrifices; balnofferings; dadatafor one who is giving; sva-bhgn
the own shares (of the demigods); dhatte(the devotee) places; padam
his foot; tvamYou; avitthe protector; yadibecause; vighnaof the
disturbance; mrdhniupon the head.
The demigods place many obstacles on the path of those who worship
You to transcend the temporary abodes of the demigods and reach Your
supreme abode. Those who offer the demigods their assigned shares in

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sacrificial performances encounter no such obstacles. But because You

are the direct protector of Your devotee, he is able to step over the head
of whatever obstacle the demigods place before him.
The demigods, headed by Kmadeva, or Cupid, recognizing their offense
at the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Nara-Nryaa i, here
point out the insignificant position of the demigods in relation to the
Supreme Lord. Just as a farmer must pay a specific percentage of his
agricultural profit to the king or political head as tax money, all human
beings must offer a percentage of their material wealth to the demigods in
sacrifice. In Bhagavad-gt, however, the Lord explains that the demigods
are also His servants and it is He Himself who awards all benedictions,
through the agency of the demigods. Mayaiva vihitn hi tn. Although a
Vaiava, or devotee of the Lord, has no need to worship the demigods,
the demigods, being proud of their exalted material position, sometimes
resent the exclusive devotion of the Vaiava to the Lord and thus try to
cause the devotee to fall down, as described in this verse (sura-kt bahavo
'ntary). But the demigods here point out that Ka is directly the
protector of His devotees. Therefore, so-called impediments become
stimuli for further spiritual advancement for a sincere devotee.
The demigods here state, "We thought, our dear Lord, that we could
disturb Your consciousness by our foolish tricks. But by Your mercy even
Your devotees pay little regard to us, so why should You take our foolish
behavior seriously?" The word yadi here is used to indicate the certainty
that Ka is always the protector of His surrendered devotees. Although
there may be many obstacles on the path of the sincere devotee who is
preaching the glories of the Lord, such obstacles increase the
determination of the devotee. Therefore, according to rla Jva Gosvm,
the continuous obstacles presented by the demigods form a kind of ladder
or stairway upon which the devotee steadily progresses back to the
kingdom of God. A similar verse appears in rmad-Bhgavatam (10.2.33):
tath na te mdhava tvak kvacid
bhrayanti mrgt tvayi baddha-sauhd
tvaybhigupt vicaranti nirbhay
vinyaknkapa-mrdhasu prabho
"O Mdhava, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the goddess of
fortune, if devotees completely in love with You sometimes fall from the

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path of devotion, they do not fall like nondevotees, for You still protect
them. Thus they fearlessly traverse the heads of their opponents and
continue to progress in devotional service."
TEXT 11
kut-t-tri-kla-gua-mruta-jaihva-ain
asmn apra-jaladhn atitrya kecit
krodhasya ynti viphalasya vaa pade gor
majjanti ducara-tapa ca vthotsjanti
kuthunger; tthirst; tri-kla-guathe manifestations of the three
phases of time (such as heat and cold, rain and so on); mrutawind;
jaihvaenjoyment of the tongue; ainand of the genitals; asmn
ourselves (in all these forms); apralimitless; jala-dhnoceans;
atitryahaving crossed over; kecitsome persons; krodhasyaof anger;
yntithey come; viphalasyawhich is fruitless; vaamunder the sway;
padein the foot(print); goof a cow; majjantithey drown; ducara
difficult to execute; tapatheir austerities; caand; vthwithout any
good purpose; utsjantithey throw away.
Some men practice severe penances to cross beyond our influence,
which is like an immeasurable ocean with endless waves of hunger,
thirst, heat, cold and the other conditions brought about by the passing
of time, such as the sensuous wind and the urges of the tongue and sex
organs. Nevertheless, although crossing this ocean of sense gratification
through severe penances, such persons foolishly drown in a cow's
hoofprint when conquered by useless anger. Thus they exhaust the
benefit of their difficult austerities in vain.
Those who do not accept the devotional service of the Supreme Lord can
be considered in two categories. Those engaged in sense gratification are
easily conquered by the demigods through various weapons such as
hunger, thirst, sexual desire, lamentation for the past and vain hoping for
the future. Such materialistic fools, infatuated with the material world, are
easily controlled by the demigods, who are the ultimate supplying agents
of sense gratification. But according to rdhara Svm, persons who
attempt to subdue the desires of the material senses and thus avoid the
control of the demigods without surrendering to the Supreme Lord are
even more foolish than the sense gratifiers. Although crossing the ocean

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of sense gratification, those who perform severe penances without service

to the Lord eventually drown in tiny puddles of anger. One who simply
performs material penances does not actually purify his heart. By one's
material determination one may restrict the activities of the senses
although one's heart is still filled with material desires. The practical
result of this is krodha, or anger. We have seen artificial performers of
penance who have become very bitter and angry through denial of the
senses. Being indifferent to the Supreme Lord, such persons do not
achieve ultimate liberation, nor can they enjoy material sense
gratification; rather, they become angry, and through cursing others or
enjoying false pride they uselessly exhaust the results of their painful
austerities. It is understood that when a yog curses he diminishes the
mystic power he has accumulated. Thus, anger gives neither liberation
nor material sense gratification but merely burns up all the results of
material penances and austerities. Being useless, such anger is compared
to a useless puddle found in a cow's hoofprint. Thus after crossing over
the ocean of sense gratification the great yogs who are indifferent to the
Supreme Lord drown in puddles of anger. Although the demigods admit
that the devotees of the Lord actually conquer the miseries of material life,
it is understood here that a similar result is not to be obtained by so-called
yogs who are not interested in devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 12
iti pragat te
striyo 'ty-adbhuta-daran
daraym sa ur
sv-arcit kurvatr vibhu
itithus; pragatmwho were offering praise; temin their
presence; striyawomen; ati-adbhutavery wonderful; daranin
appearance; daraym saHe showed; urmreverential service; suarcitnicely decorated; kurvatperforming; vibhuthe almighty
Lord.
While the demigods were thus praising the Supreme Lord, the allpowerful Lord suddenly manifested before their eyes many women,
who were astonishingly gorgeous, decorated with fine clothes and
ornaments, and all faithfully engaging in the Lord's service.

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Lord Nara-Nryaa showed His causeless mercy toward the demigods by

relieving them of their false prestige. Although the demigods were proud
of their personal beauty and female companions, the Lord showed that He
was already being adequately served by innumerable gorgeous females,
each of whom was far more beautiful than any female companion
imagined by the demigods. The Lord manifested such uniquely attractive
women through His own mystic potency.
TEXT 13
te devnucar dv
striya rr iva rpi
gandhena mumuhus ts
rpaudrya-hata-riya
tethey; deva-anucarthe followers of the demigods; dvseeing;
striyathese women; rthe goddess of fortune; ivaas if; rpi
in person; gandhenaby the fragrance; mumuhuthey became
bewildered; tsmof the women; rpaof the beauty; audryaby the
magnificence; hataruined; riyatheir opulence.
When the followers of the demigods gazed upon the fascinating mystic
beauty of the women created by Nara-Nryaa i and smelled the
fragrance of their bodies, the minds of these followers became
bewildered. Indeed, upon seeing the beauty and magnificence of such
women, the representatives of the demigods were completely
diminished in their own opulence.
TEXT 14
tn ha deva-devea
praatn prahasann iva
sm ekatam vdhva
sa-var svarga-bham
tnto them; hasaid; deva-deva-athe Supreme Lord of all lords;
praatnwho had bowed down to Him; prahasan ivaalmost smiling;
smof these women; ekatammone; vdhvamplease choose; savarmsuitable; svargaof heaven; bhamthe ornament.
The Supreme Lord of lords then smiled slightly and told the

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representatives of heaven, who were bowing down before Him, "Please

choose one of these women, whomever you find suitable for you. She
will become the ornament of the heavenly planets."
Nara-Nryaa i was almost laughing upon seeing the defeat of the
demigods. However, being extremely grave, He did not actually laugh.
Although the demigods might have thought, "We are simply low-class
fools in comparison to these women," the Lord encouraged them to
choose one of the women, whomever they considered equal in character
to themselves. The beauty thus selected would become the ornament of
heaven.
TEXT 15
om ity deam dya
natv ta sura-vandina
urvam apsara-reh
purasktya diva yayu
om itichanting o to signify agreement; deamHis order; dya
taking; natvoffering obeisances; tamto Him; suraof the demigods;
vandinathose servants; urvamUrvai; apsara-rehmthe best of
the Apsars; pura-ktyaplacing in front (out of respect); divamto
heaven; yayuthey returned.
Vibrating the sacred syllable o, the servants of the demigods selected
Urva, the best of the Apsars. Placing her in front of them out of
respect, they returned to the heavenly planets.
TEXT 16
indrynamya sadasi
vat tri-divaukasm
cur nryaa-bala
akras tatrsa vismita
indryato Lord Indra; namyabowing down; sadasiin his assembly;
vatmwhile they were listening; tri-divathe three heavens;
okasmwhose residents; cuthey told; nryaa-balamabout the
strength of Lord Nryaa; akraIndra; tatraat that; sabecame;
vismitasurprised.

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The servants of the demigods reached the assembly of Indra, and thus,
while all the residents of the three heavens listened, they explained to
Indra the supreme power of Nryaa. When Indra heard of NaraNryaa i and became aware of his offense, he was both frightened
and astonished.
TEXT 17
hasa-svarpy avadad acyuta tma-yoga
datta kumra abho bhagavn pit na
viu ivya jagat kalayvatiras
tenht madhu-bhid rutayo haysye
hasa-svarpassuming His eternal form of the swan incarnation;
avadatHe spoke; acyutathe infallible Supreme Personality of
Godhead; tma-yogamself-realization; dattaDatttreya; kumra
the Kumra brothers, headed by Sanaka; abhaabhadeva;
bhagavnthe Lord; pitfather; naour; viuLord Viu;
ivyafor the welfare; jagatmof all the world; kalayby His
secondary personal expansions; avatradescending to this world;
tenaby Him; htwere brought back (from the depths of
Ptlaloka); madhu-bhidby the killer of the demon Madhu; rutaya
the original texts of the Vedas; haya-syein the horse-headed
incarnation.
The infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viu, has descended
into this world by His various partial incarnations such as Lord Hasa
[the swan], Datttreya, the four Kumras and our own father, the
mighty abhadeva. By such incarnations, the Lord teaches the science
of self-realization for the benefit of the whole universe. In His
appearance as Hayagrva He killed the demon Madhu and thus brought
the Vedas back from the hellish planet Ptlaloka.
It is stated in the Skanda Pura that the Lord of the universe, Hari
Himself, once appeared in the form of a young brahmacr named Kumra
and spoke transcendental knowledge to Sanat-kumra.
TEXT 18
gupto 'pyaye manur ilauadhaya ca mtsye

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kraue hato diti-ja uddharatmbhasa kmm

kaurme dhto 'drir amtonmathane sva-phe
grht prapannam ibha-rjam amucad rtam
guptawas protected; apyayeduring the annihilation; manu
Vaivasvata Manu; ilthe earth planet; oadhayathe herbs; caand;
mtsyein His incarnation as a fish; krauein His incarnation as a boar;
hatawas killed; diti-jathe demoniac son of Diti, Hirayka;
uddharatby Him who was delivering; ambhasafrom the waters;
kmmthe earth; kaurmeas a tortoise; dhtawas held; adrithe
mountain (Mandara); amta-unmathanewhen the nectar was being
churned (by the demons and demigods together); sva-pheupon His
own back; grhtfrom the crocodile; prapannamsurrendered; ibharjamthe king of the elephants; amucatHe freed; rtamdistressed.
In His appearance as a fish, the Lord protected Satyavrata Manu, the
earth and her valuable herbs. He protected them from the waters of
annihilation. As a boar, the Lord killed Hirayka, the son of Diti,
while delivering the earth from the universal waters. And as a tortoise,
He lifted Mandara Mountain on His back so that nectar could be
churned from the ocean. The Lord saved the surrendered king of the
elephants, Gajendra, who was suffering terrible distress from the grips
of a crocodile.
TEXT 19
sastunvato nipatitn raman ca
akra ca vtra-vadhatas tamasi praviam
deva-striyo 'sura-ghe pihit anth
jaghne 'surendram abhayya sat nsihe
sastunvatawho were offering prayers; nipatitnfallen (into the
water in a cow's hoofprint); ramanthe ascetics; nsages (the
Vlakhilyas); caand; akramIndra; caand; vtra-vadhatafrom
killing Vtrsura; tamasiin darkness; praviamabsorbed; devastriyathe wives of the demigods; asura-ghein the palace of the
demons; pihitimprisoned; anthhelpless; jaghneHe killed;
asura-indramthe king of the demons, Hirayakaipu; abhayyafor the
sake of giving fearlessness; satmto the saintly devotees; nsihein

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the incarnation of Nsiha.

The Lord also delivered the tiny ascetic sages called the Vlakhilyas
when they fell into the water in a cow's hoofprint and Indra was
laughing at them. The Lord then saved Indra when Indra was covered
by darkness due to the sinful reaction for killing Vtrsura. When the
wives of the demigods were trapped in the palace of the demons
without any shelter, the Lord saved them. In His incarnation as
Nsiha, the Lord killed Hirayakaipu, the king of demons, to free the
saintly devotees from fear.
TEXT 20
devsure yudhi ca daitya-patn surrthe
hatvntareu bhuvanny adadht kalbhi
bhtvtha vmana imm aharad bale km
yc-cchalena samadd adite sutebhya
deva-asureof the demigods and demons; yudhiin the battle; caand;
daitya-patnthe leaders of the demons; sura-arthefor the sake of the
demigods; hatvby killing; antareuduring the reign of each Manu;
bhuvanniall the worlds; adadhtprotected; kalbhiby His various
appearances;
bhtvbecoming;
athamoreover;
vmanathe
incarnation as a dwarf brhmaa boy; immthis; aharattook away;
balefrom Bali Mahrja; kmmearth; yc-chalenaon the excuse
of begging for charity; samadtgave; aditeof Aditi; sutebhyato the
sons (the demigods).
The Supreme Lord regularly takes advantage of the wars between the
demons and demigods to kill the leaders of the demons. The Lord thus
encourages the demigods by protecting the universe through His
various incarnations during the reigns of each Manu. The Lord also
appeared as Vmana and took the earth away from Bali Mahrja on the
plea of begging three steps of land. The Lord then returned the entire
world to the sons of Aditi.
TEXT 21
nikatriym akta g ca tri-sapta-ktvo
rmas tu haihaya-kulpyaya-bhrgavgni

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so 'bdhi babandha daa-vaktram ahan sa-laka

st-patir jayati loka-mala-ghna-kti
nikatriymdevoid of members of the warrior class; aktaHe made;
gmthe earth; caand; tri-sapta-ktvathree times seven (twentyone) times; rmaLord Paraurma; tuindeed; haihaya-kulaof the
dynasty of Haihaya; apyayathe destruction; bhrgavadescending from
Bhgu Muni; agnithe fire; saHe; abdhimthe ocean; babandha
brought under subjection; daa-vaktramthe ten-headed Rvaa; ahan
killed; sa-lakamalong with all the soldiers of his kingdom, Lak; stpatiLord Rmacandra, the husband of St; jayatiis always
victorious; lokaof the entire world; malathe contamination; ghna
which destroys; krtithe recounting of whose glories.
Lord Paraurma appeared in the family of Bhgu as a fire that burned
to ashes the dynasty of Haihaya. Thus Lord Paraurma rid the earth of
all katriyas twenty-one times. The same Lord appeared as Rmacandra,
the husband of Stdev, and thus He killed the ten-headed Rvaa,
along with all the soldiers of Lak. May that r Rma, whose glories
destroy the contamination of the world, be always victorious.
According to rla rdhara Svm, Lord Rmacandra was more or less a
contemporary incarnation for the nine Yogendras. Thus they have offered
particular respect to Lord Rmacandra, as indicated by the word jayati.
TEXT 22
bhmer bharvataraya yaduv ajanm
jta kariyati surair api dukari
vdair vimohayati yaja-kto 'tad-arhn
drn kalau kiti-bhujo nyahaniyad ante
bhmeof the earth; bharathe burden; avatarayato diminish;
yaduuin the Yadu dynasty; ajanmthe unborn Lord; jtataking
birth; kariyatiHe will perform; suraiby the demigods; apieven;
dukaridifficult
deeds;
vdaiby
speculative
arguments;
vimohayatiHe will bewilder; yaja-ktathe performers of Vedic
sacrifices; atat-arhnwho are unfit to be so engaged; drnthe lowclass men; kalauin the degraded age of Kali; kiti-bhujarulers;
nyahaniyatHe will kill; anteat the end.

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To diminish the burden of the earth, the unborn Lord will take birth in
the Yadu dynasty and perform feats impossible even for the demigods.
Propounding speculative philosophy, the Lord, as Buddha, will
bewilder the unworthy performers of Vedic sacrifices. And as Kalki the
Lord will kill all the low-class men posing as rulers at the end of the age
of Kali.
It is understood that in this verse the description of the Lord's appearance
in the Yadu dynasty refers to the appearance of both Ka and Balarma,
who together removed the demoniac rulers who were burdening the
earth. rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out that the description of the
incarnations to deal with drn, or low-class men, refers to both Buddha
and Kalki. Those who misuse Vedic sacrifice to engage in gross sense
gratification, such as the sinful killing of animals, are certainly in the
category of dra, as are the so-called political leaders of Kali-yuga who
perform many atrocities in the name of state management.
TEXT 23
eva-vidhni janmni
karmi ca jagat-pate
bhri bhri-yaaso
varitni mah-bhuja
evam-vidhnijust like these; janmniappearances; karmiactivities;
caand; jagat-pateof the Lord of the universe; bhriinnumerable;
bhri-yaasavery glorious; varitnidescribed; mah-bhujaO
mighty-armed King Nimi.
O mighty-armed King, there are innumerable appearances and activities
of the Supreme Lord of the universe similar to those I have already
mentioned. In fact, the glories of the Supreme Lord are unlimited.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Fourth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Drumila Explains the Incarnations of
Godhead to King Nimi."

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5. Nrada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva

In this chapter the destination of persons who are inimical to the worship
of Lord Hari, who are unable to control their own senses and who are not
peaceful is examined, along with the different names, forms and modes of
worship of the Personality of Godhead in each yuga.
From the face, arms, thighs and feet of the primeval person Lord Viu
are born (correspondingly and in order of the modes of goodness, passion
and ignorance) the four varas-brhmaa and so on-and also the four
different ramas. If the members of the four varas and four ramas do
not worship Lord r Hari, who is Himself directly the origin of their own
creation, they will simply fall down. Among these classes, women and
dras, who generally have no contact with the hearing and chanting of
hari-kath, are on account of their very ignorance special candidates for
the mercy of great souls. The members of the other three varas,
becoming fit for achieving the lotus feet of Hari by second birth through
Vedic initiation (rauta-janma), nevertheless become confused by
concocted interpretations of the Vedas. Presuming themselves to be great
scholars, although not understanding the essential meaning of karma,
they become flatterers of other deities in their greed for fruitive results
and ridicule the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They
are fixed in family life, attached to mundane gossip and indifferent to the
devotional service of Viu and the Vaiavas. They are maddened by
material opulences and pleasures, devoid of real discrimination and
intelligence and always function on the mental platform. But such
attachment to family life and so on is most natural for the mass of people,
even though it is against the best advice of stra. To become disentangled
from such life in all respects is the principal teaching of the Vedas. Real
wealth is that conducive to the faithful execution of the duty of the soul,
not that which exists simply for selfish sense gratification. As a
consequence of the desire to indulge the senses, men and women couple
together to produce children. Engaging in animal slaughter apart from
that necessary for performance of sacrifice, these human animals
themselves suffer violence in the next life. If because of excessive greed

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for one's own pleasure one commits violence against living beings. He is
also attacking Lord r Hari, who is present in the bodies of all living
entities as the Supersoul. Opposed to Lord Vsudeva, ignorant selfcheaters completely carry out their own ruination and enter into hell.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, r Hari, accepts in each of the
different yugas various colors, names and forms and is worshiped by
various prescribed processes. In Satya-yuga the Supreme Lord is white in
complexion, has four arms, dresses as a brahmacr, is known by such
names as Hasa and is served by the practice of meditational yoga. In
Tret-yuga He is red in color and four-armed, is the personification of
sacrifice, is characterized by the symbols of the sacrificial spoon, ladle,
etc., is called by such names as Yaja and is worshiped by Vedic sacrifices.
In Dvpara-yuga He is of dark blue complexion, wears a yellow garment,
is marked by rvatsa and other signs, has such names as Vsudeva and is
worshiped in His Deity form by the regulations of the Vedas and tantras.
In Kali-yuga He is golden in color, is accompanied by associates who are
His primary and secondary limbs and His weapons, is absorbed in kakrtana and is worshiped by the performance of sakrtana-yaja. Since in
Kali-yuga all the goals of human life can be achieved simply by the
glorification of the holy name of Lord r Hari, those who can appreciate
the real essence of things praise Kali-yuga. In Kali-yuga many people in
South India (Dravia-dea), in places where the Tmrapar, Ktaml,
Kver and Mahnad rivers flow, will be dedicated to the devotional
service of the Supreme Lord.
Persons who give up all false ego and take full shelter of Lord Hari are no
longer debtors to the demigods or anyone else. The Personality of
Godhead, r Hari, appears in the hearts of devotees who know no other
shelter than Him and causelessly drives away all evil desires from the
devotees' hearts. Videharja Nimi, having heard elaborate descriptions of
bhgavata-dharma from the mouths of the nava-yogendras, offered
worship to them with a satisfied mind. They then disappeared.
Devari Nrada thereupon instructed Vasudeva about the ultimate shelter
of devotional service. He told Vasudeva that although Lord Ka had
become his son, having appeared in this world to free the earth of its
burden, he still should not think of Lord Ka as his child, but rather as
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even by meditating upon Ka in a
spirit of enmity, such kings as iupla attained an equal status to Him. So
to attempt to say anything more about the perfect achievement of great

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souls such as Vasudeva, who enjoy intimate loving relations with Ka,
would be a useless endeavor.
TEXT 1
r-rjovca
bhagavanta hari pryo
na bhajanty tma-vittam
tem anta-kmn
ka nihvijittmanm
r-rj uvcaKing Nimi inquired; bhagavantamthe Supreme
Personality of Godhead; harimHari; pryafor the most part; na
never; bhajantiwho worship; tma-vittamall of you are most perfect
in knowledge of the science of the self; temof them; anta
unquenched; kmnmmaterial desires; kwhat; nihdestination;
avijitawho are not able to control; tmanmthemselves.
King Nimi further inquired: My dear Yogendras, all of you are most
perfect in knowledge of the science of the self. Therefore, kindly
explain to me the destination of those who for the most part never
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, who are unable to
quench their material desires and who are not in control of their own
selves.
In the Fifth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto, Camasa i describes the
inauspicious path of those who are unfavorable to the devotional service
of Lord Viu, and the sage Karabhjana explains the yuga-dharmvatras,
the incarnations of the Lord who present the authorized process of
religion for each different age.
In the previous chapter it was explained that although the demigods place
obstacles in the path of the Lord's devotees, by the mercy of the Supreme
Lord the devotees are able to place their feet on the head of such obstacles
and thus pass beyond them to the supreme destination. However, for the
nondevotees there is no such facility. As soon as the conditioned soul
becomes indifferent to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, he is
immediately attracted by the temporary varieties of matter and becomes a
slave of inauspicious desires. Thus the conditioned soul, devoid of
devotion for the Lord, completely forgets the transcendental bliss of the
spiritual world, which is enjoyed in five transcendental rasas. Although

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the devotees are not overcome by the sense gratification offered by the
demigods, the demigods themselves become absorbed in material form,
taste and smell. And similarly, those who are nondevotees also become
bound by material form, taste and other sense perceptions, such as the
sensuous experience of sex life. Thus they remain hovering in a dreamlike
state, imagining different types of material sense gratification, and forget
their eternal relationship with the Personality of Godhead. Videharja
Nimi now inquires from Camasa Muni about the goal attained by such
bewildered persons.
TEXT 2
r-camasa uvca
mukha-bhru-pdebhya
puruasyramai saha
catvro jajire var
guair viprdaya pthak
r-camasa uvcar Camasa said; mukhaface; bhuarms; ruthighs; pdebhyafrom the feet; puruasyaof the Supreme Lord;
ramaithe four spiritual orders; sahawith; catvrafour; jajire
were born; varthe social orders; guaiby the modes of nature;
vipra-dayaheaded by the brhmaas; pthakvarious.
r Camasa said: Each of the four social orders, headed by the
brhmaas, was born through different combinations of the modes of
nature, from the face, arms, thighs and feet of the Supreme Lord in His
universal form. Thus the four spiritual orders were also generated.
Those who are not spontaneously attracted to the devotional service of
the Lord can be gradually purified by observing the varrama system of
four social orders and four spiritual orders. According to rdhara Svm,
the brhmaas are born of the mode of goodness, the katriyas of a
combination of goodness and passion, the vaiyas of a combination of
passion and ignorance and the dras of the mode of ignorance. Just as
the four social orders are born from the face, arms, thighs and feet of the
Lord's universal form, similarly the brahmacrs are generated from the
heart of the Lord, the householder order from His loins, the vnaprasthas
from His chest and the sannysa order from His head.
A similar verse is found in the k-sahit (8.4.19), as well as the ukla-

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yajur Veda (34.11) and the Atharva Veda (19.66):

brhmao 'sya mukham sd
bh rjanya kta
r tad asya yad vaiya
padbhy dro 'jyata
"The brhmaa appeared as His face, the king as His arms, the vaiya as
His thighs, and the dra was born from His feet."
It is understood that pure devotional service to the Lord has already been
described by two of the Yogendras, Drumila and virhotra. Camasa Muni
now describes the system of varrama-dharma, because this system is
meant to gradually purify those who are inimical to the Supreme Lord,
bringing them back to their constitutional position of love of Godhead.
Similarly, the vir-rpa, or universal form of the Lord, is an imaginary
form meant to help the gross materialists gradually understand the
position of the Personality of Godhead. Since the foolish materialist
cannot understand anything beyond matter, he is encouraged to see the
entire universe as a personal form of the Supreme Lord's body. The
impersonal conception of formlessness is a mere negation of temporary
material variety without any concept of the Lord's spiritual potency. The
impersonal view is another kind of material speculative conception. The
Supreme Lord is full of spiritual potencies under the principal headings
hldin, or unlimited bliss, sandhin, or eternal existence, and savit, or
omniscience. It is understood from this verse that the varrama-dharma
system generated from the universal form of the Lord is a program offered
by the Lord to engage the conditioned souls in a complete social and
religious system that gradually brings them back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 3
ya e purua skd
tma-prabhavam varam
na bhajanty avajnanti
sthnd bhra patanty adha
yaone who; emof them; puruathe Supreme Lord; skt
directly; tma-prabhavamthe source of their own creation; varamthe
supreme controller; nado not; bhajantiworship; avajnanti
disrespect; sthntfrom their position; bhrafallen; patantithey

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fall; adhadown.
If any of the members of the four varas and four ramas fail to
worship or intentionally disrespect the Personality of Godhead, who is
the source of their own creation, they will fall down from their position
into a hellish state of life.
The words na bhajanti in this verse refer to those who out of ignorance do
not worship the Supreme Lord, whereas the word avajnanti refers to
those who have actually been informed of the supreme position of the
Lord but still show Him disrespect. It has already been described that the
four spiritual and occupational orders of life are generated from the body
of the Lord. In fact, the Supreme Lord is the source of everything, as
described in Bhagavad-gt (10.8): aha sarvasya prabhava. Those who
foolishly do not inquire into the position of the Personality of Godhead,
as well as those who disrespect the Lord in spite of having heard of His
transcendental position, will certainly fall down from the varramadharma system, as described by the words sthnd bhra. The words
patanty adha indicate that one who falls from the varrama system will
have no means of avoiding sinful activities; nor will such a person receive
any credit for performing sacrifice, and thus he will gradually sink down
into lower and lower species of life in hellish conditions. rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura has pointed out that the original cause of offending
the Lord and falling down from one's position is one's not learning how to
properly worship a bona fide spiritual master. One who is trained to offer
respectful obeisances and worship to the bona fide spiritual master
automatically offers proper worship to the Supreme Lord. Without the
mercy of a bona fide spiritual master, even a so-called religious man will
gradually become atheistic, offend the Lord by foolish speculation and fall
into a hellish condition of life. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
has pointed out that the purua mentioned in this verse is Lord
Garbhodakay Viu, who is glorified in the Purua-skta prayers. If one
is proud of his high social position and enviously thinks that the Lord is
also a creation of nature and that there is no absolute entity who is the
origin of all beings, then such a puffed-up fool will certainly fall down
from the varrama system and become just like an unregulated animal.
TEXT 4
dre hari-kath kecid

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dre ccyuta-krtan
striya drdaya caiva
te 'nukampy bhavdm
drefar away; han-kathfrom discussion of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Hari; kecitmany persons; drefar away; caand;
acyutainfallible; krtanglories; striyawomen; dra-daya
dras and other fallen classes; caand; evaindeed; tethey;
anukampydeserve the mercy; bhavdmof personalities like
yourself.
There are many persons who have little opportunity to take part in
discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and thus
it is difficult for them to chant His infallible glories. Persons such as
women, dras and other fallen classes always deserve the mercy of
great personalities like yourself.
In the previous verse it was explained that some persons are ignorant of
the glories of the Personality of Godhead (na bhajanti), whereas others,
although aware of the Lord, ridicule Him or state that the Lord is also
material (avajnanti). In this verse the first class, namely the ignorant, are
described as fit candidates for the mercy of a pure devotee. The word dre
indicates those who have little opportunity to hear and chant the glories
of the Lord. According to Vivantha Cakravart hkura they can be
explained as ye sdhu-saga-bhgya-hn, those who are bereft of the
association of saintly persons and pure devotees. Generally, those who are
advanced in the spiritual science of Ka consciousness avoid contact
with women and low-class men. In general, women are lusty, and dras
and other low-class men are habitually addicted to materialistic habits
such as smoking, drinking and woman hunting. Therefore, Caitanya
Mahprabhu warned the sdhus, or saintly persons, to avoid intimate
connection with women and low-class men. The practical result of such a
restriction is that women and lower-class men are often bereft of the
opportunity to hear the glories of the Lord chanted by saintly persons;
thus r Camasa Muni instructs the King that he should especially give his
mercy to such fallen persons.
Our spiritual master, His Divine Grace rla Prabhupda, was severely
criticized in India for giving all classes of men and women the
opportunity to take part in the Ka consciousness movement. Indeed,

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the caste brhmaas of India and other persons concerned only with
ritualistic formalities were shocked that rla Prabhupda allowed women
and persons born in low-class families to take part freely in the Vaiava
culture and even become initiated as bona fide brhmaas. However, rla
Prabhupda could understand that in this age practically everyone is
fallen. He saw that if spiritual life were to be limited to the so-called
higher classes, there would be no possibility of spreading a genuine
spiritual movement all around the world. The mercy of Caitanya
Mahprabhu is so great and the holy name of Ka so potent that any
man, woman, child or even animal can become purified by chanting
Ka's name and taking prasdam, the sanctified remnants of Ka's
food. In Caitanya Mahprabhu's movement, no sincere person is restricted
from achieving the highest perfection of self-realization. Whereas the
impersonalists and yogs tend to be selfishly concerned with their
individual realization and achievement of mystic power, it has always
been the custom of the Vaiavas to be merciful to all classes of living
entities.
It is understood that the conversation between the nava-yogendras and
King Nimi took place approximately at the time of Lord Rmacandra,
many hundreds of thousands of years ago. But in the Bhagavad-gt,
which was spoken only five thousand years ago, Lord Ka Himself also
states that any person, despite his material situation of life, can become
the most dear devotee of the Lord by full surrender to the lotus feet of
Ka. Therefore, the fallen people of Kali-yuga should take advantage of
the special mercy of the Vaiavas and join the Ka consciousness
movement to perfect their lives and go back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 5
vipro rjanya-vaiyau v
hare prpt padntikam
rautena janmanthpi
muhyanty mnya-vdina
viprathe brhmaas; rjanya-vaiyauof the royal order and the
vaiyas; vor; hareof the Supreme Lord, Hari; prptafter being
allowed to approach; pada-antikamnear the lotus feet; rautena
janmanby having received the second birth of Vedic initiation; atha
then; apieven; muhyantibewildered; mnya-vdinaadopting
various materialistic philosophies.

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On the other hand, brhmaas, members of the royal order and vaiyas,
even after being allowed to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord, Hari, by receiving the second birth of Vedic initiation, can
become bewildered and adopt various materialistic philosophies.
It is said that a little knowledge can be very dangerous. Those who are
falsely proud of material social status and who thus neglect to perfect
their worship of the Personality of Godhead are condemned in this verse.
Muhyanty mnya-vdina: becoming attracted by the sense gratification
of high status within the varrama social system, such persons become
more attracted to illusory material philosophy than to the Absolute Truth,
which is not material. Within the Vedic system, brhmaas, katriyas and
vaiyas, as mentioned in this verse, are all offered initiation into the
Gyatr mantra and are considered twice-born, or highly civilized men. By
studying Vedic literature, chanting Vedic mantras, executing ritualistic
ceremonies and worshiping the spiritual master and the Personality of
Godhead such persons gradually come near to the lotus feet of the
Supreme Lord. If one in such an exalted position becomes proud of his
status or fascinated by the heavenly material enjoyment that is
undoubtedly available to the followers of the varrama system, then one
so bewildered returns to the illusory material platform of birth and death.
Even the highly posted demigods become victims of my's enticement, as
described in the first verse of rmad-Bhgavatam: muhyanti yat sraya.
In order to justify their illusory desire to enjoy dead matter, such foolish
persons condemn themselves by minimizing the necessity of worshiping
the Personality of Godhead (avajnanti) and falsely try to give equal
importance to the karma-ka section of the Vedas, which awards
heavenly sense gratification in exchange for the performance of prescribed
ritualistic ceremonies. Such bogus rationalizers are described in Bhagavadgt (2.42):
ym im pupit vca
pravadanty avipacita
veda-vda-rat prtha
nnyad astti vdina
"Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of
the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to the
heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power and so on. Being desirous of

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sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing more
than this."
rla Prabhupda's purport to this verse of Bhagavad-gt gives a clear
picture of the offensive class of men described therein. "People in general
are not very intelligent, and due to their ignorance they are most attached
to the fruitive activities recommended in the karma-ka portions of the
Vedas. They do not want anything more than sense gratificatory proposals
for enjoying life in heaven, where wine and women are available and
material opulence is very common. In the Vedas many sacrifices are
recommended for elevation to the heavenly planets, especially the
jyotioma sacrifices. In fact, it is stated that anyone desiring elevation to
heavenly planets must perform these sacrifices, and men with a poor fund
of knowledge think that this is the whole purpose of Vedic wisdom. It is
very difficult for such inexperienced persons to be situated in the
determined action of Ka consciousness. As fools are attached to the
flowers of poisonous trees without knowing the results of such
attractions, similarly, unenlightened men are attracted by such heavenly
opulence and the sense enjoyment thereof.
"In the karma-ka sections of the Vedas it is said that those who
perform the four monthly penances become eligible to drink the somarasa beverage to become immortal and happy forever. Even on this earth
some are very eager to have soma-rasa to become strong and fit to enjoy
sense gratification. Such persons have no faith in liberation from material
bondage, and they are very much attached to the pompous ceremonies of
Vedic sacrifices. They are generally sensual, and they do not want
anything other than the heavenly pleasures of life. It is understood that
there are gardens called Nandana-knana, in which there is good
opportunity for association with angelic, beautiful women and having a
profuse supply of soma-rasa wine. Such bodily happiness is certainly
sensual; therefore there are those who are purely attached to material,
temporary happiness, as lords of the material world."
The significant point in this verse is that such bewildered materialists who
have become attracted to the materialistic portions of the Vedas
(muhyanty mnya-vdina) desire to ignore the supreme proprietorship
of the Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme enjoyer (bhoktra
yaja-tapasm [Bg. 5.29]). And at the same time they wish to preserve
their exalted status as followers of the Vedic principles. Such duplicitous
persons take shelter of materialistic philosophers, such as Jaimini, who

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deny the existence of God as a tangible principle (varsiddhe) and

therefore recommend material fruitive activities as the highest knowable
truth. Such so-called Vedic philosophers amount to little more than
polished atheists and are therefore understood to be anvara-vdina, or
those who preach against the supremacy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Although foolish materialistic followers of the varrama
system desire to maintain their exalted status as ryans, or twice-born
men, and at the same time neglect the Personality of Godhead, it is clearly
stated in the Bhgavatam (11.5.3), sthnd bhra patanty adha: such
persons inevitably fall from their position into a degraded condition of
life. As confirmed in this verse by the word muhyanti, they fall into the
darkness of ignorance. Sometimes such pompous persons even present
themselves as gurus. However, Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has
pointed out that they are actually laghu, or flimsy, rather than guru, or
heavy with Vedic knowledge. It is one's ultimate duty to oneself (svrthagati) and to the Personality of Godhead to give up all materialistic
activities characterized by karma and jna and surrender fully at the
lotus feet of the Lord. Only the most unfortunate person will consider
that there is a higher pleasure than ecstatic surrender at the lotus feet of
Gokulnanda, the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 6
karmay akovid stabdh
mrkh paita-mnina
vadanti cukn mh
yay mdhvy girotsuk
karmaiabout the facts of fruitive work; akovidignorant;
stabdhpuffed up by false pride; mrkhfools; paita-mnina
thinking themselves great scholars; vadantithey speak; cukn
flattering entreaties; mhbewildered; yayby which; mdhvy
sweet; girwords; utsukvery eager.
Ignorant of the art of work, such arrogantly proud fools, enchanted and
enlivened by the sweet words of the Vedas, pose as learned authorities
and offer flattering entreaties to the demigods.
The words karmay akovid refer to those who are ignorant of the art of
performing work in such a way that there will be no future bondage. This

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art is described in Bhagavad-gt: yajrtht karmao 'nyatra loko 'ya

karma-bandhana [Bg. 3.9]). Work must be performed for the satisfaction
of Viu, otherwise work is the cause of future bondage in the cycle of
repeated birth and death. The word stabdh, "puffed up by false pride,"
indicates that although ignorant persons do not know the art of working
properly, they do not inquire from learned devotees, nor do they accept
the advice of the Lord's own men. Being infatuated by the fruitive results
offered in the Vedas, such mrkhas, or fools, think, "We are learned Vedic
scholars; we have understood everything perfectly." Thus they are
attracted to such Vedic statements as apma somam amt abhma ("We
have drunk the soma juice and now we are immortal"), akayya ha vai
cturmsya-yjina sukta bhavati ("For one who executes the
cturmsya sacrifice there is inexhaustible pious reaction"), and yatra
noa na ta syn na glnir npy artaya ("Let us go to that material
planet where there is no heat, no cold, no diminution and no enemies").
Such foolish persons are unaware that even Lord Brahm, the creator of
the universe, will die at the end of universal time, what to speak of
materialistic followers of the Vedas who jump like frogs to the different
celestial planets, seeking the highest standard of sense gratification. Such
bewildered Vedic scholars dream of frolicking with the Apsars, the
gorgeous society girls of the heavenly planets who are expert in singing,
dancing and in general stimulating uncontrollable lusty desires. Thus,
those who are carried away by the heavenly phantasmagoria offered in the
karma-ka section of the Vedas gradually develop an atheistic mentality.
Actually, the entire universe is meant to be offered to Lord Viu as
sacrifice. The conditioned soul can thereby gradually elevate himself to
the eternal kingdom beyond the hallucination of material sense
gratification. However, being puffed up by false pride, the materialistic
followers of the Vedas remain perpetually ignorant of the supremacy and
beauty of Lord Viu.
TEXT 7
rajas ghora-sakalp
kmuk ahi-manyava
dmbhik mnina pp
vihasanty acyuta-priyn
rajasby the prominence of the mode of passion; ghora-sakalp
having horrible desires; kmuklusty; ahi-manyavatheir anger like

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that of a snake; dmbhikdeceitful; mninaoverly proud; pp

sinful; vihasantithey make fun; acyuta-priynof those who are dear to
the infallible Supreme Lord.
Due to the influence of the mode of passion, the materialistic followers
of the Vedas become subject to violent desires and are excessively lusty.
Their anger is like that of a snake. Deceitful, overly proud, and sinful in
their behavior, they mock the devotees who are dear to Lord Acyuta.
Ghora-sakalp refers to ghastly desires, such as thinking, "He is my
enemy, let him die." Due to the mode of passion, waves of lust overcome
the conditioned soul, who then becomes furious like a snake. Such a
person, filled with pride and arrogance, cannot appreciate the humble
efforts of the Lord's devotees to distribute Ka consciousness. He
thinks, "These beggars worship Lord Viu to fill their bellies, but they
will never be happy." Such a materialistic rascal cannot appreciate the
transcendental status of the devotees of the Lord, who are personally
protected and encouraged by the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 8
vadanti te 'nyonyam upsita-striyo
gheu maithunya-pareu cia
yajanty asnna-vidhna-dakia
vttyai para ghnanti pan atad-vida
vadantispeak; tethey; anyonyamamong each other; upsitastriyawho are engaged in worshiping women; gheuin their homes;
maithunya-pareuwhich are dedicated to sex only; caand; ia
blessings; yajantithey worship; asawithout discharging; annavidhnadistribution of food; dakiamgifts in payment to the priests;
vttyaifor their own livelihood; paramonly; ghnantithey murder;
pananimals; atat-vidain ignorance of the consequences of such
behavior.
The materialistic followers of Vedic rituals, giving up the worship of the
Lord, instead practically worship their wives, and thus their homes
become dedicated to sex life. Such materialistic householders encourage
one another in such whimsical behavior. Understanding ritualistic
sacrifice as a necessary item for bodily maintenance, they perform

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unauthorized ceremonies in which there is no distribution of foodstuffs

or charity to the brhmaas and other respectable persons. Instead,
they cruelly slaughter animals such as goats without any understanding
of the dark consequences of their activities.
False pride is certainly not complete without sex indulgence. Thus, lusty
materialistic householders are not attracted to worshiping saintly persons,
but rather worship their wives as a source of constant sex pleasure. The
mentality of such condemned persons is described by the Lord Himself in
Bhagavad-gt (16.13):
idam adya may labdham
ima prpsye manoratham
idam astdam api me
bhaviyati punar dhanam
"So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my
schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more
and more."
Generally, materialistic householders consider themselves to be very
religious. In fact, by earning money to support a band of relatives they
consider themselves to be more pious than the "irresponsible" sdhus,
who do not struggle to maintain family members. Worshiping the
material body, they are contemptuous of the humble brhmaas, who are
generally not very advanced in economic development. They consider
such so-called beggars to be unworthy objects of charity and instead
perform sacrifices only for the enhancement of the false prestige of their
own family members. Madhvcrya has stated in this regard, upekya vai
hari te tu bhtv yjy patanty adha. In spite of proudly considering
themselves to be great performers of religious ceremonies, those who
neglect the Lord and His devotees certainly fall down. Such foolish
persons sometimes bless each other by saying, "May you be blessed with
the wealth of gorgeous flower garlands, sandalwood pulp and beautiful
women."
Men who are controlled by the nature of women become exactly like
women. Materialistic women are uninterested in the devotional service of
the Supreme Lord and strive for their own selfish happiness. Therefore
they eagerly take service from their husbands and become most

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discouraged if the husband prefers to serve the Personality of Godhead.

Being lost in such a fool's paradise, both husband and wife mutually
encourage each other in temporary happiness. They do not like to speak
or hear about the pastimes of the Lord, but prefer to discuss their own
families. Still, the devotees of the Lord, being mature in the mode of
goodness, are always ready to act mercifully toward such conditioned
souls, who are just like vain animals. When the devotees of the Lord
preach that human beings should not slaughter animals, materialistic
householders are very often astonished and inquire if it is actually
possible to subsist on a vegetarian diet. Thus being completely ignorant of
the material mode of goodness, what to speak of spiritual knowledge,
such condemned materialists have no hope beyond the mercy of the
devotees of the Lord.
TEXT 9
riy vibhtybhijanena vidyay
tygena rpea balena karma
jta-smayenndha-dhiya sahevarn
sato 'vamanyanti hari-priyn khal
riyby their opulence (wealth, etc.); vibhtyspecial abilities;
abhijanenaaristocratic
heritage;
vidyayeducation;
tygena
renunciation; rpeabeauty; balenastrength; karmaperformance
of Vedic rituals; jtawhich is born; smayenaby such pride; andhablinded; dhiyawhose intelligence; saha-varnalong with the
Supreme Lord Himself; satathe saintly devotees; avamanyantithey
disrespect; hari-priynwho are very dear to Lord Hari; khalcruel
persons.
The intelligence of cruel-minded persons is blinded by false pride based
on great wealth, opulence, prestigious family connections, education,
renunciation, personal beauty, physical strength and successful
performance of Vedic rituals. Being intoxicated with this false pride,
such cruel persons blaspheme the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
His devotees.
The attractive qualities exhibited by the conditioned soul originally
belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the reservoir of all
attractive qualities. The moonshine is actually the reflected effulgence of

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the sun. Similarly, the living entity reflects for a brief time a particular
quantity of the Lord's opulences. Not knowing this, atheistic persons
become intoxicated by such reflected opulences, and thus blinded, they
condemn themselves more and more by criticizing the Lord and His
devotees. They are unable to understand how they have become
abominable, and it is difficult to prevent them from going to hell.
TEXT 10
sarveu avat tanu-bhtsv avasthita
yath kham tmnam abham varam
vedopagta ca na vate 'budh
mano-rathn pravadanti vrtay
sarveuin all; avateternally; tanu-bhtsuembodied living beings;
avasthitamsituated; yathjust as; khamthe sky; tmnamthe
Supreme Soul; abhammost worshipable; varamultimate
controller; veda-upagtamglorified by the Vedas; caalso; na vate
they do not hear; abudhunintelligent persons; mana-rathnmof
whimsical pleasures; pravadantithey go on discussing; vrtaythe
topics.
The Personality of Godhead is eternally situated within the heart of
every embodied being; still the Lord remains situated apart, just as the
sky, which is all-pervading, does not mix with any material object. Thus
the Lord is the supreme worshipable object and the absolute controller
of everything. He is elaborately glorified in the Vedic literature, but
those who are bereft of intelligence do not like to hear about Him. They
prefer to waste their time discussing their own mental concoctions,
which inevitably deal with gross material sense gratification such as sex
life and meat-eating.
In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka says, vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya [Bg.
15.15]. The goal of all Vedic knowledge is to know the Lord, who is the
Absolute Truth. Although this purpose of the Vedas is clearly revealed
both in the Vedic literature itself and by the self-realized cryas, foolish
people cannot grasp this simple truth. They prefer to cultivate knowledge
of illicit sex by discussing their sexual partners and experiences. They also
eagerly describe and recommend to their friends the best restaurants for
eating meat, and they are fond of glorifying drugs and liquor by

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elaborately describing the drunken and hallucinogenic effects of their

sinful experiences. The materialistic sense gratifiers eagerly call one
another on the telephone, congregate in clubs and committees, and
enthusiastically go on hunting, drinking and gambling excursions, thus
filling their lives with the mode of ignorance. They have neither the time
nor the inclination to discuss the Absolute Truth, Ka. Unfortunately,
they neglect the Supreme Lord, who therefore severely punishes such
foolish persons in order to bring them back to their senses. Everything
belongs to the Lord, and everything is meant for the Lord's enjoyment.
When the living entity dovetails his activities for the pleasure of the Lord,
he experiences unlimited happiness. Yena sattva uddhyed yasmd
brahma-saukhya tv anantam [SB 5.5.1]. There is actually no happiness in
material affairs, and the Lord mercifully punishes the intoxicated
conditioned soul to bring him back to his real life.
Unfortunately, materialistic persons do not heed the advice of the
Supreme Lord in Bhagavad-gt or that of the Lord's representatives, who
speak in allied literatures such as rmad-Bhgavatam. Instead, such sense
gratifiers consider themselves to be most eloquent and learned. Every
materialistic person actually feels that he is the most intelligent person,
and thus he has no time to hear the actual truth. Nevertheless, the
Personality of Godhead, as described in this verse, waits patiently within
the heart of the conditioned soul, encouraging him to recognize the Lord,
who is sitting beside him. Such recognition of the Personality of Godhead
is the beginning of all auspiciousness and happiness for the conditioned
soul.
TEXT 11
loke vyavymia-madya-sev
nity hi jantor na hi tatra codan
vyavasthitis teu vivha-yaja
sur-grahair su nivttir i
lokein the material world; vyavyasex indulgence; miaof meat;
madyaand liquor; sevthe taking; nityalways found; hiindeed;
jantoin the conditioned living being; nanot; hiindeed; tatrain
regard to them; codanany command of scripture; vyavasthitithe
prescribed arrangement; teuin these; vivhaby sacred marriage;
yajathe offering of sacrifice; sur-grahaiand the acceptance of ritual
cups of wine; su-of these; nivtticessation; iis the desired end.

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In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex,

meat-eating and intoxication. Therefore religious scriptures never
actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural injunctions
provide for sex through sacred marriage, for meat-eating through
sacrificial offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual
cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of
renunciation.
Those who are not situated in pure Ka consciousness are always
inclined toward material sense gratification in the form of illicit sex, meateating and intoxication. They simply desire a party life of eat, drink and
be merry. Such materialistic persons are unwilling to give up such
temporary gratification because they are firmly bound up in the bodily
concept of life. For such persons there are numerous Vedic injunctions
for rituals that bestow material sense pleasure in a regulated manner. The
conditioned soul thereby becomes accustomed to indirectly worshiping
the Supreme Lord by accepting the austerity of regulated sense
gratification in obedience to the Vedic way of life. Through purification
the living entity gradually develops a higher taste and becomes directly
attracted to the spiritual nature of the Lord.
Sometimes the fallen practitioners of the karma-ka section of the Vedas
assert that the material fruitive results of Vedic ceremonies should never
be given up, because they are prescribed by religious scriptures. For
example, there is a Vedic injunction that in the proper season a husband
must approach his wife at night at least five days after her menstrual
period, if the wife has properly bathed and cleansed herself. Thus, a
responsible householder should engage in religious sex life.
The injunction that one must approach his wife for sex life is explained by
the Vaiava cryas as follows. Within the material world almost every
man is very lusty and desires passionate sex life with every attractive
woman he meets, or with any woman at all. Actually, for an ordinary
materialistic man it is an accomplishment if he can restrict himself to
relationships with his lawfully wedded wife. But because familiarity
breeds contempt, the natural tendency is for the husband to gradually
become envious or resentful of the wife and desire illicit connections with
other women. Such a mentality is most sinful and abominable, and the
Vedic scripture therefore orders that one must approach his actual wife,
with a desire to beget children, and thus curtail the tendency toward illicit

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sexual connection with other women. Were there no such Vedic

injunction ordering one to approach his wife, many men would naturally
be inclined to neglect their wives and pollute other women by illicit
connection.
However, such an injunction for conditioned souls does not apply to great
souls who are fixed on the spiritual platform and are transcendental to
material sex desire. As stated in this verse, nivttir i: the actual purpose
of the Vedic scriptures is to bring one back home, back to Godhead, back
to the spiritual world. It is clearly stated by Lord Ka in Bhagavad-gt,
ya ya vpi smaran bhva tyajaty ante kalevaram: [Bg. 8.6] whatever
we think of at the time of death will determine our next body.
anta-kale ca mm eva
smaran muktv kalevaram
ya prayti sa mad-bhva
yti nsty atra saaya
(Bg. 8.5)
If one remembers Ka, he is immediately transferred to the eternal
planet of Ka. Therefore, since all the Vedic scriptures are meant for
knowing Ka (vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya [Bg. 15.15]), the
ultimate goal of the Vedas cannot be any type of absorption in the material
senses, either licit or illicit. The Vedic regulations governing married sex
life are actually meant to prevent sinful illicit sex. However, one should
not foolishly conclude that a lusty attraction to his wife's naked body is
the perfection of self-realization and Vedic elevation. The actual
perfection of spiritual life is to become free from all material desires,
nivtti, and to fix the mind on Ka.
Similarly there are other injunctions, governing the regulated
consumption of liquor and meat. Those who are mad after meat-eating are
instructed to perform Vedic ceremonies by which they are permitted to
consume five types of five-clawed animals, namely the rhinoceros, turtle,
rabbit, porcupine and lizard. Similarly, the consumption of specific
liquors is allowed during highly restricted sacrifices performed on specific
days of the year at great expense. In this way, other types of drunkenness
and cruel animal slaughter are prohibited. One is gradually purified by
performing such sacrifices, and he develops a distaste for such foolish
activities as meat-eating and the drinking of liquor. The Vedic rules and

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regulations that gradually restrict sense gratification are called vidhi. The
word niyama refers to injunctions governing activities that human beings
ordinarily would not be inclined to perform. For example, it is said, ahar
aha sandhym upsta: "One should chant Gyatr mantra at the three
junctions of the day, every day." It is also stated, mgha-snna
prakurvta: "One must take bath daily, even during the coldest months of
winter." Such injunctions prescribe activities that ordinarily would be
neglected.
Although it has been mentioned above that there are injunctions against
neglecting one's lawful wife, there is no injunction against totally
neglecting meat-eating. In other words, killing of animals is considered
most abominable, and although some concession is made for the more
violent class of men, one should actually completely give up this cruel
activity because even a slight discrepancy in animal sacrifices will cause
havoc in one s life.
It should be understood that those who have become spiritually advanced
by chanting the Hare Ka mantra under the guidelines of r Caitanya
Mahprabhu are expected to completely give up material sense
gratification. If a devotee of Ka duplicitously tries to take advantage of
the scriptural allowances for meat-eating, intoxication or sex enjoyment,
then he commits the tenth offense against chanting. Especially if one has
accepted the renounced order of life called tridai-sannysa, it is most
abominable and reprehensible to become attracted to the Vedic
injunctions prescribing regulated sex life for householders. According to
rla Jva Gosvm there is no such allowance for one in the renounced
order of life. The Vaiava sannyss should not foolishly become
bewildered by statements in the Vedic literature such as the following
verse from Manu-sahit:
na msa-bhakae doo
na madye na ca maithune
pravttir e bhtn
nivttis tu mah-phal
"It may be considered that meat-eating, intoxication and sex indulgence
are natural propensities of the conditioned souls, and therefore such
persons should not be condemned for these activities. But unless one
gives up such sinful activities, there is no possibility of achieving the
actual perfection of life."

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In the Kriy-vidhna it is explained that sex is permitted only during the

vmadeva sacrifice, or the garbhdhna-saskra for begetting of religious
children. It is also stated that sometimes certain types of meat are used in
worshiping Lord Hari through sacrifices to the forefathers and demigods.
Similarly, there is a form of intoxication available through drinking the
soma beverage. But if a so-called brhmaa becomes attracted to such
offerings, he immediately becomes polluted. Actually, the brhmaas who
performed such offerings would not personally accept any type of liquor
or meat. These things would be consumed by the katriyas, who were not
considered at fault in accepting such remnants of sacrifice.
However, in the movement of Caitanya Mahprabhu it can be observed
that those who desire to become advanced devotees of Ka immediately
give up all such fruitive sacrifices. There is no scope in pure devotional
service for any type of fruitive sacrifices. Caitanya Mahprabhu demanded
that all of His sincere followers engage twenty-four hours a day in
ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23], hearing and chanting the glories of
the Personality of Godhead. Those who claim to be followers of Caitanya
Mahprabhu and who are seriously planning on going back home, back to
Godhead, in the near future should not become mindlessly attracted by
Vedic fruitive rituals that are meant to attract those who are hopelessly
bound up in the material, bodily concept of life. The followers of Caitanya
Mahprabhu always remain aloof from such tainted rituals.
TEXT 12
dhana ca dharmaika-phala yato vai
jna sa-vijnam anupranti
gheu yujanti kalevarasya
mtyu na payanti duranta-vryam
dhanamwealth; caalso; dharma-eka-phalamwhose only proper fruit
is religiosity; yatafrom which (religious life); vaiindeed; jnam
knowledge; sa-vijnamalong with direct realization; anuprantiand
subsequent liberation from suffering; gheuin their homes; yujanti
they utilize; kalevarasyaof their material body; mtyumthe death; na
payantithey cannot see; durantainsurmountable; vryamthe power
of which.
The only proper fruit of acquired wealth is religiosity, on the basis of
which one can acquire a philosophical understanding of life that

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eventually matures into direct perception of the Absolute Truth and

thus liberation from all suffering. Materialistic persons, however, utilize
their wealth simply for the advancement of their family situation. They
fail to see that insurmountable death will soon destroy the frail material
body.
Those things that come under the control of the proprietor are called
dhanam, or wealth. When a foolish person becomes addicted to spending
all of his hard-earned money to increase the prestige of his material body
and family, he is no longer able to see how death is steadily approaching
his own body as well as the temporary bodies of his family and friends.
Mtyu sarva-hara cham: [Bg. 10.34] the Supreme Lord appears as allpowerful death, which destroys all material situations. Actually, even in
family life one should use one's wealth for spiritual advancement of
oneself and one's family. In the Ka consciousness movement there are
many religious householders who live a simple, peaceful life and use their
wealth for arranging Ka conscious activities at home and for helping
the renounced brahmacrs and sannyss who are actively preaching
Ka consciousness in public places. Such householders, even those who
are not able to dedicate one hundred percent of their energy to Ka
consciousness, gradually acquire a very solid understanding of the
spiritual principles of life and eventually become transcendentalists firmly
fixed at the lotus feet of Ka. Thus they free themselves from all of the
anxieties of conditional life, namely birth, old age, disease and death.
Life without Ka consciousness is actually poverty, but the povertystricken materialist, whose intelligence is limited, cannot perceive that
real wealth is the expansion of consciousness up to the highest level of
Ka consciousness, love of Godhead. Such persons raise their children
to be just like animals, having as their only goal false prestige and material
sense gratification. Such materialistic householders fear that excessive
interest in spiritual life may damage the ambition of their children to
acquire false material prestige. Actually, death will smash all of the
endeavors and plans of such spiritually impoverished materialists. If
family life and wealth are used for Ka consciousness, one will learn to
discriminate between the eternal and the noneternal, between spirit and
matter, between bliss and anxiety, and thus the living entity will become
liberated and go beyond mere theoretical knowledge to acquire the
highest perfectional benediction of eternal Ka conscious life. Limited

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sensory knowledge, pratyaka-jna, is useless without theoretical

spiritual knowledge, paroka-jna, which gradually matures, with careful
cultivation, into direct realized knowledge of the soul, aparoka-jna.
The word anupranti in this verse indicates that by spiritual knowledge
(vijnam) one achieves the most sublime state of eternal peace and bliss,
far beyond the dreams of the materialistic conditioned soul.
TEXT 13
yad ghra-bhako vihita surys
tath paor labhana na his
eva vyavya prajay na raty
ima viuddha na vidu sva-dharmam
yatbecause; ghraby smell; bhakathe taking; vihitais
enjoined; suryof wine; tathsimilarly; paoof a sacrificial
animal; labhanamprescribed killing; nanot; hiswanton violence;
evamin the same way; vyavyasex; prajayfor the purpose of
begetting children; nanot; ratyaifor the sake of sense enjoyment;
imamthis (as pointed out in the previous verse); viuddhammost pure;
na viduthey do not understand; sva-dharmamtheir own proper duty.
According to the Vedic injunctions, when wine is offered in sacrificial
ceremonies it is later to be consumed by smelling, and not by drinking.
Similarly, the sacrificial offering of animals is permitted, but there is no
provision for wide-scale animal slaughter. Religious sex life is also
permitted, but only in marriage for begetting children, and not for
sensuous exploitation of the body. Unfortunately, however, the less
intelligent materialists cannot understand that their duties in life
should be performed purely on the spiritual platform.
Madhvcrya has given the following statement in regard to animal
sacrifice:
yajev labhana prokta
devatoddeata pao
hims nma tad-anyatra
tasmt t ncared budha
yato yaje mt rdhva

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ynti deve ca paitke

ato lbhd labhana
svargasya na tu mraam
According to this statement, the Vedas sometimes prescribe animal
sacrifice in ritual performances for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord or
a particular demigod. If, however, one whimsically slaughters animals
without rigidly following the Vedic prescriptions, such killing is actual
violence and should not be accepted by any intelligent person. If the
animal sacrifice is perfectly performed, the sacrificed animal immediately
goes to the heavenly planets of the demigods and the forefathers.
Therefore such a sacrifice is not for killing animals but for demonstrating
the potency of Vedic mantras, by the power of which the sacrificed
creature is immediately promoted to a higher situation.
Caitanya Mahprabhu, however, has forbidden such animal sacrifice in
this age because there are no qualified brhmaas to chant the mantras,
and the so-called sacrificial arena becomes an ordinary butcher shop. And
in an earlier era, when unscrupulous persons tried to establish that animal
killing and meat-eating are acceptable by misinterpreting the Vedic
sacrifices, Lord Buddha personally appeared and rejected their heinous
proposition. This is described by Jayadeva Gosvm:
nindasi yaja-vidher ahaha ruti-jta
sadaya-hdaya darita-pau-ghtam
keava dhta-buddha-arra
jaya jagad-a hare
Unfortunately, the conditioned souls are afflicted by four imperfections,
one of which is the cheating propensity, and thus they tend to exploit the
concessions that the Lord mercifully gives to them in religious scriptures
for their gradual purification. Rather than follow the Vedic injunctions for
simultaneously satisfying their senses and gradually elevating themselves,
the conditioned souls reject the actual purpose of such apparently
materialistic ceremonies and simply become more and more degraded in
the ignorance of the bodily concept of life. Thus they fall down altogether
from the varrama system and, taking birth in violent non-Vedic
societies, foolishly presume the small fragments of universal religious
principles prevalent there to be the exclusive religion of the soul. As a

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result, they fall into fanaticism, embracing merely sectarian, dogmatic

views of religion. Such unfortunate persons are completely out of touch
with their own eternal function in life and consider things to be vastly
different than they are in reality.
TEXT 14
ye tv aneva-vido 'santa
stabdh sad-abhimnina
pan druhyanti virabdh
pretya khdanti te ca tn
yethose who; tubut; anevam-vidanot knowing these facts;
asantavery impious; stabdhpresumptuous; sat-abhimnina
considering themselves saintly; pananimals; druhyantithey harm;
virabdhbeing innocently trusted; pretyaafter leaving this present
body; khdantithey eat; tethose animals; caand; tnthem.
Those sinful persons who are ignorant of actual religious principles, yet
consider themselves to be completely pious, without compunction
commit violence against innocent animals who are fully trusting in
them. In their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same
creatures they have killed in this world.
In this verse we can clearly see the great discrepancies in those persons
who do not surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His
law. As stated in the Bhgavatam, harv abhaktasya kuto mahad-gu:
those who do not accept the supremacy of the Supreme Lord gradually
become infected with the most sinful propensities that bring, in their
turn, terrible suffering upon the nondevotees. In the Western countries
such as America, many people proudly proclaim themselves to be most
pious religionists and sometimes even prophets or representatives of God.
Boasting of their religiosity, such foolish people experience no fear or
doubt in cruelly slaughtering innumerable animals in slaughterhouses or
on hunting trips for their whimsical sense gratification. In the state of
Mississippi there are sometimes pig-killing festivals, in which entire
families enjoy watching a pig cruelly butchered before their eyes.
Similarly, a former president of the United States from Texas did not
consider any social occasion complete without the slaughtering of a cow.
Such persons mistakenly consider themselves to be perfectly observing

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the laws of God and due to such arrogant foolishness lose all touch with
reality. When a man is raising an animal for slaughter, he feeds the animal
nicely and encourages it to grow fat. Thus the animal gradually accepts its
would-be killer as its protector and master. When the master finally
approaches the helpless animal with a sharp knife or gun, the animal
thinks, "Oh, my master is joking with me." Only at the last minute does
the animal understand that the so-called master is death personified. It is
clearly stated in Vedic literature that cruel masters who kill innocent
animals will undoubtedly be killed in the next life by a similar process.
m sa bhakayitmutra
yasya msam ihdmy aham
etan msasya msatva
pravadanti mania
"That creature whose flesh I am eating here and now will consume me in
the next life.' Thus meat is called msa, as described by learned
authorities." In rmad-Bhgavatam this grizzly fate of animal killers is
described by Nrada Muni to King Prcnabarhi, who was excessively
killing animals in so-called sacrifices.
bho bho prajpate rjan
pan paya tvaydhvare
sajpitn jva-saghn
nirghena sahasraa
ete tv sampratkante
smaranto vaiasa tava
samparetam aya-kai
chindanty utthita-manyava
"O ruler of the citizens, my dear King, please see in the sky those animals
which you have sacrificed, without compassion and without mercy, in the
sacrificial arena. All these animals are awaiting your death so that they can
avenge the injuries you have inflicted upon them. After you die, they will
angrily pierce your body with iron horns." (SB 4.25.7-8) Such
punishment of animal killers may take place under the jurisdiction of
Yamarja on the planet of the lord of death. In other words, one who kills

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an animal or who eats meat undoubtedly acquires a debt to the living

entity who has contributed his body for the satisfaction of the meat-eater.
The meat-eater must pay his debt by contributing his own body to be
consumed in the next life. Such payment of one's debt by offering one's
own body to be eaten is confirmed in the Vedic literature.
TEXT 15
dvianta para-kyeu
svtmna harim varam
mtake snubandhe 'smin
baddha-sneh patanty adha
dviantaenvying; para-kyeu(the souls) within the bodies of others;
sva-tmnamtheir own true self; harim varamthe Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Hari; mtakein the corpse; sa-anubandhe
together with its relations; asminthis; baddha-snehtheir affection
being fixed; patantithey fall; adhadownward.
The conditioned souls become completely bound in affection to their
own corpselike material bodies and their relatives and paraphernalia.
uIn such a proud and foolish condition, the conditioned souls envy
other living entities as well as the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Hari, who resides in the heart of all beings. Thus enviously offending
others, the conditioned souls gradually fall down into hell.
Materialistic persons express their envy of animals by cruelly killing them.
Similarly, the conditioned souls become envious even of other human
beings and of the Lord Himself, who dwells within everyone's body. They
express their envy of God by preaching atheistic science or
pseudophilosophy in which they ridicule the fact that everyone is an
eternal servant of God. Envious persons express their bitter feelings
toward other human beings by creating wars, terrorism, cruel
governments and cheating business enterprises. The sinful bodies of such
envious persons are just like corpses. Still, envious persons are enamored
by the corpse of their material body and become further fascinated by
their children and other bodily extensions. Such feelings are based in false
pride. rla Madhvcrya has quoted the following verse from Hari-vaa:
ptatvd tma-abdokta

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svasminn api pareu ca

jvd anya na payanti
rutvaiva vidvianti ca
ets tvam surn viddhi
lakaai purudhamn
"The Supreme is called tm because He is found both in oneself and
within others. Some persons become agitated by hearing descriptions of
the Supreme Lord, and they openly state that there is no superior living
being beyond themselves. Such persons are to be known as demons. By
their practical symptoms they are to be understood as the lowest class of
men."
TEXT 16
ye kaivalyam asamprpt
ye ctt ca mhatm
trai-vargik hy akaik
tmna ghtayanti te
yethose who; kaivalyamknowledge of the Absolute Truth;
asamprpthave not achieved; yewho; caalso; atthave
transcended; caalso; mhatmgross foolishness; trai-vargik
dedicated to the three goals of pious life, namely dharma (religiosity),
artha (economic development) and kma (sense gratification); hi
indeed; akaiknot having even a moment to reflect; tmnamtheir
own selves; ghtayantimurder; tethey.
Those who have not achieved knowledge of the Absolute Truth, yet who
are still beyond the darkness of complete ignorance, generally follow
the threefold path of pious material life, namely religiosity, economic
development and sense gratification. Not having time to reflect on any
higher purpose, they become the killers of their own soul.
Those who are completely in the darkness of ignorance and thus bereft
even of material pious life commit innumerable sinful activities and suffer
greatly. Due to such intense suffering such persons sometimes seek the
shelter of the devotees of the Lord and, being blessed by such
transcendental association, are sometimes elevated to the highest
perfectional stage of Ka consciousness.

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Those who are not completely sinful experience some mitigation of the
miseries of material life and thus develop a false sense of well-being
within the material world. Because those who are materially pious
generally obtain worldly prosperity, bodily beauty and a pleasant family
situation, they become falsely proud of their position and are not inclined
to associate with or accept instructions from the devotees of the Lord.
Unfortunately, all material activities, whether pious or impious, are
inevitably contaminated by sinful activity. Those who are proud of their
piety and do not like to hear about Ka sooner or later fall down from
their artificial position. Every living entity is an eternal servant of Ka,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, until we surrender to
Ka, our position is actually always impious. The word akaik ("not
having even a moment to reflect") is significant in this verse Materialistic
persons cannot spare a single moment for their eternal self-interest. This
is a symptom of misfortune. Such persons are considered to be killing
their own souls because by their obstinacy they are preparing a dark
future for themselves from which they will not escape for a very long
time.
A sick man receiving medical treatment may be encouraged by the
preliminary results of the doctor's care. But if the patient becomes falsely
proud of the preliminary progress in his treatment and prematurely gives
up the doctor's orders, thinking himself already cured, there will
undoubtedly be a relapse. The words ye kaivalyam asamprpt in this
verse clearly indicate that material piety is a long way from perfect
knowledge of the Absolute Truth. If one gives up his spiritual progress
before achieving the lotus feet of Ka, he will undoubtedly fall back
down into the most unpleasant material situation, even if he has achieved
impersonal realization of the Brahman effulgence. As stated in rmadBhgavatam, ruhya kcchrea para pada tata patanty adha [SB
10.2.32].
TEXT 17
eta tma-hano 'nt
ajne jna-mnina
sdanty akta-kty vai
kla-dhvasta-manorath
etethese; tma-hanakillers of the self; antdevoid of peace;
ajnein ignorance; jna-mninapresuming to have knowledge;

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sdantithey suffer; aktafailing to perform; ktytheir duty; vai

indeed; klaby time; dhvastadestroyed; mana-raththeir fanciful
desires.
The killers of the soul are never peaceful, because they consider that
human intelligence is ultimately meant for expanding material life.
Thus neglecting their real, spiritual duties, they are always in distress.
They are filled with great hopes and dreams, but unfortunately these
are always destroyed by the inevitable march of time.
There is a similar verse in r opaniad (3):
asury nma te lok
andhena tamasvt
ts te pretybhigacchanti
ye ke ctma-hano jan
"The killer of the soul, whoever he may be, must enter into the planets
known as the worlds of the faithless, full of darkness and ignorance."
TEXT 18
hitvtma-my-racit
ghpatya-suht-striya
tamo vianty anicchanto
vsudeva-par-mukh
hitvgiving up; tma-myby the illusory energy of the Supreme Soul;
racitmanufactured; ghahomes; apatyachildren; suhtfriends;
striyawives; tamainto darkness; viantithey enter; anicchanta
without desiring; vasudeva-park-mukhthose who have turned away
from Lord Vsudeva.
Those who have turned away from the Supreme Lord, Vsudeva, being
under the spell of the Lord's illusory energy, are eventually forced to
give up their so-called homes, children, friends, wives and lovers, which
were all created by the illusory potency of the Supreme Lord, and enter
against their will into the darkest regions of the universe.
The living entity turns his back on the Supreme Personality of Godhead
and tries instead to enjoy temporary sense gratification. The result is

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simply anxiety as the conditioned soul struggles to maintain his

temporary wife, children, friends, home, nation, etc. Finally all of these
things are taken away, and the bewildered soul, in great frustration,
sometimes tries to take shelter of an impersonal concept of God and
liberation. Thus the conditioned soul is always in ignorance, either
pursuing illusory sense gratification or trying to avoid sense gratification
by merging into the impersonal aspect of the Lord, called Brahman. But
the actual position of the living entity is to serve the Supreme Person,
who is his master. And unless one gives up one's inimical feelings toward
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no question of peace or
happiness.
ka-bhakta-nikma, ataeva 'nta'
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-km-sakali 'anta'
(Cc. Madhya 19.149)
TEXT 19
r rjovca
kasmin kle sa bhagavn
ki vara kdo nbhi
nmn v kena vidhin
pjyate tad ihocyatm
r-rj uvcathe King said; kasminin what; kletime; saHe;
bhagavnthe Supreme Lord; kim varahaving what color; kda
having what form; nbhiby men; nmnby (what) names; vand;
kenaby what; vidhinprocesses; pjyateis worshiped; tatthat;
ihain our presence; ucyatmplease speak.
King Nimi inquired: In what colors and forms does the Supreme
Personality of Godhead appear in each of the different ages, and with
what names and by what types of regulative principles is the Lord
worshiped in human society?
It has been clearly established in the previous verses that human life is
spoiled if one does not surrender unto the Supreme Lord and engage in
His loving devotional service. Therefore the King is now requesting the
sages to give specific details about the worship of the Lord because this
devotional process has clearly been described as the only practical means

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of delivering the conditioned soul.

TEXT 20
r-karabhjana uvca
kta tret dvpara ca
kalir ity eu keava
nn-varbhidhkro
nnaiva vidhinejyate
r-karabhjana uvcar Karabhjana said; ktamSatya; tretTret;
dvparamDvpara; caand; kaliKali; itithus named; euin these
ages; keavathe Supreme Lord, Keava; nnvarious; varahaving
complexions; abhidhnames; kraand forms; nnvarious; eva
similarly; vidhinby processes; ijyateis worshiped.
r Karabhjana replied: In each of the four yugas, or agesKta, Tret,
Dvpara and KaliLord Keava appears with various complexions,
names and forms and is thus worshiped by various processes.
TEXT 21
kte ukla catur-bhur
jailo valkalmbara
kjinopavtkn
bibhrad daa-kamaal
ktein Satya-yuga; uklawhite; catu-bhuhaving four arms;
jailawith matted locks; valkala-ambarawearing a garment of tree
bark; ka-ajinaa black deerskin; upavtaa brhmaa's sacred thread;
aknprayer beads made of aka seeds; bibhratcarrying; dandaa rod;
kamaaland waterpot.
In Satya-yuga the Lord is white and four-armed, has matted locks and
wears a garment of tree bark. He carries a black deerskin, a sacred
thread, prayer beads and the rod and waterpot of a brahmacr.
TEXT 22
manuys tu tad nt
nirvair suhda sam

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yajanti tapas deva

amena ca damena ca
manuyhuman beings; tuand; tadthen; ntpeaceful;
nirvairfree from envy; suhdafriendly to all; samequipoised;
yajantithey worship; tapasby the austerity of meditation; devam
the Supreme Personality of Godhead; amenaby controlling the mind;
caalso; damenaby controlling the external senses; caand.
People in Satya-yuga are peaceful, nonenvious, friendly to every
creature and steady in all situations. They worship the Supreme
Personality by austere meditation and by internal and external sense
control.
In Satya-yuga the Supreme Lord incarnates as a four-armed brahmacr
described in the previous verse and personally introduces the process of
meditation.
TEXT 23
hasa suparo vaikuho
dharmo yogevaro 'mala
vara puruo 'vyakta
paramtmeti gyate
hasathe transcendental swan; su-parawhose wings are very
beautiful; vaikuhathe Lord of the spiritual kingdom; dharmathe
maintainer of religion; yoga-varathe master of all mystic perfection;
amalaimmaculate; varathe supreme controller; puruathe
supreme enjoying male; avyaktathe unmanifest; parama-tmthe
Supersoul in the heart of every living being; itithus; gyateHis names
are variously chanted.
In Satya-yuga the Lord is glorified by the names Hasa, Supara,
Vaikuha, Dharma, Yogevara, Amala, vara, Purua, Avyakta and
Paramtm.
The sage Karabhjana Muni is replying to Videharja Nimi's questions
about the varieties of the Lord's incarnations. In Satya-yuga the Lord's
color is white, and He wears tree bark and a black deerskin as an ideal
meditative brahmacr. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has

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explained the Lord's various names in Satya-yuga as follows. Those who

are self-realized know this supreme reality of the Personality of Godhead
as Paramtm, Those souls who are situated in the religious system of
varrama glorify Him as the hasa who is transcendental to all the
varas and ramas. Persons absorbed in gross matter consider Him to be
Supara, "the beautifully winged" basis of the conceptions of cause and
effect who flies within the subtle sky of the soul, as described in
Chndogya Upaniad. Persons accustomed to wandering within this
universe of subtle and gross matter created by the Lord's illusory potency
chant His name Vaikuha. Persons deprived of the power of
transcendental meditation (dhra), who are thus subject to falling from
the path of religion, glorify Him as Dharma, or religion personified. Those
who are forced to submit to the illusory modes of material nature and
whose minds are uncontrolled and disturbed glorify Him as the most
perfectly self-controlled Yogevara. Persons tainted by a mixture of the
modes of passion and ignorance call Him Amala, or the uncontaminated.
Persons devoid of potency call Him vara, and those who consider
themselves to be under His shelter chant His glories by the name Uttama
Purua. Those who know that this material manifestation is only
temporary call Him Avyakta. In this way, in Satya-yuga Lord Vsudeva
appears in various four-armed transcendental forms, and the jva souls
worship Him, each by their own particular process of devotional service.
Therefore the Supreme Lord has many different names.
TEXT 24
trety rakta-varo 'sau
catur-bhus tri-mekhala
hiraya-keas trayy-tm
sruk-sruvdy-upalakaa
tretymin Tret-yuga; rakta-varared-complexioned; asauHe;
catu-bhufour-armed;
tri-mekhalawearing
three
belts
(representing three phases of Vedic initiation); hiraya-keahaving
golden hair; trayi-tmpersonifying the knowledge of the three Vedas;
srak-sruva-dithe sacrificial wooden ladle, spoon and so on;
upalakaahaving as His symbols.
In Tret-yuga the Lord appears with a red complexion. He has four
arms, golden hair, and wears a triple belt representing initiation into

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each of the three Vedas. Embodying the knowledge of worship by

sacrificial performance, which is contained in the g, Sma and Yajur
Vedas, His symbols are the ladle, spoon and other implements of
sacrifice.
The sruk is a particular implement for pouring ghee in sacrifices. It is
about an arm's length long and is made of a particular type of wood called
vikakata. The sruk has a rodlike handle and a spout with a shallow
groove at its tip that resembles a swan's beak. Its front part is a carved-out
spoon the size of a fist. The sruva is another implement used in sacrificial
oblations. It is made of khadira wood, is smaller than the sruk and is used
to pour ghee into the sruk. It is also sometimes used instead of the sruk to
pour ghee directly into the sacrificial fire. These are the Lord's symbols in
Tret-yuga, when the Lord incarnates to introduce the yuga-dharma of
yaja, or sacrifice.
TEXT 25
ta tad manuj deva
sarva-deva-maya harim
yajanti vidyay trayy
dharmih brahma-vdina
tamHim; tadthen; manujhuman beings; devamthe Personality
of Godhead; sarva-deva-mayamwho contains within Himself all the
demigods; harimr Hari; yajantithey worship; vidyaywith the
rituals; trayyof the three main Vedas; dharmihfixed in religiosity;
brahma-vdinaseekers of the Absolute Truth.
In Tret-yuga, those members of human society who are fixed in
religiosity and are sincerely interested in achieving the Absolute Truth
worship Lord Hari, who contains within Himself all the demigods. The
Lord is worshiped by the rituals of sacrifice taught in the three Vedas.
The residents of the earth in Satya-yuga are described as having all good
qualities. In Tret-yuga human society is described as dharmih, or
thoroughly religious, and brahma-vdina, or faithfully seeking the
Absolute Truth through the Vedic injunctions. However, it should be
noted that all of the exalted qualities of the people of Satya-yuga are not
mentioned in this verse. In other words, in Satya-yuga people are

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automatically perfect, whereas in Tret-yuga people are inclined to

become perfect through performing Vedic sacrifice. In Tret-yuga human
society is not automatically Ka conscious, as it was in Satya-yuga, but
people are still highly inclined to become Ka conscious, and thus they
strictly follow the Vedic injunctions.
TEXT 26
viur yaja pnigarbha
sarvadeva urukrama
vkapir jayanta ca
urugya itryate
viuthe all-pervading Supreme Lord; yajathe supreme
personality of sacrifice; pni-garbhathe son of Pni and Prajpati
Sutap; sarva-devathe Lord of all lords; uru-kramathe performer of
wonderful deeds; vkapithe Lord, who dispels all suffering and
rewards all desires simply by being remembered; jayantathe allvictorious; caand; uru-gyathe most glorified; itiby these names;
ryate-He is called.
In Tret-yuga the Lord is glorified by the names Viu, Yaja,
Pnigarbha, Sarvadeva, Urukrama, Vkapi, Jayanta and Urugya.
Pnigarbha refers to Ka's incarnation as the son of Pni-dev and
Prajpati Sutap. Vkapi indicates that if the living entities simply
remember the Lord, He is inclined to shower all benedictions upon them,
thus satisfying their desires and removing their miseries. Since the Lord is
always victorious, He is called Jayanta.
TEXT 27
dvpare bhagav yma
pta-vs nijyudha
rvatsdibhir akai ca
lakaair upalakita
dvparein Dvpara-yuga; bhagavnthe Supreme Lord; ymadark
blue; pta-vswearing a yellow garment; nija-yudhahaving His
own particular weapons (the disc, club, conchshell and lotus flower);
rvatsa-dibhiby rvatsa and others; akaibodily marks; caand;
lakaaiby ornaments; upalakitacharacterized.

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In Dvpara-yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears with a

dark blue complexion, wearing yellow garments. The Lord's
transcendental body is marked in this incarnation with rvatsa and
other distinctive ornaments, and He manifests His personal weapons.
The Lord's transcendental body in Dvpara-yuga can be compared to the
color of a dark blue flower. The Lord exhibits His personal transcendental
weapons such as Sudarana cakra, and all of the limbs of His body,
especially His hands and feet, are decorated with auspicious symbols such
as a lotus flower and a flag. And on His chest, the Lord manifests the
Kaustubha jewel as well as the auspicious rvatsa, a whorl of hair curling
from left to right on the right side of the Lord's chest. Actually, such
auspicious marks as Kaustubha and rvatsa, as well as the weapons of the
Lord, are present in all of the viu-tattva incarnations. rla Jva Gosvm
explains that these universal characteristics of the Lord mentioned by the
sage Karabhjana are indications of the Ka avatra. Because Ka is
the source of all incarnations, all of the symptoms of all other
incarnations are to be found in His transcendental body.
TEXT 28
ta tad purua marty
mah-rjopalakaam
yajanti veda-tantrbhy
para jijsavo npa
tamHim; tadin that age; puruamthe supreme enjoyer; marty
mortal men; mah-rjaa great king; upalakaamplaying the role of;
yajantithey worship; veda-tantrbhymaccording to both the original
Vedas and ritual tantras; param-of the Supreme; jijsavathose who
want to gain knowledge; npaO King.
My dear King, in Dvpara-yuga men who desire to know the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme enjoyer, worship Him in
the mood of honoring a great king, following the prescriptions of both
the Vedas and tantras.
When Lord Ka was leaving the city of Hastinpura, Arjuna personally
held an umbrella over the Lord, and Uddhava and Styaki fanned the Lord
with decorated fans (SB 1.10.17, 18). In this way, Emperor Yudhihira

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and his followers worshiped Ka as the greatest of noble kings and as

the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, at the Rjasya sacrifice
all of the great souls of the universe elected Ka as the King of all kings,
the greatest personality, deserving of first worship. Such reverential
worship of the Lord is characteristic of Dvpara-yuga, as described in this
verse (mah-rjopalakaam). With each successive yuga, namely Satya,
Tret, Dvpara and Kali, the condition of human society deteriorates more
and more. As mentioned in this verse, the only favorable qualification of
the residents of Dvpara-yuga is that they are jijsava, strongly desirous
of knowing the Absolute Truth. Otherwise there is no good qualification
mentioned. The inhabitants of Satya-yuga were described as nt,
nirvair, suhda and sam, or peaceful, free from envy, the wellwishers of every living entity, and fixed on the spiritual platform beyond
the modes of material nature. Similarly the inhabitants of Tret-yuga were
described as dharmih and brahma-vdina, or thoroughly religious,
and expert followers of the Vedic injunctions. In the present verse, the
inhabitants of Dvpara-yuga are said to be simply jijsava, desiring to
know the Absolute Truth. Otherwise they are described as marty, or
subject to the weakness of mortal beings. If the human society of even
Dvpara-yuga was clearly inferior to that of Satya and Tret-yugas, we can
hardly imagine the truly disastrous condition of human society in Kaliyuga. Therefore, as will be mentioned in the following verses, human
beings who have taken their birth in the present age of Kali should attach
themselves rigidly to the movement of Caitanya Mahprabhu to free
themselves from foolishness.
TEXTS 29-30
namas te vsudevya
nama sakaraya ca
pradyumnyniruddhya
tubhya bhagavate nama
nryaya aye
puruya mahtmane
vivevarya vivya
sarva-bhttmane nama
namaobeisances; teunto You; vsudevyaVsudeva; nama
obeisances; sakarayato Sakaraa; caand; pradyumnyato

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Pradyumna; aniruddhyato Aniruddha; tubhyamto You; bhagavate

the Personality of Godhead; namaobeisances; nryaya ayeto
Lord Nryaa i; puruyathe supreme enjoying male and the creator
of the material universe; mah-tmanethe supreme being; vivavaryathe Lord of the universe; vivyaand Himself the very form of
the universe; sarva-bhta-tmanethe Supersoul of all living beings;
namaobeisances.
"Obeisances to You, O Supreme Lord Vsudeva, and to Your forms of
Sakaraa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. O Supreme Personality of
Godhead, all obeisances unto You. O Lord Nryaa i, O creator of
the universe, best of personalities, master of this cosmos and original
form of the universe, O Supersoul of all created entities, all homage
unto You."
rla Jva Gosvm explains that although Lord Ka appeared at the end
of Dvpara-yuga, great sages chanted this verse from the beginning of that
age in expectation of His appearance.
Ordinary living entities, although eternally subordinate to the Lord,
become absorbed in attempting to dominate the material creation yet
ultimately remain under the control of the Supreme Lord. The
constitutional position of the living entity is engagement in the Lord's
service. It is further the constitutional position of the material nature to
be engaged by the living entity in satisfying the transcendental desires of
the Lord. Thus these prayers, as mentioned in this verse, are offered to the
Supreme Lord in accordance with the Pacartra and the Vedic mantras
so that one may become fixed in remembering his eternal subordination
to the Absolute Truth.
The supreme living entity, Ka, eternally manifests Himself as the caturvyha, or quadruple plenary expansion. The purport of this prayer is that
one should give up his false ego and pray to this catur-vyha by offering
Them obeisances. Although the Absolute Truth is one without a second,
the Absolute Truth displays His unlimited opulences and potencies by
expanding Himself in innumerable plenary forms, of which the caturvyha is a principal expansion. The original being is Vsudeva, the
Personality of Godhead. When the Godhead manifests His primeval
energies and opulences, He is called Sakaraa. Pradyumna is the basis
of the Viu expansion who is the soul of the entire universe, and
Aniruddha is the basis of the personal manifestation of Viu as the

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Supersoul of every individual entity within the universe. Among the four
plenary expansions mentioned here, the original expansion is Vsudeva,
and the other three are considered to be particular manifestations of Him.
When the living entity forgets that both he himself as well as the material
nature are meant for the Lord's service, the quality of ignorance becomes
prominent, and the conditioned entity desires to become himself the
master. Thus the conditioned soul imagines that he is a very important
person within society or that he is a great philosopher. The Vedic mantras
and Pacartra give mankind instructions about devotional service to the
Personality of Godhead, which free one from the contamination of
considering oneself a prestigious member of society or a great
philosopher. One in knowledge should recognize himself as a tiny servant
of the Supreme Absolute Truth.
In Dvpara-yuga, Deity worship of the Lord is prominent. Such Deity
worship is ultimately aimed at the process of ravaa krtana vio
[SB 7.5.23]. Without hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord one
cannot perform Deity worship. In Deity worship it is required that the
worshiper glorify the names, forms, qualities, paraphernalia, entourage
and pastimes of the Supreme Lord. When such glorification is complete,
the worshiper becomes eligible to realize transcendental knowledge
through hearing about the Lord.
TEXT 31
iti dvpara urv-a
stuvanti jagad-varam
nn-tantra-vidhnena
kalv api tath u
itithus; dvparein the Dvpara age; uru-aO King; stuvantithey
praise; jagat-varamthe Lord of the universe; nnvarious; tantraof
scriptures; vidhnenaby the regulations; kalauin the age of Kali; api
also; tathin which manner; uplease hear.
O King, in this way people in Dvpara-yuga glorified the Lord of the
universe. In Kali-yuga also people worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead by following various regulations of the revealed scriptures.
Now kindly hear of this from me.
The words kalv api, "in Kali-yuga also," are very important in this verse.

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It is well known that Kali-yuga is an irreligious age. Thus it is surprising

that in such a completely irreligious age the Supreme Lord is worshiped.
Therefore it is stated kalv api, "even in Kali-yuga." In Kali-yuga the
incarnation of the Personality of Godhead does not directly assert Himself
to be the Personality of Godhead, but rather He is detected by expert
devotees in accordance with the revealed Vedic scriptures. Similarly,
Prahlda Mahrja states in rmad-Bhgavatam (7.9.38):
ittha n-tiryag-i-deva-jhavatrair
lokn vibhvayasi hasi jagat pratpn
dharma mah-purua psi yugnuvtta
channa kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo 'tha sa tvam
"In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human
being, an animal, a great saintly demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus
maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing
the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect
the principles of religion. In the age of Kali, however, You do not assert
Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are
known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas." Thus it is
understood that it is difficult for common people in Kali-yuga to
recognize the incarnation of the Lord since in this age the Lord's
appearance is slightly concealed.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura the word nntantra-vidhnena indicates the importance in Kali-yuga of the Vaiava
scriptures known as the Pacartras or Stvata-pacartras. It is stated in
the Bhgavatam, str-dra-dvija-bandhn tray na ruti-gocar: [SB
1.4.25] in Kali-yuga it is impossible for ordinary people to perform highly
technical Vedic sacrifices or the unbearable penances of the mystic yoga
system. Such standard Vedic processes are practically inaccessible for the
spiritually retarded population of Kali-yuga. Therefore the simple process
of glorifying the Personality of Godhead by chanting His holy names is
essential in this age. Such devotional processes as chanting the holy
names of the Lord and worshiping His Deity form are elaborately
described in the Vaiava stras known as Pacartras. Such tantric
scriptures are referred to in this verse, and it is stated that in Kali-yuga
these devotional processes, taught by great cryas such as Nrada Muni,
are the only practical means for worshiping the Lord. This will be more

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clearly explained in the following verse.

TEXT 32
ka-vara tvika
sgopgstra-pradam
yajai sakrtana-pryair
yajanti hi su-medhasa
ka-varamrepeating the syllables k-a; tvi-with a luster;
akamnot black (golden); sa-agaalong with associates; upa-aga
servitors;
astraweapons;
pradamconfidential
companions;
yajaiby sacrifice; sakrtana-pryaiconsisting chiefly of
congregational chanting; yajantithey worship; hicertainly; sumedhasaintelligent persons.
In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting
to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names
of Ka. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Ka
Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and
confidential companions.
This same verse is quoted by Kadsa Kavirja in the Caitanyacaritmta, di-ll, Chapter Three, verse 52. His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda has given the following commentary on
this verse. "This text is from rmad-Bhgavatam (11.5.32). rla Jva
Gosvm has explained this verse in his commentary on the Bhgavatam
known as the Krama-sandarbha, wherein he says that Lord Ka also
appears with a golden complexion. That golden Lord Ka is Lord
Caitanya, who is worshiped by intelligent men in this age. That is
confirmed in rmad-Bhgavatam by Garga Muni, who said that although
the child Ka was blackish, He also appears in three other colorsred,
white and yellow. He exhibited His white and red complexions in the
Satya and Tret ages respectively. He did not exhibit the remaining color,
yellowgold, until He appeared as Lord Caitanya, who is known as
Gaurahari.
"rla Jva Gosvm explains that ka-varam means r Ka Caitanya.
Ka-varam and Ka Caitanya are equivalent. The name Ka
appears with both Lord Ka and Lord Caitanya Ka. Lord r Caitanya
Mahprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He always

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engages in describing Ka and thus enjoying transcendental bliss by

chanting and remembering His name and form. Lord Ka Himself
appears as Lord Caitanya to preach the highest gospel. Varayati means
'utters' or 'describes.' Lord Caitanya always chants the holy name of Ka
and describes it also, and because He is Ka Himself, whoever meets
Him will automatically chant the holy name of Ka and later describe it
to others. He injects one with transcendental Ka consciousness, which
merges the chanter in transcendental bliss. In all respects, therefore, He
appears before everyone as Ka, either by personality or by sound.
Simply by seeing Lord Caitanya one at once remembers Lord Ka. One
may therefore accept Him as viu-tattva. In other words, Lord Caitanya is
Lord Ka Himself.
"Sgopgstra-pradam further indicates that Lord Caitanya is Lord
Ka. His body is always decorated with ornaments of sandalwood and
with sandalwood paste. By His superexcellent beauty He subdues all the
people of the age. In other descents the Lord sometimes used weapons to
defeat the demoniac, but in this age the Lord subdues them with His allattractive figure as Caitanya Mahprabhu. rla Jva Gosvm explains that
His beauty is His astra, or weapon, to subdue the demons. Because He is
all-attractive, it is to be understood that all the demigods lived with Him
as His companions. His acts were uncommon and His associates
wonderful. When He propagated the sakrtana movement, He attracted
many great scholars and cryas, especially in Bengal and Orissa. Lord
Caitanya is always accompanied by His best associates like Lord
Nitynanda, Advaita, Gaddhara and rvsa.
"rla Jva Gosvm cites a verse from the Vedic literature that says that
there is no necessity of performing sacrificial demonstrations or
ceremonial functions. He comments that instead of engaging in such
external, pompous exhibitions, all people, regardless of caste, color or
creed, can assemble together and chant Hare Ka to worship Lord
Caitanya. Ka-vara tvikam [SB 11.5.32] indicates that
prominence should be given to the name Ka. Lord Caitanya taught
Ka consciousness and chanted the name of Ka. Therefore, to
worship Lord Caitanya, everyone should together chant the mahmantraHare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma,
Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. To propagate worship in churches,
temples or mosques is not possible because people have lost interest in
that. But anywhere and everywhere, people can chant Hare Ka. Thus

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worshiping Lord Caitanya, they can perform the highest activity and
fulfill the highest religious purpose of satisfying the Supreme Lord.
"rla Srvabhauma Bhacrya, a famous disciple of Lord Caitanya, said:
'The principle of transcendental devotional service having been lost, r
Ka Caitanya has appeared to deliver again the process of devotion. He
is so kind that He is distributing love of Ka. Everyone should be
attracted more and more to His lotus feet, as humming bees are attracted
to a lotus flower.' "
The incarnation of Caitanya Mahprabhu is also described in the r
Viu-sahasra-nma, which appears in Chapter 189 of the Dna-dharmaparva of Mahbhrata. rla Jva Gosvm has quoted this reference as
follows: suvara-varo hemgo varga candangad. "In His early
pastimes He appears as a householder with a golden complexion. His
limbs are beautiful, and His body, smeared with the pulp of sandalwood,
seems like molten gold." He has also quoted, sannysa-kc chama nto
nih-nti-paryaa: "In His later pastimes He accepts the sannysa
order, and He is equipoised and peaceful. He is the highest abode of peace
and devotion, for He silences the impersonalist nondevotees."
TEXT 33
dhyeya sad paribhava-ghnam abha-doha
trthspada iva-virici-nuta arayam
bhtyrti-ha praata-pla bhavbdhi-pota
vande mah-purua te cararavindam
dhyeyamfit to be meditated upon; sadalways; paribhavathe insults
of material existence; ghnamwhich destroy; abhathe true desire of
the soul; dohamwhich amply reward; trthaof all the holy places and
great saintly personalities; spadamthe abode; iva-viriciby the
greatest of demigods, Lord iva and Brahm; nutamwhich are bowed
down to; arayammost worthy of taking shelter of; bhtyaof Your
servants; rti-hamwhich relieve the distress; praata-plaO protector
of all who simply offer respects to You; bhava-abdhiof the ocean of birth
and death; potamwhich are a suitable boat (for crossing); vandeI offer
my homage; mah-puruaO Lord Mahprabhu; teto Your; caraaaravindamlotus feet.
My dear Lord, You are the Mah-purua, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and I worship Your lotus feet, which are the only eternal

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object of meditation. Those feet destroy the embarrassing conditions of

material life and freely award the greatest desire of the soul, the
attainment of pure love of Godhead. My dear Lord, Your lotus feet are
the shelter of all holy places and of all saintly authorities in the line of
devotional service and are honored by powerful demigods like Lord
iva and Lord Brahm. My Lord, You are so kind that You willingly
protect all those who simply bow down to You with respect, and thus
You mercifully relieve all the distress of Your servants. In conclusion,
my Lord, Your lotus feet are actually the suitable boat for crossing over
the ocean of birth and death, and therefore even Lord Brahm and Lord
iva seek shelter at Your lotus feet."
The incarnation of the Personality of Godhead in Kali-yuga is described
and worshiped in this verse. The sage Karabhjana, after describing the
incarnation of Godhead in each of the three previous yugas-Satya, Tret
and Dvparapresented suitable prayers which are utilized for glorifying
the Lord in each particular age. After describing the Lord's manifestation
in Kali-yuga with the verse ka-vara tvikam [SB 11.5.32], this
and the next verse are now presented to glorify the Lord's appearance in
Kali-yuga as Caitanya Mahprabhu, ka-varam. Caitanya Mahprabhu
appears in Kali-yuga and teaches everyone to chant the holy name of
Ka. The members of the ISKCON movement are so much absorbed in
ka-varam, or chanting the holy names of Ka, that sometimes
ordinary persons refer to them as "the Kas." Thus whoever comes into
contact with Caitanya Mahprabhu's movement immediately begins to
worship Ka by chanting His holy name.
The words dhyeya sad, or "always to be meditated upon," indicate that
there are no hard-and-fast rules in this age for chanting the holy names of
Ka. In Kali-yuga the authorized process of meditation is to chant the
holy names of the Lord, especially the mantra Hare Ka, Hare Ka,
Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare.
This process is to be executed constantly and always (sad). Similarly,
Caitanya Mahprabhu stated, nmnm akri bahudh nija-sarva-aktis
tatrrpit niyamita smarae na kla: in Kali-yuga, the Supreme Lord has
kindly invested all of His potencies in His holy name, and there are no
hard-and-fast rules for chanting such names. The mention of such rules
refers to kla-dea-niyama, or regulations of time and place. Normally
there are strict regulations governing the time, season, place, conditions,

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etc., under which one may execute a particular Vedic ceremony or chant a
particular mantra. However, one should chant the holy name of Ka
everywhere and at all times, twenty-four hours a day. Thus there is no
restriction in terms of time and place. This is the meaning of Caitanya
Mahprabhu's statement.
The word paribhava-ghnam is significant in this verse. In Kali-yuga human
society is infected with enviousness. There is great envy, even among
members of the same family, who constantly quarrel in this age. Similarly,
neighbors are envious of each other and of each other's possessions and
status. And entire nations, burning with envy, go to war unnecessarily at
the risk of genocide caused by terrible modern weapons. But all of these
harassments caused by family members, strangers, so-called friends who
are unfaithful, opposing nations, financial competition, social disgrace,
cancer, etc., can be relieved by taking shelter of the lotus feet of Caitanya
Mahprabhu. It is not possible to save the material body, but one who
takes shelter of Caitanya Mahprabhu loosens the hard knot of the heart
that psychologically binds him to the hallucination of identifying with the
external body or the subtle material mind. Once this false identification is
broken, one can be blissful in any adverse material condition. Those who
foolishly try to make the temporary body eternal are wasting their time
and neglecting the actual process for making life permanent, which is to
take shelter of the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is Ka
Himself.
In this verse the word trthspadam means that the lotus feet of Caitanya
Mahprabhu are the shelter of all holy places. As the Ka consciousness
movement spreads all over the world, we often find, especially in poor
third-world countries, that it is very difficult for people to travel to India
to visit the most exalted holy places such as Vndvana and Mypur.
Especially in South America it is very difficult for a large number of
devotees to visit such places in India and purify themselves. But Caitanya
Mahprabhu is so merciful that simply by worshiping Him, Vaiavas
throughout the world receive the benefit of having visited the supreme
holy place, namely the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahprabhu. Thus there is
no loss for the followers of the Ka consciousness movement, despite
their external situation.
In this regard, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has stated, kalau
dravya-dea-kriydi-janita durvram apvitryam api nakanyam iti
bhva. In this age the world is so polluted by sinful life that it is very

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difficult to become free from all of the symptoms of Kali-yuga. Still, one
who is faithfully serving in the missionary work of Caitanya Mahprabhu
need not fear occasional, unavoidable symptoms of Kali-yuga. The
followers of Caitanya Mahprabhu strictly follow the four regulative
principles of no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no
gambling. They try to always chant Hare Ka and engage in the service
of the Lord. However, it may happen that by accident an occasional
symptom of Kali-yuga such as envy, anger, lust, greed, etc., may
momentarily appear in the life of a devotee. But if such a devotee is
actually surrendered at the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahprabhu, by His
mercy such an unwanted symptom, or anartha, will quickly disappear.
Therefore, a sincere follower of the Lord should never be discouraged in
the execution of his prescribed duty but should be confident that he will
be protected by Caitanya Mahprabhu.
It is also mentioned in this verse, iva-virici-nutam. Lord iva and Lord
Brahm are undoubtedly the two most powerful personalities within this
universe. Still, they meticulously worship the lotus feet of Caitanya
Mahprabhu. Why? arayam. Even Lord iva and Lord Brahm are not
safe without the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
The words bhtyrti-ha praata-pla indicate that if one simply bows
down without duplicity at the lotus feet of the Lord (praata), then the
Lord will give such a sincere candidate all protection. This verse does not
mention that one need be an exalted devotee of the Lord. Rather, it is
stated that if one simply bows down at the Lord's lotus feet he will get all
protection, and this also applies to anyone who is trying to serve the
mission of Caitanya Mahprabhu. Even the neophyte will get all
protection by the mercy of the Lord.
In regard to the words bhavbdhi-potam, or "a suitable boat for crossing
the ocean of material existence," there is the following statement by Lord
Brahm and other demigods in the rmad-Bhgavatam: tvat-pda-potena
mahat-ktena kurvanti go-vatsa-pada bhavbdhim. "By accepting Your
lotus feet as the boat by which to cross the ocean of nescience, one
follows in the footsteps of the mahjanas and can cross that ocean as
easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf." According to rla Rpa
Gosvm, a follower of Caitanya Mahprabhu is jvan-mukta, or a liberated
soul. Thus the devotee is not worried about his future destination, for he
is confident that the Lord will quickly take him across the ocean of
material existence. Such confidence is referred to in the Upademta by

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the word nicayt, meaning firm conviction about the potency of the
process of devotional service. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura, the statement iva-virici-nutam is also understood to indicate
that Caitanya Mahprabhu is worshiped by Lord iva's incarnation
Advaita crya and by Lord Brahm's incarnation Haridsa hkura.
Caitanya Mahprabhu is addressed in this verse as mah-purua, meaning
puruottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, there is
reference to mahprabhu in the vetvatara Upaniad (3.12), mahn
prabhur vai purua sattvasyaia pravartaka: "The supreme prabhu is the
Personality of Godhead, who is the initiator of the entire cosmos."
Similarly, Lord r Gauraka is addressed by the word mahpurua in
this verse, and the whole intention of this verse is to offer obeisances at
His lotus feet. Such lotus feet are the actual eternal object of meditation
because they cut off the bondage of material life and fulfill the desires of
the devotees. Although the conditioned souls laboring arduously under
illusion pursue many temporary goals in life, there is no possibility of
their achieving actual bliss or knowledge. Such eternal bliss and
knowledge is actually wealth. One should not neglect the lotus feet of
Caitanya Mahprabhu, taking Him to be an ordinary person, and instead
accept the temporary, useless shelter offered by the illusory energy of the
Lord.
Those yogs who falsely select some other object of meditation besides the
lotus feet of the Lord are simply creating obstructions to their own eternal
life. When the meditator, the meditation and the object of meditation are
all on the eternal platform of the Lord, then actual shelter has been
achieved. Generally the conditioned souls are engaged in bhoga-tyga.
Sometimes they run madly after material prestige and sense gratification,
and sometimes they desperately try to renounce these things. However,
beyond this vicious cycle of alternating sense gratification and
renunciation are the lotus feet of the Lord, which constitute the ultimate
abode of peace and happiness for the living entity.
The following are additional notes on this verse given by rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura.
dhyeyamthe object indicated by the word dhmahi in the Gyatr mantra.
trthspadamthe original shelter of holy places headed by r
Gauaketra and Vraja-maala; or the original shelter, namely the lotus
feet of the Lord, of the great devotees of the Brahma-sampradya
following in the succession of faithful hearing. The succession of faithful

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hearing begins with rmad nandatrtha (Madhvcrya) and is continued

by the rpnuga mah-bhgavatas, the highly elevated followers of Rpa
Gosvm and Caitanya Mahprabhu.
iva-virici-nutamHe who is worshiped by the incarnation of Lord iva,
rmad Advaitcrya Prabhu, and by the incarnation of Lord Virici,
rmn crya Haridsa Prabhu.
bhtyrti-hamHe who destroyed by His causeless mercy the misery of
His own servant, the brhmaa Vsudeva, who was afflicted with leprosy
in caitanya-ll.
bhavbdhi-potamthe means of crossing over the ocean of sasra; or the
shelter of those who are freeing themselves from material existence,
which afflicts the living entity in the form of hankering for liberation or
material enjoyment. Such persons who took advantage of this
transcendental boat of the Lord's lotus feet are Srvabhauma Bhacrya,
who was saved from mukti-kma, or desire for liberation, and
Pratparudra Mahrja, who was saved from bhukti-kma, or the desire for
material opulence.
TEXT 34
tyaktv su-dustyaja-surepsita-rjya-lakm
dharmiha rya-vacas yad agd arayam
my-mga dayitayepsitam anvadhvad
vande mah-purua te cararavindam
tyaktvabandoning; su-dustyajamost difficult to give up; sura-psita
anxiously desired by the demigods; rjya-lakmmthe goddess of
fortune and her opulence; dharmihamost perfectly fixed in
religiousness; rya-vacas-according to the words of a brhmaa (who had
cursed Him to be deprived of all the happiness of family life); yatHe
who; agtwent; arayamto the forest (taking to the renounced order
of life); my-mgamthe conditioned soul, who is always searching out
illusory enjoyment; dayitayout of sheer mercy; psitamHis desired
object; anvadhvatrunning after; vandeI offer my homage; mahpuruaO Lord Mahprabhu; teto Your; caraa-aravindamlotus feet.
O Mah-purua, I worship Your lotus feet. You gave up the association
of the goddess of fortune and all her opulence, which is most difficult to
renounce and is hankered after by even the great demigods. Being the
most faithful follower of the path of religion, You thus left for the forest

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in obedience to a brhmaa's curse. Out of sheer mercifulness You

chased after the fallen conditioned souls, who are always in pursuit of
the false enjoyment of illusion, and at the same time engaged in
searching out Your own desired object, Lord ymasundara.
According to the Vaiava cryas, this important verse of the rmadBhgavatam is understood to describe Caitanya Mahprabhu, Lord Ka
and also Lord r Rmacandra. This verse appears within the discussion
by the sage Karabhjana of the yugvatras, or the different incarnations
of the Personality of Godhead who deliver the conditioned souls of each
age. The prayers ending with the words vande mahpurua te
cararavindam are understood to glorify the incarnation of Lord Ka in
Kali-yuga known as Caitanya Mahprabhu. Caitanya Mahprabhu lived
for twenty-four years in Navadvpa as a householder and enjoyed
immense popularity among both scholars and ordinary persons. His
sakrtana movement was completely supported by the local government,
even though it was Muslim. And Caitanya Mahprabhu had the pleasure
of marrying the goddess of fortune. No ordinary woman of the material
world, no matter how gorgeous she may be, can in any way compare with
the beautiful goddess of fortune. Everyone in the universe, including Lord
Brahm, is searching after the goddess of fortune. Therefore it is stated
here, surepsita.
However, Caitanya Mahprabhu is Lord Ka appearing as a brhmaa,
and therefore He is certainly dharmiha, or the most religious. Actually
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always dharmiha, whether He
appears as a cowherd boy, a great king or a brhmaa, because the Lord
Himself is the original source and personification of all religious
principles. However, in the pastimes of Caitanya Mahprabhu there are
very few political or economic activities. Caitanya Mahprabhu appeared
as a great philosopherbrhmaa, and thus He is certainly dharmiha.
In Caitanya-caritmta, in the Seventeenth Chapter of the di-ll, it is
described that a certain brhmaa, who was well known for being harsh
and cursing others, could not enter the krtana hall where Caitanya
Mahprabhu was performing krtana because the door was locked. Being
very agitated and breaking his brhmaa's thread, he cursed Caitanya
Mahprabhu the next day on the bank of the Ganges, saying, "I shall now
curse You, for Your behavior has greatly aggrieved me. You shall be bereft
of all material happiness." However, Caitanya Mahprabhu felt great

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jubilation within Himself, since His mission was vairgya-vidy-nijabhakti-yoga [Cc. Madhya 6.254]to give up the illusion of material sense
gratification and staunchly engage twenty-four hours a day in the
devotional service of the Lord. Therefore, Caitanya Mahprabhu took this
curse as a blessing, and soon after, the Lord took sannysa. Thus it is
stated in this verse that by the words of the ryan, the brhmaa (ryavacas), Caitanya Mahprabhu took sannysa (yad agd arayam) and
went traveling through the different forests of India on the way to
Vndvana, and later South India. Caitanya Mahprabhu wanted
especially to preserve the prestige of the brhmaa class, and therefore He
decided to keep the brhmaa's curse intact.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has explained the word my-mgam
as follows. My means one's so-called wife, children and bank account,
which keep one firmly bound up in the material bodily concept of life.
The word mgam indicates mgyati, or "to search out." Thus, my-mgam
indicates the conditioned living entity, who is always frantically searching
for the latest up-to-the-minute sense gratification in the material bodily
concept of society, friendship and love. Anvadhvat indicates that
Caitanya Mahprabhu was always visibly going here and there, searching
after the fallen conditioned souls. Caitanya Mahprabhu would sometimes
embrace the conditioned souls on the pretext of religious friendship or
ecstasy. But actually, the Lord was touching the bodies of the conditioned
souls to pull them out of the ocean of material existence and hurl them
into the ocean of ecstatic love of Godhead. Thus Caitanya Mahprabhu
was the most merciful and munificent incarnation of the Lord, whose
mercy surpassed the bounds of mundane discrimination in the matter of
caste, color and creed.
The word dayitay can be explained as follows. The Sanskrit word day
means "mercy." Thus, by grammatical derivation, the word used in this
verse, dayitay, indicates that because of being the most merciful,
Caitanya Mahprabhu was busily engaged in rescuing the fallen
conditioned souls, who are completely distracted and bewildered by the
external illusory energy of the Lord. The quality of being the most
merciful is part and parcel of the character of the mah-purua, or the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, this verse also describes the incarnation
of Lord Ka Himself in His original blackish form. Thus the words
surepsita-rjya-lakmm indicate r-mathur-sampattim, or the opulence of

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Mathur. Mathur is described in Vedic literature as the reservoir of all

opulence because of the touch of the Lord's lotus feet in that precinct. But
Ka, although taking birth in the opulent city of Mathur, transferred
Himself to the forest village of Vndvana. In this case the word ryavacas indicates the order of Lord Ka's original parents, Vasudeva and
Devak. In rmad-Bhgavatam (10.3.22, 29) both Vasudeva and Devak
express their fear at the threat of Kasa, who had already killed all of
Ka's elder brothers. The word rya-vacas thus indicates that with
great love they requested Ka to kindly make some arrangement to
avoid Kasa. And Ka, to obey their order, transferred Himself to the
forest village of Vndvana (yad agd arayam).
In this context, the words my-mgam indicate the special, exalted
relationship between rmat Rdhr and r Ka. My also indicates
the internal potency of Ka, yoga-my. The original form of Ka's
internal potency is rmat Rdhr. Due to the inconceivable love of
rmat Rdhr, Lord Ka becomes easily controlled by Her. Thus,
mgam, or "animal" in this case indicates kr-mgam, or "a toy animal."
Just as a beautiful young girl may play with so many dolls or stuffed
animals, similarly Lord Ka becomes just like a doll in the hands of the
most beautiful young girl, rmat-Rdhr. According to rla Jva
Gosvm, rmat Rdhr performed innumerable types of worship in
order to bind Ka more and more to Her because rmat Rdhr
cannot live without Ka. Thus, due to rmat Rdhr's rdhana, or
worship, Ka can never leave Vndvana. He runs here and there in
Vndvana, protecting the cows, playing with His friends and engaging in
countless intrigues of love with rmat Rdhr and the gops. Thus the
word anvadhvat indicates Ka's boyish activities, His running
throughout the transcendental land of Vndvana, tightly under the
control of the love of rmat Rdhr.
rla rdhara Svm has explained how this verse also describes the
incarnation of Lord r Rmacandra. Although the Lord is completely
independent and detached from everything, He becomes attached to His
pure devotees due to their love for Him. In the great capital of Ayodhy all
of the citizens loved Rmacandra more than can be described. In this
context rya-vacas means that by the order of His father, who was just
like His guru, Rmacandra gave up everything and went to the forest.
There He exhibited His great affection for mother St and chased after
my-mgam, or the illusory deer that had been created by the trick of

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Rvaa. That this golden deer was especially desired by rmat Stdev is
indicated by the word dayitayepsitam.
All of the limbs of the Lord's transcendental body are nondifferent and
interchangeable, as stated in Brahma-sahit (5.32):
agni yasya sakalendriya-vttimanti
payanti pnti kalayanti cira jaganti
nanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
All of the limbs (agni) of the Supreme Lord are sakalendriya-vttimanti,
or possessing all of the functions of all of the other limbs. Thus the two
lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead are a plenary representation of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and worshiping the Lord's lotus feet
immediately places the worshiper in the ocean of transcendental bliss.
There is no factual difference in spiritual quality between the incarnations
of Caitanya Mahprabhu, Lord Ka and Lord r Rmacandra. As stated
in Vedic literatures, advaitam acyutam andim ananta-rpam [Bs. 5.33].
Therefore there is no contradiction in the opinions of the cryas that this
verse wonderfully glorifies three different manifestations of the one
Absolute Truth. Caitanya Mahprabhu is undoubtedly the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. His transcendental attributes fulfill in every sense
of the term the descriptions of the Absolute Truth as given in Vedic
literature. In Caitanya-caritmta, in the Third Chapter of the di-ll,
Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm and rla Prabhupda have given elaborate
explanations of the transcendental status of r Caitanya Mahprabhu,
which the reader can refer to for further information.
Everyone should follow the example of the sage Karabhjana and worship
the lotus feet of the Mahprabhu, the mah-purua, r Caitanya
Mahprabhu. One should not rot on the platform of mental speculation
and whimsical interpretation but should actually revive his lost
relationship with the Absolute Truth by surrendering to Caitanya
Mahprabhu. Those who are worshiping Caitanya Mahprabhu are
deriving wonderful spiritual results and are tasting the fruit of love of
Ka. Therefore, vande mah-purua te cararavindam: let us humbly
bow down at the lotus feet of the original Personality of Godhead, r
Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is the mah-purua glorified within rmadBhgavatam.

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Corroborating the explanation of this verse, the followers of Caitanya

Mahprabhu also worship Him in His six-armed form of a-bhuja. Two
arms carry the waterpot and daa of the sannys Caitanya Mahprabhu,
two arms carry the flute of Lord Ka, and two arms carry the bow and
arrow of r Rmacandra. This a-bhuja form is the actual purport of this
verse of rmad-Bhgavatam.
TEXT 35
eva yugnurpbhy
bhagavn yuga-vartibhi
manujair ijyate rjan
reyasm varo hari
evamthus; yuga-anurpbhym(by particular names and forms)
suitable for each age; bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of Godhead;
yuga-vartibhiby those living in each of the different ages; manujai
human beings; ijyateis worshiped; rjanO King; reyasmof all
spiritual benefit; varathe controller; hariLord Hari.
Thus, O King, the Supreme Lord Hari is the giver of all desirable
benefits of life. Intelligent human beings worship the particular forms
and names that the Lord manifests in different ages.
The word yugnurpbhym is significant here. Anurpa means "suitable"
or "appropriate." The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka, anxiously
desires that all conditioned living entities come back home, back to
Godhead, for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Thus, the Lord
reveals Himself in each of the four agesSatya, Tret, Dvpara and Kali
in a form appropriate for worship by the human beings of that age. In his
Laghu-bhgavatmta (Prva-khaa 1.25), rla Rpa Gosvm states:
kathyate vara-nmbhy
ukla satya-yuge hari
rakta yma kramt kas
trety dvpare kalau
"The Supreme Lord Hari is described in terms of His color and names as
ukla [white, or the most pure] in Satya-yuga, and as red, dark blue and
black respectively in Tret, Dvpara and Kali." Thus, although in each age
various names suitable for glorifying the Lord are given, such as Hasa

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and Supara in Satya-yuga, Viu and Yaja in Tret-yuga, and Vsudeva

and Sakaraa in Dvpara-yuga, similar names are not given for Kaliyuga, although such names exist, in order to avoid disclosing cheaply the
truth of the incarnation of r Caitanya Mahprabhu.
In Kali-yuga human society is infested with hypocrisy and superficiality.
There is a strong tendency toward imitation and fraud in this age.
Therefore the incarnation of r Caitanya Mahprabhu is revealed in Vedic
literature in a confidential, discrete way, so that it will be known to the
authorized persons who can then propagate the mission of the Lord on
the earth. We actually see in this modern age that many foolish and
ordinary persons claim to be God or incarnations, avatras, etc. There are
many cheap philosophies and academies that promise, for a moderate fee,
to make one God in a short time. In America one famous religious group
promises its followers that they will all become the Supreme Lord in
heaven. Such bogus preaching goes on in the name of Christianity. Thus,
were Caitanya Mahprabhu's name widely spoken of in Vedic literature,
there would soon be a veritable plague of imitation Caitanya
Mahprabhus infesting the world.
Therefore, to prevent this pandemonium, discretion is exercised in the
Vedic literatures in Kali-yuga, and in a sober, concealed way the actual
followers of Vedic culture are informed through the Vedic mantras of the
descent of r Caitanya Mahprabhu. This discrete system, selected by the
Lord Himself for His appearance in Kali-yuga, is proving to be greatly
successful on the earth planet. And throughout the world millions of
people are chanting the holy names of Ka without the unbearable
harassment of hundreds and thousands of imitation Caitanya
Mahprabhus. Those who seriously desire to approach the Supreme
Personality of Godhead can easily understand the Lord's mission, whereas
cynical materialistic rascals, puffed up by false prestige and madly
considering their insignificant intelligence to be greater than the
intelligence of Lord Ka, cannot understand the beautiful arrangements
made by the Lord for His graceful descent into the material world. Thus,
although Ka is reyasm vara, or the Lord of all benedictions, such
foolish persons turn away from the Lord's mission and in this way deprive
themselves of their own true benefit in life.
TEXT 36
kali sabhjayanty ry

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gua j sra-bhgina
yatra sakrtanenaiva
sarva-svrtho 'bhilabhyate
kalimthe age of Kali; sabhjayantithey praise; ryprogressive
souls; gua-jawho know the true value (of the age); sra-bhgina
who are able to pick out the essence; yatrain which; sakrtanenaby
the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Supreme Lord; eva
merely; sarvaall; sva-arthadesired goals; abhilabhyateare attained.
Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate
the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship
Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be
achieved by the performance of sakrtana.
It is stated here that among the four agesSatya, Tret, Dvpara and
KaliKali-yuga is actually the best because in this age the Lord mercifully
distributes the highest perfection of consciousness, namely Ka
consciousness, very freely. The word rya has been defined by rla
Prabhupda as "one who is advancing spiritually." The nature of an
advanced person is to search for the essence of life. For example, the
essence of the material body is not the body itself but the spirit soul that
is within the body; therefore an intelligent person gives more attention to
the eternal spirit soul than to the temporary body. Similarly, although
Kali-yuga is considered to be an ocean of contamination, there is also an
ocean of good fortune in Kali-yuga, namely the sakrtana movement. In
other words, all of the degraded qualities of this age are completely
counteracted by the process of chanting the holy names of the Lord. Thus
it is stated in the Vedic language,
dhyyan kte yajan yajais
trety dvpare 'rcayan
yad pnoti tad pnoti
kalau sakrtya keavam
"Whatever is achieved in Satya-yuga by meditation, in Tret by offering
ritual sacrifices and in Dvpara by temple worship is achieved in Kaliyuga by chanting the names of Lord Keava congregationally."
The Vedic process gradually lifts the conditioned entity out of the

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darkness of ahakra, or false identification with the gross material body,

and brings him to the platform of self-realization, or aha brahmsmi, "I
am spirit soul. I am eternal." One has to make further progress to discover
that although one is eternal, there is a superior eternal entity, who is the
Lord Himself within one's own heart and within every atom in the
material universe. Beyond this second phase of self-realization there is the
third and final stage of perfection, which is realization of Bhagavn, or the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His own abode.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not primarily the superintendent
of this world but rather the enjoyer of His own world, which is beyond
the most fantastic dreams of the conditioned living entity. In other words,
although the king or president of a country is ultimately the controller of
the prison department, the king or president derives actual pleasure
within his own palace and not in administering justice to the foolish
prisoners. Similarly, the Lord appoints the demigods to administer the
material creation on His behalf while He Himself personally enjoys the
ocean of transcendental bliss in His own transcendental kingdom. Thus,
realization of the Lord within His own kingdom is far superior to the
primitive understanding that the Lord is the "creator" of the prison of the
material world. This realization of Bhagavn begins with understanding
that there are innumerable Vaikuha planets in the spiritual sky and that
on each of them a particular expansion of Nryaa dwells with His
innumerable devotees who are attached to that particular form. The
central and chief planet in the spiritual sky is called Kaloka, and there
the Personality of Godhead exhibits His supreme and original form of
Govinda. As confirmed by Lord Brahm, govindam di-purua tam aha
bhajmi **. Lord Brahm also states:
vara parama ka
sac-cid-nanda-vigraha
andir dir govinda
sarva-kraa-kraam
(Bs. 5.1)
Thus, love of Ka and entrance into Ka's planet in the spiritual sky is
the most supremely perfect and exalted status of life available anywhere,
at any time, throughout the totality of existence. That perfection is
available in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the holy names of God: Hare
Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma,

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Rma Rma, Hare Hare. Therefore every sane man, woman or child
should deeply understand the unprecedented opportunity offered by
Caitanya Mahprabhu and seriously take up this chanting process. Only
the most unfortunate and irrational person will neglect this
transcendental opportunity.
TEXT 37
na hy ata paramo lbho
dehin bhrmyatm iha
yato vindeta param
nti nayati sasti
nathere is no; hiindeed; atathan this (process of sakrtana);
paramagreater; lbhathing to be gained; dehinmfor embodied
souls; bhrmyatmwho are being forced to wander; ihathroughout
this material universe; yatafrom which; vindetaone obtains;
parammthe supreme; ntimpeace; nayatiand is destroyed;
sastithe cycle of repeated birth and death.
Indeed, there is no higher possible gain for embodied souls forced to
wander throughout the material world than the Supreme Lord's
sakrtana movement, by which one can attain the supreme peace and
free oneself from the cycle of repeated birth and death.
In the Skanda Pura, as well as in other Puras, there is the following
statement: mah-bhgavat nitya kalau kurvanti krtanam. "During Kaliyuga the great devotees of the Lord always engage in krtana, chanting the
Lord's holy names." It is the nature of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead to be merciful, and He is especially merciful to those who, in a
helpless condition, take complete shelter of His lotus feet. One can
immediately take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord by chanting His holy
names. According to rdhara Svm, even in previous ages such as Satyayuga it was not possible for the living entities to achieve the perfection
that is available in Kali-yuga. rla Jva Gosvm has explained this as
follows. In former ages such as Satya-yuga human beings were perfectly
qualified and easily performed even the most difficult spiritual processes,
meditating for many thousands of years practically without eating or
sleeping. Thus, although in any age one who completely takes shelter of
the Lord's holy name gets all perfection, the highly qualified inhabitants

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of Satya-yuga do not consider that merely moving the tongue and lips,
chanting the Lord's holy name, is a complete process and that the Lord's
holy name is the only shelter within the universe. They are more attracted
to the difficult and elaborate yoga system of meditation, complete with
sophisticated sitting postures, painstaking control of the breath and deep,
extended meditations in trance on the Personality of Godhead within the
heart. In Satya-yuga sinful life is practically unheard of, and therefore
people are not afflicted with the terrible reactions seen in Kali-yuga, such
as world war, famine, plague, drought, insanity, etc. Although in Satyayuga people always worship the Personality of Godhead as the ultimate
goal of life and meticulously follow His laws, called dharma, they do not
feel themselves to be in a helpless condition, and thus they do not always
experience intense love for the Lord.
However, in Kali-yuga living conditions are so unbearable, modern
governments are so obnoxious, our bodies are so ridden by physical and
mental disease, and even self-preservation is so troublesome, that the
conditioned souls intensely cry out the holy name of Ka, begging for
relief from the onslaught of this age. The members of the Ka
consciousness movement have vivid and unforgettable experiences of the
terrible contradictions inherent in human society in this age, and thus
they are firmly convinced that there is nothing to be achieved except the
mercy of the Supreme Lord. In ISKCON centers throughout the world we
observe wonderfully ecstatic krtana performances in which men, women
and children from all walks of life chant with startling enthusiasm the
holy names of Ka and dance in ecstasy, becoming completely
indifferent to so-called public opinion. In America a prominent professor
from Oberlin College visited a Hare Ka center in California and was
astonished by the enthusiasm with which the devotees chant the holy
name of Ka in their congregational performances.
Thus, due to their helpless and pathetic condition, the living entities in
Kali-yuga have great impetus to surrender fully to the holy name of Ka,
putting all of their hope and faith in the Lord's holy name. Kali-yuga is
therefore the best age because in this age, more than in Satya-yuga or
other ages, the conditioned souls become disgusted with the kingdom of
illusion and surrender fully to the Lord's holy name. This status of full
surrender is called param ntim, or supreme peace.
rla Madhvcrya has quoted a passage from the book called Svbhvya
to the effect that a bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession is able

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to understand the mentality and capability of his disciples and engage

them in worshiping the particular form of the Lord suitable for them. In
this way the spiritual master destroys all obstacles in the path of his
disciples. The general rule is that one must worship the particular form of
the Lord that appears in the current yuga. One may also offer his love and
worship to other forms of the Lord that appear in other ages, and
specifically one is recommended to chant the holy names of Lord
Nsihadeva to get all protection. Practically all of these injunctions are
being carried out within the ISKCON movement. Within the Ka
consciousness society, men, women and children are all being engaged in
worshiping the Lord according to their particular natures. In addition,
according to Caitanya Mahprabhu's order, we are worshiping Balarma
and Ka, who appeared in Dvpara-yuga, because They are the original
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, by chanting the Davatrastotra, jaya jagad-a hare, and by reading rmad-Bhgavatam, the
members of ISKCON worship all of the plenary expansions of the
Personality of Godhead. And after every rati performance devotional
prayers are duly chanted to Lord Nsihadeva for protection of this
movement, which is so essential to human society.
TEXTS 38-40
ktdiu praj rjan
kalv icchanti sambhavam
kalau khalu bhaviyanti
nryaa-parya
kvacit kvacin mah-rja
dravieu ca bhria
tmrapar nad yatra
ktaml payasvin
kver ca mah-puy
pratc ca mah-nad
ye pibanti jala ts
manuj manujevara
pryo bhakt bhagavati
vsudeve 'malay
kta-diuof Satya and the other earlier ages; prajthe inhabitants;

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rjanO King; kalauin Kali-yuga; icchantithey want; sambhavam

birth; kalauin Kali; khalucertainly; bhaviyantithere will be;
nryaa-paryadevotees who dedicate their lives to the service of
Lord Nryaa; kvacit kvacithere and there; mah-rjaO great
monarch; dravieuin the provinces of South India; cabut; bhria
especially plentifully; tmraparnamed Tmrapar; nadthe river;
yatrawhere; ktamlKtaml; payasvinPayasvin; kverKver;
caand; mah-puyextremely pious; pratcnamed Pratc; caand;
mah-nadthe Mahnad; yethose who; pibantidrink; jalamthe
water; tsmof these; manujhumans; manuja-varaO lord of men
(Nimi); pryafor the most part; bhaktdevotees; bhagavatiof the
Personality of Godhead; vsudeveLord Vsudeva; amala-ayhaving
spotless hearts.
My dear King, the inhabitants of Satya-yuga and other ages eagerly
desire to take birth in this age of Kali, since in this age there will be
many devotees of the Supreme Lord, Nryaa. These devotees will
appear in various places but will be especially numerous in South India.
O master of men, in the age of Kali those persons who drink the waters
of the holy rivers of Dravia-dea, such as the Tmrapar, Krtaml,
Payasvin, the extremely pious Kver and the Pratc Mahnad, will
almost all be purehearted devotees of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Vsudeva.
The Vedas contain information of past, present and future living
conditions throughout the universe. This is not very wonderful. For
example, although at present time in India we are experiencing spring
weather, we know that in the future the torrid summer will come,
followed by the rainy season, autumn and eventually winter and a new
spring. Similarly, we know that these seasons have occurred repeatedly in
the past. Thus, just as ordinary human beings can understand the past,
present and future seasons of the earth, the liberated followers of Vedic
culture can easily understand the past, present and future conditions of
the seasonal ages of the earth and other planets. The inhabitants of Satyayuga are certainly aware of the conditions of Kali-yuga. They know that in
Kali-yuga the difficult material situation forces the living entity to take
complete shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that the
inhabitants of Kali-yuga therefore develop a high degree of love of
Godhead. Therefore although the inhabitants of Satya-yuga are far more

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sinless, truthful and self-controlled than the people of other ages, they
desire to take birth in Kali-yuga in order to taste pure love of Ka.
Without associating with the devotees of the Lord no one can become an
advanced devotee of the Lord. Therefore, since in Kali-yuga other Vedic
processes collapse due to the unfavorable condition, and since the only
authorized Vedic process is the devotional chanting of the Lord's holy
name, which is available to everyone, there will undoubtedly be
innumerable Vaiavas, or devotees of the Lord, in this age. Birth in this
age is very favorable for one who is eager to associate with the devotees.
In fact, the Ka consciousness movement is establishing authorized
Vaiava temples throughout the world so that in innumerable areas one
may avail himself of association with pure Vaiavas.
Association with the devotees of the Lord is far more valuable than any
amount of association with persons who are merely self-controlled, sinless
or expert in Vedic scholarship. Therefore it is stated in rmadBhgavatam (6.14.5):
muktnm api siddhn
nryaa-paryaa
su-durlabha pranttm
koiv api mah-mune
"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in
knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Nryaa, or
Ka. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare."
Similarly, it is stated in Caitanya-caritmta (Madhya 22.54):
'sdhu-saga ', 'sdhu-saga '-sarva-stre kaya
lava-mtra sdhu-sage sarva-siddhi haya
"The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment's
association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success."
According to rla Jva Gosvm the words kvacit kvacit in this verse
indicate that in Kali-yuga Lord r Ka Caitanya will appear in Gauadea, in the district of Nadia. And from this pivotal point, He will
gradually expand the flood of love of Godhead to cover the entire earth.
Many exalted devotees such as r Advaitcrya also take birth in Gauadea.

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The process of chanting the holy name of Ka, ka-krtana, is not

limited to Kali-yuga. In the Viu-dharma, in relation to the story of the
fallen son of a katriya, it is stated,
na dea-niyamas tatra
na kla-niyamas tath
nocchidau niedha ca
r-harer nmni lubdhaka
"There is no restriction of place or time, nor any injunction forbidding the
accepting of remnants of foods, etc., when one has become greedy to
chant the name of r Hari." Similarly, it is stated in the Skanda Pura,
the Viu-dharma and the Vaikha-mhtmya section of the Padma
Pura, cakryudhasya nmni sad sarvatra krtayet: "The names of the
Supreme Lord who has the disc as His weapon should be glorified always
and everywhere." Similarly, the Skanda Pura states,
na dea-klvasthtmauddhy-dikam apekate
kintu svatantram evaita
nma kmita-kma-dam
"The name of the Lord need not be chanted with regard to place, time,
circumstantial conditions, preliminary self-purification or any other
factors. Rather, it is completely independent of all other processes and
rewards all the desires of those who eagerly chant it." Similarly, it is stated
in the Viu-dharma,
kalau kta-yuga tasya
kalis tasya kte yuge
yasya cetasi govindo
hdaye yasya ncyuta
"For one who has Lord Govinda in his heart, Satya-yuga becomes
manifest in the midst of Kali, and conversely even Satya-yuga becomes
Kali-yuga for one who does not have the infallible Lord in his heart." The
holy name of Ka is potent everywhere, at all times and in all
circumstances; therefore one should always chant the holy names of the
Lord, either in Kali-yuga, Satya-yuga, in heaven, in hell or in Vaikuha.

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Ka's holy name is eternally nondifferent from Him, and Ka is

eternally the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus, it is not that the
holy name is powerful in this age only because other processes are not
effective.
It is also stated in the r Viu Pura that chanting the holy names of
the Lord is far more potent than simply trying to remember the Lord
through meditation. In rmad-Bhgavatam (2.1.11), ukadeva Gosvm
has stated,
etan nirvidyamnnm
icchatm akuto-bhayam
yogin npa nirta
harer nmnukrtanam
"O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of
the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all,
including those who are free from all material desires, those who are
desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by
dint of transcendental knowledge." In his commentary on this verse in the
Bhgavatam, rla Prabhupda has written: "According to r ukadeva
Gosvm, this way of attaining success [chanting the holy name] is an
established fact, concluded not only by him, but also by all other previous
cryas. Therefore there is no need of further evidence." The reader may
consult rla Prabhupda's purport to this verse for a detailed explanation
of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord and the offenses to be
avoided in such chanting.
In the Vaiava-cintmai there is the following statement:
agha-cchit smaraa vior
bahv-ysena sdhyate
oha-spandana-mtrea
krtana tu tato varam
"Although capable of destroying all sins, the remembrance of Lord Viu
is achieved only with extraordinary effort. On the other hand, one may
perform ka-krtana simply by moving one's lips, and thus this process
is superior." rla Jva Gosvm has also quoted the following verse:

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yena janma-atai prva

vsudeva samrcita
tan-mukhe hari-nmni
sad tihanti bhrata
"O descendant of Bharata, the holy names of Lord Viu are always
vibrating in the mouth of one who has previously worshiped Vsudeva
perfectly for hundreds of lifetimes." The same idea is conveyed in the
rmad-Bhgavatam by rmat Devahti in her statement to her son,
Kapila:
aho bata va-paco 'to garyn
yaj-jihvgre vartate nma tubhyam
tepus tapas te juhuvu sasnur ry
brahmncur nma ganti ye te
"Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name!
Even if born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable.
Persons who chant the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed
all kinds of austerities and fire sacrifices and achieved all the good
manners of the Aryans. To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship,
they must have bathed at holy places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and
fulfilled everything required." (SB 3.33.7)
Therefore, rla Jva Gosvm has concluded that it is possible to perform
krtana equally in all ages. In Kali-yuga, however, the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, by His causeless mercy, personally induces the living entities
to take the holy name. Bhaktivinoda hkura has thus quoted the Lord as
follows:
enechi auadhi my nibra lgi'
hari-nma mah-mantra lao tumi mgi'
"O conditioned souls who are foolishly sleeping on the lap of the witch
My, I have brought an excellent medicine to cure the disease of your
illusion. This medicine is called hari-nma. It is My holy name, and by
taking this medicine you will get all perfection in life. Therefore, I
sincerely request you to please take this medicine that I have personally
brought for you."

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In verse 32 of this chapter it was stated, yajai sakrtana-pryair yajanti

hi su-medhasa. According to rla Jva Gosvm the words sakrtanapryai, which mean "mainly by the process of sakrtana," indicate that
although other processes such as Deity worship may be performed to
some extent in Kali-yuga, such processes, in order to be successful, must
be favorably connected with the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.
One who is performing worship of the Ka Deity should know that the
most essential part of such Deity worship is constant chanting of the holy
names of the Lord. On the other hand, one who has perfectly chanted the
holy name of the Lord need not depend on other processes, as expressed
in the following famous mantra:
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva kevalam
kalau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
[Cc. di 17.21]
"In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is
no alternative for spiritual progress other than the holy name, the holy
name, the holy name of the Lord." (Bhan-nradya Pura 38.126) As
proved by all of these evidences, the statement in the Bhgavatam (kali
sabhjayanty ry) that spiritually advanced persons worship the age of
Kali due to the facilities offered in this age by the Lord is not at all
contradictory.
At the end of verse 40 in this chapter it is stated, pryo bhakt bhagavati
vsudeve 'malay: in general those who are able to regularly drink the
waters of the holy rivers of South India will be pure-hearted devotees of
Lord Vsudeva. The word prya, or "in general" indicates that those who
are offensive to the Lord's devotees, although claiming themselves to be
devotees, are not included within the list of amalay, or purehearted
souls. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that one
should not be bewildered by seeing the apparently poverty-stricken
condition of the inhabitants of South India. Even nowadays the
inhabitants of the places mentioned in this verse generally spend their
days with meager eating and clothing and live as great renounced
devotees of the Supreme Lord. In other words, clothes do not make the
man. To live as a polished animal, dressing oneself luxuriously and

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gratifying the tongue with rich foodstuffs, is not the actual symptom of an
advanced transcendentalist. Although the residents of South India are
generally r Vaiavas, or devotees in the Lakm-sampradya, they are
recognized as devotees of the Lord by the followers of Caitanya
Mahprabhu. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, their
austere living conditions should be taken as a good qualification, not a
disqualification.
TEXT 41
devari-bhtpta-n pit
na kikaro nyam ca rjan
sarvtman ya araa araya
gato mukunda parihtya kartam
deva-of the demigods; i-of the sages; bhta-of ordinary living entities;
pta-of friends and relatives; nm-of ordinary men; pitm-of the
forefathers; na-not; kikara-the servant; nanor; ayamthis one;
debtor; caalso; rjanO King; sarva-tmanwith his whole being;
yaa person who; araamshelter; arayamthe Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who affords shelter to all; gataapproached;
mukundamMukunda; parihtyagiving up; kartamduties.
O King, one who has given up all material duties and has taken full
shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not
indebted to the demigods, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives,
friends, mankind or even one's forefathers who have passed away. Since
all such classes of living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme
Lord, one who has surrendered to the Lord's service has no need to
serve such persons separately.
One who has not fully surrendered to the devotional service of the Lord
undoubtedly has many material duties to perform. Every ordinary
conditioned soul is the recipient of innumerable benefits given by the
demigods, who provide sun and moonshine, rain, wind, food and,
ultimately, one's own material body. In Bhagavad-gt it is stated, stena eva
sa: [Bg. 3.12] one who does not reciprocate with the demigods by
offering them sacrifice is stena, or a thief. Similarly, other living entities
such as cows are providing us with innumerable delicious and nutritious
foodstuffs. When we wake up in the morning our mind is refreshed by the

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sweet singing of birds, and on a hot day we enjoy the cool shade and
breeze of the forest trees. We are accepting service from innumerable
living entities, and we are obligated to repay them. pta means one's own
family members, to whom one is certainly obligated according to normal
morality, and nm means human society. Until one becomes a devotee
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is certainly a product of his
society. We receive mundane education, culture, tradition and protection
from the society in which we live, and thus we owe a great debt to society.
Of course, our debt to society is not simply to the present order but to all
of our forefathers and ancestors who carefully preserved moral and social
customs so that we, their descendants, could live peacefully. Therefore
the word pitm, or "forefathers," indicates our debt to previous
generations.
In fact, the members of the Ka consciousness society are sometimes
criticized by materialistic persons for giving too much attention to Ka
rather than working to fulfill all of the above-mentioned obligations. In
reply to this, the Bhgavatam (4.31.14) states, yath taror mla-niecanena
tpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopakh. If one waters the root of a tee,
automatically all of the branches, twigs, leaves, etc., are also nourished.
There is no need for, nor any effectiveness in, separately pouring water on
the branches, twigs and leaves of a tree. The water has to be placed on the
root. Similarly, propahrc ca yathendriym: food must be placed in
the stomach, from where it is automatically distributed to all of the limbs
of the body. It is foolish to try to nourish the whole body by rubbing food
separately on all the bodily limbs. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Ka, is the source of all existence. Everything is emanating
from Ka, everything is maintained by Ka, and at the end, everything
will merge to rest in Ka. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka,
is the supreme benefactor, friend, protector and well-wisher of every
living entity, and if He is satisfied, then automatically the whole world
will become satisfied, just as all of the bodily limbs are strengthened and
satisfied when food is duly remitted to the stomach.
The example can be given that a man who is working as the personal
secretary to a great king has no further obligation to petty minor kings.
Undoubtedly an ordinary person has many obligations within this
material world. But according to Bhagavad-gt, mayaiva vihitn hi tn: it
is actually the Supreme Lord who is giving all benedictions. For example,
one receives one's body by the mercy of one's parents. However,

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sometimes we find that a particular man or woman may become impotent

at a given moment. Sometimes a deformed child is born, and sometimes a
child is born dead. Often the sexual act fails to produce pregnancy at all.
So although all parents desire a beautiful, highly qualified child, this is
often not the case. Thus it can be understood that ultimately it is by the
mercy of the Supreme Lord that a man and woman are able to produce a
child by the sexual act. It is by the Lord's mercy that the man's seminal
injection is potent and the woman's ovum is fertile. Similarly, it is only by
the mercy of the Lord that the child is born in a healthy condition and
reaches physical maturity to pursue his own life. If at any stage in the
evolution of a human being the Lord's mercy is withdrawn, sudden death
or crippling disease occurs.
The demigods are also not independent. The words parihtya kartam,
"giving up other duties," indicate that one should give up any concept
that the demigods are separate from Ka. It is clearly stated in Vedic
literature that the demigods are different limbs of the universal body of
the Supreme Lord. Further, it is stated in Bhagavad-gt that the Supreme
Lord is situated in everyone's heart and that He only is giving intelligence
and memory. Thus, our forefathers who carefully preserved cultural
traditions were acting with intelligence provided by the Supreme Lord.
They certainly were not acting with their own independent intelligence.
No one can be intelligent without a brain, and it is only by Ka's mercy
that we receive a human brain. Therefore, if we carefully analyze all of our
multifarious obligations toward different classes of living entities, we shall
find that in each and every case it is ultimately by the mercy of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead that we have received a particular
benediction in life. So although an ordinary person must methodically
fulfill all of his various obligations by executing different types of
sacrifices and charitable activities for the satisfaction of those who have
benefited him, one who is directly serving the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Ka, at once fulfills all such obligations because all
benedictions ultimately have come from the Lord through the agency of
family, forefathers, demigods, etc.
The example may be given that sometimes a state government may
distribute benefits originally provided by the federal government. So one
who becomes the personal secretary or minister to the chief executive of
the federal government has no further obligation to the less important
representatives of the state government. Therefore, it is stated in rmad-

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Bhgavatam (11.20.9):
tvat karmi kurvta
na nirvidyeta yvat
mat-kath-ravadau v
raddh yvan na jyate
"As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened
his taste for devotional service by hearing and chanting about the
Supreme Lord, one has to act according to the regulative principles of the
Vedic injunctions." The conclusion is that one who has fully surrendered
to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord is a first-class human being.
People in general are only eager to receive benedictions from demigods,
family members and society because such benedictions are conducive to
material sense gratification. Less intelligent persons consider such
material progress to be the only goal of life and thus cannot appreciate the
exalted position of pure devotional service to the Lord. Bhakti-yoga, or
pure devotional service, is meant to directly please the senses of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Envious materialistic persons propose
various arguments to deny that the Supreme Lord even has transcendental
senses. The devotees, however, do not waste!time doubting the
inconceivable beauty, strength, wealth and geniality of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, but directly please the Lord's senses through
loving service and thus receive the supreme benediction of going back
home, back to Godhead. The devotees return to the Lord's abode, where
life is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. No demigod, family member or
forefather can give one an eternal life of bliss and knowledge. However, if
one foolishly neglects the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and instead
accepts the temporary material body to be everything, then one must
certainly perform elaborate sacrifices, austerities and charity and fulfill all
of the obligations mentioned above. Otherwise, one becomes completely
sinful and condemned, even from the material point of view.
TEXT 42
sva-pda-mlam bhajata priyasya
tyaktnya-bhvasya hari parea
vikarma yac cotpatita kathacid
dhunoti sarva hdi sannivia

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sva-pda-mlamthe lotus feet of Ka, the shelter of the devotees;

bhajatawho is engaged in worshiping; priyasyawho is very dear to
Ka; tyaktagiven up; anyafor others; bhvasyaof one whose
disposition or inclination; harithe Supreme Personality of Godhead;
para-athe Supreme Lord; vikarmasinful activities; yatwhatever;
caand; utpatitamoccurred; kathacitsomehow; dhunotiremoves;
sarvamall; hdiin the heart; sanniviaentered.
One who has thus given up all other engagements and has taken full
shelter at the lotus feet of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is
very dear to the Lord. Indeed, if such a surrendered soul accidentally
commits some sinful activity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
is seated within everyone's heart, immediately takes away the reaction
to such sin.
In the previous verse it was clearly described that a fully surrendered
devotee of the Supreme Lord has no need to perform ordinary, worldly
duties. Now in this verse it is revealed that devotional service is so pure
and potent that a surrendered devotee of the Lord has no need to perform
any other purificatory process. As described in the Sixth Canto of rmadBhgavatam, a surrendered devotee has no need to perform pryacitta, or
atonement for an accidental falldown into sinful activity. Since devotional
service is itself the most purifying process, a sincere devotee who has
accidentally stumbled on the path should immediately resume his pure
devotional service at the lotus feet of the Lord. And thus the Lord will
protect him, as stated in Bhagavad-gt (9.30):
api cet su-durcro
bhajate mm ananya-bhk
sdhur eva sa mantavya
samyag vyavasito hi sa
The word tyaktnya-bhvasya in this verse is very significant. As stated in
the previous verse, a pure devotee realizes clearly that all living entities,
including Brahm and iva, are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and thus have no separate or independent existence.
Realizing that everything and everyone is part and parcel of the Lord, a
devotee automatically is not inclined to commit sinful activities by
violating the order of God. However, due to the powerful influence of

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material nature, even a sincere devotee may be temporarily overwhelmed

by illusion and deviate from the rigid path of pure devotional service. In
such a case, Lord Ka Himself, acting within the heart, removes such
sinful activities. Even Yamarja, the lord of death, has no power to punish
a surrendered devotee who has accidentally committed sinful activities.
As stated here, Ka is parea, or the Supreme Lord, and all secondary
lords such as the demigods cannot threaten the Lord's personal devotees.
In his youth Ajmila had been a pious brhmaa engaged in the service of
the Lord. Then, by bad association with a prostitute, he became
practically the most degraded man in the world. At the end of his life,
Yamarja sent his Yamadtas to drag away the soul of the sinful Ajmila,
but the Personality of Godhead immediately sent His personal associates
to save Ajmila and demonstrate to Yamarja that no secondary
personality can disturb the personal devotees of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gt, kaunteya pratijnhi na me
bhakta praayati [Bg. 9.31].
The argument may be raised that the smti-stra states, ruti-smti
mamaivje: the Vedic scriptures are the direct orders of the Personality of
Godhead. Therefore, one may ask, how can the Lord tolerate that His
orders be occasionally neglected, even by His devotees? To answer this
possible objection, the word priyasya is used in this verse. The devotees of
the Lord are very dear to the Lord. Although the beloved child may
accidentally commit an abominable activity, the loving father forgives the
child, taking into consideration the actual good intentions of the child.
Thus, although the devotee of the Lord does not try to exploit the Lord's
mercy by requesting the Lord to free him from any future suffering, the
Lord, by His own initiative, frees the devotee from the reactions to
accidental falldowns.
This causeless mercy of the Lord upon His devotee is His paramaivaryam,
or supreme opulence. Gradually the faithful devotee becomes free, even
from accidental falldown, because simply by remembering the lotus feet
of the Lord, what to speak of by actively rendering service to Him, his
heart is purified. Although the surrendered devotees of the Personality of
Godhead may sometimes appear to be affected by mundane attitudes, they
are inevitably protected by the merciful Lord and are never actually
defeated in life.
TEXT 43

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r-nrada uvca
dharmn bhgavatn ittha
rutvtha mithilevara
jyanteyn munn prta
sopdhyyo hy apjayat
r-nrada uvcaNrada Muni said; dharmn bhgavatnthe science
of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; itthamin
this manner; rutvhaving heard; athathen; mithil-varathe
master of the kingdom of Mithil, King Nimi; jyanteynto the sons of
Jayant; munnsages; prtabeing satisfied; sa-updhyyaalong with
the priests; hiindeed; apjayathe offered worship.
Nrada Muni said: Having thus heard the science of devotional service,
Nimi, the King of Mithil, felt extremely satisfied and, along with the
sacrificial priests, offered respectful worship to the sagacious sons of
Jayant.
The word jyanteyn indicates the nine Yogendras, who were born from
the womb of Jayant, the wife of abhadeva.
TEXT 44
tato 'ntardadhire siddh
sarva-lokasya payata
rj dharmn uptihann
avpa param gatim
tatathen; antardadhirethey disappeared; siddhthe perfect sages
headed by Kavi; sarva-lokasyaall those present; payataas they were
watching; rjthe King; dharmnthese principles of spiritual life;
uptihanfaithfully following; avpahe achieved; parammthe
supreme; gatimdestination.
The perfect sages then disappeared before the eyes of everyone present.
King Nimi faithfully practiced the principles of spiritual life he had
learned from them, and thus he achieved the supreme goal of life.
TEXT 45
tvam apy etn mah-bhga

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dharmn bhgavatn rutn

sthita raddhay yukto
nisago ysyase param
tvamyou (Vasudeva); apialso; etnthese; mah-bhgaO most
fortunate one; dharmnprinciples; bhgavatnof devotional service;
rutnwhich you have heard; sthitasituated in; raddhaywith
faith; yuktaendowed; nisagafree from material association;
ysyaseyou will go; paramto the Supreme.
O greatly fortunate Vasudeva, simply apply with faith these principles
of devotional service which you have heard, and thus, being free from
material association, you will attain the Supreme.
Nrada Muni related to Ka's father, Vasudeva, the story of the
enlightenment of King Nimi. Now Nrada reveals that Vasudeva himself
will also achieve the supreme perfection of life by practicing the same
principles spoken long ago by the nine Yogendras. Actually, Vasudeva was
already a personal associate of the Supreme Lord, but due to his natural
humility as a great devotee, he was determined to perfect his love of
Ka. Thus we can observe the exalted status of the parents of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Ordinary persons feel that the Supreme Lord is always to be worshiped as
the supreme father who supplies everything for the living entities. Such
an attitude is not the perfection of love of Godhead, because when a son is
young he is incapable of giving much service to his mother and father.
When the child is very young, it is rather the parents who are constantly
serving the child. So when the devotee takes the role of mother or father
of Ka, there is unlimited opportunity for rendering loving service to
the Lord, whom the devotee ecstatically accepts as his son. It was
Vasudeva's good fortune that Nrada Muni personally revealed to him the
wonderful teachings given by the nava-yogendras long, long ago to the
saintly King Nimi.
TEXT 46
yuvayo khalu dampatyor
yaas prita jagat
putratm agamad yad v
bhagavn varo hari

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yuvayoof the two of you; khaluindeed; dam-patyoof the husband

and wife; yaasby the glories; pritamhas become full; jagatthe
earth; putratmthe state of being the son; agamatassumed; yat
because; vmyour; bhagavnthe Personality of Godhead; varathe
Supreme Lord; hariHari.
Indeed, the whole world has become filled with the glories of you and
your good wife because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord
Hari, has taken the position of your son.
In this verse Nrada Muni hints at the glories of Vasudeva and Devak, the
parents of Ka and Balarma, by the words yaas prita jagat, "the
whole world is now filled with your glories." In other words, although
Vasudeva inquired from Nrada about spiritual advancement, Nrada here
states, "You are already completely glorious due to your extraordinary
devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
TEXT 47
daranliganlpai
ayansana-bhojanai
tm v pvita ke
putra-sneha prakurvato
daranaby seeing; liganaembracing; lpaiand conversing;
ayanain taking rest; sanasitting; bhojanaiand eating; tmthe
hearts; vmof you two; pvitahave become purified; kefor Lord
Ka; putra-snehamthe affection toward a son; prakurvatowho were
manifesting.
My dear Vasudeva, you and your good wife Devak have manifested
great transcendental love for Ka, accepting Him as your son. Indeed,
you are always seeing the Lord, embracing Him, speaking with Him,
resting with Him, sitting together with Him and taking your meals with
Him. By such affectionate and intimate association with the Lord,
undoubtedly both of you have completely purified your hearts. In other
words, you are already perfect.
The words tm vm pvita in this verse are very significant. Ordinary
conditioned souls are required to purify their existence by practicing the
regulative principles of bhakti-yoga and learning how to offer all of their

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activities in the devotional service of the Lord. Such a regulative, gradual

process, however, cannot be applied to those exalted souls who are
personally attending the Lord as His parents, boyfriends, girl friends,
advisors, sons, etc. Due to Vasudeva and Devak's intense love for Ka
as their son, they had already achieved the highest perfectional stage of
life. Although in the previous verse r Nrada Muni informed Vasudeva
that he and his wife had become glorious by Ka's taking birth as their
son, Vasudeva might have argued that other personal associates of the
Lord, such as Jaya and Vijaya, had fallen down due to offending the
brhmaa class. Therefore, in the present verse Nrada has used the word
pvita: "You are completely purified, and therefore you are completely
free from the slightest trace of discrepancy in your devotional service, due
to your intense love for Ka."
It is understood from the commentary of rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura that r Vasudeva, Ka's pastime father, is actually an eternally
liberated nitya-siddha associate of the Personality of Godhead. Vasudeva
has a spiritual body, just as Ka does, and he is always merged in the
overwhelming ecstatic desire to serve Ka, his beautiful son. However,
Nrada could understand that due to extreme humility, Vasudeva
considered himself an ordinary human being and was feeling very anxious
to receive transcendental instructions on the devotional service of the
Lord. Accepting the ecstatic humility of Vasudeva, and to relieve his
anxiety, r Nrada Muni instructed him in the science of bhakti-yoga as
one might instruct an ordinary human being. However, at the some time
Nrada has revealed that actually r Vasudeva and Devak are already
completely glorious by their unprecedented fortune of having Ka and
Balarma as their sons. Therefore, Nrada is telling Vasudeva, "My dear
Vasudeva, do not in any way be discouraged or doubtful about your
position. Undoubtedly you are immediately going back home, back to
Godhead. And actually you and your good wife are the most fortunate
persons."
In conclusion, everyone should become fortunate by fully developing his
dormant love for Ka. Many terrible demons who opposed Ka
eventually achieved a happy state of life by their association with Ka.
Therefore there is no doubt about the supreme bliss achieved by the
loving devotees of the Lord who day and night can only think of pleasing
Ka.

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TEXT 48
vairea ya npataya iupla-pauralvdayo gati-vilsa-vilokandyai
dhyyanta kta-dhiya ayansandau
tat-smyam pur anurakta-dhiy puna kim
vaireawith envy; yamwhom (Lord Ka); n-patayakings;
iupla-paura-lva-dayalike iupla, Pauraka, lva, etc.;
gatiupon His movements; vilsasporting; vilokanaglances; dyai
and so forth; dhyyantameditating; ktathus fixed; dhiyatheir
minds; ayanain the activities of lying down; sana-dausitting, and
so on; tat-smyama position on the same level with Him (that is, a
position in the eternal, spiritual world); puthey achieved; anuraktadhiymfor those whose minds are naturally attached in a favorable way;
puna kimwhat to speak of in comparison.
Inimical kings like iupla, Pauraka and lva were always thinking
about Lord Ka. Even while they were lying down, sitting or engaging
in other activities, they enviously meditated upon the bodily
movements of the Lord, His sporting pastimes, His loving glances upon
His devotees, and other attractive features displayed by the Lord. Being
thus always absorbed in Ka, they achieved spiritual liberation in the
Lord's own abode. What then can be said of the benedictions offered to
those who constantly fix their minds on Lord Ka in a favorable,
loving mood?
On the eve of the disappearance of Lord Ka from this world, Vasudeva
became filled with lamentation thinking that he had not properly utilized
the opportunity of the Lord's personal presence to become perfectly Ka
conscious. However, Nrada Muni assured r Vasudeva that the glories of
Vasudeva and his good wife Devak were chanted throughout the universe
because even the demigods worshiped the exalted status of the Lord's own
parents. Vasudeva was not only concerned about his own spiritual
position, but he also lamented for the Yadu dynasty, which had left the
world in an apparently inauspicious way, being cursed by great brhmaas
such as Nrada and dying in a fratricidal war. Although the members of
the Yadu dynasty were personal associates of the Lord, their
disappearance from the earth was apparently inauspicious, and therefore
Vasudeva was concerned about their eventual destination. So Nrada here

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assures Vasudeva that even the demons who opposed Ka, such as
iupla, Pauraka and lva, achieved promotion to the Lord's own
abode because of their constant absorption in thinking of Ka.
Therefore what to speak of the exalted members of the Yadu dynasty who
actually loved Ka more than anything (anurakta-dhiym puna kim)?
Similarly, it is stated in the Garua Pura,
ajnina sura-vara samadhikipanto
ya ppino 'pi iupla-suyodhandy
mukti gat smaraa-mtra-vidhta-pp
ka saaya parama-bhaktimat jannm
"Even foolish sinners like iupla and Duryodhana who showered abuse
upon the Lord were cleansed of all sins simply by remembering Lord
Ka. Somehow or other their minds were absorbed in the Lord, and
thus they attained liberation. What doubt then is there about the
destination of those who are overwhelmed with devotional feelings for the
Lord?"
Vasudeva was also feeling anxiety because on the one hand he was aware
that Ka is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but at the same time
he treated the Lord as his beloved son. In the relationship between the
father and son, sometimes the father must chastise the son and restrict
him in various ways. In this way Vasudeva was feeling that undoubtedly
he had offended the Lord in his attempt to train Lord Ka as his son.
However, Lord Ka is actually pleased when a pure devotee becomes
absorbed in parental love for Him and thus devotedly tries to care for Him
just as loving parents care for a small child. Ka reciprocates the intense
devotional feelings of such devotees by actually appearing before them as
a young boy and acting just like their son.
As mentioned in this verse, the demons actually chastised Ka with
feelings of enmity. Nevertheless, such demons attained liberation due to
their absorption in Ka. Therefore, what to speak of the destination of
Vasudeva, who chastised Ka due to his overwhelming parental love for
Him? The conclusion is that the devotees of the Lord should never
consider Vasudeva and Devak to be ordinary, conditioned souls. Their
relationship with Lord Ka is completely on the transcendental platform
of vtsalya-rasa, or parental love for the Personality of Godhead. It has
nothing to do with the parental love of the material world, which is based

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on a mood of sense gratification, since the parents see their children as

objects of material enjoyment.
TEXT 49
mpatya-buddhim akth
ke sarvtmanvare
my-manuya-bhvena
ghaivarye pare 'vyaye
mdo not; apatya-buddhimthe idea of being your son; akth
impose; keon Ka; sarva-tmanithe Supreme Soul of all; varethe Personality of Godhead; myby His power of illusion; manuyabhvenaappearing as if an ordinary person; gha-aivaryehiding His
opulence; parethe Supreme; avyayeinfallible.
Do not think of Ka as an ordinary child, because He is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, inexhaustible and the Soul of all beings. The
Lord has concealed His inconceivable opulences and is thus outwardly
appearing to be an ordinary human being.
Lord r Ka is the original source of all plenary incarnations of the
Absolute Truth. Kas tu bhagavn svayam [SB 1.3.28]. His unlimited
transcendental opulences are inexhaustible, and thus He very easily brings
the entire creation under His personal control. Lord Ka is the eternal
well-wisher of every living entity, so there was no need for Vasudeva to be
anxious about his future destination, nor that of the other personal
associates of Ka, such as the members of the Yadu dynasty. In verse 46
of this chapter, Nrada Muni told Vasudeva, putratm agamad yad v
bhagavn varo hari: "You and your good wife are now glorified
throughout the universe because Lord Ka has personally become your
son." In this way Nrada is encouraging Vasudeva to continue to love
Ka as his most beloved son, for such ecstatic devotional feelings are
never to be given up. But at the same time, Nrada is removing Vasudeva's
doubts about the future by assuring him, "Due to your love for Ka you
may think that He is an ordinary human being. You are appearing like a
human being, and Lord Ka is simply reciprocating with you. In order
to encourage you to love Him as your son, He is placing Himself under
your control. And thus, His inconceivable power and opulences are being
concealed from you. Don't assume, however, that there is actually a

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dangerous situation because of the events of this material world. Although

Ka appears to be under your control, He is eternally the supreme
controller. Therefore, do not consider Him to be a human being. He is
always the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
The word my in this verse indicates that Ka's manuya, or
humanlike, activities are actually misleading to the ordinary man because
Ka is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. My also means
"transcendental potencies." As stated in Bhagavad-gt, sambhavmy tmamyay: [Bg. 4.6] the Lord descends in His own transcendental form filled
with transcendental potencies. And thus the words my-manuyabhvena here also indicate Ka's original transcendental form, which
resembles the humanlike forms experienced in this world. My also
indicates "mercy," or "compassion," according to the Sanskrit dictionary,
and thus the Lord's incarnation is understood to be His causeless mercy
upon the conditioned souls. The Lord's descent is also His causeless
mercy upon the liberated souls, who take immense pleasure in joining the
Lord in His pastimes and in chanting and hearing about such exalted
spiritual activities (ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23]).
In order to reciprocate the love of Vasudeva for Him, Ka mostly
concealed His unlimited opulences. In this way the devotee is fully
encouraged in his particular loving relationship with the Lord. However,
when Vasudeva was filled with anxiety due to the dangerous situation
created by the brhmaa's curse, Nrada immediately reminded him that
such anxiety was unnecessary, since all these events were under the direct
control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus, the Vaiava
paramahasas who take the position of the Lord's parents remain under
the shelter of the Lord at all times and never deviate from the loving
devotional service of the Lord. They remain fixed in transcendence in all
circumstances, unlike ordinary parents of the material world, who are
constantly becoming bewildered by illusion due to the bodily concept of
life.
TEXT 50
bh-bhrsura-rjanyahantave guptaye satm
avatrasya nirvtyai
yao loke vitanyate
bh-bhrawho were the burden of the earth; asurademons; rjanya

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members of the kingly order; hantavein order to kill; guptayefor the

protection; satmof the saintly devotees; avitrasyaof Him who has
descended; nirvtyaialso for awarding liberation; yaathe fame;
lokethroughout the world; vitanyatehas become spread.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead descended to kill the demoniac
kings who were the burden of the earth and to protect the saintly
devotees. However, both the demons and the devotees are awarded
liberation by the Lord's mercy. Thus, His transcendental fame has
spread throughout the universe.
A doubt may arise as to how the Supreme Personality of Godhead
descends to this material world. And since He is the omnipotent creator of
millions of universes, why do the devotees glorify as wonderful the Lord's
activities such as His killing a witch named Ptan by sucking out her life
through her breast? Although such activities are certainly beyond the
scope of ordinary human beings, why should they be considered
wonderful when executed by the omnipotent Personality of Godhead?
The answer is given in this verse by the word nirvtyai The Lord killed the
demons not because He was envious of them, but in order to give them
spiritual liberation. Thus the causeless mercy of the Personality of
Godhead in liberating both the devotees and the demons by His
inconceivable pastimes clearly distinguishes the Lord from any other
living entity, either man or demigod. It is stated, mukti-pradt sarve
viur eva na saaya: only Viu can give liberation beyond birth and
death. rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has pointed out that generally
the demons are awarded impersonal liberation in the Brahman effulgence,
whereas the devotees are given the superior benediction of love of
Godhead in the spiritual planets. Thus, the Lord exhibits His causeless
mercy toward all classes of living entities, and His fame is spread
throughout the universe. Because Ka is transcendental, His fame is not
different from His personal incarnation, so as the Lord's fame expands,
the entire universe is gradually liberated. These are some of the unique
characteristics of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 51
r-uka uvca
etac chrutv mah-bhgo
vasudevo 'ti-vismita

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devak ca mah-bhg
jahatur moham tmana
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; etatthis; rutvhaving
heard; mah-bhgathe greatly fortunate; vasudevaKing Vasudeva;
ati-vismitaextremely amazed; devakmother Devak; caand; mahbhgthe greatly fortunate; jahatuthey both gave up; moham-the
confusion; tmanatheir own.
r ukadeva Gosvm continued: Having heard this narration, the
greatly fortunate Vasudeva was completely struck with wonder. Thus
he and his most blessed wife Devak gave up all illusion and anxiety
that had entered their hearts.
TEXT 52
itihsam ima puya
dhrayed ya samhita
sa vidhyeha amala
brahma-bhyya kalpate
itihsamhistorical account; imamthis; puyampious; dhrayetmeditates upon; yawho; samhitawith fixed attention; sahe;
vidhyacleaning off; ihain this very life; amalamcontamination;
brahma-bhyyathe supreme spiritual perfection; kalpateachieves.
Anyone who meditates on this pious historical narration with fixed
attention will purify himself of all contamination in this very life and
thus achieve the highest spiritual perfection.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Nrada Concludes His Teachings to
Vasudeva."

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6. The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhsa

This chapter describes how Brahm and other demigods, after offering
prayers to Lord r Ka, requested the Lord to return to His own abode
and how Uddhava, anticipating separation from the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, was very distressed and prayed to r Ka that he might
accompany Him on His return to that abode.
Desiring to see r Ka in His humanlike form, which enchants all the
worlds, the Gandharvas, Apsars, Ngas, is, Pits, Vidydharas,
Kinnaras and other demigods, all headed by Brahm, iva and Indra,
arrived at the city of Dvrak. Covering the body of Ka with flower
garlands from the Nandana gardens of heaven, they praised Him with
statements about His transcendental power and qualities.
All living entities, beginning with Brahm, are subordinate to Lord r
Ka. Ka creates the universe by empowering His expansion MahViu. Although Ka creates, maintains and destroys this world through
His material energy, He remains transcendental to the material energy and
perfectly self-satisfied. Even in the midst of His sixteen thousand queens,
Lord Ka is undisturbed.
Performers of fruitive sacrifices and yogs desiring mystic power
contemplate the lotus feet of Lord r Ka to attain their materialistic
objectives. But the most elevated devotees, who desire liberation from the
bondage of material work, lovingly contemplate the Lord's lotuslike feet
because those feet are the fire that destroys all desires for sense
gratification. One cannot actually purify the mind by ordinary worship,
penance and other such processes. One can purify the mind contaminated
by sense gratification only through mature faith in the mode of goodness,
which arises by hearing the glories of Ka. Therefore, intelligent
persons situated in the varrama system serve the two kinds of holy
places: the nectarean rivers of the topics of Ka and the nectarean rivers
flowing from the Lord's lotus feet.
By incarnating within the Yadu dynasty, Ka performed the highest
welfare work for the entire universe by displaying His transcendental
pastimes. Simply by hearing and chanting about these pastimes, pious

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persons in Kali-yuga can definitely cross over the ocean of material

illusion. When the Lord had fulfilled the purpose of His descent and the
Yadu dynasty was facing imminent destruction from the brhmaas' curse,
the Lord desired to wind up His pastimes. When Brahm prayed to the
lotus feet of Lord Ka for the deliverance of himself and all the other
demigods, r Ka revealed in His reply that after the destruction of the
Yadu dynasty He would return to His own abode.
Observing terrible disturbances indicating the imminent destruction of
the world, Lord Ka called together the wise members of the Yadu
dynasty and reminded them of the brhmaas' curse. The Lord convinced
them to go to Prabhsa-trtha, where they could save themselves by the
performance of ritual bathing, charity, and so on. The Yadus, in obedience
to Ka's desire, prepared to journey to Prabhsa.
Upon seeing and hearing the Lord's conversation with the Yadu dynasty,
Uddhava approached Lord r Ka in a secluded place, offered Him full
obeisances and, with folded hands, expressed his inability to tolerate
separation from the Lord. He begged Ka to carry him to His own
abode.
If one tastes the nectar of Ka's pastimes with his ears, one loses all
hankering for other things. Persons who engage constantly in Ka's
service-while eating, sporting, sleeping, sitting, etc.-cannot tolerate
separation from Ka. They honor all kinds of remnants from r Ka
and thus conquer the Lord's illusory energy. Peaceful members of the
renounced order attain Brahmaloka after exhaustive and painful exertion,
whereas the devotees of the Lord simply discuss Lord Ka among
themselves, chant and remember His various pastimes and instructions,
and thus automatically cross beyond the insurmountable material energy.
TEXT 1
r-uka uvca
atha brahmtma-jai devai
prajeair vto 'bhyagt
bhava ca bhta-bhavyeo
yayau bhta-gaair vta
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; athathen; brahmLord
Brahm; tma-jaiby his sons (headed by Sanaka); devaiby the
demigods; praj-aiand hy the progenitors of universal population
(headed by Marci); vtasurrounded; abhyagtwent (to Dvrak);

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bhavaLord iva; caalso; bhtato all living beings; bhavya-athe

bestower of auspiciousness; yayauwent; bhta gaaiby the hordes of
ghostly creatures; vtasurrounded.
r ukadeva Gosvm said: Lord Brahm then set off for Dvrak,
accompanied by his own sons as well as by the demigods and the great
Prajpatis. Lord iva, the bestower of auspiciousness to all living
beings, also went, surrounded by many ghostly creatures.
TEXTS 2-4
indro marudbhir bhagavn
dity vasavo 'vinau
bhavo 'giraso rudr
vive sdhy ca devat
gandharvpsaraso ng
siddha-craa-guhyak
aya pitara caiva
sa-vidydhara-kinnar
dvrakm upasajagmu
sarve ka-didkava
vapu yena bhagavn
nara-loka-manorama
yao vitene lokeu
sarva-loka-malpaham
indraLord Indra; marudbhialong with the wind-gods; bhagavn
the powerful controller; ditythe twelve principal demigods, all sons
of Aditi; vasavathe eight Vasu demigods; avinauthe two Avinkumras; bhavathe bhus; agirasathe descendants of Agir
Muni; rudrthe expansions of Lord iva; vive sdhyknown as
Vivedevas and Sdhyas; caalso; devatother demigods; gandharvaapsarasathe heavenly musicians and dancing girls; ngthe
celestial snakes; siddha-craathe Siddhas and Craas; guhyakand
the hobgoblins; ayathe great sages; pitarathe departed
forefathers; caalso; evaindeed; saalong with; vidydhara-kinnar
the Vidydharas and Kinnaras; dvrakmto Dvrak; upasajagmu
they arrived together; sarveall of them; ka-didkavaeager to see

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Lord Ka; vapuby the transcendental body; yenawhich;

bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; nara-lokato all human
society; mana-ramaenchanting; yaaHis fame; viteneHe
expanded; lokeuthroughout all the universe; sarva-lokaof all planets;
malathe impurities; apahamwhich eradicates.
The powerful Lord Indra, along with the Maruts, dityas, Vasus,
Avins, bhus, Agirs, Rudras, Vivedevas, Sdhyas, Gandharvas,
Apsars, Ngas, Siddhas, Craas, Guhyakas, the great sages and
forefathers and the Vidydharas and Kinnaras, arrived at the city of
Dvrak, hoping to see Lord Ka. By His transcendental form, Ka,
the Supreme Lord, enchanted all human beings and spread His own
fame throughout the worlds. The Lord's glories destroy all
contamination within the universe.
The Personality of Godhead descends within the material world to assist
the demigods in the cosmic management; thus the demigods can normally
see such forms of the Lord as Upendra. However, here it is indicated that
although accustomed to seeing various Viu expansions of the Lord, the
demigods were specifically eager to see the most beautiful form of the
Lord as Ka. Deha-dehi-vibhga ca nevare vidyate kvacit: there is no
distinction between the Supreme Lord and His personal body. The jva
soul is different from his body, but the beautiful, transcendental form of
the Lord is identical with the Lord in all respects.
TEXT 5
tasy vibhrjamny
samddhy maharddhibhi
vyacakatvitptk
kam adbhuta-daranam
tasymin
that
(Dvrak);
vibhrjamnymresplendent;
samddhymvery rich; mah-ddhibhiwith great opulences;
vyacakatathey saw; avitptaunsatisfied; akwhose eyes;
kamLord Ka; adbhuta-daranamwonderful to behold.
In that resplendent city of Dvrak, rich with all superior opulences,
the demigods beheld with unsatiated eyes the wonderful form of r
Ka.

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TEXT 6
svargodynopagair mlyai
chdayanto yudttamam
grbhi citra-padrthbhis
tuuvur jagad-varam
svarga-udynafrom the gardens of the heavenly planets of the
demigods;
upagaiobtained;
mlyaiwith
flower
garlands;
chdayantacovering; yadu-uttamamthe best of the Yadus; grbhi
with verbal expressions; citracharming; pada-arthbhithe words and
ideas comprising which; tuuvuthey praised; jagat-varamthe Lord
of the universe.
The demigods covered the Supreme Lord of the universe with flower
garlands brought from the gardens of heaven. Then they praised Him,
the best of the Yadu dynasty, with statements containing charming
words and ideas.
TEXT 7
r-dev cu
nat sma te ntha padravinda
buddhndriya-pra-mano-vacobhi
yac cintyate 'ntar hdi bhva-yuktair
mumukubhi karma-mayoru-pt
r-dev cuthe demigods said; nat smawe are bowed down; te
Your; nthaO Lord; pada-aravindamto the lotus feet; buddhiwith
our intelligence; indriyasenses; pravital air; manamind;
vacobhiand words; yatwhich; cintyateare meditated upon; anta
hdiwithin the heart; bhva-yuktaiwho are fixed in yoga practice;
mumukubhiby those striving for liberation; karma-mayaof the
reactions of fruitive work; uru-ptfrom the great bondage.
The demigods began to speak: Our dear Lord, advanced mystic yogis,
striving for liberation from the severe bondage of material work,
meditate with great devotion upon Your lotus feet within their hearts.
Dedicating our intelligence, senses, vital air, mind and power of speech
to Your Lordship, we demigods bow down at Your lotus feet.

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According to rla rdhara Svm, the word sma in this verse indicates
vismaya, "astonishment." The demigods were astonished that although
great mystic yogs are only able to contemplate the lotus feet of the Lord
within their hearts, the demigods arriving in the city of Dvrak were able
to see before them the entire body of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Therefore the powerful demigods fell down like sticks before
the Lord. Such full obeisances (called daavat, "like a stick") are
described as follows:
dorbhy padbhy jnubhym
uras iras d
manas vacas ceti
pramo 'ga rita
"The obeisances offered with eight limbs are made with the two arms, the
two legs, the two knees, the chest, the head, the eyes, the mind and the
power of speech.''
The currents of material nature are very powerful, and one should
therefore cling tightly to the lotus feet of the Lord. Otherwise, the violent
waves of sense gratification and mental speculation will undoubtedly
sweep one away from one's eternal, constitutional position as the loving
servitor of the Supreme Lord, and one will then fall down into the
stringent bondage described here as uru-pt, "a very powerful illusory
network."
TEXT 8
tva myay tri-guaytmani durvibhvya
vyakta sjasy avasi lumpasi tad-gua-stha
naitair bhavn ajita karmabhir ajyate vai
yat sve sukhe 'vyavahite 'bhirato 'navadya
tvamYou; myayby the material energy; tri-guaymade up of the
three modes of nature; tmaniwithin Yourself; durvibhvyam
inconceivable; vyaktamthe manifest cosmos; sjasiYou create; avasi
protect; lumpasiand destroy; tatof that material nature; guawithin
the modes (goodness, passion and ignorance); sthasituated; nanot;
etaiby these; bhavnYou; ajitaO unconquerable Lord;
karmabhiactivities; ajyateare entangled; vaiat all; yatbecause;
svein Your own; sukhehappiness; avyavahiteunimpeded;

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abhirataYou are always absorbed; anavadyathe unimpeachable

Lord.
O unconquerable Lord, You engage Your illusory energy, composed of
three modes, to unleash, maintain and devastate the inconceivable
manifest cosmos, all within Your own self. As the supreme
superintendent of my, You appear to be situated in the interaction of
the modes of nature; however, You are never affected by material
activities. In fact, You are directly engaged in Your own eternal,
spiritual bliss, and thus You cannot be accused of any material
infection.
The word durvibhvyam is significant here. The ultimate cause of the
creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material world is certainly
inconceivable even for the greatest mundane scientists, who waste their
lives in useless and fruitless speculation. Yet Mah-Viu, who is the
secondary expansion of an expansion of the Supreme Lord, Ka, sees
the entire cosmos to be like an insignificant atom. So what hope is there
for foolish so-called scientists who try to understand Ka by their
ridiculous experimental power? Thus the word anavadya is used. No one
can find fault or discrepancy in the body, character, activities or
instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is never
materially ignorant; therefore He never exhibits cruelty, laziness,
foolishness, blindness or material intoxication. Similarly, because the
Lord is never polluted by material passion, He never exhibits material
pride, lamentation, yearning or violence. And since the Lord is free from
material goodness, He never attempts to peacefully enjoy the material
world with a sublime materialistic mentality.
Lord Ka, as stated here (sve sukhe 'vyavahite 'bhirata), is eternally
busy, day and night, in His transcendental abode, relishing the
inconceivable loving devotion of His innumerable associates. The Lord is
being embraced and is embracing. He is joking and is hearing the joking
of His loved ones. The Lord is walking through forests full of fruits and
flowers, playing in the nectarean river Yamun and taking part in His
most confidential transcendental loving affairs with the cowherd girls of
Vndvana. These pastimes in Kaloka and on other Vaikuha planets
are eternal, faultless and an ocean of spiritual happiness. The Lord never
descends to the dry platform of relative material happiness. The infinite
Personality of Godhead bas nothing to gain from anyone; thus fruitive

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activity cannot possibly exist within the Lord.

TEXT 9
uddhir n na tu tatheya durayn
vidy-rutdhyayana-dna-tapa-kriybhi
sattvtmanm abha te yaasi pravddhasac-chraddhay ravaa-sambhtay yath syt
uddhipurification; nmof persons; nais not; tubut; tathin
such a way; yaO worshipable one; duraynmof those whose
consciousness is contaminated; vidyby ordinary worship; ruta
hearing and obeying the injunctions of the Vedas; adhyayana-study of
various stras; dna-charity; tapaaustere penances; kriybhiand
ritual activities; sattva-tmanmof those who are situated in pure
goodness; abhaO greatest of all; teYour; yaasiin the glories;
pravddhafully matured; sattranscendental; raddhayby faith;
ravaa-sambhtaywhich is reinforced by the process of hearing;
yathas; sytthere is.
O greatest of all, those whose consciousness is polluted by illusion
cannot purify themselves merely by ordinary worship, study of the
Vedas, charity, austerity and ritual activities. Our Lord, those pure
souls who have developed a powerful transcendental faith in Your
glories achieve a purified state of existence that can never be attained
by those lacking such faith.
Even if a pure devotee is lacking the above qualifications, such as Vedic
study and austerity, if he has unflinching faith in Lord Ka the Lord will
save him because of his devotion. On the other hand, if one becomes
falsely proud of one's material qualifications, including ordinary piety, but
does not devote himself to hearing and chanting the glories of Ka, the
result will ultimately be nil. The transcendental spirit soul cannot be
purified by any amount of material piety, charity or scholarship. Only the
transcendental Supreme Lord can purify the transcendental living entity
by bestowing His mercy within the heart. The demigods were astonished
at their good fortune. Even by hearing about Ka, one achieves all
perfection, but they had entered the Lord's own city and were seeing Him
standing before them,

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TEXT 10
syn nas tavghrir aubhaya-dhmaketu
kemya yo munibhir rdra-hdohyamna
ya stvatai sama-vibhtaya tmavadbhir
vyhe 'rcita savanaa svar-atikramya
sytmay they be; nafor Us; tavaYour; aghrithe lotus feet;
aubha-ayaof our inauspicious mentality; dhma-ketuthe
annihilating fire; kemyafor achieving real benefit; yawhich;
munibhiby sages; rdra-hdwith melted hearts; uhyamnaare
being carried; yawhich; stvataiby the devotees of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; sama-vibhtayefor gaining opulence like His;
tma-vadbhiby those who are self-controlled; vyhein the fourhanded personal expansions of Vsudeva, Sakaraa, Pradyumna and
Aniruddha; arcitaworshiped; savanaaat the three junctions of
each day; sva-atikramyafor crossing beyond the heavenly planets of
this world.
Great sages, desiring the highest benefit in life, always cherish Your
lotus feet within their hearts, which are melted by love for You.
Similarly, Your self-controlled devotees, desiring to cross beyond the
material kingdom of heaven to achieve opulence equal to Yours,
worship Your lotus feet in the morning, at noon and in the evening.
Thus, they meditate upon Your Lordship in Your quadruple expansion.
Your lotus feet are just like a blazing fire that burns to ashes all the
inauspicious desires for material sense gratification.
The conditioned living entity can purify his existence simply by having
firm faith in the transcendental glories of the Personality of Godhead.
What then can be said of the extraordinary good fortune of the demigods,
who were directly seeing Lord Ka's lotus feet? Although we are
presently afflicted by innumerable material desires, these desires are
temporary. The eternal living entity is meant to experience a loving
relationship with the supreme living entity, the Personality of Godhead;
and by rendering pure devotional service to the Lord, the heart of the
living entity is completely satisfied.
The word dhmaketu in this verse indicates a flaming comet or fire, which
represents Lord iva. Lord iva is the master of the mode of ignorance,
and Lord Ka's lotus feet are compared to the comet, a symbol of the

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potency of iva, which can destroy all ignorance within the heart. The
word sama-vibhtaye ("for achieving equal opulence") indicates that the
pure devotees go back home, back to Godhead, and enjoy the infinite
bliss of the spiritual world. Lord Ka is endowed with unlimited
opulent paraphernalia for enjoyment, and a liberated soul who goes to
Ka's abode is awarded all opulence for serving the Lord. According to
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the word vyhe in this verse
indicates the three purua incarnations, namely Mah-Viu,
Garbhodakay Viu and Krodakay Viu, as well as Vsudeva. If
we can scientifically understand how Ka expands Himself to create the
material world, we shall immediately experience that everything is the
property of Ka and thus become free from the desire to exploit it for
our own selfish purposes. Ka is the Supreme Lord, the master of
everyone and the reservoir of all opulences, and one should remember His
lotus feet in the morning, at noon and in the evening. One who always
remembers Ka and never forgets Him will experience real, blissful life
beyond the pale shadow of material illusion.
TEXT 11
yas cintyate prayata-pibhir adhvargnau
trayy nirukta-vidhinea havir ghtv
adhytma-yoga uta yogibhir tma-my
jijsubhi parama-bhgavatai para
yawhich; cintyateare meditated upon; prayata-pibhiby those
with folded hands; adhvara-agnauin the fire of sacrifice; trayyof the
three Vedas (g, Yajur and Sma); niruktacomprising the essential
understanding presented in the Nirukta; vidhin-by the process; a-O
Lord; havithe ghee meant for offering; ghtvtaking; adhytmayogein that yoga system meant for realization of one's true self; uta
also; yogibhiby the practitioners of this yoga; tma-mymabout
Your bewildering material energy; jijsubhiwho are inquisitive;
parama-bhgavataiby the most elevated devotees; paraperfectly
worshiped.
Those about to offer oblations into the fire of sacrifice in accordance
with the g, Yajur and Sma Vedas meditate on Your lotus feet.
Similarly, the practitioners of transcendental yoga meditate upon Your
lotus feet, hoping for knowledge about Your divine mystic potency, and

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the most elevated pure devotees perfectly worship Your lotus feet,
desiring to cross beyond Your illusory potency.
The words tma-my jijsubhi are significant in this verse. The
mystic yogs (adhytma-yoga uta yogibhi) are eager to acquire knowledge
of the Lord's mystic potencies, whereas the pure devotees (paramabhgavatai) are eager to cross beyond the kingdom of illusion so that
they can serve Lord Ka's lotus feet in pure loving ecstasy. In any case,
everyone is interested in the potency of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The atheistic material scientists are also fascinated by the
external material potency of the Lord, and the gross sense gratifiers are
attracted by the physical body, which is also tma-my, or an expansion
of the Lord's potency. Although all of the Lord's potencies are
qualitatively one with the Lord, and therefore with each other, the blissful
spiritual potency is nevertheless supreme because it establishes
relationships between the Lord and the pure living entities on the
platform of eternal happiness. Every living entity is originally a loving
servitor of the Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord engages the
living entity in his pure constitutional position beyond illusion.
Our dreaming and waking experiences are both activities of the mind;
however, the activities we perform while awake are more valuable because
they establish us in our permanent situation. Similarly, at every moment
every living entity is experiencing one of the innumerable potencies of the
Supreme Lord. However, the experience of the spiritual potency is more
significant because it establishes the living entity in his eternal,
constitutional position as a faithful servitor of the Personality of Godhead.
The demigods are glorifying the Lord's lotus feet because they are
personally very eager to be purified by contact with those feet (tavghrir
asmkam aubhaya-dhmaketu syt). When a sincere devotee eagerly
desires to attain the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet, the Lord brings him to
His personal abode, just as the demigods were brought to Dvrak by
Lord Ka's arrangement.
TEXT 12
paryuay tava vibho vana-mlayeya
sasprdhin bhagavat pratipatn-vac chr
ya su-pratam amuyrhaam dadan no
bhyt sadghrir aubhaya-dhmaketu

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paryuayworn out; tavaYour; vibhoalmighty Lord; vanamlay

by the flower garland; iyamshe; sasprdhinfeeling competitive;
bhagavatthe female counterpart of the Personality of Godhead; pratipatn-vatjust like an envious co wife; rLakmdev, the goddess of
fortune; yawhich Supreme Lord (Yourself); su-pratam-(so that it
may be) properly executed; amuyby this; arhaamthe offering;
dadanaccepting; naour; bhytmay they be; sadalways;
aghrithe lotus feet; aubha-ayaof our impure desires; dhmaketuthe fire of destruction.
O almighty Lord, You are so kind to Your servants that You have
accepted the withered flower garland that we have placed on Your
chest. Since the goddess of fortune makes her abode on Your
transcendental chest, she will undoubtedly become agitated, like a
jealous co-wife, upon seeing our offering also dwelling there. Yet You
are so merciful that You neglect Your eternal consort Lakm and accept
our offering as most excellent worship. O merciful Lord, may Your lotus
feet always act as a blazing fire to consume the inauspicious desires
within our hearts.
In Bhagavad-gt (9.26) it is stated:
patra pupa phala toya
yo me bhakty prayacchati
tad aha bhakty-upahtam
anmi prayattmana
Lord Ka gratefully and happily accepts even the most meager offering
from His loving devotee. Lord Ka is conquered by the love of His pure
devotees, just as a father is easily conquered by the most insignificant gift
offered by his loving child. Unless a transcendentalist completely gives up
the impersonal conception of life, he cannot make such a loving offering
to the Lord. The process of meditation upon the Supersoul within the
heart, called dhyna-yoga, is not as pleasing to Ka as bhakti-yoga, or
devotional service, because in dhyna, or meditation, the yog is trying to
satisfy himself (and not the Lord) by attaining mystic powers. Similarly,
in order to acquire material benefits from the Lord, ordinary people
worship God in temples, churches and mosques. But one who desires
actual spiritual perfection must be enlivened to always chant and hear the

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glories of the Lord. Such devotional enthusiasm is motivated by love of

Godhead and is devoid of any selfish expectation.
The Lord is so kind that He neglects His own eternal consort, Lakm, and
gives preference to His humble devotee, just as a man will neglect the
loving embrace of his wife when his affectionate child approaches him
with a gift. rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out that any garland worn by
the Lord cannot be faded because all of the Lord's personal paraphernalia
is completely transcendental and spiritually opulent. Similarly, there is no
possibility that mundane jealousy could appear in the character of the
goddess of fortune, who is as transcendental as Lord Ka Himself.
Therefore the statements of the demigods are to be understood as
humorous words inspired by intense love of Godhead. The demigods
enjoy the protection of Lakm and, ultimately, of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka, and due to their confidence in their loving
relationship with the Lord and His consort they feel free to speak in a
joking way.
TEXT 13
ketus tri-vikrama-yutas tri-patat-patko
yas te bhaybhaya-karo 'sura-deva-camvo
svargya sdhuu khalev itarya bhman
pada puntu bhagavan bhajatm agha na
ketua flagpole; tri-vikramathree mighty steps in conquering Bali
Mahrja; yataadorned by; tri-patatfalling into each of the three
planetary systems; patkathe flag upon which; yawhich; teYour
(lotus feet); bhaya-abhayafear and fearlessness; karacreating; asuradevaof the demons and the demigods; camvofor the respective
armies; svargyafor the attainment of heaven; sdhuuamong the
saintly demigods and devotees; khaleuamong the envious; itaryafor
just the opposite; bhmanO most powerful Lord; pdathe lotus feet;
puntumay they purify; bhagavanO Supreme Personality of Godhead;
bhajatmwho are engaged in worshiping You; aghamthe sins; naof
us.
O omnipotent Lord, in Your incarnation as Trivikrama, You raised Your
leg like a flagpole to break the shell of the universe, allowing the holy
Ganges to flow down, like a banner of victory, in three branches
throughout the three planetary systems. By three mighty steps of Your

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lotus feet, Your Lordship captured Bali Mahrja, along with his
universal kingdom. Your lotus feet inspire fear in the demons by
driving them down to hell and fearlessness among Your devotees by
elevating them to the perfection of heavenly life. We are sincerely trying
to worship You, our Lord; therefore may Your lotus feet kindly free us
from all of our sinful reactions.
In order to reclaim for the demigods the universal kingdom seized by Bali
Mahrja, Lord Ka, as described in the Eighth Canto of this great
work, appeared as the beautiful dwarf-brhmaa Vmana, who extended
His foot upward to the outer limits of the universe. When the Lord's leg
breached a hole in the universal shell, the holy Ganges water came
flowing into the universe. This scene appeared like an upraised flagpole
with a wonderfully flowing victory banner.
As stated in the ruti-mantras, caraa pavitra vitata pura yena
ptas tarati duktni: "The lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead are
most pure, all-pervading and the oldest of all. One who is purified by
them crosses over all previous sinful activities." Throughout the universe
the process of worshiping the lotus feet of the Lord is most famous.
TEXT 14
nasy ota-gva iva yasya vae bhavanti
brahmdayas tanu-bhto mithur ardyamn
klasya te prakti-pruayo parasya
a nas tanotu caraa puruottamasya
nasithrough the nose; otastrung; gvaoxen; ivaas if; yasyaof
whose; vaeunder the control; bhavantithey exist; brahma-daya
Brahm and all others; tanu-bhtathe embodied living beings; mithu
among each other; ardyamnstruggling; klasyaof the force of time;
teof Yourself; prakti-pruayoboth the material nature and the
living entity; parasyawho is beyond them; amtranscendental fortune;
nafor us; tanotumay they spread; caraathe lotus feet; puruauttamasyaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the transcendental entity
who is superior to both material nature and the enjoyer of nature. May
Your lotus feet bestow transcendental pleasure upon us. All of the great
demigods, beginning with Brahm, are embodied living entities.

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Struggling painfully with one another under the strict control of Your
time factor, they are just like bulls dragged by ropes tied through their
pierced noses.
rla rdhara Svm states: nanu yuddhe devsurdaya paraspara jayanti
jyante ca kim aha tatrety ata hu, nasti. mithur mitho 'rdyamn
yuddhdibhi pyamn brahmdayo 'pi yasya tava vae bhavanti na tu jaye
parjaye v svatantr. "In the perpetual battles between the demigods, or
devotees of the Lord, and the demons, or nondevotees, each side
sometimes conquers and is sometimes apparently defeated. One may
argue that all this has nothing to do with the Personality of Godhead since
it is based on nothing more than the interaction of opposing living
entities. But every living entity is, however, strictly under the control of
the Personality of Godhead, and victory and defeat are always in the
hands of the Lord." This does not contradict the fact of the living entity's
free will, since the Lord awards victory and defeat according to the merit
of the living entities. In a legal battle neither the prosecution nor the
defense can act independently of the legal system presided over by the
authorized judge. Victory and defeat in the court are awarded by the
judge, but the judge is acting according to the laws, which do not favor or
discriminate against either side.
Similarly, the Personality of Godhead is awarding us the results of our
previous activities. In order to discredit God, materialists frequently give
the argument that oftentimes innocent people suffer whereas impious
rogues enjoy life unimpeded. The fact is, however, that the Personality of
Godhead is not a fool, as are the materialistic persons who place such
arguments. The Lord can see our many previous lives; therefore He may
allow one to enjoy or suffer in this life not only as a result of one's present
activities, but also as a result of one's previous activities. For example, by
working very hard a man may accumulate a fortune. If such a newly rich
man then gives up his work and takes to a degenerate life, his fortune
does not immediately disappear. On the other hand, one who is destined
to become rich may now be working very hard, with discipline and
austerity, and yet be without spending money. So a superficial observer
might well be confused upon seeing the moral, hard-working man
without funds and the degenerate, lazy man in possession of riches.
Similarly, a materialistic fool without knowledge of past, present and
future is unable to understand the perfect justice of the Personality of

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Godhead.
The example given in this verse to explain Ka's controlling power is
appropriate. Although a bull is extremely powerful, he is easily controlled
by a slight tug on a rope strung through his pierced nose. Similarly, even
the most powerful politicians, scholars, demigods, etc., may immediately
be put into an unbearable situation by the omnipotent Personality of
Godhead. Therefore the demigods have not come to Dvrak to proudly
display their universal political and intellectual powers but to humbly
surrender at the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 15
asysi hetur udaya-sthiti-sayamnm
avyakta-jva-mahatm api klam hu
so 'ya tri-bhir akhilpacaye pravtta
klo gabhra-raya uttama-pruas tvam
asyaof this (universe); asiYou are; hetuthe cause; udayaof the
creation; sthitimaintenance; sayamnmand annihilation; avyakta
of the unmanifest material nature; jvathe individual living beings;
mahatmand of the mahat-tattva, with the manifest elements evolved
from it; apialso; klamthe controlling time factor; huYou are said
to be; sa ayamthis same personality; tri-bhiappearing as a wheel
with circumference divided into three parts (the year divided into fourmonth seasons); akhilaof everything; apacayein effecting the
diminution; pravttaengaged; klathe time factor; gabhra
imperceptible; rayathe movement of which; uttama-pruathe
Supreme Personality of Godhead; tvamYou are.
You are the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this
universe. As time, You regulate the subtle and manifest states of
material nature and control every living being. As the threefold wheel of
time You diminish all things by Your imperceptible actions, and thus
You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The word gabhra-raya, or "imperceptible speed and power," is
significant. We observe that by the laws of nature all material things,
including our own bodies, gradually disintegrate. Although we can
perceive the long-term results of this aging process, we cannot experience
the process itself. For example, no one can feel how his hair or fingernails

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are growing. We perceive the cumulative result of their growth, but from
moment to moment we cannot experience it. Similarly, a house gradually
decays until it is demolished. From moment to moment we cannot
perceive exactly how this is happening, but in the course of longer
intervals of time we can actually see the deterioration of the house. In
other words, we can experience the results or manifestations of aging and
deterioration, but as it is taking place the process itself is imperceptible.
This is the wonderful potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in
His form of time.
The word tri-bhi indicates that according to astrological calculation of
the sun's movements, the year can be divided into three sections: those
represented by Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer; Leo, Virgo, Libra and
Scorpio; and Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.
The word uttama-prua, or puruottama, is explained in Bhagavad-gt
(15.18):
yasmt karam atto 'ham
akard api cottama
ato 'smi loke vede ca
prathita puruottama
"Because I am transcendental, beyond both the fallible and the infallible,
and because I am the greatest, I am celebrated both in the world and in
the Vedas as that Supreme Person."
TEXT 16
tvatta pumn samadhigamya yaysya vrya
dhatte mahntam iva garbham amogha-vrya
so 'ya taynugata tmana a-koa
haima sasarja bahir varaair upetam
tvattafrom
You;
pumnthe
purua-avatra,
Mah-Viu;
samadhigamyaobtaining; yayalong with which (material nature);
asyaof this creation; vryamthe potential seed; dhatteHe
impregnates; mahntamthe mahat-tattva, the raw amalgamation of
matter; iva garbhamlike an ordinary fetus; amogha-vryaHe whose
semen is never wasted; sa ayamthat same (mahat-tattva); taywith
the material nature; anugatajoined; tmanafrom itself; akoamthe primeval egg of the universe; haimamgolden; sasarja

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produced; bahion its outside; varaaiwith several coverings;

upetamendowed.
My dear Lord, the original purua-avatra, Mah-Viu, acquires His
creative potency from You. Thus with infallible energy He impregnates
material nature, producing the mahat-tattva. Then the mahat-tattva, the
amalgamated material energy, endowed with the potency of the Lord,
produces from itself the primeval golden egg of the universe, which is
covered by various layers of material elements.
In the previous verses the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead has
been established in relation to the living entity and material nature. In this
verse it is clearly stated that Lord Ka is the source of the greatest Viu
incarnation, Mah-Viu, and that Mah-Viu acquires His creative
potency from Lord Ka. It would therefore be foolish to surmise that
Lord Ka is an expansion of Viu. In this regard the opinion of the
demigods, headed by Brahm, can be taken as final.
TEXT 17
tat tastha ca jagata ca bhavn adho
yan myayottha-gua-vikriyayopantn
arth juann api hka-pate na lipto
ye 'nye svata parihtd api bibhyati sma
tattherefore; tasthaof everything stationary; caand; jagata
mobile; caas well; bhavnYou (are); adhathe ultimate controller;
yatbecause; myayby material nature; uttharaised; guaof
(nature's) modes; vikriyayby the transformation (i.e. by the activity of
the sense organs of the living beings); upantngathered together;
arthnthe sense objects; juanengaging with; apieven though;
hka-pateO master of everyone's senses; na liptaYou are never
touched; yethose who; anyeothers; svataon their own strength;
parihtton account of (objects of sense gratification); apieven;
bibhyatithey fear; smaindeed.
O Lord, You are the supreme creator of this universe and the ultimate
controller of all moving and nonmoving living entities. You are
Hkea, the supreme controller of all sensory activity, and thus You
never become contaminated or entangled in the course of Your

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supervision of the infinite sensory activities within the material

creation. On the other hand, other living entities, even yogs and
philosophers, are disturbed and frightened simply by remembering the
material objects that they have supposedly renounced in their pursuit
of enlightenment.
The Supreme Lord Ka is within the heart of every conditioned soul and
guides the living entity in the pursuit and experience of sense
gratification. The disappointing results of such activities gradually
convince the conditioned soul to reject material life and surrender again
to the Lord within his heart. Lord Ka is never affected by the futile
attempts of the living entities to enjoy His illusory energy. For the
Personality of Godhead there is no possibility of fear or disturbance,
because nothing is ultimately separate from Him.
TEXT 18
smyvaloka-lava-darita-bhva-hribhr-maala-prahita-saurata-mantra-auai
patnyas tu oaa-sahasram anaga-bair
yasyendriya vimathitu karaair na vibhvya
smyasmiling; avalokaof a glance; lavaby fractions; daritahaving
shown; bhvatheir feelings; hrienchanting; bhr-maalaby which
arch of the eyebrows; prahitalaunched; saurataof conjugal love;
mantramessages; auaiby the impudent advances; patnya
wives; tubut; oaa-sahasramsixteen thousand; anagaof Cupid;
baiby the arrows; yasyawhose; indriyamsenses; vimathitumto
agitate; karaaiwith all their devices; na vibhvyathey were not able.
My Lord, You are living with sixteen thousand exquisitely beautiful,
aristocratic wives. By their irresistible coy and smiling glances and by
their lovely arching eyebrows, they send You messages of eager
conjugal love. But they are completely unable to disturb the mind and
senses of Your Lordship.
In the previous verse it was clearly stated that no material object can
attract the senses of the Lord. Now in this verse it is demonstrated that
the Lord has no desire to enjoy even spiritual sense gratification. Ka is
complete in Himself. He is the reservoir of all pleasure, and He does not

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lust after anything material or spiritual. The argument may by given that
Ka, in order to please His wife Satyabhm, stole a prijta flower from
heaven and thus appeared to be a henpecked husband under the control
of His loving wife. But although Ka is sometimes conquered by the
love of His devotees, He is never influenced by the desire to enjoy like an
ordinary, lusty materialistic person. The nondevotees cannot understand
the overwhelming loving feelings exchanged between the Lord and His
pure devotees. Ka may be conquered by our intense love for Him, and
thus pure devotees can control the Lord. For example, the elderly gops in
Vndvana would clap their hands in different rhythms to make Ka
dance, and in Dvrak Satyabhm ordered Ka to bring her a flower as
proof of His love for her. As stated in rnivsa crya's song to the six
Gosvms, gop-bhva-rasmtbdhi-lahar-kallola-magnau muhu: the love
between the Lord and His pure devotee is an ocean of spiritual bliss. But
at the same time, Ka remains completely self-satisfied. Ka
indifferently gave up the company of the incomparable young damsels of
Vraja-bhmi, the gops, and went to Mathur at the request of His uncle,
Akrra. Thus neither the gops of Vndvana nor the queens of Dvrak
could arouse an enjoying spirit in Ka. When all is said and done,
pleasure in this world means sex. But this mundane sexual attraction is
simply a perverted reflection of the transcendental loving affairs between
Ka and His eternal associates in the spiritual world. The gops of
Vndvana are unsophisticated village girls, whereas the queens in
Dvrak are aristocratic young ladies. But both the gops and the queens
are overwhelmed with love for Ka. As the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Ka displays the highest perfection of beauty, strength,
wealth, fame, knowledge and renunciation and is thus completely
satisfied by His own supreme position. He reciprocates spiritual loving
affairs with the gops and queens simply for their sake. Only fools think
that Lord Ka could be attracted by the perverted illusory pleasures to
which we poor conditioned souls are so blindly attached. Therefore
everyone should recognize the supreme transcendental position of the
Personality of Godhead and surrender to Him. That is the clear
implication of this statement by the demigods.
TEXT 19
vibhvyas tavmta-kathoda-vahs tri-loky
pdvane-ja-sarita amalni hantum

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nurava rutibhir aghri-jam aga-sagais

trtha-dvaya uci-adas ta upaspanti
vibhvyaare able; tavaYour; amtanectarean; kathof the topics;
uda-vahthe water-bearing rivers; tri-lokyof the three worlds;
pda-avanefrom the bathing of Your lotus feet; jaborn; sarita
rivers; amalniall contamination; hantumto destroy; nuravam
consisting of the process of hearing from bona fide authority; rutibhi
with the ears; aghri-jamconsisting of (the holy rivers) generated from
Your lotus feet; aga-sagaiby direct physical contact; trtha-dvayam
these two kinds of holy places; uci-adathose who are striving for
purification; teYour; upaspantithey approach to associate with.
The nectar-bearing rivers of discussions about You, and also the holy
rivers generated from the bathing of Your lotus feet, are able to destroy
all contamination within the three worlds. Those who are striving for
purification associate with the holy narrations of Your glories by
hearing them with their ears, and they associate with the holy rivers
flowing from Your lotus feet by physically bathing in them.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura states, nurava guror uccraam
anuryante: "One should hear about Ka by hearing from the spiritual
master." The bona fide spiritual master describes the pastimes, potencies
and incarnations of the Personality of Godhead to his disciple. If the
spiritual master is bona fide and if the disciple is sincere and obedient,
then the communication between guru and disciple is just like nectar,
both for the guru and the disciple. Ordinary persons cannot even imagine
the special pleasure experienced by the devotees of the Lord. Such
nectarean speaking and hearing destroys all contamination within the
heart of a conditioned soul, the primary contamination being the desire to
live without serving Ka.
The other nectar described here is caramta, the nectarean waters that
bathe the Lord's feet. Lord Vmanadeva bathed His own lotus foot by
kicking a hole in the universal covering so that the sacred Ganges water
washed His toes and fell into the universe. The Yamun River also washed
Ka's lotus feet when the Lord appeared on this planet five thousand
years ago. Ka sported daily with His boyfriends and girl friends in the
Yamun River, and consequently that river is also caramta. One should
therefore try to take bath in the Ganges or Yamun.

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Every morning in ISKCON temples, the lotus feet of the Deity of Ka

are bathed, and the water thus sanctified is also called caramta, the
nectar of Ka's lotus feet. rla Prabhupda taught his disciples and
followers to come before the Deities each morning and drink three drops
of the caramta from the Deities' bathing.
In all these ways one can purify his heart and relish spiritual bliss. When
one is fixed on the platform of spiritual bliss, then one does not take
another birth in the material world. In this verse the word uci-ada is
significant: one must engage in the purified activities of Ka
consciousness. One must learn to serve the Lord from the bona fide
spiritual master, whose instructions one should accept without
speculation. Those who are attached to the phantasmagoria of this world
sometimes concoct their own whimsical concepts of God. But only from
the bona fide spiritual master can we get perfect and pure knowledge
about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and devotional service to Him.
Such knowledge may be found in all the books of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda.
TEXT 20
r-bdaryair uvca
ity abhiya vibudhai
sea ata-dhtir harim
abhyabhata govinda
praamymbaram rita
r-bdaryai uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; itithus; abhiya
praising; vibudhaialong with all the demigods; sa-aand also Lord
iva;
ata-dhtiLord
Brahm;
harimthe
Supreme
Lord;
abhyabhataspoke; govindamto Govinda; praamyaoffering
obeisances; ambaramin the sky; ritasituated.
r ukadeva Gosvm continued: After Brahm, along with Lord iva
and the other demigods, thus offered prayers to the Supreme Lord,
Govinda, Lord Brahm situated himself in the sky and addressed the
Lord as follows.
TEXT 21
r-brahmovca

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bhmer bhrvatrya
pur vijpita prabho
tvam asmbhir aetman
tat tathaivopapditam
r-brahm uvcar Brahm said; bhmeof the earth; bhrathe
burden; avatryafor the sake of diminishing; purpreviously;
vijpitawere requested; prabhoO Lord; tvamYou; asmbhiby
us; aea-tmanO unlimited Soul of all; tatthat (request); tath eva
just as expressed by us; upapditamwas fulfilled.
Lord Brahm said: My dear Lord, previously we requested You to
remove the burden of the earth. O unlimited Personality of Godhead,
that request has certainly been fulfilled.
Lord Ka might have said to the demigods, "Actually, you requested
Krodakay Viu to come down, so why are you saying that you
requested Me? After all, I am Govinda." Therefore Brahm has addressed
the Lord here as aetm, or the unlimited Personality of Godhead from
whom all plenary expansions of Viu emanate. This is the opinion of
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura.
TEXT 22
dharma ca sthpita satsu
satya-sandheu vai tvay
krti ca diku vikipt
sarva-loka-malpah
dharmathe principles of religion; caand; sthpitaestablished;
satsuamong the pious; satya-sandheuamong those who seek after
truth; vaiindeed; tvayby You; krtiYour glories; caand; diku
in all the directions; vikiptdisseminated; sarva-lokaof all planets;
malathe contamination; apahwhich remove.
My Lord, You have reestablished the principles of religion among pious
men who are always firmly bound to the truth. You have also
distributed Your glories all over the world, and thus the whole world
can be purified by hearing about You.

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TEXT 23
avatrya yador vae
bibhrad rpam anuttamam
karmy uddma-vttni
hitya jagato 'kth
avatryadescending; yadoof King Yadu; vaeinto the dynasty;
bibhratbearing; rpama transcendental form; anuttamam
unexcelled;
karmiactivities;
uddma-vttnicomprised
of
magnanimous deeds; hityafor the benefit; jagataof the universe;
akthYou performed.
Descending into the dynasty of King Yadu, You have manifested Your
unique transcendental form, and for the benefit of the entire universe
You have executed magnanimous transcendental activities.
TEXT 24
yni te caritna
manuy sdhava kalau
vanta krtayanta ca
tariyanty ajas tama
yniwhich; teYour; caritnipastimes; a-O Supreme Lord;
manuyhumans; sdhavasaintly persons; kalauin the degraded
age of Kali; vantahearing; krtayantachanting; caand;
tariyantithey will cross over; ajaseasily; tamadarkness.
My dear Lord, those pious and saintly persons who in the age of Kali
hear about Your transcendental activities and also glorify them will
easily cross over the darkness of the age.
Unfortunately, in Kali-yuga many persons are not attracted to the
authorized Vedic literatures. Minimizing the transcendental process of
hearing and chanting the glories of the Personality of Godhead, they
prefer to listen to useless and whimsical vibrations on the radio and
television, in newspapers and magazines, and so on. Rather than hear
about Ka from the bona fide spiritual master, they endlessly give their
own opinions about everything, until they are dragged away by the force
of time. After studying the temporary, limited forms of the material world,

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they impatiently conclude that the Absolute Truth is formless. Such

persons are actually worshiping Ka's illusory energy, my, who has
been authorized to kick their stubborn heads. If instead people hear
directly about Ka from the bona fide sources, they will very easily solve
all the problems of their lives. In Kali-yuga people are constantly suffering
from many psychological, social, economic, historical, political and
existential problems. But all these nightmarish problems can be removed
as soon as one awakens to the transcendental reality of the Personality of
Godhead, who is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge and beyond the
bewildering manifestations of the material energy. The Lord appears
within this universe so that people can observe, hear about and glorify His
actual activities. In this difficult age of Kali we should all seriously take
advantage of this opportunity.
TEXT 25
yadu-vae 'vatrasya
bhavata puruottama
arac-chata vyatyya
paca-vidhika prabho
yadu-vaein the family of the Yadus; avatrasyawho has descended;
bhavataof Yourself; purua-uttamaO Supreme Person; arat-atam
one hundred autumns; vyatyyahaving passed; paca-viaby
twenty-five; adhikammore; prabhoO Lord.
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, O my Lord, You have descended
into the Yadu dynasty, and thus You have spent one hundred twentyfive autumns with Your devotees.
TEXTS 26-27
ndhun te 'khildhra
deva-kryvaeitam
kula ca vipra-pena
naa-pryam abhd idam
tata sva-dhma parama
viasva yadi manyase
sa-lokl loka-pln na
phi vaikuha-kikarn

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na adhunno longer; tefor You; akhila-dhraO basis of everything;

deva-kryaduty on behalf of the demigods; avaeitamremaining part;
kulamYour dynasty; caand; vipra-penaby the curse of the
brhmaas; naa-pryamvirtually annihilated; abhthas become;
idamthis; tatatherefore; sva-dhmaYour own abode; paramam
supreme; viasvaplease enter; yadiif; manyaseYou are so disposed;
sa-loknwith the inhabitants of all the planets; loka-plnthe
protectors of the planets; naus; phiplease continue to protect;
vaikuhaof Lord Viu, Vaikuha; kikarnthe servants.
My dear Lord, there is nothing remaining at this time for Your Lordship
to do on behalf of the demigods. You have already withdrawn Your
dynasty by the curse of the brhmaas. O Lord, You are the basis of
everything, and if You so desire, kindly return now to Your own abode
in the spiritual world. At the same time, we humbly beg that You
always protect us. We are Your humble servants, and on Your behalf we
are managing the universal situation. We, along with our planets and
followers, require Your constant protection.
TEXT 28
r-bhagavn uvca
avadhritam etan me
yad ttha vibudhevara
kta va kryam akhila
bhmer bhro 'vatrita
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
avadhritamis understood; etatthis; meby Me; yatthat which;
tthayou have said; vibudha-varaO controller of the demigods,
Brahm; ktamis completed; vayour; kryamwork; akhilamall;
bhmeof the earth; bhrathe burden; avatritais removed.
The Supreme Lord said: O lord of the demigods, Brahm, I understand
your prayers and request. Having removed the burden of the earth, I
have executed everything that was required on your behalf.
TEXT 29
tad ida ydava-kula

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vrya-aurya-riyoddhatam
loka jighkad ruddha me
velayeva mahrava
tat idamthis very; ydava-kulamYdava dynasty; vryaby their
power; auryacourage; riyand opulence; uddhatammagnified;
lokamthe whole world; jighkatthreatening to devour; ruddhamhas
been checked; meby Me; velayby the shore; ivajust as; maharavaa great ocean.
That very Ydava dynasty in which I appeared became greatly
magnified in opulence, especially in their physical strength and
courage, to the extent that they threatened to devour the whole world.
Therefore I have stopped them, just as the shore holds back the great
ocean.
The heroes of the Yadu dynasty were so powerful that even the demigods
could not check them. The enthusiasm of the Yadus was unlimitedly
increased by their victories in dangerous battles, and they could not be
killed. Due to their martial spirit they naturally desired to establish their
power over the whole world; therefore the Lord checked them and
withdrew them from the earth.
TEXT 30
yady asahtya dptn
yadn vipula kulam
gantsmy anena loko 'yam
udvelena vinakyati
yadiif; asahtyawithout withdrawing; dptnmof the overly
proud; yadnmYadus; vipulamthe vast; kulamdynasty; gant
asmiI go; anenafor that reason; lokathe world; ayamthis;
udvelenaby the overflow (of the Yadus); vinakyatiwill be destroyed.
If I were to leave this world without withdrawing the overly proud
members of the Yadu dynasty, the whole world would be destroyed by
the deluge of their unlimited expansion.
Just as a tidal wave overwhelms the boundary of the shore and wreaks
havoc on innocent people, similarly, there was imminent danger that the

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powerful Yadu dynasty might expand beyond all boundaries of social and
political control. The members of the Yadu dynasty had become proud
because of their apparent familial relationship with the Personality of
Godhead. Although they were very religious and devoted to brahminical
culture, they had become, as indicated by the word dptnm, affected by
pride due to their relationship with Ka. Furthermore, due to their
intense love for Ka, they would certainly feel such intense separation
after the Lord's departure to the spiritual world that they would become
maddened and thus become an unbearable burden on the earth. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura has pointed out, however, that the earth
herself, due to attachment for Ka, would never consider Ka's own
family members to be anything but a welcome burden. Still, Ka wanted
to remove this burden. The example is given that for the pleasure of her
husband a beautiful young wife may decorate herself with many golden
ornaments. These ornaments constitute a painful burden for the delicate
wife, but although she is willing to bear this burden, the loving husband
removes the ornaments for the pleasure of his wife. So the Lord, desiring
to apply the wisdom of "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure," took precautions to remove from the earth the burden of the Yadu
dynasty.
TEXT 31
idn na rabdha
kulasya dvija-pa-ja
ysymi bhavana brahmann
etad-ante tavnagha
idnmjust now; nathe annihilation; rabdhahas begun;
kulasyaof the dynasty; dvija-pa-jadue to the curse of the
brhmaas; ysymiI will go; bhavanamto the place of residence;
brahmanO Brahm; etat-anteafter this; tavayour; anaghaO sinless
one.
Now due to the brhmaas' curse, the annihilation of My family has
already begun. O sinless Brahm, when this annihilation is finished and
I am enroute to Vaikuha, I will pay a small visit to your abode.
The members of the Yadu dynasty are eternal servants of the Lord;
therefore rla Jva Gosvm has explained the word na, or

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"destruction," as nighy dvraky praveanam ity artha: the

members of the Yadu dynasty entered into the hidden or confidential
Dvrak in the spiritual world, which is not manifested here on the earth.
In other words, Dvrak, the Lord's abode, is manifest on the earth, and
when the earthly Dvrak is apparently removed, the eternal Dvrak in
the spiritual world remains as it is. Since the members of the Yadu
dynasty are eternal associates of the Lord, there is no question of their
destruction. Only our conditioned vision of their manifestation was
destroyed. This is the meaning of the word na.
TEXT 32
r-uka uvca
ity ukto loka-nthena
svayam-bh praipatya tam
saha deva-gaair deva
sva-dhma samapadyata
r-uka uvcaukadeva Gosvm said; itithus; uktabeing
addressed; loka-nthenaby the Lord of the universe, r Ka; svayambhself-born Brahm; praipatyafalling down to offer obeisances;
tamunto Him; sahaalong with; deva-gaaiall the different
demigods; devathe great Lord Brahm; sva-dhmato his personal
abode; samapadyatareturned.
r ukadeva Gosvm said: Thus addressed by the Lord of the
universe, the self-born Brahm fell down in obeisances at the lotus feet
of the Lord. Surrounded by all the demigods, the great Brahm then
returned to his personal abode.
TEXT 33
atha tasy mahotptn
dvravaty samutthitn
vilokya bhagavn ha
yadu-vddhn samgatn
athathereafter;
tasymin
that
city;
mah-utptnserious
disturbances;
dvravatymin Dvrak; samutthitndeveloped;
vilokyaobserving; bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of Godhead;
hasaid; yadu-vddhnto the elder Yadus; samgatnassembled.

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Thereafter, the Personality of Godhead observed that tremendous

disturbances were taking place in the holy city of Dvrak. Thus the
Lord spoke to the assembled senior members of the Yadu dynasty as
follows.
Muni-vsa-nivase ki ghaetria-daranam: there is no possibility of
actual disturbances or inauspicious events in holy places inhabited by
saintly persons. Thus the so-called disturbances in Dvrak were directly
enacted by the Personality of Godhead for His own auspicious purpose.
TEXT 34
r-bhagavn uvca
ete vai su-mahotpt
vyuttihantha sarvata
pa ca na kulasysd
brhmaebhyo duratyaya
r-bhagavn uvcathe Personality of Godhead said; etethese; vai
indeed; su-mah-utptvery great disturbances; vyuttihantiare
rising up; ihahere; sarvataon all sides; pathe curse; caand;
naour; kulasyaof the family; stthere has been; brhmaebhya
by the brhmaas; duratyayaimpossible to counteract.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Our dynasty has been
cursed by the brhmaas. Such a curse is impossible to counteract, and
thus great disturbances are appearing everywhere around us.
TEXT 35
na vastavyam ihsmbhir
jijviubhir ryak
prabhsa su-mahat-puya
ysymo 'dyaiva m ciram
na vastavyamshould not reside; ihahere; asmbhiwe; jijviubhi
desiring to live; ryakO venerable ones; prabhsamto the holy
place called Prabhsa; su-mahatvery much; puyampious;
ysymalet us go; adyatoday; evaeven; m ciramwithout delay.
My dear respected elders, we must not remain any longer in this place

414

if we wish to keep our lives intact. Let us go this very day to the most
pious place Prabhsa. We have no time to delay.
Many demigods, coming to the earth to assist Lord Ka in His pastimes,
took birth within the Yadu dynasty and appeared as Lord Ka's
associates. When the Lord had completed His earthly pastimes He wanted
to send these demigods back to their previous service in universal
administration. Each demigod was to return to his respective planet. The
transcendental city of Dvrak is so auspicious that whoever dies there
immediately goes back home, back to Godhead, but because the demigod
members of the Yadu dynasty, in many cases, were not yet prepared to go
back to Godhead, they had to die outside the city of Dvrak. Thus Lord
Ka, pretending to be an ordinary living being, said, "We are all in
danger. Let us all immediately go to Prabhsa." In this way, by His yogamy Ka bewildered such demigod members of the Yadu dynasty and
led them away to the holy place Prabhsa.
Since Dvrak is parama-magala, the most auspicious place, not even an
imitation of inauspiciousness can take place there. Actually, Lord Ka's
pastime of removing the Yadu dynasty is ultimately auspicious, but since
it outwardly appeared inauspicious, it could not take place in Dvrak;
therefore Lord Ka led the Yadus away from Dvrak. After having sent
the demigods back to their planets, Lord Ka planned to return to the
spiritual world, Vaikuha, in His original form and remain in the eternal
city of Dvrak.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has made the following important
comments on this verse. Prabhsa is a famous holy place located near the
Veraval railway station, within the region of Junagarah. In Chapter Thirty
of the Eleventh Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam it is written that after
hearing the words of r Ka, the Ydavas went to the mainland from
the island city of Dvrak by means of boats and then traveled to Prabhsa
in chariots. At Prabhsa-ketra they drank a beverage called maireya and
became engaged in a mutual quarrel. A great battle ensued, and killing
each other with hard stalks of cane, the members of the Yadu dynasty
acted out the pastime of their own annihilation.
Lord r Ka, manifesting His four-armed form, sat down under a
pippala tree, placing His left foot, the heel of which was colored red like
the red koka-nada lotus, upon His right thigh. A hunter named Jar,
watching from the shore of the ocean at Prabhsa, mistook the Lord's red-

415

colored foot to be the face of a deer and shot his arrow at it.
At the base of that same pippala tree under which Lord Ka had sat
there is now a temple. One mile away from the tree, on the seashore, is
the Vra-prabhajana Maha, and it is said that from this point the hunter
Jar fired his arrow.
In the conclusion to his work Mahbhrata-ttparya-niraya, r
Madhvcrya-pda has written the following purport to the mauala-ll.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in order to bewilder the demons
and ensure that the word of His own devotees and of the brhmaas be
maintained, created a body of material energy into which the arrow was
shot. But the Lord's actual four-armed form was never touched by the
arrow of Jar, who is actually the Lord's devotee Bhgu i. In a previous
age Bhgu Muni had placed his foot on the chest of Lord Viu. In order
to counteract the offense of improperly placing his foot on the Lord's
chest, Bhgu had to take birth as a degraded hunter. But even though a
great devotee willingly accepts such a low birth, the Personality of
Godhead cannot tolerate seeing His devotee in such a fallen condition.
Thus the Personality of Godhead arranged that at the end of Dvparayuga, when the Lord was winding up His manifest pastimes, His devotee
Bhgu, in the form of the hunter Jar, would cast the arrow into a material
body created by the Lord's illusory energy. Thus the hunter would
become remorseful, gain release from his degraded birth and go back to
Vaikuha-loka.
Therefore, to please His devotee Bhgu and to confuse the demons, the
Supreme Lord manifested His mauala-ll at Prabhsa, but it should be
understood that this is an illusory pastime. The Personality of Godhead,
Lord Ka, from His very appearance on the earth, did not manifest any
of the material qualities of ordinary human beings. The Lord did not
appear from the womb of His mother. Rather, by His inconceivable power
He descended into the maternity room. At the time of His giving up this
mortal world, He similarly manifested an illusory situation for the sake of
bewildering the demons. To bewilder the nondevotees, the Lord created
an illusory body out of His material energy while simultaneously
remaining personally in His own sac-cid-nanda body, and thus He
manifested the downfall of an illusory, material form. This pretense
effectively bewilders foolish demons, but Lord r Ka's actual
transcendental, eternal body of bliss never experiences death.
Also at Prabhsa-ketra there is the holy place known as Bhgu-trtha,

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which was manifested by Lord Paraurma. The place at which the two
rivers Sarasvat and Hiray flow together into the ocean is named Bhgutrtha, and there the hunter cast his arrow. There is an elaborate
description of Prabhsa-trtha in the Prabhsa-khaa of the Skanda
Pura. There are also many phala-rutis given within the Mahbhrata in
connection with Prabhsa-trtha. Phala-rutis are scriptural statements
that promise various auspicious results for one who performs a particular
pious activity. In the following verses the Lord Himself will explain the
particular benefits to be derived from visiting Prabhsaketra and
performing religious activities there.
TEXT 36
yatra sntv daka-pd
ghto yakmaodu-r
vimukta kilbit sadyo
bheje bhya kalodayam
yatrawhere; sntvtaking bath; daka-ptbecause of the curse of
Prajpati Daka; ghtaseized; yakmaby consumptive lung
disease; uu-rthe king of stars, the moon; vimuktafreed; kilbit
from his sinful reaction; sadyaimmediately; bhejehe assumed;
bhyaonce again; kalof his phases; udayamthe increasing.
Once, the moon was afflicted with consumption because of the curse of
Daka, but just by taking bath at Prabhsa-ketra, the moon was
immediately freed from his sinful reaction and again resumed the
waxing of his phases.
TEXTS 37-38
vaya ca tasminn plutya
tarpayitv pitn surn
bhojayitvoijo viprn
nn-guavatndhas
teu dnni ptreu
raddhayoptv mahnti vai
vjinni tariymo
dnair naubhir ivravam

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vayamwe; caalso; tasminat that place; plutyabathing;

tarpayitvsatisfying by offerings; pitnthe departed forefathers;
surnand the demigods; bhojayitvfeeding; uijaworshipable;
viprnthe brhmaas; nnvarious; gua-vathaving tastes;
andhaswith foodstuffs; teuin them (the brhmaas); dnnigifts;
ptreuas fitting candidates for charity; raddhayfaithfully; uptv
sowing (i.e. offering to them); mahntigreat; vaiindeed; vjinnithe
dangers; tariymawe will cross over; dnaiby our charity;
naubhiwith boats; ivaas if; aravamthe ocean.
By bathing at Prabhsa-ketra, by offering sacrifice there to placate the
forefathers and demigods, by feeding the worshipable brhmaas with
various delicious foodstuffs and by bestowing opulent gifts upon them
as the most suitable candidates for charity, we will certainly cross over
these terrible dangers through such acts of charity, just as one can cross
over a great ocean in a suitable boat.
TEXT 39
r-uka uvca
eva bhagavatdi
ydav kuru-nandana
gantu kta-dhiyas trtha
syandann samayyujan
r-uka uvcar ukadeva said; evamthus; bhagavatby the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; diinstructed; ydavthe
Ydavas; kuru-nandanaO favorite of the Kurus; gantumto go; ktadhiyahaving made up their minds; trthamto the holy place;
syandannto their chariots; samayyujanthey yoked their horses.
ukadeva Gosvm said: O favorite son of the Kurus, thus advised by
the Personality of Godhead, the Ydavas made up their minds to go to
that holy place, Prabhsa-ketra, and thus yoked their horses to their
chariots.
TEXTS 40-41
tan nirkyoddhavo rjan
rutv bhagavatoditam

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dvrini ghori
nitya kam anuvrata
vivikta upasagamya
jagatm varevaram
praamya iris pdau
prjalis tam abhata
tatthat; nirkyaseeing; uddhavaUddhava; rjanO King; rutv
hearing; bhagavatby the Lord; uditamwhat had been said; dv
observing; arinievil omens; ghorifearful; nityamalways;
kamof Lord Ka; anuvrataa faithful follower; viviktein
privacy; upasagamyaapproaching; jagatmof all the moving
creatures within the universe; vara-of the controllers; varam-the one
supreme controller; praamyabowing down; iraswith his head;
pdauat His feet; prjaliwith hands folded in submission; tamto
Him; abhataspoke.
My dear King, Uddhava was a constantly faithful follower of Lord
Ka. Upon seeing the imminent departure of the Ydavas, hearing
from them of the Lord's instructions and taking note of the fearful
omens, he approached the Personality of Godhead in a private place. He
bowed down with his head at the lotus feet of the supreme controller of
the universe and with folded hands addressed Him as follows.
According to rla Jva Gosvm there cannot be any actual disturbance in
the Lord's own abode. The great disasters apparently occurring in Dvrak
were an external show created by the Lord to facilitate His pastimes. We
can understand the pastimes of Ka only by hearing from the
recognized cryas. Lord Ka is not a mundane historical figure, and
His activities cannot be confined within the tiny limits of material logic.
Lord Ka's pastimes are an exhibition of His acintya-akti, or
inconceivable potency, which functions according to higher, spiritual
laws, unknown to the blind conditioned souls and their petty material
logic.
TEXT 42
r-uddhava uvca
deva-devea yogea

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puya-ravaa-krtana
sahtyaitat kula nna
loka santyakyate bhavn
vipra-pa samartho 'pi
pratyahan na yad vara
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; deva-devaof the greatest among
the demigods; aO ultimate God; yoga-aO master of all mystic
power; puyawhich are pious; ravaa-krtanaO You, hearing and
chanting the glories of whom; sahtyawithdrawing; etatthis;
kulamdynasty; nnamis it not so; lokamthis world; santyakyate
are about to give up once and for all; bhavnYou; vipra-pamthe
curse of the brhmaas; samarthacapable; apialthough; pratyahan
naYou did not counteract; yatbecause; vara-the Supreme Lord.
r Uddhava said: O my Lord, O supreme God among all the demigods,
real piety is invoked simply by hearing and chanting Your
transcendental glories. My Lord, it appears that You will now withdraw
Your dynasty, and thus You Yourself will finally give up Your pastimes
within this universe. You are the supreme controller and the master of
all mystic power. But although You are fully capable of counteracting
the brhmaas' curse against Your dynasty, You are not doing so, and
Your disappearance is imminent.
As previously mentioned, Ka's own dynasty can never be destroyed;
therefore the word sahtya means that Ka was taking the Ydavas
with Him as He left this material world. However, in the eyes of ordinary,
unenlightened persons the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty appears to be
its destruction. rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has very nicely
explained the statement of Uddhava as follows.
Ka is addressed as deva-deva, or the supreme God among the gods,
because He expertly solved all of the problems of the demigods by His
incarnation within the universe. The Lord rid the world of demons and
firmly established both His devotees and religious principles. Lord Ka
is addressed here as yogea because He not only performed work on behalf
of the demigods, but also revealed His beautiful, transcendental form, full
of transcendental qualities and ecstasies, for the pleasure of His pure
devotees. Ka is called puya-ravaa-krtana because when by His
internal mystic potency He exhibited His humanlike activities, the Lord

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stimulated the writing of innumerable Vedic scriptures about His

pastimes. Thus persons who would be born in the future, like ourselves
would be able to hear and chant about the Lord's activities and also go
back home, back to Godhead.
Having insured the transcendental bliss and liberation of all of His
devotees, even those who would be born in the future, Ka decided the
time had come for Him to leave this material universe. Uddhava could
understand the Lord's desire and said to Ka, "You have instructed the
Ydavas to counteract the brhmaas' curse by taking bath at
Prabhsaketra, but how could mere bathing in a holy place be of greater
value than seeing You, the Personality of Godhead, face to face? Since the
Ydavas are always seeing Your transcendental form, and since You are
the Supreme Lord, what is the use of their taking bath in a so-called holy
place? Therefore You obviously have some other purpose. If You actually
wanted to counteract the curse, You could simply say, 'Let this curse not
act,' and the curse would immediately be neutralized. Therefore You must
be preparing to leave this universe, and that is why You have not
counteracted the curse."
TEXT 43
nha tavghri-kamala
kardham api keava
tyaktu samutsahe ntha
sva-dhma naya mm api
naam not; ahamI; tavaYour; aghri-kamalamlotus feet; kaaof
a moment; ardhamfor half; apieven; keavaO killer of the demon
Kei; tyaktumgiving up; samutsaheam I able to tolerate; nthaO
master; sva-dhmato Your own abode; nayaplease take; mmme;
apialso.
O Lord Keava, my dear master, I cannot tolerate giving up Your lotus
feet even for a fraction of a moment. I urge You to take me along with
You to Your own abode.
Uddhava understood that Ka was going to withdraw the Yadu dynasty,
and thus he begged the Lord to take him along to the Lord's abode. He
had no desire to merge into Ka's impersonal effulgence; instead he
wanted to go to the Lord's spiritual abode and continue associating with

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Ka as His dearmost friend. Ka is the Personality of Godhead and

can do whatever He likes, but the devotee begs the Lord for the chance to
serve Him. Although the Lord manifests within the material world His
various abodes, such as Vndvana, Dvrak and Mathur, and although
these are certainly nondifferent from their counterparts in the spiritual
world, the most advanced devotees, overwhelmed with desire to
personally serve the Lord, are very eager to go to the Lord's original
spiritual planet. As stated by Lord Kapila in the Third Canto of rmadBhgavatam, the pure devotees have no desire for liberation. Because of
their eagerness to render service, they urge the Lord to appear before
them. The six Gosvms, due to their intense eagerness to serve Rdh
and Ka, urgently searched after Them, calling out Their names in the
forests of Vndvana. Similarly, Uddhava is urging the Lord to take him to
His own abode so that Uddhava's personal service to the Lord's lotus feet
will not be interrupted even for a moment.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has pointed out that immature
conditioned souls think that Lord Ka is an ordinary jva soul engaged
in material activities and was thus unable to protect His own dynasty from
the curse of the brhmaas. Uddhava's statement corrects such
unfortunate persons. It is Lord Ka Himself who awarded pious living
entities birth in brahminical families, and then Lord Ka further
awarded them the potency to curse His dynasty. And finally, Lord Ka
personally kept the curse intact, although He was capable of neutralizing
it. Therefore in the beginning, middle and end, directly and indirectly, in
the past, present and future, Lord Ka is the Absolute Truth, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He is completely transcendental to
even the slightest touch of material illusion or impotence.
TEXT 44
tava vikrita ka
nn parama-magalam
kara-pyam sdya
tyajanty anya-sph jan
tavaYour; vikritampastimes; kaO Ka; nmfor men;
parama-magalamsupremely auspicious; karafor the ears; pyam
nectar; sdyahaving tasted; tyajantithey reject; anyafor other
things; sphmtheir desires; janpersons.

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O my dear Ka, Your pastimes are supremely auspicious for mankind

and are an intoxicating beverage for the ears. Tasting such pastimes,
people forget their desires for other things.
Anya-sphm, or "desire for things other than Ka," indicates the
material desire to enjoy wife, children, money, and so on. Ultimately, the
materialist may desire religious salvation for his personal comfort and
satisfaction, but all such desires are mundane, because on the spiritual
platform the pure soul thinks only of the Lord's pleasure and the Lord's
service. Therefore, a pure devotee can never give up Ka, even for a
moment, although for Ka's pleasure he can give up the entire universe.
TEXT 45
ayysanana-sthnasnna-krandiu
katha tv priyam tmna
vaya bhakts tyajema hi
sayyin lying down; sanasitting; aanawalking; sthnastanding;
snnabathing; krtaking recreation; sanaeating; diuand
other activities; kathamhow; tvmYou; priyamdear; tmnamSelf;
vayamwe; bhaktYour devotees; tyajemacan reject; hiindeed.
My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Soul, and thus You are most dear to
us. We are Your devotees, and how can we possibly reject You or live
without You even for a moment? Whether we are lying down, sitting,
walking, standing, bathing, enjoying recreation, eating or doing
anything else, we are constantly engaged in Your service.
One should be constantly engaged in the service of Lord Ka. By
hearing about Ka and by serving Him, we can give up the illusion of
trying to enjoy something separately from the Supreme Lord. If we neglect
such hearing and serving, our minds will become bewildered by the
illusory energy of the Lord, and seeing the world as separate from Ka,
we will take it as a place meant for our own sense gratification. This gross
ignorance brings nothing but trouble to the living entity.
TEXT 46
tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-

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vso-'lakra-carcit
ucchia-bhojino dss
tava my jayema hi
tvayby You; upabhuktaalready enjoyed; srakwith the garlands;
gandhafragrances; vsagarments; alakraand ornaments;
carcitadorned; ucchiathe remnants of Your food; bhojina
eating; dsYour servants; tavaYour; mymillusory energy;
jayemawe will conquer; hiindeed.
Simply by decorating ourselves with the garlands, fragrant oils, clothes
and ornaments that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the
remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will indeed conquer Your
illusory energy.
It is clear from this verse that Uddhava is not approaching the Lord for
liberation from the illusory energy. As a personal, confidential associate of
Lord Ka, Uddhava was undoubtedly a completely liberated soul. He is
praying to the Lord because he cannot bear the thought of living without
Ka even for a moment. This feeling is called love of God. Uddhava is
addressing the Lord as follows: "Even if Your illusory energy tries to
attack us, my Lord, we will very easily conquer her by our powerful
weapons, which are the remnants of Your foodstuffs, clothes, ornaments,
and so on. In other words, we will easily conquer over my by kaprasdam, and not by useless speculation and mental concoction."
TEXT 47
vta-vasan ya aya
rama rdhra-manthina
brahmkhya dhma te ynti
nt sannysno 'mal
vta-vasandressed by the air (naked); yethose who are; aya
sages; ramastrict observers of spiritual practices; rdhvamanthinawho have conserved their semen to the point that it has risen
up to their heads; brahma-khyamknown as Brahman; dhmathe
(impersonal) spiritual abode; tethey; yntito go; ntpeaceful;
sannysinamembers of the renounced order of life; amalsinless.
Naked sages who seriously endeavor in spiritual practice, who have

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raised their semen upward, who are peaceful and sinless members of
the renounced order, attain the spiritual abode called Brahman.
In Chapter Twelve of Bhagavad-gt it is stated, kleo 'dhikataras tem
avyaktsakta-cetasm: those who are attached to the impersonal feature of
the Personality of Godhead must endure grueling penances in order to
achieve impersonal liberation in the realm of Brahman. Also it is stated in
the Bhgavatam, ruhya kcchrea para pada tata/ patanty adho
'ndta-yumad-aghraya [SB 10.2.32]. Kcchrea: with great struggle
and trouble the yogs climb their way up into the impersonal effulgence
called brahmajyoti, but again they slip out of the jyoti and fall back into
the material world because they do not take shelter of the Personality of
Godhead.
Envious fools object to the "paternalism" of the Personality of Godhead,
but these fools cannot take credit for the creation of their own body, brain
or energy, nor can they claim credit for the air, rain, vegetables, fruits,
sun, moon, and so on. In other words, they are totally dependent on the
mercy of God at every second, and yet they arrogantly state that they do
not want to accept the shelter of the Lord, because they are self-sufficient.
In fact, some bewildered living entities even think that they themselves
are God, although they cannot explain why "God" has to struggle and toil
to achieve meager success in the yoga system. Therefore Uddhava is
pointing out that, unlike the impersonalists and meditators, the pure
devotees very easily cross over the illusory energy because they are totally
attached to the lotus feet of Ka. Lord Ka is always transcendental,
and if one is firmly attached to the Lord's lotus feet, then he is also
transcendental. The causeless mercy of Ka is more valuable than
millions and billions of years of one's own struggling and straining. One
should try to get the Lord's mercy, and then everything will become very
easy on the path of spiritual realization. In this age one can achieve the
mercy of Lord Ka by constantly chanting His holy name, as
recommended in the stra:
harer nma harer nma
harer nmaiva kevalam
kalau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath
[Cc. di 17.21]
(Bhan-nradya Pura)

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If one constantly chants Lord Ka's holy names, avoiding offenses

against the names, then surely one will achieve the same result as
Uddhava. Uddhava was not interested in so-called Brahman realization,
but rather he wanted to go on drinking the maddening nectar of the
beautiful smiling of the Lord's moonlike face.
TEXTS 48-49
vaya tv iha mah-yogin
bhramanta karma-vartmasu
tvad-vrtay tariymas
tvakair dustara tama
smaranta krtayantas te
ktni gaditni ca
gaty-utsmitekaa-kveli
yan n-loka-viambanam
vayamwe; tuon the other hand; ihain this world; mah-yoginO
greatest of yogs; bhramantawandering; karma-vartmasuon the paths
of material work; tvatof You; vrtayby discussion of the topics;
tariymawill cross over; tvakaialong with Your devotees;
dustaraminsurmountable; tamadarkness; smarantaremembering;
krtayantaglorifying; teYour; ktnideeds; gaditniwords; ca
also; gatimovements; utsmitawidely smiling; kaaglances;
kveliand loving pastimes; yatwhich are; n-lokaof human society;
viambanama clever imitation.
O greatest of mystics, although we are conditioned souls wandering on
the path of fruitive work, we will certainly cross beyond the darkness of
this material world simply by hearing about Your Lordship in the
association of Your devotees. Thus we are always remembering and
glorifying the wonderful things You do and the wonderful things You
say. We ecstatically recall Your amorous pastimes with Your
confidential conjugal devotees and how You boldly smile and move
about while engaged in such youthful pastimes. My dear Lord, Your
loving pastimes are bewilderingly similar to the activities of ordinary
people within this material world.
In this verse Uddhava, by stating bhramanta karma-vartmasu, humbly

426

presents himself as one of the conditioned souls entangled in fruitive

activities. Still, Uddhava is confident that he will certainly cross over the
illusory energy because he is addicted to chanting and remembering the
glorious activities and words of Lord Ka. Similarly, Rpa Gosvm has
stated:
h yasya harer dsye
karma manas gir
nikhilsv apy avasthsu
jvan-mukta sa ucyate
Although one may outwardly appear to be involved in this material world,
if one is always engaged, twenty-four hours a day, in the service of Lord
Ka, then one is considered to be a liberated soul. Uddhava states here
that hearing and chanting the holy name and pastimes of Ka is
infinitely more effective than becoming a naked yog in the forest and
running the constant risk of becoming, due to lusty desires and sex
indulgence, a naked monkey in the forest. Uddhava is begging the Lord
for the mercy of His Sudarana cakra, whose effulgence is represented by
the process of remembering and chanting the pastimes of the Lord. One
who absorbs himself in the incomparable bliss of thinking of the Lord's
abode easily becomes free from all lamentation, illusion and fear. That is
the recommendation of r Uddhava.
TEXT 50
r-uka uvca
eva vijpito rjan
bhagavn devak-suta
ekntina priya bhtyam
uddhava samabhata
r-uka uvcaukadeva Gosvm said; evamin this way; vijpita
requested; rjanO King; bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of
Godhead; devak-sutathe son of Devak; ekntinamin private;
priyamdear;
bhtyamto
the
servant;
uddhavamUddhava;
samabhataHe spoke at length.
ukadeva Gosvm said: O King Parkit, thus addressed, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka, the son of Devak, began to reply

427

confidentially to His dear, unalloyed servant Uddhava.

According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, the conditioned living
entities, by their movements, laughter, activities and words, simply bind
themselves more and more in material existence. But if they engage in
hearing and chanting about the pastimes of the Personality of Godhead,
the conditioned souls will achieve liberation from the bondage of repeated
birth and death. This process of supreme liberation will now be
elaborately described by Lord r Ka to His dearmost devotee r
Uddhava.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Sixth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Yadu Dynasty Retires to Prabhsa."

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7. Lord Ka Instructs Uddhava

As described in this chapter, the Supreme Lord, Ka, replied to

Uddhava's prayerful entreaty that he be allowed to return with Him to His
abode. Ka advised Uddhava to take to the renounced order of
sannysa, and when Uddhava showed interest in more elaborate
instructions, the Lord further described the avadhta's account of his
twenty-eight spiritual masters.
After hearing Uddhava's prayerful request to be taken back with Him to
the spiritual world, Lord Ka informed him that He was indeed desirous
of returning to His own personal abode because the purpose of His
descent had been successfully fulfilled and the misfortunes of Kali-yuga
would soon beset the earth. He thus advised Uddhava to take up sannysa
by fixing his mind upon Him and establishing himself in theoretical and
realized transcendental knowledge. The Lord further instructed Uddhava
that while remaining untouched by contamination and compassionately
disposed to all beings, he should begin wandering throughout this
temporary world, which is simply the combined manifestation of the
Lord's illusory energy and the imagination of the living entities.
Uddhava then stated that renouncing material things in a spirit of
detachment is the source of the highest auspiciousness, but such
renunciation is certainly extremely difficult to accomplish for living
entities other than the devotees of the Supreme Lord, because they are
very attached to sense gratification. Uddhava expressed the need for some
instruction by which foolish persons who misidentify the body as the self
can be convinced to carry out their duties in accordance with the order of
the Supreme Lord. Even great demigods like Brahm are not completely
surrendered to the Lord, but Uddhava declared that he himself had taken
shelter of the only true instructor of the Absolute Truth-Lord Nryaa,
the all-perfect, all-knowing master of Vaikuha and the only real friend
of all living entities. Hearing this, the Supreme Lord replied that actually
the jva soul is his own guru. Within this human body, the living beings
can search out the Supreme Lord by positive and negative means and
ultimately achieve Him. For this reason the human form of life is most

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dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this regard, Lord Ka

began to describe an ancient conversation between a brhmaa avadhta
and the great king Yadu.
The son of Yayti, Mahrja Yadu, once encountered an avadhta who was
traveling about, here and there, in great transcendental ecstasy and was
acting unpredictably, just like someone who has become haunted by a
ghost. The King inquired from the holy man about the cause of his
wandering and his ecstatic condition, and the avadhta replied that he
had received various instructions from twenty-four different gurus-the
earth, the wind, the sky, the water, fire, and so on. Because of the
knowledge he had gained from them, he was able to travel about the earth
in a liberated state.
From the earth he had learned how to be sober, and from the two
manifestations of earth, namely the mountain and the tree, he had
learned, respectively, how to serve others and how to dedicate one's
whole life to the benefit of others. From the wind, manifesting in the form
of the vital air within the body, he had learned how to be satisfied with
merely keeping oneself alive, and from the external wind he had learned
how to remain uncontaminated by the body and the objects of the senses.
From the sky he had learned how the soul, which pervades all material
substances, is both indivisible and imperceptible, and from the water he
had learned how to be naturally clear and purifying. From the fire he had
learned how to devour all things without becoming dirtied and how to
destroy all the inauspicious desires of those who make offerings to him.
He had also learned from fire how the spirit soul enters into every body
and gives illumination and how the birth and death of those who are
embodied cannot be discerned. From the moon he had learned how the
material body undergoes growth and dwindling. From the sun he had
learned how to avoid entanglement even while coming into contact with
sense objects, and he had also learned about the two different modes of
perception based on seeing the real form of the soul and seeing false
designative coverings. From the pigeon he had learned how too much
affection and excessive attachment are not good for one. This human
body is the open door to liberation, but if one becomes attached to family
life like the pigeon, one is compared to a person who has climbed up to a
high place just to fall down again.
TEXT 1

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r-bhagavn uvca
yad ttha m mah-bhga
tac-cikritam eva me
brahm bhavo loka-pl
svar-vsa me 'bhikkia
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yatthat
which; tthayou spoke; mmto Me; mah-bhgaO greatly fortunate
Uddhava; tatthat; cikritamthe program that I am desiring to
execute; evacertainly; meMine; brahmLord Brahm; bhavaLord
iva; loka-plthe leaders of all universal planets; sva-vsamabode
in Vaikuha; meMy; abhikkiathey are desiring.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O greatly fortunate
Uddhava, you have accurately revealed My desire to withdraw the Yadu
dynasty from the earth and return to My own abode in Vaikuha. Thus
Lord Brahm, Lord iva and all other planetary rulers are now praying
for Me to resume My residence in Vaikuha.
Each and every demigod has his particular abode in the heavenly planets
within the material universe. Although Lord Viu is sometimes counted
among the demigods, His abode is in Vaikuha, the spiritual sky. The
demigods are universal controllers within the kingdom of my, but
Viu is the Lord of the illusory potency and many other spiritual
potencies. His exalted residence does not lie within the kingdom of His
insignificant maidservant my.
Lord Viu, the Personality of Godhead, is the Supreme Lord of all lords;
the demigods are His separated parts and parcels. Being themselves
minute jva souls, the demigods are under the influence of the potency of
my; but Lord Viu is always the supreme controller of my. The
Personality of Godhead is the reservoir and root of all existence, and the
material world is just a dim reflection of the brilliant scenery of His
eternal, spiritual abode, where everything is infinitely beautiful and
pleasurable. Viu is the supreme reality, and no living entity can ever be
equal to or greater than Him. The Lord exists within His own unique
category called viu-tattva, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All
other prominent or extraordinary living entities owe their positions and
potencies to the Lord. Ultimately Viu Himself is a plenary expansion of
Lord Ka, the original source of all the viu-tattva and jva-tattva

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expansions. Thus Lord Ka is the basis of everything.

TEXT 2
may nipdita hy atra
deva-kryam aeata
yad-artham avatro 'ham
aena brahmarthita
mayby Me; nipditamaccomplished; hicertainly; atrawithin
this world; deva-kryamwork for the benefit of the demigods;
aeatacompletely, with nothing remaining; yatfor whose; artham
sake; avatraincarnated; ahamI; aenawith My plenary portion,
Baladeva; brahmaby Lord Brahm; arthitabeing prayed for.
Answering the prayer of Lord Brahm, I descended within this world
along with My plenary portion, Lord Baladeva, and performed various
activities on behalf of the demigods. I have now completed My mission
here.
TEXT 3
kula vai pa-nirdagdha
nakyaty anyonya-vigraht
samudra saptame hy en
pur ca plvayiyati
kulamthis Yadu dynasty; vaidefinitely; paby the curse;
nirdagdhamfinished; nakyatiwill be destroyed; anyonyamutual;
vigrahtby a quarrel; samudrathe ocean; saptameon the seventh
day; hicertainly; enmthis; purmcity; caalso; plvayiyatiwill
inundate.
Now due to the brhmaas' curse the Yadu dynasty will certainly perish
by fighting among themselves; and on the seventh day from today the
ocean will rise up and inundate this city of Dvrak.
In this and the following verses, Lord Ka indicates to Uddhava that he
should immediately fix himself in self-realization by giving up all
identification with the material world. rla Jva Gosvm has pointed out
that the Yadu dynasty was not actually destroyed by Lord Ka but

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merely removed from the vision of the world through the curse of the
brhmaas; similarly, the Lord's eternal abode Dvrak can never be
drowned by the ocean. Nevertheless, all external approaches to this
transcendental city were covered by the ocean, and thus the Lord's abode
remains inaccessible to foolish persons in Kali-yuga, as will be described
later in this canto.
By the Lord's mystic potency, called yoga-my, He reveals His own form,
abode, paraphernalia, pastimes, entourage, and so on, and at the suitable
time He removes all of these from our mundane sight. Although
bewildered conditioned souls may doubt the spiritual potency of the Lord,
the pure devotees can directly perceive and relish His transcendental
appearance and disappearance, which are described in Bhagavad-gt as
janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. If one faithfully accepts this perfect
knowledge of the Lord's transcendental nature, then surely one will go
back home, back to Godhead, and become an eternal companion of Lord
Ka.
TEXT 4
yarhy evya may tyakto
loko 'ya naa-magala
bhaviyaty acirt sdho
kalinpi nirkta
yarhiwhen; evacertainly; ayamthis; mayby Me; tyakta
abandoned; lokathe world; ayamthis; naa-magalabereft of all
auspiciousness or piety; bhaviyatiit will be; acirtvery soon; sdho
O saintly one; kalindue to Kali; apihimself; nirkta
overwhelmed.
O saintly Uddhava, in the near future I will abandon this earth. Then,
being overwhelmed by the age of Kali, the earth will be bereft of all
piety.
Lord Ka's plan was to bring Uddhava back to His own eternal abode
after a brief delay. Because of Uddhava's extraordinary spiritual qualities,
the Lord wanted to engage him in propagating His message among other
saintly persons who were not yet advanced to the stage of pure devotional
service. However, the Lord assured Uddhava that he would not be bereft
of the Lord's association for even a moment. Also, because Uddhava had

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become a perfect master of his senses, he would never be afflicted by the

three modes of material nature. In this way, before bringing Uddhava
back home, back to Godhead, the Lord empowered him to carry out a
specific confidential mission.
Wherever the supreme position of the Personality of Godhead is not
recognized, useless mental speculation becomes very prominent, and the
safe and sure path of hearing perfect Vedic knowledge becomes covered
by the chaos of mental concoction. At the present time, especially in the
Western countries, literally millions of books are being published on
hundreds and thousands of subjects; yet despite this proliferation of
mental concoction people remain totally in ignorance about the most
fundamental issues of human life, namely, Who am I? Where have I come
from? Where am I going? What is my soul? What is God?
The Personality of Godhead, Lord r Ka, is the reservoir of
innumerable enchanting pastimes, and thus He is the source of
innumerable varieties of pleasure. In fact, He is the ocean of eternal
pleasure. When the eternal soul is bereft of the constitutional pleasure
that comes from loving service to the Lord, he is overwhelmed and
bewildered by material nature. He helplessly chases after material sense
gratification, thinking that one material object is good and another bad,
and constantly changes his assessment of what is good and what is bad.
Thus he derives no peace or pleasure, is in constant anxiety and is
repeatedly thrashed by the cruel laws of nature in the form of birth, death,
old age and disease.
In this way the conditioned soul becomes a fit candidate to take birth in
Kali-yuga, which is the epitome of misfortune. In Kali-yuga the living
entities, who are already suffering so many tribulations, mercilessly turn
against one another. Human society in Kali-yuga becomes savagely
violent, and men open slaughterhouses to butcher hundreds of millions of
innocent creatures. Large-scale wars are declared, and millions of human
beings, even women and children, are quickly annihilated.
Unless the living entity recognizes the authority of the Personality of
Godhead, he remains a helpless victim in the clutches of my, or material
illusion. He concocts different solutions to release himself from my, but
these solutions are themselves creations of my and thus cannot possibly
release the conditioned soul. In fact, they only intensify his distress. In the
next verse, Lord Ka specifically warns Uddhava to avoid Kali-yuga and
go back home, back to Godhead. Those of us who have already taken

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birth in Kali-yuga should also heed this advice and immediately take all
necessary steps to go back to the Lord's eternal abode for a blissful life of
perfect knowledge. The material world is never a happy place, especially
during the fearful days of Kali-yuga.
TEXT 5
na vastavya tvayaiveha
may tyakte mah-tale
jano 'bhadra-rucir bhadra
bhaviyati kalau yuge
nanot; vastavyamshould remain; tvayyou; evacertainly; ihain
this world; mayby Me; tyaktewhen it is abandoned; mahtalethe
earth; janathe people; abhadrasinful, inauspicious things; ruci
addicted to; bhadraO you who are sinless and auspicious; bhaviyati
will be; kalauin Kali; yugein this yuga.
My dear Uddhava, you should not remain here on the earth once I have
abandoned this world. My dear devotee, you are sinless, but in Kaliyuga the people will be addicted to all types of sinful activities;
therefore do not stay here.
In this age of Kali, human beings are totally unaware that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead comes personally to the earth to manifest His
transcendental pastimes as they are enacted in the spiritual world.
Heedless of the authority of the Personality of Godhead, the fallen souls of
Kali-yuga become engulfed in bitter quarrel and cruelly harass one
another. Because people in Kali-yuga are addicted to polluted, sinful
activities, they are always angry, lusty and frustrated. In Kali-yuga the
devotees of the Personality of Godhead, who are engaged in the everincreasing loving service of the Lord, should never be attracted to living
on the earth, the population of which is covered in the darkness of
ignorance and devoid of any loving relationship with the Lord. Thus Lord
Ka advised Uddhava not to remain on the earth in Kali-yuga. In fact, in
Bhagavad-gt the Lord advises all living entities that they should never
remain anywhere within the material universeduring any age. Therefore
every living being should take advantage of the pressures of Kali-yuga to
understand the overall useless nature of the material world and surrender
himself at the lotus feet of Lord Ka. Following in the footsteps of r

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Uddhava, one should surrender to Ka and go back home, back to

Godhead.
TEXT 6
tva tu sarva parityajya
sneha sva-jana-bandhuu
mayy veya mana sayak
sama-dg vicarasva gm
tvamyou; tuin fact; sarvamall; parityajyagiving up; sneham
affection; sva-jana-bandhuufor your relatives and friends; mayiin Me,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead; veyafixing; manayour mind;
sayakcompletely; sama-dkseeing everything with equal vision;
vicarasvawander; gmthroughout the earth.
Now you should completely give up all attachment to your personal
friends and relatives and fix your mind on Me. Thus being always
conscious of Me, you should observe all things with equal vision and
wander throughout the earth.
rmad Vrarghava crya has explained the concept of equal vision as
follows: sama-dk sarvasya brahmtmakatvnusandhna-rpa-samadimn. "One who is on the path of self-realization should always
endeavor to see the ultimate spiritual nature of all existence." The word
mayi in this verse means paramtmani. One should fix one's mind on the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the source of everything. Thus as
one passes one's life on the earth, using up one's allotted time, one should
practice seeing all things and all people as part and parcel of the Absolute
Truth, the Personality of Godhead. Since all living entities are part and
parcel of Ka, ultimately they all have the same spiritual status. The
material nature, also being an emanation of Ka, has a similar spiritual
status, but although matter and spirit are both emanations from the
Personality of Godhead, they do not exist exactly on the same level. In
Bhagavad-gt it is said that the spirit soul is the superior energy of the
Lord, whereas the material nature is His inferior energy. However, since
Lord Ka is equally present in all things, the word sama-dk in this
verse indicates that one must ultimately see Ka within everything and
everything within Ka. Thus equal vision is compatible with mature
knowledge of the varieties present within this world.

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rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura comments as follows on this verse.

"At the end of His manifest pastimes on the earth, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka, thought as follows within His mind:
'During My pastimes on the earth, I have satisfied the desires of all those
devotees who anxiously desired to see Me. I have duly married many
thousands of queens, headed by Rukmi, whom I personally kidnapped,
and I have killed innumerable demons in various places and by various
means. I have attended meetings, reunions and ceremonies with many
friends, relatives and well-wishers in cities such as Vndvana, Mathur,
Dvrak, Hastinpura and Mithil, and thus I have kept constantly busy
coming and going in the performance of pastimes.
" 'I further arranged to give My personal association to great devotees who
are situated below the earthly planet. In order to please My mother
Devak and return her six deceased sons who were killed by Kasa, I
descended to the planet Sutala and blessed My great devotee Bali
Mahrja. In order to return the dead son of My spiritual master,
Sndpani Muni, I personally went to the court of Ravinandana, or
Yamarja, and thus he was able to see Me face to face. I even blessed the
residents of heaven, such as mother Aditi and Kayapa Muni, with My
personal association when I traveled there to steal the prijta flower for
My wife Satyabhm. And in order to please the inhabitants of MahViu's abode, such as Nanda, Sunanda and Sudarana, I traveled to
Mah-vaikuhaloka to recover the deceased children of a frustrated
brhmaa. Thus, innumerable devotees who ardently desired to see Me
have received the object of their prayers.
" 'Unfortunately Nara-Nryaa i and the great paramahasa sages who
live with Him in Badarikrama, although most enthusiastic to see Me,
never had their desire fulfilled. I have been on the earth for 125 years, and
the scheduled time is now up. Being busily engaged in My pastimes, I did
not have time to give My blessings to these great sages. Nevertheless,
Uddhava is practically the same as Me. He is a great devotee and shares
My own transcendental opulences. Thus, he is the right person for Me to
send to Badarikrama. I shall give Uddhava complete transcendental
knowledge by which one becomes detached from the material world, and
he in turn can deliver this knowledge, the science of transcending the
kingdom of illusion, to the worthy sages at Badarikrama. In this way he
can teach them the method of rendering loving devotional service to My
lotus feet. Such loving devotional service rendered to Me is the most

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valuable treasure, and by hearing such knowledge the desires of the great
sages such as Nara-Nryaa will be completely fulfilled.
" 'Those great souls who have surrendered unto Me are always equipped
with transcendental knowledge and detachment from the material world.
Sometimes, being busy in their devotional service, they may appear to
forget Me. However, a pure devotee who has achieved the platform of love
for Me will always be protected by such sincere devotion. Even if such a
devotee should suddenly give up his life while neglecting to fix his mind
intensely on Me, such a devotee's loving feelings are so powerful that they
afford him all protection. Even if there is a temporary moment of
forgetfulness, such devotion will bring the devotee to My lotus feet, which
are beyond the vision of ordinary, materialistic persons. Uddhava is My
pure devotee. Knowledge of Me and detachment from this world have
again been aroused in him because he can never give up My association.' "
The sincere servants of Caitanya Mahprabhu are vigorously endeavoring
to spread this Ka consciousness movement for the pleasure of their
spiritual master and Lord Ka. At the present time thousands of
devotees in the Ka consciousness movement, in all parts of the world,
are working long hours under difficult conditions to distribute
transcendental literature and thus enlighten the general populace. In this
effort the devotees have no personal motivation but are simply desirous of
pleasing their spiritual master by distributing his books. The people who
receive this literature usually have no previous experience of Ka
consciousness, yet they are so impressed by the purity of the devotees
they meet that they eagerly purchase the books and magazines. In order to
execute the tremendous task of spreading Ka consciousness, the
devotees are tirelessly laboring day and night because they are on the
platform of loving devotion. Although superficially such busy devotees
may occasionally not think directly of the lotus feet of Ka, such loving
devotion will undoubtedly take them back to Ka's lotus feet, and being
pleased by their service, the Lord Himself will again arouse their
unflinching meditation upon His personal form. This is the beauty of
bhakti-yoga, which depends wholly and solely on the mercy of the allmerciful Personality of Godhead, r Ka. This is the only totally safe
means of uprooting the deep desires for material enjoyment, attaining
pure love for Ka and going beyond the material universe to the
kingdom of God. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (2.40):
nehbhikrama-no 'sti

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pratyavyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
tryate mahato bhayt
Lord Ka also advised Uddhava in this verse to give up the illusory
attachment to so-called friends and family within this material world. One
may not be able to physically give up association with family and friends,
but one should understand that everyone and everything is part and
parcel of God and is meant for the pleasure of God. As soon as one thinks,
"This is my personal family," immediately one will see the material world
as no more than a place for enjoying family life. As soon as one is attached
to one's so-called family, false prestige and material possessiveness arise.
Actually, everyone is part and parcel of God and therefore, on the
spiritual platform, related to all other entities. This is called kasambandha, or the constitutional relationship with Ka. It is not possible
to advance to the highest stage of spiritual awareness and at the same time
maintain a petty material concept of society, friendship and love. One
should experience all relationships on the higher, spiritual platform of
ka-sambandha, which means seeing everything in relation to Lord
Ka, the Personality of Godhead.
One who is situated in his constitutional relationship with Ka can see
all things in relation to Ka. He thus gives up the mundane urges of the
body, mind and speech and travels throughout the earth as a devotee of
the Lord. Such a highly elevated personality is called gosvm, or the
master of the senses. This stage is described in Bhagavad-gt (18.54) by
the words brahma-bhta prasanntm: on the spiritual platform one
attains complete satisfaction.
TEXT 7
yad ida manas vc
cakurbhy ravadibhi
navara ghyama ca
viddhi my-mano-mayam
yatthat which; idamthis world; manasby the mind; vcby
speech; cakurbhymby the eyes; ravaa-dibhiby the ears and
other senses; navaramtemporary; ghyamamthat which is being
accepted or perceived; caand; viddhiyou should know; my-mana-

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mayamit is only imagined to be real by the influence of my.

My dear Uddhava, the material universe that you perceive through your
mind, speech, eyes, ears and other senses is an illusory creation that
one imagines to be real due to the influence of my. In fact, you should
know that all of the objects of the material senses are temporary.
The question may be raised that since we find good and bad qualities
throughout the material world, how can Lord Ka advise Uddhava to
see everything equally? In this verse Ka explains that material good
and evil are a creation of the illusory energy, just as the objects of a dream
are a mental creation.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt, vsudeva sarvam iti: [Bg. 7.19] Lord Ka is
actually everything because He is present within everything and
everything is present within Him. Ka is sarva-loka-mahevaram [Bg.
5.29], the Lord and proprietor of all worlds. To see anything separate
from Ka is illusion, and attraction to any kind of material illusion,
either good or bad, is ultimately useless since it obliges the living entity to
continue wandering in the cycle of birth and death.
Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching constitute the activities of
the five knowledge-gathering senses. Similarly, the voice, the hands, the
legs, the anus and the genital constitute the five working senses. These
ten senses are organized around the mind, which is the center of material
activity. When the living entity desires to exploit matter, he is covered by
the three modes of nature. Thus he concocts different philosophical,
political and social explanations of reality but never understands the
Absolute Truth, Lord Ka, who is beyond the contaminated perception
of the material senses. One who is entangled in the network of material
designations, such as race, nationality, sectarian religion, political
affiliation, etc., is absorbed in the experience of combining his body and
other bodies with material sense objects, thinking these sense objects to
be sources of happiness and satisfaction. Unfortunately, the entire
material world, along with the senses that experience it, is a temporary
creation that will be annihilated by the time potency of the Supreme Lord.
Despite our foolish hopes and dreams, there is no actual happiness on the
material platform. The real truth is not material, nor is it temporary. The
real truth is called tm, or the eternal soul, and among all eternal souls
one is supreme. He is called the Personality of Godhead, and in His
original form He is known as Ka. The knowledge-gathering process

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culminates in perception of the inconceivable, transcendental form of

Ka. One who is not perceiving Ka in everything and everything in
Ka is undoubtedly on the platform of mental concoction. In this verse
Lord Ka warns Uddhava to remain clear of this illusory platform of
existence.
TEXT 8
puso 'yuktasya nnrtho
bhrama sa gua-doa-bhk
karmkarma-vikarmeti
gua-doa-dhiyo bhid
pusaof a person; ayuktasyawhose mind is diverted from the truth;
nnmany; arthavalues or meanings; bhramaconfusion; sa
that; guasomething good; doasomething bad; bhkembodying;
karmacompulsory duties; akarmanonperformance of prescribed
duties; vikarmaforbidden activities; itithus; guagood things;
doabad things; dhiyaof one who perceives; bhidthis difference.
One whose consciousness is bewildered by illusion perceives many
differences in value and meaning among material objects. Thus one
engages constantly on the platform of material good and evil and is
bound by such conceptions. Absorbed in material duality, such a person
contemplates the performance of compulsory duties, nonperformance of
such duties and performance of forbidden activities.
The illusory mental platform of existence is described in this verse. The
word ayuktasya indicates the conditioned soul who does not fix his mind
on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is clearly described in
Bhagavad-gt and other Vedic literature that Lord Ka, the Absolute
Truth, is within everything, and everything is within the Lord. The
example may be given that when a woman loves a man, she is most eager
to see him, and she daily sees him dressed in different clothes. Actually
the woman is interested not in the clothes but in the man. Similarly,
within every material object is the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
therefore one who has developed love of God is constantly seeing the
Lord everywhere, and not just the superficial material objects that cover
the Lord.
The word ayuktasya in this verse indicates one who has not come to the

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stage of reality. Such a person, being deprived of loving devotional service

to Lord Ka, attempts to enjoy the innumerable forms and flavors of
material experience. This temporary, illusory engagement is not the
constitutional function of the bewildered living entity, who remains
without any awareness of the ultimate reality, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Within the world of matter there are undoubtedly varieties.
Among dogs there are pedigree poodles and common mutts, and among
horses there are thoroughbreds and old gray mares. Similarly, some
human beings are beautiful and educated and others are dull and homely.
Some are rich and some are poor. In nature we find fertile land and sterile
land, lush forests and useless deserts, invaluable gems and colorless
stones, flowing transparent rivers and stagnant dirty ponds. In human
society we find happiness and distress, love and hate, victory and defeat,
war and peace, life and death, and so on. However, we do not have any
permanent relationship with any of these conditions, because we are
eternal spirit souls, part and parcel of Lord Ka, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Vedic culture is arranged in such a way that
everyone can become perfect in self-realization simply by performing his
occupational duty for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Sve sve karmay abhirata sasiddhi labhate nara. Some
conditioned souls, however, believe that complete perfection in life may
be achieved by performing ordinary, nonspiritual duties on behalf of
family, nation, humanity, and so on. Others are interested in neither
service to God nor noble mundane activities, and there are others who
actively pursue sinful life. Such sinful persons generally rise from bed late
in the afternoon and stay awake all night, taking intoxicants and engaging
in illicit sex. Such a dark, hellish existence is caused by attraction to tamogua, the mode of ignorance. Actions in the mode of ignorance are called
vikarma, as mentioned in this verse. Unfortunately, neither the materially
responsible person nor the materially irresponsible person nor the sinful
person can achieve the real perfection of life, Ka consciousness.
Although different societies and different individuals maintain different
concepts of good and evil, all material things are ultimately useless in
terms of our eternal self-interest, which is Ka consciousness. This idea
is expressed by the saintly King Citraketu in the Sixth Canto of rmadBhgavatam (6.17.20):
gua-pravha etasmin
ka pa ko nv anugraha

442

ka svargo naraka ko v
ki sukha dukham eva v
"This material world resembles the waves of a constantly flowing river.
Therefore, what is a curse and what is a favor? What are the heavenly
planets and what are the hellish planets? What is actually happiness and
what is actually distress? Because the waves flow constantly, none of them
has an eternal effect." The argument may be given that since in the Vedas
there are prescribed and forbidden activities, the Vedas also accept the
concept of good and evil within the material world. The fact is, however,
that it is not the Vedas themselves but the conditioned souls who are
bound up in material duality. The function of Vedic literature is to engage
each individual at the particular level on which he is presently situated
and gradually elevate him to the perfection of life. The material mode of
goodness is not itself spiritual, but it does not impede spiritual life. Since
the material mode of goodness purifies one's consciousness and creates a
hankering for higher knowledge, it is a favorable platform from which to
pursue spiritual life, just as the airport is a favorable place from which to
travel. If a man desires to travel from New York to London, the New York
airport is certainly the most favorable place from which to travel. But if
the man misses his plane, he is no closer to London than anyone in New
York who did not go to the airport. In other words, the advantage of the
airport is meaningful only if one catches his plane. Similarly, the material
mode of goodness is the most favorable situation from which to move up
to the spiritual platform. The Vedas prescribe and forbid various activities
to lift the conditioned soul to the material mode of goodness, and from
that point he should rise to the spiritual platform by transcendental
knowledge. Therefore if one does not come to the platform of Ka
consciousness, his elevation to the material mode of goodness is useless,
just as a trip to the airport is useless for one who misses his plane. In the
Vedas there are injunctions and prohibitions that appear to accept good
and evil among material things, but the ultimate purpose of the Vedic
regulations is to create a favorable situation for spiritual life. If one can
immediately take to spiritual life then there is no need to waste time with
rituals within the modes of nature. Therefore Ka advises Arjuna in
Bhagavad-gt (2.45),
trai-guya-visay ved

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nistrai-guyo bhavrjuna
nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho
niryoga-kema tmavn
"The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material
nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of
them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety,
and be established in the Self." In this connection, rla Madhvcrya has
quoted the following verses from Mahbhrata:
svargdy ca gu sarve
do sarve tathaiva ca
tmana kartt-bhrnty
jyante ntra saaya
"Within the material world, the conditioned souls consider residence on
the heavenly planets and celestial pleasures, such as the pious enjoyment
of beautiful women, to be good and desirable things. Similarly, painful or
miserable conditions are considered to be evil or bad. However, all such
perception of good and bad in the material world is undoubtedly based
upon the fundamental mistake of considering oneself, and not the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be the ultimate doer or performer of
all actions."
paramtmnam evaika
kartra vetti ya pumn
sa mucyate 'smt sasrt
paramtmnam eti ca
"On the other hand, a person who knows that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the actual controller of material nature, and that it is
ultimately He who is moving everything, can free himself from the
bondage of material existence. Such a person goes to the abode of the
Lord."
TEXT 9
tasmd yuktendriya-grmo
yukta-citta idam jagat

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tmankasva vitatam
tmna mayy adhvare
tasmttherefore; yuktahaving brought under control; indriyagrmaall the senses; yuktaalso subduing; cittayour mind; idam
this; jagatworld; tmaniwithin the individual soul; kasvayou
should see; vitatamspread out (as the substance of his material
enjoyment); tmnamand that individual soul; mayiin Me;
adhvarethe supreme controller.
Therefore, bringing all your senses under control and thus subduing the
mind, you should see the entire world as situated within the self, who
is expanded everywhere, and you should also see this individual self
within Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The word vitatam, or "widely expanded," implies that the individual jva
soul is present throughout the material universe. Similarly, in Bhagavadgt (2.24) Lord Ka states, nitya sarva-gata: the individual soul is
eternal and is expanded everywhere throughout the material and spiritual
worlds. This does not mean, however, that each individual soul is allpervading, but that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka. has
expanded His marginal potency everywhere. Thus, one should not blindly
conclude that a minute living entity is all-pervading; rather, one should
understand that God is great and expands His personal energy
everywhere. In this verse, tmankasva vitatam means that this material
world is created to facilitate the sense gratification of the conditioned
souls, who are trying to enjoy without Ka, their actual master. The
living entities are busily trying to exploit the external energy of the Lord,
but their jurisdiction over the material world is illusory. Both the material
nature and the conditioned living being are energies of the Lord and thus
exist within the Personality of Godhead and are under His supreme
control.
The individual living entity exists for the pleasure of the Personality of
Godhead and is the Lord's eternal servant. As soon as the senses become
absorbed in material gratification they lose their power to experience the
Absolute Truth. The actual goal of sense activity is satisfaction of Viu,
the Lord, and all of the senses can experience infinite spiritual pleasure by
perceiving and serving the Lord in His personal feature. Those who adopt
the impersonal conception of God, however, try to stop all sense activity.

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But because the senses cannot remain permanently inactive they naturally
return to activities in the realm of material illusion. If one engages the
senses in the service of the Personality of Godhead, then one enjoys
unlimited pleasure upon seeing the transcendental beauty of the Lord's
form. But unless one qualifies himself by pure loving devotion to Ka,
the Lord does not award him this exalted experience. Therefore, every
conditioned soul should end his unnecessary separation from the
Personality of Godhead by rejoining the Lord's blissful company. Lord
Ka personally comes down to reopen the blind eyes of the conditioned
souls, and thus the Lord is personally teaching Uddhava so that sincere
souls in the future might take advantage of His instructions. Indeed,
hundreds and millions of people even now derive spiritual enlightenment
from Lord Ka's instructions to Arjuna in Bhagavad-gt.
TEXT 10
jna-vijna-sayukta
tma-bhta arrim
atmnubhava-tutm
nntaryair vihanyase
jnawith conclusive knowledge of the Vedas; vijnaand practical
realization of the purpose of knowledge; sayuktafully endowed;
tma-bhtaan object of affection; arrimfor all embodied beings
(beginning with the great demigods); tma-anubhavaby direct
perception of the soul; tua-tmhaving a satisfied mind; nanever;
antaryaiby disturbances; vihanyaseyou will be checked in your
progress.
Being fully endowed with conclusive knowledge of the Vedas and
having realized the ultimate purpose of such knowledge in practice, you
will be able to perceive the pure self, and thus your mind will be
satisfied. At that time you will become dear to all living beings, headed
by the demigods, and you will never be hampered by any disturbance in
life.
As explained in Bhagavad-gt, one whose mind is free from material
desire becomes disinterested in demigod worship, since the purpose of
such worship is material amelioration. The demigods, however, are never
displeased with one who becomes a pure devotee of Lord Ka and offers

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all of his worship to the Lord. The demigods themselves are humble
servants of Lord Ka, as was amply demonstrated in Lord Ka's
pastimes on the earth. One who can experience the eternal soul within
everyone's body certainly becomes dear to all living beings. Since he sees
everyone as qualitatively equal to himself, he does not envy anyone nor
try to lord it over any other living being. Being free from envy and a wellwisher of all, such a self-realized soul is naturally dear to everyone. As
stated in the song to the six Gosvms, dhrdhra-jana-priyau priya-karau
nirmatsarau pjitau.
TEXT 11
doa-buddhyobhaytto
niedhn na nivartate
gua-buddhy ca vihita
na karoti yathrbhaka
doa-buddhybecause of thinking that such action is wrong; ubhayaattaone who has transcended both (the conceptions of mundane right
and wrong); niedhtfrom what is forbidden; na nivartatehe does not
desist; gua-buddhybecause of thinking it is good; caalso; vihitam
what is enjoined; na karotihe does not do; yathjust like; arbhaka
a young child.
One who has transcended material good and evil automatically acts in
accordance with religious injunctions and avoids forbidden activities.
The self-realized person does this spontaneously, like an innocent child,
and not because he is thinking in terms of material good and evil.
One who has developed transcendental knowledge never acts
whimsically. rla Rpa Gosvm describes two stages of devotional
service: sdhana-bhakti and rgnug-bhakti. Rgnug-bhakti is the stage
of spontaneous love of Godhead, whereas sdhana-bhakti means the
conscientious practice of the regulative principles of devotional service. In
most cases, one who is now enjoying transcendental consciousness has
rigidly practiced the rules and regulations of devotional service. Thus, due
to previous practice, one spontaneously avoids sinful life and acts in
accordance with the standards of ordinary piety. This does not mean that
a self-realized soul is consciously avoiding sin and pursuing piety. Rather,
due to his self-realized nature, he spontaneously engages in the most

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exalted spiritual activities, just as an innocent child may spontaneously

exhibit good qualities such as kindness, tolerance, and so on. The
spiritual platform is called uddha-sattva, or purified goodness, to
distinguish it from the material mode of goodness, which is always to
some extent polluted by the lower modes of passion and ignorance. Thus
if a man in material goodness appears to be most pious in the eyes of the
world, we can only imagine the spotless character of a self-realized soul in
purified spiritual goodness. Therefore it is stated in rmad-Bhgavatam
(5.18.12):
yasysti bhaktir bhagavaty akican
sarvair guais tatra samsate sur
harv abhaktasya kuto mahad-gu
mano-rathensati dhvato bahi
If one is a pure devotee of Lord Ka, he will automatically exhibit all the
exalted qualities of the demigods. Such manifestation of purity is
spontaneous, as explained in this verse.
TEXT 12
sarva-bhta-suhc chnto
jna-vijna-nicaya
payan mad-tmaka viva
na vipadyeta vai puna
sarva-bhtato all creatures; su-hta well-wisher; ntapeaceful;
jna-vijnain knowledge and transcendental realization; nicaya
firmly fixed; payanseeing; mat-tmakampervaded by Me; vivam
the universe; na vipadyetawill never fall into the cycle of repeated birth
and death; vaiindeed; punaagain.
One who is the kind well-wisher of all living beings, who is peaceful
and firmly fixed in knowledge and realization, sees Me within all
things. Such a person never again falls down into the cycle of birth and
death.
TEXT 13
r-uka uvca

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ity dio bhagavat

mah-bhgavato npa
uddhava praipatyha
tattva jijsur acyutam
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; itithus; dia
instructed; bhagavatby the Supreme Lord; mah-bhgavatathe
exalted devotee of the Lord; npaO King; uddhavaUddhava;
praipatyaafter bowing down to offer respects; haspoke; tattvam
the scientific truth; jijsubeing eager to learn; acyutamunto the
infallible Personality of Godhead.
r ukadeva Gosvmi said: O King, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Ka, thus instructed His pure devotee Uddhava, who
was eager to receive knowledge from the Lord. Uddhava then offered
obeisances to the Lord and spoke as follows.
Uddhava is described here as tattva jijsu, or desiring to know the
truth. It is clear from previous verses that r Uddhava is a pure devotee of
Lord Ka and that he considers devotional service to Lord Ka to be
the perfection of life. Thus the words tattva jijsu indicate that since
Lord Ka is about to leave the earth, Uddhava is most anxious to deepen
his understanding of the Lord so that he may further advance in loving
service at the Lord's lotus feet. Unlike an ordinary philosopher or scholar,
a pure devotee is not eager to acquire knowledge for personal
gratification.
TEXT 14
r-uddhava uvca
yogea yoga-vinysa
yogtman yoga-sambhava
nireyasya me proktas
tyga sannysa-lakaa
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; yoga-aO giver of all results of
yoga; yoga-vinysaO You who by Your own power bestow yoga even
upon those who are unqualified; yoga-tmanO Supreme Soul realized
through yoga; yoga-sambhavaO origin of all mystic power;
nireyasyafor the ultimate benefit; meof me; proktaYou have

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spoken about; tygarenunciation; sannysaby the acceptance of the

order of sannysa; lakaacharacterized.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord, You alone award the results of yoga
practice, and You are so kind that by Your own influence You distribute
the perfection of yoga to Your devotee. Thus You are the Supreme Soul
who is realized through yoga, and it is You who are the origin of all
mystic power. For my supreme benefit You have explained the
procedure for giving up the material world through the process of
sannysa, or renunciation.
The word yogea here indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead
awards the results of all yoga practices. Since all of the material and
spiritual worlds emanate from the transcendental body of Ka, there is
nothing to be achieved by any yoga process except Ka and His
potencies. And since the Lord remains eternally the master of His
potencies, no one can achieve anything through yoga, or any other
spiritual or material process, except by the sanction of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The word yoga means "linking up," and unless
we link ourselves with the Absolute Truth, we remain covered by the
darkness of ignorance. Thus, Ka is the goal of yoga.
In the material world we falsely try to link ourselves with the objects of
the senses. Man wants to link with woman and woman with man, or one
tries to link up with nationalism, socialism, capitalism or innumerable
other creations of the illusory energy of the Lord. Since we are linking
ourselves to temporary objects the relationships are temporary, the results
are temporary, and at the time of death we become bewildered when all of
our connections are suddenly cut off by my. If we link ourselves to
Ka, however, our relationship with Him will continue even after death.
As explained in Bhagavad-gt, the relationship with Ka that we
develop in this life will continue to increase in our next life until we
achieve the supreme goal of entering Ka's planet. Those who sincerely
serve the mission of Caitanya Mahprabhu, following the transcendental
life-style prescribed by the Lord, will enter the Lord's abode at the end of
this lifetime.
One can never achieve a permanent situation by mental speculation, and
what to speak of by ordinary material sense gratification. By the methods
of haha-yoga, karma-yoga, rja-yoga, jna-yoga, etc., one does not
actually awaken his propensity for rendering eternal loving service to the

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Personality of Godhead. Thus, one is bereft of the transcendental tastes of

spiritual enjoyment. Sometimes the conditioned soul, disgusted by his
failure to gratify his senses, bitterly decides to renounce the material
world and merge into an impersonal, painless transcendence. But our
actual happy situation is to render loving service at the lotus feet of the
Personality of Godhead. All of the different yoga processes gradually lead
one to love of Godhead, and it is Lord Ka's aim to reestablish the
conditioned souls in this happy position. Caitanya Mahprabhu is making
this perfection easily available through the chanting of the holy name of
Ka, the supreme yoga process for this age.
TEXT 15
tygo 'ya dukaro bhman
kmn viaytmabhi
sutar tvayi sarvtmann
abhaktair iti me mati
tygarenunciation; ayamthis; dukaradifficult to perform;
bhmanO my Lord; kmnmof material enjoyment; viayasense
gratification; tmabhiby those dedicated to; sutarmespecially;
tvayiunto You; sarva-tmanO Supreme Soul; abhaktaiby those
without devotion; itithus; meMy; matiopinion.
My dear Lord, O Supreme Soul, for those whose minds are attached to
sense gratification, and especially for those bereft of devotion unto You,
such renunciation of material enjoyment is most difficult to perform.
That is my opinion.
Those who are truly devoted to the Supreme Lord do not accept anything
for their personal gratification but rather accept those things suitable to be
offered in the Lord's loving service. The word viaytmabhi indicates
those who desire material objects for their personal gratification instead of
for the devotional service of the Lord. The minds of such materialistic
persons are suitably disturbed, and it is virtually impossible for such
persons to renounce material enjoyment. This is the opinion of r
Uddhava.
TEXT 16
so 'ha mamham iti mha-matir vighas

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tvan-myay viracittmani snubandhe

tat tv ajas nigadita bhavat yathha
sasdhaymi bhagavann anudhi bhtyam
sahe; ahamI; mama ahamthe false concept of "I" and "mine"; iti
thus; mhamost foolish; maticonsciousness; vigha-merged; tvatmyayby Your illusory potency; viracitamanufactured; tmaniin
the body; sa-anubandhealong with bodily relations; tattherefore; tu
indeed; ajaseasily; nigaditamthat instructed; bhavatby You;
yaththe process by which; ahamI; sasdhaymi-may execute;
bhagavanMy dear Lord; anudhiteach; bhtyamYour servant.
O my Lord, I myself am most foolish because my consciousness is
merged in the material body and bodily relations, which are all
manufactured by Your illusory energy. Thus I am thinking, "I am this
body, and all of these relatives are mine." Therefore, my Lord, please
instruct Your poor servant. Please tell me how I can very easily carry
out Your instructions.
It is very difficult to give up false identification with the material body,
and thus we remain attached to our so-called bodily relations such as
wife, children, friends, and so on. Bodily attachment causes intense pain
within the heart, and we are stunned by lamentation and hankering. r
Uddhava, a pure devotee of the Lord, here speaks like an ordinary person
showing how to pray to the Personality of Godhead. We practically see
that many sinful persons enter the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness and after preliminary purification become most repentant
for their previous illicit activities. They are shocked when they realize
how they gave up the personal association of God to pursue the useless
forms created by my; therefore they wholeheartedly pray to the spiritual
master and Lord Ka to be engaged eternally in transcendental
devotional service. Such a repentant, eager mentality is most auspicious
for spiritual advancement. The Lord certainly answers the prayers of a
repentant devotee desperate to escape the clutches of illusion.
TEXT 17
satyasya te sva-da tmana tmano 'nya
vaktram a vibudhev api nnucake
sarve vimohita-dhiyas tava myayeme

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brahmdayas tanu-bhto bahir-artha-bhv

satyasyaof the Absolute Truth; tebesides You; sva-dawho reveal
Yourself; tmanafor me personally; tmanathan the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; anyamother; vaktramqualified speaker; aO my Lord; vibudheuamong the demigods; apieven; nanot;
anucakeI can see; sarveall of them; vimohitabewildered; dhiya
their consciousness; tavaYour; myayby the illusory potency; ime
these; brahma-dayaheaded by Lord Brahm; tanu-bhta
conditioned souls with material bodies; bahiin external things; artha
supreme value; bhvconceiving of.
My dear Lord, You are the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and You reveal Yourself to Your devotees. Besides Your
Lordship, I do not see anyone who can actually explain perfect
knowledge to me. Such a perfect teacher is not to be found even among
the demigods in heaven. Indeed, all of the demigods, headed by Lord
Brahm, are bewildered by Your illusory potency. They are conditioned
souls who accept their own material bodies and bodily expansions to be
the highest truth.
All conditioned souls, from Lord Brahm down to the insignificant ant,
are declared by r Uddhava to be covered by material bodies produced by
the illusory potency of the Lord. The demigods in heaven, being absorbed
in universal management, constantly utilize their fabulous material
potencies. They therefore gradually fix their minds upon their mystically
empowered bodies and also upon their bodily expansions such as their
celestial wives, children, co-workers and friends. In the course of life in
the heavenly planets, the demigods become conditioned to think in terms
of material good and bad, and thus they accept the immediate welfare of
their bodies to be the highest goal of life.
The demigods do, however, try to strictly follow the laws of God. And to
help them do this, the Supreme Lord descends to remind the heavenly
beings of His own supreme personality, which possesses powers infinitely
exceeding theirs. Lord Viu has an eternal body, full of bliss, knowledge
and unlimited variegated potencies, whereas the demigods possess only
deluxe material forms, subject to birth, death, old age and disease.
Because the demigods are attached to ruling the created universe, their
devotion to God is tinged with material desires. They are therefore

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attracted to those portions of Vedic knowledge that award the various

material opulences necessary for perpetuating their celestial life. r
Uddhava, however, being a pure devotee of the Lord, is determined to go
back home, back to Godhead, for eternal life and is thus not at all
interested in the sophisticated Vedic knowledge of the demigods. The
material world is a gigantic prison, whose inmates are subjected to birth,
death, old age and illusion, and a pure devotee has no desire to remain
there even as a first-class prisoner, like the demigods. r Uddhava desires
to return to the kingdom of God and for this reason directly approaches
the Personality of Godhead. The Lord is sva-da, or one who reveals
Himself to His devotee. Thus, only the Lord Himself or His pure devotee,
who faithfully repeats the Lord's message, can take one beyond the
material sky into the free atmosphere of the spiritual planets, where the
liberated souls enjoy an eternal life of bliss and omniscience.
TEXT 18
tasmd bhavantam anavadyam ananta-pra
sarva-jam varam akuha-vikuha-dhiyam
nirvia-dhr aham u he vjinbhitapto
nryaa nara-sakha araa prapadye
tasmttherefore; bhavantamunto You; anavadyamthe perfect;
ananta-pramunlimited; sarva jamomniscient; varamPersonality
of Godhead; akuhaundisturbed by any force; vikuhathe spiritual
kingdom Vaikuha; dhiyamwhose personal abode; nirviafeeling
renounced; dhmy mind; ahamI; u heO (Lord); vjinaby
material distress; abhitaptatormented; nryaamunto Lord
Nryaa; nara-sakhamthe friend of the infinitesimal living entity;
araam prapadyeI approach to take shelter.
Therefore, O Lord, feeling weary of material life and tormented by its
distresses, I now surrender unto You because You are the perfect
master. You are the unlimited, all-knowing Supreme Personality of
Godhead, whose spiritual abode in Vaikuha is free from all
disturbances. In fact, You are known as Nryaa, the true friend of all
living beings.
No one can claim to be a self-made man, because everyone works with the
body and mind awarded by material nature. By the laws of nature there is

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always anxiety in material existence, and terrible tragedies periodically

harass the conditioned souls. Here Uddhava points out that only r
Ka, the Personality of Godhead, is a proper master, friend and shelter
for the conditioned souls. We may be attracted by the good qualities of a
particular man or demigod, but we may later discover discrepancies in
that person's behavior. Therefore Ka is described as anavadyam. There
are no discrepancies in the personal conduct or character of the
Personality of Godhead; He is eternally faultless.
We may faithfully serve a master, father or demigod, but when it is time
for us to receive our reward for faithful service, the master may die.
Therefore Lord Ka is here described as ananta-pram, which indicates
that He is not limited by time or space. The word anta indicates the
termination of time, and pra indicates a spatial termination; therefore
ananta-pram means that Lord Ka is not limited by time or space and
thus will always dutifully reward His faithful servants.
If we serve someone other than the Personality of Godhead, our so-called
master may forget our service or become ungrateful. Therefore Lord
Ka is described here as sarva-jam, omniscient. He can never forget the
service of His devotee, and therefore He is never ungrateful. In fact, it is
said that Lord Ka does not remember the faults of His devotees but
only the sincere service they have rendered.
A further disadvantage in serving anyone besides Ka is that when we
are in danger our master may not be able to protect us. If we take shelter
of our nation, that nation may be destroyed in war. If we take shelter of
our family, they may also die. And as described in the Vedic literature,
even the demigods are sometimes defeated by the demons. But since Lord
Ka is described here as vara, or the supreme controller, there is no
danger of His being overcome or even impeded by any other power. Thus
Lord Ka's promise of protection to His devotee is eternally valid.
If we do not serve the Personality of Godhead, we will not know the
ultimate result of our service. But here Lord Ka is described as
akuha-vikuha-dhiyam. Lord Ka has an eternal abode called
Vaikuha, and that abode is never disturbed by anything. The faithful
servants of Lord Ka will certainly go back to Godhead, back home, for
an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in the personal abode of the Lord.
However, since even the demigods, and what to speak of insignificant
human beings, are subject sooner or later to annihilation, what ultimate
benefit can be derived from serving them?

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Uddhava describes his personal situation as nirvia-dh and

vjinbhitapta. In other words, r Uddhava states that he is exhausted
and discouraged by the contradictions and anguish of material life. He has
been forced, therefore, to become humble and surrender to the lotus feet
of Ka, the personal friend of every living entity. In the material world a
great man does not have time for insignificant men. But although the Lord
is the greatest person, He sits in the heart of every living entity; thus He is
the most merciful. Lord Ka is the ultimate shelter of even Nra, or the
Lord's purua expansion who creates the material world. The living entity
is called nara, and the source of his material situation is Nra, or MahViu. The word nryaa indicates that even Mah-Viu finds His
shelter in Ka, who is certainly supreme. Although our consciousness is
presently contaminated by sinful propensities, if we follow the example of
r Uddhava and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Ka, everything can be rectified. Taking shelter of Ka means taking
shelter of devotional service to Ka and obeying Him. Lord Ka
demands this in Bhagavad-gt, and if we comply with the order of the
Lord our life can become fully auspicious and successful. Sooner than we
expect, we may, by Ka's mercy, enter the kingdom of God for an
eternal life of bliss and knowledge.
TEXT 19
r-bhagavn uvca
pryea manuj loke
loka-tattva-vicaka
samuddharanti hy tmnam
tmanaivubhayt
r-bhagavn uvcaLord Ka said; pryeain general; manuj
humans; lokein this world; loka-tattvathe factual situation of the
material world; vicakawho know expertly; samuddharantithey
deliver; hiindeed; tmnamthemselves; tmanby their own
intelligence; evaindeed; aubha-aytfrom the inauspicious attitude
of desiring sense gratification.
The Supreme Lord replied: Generally those human beings who can
expertly analyze the actual situation of the material world are able to
raise themselves beyond the inauspicious life of gross material
gratification.

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r Uddhava expressed to the Lord in the previous verses his fallen

condition and his entanglement in the material concept of life. Now Lord
Ka reassures Uddhava that even persons far less qualified than
Uddhava are able to extricate themselves from the inauspicious life of
material sense gratification. According to rla rdhara Svm, even if one
has not received the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master, one can
understand by direct and indirect analysis that the material world is not a
place of enjoyment. Direct analysis means one's personal experience and
indirect analysis means hearing and reading of the experience of others.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, Lord Ka considered
Uddhava to be more intelligent than even the demigods in heaven.
Uddhava, however, was feeling discouraged, thinking himself unqualified
to render devotional service to the Lord. But Uddhava was actually
perfectly situated because he had achieved Lord Ka as his personal
spiritual master. Similarly, the members of the Ka consciousness
movement are guided by the instructions of the Society's founder-crya,
O Viupda Paramahasa Parivrjakcrya Aottara-ata r rmad
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda. Therefore, a sincere member of
the Ka consciousness movement should never feel discouraged but
should rather count his blessings and do the needful to go back home,
back to Godhead. Within the material world, certain activities are
auspicious and produce happiness, whereas other activities, being sinful,
are inauspicious and cause unlimited suffering. Even one who has not yet
received the complete mercy of the bona fide Ka conscious spiritual
master should conclude by sharp intelligence that there is no happiness in
ordinary, material life and that real self-interest lies beyond the material
platform.
rla Madhvcrya points out that even if one is expert not only in
material knowledge but also in spiritual knowledge, one will enter into
the darkness of ignorance if one neglects the association of the devotees of
the Lord. Therefore, one should not misinterpret this verse in a way that
minimizes the significance of the pure devotee spiritual master. One who
is vicaka, or expert, will eventually come to understand the difference
between matter and spirit. Such a person will certainly recognize and
appreciate a genuine spiritual master. One who is advanced in knowledge
undoubtedly becomes humble, and thus an expert advanced human will
never neglect the lotus feet of the pure devotees of the Lord.

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TEXT 20
tmano gurur tmaiva
puruasya vieata
yat pratyaknumnbhy
reyo 'sv anuvindate
tmanaof himself; guruthe instructing spiritual master; tm
himself; evaindeed; puruasyaof a person; vieatain a particular
sense;
yatbecause;
pratyakaby
his
direct
perception;
anumnbhymand application of logic; reyareal benefit; asauhe;
anuvindatecan eventually gain.
An intelligent person, expert in perceiving the world around him and in
applying sound logic, can achieve real benefit through his own
intelligence. Thus sometimes one acts as one's own instructing spiritual
master.
As illustrated in this chapter by the conversation between King Yadu and
the avadhta, a sensitive, reasonable person can acquire real knowledge
and happiness simply by carefully observing the world around him. By
observing the happiness and distress of other living entities, one can
understand what is beneficial and what is destructive.
rla Jva Gosvm states in this connection, gurv-anusarae pravartaka ity
artha: the knowledge acquired by one's own perception and intelligence
leads one to appreciate the value of the representative of Lord Ka. The
word reyas in this verse indicates that one can advance in life through
one's own intelligence. By good association one should gradually come to
understand one's eternal position as servant of Ka, and then one
becomes very eager to live in the company of other enlightened persons.
Birds of a feather flock together. The symptom of an enlightened servant
of Ka is that he is eager for the company of other such great souls.
Thus by one's sensitive and rational observation of this material world,
one should come to appreciate the value of spiritual life in the association
of the devotees.
TEXT 21
puruatve ca m dhr
skhya-yoga-virad
vistar prapayanti

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sarva-akty-upabhitam
puruatvein the human form of life; caand; mmMe; dhrthose
free from envy through spiritual knowledge; skhya-yogain the
spiritual science composed of analytical knowledge and devotion to the
Supreme; viradwho are expert; vistarmdirectly manifest;
prapayantithey clearly see; sarvaall; aktiwith My energies;
upabhitamfully endowed.
In the human form of life, those who are self-controlled and expert in
the spiritual science of Skhya can directly see Me along with all of My
potencies.
We find the following statement in the Vedas: puruatve cvistarm tm
sahita-prajnena sampanna-tamo vijta vadati vijta payati veda
vastana veda loklokau martyenmtam psaty eva sampanno
'thetare panm san-pipse evbhijnam. "In the human form of
life, the soul is fully endowed with intelligence to understand spiritual
knowledge. Thus, in human life the soul may speak realized knowledge,
see the truth, know the future and also understand the reality both of this
world and of the next. Taking advantage of the experience of mortal life,
the soul in human form may endeavor for immortality, and the human
body is fully equipped to achieve this end. In such an elevated state the
soul is certainly well acquainted with the ordinary activities of animals,
such as eating and drinking."
The human form of life (puruatve) is very significant because it affords us
the opportunity to perfect our existence. The Skhya system mentioned
here is best illustrated by the instructions of Lord Kapila to His mother,
Devahti. Lord Kapila is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His
mother approached Him, saying,
nirvi nitar bhmann
asad-indriya-tarat
yena sambhvyamnena
prapannndha tama prabho
"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." (SB 3.25.7) Lord Kapila delivered to His mother a highly

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analytical summary of all material and spiritual reality. It is significant

that Lord Kapila did not discriminate against His mother because she was
a woman, nor did He consider her incapable of understanding the most
elaborate spiritual knowledge. Thus, in a Ka conscious society of
liberated souls, any man, woman or child may become a great devotee of
Lord Ka without discrimination. It is also significant that in the highly
intellectual Skhya system enunciated by Lord Kapila, the solid
conclusion is surrender to the lotus feet of the pure devotees and love of
Godhead. In Lord Kapila's instructions in the Third Canto of rmadBhgavatam, He emphasizes the need to take shelter of the pure devotees
of the Lord. In the present verse Lord Ka says, skhya-yoga-virad:
those who are expert in taking shelter of the pure devotees and who can
thus understand the actual situation of this world are able to see Ka in
His personal form, along with His internal and external potencies.
A spiritual master becomes bona fide by his full surrender to his spiritual
master; but as explained in this chapter, one may also act as his own guru.
This means that an intelligent and perceptive person can understand the
nature of this world and his own limitations. Such a person then becomes
very much inclined to associate with the pure devotees of the Lord and to
receive the mercy of those who are advanced in Ka consciousness.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, skhya-yoga, as
described here, refers to the rigorous intellectual progress of the jnayoga system, along with the devotion of bhakti-yoga, which emphasizes
the mercy of the lotus feet of the pure devotees.
Actually, jna-yoga is a factor in the bhakti-yoga system, since Ka is
jna-gamya, or the goal of all knowledge. The Lord also says in
Bhagavad-gt (10.10) that He personally enlightens a sincere devotee
with all knowledge. In this chapter, Lord Ka is training Uddhava to see
the Lord's personal form in the course of his daily experiences in the
material world. The Lord has already indicated to Uddhava that he will
travel throughout the world in samdhi, or trance, and now Lord Ka is
preparing Uddhava to travel as a true sannys seeing the Personality of
Godhead everywhere.
TEXT 22
eka-dvi-tri-catus-pdo
bahu-pdas tathpada
bahvya santi pura ss

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ts me pauru priy
ekaone; dvitwo; trithree; catufour; pdahaving legs; bahupdahaving many legs; tathalso; apadahaving no legs;
bahvyamany; santithere are; puradifferent kinds of bodies;
screated; tsmof them; meto Me; pauruthe human form;
priyis most dear.
In this world there are many kinds of created bodiessome with one
leg, others with two, three, four or more legs, and still others with no
legsbut of all these, the human form is actually dear to Me.
The ultimate purpose of material creation is to facilitate the return of the
conditioned souls back home, back to Godhead. Since this redemption of
the conditioned souls is especially possible in the human form of life,
naturally this form is particularly dear to the compassionate Personality of
Godhead.
TEXT 23
atra m mgayanty addh
yukt hetubhir varam
ghyamair guair ligair
agrhyam anumnata
atrahere (in the human form); mmfor Me; mgayantithey search;
addhdirectly; yuktsituated; hetubhiby apparent symptoms;
varam-the Supreme Lord; ghyamai guaiwith the perceiving
intelligence, mind and senses; ligaiand by indirectly ascertained
symptoms; agrhyambeyond the grasp of direct perception;
anumnataby the process of logical deduction.
Although I, the Supreme Lord, can never be captured by ordinary sense
perception, those situated in human life may use their intelligence and
other faculties of perception to directly search for Me through both
apparent and indirectly ascertained symptoms.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the word yukt in this
verse indicates those engaged in the regulative practice of bhakti-yoga.
The devotees of the Lord do not abandon their intelligence and become
mindless fanatics, as some fools think. As indicated by the words

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anumnata and guair ligai, a devotee engaged in bhakti-yoga intensely

searches out the Personality of Godhead through all of the rational
faculties of the human brain. The word mgayanti, or "searching," does
not, however, indicate an unregulated or unauthorized process. If we are
searching for the telephone number of a particular person, we look in the
authorized telephone directory. Similarly, if we are searching for a
particular product, we go to a specialized store where we are likely to find
what we are looking for. rla Jva Gosvm points out that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is not a product of the imagination, and thus we
cannot whimsically imagine what the Lord might be. Therefore, to gain
information about Lord Ka, one must conduct a regulated search in the
authorized Vedic scriptures. The word agrhyam in this verse indicates
that no one can achieve or understand Lord Ka by ordinary
speculation or through the activities of the material senses. In this regard
rla Rpa Gosvm states the following verse in the Bhakti-rasmtasindhu (1.2.234):
ata r-ka-nmdi
na bhaved grhyam indriyai
sevonmukhe hi jihvdau
svayam eva sphuraty ada
[Cc. Madhya 17.136]
"No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form,
quality and pastimes of r Ka through his materially contaminated
senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental
service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and
pastimes of the Lord revealed to him."
The words ghyamair guai indicate the rational and intellectual
faculties of the human brain. All of these can be used to directly and
indirectly perceive the Personality of Godhead. Indirectly one may
experience the Lord through His creation. Since we are experiencing this
world through our intelligence (and senses), we may conclude that our
own intelligence must have a creator and that creator is therefore
supremely intelligent. Thus, through simple logic any sane person can
understand that there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead who is
controlling everything.
One may also directly perceive the Lord through chanting and hearing His

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holy names and glories. ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23] means that
one should always chant and hear of the glories of the Lord. One who
perfectly hears and chants will undoubtedly see the Lord face to face.
Lord Ka is all-pervading, and one should search for Him everywhere.
By the transcendental senses, purified by bhakti-yoga, one may directly
perceive the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As indicated by the word
addh in this verse, this perception is direct and not imaginary. This point
has been elaborately explained by rla Prabhupda in his purport to this
verse from rmad-Bhgavatam (2.2.35):
bhagavn sarva-bhteu
lakita svtman hari
dyair buddhy-dibhir dra
lakaair anumpakai
"The Personality of Godhead, Lord r Ka, is in every living being
along with the individual soul, and this fact is perceived and hypothesized
in our acts of seeing and taking help from the intelligence."
TEXT 24
atrpy udharantmam
itihsa purtanam
avadhtasya savda
yador amita-tejasa
atra apiin this very matter; udharantithey cite as example; imam
this; itihsama historical narration; purtanamancient; avadhtasya
of a holy man acting outside the scope of ordinary regulative principles;
savdamthe conversation; yadoand of King Yadu; amita-tejasa
whose power was unlimited.
In this regard, sages cite a historical narration concerning the
conversation between the greatly powerful King Yadu and an avadhta.
Lord Ka will narrate this story to show Uddhava how rational
intelligence can be utilized in bhakti-yoga to acquire Vedic knowledge and
how ultimately an intelligent person will come to the lotus feet of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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TEXT 25
avadhta dviya kacic
carantam akuto-bhayam
kavi nirkya tarua
yadu papraccha dharma-vit
avadhtamthe mendicant; dvijama brhmaa; kacita certain;
carantamwandering; akuta-bhayamwithout fear for any reason;
kavimlearned; nirkyaobserving; taruamyoung; yaduKing
Yadu; papracchainquired; dharma-vitexpert in religious principles.
Mahrja Yadu once observed a certain brhmaa avadhta, who
appeared to be quite young and learned, wandering about fearlessly.
Being himself most learned in spiritual science, the King took the
opportunity and inquired from him as follows.
TEXT 26
r-yadur uvca
kuto buddhir iya brahmann
akartu su-virad
ym sdya bhavl loka
vidv carati bla-vat
r-yadu uvcaKing Yadu said; kutafrom where; buddhi
intelligence; iyamthis; brahmanO brhmaa; akartuof one not
engaged in any work; su-viradvery broad; ymwhich; sdya
having acquired; bhavnyou; lokamthe world; vidvnin full
knowledge; caratitravel; bla-vatlike a child.
r Yadu said: O brhmaa, I see that you are not engaged in any
practical religious activity, and yet you have acquired a most expert
understanding of all things and all people within this world. Kindly tell
me, sir, how did you acquire this extraordinary intelligence, and why
are you traveling freely throughout the world behaving as if you were a
child?
TEXT 27
pryo dharmrtha-kmeu

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vivitsy ca mnav
hetunaiva samhanta
yuo yaasa riya
pryagenerally;
dharmain
religiosity;
arthaeconomic
development; kmeuand sense gratification; vivitsymin pursuit of
spiritual knowledge; caalso; mnavhuman beings; hetunfor the
purpose; evaindeed; samhantethey endeavor; yuaof long life;
yaasafame; riyaand material opulence.
Generally human beings work hard to cultivate religiosity, economic
development, sense gratification and also knowledge of the soul, and
their usual motive is to increase the duration of their lives, acquire fame
and enjoy material opulence.
An intelligent person should understand that if there is an eternal soul
different from the body, then real happiness must lie in our eternal
situation, beyond the bondage of material nature. However, ordinary
persons, even when discussing spiritual subject matters, generally desire
to become famous or to increase their wealth and duration of life by such
spiritual practices. Most common people think, for example, that the yoga
system is meant for improving one's health, that one may pray to God for
money, and that one's spiritual knowledge is meant for increasing one's
prestige in society. Mahrja Yadu wants to clarify that the young
brhmaa avadhta is not like ordinary persons and that he is actually on
a spiritual platform, as will be explained in the following verses.
TEXT 28
tva tu kalpa kavir daka
su-bhago 'mta-bhaa
na kart nehase kicij
jaonmatta-pica-vat
tvamyou; tuhowever; kalpacapable; kavilearned; daka
expert; su-bhagahandsome; amta-bhaahaving nectarean
speech; naare not; karta doer; na haseyou do not desire; kicit
anything; jaastupefied; unmattamaddened; pica-vatlike a
ghostly creature.
You, however, although capable, learned, expert, handsome and most

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eloquent, are not engaged in doing anything, nor do you desire

anything; rather, you appear stupefied and maddened as if you were a
ghostly creature.
Ignorant persons often think that renounced spiritual life is meant for
those who are impotent or homely or incompetent in practical worldly
affairs. Sometimes foolish people say that religious life is a crutch for
those who are not expert enough to achieve a high status in society.
Therefore King Yadu has described the qualities of the mendicant
brhmaa in order to show that the brhmaa has taken to renounced
spiritual life in spite of great potential for worldly success. The avadhta
brhmaa is described as being expert, learned, good-looking, eloquent
and in every sense qualified to be a great material success. Still, the
avadhta has renounced material life and taken to Ka consciousness.
Going back home, back to Godhead, for an eternal life of bliss and
knowledge is the real work of a human being.
The followers of Lord Caitanya Mahprabhu simultaneously cultivate
their own Ka consciousness and strenuously endeavor in missionary
work to help others become Ka conscious. Often foolish persons
deride the devotees by saying, "Why don't you get a job?" They think that
one who is sincerely endeavoring for spiritual enlightenment and who is
also enlightening others is not doing anything practical. Foolish
materialists will pay millions of dollars to extend their lives by a few
weeks or months in a hospital, but they do not appreciate someone
endeavoring for eternal life. There is no actual logic in material life. The
act of trying to enjoy without Ka is in itself the culmination of
irrationality, and thus we cannot expect to find anything ultimately
rational or logical in a materialistic life devoid of Ka consciousness.
Many devotees of Ka come from wealthy, learned and influential
families, and they take to Ka consciousness in order to perfect their
lives, and certainly not due to lack of opportunity for material
advancement. Although sometimes persons in material distress approach
the Supreme Lord for help in material life, a real devotee of Lord Ka
voluntarily gives up all types of material enjoyment, knowing that nothing
but love of Ka and service to His lotus feet are the actual perfection of
life.
TEXT 29
janeu dahyamneu

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kma-lobha-davgnin
na tapyase 'gnin mukto
gagmbha-stha iva dvipa
janeuall people; dahyamneueven while they are burning; kmaof
lust; lobhaand greed; dava-agninin the forest fire; na tapyaseyou
are not burned; agninfrom the fire; muktafree; gag-ambhain
the water of the Gag; sthastanding; ivaas if; dvipaan elephant.
Although all people within the material world are burning in the great
forest fire of lust and greed, you remain free and are not burned by that
fire. You are just like an elephant who takes shelter from a forest fire by
standing within the water of the Ganges River,
The natural result of transcendental bliss is described in this verse. The
young brhmaa was physically very attractive, and his senses were full of
potency for material enjoyment, yet he was not at all affected by material
lust. This position is called mukti, or liberation.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura explains that within the Ganges
flow great currents of water, capable of extinguishing a blazing fire. If an
elephant maddened by sex desire stands within the Ganges, its powerful,
cooling currents extinguish his lust, and the elephant becomes pacified.
Similarly, ordinary human beings trapped in the cycle of birth and death
are constantly harassed by the enemies of lust and greed, which never
allow the mind to be completely peaceful. But if, following the example of
the elephant, one situates oneself within the cooling waves of
transcendental bliss, then all material desire will soon be extinguished,
and one will become nta, or peaceful. As described in Sr Caitanyacaritmta, ka-bhakta nikma ataeva nta [Cc. Madhya 19.149]. Thus,
everyone should take to the movement of Caitanya Mahprabhu and
cleanse himself in the cooling waters of Ka consciousness, our real,
eternal consciousness.
TEXT 30
tva hi na pcchat brahmann
tmany nanda-kraam
brhi spara-vihnasya
bhavata kevaltmana

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tvamyou; hicertainly; nato us; pcchatmwho are inquiring;

brahmanO brhmaa; tmaniwithin yourself; nandaof the ecstasy;
kraamthe cause; brhiplease say; spara-vihnasyawho are devoid
of any contact with material enjoyment; bhavataof you; kevalatmanawho are living completely alone.
O brhmaa, we see that you are devoid of any contact with material
enjoyment and that you are traveling alone, without any companions or
family members. Therefore, because we are sincerely inquiring from
you, please tell us the cause of the great ecstasy that you are feeling
within yourself.
The word kevaltmana is significant here. Unless one has practical
realization of the Supreme Soul and the individual soul, who reside
together within the heart of every living being, it is very difficult to
artificially adopt the sannysa order of life and travel without the
association of wife, children or other family members. The nature of every
living being is to make friends with others and to offer his love to a
suitable person. One who has realized the Supreme Person is satisfied to
always carry the Personality of Godhead within his heart as his constant
companion. Unless one has realized that Ka is one's only true friend
and that Ka is within one's heart, one will remain attached to the
temporary relationships of the material world.
TEXT 31
r-bhagavn uvca
yadunaiva mah-bhgo
brahmayena su-medhas
pa sabhjita prha
prarayvanata dvija
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yadun
by King Yadu; evamin this way; mah-bhgagreatly fortunate;
brahmayenawho was very respectful to brhmaas; su-medhasand
intelligent; paasked; sabhjitahonored; prhahe spoke;
prarayaout of humility; avanatambowing his head; dvijathe
brhmaa.
Lord Ka continued: The intelligent King Yadu, always respectful to

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the brhmaas, waited with bowed head as the brhmaa, pleased with
the King's attitude, began to reply.
TEXT 32
r-brhmaa uvca
santi me guravo rjan
bahavo buddhy-uparit
yato buddhim updya
mukto 'mha tn u
r-brhmaa uvcathe brhmaa said; santithere are; memy;
guravaspiritual masters; rjanO King; bahavamany; buddhiby
my intelligence; uparittaken shelter of; yatafrom whom;
buddhimintelligence; updyagaining; muktaliberated; amiI
wander; ihain this world; tnthem; uplease hear.
The brhmaa said: My dear King, with my intelligence I have taken
shelter of many spiritual masters. Having gained transcendental
understanding from them, I now wander about the earth in a liberated
condition. Please listen as I describe them to you.
The word buddhy-uprit in this verse indicates that the brhmaa's
spiritual masters did not directly speak to him. Instead, he learned from
them by his intelligence. All living entities who are inimical to Lord Ka
glorify useless material things and spend their lives trying to lord it over
the material objects they falsely worship. Thus the conditioned souls try
to increase their duration of life, as well as their fame and beauty, by
means of mundane religiosity, economic development and gross sense
gratification. King Yadu noticed that the saintly avadhta did not behave
like that. Therefore the King was inquisitive to find out the actual
situation of the brhmaa. In reply to the King the saintly brhmaa
states, "I do not consider the twenty-four elements of the physical world
as objects of my sense gratification, and therefore I don't consider
accepting or rejecting them. Rather, I accept the material elements as my
instructing spiritual masters. Thus, even though wandering throughout
the material world, I am never bereft of service to the guru. Taking shelter
of steady intelligence, I travel about the earth constantly engaged on the
transcendental platform. By intelligence I transcend useless desires, and

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my ultimate goal is the loving devotional service of the Lord. Now I shall
explain to you about my twenty-four spiritual masters."
TEXTS 33-35
pthiv vyur kam
po 'gni candram ravi
kapoto 'jagara sindhu
patago madhukd gaja
madhu-h hario mna
pigal kuraro 'rbhaka
kumr ara-kt sarpa
ranbhi supeakt
ete me guravo rjan
catur-viatir rit
ik vttibhir etem
anvaikam ihtmana
pthivthe earth; vyuthe air; kamthe sky; pathe water;
agnithe fire; candramthe moon; ravithe sun; kapotathe
pigeon; ajagarathe python; sindhuthe sea; patagathe moth;
madhu-ktthe honeybee; gajathe elephant; madhu-hthe honey
thief; hariathe deer; mnathe fish; pigalthe prostitute named
Pigal; kurarathe kurara bird; arbhakathe child; kumrthe
young girl; ara-kt-the arrow maker; sarpathe serpent; ra-nbhi
the spider; supea-ktthe wasp; etethese; meme; guravaspiritual
masters; rjanO King; catu-viatitwenty-four; rittaken
shelter of; ikinstruction; vttibhifrom the activities; etemof
them; anvaikamI have properly learned; ihain this life; tmana
about the self.
O King, I have taken shelter of twenty-four gurus, who are the
following: the earth, air, sky, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon and python;
the sea, moth, honeybee, elephant and honey thief; the deer, the fish,
the prostitute Pigal, the kurara bird and the child; and the young girl,
arrow maker, serpent, spider and wasp. My dear King, by studying their
activities I have learned the science of the self.
The wasp is known as supea-kt because it causes the insect that it kills

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to take a beautiful form in the next life.

TEXT 36
yato yad anuikmi
yath v nhutmaja
tat tath purua-vyghra
nibodha kathaymi te
yatafrom whom; yatwhat; anuikmiI have learned; yathhow;
vand; nhua-tma-jaO son of King Nhua (Yayti); tatthat;
taththus; purua-vyghraO tiger among men; nibodhalisten;
kathaymiI will recount; teto you.
Please listen, O son of Mahrja Yayti, O tiger among men, as I explain
to you what I have learned from each of these gurus.
TEXT 37
bhtair kramyamo 'pi
dhro daiva-vanugai
tad vidvn na calen mrgd
anvaika kiter vratam
bhtaiby various creatures; kramyamabeing harassed; api
although; dhrasober; daivaof fate; vaathe control; anugaiwho
are simply following; tatthis fact; vidvnhe who is in knowledge of;
na caletshould not deviate; mrgtfrom the path; anvaikamI have
learned; kitefrom the earth; vratamthis fixed practice.
A sober person, even when harassed by other living beings, should
understand that his aggressors are acting helplessly under the control of
God, and thus he should never be distracted from progress on his own
path. This rule I have learned from the earth.
The earth is the symbol of tolerance. By deep oil-drilling, atomic
explosions, pollution, and so on, the earth is constantly harassed by
demoniac living entities. Sometimes lush forests are cut down by greedy
men with commercial interests, and thus a wasteland is created.
Sometimes the earth's surface is soaked by the blood of soldiers fighting in
savage warfare. Yet, despite all these disturbances, the earth continues to

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provide all the necessities of the living beings. In this way one may learn
the art of tolerance by studying the earth.
TEXT 38
avat parrtha-sarveha
parrthaiknta-sambhava
sdhu iketa bh-bhtto
naga-iya partmatm
avatalways; paraof others; arthafor the sake; sarva-haall of
one's efforts; para-arthathe benefit of others; ekntasole;
sambhavareason for living; sdhua saintly person; iketashould
learn; bh-bhttafrom the mountain; naga-iyathe disciple of the
tree; para-tmatmdedication to others.
A saintly person should learn from the mountain to devote all his
efforts to the service of others and to make the welfare of others the
sole reason for his existence. Similarly, as the disciple of the tree, he
should learn to dedicate himself to others.
Great mountains bear unlimited quantities of earth, which in turn give
sustenance to innumerable forms of life such as trees, grass, birds,
animals, and so on. Mountains also pour forth unlimited quantities of
crystalline water in the form of waterfalls and rivers, and this water gives
life to all. By studying the example of mountains, one should learn the art
of providing for the happiness of all living entities. Similarly, one may
take excellent lessons from the pious trees, who offer innumerable
benefits, such as fruits, flowers, cooling shade and medicinal extracts.
Even when a tree is suddenly cut down and dragged away, the tree does
not protest but continues to give service to others in the form of firewood.
Thus, one should become the disciple of such magnanimous trees and
learn from them the qualities of saintly conduct.
According to rla Madhvcrya, the word parrthaiknta-sambhava
indicates that one should dedicate all of one's wealth and other assets to
the welfare of others. By one's acquired opulence, one should especially
try to please the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Thus, the demigods, as well as all truly respectable superior personalities,
will automatically be pleased. By developing saintly conduct, as described
in this verse, one will become tolerant, and this will free one from the

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useless agitation of the material senses, which drive one to wander

throughout the world searching in vain for material happiness. Lord r
Caitanya Mahprabhu has also emphasized the tree's quality of tolerance:
taror iva sahiun, krtanya sad hari [Cc. di 17.31]. One who is as
tolerant as a tree can chant the holy name of Ka constantly, finding
ever-new satisfaction.
TEXT 39
pra-vttyaiva santuyen
munir naivendriya-priyai
jna yath na nayeta
nvakryeta v-mana
pra-vttywith the mere functioning of his vital air; evaeven;
santuyetshould be satisfied; munia sage; nanot; evaindeed;
indriya-priyaiwith things that gratify the senses; jnam
consciousness; yathso that; na nayetamay not be destroyed; na
avakryetamay not become disturbed; vkhis speech; manaand
mind.
A learned sage should take his satisfaction in the simple maintenance of
his existence and should not seek satisfaction through gratifying the
material senses. In other words, one should care for the material body
in such a way that one's higher knowledge is not destroyed and so that
one's speech and mind are not deviated from self-realization.
A wise man does not absorb his consciousness in the forms, flavors,
aromas and sensations of material sense gratification, but rather accepts
activities such as eating and sleeping simply to keep body and soul
together. One must properly maintain one's body by regulated activities of
eating, sleeping, cleansing, etc., otherwise the mind will become weak,
and one's spiritual knowledge will fade away. If one eats too austerely, or
if in the name of selflessness one accepts impure food, surely one loses
control of the mind. On the other hand, if one eats food that is excessively
fatty or rich there will be an unwanted increase in sleep and semen, and
thus the mind and speech will be overwhelmed by the modes of passion
and ignorance. Lord Ka has summarized the whole matter in
Bhagavad-gt by His statement yukthra-vihrasya yukta-ceasya
karmasu. One should moderately and intelligently regulate all of one's

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bodily activities so that they are favorable for self-realization. This

technique is taught by the bona fide spiritual master. If one is too austere
or if one engages too much in sense gratification, self-realization is
impossible.
It is the duty of a devotee of the Lord to avoid seeing any object as
separate from Ka, because that is illusion. A gentleman will never try
to enjoy the property of another gentleman. Similarly, if one sees
everything in relation to Ka, there is no scope for material sense
gratification. But if one sees material objects as separate from Ka, then
one's material enjoying propensity is immediately aroused. A human
being must be intelligent enough to distinguish between preyas, or
temporary gratification, and reyas, permanent benefit. One may accept
sense activity in a regulated, limited fashion so that one will be strong for
serving Ka, but if one excessively indulges the material senses, one will
lose one's gravity and seriousness in spiritual life and act like an ordinary
materialist. The ultimate goal, as stated here, is jnam, or steady
consciousness of the Absolute Truth, Lord Ka.
TEXT 40
viayev vian yog
nn-dharmeu sarvata
gua-doa-vyapettm
na viajjeta vyu-vat
viayeuinto contact with material objects; vianentering; yogone
who has attained self-control; nn-dharmeuwhich have different
varieties of qualities; sarvataeverywhere; guagood qualities; doa
and faults; vyapeta-tma person who has transcended; na viajjeta
should not become entangled; vyu-vatlike the wind.
Even a transcendentalist is surrounded by innumerable material
objects, which possess good and bad qualities. However, one who has
transcended material good and evil should not become entangled even
when in contact with the material objects; rather, he should act like the
wind.
The wind is the external manifestation of air, whereas pra is the
internal manifestation. When the wind passes over waterfalls it carries
sprinkles of clear water and thus becomes most refreshing. Sometimes the

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wind blows through a beautiful forest, carrying the fragrances of fruits

and flowers; at other times the wind may fuel a fire that burns the same
forest to ashes. The wind, however, being fixed in its own nature, remains
neutral in both its auspicious and inauspicious activities. Similarly, within
this material world we will inevitably face both pleasing and disgusting
situations. If, however, we remain fixed in Ka consciousness, we will
not be disturbed by the inauspicious, nor will we become attached to the
materially auspicious. In the course of his spiritual duties, a devotee
sometimes finds himself chanting Hare Ka in a beautiful country
atmosphere, and sometimes he finds himself doing the same thing in a
hellish city. In both cases the devotee fixes his mind upon Lord Ka and
experiences transcendental bliss. Although the wind passes through the
most dark and forbidding places, the wind is not frightened or disturbed.
Similarly, a devotee of Lord Ka should never be fearful or anxious,
even when in the most difficult situation. One who is attached to
materially pleasing forms, tastes, smells, sounds and touches will also be
repelled by the opposite in each category. Thus finding himself
surrounded by innumerable good and bad things, the materialist is
constantly disturbed. When the wind blows in many directions at once,
the atmosphere becomes agitated. Similarly, if the mind is constantly
attracted and repelled by material objects there will be such mental
disturbance that it will be impossible to think of the Absolute Truth.
Therefore, one should learn from the blowing wind the art of moving
throughout the material world without attachment.
TEXT 41
prthivev iha deheu
pravias tad-guraya
guair na yujyate yog
gandhair vyur ivtma-dk
prthiveucomposed of earth (and other elements); ihain this world;
deheuwithin bodies; praviahaving entered; tatof them; gua
the characteristic qualities; rayahaving assumed; guaiwith those
qualities; na yujyatedoes not entangle himself; yoga yog; gandhai
with different odors; vyuthe air; ivajust as; tma-dkhe who can
see himself properly (as separate from this matter).
Although a self-realized soul may live in various material bodies while

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in this world, experiencing their various qualities and functions, he is

never entangled, just as the wind which carries various aromas does not
actually mix with them.
Although we experience the wind as fragrant or foul, depending on the
aromas it carries, the wind does not in fact change its actual nature.
Similarly, although we regard a particular person as strong or weak,
intelligent or retarded, beautiful or homely, good or bad, the pure spirit
soul, who is the actual person, does not really possess any of the qualities
of the body but is merely covered by them, just as the wind is covered by
different aromas. Thus, a Ka conscious person is always aware that he
is different from the temporary body. He experiences the various
transformations of the body, such as childhood, adolescence, adulthood
and old age; but although he experiences the pains, pleasures, qualities
and functions of that body, a Ka conscious person never thinks that he
is the body. He always understands that he is an eternal spirit soul, part
and parcel of Lord Ka. As stated in this verse, na yujyate yog: he is not
entangled. The conclusion is that one should never consider a Ka
conscious person in terms of bodily designation, but should see him as an
eternal servitor of the Lord.
TEXT 42
antarhita ca sthira-jagameu
brahmtma-bhvena samanvayena
vyptyvyavacchedam asagam tmano
munir nabhastva vitatasya bhvayet
antarhitapresent within; caalso; sthiraall nonmoving living
bodies; jagameuand all moving forms of life; brahma-tma-bhvena
by realization that he himself is pure spirit; samanvayenaas a result of
the different contacts (with different bodies); vyptybecause of being
all-pervading; avyavacchedamthe feature of being undivided; asagam
being unattached; tmanapossessed by the Supersoul; munia sage;
nabhastvamthe similarity with the sky; vitatasyaof the expansive;
bhvayetshould meditate upon.
A thoughtful sage, even while living within a material body, should
understand himself to be pure spirit soul. Similarly, one should see that
the spirit soul enters within all forms of life, both moving and

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nonmoving, and that the individual souls are thus all-pervading. The
sage should further observe that the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
as the Supersoul, is simultaneously present within all things. Both the
individual soul and the Supersoul can be understood by comparing
them to the nature of the sky: although the sky extends everywhere and
everything rests within the sky, the sky does not mix with anything, nor
can it be divided by anything.
Although air exists within the sky, the sky, or space, is different from air.
Even in the absence of air, space or sky is present. All material objects are
situated within space, or within the vast material sky, but the sky remains
undivided and, although accommodating all objects, never actually mixes
with anything. In the same way one can understand the situation of both
the individual soul and the Supersoul. The individual soul is allpervading, because there are innumerable jvtms, which enter within all
things; yet, as confirmed in Vedic literature, each individual tm remains
infinitesimal. The vetvatara Upaniad (5.9) states,
blgra-ata-bhagasya
atadh kalpitasya ca
bhago jva sa vijeya
sa cnantyya kalpate
"When the upper point of a hair is divided into one hundred parts and
again each of such parts is further divided into one hundred parts, each
such part is the measurement of the dimension of the spirit soul." The
same is stated in rmad-Bhgavatam:
kegra-ata-bhgasya
ata sdtmaka
jva skma-svarpo 'ya
sakhytto hi cit-kaa
[Cc. Madhya 19.140]
"There are innumerable particles of spiritual atoms, which are measured
as one ten-thousandth of the upper portion of the hair."
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however. is all-pervading because
He Himself is personally present everywhere. The Lord is known as
advaita, or indivisible. Thus the same unique Personality of Godhead

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exists everywhere, just like the sky, and yet is not attached to anything,
although everything is resting within Him. The Lord Himself has
confirmed this analysis of His all-pervasiveness in Bhagavad-gt (9.6):
yathka-sthito nitya
vyu sarvatra-go mahn
tath sarvi bhtni
mat-sthnty upadhraya
"As the almighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in ethereal
space, know that in the same manner all beings rest in Me."
Therefore, although both the jva soul and the Supersoul are said to be allpervading, it should be remembered that there are innumerable individual
jva souls, whereas there is only one Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Lord is always supreme, and one who is actually a thoughtful sage
never doubts the supreme position of the Lord.
TEXT 43
tejo-'b-anna-mayair bhvair
meghdyair vyuneritai
na spyate nabhas tadvat
kla-sair guai pumn
tejafire; apwater; annaand earth; mayaiconsisting of;
bhvaiby objects; megha-dyaiclouds and so on; vyunby the
wind; ritaiwhich are blown; na spyateis not touched; nabhathe
ethereal sky; tat-vatin the same way; kla-saiwhich have been
sent forth by time; guaiby the modes of nature; pumna person.
Although the mighty wind blows clouds and storms across the sky, the
sky is never implicated or affected by these activities. Similarly, the
spirit soul is not actually changed or affected by contact with the
material nature. Although the living entity enters within a body made of
earth, water and fire, and although he is impelled by the three modes of
nature created by eternal time, his eternal spiritual nature is never
actually affected.
Although the sky appears to be affected by the mighty movements of
wind, rain, hurricanes, lightning and thunder, etc., the sky, being very

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subtle, is actually not affected, but is rather the background for such
visible activities. Similarly, although the material body and mind undergo
innumerable changes, such as birth and death, happiness and distress,
love and hate, the eternal living entity is merely the background for such
activities. The spirit soul, being most subtle, is not actually affected; only
due to misidentification with the superficial activities of the body and
mind does the soul undergo terrible distress within the material world.
In this regard, rla Madhvcrya has pointed out that the individual
living entity must struggle to revive his divine spiritual qualities. The
living entity is part and parcel of the supreme entity, called Ka, and as
such the individual soul is also a reservoir of godly qualities. The
Personality of Godhead, however, automatically manifests these qualities
without any hindrance, whereas the conditioned soul must struggle to
revive such qualities. Thus, although both the Personality of Godhead and
the personality of the living entity are eternal and transcendental, the
Personality of Godhead is always supreme. By realizing all this with clear
intelligence, the conditioned soul can rise to the spiritual platform.
TEXT 44
svaccha praktita snigdho
mdhuryas trtha-bhr nm
muni punty ap mitram
kopaspara-krtanai
svacchapure; praktitaby nature; snigdhasoft or softhearted;
mdhuryasweet or gentle speech; trtha-bha place of pilgrimage;
nmfor human beings; munia sage; puntisanctifies; apmof
the water; mitramthe exact counterpart; kby being seen;
upasparaby being respectfully touched; krtanaiand by being
glorified verbally.
O King, a saintly person is just like water because he is free from all
contamination, gentle by nature, and by speaking creates a beautiful
vibration like that of flowing water. Just by seeing, touching or hearing
such a saintly person, the living entity is purified, just as one is
cleansed by contact with pure water. Thus a saintly person, just like a
holy place, purifies all those who contact him because he always chants
the glories of the Lord.

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The words ap mitram, "just like water," can also be read as aghn
mitram, which means that a saintly person purifies all living entities by
accepting them as mitram, or his personal friends, and saves them from
their sinful reactions (aght). The conditioned living entity falsely
identifies with his gross material body and subtle mind and thus falls from
the platform of spiritual knowledge. A conditioned living being is always
lusty for material sense gratification, and if he does not acquire it, he
becomes angry. Sometimes he is so obsessed with fear of losing his
material gratification that he enters a stage approaching madness.
A saintly person, however, is like pure water, free from all contamination
and capable of purifying all things. Just as pure water is transparent, a
saintly person transparently manifests the Personality of Godhead within
his heart. Such love of Godhead is the reservoir of all happiness. Water
makes a most pleasing vibration as it flows and cascades, and similarly the
sound vibration of the Lord's pure devotee, who is saturated with the
glories of the Lord, is most charming and beautiful. Thus, by studying the
nature of water one can understand the symptoms of a pure devotee of the
Lord.
TEXT 45
tejasv tapas dpto
durdharodara-bhjana
sarva-bhakyo 'pi yukttm
ndatte malam agni-vat
tejasvbrilliantly luminous; tapasby his austerity; dptaglowing;
durdharaunshakable; udara-bhjanaeating only that needed by his
stomach; sarvaeverything; bhakyaeating; apieven though; yuktatmone who is fixed in spiritual life; na dattedoes not assume;
malamcontamination; agni-vatlike the fire.
Saintly persons become powerful by execution of austerities. Their
consciousness is unshakable because they do not try to enjoy anything
within the material world. Such naturally liberated sages accept
foodstuffs that are offered to them by destiny, and if by chance they
happen to eat contaminated food, they are not affected, just like fire,
which burns up contaminated substances that are offered to it.
The word udara-bhjana indicates that a saintly person eats only to keep

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body and soul together and not for sense gratification. One should eat
palatable foodstuffs to maintain one's mind in a cheerful mood; however,
one should not eat luxuriously, because this will cause sex desire and
laziness. A saintly person is always a perfect gentleman and is never
greedy or lusty. Although my tries to defeat him by offering different
material allurements, ultimately these attractive material features are
themselves defeated by the spiritual power of a saintly person. Thus one
should never disrespect a spiritually advanced personality but should
worship him reverentially. To carelessly approach a Ka conscious
personality is just like carelessly approaching fire, which immediately
burns if not handled properly. The Lord does not excuse mistreatment of
a pure devotee.
TEXT 46
kvacic channa kvacit spaa
upsya reya icchatm
bhukte sarvatra dt
dahan prg-uttarubham
kvacitsometimes; channaconcealed; kvacitsometimes; spaa
manifest; upsyaworshipable; reyathe highest good; icchatmby
those desiring; bhuktehe devours; sarvatraon all sides; dtmof
those making offerings to him; dahanburning; prkprevious; uttara
and future; aubhamsinful reactions.
A saintly person, just like fire, sometimes appears in a concealed form
and at other times reveals himself. For the welfare of the conditioned
souls who desire real happiness, a saintly person may accept the
worshipable position of spiritual master, and thus like fire he burns to
ashes all the past and future sinful reactions of his worshipers by
mercifully accepting their offerings.
A saintly person prefers to conceal his exalted spiritual position, but to
instruct the suffering people of the world he sometimes reveals his own
greatness. This is compared to a fire that sometimes burns unnoticed
beneath ashes and sometimes blazes openly. Just as fire devours the ghee
and other offerings given by the performers of sacrifice, similarly a saintly
person accepts the praise offered by his conditioned followers, knowing
that in fact all praise is meant for the Supreme Lord, Ka. Although an

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ordinary person immediately becomes puffed up and foolish when he is

praised, such inauspicious tendencies within a saintly person are burned
to ashes by his attachment to the Absolute Truth. In this way, he is just
like fire.
TEXT 47
sva-myay sam ida
sad-asal-lakaa vibhu
pravia yate tat-tatsvarpo 'gnir ivaidhasi
sva-myayby His own material energy; samcreated; idamthis
(body of the individual jva); sat-asatas demigod, animal, and so on;
lakaamcharacterized; vibhuthe Almighty; praviahaving
entered; yateappears; tat-tatof each different form; svarpa
assuming the identity; agnifire; ivaas; edhasiin firewood.
Just as fire manifests differently in pieces of wood of different sizes and
qualities, the omnipotent Supreme Soul, having entered the bodies of
higher and lower life forms created by His own potency, appears to
assume the identity of each.
Although the Supreme Lord is within everything, everything is not the
Lord. By the mode of goodness the Lord creates the exalted material
bodies of demigods and brhmaas, and by expanding the mode of
ignorance He similarly creates the bodies of animals, dras and other
lower forms of life. The Lord enters all of these superior and inferior
creations, but He remains vibhu, the all-powerful Personality of Godhead.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains that although fire is present
within smoldering wood, it blazes forth when we stir the wood around.
Similarly, although the Personality of Godhead is indirectly present
everywhere, when we chant and hear His glories with love and devotion
the Lord is stirred into manifestation and directly appears before His
devotees.
The foolish conditioned souls ignore the spectacular presence of the Lord
within everything and instead absorb their mediocre consciousness in
their own temporary material coverings, thinking, "I am a strong man," "I
am a beautiful woman," "I am the richest man in this city," "I am a
Ph.D.," and so on. One should cut off such useless entanglement and

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accept the fact that one is pure spirit soul, the eternal, blissful servant of
Lord Ka.
TEXT 48
visargdy mannt
bhv dehasya ntmana
kalnm iva candrasya
klenvyakta-vartman
visargabirth; dybeginning with; manathe time of death,
when the body is burned to ashes; antending with; bhvthe
states; dehasyaof the body; nanot; tmanaof the soul; kalnmof
the different phases; ivaas; candrasyaof the moon; klenaby time;
avyaktaimperceptible; vartmanwhose movement.
The various phases of one's material life, beginning with birth and
culminating in death, are all properties of the body and do not affect the
soul, just as the apparent waxing and waning of the moon does not
affect the moon itself. Such changes are enforced by the imperceptible
movements of time.
The body undergoes six changes: birth, growth, maintenance, production
of by-products, dwindling and death. Similarly, the moon appears to
grow, diminish and finally disappear. Since moonlight is a lunar reflection
of sunlight, it is understood that the moon itself does not grow or
diminish; rather, we perceive the reflection of the moon in various phases.
Similarly, the eternal soul is not born, nor does it die, as confirmed in
Bhagavad-gt (2.20): na jyate mriyate v kadcit. We perceive the
reflection of the soul in the form of the gross material body and the subtle
mind, which undergo various material changes.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the sun is a fiery planet and the moon
is a watery planet. This is also confirmed by rla Jva Gosvm and
further illustrates the ignorance of modern science about the actual nature
of the moon planet.
TEXT 49
klena hy ogha-vegena
bhtn prabhavpyayau
nityv api na dyete

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tmano 'gner yathrcim

klenaby time; hiindeed; oghalike a flood; vegenawhose speed;
bhtnmof created bodies; prabhavathe birth; apyayauand demise;
nityauconstant; apialthough; na dyeteare not seen; tmana
related to the spirit soul; agneof fire; yathjust as; arcimof the
flames.
The flames of a fire appear and disappear at every moment, and yet this
creation and destruction is not noticed by the ordinary observer.
Similarly, the mighty waves of time flow constantly, like the powerful
currents of a river, and imperceptibly cause the birth, growth and death
of innumerable material bodies. And yet the soul, who is thus
constantly forced to change his position, cannot perceive the actions of
time.
The brhmaa avadhta instructing King Yadu again gives the example of
fire after having already proceeded to the example of the moon. This
analytic method is called sihvalokana, or "the lion's glance," by which
one simultaneously proceeds forward and casts backward glances to see if
anything has been overlooked. Thus the sage proceeds with his analysis
but returns to the example of fire to illustrate the need for renunciation.
The material body is certainly an ephemeral and phantasmagorical
manifestation of the Lord's external potency. The flames of a fire
constantly take birth and disappear, yet we perceive the fire as a
continuous reality. Similarly, the soul is a continuous reality, although his
material bodies appear and disappear constantly, by the influence of time.
It is said that the most astonishing thing is that no one thinks that they
will die. Because the soul is eternal, the living entity is prone to accept any
fleeting situation as permanent, forgetting that his eternal nature can be
truly experienced only in the eternal atmosphere of the spiritual sky. If
one is convinced of this fact, he develops the quality of vairgya, or
detachment from material illusion.
TEXT 50
guair gun updatte
yath-kla vimucati
na teu yujyate yog
gobhir g iva go-pati

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guaiby his senses; gunmaterial sense objects; updatteaccepts;

yath-klamat the proper time; vimucatigives them up; nahe does
not; teuin them; yujyatebecome entangled; yoga self-realized sage;
gobhiby his rays; gbodies of water; ivaas; go-patithe sun.
Just as the sun evaporates large quantities of water by its potent rays
and later returns the water to the earth in the form of rain, similarly, a
saintly person accepts all types of material objects with his material
senses, and at the appropriate time, when the proper person has
approached him to request them, he returns such material objects.
Thus, both in accepting and giving up the objects of the senses, he is
not entangled.
A Ka conscious person never feels proprietorship over the opulences
entrusted to him by Lord Ka for spreading the Ka consciousness
movement. The devotees of Lord Ka should not merely accumulate
material wealth, but should distribute the opulences of Lord Ka in
such a way that the Ka consciousness movement spreads unlimitedly.
This is a lesson to be learned from the sun.
TEXT 51
budhyate sve na bhedena
vyakti-stha iva tad-gata
lakyate sthla-matibhir
tm cvasthito 'rka-vat
budhyateis thought of; svein his original form; nanot; bhedenain
terms of diversity; vyaktion separate reflecting objects; sthasituated;
ivaapparently; tat-gataactually having entered within them;
lakyateseems; sthla-matibhito those whose intelligence is dull;
tmthe self; caalso; avasthitasituated; arkavatlike the sun.
Even when reflected in various objects, the sun is never divided, nor
does it merge into its reflection. Only those with dull brains would
consider the sun in this way. Similarly, although the soul is reflected
through different material bodies, the soul remains undivided and
nonmaterial.
The sun is reflected in many objects, such as windows, mirrors, shiny
metal, oil, water, and so on, yet the sun remains one and indivisible.

485

Similarly, the eternal spirit soul within the body is reflected through the
screen of the material body. Thus the soul appears to be old or young, fat
or skinny, happy or sad. The soul may appear to be American, Russian,
African, Hindu or Christian; however, the eternal soul in its natural
position is free of any material designation.
The word sthla-matibhi in this verse indicates those whose intelligence
is gross and dull. We have practical experience of a dog urinating on a
valuable painting at an outdoor art show. Due to its dull intelligence, the
dog could not appreciate the actual value of the painting. Similarly, unless
one takes to Ka consciousness, one is grossly misusing the invaluable
opportunity of human life. Human life is meant for self-realization, and
we should not waste time bickering over material designations such as
capitalist, communist, American, Russian, and so on. Instead, all people
should take to the loving devotional service of God and realize their
eternal, pure identity. One should understand the sun by observing its
direct manifestation and not its distorted reflection on material objects.
Similarly, one should consider every living being in terms of his pure
spiritual identity beyond the distorted manifestation of material
designations.
The word tm in this verse also refers to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Just as we tend to observe ordinary jva souls through the
reflection of the material body, we tend to observe the Personality of
Godhead through the distorting screen of our material mind. Thus, we
imagine God to be impersonal or material or unknowable. When the sky
is overcast, sunlight is the highest possible perception of the sun, which is
covered by clouds. Similarly, when one's mind is fogged over with mental
speculation one may take the light emanating from the transcendental
body of God to be the highest spiritual truth. However, when the mind is
spotlessly clear like a cloudless blue sky, one can see the actual form of
the Personality of Godhead, Lord Ka. The Absolute Truth cannot be
perfectly understood by the covered mind of the conditioned soul; rather,
one must see the Lord through the clear blue sky of pure Ka
consciousness, which is free from fruitive desires and mental speculation.
rla Bhaktivinoda hkura sings,
jvera kalya-sdhana-kma
jagate si ' e madhura nma
avidy-timira-tpana-rpe
hd-gagane virje

486

"The holy name of Lord Ka descends into the darkness of the material
world just to benedict the conditioned souls. The holy name of Lord
Ka is just like the sun that rises in the clear sky of the heart of the
devotees." Such brilliant knowledge cannot be understood by those who
are trying, in the name of either piety or atheism, to exploit the material
creation of the Lord. One must become a pure devotee of Lord Ka, and
then his knowledge will illuminate everything in all directions: yasmin
vijte sarvam evam vijta bhavati (Muaka Upaniad 1.3).
TEXT 52
nti-sneha prasago v
kartavya kvpi kenacit
kurvan vindeta santpa
kapota iva dna-dh
nanot; ati-snehaexcess affection; prasagaclose association; v
or; kartavyaone should manifest; kva apiever; kenacitwith anyone
or anything; kurvanso doing; vindetaone will experience; santpam
great distress; kapotathe pigeon; ivajust as; dna-dhcrippleminded.
One should never indulge in excessive affection or concern for anyone
or anything; otherwise one will have to experience great suffering, just
like the foolish pigeon.
The Sanskrit prefix ati, or "excessive," indicates affection or attachment in
which there is no Ka consciousness. Lord Ka says in Bhagavad-gt
(5.29), suhda sarva-bhtnm: the Lord is the eternal well-wisher of
every living being. The Lord is so affectionate that He sits in the heart of
every conditioned soul and accompanies him throughout his endless
wandering in the kingdom of my, patiently waiting for the conditioned
soul to come back home, back to Godhead. Thus the Lord makes all
arrangements for the eternal happiness of every living entity. The best
way for anyone to show compassion and affection for all living beings is
to become a preacher on behalf of Lord Ka and assist the Lord in
reclaiming the fallen souls. If our affection or attachment for others is
based on bodily sense gratification, in the name of society, friendship and
love, that excessive, unwanted affection (ati-sneha) will cause burning
pain at the time of the breaking or destruction of the relationship. Now

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the story of the foolish pigeon will be narrated. A similar story is

described in the Seventh Canto, Second Chapter of rmad-Bhgavatam,
told by Yamarja to the mourning widows of King Suyaja.
TEXT 53
kapota kacanraye
kta-no vanaspatau
kapoty bhryay srdham
uvsa katicit sam
kapotapigeon; kacanaa certain; arayein the forest; kta-na
having built his nest; vanaspatauin a tree; kapotywith a female
pigeon; bhryayhis wife; sa-ardhamas his companion; uvsahe
dwelled; katicitfor some; samyears.
There once was a pigeon who lived in the forest along with his wife. He
had built a nest within a tree and lived there for several years in her
company.
TEXT 54
kapotau sneha-guitahdayau gha-dharmiau
di dygam agena
buddhi buddhy babandhatu
kapotauthe two pigeons; snehaby affection; guitatied together as if
by ropes; hdayautheir hearts; gha-dharmiauattached householders;
dimglance; dyby glance; agamphysical body; agenaby
the other's body; buddhimmind; buddhyby the other's mind;
babandhatuthey bound each other.
The two pigeons were very much devoted to their household duties.
Their hearts being tied together by sentimental affection, they were
each attracted by the other's glances, bodily features and states of mind.
Thus, they completely bound each other in affection.
The male and female pigeon were so attracted to each other that they
could not tolerate even a moment's separation from one another. This is
called bhagavad-vismti, or forgetfulness of the Supreme Lord and

488

attachment to dead matter. The living entity has an eternal love for the
Lord, but when perverted, that love is manifested as false material
affection. A pale reflection of actual pleasure thus becomes the foundation
of a false life based on forgetfulness of the Absolute Truth.
TEXT 55
ayysanana-sthna
vrt-krandikam
mithun-bhya virabdhau
ceratur vana-rjiu
ayyresting; sanasitting; aanawalking; sthnastanding;
vrtconversing; krplaying; aanaeating; dikamand so on;
mithun-bhyatogether as a couple; virabdhautrusting; ceratuthey
performed; vanaof the forest; rjiuamong the groves of trees.
Naively trusting in the future, they carried out their acts of resting,
sitting, walking, standing, conversing, playing, eating and so forth as a
loving couple among the trees of the forest.
TEXT 56
ya ya vchati s rjan
tarpayanty anukampit
ta ta samanayat kma
kcchrepy ajitendriya
yam yamwhatever; vchatiwould want; sshe; rjanO King;
tarpayantpleasing; anukampitbeing shown mercy; tam tamthat;
samanayatbrought; kmamher desire; kcchreawith difficulty;
apieven; ajita-indriyahaving never learned to control his senses.
Whenever she desired anything, O King, the she-pigeon would
flatteringly cajole her husband, and he in turn would gratify her by
faithfully doing whatever she wanted, even with great personal
difficulty. Thus, he could not control his senses in her association.
The word tarpayant indicates that the lady pigeon was quite expert in
seducing her husband through smiling glances and loving talks. Thus
appealing to his noble sentiments, she efficiently engaged him as her

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faithful servant. The poor pigeon was ajitendriya, or one who cannot
control his senses and whose heart is easily melted by the beauty of a
woman. The brhmaa avadhta is giving valuable instructions by
narrating this story of the two pigeons and the terrible distress they
suffered by inevitable separation. If one's intelligence is not dedicated to
serving Hkea, the Supreme Lord of sense activity, undoubtedly one
will plunge into the nescience of bodily gratification. Then one becomes
no better than a foolish pigeon.
TEXT 57
kapot prathama garbha
ghant kla gate
ani suuve ne
sta-patyu sannidhau sat
kapotthe female pigeon; prathamamher first; garbhampregnancy;
ghantcarrying; klewhen the time (for delivery); gate-had come;
anieggs; suuveshe delivered; nein the nest; sva-patyuof
her husband; sannidhauin the presence; satthe chaste.
Then the female pigeon experienced her first pregnancy. When the time
arrived, the chaste lady delivered a number of eggs within the nest in
the presence of her husband.
TEXT 58
teu kle vyajyanta
racitvayav hare
aktibhir durvibhvybhi
komalga-tanruh
teufrom those eggs; klein time; vyajyantawere born; racita
produced; avayav(children) whose limbs; hareof the Supreme
Lord, Hari; aktibhiby the potencies; durvibhvybhiwhich are
inconceivable; komalatender; agawhose limbs; tanruhand
feathers.
When the time was ripe, baby pigeons, with tender limbs and feathers
created by the inconceivable potencies of the Lord, were born from
those eggs.

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TEXT 59
praj pupuatu prtau
dampat putra-vatsalau
vantau kjita ts
nirvtau kala-bhitai
prajtheir progeny; pupuatuthey nourished; prtauvery pleased;
dam-patthe couple; putrato their children; vatsalaucompassionate;
vantaulistening; kjitamto the chirping; tsmof their children;
nirvtauextremely happy; kala-bhitaiby the awkward sounds.
The two pigeons became most affectionate to their children and took
great pleasure in listening to their awkward chirping, which sounded
very sweet to the parents. Thus with love they began to raise the little
birds who were born of them.
TEXT 60
ts patatrai su-sparai
kjitair mugdha-ceitai
pratyudgamair adnn
pitarau mudam patu
tsmof the little birds; patatraiby the wings; su-sparaigentle to
the touch; kjitaitheir chirping; mugdhaattractive; ceitaiby the
activities; pratyudgamaiby their efforts to fly by eagerly jumping up;
adnnmof the happy (children); pitarauthe parents; mudam
patubecame joyful.
The parent birds became very joyful by observing the soft wings of their
children, their chirping, their lovely innocent movements around the
nest and their attempts to jump up and fly. Seeing their children happy,
the parents were also happy.
TEXT 61
snehnubaddha-hdayv
anyonya viu-myay
vimohitau dna-dhiyau
in pupuatu praj

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snehaby affection; anubaddhabound up; hdayautheir hearts;

anyonyammutually; viu-myayby the illusory potency of Lord
Viu; vimohitaucompletely bewildered; dna-dhiyauweak-minded;
intheir children; pupuatuthey nourished; prajtheir progeny.
Their hearts bound to each other by affection, the foolish birds,
completely bewildered by the illusory energy of Lord Viu, continued
to take care of the young offspring who had been born to them.
TEXT 62
ekad jagmatus tsm
annrtha tau kuumbinau
parita knane tasminn
arthinau ceratu ciram
ekadonce; jagmatuthey went; tsmof the children; annafood;
arthamfor the sake of; tauthe two; kuumbinauheads of the family;
paritaall around; knanein the forest; tasminthat; arthinau
anxiously searching; ceratuthey wandered; ciramfar away.
One day the two heads of the family went out to find food for the
children. Being very anxious to feed their offspring properly, they
wandered all over the forest for a long time.
TEXT 63
dv tn lubdhaka kacid
yadcchto vane-cara
jaghe jlam tatya
carata svlayntike
dvseeing; tnthem, the young birds; lubdhakahunter; kacita
certain; yadcchtaat random; vanein the forest; carapassing;
jaghehe seized; jlamhis net; tatyahaving spread out; carata
who were moving about; sva-laya-antikein the vicinity of their own
home.
At that time a certain hunter who happened to be wandering through
the forest saw the young pigeons moving about near their nest.

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Spreading out his net he captured them all.

TEXT 64
kapota ca kapot ca
praj-poe sadotsukau
gatau poaam dya
sva-nam upajagmatu
kapotathe pigeon; caand; kapotthe she-pigeon; caand; praj-of
their children; poein the matter of maintaining; sadalways;
utsukaueagerly engaged; gatauhaving gone; poaamfood; dya
bringing; svatheir own; namto the nest; upajagmatuthey
approached.
The pigeon and his wife were always anxious for the maintenance of
their children, and they were wandering in the forest for that purpose.
Having obtained proper food, they now returned to their nest.
TEXT 65
kapot svtmajn vkya
blakn jla-samvtn
tn abhyadhvat kroant
kroato bha-dukhit
kapotthe female pigeon; sva-tma-jnher own offspring; vkya
seeing; blaknthe children; jlaby the nest; savtnsurrounded;
tntoward them; abhyadhvatshe ran; kroantcalling out;
kroatatoward them who were also crying; bhaextremely;
dukhitdistressed.
When the lady pigeon caught sight of her own children trapped within
the hunter's net, she was overwhelmed with anguish, and crying out,
she rushed toward them as they cried out to her in return.
TEXT 66
ssakt sneha-guit
dna-cittja-myay

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svaya cbadhyata ic
baddhn payanty apasmti
sshe; asaktconstantly; snehaby material affection; guitbound
up; dna-cittof crippled intelligence; ajaof the unborn Supreme Lord;
myayby the illusory potency; svayamherself; caalso; abadhyata
became caught; icby the net; baddhnthe captured (children);
payantwhile looking at; apasmtihaving forgotten herself.
The lady pigeon had always allowed herself to be bound by the ropes of
intense material affection, and thus her mind was overwhelmed by
anguish. Being in the grip of the illusory energy of the Lord, she
completely forgot herself, and rushing forward to her helpless children,
she was immediately bound in the hunter's net.
TEXT 67
kapota svtmajn baddhn
tmano 'py adhikn priyn
bhry ctma-sam dno
vilalpti-dukhita
kapotathe male pigeon; sva-tma-jnhis own children; baddhn
bound up; tmanathan himself; apieven; adhiknmore; priyn
dear; bhrymhis wife; caand; tma-sammequal to himself;
dnathe unfortunate fellow; vilalpalamented; ati-dukhitamost
unhappy.
Seeing his own children, who were more dear to him than life itself,
fatally bound in the hunter's net along with his dearmost wife, whom he
considered equal in every way to himself, the poor male pigeon began
to lament wretchedly.
TEXT 68
aho me payatpyam
alpa-puyasya durmate
atptasyktrthasya
ghas trai-vargiko hata

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ahoalas; memy; payatajust see; apyamthe destruction; alpapuyasyaof him whose pious credit has been insufficient; durmate
unintelligent; atptasyaunsatisfied; akta-arthasyaof him who has not
fulfilled the purpose of his life; ghathe family life; trai-vargika
comprising the three aims of civilized existence (religiosity, economic
development and sense gratification); hataruined.
The male pigeon said: Alas, just see how I am now destroyed! I am
obviously a great fool, for I did not properly execute pious activities. I
could not satisfy myself, nor could I fulfill the purpose of life. My dear
family, which was the basis of my religiosity, economic development
and sense gratification, is now hopelessly ruined.
rla rdhara Svm explains that the word atptasya indicates that the
pigeon was not satisfied with the sense gratification he had achieved.
Although he was completely attached to his wife, children and nest, he
could not sufficiently enjoy them since there is ultimately no satisfaction
in such things. Aktrthasya indicates that his hopes and dreams for
future expansion of his sense gratification were now also ruined. People
commonly refer to their "home, sweet home" as their nest, and money put
aside for future sense gratification is called a nest egg. Therefore, all of the
love birds of the material world should clearly note how their so-called
wife, children and fortune will all be dragged away in the hunter's net. In
other words, death will finish everything.
TEXT 69
anurpnukl ca
yasya me pati-devat
nye ghe m santyajya
putrai svar yti sdhubhi
anurpsuitable; anuklfaithful; caand; yasyaof whom; meof
me; pati-devatshe who accepted her husband as a worshipable deity;
nyeempty; ghein the home; mmme; santyajyaleaving behind;
putraialong with her sons; svato heaven; ytiis going;
sdhubhisaintly.
My wife and I were an ideal match. She always faithfully obeyed me and
in fact accepted me as her worshipable deity. But now, seeing her

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children lost and her home empty, she has left me behind and gone to
heaven with our saintly children.
TEXT 70
so 'ha nye ghe dno
mta-dro mta-praja
jijvie kim artha v
vidhuro dukha-jvita
sa ahammyself; nyeempty; ghein the house; dnawretched;
mta-dramy wife dead; mta-prajamy children dead; jijvieI
should want to live; kim arthamfor what purpose; v-indeed; vidhura
suffering separation; dukhamiserable; jvitamy life.
Now I am a wretched person living in an empty home. My wife is dead;
my children are dead. Why should I possibly want to live? My heart is
so pained by separation from my family that life itself has become
simply suffering.
TEXT 71
ts tathaivvtn igbhir
mtyu-grastn viceata
svaya ca kpaa iku
payann apy abudho 'patat
tnthem; tathalso; evaindeed; vtnsurrounded; igbhiby
the net; mtyuby death; grastnseized; viceatastunned; svayam
himself; caalso; kpaawretched; ikuwithin the net; payan
while watching; apieven; abudhaunintelligent; apatathe fell.
As the father pigeon wretchedly stared at his poor children trapped in
the net and on the verge of death, pathetically struggling to free
themselves, his mind went blank, and thus he himself fell into the
hunter's net.
TEXT 72
ta labdhv lubdhaka krra

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kapota gha-medhinam
kapotakn kapot ca
siddhrtha prayayau gham
tamhim; labdhvtaking; lubdhakathe hunter; krracruel;
kapotam-the pigeon; gha-medhinamthe materialistic householder;
kapotaknthe pigeon children; kapotmthe pigeon wife; caalso;
siddha-arthahaving achieved his purposes; prayayauhe set off;
ghamfor his home.
The cruel hunter, having fulfilled his desire by capturing the head
pigeon, his wife and all of their children, set off for his own home.
TEXT 73
eva kuumby anttm
dvandvrma patatri-vat
puan kuumba kpaa
snubandho 'vasdati
evamthus; kuumba family man; antaunpeaceful; tmhis soul;
dvandvain material dualities (like male and female); rmataking his
pleasure; patatri-vatlike this bird; puanmaintaining; kuumbamhis
family; kpaathe miser; sa-anubandhawith his relatives;
avasdatimust suffer greatly.
In this way, one who is too attached to family life becomes disturbed at
heart. Like the pigeon, he tries to find pleasure in mundane sex
attraction. Busily engaged in maintaining his own family, the miserly
person is fated to suffer greatly, along with all his family members.
TEXT 74
ya prpya mnua loka
mukti-dvram apvtam
gheu khaga-vat saktas
tam rha-cyuta vidu
yaone who; prpyahaving achieved; mnuam lokamthe human
form of life; muktiof liberation; dvramthe door; apvtamwide

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open; gheuin family affairs; khaga-vatlike the bird of this story;

saktaattached; tamhim; rhahaving climbed high; cyutam
then falling; viduthey consider.
The doors of liberation are opened wide to one who has achieved
human life. But if a human being simply devotes himself to family life
like the foolish bird in this story, then he is to be considered as one
who has climbed to a high place only to trip and fall down.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Seventh Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Lord Ka Instructs Uddhava."

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8. The Story of Pigal

Lord Ka told Uddhava how the avadhta brhmaa explained to

Mahrja Yadu the instructions he had received from nine of his gurus,
beginning with the python.
The instruction the avadhta brhmaa received from the python is that
an intelligent person should cultivate a mentality of detachment and
should maintain his body by accepting whatever comes of its own accord
or is easily obtained. In this way, he should remain always engaged in the
worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even if no food is
available, the person who wants to engage fully in the Lord's worship
should not beg; rather, he should understand this to be the arrangement
of providence, thinking, "Whatever enjoyment is destined for me will
automatically come, and thus I should not uselessly waste the remaining
duration of my life in worrying about such things." If he does not get any
food, he should simply remain lying like the python and patiently fix his
mind in meditation upon the Supreme Lord.
The instruction the avadhta brhmaa received from the ocean is that the
mind of the sage who is devoted to the Personality of Godhead appears
very clear and grave, just like the still ocean waters. The ocean does not
overflow during the rainy season, when all the flooded rivers discharge
their waters into it, nor does it dry up during the hot season, when the
rivers fail to supply it. Similarly, the sage does not become elated when he
achieves desirable things, nor does he become distressed in their absence.
The instruction of the moth is that just as he becomes enticed by the fire
and gives up his life, the fool who cannot control his senses becomes
enchanted by the forms of women decorated with gold ornaments and
fine clothing. Chasing after these embodiments of the divine illusory
energy of the Lord, he loses his life untimely and falls down into the most
horrible hell.
There are two kinds of bees, the bumblebee and the honeybee. The
instruction learned from the bumblebee is that a sage should collect only
small amounts of food from many different households and thus day after
day practice the occupation of mdhukar for maintaining his existence. A

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sage should also collect the essential truths from all scriptures, be they
great or insignificant. The instruction received from the second insect, the
honeybee, is that a mendicant sannys should not save the food he begs
for the sake of having it later that night or the next day, because if he does
so, then just like the greedy honeybee he will be destroyed along with his
hoard.
From the elephant the avadhta brhmaa received the following
instruction. Male elephants are tricked by hunters into moving toward
captive female elephants, whereupon they fall into the hunters' ditch and
are captured. Similarly, the man who becomes attached to the form of
woman falls down into the deep well of material life and is destroyed.
The instruction received from the honey thief is that just as he steals the
honey collected with great effort by the honeybee, a person in the
renounced order of life has the privilege of enjoying before anyone else
the food and other valuable things purchased by the hard-earned money
of the householders.
The instruction from the deer is that just as he becomes confused upon
hearing the song of the hunter's flute and loses his life, so also does any
person who becomes attracted to mundane music and song uselessly
waste his life.
The instruction learned from the fish is that because he comes under the
sway of attachment to the sense of taste, he is caught on the baited
fishhook and must die. Similarly, an unintelligent person who is
victimized by his insatiable tongue will also end up losing his life.
There was once a prostitute named Pigal in the city of Videha, and from
her the avadhta learned another lesson. One day she dressed herself in
very attractive clothing and ornaments and was waiting from sunset until
midnight for a customer. She waited in great anticipation, but as the time
passed her mind became very uneasy. No man came to see her, and in
disgust she finally became renounced, giving up her hankering for the
arrival of a suitor. Thereafter she engaged herself in thinking only of the
Supreme Lord, Hari, and her mind achieved the supreme platform of
peace. The instruction received from her is that hopes for sense
gratification are the root cause of all suffering. Therefore, only one who
has given up such hankering can fix himself in meditation upon the
Personality of Godhead and achieve transcendental peace.
TEXT 1

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r-brhmaa uvca
sukham aindriyaka rjan
svarge naraka eva ca
dehin yad yath dukha
tasmn neccheta tad-budha
r-brhmaa uvcathe saintly brhmaa said; sukhamhappiness;
aindriyakamgenerated from the material senses; rjanO King;
svargein material heaven; narakein hell; evacertainly; caalso;
dehinmof the embodied living beings; yatsince; yath-just as;
dukhamunhappiness; tasmttherefore; nanot; iccheta-should
desire; tatthat; budhaone who knows.
The saintly brhmaa said: O King, the embodied living entity
automatically experiences unhappiness in heaven or hell. Similarly,
happiness will also be experienced, even without one's seeking it.
Therefore a person of intelligent discrimination does not make any
endeavor to obtain such material happiness.
One should not uselessly waste his life pursuing material sense
gratification, because a specific quantity of material happiness will
automatically come to one as a result of one's past and present fruitive
activities. This lesson is learned from the ajagara, or python, who lies
down and accepts for his maintenance whatever comes of its own accord.
Remarkably, in both material heaven and hell happiness and unhappiness
come automatically, due to our previous activities, although the
proportions of happiness and unhappiness certainly vary. Either in
heaven or in hell one may eat, drink, sleep and have sex life, but these
activities, being based on the material body, are temporary and
inconsequential. An intelligent person should see that even the best
material situation is actually a punishment for previous unlawful activities
executed outside the scope of loving devotional service to God. A
conditioned soul undergoes great trouble to obtain a little happiness.
After struggling in material life, which is full of hardship and hypocrisy,
one may receive a little sense gratification, but this illusory pleasure in no
way offsets the burden of suffering one must bear to obtain it. After all, a
pretty hat is no cure for a homely face. If one really wants to solve life's
problems, one should live simply and reserve the major portion of one's
life for loving service to Ka. Even those who do not serve God receive a

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certain standard of maintenance from Him; therefore we can just imagine

the security the Lord affords to those who dedicate their lives to His
devotional service.
Unrefined fruitive workers foolishly worry only about the present life,
whereas more pious karms imprudently make elaborate arrangements for
future material sense gratification, unaware that all such enjoyment is
temporary. The real solution, however, is to understand that by pleasing
the Personality of Godhead, who is the master of all senses and all desires,
one can attain permanent happiness. Such knowledge easily solves the
problems of life.
TEXT 2
grsa su-ma virasa
mahnta stokam eva v
yadcchayaivpatita
grased jagaro 'kriya
grsamfood; su-mamclean and delicious; virasamtasteless;
mahntama large quantity; stokama small quantity; evacertainly;
veither; yadcchaywithout personal endeavor; evaindeed;
patitamobtained; grasetone should eat; jagaralike the python;
akriyaremaining neutral without endeavor.
Following the example of the python, one should give up material
endeavors and accept for one's maintenance food that comes of its own
accord, whether such food be delicious or tasteless, ample or meager.
TEXT 3
aythni bhri
nirhro 'nupakrama
yadi nopanayed grso
mahhir iva dia-bhuk
aytahe should remain peacefully; ahnidays; bhrifor many;
nirhrafasting; anupakramawithout endeavor; yadiif; na
upanayetdoes not come; grsafood; mah-ahithe great python;
ivalike; diawhatever is provided by providence; bhukeating.
If at any time food does not come, then a saintly person should fast for

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many days without making endeavor. He should understand that by

God's arrangement he must fast. Thus, following the example of the
python, he should remain peaceful and patient.
If by God's arrangement one is forced to suffer material hardship, then
one should think, "Due to my past sinful activity I am now being
punished. In this way, God is mercifully making me humble." The word
ayta means one should remain peaceful and patient without mental
agitation. Dia-bhuk means one must accept the Personality of Godhead
as the supreme controller and not foolishly give up one's faith due to
material inconvenience. Tat te 'nukamp su-samkamo bhujna
evtma-kta vipkam (SB 10.14.8). A devotee of the Lord always accepts
material hardship as the mercy of Lord Ka; thus he becomes eligible
for supreme liberation.
TEXT 4
oja-saho-bala-yuta
bibhrad deham akarmakam
ayno vta-nidra ca
nehetendriyavn api
ojasensual strength; sahamental strength; balaphysical strength;
yutamendowed with; bibhratmaintaining; dehamthe body;
akarmakamwithout endeavor; aynaremaining peacefully; vta
freed; nidrafrom nescience; caand; nanot; hetashould
endeavor; indriya-vnpossessing full bodily, mental and sensual
strength; apieven though.
A saintly person should remain peaceful and materially inactive,
maintaining his body without much endeavor. Even though possessed
of full sensual, mental and physical strength, a saintly person should
not become active for material gain but rather should always remain
alert to his actual self-interest.
The word vta-nidra in this verse is very significant. Nidr means "sleep"
or "ignorance," and vta means "freed from." In other words, a
transcendentalist should always be awake to his eternal relationship with
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should carefully cultivate Ka
consciousness. Being confident of his relationship with the Lord, he

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should not endeavor for his personal maintenance, knowing that the Lord
is protecting him in all respects. rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura
states that the example of the python is given so that one will not
uselessly waste his time in bodily maintenance.
One should not think, however, that the purpose of life is to lie on the
ground like a python or to make a show of starving the body. The
example of the python should not encourage one to become completely
inactive. One should rather become active in spiritual advancement and
inactive in material sense gratification. If one becomes completely
inactive, that is certainly nidr, or the darkness of ignorance, in which one
remains asleep to his identity as an eternal servant of the Personality of
Godhead.
A transcendentalist is eager to execute his service to the Lord, and
therefore he is grateful when the Lord provides material facilities for such
service. Mere renunciation of the material world is phalgu-vairgya, or an
immature stage of spiritual understanding. One must come to the stage of
yukta-vairgya, engaging everything in the service of Lord Ka. It is our
practical experience that a devotee absorbed in spreading Ka
consciousness automatically receives all facilities for his personal
maintenance.
TEXT 5
muni prasanna-gambhro
durvighyo duratyaya
ananta-pro hy akobhya
stimitoda ivrava
munia saintly sage; prasannapleasing; gambhravery grave;
durvighyaunfathomable; duratyayaunsurpassable; ananta-pra
unlimited; hicertainly; akobhyanot to be disturbed; stimitacalm;
udawater; ivalike; aravathe ocean.
A saintly sage is happy and pleasing in his external behavior, whereas
internally he is most grave and thoughtful. Because his knowledge is
immeasurable and unlimited he is never disturbed, and thus in all
respects he is like the tranquil waters of the unfathomable and
unsurpassable ocean.
Even in the midst of great distress, a self-realized sage does not lose

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control of himself, nor is his spiritual knowledge lost. Thus he is

akobhya, or undisturbed. His mind is fixed on the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the reservoir of unlimited spiritual bliss, and having
linked his consciousness with the supreme consciousness, his knowledge
cannot be measured. A pure devotee, having taken shelter of the Lord's
lotus feet, possesses great spiritual power, and therefore he cannot be
surpassed or overwhelmed. In fact, having developed his spiritual body,
he is not affected by the deteriorating actions of time. Although outwardly
he is friendly and pleasing to everyone, internally his mind is fixed in the
Absolute Truth, and no one can understand his actual purpose or plan.
Even the most intelligent human being cannot understand the mental
activities of a self-realized devotee who has given up material life based on
lust and greed and taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such a great
soul can be compared to the mighty ocean. Innumerable powerful rivers
plunge into the ocean, but the ocean remains calm and peaceful. Thus, a
saintly person is understood to be, like the ocean, pleasing, unfathomable,
grave, unsurpassable, unlimited and unshakable.
TEXT 6
samddha-kmo hno v
nryaa-paro muni
notsarpeta na uyeta
saridbhir iva sgara
samddhaflourishing; kmamaterial opulence; hnadestitute;
vor; nryaathe Supreme Personality of Godhead; para
accepting as supreme; munia saintly devotee; nadoes not;
utsarpetaswell up; nadoes not; uyetadry up; saridbhiby the
rivers; ivalike; sgarathe ocean.
During the rainy season the swollen rivers rush into the ocean, and
during the dry summer the rivers, now shallow, severely reduce their
supply of water; yet the ocean does not swell up during the rainy
season, nor does it dry up in the hot summer. In the same way, a saintly
devotee who has accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the
goal of his life sometimes will receive by providence great material
opulence, and sometimes he will find himself materially destitute.
However, such a devotee of the Lord does not rejoice in a flourishing
condition, nor is he morose when poverty-stricken.

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A sincere devotee of the Lord is always eager to meet the Lord and render
Him transcendental service. He wants to remain fixed as an atom at the
lotus feet of the Lord because Lord Ka, or Nryaa, is the reservoir of
all pleasure. He rejoices when experiencing pure Ka consciousness and
is morose when Ka is not present in his mind. In his dealings with the
material world, a devotee cannot be disturbed by ordinary, materialistic
people who sometimes insult him and accuse him of neglecting material
sense gratification, just as the ocean cannot be disturbed by the
innumerable rivers that enter into it. Sometimes lusty women approach a
pure devotee, and sometimes speculative philosophers try to argue against
the Personality of Godhead, but with all such ordinary people, a pure
devotee is detached and undisturbed in his blissful Ka consciousness.
TEXT 7
dv striya deva-my
tad-bhvair ajitendriya
pralobhita pataty andhe
tamasy agnau pataga-vat
dvseeing; striyama woman; deva-mymwhose form is created
by the illusory energy of the Lord; tat-bhvaiby the alluring seductive
activities of the woman; ajitaone who has not controlled; indriyahis
senses; pralobhitaenticed; patatifalls down; andheinto the
blindness of ignorance; tamasiinto the darkness of hell; agnauin the
fire; pataga-vatjust like the moth.
One who has failed to control his senses immediately feels attraction
upon seeing a woman's form, which is created by the illusory energy of
the Supreme Lord. Indeed, when the woman speaks with enticing
words, smiles coquettishly and moves her body sensuously, his mind is
immediately captured, and thus he falls blindly into the darkness of
material existence, just as the moth maddened by the fire rushes
blindly into its flames.
rla rdhara Svm explains in this regard that just as a moth is killed by
its attraction to the form of fire, similarly a bee can easily be killed by
exploiting its attraction to the fragrance of flowers. Furthermore, hunters
may trap and kill an elephant by exploiting its sensuous desire to touch a
captive female elephant and may also kill a deer by attracting it with the

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sounds of their horns; and a fish is killed by its desire to taste the bait on a
hook. Thus, one who desires to learn detachment from material illusion
should accept these five helpless creatures as guru and learn the needful.
Certainly one who is lusty to enjoy the illusory form of woman will be
quickly buried in material illusion. Of the five types of fatal attraction
involving material sense objects, the lesson of rpa, or form, is illustrated
in this verse.
TEXT 8
yoid-dhiraybharambardidravyeu my-raciteu mha
pralobhittm hy upabhoga-buddhy
pataga-van nayati naa-di
yoitof women; hirayagolden; bharaaornaments; ambara
clothing; diand so on; dravyeuupon seeing such things; myby
the illusory energy of the Lord; raciteumanufactured; mhaa fool
with no discrimination; pralobhitaaroused by lusty desires; tmsuch
a person; hicertainly; upabhogafor sense gratification; buddhywith
the desire; pataga-vatlike the moth; nayatiis destroyed; naais
ruined; diwhose intelligence.
A foolish person with no intelligent discrimination is immediately
aroused at the sight of a lusty woman beautifully decorated with golden
ornaments, fine clothing and other cosmetic features. Being eager for
sense gratification, such a fool loses all intelligence and is destroyed
just like the moth who rushes into the blazing fire.
Actually, women have the power to attract men through all of the material
senses. Men become lusty by seeing the body of a woman, by smelling her
fragrance, by hearing her voice, by tasting her lips and by touching her
body. However, the foolish relationship based on material sex attraction
begins by seeing, and thus rpa, or form, is very prominent in the process
of ruining one's intelligence. This fact has been exploited in modern times
by huge pornography industries, which prey on unfortunate men and
women. The example of the foolish moth rushing into the fire and
destroying itself is most appropriate in this regard, for one who becomes
addicted to the momentary pleasure of sex indulgence certainly loses his
power to understand the spiritual reality behind dull matter.

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A lusty person becomes blind and foolish through sex indulgence, and his
soul is lost in the fire of sense gratification. This whole disaster can be
avoided by taking seriously to the process of chanting the holy names of
the Lord: Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma,
Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. Caitanya Mahprabhu and His
empowered representatives such as rla Prabhupda have created a
movement to save people from the dungeon of material life, and we
should all seriously take advantage of this opportunity.
TEXT 9
stoka stoka grased grsa
deho varteta yvat
ghn ahisann tihed
vtti mdhukar muni
stokam stokamalways, a little bit; grasetone should eat; grsamfood;
dehathe material body; vartetathat it may live; yvatwith that
much; ghnthe householders; ahisannot harassing; tihetone
should practice; vttimthe occupation; mdhu-karmof the honeybee;
munia saintly person.
A saintly person should accept only enough food to keep his body and
soul together. He should go from door to door accepting just a little bit
of food from each family. Thus he should practice the occupation of the
honeybee.
Sometimes a honeybee is attracted by the extraordinary aroma of a
particular lotus flower and lingers there, neglecting his usual activity of
flying from flower to flower. Unfortunately, at sunset the lotus flower
closes, and thus the infatuated honeybee is trapped. Similarly, a sannys
or brahmacr may discover that excellent foodstuff is available at a
particular house, and therefore, instead of wandering from place to place,
he may become a veritable resident of such a well-fed household. Thus he
will become bewildered by the illusion of family life and fall down from
the platform of renunciation. Also, if a mendicant takes unfair advantage
of the Vedic custom of charity and takes too often from a single family,
the resentment he causes will disturb the social order. An ideal sage
should, like the honeybee, travel from place to place, but he must be
careful not to become a chubby bee by going to many houses and eating

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sumptuously at each house. According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat

hkura, such a chubby bee will undoubtedly become entangled in the
network of my. No one should be overly attached to the gratification of
his tongue, because this will lead to an overstuffed belly and then
uncontrollable lust. In conclusion, one should not endeavor very much
for material sense gratification but should instead endeavor strenuously to
spread the glories of the Supreme Lord, Ka. This is the proper use of
human energy.
TEXT 10
aubhya ca mahadbhya ca
strebhya kualo nara
sarvata sram dadyt
pupebhya iva apada
aubhyafrom the smallest; caand; mahadbhyafrom the greatest;
caalso; strebhyafrom religious scriptures; kualaintelligent;
naraa man; sarvatafrom all; sramthe essence; dadytshould
take; pupebhyafrom the flowers; ivalike; apadathe honeybee.
Just as the honeybee takes nectar from all flowers, big and small, an
intelligent human being should take the essence from all religious
scriptures.
In human society the original knowledge is called Veda, and the essential
part of veda, or knowledge, is Ka consciousness. As stated in Bhagavadgt (15.15), vedai ca sarvair aham eva vedya. From the honeybee, an
intelligent human being should learn to take the essence, or nectar, of all
knowledge. A honeybee does not waste its time trying to carry away an
entire bush or garden, but rather takes the essential nectar. We may thus
study the difference between the honeybee and the ass, who carries heavy
loads. Education does not mean to become an intellectual ass carrying
heavy loads of useless knowledge; rather, one should accept the essential
knowledge that leads to an eternal life of bliss and understanding.
At the present time people generally have a sectarian concept of religion,
and yet there is no scientific understanding of the Absolute Truth. Such
complacent, dogmatic, sectarian religionists can certainly learn something
from the example of the honeybee given in this verse.

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TEXT 11
syantana vastana v
na saghta bhikitam
pi-ptrodarmatro
makikeva na sagrah
syantanammeant for the night; vastanammeant for tomorrow; v
either; nanot; saghtashould accept; bhikitamfood in charity;
piwith the hand; ptraas one's plate; udarawith the belly;
amatraas the storage container; makikthe bee; ivalike; nanot;
sagraha collector.
A saintly person should not think, "This food I will keep to eat tonight
and this other food I can save for tomorrow." In other words, a saintly
person should not store foodstuffs acquired by begging. Rather, he
should use his own hands as his plate and eat whatever fits on them.
His only storage container should be his belly, and whatever
conveniently fits into his belly should be his stock of food. Thus one
should not imitate the greedy honeybee who eagerly collects more and
more honey.
There are two types of honeybees: those who collect nectar from the
flowers and those who actually manufacture honey in the beehive. This
verse refers to the second class. The greedy honeybee eventually collects
so much honey that he is trapped in his hive; and in the same way, a
materialistic person becomes trapped under the burden of unnecessary
material accumulation. One who is interested in making spiritual progress
should avoid such a situation; however, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura points out that for the purpose of spreading Ka consciousness
one may accumulate an unlimited amount of material opulence. This is
called yukta-vairgya, or using everything in the service of Ka. A
saintly person who is unable to work in Lord Caitanya's mission should
practice austerities and collect only what he can hold in his hands and
belly. However, one who has given his life to Ka may collect
unlimitedly on Lord Ka's behalf. In fact, without acquiring material
opulence, how is it possible to spread the Ka consciousness movement
all over the world? But if one tries to personally enjoy the funds or
facilities acquired for the missionary activities of the Ka consciousness
movement, he commits the greatest offense. Therefore, even in the name

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of Lord Ka, one should collect only what he can immediately engage in
practical devotional service; otherwise one will fall down to the platform
of ordinary greediness.
TEXT 12
syantana vastana v
na saghta bhikuka
makik iva saghan
saha tena vinayati
syantanammeant for the night; vastanammeant for tomorrow; v
either; nanot; saghtashould accept; bhikukaa saintly
mendicant; makikhoneybee; ivalike; saghancollecting; saha
with; tenathat collection; vinayatiis destroyed.
A saintly mendicant should not even collect foodstuffs to eat later in the
same day or the next day. If he disregards this injunction and like the
honeybee collects more and more delicious foodstuffs, that which he
has collected will indeed ruin him.
Bhramara refers to that honeybee who wanders about from flower to
flower, and makik is the honeybee who accumulates more and more
honey in the beehive with great attachment. A saintly mendicant should
be like the bhramara bee because if he imitates the makik bee his
spiritual consciousness will be ruined. This point is so important that it is
repeated in this verse.
TEXT 13
padpi yuvat bhikur
na sped dravm api
span karva badhyeta
kariy aga-sagata
padwith the foot; apieven; yuvatma young girl; bhikua saintly
mendicant; nanot; spetshould touch; dravmmade of wood;
apieven; spantouching; karthe elephant; ivalike; badhyeta
becomes captured; kariyof the she-elephant; aga-sagataby
contact with the body.
A saintly person should never touch a young girl. In fact, he should not

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even let his foot touch a wooden doll in the shape of a woman. By
bodily contact with a woman he will surely be captured by illusion, just
as the elephant is captured by the she-elephant due to his desire to
touch her body.
Elephants are captured in the jungle in the following way. A large hole is
dug and then covered over with grass, leaves, mud and so on. Then a sheelephant is exhibited in front of the male elephant, who chases after her
with lusty desire, falls into the hole and is captured. The lesson to be
learned from the elephant is that the desire to relish the touch sensation is
certainly the cause of ruining one's life. An intelligent person, noting the
elephant's great propensity to sport with the she-elephant, will take this
excellent example to heart. Therefore, somehow or other one should
avoid being cheated by allurement to the sensuous form of woman. One
should not allow one's mind to be lost in lusty dreams of sex pleasure.
There are various types of sense gratification to be enjoyed between men
and women, including speaking, contemplating, touching, sexual
intercourse, etc., and all of these constitute the network of illusion by
which one is helplessly bound like an animal. Somehow or other one
should remain aloof from sense gratification in the form of sex pleasure;
otherwise, there is no possibility of understanding the spiritual world.
TEXT 14
ndhigacchet striya prja
karhicin mtyum tmana
baldhikai sa hanyeta
gajair anyair gajo yath
na adhigacchethe should not approach to enjoy; striyama woman;
prjaone who can intelligently discriminate; karhicitat any time;
mtyumdeath personified; tmanafor oneself; balain strength;
adhikaiby those who are superior; sahe; hanyetawill be
destroyed; gajaiby elephants; anyaiby others; gajaan elephant;
yathjust as.
A man possessing intelligent discrimination should not under any
circumstances try to exploit the beautiful form of a woman for his sense
gratification. Just as an elephant trying to enjoy a she-elephant is killed
by other bull elephants also enjoying her company, one trying to enjoy

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a lady's company can at any moment be killed by her other lovers who
are stronger than he.
Just as one is enchanted by the beautiful form of a woman, many other
men will also be enchanted, and there is danger that they will be stronger
than oneself and may even jealously kill one. Crimes of passion are
extremely common. This is another disadvantage of material life.
TEXT 15
na deya nopabhogya ca
lubdhair yad dukha-sacitam
bhukte tad api tac cnyo
madhu-hevrthavin madhu
nanot; deyamto be given in charity to others; nanot; upabhogyam
to be enjoyed personally; caalso; lubdhaiby those who are greedy;
yatthat which; dukhawith great struggle and pain; sacitamis
accumulated; bhuktehe enjoys; tatthat; apinevertheless; tatthat;
caalso; anyasomeone else; madhu-hthe one who steals the honey
from the beehive; ivalike; arthawealth; vitone who knows how to
recognize; madhuthe honey.
A greedy person accumulates a large quantity of money with great
struggle and pain, but the person who has struggled so much to acquire
this wealth is not always allowed to enjoy it himself or give it in charity
to others. The greedy man is like the bee who struggles to produce a
large quantity of honey, which is then stolen by a man who will enjoy it
personally or sell it to others. No matter how carefully one hides his
hard-earned wealth or tries to protect it, there are those who are expert
in detecting the whereabouts of valuable things, and they will steal it.
One may argue that a wealthy man may conceal his money so expertly, by
investing it in banks, stocks, properties, and so on, that there is no danger
of theft. Only foolish people actually hide money by burying it in the
ground or placing it under a mattress. But despite the fact that the
majority of the world's wealth has been accumulated in highly developed
capitalistic countries, these countries are being severely challenged by
many enemies who threaten at any moment to overrun the capitalists and
steal their wealth. Similarly, we often find that the children of wealthy

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people are kidnapped, and then their parents must pay huge ransoms.
Sometimes the parents themselves may also be kidnapped. Furthermore,
there are so-called investment counselors who are expert in stealing the
money of rich people; and in the modern age governments have also
become expert in stealing money by taxation. Thus, the word artha-vit
indicates one who by hook or by crook is expert in stealing the hardearned wealth of other people. The bees work frantically to produce
honey, but they will not enjoy their honey. As Lord Ka states, mtyu
sarva-hara cham: "I will come as death personified and steal
everything." (Bg. 10.34) Somehow or other one's hard-earned material
opulence will be stolen, and therefore, as mentioned in this verse, one
should not work uselessly like the foolish honeybee.
TEXT 16
su-dukhoprjitair vittair
sn ghia
madhu-hevgrato bhukte
yatir vai gha-medhinm
su-dukhawith great struggle; uprjitaithat which is acquired;
vittaimaterial opulence; snmof those fervently desiring; gha
related to domestic enjoyment; iablessings; madhu-hthe person
who steals honey from the bees; ivalike; agratafirst, before others;
bhukteenjoys; yatia saintly mendicant; vaicertainly; ghamedhinmof those dedicated to material family life.
Just as a hunter takes away the honey laboriously produced by the
honeybees, similarly, saintly mendicants such as brahmacrs and
sannyss are entitled to enjoy the property painstakingly accumulated
by householders dedicated to family enjoyment.
The scriptures state, "Saintly mendicants in the sannysa order of life and
brahmacrs have first right to enjoy the sumptuous foodstuffs produced
by the householders. If the householders enjoy such foodstuffs without
first offering them in charity to the mendicants, such neglectful
householders must undergo the lunar fast called cndryaam." In family
life one must overcome the natural tendency toward selfishness by giving
abundant charity. Modern society foolishly does not observe such Vedic
injunctions, and as a result the world has become overrun by envious

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gha-medhs, or persons wholly and solely dedicated to personal

gratification in family life. Therefore, the whole world is seized in an
uncontrollable spasm of violence and suffering. If one wants to live
peacefully one must follow the Vedic injunctions regulating family life.
Although the householders work very hard to accumulate money, the
saintly sannyss and brahmacrs have the right to first enjoy the fruits of
such labor. The conclusion is that one should give first priority to
spiritual advancement in Ka consciousness and thus perfect one's life.
Then even without personal endeavor, one will be supplied all of one's
necessities by the mercy of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 17
grmya-gta na uyd
yatir vana-cara kvacit
iketa harid baddhn
mgayor gta-mohitt
grmyarelating to sense gratification; gtamsongs; nanot; uyt
he should hear; yatia saintly mendicant; vanain the forest; cara
moving; kvacitever; iketaone should learn; haritfrom the deer;
baddhtbound up; mgayoof the hunter; gtaby the song;
mohittbewildered.
A saintly person dwelling in the forest in the renounced order of life
should never listen to songs or music promoting material enjoyment.
Rather, a saintly person should carefully study the example of the deer,
who is bewildered by the sweet music of the hunter's horn and is thus
captured and killed.
If one becomes attached to the sense gratification of materialistic music
and songs, one will develop all the features of material entanglement. One
should hear Bhagavad-gt, or the song sung by the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 18
ntya-vditra-gtni
juan grmyi yoitm
s kranako vaya
yago mg-suta
ntyadancing; vditramusical performance; gtnisongs; juan

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cultivating; grmynirelated to sense gratification; yoitmof women;

smof them; kranakaa plaything; vayafully controlled; yagathe sage yaga; mg-sutason of Mg
Becoming attracted to the worldly singing, dancing and musical
entertainment of beautiful women, even the great sage yaga, the
son of Mg, fell totally under their control, just like a pet animal.
yaga, the young son of the sage Mg, was intentionally brought up
by his father in an atmosphere of complete innocence. Mg i thought
that if his son were never exposed to the sight of women he would always
remain a perfect brahmacr. But by chance the inhabitants of the
neighboring kingdom, who were suffering from a long-term drought,
received divine advice that rain would return to their kingdom only after
the brhmaa named yaga stepped foot in it. Therefore they sent
beautiful women to the hermitage of Mg to entice yaga and bring
him back with them. Since yaga had never even heard about women,
he easily fell for their trap.
The name yaga indicates that the young sage was born with a
deerlike horn growing out of his forehead. If like the deer a i becomes
attracted to sweet musical sounds promising sense gratification, then like
the deer he is quickly vanquished. A thoughtful person should humbly
take instruction from the deer, who is doomed by attraction to musical
sense gratification.
TEXT 19
jihvayti-pramthiny
jano rasa-vimohita
mtyum cchaty asad-buddhir
mnas tu baiair yath
jihvayby the tongue; ati-pramthinywhich is extremely disturbing;
janaa person; rasa-vimohitabewildered by attraction to taste;
mtyumdeath; cchatiachieves; asatuseless; buddhiwhose
intelligence; mnathe fish; tuindeed; baiaiby the hooks;
yathjust as.
Just as a fish, incited by the desire to enjoy his tongue, is fatally
trapped on the fisherman's hook, similarly, a foolish person is

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bewildered by the extremely disturbing urges of the tongue and thus is

ruined.
The fisherman places meaty bait on a sharp hook and easily attracts the
unintelligent fish, who is greedy to enjoy its tongue. Similarly, people are
mad after gratifying their tongues and lose all discrimination in their
eating habits. For momentary gratification they construct huge
slaughterhouses and kill millions of innocent creatures, and by inflicting
such atrocious suffering they prepare a ghastly future for themselves. But
even if one eats only the foods authorized in the Vedas, there is still
danger. One may eat too sumptuously and then the artificially stuffed
belly will create pressure on the sexual organs. Thus one will fall down
into the lower modes of nature and commit sinful activities that lead to
the death of one's spiritual life. From the fish one should carefully learn
the real dangers involved in gratifying the tongue.
TEXT 20
indriyi jayanty u
nirhr mania
varjayitv tu rasana
tan nirannasya vardhate
indriyithe material senses; jayantithey conquer; uquickly;
nirhrthose who restrain the senses from their objects; mania
the learned; varjayitvexcept for; tuhowever; rasanamthe tongue;
tatits desire; nirannasyafor one who is fasting; vardhateincreases.
By fasting, learned men quickly bring all of the senses except the
tongue under control, because by abstaining from eating such men are
afflicted with an increased desire to gratify the sense of taste.
In South America there is a saying that when the belly is full the heart is
content. Thus, one who is eating sumptuously is jolly, and if one is
deprived of proper food one's appetite becomes even more voracious. An
intelligent person, however, does not fall under the control of the tongue,
but rather tries to make progress in Ka consciousness. By accepting the
remnants of food offered to the Lord (prasdam), one gradually purifies
the heart and automatically becomes simple and austere.
In this connection, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura states that the

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business of the tongue is to gratify itself with the varieties of flavor, but by
wandering in the twelve holy forests of Vraja-mandala (Vndvana), one
can be freed from the twelve flavors of material sense gratification. The
five principal divisions of material relationships are neutral admiration,
servitude, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love; the seven
subordinate features of material relationships are material humor,
astonishment, chivalry, compassion, anger, dread and ghastliness.
Originally, these twelve rasas, or flavors of relationships, are exchanged
between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity in the
spiritual world; and by wandering in the twelve forests of Vndvana one
can respiritualize the twelve flavors of personal existence. Thus one will
become a liberated soul, free from all material desires. If one artificially
tries to give up sense gratification, especially that of the tongue, the
attempt will be a failure, and in fact one's desire for sense gratification will
increase as a result of artificial deprivation. Only by experiencing real,
spiritual pleasure in relationship with Ka can one give up material
desires.
TEXT 21
tvaj jitendriyo na syd
vijitnyendriya pumn
na jayed rasana yvaj
jita sarva jite rase
tvatstill; jita-indriyaone who has conquered the senses; nanot;
sytcan be; vijita-anya-indriyaone who has conquered all of the
other senses; pumna human being; na jayetcannot conquer;
rasanamthe tongue; yvatas long as; jitamconquered; sarvam
everything; jitewhen conquered; rasethe tongue.
Although one may conquer all of the other senses, as long as the tongue
is not conquered it cannot be said that one has controlled his senses.
However, if one is able to control the tongue, then one is understood to
be in full control of all the senses.
By eating, one gives energy and activity to all of the senses, and thus if the
tongue is uncontrolled all of the senses will be dragged down to the
material platform of existence. Therefore, by all means one must control
the tongue. If one fasts, then all of the other senses become weak and lose

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their potency. The tongue, however, becomes more greedy to taste

delicious preparations, and when one finally indulges the tongue, all of
the senses quickly go out of control. Therefore, rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura advises that one accept mah-prasdam, or the
remnants of the Lord's food, in a moderate proportion. Since the tongue's
function is also to vibrate, one should vibrate the glorious holy name of
the Supreme Lord and taste the ecstasy of pure Ka consciousness. As
stated in Bhagavad-gt, rasa-varja raso 'py asya para dv nivartate:
[Bg. 9.59] only by the higher taste of Ka consciousness can one give up
the deadly lower taste that keeps one imprisoned in material bondage.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura states that as long as one's
intelligence is materially covered, one cannot understand the pleasure of
Ka consciousness. Trying to enjoy without Ka, the living entity
leaves the abode of the Supreme Lord, called Vrajabhmi, and comes
down into the material world, where he quickly loses control of his
senses. One becomes particularly victimized by the tongue, belly and
genitals, which exert intolerable pressure on the conditioned soul. These
desires subside, however, when one reestablishes one's blissful
relationship with the Lord, who is actually the reservoir of all pleasure.
One who is attached to the taste of Ka consciousness automatically
follows all of the rules and regulations of religious life due to spontaneous
attraction to viuddha-sattva, or the mode of pure goodness. Without such
spontaneous attraction, one is certainly bewildered by the pushing of the
material senses.
Even the beginning stage of devotional service, called sdhana-bhakti
(regulatory practice), is so powerful that it brings one to the platform of
anartha-nivtti, where one becomes free from unwanted sinful habits and
gains relief from the pressure of the tongue, belly and genitals. Thus one
is delivered from the bondage of material addiction and can no longer be
cheated by the allurements of the material energy. As it is said, all that
glitters is not gold. In this regard rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
recommends that we consider the following song written by his father,
rla Bhaktivinoda hkura:
arra avidy-jl, jadendriya the kl
jve phele viaya-sgare
t'ra madhye jihv ati-, lobhamay sudurmati,
t'ke jet kahina sasre

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ka baa daymay, karibre jihv jay,

sva-prasdnna dila bhi
sei annmta po, rdh-ka-gua go,
preme ko caitanya-niti
"O Lord, this material body is a lump of ignorance, and the senses are a
network of paths to death. Somehow, we have fallen into this ocean of
material sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is most
voracious and uncontrollable; it is very difficult to conquer the tongue in
this world. But You, dear Ka, are very kind to us and have given us
such nice prasdam, just to control the tongue. Now we take this
prasdam to our full satisfaction and glorify Their Lordships r r
Rdh-Ka, and in love call for the help of Lord Caitanya and Lord
Nitynanda."
TEXT 22
pigal nma veysd
videha-nagare pur
tasy me ikita kicin
nibodha npa-nandana
pigal nmaof the name Pigal; veya prostitute; stthere was;
videha-nagarein the city named Videha; purin the past; tasyfrom
her; meby me; ikitawhat was learned; kicitsomething;
nibodhanow you learn; npa-nandanaO son of kings.
O son of kings, previously in the city of Videha there dwelled a
prostitute named Pigal. Now please hear what I have learned from
that lady.
TEXT 23
s svairiy ekad knta
saketa upaneyat
abht kle bahir dvre
bibhrat rpam uttamam
sshe; svairithe prostitute; ekadonce; kntama paying lover or
a customer; saketeinto her house of sex; upaneyatto bring; abht

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she stood; kleat night; bahioutside; dvrein the doorway;

bibhratholding up; rpamher form; uttamammost beautiful.
Once that prostitute, desiring to bring a lover into her house, stood
outside in the doorway at night showing her beautiful form.
TEXT 24
mrga gacchato vkya
purun puruarabha
tn ulka-dn vittavata
kntn mene 'rtha-kmuk
mrgein that street; gacchatathose who were coming; vkya
seeing; purunmen; purua-abhaO best among men; tnthem;
ulka-dnwho could pay the price; vitta-vatapossessing money;
kntnlovers or customers; meneshe considered; artha-kmuk
desiring money.
O best among men, this prostitute was very anxious to get money, and
as she stood on the street at night she studied all the men who were
passing by, thinking, "Oh, this one surely has money. I know he can
pay the price, and I am sure he would enjoy my company very much."
Thus she thought about all the men on the street.
TEXTS 25-26
gatev apayteu
s saketopajvin
apy anyo vittavn ko 'pi
mm upaiyati bhri-da
eva duray dhvastanidr dvry avalambat
nirgacchant praviat
nitha samapadyata
gateuwhen they came; apayteuand they went; sshe; saketaupajvinshe whose only income was from prostitution; apimaybe;
anyaanother one; vitta-vnwho has money; ka apisomeone;

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mmme; upaiyatiwill approach for love; bhri-daand he will give

lots of money; evamthus; duraywith vain hope; dhvastaspoiled;
nidrher sleep; dvriin the doorway; avalambathanging on;
nirgacchantgoing out toward the street; praviatgoing back into her
house; nithammidnight; samapadyataarrived.
As the prostitute Pigal stood in the doorway, many men came and
went, walking by her house. Her only means of sustenance was
prostitution, and therefore she anxiously thought, "Maybe this one who
is coming now is very rich...Oh, he is not stopping, but I am sure
someone else will come. Surely this man who is coming now will want
to pay me for my love, and he will probably give lots of money." Thus,
with vain hope, she remained leaning against the doorway, unable to
finish her business and go to sleep. Out of anxiety she would
sometimes walk out toward the street, and sometimes she went back
into her house. In this way, the midnight hour gradually arrived.
TEXT 27
tasy vittay uyadvaktry dna-cetasa
nirveda paramo jaje
cint-hetu sukhvaha
tasyof her; vittafor money; ayby the desire; uyatdried up;
vaktryher face; dnamorose; cetasaher mind; nirveda
detachment; paramavery great; jajeawakened; cintanxiety;
hetubecause of; sukhahappiness; vahabringing.
As the night wore on, the prostitute, who intensely desired money,
gradually became morose, and her face dried up. Thus being filled with
anxiety for money and most disappointed, she began to feel a great
detachment from her situation, and happiness arose in her mind.
It appears from these verses that on this particular night the prostitute
Pigal was not at all successful in attracting customers to her house.
Being completely frustrated and disappointed, she gradually became
indifferent to her situation. Thus, great suffering sometimes leads one to
the path of enlightenment; or, according to a Sanskrit proverb,
disappointment gives rise to the greatest satisfaction.

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The prostitute had dedicated her life to satisfying the lusty desires of
many men. Engaging her mind, body and words in the service of paying
lovers, she completely forgot the devotional service of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and thus her mind was most unsteady and
disturbed. Finally, being completely frustrated, her face and throat drying
up, she began to feel indifferent to her situation, and happiness arose in
her mind.
TEXT 28
tasy nirvia-citty
gta u yath mama
nirveda -pn
puruasya yath hy asi
tasyof her; nirviadisgusted; cittywhose mind; gtamsong;
uplease hear; yathas it is; mamafrom me; nirveda
detachment; of hopes and yearnings; pnmof the binding
network; puruasyaof a person; yathjust as; hicertainly; asithe
sword.
The prostitute felt disgusted with her material situation and thus
became indifferent to it. Indeed, detachment acts like a sword, cutting
to pieces the binding network of material hopes and desires. Now
please hear from me the song sung by the prostitute in that situation.
The network of material desires is created when one falsely thinks that he
can establish himself permanently in the material world. This binding
network should be cut by the sword of detachment; otherwise one will be
forced to wander in the illusory network of my with no understanding
of liberated life on the spiritual platform.
TEXT 29
na hy agjta-nirvedo
deha-bandha jihsati
yath vijna-rahito
manujo mamat npa
nadoes not; hicertainly; agaO King; ajtawho has not
developed; nirvedadetachment; dehaof the material body;
bandhambondage; jihsatihe desires to give up; yathjust as;

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vijnarealized knowledge; rahitabereft of; manujaa human

being; mamatmfalse sense of proprietorship; npaO King.
O King, just as a human being who is bereft of spiritual knowledge
never desires to give up his false sense of proprietorship over many
material things, similarly, a person who has not developed detachment
never desires to give up the bondage of the material body.
TEXT 30
pigalovca
aho me moha-vitati
payatvijittmana
y kntd asata kma
kmaye yena bli
pigalPigal; uvcasaid; ahooh; memy; mohaof illusion;
vitatimexpansion; payatajust see, everyone; avijita-tmanaof one
whose mind is not controlled; ywhich person (me); kntt-from a
lover; asatauseless, insignificant; kmamlusty pleasure; kmayeI
desire; yenabecause; bliI am a fool.
The prostitute Pigal said: Just see how greatly illusioned I am !
Because I cannot control my mind, just like a fool I desire lusty
pleasure from an insignificant man.
In material existence all of the senses are attracted by different objects,
and thus the conditioned soul becomes a first-class fool. The cause of
material life is one's indifference to the Absolute Truth. The conditioned
soul considers himself to be the lord and enjoyer of the material world
and considers the purpose of life to be sense gratification. The more one
tries to enjoy the material world, the more one's illusion increases.
It appears from this verse that the prostitute Pigal was not only earning
her livelihood through prostitution, but was actually enjoying her illicit
contact with innumerable men. The words kntd asata indicate that she
was freely selling herself without discrimination to the most ordinary and
useless men, considering them to be "lovers." Thus she says, "I was a
great fool." The word bli means "one who has a childish mentality,
without practical experience of right and wrong."

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TEXT 31
santa sampe ramaa rati-prada
vitta-prada nityam ima vihya
akma-da dukha-bhaydhi-okamoha-prada tuccham aha bhaje 'j
santambeing; sampemost near (in my heart); ramaamthe most
dear; ratiactual love or pleasure; pradamgiving; vittaprosperity;
pradamgiving; nityameternal; imamHim; vihyagiving up;
akma-damwho can never satisfy one's desires; dukhamisery;
bhayafear; dhimental distress; okalamentation; moha-illusion;
pradamgiving; tucchammost insignificant; ahamI; bhaje-serve;
ajan ignorant fool.
I am such a fool that I have given up the service of that person who,
being eternally situated within my heart, is actually most dear to me.
That most dear one is the Lord of the universe, who is the bestower of
real love and happiness and the source of all prosperity. Although He is
in my own heart, I have completely neglected Him. Instead I have
ignorantly served insignificant men who can never satisfy my real
desires and who have simply brought me unhappiness, fear, anxiety,
lamentation and illusion.
Pigal laments that she chose to serve most sinful, useless men. She
falsely thought they would bring her happiness and neglected to serve the
actual Lord of the heart, Ka. She could understand how foolishly she
had struggled for money, not knowing that the Supreme Lord is always
inclined to award prosperity to His sincere devotee. The prostitute was
proud of her ability to please men, but she now laments that she did not
try to please the Supreme Lord by loving service. The Supreme Lord is
completely aloof from the transactions of the material world. Lord Ka
is the actual enjoyer of everyone and everything, but one must learn how
to please the Lord by pure spiritual service.
TEXT 32
aho maytm paritpito vth
sketya-vttyti-vigarhya-vrtay
strain nard yrtha-to 'nuocyt
krtena vitta ratim tmanecchat

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ahooh; mayby me; tmthe soul; paritpitasubjected to great

pain; vthuselessly; sketyaof a prostitute; vttyby the
occupation; ati-vigarhyamost reprehensible; vrtayoccupation;
straitfrom lusty woman-hunters; nartfrom men; ywho (me);
artha-tafrom the greedy; anuocytthe pitiable; krtenawith that
which was sold; vittammoney; ratimsex pleasure; tmanwith my
body; icchatdesiring.
Oh, how I have uselessly tortured my own soul! I have sold my body to
lusty, greedy men who are themselves objects of pity. Thus practicing
the most abominable profession of a prostitute, I hoped to get money
and sex pleasure.
The art of prostitution is based on awakening the enjoying propensity in
men. Apparently this prostitute was so foolish that she maintained a
romantic conception of her profession and was actually trying to enjoy
loving affairs with her customers, not realizing that they were the lowest
of men with the most abominable motives. Like the prostitute Pigal,
one should understand that by giving up the devotional service of the
Lord one simply becomes a victim of the illusory energy and suffers
greatly.
TEXT 33
yad asthibhir nirmita-vaa-vasyastha tvac roma-nakhai pinaddham
karan-nava-dvram agram etad
vi-mtra-pra mad upaiti kny
yatwhich; asthibhiwith bones; nirmitaconstructed; vaathe
spine; vayathe ribs; sthamthe bones in the hands and legs;
tvacby skin; roma-nakhaiby hair and nails; pinaddhamcovered;
karatoozing; navanine; dvramdoors; agramhouse; etatthis;
vistool; mtraurine; pramfull of; matbesides me; upaiti
devotes oneself to; kwhat woman; anyother.
This material body is like a house in which I, the soul, am living. The
bones forming my spine, ribs, arms and legs are like the beams,
crossbeams and pillars of the house, and the whole structure, which is
full of stool and urine, is covered by skin, hair and nails. The nine

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doors leading into this body are constantly excreting foul substances.
Besides me, what woman could be so foolish as to devote herself to this
material body, thinking that she might find pleasure and love in this
contraption?
The nine doors leading into and out of the body are the two eyes, the two
nostrils, the mouth, the two ears, the genital and the anus. Vaa, or
"spine," also means "bamboo," and indeed the skeleton appears to
resemble a bamboo construction. Just as bamboo can be immediately
burned to ashes or chopped into pieces, similarly, the material body,
which is constantly deteriorating, may at any moment be crushed into
powder, cut into pieces, drowned, burned, suffocated, and so on.
Eventually the body must disintegrate, and therefore there is certainly no
one as unfortunate as one who has dedicated himself heart and soul to
this flimsy body, which is filled with unpleasant elements.
TEXT 34
videhn pure hy asminn
aham ekaiva mha-dh
ynyam icchanty asaty asmd
tma-dt kmam acyutt
videhnmof the residents of Videha; purein the city; hicertainly;
asminthis; ahamI; ekalone; evaundoubtedly; mhafool;
dhwhose intelligence; y(I am that one) who; anyamanother;
icchantdesiring; asatbeing most unchaste; asmtother than Him;
tma-dtwho awards us our real, spiritual form; kmamsense
gratification; acyuttthe Supreme Personality of Godhead, Acyuta.
Certainly in this city of Videha I alone am completely foolish. I
neglected the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who awards us
everything, even our original spiritual form, and instead I desired to
enjoy sense gratification with many men.
TEXT 35
suht prehatamo ntha
tm cya arrim
ta vikrytmanaivha

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rame 'nena yath ram

su-htwell-wishing friend; preha-tamaabsolutely the most dear
one; nthaLord; tmsoul; caalso; ayamHe; arrimof all
embodied beings; tamHim; vikryapurchasing; tmanby
surrendering myself; evacertainly; ahamI; ramewill enjoy; anena
with the Lord; yathjust like; ramLakmdev.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is absolutely the most dear one
for all living beings because He is everyone's well-wisher and Lord. He
is the Supreme Soul situated in everyone's heart. Therefore I will now
pay the price of complete surrender, and thus purchasing the Lord I
will enjoy with Him just like Lakmdev.
The real friend of all conditioned souls is the Supreme Lord, and only He
can award the highest perfection in life. By following the example of
Lakmdev, who always remains at the lotus feet of the Lord, one will
certainly obtain eternal happiness. One should make the best use of the
material body, which is a bad bargain, and surrender one's body, mind
and words to the Lord. Paying such a price, one can purchase the Lord,
who is everyone's dearmost well-wisher. Thus one's ancient propensity for
sense gratification will automatically be controlled.
TEXT 36
kiyat priya te vyabhajan
km ye kma-d nar
dy-antavanto bhryy
dev v kla-vidrut
kiyathow much; priyamactual happiness; tethey; vyabhajanhave
provided; kmsense gratification; yeand those; kma-dwho
give sense gratification; narmen; dia beginning; antaand an end;
vantahaving; bhryyof a wife; devthe demigods; vor;
klaby time; vidrutseparated and thus disturbed.
Men provide sense gratification for women, but all these men, and even
the demigods in heaven, have a beginning and an end. They are all
temporary creations who will be dragged away by time. Therefore how
much actual pleasure or happiness could any of them ever give to their
wives?

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In this material world everyone is basically pursuing his personal sense

gratification, and thus everyone is being ruined by the influence of time.
On the material platform no one actually helps anyone else. So-called
material love is simply a cheating process, as the lady Pigal is now
discovering.
TEXT 37
nna me bhagavn prto
viu kenpi karma
nirvedo 'ya dury
yan me jta sukhvaha
nnamundoubtedly; mewith me; bhagavnthe Supreme Lord;
prtais pleased; viuthe Personality of Godhead; kena apiby
some; karmaactivity; nirvedadetachment from sense gratification;
ayamthis; duryin one who so stubbornly hoped for material
enjoyment; yatbecause; mein me; jtait has arisen; sukha
happiness; vahabringing.
Although I most stubbornly hoped to enjoy the material world,
somehow or other detachment has arisen in my heart, and it is making
me very happy. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viu,
must be pleased with me. Without even knowing it, I must have
performed some activity satisfying to Him.
TEXT 38
maiva syur manda-bhgyy
kle nirveda-hetava
yennubandha nirhtya
purua amam cchati
mnot; evamthus; syuthey could be; manda-bhgyyof a
woman who is truly unfortunate; klemiseries; nirvedaof
detachment; hetavathe causes; yenaby which detachment;
anubandhamthe bondage; nirhtyaremoving; puruaa person;
amam-real peace; cchatiobtains.
A person who has developed detachment can give up the bondage of
material society, friendship and love, and a person who undergoes great

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suffering gradually becomes, out of hopelessness, detached and

indifferent to the material world. Thus, due to my great suffering, such
detachment awoke in my heart; yet how could I have undergone such
merciful suffering if I were actually unfortunate? Therefore, I am in fact
fortunate and have received the mercy of the Lord. He must somehow
or other be pleased with me.
TEXT 39
tenopaktam dya
iras grmya-sagat
tyaktv dur araa
vrajmi tam adhvaram
tenaby Him (the Lord); upaktamthe great help rendered; dya
accepting; irasupon my head, with devotion; grmyaordinary sense
gratification; sagatrelated to; tyaktvgiving up; dursinful
desires; araamfor shelter; vrajmiI am now coming; tamto Him;
adhvaramthe Supreme Personality of Godhead.
With devotion I accept the great benefit that the Lord has bestowed
upon me. Having given up my sinful desires for ordinary sense
gratification, I now take shelter of Him, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
TEXT 40
santu raddadhaty etad
yath-lbhena jvat
viharmy amunaivham
tman ramaena vai
santucompletely satisfied; raddadhatnow having complete faith;
etatin the Lord's mercy; yath-lbhenawith whatever comes of its own
accord; jvatliving; viharmiI will enjoy life; amunwith that one;
evaonly; ahamI; tmanwith the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
ramaenawho is the real source of love and happiness; vaithere is no
doubt about it.
I am now completely satisfied, and I have full faith in the Lord's mercy.

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Therefore I will maintain myself with whatever comes of its own

accord. I shall enjoy life with only the Lord, because He is the real
source of love and happiness.
TEXT 41
sasra-kpe patita
viayair muitekaam
grasta klhintmna
ko 'nyas trtum adhvara
sasramaterial existence; kpein the dark well; patitamfallen;
viayaiby sense gratification; muitastolen away; kaamvision;
grastamseized; klaof time; ahinby the serpent; tmnamthe
living entity; kawho; anyaelse; trtumis capable of delivering;
adhvarathe Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The intelligence of the living entity is stolen away by activities of sense
gratification, and thus he falls into the dark well of material existence.
Within that well he is then seized by the deadly serpent of time. Who
else but the Supreme Personality of Godhead could save the poor living
entity from such a hopeless condition?
Pigal stated in a previous verse that even the demigods are unable to
give actual happiness to a woman. One may question who has authorized
this lady to reject even such exalted personalities as Brahm, iva and the
other demigods. The answer given here is that if one actually wants to
solve all the problems of life and go back home, back to Godhead, then
the only solution is to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. It is well
known that the demigods themselves are subject to birth and death. As
stated by Lord iva himself, mukti-pradt sarve viur eva na
saaya: "There is no doubt that Viu is the deliverer of liberation for
everyone."
TEXT 42
tmaiva hy tmano gopt
nirvidyeta yadkhilt
apramatta ida payed
grasta klhin jagat

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tmthe soul; evaalone; hicertainly; tmanaof himself; gopt

the protector; nirvidyetabecomes detached; yadwhen; akhiltfrom
all material things; apramattawithout material fever; idamthis;
payetcan see; grastamseized; klaof time; ahinby the serpent;
jagatthe universe.
When the living entity sees that the entire universe has been seized by
the serpent of time, he becomes sober and sane and at that time
detaches himself from all material sense gratification. In that condition
the living entity is qualified to be his own protector.
In this verse, Pigal states that by the Lord's mercy a self-realized soul
can see that the entire universe is existing within the jaws of the great
serpent of time. Certainly this is not a promising situation, and one who
sees it loses his desire for sense gratification. Thus, by the Lord's causeless
mercy, the spiritually sane living entity can protect himself from illusion.
Since Pigal is now glorifying the Personality of Godhead for His mercy
in awarding salvation, the following question might arise: Is she
worshiping the Lord out of love, or is she merely a salvationist desiring
liberation from material existence? In answer it may be said that in her
Ka conscious situation she is already liberated, even though remaining
in this world. Her program will now be simply to render loving service to
the Personality of Godhead without any personal desire, including that of
salvation.
TEXT 43
r-brhmaa uvca
eva vyavasita-matir
dur knta-tara-jm
chittvopaamam sthya
ayym upavivea s
r-brhmaa uvcathe avadhta said; evamthus; vyavasita
determined; matiher mind; durmthe sinful desire; kntalovers;
tarahankering for; jmcaused by; chittvcutting off; upaamam
in tranquillity; sthyabeing situated; ayymon her bed; upavivea
sat down; sshe.
The avadhta said: Thus, her mind completely made up, Pigal cut off

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all her sinful desires to enjoy sex pleasure with lovers, and she became
situated in perfect peace. Then she sat down on her bed.
TEXT 44
hi parama dukha
nairya parama sukham
yath sachidya knt
sukha suvpa pigal
amaterial desire; hicertainly; paramamthe greatest; dukham
unhappiness; nairyamfreedom from material desires; paramamthe
greatest; sukhamhappiness; yathin that way; sachidyacompletely
cutting off; kntafor lovers; mthe desire; sukhamhappily;
suvpashe slept; pigal-the former prostitute, Pigal.
Material desire is undoubtedly the cause of the greatest unhappiness,
and freedom from such desire is the cause of the greatest happiness.
Therefore, completely cutting off her desire to enjoy so-called lovers,
Pigal very happily went to sleep.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Eighth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Story of Pigal."

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9. Detachment from All that Is Material

The avadhta brhmaa describes his seven remaining gurus, beginning

with the kurara bird. He also describes an additional guru, one's own
body.
The instruction received from the kurara bird is that attachment creates
misery, but the person who is unattached and has no material possessions
is qualified to achieve unlimited happiness.
The avadhta brhmaa learned from the foolish, lazy child that by
becoming free from anxiety a person becomes capable of worshiping the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and experiencing supreme ecstasy.
The instruction received from the young girl who kept just one
conchshell bracelet on each wrist is that one should remain alone and
thus steady one's mind. Then only will it be possible for one to fix one's
mind completely on the Personality of Godhead. Once several men
arrived to ask for the hand of the young girl, whose relatives had
coincidentally left the house. She went inside and began to prepare food
for the unexpected guests by beating rice. At that time her conchshell
bracelets were making a loud noise, rattling against each other, and in
order to stop this sound she broke off the bracelets one by one until at last
only one remained on each arm. Just as two or more bracelets make noise,
if even two people reside in the same place, what to speak of many, there
is every chance of mutual quarrel and useless gossip.
The avadhta brhmaa also received instruction from the arrow maker,
who was so absorbed in constructing an arrow that he did not even notice
that the king was passing right by him on the road. In the same way, one
must strictly control one's mind, concentrating it in the worship of Lord
r Hari.
The avadhta brhmaa learned from the serpent that a sage should
wander alone, should not live in any prearranged place, should be always
careful and grave, should not reveal his movements, should take
assistance from no one and should speak little.
The instruction obtained from the spider, who spins his web from his
mouth and then withdraws it, is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead

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similarly creates from out of Himself the whole universe and then winds it
up into Himself.
From the weak insect who assumed the same form as the peaskt wasp,
the avadhta brhmaa learned that the living entity, under the sway of
affection, hatred and fear, attains in his next life the identity of that object
upon which he fixes his intelligence.
Seeing that the fragile material body is subject to birth and death, one
who is sober should become devoid of material attachment to this body
and should properly utilize the rare gift of human life in the pursuit of
knowledge, endeavoring always for the achievement of the highest goal.
TEXT 1
r-brhmaa uvca
parigraho hi dukhya
yad yat priyatama nm
ananta sukham pnoti
tad vidvn yas tv akicana
r-brhmaa uvcathe saintly brhmaa said; parigrahaattachment
to possession; hicertainly; dukhyaleading to misery; yat yat
whatever; priya-tamamis most dear; nmof men; anantam
unlimited; sukhamhappiness; pnotiachieves; tatthat; vidvn
knowing; yawhoever; tuindeed; akicanais free from such
attachment.
The saintly brhmaa said: Everyone considers certain things within
the material world to be most dear to him, and because of attachment to
such things one eventually becomes miserable. One who understands
this gives up material possessiveness and attachment and thus achieves
unlimited happiness.
TEXT 2
smia kurara jaghnur
balino 'nye nirmi
tadmia parityajya
sa sukha samavindata
sa-miamhaving meat; kurarama large hawk; jaghnuthey
attacked; balinavery strong; anyeothers; nirmiwithout meat;

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tadat that time; miamthe meat; parityajyagiving up; sahe;

sukhamhappiness; samavindataachieved.
Once a group of large hawks who were unable to find any prey attacked
another, weaker hawk who was holding some meat. At that time, being
in danger of his life, the hawk gave up his meat and experienced actual
happiness.
Incited by the modes of nature, birds become violent and kill other birds
to eat them or to steal meat captured by them. Hawks, vultures and eagles
are in this category. However, one should give up the envious propensity
to commit violence against others and should take to Ka
consciousness, whereby one sees every living entity as equal to oneself.
On this platform of actual happiness one does not envy anyone and thus
sees no one as his enemy.
TEXT 3
na me mnpamnau sto
na cint geha-putrim
tma-kra tma-ratir
vicarmha bla-vat
nanot; mein me; mnahonor; apamnaudishonor; staexist;
nathere is not; cintanxiety; gehaof those who have a home;
putrimand children; tmaby the self; krasporting; tmain
the self alone; ratienjoying; vicarmiI wander; ihain this world;
bla-vatlike a child.
In family life, the parents are always in anxiety about their home,
children and reputation. But I have nothing to do with these things. I do
not worry at all about any family, and I do not care about honor and
dishonor. I enjoy only the life of the soul, and I find love on the
spiritual platform. Thus I wander the earth like a child.
TEXT 4
dvv eva cintay muktau
paramnanda plutau
yo vimugdho jao blo
yo guebhya para gata

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dvautwo; evacertainly; cintayfrom anxiety; muktaufreed;

parama-nandein great happiness; plutaumerged; yaone who;
vimugdhais ignorant; jaaretarded without developing activities;
blachildish; yaone who; guebhyato the modes of nature;
paramthe Lord, who is transcendental; gatahas achieved.
In this world two types of people are free from all anxiety and merged
in great happiness: one who is a retarded and childish fool and one who
has approached the Supreme Lord, who is beyond the three modes of
material nature.
Those who fervently seek material sense gratification are gradually pushed
down into a miserable condition of life because as soon as one even
slightly violates the laws of nature, one must suffer sinful reactions. Thus
even materially alert and ambitious persons are constantly in anxiety, and
from time to time they are plunged into great misery. Those who are
nonsensical and retarded, however, live in a fool's paradise, and those
who have surrendered to Lord Ka are filled with transcendental bliss.
Therefore both the fool and the devotee may be said to be peaceful, in the
sense that they are free from the ordinary anxiety of the materially
ambitious person. However, this does not mean that the devotee and the
retarded fool are on the same platform. A fool's peace is like that of a dead
stone, whereas a devotee's satisfaction is based on perfect knowledge.
TEXT 5
kvacit kumr tv tmna
vnn gham gatn
svaya tn arhaym sa
kvpi yteu bandhuu
kvacitonce; kumra young girl; tuindeed; tmnamherself;
vnndesiring as a wife; ghamto the house; gatnarrived;
svayamherself; tnthose men; arhaym sareceived with great
hospitality; kva apito another place; yteuwhen they had gone;
bandhuuall her relatives.
Once a marriageable young girl was alone in her house because her
parents and relatives had gone that day to another place. At that time a
few men arrived at the house, specifically desiring to marry her. She

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received them with all hospitality.

TEXT 6
tem abhyavahrrtha
ln rahasi prthiva
avaghnanty prakoha-sth
cakru akh svana mahat
temof the guests; abhyavahra-arthamso that they could eat; ln
rice; rahasibeing alone; prthivaO King; avaghnantyof her who
was beating; prakohaon her forearms; sthsituated; cakruthey
made; akhbracelets made of conchshell; svanama sound; mahat
great.
The girl went to a private place and began to make preparations so that
the unexpected male guests could eat. As she was beating the rice, the
conchshell bracelets on her arms were colliding and making a loud
noise.
TEXT 7
s taj jugupsita matv
mahat vit tata
babhajaikaikaa akhn
dvau dvau pyor aeayat
sshe; tatthat noise; jugupsitamshameful; matvthinking;
mahatvery intelligent; vritshy; tatafrom her arms; babhaja
she broke; eka-ekaaone by one; akhnthe shell bracelets; dvau
dvautwo each; pyoon her two hands; aeayatshe kept on.
The young girl feared that the men would consider her family to be
poor because their daughter was busily engaged in the menial task of
husking rice. Being very intelligent, the shy girl broke the shell
bracelets from her arms, leaving just two on each wrist.
TEXT 8
ubhayor apy abhd ghoo

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hy avaghnanty sva-akhayo
tatrpy eka nirabhidad
ekasmn nbhavad dhvani
ubhayofrom the two (on each hand); apistill; abhtthere was;
ghoanoise; hiindeed; avaghnantyof her who was husking the
rice; sva-akhayofrom each set of two shell ornaments; tatra
therein; apiindeed; ekamone only; nirabhidatshe separated;
ekasmtfrom that one ornament; nanot; abhavatthere was;
dhvania sound.
Thereafter, as the young girl continued to husk the rice, the two
bracelets on each wrist continued to collide and make noise. Therefore
she took one bracelet off each arm, and with only one left on each wrist
there was no more noise.
TEXT 9
anvaikam ima tasy
upadeam arindama
lokn anucarann etn
loka-tattva-vivitsay
anvaikamI have seen with my own eyes; imamthis; tasyof the
young girl; upadeamlesson; arim-damaO subduer of the enemy;
loknworlds; anucaranwandering; etnthese; lokaof the world;
tattvatruth; vivitsaywith a desire to know.
O subduer of the enemy, I travel throughout the surface of the earth
learning constantly about the nature of this world, and thus I personally
witnessed the lesson of the young girl.
The brhmaa sage here explains to King Yadu that he is not presenting
theoretical knowledge. Rather, by wandering throughout the world the
observant and thoughtful brhmaa has personally experienced the
lessons learned from all of the above-mentioned gurus. Thus, instead of
posing himself to be omniscient like God, he humbly explains that he has
faithfully learned these lessons in his travels.
TEXT 10

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vse bahn kalaho

bhaved vrt dvayor api
eka eva vaset tasmt
kumry iva kakaa
vsein a residence; bahnmof many people; kalahaquarrel;
bhavetwill be; vrtconversation; dvayoof two people; apieven;
ekaalone; evacertainly; vasetone should live; tasmttherefore;
kumryof the young girl; ivalike; kakaathe bracelet.
When many people live together in one place there will undoubtedly be
quarreling. And even if only two people live together there will be
frivolous conversation and disagreement. Therefore, to avoid conflict,
one should live alone, as we learn from the example of the bracelet of
the young girl.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has given a nice example in this
regard. Because the young girl mentioned in this story had no husband,
she had to fulfill her duties as a host by removing her bracelets so that
each wrist held one bracelet only. In the same way, the process of jnayoga, or spiritual advancement by philosophical speculation, demands
that the speculating sages live alone, without any other association. Since
jns have dedicated their lives to speculation. there will undoubtedly be
endless argument and quarreling on technical points if many jns live
together. Therefore, to keep a peaceful atmosphere they must live alone.
On the other hand, a king's daughter who has been duly married to an
aristocratic prince fulfills her duties to her husband by dressing herself
attractively with innumerable ornaments and approaching him for love.
Similarly, the goddess of devotion, Bhakti-dev, decorates herself with the
innumerable ornaments of the Vaiavas, who come together to relish the
sweet sound of the holy name of the Lord. Because pure Vaiavas do not
intimately associate with nondevotees, it may be said that they reside
alone, and thus they also fulfill the purpose of this verse. There cannot be
any quarrel among pure Vaiavas, because they are on the real platform
of desirelessness, not wanting even salvation or mystic powers, what to
speak of sense gratification. Because they are all devotees of Ka, they
may freely associate with one another for glorifying the Lord. As stated in
rmad-Bhgavatam (3.25.34):

540

naiktmat me sphayanti kecin

mat-pda-sevbhirat mad-h
ye 'nyonyato bhgavat prasajya
sabhjayante mama paurui
"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."
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has commented on this verse as
follows: "The young girl in the story kept only one bracelet on each wrist
so that there would be no noisy conflict among the bracelets. Similarly,
one should give up the association of those who are not devoted to the
Supreme Lord." This is the actual lesson to be learned. A real Vaiava is
always pure and faultless in character. However, in those places where
nondevotees congregate there will undoubtedly be envious criticism of
the devotional service of the Lord, and those who falsely attempt to
analyze reality without the Supreme Personality of Godhead will create
much disturbing noise in the name of philosophy. Therefore, one should
remain in those places where the Supreme Lord is properly worshiped
according to the Vedic standard. If everyone is dedicated to glorifying the
Personality of Godhead, Ka, there will not be any impediment in
mutual association. However, in a place where people have many different
purposes besides the pleasure of the Supreme Lord, social dealings will
certainly be disrupted.
One should therefore avoid the association of those who are inimical to
devotional service; otherwise one will be frustrated in achieving the
spiritual purpose of life. One who always keeps himself in the company of
the devotees of the Lord is actually living alone. If one lives in a
community where the only consideration is the pleasure of the Lord, then
one can avoid the contradictory situations caused by many persons
competing to satisfy their own material desires. This is the lesson
intelligently understood by the brhmaa from the bracelets of the young
girl.
In this connection rla Madhvcrya quotes the following:
asaj-janais tu savso
na kartavya kathacana

541

yvad yvac ca bahubhi

saj-janai sa tu mukti-da
"One should not under any circumstances live with those who are not
devotees of the Lord. On the other hand, one should stay with many
devotees, because such association awards liberation."
TEXT 11
mana ekatra sayujyj
jita-vso jitsana
vairgybhysa-yogena
dhriyamam atandrita
manathe mind; ekatrain one place; sayujytone should fix;
jitaconquered; vsathe breathing process; jitaconquered;
sanathe yoga sitting postures; vairgyaby detachment; abhysayogenaby the regulated practice of yoga; dhriyamamthe mind being
steadied; atandritavery carefully.
Having perfected the yoga sitting postures and conquered the breathing
process, one should make the mind steady by detachment and the
regulated practice of yoga. Thus one should carefully fix the mind on
the single goal of yoga practice.
One should develop vairgya, or detachment, by observing that all
material things are doomed. Thus one should take to the regulated
practice of yoga, which in this age means the process of chanting the Hare
Ka mantra. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the
avadhta brhmaa is recommending bhakti-mira aga-yoga, or the
eightfold mystic yoga process performed as an offering to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
The desire to enjoy the material world is so strong that the mind wanders
here and there uncontrollably. Therefore it is stated, dhriyamam: the
mind must be fixed in the goal of life, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. In the perfect stage of mental concentration called samdhi
there is no longer any distinction between internal and external vision,
since one can see the Absolute Truth everywhere.
In the mystic yoga process one must sit properly, and then it is possible to
control the different airs within the body. When the breathing process is

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controlled, the mind, which is dependent upon the actions of the bodily
airs, is easily fixed in higher consciousness. But although the mind may be
momentarily controlled, if one is overcome by desire for sense
gratification the mind will again be lost. Thus, this verse emphasizes
vairgya, detachment from material illusion. This is attained by abhysayoga, the regulated practice of Ka consciousness, which is the highest
yoga system, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gt (6.47):
yoginm api sarve
mad-gatenntar-tman
raddhvn bhajate yo m
sa me yuktatamo mata
"And of all yogs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping
Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in
yoga and is the highest of all."
TEXT 12
yasmin mano labdha-pada yad etac
chanai anair mucati karma-ren
sattvena vddhena rajas tama ca
vidhya nirvam upaity anindhanam
yasminin which (the Supreme Lord); manathe mind; labdha
having obtained; padama permanent situation; yat etatthat very mind;
anai anaigradually, step by step; mucatigives up; karmaof
fruitive activities; renthe contamination; sattvenaby the mode of
goodness; vddhenawhich has grown strong; rajathe mode of
passion; tamathe mode of ignorance; caalso; vidhyagiving up;
nirvamthe transcendental position in which one is united with the
object of his meditation; upaitiachieves; anindhanamwithout fuel.
The mind can be controlled when it is fixed on the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. Having achieved a stable situation, the mind becomes free
from polluted desires to execute material activities; thus as the mode of
goodness increases in strength, one can completely give up the modes
of passion and ignorance, and gradually one transcends even the
material mode of goodness. When the mind is freed from the fuel of the
modes of nature, the fire of material existence is extinguished. Then

543

one achieves the transcendental platform of direct relationship with the

object of his meditation, the Supreme Lord.
The interaction of the three modes of nature creates great obstacles in
one's path of spiritual advancement, and there is danger that one may be
thrown down into the darkness of ignorance. Those who are experienced
in practical psychology know the dangers of the uncontrolled mind and
constantly endeavor to bring the mind under control. If one can free
oneself from the influence of the material modes of passion and
ignorance, then life becomes very auspicious. Controlling the mind, and
thereby freeing oneself from the influence of the material modes of
nature, is the only means of making actual progress in life. The word
yasmin in this verse, according to rla rdhara Svm, indicates the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the reservoir of all pleasure.
Giving up the material propensities of the mind does not mean merging
into an impersonal existence, such as that experienced in dreamless sleep.
As stated in this verse, sattvena vddhena: one must become firmly
established in the mode of goodness and then gradually rise onto the
spiritual platform, where one may dwell in the company of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 13
tadaivam tmany avaruddha-citto
na veda kicid bahir antara v
yatheu-kro npati vrajantam
iau gattm na dadara prve
tadat that time; evamthus; tmaniin the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; avaruddhafixed; cittathe mind; nadoes not; veda
know; kicitanything; bahioutside; antaraminside; veither;
yathjust as; iuof arrows; kraa maker; n-patimthe king;
vrajantamgoing; iauin the arrow; gata-tmbeing absorbed; na
dadaradid not see; prveright next to him.
Thus, when one's consciousness is completely fixed on the Absolute
Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one no longer sees duality,
or internal and external reality. The example is given of the arrow
maker who was so absorbed in making a straight arrow that he did not
even see or notice the king himself, who was passing right next to him.

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It is understood that when a king moves on a public street he is heralded

by kettledrums and other musical instruments and is accompanied by
soldiers and other members of his retinue. Thus, despite this royal
extravaganza passing right by his workshop, the arrow maker did not
even notice because he was completely absorbed in his prescribed duty of
making an arrow straight and sharp. One who is completely absorbed in
loving devotional service to the Absolute Truth, r Ka, no longer pays
attention to material illusion. In this verse the word bahis, "external"
refers to the innumerable objects of material sense gratification, such as
food, drink, sex, and so on, which drag the senses of the conditioned soul
into material duality. The word antaram, or "internal" refers to memory of
previous sense gratification or hopes and dreams for future materialistic
situations. One who is seeing everywhere the Absolute Truth, r Ka,
categorically rejects both internal and external illusion. This is called
mukti-pada, or the status of liberation. On this platform there is neither
attraction nor aversion to sense objects; rather, there is loving absorption
in the Absolute Truth, Ka, and an overwhelming desire to please Him
by devotional service. One who gives up the reality of Ka will be forced
to wander uselessly in the kingdom of mental speculation. One who
cannot see that the Absolute Truth, Lord Ka, is the background and
basis of everything that exists will be bewildered by the false concept that
there is something that is not Ka. Everything emanates from the Lord,
and He is the Lord of everything. This simple understanding is the actual
existential situation.
TEXT 14
eka-cry aniketa syd
apramatto guhaya
alakyama crair
munir eko 'lpa-bhaa
ekaalone; crmoving; aniketawithout fixed residence; syt
should be; apramattabeing very alert; guh-ayaremaining
secluded; alakyamawithout being recognized; craiby his
activities; munia sage; ekawithout companions; alpavery little;
bhaaspeaking.
A saintly person should remain alone and constantly travel without any
fixed residence. Being alert, he should remain secluded and should act

545

in such a way that he is not recognized or noticed by others. Moving

without companions, he should not speak more than required.
The previous narration concerning the shell bracelets of the young girl
demonstrates that even saintly persons engaged in ordinary yoga
processes should remain alone to avoid conflict or disturbance. In other
words, persons engaged in ordinary yoga processes should not even
associate with each other. This verse indirectly refers to the serpent, who,
fearing attack from human beings, keeps himself secluded. From this
example we learn that a saintly person should not associate with ordinary
materialistic people. He should also avoid having a fixed residence and
should wander unnoticed by others.
Our engagement in material existence is the cause of our unhappiness.
Such engagement destroys the real purpose of our life, Ka
consciousness. Somehow or other one must give up the deep-rooted
attachment to material society, friendship and love. One must practice
detachment, and by surrender to the principles of Ka consciousness
one's auspicious life will begin. By organizing one's life according to the
varrama system one can take the first step in self-realization. In other
words, one should accept an honest occupation and regulate his sex life,
either by giving it up entirely as a brahmacr or sannys or by living as a
married householder. Without regulating one's occupation and personal
life, there will be chaos, and it will be very difficult to make spiritual
advancement. The attachments to material society, friendship and love are
based on a long previous experience in the material world. They are great
obstacles in the path of transcendental understanding, and if one
maintains them, spiritual progress will be most difficult. Caitanya
Mahprabhu taught by His example and precept what a devotee should
and should not do, and obedience to such principles brings one to the
path of supreme perfection. Thus, one has to rise above ordinary social
custom, which directs the living entity toward useless sense gratification.
TEXT 15
ghrambho hi dukhya
viphala cdhruvtmana
sarpa para-kta vema
praviya sukham edhate
ghaof a home; rambhaconstruction; hicertainly; dukhya

546

leads to unhappiness; viphalafruitless; caalso; adhruva

impermanent; tmanaof the living being; sarpaa serpent;
paraktambuilt by others; vemahome; praviyahaving entered;
sukhamhappily; edhateprospers.
When a person living in a temporary material body tries to construct a
happy home, the result is fruitless and miserable. The snake, however,
enters a home that has been built by others and prospers happily.
The snake does not have the proclivity to build his own home, but rather
lives in a suitable place constructed by other creatures. Thus he does not
entangle himself in the labor of home building. rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura points out that although materialistic persons take
unlimited pains to invent and mass-produce electricity, automobiles,
airplanes, etc., ultimately these things are meant for the convenience of
the Vaiavas who are preaching Ka consciousness. The karms will
always go to such trouble, and the devotees will always offer such
laborious productions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by
engaging them in His loving service. The devotees, being concerned with
the ultimate perfection of life, do not personally struggle for material
advancement. On the other hand, there is no need for the devotees to
artificially imitate the austere life-style of ancient times. A devotee's goal is
simply to serve Ka as nicely as possible; therefore the devotees
willingly accept beautiful mansions and all types of material opulences,
not with any personal attachment, but only so that these things can be
engaged in the loving service of the Lord. If one engages such things with
a desire to enjoy them, one falls down from the platform of pure
devotional service. Materialistic persons are only interested in exploiting
their so-called yoga practice in order to rejuvenate their sexual potency or
to vainly remember their previous conditioned lives. Thus, applying
mysticism to the endless search for sense gratification, they do not
understand the actual goal of human life.
TEXT 16
eko nryao deva
prva-sa sva-myay
sahtya kla-kalay
kalpnta idam vara
eka evdvityo 'bhd

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tmdhro 'khilraya
ekaalone; nryaathe Supreme Personality of Godhead; deva
God; prvapreviously; samcreated; sta-myayby His own
potency; sahtyawithdrawing within Himself; klaof time; kalay
by the portion; kalpa-anteat the time of annihilation; idamthis
universe; vara-the supreme controller; ekaalone; evaindeed;
advityawithout a second; abhtbecame; tma-dhraone whose
self is the reservoir and resting place of everything; akhilaof all
potencies; rayathe reservoir.
The Lord of the universe, Nryaa, is the worshipable God of all living
entities. Without extraneous assistance, the Lord creates this universe
by His own potency, and at the time of annihilation the Lord destroys
the universe through His personal expansion of time and withdraws all
of the cosmos, including all the conditioned living entities, within
Himself. Thus, His unlimited Self is the shelter and reservoir of all
potencies. The subtle pradhna, the basis of all cosmic manifestation, is
conserved within the Lord and is in this way not different from Him. In
the aftermath of annihilation the Lord stands alone.
As will be explained in verse 21 of this chapter, the Lord's independent
creation and annihilation of the universe can be compared to the spider's
creating and withdrawing his web. The word eka, or "one alone," is
mentioned twice in this verse to emphasize that there is only one Supreme
Personality of Godhead and that all universal affairs, as well as spiritual
pastimes, are conducted by His potency alone. According to rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura, this verse refers to Kraravay
Viu, or Mah-Viu lying in the Causal Ocean. The words tmdhra
and akhilraya both indicate that Nryaa is the reservoir or shelter of
all existence. tmdhra indicates that the Lord's personal body is the
shelter of everything. Mah-Viu is a plenary portion of Lord Ka, the
original Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whose body expand the
innumerable potencies that manifest the material and spiritual worlds.
According to the Brahma-sahit these innumerable worlds rest within
the brahmajyoti, or spiritual effulgence, also emanating from the Lord's
body. Thus Ka is vara, the supreme controller.
TEXTS 17-18

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klentmnubhvena
smya ntsu aktiu
sattvdiv di-purua
pradhna-puruevara
parvar parama
ste kaivalya-sajita
kevalnubhavnandasandoho nirupdhika
klenaby the time factor; tma-anubhvenawhich is the Lord's own
potency; smyamto equilibrium; ntsubeing brought; aktiuthe
material potencies; sattva-diuthe mode of goodness, etc.; dipuruathe eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead; pradhna-puruavarathe supreme controller of the neutral state of nature (pradhna)
and of the living entities; paraof the liberated living entities or the
demigods; avarmof ordinary conditioned souls; paramathe
supreme worshipable object; steexists; kaivalyaliberated existence;
sajitathat which is indicated by the term; kevalapure without
material tinge; anubhavaexperience of revelation; nandabliss;
sandohathe totality; nirupdhikadevoid of materially designated
relationships.
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead displays His own potency in
the form of time and guides His material potencies, such as the mode of
goodness, into a neutral condition of equilibrium, He remains as the
supreme controller of that neutral state, called pradhna, as well as of
the living entities. He is also the supreme worshipable object for all
beings, including liberated souls, demigods and ordinary conditioned
souls. The Lord is eternally free from any material designation, and He
constitutes the totality of spiritual bliss, which one experiences by
seeing the Lord's spiritual form. The Lord thus exhibits the fullest
meaning of the word "liberation."
One who fixes his mind in the Absolute Truth, the Personality of
Godhead, gets immediate relief from the waves of material anxiety
because the Lord's transcendental form is completely free of any material
contamination or designation. Less intelligent persons accept the illogical
doctrine that the Lord is transformed into His creation and maintains no

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separate, individual existence. They falsely imagine that they can merge
their individuality into the universal oneness and become exactly equal to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, in the opinion of rmadBhgavatam the Personality of Godhead is not impersonal but is instead
full of all transcendental qualities. The three modes of material nature
constitute His inferior energy, and the omnipotent time factor, upon
which the modes rest, is the personal expansion of the Lord. Thus, the
Lord creates, maintains and annihilates the material manifestation and yet
remains completely apart from it. The conditioned souls who desire to
exploit the Lord's inferior creation are impelled by the Personality of
Godhead to do so, and thus they become imitation enjoyers in the
temporary world of matter. But when one gains practical experience that
the gross and subtle material bodies are simply coverings of the eternal
soul, one gives up the foolishness of material attachment and becomes
attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He realizes that his
constitutional position is neither to enjoy matter nor merge into the
Lord's existence. His real nature is that he is a servant of God. Service
rendered to the Lord is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge, and by the
potency of such service one becomes liberated and his activities become
glorious. Such service is eternal and gradually promotes one to the
platform of kevalnubhavnanda-sandoha, or merging into the ocean of
bliss by seeing the transcendental personal form of the Lord.
TEXT 19
kevaltmnubhvena
sva-my tri-gutmikm
sakobhayan sjaty dau
tay stram arindama
kevalapure; tmaof His own Self; anubhvenaby the potency; svamymHis own energy; trithree; guamodes; tmikmcomposed
of; sakobhayanagitating; sjatiHe manifests; dauat the time of
creation; taywith that energy; stramthe mahat-tattva distinguished
by the power of action; arindamaO subduer of the enemies.
O subduer of the enemies, at the time of creation the Personality of
Godhead expands His own transcendental potency in the form of time,
and agitating His material energy, my, composed of the three modes
of material nature, He creates the mahat-tattva.

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The word kevala means "pure" and indicates that the Lord's klaakti, or
time potency, is a transcendental energy nondifferent from His personal
body. The brhmaa addresses King Yadu here as arindama, subduer of
the enemies. This indicates that although the topic of my, or illusory
creation, is being discussed, the King need not worry, because as a
staunch devotee of the Lord, he is able to subdue the real enemies of life,
namely lust, anger and greed, which make one a prisoner in my's
kingdom. The word stram indicates the mahat-tattva, on which many
material creations rest, just like jewels rest on a thread. In the state of
pradhna, or material equilibrium, the modes of nature do not interact. In
the Third Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, Lord Kapila explains in His
Skhya teachings that the Supreme Personality of Godhead agitates the
neutral state of nature and thus creation takes place. The created manifest
form of nature in which fruitive activities are stimulated is called mahattattva, as indicated in this verse.
If one tries to renounce the illusory creation of the Lord by taking shelter
of impersonal Vednta philosophy, thus artificially equating the infinite
consciousness of the Lord and the infinitesimal consciousness of the
conditioned soul, one's analysis will fall far short of reality. The word svamym in this verse indicates that the illusory potency that covers the
conditioned souls is always subordinate to the Lord, whose consciousness
is infallible and infinite and who is always a person.
TEXT 20
tm hus tri-gua-vyakti
sjant vivato-mukham
yasmin protam ida viva
yena sasarate pumn
tmthe mahat-tattva; hu-they say; tri-guathe three modes of
material nature; vyaktimmanifesting as the cause; sjantmcreating;
vivata-mukhammany different categories of cosmic manifestation;
yasminwithin the mahat-tattva; protam-strung and bound; idamthis;
vivamuniverse; yenaby which; sasarateundergoes material
existence; pumnthe living being.
According to great sages, that which is the basis of the three modes of
material nature and which manifests the variegated universe is called
the stra or mahat-tattva. Indeed, this universe is resting within that

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mahat-tattva, and due to its potency the living entity undergoes material
existence.
The cosmic manifestation is a reality because it emanates from the
supreme reality, the Personality of Godhead. The material world,
however, is temporary and full of problems. The conditioned soul
foolishly tries to become the lord of this inferior creation and becomes
separated from his real friend, the Supreme Lord. In this state, his only
business is material sense gratification, and his real knowledge is lost.
TEXT 21
yathoranbhir hdayd
r santatya vaktrata
tay vihtya bhyas t
grasaty eva mahevara
yathjust as; rna-nbhithe spider; hdaytfrom within himself;
rmthread; santatyaexpanding; vaktratafrom his mouth; tay
with that thread; vihtyaenjoying; bhyaagain; tmthat thread;
grasatihe swallows; evamin the same way; mah-varathe
Supreme Lord.
Just as from within himself the spider expands thread through his
mouth, plays with it for some time and eventually swallows it,
similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands His personal
potency from within Himself. Thus, the Lord displays the network of
cosmic manifestation, utilizes it according to His purpose and
eventually withdraws it completely within Himself.
One who is intelligent obtains spiritual knowledge even from an
insignificant creature like the spider. Thus, transcendental knowledge is
visible everywhere for one whose eyes are opened in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 22
yatra yatra mano deh
dhrayet sakala dhiy
snehd dved bhayd vpi
yti tat-tat-svarpatm
yatra yatrawherever; manathe mind; dehthe conditioned soul;

552

dhrayetfixes; sakalamwith complete concentration; dhiywith the

intelligence; snehtbecause of affection; dvetbecause of envy;
bhaytbecause of fear; v apieither; ytihe goes; tat-tatto that,
whatever it is; svarpatmparticular state of existence.
If out of love, hate or fear an embodied soul fixes his mind with
intelligence and complete concentration upon a particular bodily form,
he will certainly attain the form that he is meditating upon.
From this verse it is not hard to understand that if one constantly
meditates upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one will achieve a
spiritual body just like that of the Lord. The word dhiy, "with
intelligence," indicates complete intellectual conviction in a particular
understanding, and similarly the word sakalam indicates one-pointed
attention of the mind. With such complete absorption of consciousness,
surely one will attain in the next life a form exactly like that upon which
one was meditating. This is another example learned from the insect
kingdom, as explained in the following verse.
TEXT 23
ka peaskta dhyyan
kuy tena praveita
yti tat-stmat rjan
prva-rpam asantyajan
kaan insect; peasktama wasp; dhyyanmeditating on;
kuymin his hive; tenaby the wasp; praveitaforced to enter;
ytihe goes; tatof the wasp; sa-tmatmthe same state of existence;
rjanO King; prva-rpamthe previous body; asantyajannot giving
up.
O King, once a wasp forced a weaker insect to enter his hive and kept
him trapped there. In great fear the weak insect constantly meditated
upon his captor, and without giving up his body, he gradually achieved
the same state of existence as the wasp. Thus one achieves a state of
existence according to one's constant concentration.
The following question may be raised: Since the weaker insect in this
story did not physically change his body, how can it be said that he
achieved the same state of existence as the wasp? Actually, by constant

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meditation upon a particular object one's consciousness becomes filled

with its qualities. Due to extreme fear the smaller insect was absorbed in
the characteristics and activities of the large wasp and thus entered into
the existence of the wasp. Due to such meditation, he actually took the
body of a wasp in his next life.
Similarly, although we are conditioned souls, if we absorb our
consciousness in Lord Ka we can become liberated even before giving
up our present body. If our intelligence becomes steady on the spiritual
platform by understanding that Lord Ka is everything, then we can
give up unnecessary consciousness of the external body and absorb
ourselves in the spiritual pastimes of Vaikuha. Thus even before death
one can raise oneself to the spiritual platform and enjoy life as a liberated
soul. Or, if one is a stubborn fool, then even in this life one can become
just like an animal, such as a hog or a dog, constantly thinking of eating
and sex life. But human life is actually meant for understanding the
science of consciousness and the future results of our meditation.
TEXT 24
eva gurubhya etebhya
e me ikit mati
svtmopaikit buddhi
u me vadata prabho
evamthus; gurubhyafrom the spiritual masters; etebhyafrom
these; ethis; meby me; ikitlearned; matiknowledge; svatmafrom one's own body; upaikitmlearned; buddhimknowledge;
uplease hear; mefrom me; vadataas I am speaking; prabhoO
King.
O King, from all these spiritual masters I have acquired great wisdom.
Now please listen as I explain what I learned from my own body.
TEXT 25
deho gurur mama virakti-viveka-hetur
bibhrat sma sattva-nidhana satatrty-udarkam
tattvny anena vimmi yath tathpi
prakyam ity avasito vicarmy asaga
dehathe body; guruspiritual master; mamamy; viraktiof

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detachment; vivekaand intelligence which facilitates; hetuthe cause;

bibhratmaintaining; smacertainly; sattvaexistence; nidhanam
destruction; satataalways; rtisuffering; udarkamfuture result;
tattvnithe truths of this world; anenawith this body; vimmiI
contemplate; yatheven though; tath apinevertheless; prakyam
belonging to others; itithus; avasitabeing convinced; vicarmiI
wander about; asaga-without attachment.
The material body is also my spiritual master because it teaches me
detachment. Being subject to creation and destruction, it always comes
to a painful end. Thus, although using my body to acquire knowledge, I
always remember that it will ultimately be consumed by others, and
remaining detached, I move about this world.
The words yath tathpi are significant in this verse. Although the body
bestows great benefit by enabling one to learn about this world, one
should always remember its unhappy, inevitable future. If cremated, the
body is burned to ashes by fire; if lost in a lonely place, it is consumed by
jackals and vultures; and if buried in a luxurious coffin, it decomposes
and is consumed by insignificant insects and worms. Thus it is described
as prakyam, "ultimately to be consumed by others." One should,
however, carefully maintain bodily health to execute Ka
consciousness, but without undue affection or attachment. By studying
the body's birth and death, one can acquire virakti-viveka, the intelligence
to detach oneself from useless things. The word avasita indicates
conviction. One should be convinced of all the truths of Ka
consciousness.
TEXT 26
jytmajrtha-pau-bhtya-ghpta-vargn
punti yat-priya-cikray vitanvan
svnte sa-kcchram avaruddha-dhana sa deha
svsya bjam avasdati vka-dharma
jywife; tma-jachildren; arthamoney; paudomestic animals;
bhtyaservants; ghahome; ptarelatives and friends; vargnall
these categories; putinourishes; yatthe body; priya-cikray
with a desire to please; vitanvanexpanding; sva-anteat the time of
death; sa-kcchramwith great struggle; avaruddhaaccumulated;

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dhanawealth; sathis; dehabody; svhaving created; asya

of the living entity; bjamthe seed; avasdatifalls down and dies;
vkathe tree; dharmafollowing the nature of.
A man attached to the body accumulates money with great struggle to
expand and protect the position of his wife, children, property,
domestic animals, servants, homes, relatives, friends, and so on. He
does all this for the gratification of his own body. As a tree before dying
produces the seed of a future tree, the dying body manifests the seed of
one's next material body in the form of one's accumulated karma. Thus
assuring the continuation of material existence, the material body sinks
down and dies.
One might argue, "Among all the gurus mentioned thus far, the material
body is certainly the best, since it awards the detachment and fine
intelligence that enable one to engage in the devotional service of the
Lord. Thus, we should serve the body, although it is temporary, with
great attachment, or risk the offense of ungratefulness. How can
detachment from the body be recommended when the body is endowed
with so many wonderful qualities?" The answer is given in this verse. The
body does not award detachment and knowledge in the manner of some
benevolent teacher; rather, it causes so much pain and misery that any
commonsense person cannot help being convinced of the uselessness of
material life. Just as a tree produces the seeds of the next tree and then
dies, the body's lusty desires induce the conditioned soul to create a
further chain of karma. Finally the body, having paved the way for
unlimited suffering in material existence, drops dead.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, deha indicates both
the gross body and the subtle, mental body. Those who do not clearly
understand the difference between body and soul falsely think that body
and soul are identical and that one can find perfect happiness in bodily
sense gratification. But those who foolishly accept the temporary body as
all-important cannot be compared with self-realized souls who
intelligently understand the superiority of the eternal soul.
TEXT 27
jihvaikato 'mum apakarati karhi tar
ino 'nyatas tvag udara ravaa kutacit
ghro 'nyata capala-dk kva ca karma-aktir

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bahvya sapatnya iva geha-pati lunanti

jihvthe tongue; ekataon one side; amumthe body or the
conditioned soul who identifies with the body; apakaratidrags away;
karhisometimes; tarthirst; inathe genitals; anyataon
another side; tvakthe sense of touch; udaramthe belly; ravaamthe
ears; kutacitfrom somewhere else; ghrathe sense of smell;
anyatafrom another side; capala-dkthe fickle eyes; kva ca
somewhere else; karma-aktithe other active organs and limbs of the
body; bahvyamany; sa-patnyaco-wives; ivalike; geha-patimthe
head of the household; lunantipull in many directions.
A man who has many wives is constantly harassed by them. He is
responsible for their maintenance, and thus all the ladies constantly
pull him in different directions, each struggling for her self-interest.
Similarly, the material senses harass the conditioned soul, pulling him
in many different directions at once. On one side the tongue is pulling
him to arrange tasty food; then thirst drags him to get a suitable drink.
Simultaneously the sex organs clamor for satisfaction, and the sense of
touch demands soft, sensuous objects. The belly harasses him until it is
filled, the ears demand to hear pleasing sounds, the sense of smell
hankers for pleasant aromas, and the fickle eyes clamor for pleasing
sights. Thus the senses, organs and limbs, all desiring satisfaction, pull
the living entity in many directions.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura mentions that after understanding
this verse one should merely offer, without attachment, the bare
necessities to the guru of one's body. One should keep one's body fit and
working in the simplest possible way, and that is the sum and substance
of service to this so-called guru. If one desires to faithfully serve the body,
one should consider that the body pulls the consciousness of the
conditioned soul in many ways at once, and thus for the servant of the
body there is no possibility of understanding God or even of becoming
peaceful.
TEXT 28
sv puri vividhny ajaytma-akty
vkn sarspa-pan khaga-dandakn
tais tair atua-hdaya purua vidhya

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brahmvaloka-dhiaa mudam pa deva

svhaving created; purimaterial bodies that house the
conditioned souls; vividhnimany varieties; ajaythrough the agency
of my; tma-aktythe Lord's own potency; vkntrees; sarspa
reptiles; pananimals; khagabirds; danda-knsnakes; tai tai
by all these different varieties of bodies; atuaunsatisfied; hdayaHis
heart; puruamthe human form of life; vidhyacreating; brahmathe
Absolute Truth; avalokavision of; dhiaamintelligence suitable for;
mudamhappiness; pachieved; devathe Lord.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, expanding His own potency,
my-akti, created innumerable species of life to house the conditioned
souls. Yet by creating the forms of trees, reptiles, animals, birds, snakes
and so on, the Lord was not satisfied within His heart. Then He created
human life, which offers the conditioned soul sufficient intelligence to
perceive the Absolute Truth, and became pleased.
God has specifically created the human form of life to facilitate the
liberation of the conditioned soul. Therefore one who abuses human life
prepares his path to hell. As stated in the Vedas, puruatve cvistarm
tm: "In the human form of life there is good possibility of
understanding the eternal soul." The Vedas also state:
tbhyo gm nayat t abruvan
na vai no 'yam alam iti
tbhyo 'vam nayat t abruvan
na vai no 'yam alam iti
tbhya puruam nayat t
abruvan su-kta bata
The purport of this ruti-mantra is that lower forms of life, such as the
cow and horse, are not actually suitable to fulfill the purpose of creation.
But human life awards the opportunity to understand one's eternal
relationship with God. Thus, one must control the material senses and
fulfill the real purpose of human life. If one takes to Ka consciousness,
the Supreme Lord personally feels happiness and gradually reveals
Himself to His devotee.
The Lord's material creation consists of the living entities and dead

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matter, which the less intelligent try to enjoy. The Lord, however, is not
satisfied by those species that blindly strive for sense gratification without
understanding spiritual nature. We are suffering due to our forgetfulness
of Ka and the blissful situation of His abode. If we accept the Lord as
protector and shelter and execute His order, we can easily revive our
eternal, blissful nature as parts and parcels of the Personality of Godhead.
It is for this purpose that the Lord has created human life.
TEXT 29
labdhv su-durlabham ida bahu-sambhavnte
mnuyam artha-dam anityam apha dhra
tra yateta na pated anu-mtyu yvan
nireyasya viaya khalu sarvata syt
labdhvhaving obtained; su-durlabhamthat which is very difficult to
obtain; idamthis; bahumany; sambhavabirths; anteafter;
mnuyamhuman form of life; artha-damwhich awards great value;
anityamnot eternal; apialthough; ihain this material world;
dhraone who has sober intelligence; tramimmediately; yateta
should endeavor; nanot; patethas fallen; anu-mtyualways subject
to death; yvatas long as; nireyasyafor ultimate liberation;
viayasense gratification; khalualways; sarvatain all conditions;
sytis possible.
After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form
of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain
the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly
endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is
always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense
gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life,
whereas Ka consciousness is possible only for a human being.
Material life essentially means repeated birth and death. Even the lowest
forms of life, such as reptiles, insects, pigs and dogs, have ample
opportunity for sense gratification. Even ordinary houseflies have a busy
sex life and thus multiply rapidly. Human life, however, enables one to
understand the Absolute Truth and is therefore full of grave
responsibility. Since the valuable human life is not eternal, we should do
the needful to achieve the highest perfection, Ka consciousness. Before

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death appears, we should seriously cultivate our real self-interest.

One can experience Ka consciousness in the association of devotees of
the Lord. Without their association, one is in danger of being attracted to
an impersonal conception of life, which causes one to fall away from
devotional service to the Absolute Truth. Or, being discouraged by one's
failure to understand the Absolute Truth, one may return to the false
platform of sense gratification. In conclusion, human life is meant for
cultivating Ka consciousness under the guidance of the experienced,
self-realized devotees of the Lord.
TEXT 30
eva sajta-vairgyo
vijnloka tmani
vicarmi mahm et
mukta-sago 'nahakta
evamthus; sajtacompletely developed; vairgyadetachment;
vijnarealized knowledge; lokahaving vision; tmaniin the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; vicarmiI wander; mahmthe earth;
etmthis; muktafreed; sagafrom attachment; anahakta
without false ego.
Having learned from my spiritual masters, I remain situated in
realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and, fully renounced
and enlightened by realized spiritual knowledge, wander the earth
without attachment or false ego.
TEXT 31
na hy ekasmd guror jna
su-sthira syt su-pukalam
brahmaitad advitya vai
gyate bahudharibhi
nanot; hicertainly; ekasmtfrom one; guroguru; jnam
knowledge; su-sthiramvery steady; sytcan be; su-pukalamvery
complete; brahmathe Absolute Truth; etatthis; advityamone
without a second; vaicertainly; gyateis glorified; bahudhin many
ways; ibhiby the sages.

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Although the Absolute Truth is one without a second, the sages have
described Him in many different ways. Therefore one may not be able
to acquire very firm or complete knowledge from one spiritual master.
rla rdhara Svm comments on this verse as follows. "The statement
that one requires many spiritual masters certainly needs explanation,
since practically all great saintly persons of the past did not take shelter of
many spiritual masters, but rather accepted one. The words gyate
bahudharibhi, 'the Absolute Truth is glorified in many ways by the
sages,' indicate the personal and impersonal understandings of the
Absolute Truth. In other words, some sages describe only the Lord's
impersonal effulgence, which is without spiritual variety, whereas others
describe the Lord's manifest form as the Personality of Godhead. Thus,
merely by hearing from many different authorities, one cannot actually
learn the highest perfection of life. The proliferation of differing spiritual
authorities is useful only to counteract the living entities' tendency to be
grossly materialistic. Different spiritual philosophers create faith in the
existence of the soul and may be accepted at that level. But as will be
clarified in later verses, the spiritual master who ultimately gives perfect
knowledge is one."
rla Jva Gosvm comments as follows on this verse. "Since it is
commonly understood that one is to accept a single spiritual master, why
is it recommended that one learn from many so-called spiritual masters
appearing in the forms of ordinary material objects? The explanation is
that one's worshipable spiritual master will instruct one in many
departments of knowledge by giving lessons gleaned from ordinary
objects. As recommended by the brhmaa avadhta, one can strengthen
the teachings received from one's crya and avoid transgressing his
orders by observing ordinary things in nature. One should not
mechanically receive the teachings of one's guru. The disciple should be
thoughtful and with his own intelligence realize in practice what he has
heard from his spiritual master by observing the world around him. In
this sense one may accept many gurus, though not those who preach
against the knowledge received from the bona fide spiritual master. In
other words, one should not hear from persons like the atheist Kapila."
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura also comments on this verse, as
follows. "It is stated in rmad-Bhgavatam, tasmd guru prapadyeta
jijsu reya uttamam: [SB 11.3.21] 'Therefore one should approach a

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bona fide spiritual master if one actually desires to achieve the highest
perfection in life.' Similarly, in Chapter Ten, verse 5 of this canto, the
Personality of Godhead Himself states, mad-abhija guru ntam
upsta mad-tmakam: 'One must serve a bona fide spiritual master who is
in full knowledge of My personality and who is not different from Me.'
There are many similar verses in Vedic literature indicating that one must
take shelter of a single bona fide spiritual master. We also have the
examples of innumerable great saintly persons who did not accept more
than one spiritual master. Thus, it is a fact that we should accept one bona
fide spiritual master and receive from him the particular mantra that one
is to chant. I myself certainly follow this principle and worship my bona
fide spiritual master. However, in worshiping one's crya, one may take
help from good and bad examples. By observing examples of good
behavior one will be strengthened in devotional service, and in seeing
negative examples one will be forewarned and avoid danger. In this way,
one may accept many ordinary material objects as one's spiritual masters,
considering them as ik-gurus, or gurus who give important lessons for
spiritual advancement."
Thus in the Lord's own words, mad-abhija guru ntam upsta madtmakam: one should approach a single bona fide spiritual master who is
in full knowledge of the Lord's personality and sincerely worship him,
considering him to be mad-tmakam, or nondifferent from the Lord
Himself. This statement does not contradict what the Lord has presented
in the teachings of the avadhta brhmaa. If one receives the teachings of
one's crya but keeps them locked up in his brain as theoretical dogma,
one will make little advancement. To develop steady, complete knowledge
one must see the teachings of one's crya everywhere; thus a Vaiava
offers all respects to anyone or anything that gives him further
enlightenment in the path of worshiping his bona fide crya, who is
nondifferent from Lord Ka.
Among the many gurus mentioned by the brhmaa, some give positive
instructions and others give negative instructions. Pigal the prostitute
and the young girl who took off her bracelets provide examples of proper
conduct, whereas the hapless pigeons and the foolish honeybee provide
examples of behavior to be avoided. In both cases one's spiritual
knowledge is enriched. Thus, one should not misunderstand the meaning
of this verse in a way contradictory to the Lord's statement mad-abhija
guru ntam upsta mad-tmakam (SB 11.10.5).

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TEXT 32
r-bhagavn uvca
ity uktv sa yadu vipras
tam mantrya gabhra-dh
vandita sv-arcito rj
yayau prto yathgatam
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; itithus;
uktvhaving spoken; sahe; yadumto King Yadu; viprathe
brhmaa; tamto the King; mantryabidding farewell; gabhraextremely deep; dhintelligence; vanditabeing offered obeisances;
su-arcitabeing properly worshiped; rjby the King; yayauhe
went; prtawith his mind satisfied; yathjust as; gatamhe had
come.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having thus spoken to King
Yadu, the wise brhmaa accepted obeisances and worship from the
King and felt pleased within himself. Then bidding farewell, he left
exactly as he had come.
rla rdhara Svm gives evidence from rmad-Bhgavatam that the
brhmaa avadhta was actually the incarnation of Godhead Datttreya.
The Bhgavatam (2.7.4) states,
yat-pda-pakaja-parga-pavitra-deh
yogardhim pur ubhay yadu-haihaydy
"Many Yadus, Haihayas, etc., became so purified, by the grace of the lotus
feet of Datttreya, the Lord, that they obtained both material and spiritual
blessings." This verse mentions that Yadu was purified by contact with
the lotus feet of Datttreya, and similarly the present verse states, vandito
sv-arcito rj: King Yadu worshiped the lotus feet of the brhmaa. Thus,
according to rla rdhara Svm, the avadhta brhmaa is the
Personality of Godhead Himself, and this is confirmed by rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura.
TEXT 33
avadhta-vaca rutv
prve na sa prva-ja

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sarva-saga-vinirmukta
sama-citto babhva ha
avadhtaof the avadhta brhmaa; vacathe words; rutvhaving
heard; prvemof the ancestors; naour; sahe; prvajahimself
a forefather; sarvaall; sagafrom attachment; vinirmuktabeing
freed; sama-cittawith his consciousness on the spiritual platform and
thus equal everywhere; babhvahe became; hacertainly.
O Uddhava, hearing the words of the avadhta, the saintly King Yadu,
who is the forefather of our own ancestors, became free from all
material attachment, and thus his mind was evenly fixed on the
spiritual platform.
Here the Lord praises His own dynasty, called Yadu-vaa, because there
appeared in that dynasty many great self-realized kings. King Yadu was
enlightened by Datttreya in the form of an avadhta brhmaa who
taught the King to fix his consciousness on the spiritual platform of
detachment by simply observing the creation of God.
Thus end the purports by the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Ninth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Detachment from All that Is Material."

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10. The Nature of Fruitive Activity

In this chapter Lord r Ka refutes the philosophy of the followers of

Jaimini and describes to Uddhava how the spirit soul bound within the
material body can develop pure transcendental knowledge.
The Vaiava, or one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Viu, should observe the rules and regulations found in the
Pacartra and other revealed scriptures. According to his own natural
qualities and work, he should follow the code of varrama in a spirit
free from motivation. The so-called knowledge received through one's
material senses, mind and intelligence is as useless as the dreams
experienced by a sleeping person attached to sense gratification.
Therefore, one should give up work performed for sense gratification and
accept work as a matter of duty. When one has come to understand
something of the truth of the self, he should give up material work
performed out of duty and simply engage himself in the service of the
bona fide spiritual master, who is the manifest representative of the
Personality of Godhead. The servant of the spiritual master should have
very firm affection for his guru, should be anxious to receive from him
knowledge of the Absolute Truth, and should be devoid of envy and the
tendency to talk nonsense. The soul is distinct from the gross and subtle
material bodies. The spirit soul who has entered into the material body
accepts bodily functions according to the reactions of his own past
activities. Therefore, only the bona fide, transcendental spiritual master is
capable of demonstrating pure knowledge of the self.
The followers of Jaimini and other atheistic philosophers accept regulated
material work as the purpose of life. But Ka refutes this by explaining
that the embodied soul who has come into contact with segmented
material time takes upon himself a perpetual chain of births and deaths
and is therefore forced to suffer the consequent happiness and distress. In
this way there is no possibility that one who is attached to the fruits of his
material work can achieve any substantial goal in life. The pleasures of
heaven and other destinations, which are achieved by sacrificial rituals,
can be experienced for only a short time. After one's enjoyment is

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finished, one must return to this mortal sphere to partake of lamentation

and suffering. On the path of materialism there is certainly no
uninterrupted or natural happiness.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
mayoditev avahita
sva-dharmeu mad-raya
varrama-kulcram
akmtm samcaret
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mayby
Me; uditeuspoken; avahitawith great care; sva-dharmeuin the
duties of devotional service to the Lord; mat-rayaone who accepts
Me as shelter; vara-ramathe Vedic system of social and occupational
divisions; kulaof the society; cramconduct; akmadevoid of
material desires; tmsuch a person; samcaretshould practice.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Taking full shelter in Me,
with the mind carefully fixed in the devotional service of the Lord as
spoken by Me, one should live without personal desire and practice the
social and occupational system called varrama.
In the previous chapters Lord Ka described through the story of an
avadhta brhmaa the qualities and character of a saintly person. Now
the Lord describes the practical means for achieving such a saintly
position. In the Pacartra and other scriptures the Personality of
Godhead gives instructions for executing devotional service. Similarly, in
Bhagavad-gt (4.13) the Lord says, ctur-varya may sa guakarma-vibhgaa: "I have personally created the varrama system."
There are innumerable rules and regulations in the varrama system,
and the devotee should execute those which do not contradict the process
of devotional service. The term vara indicates different classes of human
beings, some in the mode of ignorance, some in the mode of passion and
some in the mode of goodness. Devotional service to the Lord is executed
on the liberated platform, and therefore some injunctions for those
persons in passion and ignorance may be contradictory to the regulative
principles for those on the liberated platform. Therefore, under the
guidance of a bona fide spiritual master who is nondifferent from the

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Lord, one should execute the basic principles of varrama in a way

favorable for advancement in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 2
anvketa viuddhtm
dehin viaytmanm
gueu tattva-dhynena
sarvrambha-viparyayam
anvketaone should see; viuddhapurified; tmsoul; dehinmof
the embodied beings; viaya-tmanmof those who are dedicated to
sense gratification; gueuin the material objects of pleasure; tattvaas
truth; dhynenaby conceiving; sarvaof all; rambhaendeavors;
viparyayamthe inevitable failure.
A purified soul should see that because the conditioned souls who are
dedicated to sense gratification have falsely accepted the objects of
sense pleasure as truth, all of their endeavors are doomed to failure.
In this verse the Lord describes the process of becoming desireless. All
material sense objects, including those perceived by their form, taste,
flavor, touch or sound, are temporary. We now see our family and nation,
but ultimately they will disappear. Even our own body, by which we
perceive them, will disappear. Thus, the inevitable result of material
enjoyment is viparyaya, or great suffering. The word viuddhtm
indicates those who have purified themselves by executing the regulative
duties of devotional service. They can clearly see the hopeless frustration
of material life, and thus they become akmtm, or great souls free from
material desire.
TEXT 3
suptasya viayloko
dhyyato v manoratha
nntmakatvd viphalas
tath bhedtma-dhr guai
suptasyaof one who is sleeping; viayasense gratification; loka
seeing; dhyyataof one who is meditating; vor; mana-ratha
merely a creation of the mind; nna large variety; tmakatvtdue to
having the nature of; viphalabereft of the real perfection; tathin

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that way; bheda-tmain that which is separately constituted; dh

intelligence; guaiby the material senses.
One who is sleeping may see many objects of sense gratification in a
dream, but such pleasurable things are merely creations of the mind
and are thus ultimately useless. Similarly, the living entity who is
asleep to his spiritual identity also sees many sense objects, but these
innumerable objects of temporary gratification are creations of the
Lord's illusory potency and have no permanent existence. One who
meditates upon them, impelled by the senses, uselessly engages his
intelligence.
Because the fruits of material work are temporary, it ultimately does not
matter whether or not one obtains them; the final result is the same.
Materialistic activities can never award the highest perfection of life,
Ka consciousness. The material intelligence, impelled by the senses,
strongly desires sense gratification. As stated here (bhedtma-dh), such
intelligence actually separates one from one's real self-interest. Thus the
intelligence, absorbed in that which is materially favorable and
unfavorable, becomes divided in pursuit of innumerable categories of
material advancement. Such divided intelligence is impotent and cannot
understand the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, r Ka.
The devotees of the Lord, however, have their intelligence fixed on one
pointLord Ka. They meditate upon the Lord's form, qualities,
pastimes and devotees, and thus their intelligence is never separated from
the Absolute Truth. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (2.41):
vyavasytmik buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-kh hy ananta ca
buddhayo 'vyavasyinm
"Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one.
O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute
is many branched."
If one is not
understanding
always devise
bounces from

Ka conscious, he is uselessly dreaming without any

of his eternal situation. The material intelligence will
novel means of achieving happiness, and therefore one
one fruitless program of sense gratification to another,

568

ignoring the simple fact that all material things are temporary and will
disappear. In this way one's intelligence becomes infected with material
lust and greed, and such infected intelligence cannot bring one to the true
goal of life. One should hear from the bona fide spiritual master whose
intelligence is pure, and then one will come to Ka consciousness, the
highest perfection of life.
TEXT 4
nivtta karma seveta
pravtta mat-paras tyajet
jijsy sampravtto
ndriyet karma-codanm
nivttamregulative duties; karmasuch work; sevetaone should
perform; pravttamactivities for sense gratification; mat-paraone
who is dedicated to Me; tyajetshould give up; jijsymin searching
for spiritual truth; sampravttabeing perfectly engaged; nanot;
driyetone should accept; karmaany material activity; codanm
injunctions governing.
One who has fixed Me within his mind as the goal of life should give up
activities based on sense gratification and should instead execute work
governed by the regulative principles for advancement. When, however,
one is fully engaged in searching out the ultimate truth of the soul, one
should not accept the scriptural injunctions governing fruitive
activities.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains that the words jijsy
sampravtta refer to one who is yoga-rha, or advanced in the yoga
process. In Bhagavad-gt (6.3-4) it is stated:
rurukor muner yoga
karma kraam ucyate
yogrhasya tasyaiva
ama kraam ucyate
yad hi nendriyrtheu
na karmasv anuajjate
sarva-sakalpa-sannys

569

yogrhas tadocyate
"For one who is a neophyte in the eightfold yoga system, work is said to
be the means; and for one who has already attained to yoga, cessation of
all material activities is said to be the means. A person is said to have
attained to yoga when, having renounced all material desires, he neither
acts for sense gratification nor engages in fruitive activities." The example
may be given that an ordinary man will try to enjoy the company of
women for material sense pleasure. This is called pravtta-karma, or the
path of sense gratification. A religious person will also enjoy the company
of a woman, but under the regulative principles of the varrama system.
However, one who is fully absorbed in spiritual advancement will
ultimately give up all sense gratification derived from sexual association,
either regulated or illicit. Similarly, in the stage of pravtta-karma, or
ordinary sense gratification, one will eat whatever pleases his tongue. On
the other hand, a materialistic devotee will sometimes cook sumptuous
preparations and offer them to the Deity, not in order to satisfy the Lord
but rather with the intention of satisfying his own tongue and belly.
However, one who is sampravtta, or fully engaged in spiritual
consciousness, is never interested in simply gratifying his tongue. He
avoids ordinary foods prepared by materialistic persons, and just for the
purpose of keeping his body fit for serving Ka he eats moderate
quantities of food that has first been offered to the Deity for the Deity's
pleasure.
The process of spiritual realization gradually brings a conditioned soul
from the lowest point of materialistic consciousness to total absorption in
loving service to the Personality of Godhead. In the beginning one is
taught to dovetail one's enjoying propensities by first offering to the Lord
the fruit of one's work. In the advanced stage, however, the impulse to
execute fruitive activities (karma-codanm) is absent, and one simply
engages in the loving service of the Lord without any selfish motive. For
example, a renounced sannys preaching Ka consciousness, or even a
renounced householder preaching Ka consciousness, is not required to
execute all of the injunctions governing sense gratification in family life.
Ultimately, every human being should take to the transcendental duties of
Ka consciousness. Rather than working to fulfill one's own desires and
then offering the results to Ka, one should fully engage in pleasing the
Lord directly according to His own intimate desires.

570

According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, any attempt to

enjoy the material world, either religiously or irreligiously, ultimately will
be full of contradictions. One should come to the the platform of
desirelessness, pure love of Godhead, and thus solve all of the problems of
life.
TEXT 5
yamn abhka seveta
niyamn mat-para kvacit
mad-abhija guru ntam
upsta mad-tmakam
yamnmajor regulative principles, such as not to kill; abhkam
always; sevetaone should observe; niyamnminor regulations, such as
cleansing the body; mat-paraone who is devoted to Me; kvacitas far
as possible; mat-abhijamone who knows Me as I am in My personal
form; gurumthe spiritual master; ntampeaceful; upstaone
should serve; mat-tmakamwho is not different from Me.
One who has accepted Me as the supreme goal of life should strictly
observe the scriptural injunctions forbidding sinful activities and, as far
as possible, should execute the injunctions prescribing minor regulative
duties such as cleanliness. Ultimately, however, one should approach a
bona fide spiritual master who is full in knowledge of Me as I am, who
is peaceful, and who by spiritual elevation is not different from Me.
The word yamn refers to major regulative injunctions necessary for
preserving one's purity. In the Ka consciousness movement all bona
fide members must give up eating meat, fish and eggs, and they must also
avoid intoxication, gambling and illicit sex. The word abhijam indicates
that one cannot at any time perform such forbidden activities, even in
difficult circumstances. The word niyamn refers to less obligatory
injunctions, such as bathing three times daily. In certain difficult
situations one may not bathe three times daily yet may still maintain one's
spiritual position. But if one engages in sinful, forbidden activities, even in
difficult circumstances, there undoubtedly will be a spiritual falldown.
Ultimately, as explained in Upademta, mere adherence to rules and
regulations cannot give one spiritual perfection. One must approach a
bona fide spiritual master who is mad-abhijam, or in full knowledge of

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the personal form of Godhead. The word mat ("Me") negates the
possibility of a bona fide spiritual master having an impersonal
conception of the Absolute Truth. Furthermore, the guru must be in
complete control of his senses; therefore he is called nta, or peaceful.
Because of being completely surrendered to the mission of the Lord, such
a spiritual master is mad-tmakam, or nondifferent from the Personality of
Godhead.
TEXT 6
amny amatsaro dako
nirmamo dha-sauhda
asatvaro 'rtha-jijsur
anasyur amogha-vk
amnwithout false ego; amatsaranot considering oneself to be the
doer; dakawithout laziness; nirmamawithout any sense of
proprietorship over one's wife, children, home, society, etc.; dhasauhdabeing fixed in the mood of loving friendship with the spiritual
master, who is one's worshipable deity; asatvarawithout becoming
bewildered due to material passion; artha-jijsudesiring knowledge of
the Absolute Truth; anasyufree from envy; amogha-vkcompletely
free from useless conversation.
The servant or disciple of the spiritual master should be free from false
prestige, never considering himself to be the doer. He should be active
and never lazy and should give up all sense of proprietorship over the
objects of the senses, including his wife, children, home and society. He
should be endowed with feelings of loving friendship toward the
spiritual master and should never become deviated or bewildered. The
servant or disciple should always desire advancement in spiritual
understanding, should not envy anyone and should always avoid
useless conversation.
No one can claim to be the permanent proprietor of his so-called wife,
family, home, society, and so on. Such material relationships appear and
disappear like bubbles on the surface of the ocean. No one can claim to be
the creator of the material elements that produced one's home, society
and family. If it were a fact that parents were the ultimate creators of the
bodies of their children, children would never die before their parents; the

572

parents would simply create new bodies for the children. Similarly,
parents would also not die, because they would create new bodies for
themselves to replace the old ones. Actually, God creates everyone's
bodies as well as the material elements with which we build our material
societies. Therefore, before death drags these things out of our grasp, we
should voluntarily engage them in the loving service of the spiritual
master, who is the bona fide representative of Lord Ka. Then such
material objects, instead of causing lamentation, will be the cause of
happiness.
TEXT 7
jypatya-gha-ketrasvajana-dravidiu
udsna sama payan
sarvev artham ivtmana
jyto wife; apatyachildren; ghahome; ketraland; svajana
relatives and friends; draviabank account; diuand so on;
udsnaremaining indifferent; samamequally; payanseeing;
sarveuin all of these; arthampurpose; ivalike; tmanaof oneself.
One should see one's real self-interest in life in all circumstances and
should therefore remain detached from wife, children, home, land,
relatives, friends, wealth and so on.
A devotee of the Lord recognizes that his wife, children, home, land,
friends and money are meant to be engaged in the loving service of the
Supreme Lord. Therefore, he does not frantically make arrangements for
the sense gratification of his family and friends. He is not eager to enjoy
the false prestige of being the master of his wife and the lord of his
children, nor is he anxious to gain prestige from his friends and society.
Thus he does not envy anyone and is not lazy in the matter of selfrealization. He is free from the false sense of proprietorship and is always
eager to develop his understanding of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. He is free from false egotism and automatically turns away from
useless materialistic conversation. Thus he is steady and not whimsical,
and he is always firmly situated in loving friendship at the lotus feet of the
spiritual master.
The question may be raised as to how one can develop freedom from false

573

proprietorship. rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has given the

following example. An ordinary man is very eager to accumulate more
and more money, and he maintains his wealth in the form of stocks,
bonds, securities, bank accounts, properties, gold, and so on. As long as
these different assets are contributing to his financial well-being, he sees
them equally and considers that they belong to him. But if some of his
assets are taken by the government for taxes, or if they are lost in an
unfortunate business arrangement, then he is forced to give up his sense
of proprietorship. In the same way, everyone should be intelligent enough
to observe that one's sense of ownership over innumerable material
objects is not permanent; therefore one should develop detachment from
these things. If one does not cultivate a loving feeling of friendship for the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotee, the spiritual
master, one will undoubtedly be entangled by the network of material
society, friendship and love. One will then remain bound up on the
material platform with no hope of permanent happiness.
TEXT 8
vilakaa sthla-skmd
dehd tmekit sva-dk
yathgnir druo dhyd
dhako 'nya prakaka
vilakaahaving different characteristics; sthlafrom the gross;
skmtand the subtle; dehtfrom the body; tmthe spirit soul;
kitthe seer; sva-dkself-enlightened; yathjust as; agnifire;
druafrom firewood; dhytfrom that which is to be burned;
dhakathat which burns; anyaother; prakakathat which
illuminates.
Just as fire, which burns and illuminates, is different from firewood,
which is to be burned to give illumination, similarly the seer within the
body, the self-enlightened spirit soul, is different from the material
body, which is to be illuminated by consciousness. Thus the spirit soul
and the body possess different characteristics and are separate entities.
It is analytically demonstrated in this verse that one should never falsely
identify the ego with the material body. Such misidentification is called
false ego, or material illusion. The following question may be raised. Since

574

it is commonly known that the Supreme Personality of Godhead

enlightens the conditioned soul, why is the term sva-dk, or "self
enlightened," used in this verse? rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura
explains that although the Supreme Personality of Godhead certainly
furnishes consciousness to the living entity, the living entity, being
endowed with the potency of the Lord has himself the capacity to revive
and expand his pure consciousness. He may therefore be considered, in a
secondary sense, self-enlightened. The example may be given that gold or
silver domes brilliantly reflect the rays of the sun. Although the light
comes from the sun, the inherent properties of gold and silver can also be
considered causes for the brilliant reflection, since other substances do
not possess suitable properties to reflect the sun's light. Similarly, the
spirit soul can be considered sva-dk, or self-enlightened, because he
possesses characteristics by which he can brilliantly reflect the potency of
the Personality of Godhead, thus illuminating his existential situation,
just as a gold or silver dome shines due to its reflective properties.
A nice example is given in this verse to illustrate the different
characteristics of the body and soul. Fire, which burns and illuminates, is
always different from that which is burned for illumination. It may be
said, however, that fire is present in an unmanifest form within wood.
Similarly, in the conditioned life of ignorance, the spirit soul is present,
though unmanifest, within the body. The enlightened condition of the
living entity can be compared to the act of arousing fire within wood. Just
as fire quickly burns wood to ashes, similarly the spirit soul, when
enlightened, burns to ashes the darkness of ignorance. We are conscious
of the body; therefore it may be said that the body is illuminated by
consciousness, which is the energy, or symptom, of the spirit soul.
Identifying the body and soul as one is just as foolish as considering fire
and wood to be the same. In both cases, the intimate circumstantial
connection between fire and wood or between the soul and the body does
not alter the fact that fire is different from wood or that the soul is always
different from the body.
TEXT 9
nirodhotpatty-au-bhannntva tat-ktn gun
anta pravia dhatta
eva deha-gun para

575

nirodhadormancy; utpattimanifestation; autiny; bhatlarge;

nntvamthe variety of characteristics; tat-ktnproduced by that;
gunqualities; antawithin; praviahaving entered; dhatte
accepts; evamthus; dehaof the material body; gunqualities;
parathe transcendental entity.
Just as fire may appear differently as dormant, manifest, weak, brilliant
and so on, according to the condition of the fuel, similarly, the spirit
soul enters a material body and accepts particular bodily
characteristics.
Although fire may appear and disappear within a particular object, the
element fire always exists. Similarly, the eternal soul appears within a
suitable body and then disappears from that body, but the soul always
exists. Just as fire is different from its fuel, the soul is different from the
body. A match makes a tiny fire, whereas the explosion of a huge gasoline
tank will send flames shooting up into the sky. But still, fire is one.
Similarly, one spirit soul may appear in the body of Brahm and another
in the body of an ant, but the spirit soul is qualitatively the same in every
body. Because of ignorance we impose the bodily characteristics upon the
soul, and thus we say that a particular person is American, Russian,
Chinese, African or Mexican or that he is old or young. Although such
designations certainly apply to the body, they do not apply to the spirit
soul, which is described here as para, or a transcendental entity. As long
as the bewildered spirit soul remains inimical to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, the designations of the gross and subtle bodies will wrap
themselves around him, keeping him in darkness. If one intellectually
identifies oneself with various materialistic philosophies of life, he
becomes covered by the subtle mind. Ultimately everything that exists is
part and parcel of the Absolute Truth, Lord Ka. When the living entity
realizes this, he becomes nirupdhi, or free from material designations.
This is his constitutional position.
TEXT 10
yo 'sau guair viracito
deho 'ya puruasya hi
sasras tan-nibandho 'ya
puso vidy cchid tmana

576

yawhich; asauthat(subtle body); guai-by the material modes;

viracitaconstructed; dehathe body; ayamthis (gross body);
puruasyaof the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hicertainly;
sasramaterial existence; tat-nibandhatied to that; ayam-this;
pusaof the living entity; vidyknowledge; chit-that which cuts
apart; tmanaof the soul.
The subtle and gross material bodies are created by the material modes
of nature, which expand from the potency of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Material existence occurs when the living entity falsely
accepts the qualities of the gross and subtle bodies as being his own
factual nature. This illusory state, however, can be destroyed by real
knowledge.
Regarding the analogy comparing fire and its fuel to the soul and the
body, one may argue that to some extent fire is dependent upon its fuel
and cannot exist without it. Since we do not experience the existence of
fire independent of fuel, one may therefore still question how it is possible
for the living entity to exist separately from the body, become covered by
it and eventually become free from it. Only through the Supreme
Personality of Godhead's knowledge potency (vidy) can one clearly
understand the nature of the living entity. By vidy, or real knowledge,
one may cut material existence to pieces and even in this lifetime
experience spiritual reality. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura, our material existence is an artificial imposition. By the Lord's
inconceivable potency of nescience, the qualities of gross and subtle
material forms are psychologically imposed upon the living being, and
because of misidentification with the body, the living entity initiates a
series of illusory activities. As explained in the previous chapter, the
present material body is like a tree that produces the karmic seed of the
next body. However, this cycle of ignorance can be cut to pieces by the
transcendental knowledge explained by the Lord.
Unfortunately, the conditioned souls, being inimical to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, do not accept the perfect knowledge spoken by
the Lord. Instead they remain absorbed in gross and subtle illusion. But if
the living entity accepts the Lord's knowledge, his whole situation can be
rectified, and he can return to his original, eternal, blissful life of perfect
knowledge in the direct association of the Lord.

577

TEXT 11
tasmj jijsaytmnam
tma-stha kevala param
sagamya nirased etad
vastu-buddhi yath-kramam
tasmttherefore; jijsayby the cultivation of knowledge;
tmnamthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; tmawithin oneself;
sthamsituated; kevalampure; paramtranscendental and supreme;
sagamyaapproaching by realized knowledge; nirasetone should give
up; etatthis; vastuwithin material objects; buddhimconcept of
reality; yath-kramamgradually, step by step.
Therefore, by the cultivation of knowledge one should approach the
Supreme Personality of Godhead situated within oneself. By
understanding the Lord's pure, transcendental existence, one should
gradually give up the false vision of the material world as independent
reality.
The word yath-kramam ("step by step") means that after first realizing
oneself to be different from the gross material body one should then
progressively detach oneself from material mental activities. In this verse
etad vastu-buddhim means seeing the material world as existing
independently rather than correctly seeing all things as emanations of the
Absolute Truth.
When one correctly identifies oneself as eternal spiritual form, one
achieves the real fruit of knowledge. The Lord is eternally manifest in His
eternal form, and the living entity is similarly manifest in his eternal form
as the loving servitor of the Lord. When we falsely assume that
temporary, illusory material objects are real, knowledge of our eternal
spiritual form is covered by ignorance. If, however, one meditates upon
the Lord's supreme presence within everything, one can return to the
normal, blissful state of spiritual life. Every human being should seriously
endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth, as indicated in this verse by
the word jijsay.
TEXT 12
cryo 'rair dya syd
ante-vsy uttarrai

578

tat-sandhna pravacana
vidy-sandhi sukhvaha
cryathe spiritual master; araisacred kindling wood used in the
sacrificial fire; dyaheld beneath; sytis to be considered; ante-vs
the disciple; uttaraat the top; araikindling wood; tat-sandhnam
the stick in the middle, which connects the upper and lower wood;
pravacanaminstructions; vidytranscendental knowledge; sandhi
like the fire, arising from the friction, that spreads throughout the
firewood; sukhahappiness; vahabringing.
The spiritual master can be compared to the lower kindling stick, the
disciple to the upper kindling stick, and the instruction given by the
guru to the third stick placed in between. The transcendental
knowledge communicated from guru to disciple is compared to the fire
arising from the contact of these, which burns the darkness of
ignorance to ashes, bringing great happiness both to guru and disciple.
When the darkness of ignorance is burned to ashes, the dangerous life of
ignorance is also eradicated, and one can work for his true self-interest in
full knowledge. In this verse the word dya means "original" and it
indicates the spiritual master, who is compared to the sacred kindling
stick held below. From the spiritual master transcendental knowledge,
like fire, is spread to the disciple. Just as friction between two sticks of
firewood produces fire, similarly, bona fide contact between the spiritual
master, who is the representative of Ka, and a sincere disciple produces
the fire of knowledge. When the disciple takes shelter of the lotus feet of
the spiritual master, he automatically acquires perfect knowledge of his
original, spiritual form.
TEXT 13
vairad sti-viuddha-buddhir
dhunoti my gua-samprastm
gun ca sandahya yad-tmam etat
svaya ca yaty asamid yathgni
vairadavailable from the expert; sthis; ati-viuddhamost pure;
buddhiintelligence or knowledge; dhunotirepels; mymillusion;
guafrom the modes of material nature; samprastmproduced;

579

gunthe modes of nature themselves; caalso; sandahyacompletely

burning up; yatfrom which modes; tmamconstituted; etatthis
(material existence); svayamitself; caalso; yatiis pacified;
asamitwithout fuel; yathjust as; agnifire.
By submissively hearing from an expert spiritual master, the expert
disciple develops pure knowledge, which repels the onslaught of
material illusion arising from the three modes of material nature.
Finally this pure knowledge itself ceases, just as fire ceases when the
stock of fuel has been consumed.
The Sanskrit word vairad means "that which is derived from the expert
[virada]." Perfect transcendental knowledge comes from the expert
spiritual master, and when such knowledge is heard by the expert
disciple, it curbs the waves of material illusion. Since the Lord's illusory
energy acts eternally within the material world, there is no possibility of
destroying illusion. One may, however, destroy the presence of illusion
within one's own heart. To accomplish this the disciple must become
expert in pleasing the expert spiritual master. As one advances to the
perfectional stage of Ka consciousness, experiencing the presence of
the Lord everywhere, one's attention shifts to the transcendental platform.
At that time, pure knowledge itself, one's constant technical awareness of
illusion, diminishes, just as fire diminishes and is extinguished after
consuming its stock of fuel.
rla Madhvcrya has quoted from several Vedic scriptures to show that
my, or material illusion, is just like a witch who always haunts the
conditioned souls. My offers the conditioned souls whatever they like
within the three modes of nature, but such offerings are all just like fire
that burns the heart to ashes. Therefore, one must understand that the
material world is a hellish place, offering a permanent situation to no one.
Externally we experience many things, and internally we contemplate our
experience, formulating plans for future action. Thus internally and
externally we are victims of ignorance. Real knowledge comes from the
Vedas, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form of perfect
wisdom. If we become fully Ka conscious, taking complete shelter of
the Lord, there will be no scarcity of pleasure, because the Lord is the
reservoir of all pleasure, and His devotees freely move within that
reservoir.

580

TEXTS 14-16
athaim karma-kart
bhokt sukha-dukhayo
nntvam atha nityatva
loka-klgamtmanm
manyase sarva-bhvn
sasth hy autpattik yath
tat-tad-kti-bhedena
jyate bhidyate ca dh
evam apy aga sarve
dehin deha-yogata
klvayavata santi
bhv janmdayo 'sakt
athathus; emof those; karmafruitive activities; kartmof the
performers; bhoktmof the enjoyers; sukha-dukhayoof happiness
and distress; nntvamvariegatedness; athamoreover; nityatvam
perpetual existence; lokaof the materialistic world; klamaterial time;
gamaVedic literatures recommending fruitive activities; tmanm
and the self; manyaseif you think; sarvaof all; bhvnmmaterial
objects; sasththe actual situation; hicertainly; autpattikoriginal;
yathas; tat-tatof all different objects; ktiof their forms;
bhedenaby the difference; jyateis born; bhidyateand changes; ca
also; dhintelligence or knowledge; evamthus; apieven though;
agaO Uddhava; sarvemof all; dehinmembodied beings; dehayogataby contact with a material body; klaof time; avayavataby
the portions or limbs; santithere are; bhvstates of existence;
janmabirth; dayaand so on; asaktconstantly.
My dear Uddhava, I have thus explained to you perfect knowledge.
There are philosophers, however, who challenge My conclusion. They
state that the natural position of the living entity is to engage in fruitive
activities, and they see him as the enjoyer of the happiness and
unhappiness that accrue from his own work. According to this
materialistic philosophy, the world, time, the revealed scriptures and
the self are all variegated and eternal, existing as a perpetual flow of
transformations. Knowledge, moreover, cannot be one or eternal,
because it arises from the different and changing forms of objects; thus

581

knowledge itself is always subject to change. Even if you accept such a

philosophy, My dear Uddhava, there will still be perpetual birth, death,
old age and disease, since all living entities must accept a material body
subject to the influence of time.
In this verse, according to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, Lord
Ka speaks the following to Uddhava. "My dear Uddhava, I have clearly
established the actual goal of life in the instructions I have just imparted
to you. There are those, however, who challenge My conclusion,
especially the followers of Jaimini Kavi. If you are favorable to their
understanding and thus do not accept My instructions, then kindly hear
the following explanation.
"According to the followers of Jaimini, the living entity is originally and
naturally a performer of fruitive activities, and his happiness and distress
are derived from the fruits of his own work. The world in which the living
entities find their enjoyment, the time during which they enjoy, the
revealed scriptures that explain the means for achieving enjoyment, and
the subtle bodies through which the living entities experience enjoyment
all exist not only in manifold variety but also eternally.
"The living entity need not develop detachment from material sense
gratification, either by seeing the temporariness of individual material
objects and situations or by seeing the material world as an illusory
creation (my). According to such materialistic philosophy, material
objects such as garlands, sandalwood or beautiful women are temporary
in specific manifestations but perpetually exist through the natural flow of
creation and destruction. In other words, although a particular woman's
form is temporary, there will eternally be beautiful women within the
material world. Thus, by carefully executing fruitive rituals according to
religious scriptures, one can maintain enjoyable contact with women and
wealth life after life. In this way one's sense gratification will be eternal.
"The Jaimini philosophers further say that there never was a time when
the world did not exist as it does today, which implies that there is no
supreme controller who has created it. They claim that the arrangement of
this world is real and appropriate and thus is not illusory. Moreover, they
say that there is no eternal knowledge of an original perpetual form of the
soul. In fact, they say, knowledge arises not from some absolute truth but
from the differences among material objects. Knowledge therefore is not
eternal and is subject to change. The assumption hidden in this statement

582

is that there is no spirit soul who possesses eternal, constant knowledge of

a single, unchanging reality. Rather, the nature of consciousness or
knowledge is that it undergoes constant transformation. They state,
however, that eternality is not refuted by the perpetually transforming
nature of consciousness. Consciousness perpetually exists, they say, but
not in the same form.
"Thus, the followers of Jaimini conclude that the transformation of
knowledge does not negate its eternality; rather, they state that knowledge
eternally exists within the perpetual nature of its transformation. They
therefore naturally come to the path of regulated sense gratification rather
than the path of renunciation, for in the state of mukti, or liberation, the
living entity would not have any material senses, and thus the
transformation of material understanding would not be possible. Such
philosophers consider that the achievement of an unchanging state of
mukti would stunt or paralyze the natural activity of the living entity and
thus would not be in his self-interest. The path of nivtti (aiming toward
renunciation and transcendence of the material world) is naturally not
interesting to such materialistic philosophers. Accepting for argument's
sake the validity of such materialistic philosophy, one can easily
demonstrate that the path of regulated sense gratification brings many
unwanted and miserable results to the living entity. Therefore even from a
materialistic viewpoint, detachment is desirable. Material time is divided
into different sections such as days, weeks, months and years, and by
material time the living entity is repeatedly forced to undergo the miseries
of birth, death, old age and disease. That such real miseries occur
everywhere throughout the universe is well known." In this way, states
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, Lord Ka has pointed out the
defect of materialistic philosophy to Uddhava.
We may further elaborate that if one falsely accepts the atheistic
philosophy of Jaimini and his innumerable modern followers. then the
living entity perpetually remains entangled in the anguish of birth, death,
old age and disease. This bogus, atheistic philosophy encourages material
gratification as the only logical goal of life, but the living entity will
inevitably commit mistakes in the execution of regulated sense
gratification and eventually go to hell. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Ka, personally tells Uddhava that this materialistic
philosophy is false and irrelevant to the actual self-interest of the living
entity.

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TEXT 17
tatrpi karma kartur
asvtantrya ca lakyate
bhoktu ca dukha-sukhayo
ko nv artho vivaa bhajet
tatrain the matter of one's ability to obtain happiness; api
furthermore; karmamof fruitive activities; kartuof the performer;
asvtantryamthe lack of independence; caalso; lakyateis clearly
seen; bhoktuof the one who is trying to enjoy; caalso; dukhasukhayohappiness and unhappiness; kawhat; nuindeed; artha
value; vivaamfor one who is not in control; bhajetcan be derived.
Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual
happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often
unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not
independent or in control of their destiny. When a person is always
under the superior control of another, how can he expect any valuable
results from his own fruitive actions?
Although materialistic persons reject Ka consciousness and instead
pursue temporary sense gratification, even that sense gratification is often
beyond their reach. If a person could really control his destiny, why
would he create problems for himself? No intelligent person would
impose death, old age or disease upon himself or his loved ones. One
should recognize that these unwanted miseries are forced upon one by a
higher power. Since we are all obviously under superior control, the
atheistic philosophy advising one to simply perform fruitive activities and
create a happy life is most imperfect.
Due to the influence of time, happiness and misery are created. When a
woman becomes pregnant, her husband, relatives and friends eagerly
await the birth of the child. As time passes and the child is born, everyone
feels great happiness. But as the child grows into old age and eventually
dies, that same passage of time is a cause of suffering. Ignorant persons
vainly seek help from scientists who work feverishly and fruitlessly in
their laboratories to stop death. In modern times, inventions have been
created to eliminate the inconveniences of life, but the maintenance and
production of such conveniences has proven to be unbearably
inconvenient for hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.

584

Only the most foolish person will propose that there is no superior
controller and that one can achieve favorable results by expert
performance of material activities. Ultimately all material activities are
useless because they end in annihilation. If one is driving a car but has
only limited control, the situation is most dangerous and must lead
inevitably to disaster. Similarly, although we are trying to direct the
material body to happiness, we are not in full control of the bodily
demands, and therefore there will inevitably be disaster. As stated in
Bhagavad-gt (9.3),
araddadhn puru
dharmasysya parantapa
aprpya m nivartante
mtyu-sasra-vartmani
"Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot
attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this
material world." If one is not a devotee of Lord Ka, the eventual result
of his activities is simply mtyu-sasra-repeated birth and death.
TEXT 18
na dehin sukha kicid
vidyate vidum api
tath ca dukha mhn
vthhakaraa param
nanot; dehinmof embodied beings; sukhamhappiness; kicit
some; vidyatethere is; vidumof those who are intelligent; apieven;
tathsimilarly; caalso; dukhamunhappiness; mhnmof the
big fools; vthuseless; ahakaraamfalse ego; paramonly, or
completely.
It is observed within the material world that sometimes even an
intelligent person is not happy. Similarly, sometimes even a great fool is
happy. The concept of becoming happy through expertly performing
material activities is simply a useless exhibition of false egotism.
It may be argued that an intelligent person can expertly perform pious
activities within the material world and thus never experience suffering,

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since unhappiness is caused by sinful or impious activities. However, we

often observe great suffering even among pious, intelligent persons,
because they sometimes fail in the execution of their duty and sometimes
consciously or unconsciously perform a forbidden activity. With this
argument the Lord refutes the theory that simply on the strength of
material piety one may remain perpetually happy without Ka
consciousness.
On the other hand, we observe that even the most foolish or sinful
persons sometimes experience happiness, because even those completely
dedicated to sin sometimes accidentally perform pious activities by
inadvertently traveling through a holy place or helping a saintly person.
The material creation of God is so complex and bewildering that even
those dedicated to piety sometimes commit sins, and even those dedicated
to sinful life sometimes perform pious actions. Therefore, within the
material world we do not find absolute happiness or unhappiness. Rather,
every conditioned soul is hovering in confusion, without perfect
knowledge. Piety and sin are relative material ideas that bestow relative
happiness and unhappiness. Absolute happiness is experienced on the
spiritual platform in full Ka consciousness, or love of God. Thus
material life is always ambiguous and relative, whereas Ka
consciousness is the actual platform of perfect happiness.
TEXT 19
yadi prpti vighta ca
jnanti sukha-dukhayo
te 'py addh na vidur yoga
mtyur na prabhaved yath
yadiif; prptimachievement; vightamremoval; caalso; jnanti
they know; sukhaof happiness; dukhayoand of distress; tethey;
apistill; addhdirectly; nanot; vidudo know; yogamthe
process; mtyudeath; nanot; prabhavetwould exert its power;
yathby which.
Even if people know how to achieve happiness and avoid unhappiness,
they still do not know the process by which death will not be able to
exert its power over them.
If the so-called intelligent materialists know the means of achieving

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happiness and destroying unhappiness, then they should deliver people

from inevitable death. The scientists are busily working to solve this
problem, but since they have completely failed, it is understood that they
are not actually intelligent and that they do not know the means of
achieving happiness and eliminating misery. It is most foolish to think
that one can be happy with an ax hanging over one's neck. Lord Ka
says in Bhagavad-gt, mtyu sarva-hara cham: [Bg. 10.34] "I Myself
come before you as death and take everything away." We should not
blindly ignore the disaster of material life, but should instead accept the
Lord's causeless mercy, which He so magnanimously offers in His
incarnation as Caitanya Mahprabhu,. We should surrender to the lotus
feet of Lord Caitanya, who offers the real means for achieving unqualified
happiness: the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. This is the Lord's
desire, and it is in our own self-interest to take up this process.
TEXT 20
ko 'nv artha sukhayaty ena
kmo v mtyur antike
ghta nyamnasya
vadhyasyeva na tui-da
kawhat; nucertainly; arthamaterial object; sukhayatigives
happiness; enamto a person; kmasense gratification derived from
material things; vor; mtyudeath; antikestanding nearby;
ghtamto the place of execution; nyamnasyaof one who is being
led; vadhyasyaof one who is to be killed; ivalike; nanot at all; tuidagives satisfaction.
Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a
condemned man being led to the place of execution, what possible
happiness can people derive from material objects or the gratification
they provide?
It is customary throughout the world that a condemned man is offered a
sumptuous last meal. For the condemned man, however, such a feast is a
chilling reminder of his imminent death, and therefore he cannot enjoy it.
Similarly, no sane human being can be satisfied in material life, because
death is standing near and may strike at any moment. If one is sitting in
one's living room with a deadly snake at one's side, knowing that at any

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moment the poisonous fangs might pierce the flesh, how can one sit
peacefully and watch television or read a book? Similarly, unless one is
more or less crazy, one cannot be enthusiastic or even peaceful in material
life. Knowledge of the inevitability of death should encourage one to
become determined in spiritual life.
TEXT 21
ruta ca da-vad dua
spardhsytyaya-vyayai
bahv-antarya-kmatvt
ki-vac cpi niphalam
rutammaterial happiness which is heard of; caalso; da-vatjust
like that which we have already seen; duamis contaminated; spardh
by jealousy; asyby envy; atyayaby death; vyayaiand by decay;
bahumany; antaryaobstacles; kmatvtbecause of accepting
happiness with such characteristics; ki-vatlike agriculture; caalso;
apieven; niphalamfruitless.
That material happiness of which we hear, such as promotion to
heavenly planets for celestial enjoyment, is just like that material
happiness we have already experienced. Both are polluted by jealousy,
envy, decay and death. Therefore, just as an attempt to raise crops
becomes fruitless if there are many problems like crop disease, insect
plague or drought, similarly, the attempt to attain material happiness,
either on earth or on the heavenly planets, is always fruitless because of
innumerable obstacles.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura comments as follows on this
verse. "Ordinarily, if there is no specific impediment, agricultural
endeavors will yield their fruits. If, however, there is a defect in the seed,
or if the soil is too salty or barren, or if there is drought, plague, excessive
rain or heat out of season, or if there are disturbances caused by animals,
birds or insects, then agricultural activities will not yield the desired
harvest. Similarly, those who are expert in analyzing the material world
see that the heavenly situations offered in the Vedas are not basically
different from life on the earth. By the interaction of conditioned souls
there will inevitably be jealousy as one becomes distinguished as superior
and another as inferior. By the power of time these positions are reversed,

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and therefore violence and intrigue disturb life even on the heavenly
planets. In fact, the attempt to promote oneself to the heavenly planets is
itself full of problems and disturbances. One should therefore understand
that the kingdom of God, Vaikuha, is transcendental to the limitations
and disturbances imposed by the laws of material nature in this world. If
one wrongly concludes that such imperfections are also present in the
kingdom of God, then one will be polluted by material contamination."
TEXT 22
antaryair avihito
yadi dharma sv-anuhita
tenpi nirjita sthna
yath gacchati tac chu
antaryaiby obstacles and discrepancies; avihitanot affected; yadi
if; dharmaone's execution of regulated duties according to Vedic
injunctions; sv-anuhitaexcellently performed; tenaby that; api
even; nirjitamaccomplished; sthnamstatus; yaththe manner in
which; gacchatiit perishes; tatthat; uplease hear.
If one performs Vedic sacrifices and fruitive rituals without any mistake
or contamination, one will achieve a heavenly situation in the next life.
But even this result, which is only achieved by perfect performance of
fruitive rituals, will be vanquished by time. Now hear of this.
The word gacchati means "going." In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka states,
gampyino 'nity: all material experiences, good or bad, come and go.
Therefore the word gacchati refers to the disappearance of the results of
even the most meticulously performed fruitive sacrifices. Any material
situation, from the worst to the best, is imperfect. Thus one should strive
only for pure Ka consciousness.
TEXT 23
iveha devat yajai
svar-loka yti yjika
bhujta deva-vat tatra
bhogn divyn nijrjitn
ivhaving worshiped; ihain this world; devatthe demigods;
yajaiwith sacrifices; sva-lokamto the heavenly planets; ytigoes;

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yjikathe performer of sacrifice; bhujtahe may enjoy; deva-vat

like a god; tatratherein; bhognpleasures; divyncelestial; nijaby
himself; arjitnachieved.
If on earth one performs sacrifices for the satisfaction of the demigods,
he goes to the heavenly planets, where, just like a demigod, he enjoys
all of the heavenly pleasures he has earned by his performances.
TEXT 24
sva-puyopacite ubhre
vimna upagyate
gandharvair viharan madhye
devn hdya-vea-dhk
svahis own; puyaby the pious activities; upaciteaccumulated;
ubhreshining; vimnein an airplane; upagyateis glorified by songs;
gandharvaiby the heavenly Gandharvas; viharanenjoying life;
madhyein the middle; devnmof heavenly goddesses; hdya
charming; veaclothes; dhkwearing.
Having achieved the heavenly planets, the performer of ritualistic
sacrifices travels in a glowing airplane, which he obtains as the result of
his piety on earth. Being glorified by songs sung by the Gandharvas and
dressed in wonderfully charming clothes, he enjoys life surrounded by
heavenly goddesses.
TEXT 25
strbhi kmaga-ynena
kikin-jla-mlin
kran na vedtma-pta
surkreu nirvta
strbhiwith heavenly women; kma-gagoing wherever one desires;
ynenawith such an airplane; kiki-jla-mlindecorated with
circles of bells; kranhaving a good time; nanot; vedadoes
consider; tmahis own; ptamfalldown; suraof the demigods;
kreuin the pleasure gardens; nirvtabeing comfortable, relaxed
and happy.

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Accompanied by heavenly women, the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice

goes on pleasure rides in a wonderful airplane, which is decorated with
circles of tinkling bells and which flies wherever he desires. Being
relaxed, comfortable and happy in the heavenly pleasure gardens, he
does not consider that he is exhausting the fruits of his piety and will
soon fall down to the mortal world.
TEXT 26
tvat sa modate svarge
yvat puya sampyate
ka-punya pataty arvg
anicchan kla-clita
tvatthat long; sahe; modateenjoys life; svargein the heavenly
planets; yvatuntil; puyamhis pious results; sampyateare used
up; kaexhausted; puyahis piety; patatihe falls; arvkdown
from heaven; anicchannot desiring to fall; klaby time; clita
pushed down.
Until his pious results are used up, the performer of sacrifice enjoys life
in the heavenly planets. When the pious results are exhausted,
however, he falls down from the pleasure gardens of heaven, being
moved against his desire by the force of eternal time.
TEXTS 27-29
yady adharma-rata sagd
asat vjitendriya
kmtm kpao lubdha
straio bhta-vihisaka
pan avidhinlabhya
preta-bhta-gan yajan
narakn avao jantur
gatv yty ulbaa tama
karmi dukhodarki
kurvan dehena tai puna
deham bhajate tatra

591

ki sukha martya-dharmia
yadiif; adharmain irreligion; ratahe is engaged; sagtdue to
association; asatmof materialistic people; vor; ajitadue to not
conquering; indriyathe senses; kmamaterial lusty desires; tm
living for; kpaamiserly; lubdhagreedy; straiaa womanhunter; bhtaagainst other living beings; vihisakacommitting
violence; pananimals; avidhinwithout the authority of Vedic
injunctions; labhyakilling; preta-bhtaghosts and spirits; ganthe
groups of; yajanworshiping; naraknto hells; avaahelplessly,
being under the control of fruitive activities; jantua living being;
gatvhaving gone; ytiapproaches; ulbaamextreme; tama
darkness; karmiactivities; dukhagreat unhappiness; udarki
bringing in the future; kurvanperforming; dehenawith such a body;
taiby such activities; punaagain; deham-a material body; bhajate
accepts; tatratherein; kimwhat; sukhamhappiness; martyaalways
leading to death; dharmiaof one sworn to activities.
If a human being is engaged in sinful, irreligious activities, either
because of bad association or because of his failure to control his
senses, then such a person will certainly develop a personality full of
material desires. He thus becomes miserly toward others, greedy and
always anxious to exploit the bodies of women. When the mind is so
polluted one becomes violent and aggressive and without the authority
of Vedic injunctions slaughters innocent animals for sense gratification.
Worshiping ghosts and spirits, the bewildered person falls fully into the
grip of unauthorized activities and thus goes to hell, where he receives a
material body infected by the darkest modes of nature. In such a
degraded body, he unfortunately continues to perform inauspicious
activities that greatly increase his future unhappiness, and therefore he
again accepts a similar material body. What possible happiness can
there be for one who engages in activities inevitably terminating in
death?
In the Vedic analysis of civilized life there are two paths. One who takes
to the path of nivtti-mrga immediately renounces material sense
gratification and purifies his existence by performance of austerity and
devotional activities. On the path of pravtti-mrga one furnishes a steady
supply of sense objects to the senses, but one consumes such sense

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objects under strict regulations and through ritualistic ceremonies, thus

gradually purifying the heart and satiating the material senses.
Unfortunately, as explained in this and the previous verse, the path of
pravtti-mrga is extremely volatile because rather than becoming
detached, the living entity often becomes uncontrolled and fully addicted
to further sense gratification. In the previous verse the path of regulated,
authorized sense gratification was described, and in this verse the path of
unauthorized, demoniac sense gratification is described.
In this verse, the words sagd asat vjitendriya are very significant.
One may fall down into sinful life by bad association, or even in good
association one may fail to control his senses. Ultimately each living entity
is responsible for his existential situation. The word adharma-rata in this
verse indicates those engaged in excessive sex life, meat-eating, drinking
and other inauspicious activities that transgress the codes of civilized
human life. Being in the mode of ignorance, these persons develop such a
cruel mentality that they do not consider any festive occasion complete
without the consumption of large quantities of meat obtained by
slaughtering helpless animals. Eventually such persons become influenced
by ghosts and spirits, who deprive them of all ability to discriminate
between right and wrong. Losing all sense of decency, they become fit
candidates for entrance into the darkest modes of material existence.
Sometimes these lusty, intoxicated carnivores, considering themselves
pious, pray to God in a useless way. Afflicted by innumerable material
desires, they rotate from one material body to another without
experiencing true happiness. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has
noted that material life is so disturbing that even if one is allowed to live
for an entire day of Brahmapproximately 8,640,000,000 yearsone
will eventually be afflicted by the fear of death. In fact, Brahm himself is
disturbed by fear of death, what to speak of tiny human beings who live a
paltry seventy or eighty years at most. Thus, as stated here, ki sukha
martya-dharmia: what possible happiness can one find within the
painful grip of material illusion?
TEXT 30
lokn loka-pln
mad bhaya kalpa-jvinm
brahmao 'pi bhaya matto
dvi-parrdha-paryua

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loknmin all the planetary systems; loka-plnmand for all the

planetary leaders, such as the demigods; matof Me; bhayamthere is
fear; kalpa-jvinmfor those who live for a kalpa, or a day of Brahm;
brahmaaof Lord Brahm; apieven; bhayamthere is fear; matta
from Me; dvi-parrdhatwo parrdhas, totalling 311,040,000,000,000
years; parasupreme; yuawhose duration of life.
In all the planetary systems, from the heavenly to the hellish, and for all
of the great demigods who live for one thousand yuga cycles, there is
fear of Me in My form of time. Even Brahm, who possesses the
supreme life span of 311,040,000,000,000 years, is also afraid of Me.
There are many statements throughout Vedic literature proving that even
the great demigods fear the time potency of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Even in the heavenly planets there is no relief from the miseries
of material life. No conditioned soul can live eternally, as clearly
demonstrated by the deaths of Hirayakaipu and other demons. Since
even the demigods fear the time potency of the Personality of Godhead,
one may easily conclude that Ka is the Absolute Truth and that He is
eternally the supreme controller of everything and everyone. Lord Ka
is the only real shelter.
TEXT 31
gu sjanti karmi
guo 'nusjate gun
jvas tu gua-sayukto
bhukte karma-phalny asau
guthe material senses; sjanticreate; karmipious and impious
material activities; guathe three modes of nature; anusjateset into
motion; gunthe material senses; jvathe minute living entity; tu
indeed; guathe material senses or the material modes of nature;
sayuktafully engaged in; bhukteexperiences; karmaof activities;
phalnithe various results; asauthe spirit soul.
The material senses create material activities, either pious or sinful, and
the modes of nature set the material senses into motion. The living
entity, being fully engaged by the material senses and modes of nature,
experiences the various results of fruitive work.

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It has been explained in the previous verses that the living entity under
the control of fruitive activities is pushed down into a hellish condition of
life. In this verse the exact nature of the living entity's dependence on
fruitive activities is described. One can observe that one's activities are
performed by the material senses and that the living entity himself is
merely conscious of such activities. One may be worshiping the
demigods, enjoying sex or performing agricultural or intellectual
activities, but in all cases the material senses are performing the work.
One may argue that the spirit soul initiates the activities of the senses and
thus is the ultimate doer, but such false egotism is negated in this verse by
the statement gu sjanti karmi guo 'nusjate gun. The three modes
of naturegoodness, passion and ignorancestimulate the functions of
the material senses, and the living entity, coming under the control of a
particular mode of nature, merely experiences the good and bad results of
his work. This does not negate the concept of free will, since the living
entity chooses to associate with different modes of nature. By one's eating,
speaking, sexual activities, occupation, etc., one associates with various
modes of nature and acquires a particular mentality. But in all cases the
modes of nature themselves are acting, not the living entity. The word
asau in this verse indicates that the living entity falsely considers himself
to be the performer of work carried out by nature. As stated in Bhagavadgt (3.27):
prakte kriyamni
guai karmi sarvaa
ahakra-vimhtm
kartham iti manyate
"The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of
material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in
actuality carried out by nature." The conditioned soul can be liberated
simply by giving up this false egoistic conception of life and taking to the
devotional service of the Lord, by which the living entity, or marginal
potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, escapes the disturbing
influence of the external potency called my. In the devotional service of
the Lord the liberated entity realizes his actual form of eternity,
knowledge and bliss.
It is natural to perform activities with a desire to achieve a good result.

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The best results, however, can be attained by one who engages in the
devotional service of the Lord with a desire to be reinstated in his
constitutional position as the Lord's loving servant. In this way the
tendency to exploit one's own activities for a particular result can be
purified; then the modes of nature and the material senses will no longer
engage the living entity in illusion. The living entity is by nature blissful,
and when his illusion ceases, all suffering comes to an end. The liberated
soul is then fit to reside in Vaikuha, the kingdom of God.
TEXT 32
yvat syd gua-vaiamya
tvan nntvam tmana
nntvam tmano yvat
pratantrya tadaiva hi
yvatas long as; sytthere is; guaof the modes of material nature;
vaiamyamseparate existences; tvatthen there will be; nntvam
different states of existence; tmanaof the soul; nntvamdifferent
states of existence; tmanaof the soul; yvatas long as there are;
pratantryamdependence; tadthen there will be; evacertainly; hi
indeed.
As long as the living entity thinks that the modes of material nature
have separate existences, he will be obliged to take birth in many
different forms and will experience varieties of material existence.
Therefore, the living entity remains completely dependent on fruitive
activities under the modes of nature.
The word gua-vaiamyam indicates forgetfulness of Lord Ka, which
causes one to see material varieties as separate states of existence. The
living entity, being attracted to material varieties and having faith in them,
is forced to experience these varieties in different material bodies, such as
those of demigods, pigs, businessmen, insects, and so on. According to
the karma-mms philosophers, there is no transcendental living entity
who is the background of all existence. They accept material variety as the
final reality. However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Ka,
is the actual basis of everything. Everything is within Him, and He is
within everything. A pure devotee of the Lord sees Ka everywhere and
sees all of the variegated modes of nature as the potency of Lord Ka.

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One who does not see Lord Ka will certainly see material
variegatedness as the supreme reality. Such vision is called my, or gross
illusion, and is similar to the vision of an animal. Pratantryam means one
will remain caught in the web of fruitive activities unless one gives up this
superficial, separatist vision.
TEXT 33
yvad asysvatantratva
tvad varato bhayam
ya etat samupsras
te muhyanti ucrpit
yvatas long as; asyaof the living being; asvatantratvamthere is no
freedom from dependence on the modes of nature; tvatthen there will
be; varatafrom the supreme controller; bhayamfear; yethose
who; etatto this material concept of life; samupsrandevote
themselves; tethey; muhyantiare bewildered; ucin lamentation;
arpitalways absorbed.
The conditioned soul who remains dependent on fruitive activities
under the material modes of nature will continue to fear Me, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, since I impose the results of one's
fruitive activities. Those who accept the material concept of life, taking
the variegatedness of the modes of nature to be factual, devote
themselves to material enjoyment and are therefore always absorbed in
lamentation and grief.
The living entity is bound in the network of illusion, but although he can
understand that he is dependent upon superior powers, he does not want
to serve the Supreme Lord. He thus becomes filled with fear of life itself.
Desiring material sense gratification, the living entity, like the demon
Kasa, always fears destruction of his material arrangement. Remaining
addicted to the flavors of material nature, one gradually sinks down into
an irrational form of life.
My has two potenciesthe first covers the living entity, and the second
throws him down into a hellish condition of life. When one is covered by
my, one loses all power of discrimination, and my then throws such a
fool into the darkness of ignorance. When one wrongly considers oneself
to be independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Ka,

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one becomes a worshiper of temporary material objects, hoping to enjoy

material sense gratification, and as one grows older, one's life becomes
filled with fear and anxiety. A conditioned soul considers himself to be in
control of his life, but since he does not have any actual controlling
potency, his situation is contradictory and not at all pleasing. As all of
one's material possessions are taken away by time, one becomes filled
with lamentation. All in all, material life is truly abominable, and it is only
because of dense illusion that we accept it as satisfactory.
TEXT 34
kla tmgamo loka
svabhvo dharma eva ca
iti m bahudh prhur
gua-vyatikare sati
klatime; tmthe self; gamaVedic knowledge; lokathe
universe; svabhvadifferent natures of different living entities;
dharmareligious principles; evacertainly; caalso; itithus; mm
Me; bahudhin many ways; prhuthey call; guaof the modes of
nature; vyatikareagitation; satiwhen there is.
When there is agitation and interaction of the material modes of nature,
the living entities then describe Me in various ways such as all-powerful
time, the Self, Vedic knowledge, the universe, one's own nature,
religious ceremonies and so on.
One can experience the potency of the Personality of Godhead by
observing how different species of lifedemigods, human beings,
animals, fish, birds, insects, plants, etc.gradually evolve their natures
and activities. Each species of life executes a particular process of sense
gratification, and this function is called the dharma of the species. Lacking
knowledge of the Personality of Godhead, ordinary persons catch a
glimpse of the Lord's potencies in the above-mentioned manifestations.
rla Madhvcrya has cited the following information from the Tantrabhgavata. The Lord is called kla, or time, because He is the mover and
controller of all material qualities. Because He is complete and perfect, He
is called tm, or the Self; and He is the personification of all knowledge.
The word svabhva indicates that the Lord fully controls His own destiny;
and as the maintainer of everyone He is called dharma. One on the

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liberated platform can achieve unlimited bliss by worshiping the

Personality of Godhead, whereas those who are ignorant of the Lord try to
find meaning by concocting other objects of worship. If one stubbornly
imagines that anything is independent of the Lord, one will remain in the
grip of the illusory network of the Lord's potency. Seeing the inevitability
of the destruction of material things, one is constantly fearful and
perpetually laments in the darkness of ignorance. In such darkness there
is no question of happiness. Therefore, one should never think that
anything is independent of the Personality of Godhead. As soon as one
considers anything to be independent of the Lord, one is immediately
gripped by the Lord's illusory network, called my. One should always
remain humble and obedient to the Personality of Godhead, even when
one is liberated, and thus one will achieve the supreme spiritual
happiness.
TEXT 35
r-uddhava uvca
gueu vartamno 'pi
deha-jev anapvta
guair na badhyate deh
badhyate v katha vibho
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; gueuin the modes of material
nature; vartamnabeing situated; apialthough; dehafrom the
material body; jeuborn; anapvtabeing uncovered; guaiby the
modes of nature; nanot; badhyateis bound; dehthe living entity
within the material body; badhyateis bound; vor; kathamhow does
it happen; vibhoO my Lord.
r Uddhava said: O my Lord, a living entity situated within the
material body is surrounded by the modes of nature and the happiness
and distress that are born of activities caused by these modes. How is it
possible that he is not bound by this material encirclement? It may also
be said that the living entity is ultimately transcendental and has
nothing to do with the material world. Then how is he ever bound by
material nature?
Due to the influence of the modes of nature the material body generates
fruitive activities, which in turn generate material happiness and distress.

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This material chain reaction is indicated by the word deha-jeu. The

Personality of Godhead has shown Uddhava that the actual goal of life is
liberation, not sense gratification. Although the Lord has indicated that
the living entity is liberated by devotional service performed with
knowledge and renunciation, Uddhava apparently does not understand
the specific means of perfection. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura, Uddhava's question implies that we observe even in the
activities of liberated souls such external activities as eating, sleeping,
walking, hearing, speaking, etc., which are functions of the gross and
subtle bodies. Thus, if even liberated souls are situated within the gross
and subtle material bodies, then how are they not bound by the material
modes of nature? If it is argued that the living entity is like the sky, which
never mixes with any other object and therefore is not bound, then one
may ask how such a transcendental living entity can ever be bound by
material nature. In other words, how would material existence be
possible? In order to completely clarify the path of Ka consciousness,
Uddhava presents this question to the supreme spiritual authority, Lord
Ka.
In the kingdom of my there are innumerable speculations about the
Supreme Lord, who is variously described as nonexistent, or as possessing
material qualities, or as being devoid of all qualities, or as being a neuter
object like a eunuch. But through mundane speculation it is not possible
to understand the nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore Uddhava wants to clear the path of spiritual liberation so that
people can actually understand that Ka is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. As long as one is affected by the modes of nature, perfect
understanding is not possible. Lord Ka will now describe to Uddhava
further details of spiritual emancipation on the road back home, back to
Ka.
TEXTS 36-37
katha varteta viharet
kair v jyeta lakaai
ki bhujtota visjec
chaytsta yti v
etad acyuta me brhi
prana prana-vid vara
nitya-baddho nitya-mukta

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eka eveti me bhrama

kathamin what way; vartetahe is situated; viharethe enjoys; kai
by which; vor; jyetawould be known; lakaaiby symptoms;
kimwhat; bhujtahe would eat; utaand; visjetwould evacuate;
aytawould lie down; stawould sit; ytigoes; vor; etatthis;
acyutaO Acyuta; meto me; brhiexplain; pranamthe question;
prana-vidmof all those who know how to answer questions; varaO
the best; nitya-baddhaeternally conditioned; nitya-muktaeternally
liberated; ekasingular; evacertainly; itithus; memy; bhrama
confusion.
O my Lord, Acyuta, the same living entity is sometimes described as
eternally conditioned and at other times as eternally liberated. I am not
able to understand, therefore, the actual situation of the living entity.
You, my Lord, are the best of those who are expert in answering
philosophical questions. Please explain to me the symptoms by which
one can tell the difference between a living entity who is eternally
liberated and one who is eternally conditioned. In what various ways
would they remain situated, enjoy life, eat, evacuate, lie down, sit or
move about?
In previous verses Lord Ka has explained to Uddhava that an eternally
liberated soul is beyond the three modes of material nature. Since a
liberated soul is considered to be beyond even the superior mode of
goodness, how can he be recognized? By false identification with the
modes of nature, which produce one's own material body, one is bound
by illusion. On the other hand, by transcending the modes of nature, one
is liberated. However, in ordinary activitiessuch as eating, evacuating,
relaxing, sitting and sleepinga liberated soul and a conditioned soul
appear to be the same. Therefore Uddhava is inquiring, "By what
symptoms can I recognize that one living entity is performing such
external activities without false ego, and by what symptoms can I
recognize one who is working under the illusory bondage of material
identification? This is difficult, because the ordinary bodily functions of
liberated and conditioned personalities appear similar." Uddhava has
approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead, taking Him as his
personal spiritual master, and wants to be enlightened about how to
understand the differences between material and spiritual life.

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Since the living entity is sometimes called eternally conditioned, how

could he ever be considered eternally liberated, or vice versa? This is an
apparent contradiction, which will be cleared up by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Nature of Fruitive Activity."

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11. The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities

In this chapter, Lord r Ka describes to Uddhava the difference

between conditioned and liberated living entities, the characteristics of a
saintly person and the different aspects of the practice of devotional
service.
In the previous chapter Uddhava had presented questions regarding
conditioned and liberated souls. In His replies, the almighty Lord r
Ka states that although the spirit soul is part and parcel of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, on account of his infinitesimal nature, he falls
into contact with the material energy, which causes him to accept the
covering designations of the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.
Thus the soul has been bound up since time immemorial. But when he
achieves the shelter of pure devotional service, he becomes designated as
eternally liberated. Transcendental knowledge is therefore the cause of the
living entity's liberation, and ignorance is the cause of his bondage. Both
knowledge and ignorance are produced by the my energy of Lord r
Ka and are His eternal potencies. The living entities who become
attracted to the modes of nature are bewildered by false ego, which causes
them to see themselves as the enjoyers of misery, confusion, happiness,
distress, danger, and so on. In this way, they meditate upon such states of
being, although in the real, or spiritual, world these things do not exist.
Both the jva (individual soul) and the Supersoul reside within the same
body. The difference between them is that the almighty Supersoul, being
fully cognizant, does not indulge in enjoying the fruits of material work
but remains simply as a witness, whereas the infinitesimal conditioned
jva, being ignorant, suffers the consequences of his own work. The
liberated jva, in spite of being within a material body because of the
remaining reactions of his past activities, does not become disturbed by
the happiness and suffering of the body. He sees such bodily experiences
in the same way that a person who has just awakened from a dream sees
his dream experiences. On the other hand, although the conditioned
living entity is by nature not the enjoyer of the happiness and misery of
the body, he imagines himself to be the enjoyer of his bodily experiences,

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just as a person in a dream imagines his dream experiences to be real. Just

as the sun reflected upon water is not actually bound up in the water, and
just as the air is not confined to some particular segment of the sky,
similarly a detached person takes advantage of his broad outlook on the
world to cut off all his doubts with the sword of appropriate renunciation,
yukta-vairgya. Since his life force, senses, mind and intelligence have no
tendency to fix themselves on sense objects, he remains liberated even
while situated within the material body. Regardless of whether he is
harassed or worshiped, he remains equipoised. He is therefore considered
liberated even in this life. A liberated person has nothing to do with the
piety and sin of this world, but rather sees everything equally. A selfsatisfied sage does not praise or condemn anyone. He does not speak
uselessly to anyone and does not fix his mind on material things. Rather,
he is always merged in meditation upon the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, so in the eyes of fools he seems to be a speechless, crazy person.
Even if someone has studied or even taught all the different Vedic
literatures, if he has not developed pure attraction to the service of the
Personality of Godhead, he has accomplished nothing beyond his own
labor. One should study only those scriptures in which the nature of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, His enchanting pastimes and the
nectarean topics of His various incarnations are scientifically discussed;
thus one gains the highest good fortune. However, by studying scriptures
other than these one simply acquires misfortune.
With full determination one should properly understand the identity of
the soul and give up false identification with this material body. He may
then offer his heart at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, r Ka, the
reservoir of all love, and attain real peace. When the mind is carried away
by the three modes of nature, it can no longer meditate properly on the
transcendental Supreme Truth. After many lifetimes, faithful persons who
have performed Vedic sacrifices for acquiring religiosity, economic
development and sense gratification finally engage in hearing, chanting
and constantly thinking of the Supreme Lord's all-auspicious pastimes,
which purify the entire universe. Such persons then achieve the
association of a bona fide spiritual master and the saintly devotees. After
that, by the mercy of the spiritual master they begin to follow the paths
set out by the standard authorities of spiritual life, the mahjanas, and
become actually perfect in realization of their own true identity.
Having heard these instructions from Lord Ka, Uddhava further

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desired to understand the characteristics of a factually saintly person and

the different aspects of devotional practice. Lord Ka replied that a real
sdhu, or Vaiava, is qualified with the following characteristics. He is
merciful, nonenvious, always truthful, self-controlled, faultless,
magnanimous, gentle, clean, nonpossessive, helpful to all, peaceful,
dependent on Ka alone, free from lust, devoid of material endeavor,
steady, in control of the six enemies of the mind, moderate in eating,
never bewildered, always respectful to others, never desirous of respect
for himself, sober, compassionate, friendly, poetic, expert and silent. The
principal characteristic of a sdhu is that he takes shelter of Ka alone.
One who engages exclusively in Ka's service and understands Him as
the limitless, indwelling Lord who comprises eternity, knowledge and
bliss, is the topmost devotee. The practice of devotional service includes
sixty-four kinds of activities. Among these are: (1-6) seeing, touching,
worshiping, serving, glorifying and offering obeisances to the Deity of the
Lord and His pure devotees; (7) developing attachment for hearing the
chanting of the Lord's qualities, pastimes, and so on; (8) remaining always
in meditation upon the Lord; (9) offering everything one acquires to the
Lord; (10) accepting oneself to be the Lord's servant; (11) offering the
Lord one's heart and soul; (12) engaging in glorification of the Lord's
birth and activities; (13) observing holidays related to the Lord; (14)
performing festivals in the Lord's temple in the company of other
devotees, and with music, singing and dancing; (15) celebrating all
varieties of yearly functions; (16) offering foodstuffs to the Lord; (17)
taking initiation according to the Vedas and tantras; (18) taking vows
related to the Lord; (19) being eager to establish Deities of the Lord; (20)
endeavoring either alone or in association with others in constructing, for
the service of the Lord, vegetable and flower gardens, temples, cities, and
so on; (21) humbly cleansing the temple of the Lord; and (22) rendering
service to the Lord's house by painting it, washing it with water and
decorating it with auspicious designs.
After this, the process of worshiping the Deity of the Supreme Lord is
described in brief.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
baddho mukta iti vykhy
guato me na vastuta

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guasya my-mlatvn
na me moko na bandhanam
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; baddha
in bondage; muktaliberated; itithus; vykhythe explanation of
the living entity; guatadue to the modes of material nature; me
which are My potency; nanot; vastutain reality; guasyaof the
modes of material nature; myMy illusory energy; mlatvt-because of
being the cause; nanot; meof Me; mokaliberation; nanor;
bandhanambondage.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, due to
the influence of the material modes of nature, which are under My
control, the living entity is sometimes designated as conditioned and
sometimes as liberated. In fact, however, the soul is never really bound
up or liberated, and since I am the Supreme Lord of my, which is the
cause of the modes of nature, I also am never to be considered liberated
or in bondage.
In this chapter the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ka, explains the
different characteristics of conditioned and liberated life, the symptoms by
which one can recognize saintly persons, and the various processes of
devotional service to the Lord. In the previous chapter, Uddhava inquired
from the Lord how conditioned and liberated life are possible. The Lord
now replies that Uddhava's question is somewhat superficial, since the
pure spirit soul is never entangled in the material energy of the Lord. The
living entity imagines a false connection with the three modes of nature
and accepts the material body as the self. The living entity therefore
suffers the consequences of his own imagination, just as one suffers the
illusory activities of a dream. This does not indicate that the material
world is illusory in the sense that it is nonexistent. The material world is
certainly real, being the potency of the Personality of Godhead, and the
living entity, being the superior potency of God, is also real. But the living
entity's dream of being part and parcel of the material world is an illusion
that drags him into the contradictory state called material conditioned
life. The living entity is never actually baddha, or bound up, since he
merely imagines a false connection with the material world.
Because there is ultimately no permanent connection between the living
entity and matter, there is no actual liberation. The living entity, being

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eternally transcendental to the inferior material energy of the Lord, is

eternally liberated. Lord Ka reveals that in one sense the living entity is
factually not bound up and thus cannot be liberated. But in another sense,
the terms bondage and liberation can be conveniently applied to indicate
the particular situation of the individual soul, who is the marginal
potency of the Lord. Although the individual soul is never actually bound
to matter, he suffers the reactions of material nature because of false
identification, and thus the term baddha, or "bound up," may be used to
indicate the nature of a living entity's experience within the inferior
energy of the Lord. Since baddha describes a false situation, freedom from
such a false situation may also be described as moka, or liberation.
Therefore the terms bondage and liberation are acceptable if one
understands that such terms only refer to temporary situations created by
illusion and do not refer to the ultimate nature of the living entity. In this
verse Lord Ka states, guasya my-mlatvn na me moko na
bandhanam: the terms liberation and bondage can never be applied to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, since He is the Absolute Truth and the
supreme controller of everything. Lord Ka is eternally the supreme
transcendental entity, and He can never be bound by illusion. It is the
duty of the illusory potency of the Personality of Godhead to attract the
living entities to ignorance by creating the false impression of a blissful
existence separate from Lord Ka. The illusory conception of existence
apart from the Personality of Godhead is called my, or material illusion.
Since Lord Ka is the supreme absolute controller of my, there is no
possibility that my could have any influence over the Personality of
Godhead. Thus the term bandhanam, or "bondage," cannot be applied to
the eternal, blissful and omniscient Personality of Godhead. The term
moka, or "liberation," indicating freedom from bandhana, is equally
irrelevant to the Lord.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has commented on this verse as
follows. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is endowed with great
spiritual potencies. Because of mundane concoction, the conditioned soul
imagines that the Absolute Truth is devoid of variegated spiritual
potencies by which He may enjoy blissful life. Although the living entity
is the spiritual potency of the Lord, he is presently situated in the inferior,
illusory potency, and by engaging in mental speculation he becomes
bound in conditioned life. Liberation means that the living entity should
transfer himself to the spiritual potency of the Lord, which can be divided

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into three categorieshldin, the potency of bliss; sandhin, the potency

of eternal existence; and savit, the potency of omniscience. Since the
Personality of Godhead is eternally endowed with a pure existence of bliss
and knowledge, He is never conditioned or liberated. The living entity,
however, being entangled in the Lord's material potency, is sometimes
conditioned and sometimes liberated.
The neutral, original state of the three modes of nature is called my.
When the three modes of nature interact, one of them will become
powerful, subordinating the other two modes until another mode
becomes prominent. In this way, the three can be distinguished in their
variety of manifestation. Although the threefold material potency expands
from the Personality of Godhead, the Lord Himself in His personal form is
the actual abode of the three spiritual potencies, namely eternality, bliss
and knowledge. If one desires to become free from the entanglement of
conditioned life within the material sky, called the kingdom of my, one
must come to the spiritual sky, wherein the living entities are filled with
bliss, possess eternal spiritual bodies and engage in the loving devotional
service of the Lord. By developing one's eternal, spiritual form in the
loving service of the Lord, one immediately transcends the duality of
conditioned life and impersonal liberation and can directly experience the
spiritual potencies of the Lord. At that time there is no possibility of false
identification with the material world.
Realizing oneself to be eternal spirit soul, the living entity can understand
that he is never truly connected to matter, because he is part of the
superior energy of the Lord. Therefore, both material bondage and
liberation are ultimately meaningless within the reality of the spiritual
sky. The living entity is the marginal potency of the Lord and should
exercise his free will to engage in the pure devotional service of the Lord.
By reviving one's eternal, spiritual body one can understand oneself to be
a minute particle of the spiritual potency of the Lord. In other words, the
living entity is a minute particle of eternity, bliss and omniscience, and
thus in full Ka consciousness there is no possibility of his being carried
away by the illusion of the three modes of nature. In conclusion, it may be
stated that the individual living entity is never actually entangled in
matter and is thus not liberated, although his illusory state may be
accurately described as entangled and liberated. On the other hand, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally situated in His own spiritual
potencies and can never be described as being bound up, and thus there is

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no meaning to the concept of the Lord's freeing Himself from such a

nonexistent condition.
TEXT 2
oka-mohau sukha dukha
dehpatti ca myay
svapno yathtmana khyti
sastir na tu vstav
okalamentation; mohauand illusion; sukhamhappiness; dukham
distress; deha-pattiaccepting a material body; caalso; myayby
the influence of my; svapnaa dream; yathjust as; tmanaof the
intelligence; khytimerely an idea; sastimaterial existence; na
is not; tuindeed; vstavreal.
Just as a dream is merely a creation of one's intelligence but has no
actual substance, similarly, material lamentation, illusion, happiness,
distress and the acceptance of the material body under the influence of
may are all creations of My illusory energy. In other words, material
existence has no essential reality.
The word deha-patti indicates that the living entity falsely identifies
himself with the external material body and thus transmigrates from one
body to another. patti also indicates great suffering or misfortune.
Because of such false identification under the influence of illusion, the
living entity experiences the miserable symptoms described here. My
means the false concept that anything can exist without Lord Ka or for
any purpose other than the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Although the
conditioned living entities are trying to enjoy material sense gratification,
the result is always painful, and such painful experiences turn the
conditioned soul back toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In
other words, the ultimate purpose of the material creation is to bring the
living entity back to the loving devotional service of the Lord. Therefore,
even the sufferings of the material world may be seen as the
transcendental mercy of the Personality of Godhead. The conditioned
soul, imagining that material objects are meant for his personal
enjoyment, bitterly laments the loss of such objects. In this verse, the
example is given of a dream in which the material intelligence creates
many illusory objects. Similarly, our polluted material consciousness

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creates the false impression of material sense gratification, but this

phantasmagoria, being devoid of Ka consciousness, has no real
existence. By surrendering to polluted material consciousness, the living
entity is afflicted with innumerable troubles. The only solution is to see
Lord Ka within everything and everything within Lord Ka. Thus,
one understands that Lord Ka is the supreme enjoyer, the proprietor of
everything and the well-wishing friend of all living beings.
In material illusion there is no understanding of one's eternal, spiritual
body, nor is there knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Therefore, material
existence, even in its most sophisticated or pious form, is always
foolishness. One should not misunderstand the example of the dream to
mean that the material world has no real existence. Material nature is the
manifestation of the Lord's external potency, just as the spiritual sky is the
manifestation of the Lord's internal potency. Although material objects
are subject to transformation and thus have no permanent existence, the
material energy is real because it comes from the supreme reality, Lord
Ka. It is only our false acceptance of the material body as the factual
self and our foolish dream that the material world is meant for our
pleasure that have no real existence. They are merely mental concoctions.
One should cleanse oneself of material designations and wake up to the
all-pervading reality of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Ka.
TEXT 3
vidyvidye mama tan
viddhy uddhava arrim
moka-bandha-kar dye
myay me vinirmite
vidyknowledge; avidyeand ignorance; mamaMy; tanmanifested
energies; viddhiplease understand; uddhavaO Uddhava; arrimof
the embodied living entities; mokaliberation; bandhabondage; kar
causing; dyeoriginal, eternal; myayby the potency; meMy;
vinirmiteproduced.
O Uddhava, both knowledge and ignorance, being products of my, are
expansions of My potency. Both knowledge and ignorance are
beginningless and perpetually award liberation and bondage to
embodied living beings.

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By the expansion of vidy, or knowledge, a conditioned soul is liberated

from the clutches of my, and similarly, by the expansion of avidy, or
ignorance, the conditioned soul is driven further into illusion and
bondage. Both knowledge and ignorance are products of the mighty
potency of the Personality of Godhead. The living being is bound by
illusion when he considers himself the proprietor of the subtle and gross
material bodies. According to rla Jva Gosvm the living entity may be
designated as jva-my, whereas matter is called gua-my. The living
entity places his living potency (jva-my) in the grip of the mundane
qualitative potency (gua-my) and falsely dreams that he is part and
parcel of the material world. Such an artificial mixture is called illusion or
ignorance. When all of the Lord's potencies are correctly perceived in
their proper categories, the living entity is liberated from material
bondage and returns to his blissful eternal residence in the spiritual sky.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not different from His potencies,
yet He is always above them as the supreme controller. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead may be designated as mukta, or liberated, only to
indicate that He is eternally free from material contamination and never to
indicate that the Lord has been freed from actual entanglement in a
material situation. According to rla Madhvcrya, vidy indicates the
goddess of fortune, the internal potency of the Lord, whereas avidy
indicates Durg, the external potency of the Lord. Ultimately, however,
the Personality of Godhead can transform His potencies according to His
own desire, as explained by rla Prabhupda in his commentary on
rmad-Bhgavatam (1.3.34), "Because the Lord is the absolute
Transcendence, all of His forms, names, pastimes, attributes, associates
and energies are identical with Him. His transcendental energy acts
according to His omnipotency. The same energy acts as His external,
internal and marginal energies, and by His omnipotency He can perform
anything and everything through the agency of any of the above energies.
He can turn the external energy into internal by His will."
rla rdhara Svm notes in this regard that although the Lord has
explained in the first verse of this chapter that the living entity is never
actually in bondage, and therefore never actually liberated, one may apply
the terms bondage and liberation if one remembers that the living entity is
eternally a transcendental fragment of the Personality of Godhead.
Further, one should not misinterpret the words myay me vinirmite to
indicate that both material bondage and liberation are temporary states,

611

being creations of the potency of the Lord. Therefore, the term dye, or
"primeval and eternal" is used in this verse. The vidy and avidy
potencies of the Lord are stated to be creations of my because they carry
out the functions of the Lord's potencies. The vidy potency engages the
living entities in the Lord's pastimes, whereas the avidy potency engages
the living entities in forgetting the Lord and merging into darkness.
Actually, both knowledge and ignorance are eternal alternatives of the
marginal potency of the Lord, and in this sense it is not incorrect to state
that the living entity is either eternally conditioned or eternally liberated.
The term vinirmite, or "produced," in this case indicates that the Lord
expands His own energy as knowledge and ignorance, which display the
functions of the Lord's internal and external potencies. Such potential
exhibitions may appear and disappear in different times, places and
circumstances, but material bondage and spiritual freedom are eternal
options of the marginal potency of the Lord.
TEXT 4
ekasyaiva mamasya
jvasyaiva mah-mate
bandho 'syvidyayndir
vidyay ca tathetara
ekasyaof the one; evacertainly; mamaMy; aasyapart and
parcel; jvasyaof the living entity; evacertainly; mah-mateO most
intelligent one; bandhabondage; asyaof him; avidyayby
ignorance; andibeginningless; vidyayby knowledge; caand;
tathsimilarly; itarathe opposite of bondage, liberation.
O most intelligent Uddhava, the living entity, called jva, is part and
parcel of Me, but due to ignorance he has been suffering in material
bondage since time immemorial. By knowledge, however, he can be
liberated.
Just as the sun reveals itself through its own light or covers itself by
creating clouds, the Personality of Godhead reveals and covers Himself by
knowledge and ignorance, which are expansions of His potency. As stated
in Bhagavad-gt (7.5):
apareyam itas tv any

612

prakti viddhi me parm

jva-bht mah-bho
yayeda dhryate jagat
"Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior
energy of Mine, consisting of all living entities who are struggling with
material nature and are sustaining the universe." rla Prabhupda states
in connection with this verse: "The Supreme Lord Ka is the only
controller, and all living entities are controlled by Him. These living
entities are His superior energy because the quality of their existence is
one and the same with the Supreme, but they are never equal to the Lord
in quantity of power."
Because of quantitative inferiority of potency, the living entity becomes
covered by my and is again liberated by surrendering to the Lord. The
word aa, or "part and parcel" is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gt
(15.7): mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana. The living entity is
aa, or a minute particle, and therefore subject to liberation and
bondage. As stated in the Viu Pura:
viu-akti par prokt
ketra-jkhy tath par
avidy-karma-sajny
tty aktir iyate
[Cc. Madhya 6.154]
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viu, possesses His superior
internal potency as well as the potency called ketraj akti. This
ketraj akti is also spiritual potency, but it is sometimes covered by the
third, or material, potency called ignorance. Thus because of the various
stages of covering, the second, or marginal, potency is manifested in
different evolutionary phases."
rla Bhaktivinoda hkura has written that the living entity has been
executing fruitive activities since time immemorial. Thus his conditioned
life may be called beginningless. Such conditioned life, however, is not
endless, since the living entity may achieve liberation through the loving
devotional service of the Lord. Since the living entity may acquire
liberation, rla Bhaktivinoda hkura states that his liberated life begins
at a certain point but is endless, because liberated life is understood to be

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eternal. In any case, one who has achieved the shelter of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Ka, may be understood to be eternally
liberated, since such a person has entered into the eternal atmosphere of
the spiritual sky. Since there is no material time in the spiritual sky, one
who has achieved his eternal spiritual body on Lord Ka's planet is not
subject to the influence of time. His eternal blissful life with Ka is not
designated in terms of material past, present and future and is therefore
called eternal liberation. Material time is conspicuous by its absence in the
spiritual sky, and every living entity there is eternally liberated, having
attained the supreme situation. Such liberation can be achieved by vidy,
or perfect knowledge, which is understood in three phases called
Brahman, Paramtm and Bhagavn, as described in rmad-Bhgavatam.
The ultimate phase of vidy, or knowledge, is to understand the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gt such knowledge is called rjavidy, or the king of all knowledge, and it awards the supreme liberation.
TEXT 5
atha baddhasya muktasya
vailakaya vadmi te
viruddha-dharmios tta
sthitayor eka-dharmii
athathus; baddhasyaof the conditioned soul; muktasyaof the
liberated Personality of Godhead; vailakayamdifferent characteristics;
vadmiI will now speak; teunto you; viruddhaopposing;
dharmiowhose two natures; ttaMy dear Uddhava; sthitayoof
the two who are situated; eka-dharmiiin the one body which manifests
their different characteristics.
Thus, My dear Uddhava, in the same material body we find opposing
characteristics, such as great happiness and misery. That is because
both the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally liberated, as
well as the conditioned soul are within the body. I shall now speak to
you about their different characteristics.
In verse 36 of the previous chapter, Uddhava inquired about the different
symptoms of liberated and conditioned life. rla rdhara Svm explains
that the characteristics of bondage and liberation may be understood in
two divisionsas the difference between the ordinary conditioned soul

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and the eternally liberated Personality of Godhead, or as the difference

between conditioned and liberated living entities in the jva category. The
Lord will first explain the difference between the ordinary living entity
and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which may be understood as
the difference between the controlled and the controller.
TEXT 6
suparv etau sadau sakhyau
yadcchayaitau kta-nau ca vke
ekas tayo khdati pippalnnam
anyo niranno 'pi balena bhyn
suparautwo birds; etauthese; sadausimilar; sakhyaufriends;
yadcchayby chance; etauthese two; ktamade; naua nest; ca
and; vkein a tree; ekaone; tayoof the two; khdatiis eating;
pippalaof the tree; annamthe fruits; anyathe other; nirannanot
eating; apialthough; balenaby strength; bhynHe is superior.
By chance, two birds have made a nest together in the same tree. The
two birds are friends and are of a similar nature. One of them, however,
is eating the fruits of the tree, whereas the other, who does not eat the
fruits, is in a superior position due to His potency.
The example of two birds in the same tree is given to illustrate the
presence within the heart of the material body of both the individual soul
and the Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead. Just as a bird makes a nest
in a tree, the living entity sits within the heart. The example is appropriate
because the bird is always distinct from the tree. Similarly, both the
individual soul and the Supersoul are distinct entities, separate from the
temporary material body. The word balena indicates that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is satisfied by His own internal potency, which
consists of eternality, omniscience and bliss. As indicated by the word
bhyn, or "having superior existence," the Supreme Lord is always in a
superior position, whereas the living entity is sometimes in illusion and
sometimes enlightened. The word balena indicates that the Lord is never
in darkness or ignorance, but is always full in His perfect, blissful
consciousness.
Thus, the Lord is niranna, or uninterested in the bitter fruits of material
activities, whereas the ordinary conditioned soul busily consumes such

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bitter fruits, thinking them to be sweet. Ultimately, the fruit of all material
endeavor is death, hut the living entity foolishly thinks material things
will bring him pleasure. The word sakhyau, or "two friends," is also
significant. Our real friend is Lord Ka, who is situated within our
heart. Only He knows our actual needs, and only He can give us real
happiness.
Lord Ka is so kind that He patiently sits in the heart, trying to guide
the conditioned soul back home, back to Godhead. Certainly no material
friend would remain with his foolish companion for millions of years,
especially if his companion were to ignore him or even curse him. But
Lord Ka is such a faithful, loving friend that He accompanies even the
most demoniac living entity and is also in the heart of the insect, pig and
dog. That is because Lord Ka is supremely Ka conscious and sees
every living entity as part and parcel of Himself. Every living being should
give up the bitter fruits of the tree of material existence. One should turn
one's face to the Lord within the heart and revive one's eternal loving
relationship with one's real friend, Lord Ka. The word sadau, or "of
similar nature," indicates that both the living entity and the Personality of
Godhead are conscious entities. As part and parcel of the Lord we share
the Lord's nature, but in infinitesimal quantity. Thus the Lord and the
living entity are sadau. A similar statement is found in the vetvatara
Upaniad (4.6):
dv supar sayuj sakhy
samna vka pariasvajte
tayor anya pippala svdy atty
ananann anyo 'bhickati
"There are two birds in one tree. One of them is eating the fruits of the
tree, while the other is witnessing the actions. The witness is the Lord,
and the fruit-eater is the living entity."
TEXT 7
tmnam anya ca sa veda vidvn
apippaldo na tu pippalda
yo 'vidyay yuk sa tu nitya-baddho
vidy-mayo ya sa tu nitya-mukta
tmnamHimself; anyamthe other; caalso; saHe; vedaknows;

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vidvnbeing omniscient; apippala-adanot eating the fruits of the

tree; nanot; tubut; pippala-adathe one who is eating the fruits of
the tree; yawho; avidyaywith ignorance; yukfilled; sahe; tu
indeed; nityaeternally; baddhaconditioned; vidy mayafull of
perfect knowledge; yawho; sahe; tuindeed; nityaeternally;
muktaliberated.
The bird who does not eat the fruits of the tree is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who by His omniscience perfectly understands
His own position and that of the conditioned living entity, represented
by the eating bird. That living entity, on the other hand, does not
understand himself or the Lord. He is covered by ignorance and is thus
called eternally conditioned, whereas the Personality of Godhead, being
full of perfect knowledge, is eternally liberated.
The word vidy-maya in this verse indicates the internal potency of the
Lord and not the external potency, mah-my. Within the material world
there is vidy, or material science, and avidy, or material ignorance, but
in this verse vidy means the internal spiritual knowledge by which the
Personality of Godhead is fixed in omniscience. The example of two birds
in a tree, which is given in many Vedic literatures, demonstrates the
statement nityo nitynm: there are two categories of eternal living
entities, namely the Supreme Lord and the minute jva soul. The
conditioned jva soul, forgetting his identity as an eternal servant of the
Lord, tries to enjoy the fruits of his own activities and thus comes under
the spell of ignorance. This bondage of ignorance has existed since time
immemorial and can be rectified only by one's taking to the loving
devotional service of the Lord, which is full of spiritual knowledge. In
conditioned life the living entity is forced by the laws of nature to engage
in pious and impious fruitive activities, but the liberated position of every
living entity is to offer the fruits of his work to the Lord, the supreme
enjoyer. It should be understood that even when the living entity is in a
liberated condition, his knowledge is never equal in quantity to that of the
Personality of Godhead. Even Lord Brahm, the supreme living entity
within this universe, acquires only partial knowledge of the Personality of
Godhead and His potencies. In Bhagavad-gt (4.5), the Lord explains His
superior knowledge to Arjuna:
bahni me vyattni

617

janmni tava crjuna

tny aha veda sarvi
na tva vettha parantapa
"The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I
can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!"
The term baddha, or "bound," is also understood to refer to the living
entity's eternal dependence upon the Lord, either in the conditioned or
liberated state. In the kingdom of my the living entity is bound to the
cruel laws of birth and death, whereas in the spiritual sky the living entity
is fixed in a bond of love to the Lord. Liberation means freedom from the
miseries of life, but never freedom from one's loving relationship with
Lord Ka, which is the essence of one's eternal existence. According to
rla Madhvcrya, the Lord is the only eternally free living entity, and all
other living entities are eternally dependent and bound to the Lord, either
through blissful loving service or through the bondage of my. The
conditioned soul should give up tasting the bitter fruits of the tree of
material existence and turn to his dearmost friend, Lord Ka, who is
sitting within his heart. There is no pleasure equal to or greater than the
pleasure of pure devotional service to Lord Ka, and by tasting the fruit
of love of Ka, the liberated living entity enters the ocean of happiness.
TEXT 8
deha-stho 'pi na deha-stho
vidvn svapnd yathotthita
adeha-stho 'pi deha-stha
kumati svapna-dg yath
dehain the material body; sthasituated; apialthough; nanot;
dehain the body; sthasituated; vidvnan enlightened person;
svapntfrom a dream; yathjust as; utthitahaving risen; adeha
not in the body; sthasituated; apialthough; dehain the body;
sthasituated; ku-matia foolish person; svapnaa dream; dk
seeing; yathjust as.
One who is enlightened in self-realization, although living within the
material body, sees himself as transcendental to the body, just as one
who has arisen from a dream gives up identification with the dream
body. A foolish person, however, although not identical with his

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material body but transcendental to it, thinks himself to be situated in

the body, just as one who is dreaming sees himself as situated in an
imaginary body.
In Lord Ka's discussion of the different characteristics of liberated and
conditioned souls, the Lord first clarified the distinction between the
eternally liberated Personality of Godhead and the marginal potency, the
innumerable jvas, who are sometimes conditioned and sometimes
liberated. In this and the next nine verses, the Lord describes the different
symptoms of liberated and conditioned jva souls. In a dream one sees
oneself in an imaginary body, but upon waking one gives up all
identification with that body. Similarly, one who has awakened to Ka
consciousness no longer identifies with the gross or subtle material
bodies, nor does he become affected by the happiness and distress of
material life. On the other hand, a foolish person (kumati) does not
awaken from the dream of material existence and is afflicted with
innumerable problems due to false identification with the gross and subtle
material bodies. One should become situated in one's eternal spiritual
identity (nitya-svarpa). By properly identifying oneself as the eternal
servant of Ka, one becomes relieved of his false material identity, and
therefore the miseries of illusory existence immediately cease, just as the
anxiety of a troublesome dream ceases as soon as one awakens to his
normal, pleasant surroundings. It should be understood, however, that
the analogy of awakening from a dream can never be applied to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never in illusion. The Lord is
eternally awake and enlightened in His own unique category called viutattva. Such knowledge is easily understood by one who is vidvn, or
enlightened in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 9
indriyair indriyrtheu
guair api gueu ca
ghyamev aha kuryn
na vidvn yas tv avikriya
indriyaiby the senses; indriyaof the senses; artheuin the objects;
guaiby those generated from the modes of nature; apieven;
gueuin those generated by the same modes; caalso; ghyameu
as they are being accepted; ahamfalse ego; kurytshould create; na

619

not; vidvnone who is enlightened; yawho; tuindeed; avikriya

is not affected by material desire.
An enlightened person who is free from the contamination of material
desire does not consider himself to be the performer of bodily activities;
rather, he knows that in all such activities it is only the senses, born of
the modes of nature, that are contacting sense objects born of the same
modes of nature.
Lord Ka makes a similar statement in Bhagavad-gt (3.28):
tattva-vit tu mah-bho
gua-karma-vibhgayo
gu gueu vartanta
iti matv na sajjate
"One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does
not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the
difference between work in devotion and work for fruitive results."
The material body always interacts with the sense objects, for in order to
survive the body must eat, drink, speak, sleep, and so on, but an
enlightened person who knows the science of Ka consciousness never
thinks, "I am accepting these sense objects as my property. They are
meant for my pleasure." Similarly, if the body performs a wonderful
activity, a Ka conscious person does not become proud, nor is he
depressed by the failure of the body to function in a particular way. In
other words, Ka consciousness means giving up identification with the
gross and subtle material bodies. One should see them as the external
energy of the Lord, working under the direction of the Lord's empowered
representative my. One absorbed in fruitive activities works under the
jurisdiction of mah-my, or the external illusory potency, and
experiences the miseries of material existence. On the other hand, a
devotee works under the internal potency, called yoga-my, and remains
satisfied by offering his loving service to the Lord. In either case, the Lord
Himself, by His multifarious potencies, is the ultimate performer of
action.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, one who claims to be
transcendental to the bodily concept of life, but at the same time remains
under the influence of material desire and mental transformation, is

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understood to be a cheater and the lowest type of conditioned soul.

TEXT 10
daivdhne arre 'smin
gua-bhvyena karma
vartamno 'budhas tatra
kartsmti nibadhyate
daivaof one's previous fruitive activities; adhnewhich is under the
influence; arrein the material body; asminin this; guaby the
modes of nature; bhvyenawhich are produced; karmaby fruitive
activities; vartamnabeing situated; abudhaone who is foolish;
tatrawithin the bodily functions; kartthe doer; asmiI am; iti
thus; nibadhyateis bound up.
An unintelligent person situated within the body created by his
previous fruitive activities thinks, "I am the performer of action."
Bewildered by false ego, such a foolish person is therefore bound up by
fruitive activities, which are in fact carried out by the modes of nature.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt (3.27):
prakte kriyamni
guai karmai sarvaa
ahakra-vimhtm
kartham iti manyate
The living entity is dependent on the supreme entity, Lord Ka, but
because of false pride he ignores the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
considers himself to be the performer of action and enjoyer of everything.
rla Madhvcrya states that just as a king punishes a rebellious subject,
the Supreme Lord punishes the sinful living entity by forcing him to
transmigrate from one body to another in the network of the illusory
energy.
TEXT 11
eva virakta ayana
sanana-majjane
darana-sparana-ghra-

621

bhojana-ravadiu
na tath badhyate vidvn
tatra tatrdayan gun
evamthus; viraktadetached from material enjoyment; ayanein
lying or sleeping; sanain sitting; aanawalking; majjaneor in
bathing; daranain seeing; sparanatouching; ghrasmelling;
bhojanaeating; ravaahearing; diuand so on; nanot; tathin
that way; badhyateis bound; vidvnan intelligent person; tatra tatra
wherever he goes; dayancausing to experience; gunthe senses,
born of the modes of nature.
An enlightened person fixed in detachment engages his body in lying
down, sitting, walking, bathing, seeing, touching, smelling, eating,
hearing and so on, but is never entangled by such activities. Indeed,
remaining as a witness to all bodily functions, he merely engages his
bodily senses with their objects and does not become entangled like an
unintelligent person.
In the previous chapter, Uddhava asked Lord Ka why an enlightened
person, just like a conditioned soul, engages in external bodily functions.
Here is the Lord's answer. While engaged in bodily functions, an
unintelligent person is attached to both the means and end of material life
and therefore experiences intense lamentation and jubilation on the
material platform. A self-realized soul, however, studies the inevitable
defeat and suffering of ordinary persons and does not make the mistake of
trying to enjoy the bodily functions even slightly. He instead remains a
detached witness, merely engaging his senses in the normal functions of
bodily maintenance. As indicated here by the word dayan, he engages
something other than his actual self in material experience.
TEXTS 12-13
prakti-stho 'py asasakto
yath kha savitnila
vairadyekaysagaitay chinna-saaya
pratibuddha iva svapnn
nntvd vinivartate

622

praktiin the material world; sthasituated; apieven though;

asasaktacompletely detached from sense gratification; yathjust as;
khamthe sky; savitthe sun; anilathe wind; vairadyby most
expert; kayvision; asagathrough detachment; itaysharpened;
chinnacut to pieces; saayadoubts; pratibuddhaawakened; iva
like; svapntfrom a dream; nntvtfrom the duality of variety of the
material world; vinivartateone turns away or renounces.
Although the sky, or space, is the resting place of everything, the sky
does not mix with anything, nor is it entangled. Similarly, the sun is not
at all attached to the water in which it is reflected within innumerable
reservoirs, and the mighty wind blowing everywhere is not affected by
the innumerable aromas and atmospheres through which it passes. In
the same way, a self-realized soul is completely detached from the
material body and the material world around it. He is like a person who
has awakened and arisen from a dream. With expert vision sharpened
by detachment, the self-realized soul cuts all doubts to pieces through
knowledge of the self and completely withdraws his consciousness from
the expansion of material variety.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, a self-realized soul
cuts all doubts to pieces by direct experience of his true spiritual identity.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Lord Ka, and there is no
possibility of any existence separate from Lord Ka. Such expert
knowledge cuts all doubts to pieces. As stated here, prakti-stho 'py
asasakta: like the sky, the sun or the wind, one who is self-realized is
not entangled, though situated within the material creation of the Lord.
Nntva, or "material variety," refers to one's material body, the bodies of
others and the unlimited paraphernalia for bodily sense gratification, both
physical and mental. By awakening to Ka consciousness, one
completely retires from illusory sense gratification and becomes absorbed
in the progressive realization of the soul situated within the body. As
revealed in the example of the two birds in a tree, both the individual soul
and the Personality of Godhead are completely separate from the gross
and subtle material bodies. If one turns one's face to the Lord, recognizing
one's eternal dependence on Him, there will be no further suffering or
anxiety, even though one is still situated within the material world. The
unlimited experiences of material objects only increase one's anxiety,
whereas perception of the Absolute Truth, r Ka, immediately brings

623

one to the platform of peace. Thus one who is intelligent retires from the
world of matter and becomes a fully self-realized Ka conscious person.
TEXT 14
yasya syur vta-sakalp
prendriya-mano-dhiym
vttaya sa vinirmukto
deha-stho 'pi hi tad-guai
yasyaof whom; syuthey are; vtafreed from; sakalpmaterial
desire; praof the vital energy; indriyathe senses; manathe mind;
dhiymand of intelligence; vttayathe functions; sasuch a person;
vinirmuktacompletely freed; dehain the body; sthasituated; api
even though; hicertainly; tatof the body; guaifrom all of the
qualities.
A person is considered to be completely liberated from the gross and
subtle material bodies when all the functions of his vital energy, senses,
mind and intelligence are performed without material desire. Such a
person, although situated within the body, is not entangled.
The material body and mind are subject to lamentation, illusion, hunger,
lust, greed, insanity, frustration, etc., but one who remains active in this
world without attachment is considered vinirmukta, or completely
liberated. The vital energy, senses, mind and intelligence are purified
when engaged in the devotional service of Lord Ka, as confirmed
throughout rmad-Bhgavatam.
TEXT 15
yasytm hisyate hisrair
yena kicid yadcchay
arcyate v kvacit tatra
na vyatikriyate budha
yasyaof whom; tmthe body; hisyateis attacked; hisraiby
sinful people or violent animals; yenaby someone; kicitsomewhat;
yadcchaysomehow or other; arcyateis worshiped; vor; kvacitsomewhere; tatratherein; nanot; vyatikriyateis transformed or
affected; budhaone who is intelligent.

624

Sometimes for no apparent reason one's body is attacked by cruel

people or violent animals. At other times and in other places, one will
suddenly be offered great respect or worship. One who becomes neither
angry when attacked nor satisfied when worshiped is actually
intelligent.
If one does not become angry when attacked for no apparent reason, and
if one does not become enlivened when glorified or worshiped, then one
has passed the test of self-realization and is considered fixed in spiritual
intelligence. Uddhava asked Lord Ka, kair v jyeta lakaai: by
what symptoms can a self-realized person be recognized? Just as Lord
Ka enlightened Arjuna, He now explains the same subject matter to
Uddhava. In this verse the Lord describes symptoms by which it is very
easy to recognize a saintly person, for a normal person becomes furious
when criticized or attacked and overwhelmed with joy when glorified by
others. There is a similar statement by Yjavalkya to the effect that one
who is actually intelligent does not become angry though pricked with
thorns and does not become satisfied at heart merely by being worshiped
with auspicious paraphernalia such as sandalwood.
TEXT 16
na stuvta na nindeta
kurvata sdhv asdhu v
vadato gua-dobhy
varjita sama-d muni
na stuvtadoes not praise; na nindetadoes not criticize; kurvata
those who are working; sdhuvery nicely; asdhuvery badly; vor;
vadatathose who are speaking; gua-dobhymfrom good and bad
qualities; varjitafreed; sama-dkseeing things equally; munia
saintly sage.
A saintly sage sees with equal vision and therefore is not affected by
that which is materially good or bad. Indeed, although he observes
others performing good and bad work and speaking properly and
improperly, the sage does not praise or criticize anyone.
TEXT 17

625

na kuryn na vadet kicin

na dhyyet sdhv asdhu v
tmrmo 'nay vtty
vicarej jaa-van muni
na kurytshould not do; na vadetshould not speak; kicitanything;
na dhyyetshould not contemplate; sdhu asdhu veither good or
bad things; tma-rmaone who is taking pleasure in self-realization;
anaywith this; vttylife-style; vicarethe should wander; jaavatjust like a stunted person; munia saintly sage.
For the purpose of maintaining his body, a liberated sage should not
act, speak or contemplate in terms of material good or bad. Rather, he
should be detached in all material circumstances, and taking pleasure in
self-realization, he should wander about engaged in this liberated life
style, appearing like a retarded person to outsiders.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, this verse describes a type of discipline
recommended for the jna-yogs, who by intelligence try to understand
that they are not their material bodies. One who is engaged in the
devotional service of the Lord, however, accepts and rejects material
things in terms of their usefulness in the loving service of Lord Ka.
One who is trying to preach Ka consciousness should be seen as very
intelligent and not jaa-vat, or stunted, as described here. Although a
devotee of the Lord does not act, speak or contemplate for his personal
sense gratification, he remains very busy working, speaking and
meditating in the devotional service of the Lord. The devotee makes
elaborate plans to engage all the fallen souls in Lord Ka's service so
they can be purified and go back home, back to Godhead. Merely
rejecting material things is not perfect consciousness. One must see
everything as the property of the Lord and meant for the Lord's pleasure.
One busily engaged in spreading the Ka consciousness movement has
no time to make material distinctions and thus automatically comes to the
liberated platform.
TEXT 18
abda-brahmai nito
na niyt pare yadi
ramas tasya rama-phalo

626

hy adhenum iva rakata

abda-brahmaiin the Vedic literature; nitaexpert through
complete study; na niytdoes not absorb the mind; parein the
Supreme; yadiif; ramalabor; tasyahis; ramaof great endeavor;
phalathe fruit; hicertainly; adhenuma cow that gives no milk;
ivalike; rakataof one who is taking care of.
If through meticulous study one becomes expert in reading Vedic
literature but makes no endeavor to fix one's mind on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, then one's endeavor is certainly like that of a
man who works very hard to take care of a cow that gives no milk. In
other words, the fruit of one's laborious study of Vedic knowledge will
simply be the labor itself. There will be no other tangible result.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains that the word pare ("the
Supreme") in this verse indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead
rather than the impersonal Brahman, because Lord Ka, the speaker of
these instructions, makes references in later verses to His personality as
the Supreme. An impersonal interpretation in this case would be ekadenvaya uttara-lokrtha-ttparya-virodha, or a contradictory
interpretation that creates illogical conflict with other lokas (verses)
spoken in the same context.
It requires great endeavor to take care of a cow. One must either grow
food grains to feed the cow or maintain suitable pastures. If the pasture is
not properly maintained, poisonous weeds will grow, or snakes will
multiply, and there will be danger. Cows are infected by many types of
diseases and bugs and must be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
Similarly, fences must be maintained around the cow pasture, and there is
even more work to be done. If the cow gives no milk, however, then one
certainly performs hard labor with no tangible result. Laborious effort is
also required to learn the Sanskrit language well enough to discern the
subtle and esoteric meaning of the Vedic mantras. If after such great labor
one does not understand the spiritual body of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, which is the source of all happiness in life, and if one does not
surrender to the Lord as the supreme shelter of all things, then one has
certainly labored hard with no tangible result other than his own labor.
Even a liberated soul who has given up the bodily concept of life will fall
down if he does not take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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The word nita, or "expert," indicates that one must ultimately achieve
the goal of life; otherwise one is not expert. As stated by Caitanya
Mahprabhu, prem pum-artho mahn: the actual goal of human life is
love of Godhead, and no one can be considered expert without achieving
this goal.
TEXT 19
g dugdha-dohm asat ca bhry
deha pardhnam asat-praj ca
vitta tv atrth-ktam aga vca
hn may rakati dukha-dukh
gma cow; dugdhawhose milk; dohmalready taken; asatm
unchaste; caalso; bhryma wife; dehama body; paraupon others;
adhnamalways dependent; asatuseless; prajmchildren; caalso;
vittamwealth; tubut; atrth-ktamnot given to the proper recipient;
agaO Uddhava; vcamVedic knowledge; hnmdevoid; mayof
knowledge of Me; rakatihe takes care of; dukha-dukhhe who
suffers one misery after another.
My dear Uddhava, that man is certainly most miserable who takes care
of a cow that gives no milk, an unchaste wife, a body totally dependent
on others, useless children or wealth not utilized for the right purpose.
Similarly, one who studies Vedic knowledge devoid of My glories is
also most miserable.
A human being is actually learned or expert when he understands that all
material objects perceived through the various senses are expansions of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that nothing exists without the
support of the Supreme Lord. In this verse, through various examples, it
is concluded that the power of speech is useless if not engaged in the
support of the Supreme Lord. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura, this verse implies that all of the functions of the various senses
are useless if they are not engaged in the glorification of God. Indeed, the
avadhta brhmaa previously stated to King Yadu that if the tongue is
not controlled, one's entire program of sense control is a failure. One
cannot control the tongue unless he vibrates the glories of the Lord.
The example of the milkless cow is significant. A gentleman never kills a
cow, and therefore when a cow becomes sterile and no longer gives milk,

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one must engage in the laborious task of protecting her, since no one will
purchase a useless cow. For some time, the greedy owner of a sterile cow
may continue thinking, "I have already invested so much money in taking
care of this cow, and certainly in the near future she will again become
pregnant and give milk." But when this hope is proven futile, he becomes
neglectful and indifferent to the health and safety of the animal. Because
of such sinful neglect, he must suffer in the next life, after having already
suffered because of the sterile cow in the present life.
Similarly, although a man may discover that his wife is neither chaste nor
affectionate, he may be so eager to get children that he goes on taking care
of such a useless wife, thinking, "I will teach my wife the religious duties
of a chaste woman. By hearing historical examples of great women surely
her heart will change, and she will become a wonderful wife to me."
Unfortunately, the unchaste wife in many cases does not change and also
gives a man many useless children who are just as foolish and irreligious
as she. Such children never give any happiness to the father, yet the father
tediously labors to take care of them.
Also, one who has accumulated wealth by the mercy of God must be
vigilant to give in charity to the right person and for the right cause. If
such a right person or cause appears and one hesitates and selfishly does
not give in charity, one loses his reputation, and in the next life he will be
poverty-stricken. One who fails to give properly in charity spends his life
anxiously protecting his wealth, which ultimately brings him no fame or
happiness.
The previous examples are given to illustrate the uselessness of
laboriously studying Vedic knowledge that does not glorify the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. rla Jva Gosvm comments that the spiritual
vibration of the Vedas is meant to bring one to the lotus feet of the
Supreme Lord, Ka. Many processes for achieving the Supreme Truth
are recommended in the Upaniads and other Vedic literatures, but
because of their innumerable and seemingly contradictory explanations,
commentaries and injunctions, one cannot achieve the Absolute Truth,
the Personality of Godhead, merely by reading such literature. If,
however, one understands r Ka to be the ultimate cause of all causes
and reads the Upaniads and other Vedic literature as glorification of the
Supreme Lord, then one can actually become fixed at the Lord's lotus feet.
For example, His Divine Grace rla Prabhupda translated and
commented upon r opaniad in such a way that it brings the reader

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closer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Undoubtedly, the lotus feet

of Lord Ka are the only reliable boat by which to cross the turbulent
ocean of material existence. Even Lord Brahm has stated in the Tenth
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam that if one gives up the auspicious path of
bhakti and takes to the fruitless labor of Vedic speculation, one is just like
a fool who beats empty husks in hopes of getting rice. rla Jva Gosvm
recommends that one completely ignore dry Vedic speculation because it
does not bring one to the point of devotional service to the Absolute
Truth, Lord r Ka.
TEXT 20
yasy na me pvanam aga karma
sthity-udbhava-pra-nirodham asya
llvatrepsita-janma v syd
vandhy gira t bibhyn na dhra
yasymin which (literature); nanot; meMy; pvanampurifying;
agaO Uddhava; karmaactivities; sthitimaintenance; udbhava
creation; pra-nirodhamand annihilation; asyaof the material world;
ll-avatraamong the pastime incarnations; psitadesired; janma
appearance; vor; sytis; vandhymbarren; giramvibration; tm
this; bibhytshould support; nanot; dhraan intelligent person.
My dear Uddhava, an intelligent person should never take to literatures
that do not contain descriptions of My activities, which purify the
whole universe. Indeed, I create, maintain and annihilate the entire
material manifestation. Among all My pastime incarnations, the most
beloved are Ka and Balarma. Any so-called knowledge that does not
recognize these activities of Mine is simply barren and is not acceptable
to those who are actually intelligent.
The words llvatrepsita-janma are very significant here. The Lord's
incarnation for executing wonderful pastimes is called llvatra, and
such wonderful forms of Viu are glorified by the names Rmacandra,
Nsihadeva, Krma, Varha, and so on. Among all such llvatras,
however, the most beloved, even to this day, is Lord Ka, the original
source of the viu-tattva. The Lord appears in the prison house of Kasa
and is immediately transferred to the rural setting of Vndvana, where
He exhibits unique childhood pastimes with His cowherd boyfriends, girl

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friends, parents and well-wishers. After some time, the Lord's pastimes are
transferred to Mathur and Dvrak, and the extraordinary love of the
inhabitants of Vndvana is exhibited in their anguished separation from
Lord Ka. Such pastimes of the Lord are psita, or the reservoir of all
loving exchanges with the Absolute Truth. The pure devotees of the Lord
are most intelligent and expert and do not pay any attention to useless,
fruitless literatures that neglect the highest truth, Lord Ka. Although
such literatures are very popular among materialistic persons all over the
world, they are completely neglected by the community of pure
Vaiavas. In this verse the Lord explains that the literatures approved for
the devotees are those that glorify the Lord's pastimes as the puruaavatra and the llvatras, culminating in the personal appearance of
Lord Ka Himself, as confirmed in Brahma-sahit (5.39):
rmdi-mrtiu kal-niyamena tihan
nnvatram akarod bhuvaneu kintu
ka svaya samabhavat parama pumn yo
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who manifested Himself
personally as Ka and the different avatras in the world in the forms of
Rma, Nsiha, Vmana, etc., as His subjective portions."
Even Vedic literatures that neglect the Supreme Personality of Godhead
should be ignored. This fact was also explained by Nrada Muni to rla
Vysadeva, the author of the Vedas, when the great Vedavysa felt
dissatisfied with his work.
TEXT 21
eva jijsaypohya
nntva-bhramam tmani
uprameta viraja
mano mayy arpya sarva-ge
evamthus (as I have now concluded); jijsayby analytic study;
apohyagiving up; nntvaof material variety; bhramamthe mistake
of rotating; tmaniin the self; uprametaone should cease from
material life; virajampure; manathe mind; mayiin Me; arpya
fixing; sarva-gewho am all-pervading.

631

Coming to this conclusion of all knowledge, one should give up the

false conception of material variety that one imposes upon the soul and
thus cease one's material existence. The mind should be fixed on Me,
since I am all-pervading.
Although in previous verses Lord Ka has described the life-style and
approach of the impersonal philosophers who meditate on the distinction
between matter and spirit, the Lord here rejects the path of jna, or
speculation, and comes to the final conclusion, bhakti-yoga. The path of
jna is interesting only to one who does not know that Lord Ka is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated in Bhagavad-gt (7.19):
bahn janmanm ante
jnavn mm prapadyate
vsudeva sarvam iti
sa mahtm su-durlabha
The words vsudeva sarvam iti, or "Vsudeva is everything," are similar
to the words sarva-ge found in this verse. One should know why the
Personality of Godhead is all-pervading. The first verse of rmadBhgavatam states, janmdy asya yata: [SB 1.1.1] the Supreme Lord is the
source of everything. And as stated in the previous verse of this chapter,
He creates, maintains and annihilates everything. Thus the Lord is not allpervading in the manner of air or sunlight; rather, the Lord is allpervading as the absolute controller who holds in His hands the destiny of
every living entity.
Everything is ultimately an expansion of Ka, and therefore there is
really no other object of meditation besides Ka. Meditation upon any
other object is also meditation on Ka but is imperfectly performed, as
confirmed in Bhagavad-gt by the word avidhi-prvakam. The Lord also
states in the Gt that all living entities are on the path back home, back
to Godhead. Because of ignorance, however, some of them go backward
or stop along the way, foolishly thinking that their journey is finished,
when in fact they are suspended in one of the minor potencies of the
Supreme Lord. If one wants to intimately understand the nature of the
Absolute Truth, one must take to the path of love of Godhead. As stated
in Bhagavad-gt (18.55):
bhakty mm abhijnti

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yvn ya csmi tattvata

tato m tattvato jtv
viate tad-anantaram
"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional
service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by
such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."
The words nntva-bhramam in this verse indicate false identification with
the gross and subtle material bodies. The word bhramam indicates a
mistake; it can also mean "wandering" or "rotating." The conditioned
living entity, because of his mistake of falling into illusion, is wandering
through a succession of material bodies, sometimes appearing as a
demigod and sometimes as a worm in stool. The word uprameta means
that one should stop such fruitless wandering and fix one's mind on the
Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord, who is the true object of everyone's
love. Such a conclusion is not sentimental but is the result of keen
analytic intelligence (jijsay). Thus after elaborately explaining to
Uddhava many aspects of analytic knowledge, the Lord now comes to the
ultimate conclusion, Ka consciousness, pure love of Godhead. Without
such love there is no question of eternally fixing one's mind on the Lord.
Quoting from the Viveka, rla Madhvcrya states that nntva-bhramam
indicates the following illusions: considering the living entity to be the
Supreme; considering all living entities to be ultimately one entity without
separate individuality; considering that there are many Gods; thinking
that Ka is not God; and considering that the material universe is the
ultimate reality. All of these illusions are called bhrama, or mistakes, but
such ignorance can be eliminated at once by the chanting of the holy
names of Ka: Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare
Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare.
TEXT 22
yady ano dhrayitu
mano brahmai nicalam
mayi sarvi karmi
nirapeka samcara
yadiif; anaincapable; dhrayitumto fix; manathe mind;
brahmaion the spiritual platform; nicalamfree from sense

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gratification; mayiin Me; sarviall; karmiactivities; nirapeka

without trying to enjoy the fruits; samcaraexecute.
My dear Uddhava, if you are not able to free your mind from all
material disturbance and thus absorb it completely on the spiritual
platform, then perform all your activities as an offering to Me, without
trying to enjoy the fruits.
If one offers one's activities to Lord Ka without trying to enjoy the
results, one's mind becomes purified. When the mind is purified,
transcendental knowledge automatically manifests, since such knowledge
is a by-product of pure consciousness. When the mind is absorbed in
perfect knowledge, it can be raised to the spiritual platform, as described
in Bhagavad-gt (18.54):
brahma-bhta prasanntm
na ocati na knkati
sama sarveu bhteu
mad-bhakti labhate parm
"One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme
Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally
disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional
service unto Me." By absorbing the mind in the transcendental form of
Lord Ka, one can surpass the stage of ordinary transcendental
knowledge, by which one simply distinguishes oneself from the gross and
subtle material bodies. Spiritually enriched by loving devotional service to
the Lord, the mind is completely purified of all tinges of illusion. Through
intense concentration on one's relationship with the Personality of
Godhead one comes to the highest standard of knowledge and becomes
an intimate associate of the Personality of Godhead.
By offering one's activities to the Personality of Godhead, one purifies
one's mind to some extent and thus comes to the preliminary stage of
spiritual awareness. Yet even then one may not be able to fix one's mind
completely on the spiritual platform. At that point one should realistically
assess one's position, noting the lingering material contamination within
the mind. Then, as stated in this verse, one should intensify one's
practical devotional work in the service of the Lord. If one artificially
considers oneself to be supremely liberated or if one becomes casual on

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the path of spiritual advancement, there is serious danger of a falldown.

According to rla Jva Gosvm, the Lord previously explained to
Uddhava jna-mir bhakti, or devotional service mixed with the impure
desire to enjoy transcendental knowledge. In this verse the Lord clearly
reveals that transcendental knowledge is an automatic by-product of
loving service to the Lord, and in the next verse the Lord begins His
explanation of pure devotional service, which is completely sufficient for
self-realization. The desire to enjoy spiritual knowledge is certainly a
material desire, since the goal is one's personal satisfaction and not the
pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Therefore Lord Ka here warns Uddhava
that if one is not able to fix one's mind in trance on the spiritual platform,
then one should not go on simply theoretically discussing what is
Brahman and what is not Brahman. Rather, one should engage in practical
devotional service to the Supreme Lord, and then spiritual knowledge will
automatically awaken in one's heart. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (10.10):
te satata-yuktn
bhajat prti-prvakam
dadmi buddhi-yoga ta
yena mm upaynti te
"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give
the understanding by which they can come to Me."
Similarly, in the Tenth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam Lord Brahm warns
that one should not neglect the auspicious path of bhakti and instead take
up the useless labor of mental speculation. By mere philosophical
speculation one cannot fix one's mind on the spiritual platform. Many
great philosophers throughout history had abominable personal habits,
which proves that they could not fix themselves on the spiritual platform
by mere speculation on philosophical categories. If one is not fortunate
enough to have executed devotional service to the Lord in one's past life,
and if one is therefore addicted to mere speculation on the differences
between matter and spirit, one will not be able to fix one's mind on the
spiritual platform. Such a person should give up useless speculation and
engage in the practical work of Ka consciousness, absorbing himself
twenty-four hours a day in the mission of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. In such missionary work for the Lord's sake, one should never
try to enjoy the fruits of one's work. Even though the mind is not

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completely pure, if one offers the fruits of one's work to the Lord, the
mind will quickly come to the standard of pure desirelessness, in which
one's only desire is the Lord's satisfaction.
rla Jva Gosvm states that if one does not have faith in the personal
form and activities of the Personality of Godhead, one will not have the
spiritual strength to remain perpetually on the transcendental platform. In
this verse the Lord is definitely bringing Uddhava, and all living entities,
to the conclusion of all philosophypure devotional service to the
Supreme Lord, Ka.
In this regard, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura points out that one
who is bewildered by false ego may not want to offer his activities to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though this is the actual way of
rising above the influence of the modes of material nature. Because of
ignorance one does not know that he is the eternal servant of Ka and
instead is attracted by the duality of material illusion. One cannot become
free from such illusion by theoretical speculation, but if one offers one's
work to the Personality of Godhead, one will clearly understand his
eternal, transcendental position as a servant of the Lord.
TEXTS 23-24
raddhlur mat-kath van
su-bhadr loka-pvan
gyann anusmaran karma
janma cbhinayan muhu
mad-arthe dharma-kmrthn
caran mad-apraya
labhate nical bhakti
mayy uddhava santane
raddhlua faithful person; mat-kathnarrations about Me;
vanhearing; su-bhadrwhich are all-auspicious; lokathe entire
world; pvanpurifying; gyansinging; anusmaranremembering
constantly; karmaMy activities; janmaMy birth; caalso;
abhinayanreliving through dramatical performances, etc.; muhuagain
and again; mat-arthefor My pleasure; dharmareligious activities;
kmasense activities; arthnand commercial activities; caran
performing; matin Me; aprayahaving one's shelter; labhateone
obtains; nicalmwithout deviation; bhaktimdevotional service;

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mayito Me; uddhavaO Uddhava; santanededicated to My eternal

form.
My dear Uddhava, narrations of My pastimes and qualities are allauspicious and purify the entire universe. A faithful person who
constantly hears, glorifies and remembers such transcendental
activities, who through dramatic performances relives My pastimes,
beginning with My appearance, and who takes full shelter of Me,
dedicating his religious, sensual and occupational activities for My
satisfaction, certainly obtains unflinching devotional service to Me, the
eternal Personality of Godhead.
Those who have faith only in the impersonal effulgent aspect of the
Supreme Lord and those who have faith only in the localized Supersoul,
the perfect object of mystic meditation located in the heart of every living
entity, are considered to be limited and imperfect in their transcendental
realization. The process of mystic meditation and impersonal
philosophical speculation are both devoid of actual love of God and
therefore cannot be considered to be the perfection of human life. Only
one who places full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes
qualified to go back home, back to Godhead.
Lord Ka's pastimes of stealing butter from the elderly gops, enjoying
life with His cowherd boyfriends and the young gops, playing His flute
and engaging in the rsa dance, etc., are all-auspicious spiritual activities,
and they are fully described in the Tenth Canto of this work. There are
many authorized songs and prayers glorifying these pastimes of the Lord,
and by constantly chanting them one will automatically be fixed in
smaraam, or remembrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
Lord exhibited His opulences upon His birth in Kasa's prison and at the
birth ceremony subsequently performed by Nanda Mahrja in Gokula.
The Lord further performed many adventurous activities, such as
chastising the serpent Kliya and many other irresponsible demons. One
should regularly take part in the ceremonies commemorating Ka's
pastimes, such as the Janmam celebration glorifying the Lord's birth.
On such days one should worship the Deity of Lord Ka and the
spiritual master and thus remember the Lord's pastimes.
The word dharma in this verse indicates that one's religious activities
should always be in connection with Ka. Therefore, one should give
charity in the form of food grains, clothing, etc., to the Vaiavas and

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brhmaas, and whenever possible one should arrange for the protection
of cows, who are very dear to the Lord. The word kma indicates that one
should satisfy one's desires with the transcendental paraphernalia of the
Lord. One should eat mah-prasdam, food offered to the Deity of Lord
Ka, and one should also decorate oneself with the Lord's flower
garlands and sandalwood pulp and should place the remnants of the
Deity's clothing on one's body. One who lives in a luxurious mansion or
apartment should convert his residence into a temple of Lord Ka and
invite others to come, chant before the Deity, hear Bhagavad-gt and
rmad-Bhgavatam and taste the remnants of the Lord's food, or one may
live in a beautiful temple building in the community of Vaiavas and
engage in the same activities. The word artha in this verse indicates that
one who is inclined toward business should accumulate money to
promote the missionary work of the Lord's devotees and not for one's
personal sense gratification. Thus one's business activities are also
considered to be devotional service to Lord Ka. The word nicalm
indicates that since Lord Ka is eternally fixed in perfect knowledge and
bliss, there is no possibility of disturbance for one who worships the Lord.
If we worship anything except the Lord, our worship may be disturbed
when our worshipable deity is placed in an awkward position. But
because the Lord is supreme, our worship of Him is eternally free of
disturbance.
One who engages in hearing, glorifying, remembering and dramatically
recreating the pastimes of the Lord will soon be freed from all material
desire. rla Jva Gosvm mentions in this connection that one who is
advanced in Ka consciousness may specifically be attracted to the
pastimes of a devotee in the spiritual world who serves the Lord in a
particular way. An advanced devotee in this world may desire to serve the
Lord in the same way and thus may take pleasure in dramatically reliving
the service of his worshipable devotee-master in the spiritual world. Also,
one may take pleasure in spiritual festivals, performances of particular
pastimes of Lord Ka, or activities of other devotees of the Lord. In this
way, one can continually increase one's faith in the Personality of
Godhead. Those who have no desire to hear, glorify or remember the
transcendental activities of the Lord are certainly materially polluted and
never achieve the highest perfection. Such persons spoil the opportunity
of human life by devoting themselves to fleeting mundane topics that
produce no eternal benefit. The real meaning of religion is to constantly

638

serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose form is eternal, full of

bliss and knowledge. One who has taken full shelter of the Lord is
completely uninterested in impersonal speculations about the nature of
God and uses his time to advance more and more in the unlimited bliss of
pure devotional service.
TEXT 25
sat-saga-labdhay bhakty
mayi m sa upsit
sa vai me darita sadbhir
ajas vindate padam
satof the devotees of the Lord; sagaby the association; labdhay
obtained; bhaktyby devotion; mayito Me; mmof Me; sahe;
upsitworshiper; sathat very person; vaiundoubtedly; meMy;
daritamrevealed; sadbhiby My pure devotees; ajasvery easily;
vindateachieves; padamMy lotus feet or My eternal abode.
One who has obtained pure devotional service by association with My
devotees always engages in worshiping Me. Thus he very easily goes to
My abode, which is revealed by My pure devotees.
In the previous verses Lord Ka has emphasized the value of
surrendering to Him in loving service. One may ask how such surrender
or devotion is actually achieved. The Lord gives the answer in this verse.
One must live in a society of devotees, and thus automatically one will be
engaged twenty-four hours a day in the various processes of devotional
service, beginning with ravaam, krtanam and smaraam (hearing,
glorifying and remembering the Lord) [SB 7.5.23]. The pure devotees of
the Lord can reveal the spiritual world by their transcendental sound
vibration, making it possible for even a neophyte devotee to experience
the Lord's abode. Being thus enlivened, the neophyte makes further
progress and gradually becomes qualified to personally serve the
Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world. By constantly associating
with devotees and learning from them about devotional science, one
quickly achieves a deep attachment for the Lord and the Lord's service,
and such attachment gradually matures into pure love of Godhead.
Foolish persons say that the various mantras composed of names of God,
as well as all other mantras, are merely material creations with no special

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value, and therefore any so-called mantra or mystical process will

ultimately produce the same result. To refute such superficial thinking,
the Lord here describes the science of going back home, back to Godhead.
One should not accept the bad association of impersonalists, who state
that the holy name, form, qualities and pastimes of the Lord are my, or
illusion. My is actually an insignificant potency of the almighty
Personality of Godhead, and if one ignorantly tries to elevate illusion
above the Absolute Truth, one will never experience love of Godhead and
will be cast into deep forgetfulness of the Lord. One should not associate
with those who are envious of the fortunate devotees who are going back
to Godhead. Such envious persons deride the abode of the Lord, which is
revealed by the pure devotees to those who have faith in the Lord's
message. Envious persons create disturbances among the people in
general, who should take shelter of the faithful devotees of the Lord.
Unless people hear from pure devotees, it is impossible for them to
understand that there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead eternally
existing in His own abode, which is self-luminous, full of bliss and
knowledge. In this verse, the importance of saga, association, is clearly
explained.
TEXTS 26-27
r-uddhava uvca
sdhus tavottama-loka
mata kdg-vidha prabho
bhaktis tvayy upayujyeta
kd sadbhir dt
etan me purudhyaka
lokdhyaka jagat-prabho
praatynuraktya
prapannya ca kathyatm
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; sdhua saintly person; tavain
Your; uttama-lokamy dear Lord; mataopinion; kdk-vidhawhat
kind would he be; prabhomy dear Personality of Godhead; bhakti
devotional service; tvayiunto Your Lordship; upayujyetadeserves to
be executed; kdwhat type is it; sadbhiby Your pure devotees such
as Nrada; dthonored; etatthis; meto me; purua-adhyakaO
ruler of the universal controllers; loka-adhyakaO Supreme Lord of

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Vaikuha; jagat-prabhoO God of the universe; praatyaunto Your

surrendered devotee; anuraktyawho loves You; prapannyawho has
no other shelter than You; caalso; kathyatmlet this be spoken.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead,
what type of person do You consider to be a true devotee, and what
type of devotional service is approved by great devotees as worthy of
being offered to Your Lordship? My dear ruler of the universal
controllers, O Lord of Vaikuha and almighty God of the universe, I
am Your devotee, and because I love You I have no other shelter than
You. Therefore please explain this to me.
In the previous verse it was stated that one can achieve the Lord's
supreme abode by associating with devotees. Therefore, Uddhava
naturally inquires about the symptoms of a distinguished devotee whose
association can promote one to the kingdom of God. rla Jva Gosvm
notes that the Personality of Godhead knows who is actually a sincere
devotee because the Lord is always attached to His loving servitors.
Similarly, pure devotees can expertly explain the proper methods of
devotional service to Lord Ka because they are already absorbed in
love of Ka. Uddhava herein requests Lord Ka to describe the
qualities of a devotee and asks the Lord to explain the devotional service
that the devotees themselves approve as worthy to be offered to the Lord.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura remarks that the word purudhyaka
indicates that Lord Ka is the supreme ruler of the universal controllers
headed by Mah-Viu, and thus the Lord possesses infinite sovereignty.
The term lokdhyaka indicates that Lord Ka is the ultimate
supervising authority of all of the Vaikuha planets, and therefore the
Lord is unlimitedly glorious and perfect. Uddhava further addresses Lord
Ka as jagat-prabhu, because even in the illusory material world the
Lord exhibits His unlimited mercy by personally incarnating to uplift the
conditioned souls. The word praatya ("Your surrendered devotee")
indicates that Uddhava is not proud like ordinary fools who do not enjoy
bowing down to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura, Uddhava mentions that he is anuraktya,
or completely bound in love to Lord Ka, because unlike other great
devotees such as Arjuna, who sometimes worshiped demigods in order to
comply with social customs or to show respect for their positions in the
scheme of planetary management, Uddhava never worshiped any

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demigods. Therefore, Uddhava is prapannya, or completely surrendered

to Lord Ka, having no other shelter.
TEXT 28
tva brahma parama vyoma
purua prakte para
avatrno 'si bhagavan
svecchoptta-pthag-vapu
tvamYou; brahma paramamthe Absolute Truth; vyomalike the sky
(You are detached from everything); puruathe Personality of
Godhead; prakteto material nature; paratranscendental;
avatraincarnated; asiYou are; bhagavanthe Lord; svaof Your
own (devotees); icchaccording to the desire; upttaaccepted;
pthakdifferent; vapubodies.
My dear Lord, as the Absolute Truth You are transcendental to material
nature, and like the sky You are never entangled in any way. Still, being
controlled by Your devotees' love, You accept many different forms,
incarnating according to Your devotees' desires.
The pure devotees of the Lord propagate devotional service all over the
world, and therefore, although separate from the personal form of the
Lord, they are considered to be manifestations of God's mercy and
potency. As stated in Caitanya-caritmta (Antya 7.11): ka-akti vin
nahe tra pravartana.
The Lord is like the sky (vyoma) because although expanded everywhere,
He is not entangled in anything. He is prakte para, or completely
transcendental to material nature. The Lord is fully self-satisfied and is
therefore indifferent to the affairs of the material world. Still, because of
His causeless mercy, the Lord desires to expand pure devotional service,
and for this reason He incarnates within the material world to uplift the
fallen conditioned souls.
The Lord descends in selected spiritual bodies to please His loving
devotees. Sometimes He appears in His original form as Ka. And even
Ka Himself appears in different forms to special devotees so that they
may fully develop their loving sentiments for Him. rla Jva Gosvm
gives several examples of the Lord's special mercy upon His devotees.
Lord Ka personally went to the home of Jmbavn and there displayed

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a form with slightly angry glances. In that form, the Lord enjoyed a fight
with His devotee. The Lord displayed His form as Datttreya to Atri Muni
and similarly bestowed special mercy upon Lord Brahm, the demigods,
Akrra and innumerable other devotees. And in Vndvana the Lord
displayed His most beautiful form as Govinda to the fortunate inhabitants.
rla Madhvcrya has quoted from the Praka-sahit as follows. "The
Lord accepts different spiritual bodies according to the desire of His
devotees. For example, the Lord agreed to become the son of Vasudeva
and Devak. Thus, although Lord Ka has an eternal, blissful spiritual
form, He appears to enter within the body of His devotee who becomes
His mother. Although we speak of the Lord's 'taking on a body,' the Lord
does not change His form, as do the conditioned souls, who must change
their material bodies. The Lord appears in His own eternally
unchangeable forms. Lord Hari always appears in the forms that are
especially desired by His loving devotees, and never in other forms.
However, if one thinks that the Lord, in the manner of an ordinary person
taking birth, becomes the physical son of Vasudeva or other devotees,
then one is victimized by illusion. The Lord merely expands His spiritual
potency, causing His pure devotees to think, 'Ka is now my son.' One
should understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead never
accepts or rejects a material body, nor does He ever give up His eternal
spiritual forms; rather, the Lord eternally manifests His blissful bodies
according to the loving sentiments of His eternal pure devotees."
rla Jva Gosvm mentions that the word vyoma also indicates the Lord's
name of Paravyoma, or the Lord of the spiritual sky. One should not
misinterpret this verse to mean that Lord Ka is impersonal, like the
material sky, or that the form of Ka is merely another selected
incarnation equal to any other. Such casual and whimsical speculations
cannot be accepted as actual spiritual knowledge. r Ka is the original
Personality of Godhead (kas tu bhagavn svayam [SB 1.3.28]), and the
Lord has explained elaborately in Bhagavad-gt that He is the original
source of everything. Therefore, the pure devotees of the Lord are
eternally engaged, in full knowledge and bliss, in loving service to the
Lord's original form as Ka. The whole purpose of rmad-Bhgavatam
is to arouse our love for Lord Ka, and one should not foolishly
misunderstand this great purpose.
TEXTS 29-32

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r-bhagavn uvca
kplur akta-drohas
titiku sarva-dehinm
satya-sro 'navadytm
sama sarvopakraka
kmair ahata-dhr dnto
mdu ucir akicana
anho mita-bhuk nta
sthiro mac-charao muni
apramatto gabhrtm
dhtim jita-a-gua
amn mna-da kalyo
maitra kruika kavi
jyaiva gun don
maydin api svakn
dharmn santyajya ya sarvn
m bhajeta sa tu sattama
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; kplu
unable to tolerate the suffering of others; akta-drohanever injuring
others; titikuforgiving; sarva-dehinmtoward all living entities;
satya-sraone who lives by truth and whose strength and firmness
come from truthfulness; anavadya-tma soul free from envy, jealousy,
etc.; samawhose consciousness is equal both in happiness and in
distress; sarva-upakrakaalways endeavoring as far as possible for the
welfare of all others; kmaiby material desires; ahataundisturbed;
dhwhose intelligence; dnta-controlling the external senses; mdu
without a harsh mentality; ucialways well-behaved; akicana
without possessiveness; anhafree from worldly activities; mita-bhuk
eating austerely; ntacontrolling the mind; sthiraremaining steady
in one's prescribed duty; mat-araaaccepting Me as the only shelter;
munithoughtful; apramattacautious and sober; gabhra-tmnot
superficial, and thus unchanging; dhti-mnnot weak or miserable even
in distressing circumstances; jitahaving conquered; a-guathe six
material qualities, namely hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age
and death; amnwithout desire for prestige; mna-daoffering all
respects to others; kalyaexpert in reviving the Ka consciousness of

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others; maitranever cheating anyone, and thus a true friend;

kruikaacting always due to compassion, not personal ambition;
kavicompletely learned; jyaknowing; evamthus; gungood
qualities; donbad qualities; mayby Me; dintaught; apieven;
svaknone's own; dharmnreligious principles; santyajyagiving up;
yaone who; sarvnall; mmMe; bhajetaworships; sahe; tu
indeed; sat-tamathe best among saintly persons.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Uddhava, a saintly person
is merciful and never injures others. Even if others are aggressive he is
tolerant and forgiving toward all living entities. His strength and
meaning in life come from the truth itself, he is free from all envy and
jealousy, and his mind is equal in material happiness and distress.
Thus, he dedicates his time to work for the welfare of all others. His
intelligence is never bewildered by material desires, and he has
controlled his senses. His behavior is always pleasing, never harsh and
always exemplary, and he is free from possessiveness. He never
endeavors in ordinary, worldly activities, and he strictly controls his
eating. He therefore always remains peaceful and steady. A saintly
person is thoughtful and accepts Me as his only shelter. Such a person
is very cautious in the execution of his duties and is never subject to
superficial transformations, because he is steady and noble, even in a
distressing situation. He has conquered over the six material qualities
namely hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and death. He is
free from all desire for prestige and offers honor to others. He is expert
in reviving the Ka consciousness of others and therefore never
cheats anyone. Rather, he is a well-wishing friend to all, being most
merciful. Such a saintly person must be considered the most learned of
men. He perfectly understands that the ordinary religious duties
prescribed by Me in various Vedic scriptures possess favorable qualities
that purify the performer, and he knows that neglect of such duties
constitutes a discrepancy in one's life. Having taken complete shelter at
My lotus feet, however, a saintly person ultimately renounces such
ordinary religious duties and worships Me alone. He is thus considered
to be the best among all living entities.
Verses 29-31 describe twenty-eight qualities of a saintly person, and verse
32 explains the highest perfection of life. According to rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the seventeenth quality (mat-araa,

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or taking complete shelter of Lord Ka) is the most important, and the
other twenty-seven qualities automatically appear in one who has become
a pure devotee of the Lord. As stated in rmad-Bhgavatam (5.18.12),
yasysti bhaktir bhagavaty akican sarvair guais tatra samsate sur.
The twenty-eight saintly qualities may be described as follows.
(1) Kplu. A devotee cannot tolerate seeing the world merged in
ignorance and suffering the whiplashes of my. Therefore he busily
engages in distributing Ka consciousness and is called kplu, or
merciful.
(2) Akta-droha. Even if someone is offensive toward a devotee, a devotee
does not become offensive in return. Indeed, he never acts against the
interest of any living entity. One may argue that great Vaiava kings,
such as Mahrja Yudhihira and Parkit Mahrja, executed many
criminals. However, when justice is properly administered by the state,
sinful, destructive persons actually benefit from their punishment because
they become freed from the severe karmic reactions to their illicit
activities. A Vaiava ruler gives punishment not out of envy or malice,
but in faithful obedience to the laws of God. The Myvd philosophers
who want to kill God by imagining that He does not exist are certainly
kta-droha, or most injurious to themselves and others. The impersonalist
imagines that he himself is supreme and thus creates a most dangerous
situation for himself and his followers. Similarly, the karms, who are
dedicated to material sense gratification, are also killers of the self,
because by their absorption in material consciousness they lose all chance
of experiencing the Absolute Truth and the truth of their own self.
Therefore, all living entities who come under the control of materialistic
regulations and duties are unnecessarily harassing themselves and others,
and a pure Vaiava feels great compassion and concern for them. A
devotee never uses his mind, body or words to perform any act harmful to
the welfare of any living entity.
(3) Titiku. A devotee forgives and forgets any offense against himself. A
Vaiava is personally detached from his material body, which is made of
pus, stool, blood, and so on. Therefore the devotee is able to overlook the
obnoxious behavior he sometimes meets with in the course of preaching
work and always deals with people as a perfect gentleman. A Vaiava
loudly chants the holy name of the Lord and tolerates and forgives those
fallen conditioned souls who are unable to reciprocate properly with a
pure devotee.

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(4) Satya-sra. A devotee always remembers that he is the eternal servant

of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is omniscient, the reservoir
of all pleasure and the ultimate enjoyer of all activities. By avoiding
activities outside devotional service, a devotee remains fixed in the truth,
does not uselessly waste time and thus becomes bold, powerful and
steady.
(5) Anavadytm. A devotee knows that the material world is a temporary
phantasmagoria and therefore does not envy anyone in any material
situation. He never tries to agitate others or criticize them unnecessarily.
(6) Sama. A devotee remains steady and equal in material happiness or
distress, fame or infamy. His actual wealth is his consciousness of Ka,
and he understands that his real self-interest lies outside the scope of
material nature. He does not become excited or depressed by external
events, but remains fixed in consciousness of the omnipotency of Lord
Ka.
(7) Sarvopakraka. Neglecting one's selfish desires and working for the
satisfaction of others is called paropakra, whereas causing trouble to
others for one's personal gratification is called parpakra. A devotee
always works for the pleasure of Lord Ka, who is the resting place of
all living entities, and thus a devotee's activities are ultimately pleasing to
everyone. Devotional service to Lord Ka is the perfectional stage of
welfare work, since Lord Ka is the supreme controller of everyone's
happiness and distress. Foolish persons under the influence of false
egotism, considering themselves to be the ultimate well-wishers of others,
execute superficial materialistic activities rather than attending to the
eternal happiness of others. Because a devotee remains pure and engages
in missionary activities, he is everyone's best friend.
(8) Kmair ahata-dh. Ordinary persons see all material things as objects
for their personal gratification and thus try to acquire or control them.
Ultimately a man wants to possess a woman and enjoy sex gratification
with her. The Supreme Lord supplies the desired fuel that causes the fire
of lust to burn painfully in one's heart, but the Lord does not give selfrealization to such a misguided person. Lord Ka is transcendental and
neutral, but if one is eager to exploit the Lord's creation, the Lord gives
one facility through my, and one becomes cheated of real happiness by
entangling himself in the false role of a great and lusty enjoyer of the
world. On the other hand, one who has taken full shelter of Ka is
enriched with perfect knowledge and bliss and is not cheated by the

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seductive appearances of the material world. A pure devotee does not

follow the path of the foolish deer, which is seduced by the hunter's horn
and killed. A devotee is never attracted by the sensuous entreaties of a
beautiful woman, and he avoids hearing from bewildered karms about
the so-called glories of material acquisition. Similarly, a pure devotee is
not bewildered by aroma or taste. He does not become attached to
sumptuous eating, nor does he spend the whole day making arrangements
for bodily comfort. The only actual enjoyer of God's creation is the Lord
Himself, and the living entities are secondary enjoyers who experience
unlimited pleasure through the Lord's pleasure. This perfect process of
experiencing pleasure is called bhakti-yoga, or pure devotional service,
and a devotee never sacrifices his auspicious position of steady
intelligence, even in the face of so-called material opportunity.
(9) Dnta. A devotee is naturally repelled by sinful activities and controls
his senses by dedicating all his acts to Ka. This requires steady
concentration and a cautious mentality.
(lo) Mdu. A materialistic person will always see people as friends or
enemies and thus will sometimes justify cruel or small-minded behavior
in order to subdue his opponents. Since a devotee has taken shelter of
Lord Ka, he does not consider anyone his enemy and is never
disturbed by the tendency to desire or enjoy the suffering of others. Thus
he is mdu, or gentle and sublime.
(11) uci. A devotee never touches that which is impure or improper, and
simply by remembering such a pure devotee, one is freed from the
tendency to sin. Because of his perfect behavior, a devotee is called uci,
or pure.
(12) Akicana. A devotee is free from possessiveness and is not eager to
enjoy or renounce anything, since he considers everything to be Lord
Ka's property.
(13) Anha. A devotee never acts on his own behalf, but rather for the
service of Lord Ka. He is therefore aloof from ordinary, worldly affairs.
(14) Mita-bhuk. A devotee accepts material sense objects only as far as
necessary, to keep himself healthy and fit in Lord Ka's service. He is
therefore not entangled by his sense activities and never injures his selfrealization. When necessary, a devotee can give up anything for Lord
Ka's service, but he does not accept or reject anything for his personal
prestige.
(15) nta. Those trying to exploit the Lord's creation are always

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disturbed. A devotee, however, is detached from such pointless activities

and understands sense gratification to be diametrically opposed to his
self-interest. Being always engaged according to the Lord's desire, he
remains peaceful.
(16) Sthira. Remembering that Lord Ka is the basis of everything, a
devotee does not become fearful or impatient.
(17) Mat-araa. A devotee does not take pleasure in anything except
serving Lord Ka and is constantly attentive in the execution of his
duties. A devotee knows that only Lord Ka can protect him and engage
him in useful work.
(18) Muni. A devotee is thoughtful and through intelligent contemplation
avoids becoming distracted from his spiritual advancement. By
intelligence he is freed from doubts about Lord Ka and confronts all
problems in life with steady Ka consciousness.
(19) Apramatta. One who forgets the Supreme Lord is more or less crazy,
but a devotee remains sane by offering his activities to Lord Ka.
(20) Gabhrtm. As a devotee merges into the ocean of Ka
consciousness, his own consciousness becomes deeper and deeper;
ordinary, superficial persons hovering on the material platform cannot
fathom the extent of a devotee's awareness.
(21) Dhtimn. By controlling the urges of the tongue and genitals the
devotee remains steady and patient and does not impulsively change his
position.
(22) Jita-a-gua. By spiritual knowledge, a devotee is able to conquer
the pushings of hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and death.
(23) Amn. A devotee is not puffed up, and even if he is famous, he does
not take such fame very seriously.
(24) Mna-da. A devotee offers all respects to others, since everyone is
part and parcel of Lord Ka.
(25) Kalya. A devotee is expert in making people understand the truth of
Ka consciousness.
(26) Maitra. A devotee does not cheat anyone by encouraging them in the
bodily concept of life; rather, by his missionary work a devotee is the true
friend of everyone.
(27) Kruika. A devotee tries to make people sane and thus is most
merciful. He is para-dukha-dukh, or one who is unhappy to see the
unhappiness of others.
(28) Kavi. A devotee is expert in studying the transcendental qualities of

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Lord Ka and is able to show the harmony and compatibility of the

Lord's apparently contradictory qualities. This is possible through expert
knowledge of the absolute nature of the Lord. Lord Caitanya is softer than
a rose and harder than a thunderbolt, but these opposing qualities can
easily be understood in terms of the Lord's transcendental nature and
purpose. One who is always able to understand the truth of Ka
consciousness, without opposition or confusion, is called kavi, or most
learned.
The position of those on the spiritual path can be understood in terms of
their development of the qualities mentioned above. Ultimately, the most
important quality is to take shelter of Lord Ka, since the Lord can
award all good qualities to His sincere devotee. In the lowest stage of
devotional service one acts with a desire to enjoy sense gratification but at
the same time tries to offer the fruits to the Lord. This stage is called
karma-mir bhakti. As one gradually purifies himself in devotional
service, he becomes detached through knowledge and gains relief from
anxiety. In this stage he becomes attached to transcendental knowledge,
and therefore this stage is called jna-mir bhakti, or devotional service
to Lord Ka with a desire to enjoy the fruits of transcendental
knowledge. But because pure love for Ka is actually the greatest
happiness and the natural position of the living entity, a sincere devotee
gradually overcomes his desire to enjoy sense gratification and knowledge
and comes to the stage of pure devotional service, which is devoid of
personal desire. Na karmi tyajed yog karmabhis tyajyate hi sa: "The
yog should not give up his work, but rather should cultivate detachment
by which his material activities will automatically vanish." In other words,
one should continue to perform one's prescribed duties, even imperfectly.
If one is sincere about advancing in Ka consciousness, then by the
strength of bhakti-yoga his activities will gradually be transformed into
pure loving service.
There are innumerable examples of fruitive workers, mental speculators
and materialistic devotees who became perfect by the strength of
devotional service. By rendering loving service to Ka, one
automatically experiences the greatest pleasure of life and is endowed
with perfect knowledge. There is nothing lacking in the process of pure
devotional service, and there is no need for any extraneous endeavor to
acquire sense pleasure or philosophical satisfaction. One must be
completely convinced that simply by serving Ka one will get all

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perfection in life. Even if one lacks some or all of the above-mentioned

qualities, one should sincerely engage in Lord Ka's service, and
gradually one's character will become perfect. One who is a sincere
devotee of Lord Ka will develop all godly qualities by the mercy of the
Lord, and one who is already serving the Lord with the above-mentioned
qualities is to be understood as the greatest devotee. As indicated in verse
32, a pure devotee of the Lord is fully aware of the pious advantages of
executing duties within the varrama system, and he is similarly aware
of the harmful mistake of neglecting such duties. Still, having full faith in
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a devotee gives up all ordinary
social and religious activities and engages fully in devotional service. He
knows that Lord Ka is the ultimate source of everything and that all
perfection comes from Lord Ka alone. Because of his extraordinary
faith, the devotee is called sattama, or the best among all living beings.
As explained by rla Rpa Gosvm in Upademta, a devotee who has
not yet developed the good qualities mentioned above but is nevertheless
sincerely endeavoring for Ka consciousness should receive the mercy
of superior Vaiavas. One should not necessarily accept intimate
association with such an aspirant to pure devotional service, but one
should be confident that by chanting the holy names of Ka such a
person will eventually attain all perfection. One can imagine the beauty of
a society filled with saintly persons, as described in these verses. The
wonderful Ka conscious qualities mentioned above are the basis of a
peaceful and prosperous society, and if everyone takes to the loving
service of Lord Ka, then certainly the present atmosphere of fear,
violence, lust, greed and insanity can be replaced by a celestial situation in
which all leaders and citizens will be happy. The essential points here are
mat-araa ("one should take full shelter of Lord Ka") and m
bhajeta ("one should worship the Lord through the authorized process").
In this way the entire world can become sattama, or most perfect.
TEXTS 33
jtvjtvtha ye vai m
yvn ya csmi yda
bhajanty ananya-bhvena
te me bhaktatam mat
jtvknowing; ajtvnot knowing; athathus; yethose who;
vaicertainly; mmMe; yvnas; yawho; caalso; asmiI am;

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ydahow I am; bhajantiworship; ananya-bhvenawith exclusive

devotion; tethey; meby Me; bhakta-tamthe best devotees;
matare considered.
My devotees may or may not know exactly what I am, who I am and
how I exist, but if they worship Me with unalloyed love, then I consider
them to be the best of devotees.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, although yvn
indicates that Lord Ka cannot be limited by time or space, He becomes
limited by the love of His pure devotees. For example, Lord Ka never
steps one foot out of Vndvana, because of the intense love of its
inhabitants for Him. In this way, the Lord comes under the control of His
devotees' love. The word ya indicates that Ka is the Absolute Truth
who appears as the son of Vasudeva, or as ymasundara. Yda indicates
that the Lord is tmrma, or completely self-satisfied, and also ptakma, or "one who automatically fulfills all of His desires." Still, being
affected by the love of His devotees, the Lord sometimes appears to be
antmrma, or dependent on the love of His devotees, and anptakma,
unable to achieve His desire without the cooperation of His devotees.
Actually, the Supreme Lord, Ka, is always independent, but He
reciprocates the intense love of His devotees and thus appears to be
dependent on them, just as He apparently became dependent on Nanda
Mahrja and Yaod during His childhood pastimes in Vndvana. The
word ajtv ("inexperienced, lacking knowledge") indicates that
sometimes a devotee may not have a proper philosophical understanding
of the Personality of Godhead or due to love may temporarily forget the
Lord's position. In Bhagavad-gt (11.41) Arjuna says,
sakheti matv prasabha yad ukta
he ka he ydava he sakheti
ajnat mahimna taveda
may pramdt praayena vpi
"I have in the past addressed You as 'O Ka,' 'O Ydava,' 'O my friend,'
without knowing Your glories. Please forgive whatever I may have done in
madness or in love." Arjuna's words ajnat mahimnam have the same
meaning as Ka's words ajtv mm in this verse of the Bhgavatam.
Both indicate incomplete understanding of Ka's glories. In Bhagavad-

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gt Arjuna says, praayena: his forgetfulness of Ka's supreme position

was caused by his love for Him. In this verse, Ka excuses such lapses
on the part of His devotees with the words ajtv mm, which indicate
that even though devotees may not fully appreciate His exalted position,
Ka accepts their loving service. Thus this verse clearly reveals the
supreme position of bhakti. Lord Ka also states in Bhagavad-gt
(11.54):
bhakty tv ananyay akya
aham eva-vidho 'rjuna
jtum drau ca tattvena
praveu ca parantapa
"My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be
understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly.
Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding."
Although one may develop innumerable saintly qualities, without love of
Ka one will not achieve complete success. One must understand the
Personality of Godhead as He is and love Him. Even if one is not capable
of analytically understanding the position of God, if one simply loves
Ka, then one is certainly perfect. Many of the residents of Vndvana
had no idea that Ka is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor did
they know of Ka's potencies or incarnations. They simply loved Ka
with their hearts and souls, and therefore they are considered most
perfect.
TEXTS 34-41
mal-liga-mad-bhakta-janadarana-sparanrcanam
paricary stuti prahvagua-karmnukrtanam
mat-kath-ravae raddh
mad-anudhynam uddhava
sarva-lbhopaharaa
dsyentma-nivedanam
maj-janma-karma-kathana
mama parvnumodanam

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gta-tava-vditragohbhir mad-ghotsava
ytr bali-vidhna ca
sarva-vrika-parvasu
vaidik tntrik dk
madya-vrata-dhraam
mamrc-sthpane raddh
svata sahatya codyama
udynopavankrapura-mandira-karmai
sammrjanopalepbhy
seka-maala-vartanai
gha-uraa mahya
dsa-vad yad amyay
amnitvam adambhitva
ktasyparikrtanam
api dpvaloka me
nopayujyn niveditam
yad yad iatama loke
yac cti-priyam tmana
tat tan nivedayen mahya
tad nantyya kalpate
mat-ligaMy appearance in this world as the Deity, etc.; mat-bhakta
janaMy devotees; daranaseeing; sparanatouching; arcanamand
worshiping; paricaryrendering personal service; stutioffering
prayers of glorification; prahvaobeisances; guaMy qualities; karma
and activities; anukrtanamconstantly glorifying; mat-kathtopics
about Me; ravaein hearing; raddhfaith due to love; matanudhynamalways meditating on Me; uddhavaO Uddhava; sarvalbhaall that one acquires; upaharaamoffering; dsyenaby
accepting oneself as My servant; tma-nivedanamself-surrender; matjanma-karma-kathanamglorifying My birth and activities; mamaMy;
parvain festivals such as Janmam; anumodanamtaking great
pleasure;
gtaby
songs;
tavadancing;
vditramusical

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instruments; gohbhiand discussions among devotees; mat-ghain

My temple; utsavafestivals; ytrcelebrations; bali-vidhnam
making offerings; caalso; sarvain all; vrikaannual; parvasuin
the celebrations; vaidikmentioned in the Vedas; tntrikmentioned in
literatures such as the Pacartra; dkinitiation; madyain relation
to Me; vratavows; dhraamobserving; mamaMy; arcof the
Deity form; sthpanein the installation; raddhbeing faithfully
attached; svataby oneself; sahatyawith others; caalso;
udyamaendeavor; udynaof flower gardens; upavanaorchards;
kraplaces of pastimes; puradevotional cities; mandiraand
temples; karmaiin the construction; sammrjanaby thoroughly
sweeping and dusting; upalepbhymthen by smearing water and cow
dung; sekaby sprinkling scented water; maala-vartanaiby
construction of maalas; gha-of the temple, which is My home;
uraamservice; mahyamfor My sake; dsa-vatbeing like a
servant; yatwhich; amyaywithout duplicity; amnitvambeing
without false prestige; adambhitvambeing prideless; ktasyaone's
devotional activities; aparikrtanamnot advertising; apimoreover;
dpaof lamps; avalokamthe light; mewhich belong to Me; nanot;
upayujytone should engage; niveditamthings already offered to
others; yat yatanything; ia-tamammost desired; lokein the
material world; yat caand anything; ati-priyammost dear; tmana
of oneself; tat tatthat very thing; nivedayetone should offer;
mahyamunto Me; tatthat offering; nantyyafor immortality;
kalpate-qualifies one.
My dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by engaging
in the following devotional activities. One may purify oneself by seeing,
touching, worshiping, serving, and offering prayers of glorification and
obeisances to My form as the Deity and to My pure devotees. One
should also glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear with
love and faith the narrations of My glories and constantly meditate on
Me. One should offer to Me whatever one acquires, and accepting
oneself as My eternal servant, one should give oneself completely to Me.
One should always discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by
participating in festivals, such as Janmam, which glorify My
pastimes. In My temple, one should also participate in festivals and
ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments and

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discussing Me with other Vaiavas. One should observe all the

regularly celebrated annual festivals by attending ceremonies,
pilgrimages and making offerings. One should also observe religious
vows such as Ekda and take initiation by the procedures mentioned
in the Vedas, Pacartra and other, similar literatures. One should
faithfully and lovingly support the installation of My Deity, and
individually or in cooperation with others one should work for the
construction of Ka conscious temples and cities as well as flower
gardens, fruit gardens and special areas to celebrate My pastimes. One
should consider oneself to be My humble servant, without duplicity,
and thus should help to clean the temple, which is My home. First one
should sweep and dust thoroughly, and then one should further cleanse
with water and cow dung. Having dried the temple, one should sprinkle
scented water and decorate the temple with mandalas. One should thus
act just like My servant. A devotee should never advertise his
devotional activities; therefore his service will not be the cause of false
pride. One should never use lamps that are offered to Me for other
purposes simply because there is need of illumination, and similarly,
one should never offer to Me anything that has been offered to or used
by others. Whatever is most desired by one within this material world,
and whatever is most dear to oneselfone should offer that very thing
to Me. Such an offering qualifies one for eternal life.
In these eight verses Lord Ka ends His discussion of saintly qualities in
general and describes the specific characteristics of the devotees of the
Lord. Lord Ka has clearly described both here and in Bhagavad-gt
that the ultimate goal of life is to surrender fully to Him and become His
pure devotee. Herein the Lord elaborately describes the process of
devotional service. One should offer everything that one acquires to the
Lord, thinking, "Lord Ka has sent these things so that I may serve Him
nicely." One ultimately should understand that the minute spirit soul is
part and parcel of Lord Ka, and thus one should surrender one's very
self to the Lord. Just as an ordinary servant is meek and submissive to his
master, similarly, a devotee should always be submissive to his spiritual
master, who is a representative of Lord Ka. He should realize how his
body and mind are purified simply by his seeing the spiritual master or by
accepting on his head the water offered to the spiritual master. It is
emphasized in these verses that one should attend Vaiava festivals. As

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far as possible, large festivals should be held all over the world so that
people can gradually learn how to perfect human life. The words
mamrc-sthpane raddh are significant. Here Lord Ka states that one
should have faith in His Deity worship, since the Lord is personally
present as the Deity. The words udynopavankra-pura-mandira-karmai
indicate that there should be a serious endeavor to construct beautiful
temples and Vaiava cities with ample parks, orchards and flower
gardens. An outstanding example of such endeavors can be presently seen
in India at the Mypur Candrodaya Mandira.
The words dpvaloka me nopayujyn niveditam indicate that one may
never use the Deity's paraphernalia for sense gratification. If there is a
shortage of electricity or lights, one may not use the Deity's lamps, nor
should one ever offer to Lord Ka paraphernalia previously offered to or
used by others. In these verses, the importance of Deity worship and
Vaiava festivals is emphasized in many ways. Lord Ka promises that
whoever sincerely performs these activities will certainly go back home,
back to Godhead (tad nantyya kalpate). One should offer his most dear
possession to Lord Ka, not that which is superfluous or unwanted. If
one is most attached to his family, one should see that his family is
engaged in Lord Ka's service. If one is most attached to money, that
should be given for propagating Ka consciousness. And if one
considers one's intelligence to be most valuable, he should preach Ka
consciousness with great logic and reason. If we offer our most valuable
possessions to Lord Ka, we will automatically become dear to the Lord
and go back to Godhead.
TEXT 42
sryo 'gnir brhma gvo
vaiava kha maruj jalam
bhr tm sarva-bhtni
bhadra pj-padni me
sryathe sun; agnifire; brhmathe brhmaas; gvathe
cows; vaiavathe devotee of the Lord; khamthe sky; marutthe
wind; jalamwater; bhthe earth; tmthe individual soul; sarvabhtniall living entities; bhadraO saintly Uddhava; pjof worship;
padnithe places; meof Me.
O saintly Uddhava, please know that you may worship Me in the sun,

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fire, brhmaas, cows, Vaiavas, sky, wind, water, earth, individual

soul and all living entities.
Unless one understands that Lord Ka is all-pervading and that
everything is resting within the Lord, one's Ka consciousness is third
class and materialistic. It is clearly stated in all Vedic literatures that the
Supreme Absolute Truth is the source of everything. Everything is within
Him, and He is within everything. To avoid a materialistic conception of
Lord Ka, one should not think that the Lord exists only in a particular
time and place. Rather, one should understand that He exists at all times
and in all places and that one may search for and find Lord Ka within
all things. The word pj-padni indicates that Lord Ka is allpervading, but this does not mean that all things are Lord Ka. Lord
Ka speaks this verse to clarify His supremacy as the all-pervading
Personality of Godhead and to show the path of complete self-realization.
TEXTS 43-45
srye tu vidyay trayy
havignau yajeta mm
tithyena tu viprgrye
gov aga yavasdin
vaiave bandhu-sat-kty
hdi khe dhyna-nihay
vyau mukhya-dhiy toye
dravyais toya-purasarai
sthaile mantra-hdayair
bhogair tmnam tmani
ketra-ja sarva-bhteu
samatvena yajeta mm
sryein the sun; tuindeed; vidyay trayyby offering selected Vedic
hymns of praise, worship and obeisances; haviwith offerings of
clarified butter; agnauin the fire; yajetaone should worship; mm
Me; tithyenaby respectfully receiving them as guests even when
uninvited; tuindeed; vipraof brhmaas; agryein the best; gouin
the cows; agaO Uddhava; yavasa-dinby offering grass and other
paraphernalia for their maintenance; vaiavein the Vaiava; bandhu
with loving friendship; sat-ktyby honoring; hdiwithin the heart;

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khewithin the inner space; dhynain meditation; nihayby being

fixed; vyauin the air; mukhyathe most important; dhiy
considering by intelligence; toyein water; dravyaiby material
elements; toya-pura-saraiby water, etc.; sthailein the earth;
mantra-hdayaiby application of confidential mantras; bhogaiby
offering of materially enjoyable objects; tmnamthe jva soul; tmani
within the body; ketra-jamthe Supersoul; sarva-bhteuwithin all
living beings; samatvenaseeing Him equally everywhere; yajetaone
should worship; mmMe.
My dear Uddhava, one should worship Me within the sun by chanting
selected Vedic mantras and by performing worship and offering
obeisances. One may worship Me within fire by offering oblations of
ghee, and one may worship Me among the brhmaas by respectfully
receiving them as guests, even when uninvited. I can be worshiped
within the cows by offerings of grass and other suitable grains and
paraphernalia for the pleasure and health of the cows, and one may
worship Me within the Vaiavas by offering loving friendship to them
and honoring them in all respects. Through steady meditation I am
worshiped within the inner space of the heart, and within the air I can
be worshiped by knowledge that pra, the life air, is the chief among
elements. I am worshiped within water by offerings of water itself,
along with other elements such as flowers and tulas leaves, and one
may worship Me within the earth by proper application of confidential
seed mantras. One may worship Me within the individual living entity
by offering food and other enjoyable substances, and one may worship
Me within all living entities by seeing the Supersoul within all of them,
thus maintaining equal vision.
Significantly, the Lord emphasizes in these three verses that one should
worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is expanded within all
living beings. It is not recommended that one accept any material or
spiritual object other than the Lord as supreme. By maintaining steady
consciousness of the Lord in His all-pervading feature, one can remain in
a worshipful mood twenty-four hours a day. Thus, one will naturally try
to engage all material and spiritual elements in the loving service of Lord
Ka. If because of ignorance one forgets the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one may become inclined to worship powerful material
phenomena independent of the Supreme Lord, or one may foolishly

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consider oneself to be supreme. One should remain sane and accept the
worshipable presence of the Supreme Lord within everything.
TEXT 46
dhiyev ity eu mad-rpa
akha-cakra-gadmbujai
yukta catur-bhuja nta
dhyyann arcet samhita
dhiyeuin the previously mentioned places of worship; itithus (by
the previously mentioned processes); euin them; mat-rpamMy
transcendental form; akhawith the conchshell; cakraSudarana
disc; gadclub; ambujaiand lotus flower; yuktamequipped; catubhujamwith four arms; ntampeaceful; dhyyanmeditating; arcet
one should worship; samhitawith complete attention.
Thus, in the previously mentioned places of worship and according to
the processes I have described, one should meditate on My peaceful,
transcendental form with four arms holding a conchshell, Sudarana
disc, club and lotus flower. In this way, one should worship Me with
fixed attention.
The Lord has previously explained that He appears in different
transcendental forms to His pure devotees so that they may unlimitedly
increase their love of Godhead. Here is given a general description of the
four-armed Nryaa form, which pervades the material world as
Supersoul, or Paramtm. The pure devotees, however, do not meditate
upon the Lord within the heart but rather render active service to a
specific form of the Lord, such as Rma or Ka, and thus perfect their
realization of Bhagavn, or the Supreme Lord, who engages in
transcendental pastimes with His devotees in the spiritual world. Yet even
within the material world one can spiritualize one's existence by seeing
the Supreme Lord within everything and worshiping Him by constant
meditation. As mentioned in the previous verses, one should also go to
the temple and specifically worship the Deity and participate in spiritual
festivals. One should not be puffed up and claim that because one is
meditating on the Lord within nature there is no need to go to the temple.
Temple worship has been repeatedly emphasized by the Lord Himself.
The word samhita in this verse indicates samdhi. If one very carefully

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worships the Deity or hears and chants about the pastimes of Lord Ka,
one is certainly in samdhi. By worshiping and glorifying the Lord twentyfour hours a day one becomes a liberated soul and gradually rises
completely beyond the influence of the material creation. The living entity
is called tm, or eternal soul, because of his relationship with the
Paramtm, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By worshiping the
Lord, our eternal nature revives, and as we increase our enthusiasm and
steadiness in devotional service, material existence fades away.
TEXT 47
i-prtena mm eva
yo yajeta samhita
labhate mayi sad-bhakti
mat-smti sdhu-sevay
iby sacrificial performances for one's own benefit; prtenaand
pious works for the benefit of others, such as digging wells; mmMe;
evamthus; yaone who; yajetaworships; samhitawith mind
fixed in Me; labhatesuch a person obtains; mayiin Me; sat-bhaktim
unflinching devotional service; mat-smtirealized knowledge of Me;
sdhuwith all superior qualities; sevayby service.
One who has executed sacrificial performances and pious works for My
satisfaction, and who thus worships Me with fixed attention, obtains
unflinching devotional service unto Me. By the excellent quality of his
service such a worshiper obtains realized knowledge of Me.
The word i-prtena, which means "sacrificial performances and pious
works," does not indicate deviation from the pure devotional service of
the Lord. Lord Ka, or Viu, is called Yaja, or the Lord of sacrifice,
and in Bhagavad-gt (5.29) Lord Ka says, bhoktra yaja-tapasm: "I
am the actual enjoyer of all sacrifice." The highest sacrifice is to chant the
holy names of the Lord, and by taking shelter of the Lord's names, one
will acquire unflinching devotion and realized knowledge of the Absolute
Truth. A realized devotee is very attentive in his devotional service, taking
it as his life and soul. He keeps himself fit for devotional service by
constantly worshiping and glorifying the lotus feet of the spiritual master
and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such hari-nma-krtana and
guru-pj are the only practical methods by which one can achieve pure

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devotional service. When hari-krtana is expanded, it is called kasakrtana. One should not dry up by performing unauthorized austerities
or sacrifices; rather, one should engage with all enthusiasm in the great
sacrifice of r-ka-sakrtana, which enables one to easily achieve the
highest perfection of human life.
TEXT 48
pryea bhakti-yogena
sat-sagena vinoddhava
nopyo vidyate samyak
pryaa hi satm aham
pryeafor all practical purposes; bhakti-yogenadevotional service
unto Me; sat-sagenawhich is made possible by association with My
devotees; vinwithout; uddhavaO Uddhava; nanot; upyaany
means; vidyatethere is; samyakthat actually works; pryaamthe
true path of life or actual shelter; hibecause; satmof liberated souls;
ahamI.
My dear Uddhava, I am personally the ultimate shelter and way of life
for saintly liberated persons, and thus if one does not engage in My
loving devotional service, which is made possible by associating with
My devotees, then for all practical purposes, one possesses no effective
means for escaping from material existence.
Lord Ka has described to Uddhava the characteristics of jna-yoga
and bhakti-yoga, both of which are considered to be spiritual processes.
Now, however, Lord Ka clearly indicates that bhakti-yoga is the only
real means to totally free oneself from material existence, and that bhaktiyoga is not possible without sat-saga, or association with other
Vaiavas. On the path of bhakti-mira jna, or speculation on the
Absolute Truth mixed with devotion, one is still affected by the three
modes of material nature. The pure soul, liberated from all material
qualities, has no tendency or desire to engage in philosophical
speculation, severe austerities or impersonal meditation. The pure soul
simply loves Ka and wants to serve Him constantly. Jvera 'svarpa'
haya-kera 'nitya-dsa.' [Cc. Madhya 20.108]. Pure devotional service to
the Lord is called kevala-bhakti, whereas devotional service mixed with
speculative propensities is called gua-bhta-bhakti, or devotional service

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polluted by the material modes of nature. One who is actually intelligent

does not make a show of philosophical wizardry but rather discerns the
superiority of pure love of Godhead and takes to the path of kevala-bhakti.
One who emphasizes so-called intellectual achievements is actually less
intelligent, because such a person is more attracted to intelligence than to
the pure soul, which is superior. It should be understood, however, that
pure devotional service is not nonphilosophical or anti-intellectual. The
Absolute Truth is far more extensive than partial truth. Therefore, one
who is in full knowledge of Lord Ka has the greatest facility to engage
in philosophical analysis, since a pure devotee is working with the entire
range of conceptual categories. Those who do not know Lord Ka are
attracted to the impersonal Brahman or the localized Paramtm, but they
are not aware of the ultimate category of understanding called Bhagavn,
or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lacking knowledge of Bhagavn,
such imperfect philosophers certainly do not understand the expansion,
interaction and withdrawal of the Lord's innumerable potencies and thus
cannot fully analyze them. By faithfully accepting everything Lord Ka
speaks as the absolute truth, one comes to the mature platform of
philosophy and achieves perfect knowledge.
In addition to philosophical or intellectual understanding, pure
devotional service also awards all other benefits in life, both material and
spiritual; therefore one who for any purpose whatsoever accepts a process
other than devotional service has unfortunately misunderstood the nature
of pure devotional service to Lord Ka. It is emphasized here that one
must cultivate devotional service in the association of other devotees. On
the other hand, the jna-yoga process is cultivated alone, because it is
difficult for even two mental speculators to be in the same place without
their association degenerating into constant quarrel. Other processes of
self-realization are compared to the nipples on a goat's neck. They look
just like breast nipples, but they will not give any milk whatsoever. In this
regard rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has quoted the following
verses, spoken by r Uddhava, ukadeva Gosvm and Nrada Muni
respectively.
tpa-trayebhihitasya ghore
santapyamnasya bhavdhvanha
paymi nnyac charaa tavghridvandvtapatrd amtbhivart

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"My dear Lord, for one who is being cruelly burned in the blazing fire of
material miseries, having fallen into the network of material existence, I
do not see any other possible shelter besides Your two lotus feet, which
are a shower of nectar extinguishing the fire of suffering." (SB 11.19.9)
sasra-sindhum ati-dustaram uttitror
nnya plavo bhagavata puruottamasya
ll-kath-rasa-nievaam antarea
puso bhaved vividha-dukha-davrditasya
"Material existence is like an ocean that is extremely difficult to cross.
The conditioned souls have fallen into this ocean, which is not cool but
rather burns them with the fire of misery. For one who has fallen into this
sea and desires to get out, there is no other rescue boat except the
constant relishing within oneself of the pastime narrations of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead." (SB 12.4.40)
ki v yogena skhyena
nysa-svadhyyayor api
ki v reyobhir anyai ca
na yatrtma-prado hari
"What is the use of the yoga system, philosophical speculation, mere
renunciation of the world, or Vedic studies? In fact, what is the use of any
so-called auspicious process without Lord Ka, who is the source of our
very existence?" (SB 4.31.12)
If, as stated in this verse, it is generally (pryea) impossible to escape
material bondage without devotional service in the association of
devotees, one can simply imagine the probabilities of liberation in Kaliyuga without the Ka consciousness movement. The chances are
certainly zero. One may concoct a type of liberation on the mental
platform, or one may live in a so-called spiritual society of mutual flattery,
but if one actually wants to go back home, back to Godhead, and see with
spiritual eyes the beautiful kingdom of God called Kaloka, one must
take to Lord Caitanya's movement and worship Lord Ka in the
association of the bhakta-gaa, the devotees of the Lord.
TEXT 49

664

athaitat parama guhya

vato yadu-nandana
su-gopyam api vakymi
tva me bhtya suht sakh
athathus; etatthis; paramamsupreme; guhyamsecret; vatato
you who are listening; yadu-nandanaO beloved of the Yadu dynasty; sugopyammost confidential; apieven; vakymiI will speak; tvam
you; meof Me; bhtyaare the servant; su-htwell-wisher; sakh
and friend.
My dear Uddhava, O beloved of the Yadu dynasty, because you are My
servant, well-wisher and friend, I shall now speak to you the most
confidential knowledge. Please hear as I explain these great mysteries
to you.
It is stated in the First Chapter of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.1.8), bryu
snigdhasya iyasya guravo guhyam apy uta: a bona fide spiritual master
naturally reveals all transcendental secrets to a sincere disciple. r
Uddhava had completely surrendered to Lord Ka, and then only could
the Lord explain such mysteries to him, because without complete faith
the transmission of spiritual knowledge is impossible. Other processes of
self realization, such as philosophical speculation, are imperfect and
unsteady because the performer has personal desires, and there is no
definite procedure by which to obtain the full mercy of the Supreme Lord.
On the other hand, association with the pure devotees of the Lord is a
self-sufficient process that is guaranteed to award the desired result. One
must only learn how to associate with the pure devotees and one's life will
be perfect. That is the sum and substance of this chapter.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Eleventh Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Symptoms of Conditioned and
Liberated Living Entities."

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12. Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge

In this chapter the glories of holy association and the superexcellence of

the pure love of the residents of Vndvana are described.
The association of saintly devotees destroys the soul's attachment to
material life and is capable of bringing even the Supreme Lord, Ka,
under one's control. Neither yoga, Skhya philosophy, ordinary religious
duties, study of scriptures, austerities, renunciation, works of i and
prtam, charity, vows of fasting, worship of the Deity, secret mantras,
visiting of holy places, nor adherence to any major or minor regulative
principles can effect the same result. In every age there are demons,
monsters, birds and animals who are in the modes of passion and
ignorance, and there are also human beings in the categories of
businessmen, women, workers, outcastes, and so on, who cannot study
the Vedic scriptures. Nevertheless, by the purifying effect of the
association of devotees they may all achieve the supreme abode of the
Personality of Godhead, whereas without such saintly association, even
those very seriously endeavoring in yoga, Skhya study, charity, vows
and practice of the renounced order of life may remain incapable of
attaining the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The young damsels of Vraja, ignorant of the true identity of Lord
Kacandra, considered Him to be their paramour who would give them
pleasure. Yet by the power of their constant association with r Ka,
they attained to the supreme Absolute Truth, which even great demigods
like Brahm cannot achieve. The young women of Vndvana displayed
such deep attachment to Lord Ka that their minds, which were
overflowing with the ecstasy of being with Him, perceived an entire night
spent in His company as just a fraction of a second. However, when
Akrra took r Ka along with Baladeva to Mathur, the gops then
thought each night without Him to be equal in duration to a millennium
of the demigods. Being tormented by separation from Lord Ka, they
could not imagine anything that could give them satisfaction other than
His return. This is the incomparable excellence of the gops' pure love of
God.

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The Supreme Lord, r Ka, after imparting these instructions to

Uddhava, advised that for the sake of attaining the Absolute Truth,
Uddhava should give up all consideration of religion and irreligion as
promulgated in the rutis and smtis and instead take shelter of the
example of the women of Vndvana.
TEXTS 1-2
r-bhagavn uvca
na rodhayati m yogo
na skhya dharma eva ca
na svdhyyas tapas tygo
ne-prta na daki
vratni yaja chandsi
trthni niyam yam
yathvarundhe sat-saga
sarva-sagpaho hi mm
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; na
rodhayatidoes not control; mmMe; yogathe aga-yoga system;
naneither; skhyamthe analytic study of the material elements;
dharmaordinary piety such as nonviolence; evaindeed; caalso;
naneither; svdhyyachanting the Vedas; tapapenances; tyga
the renounced order of life; nanor; i-prtamthe performance of
sacrifice and public welfare activities such as digging wells or planting
trees; naneither; dakicharity; vratnitaking vows such as fasting
completely on Ekda; yajaworship of the demigods; chandsi
chanting confidential mantras; trthnigoing to holy places of
pilgrimage; niyamfollowing major instructions for spiritual
discipline; yamand also minor regulations; yathas; avarundhe
brings under control; sat-sagaassociation with My devotees; sarva
all; sagamaterial association; apaharemoving; hicertainly; mm
Me.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, by
associating with My pure devotees one can destroy one's attachment for
all objects of material sense gratification. Such purifying association
brings Me under the control of My devotee. One may perform the
aga-yoga system, engage in philosophical analysis of the elements of

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material nature, practice nonviolence and other ordinary principles of

piety, chant the Vedas, perform penances, take to the renounced order
of life, execute sacrificial performances and dig wells, plant trees and
perform other public welfare activities, give in charity, carry out severe
vows, worship the demigods, chant confidential mantras, visit holy
places or accept major and minor disciplinary injunctions, but even by
performing such activities one does not bring Me under his control.
The commentary of rla Jva Gosvm on these two verses can be
summarized as follows. One may serve the devotees of the Lord through
ceremonial worship or by actually associating with them. Association with
pure devotees is sufficient for self-realization because one can learn
everything about spiritual advancement from such devotees. With perfect
knowledge one can achieve all that one desires, for the process of
devotional service immediately brings the blessings of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Pure devotional service is transcendental to the
modes of nature, and therefore it appears mysterious to the souls
conditioned by those modes.
In the previous chapter Lord Ka stated, havignau yajeta mm: "One
may worship Me in fire by offering oblations of ghee." (SB 11.11.43) Also,
in verse 38 of the previous chapter it was mentioned that one should
construct parks, recreational places, orchards, vegetable gardens, and so
on. These serve to attract people to the temples of Ka, where they may
directly engage in chanting the holy name of the Lord. Such construction
projects may be understood as prtam, or public welfare activities.
Although Lord Ka mentions in these two verses that association with
His pure devotees is far more powerful than processes such as yoga,
philosophical speculation, sacrifices and public welfare activities, these
secondary activities also please Lord Ka, but to a lesser extent.
Specifically, they please the Lord when performed by devotees rather than
by ordinary materialistic persons. Therefore the comparative term yath
("according to proportion") is used. In other words, such practices as
sacrifice, austerity and philosophical study may help one become fit for
rendering devotional service, and when such activities are performed by
devotees aspiring for spiritual advancement, they become somewhat
pleasing to the Lord.
One may study the example of vratni, or vows. The injunction that one
should fast on Ekda is a permanent vow for all Vaiavas, and one

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should not conclude from these verses that one may neglect the Ekda
vow. The superiority of sat-saga, or association with pure devotees, in
awarding the fruit of love of Godhead does not mean that one should give
up other processes or that these secondary processes are not permanent
factors in bhakti-yoga. There are many Vedic injunctions instructing one
to execute the agnihotra sacrifice, and the modern-day followers of
Caitanya Mahprabhu also occasionally execute fire sacrifices. Such
sacrifice is recommended by the Lord Himself in the previous chapter,
and therefore it should not be given up by the devotees of the Lord. By
performing Vedic ritualistic and purificatory processes, one is gradually
elevated to the platform of devotional service, whereupon one is able to
directly worship the Absolute Truth. One Vedic injunction states, "The
result awarded for fasting continuously for one month on six different
occasions can easily be achieved simply by accepting a handful of rice
offered to Lord Viu. This facility is especially offered in the Kali-yuga."
Nevertheless, regulated fasting on Ekda is not an impediment to
spiritual advancement. Rather, it is a perpetual aspect of devotional
service and can be considered an auxiliary principle supporting the main
principle of worshiping Lord Ka and His devotees. Because such
secondary principles help one become fit for executing the primary
processes of devotional service, they are also greatly beneficial. Therefore,
such secondary principles are widely mentioned throughout Vedic
literature. It may be concluded that such secondary principles are
essential for advancement in Ka consciousness, and therefore one
should never give up the principle of vrata, the execution of prescribed
vows.
In the previous chapter rla rdhara Svm mentioned that the words
jyaiva gun don (SB 11.11.32) indicate that a devotee should
select Vedic principles that do not conflict with his service to the Lord.
Many of the elaborate Vedic ceremonies and complicated procedures for
fasting, demigod worship and yoga practice cause great disturbance to the
supreme process of ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23], hearing and
chanting about the Lord; therefore they are rejected by the Vaiavas.
However, the processes helpful to devotional service should be accepted.
The example can be given of Mahrja Yudhihira, who was instructed
by the dying Bhmadeva. In rmad-Bhgavatam (1.9.27) Bhma
instructs King Yudhihira in dna-dharma, or public acts of charity, rjadharma, or the duties of a king, moka-dharma, or duties for salvation,

669

str-dharma, or duties for women, and ultimately bhgavata-dharma, or

pure devotional service to the Lord. Bhma did not limit his discussion to
bhgavata-dharma, because Lord Ka gave Mahrja Yudhihira the
devotional service of acting as a king, and to execute his service
Yudhihira Mahrja required extensive knowledge of civic affairs.
However, one who is not rendering such prescribed devotional service in
society should not unnecessarily involve himself in the material world,
even by practice of Vedic rituals. Nothing should distract him from the
ultimate goal of satisfying Lord Ka.
The principle of not giving up prescribed vows may be further illustrated
by the example of Mahrja Ambara. In the Ninth Canto of rmadBhgavatam we find that although Mahrja Ambara performed
elaborate Vedic sacrifices, his goal was always the satisfaction of the Lord.
The citizens in his kingdom did not desire to go to heaven, because they
were always hearing about the glories of Vaikuha. Ambara Mahrja,
along with his queen, observed the vow of Ekda and Dvda for one
year. Since Ambara Mahrja is considered to be a great jewel among
Vaiavas, and since his behavior was always exemplary, it is definitely
concluded that such vows as fasting on Ekda are imperative for
Vaiavas. It is further stated in Vedic literature, "If due to negligence a
Vaiava does not fast on Ekda, then his worship of Lord Viu is
useless, and he will go to hell." The members of the International Society
for Krishna Consciousness fast from grains and beans on Ekda, and this
vow should always be observed by all of its members.
If one falsely thinks that one may obtain the association of Lord Ka
merely by great austerities, brilliant studies in Sanskrit literature,
magnanimous acts of charity, etc., one's Ka consciousness will be
distorted and weakened. One should remember the example of Lord
Caitanya, who practiced Ka consciousness by constantly hearing and
chanting about Lord Ka. If by fasting, study, austerity or sacrifice one
becomes more fit to participate in the sakrtana movement of Lord
Caitanya, then such activities are also pleasing to Lord Ka. But the
Lord clearly explains here that such activities can never become central in
the practice of bhakti-yoga. They must remain in an auxiliary relationship
to the supreme process of sat-saga, or association with pure devotees
who hear and chant the glories of the Lord. rla Madhvcrya has quoted
from Vedic literature that if one offends the Lord's devotees and does not
learn to associate with them, Lord Viu personally places barriers in the

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path of such a person so that he may not enter into the Lord's company.
TEXTS 3-6
sat-sagena hi daitey
ytudhn mg khag
gandharvpsaraso ng
siddh craa-guhyak
vidydhar manuyeu
vaiy dr striyo 'ntya-j
rajas-tama-praktayas
tasmis tasmin yuge yuge
bahavo mat-pada prpts
tvra-kydhavdaya
vaparv balir bo
maya ctha vibhaa
sugrvo hanumn ko
gajo gdhro vaikpatha
vydha kubj vraje gopyo
yaja-patnyas tathpare
sat-sagenaby association with My devotees; hicertainly; daitey
the sons of Diti; ytudhndemons; mganimals; khagbirds;
gandharvaGandharvas; apsarasathe society girls of heaven; ng
snakes; siddhresidents of Siddhaloka; craathe Craas;
guhyakthe Guhyakas; vidydharthe residents of Vidydharaloka;
manuyeuamong the human beings; vaiymercantile men;
drlaborers; striyawomen; antya-juncivilized men; rajatama-praktayathose bound in the modes of passion and ignorance;
tasmin tasminin each and every; yuge yugeage; bahavamany living
entities; matMy; padamabode; prptachieved; tvraVtrsura;
kydhavaPrahlda Mahrja; dayaand others like them;
vaparvnamed Vaparv; baliBali Mahrja; baBsura;
mayathe demon Maya; caalso; athathus; vibhaaVibhaa,
the brother of Rvaa; sugrvathe monkey king Sugrva; hanumnthe
great devotee Hanumn; kaJmbavn; gajathe devotee-elephant
Gajendra; gdhraJayu the vulture; vaikpathathe merchant
Tuldhra; vydhaDharma-vydha; kubjthe former prostitute

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Kubj, saved by Lord Ka; vrajein Vndvana; gopyathe gops;

yaja-patnyathe wives of the brhmaas performing sacrifice; tath
similarly; apareothers.
In every yuga many living entities entangled in the modes of passion
and ignorance gained the association of My devotees. Thus, such living
entities as the Daityas, Rkasas, birds, beasts, Gandharvas, Apsars,
Ngas, Siddhas, Craas, Guhyakas and Vidydharas, as well as such
lower-class human beings as the vaiyas, dras, women and others,
were able to achieve My supreme abode. Vtrsura, Prahlda Mahrja
and others like them also achieved My abode by association with My
devotees, as did personalities such as Vaparv, Bali Mahrja,
Bsura, Maya, Vibhaa, Sugrva, Hanumn, Jmbavn, Gajendra,
Jayu, Tuldhra, Dharma-vydha, Kubj, the gops in Vndvana and
the wives of the brhmaas who were performing sacrifice.
The Lord has mentioned devotees such as the gops in Vndvana and also
demons like Bsura to illustrate how He comes under the control of
those who surrender to Him. It is understood that devotees like the gops
and others mentioned here obtained pure love of Ka, whereas the
demons generally obtained only salvation. Many demons were purified by
association with devotees and came to accept devotional service to the
Lord as the most important among the various activities in their lives, but
the exalted devotees like Prahlda and Bali Mahrja know nothing except
devotional service, which they accept as their very life. Still, the reformed
demons are also mentioned so that readers of rmad-Bhgavatam will
understand the enormous benefits one may achieve by associating with
devotees of the Lord.
The demon Vtrsura was the pious King Citraketu in his previous life,
during which he associated with r Nrada Muni, r Agir Muni and
Lord Sakaraa. Prahlda Mahrja, being the son of Hirayakaipu, is
considered a Daitya, or demon. Yet while still in the womb of his mother,
Kaydh, he associated with Nrada Muni by sound vibration. The demon
Vaparv was abandoned by his mother at birth, but he was raised by a
muni and became a devotee of Lord Viu. Bali Mahrja associated with
his grandfather Prahlda and also with Lord Vmanadeva. Bali Mahrja's
son, Bsura, was saved by association with his father and Lord iva. He
also associated with Lord Ka personally when the Lord cut off all but
two of his one thousand arms, which had been awarded as a benediction

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by Lord iva. Understanding the glories of Lord Ka, Bsura also

became a great devotee. The demon Maya Dnava constructed an
assembly house for the Pavas and also associated with Lord Ka
Himself, eventually achieving the shelter of the Lord. Vibhaa was a
pious-natured demon, the brother of Rvaa, and he associated with
Hanumn and Rmacandra.
Sugrva, Hanumn, Jmbavn and Gajendra are examples of animals who
achieved the mercy of the Lord. Jmbavn, or karja, was a member of a
race of monkeys. He personally associated with Lord Ka, fighting with
Him over the Syamantaka jewel. The elephant Gajendra in a previous life
had association with devotees, and at the end of his life as Gajendra he
was personally saved by the Lord. Jayu, the bird who at the cost of his
own life assisted Lord Rmacandra, associated with r Garua and
Mahrja Daaratha as well as other devotees in rma-ll. He also
personally met with St and Lord Rma. According to rla Jva Gosvm,
the association that the Gandharvas, Apsars, Ngas, Siddhas, Craas,
Guhyakas and Vidydharas had with the devotees is not very prominent
and does not need to be mentioned. Vaikpatha is a vaiya, and his story
is mentioned in the Mahbhrata in connection with the pride of Jjali
Muni.
The importance of association with devotees is illustrated in the story of
Dharma-vydha, the nonviolent hunter, as described in the Varha
Pura. In a previous life he somehow became a brahma-rkasa, or
brhmaa ghost, but was eventually saved. In a previous Kali-yuga he had
the association of a Vaiava king named Vsu. The lady Kubj associated
directly with Lord Ka, and in her previous birth she had associated
with r Nrada Muni The gops of Vndvana rendered service to saintly
persons in their previous births. Having had ample association with
devotees, they became gops in Vndvana in their next lives and
associated with the eternally liberated gops who had descended there.
They also had association with Tulas-dev, or Vnd-dev. The wives of
the brhmaas performing sacrifice had association with women sent by
Lord Ka to sell flower garlands and betel nuts and heard about the
Lord from them.
TEXT 7
te ndhta-ruti-ga
nopsita-mahattam

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avrattapta-tapasa
mat-sagn mm upgat
tethey; nanot; adhtahaving studied; ruti-gathe Vedic
literatures; nanot; upsitahaving worshiped; mahat-tamagreat
saints; avratawithout vows; ataptanot having undergone; tapasa
austerities; mat-sagtsimply by association with Me and My devotees;
mmMe; upgatthey achieved.
The persons I have mentioned did not undergo serious studies of the
Vedic literature, nor did they worship great saintly persons, nor did
they execute severe vows or austerities. Simply by association with Me
and My devotees, they achieved Me.
Study of the Vedic literature, worship of those who teach the rutimantras, acceptance of vows and austerities, etc., as mentioned
previously, are helpful processes that please the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. In this verse, however, the Lord again explains that all such
processes are secondary to the essential process of associating with the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees. By other
processes one may gain the association of the Lord and His devotees,
which will actually give the perfection of life. The word mat-sagt can
also be read as sat-sagt, with the same meaning. In the reading matsagt ("from association with Me"), mat is also understood to indicate
"those who are Mine," or the devotees. rla rdhara Svm mentions that
a pure devotee can advance in Ka consciousness by his own
association, since simply by associating with his own activities and
consciousness, he associates with the Lord.
TEXT 8
kevalena hi bhvena
gopyo gvo nag mg
ye 'nye mha-dhiyo ng
siddh mm yur ajas
kevalenaby unalloyed; hiindeed; bhvenaby love; gopyathe
gops; gvathe Vndvana cows; nagthe unmoving creatures of
Vndvana such as the twin arjuna trees; mgother animals; ye
those; anyeothers; mha-dhiyawith stunted intelligence; ng

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Vndvana snakes such as Kliya; siddhachieving the perfection of

life; mmto Me; yuthey went; ajasquite easily.
The inhabitants of Vndvana, including the gops, cows, unmoving
creatures such as the twin arjuna trees, animals, living entities with
stunted consciousness such as bushes and thickets, and snakes such as
Kliya, all achieved the perfection of life by unalloyed love for Me and
thus very easily achieved Me.
Although innumerable living entities achieved liberation by association
with the Lord and His devotees, many such personalities also executed
other processes such as austerity, charity, philosophical speculation, and
so on. As we have already explained, such procedures are secondary. But
the inhabitants of Vndvana such as the gops did not know anything
except Lord Ka, and their whole purpose in life was simply to love
Lord Ka, as indicated here by the words kevalena hi bhvena. Even the
trees, bushes and hills such as Govardhana loved Lord Ka. As the Lord
explains to His brother, r Baladeva, in the Tenth Canto of rmadBhgavatam (10.15.5):
aho am deva-varmarrcita
pdmbuja te sumana-phalrhaam
namanty updya ikhbhir tmanas
tamo-'pahatyai taru-janma yat-ktam
"My dear brother Baladeva, just see how these trees are bowing down with
their branches and offering obeisances to Your lotus feet, which are
worshipable even by the demigods. Indeed, My dear brother, You are the
Supreme God, and thus these trees have produced fruits and flowers as an
offering to You. Although a living entity takes birth as a tree due to the
mode of ignorance, certainly by such a birth in Vndvana these trees are
destroying all darkness in their lives by serving Your lotus feet."
Although many living entities achieved the mercy of Lord Ka by
associating with the Lord and His devotees in various ways, those who
take Lord Ka as everything are situated in the highest process of
spiritual realization. Therefore the Lord has not bothered to mention in
this verse those who achieved perfection through mixed processes, but
rather glorifies the unalloyed devotees of Vndvana, headed by the gops,
who knew nothing but Lord Ka. The residents of Vndvana were so

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satisfied in their relationships with Lord Ka that they did not pollute
their loving service with mental speculation or fruitive desires. The gops
served Lord Ka in the conjugal rasa, or relationship, whereas according
to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura the cows loved Lord Ka in
vtsalya-rasa, or the love of parents for a child, because the cows were
always supplying milk to child Ka. Unmoving objects like Govardhana
Hill and other hills and mountains loved Lord Ka as a friend, and the
ordinary animals, trees and bushes of Vndvana loved Lord Ka in
dsya-rasa, or with love of a servant for his master. Snakes like Kliya also
developed this love in servitude, and after relishing their loving service to
Lord Ka, all of them went back home, back to Godhead. According to
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, all those inhabitants of Vndvana
should be considered eternally liberated souls, as expressed by the word
siddh, which means "having achieved the perfection of life."
TEXT 9
ya na yogena skhyena
dna-vrata-tapo-'dhvarai
vykhy-svdhyya-sannysai
prpnuyd yatnavn api
yamwhom; nanot; yogenaby the mystic yoga systems; skhyena
by philosophical speculation; dnaby charity; vratavows; tapa
austerities; adhvaraior Vedic ritualistic sacrifices; vykhyby
explaining Vedic knowledge to others; svdhyyapersonal study of the
Veda; sannysaior by taking the renounced order of life; prpnuyt
can one obtain; yatna-vnwith great endeavor; apieven.
Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga
system, philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, ritualistic
sacrifices, teaching of Vedic mantras to others, personal study of the
Vedas, or the renounced order of life, still one cannot achieve Me.
Lord Ka here explains that it is very difficult to achieve His personal
association, even for one who seriously endeavors to reach the Absolute
Truth. The inhabitants of Vndvana, such as the gops and cows, were
always living with Lord Ka, and thus their association is called satsaga. Anyone who is favorably living with the Supreme Personality of
Godhead becomes sat, or eternal, and thus the association of such a

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person can immediately award others pure devotional service to the Lord.
There is an austerity called cndryaa, a fast in which one's intake of
food is diminished by one mouthful each day as the moon wanes and
increased in the same way as the moon waxes. Similarly, there are
painstaking ritualistic sacrifices and grueling studies of the Sanskrit Vedic
mantras, which one may also teach to others. All these tedious activities
cannot award the highest perfection of life unless one gets the causeless
mercy of the pure devotees of the Lord. As stated in the First Canto of
rmad-Bhgavatam (1.2.8):
dharma sv-anuhita pus
vivaksena-kathsu ya
notpdayed yadi rati
rama eva hi kevalam
"The occupational activities a man performs according to his own
position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction
for the message of the Personality of Godhead."
TEXT 10
rmea srdha mathur prate
vphalkin mayy anurakta-citt
vigha-bhvena na me viyogatvrdhayo 'nya dadu sukhya
rmeawith Balarma; srdhamwith; mathurmto the city of
Mathur; pratewhen brought; vphalkinby Akrra; mayiMyself;
anuraktaconstantly attached; cittthose whose consciousness was;
vighaextremely deep; bhvenaby love; nanot; methan Me;
viyogaof separation; tvraintense; dhayawho were experiencing
mental distress, anxiety; anyamother; daduthey saw; sukhya
that could make them happy.
The residents of Vndvana, headed by the gops, were always
completely attached to Me with deepest love. Therefore, when My uncle
Akrra brought My brother Balarma and Me to the city of Mathur, the
residents of Vndvana suffered extreme mental distress because of
separation from Me and could not find any other source of happiness.

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This verse especially describes the sentiments of the cowherd girls of

Vndvana, the gops, and Lord Ka here reveals the incomparable love
they felt for Him. As explained in the Tenth Canto, Lord Ka's uncle
Akrra, sent by Kasa, came to Vndvana and took Ka and Balarma
back to Mathur for a wrestling event. The gops loved Lord Ka so
much that in His absence their consciousness was completely absorbed in
spiritual love. Thus their Ka consciousness is considered the highest
perfectional stage of life. They were always expecting that Lord Ka
would finish His business of killing demons and return to them, and
therefore their anxiety was an extremely moving, heartrending display of
love. Anyone desiring true happiness must take to the devotional service
of the Lord in the spirit of the gops, giving up everything for the pleasure
of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 11
ts t kap prehatamena nt
mayaiva vndvana-gocarea
kardha-vat t punar aga ts
hn may kalpa-sam babhvu
t tall those; kapnights; preha-tamenawith the most dearly
beloved; ntspent; maywith Me; evaindeed; vndvanain
Vndvana; go-careawho can be known; kaaa moment; ardhavatlike half; tthose very nights; punaagain; agadear
Uddhava; tsmfor the gops; hnbereft; mayof Me; kalpaa day
of Brahm (4,320,000,000 years); samequal to; babhvubecame.
Dear Uddhava, all of those nights that the gops spent with Me, their
most dearly beloved, in the land of Vndvana seemed to them to pass
in less than a moment. Bereft of My association, however, the gops felt
that those same nights dragged on forever, as if each night were equal
to a day of Brahm.
rla rdhara Svm comments as follows. "The gops suffered extreme
anxiety in the absence of Lord Ka, and though outwardly appearing
bewildered, they actually achieved the highest perfectional stage of
samdhi. Their consciousness was intensely and intimately attached to
Lord Ka, and by such Ka consciousness their own bodies seemed
very far away from them, even though people normally consider their

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body to be their closest possession. In fact, the gops did not think about
their own existence. Although a young woman normally considers her
husband and children to be her dearmost possessions, the gops did not
even consider the existence of their so-called families. Nor could they
think of this world or life after death. Indeed, they were not at all aware of
these things. Just like great sages who become detached from the names
and forms of the material world, the gops could not think of anything,
because they were rapt in loving remembrance of Lord Ka. Just as
rivers enter the ocean, similarly, the gops completely merged into
consciousness of Lord Ka through intense love."
Thus a day of Brahm seemed like a single moment for the gops when
Lord Ka was present with them, and a single moment seemed like a
day of Brahm when Lord Ka was absent. The Ka consciousness of
the gops is the perfection of spiritual life, and the symptoms of such
perfection are described here.
TEXT 12
t nvidan mayy anuaga-baddhadhiya svam tmnam adas tathedam
yath samdhau munayo 'bdhi-toye
nadya pravi iva nma-rpe
tthey (the gops); nanot; avidanwere aware of; mayiin Me;
anuagaby intimate contact; baddhabound up; dhiyatheir
consciousness; svamtheir own; tmnambody or self; ada
something remote; taththus considering; idamthis which is most
near; yathjust as; samdhauin yoga-samdhi; munayagreat sages;
abdhiof the ocean; toyein the water; nadyarivers; pravi
having entered; ivalike; nmanames; rpeand forms.
My dear Uddhava, just as great sages in yoga trance merge into selfrealization, like rivers merging into the ocean, and are thus not aware of
material names and forms, similarly, the gops of Vndvana were so
completely attached to Me within their minds that they could not think
of their own bodies, or of this world, or of their future lives. Their
entire consciousness was simply bound up in Me.
The words svam tmnam adas tathedam indicate that while for ordinary
persons one's personal body is the most near and dear thing, the gops

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considered their own bodies to be distant and remote, just as a yog in

samdhi trance considers ordinary things around his physical body or his
physical body itself to be most remote. When Ka played on His flute
late at night, the gops immediately forgot everything about their so-called
husbands and children and went to dance with Lord Ka in the forest.
These controversial points have been clearly explained in the book Ka,
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda. The basic
explanation is that Lord Ka is the source of everything, and the gops
are the Lord's own potency. Thus there is no discrepancy or immorality in
the almighty Personality of Godhead's loving affairs with His own
manifest potency, the gops, who happen to be the most beautiful young
girls in the creation of God.
There is no illusion on the part of the gops, for they are so attracted to
Lord Ka that they do not care to think of anything else. Since all
existence is situated within the body of Lord Ka, there is no loss for
the gops when they concentrate on the Lord. It is the nature of very deep
love to exclude all objects except the beloved. However, in the material
world, where we try to love a limited temporary object such as our nation,
family or personal body, our exclusion of other objects constitutes
ignorance. But when our love is intensely concentrated on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the origin of everything, such concentration
cannot be considered ignorance or small-mindedness.
The example of the sages in samdhi is given here only to illustrate
exclusive concentration on a single object. Otherwise, there is no
comparison between the ecstatic love of the gops and the dry meditation
of the yogs, who merely try to understand that they are not their material
bodies. Since the gops had no material bodies to become detached from
and were personally dancing with and embracing the Absolute Truth, one
can never compare the exalted position of the gops to that of mere yogs.
It is stated that the bliss of impersonal Brahman realization cannot be
compared to even an atomic fragment of the blissful ocean of love of
Ka. Intimate attachment is like a strong rope that binds the mind and
heart. In material life we are bound to that which is temporary and
illusory, and therefore such binding of the heart causes great pain.
However, if we bind our minds and hearts to the eternal Lord Ka, the
reservoir of all pleasure and beauty, then our hearts will expand
unlimitedly in the ocean of transcendental bliss.
One should understand that the gops were not in any way inclined

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toward impersonal meditation, in which one denies the reality of

variegated creation. The gops did not deny anything; they simply loved
Ka and could not think of anything else. They only rejected whatever
impeded their concentration on Lord Ka, cursing even their own
eyelids, which blinked and thus removed Ka from their sight for a split
second. rla Rpa Gosvm has stated that all sincere devotees of the
Lord should have the courage to remove from their lives anything that
impedes their progressive march back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 13
mat-km ramaa jram
asvarpa-vido 'bal
brahma m parama prpu
sagc chata-sahasraa
matMe; kmthose who desired; ramaama charming lover;
jramthe lover of another's wife; asvarpa-vidanot knowing My
actual situation; abalwomen; brahmathe Absolute; mmMe;
paramamsupreme; prputhey achieved; sagtby association; atasahasraaby hundreds of thousands.
All those hundreds of thousands of gops, understanding Me to be their
most charming lover and ardently desiring Me in that way, were
unaware of My actual position. Yet by intimately associating with Me,
the gops attained Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth.
The words asvarpa-vida ("not understanding My actual position or
form") indicate that the lovely gops were so completely absorbed in
conjugal love for Lord Ka that they were not aware of the Lord's
unlimited potencies as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains this and other meanings of the
word asvarpa-vida. In Sanskrit the word vid also means "to acquire."
Thus, asvarpa-vida indicates that the gops, like other pure devotees of
the Lord, were not interested in achieving srpya-mukti, the liberation of
acquiring a bodily form similar to the Lord's. Were the gops to obtain a
bodily form like the Lord's, how could the Lord execute His conjugal
pastimes of dancing with the gops and embracing them? Since the gops
had realized their eternal spiritual forms as servitors of the Lord, the word
svarpa also may indicate their own spiritual bodies, and thus asvarpa-

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vida means that the gops never thought, as materialists do, of their own
bodily beauty. Although the gops are the most beautiful girls in the Lord's
creation, they never thought of their own bodies but rather were always
meditating on the transcendental body of Lord Ka. Although we
cannot imitate the gop's exalted conjugal feelings, we can follow their
superb example of practical Ka consciousness. They naturally took
shelter of Lord Ka and achieved the highest perfection of life.
TEXTS 14-15
tasmt tvam uddhavotsjya
codan praticodanm
pravtti ca nivtti ca
rotavya rutam eva ca
mm ekam eva araam
tmna sarva-dehinm
yhi sarvtma-bhvena
may sy hy akuto-bhaya
tasmttherefore; tvamyou; uddhavaO Uddhava; utsjyagiving up;
codanmthe regulations of the Vedas; praticodanmthe injunctions of
supplementary Vedic literatures; pravttiminjunctions; caand;
nivttimprohibitions; caalso; rotavyamthat which is to be heard;
rutamthat which has been heard; evaindeed; caalso; mmto Me;
ekamalone; evaactually; araamshelter; tmnamthe Supersoul
within the heart; sarva-dehinmof all conditioned souls; yhiyou
must go; sarva-tma-bhvenawith exclusive devotion; mayby My
mercy; syyou should be; hicertainly; akuta-bhayafree from fear
in all circumstances.
Therefore, My dear Uddhava, abandon the Vedic mantras as well as the
procedures of supplementary Vedic literatures and their positive and
negative injunctions. Disregard that which has been heard and that
which is to be heard. Simply take shelter of Me alone, for I am the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, situated within the heart of all
conditioned souls. Take shelter of Me wholeheartedly, and by My grace
be free from fear in all circumstances.
r Uddhava inquired from Lord Ka about the symptoms of saintly

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persons and liberated souls, and the Lord has replied in terms of different
levels of spiritual advancement, distinguishing between those who are
able to understand Lord Ka to be the principal goal of life and those
loving devotees who accept Lord Ka and devotional service to Him as
the only goal of life. Lord Ka also mentioned that He is captured by His
loving devotees and even by those who sincerely associate with His loving
devotees. Among all the devotees, the gops of Vndvana were described
by the Lord as having achieved such a rare state of pure devotional service
that Lord Ka personally feels constantly indebted to them. According
to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, Lord Ka previously kept the
gops' love for Him concealed in His heart because of its confidential
nature and the Lord's own gravity. Finally, however, even Lord Ka
could not remain silent about the intense love of the gops, and thus in
these verses the Lord reveals to Uddhava how the gops loved Him in
Vndvana and brought Him fully under their control. The Lord would
relax in secret places with the loving gops, and by conjugal spontaneous
affection the greatest love was exchanged between them.
As explained by the Lord in Bhagavad-gt, one cannot achieve the
perfection of life merely by renouncing the material world or by executing
ordinary, sectarian religious principles. One must actually understand the
identity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by associating with
His pure devotees one must learn to love the Lord in His personal,
original form. This love may be expressed in either the conjugal, paternal,
fraternal or serving rasa, or relationship. The Lord has elaborately
explained to Uddhava the system of philosophical analysis of the material
world, and now He clearly concludes that it is useless for Uddhava to
waste time in fruitive activities or mental speculation. Actually, Lord
Ka is hinting that Uddhava should assimilate the example of the gops
and try to advance further in Ka consciousness by following in the
footsteps of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Any conditioned soul who is
unsatisfied with the cruel laws of nature, which impose disease, old age
and death, should understand that Lord Ka can deliver all living beings
from the problems of material existence. There is no need to entangle
oneself in unauthorized, sectarian rituals, injunctions or prohibitions.
One should simply surrender to Lord Ka, following the example of r
Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is Lord Ka Himself. By the authorized
regulated process of bhakti-yoga, Ka consciousness, one easily achieves
spiritual perfection.

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TEXT 16
r-uddhava uvca
saaya vato vca
tava yogevarevara
na nivartata tma-stho
yena bhrmyati me mana
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; saayadoubt; vataof
the one who is hearing; vcamthe words; tavaYour; yoga-varaof
the lords of mystic power; varaYou who are the Lord; na nivartate
will not go away; tmain the heart; sthasituated; yena-by which;
bhrmyatiis bewildered; memy; manamind.
r Uddhava said: O Lord of all masters of mystic power, I have heard
Your words, but the doubt in my heart does not go away; thus my mind
is bewildered.
In the first verse of the Tenth Chapter of this canto, the Lord stated that
one should take shelter of Him and execute one's duties within the
varrama system without material desire. Uddhava interpreted this
statement as recommending karma-mir bhakti, or devotional service
mixed with a tendency toward fruitive activities. It is a fact that until one
understands Lord Ka to be everything, it is not possible to retire from
ordinary, worldly duties. Rather, one is encouraged to offer the fruits of
such work to the Lord. In verse 4 of the Tenth Chapter, the Lord
recommended that one retire from worldly duties and systematically
cultivate knowledge, accepting Him as the Supreme. Uddhava understood
this instruction to indicate jna-mir bhakti, or devotional service to the
Lord mixed with the secondary desire to accumulate knowledge.
Beginning with verse 35 of the Tenth Chapter, Uddhava inquired about
the process of material conditioning and liberation from material life. The
Lord replied elaborately, stating that without devotional service the
process of philosophical speculation can never be perfected. In Chapter
Eleven, verse 18, the Lord emphasized the importance of faith in the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, and in verse 23 Ka extensively
widened His discussion of devotional service, emphasizing that one
should be faithful and hear and chant the glories of the Lord. The Lord
concluded that both the development and perfection of devotional service
depend on association with the devotees. In verse 26 of the Eleventh

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Chapter, Uddhava inquired about the actual ways and means of

devotional service and about the symptoms of devotional perfection. And
in verse 48 Lord Ka stated that unless one takes to the process of
devotional service, one's attempt for liberation will be useless. One must
associate with the devotees of the Lord and follow in their footsteps.
Finally, in verse 14 of this chapter the Lord categorically rejected the
paths of fruitive activities and mental speculation and in verse 15
recommended that one exclusively surrender unto Him with all one's
heart.
Having received such elaborate and technical instructions on the
perfection of life, Uddhava is bewildered, and his mind is afflicted with
doubt about what he should actually do. Lord Ka has described many
procedures and the results of such procedures, all of which ultimately
lead to the single goal of Lord Ka Himself. Uddhava therefore desires
that Lord Ka state in simple terms what should be done. Arjuna makes
a similar request of the Lord at the beginning of the Third Chapter of
Bhagavad-gt. According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura,
Uddhava is stating here, "My dear friend Ka, first You recommended
that I perform worldly activities within the varrama system, and then
You advised that I reject such activities and take to the path of
philosophical research. Now rejecting the path of jna, You recommend
that I simply surrender unto You in bhakti-yoga. If I accept Your decision,
in the future You may again go back to Your original point and
recommend worldly activities." By his boldness in disclosing his mind,
Uddhava reveals his intimate friendship with Lord Ka.
TEXT 17
r-bhagavn uvca
sa ea jvo vivara-prasti
prena ghoea guh pravia
mano-maya skmam upetya rpa
mtr svaro vara iti sthaviha
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; sa ea
He Himself; jvathe Supreme Lord, who gives life to all; vivarawithin
the heart; prasti-manifest; prenaalong with the life air; ghoea
with the subtle manifestation of sound; guhmthe heart; pravia
who has entered; mana-mayamperceived by the mind, or controlling
the mind even of great demigods like Lord iva; skmamsubtle;

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upetyabeing situated in; rpamthe form; mtrthe different vocalic

lengths; svarathe different intonations; varathe different sounds
of the alphabet; itithus; sthavihathe gross form.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, the
Supreme Lord gives life to every living being and is situated within the
heart along with the life air and primal sound vibration. The Lord can
be perceived in His subtle form within the heart by one's mind, since
the Lord controls the minds of everyone, even great demigods like Lord
iva. The Supreme Lord also assumes a gross form as the various
sounds of the Vedas, composed of short and long vowels and
consonants of different intonations.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura comments as follows on the dialogue
between Lord Ka and Uddhava. Uddhava was bewildered and doubtful
because Lord Ka explained many different processes such as
devotional service, speculative knowledge, renunciation, mystic yoga,
austerities, pious duties, and so on. However, all of these processes are
meant to help the living entities obtain the shelter of Lord Ka, and
ultimately no Vedic process should be understood in any other way. Thus
Lord Ka explained the entire Vedic system, placing everything in
proper order. In fact, Lord Ka was surprised that Uddhava foolishly
thought that he was meant to practice every process, as if each method
were meant simply for him. Lord Ka therefore wants to inform His
devotee, "My dear Uddhava, when I told you that analytic knowledge is to
be practiced, pious duties are to be performed, devotional service is
obligatory, yoga procedures must be observed, austerities are to be
executed, etc., I was instructing all living entities, using you as My
immediate audience. That which I have spoken, am speaking now and
will speak in the future should be understood as guidance for all living
entities in different situations. How could you possibly think that you
were meant to practice all of the different Vedic processes? I accept you as
you are now, My pure devotee. You are not supposed to execute all of
these processes." Thus according to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura,
the Lord, with lighthearted and encouraging words, reveals to Uddhava
the deep purpose behind the variety of Vedic procedures.
Lord Ka became manifest from the mouth of Lord Brahm in the form
of the Vedas. The word vivara-prasti in this verse also indicates that the
Lord is manifest within the dhrdi-cakras situated within the body of

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Lord Brahm. The word ghoea means "subtle sound," and guh
pravia also indicates that Lord Ka enters within the dhra-cakra.
The Lord can further be perceived within other cakras such as the
maipraka-cakra, located around the navel, and the viuddhi-cakra. The
Sanskrit alphabet is composed of short and long vowels, and consonants
pronounced with high and low tones, and utilizing these vibrations the
different branches of Vedic literatures are manifested as a gross form of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to Bhagavad-gt, such
literatures deal mostly with the three modes of material nature: traiguyaviay ved nistrai-guyo bhavrjuna. rla rdhara Svm explains that
due to the control of the illusory energy, my, the Personality of
Godhead appears to the conditioned souls as part of the material universe.
The imagined imposition of gross and subtle material qualities on the
Personality of Godhead is called avidy, or ignorance, and through such
ignorance the living entity considers himself to be the doer of his own
activities and becomes bound up in the network of karma. The Vedas
therefore order an entangled soul to observe positive and negative
injunctions to purify his existence. These procedures are called pravttimrga, or the path of regulated fruitive activities. When one has purified
one's existence, one gives up this gross stage of fruitive activities because
it is detrimental to the practice of pure devotional service. By firm faith
one may then worship the Personality of Godhead. One who has
developed perfect Ka consciousness no longer has to perform
ritualistic duties. As stated in Bhagavad-gt, tasya krya na vidyate.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, this verse may be understood in another
way. The word jva indicates Lord Ka, who gives life to the residents of
Vndvana, and vivara-prasti indicates that although Lord Ka
eternally performs His pastimes in the spiritual world, beyond the vision
of the conditioned souls, He also enters within the material universe to
display these same pastimes. The words guh pravia indicates that
after displaying such pastimes, the Lord withdraws them and enters into
His unmanifest pastimes, or those pastimes not manifest to the
conditioned souls. In this case, mtr indicates the transcendental senses
of the Lord, svara indicates the Lord's transcendental sound vibration and
singing, and the word vara indicates the transcendental form of the Lord.
The word sthaviha, or "gross manifestation," means that the Lord
becomes manifest in the material world even to those devotees who are
not completely advanced in Ka consciousness and whose vision is not

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completely purified. Mano-maya indicates that somehow or other Lord

Ka is to be kept within one's mind; and for the nondevotees Lord
Ka is skma, or most subtle, because He cannot be known. Thus
different cryas have glorified Lord Ka in different ways through the
transcendental sound vibration of this verse.
TEXT 18
yathnala khe 'nila-bandhur um
balena druy adhimathyamna
au prajto havi samedhate
tathaiva me vyaktir iya hi v
yathjust as; analafire; khein the space within wood; anilaair;
bandhuwhose help; umheat; balenastrongly; druiwithin the
wood; adhimathyamnabeing kindled by friction; auvery tiny;
prajtais born; haviwith ghee (clarified butter); samedhateit
increases; tathsimilarly; evaindeed; meMy; vyakti-manifestation;
iyamthis; hicertainly; vthe Vedic sounds.
When sticks of kindling wood are vigorously rubbed together, heat is
produced by contact with air, and a spark of fire appears. Once the fire
is kindled, ghee is added and the fire blazes. Similarly, I become
manifest in the sound vibration of the Vedas.
Lord Ka here explains the most confidential meaning of Vedic
knowledge. The Vedas first regulate ordinary material work and channel
the fruits into ritualistic sacrifices, which ostensibly reward the performer
with future benefits. The real purpose of these sacrifices, however, is to
accustom a materialistic worker to offering the fruits of his work to a
superior Vedic authority. An expert fruitive worker gradually exhausts the
possibilities of material enjoyment and naturally gravitates toward the
superior stage of philosophical speculation on his existential situation. By
increased knowledge, one becomes aware of the unlimited glories of the
Supreme and gradually takes to the process of loving devotional service to
the transcendental Absolute Truth. Lord Ka is the goal of Vedic
knowledge, as the Lord states in Bhagavad-gt: vedai ca sarvair aham eva
vedya [Bg. 15.15]. The Lord gradually becomes manifest in the
progression of Vedic rituals, just as fire is gradually manifest by the
rubbing of firewood. The words havi samedhate ("the fire increases by

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addition of ghee") indicate that by the progressive advancement of Vedic

sacrifice, the fire of spiritual knowledge gradually blazes, illuminating
everything and destroying the chain of fruitive work.
Lord Ka considered Uddhava to be the most qualified person to hear
this elaborate transcendental knowledge; therefore the Lord mercifully
instructs Uddhava so that he may enlighten the sages at Badarikrama,
thus fulfilling the purpose of the sages' lives.
TEXT 19
eva gadi karma gatir visargo
ghro raso dk spara ruti ca
sakalpa-vijnam athbhimna
stra raja-sattva-tamo-vikra
evamthus; gadispeech; karmathe function of the hands; gatithe
function of the legs; visargathe functions of the genital and anus;
ghrasmell; rasataste; dksight; sparatouch; ruti
hearing; caalso; sakalpathe mind's function; vijnamthe function
of intelligence and consciousness; athamoreover; abhimnathe
function of false ego; stramthe function of pradhna, or the subtle
cause of material nature; rajaof the mode of passion; sattva
goodness; tamaand of ignorance; vikrathe transformation.
The functions of the working sensesthe organ of speech, the hands,
the legs, the genital and the anusand the functions of the knowledgeacquiring sensesthe nose, tongue, eyes, skin and earsalong with the
functions of the subtle senses of mind, intelligence, consciousness and
false ego, as well as the function of the subtle pradhna and the
interaction of the three modes of material natureall these should be
understood as My materially manifest form.
By the word gadi, or "speech," the Lord concludes His discussion about
His manifestation as Vedic vibrations and describes the functions of the
other working senses, along with the knowledge-acquiring senses, the
subtle functions of consciousness, pradhna and the interaction of the
three modes of material nature. A Ka conscious person sees the entire
material world as a manifestation of the Lord's potencies. There is
therefore no legitimate scope for material sense gratification, because
everything is an expansion from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and

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belongs to Him. One who can understand the expansion of the Lord
within subtle and gross material manifestations gives up his desire to live
in this world. In the spiritual world everything is eternal, full of bliss and
knowledge. The exclusive feature of the material world is that here the
living entity dreams that he is lord. A sane person, giving up this
hallucination, finds no attractive features in the kingdom of my and
therefore returns home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 20
aya hi jvas tri-vd abja-yonir
avyakta eko vayas sa dya
vilia-aktir bahudheva bhti
bjni yoni pratipadya yadvat
ayamthis; hicertainly; jvathe supreme living entity who gives life
to others; tri-vtcontaining the three modes of material nature; abjaof
the universal lotus flower; yonithe source; avyaktaunmanifest
(materially); ekaalone; vayasin course of time; saHe; dya
eternal; viliadivided; aktipotencies; bahudhin many divisions;
ivalike; bhtiHe appears; bjniseeds; yonimin an agricultural
field; pratipadyafalling; yat-vatjust like.
When many seeds are placed in an agricultural field, innumerable
manifestations of trees, bushes, vegetables and so on will arise from a
single source, the soil. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who gives life to all and is eternal, originally exists beyond the scope of
the cosmic manifestation. In the course of time, however, the Lord, who
is the resting place of the three modes of nature and the source of the
universal lotus flower, in which the cosmic manifestation takes place,
divides His material potencies and thus appears to be manifest in
innumerable forms, although He is one.
rla Vrarghavcrya comments that one may question as to whom the
cosmic manifestation, consisting of demigods, men, animals, plants,
planets, space, etc., actually belongs. Lord Ka now eradicates any
doubt about the source of the cosmic manifestation. The word tri-vt
indicates that the three modes of nature are not independent but are
under superior control. The suffix vt means the vartanam, or "existence,"
of the three modes of material nature within the Supreme Personality of

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Godhead. Analyzing the term abja-yoni, ap indicates "water," and ja

indicates "birth." Thus abja means the complex material universe, which
sprouts from Garbhodakay Viu, who lies in the Garbhodaka Ocean.
Yoni, or "source," indicates the Personality of Godhead, and thus abjayoni means that the Lord is the source of all cosmic manifestations;
indeed, all creation takes place within the Lord. Since the three modes of
material nature are under the superior control of the Lord, material
objects helplessly undergo creation and annihilation within the universal
shell by the will of the Lord. The term avyakta indicates the Lord's subtle
spiritual form, which exists alone before the material creation. The Lord's
original form, being spiritual, does not undergo birth, transformation or
death. It is eternal. In the course of time, the Lord's material potencies are
divided and manifest as bodies, bodily paraphernalia, sense objects, bodily
expansions, false ego and false proprietorship. Thus the Lord expands His
conscious living potency called jva-akti, which is manifest in
innumerable material forms such as those of men, demigods, animals, and
so on. From the example of the seeds sown in an agricultural field, we can
understand that innumerable manifestations may arise from a single
source. Similarly, although the Lord is one, He becomes manifest in
innumerable forms through the expansion of His different potencies.
TEXT 21
yasminn ida protam aeam ota
pao yath tantu-vitna-sastha
ya ea sasra-taru pura
karmtmaka pupa-phale praste
yasminin whom; idamthis universe; protamwoven crosswise;
aeamthe whole; otamand lengthwise; paaa cloth; yathjust
like; tantuof the threads; vitnain the expansion; sastha-situated;
yathat which; eathis; sasraof material existence; taruthe
tree; puraexisting since time immemorial; karmatoward fruitive
activities; tmakanaturally inclined; pupathe first result,
blossoming; phaleand the fruit; prastebeing produced.
Just as woven cloth rests on the expansion of lengthwise and crosswise
threads, similarly the entire universe is expanded on the lengthwise and
crosswise potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is
situated within Him. The conditioned soul has been accepting material

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bodies since time immemorial, and these bodies are like great trees
sustaining one's material existence. Just as a tree first blossoms and
then produces fruit, similarly the tree of material existence, one's
material body, produces the various results of material existence.
Before a tree produces fruit, blossoms appear. Similarly, the word pupaphale, according to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, indicates the
happiness and distress of material existence. One's material life may
appear to be blossoming, but ultimately there will appear the bitter fruits
of old age, death and other catastrophes. Attachment to the material body,
which is always inclined toward sense gratification, is the root cause of
material existence, and it is therefore called sasra-taru. The tendency to
exploit the external energy of the Supreme Lord has existed since time
immemorial, as expressed by the words pura karmtmaka. The
material universe is an expansion of the illusory potency of the Supreme
Lord and is always dependent on Him and nondifferent from Him. This
simple understanding can relieve the conditioned souls from endless
wandering in the unhappy kingdom of my.
The word pupa-phale may also be understood as meaning sense
gratification and liberation. The tree of material existence will be further
explained in the following verses.
TEXTS 22-23
dve asya bje ata-mlas tri-nla
paca-skandha paca-rasa-prasti
daaika-kho dvi-supara-nas
tri-valkalo dvi-phalo 'rka pravia
adanti caika phalam asya gdhr
grme-car ekam araya-vs
has ya eka bahu-rpam ijyair
my-maya veda sa veda vedam
dvetwo; asyaof this tree; bjeseeds; atahundreds; mlaof
roots; trithree; nlalower trunks; pacafive; skandhaupper
trunks; pacafive; rasasaps; prastiproducing; daaten; eka
plus one; khabranches; dvitwo; suparaof birds; naa nest;
trithree; valkalatypes of bark; dvitwo; phalafruits; arkamthe
sun; praviaextending into; adantithey eat or enjoy; caalso;

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ekamone; phalamfruit; asyaof this tree; gdhrthose who are

lusty for material enjoyment; grmein householder life; carliving;
ekamanother; arayain the forest; vsthose who live; has
swanlike men, saintly persons; yaone who; ekamone only, the
Supersoul; bahu-rpamappearing in many forms; ijyaiby the help of
those who are worshipable, the spiritual masters; my-mayam
produced by the potency of the Supreme Lord; vedaknows; sasuch a
person; vedaknows; vedamthe actual meaning of the Vedic literature.
This tree of material existence has two seeds, hundreds of roots, three
lower trunks and five upper trunks. It produces five flavors and has
eleven branches and a nest made by two birds. The tree is covered by
three types of bark, gives two fruits and extends up to the sun. Those
lusty after material enjoyment and dedicated to family life enjoy one of
the tree's fruits, and swanlike men in the renounced order of life enjoy
the other fruit. One who with the help of the bona fide spiritual masters
can understand this tree to be a manifestation of the potency of the one
Supreme Truth appearing in many forms actually knows the meaning of
the Vedic literature.
The two seeds of this tree are sinful and pious activities, and the hundreds
of roots are the living entities' innumerable material desires, which chain
them to material existence. The three lower trunks represent the three
modes of material nature, and the five upper trunks represent the five
gross material elements. The tree produces five flavorssound, form,
touch, taste and aromaand has eleven branchesthe five working
senses, the five knowledge-acquiring senses and the mind. Two birds,
namely the individual soul and the Supersoul, have made their nest in this
tree, and the three types of bark are air, bile and mucus, the constituent
elements of the body. The two fruits of this tree are happiness and
distress.
Those who are busy trying to enjoy the company of beautiful women,
money and other luxurious aspects of illusion enjoy the fruit of
unhappiness. One should remember that even in the heavenly planets
there is anxiety and death. Those who have renounced material goals and
taken to the path of spiritual enlightenment enjoy the fruit of happiness.
One who takes the assistance of bona fide spiritual masters can
understand that this elaborate tree is simply the manifestation of the
external potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is

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ultimately one without a second. If one can see the Supreme Lord as the
ultimate cause of everything, then his knowledge is perfect. Otherwise, if
one is entangled in Vedic rituals or Vedic speculation without knowledge
of the Supreme Lord, he has not achieved the perfection of life.
TEXT 24
eva gurpsanayaika-bhakty
vidy-kuhrea itena dhra
vivcya jvayam apramatta
sampadya ctmnam atha tyajstram
evamthus (with the knowledge I have given you); guruof the spiritual
master; upsanaydeveloped by worship; ekaunalloyed; bhaktyby
loving devotional service; vidyof knowledge; kuhreaby the ax;
itenasharp; dhraone who is steady by knowledge; vivcya
cutting down; jvaof the living entity; ayamthe subtle body (filled
with designations created by the three modes of material nature);
apramattabeing very careful in spiritual life; sampadyaachieving;
caand; tmnamthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; athathen;
tyajayou should give up; astramthe means by which you achieved
perfection.
With steady intelligence you should develop unalloyed devotional
service by careful worship of the spiritual master, and with the
sharpened ax of transcendental knowledge you should cut off the subtle
material covering of the soul. Upon realizing the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, you should then give up that ax of analytic knowledge.
Because Uddhava had achieved the perfection of personal association with
Lord Ka, there was no need for him to maintain the mentality of a
conditioned soul, and thus, as described here by the words sampadya
ctmnam, Uddhava could personally serve the lotus feet of the Lord in
the spiritual world. Indeed, Uddhava requested this opportunity at the
beginning of this great conversation. As stated here, gurpsanayaikabhakty: one can achieve pure devotional service by worshiping a bona
fide spiritual master. It is not recommended here that one give up pure
devotional service or one's spiritual master. Rather, it is clearly stated by
the words vidy-kuhrea that one should cultivate knowledge of the
material world as described by Lord Ka in this chapter. One should

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fully understand that each and every aspect of the material creation is the
expansion of the illusory potency of the Lord. Such knowledge works as a
sharpened ax to cut down the roots of material existence. In this way,
even the stubborn subtle body, created by the three modes of nature, is
cut to pieces, and one becomes apramatta, or sane and cautious in Ka
consciousness.
Lord Ka has clearly explained in this chapter that the cowherd damsels
of Vndvana were not interested in an analytical approach to life. They
simply loved Lord Ka and could not think of anything else. Lord
Caitanya Mahprabhu taught that all His devotees should follow in the
footsteps of the cowherd damsels of Vraja in order to develop the highest
intensity of selfless love of Godhead. Lord Ka has elaborately analyzed
the nature of the material world so that the conditioned souls, who are
trying to enjoy it, can cut down the tree of material existence with this
knowledge. The words sampadya ctmnam indicate that a person with
such knowledge has no further material existence, because he has already
achieved the Personality of Godhead. Such a person should not loiter in
the kingdom of my, perpetually refining his understanding of the
illusory creation. One who has accepted Lord Ka as everything may
enjoy eternal bliss in the Lord's service. Yet even though he remains in
this world, he has no more business with it and gives up the analytical
procedures for negating it. Lord Ka therefore tells Uddhava,
tyajstram: "Give up the ax of analytic knowledge by which you have cut
down your sense of proprietorship and residence in the material world."
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twelfth Chapter, of
the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge."

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13. The Hasa-avatra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahm

In this chapter, Lord r Ka explains to Uddhava how human beings,

overwhelmed by sense gratification, become bound by the three modes of
nature, and how to renounce these modes. The Lord then describes how
He appeared in His form of Hasa before Brahm and the four sages
headed by Sanaka and revealed to them various confidential truths.
The three modes-goodness, passion and ignorance-are related to material
intelligence, not to the soul. One should conquer the lower modes of
passion and ignorance by the mode of goodness, and then one must
surpass the mode of goodness by acting in the transcendental mode of
pure goodness. By associating with things in the mode of goodness, one
becomes more fully situated in that mode. The three modes increase their
different influences through various types of scripture, water, place, time,
beneficiaries of activity, natures of activity, birth, meditation, mantras,
purificatory rituals, and so on.
Lacking discrimination, one identifies with the material body, and
consequently the mode of passion, which produces misery, takes over the
mind, which is normally in the mode of goodness. As the mind evolves its
function of decision and doubt, it creates intolerable hankerings for sense
gratification. Unfortunate persons who are bewildered by the urges of the
mode of passion become the slaves of their senses. Even though they
know that the eventual result of their work will be suffering, they cannot
avoid engaging in such fruitive work. A discriminating person, on the
other hand, keeps himself detached from the objects of the senses and, by
utilizing appropriate renunciation, takes shelter of unalloyed devotional
service.
Lord Brahm himself has no material cause. He is the cause of the creation
of all living beings and is the greatest among all the demigods. Yet even
Brahm is always suffering agitation of the mind on account of the duties
he has to perform; therefore, when he was questioned by his sons headed
by Sanaka, who were born from his mind, about the means for driving
away desires for sense gratification, he was incapable of giving them an
answer. In order to receive some insight into this matter, he took shelter

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of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereupon the Supreme Lord

appeared before him in the form of the swan incarnation, Lord Hasa.
Lord Hasa proceeded to give instructions about the categorical identity
of the self, the different states of consciousness (wakeful awareness, sleep
and deep sleep) and the means for conquering over material existence.
The sages headed by Sanaka became freed from all their doubts by hearing
the words of the Lord and worshiped Him with pure devotion in mature
love of God.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
sattva rajas tama iti
gu buddher na ctmana
sattvennyatamau hanyt
sattva sattvena caiva hi
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; sattvam
goodness; rajapassion; tamaignorance; itithus known; gu
the modes of material nature; buddhepertain to material intelligence;
nanot; caalso; tmanato the soul; sattvenaby the material mode
of goodness; anyatamauthe other two (passion and ignorance);
hanytmay be destroyed; sattvamthe material mode of goodness;
sattvenaby purified goodness; caalso (may be destroyed); eva
certainly; hiindeed.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The three modes of material
nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance, pertain to material
intelligence and not to the spirit soul. By development of material
goodness one can conquer the modes of passion and ignorance, and by
cultivation of transcendental goodness one may free oneself even from
material goodness.
Goodness in the material world never exists in a pure form. Therefore, it
is common knowledge that on the material platform no one is working
without personal motivation. In the material world goodness is always
mixed with some amount of passion and ignorance, whereas spiritual, or
purified, goodness (viuddha-sattva) represents the liberated platform of
perfection. Materially, one is proud to be an honest, compassionate man,
but unless one is fully Ka conscious one will speak truths that are not

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ultimately significant, and one will give mercy that is ultimately useless.
Because the onward march of material time removes all situations and
persons from the material stage, our so-called mercy and truth apply to
situations that shortly will not exist. Real truth is eternal, and real mercy
means to situate people in eternal truth. Still, for an ordinary person,
cultivation of material goodness may be a preliminary stage on the road to
Ka consciousness. For example, it is stated in the Tenth Canto of
rmad-Bhgavatam that one who is addicted to meat-eating cannot
understand the pastimes of Lord Ka. By cultivation of the material
mode of goodness, however, one may become a vegetarian and perhaps
come to appreciate the sublime process of Ka consciousness. Since it is
clearly stated in Bhagavad-gt that the material modes of nature
constantly rotate, one must take advantage of an elevated position in
material goodness to step onto the transcendental platform. Otherwise, as
the wheel of time turns one will again go into the darkness of material
ignorance.
TEXT 2
sattvd dharmo bhaved vddht
puso mad-bhakti-lakaa
sttvikopsay sattva
tato dharma pravartate
sattvtfrom the mode of goodness; dharmareligious principles;
bhavetarise; vddhtwhich are strengthened; pusaof a person;
mat-bhaktiby devotional service to Me; lakaacharacterized;
sttvikaof things in the mode of goodness; upsayby serious
cultivation; sattvamthe mode of goodness; tatafrom that mode;
dharmareligious principles; pravartatearise.
When the living entity becomes strongly situated in the mode of
goodness, then religious principles, characterized by devotional service
to Me, become prominent. One can strengthen the mode of goodness by
cultivation of those things that are already situated in goodness, and
thus religious principles arise.
Since the three modes of material nature are constantly in conflict, vying
for supremacy, how is it possible that the mode of goodness can subdue
the modes of passion and ignorance? Lord Ka here explains how one

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can be strongly fixed in the mode of goodness, which automatically gives

rise to religious principles. In the Fourteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gt,
Lord Ka elaborately explains the things that are in goodness, passion
and ignorance. Thus, by choosing food, attitudes, work, recreation, etc.,
strictly in the mode of goodness, one will become situated in that mode.
The usefulness of sattva-gua, or the mode of goodness, is that it produces
religious principles aimed at and characterized by devotional service to
Lord Ka. Without such devotional service to the Lord, the mode of
goodness is considered useless and merely another aspect of material
illusion. The word vddht, or "strengthened, increased," indicates clearly
that one should come to the platform of viuddha-sattva, or purified
goodness. The word vddht indicates growth, and growth should not be
stopped until full maturity is reached. The full maturity of goodness is
called vuddha-sattva, or the transcendental platform on which there is no
trace of any other quality. In pure goodness all knowledge automatically
manifests, and one can easily understand one's eternal loving relationship
with Lord Ka. That is the actual meaning and purpose of dharma, or
religious principles.
rla Madhvcrya points out in this regard that an increase in the mode
of goodness strengthens religious principles and the invigorated execution
of religious principles strengthens the mode of goodness. In that way, one
can advance higher and higher in the mode of spiritual happiness.
TEXT 3
dharmo rajas tamo hanyt
sattva-vddhir anuttama
u nayati tan-mlo
hy adharma ubhaye hate
dharmareligious principles based on devotional service; rajathe
mode of passion; tamathe mode of ignorance; hanytdestroy;
sattvaof goodness; vddhiby the increase; anuttamathe greatest;
uquickly; nayatiis destroyed; tatof passion and ignorance;
mlathe root; hicertainly; adharmairreligion; ubhaye hatewhen
both are destroyed.
Religious principles, strengthened by the mode of goodness, destroy the
influence of passion and ignorance. When passion and ignorance are
overcome, their original cause, irreligion, is quickly vanquished.

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TEXT 4
gamo 'pa praj dea
kla karma ca janma ca
dhyna mantro 'tha saskro
daaite gua-hetava
gamareligious scriptures; apawater; prajassociation with
people in general or one's children; deaplace; klatime; karma
activities; caalso; janmabirth; caalso; dhynammeditation;
mantrachanting of mantras; athaand; saskrarituals for
purification; daaten; etethese; guaof the modes of nature;
hetava-causes.
According to the quality of religious scriptures, water, one's association
with one's children or with people in general, the particular place, the
time, activities, birth, meditation, chanting of mantras, and purificatory
rituals, the modes of nature become differently prominent.
The ten items mentioned above possess superior and inferior qualities and
are thus identified as being in goodness, passion or ignorance. One can
increase the mode of goodness by selecting religious scriptures in
goodness, pure water, friendship with other persons in goodness, and so
on. One should scrupulously avoid any of these ten items that may be
polluted by an inferior mode of nature.
TEXT 5
tat tat sttvikam evai
yad yad vddh pracakate
nindanti tmasa tat tad
rjasa tad-upekitam
tat tatthose things; sttvikamin the mode of goodness; evaindeed;
emamong the ten items; yat yatwhatever; vddhthe sages of the
past, such as Vysadeva, who are expert in Vedic knowledge; pracakate
they praise; nindantithey scorn; tmasamin the mode of ignorance; tat
tatthose things; rjasamin the mode of passion; tathy the sages;
upekitamleft alone, neither praised nor criticized.
Among the ten items I have just mentioned, the great sages who
understand Vedic knowledge have praised and recommended those that

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are in the mode of goodness, criticized and rejected those in the mode
of ignorance, and shown indifference to those in the mode of passion.
TEXT 6
sttvikny eva seveta
pumn sattva-vivddhaye
tato dharmas tato jna
yvat smtir apohanam
sttviknithings in the mode of goodness; evaindeed; sevetahe
should cultivate; pumna person; sattvathe mode of goodness;
vivddhayein order to increase; tatafrom that (increase in goodness);
dharmaone is fixed in religious principles; tatafrom that (religion);
jnamknowledge is manifest; yvatuntil; smtiself-realization,
remembering one's eternal identity; apohanamdriving away (the illusory
identification with the material body and mind).
Until one revives one's direct knowledge of the spirit soul and drives
away the illusory identification with the material body and mind caused
by the three modes of nature, one must cultivate those things in the
mode of goodness. By increasing the mode of goodness, one
automatically can understand and practice religious principles, and by
such practice transcendental knowledge is awakened.
One who desires to cultivate the mode of goodness must consider the
following points. One should study religious scriptures that teach
detachment from mental speculation and material sense gratification, not
scriptures that provide rituals and mantras to increase material ignorance.
Such materialistic scriptures do not give attention to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and thus are basically atheistic. One should accept
pure water for quenching thirst and cleaning the body. There is no need
for a devotee to use colognes, perfume, whiskey, beer, etc., which are all
polluted manifestations of water. One should associate with persons who
are cultivating detachment from the material world and not with those
who are materially attached or sinful in their behavior. One should live in
a solitary place where devotional service is practiced and discussed among
Vaiavas. One should not be spontaneously attracted to busy highways,
shopping centers, sports stadiums, and so on. Concerning time, one

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should rise by four o'clock in the morning and utilize the auspicious
brhma-muhrta to advance in Ka consciousness. Similarly, one should
avoid the sinful influence of hours such as midnight when ghosts and
demons are encouraged to become active. Concerning work, one should
execute one's prescribed duties, follow the regulative principles of
spiritual life and utilize all of one's energy for pious purposes. Time
should not be wasted in frivolous or materialistic activities, of which there
are now literally millions in modern society. One can cultivate birth in the
mode of goodness by accepting the second birth of initiation from a bona
fide spiritual master and learning to chant the Hare Ka mantra. One
should not accept initiation or so-called spiritual birth in unauthorized
mystical or religious cults in the modes of passion and ignorance. One
should meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the enjoyer
of all sacrifices, and similarly, one should meditate on the lives of great
devotees and saintly persons. One should not meditate on lusty women
and envious men. Concerning mantras, one should follow the example of
r Caitanya Mahprabhu by chanting the Hare Ka mantra and not
other songs, verses, poetry or mantras that glorify the kingdom of illusion.
Purificatory rituals should be performed to purify the spirit soul and not
to bring down material blessings on one's material household.
One who increases the mode of goodness will certainly become fixed in
religious principles, and automatically knowledge will arise. As
knowledge increases one is able to understand the eternal spirit soul and
the Supreme Soul, Lord Ka. Thus the soul becomes free from the
artificial imposition of the gross and subtle material bodies caused by the
modes of material nature. Spiritual knowledge burns to ashes the material
designations that cover the living entity, and one's real, eternal life begins.
TEXT 7
veu-saghara-jo vahnir
dagdhv myati tad-vanam
eva gua-vyatyaya-jo
deha myati tat-kriya
veuof bamboo; saghara-jagenerated by the friction; vahnifire;
dagdhvhaving burned; myatiis pacified; tatof bamboo; vanam
the forest; evamthus; guaof the modes of nature; vyatyaya-jagenerated by interaction; dehathe material body; myati-is pacified;
tatas the fire; kriya-performing the same action.

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In a bamboo forest the wind sometimes rubs the bamboo stalks

together, and such friction generates a blazing fire that consumes the
very source of its birth, the bamboo forest. Thus, the fire is
automatically calmed by its own action. Similarly, by the competition
and interaction of the material modes of nature, the subtle and gross
material bodies are generated. If one uses his mind and body to
cultivate knowledge, then such enlightenment destroys the influence of
the modes of nature that generated one's body. Thus, like the fire, the
body and mind are pacified by their own actions in destroying the
source of their birth.
The word gua-vyatyaya-ja is significant in this verse. Vyatyaya indicates
change or inversion in the normal order of things. rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura has described the concept of vyatyaya by giving the
Sanskrit synonym vaiamya, which indicates inequality or
disproportionate diversity. Thus, it is understood by the term guavyatyaya-ja that the body is generated by the unstable relationships of
the three modes of material nature, which exist everywhere in constantly
changing proportions. There is constant strife among the modes of nature.
A good person is sometimes torn by passion, and a passionate person
sometimes wants to give up everything and rest. An ignorant person may
sometimes become disgusted with his depraved life, and a passionate
person may sometimes indulge in bad habits in the mode of ignorance.
Due to the interactive conflict of the modes of nature, one wanders
throughout material nature creating one body after another by one's own
work, karma. As it is said, variety is the mother of enjoyment, and the
variety of material modes gives hope to the conditioned souls that by
changing their material situation their unhappiness and frustration can be
turned into happiness and satisfaction. But even if one acquires relative
material happiness, that will soon be disturbed by the inevitable flux of
the material modes.
TEXT 8
r-uddhava uvca
vidanti marty pryea
viayn padam padm
tathpi bhujate ka
tat katha va-kharja-vat

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r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; vidantithey know; marty

human beings; pryeagenerally; viaynsense gratification; padam
a situation; padmof many miserable conditions; tath apieven so;
bhujatethey enjoy; kaO Ka; tatsuch sense gratification;
kathamhow is it possible; vadogs; kharaasses; ajaand goats;
vatjust like.
r Uddhava said: My dear Ka, generally human beings know that
material life brings great future unhappiness, and still they try to enjoy
material life. My dear Lord, how can one in knowledge act just like a
dog, an ass or a goat?
The standard methods of enjoyment in the material world are sex, money
and false prestige, all of which are obtained with great suffering and
eventually lost. One engaged in material life suffers in the present and has
only a very bleak future to look forward to in the continuing cycle of birth
and death. Thus, how can human beings who have seen these things and
know them very well continue to enjoy life like dogs, asses and goats?
Often a dog will approach a bitch for sex, but the lady dog may not be
attracted and will show her teeth, snarl and threaten the poor dog with
serious injury. Still he goes about his business trying to get a little sex
pleasure. Similarly, many times a dog risks being beaten or shot while
stealing some food in a place where he knows he should not go. The ass is
very attracted to the she-ass, but the lady ass often kicks him in the legs.
Similarly, the ass's master gives the ass a handful of grass, which the poor
ass could get anywhere, and then burdens him with great loads. The goat
is generally raised for slaughter, and even when the goat is brought into
the slaughterhouse he shamelessly goes after the lady goat to get sex
pleasure. In this way, even at the risk of being shot, bitten, beaten and
slaughtered, animals persist in their foolish sense gratification. How can
an educated human being commit himself to such a condemned way of
life, wherein the result is practically the same as that of the animals? If by
cultivating the mode of goodness one's life is filled with happiness,
enlightenment and future rewards, why would anyone cultivate the
modes of passion and ignorance? This is Uddhava's question.
TEXTS 9-10
r-bhagavn uvca
aham ity anyath-buddhi

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pramattasya yath hdi

utsarpati rajo ghora
tato vaikrika mana
rajo-yuktasya manasa
sakalpa sa-vikalpaka
tata kmo gua-dhynd
dusaha syd dhi durmate
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; aham
false identification with the material body and mind; itithus; anyathbuddhiillusory knowledge; pramattasyaof one who is bereft of actual
intelligence; yathaccordingly; hdiwithin the mind; utsarpati
arises; rajapassion; ghoramwhich brings terrible suffering; tata
then; vaikrikam(originally) in the mode of goodness; manathe
mind; rajain passion; yuktasyaof that which is engaged; manasa
of the mind; sakalpamaterial determination; sa-vikalpakaalong
with variation and alternation; tatafrom that; kmafull-fledged
material desire; guain the modes of nature; dhyntfrom
concentration; dusahaunbearable; sytit must so be; hicertainly;
durmateof a foolish person.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, a person
bereft of intelligence first falsely identifies himself with the material
body and mind, and when such false knowledge arises within one's
consciousness, material passion, the cause of great suffering, pervades
the mind, which by nature is situated in goodness. Then the mind,
contaminated by passion, becomes absorbed in making and changing
many plans for material advancement. Thus, by constantly thinking of
the modes of material nature, a foolish person is afflicted with
unbearable material desires.
Those who are trying to enjoy material sense gratification are not actually
intelligent, although they consider themselves most intelligent. Although
such foolish persons themselves criticize the miseries of material life in
innumerable books, songs, newspapers, television programs, civic
committees, etc., they cannot desist from material life for a single
moment. The process by which one is helplessly bound in illusion is
clearly described here.

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A materialistic person is always thinking, "Oh, what a beautiful house. I

wish we could buy it" or "What a beautiful woman. I wish I could touch
her" or "What a powerful position. I wish I could occupy it," and so on.
The words sakalpa sa-vikalpaka indicate that a materialist is always
making new plans or modifying his old plans to increase his material
enjoyment, although in his saner moments he admits that material life is
full of suffering. The mind is created from the mode of goodness, as
described in Skhya philosophy, and the natural, peaceful situation of
the mind is pure love of Ka, in which there is no mental disturbance,
disappointment or confusion. Artificially, the mind is dragged down to a
lower platform in passion or ignorance, and thus one is never satisfied.
TEXT 11
karoti kma-vaa-ga
karmy avijitendriya
dukhodarki sampayan
rajo-vega-vimohita
karotiperforms; kmaof material desires; vaaunder the control;
gahaving gone; karmifruitive activities; avijitauncontrolled;
indriya-whose senses; dukhaunhappiness; udarkibringing as a
future result; sampayanseeing clearly; rajaof the mode of passion;
vegaby the force; vimohitabewildered.
One who does not control the material senses comes under the control
of material desires and is thus bewildered by the strong waves of the
mode of passion. Such a person executes material activities, although
clearly seeing that the result will be future unhappiness.
TEXT 12
rajas-tamobhy yad api
vidvn vikipta-dh puna
atandrito mano yujan
doa-dir na sajjate
raja-tamobhymby the modes of passion and ignorance; yat apieven
though; vidvna learned person; vikiptabewildered; dhthe
intelligence; punaagain; atandritacarefully; manathe mind;
yujanengaging; doathe contamination of material attachment;

706

diseeing clearly; nanot; sajjatebecomes attached.

Although the intelligence of a learned person may be bewildered by the
modes of passion and ignorance, he should again carefully bring the
mind under control. By clearly seeing the contamination of the modes
of nature, he does not become attached.
TEXT 13
apramatto 'nuyujta
mano mayy arpaya chanai
anirvio yath-kla
jita-vso jitsana
apramattaattentive and grave; anuyujtaone should fix; manathe
mind; mayiin Me; arpayanplacing; anaigradually, step by step;
anirviawithout being lazy or morose; yath-klamat least three
times a day (dawn, noon and sunset); jitahaving conquered; vsa
the breathing process; jitahaving conquered; sanathe sitting
postures.
A person should be attentive and grave and never lazy or morose.
Mastering the yoga procedures of breathing and sitting properly, one
should practice fixing the mind on Me at dawn, noon and sunset, and
thus gradually the mind should be completely absorbed in Me.
TEXT 14
etvn yoga dio
mac-chiyai sanakdibhi
sarvato mana kya
mayy addhveyate yath
etvnactually this; yogayoga system; diainstructed; matiyaiby My devotees; sanaka-dibhiheaded by Sanaka-kumra;
sarvatafrom all sides; manathe mind; kyawithdrawing;
mayiin Me; addhdirectly; veyateis absorbed; yathaccordingly.
The actual yoga system as taught by My devotees, headed by Sanakakumra, is simply this: Having withdrawn the mind from all other

707

objects, one should directly and appropriately absorb it in Me.

The word yath ("accordingly" or "properly") indicates that like Uddhava
one should hear directly from Lord Ka or His bona fide representative
and directly (addh) fix the mind in Lord Ka.
TEXT 15
r-uddhava uvca
yad tva sanakdibhyo
yena rpea keava
yogam diavn etad
rpam icchmi veditum
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; yadwhen; tvamYou; sanakadibhyato Sanaka, etc.; yenaby which; rpeaform; keavamy
dear Keava; yogamthe process of fixing the mind in the Absolute
Truth; diavnYou have instructed; etatthat; rpamform;
icchmiI desire; veditumto know.
r Uddhava said: My dear Keava, at what time and in what form did
You instruct the science of yoga to Sanaka and his brothers? I now
desire to know about these things.
TEXT 16
r-bhagavn uvca
putr hirayagarbhasya
mnas sanakdaya
papracchu pitara skm
yogasyaikntikm gatim
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead; putrthe
sons; hiraya-garbhasyaof Lord Brahm; mnasborn of the mind;
sanaka-dayaheaded by Sanaka i; papracchuinquired; pitaram
from their father (Brahm); skmmsubtle and therefore difficult to
understand; yogasyaof the science of yoga; ekntikmthe supreme;
gatimdestination.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Once, the mental sons of
Lord Brahm, namely, the sages headed by Sanaka, inquired from their

708

father about the difficult subject matter of the supreme goal of yoga.
TEXT 17
sanakdaya cu
guev viate ceto
gu cetasi ca prabho
katham anyonya-santygo
mumukor atititro
sanaka-daya cuthe sages headed by Sanaka said; gueuin the
sense objects; viatedirectly enters; cetathe mind; guthe sense
objects; cetasiwithin the mind; caalso (enter); prabhoO Lord;
kathamwhat is the process; anyonyaof the mutual relationship
between the sense objects and the mind; santygarenunciation;
mumukoof one desiring liberation; atititroof one desiring to cross
over sense gratification.
The sages headed by Sanaka said: O Lord, people's minds are naturally
attracted to material sense objects, and similarly the sense objects in
the form of desire enter within the mind. Therefore, how can a person
who desires liberation, who desires to cross over activities of sense
gratification, destroy this mutual relationship between the sense objects
and the mind? Please explain this to us.
As described above, as long as one is a conditioned soul the modes of
material nature, manifested in the form of sense objects, constantly
disturb the mind, and by their harassment one is deprived of the actual
perfection of life.
TEXT 18
r-bhagavn uvca
eva po mah-deva
svayambhr bhta-bhvana
dhyyamna prana-bja
nbhyapadyata karma-dh
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; evam
thus; paquestioned; mah-devathe great god Brahm; svayambhwithout material birth (born directly from the body of

709

Garbhodakay Viu); bhtaof all conditioned souls; bhvanathe

creator (of their conditioned life); dhyyamnaseriously considering;
pranaof the question; bjamthe essential truth; na abhyapadyatadid
not reach; karma-dhintelligence bewildered by his own activities of
creation.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, Brahm
himself, who is born directly from the body of the Lord and who is the
creator of all living entities within the material world, being the best of
the demigods, seriously contemplated the question of his sons headed
by Sanaka. The intelligence of Brahm, however, was affected by his
own activities of creation, and thus he could not discover the essential
answer to this question.
rla Jva Gosvm has quoted three verses from the Second Canto of
rmad-Bhgavatam as follows. In the Ninth Chapter, verse 32, Lord
Ka blessed Brahm with realized knowledge of the Lord's actual form,
qualities and activities. In the Ninth Chapter, verse 37, the Lord ordered
Brahm to rigidly carry out the Lord's injunctions and affirmed that
Brahm would thus never be bewildered in his cosmic decision-making.
In the Sixth Chapter, verse 34, Lord Brahm assured his son Nrada, "O
Nrada, because I have caught hold of the lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Hari, with great zeal, whatever I say has never
proved to have been false, nor is the progress of my mind ever deterred,
nor are my senses ever degraded by temporary attachment to matter."
In the present verse in this Thirteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto,
Lord Ka states that Brahm unfortunately did become bewildered by
his creative functions, thus providing a grave lesson to all of the Lord's
empowered representatives. Although one may be elevated to an exalted
position in the Lord's transcendental service, at any moment there is
danger of false pride polluting one's devotional mentality.
TEXT 19
sa mm acintayad deva
prana-pra-titray
tasyha hasa-rpea
sakam agama tad
sahe (Lord Brahm); mmMe; acintayatremembered; devathe

710

original demigod; pranaof the question; prathe end, conclusion

(the answer); titraywith a desire to attain, understand; tasyaunto
him; ahamI; hasa-rpeain My form of Hasa; sakamvisible;
agamambecame; tadat that time.
Lord Brahm desired to attain the answer to the question that was
puzzling him, and thus he fixed his mind on Me, the Supreme Lord. At
that time, in My form of Hasa, I became visible to Lord Brahm.
Hasa means "swan," and the specific ability of the swan is to separate a
mixture of milk and water, extracting the rich, milky portion. Similarly,
Lord Ka appeared as Hasa, or the swan, in order to separate the pure
consciousness of Lord Brahm from the modes of material nature.
TEXT 20
dv mm ta upavrajya
ktva pdbhivandanam
brahmam agrata ktv
papracchu ko bhavn iti
dvthus seeing; mmMe; tethey (the sages); upavrajya
approaching; ktvoffering; pdaat the lotus feet; abhivandanam
obeisances; brahmamLord Brahm; agratain front; ktv
keeping; papracchuthey asked; ka bhavn"who are You, sir?"; iti
thus.
Thus seeing Me, the sages, placing Brahm in the lead, came forward
and worshiped My lotus feet. Then they frankly asked Me, "Who are
You?"
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura comments, "When Brahm was
unable to answer the question placed by the sages, he fixed his mind in
thought of the Supreme Lord. The Lord then assumed the form of Hasa
and appeared before Lord Brahm and the sages, who proceeded to
inquire about the specific identity of the Lord."
TEXT 21
ity aha munibhi pas
tattva-jijsubhis tad
yad avocam aha tebhyas

711

tad uddhava nibodha me

itithus; ahamI; munibhiby the sages; paquestioned; tattva
the truth about the goal of yoga; jijsubhiby those desiring to know;
tadat that time; yatthat which; avocamspoke; ahamI; tebhya
unto them; tatthat; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; nibodhaplease learn;
mefrom Me.
My dear Uddhava, the sages, being eager to understand the ultimate
truth of the yoga system, thus inquired from Me. Now please hear as I
explain that which I spoke unto the sages.
TEXT 22
vastuno yady anntva
tmana prana da
katha ghaeta vo vipr
vaktur v me ka raya
vastunaof the essential reality; yadiif; anntvein the concept of
nonindividuality; tmanaof the jva soul; pranaquestion; da
such; kathamhow; ghaetais it possible or appropriate; vaof you
who are asking; viprO brhmaas; vaktuof the speaker; vor;
meof Me; kawhat is; rayathe real situation or resting place.
My dear brhmaas, if, when asking Me who I am, you believe that I am
also a jva soul and that there is no ultimate difference between us
since all souls are ultimately one without individualitythen how is
your question possible or appropriate? Ultimately, what is the real
situation or resting place both of yourselves and of Me?
raya means "the resting place" or "shelter." Lord Ka's question
"That is our actual resting place or shelter?" means "What is our ultimate
nature or constitutional position?" This is because no one can come to
rest or be satisfied unless one is in one's natural position. The example is
given that one may travel all over the world, but ultimately one becomes
satisfied by returning to one's own home. Similarly, a crying child is
satisfied when embraced by its own mother. By inquiring about the
shelter or resting place of Himself and the brhmaas, the Lord is
indicating the eternal, constitutional position of every living entity

712

If Lord Ka were also in the jva category, and if all living entities
including Him were thus equal, there would be no deep purpose in one
living entity inquiring and another answering. Only one who is in a
superior position can meaningfully answer important questions. It may be
argued that the bona fide spiritual master answers all the questions of the
disciple, and yet the guru is in the jva category. The answer is that the
bona fide spiritual master speaks not on his own behalf but as a
representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is in the
Viu category. A so-called guru speaking on his own behalf as a jva soul
is useless and is unable to meaningfully answer serious questions. Thus,
the sages' question ko bhavn ("Who are You?") indicates that the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally an individual person. And
because the sages headed by Lord Brahm offered obeisances and
worshiped the Lord, it is understood that He is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Lord Brahm, as the first created being in this universe, could
not accept any other living entity except the Lord as worshipable.
Lord Ka's actual purpose is to explain the ultimate perfection of yoga,
which the sages were desiring to know. If one becomes fixed in
transcendental knowledge, the mutual attraction between the material
mind and the material sense objects automatically ceases. The spiritual
mind is not attracted to material objects of gratification, and thus by
spiritualizing the mind, material existence automatically slackens. By
questioning the propriety of the sages' question, the Lord is assuming the
position of the spiritual master and preparing to give valuable
instructions. One should never be envious of a bona fide spiritual master,
especially if, as in the case of Lord Hasa speaking to the sages headed by
Brahm and Sanaka-kumra, the guru is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead Himself.
TEXT 23
pactmakeu bhteu
samneu ca vastuta
ko bhavn iti va prano
vcrambho hy anarthaka
pacaof five elements; tmakeumade of; bhteuthus existing;
samneubeing the same; caalso; vastutain essence; kawho;
bhavnare You; itithus; vayour; pranaquestion; vcmerely
with words; rambhasuch an endeavor; hicertainly; anarthaka

713

without real meaning or purpose.

If by asking Me "Who are You?" you were referring to the material
body, then I must point out that all material bodies are constituted of
five elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether. Thus, you should
have asked, "Who are you five?" If you consider that all material bodies
are ultimately one, being constituted essentially of the same elements,
then your question is still meaningless, since there would be no deep
purpose in distinguishing one body from another. Thus, it appears that
in asking My identity, you are merely speaking words, without any real
meaning or purpose.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains this verse as follows. "In the
previous verse Lord Ka demonstrated that if the sages accepted the
impersonal philosophy that all living beings are ultimately one in all
respects, their question 'Who are You?' was meaningless, since there
would be no philosophical basis to distinguish one manifestation of spirit
soul from another. In this verse the Lord refutes the false identification
with the material body composed of five elements. If the sages accepted
the body as the self, then their question was meaningless, since they
would have to ask, 'Who are you five?' If the sages replied that although
the body is composed basically of five elements and these elements
combine and thus form one unique substance, then the Lord has already
replied by the words samneu ca vastuta. The bodies of human beings,
demigods, animals, etc., are all composed of the same five elements and
are essentially the same. Therefore the question 'Who are You?' is
ultimately meaningless. Thus, if one accepts either the theory that all
living entities are ultimately the same or the theory that all living entities
are ultimately nondifferent from their material bodies, in both cases the
question of the sages is meaningless.
"The sages might argue that even among learned persons it is common
practice to ask questions and give answers on many subjects as a part of
normal life. The sages could point out that Lord Ka also distinguished
among them, by His saying vipr, 'O brhmaas,' and va, or 'your
[question],' as expressed in this verse. In this way it is seen that the Lord
also accepts the ordinary customs of questions and answers. To answer
this argument, Lord Ka states, vcrambho hy anarthaka. The Lord
states, 'My addressing you as brhmaas is merely an exhibition of words
if we are ultimately not different. I merely reciprocated with your

714

approach to Me. Therefore, if we are ultimately one, neither My statement

nor your question has any real meaning. I can conclude therefore by your
question to Me that you are all not actually very intelligent. Therefore,
why are you inquiring after ultimate knowledge? Aren't you all
embarrassed?'"
rla Madhvcrya points out in this regard that the question of the sages
was not appropriate, since they had already seen their father, Lord
Brahm, worshiping the lotus feet of Lord Hasa. Since their spiritual
master and father was worshiping Lord Hasa, they should have
immediately understood the Lord's position, and their question is thus
meaningless.
TEXT 24
manas vacas dy
ghyate 'nyair apndriyai
aham eva na matto 'nyad
iti budhyadhvam ajas
manasby the mind; vacasby speech; dyby sight; ghyateis
perceived and thus accepted; anyaiby others; apieven; indriyai
senses; ahamI; evaindeed; nanot; mattabesides Me; anyat
anything else; itithus; budhyadhvamyou should all understand;
ajasby straightforward analysis of the facts.
Within this world, whatever is perceived by the mind, speech, eyes or
other senses is Me alone and nothing besides Me. All of you please
understand this by a straightforward analysis of the facts.
Lord Ka has already explained that if the sages consider all living
entities to be the same, or if they consider the living entity to be the same
as his body, then their question ("Who are You?") is inappropriate. Now
the Lord refutes the conception that He is a Supreme God far beyond and
different from everything within this world. Modern agnostic
philosophers preach that God created the world and then retired or went
away. According to them, God has no tangible connection with this
world, nor does He interfere in human affairs. Ultimately, they claim, God
is so great that He cannot be known; therefore no one should waste time
trying to understand God. To refute such foolish ideas, the Lord here
explains that since everything is the expansion of His potency, He is not

715

different from anything. Nothing can exist separately from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and thus everything shares in the Lord's nature,
although some manifestations are superior and others inferior. The Lord
is testing the intelligence of the sages by pointing out various
contradictions in their questions. Even if the Lord is supreme, He is not
different from His creation; therefore, what is the meaning of the question
"Who are You?" We can clearly see that the Lord is paving the way for a
deep discussion of spiritual knowledge.
TEXT 25
guev viate ceto
gu cetasi ca praj
jvasya deha ubhaya
gu ceto mad-tmana
gueuin the sense objects; viateenters; cetathe mind; gu
the sense objects; cetasiin the mind; caalso (enter); prajMy dear
sons; jvasyaof the living entity; dehathe outward body, existing as
designation; ubhayamboth of these; guthe sense objects; ceta
the mind; mat-tmanahaving Me as the Supreme Soul.
My dear sons, the mind has a natural proclivity to enter into the
material sense objects, and similarly the sense objects enter into the
mind; but both this material mind and the sense objects are merely
designations that cover the spirit soul, who is part and parcel of Me.
Lord Ka in the form of Hasa-avatra, on the pretext of finding
contradictions in the simple inquiry of the sons of Brahm ("Who are
You?"), is actually preparing to teach the sages perfect spiritual
knowledge, but only after first rejecting two false concepts of life, namely
that all living entities are the same in all respects and that the living entity
is identical with his outward or subtle body. Lord Ka now answers the
difficult question that puzzled even Lord Brahm. According to rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the sons of Lord Brahm were thinking as
follows. "Our dear Lord, if it is indeed true that we are unintelligent, still
Your Lordship has stated that You are actually everything because
everything is the expansion of Your potency. Therefore, You are also the
mind and the sense objects, which are the subject matter of our question.
The material sense objects always enter into the functions of the mind,

716

and similarly, the mind always enters into the material sense objects.
Thus, it is proper that we inquire from Your Lordship about the process
by which the sense objects will no longer enter the mind and the mind
will no longer enter the sense objects. Please be merciful and give us the
answer." The Lord answers as follows. "My dear sons, it is a fact that the
mind enters into the material sense objects and the sense objects into the
mind. Thus, although the living entity is actually part and parcel of Me,
being, as I am also, eternally conscious, and although the eternal form of
the living entity is spiritual, in conditioned life the living entity artificially
imposes upon himself the mind and sense objects, which act as covering
designations of the eternal soul. Since it is the natural function of the
material mind and sense objects to mutually interact, how can you
possibly endeavor to prevent such a mutual attraction? Since both the
material mind and sense objects are useless, they both should be
completely given up, and thus automatically you will be free from all
material duality."
rla rdhara Svm points out that the symptom of the material mind is
the tendency to consider oneself to be the ultimate doer and enjoyer.
Naturally, one with such a puffed-up mentality is helplessly attracted by
the sense objects. One who considers himself to be the doer and enjoyer
will be irresistibly attracted to the means for attaining sense gratification
and false prestige, namely, exploitation of material objects. Above the
material mind, however, is intelligence, which can perceive the existence
of the eternal spirit soul. It is not possible to separate the material mind
from the sense objects, because they naturally exist together. Therefore,
by intelligence, one must realize one's eternal form as spirit soul, part and
parcel of the Lord, and completely reject the bogus material mentality.
One who revives his original spiritual mentality becomes automatically
detached from material attraction. Therefore, one should cultivate
knowledge of the falsity of sense gratification. When the mind or senses
are attracted to material enjoyment, the superior intelligence must
immediately detect such illusion. In this way, one should purify one's
mentality. By devotional service to the Lord, such detachment and
intelligence automatically awaken, and by full understanding of one's
original spiritual form, one is properly situated in eternal consciousness.
TEXT 26
gueu cviac cittam

717

abhka gua-sevay
gu ca citta-prabhav
mad-rpa ubhaya tyajet
gueuin the sense objects; caand; viatentered; cittamthe mind;
abhkamagain and again; gua-sevayby sense gratification;
guand the material sense objects; caalso; cittawithin the mind;
prabhavexisting prominently; mat-rpaone who has realized that
he is not different from Me, and who is thus absorbed in My form,
pastimes, etc.; ubhayamboth (the mind and sense objects); tyajet
should give up.
A person who has thus achieved Me by understanding that he is not
different from Me realizes that the material mind is lodged within the
sense objects because of constant sense gratification, and that the
material objects are existing prominently within the material mind.
Having understood My transcendental nature, he gives up both the
material mind and its objects.
The Lord again states here that it is most difficult to separate the material
mind from its objects because the material mind by definition considers
itself to be the doer and enjoyer of everything. It must be understood that
giving up the material mind does not mean giving up all mental activities,
but instead means purifying the mind and engaging one's enlightened
mentality in the devotional service of the Lord. Since time immemorial
the material mind and senses have been in contact with the sense objects;
therefore, how is it possible for the material mind to give up its objects,
which are the basis of its existence? And not only does the mind reach out
to material objects, but also, because of the mind's desires, the material
objects cannot remain out of the mind, helplessly entering at every
moment. Thus, separation between the mind and sense objects is not
actually feasible, nor does it serve any purpose. If one retains a material
mentality, considering oneself to be supreme, one may renounce sense
gratification, considering it to be ultimately the cause of unhappiness, but
one will not be able to remain on such an artificial platform, nor will such
renunciation serve any real purpose. Without surrender to the lotus feet
of the Lord, mere renunciation cannot take one out of this material world.
Just as the sun's rays are part of the sun, the living entities are part of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the living entity is completely

718

absorbed in his identity as the part and parcel of the Personality of

Godhead, he becomes actually wise and easily gives up the material mind
and sense objects. The word mad-rpa in this verse indicates absorption
of the mind in the form, qualities, pastimes and associates of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Immersed in such ecstatic meditation, one
should render devotional service to the Lord, and this will automatically
drive away the influence of sense gratification. By himself, the living
entity does not have the potency to give up his false identification with
the material mind and sense objects, but by worshiping the Lord in the
mood of being His eternal part-and-parcel servant, one is infused with the
Lord's potency, which easily drives away the darkness of ignorance.
TEXT 27
jgrat svapna suupta ca
guato buddhi-vttaya
ts vilakao jva
skitvena vinicita
jgratbeing awake; svapnadreaming; su-suptamdeep sleep; ca
also; guatacaused by the modes of nature; buddhiof intelligence;
vttayathe functions; tsmfrom such functions; vilakaa
possessing different characteristics; jvathe living entity; skitvena
with the characteristic of being a witness; vinicitais ascertained.
Waking, sleeping and deep sleep are the three functions of the
intelligence and are caused by the modes of material nature. The living
entity within the body is ascertained to possess characteristics different
from these three states and thus remains us a witness to them.
The spirit soul actually has nothing to do with the material world, having
no permanent or natural relationship with it. Real renunciation means to
give up the illusory identification with matter in its subtle and gross
forms. Suuptam, or deep sleep, indicates sleeping without any dreams or
conscious activity. These three states are described by Lord Ka as
follows:
sattvj jgaraa vidyd
rajas svapnam diet
prasvpa tamas jantos

719

turya triu santatam

"One should know that wakefulness is born of the mode of goodness,
dreams from the mode of passion, and deep dreamless sleep from the
mode of ignorance. The fourth element, pure consciousness, is different
from these three and pervades them." (SB 11.25.20) Real freedom means
skitvena, or to exist as a witness to the functions of illusion. Such an
advantageous position is achieved by development of Ka
consciousness.
TEXT 28
yarhi sasti-bandho 'yam
tmano gua-vtti-da
mayi turye sthito jahyt
tygas tad gua-cetasm
yarhiwhereas; sastiof material intelligence or material existence;
bandhabondage; ayamthis is; tmanaof the soul; guain the
modes of nature; vtti-dathat which gives occupations; mayiin Me;
turyein the fourth element (beyond wakefulness, dreaming and deep
sleep); sthitabeing situated; jahytone should give up; tyga
renunciation; tatat that time; guaof the material sense objects;
cetasmand of the material mind.
The spirit soul is trapped in the bondage of material intelligence, which
awards him constant engagement in the illusory modes of nature. But I
am the fourth stage of consciousness, beyond wakefulness, dreaming
and deep sleep. Becoming situated in Me, the soul should give up the
bondage of material consciousness. At that time, the living entity will
automatically renounce the material sense objects and the material
mind.
Lord Ka now specifically answers the questions that the sages
originally placed before Lord Brahm. Ultimately, the spirit soul has
nothing to do with the material sense objects and modes of nature. But
because of one's false identification with the material body, the modes of
nature are empowered to engage one in illusory occupations. By
destroying this false identification with matter, the soul gives up the
illusory occupations awarded by the modes of nature. It is clearly stated in

720

this verse that the living entity is not empowered to independently free
himself from illusion, but must situate himself in Ka consciousness, in
full awareness of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 29
ahakra-kta bandham
tmano 'rtha-viparyayam
vidvn nirvidya sasracint turye sthitas tyajet
ahakraby false ego; ktamproduced; bandhambondage;
tmanaof the soul; arthaof that which is really valuable;
viparyayambeing the opposite; vidvnone who knows; nirvidya
being detached; sasrain material existence; cintmconstant
thoughts; turyein the fourth element, the Lord; sthitabeing situated;
tyajetshould give up.
The false ego of the living entity places him in bondage and awards him
exactly the opposite of what he really desires. Therefore, an intelligent
person should give up his constant anxiety to enjoy material life and
remain situated in the Lord, who is beyond the functions of material
consciousness.
rla rdhara Svm comments as follows. "How does material existence
cause the bondage of the living entity, and how can such bondage be
given up? The Lord explains this here by the word ahakra-ktam.
Because of false ego, one is bound up in the network of illusion. Arthaviparyayam indicates that although the living entity desires blissful life,
eternity and knowledge, he adopts procedures that actually cover over his
eternal, blissful nature and give him exactly the opposite result. The living
entity does not want death and suffering, but these are actually the results
of material existence, which is therefore useless for all practical purposes.
An intelligent person should contemplate the unhappiness of material life
and thus become situated in the transcendental Lord. The word sasracintm can be understood as follows. Sasra, or material existence,
indicates material intelligence, because material existence only occurs
because of the living entity's false intellectual identification with the
material world. Because of this misidentification, one becomes
overwhelmed with sasra-cintm, anxiety to enjoy the material world.

721

One should become situated in the Lord and give up such useless
anxiety."
TEXT 30
yvan nnrtha-dh puso
na nivarteta yuktibhi
jgarty api svapann aja
svapne jgaraa yath
yvatas long as; nnof many; arthavalues; dhthe conception;
pusaof a person; nadoes not; nivartetasubside; yuktibhiby the
appropriate methods (described by Me); jgartibeing awake; api
although; svapansleeping, dreaming; ajaone who does not see
things as they are; svapnein a dream; jgaraambeing awake; yath
just as.
According to My instructions, one should fix the mind on Me alone. If,
however, one continues to see many different values and goals in life
rather than seeing everything within Me, then although apparently
awake, one is actually dreaming due to incomplete knowledge, just as
one may dream that one has wakened from a dream.
One who is not Ka conscious cannot understand that everything is
resting within Lord Ka, and thus it is impossible for him to retire from
material sense gratification. One may adopt a particular process of
salvation and consider oneself to be "saved"; nevertheless, his material
conditioning will remain and thus he will maintain his attachment to the
material world. While one is dreaming he sometimes imagines that he has
awakened from a dream and is experiencing normal consciousness.
Similarly, one may consider oneself to be saved, but if he remains
absorbed in making material value judgements between good and bad,
without reference to devotional service to the Supreme Lord, he is
understood to be a conditioned soul covered by the illusory identification
with matter.
TEXT 31
asattvd tmano 'nye
bhvn tat-kt bhid
gatayo hetava csya

722

m svapna-do yath
asattvtbecause of lacking factual existence; tmanafrom the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; anyemof others; bhvnmstates
of existence; tatby them; ktcreated; bhiddifference or separation;
gatayadestinations such as going to heaven; hetavafruitive
activities, which are the cause of future rewards; caalso; asyaof the
living entity; mfalse; svapnaof a dream; daof the seer; yath
just as.
Those states of existence that are conceived of as separate from the
Supreme Personality of Godhead have no actual existence, although
they create a sense of separation from the Absolute Truth. Just as the
seer of a dream imagines many different activities and rewards,
similarly, because of the sense of an existence separate from the Lord's
existence, the living entity falsely performs fruitive activities, thinking
them to be the cause of future rewards and destinations.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura comments as follows: "Although
Lord Ka in His form of Hasa-avatra has condemned the intelligence
that sees duality and separate values within the material world, the Vedas
themselves institute the system of varrama-dharma, by which the
entire human society is divided into different castes, occupations and
spiritual statuses. Therefore, how can the Lord recommend that one give
up one's faith in this Vedic system? The answer is given in this verse as
follows. The words anye bhvnm, or 'of other states of existence,'
refer to the innumerable divisions of false identification with the material
body, mind, occupation, and so on. Such identification is illusion, and the
material divisions of the varrama system are certainly based on this
illusion. The Vedic literatures promise heavenly rewards such as residence
in upper planetary systems and prescribe the means to acquire such
rewards. However, both the rewards and the means for achieving them are
ultimately illusion. Since this world is the Lord's creation, one cannot
deny that its existence is also real; yet the living entity who identifies the
creations of this world as belonging to himself is certainly in illusion. The
example may be given that horns are real and rabbits are real, but if one
imagines a rabbit's horns, that is certainly illusion, though a rabbit's horns
may occur in a dream. Similarly, the living entity dreams of a permanent
relationship within the material world. One may dream that one is

723

feasting on sumptuous sweet rice prepared with milk and sugar, but there
is no actual nutritional value in the dream of royal feasting."
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura remarks in this regard that just as
one soon forgets the experience of a dream after awakening, similarly, a
liberated soul in Ka consciousness does not see anything substantial in
even the most exalted rewards offered by the Vedas, such as promotion to
the heavenly planets. Therefore Lord Ka advised Arjuna in Bhagavadgt to remain fixed in self-realization, without being deviated by fruitive
rituals performed in the name of religion.
TEXT 32
yo jgare bahir anukaa-dharmio 'rthn
bhukte samasta-karaair hdi tat-sadkn
svapne suupta upasaharate sa eka
smty-anvayt tri-gua-vtti-dg indriyea
yathe living entity who; jgarewhile awake; bahiexternal;
anukaa-momentary; dharmiaqualities; arthnthe body and mind
and their experiences; bhukteenjoys; samastawith all; karaaithe
senses; hdiwithin the mind; tat-sadknexperiences similar to those
in wakefulness; svapnein dreams; suuptein deep dreamless sleep;
upasaharatemerges into ignorance; sahe; ekaone; smtiof
memory; anvaytby the succession; tri-guaof the three stages
wakefulness, dream and dreamless sleep; vttifunctions; dkseeing;
indriyaof the senses; abecomes the lord.
While awake the living entity enjoys with all of his senses the fleeting
characteristics of the material body and mind; while dreaming he enjoys
similar experiences within the mind; and in deep dreamless sleep all
such experiences merge into ignorance. By remembering and
contemplating the succession of wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep,
the living entity can understand that he is one throughout the three
stages of consciousness and is transcendental. Thus, he becomes the
lord of the senses.
In verse 30 of this chapter Lord Ka stated that one must retire from
material duality by the proper means, which the Lord now explains. One
may first consider the three phases of consciousness mentioned above and
then understand one's own transcendental position as spirit soul. One

724

experiences childhood, boyhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age and

old age, and throughout these phases one is experiencing things while
awake and while dreaming. Similarly, one may, by careful intelligence,
understand one's lack of consciousness during deep sleep, and thus
through intelligence one may have experience of lack of consciousness.
One may argue that it is actually the senses that experience during
wakefulness and that it is the mind that experiences during dreams.
However, the Lord here states, indriyea: the living entity is actually the
lord of the senses and mind, although temporarily he has become a victim
of their influence. By Ka consciousness one may resume one's rightful
position as master of the mental and sensory faculties. Also, since the
living entity can remember his experiences in these three stages of
consciousness, he is ultimately the experiencing agent or the seer of all
phases of consciousness. He remembers, "I saw so many things in my
dream, and then my dream ended and I didn't see anything. Now I'm
waking up." This universal experience can be understood by everyone,
and thus everyone can understand that one's actual identity is separate
from the material body and mind.
TEXT 33
eva vimya guato manasas try-avasth
man-myay mayi kt iti nicitrth
sachidya hrdam anumna-sad-ukti-tka
jnsin bhajata mkhila-saaydhim
evamthus; vimyaconsidering; guataby the modes of nature;
manasaof the mind; tri-avasththe three states of consciousness;
mat-myayby the influence of My illusory potency; mayiin Me;
ktimposed; itithus; nicita-arththose who have ascertained
the actual meaning of the soul; sachidyacutting off; hrdamsituated
in the heart; anumnaby logic; sat-uktiand by the instructions of
sages and the Vedic literatures; tkasharpened; jnaof knowledge;
asinby the sword; bhajataall of you worship; mMe; akhilaof
all; saayadoubts; dhimthe cause (false ego).
You should consider how, by the influence of My illusory energy, these
three states of the mind, caused by the modes of nature, have been
artificially imagined to exist in Me. Having definitely ascertained the
truth of the soul, you should utilize the sharpened sword of knowledge,

725

acquired by logical reflection and from the instructions of sages and

Vedic literatures, to completely cut off the false ego, which is the
breeding ground of all doubts. All of you should then worship Me, who
am situated within the heart.
One who has obtained transcendental knowledge is no longer dependent
on the three stages of ordinary consciousness, namely waking, dreaming
and dreamless sleep. One thus rids one's material mind of the tendency to
become the enjoyer of the inferior energy of the Lord, and one sees
everything as part and parcel of the Lord's potency, meant only for the
enjoyment of the Lord Himself. In such a state of consciousness, one
naturally surrenders fully to the Lord's devotional service, which Lord
Hasa here advises the sons of Lord Brahm to take up.
TEXT 34
keta vibhramam ida manaso vilsa
da vinaam ati-lolam alta-cakram
vijnam ekam urudheva vibhti my
svapnas tridh gua-visarga-kto vikalpa
ketaone should see; vibhramamas illusion or mistake; idamthis
(material world); manasaof the mind; vilsamappearance or
jumping; damhere today; vinaamgone tomorrow; ati-lolam
extremely flickering; alta-cakramjust like the moving red line created
by whirling a fiery stick; vijnamthe spirit soul, by nature fully
conscious; ekamis one; urudhin many divisions; ivaas if; vibhti
appears; mythis is illusion; svapnamerely a dream; tridhin
three divisions; guaof the modes of nature; visargaby the
transformation; ktacreated; vikalpavariety of perception or
imagination.
One should see that the material world is a distinct illusion appearing
in the mind, because material objects have an extremely flickering
existence and are here today and gone tomorrow. They can be
compared to the streaking red line created by whirling a fiery stick. The
spirit soul by nature exists in the single state of pure consciousness.
However, in this world he appears in many different forms and stages of
existence. The modes of nature divide the soul's consciousness into
normal wakefulness, dreaming and dreamless sleep. All such varieties

726

of perception, however, are actually my and exist only like a dream.

The Lord now describes an additional process for transcending the
illusory interaction of the material mind and material sense objects. Lsa
means "jumping" or "dancing," and thus manaso vilsam here indicates
that the material mind is jumping superficially from one conception of life
to another. Our original consciousness, however, is one (vijnam ekam).
Therefore, one should carefully study the flickering "here today, gone
tomorrow" nature of the material world and detach oneself from the
illusory variety of my.
TEXT 35
dim tata pratinivartya nivtta-tas
t bhaven nija-sukhnubhavo nirha
sandyate kva ca yaddam avastu-buddhy
tyakta bhramya na bhavet smtir -niptt
dimsight; tatafrom that illusion; pratinivartyapulling away;
nivttaceased; tamaterial hankering; tmsilent; bhavetone
should become; nijaone's own (of the soul); sukhahappiness;
anubhavaperceiving; nirhawithout material activities; sandyate
is observed; kva casometimes; yadiif; idamthis material world;
avastuof not being reality; buddhyby the consciousness; tyaktam
given up; bhramyafurther illusion; nanot; bhavetmay become;
smtiremembrance; -nipttuntil giving up the material body.
Having understood the temporary illusory nature of material things,
and thus having pulled one's vision away from illusion, one should
remain without material desires. By experiencing the happiness of the
soul, one should give up material speaking and activities. If sometimes
one must observe the material world, one should remember that it is
not ultimate reality and therefore one has given it up. By such constant
remembrance up till the time of death, one will not again fall into
illusion.
To maintain the material body one cannot avoid eating and sleeping. In
these and other ways, one will sometimes be forced to deal with the
material world and the physical aspects of one's own body. At such times
one should remember that the material world is not actual reality and that

727

therefore one has given it up to become Ka conscious. By such

constant remembrance, by enjoying spiritual bliss within oneself and by
retiring from any material activities of the mind, speech or body, one will
not fall into material illusion.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura comments as follows. "The living
entity, while living in the external energy of the Lord, should give up any
anxiety for sense gratification and should not act for his personal
enjoyment. Rather, one should search out spiritual bliss through
devotional service to the Supreme Lord. By reviving one's relationship
with Lord Ka, one will understand that if one accepts any material
object for one's personal enjoyment, attachment will inevitably develop,
and thus one will be bewildered by illusion. By gradually developing one's
spiritual body, one will no longer desire to enjoy anything within the
material world."
TEXT 36
deha ca navaram avasthitam utthita v
siddho na payati yato 'dhyagamat svarpam
daivd apetam atha daiva-vad upeta
vso yath parikta madir-madndha
dehamthe material body; caalso; navaramto be destroyed;
avasthitamseated; utthitamrisen; vor; siddhaone who is perfect;
na payatidoes not see; yatabecause; adhyagamathe has achieved;
sva-rpamhis actual spiritual identity; daivtby destiny; apetam
departed; athaor thus; daivaof destiny; vatby the control;
upetamachieved; vsaclothes; yathjust as; pariktamplaced on
the body; madirof liquor; madaby the intoxication; andha
blinded.
Just as a drunken man does not notice if he is wearing his coat or shirt,
similarly, one who is perfect in self-realization and who has thus
achieved his eternal identity does not notice whether the temporary
body is sitting or standing. Indeed, if by God's will the body is finished
or if by God's will he obtains a new body, a self-realized soul does not
notice, just as a drunken man does not notice the situation of his
outward dress.
A Ka conscious person who has achieved his spiritual identity does not

728

accept sense gratification in the material world as the goal of his life. He is
constantly engaged in the service of the Lord and knows that the
temporary body and flickering mind are material. By superior intelligence
in Ka consciousness he remains engaged in the Lord's service. The
example of a drunken man in this verse is very nice. It is common
knowledge that at mundane social gatherings men become drunk and lose
all awareness of their external situation. Similarly, a liberated soul has
already achieved his spiritual body and therefore knows that his
continued existence does not depend on the material body. A liberated
soul does not, however, inflict punishment on the body but rather
remains neutral, naturally accepting his destiny as the will of the
Supreme.
TEXT 37
deho 'pi daiva-vaa-ga khalu karma yvat
svrambhaka pratisamkata eva ssu
ta sa-prapacam adhirha-samdhi-yoga
svpna punar na bhajate pratibuddha-vastu
dehathe body; apieven; daivaof the Supreme; vaa-gaunder the
control; khaluindeed; karmathe chain of fruitive activities; yvatas
long as; sva-rambhakamthat which initiates or perpetuates itself;
pratisamkategoes on living and waiting; evacertainly; sa-asu
along with the vital air and senses; tamthat (body); sa-prapacamwith
its variety of manifestations; adhirhahighly situated; samdhithe
stage of perfection; yogain the yoga system; svpnamjust like a
dream; punaagain; na bhajatedoes not worship or cultivate;
pratibuddhaone who is enlightened; vastuin the supreme reality.
The material body certainly moves under the control of supreme
destiny and therefore must continue to live along with the senses and
vital air as long as one's karma is in effect. A self-realized soul,
however, who is awakened to the absolute reality and who is thus
highly situated in the perfect stage of yoga, will never again surrender
to the material body and its manifold manifestations, knowing it to be
just like a body visualized in a dream.
Although Lord Ka recommended in the previous verse that a selfrealized soul not give attention to the body, it is clear from the Lord's

729

statement here that one should not foolishly starve or injure the body, but
should patiently wait until the chain of one's previous fruitive work has
completely exhausted itself. At that time the body will automatically die
according to destiny. The following doubt may then arise: If a Ka
conscious person pays proper attention to the maintenance of the body, is
there danger of again becoming attached to it? Lord Ka here states that
one who is highly elevated in Ka consciousness, having understood
Lord Ka to be the actual vastu, or reality, never again surrenders to the
illusory identification with the material body, which is just like the body
seen in a dream.
TEXT 38
mayaitad ukta vo vipr
guhya yat skhya-yogayo
jnta mgata yaja
yumad-dharma-vivakay
mayby Me; etatthis (knowledge); uktamhas been spoken; va
unto you; viprO brhmaas; guhyamconfidential; yatwhich;
skhyaof the philosophical method of distinguishing matter from
spirit; yogayoand the aga-yoga system; jntaplease understand;
mMe; gatamwho has arrived; yajamas Viu, the Supreme Lord
of sacrifice; yumatyour; dharmareligious duties; vivakaywith the
desire to explain.
My dear brhmaas, I have now explained to you the confidential
knowledge of Skhya, by which one philosophically distinguishes
matter from spirit, and of aga-yoga, by which one links up with the
Supreme. Please understand that I am the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Viu, and that I have appeared before you desiring to
explain your actual religious duties.
To increase the faith of Lord Brahm's sons and establish the prestige of
His teachings, Lord Ka now formally identifies Himself as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Viu. As stated in Vedic literature, yajo vai
viu. After explaining the skhya-and aga-yoga systems, the Lord
clearly answers the original question of the sages, "Who are You, sir?"
Thus, Lord Brahm and his sons were enlightened by Lord Hasa.

730

TEXT 39
aha yogasya skhyasya
satyasyartasya tejasa
paryaa dvija-reh
riya krter damasya ca
ahamI; yogasyaof the yoga system; skhyasyaof the system of
analytic philosophy; satyasyaof virtuous action; tasyaof truthful
religious principles; tejasaof power; para-ayanamthe ultimate
shelter; dvija-rehO best of the brhmaas; riyaof beauty;
krteof fame; damasyaof self-control; caalso.
O best of the brhmaas, please know that I am the supreme shelter of
the yoga system, analytic philosophy, virtuous action, truthful religious
principles, power, beauty, fame and self-control.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the synonymous words satyasya and
tasya refer to, respectively, the proper or virtuous execution of religious
principles and a convincing presentation of religion. rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura points out that the sons of Brahm were struck with
wonder at the presentation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and
were thinking, "What wonderful knowledge we have just heard." The
Lord, recognizing their astonishment, spoke this verse to confirm their
understanding of Him.
TEXT 40
m bhajanti gu sarve
nirgua nirapekakam
suhda priyam tmna
smysagdayo 'gu
mmMe; bhajantiserve and take shelter of; guqualities; sarve
all; nirguamfree from the modes of nature; nirapekakamdetached;
su-hdamthe well-wisher; priyamthe most dear; tmnamthe
Supersoul; smyabeing equally situated everywhere; asaga
detachment; dayaand so on; agufree from the transformation of
the material modes.
All superior transcendental qualities, such as being beyond the modes
of nature, detached, the well-wisher, the most dear, the Supersoul,

731

equally situated everywhere, and free from material entanglementall

such qualities, free from the transformations of material qualities, find
their shelter and worshipable object in Me.
Because in the previous verse Lord Ka explained His exalted nature,
the sons of Brahm might have slightly doubted the Lord's position,
thinking that they had detected some pride within the Lord's mind.
Therefore, they may have doubted the instructions they had just received
from Lord Hasa. Anticipating any such reluctance, the Lord
immediately clarifies the situation in the present verse. The Lord explains
that, unlike ordinary living entities even up to the standard of Brahm, the
Lord's transcendental body is not different from His eternal Self and has
no material qualities such as false egotism. The Lord's transcendental
form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, and is thus nirguam, beyond
the modes of nature. Because the Lord completely ignores the so-called
enjoyment offered by the illusory energy, He is called nirapekakam, and
being the best well-wisher of His devotees, He is called suhdam. Priyam
indicates that the Lord is the supreme lovable object and that He
establishes wonderful affectionate relationships with His devotees. Smya
indicates that the Lord is neutral and detached in all material situations.
These and other exalted qualities find their shelter and worshipable object
in the Lord, who does not take material designations into consideration
but awards His mercy to anyone who takes shelter of Him. In rmadBhgavatam (1.16.26-30) mother Bhmi, the predominating deity of the
earth, gives a list of some of the Lord's transcendental qualities, and even
more are found in The Nectar of Devotion. Actually, the Lord's qualities are
unlimited, but a small sample is given here simply to establish the Lord's
transcendental position.
rla Madhvcrya has quoted from the Kla-sahit as follows. "The
demigods are not actually perfectly endowed with transcendental
qualities. Indeed, their opulences are limited, and therefore they worship
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, who is
simultaneously free of all material qualities and completely endowed with
all transcendental qualities, which exist in His personal body."
TEXT 41
iti me chinna-sandeh
munaya sanakdaya

732

sabhjayitv paray
bhaktygata sastavai
itithus; meby Me; chinnadestroyed; sandehall their doubts;
munayathe sages; sanaka-dayaheaded by Sanaka-kumra;
sabhjayitvfully
worshiping
Me;
paraycharacterized
by
transcendental love; bhaktywith devotion; agatathey chanted My
glories; sastavaiwith beautiful hymns.
[Lord Ka continued:] My dear Uddhava, thus all of the doubts of the
sages headed by Sanaka were destroyed by My words. Fully worshiping
Me with transcendental love and devotion, they chanted My glories
with excellent hymns.
TEXT 42
tair aha pjita sayak
sastuta paramaribhi
pratyeyya svaka dhma
payata paramehina
taiby them; ahamI; pjitaworshiped; sayakperfectly;
sastutaperfectly glorified; parama-ibhiby the greatest of sages;
pratyeyyaI returned; svakamto My own; dhmaabode; payata
paramehinaas Lord Brahm looked on.
The greatest of sages, headed by Sanaka i, thus perfectly worshiped
and glorified Me, and as Lord Brahm looked on, I returned to My own
abode.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Thirteenth Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Hasa-avatra Answers the
Questions of the Sons of Brahm."

733

14. Lord Ka Explains the Yoga System to r Uddhava

In this chapter, Ka explains that devotional service to the Supreme

Lord is the most excellent method of spiritual practice. He also speaks
about the process of meditation.
r Uddhava wanted to know which process of spiritual advancement is
the best. He also desired to hear about the superexcellence of devotional
service free from ulterior motives. The Supreme Personality of Godhead
replied to him that the original process of religion revealed in the Vedas
had become lost during the time of annihilation. At the beginning of the
new creation, therefore, the Supreme Lord spoke it again to Brahm.
Brahm repeated it to Manu, Manu spoke it to the sages headed by Bhgu
Muni, and these sages in turn instructed this eternal religion to the
demigods and demons. Because of the living entities' multitude of diverse
desires, this system of religion was elaborately explained in different ways.
Thus different philosophies arose, including various atheistic doctrines.
Because the living entity, bewildered by illusion, is incapable of
ascertaining his eternal benefit, he mistakenly identifies ordinary vows of
penance, austerity, etc., to be the topmost spiritual practice. But the only
true means of achieving happiness is to meditate on offering everything to
the Supreme Lord. In this way one becomes free from all desires for
selfish gratification through enjoyment of mundane sense objects, and he
becomes released from all hankering for either enjoyment or liberation.
The Lord then proceeded to describe the superior process of devotional
service, which destroys countless sinful reactions and produces many
symptoms of spiritual happiness, such as the standing of the hairs on end.
Pure devotion, having the power to purify the heart, enables one to
achieve the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
because the devotee is very dear to the Lord and is always close to Him,
he is able in turn to purify the entire universe. By virtue of his unflinching
devotion to the Lord, the devotee can never be completely diverted by the
objects of sense enjoyment, even if he is not able to gain control over his
senses in the beginning. One desiring to attain the perfection of life is
advised to give up all material processes of elevation as well as the

734

association of women. He should then merge his mind constantly in

thought of Lord Ka. Finally, the Lord instructed r Uddhava about the
true object of meditation.
TEXT 1
r-uddhava uvca
vadanti ka reysi
bahni brahma-vdina
te vikalpa-prdhnyam
utho eka-mukhyat
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; vadantithey speak; kamy
dear Ka; reysiprocesses for advancement in life; bahnimany;
brahma-vdinathe learned sages who have explained the Vedic
literature; temof all such processes; vikalpaof varieties of
perception; prdhnyamsupremacy; utaor; ahoindeed; ekaof one;
mukhyatbeing most important.
r Uddhava said: My dear Ka, the learned sages who explain Vedic
literature recommend various processes for perfecting one's life.
Considering these varieties of viewpoint, my Lord, please tell me
whether all these processes are equally important, or whether one of
them is supreme.
In order to clearly establish the exalted position of bhakti-yoga, or pure
devotional service to the Supreme Lord, r Uddhava requests Lord Ka
to identify the supreme among all processes of self-realization. Not all
Vedic processes lead directly to the ultimate goal, pure love of God; some
only gradually elevate the consciousness of the living entity. For the
purpose of giving a general outline of the process of self-realization, sages
may discuss the various methods of elevation. But when the time comes to
ascertain the most perfect process, the secondary methods must be
cleared from the path.
TEXT 2
bhavatodhta svmin
bhakti-yogo 'napekita
nirasya sarvata saga
yena tvayy vien mana

735

bhavatby You; udhtaclearly stated; svminO my Lord; bhaktiyogadevotional service; anapekitawithout material desires;
nirasyaremoving; sarvatain all respects; sagammaterial
association; yenaby which (devotional service); tvayiin Your
Lordship; vietmay enter; manathe mind.
My dear Lord, You have clearly explained the process of unalloyed
devotional service, by which a devotee removes all material association
from his life, enabling him to fix his mind on You.
It is now clearly established that pure devotional service is the supreme
process for fixing the mind in the Supreme Truth, Lord Ka. The next
point to be clarified is this: Can everyone practice this process, or is it
limited to an elite class of transcendentalists? In discussing the relative
advantages of different spiritual processes, one must immediately
ascertain the goal of spiritual life and then isolate the process that actually
awards this goal. Processes must be defined in terms of primary and
secondary functions. A method that gives one the highest perfection is
primary, whereas processes that merely assist or enhance the primary
function are considered secondary. The mind is most flickering and
unsteady; therefore by clear intelligence one must fix oneself in a
progressive mode of life, and thus one can achieve the Absolute Truth in
this lifetime. This is the sober purpose of Lord Ka's conversation with
r Uddhava.
TEXT 3
r-bhagavn uvca
klena na pralaye
vya veda-sajit
maydau brahmae prokt
dharmo yasy mad-tmaka
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; klena
by the influence of time; nalost; pralayeat the time of annihilation;
vmessage; iyamthis; veda-sajitconsisting of the Vedas;
mayby Me; dauat the time of creation; brahmaeunto Lord
Brahm; proktspoken; dharmareligious principles; yasymin
which; mat-tmakaidentical with Me.

736

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: By the influence of time, the

transcendental sound of Vedic knowledge was lost at the time of
annihilation. Therefore, when the subsequent creation took place, I
spoke the Vedic knowledge to Brahm because I Myself am the religious
principles enunciated in the Vedas.
Lord Ka explains to Uddhava that although many processes and
concepts of spiritual realization are described in the Vedas, the Vedas
ultimately recommend devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Lord
Ka is the reservoir of all pleasure, and His devotees directly enter into
the Lord's hldin, or pleasure-giving, potency. Somehow or other one
must fix one's mind in Lord Ka, and that is not possible without
devotional service. One who has not developed his attraction to Lord
Ka cannot restrain the senses from inferior engagements. Since other
Vedic processes do not actually award Lord Ka to the practitioner, they
cannot offer the highest benefit in life. The transcendental sound of the
Vedas is itself the highest evidence, but one whose senses and mind are
entangled in sense gratification and mental speculation, and whose heart
is therefore covered by material dust, cannot directly receive the
transcendental Vedic message. Thus one cannot appreciate the exalted
position of devotional service to the Lord.
TEXT 4
tena prokt sva-putrya
manave prva-jya s
tato bhgv-dayo 'ghan
sapta brahma-maharaya
tenaby Brahm; proktspoken; sva-putryato his son; manaveto
Manu; prva-jyathe oldest; sthat Vedic knowledge; tatafrom
Manu; bhgu-dayathose headed by Bhgu Muni; aghanaccepted;
saptaseven; brahmain Vedic literature; mah-ayamost learned
sages.
Lord Brahm spoke this Vedic knowledge to his eldest son, Manu, and
the seven great sages headed by Bhgu Muni then accepted the same
knowledge from Manu.
Everyone engages in a certain way of life based on one's own nature and

737

propensities. Bhakti-yoga is the natural activity of one whose nature is

completely purified by association with the Supreme Lord. Other
processes are meant for those whose nature is still affected by the material
modes, and thus such processes, along with their results, are themselves
also materially contaminated. Devotional service to the Lord, however, is
a pure spiritual process, and by executing it with a pure consciousness
one comes directly in touch with the Personality of Godhead, who
describes Himself in Bhagavad-gt (9.2) as pavitram idam uttamam, the
supreme pure. The system of parampar, or disciplic succession, is
illustrated in this and the previous verse. The spiritual masters in
Caitanya Mahprabhu's movement are part of such a disciplic succession,
and through them the same Vedic knowledge spoken by Brahm to Manu
is still available.
TEXTS 5-7
tebhya pitbhyas tat-putr
deva-dnava-guhyak
manuy siddha-gandharv
sa-vidydhara-cra
kindev kinnar ng
raka-kimpurudaya
bahvyas te praktayo
raja-sattva-tamo-bhuva
ybhir bhtni bhidyante
bhtn patayas tath
yath-prakti sarve
citr vca sravanti hi
tebhyafrom them (Bhgu Muni, etc.); pitbhyafrom the forefathers;
tattheir; putrsons, descendants; devathe demigods; dnava
demons; guhyakthe Guhyakas; manuyhuman beings; siddhagandharvSiddhas and Gandharvas; sa-vidydhara-craalong
with Vidydharas and Craas; kindeva different human species;
kinnarhalf-humans; ngsnakes; rakademons; kimpuruaan
advanced race of monkeys; dayaand so on; bahvyamany different;
temof such living entities; praktayadesires or natures; rajasattva-tama-bhuvabeing generated from the three modes of material

738

nature; ybhiby such material desires or tendencies; bhtniall such

living entities; bhidyanteappear divided in many material forms;
bhtnmand their; patayaleaders; tathdivided in the same way;
yath-praktiaccording to propensity or desire; sarvemof all of
them; citrvariegated; vcaVedic rituals and mantras; sravanti
flow down; hicertainly.
From the forefathers headed by Bhgu Muni and other sons of Brahm
appeared many children and descendants, who assumed different forms
as demigods, demons, human beings, Guhyakas, Siddhas, Gandharvas,
Vidydharas, Craas, Kindevas, Kinnaras, Ngas, Kimpuruas, and so
on. All of the many universal species, along with their respective
leaders, appeared with different natures and desires generated from the
three modes of material nature. Therefore, because of the different
characteristics of the living entities within the universe, there are a
great many Vedic rituals, mantras and rewards.
If one is curious why Vedic literatures recommend so many different
methods of worship and advancement, the answer is given here. Bhgu,
Marci, Atri, Agir, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu are the seven great
brhmaa sages and forefathers of this universe. The Kindevas are a race
of human beings who are, like the demigods, completely free from fatigue,
sweat and body odor. Seeing them, one may thus ask, ki dev: "Are
they demigods?" Actually, they are human beings living on another planet
within the universe. The Kinnaras are so called because they are kicin
nar, or "a little like human beings." The Kinnaras have either a human
head or human body (but not both) combined with a nonhuman form.
The Kimpuruas are so called because they resemble human beings and
thus prompt the question ki puru: "Are these human beings?"
Actually, they are a race of monkeys who are almost like human beings.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura explains that this verse describes
the varieties of forgetfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The
different Vedic mantras and rituals are especially meant for the different
species of intelligent beings throughout the universe; but this
proliferation of Vedic formulas indicates only the variety of material
illusion and not a variety of ultimate purpose. The ultimate purpose of the
many Vedic injunctions is oneto know and love the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself is emphatically explaining this
to r Uddhava.

739

TEXT 8
eva prakti-vaicitryd
bhidyante matayo nm
pramparyea kecit
paa-matayo 'pare
evamthus; praktiof nature or desires; vaicitrytdue to the great
variety; bhidyanteare divided; matayaphilosophies of life; nm
among human beings; pramparyeaby tradition or disciplic
succession; kecitamong some people; paaatheistic; mataya
philosophies; apareothers.
Thus, due to the great variety of desires and natures among human
beings, there are many different theistic philosophies of life, which are
handed down through tradition, custom and disciplic succession. There
are other teachers who directly support atheistic viewpoints.
The word kecit refers to those persons in various parts of the world
who are ignorant of the Vedic conclusion and thus concoct many
unauthorized and ultimately fruitless philosophies of life. Paamataya refers to those who directly oppose the Vedic conclusion. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura has given a most interesting example, as
follows. The water of the Ganges is always pure and very sweet. On the
banks of that great river, however, there are several types of poisonous
trees whose roots drink up the Ganges water from the soil and use it to
produce poisonous fruits. Similarly, those who are atheistic or demoniac
utilize their association with Vedic knowledge to produce the poisonous
fruits of atheistic or materialistic philosophy.
TEXT 9
man-my-mohita-dhiya
puru puruarabha
reyo vadanty aneknta
yath-karma yath-ruci
mat-mayby My illusory potency; mohitabewildered; dhiyathose
whose intelligence; purupeople; purua-abhaO best among men;
reyawhat is good for people; vadantithey speak; aneka-antamin
innumerable ways; yath-karmaaccording to their own activities; yath-

740

ruciaccording to what pleases them.

O best among men, the intelligence of human beings is bewildered by
My illusory potency, and thus, according to their own activities and
whims, they speak in innumerable ways about what is actually good for
people.
Unlike the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the individual living entity is
not omniscient, therefore his activities and pleasures do not represent the
whole truth. According to one's individual way of doing things (yathkarma) and one's personal preference (yath-ruci), one speaks to others
about what is good for them. Everyone thinks, "What is good for me is
good for everyone." Actually, the best thing for everyone is to surrender
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Ka, and thus realize
one's eternal nature of bliss and knowledge. Without knowledge of the
Absolute Truth, many so-called learned people are whimsically advising
other whimsical people who also lack perfect knowledge of the actual goal
of life.
TEXT 10
dharmam eke yaa cnye
kma satya dama amam
anye vadanti svrtha v
aivarya tyga-bhojanam
kecid yaja tapo dna
vratni niyamn yamn
dharmampious activities; ekesome people; yaafame; caalso;
anyeothers;
kmamsense
gratification;
satyamtruthfulness;
damamself-control; amampeacefulness; anyeothers; vadanti
propound; sva-arthampursuing one's self-interest; vaicertainly;
aivaryamopulence or political influence; tygarenunciation;
bhojanamconsumption; kecitsome people; yajamsacrifice; tapa
austerity; dnamcharity; vratnitaking vows; niyamnregular
religious duties; yamnstrict regulative discipline.
Some say that people will be happy by performing pious religious
activities. Others say that happiness is attained through fame, sense
gratification, truthfulness, self-control, peace, self-interest, political

741

influence, opulence, renunciation, consumption, sacrifice, penance,

charity, vows, regulated duties or strict disciplinary regulation. Each
process has its proponents.
Dharmam eke refers to those atheistic philosophers called karmammsakas, who state that one should not waste time worrying about a
kingdom of God that no one has ever seen and from which no one has
ever returned; rather, one should expertly utilize the laws of karma,
performing fruitive activities in such a way that one will always be well
situated. Concerning fame, it is said that as long as the fame of a human
being is sung in the pious planets, he may live for thousands of years in
material heaven. Kmam refers to Vedic texts like the Kma-stra as well
as millions of modern books that advise one about sex pleasure. Some
people state that the highest virtue in life is honesty; others say it is selfcontrol, peace of mind and so on. Each viewpoint has proponents and
"scriptures." Others say that law, order and morality are the highest good,
whereas still others propose political influence as the real self-interest of
human beings. Some state that one should give away one's material
possessions to the needy; others state that one should try to enjoy this life
as far as possible; and others recommend daily rituals, disciplinary vows,
penances, and so on.
TEXT 11
dy-anta-vanta evai
lok karma-vinirmit
dukhodarks tamo-nih
kudr mand ucrpit
di-anta-vantapossessing a beginning and end; evaundoubtedly;
emof them (the materialistic); lokachieved destinations; karma
by one's material work; vinirmitproduced; dukhamisery;
udarkbringing as the future result; tamaignorance; nih
situated
in;
kudrmeager;
mandwretched;
ucwith
lamentation; arpitfilled.
All the persons I have just mentioned obtain temporary fruits from their
material work. Indeed, the meager and miserable situations they
achieve bring future unhappiness and are based on ignorance. Even
while enjoying the fruits of their work, such persons are filled with

742

lamentation.
Those who have grasped temporary material things, mistaking them to be
ultimate reality, are not considered very intelligent by anyone except
themselves. Such foolish persons are always in anxiety because by the
laws of nature the very fruits of their work are constantly being
transformed in ways neither desired nor expected. The performer of Vedic
rituals can elevate himself to heavenly planets, whereas one who is
atheistic has the privilege of transferring himself to hell. The entire
panorama of material existence is actually uninteresting and dull
(mand). One can make no real progress within the material world;
therefore one should take to Ka consciousness and prepare oneself to
go back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 12
mayy arpittmana sabhya
nirapekasya sarvata
maytman sukha yat tat
kuta syd viaytmanm
mayiin Me; arpitafixed; tmanaof one whose consciousness;
sabhyaO learned Uddhava; nirapekasyaof one bereft of material
desires; sarvatain all respects; maywith Me; tmanwith the
Supreme Personality of Godhead or with one's own spiritual body;
sukhamhappiness; yat tatsuch; kutahow; sytcould it be;
viayain material sense gratification; tmanmof those who are
attached.
O learned Uddhava, those who fix their consciousness on Me, giving up
all material desires, share with Me a happiness that cannot possibly be
experienced by those engaged in sense gratification.
The actual purport of Vedic knowledge is explained in this verse. The
word viaytmanm includes those who are cultivating material peace of
mind, self-control and speculative philosophy. But even if such persons
rise to the platform of sattva-gua, the mode of goodness, they do not
attain perfection, because sattva-gua, being material, is also part and
parcel of my, or illusion. As stated by r Nrada Muni,
ki v yogena skhyena

743

nysa-svdhyyayor api
ki v reyobhir anyai ca
na yatrtma-prado hari
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not inclined to award Himself
even to one who executes the yoga system, speculative philosophy, the
renounced order of life or Vedic studies. Indeed, no so-called materially
auspicious process can induce the Lord to reveal Himself." (SB 4.31.12)
According to rla rdhara Svm, one enjoys the happiness spoken of in
this verse while associating, in one's own spiritual body, with the supreme
transcendental form of the Lord. The Lord's transcendental form is filled
with infinite, wonderful qualities, and the happiness of being with the
Lord is unlimited. Unfortunately, materialistic people cannot possibly
imagine such happiness, since they are not at all inclined to love the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 13
akicanasya dntasya
ntasya sama-cetasa
may santua-manasa
sarv sukha-may dia
akicanasyaof one who does not desire anything; dntasyawhose
senses are controlled; ntasyapeaceful; sama-cetasawhose
consciousness is equal everywhere; maywith Me; santuacompletely
satisfied; manasawhose mind; sarvall; sukha-mayfull of
happiness; diadirections.
One who does not desire anything within this world, who has achieved
peace by controlling his senses, whose consciousness is equal in all
conditions and whose mind is completely satisfied in Me finds only
happiness wherever he goes.
A devotee who is always meditating upon Lord Ka experiences
transcendental sound, touch, form, flavor and aroma in the pastimes of
the Lord. These sublime perceptions are certainly due to the causeless
mercy of Lord Ka upon one whose mind and senses are completely
satisfied in Him. Such a person finds only happiness wherever he goes.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura gives the example that when a very

744

wealthy man travels all over the world, at every place he stays he always
enjoys the same luxurious standard of comfort. Similarly, one who has
developed Ka consciousness is never separated from happiness,
because Lord Ka is all-pervading. The word kicana indicates the socalled enjoyable things of this world. One who is akicana has correctly
understood that material sense gratification is simply the glare of illusion,
and therefore such a person is dntasya, or self-controlled, ntasya, or
peaceful, and may santua-manasa, or completely satisfied with his
transcendental experience of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 14
na pramehya na mahendra-dhiya
na srvabhauma na rasdhipatyam
na yoga-siddhr apunar-bhava v
mayy arpittmecchati mad vinnyat
nanot; pramehyamthe position or abode of Lord Brahm; na
never; mah-indra-dhiyamthe position of Lord Indra; naneither;
srvabhaumamempire on the earth; nanor; rasa-dhipatyam
sovereignty in the lower planetary systems; nanever; yoga-siddhthe
eightfold yoga perfections; apuna-bhavamliberation; vnor; mayiin
Me; arpitafixed; tmconsciousness; icchatihe desires; matMe;
vinwithout; anyatanything else.
One who has fixed his consciousness on Me desires neither the position
or abode of Lord Brahm or Lord Indra, nor an empire on the earth, nor
sovereignty in the lower planetary systems, nor the eightfold perfection
of yoga, nor liberation from birth and death. Such a person desires Me
alone.
The position of the akicana pure devotee is described in this verse. r
Priyavrata Mahrja is an example of a great devotee who was not
interested in universal sovereignty because his love was completely
absorbed in the lotus feet of the Lord. Even the greatest material
enjoyment appears most insignificant and useless to a pure devotee of the
Lord.
TEXT 15
na tath me priyatama

745

tma-yonir na akara
na ca sakarao na rr
naivtm ca yath bhavn
nanot; tathin the same way; meto Me; priya-tamamost dear;
tma-yoniLord Brahm, who is born from My body; nanor;
sakaraLord iva; nanor; caalso; sakaraaMy direct
expansion Lord Sakaraa; nanor; rthe goddess of fortune; na
nor; evacertainly; tmMy own self as the Deity; caalso; yathas
much as; bhavnyou.
My dear Uddhava, neither Lord Brahm, Lord iva, Lord Sakaraa,
the goddess of fortune nor indeed My own self is as dear to Me as you
are.
The Lord has described in the previous verses the unalloyed love of His
pure devotees for Him, and now the Lord describes His love for His
devotees. tma-yoni means Lord Brahm, who is born directly from the
Lord's body. Lord iva always gives great pleasure to Lord Ka by his
constant meditation upon Him, and Sakaraa, or Balarma, is the Lord's
brother in ka-ll. The goddess of fortune is the Lord's wife, and the
word tm here indicates the Lord's own self as the Deity. None of these
personalitieseven the Lord's own selfare as dear to Him as His pure
devotee Uddhava, an akicana devotee of the Lord. rla Madhvcrya
cites from Vedic literature the example that a gentleman sometimes
neglects his own interest and that of his children to give charity to a poor
beggar. Similarly, the Lord gives preference to a helpless devotee who
depends completely on His mercy. The only way to obtain the Lord's
mercy is through His causeless love, and the Lord is most lovingly
inclined toward those devotees who are most dependent on Him, just as
ordinary mothers and fathers worry more about their helpless children
than about those who are self-sufficient. Thus even if one lacks any
material qualification, one should simply depend upon the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, without any other interest, and surely one will
achieve the highest perfection of life.
TEXT 16
nirapeka muni nta
nirvaira sama-daranam

746

anuvrajmy aha nitya

pyeyety aghri-reubhi
nirapekamwithout personal desire; munimalways thinking of
assisting Me in My pastimes; ntampeaceful; nirvairamnot inimical
to
anyone;
sama-daranamequal
consciousness
everywhere;
anuvrajmifollow; ahamI; nityamalways; pyeyaI may be purified
(I will purify the universe within Me); itithus; aghriof the lotus feet;
reubhiby the dust.
With the dust of My devotees' lotus feet I desire to purify the material
worlds, which are situated within Me. Thus, I always follow the
footsteps of My pure devotees, who are free from all personal desire,
rapt in thought of My pastimes, peaceful, without any feelings of
enmity, and of equal disposition everywhere.
Just as the devotees always follow the footsteps of Lord Ka, similarly
Lord Ka, being a devotee of His devotees, follows the footsteps of His
devotees. A pure servitor of the Lord is always meditating on the pastimes
of the Lord and considering how to assist the Lord in His mission. All the
material universes are situated in r Ka's body, as demonstrated to
Arjuna, mother Yaod and others. Lord Ka is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, and therefore there is no question of impurity in the Lord.
Still, the Lord desires to purify the universes situated within Him by
taking the dust of the lotus feet of His pure devotees. Without the dust of
the lotus feet of the devotees, it is not possible to engage in pure
devotional service, without which one cannot directly experience
transcendental bliss. Lord Ka thought, "I have established this strict
rule that one can enjoy My transcendental bliss only through devotional
service obtained from the dust of the lotus feet of My devotees. Since I
also desire to experience My own bliss, I will observe the standard
procedure and accept the dust of My devotees' feet." rla Madhvcrya
points out that Lord Ka follows the footsteps of His devotees in order
to purify them. As the Lord walks along behind His pure devotees, the
wind blows the dust of the Lord's feet in the front of His devotees, who
then become purified by contact with such transcendental dust. One
should not foolishly look for material logic in these transcendental
pastimes of the Lord. It is simply a question of love between the Lord and
His devotees.

747

TEXT 17
nikican mayy anurakta-cetasa
nt mahnto 'khila-jva-vatsal
kmair anlabdha-dhiyo juanti te
yan nairapekya na vidu sukha mama
nikicanwithout any desire for sense gratification; mayiin Me, the
Supreme Lord; anurakta-cetasamind constantly attached; nt
peaceful; mahntagreat souls without false ego; akhilato all; jva
living entities; vatsalaffectionate well-wishers; kmaiby
opportunities for sense gratification; anlabdhauntouched and
unaffected; dhiyawhose consciousness; juantiexperience; tethey;
yatwhich; nairapekyamachieved only by complete detachment; na
viduthey do not know; sukhamhappiness; mamaMy.
Those who are without any desire for personal gratification, whose
minds are always attached to Me, who are peaceful, without false ego
and merciful to all living entities, and whose consciousness is never
affected by opportunities for sense gratificationsuch persons enjoy in
Me a happiness that cannot be known or achieved by those lacking such
detachment from the material world.
The pure devotees always experience transcendental bliss in their service
to r Ka, the reservoir of pleasure; thus they are completely detached
from material pleasure and do not desire even liberation. Since all others
have some personal desire, they cannot experience such happiness. Pure
devotees always desire to give Ka conscious happiness to all others,
and therefore they are called mahnta, or great souls. In the course of a
devotee's service, many opportunities for sense gratification arise, but a
pure devotee is not tempted or attracted and does not fall down from his
exalted transcendental position.
TEXT 18
bdhyamno 'pi mad-bhakto
viayair ajitendriya
prya pragalbhay bhakty
viayair nbhibhyate
bdhyamnabeing harassed; apieven though; mat-bhaktaMy

748

devotee; viayaiby the sense objects; ajitawithout having conquered;

indriyathe senses; pryagenerally; pragalbhayeffective and
strong; bhaktyby devotion; viayaiby sense gratification; nanot;
abhibhyateis defeated.
My dear Uddhava, if My devotee has not fully conquered his senses, he
may be harassed by material desires, but because of his unflinching
devotion for Me, he will not be defeated by sense gratification.
Abhibhyate indicates falling down into the material world and being
defeated by my. But even though one's senses are not fully conquered,
one who has unflinching devotion for Lord Ka does not run the risk of
being separated from Him. The words pragalbhay bhakty indicate a
person who has great devotion for Lord Ka, and not one who desires to
commit sinful activities and chant Hare Ka to avoid the reaction.
Because of previous bad habits and immaturity, even a sincere devotee
may be harassed by lingering attraction to the bodily concept of life; but
his unflinching devotion for Lord Ka will act. rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura gives the following two examples. A great warrior
may be struck by the weapon of his enemy, but because of his courage
and strength he is not killed or defeated. He accepts the blow and goes on
to victory. Similarly, one may contract a serious disease, but if he takes
the proper medicine he is quickly cured.
If those who follow the impersonal system of speculation and austerity
deviate even slightly from their path, they fall down. A devotee, however,
even though immature, never falls from the path of devotional service.
Even if he displays occasional weakness, he is still considered a devotee if
his devotion to Lord Ka is very strong. As the Lord states in Bhagavadgt (9.30):
api cet su-durcro
bhajate mm ananya-bhk
sdhur eva sa mantavya
samyag vyavasito hi sa
"Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in
devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly
situated."

749

TEXT 19
yathgni su-samddhrci
karoty edhsi bhasmast
tath mad-viay bhaktir
uddhavainsi ktsnaa
yathjust as; agnifire; su-samddhablazing; arciwhose flames;
karotiturns; edhsifirewood; bhasma-stinto ashes; tath
similarly; mat-viaywith Me as the object; bhaktidevotion;
uddhavaO Uddhava; ensisins; ktsnaacompletely.
My dear Uddhava, just as a blazing fire turns firewood into ashes,
similarly, devotion unto Me completely burns to ashes sins committed
by My devotees.
One should carefully note that the Lord refers to devotion that is like a
blazing fire. To commit sinful activity on the strength of chanting the holy
name is the greatest offense, and the devotion of one who commits this
offense cannot be compared to a blazing fire of love for Ka. As stated in
the previous verse, a sincere loving devotee, because of immaturity or
previous bad habits, may be disturbed by his senses even though he has
accepted Lord Ka as the only goal in his life. But if even by chance the
devotee accidentally falls down without premeditation or indifference, the
Lord immediately burns to ashes his sinful reactions, just as a blazing fire
immediately consumes an insignificant piece of wood. Lord Ka is
glorious, and one who takes exclusive shelter of the Lord receives the
unique benefits of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
TEXT 20
na sdhayati m yogo
na skhya dharma uddhava
na svdhyyas tapas tygo
yath bhaktir mamorjit
nanot; sdhayatibrings under control; mmMe; yogathe yoga
system; nanor; skhyamthe system of Skhya philosophy;
dharmapious activities within the varrama system; uddhavaMy
dear Uddhava; nanot; svdhyyaVedic study; tapaausterity;

750

tygarenunciation; yathas; bhaktidevotional service; mama

unto Me; rjitstrongly developed.
My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to Me by
My devotees brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled
by those engaged in mystic yoga, Skhya philosophy, pious work,
Vedic study, austerity or renunciation.
One may make Ka the goal of mystic yoga, Skhya philosophy, etc.;
yet such activities do not please the Lord as much as direct loving service,
which one practices by hearing and chanting about the Lord and
executing His mission. rla Rpa Gosvm states, jna-karmdyanvtam: [Cc. Madhya 19.167] a devotee should simply depend on Ka
and should not unnecessarily complicate his loving service with
tendencies toward fruitive work or mental speculation. The residents of
Vndvana simply depend on Lord Ka. When the great serpent
Aghsura appeared in the precincts of Vraja, the cowherd boys,
completely confident in their friendship with Lord Ka, fearlessly
marched into the serpent's gigantic mouth. Such pure love for Ka
brings the Lord under the control of the devotee.
TEXT 21
bhaktyham ekay grhya
raddhaytm priya satm
bhakti punti man-nih
va-pkn api sambhavt
bhaktyby devotional service; ahamI; ekayunalloyed; grhya
am to be obtained; raddhayby faith; tmthe Supreme Personality
of Godhead; priyathe object of love; satmof the devotees; bhakti
pure devotional service; puntipurifies; mat-nihfixing Me as the
only goal; va-pkn-dog-eaters; apieven; sambhavtfrom the
contamination of low birth.
Only by practicing unalloyed devotional service with full faith in Me
can one obtain Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am naturally
dear to My devotees, who take Me as the only goal of their loving
service. By engaging in such pure devotional service, even the dogeaters can purify themselves from the contamination of their low birth.

751

Sambhavt indicates jti-dot, or the pollution of low birth. Jti-doa does

not refer to mundane social, economic or professional status, but rather to
one's degree of spiritual enlightenment. All around the world, many
people are born into rich and powerful families, but they often acquire
abominable habits that are part of their so-called family tradition.
However, even unfortunate persons who are taught from birth to engage
in sinful activities can at once be purified by the potency of pure
devotional service. Such service must have Lord Ka as the only goal
(man-nih), must be rendered with full faith (raddhay), and must be
unalloyed, or without any selfish motivation (ekay).
TEXT 22
dharma satya-dayopeto
vidy v tapasnvit
mad-bhaktypetam tmna
na samyak prapunti hi
dharmareligious principles; satyawith truthfulness; dayand
mercy; upetaendowed; vidyknowledge; vor; tapaswith
austerity; anvitendowed; mat-bhaktydevotional service to Me;
apetambereft of; tmnamconsciousness; nanot; samyak
completely; prapuntipurifies; hicertainly.
Neither religious activities endowed with honesty and mercy nor
knowledge obtained with great penance can completely purify one's
consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to Me.
Although pious religious work, truthfulness, mercy, penances and
knowledge partially purify one's existence, they do not take out the root
of material desires. Thus the same desires will reappear at a later time.
After an extensive program of material gratification, one becomes eager to
perform austerities, acquire knowledge, perform selfless work and in
general purify one's existence. After sufficient piety and purification,
however, one again becomes eager for material enjoyment. When clearing
an agricultural field one must uproot the unwanted plants, otherwise with
the coming of rain everything will grow back as it was. Pure devotional
service to the Lord uproots one's material desires, so that there is no
danger of relapsing into a degraded life of material gratification. In the
eternal kingdom of God, loving reciprocation between the Lord and His

752

devotees is manifest. One who has not come to this stage of

enlightenment must remain on the material platform, which is always full
of discrepancies and contradictions. Thus everything is incomplete and
imperfect without loving service to the Lord.
TEXT 23
katha vin roma-hara
dravat cetas vin
vinnandru-kalay
udhyed bhakty vinaya
kathamhow; vinwithout; roma-haramstanding of the hairs on
end; dravatmelted; cetasheart; vinwithout; vinwithout;
nandaof bliss; aru-kalaythe flowing of tears; udhyetcan be
purified;
bhaktyloving
service;
vinwithout;
ayathe
consciousness.
If one's hairs do not stand on end, how can the heart melt? And if the
heart does not melt, how can tears of love flow from the eyes? If one
does not cry in spiritual happiness, how can one render loving service
to the Lord? And without such service, how can the consciousness be
purified?
Loving service to the Lord is the only process that can completely purify
one's consciousness; such service produces waves of ecstatic love that
completely cleanse the soul. As mentioned earlier by Lord Ka to r
Uddhava, other processes such as self-control, pious activities, mystic
yoga, penances, etc., certainly purify the mind, as stated in many
authorized literatures. Such processes, however, do not completely
remove the desire to perform forbidden activities. But pure devotional
service rendered in love of Godhead is so powerful that it burns to ashes
any obstacle encountered on the path of progress. The Lord has stated in
this chapter that loving service to Him is a blazing fire that burns to ashes
all impediments. In contrast, the small fires of mental speculation or
mystic yoga can be extinguished by sinful desires at any moment. Thus,
by hearing rmad-Bhgavatam one should ignite the blazing fire of loving
service to the Lord and burn to ashes the network of material illusion.
TEXT 24

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vg gadgad dravate yasya citta

rudaty abhka hasati kvacic ca
vilajja udgyati ntyate ca
mad-bhakti-yukto bhuvana punti
vkspeech; gadgadchoked up; dravatemelts; yasyaof whom;
cittamthe heart; rudaticries; abhkamagain and again; hasati
laughs; kvacitsometimes; caalso; vilajjaashamed; udgyatisings
out loudly; ntyatedances; caalso; mat-bhakti-yuktaone fixed in
devotional service to Me; bhuvanamthe universe; puntipurifies.
A devotee whose speech is sometimes choked up, whose heart melts,
who cries continually and sometimes laughs, who feels ashamed and
cries out loudly and then dancesa devotee thus fixed in loving service
to Me purifies the entire universe.
Vg gadgad refers to a highly emotional state in which the throat is
choked up and one cannot express oneself. Vilajja indicates that a
devotee sometimes feels embarrassment due to bodily functions and
memories of past sinful activities. In this condition, a devotee loudly cries
out the holy name of Ka and sometimes dances in ecstasy. As stated
here, such a devotee purifies the three worlds.
By melting of the heart, one becomes very steady in spiritual life.
Normally, one whose heart easily melts is thought to be unsteady; but
because Lord Ka is the stable foundation of all existence, one whose
heart melts in love of Ka becomes most stable and cannot be disturbed
by opposing arguments, bodily suffering, mental problems, supernatural
disasters or the interference of envious persons. Because such a devotee is
fixed in loving service to the Lord, he becomes the very heart of the
Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 25
yathgnin hema mala jahti
dhmta puna sva bhajate ca rpam
tm ca karmnuaya vidhya
mad-bhakti-yogena bhajaty atho mm
yathjust as; agninby fire; hemagold; malamimpurities; jahti
gives up; dhmtamsmelted; punaagain; svamits own; bhajate

754

enters; caalso; rpamform; tmthe spirit soul or consciousness;

caalso; karmaof fruitive activities; anuayamthe resultant
contamination; vidhyaremoving; mat-bhakti-yogenaby loving service
to Me; bhajatiworships; athothus; mmMe.
Just as gold, when smelted in fire, gives up its impurities and returns to
its pure brilliant state, similarly, the spirit soul, absorbed in the fire of
bhakti-yoga, is purified of all contamination caused by previous fruitive
activities and returns to its original position of serving Me in the
spiritual world.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, this verse indicates
that the devotee goes back home, back to Godhead, and there worships
Lord Ka in his original spiritual body, which is compared to the
original pure form of smelted gold. Gold alloyed with inferior metals
cannot be purified by water and soap; similarly, the heart's impurities
cannot be removed by superficial processes. Only the fire of love of
Godhead can cleanse one's soul and send one back home, back to
Godhead, to engage in eternal loving service to the Lord.
TEXT 26
yath yathtm parimjyate 'sau
mat-puya-gth-ravabhidhnai
tath tath payati vastu skma
cakur yathaivjana-samprayuktam
yath yathas much as; tmthe spirit soul, the conscious entity;
parimjyateis cleansed of material contamination; asauhe; mat-puyagththe pious narrations of My glories; ravaaby hearing;
abhidhnaiand by chanting; tath tathexactly in that proportion;
payatihe sees; vastuthe Absolute Truth; skmamsubtle, being
nonmaterial; cakuthe eye; yathjust as; evacertainly; ajana
with medicinal ointment; samprayuktamtreated.
When a diseased eye is treated with medicinal ointment it gradually
recovers its power to see. Similarly, as a conscious living entity cleanses
himself of material contamination by hearing and chanting the pious
narrations of My glories, he regains his ability to see Me, the Absolute
Truth, in My subtle spiritual form.

755

The Lord is called skmam because He is pure spiritual consciousness,

without any tinge of material energy. If one chants and hears the holy
name and glories of Ka with great sincerity, there is immediately a
transcendental effect. We can immediately see the spiritual world and
pastimes of the Lord if we fully surrender to the process mentioned here.
A blind person feels perpetual gratitude to a doctor who restores his sight.
Similarly, we sing caku-dna dila ye, janme janme prabhu sei: the bona
fide spiritual master, the representative of Lord Ka, restores our
spiritual sight, and thus he is our eternal lord and master.
TEXT 27
viayn dhyyata citta
viayeu viajjate
mm anusmarata citta
mayy eva pravilyate
viaynobjects of sense gratification; dhyyataof one who is
meditating on; cittamthe consciousness; viayeuin the objects of
gratification; viajjatebecomes attached; mmMe; anusmarataof
one remembering constantly; cittamthe consciousness; mayiin Me;
evacertainly; pravilyateis absorbed.
The mind of one meditating upon the objects of sense gratification is
certainly entangled in such objects, but if one constantly remembers
Me, then the mind is absorbed in Me.
One should not think that one can attain complete transcendental
knowledge of Ka by mechanically engaging in worship of the Lord.
Lord Ka states here that one must endeavor constantly to keep the
Lord within one's mind. Anusmarata, or constant remembrance, is
possible for one who always chants and hears the glories of Lord Ka. It
is therefore stated, ravaam, krtanam [SB 7.5.23], smaraam: the process
of devotional service begins with hearing (ravaam) and chanting
(krtanam), from which remembrance (smaraam) develops. One who
constantly thinks of the objects of material gratification becomes attached
to them; similarly, one who constantly keeps Lord Ka within his mind
becomes absorbed in the Lord's transcendental nature and thus becomes
qualified to render personal service to the Lord in His own abode.

756

TEXT 28
tasmd asad-abhidhyna
yath svapna-manoratham
hitv mayi samdhatsva
mano mad-bhva-bhvitam
tasmttherefore; asatmaterial; abhidhynamprocesses of elevation
which absorb one's attention; yathjust as; svapnain a dream; manarathammental concoction; hitvgiving up; mayiin Me;
samdhatsvacompletely absorb; manathe mind; mat-bhvaby
consciousness of Me; bhvitampurified.
Therefore, one should reject all material processes of elevation, which
are like the mental creations of a dream, and should completely absorb
one's mind in Me. By constantly thinking of Me, one becomes purified.
The word bhvitam means "caused to be." As explained in Bhagavad-gt,
material existence is an unstable platform subject to the constant
disturbances of creation and annihilation. One who absorbs his
consciousness in Ka, however, attains to Ka's nature and is
therefore described as mad-bhva-bhvitam, or one situated in real
existence because of Ka consciousness. The Lord here concludes His
analysis of different processes of human perfection.
TEXT 29
str str-sagin saga
tyaktv drata tmavn
keme vivikta sna
cintayen mm atandrita
strmof women; strto women; saginmof those who are
attached or intimately associated; sagamassociation; tyaktvgiving
up; dratafar away; tma-vnbeing conscious of the self; keme
fearless; viviktein a separated or isolated place; snasitting;
cintayetone should concentrate; mmon Me; atandritawith great
care.
Being conscious of the eternal self, one should give up association with
women and those intimately associated with women. Sitting fearlessly
in a solitary place, one should concentrate the mind on Me with great

757

attention.
One who has intimate contact with women and becomes attached to them
will gradually lose his determination to go back home, back to Godhead.
Association with lusty men gives exactly the same result. Therefore, one is
advised to be fearless and to sit down in a solitary place, or a place where
there are no lusty men and women committing spiritual suicide. Without
fear of failure or of unhappiness in life, one should remain with sincere
devotees of the Lord. Atandrita means that one should not compromise
this principle but should be rigid and cautious. All this is possible only for
one who is tmavn, or fixed in practical understanding of the eternal
soul.
TEXT 30
na tathsya bhavet kleo
bandha cnya-prasagata
yoit-sagd yath puso
yath tat-sagi-sagata
nanot; tathlike that; asyaof him; bhavetcould be; klea
suffering; bandhabondage; caand; anya-prasagatafrom any
other attachment; yoitof women; sagtfrom attachment; yath
just as; pusaof a man; yathsimilarly; tatto women; sagiof
those attached; sagatafrom the association.
Of all kinds of suffering and bondage arising from various attachments,
none is greater than the suffering and bondage arising from attachment
to women and intimate contact with those attached to women.
One should make a great endeavor to give up intimate contact with
women and those fond of women. A learned gentleman will automatically
be on guard if placed in intimate contact with lusty women. In the
company of lusty men,, however, the same man may engage in all kinds of
social dealings and thus be contaminated by their polluted mentality.
Association with lusty men is often more dangerous than association with
women and should be avoided by all means. There are innumerable verses
in the Bhgavatam describing the intoxication of material lust. Suffice it to
say that a lusty man becomes exactly like a dancing dog and, by the
influence of Cupid, loses all gravity, intelligence and direction in life. The

758

Lord warns here that one who surrenders to the illusory form of a woman
suffers unbearably in this life and the next.
TEXT 31
r-uddhava uvca
yath tvm aravindka
yda v yad-tmakam
dhyyen mumukur etan me
dhyna tva vaktum arhasi
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; yathin what way; tvmYou;
aravinda-akaO my dear lotus-eyed Ka; ydamof what specific
nature; vor; yat-tmakamin what specific form; dhyyetshould
meditate; mumukuone who desires liberation; etatthis; meto me;
dhynammeditation; tvamYou; vaktumto speak or explain; arhasi
ought.
r Uddhava said: My dear lotus-eyed Ka, by what process should
one who desires liberation meditate upon You, of what specific nature
should his meditation be, and upon which form should he meditate?
Kindly explain to me this topic of meditation.
It has already been elaborately explained by the Supreme Lord that
without loving devotional service rendered to Him in the association of
devotees, no other process of self-realization will work. Therefore it may
be asked why Uddhava is again referring to the system of meditation,
dhyna. The cryas explain that one cannot fully appreciate the beauty
and perfection of bhakti-yoga unless one sees its superiority to all other
processes. Through comparative analysis, the devotees become fully
ecstatic in their appreciation of bhakti-yoga. It should also be understood
that although Uddhava asks about those who aspire for liberation, he is
not actually a mumuku, or salvationist; rather, he is asking questions for
the benefit of those who are not on the platform of love of Godhead.
Uddhava wants to hear this knowledge for his personal appreciation and
so that those who pursue salvation, or liberation, can be protected and
redirected to the path of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
TEXTS 32-33
r-bhagavn uvca

759

sama sana sna

sama-kyo yath-sukham
hastv utsaga dhya
sva-nsgra-ktekaa
prasya odhayen mrga
pra-kumbhaka-recakai
viparyayepi anair
abhyasen nirjitendriya
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; same
having a level surface; saneon the seat; snasitting; sama-kya
sitting with the body straight and erect; yath-sukhamsitting
comfortably; hastauthe two hands; utsagein the lap; dhya
placing; sva-nsa-agraon the tip of one's own nose; ktafocusing;
kaathe glance; prasyaof the breath; odhayetshould purify;
mrgamthe pathway; pra-kumbhaka-recakaiby the mechanical
breathing exercises, or pryma; viparyayea-by reversing the
processes, namely recaka, kumbhaka and praka; apialso; anai
following the process step by step; abhyasetone should practice
pryma; nirjita-having controlled; indriyathe senses.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Sitting on a level seat that is
not too high or too low, keeping the body straight and erect yet
comfortable, placing the two hands on one's lap and focusing the eyes
on the tip of one's nose, one should purify the pathways of breathing by
practicing the mechanical exercises of praka, kumbhaka and recaka,
and then one should reverse the procedure (recaka, kumbhaka, praka).
Having fully controlled the senses, one may thus practice pryma
step by step.
According to this procedure, the hands are to be placed palms upward,
one on top of the other. Thus, one may practice pryma through
mechanical breath control in order to achieve steadiness of the mind. As
stated in the yoga-stra, antar-lakyo bahir-di sthira-citta susagata:
"The eyes, which generally see externally, must be turned inward, and
thus the mind is steadied and fully controlled."
TEXT 34

760

hdy avicchinam okra

gha-nda bisora-vat
prenodrya tatrtha
puna saveayet svaram
hdiin the heart; avicchinnamuninterrupted, continuous; okram
the sacred vibration o; gha-like a bell; ndamsound; bisa-ra-vat
like the fiber running up the lotus stalk; prenaby the wind of pra;
udrya-pushing upward; tatratherein (at a distance of twelve thumbbreadths); athathus; punaagain; saveayetone should join
together; svaramthe fifteen vibrations produced with anusvra.
Beginning from the mldhra-cakra, one should move the life air
continuously upward like the fibers in the lotus stalk until one reaches
the heart, where the sacred syllable o is situated like the sound of a
bell. One should thus continue raising the sacred syllable upward the
distance of twelve agulas, and there the okra should be joined
together with the fifteen vibrations produced with anusvra.
It appears that the yoga system is somewhat technical and difficult to
perform. Anusvra refers to a nasal vibration pronounced after the fifteen
Sanskrit vowels. The complete explanation of this process is extremely
complicated and obviously unsuitable for this age. From this description
we can appreciate the sophisticated achievements of those who in former
ages practiced mystic meditation. Despite such appreciation, however, we
should stick firmly to the simple, foolproof method of meditation
prescribed for the present age, the chanting of Hare Ka, Hare Ka,
Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare R ama, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare.
TEXT 35
eva praava-sayukta
pram eva samabhyaset
daa-ktvas tri-avaa
msd arvg jitnila
evamthus; praavawith the syllable o; sayuktam-joined; pram
the pryma system of controlling the bodily airs; evaindeed;
samabhyasetone should carefully practice; daa-ktvaten times; trisavanamat sunrise, noon and sunset; mstone month; arvkafter;

761

jitaone will conquer; anilathe life air.

Being fixed in the okra, one should carefully practice the pryma
system ten times at each sunrise, noon and sunset. Thus, after one
month one will have conquered the life air.
TEXTS 36-42
ht-puarkam anta-stham
rdhva-nlam adho-mukham
dhytvordhva-mukham unnidram
aa-patra sa-karikam
kariky nyaset sryasomgnn uttarottaram
vahni-madhye smared rpa
mamaitad dhyna-magalam
sama pranta su-mukha
drgha-cru-catur-bhujam
su-cru-sundara-grva
su-kapola uci-smitam
samna-kara-vinyastasphuran-makara-kualam
hemmbara ghana-yma
rvatsa-r-niketanam
akha-cakra-gad-padmavanaml-vibhitam
npurair vilasat-pda
kaustubha-prabhay yutam
dyumat-kira-kaakakai-strgadyutam
sarvga-sundara hdya
prasda-sumukhekanam
su-kumram abhidhyyet
sarvgeu mano dadhat
indriyndriyrthebhyo

762

manaskya tan mana

buddhy srathin dhra
praayen mayi sarvata
htin the heart; puarkamlotus flower; anta-sthamsituated
within the body; rdhva-nlamhaving erected the lotus stalk; adhamukhamwith eyes half closed, staring at the tip of the nose; dhytv
having fixed the mind in meditation; rdhva-mukhamenlivened;
unnidramalert without dozing off; aa-patramwith eight petals; sakarikamwith the whorl of the lotus; karikymwithin the whorl;
nyasetone should place by concentration; sryathe sun; somamoon;
agnnand fire; uttara-uttaramin order, one after the other; vahnimadhyewithin the fire; smaretone should meditate; rpamupon the
form; mamaMy; etatthis; dhyna-magalamthe auspicious object of
meditation; samambalanced, all the parts of the body proportionate;
prantamgentle; su-mukhamcheerful; drgha-cru-catu-bhujam
having four beautiful long arms; su-crucharming; sundarabeautiful;
grvamneck; su-kapolambeautiful forehead; uci-smitamhaving a
pure smile; samnaalike; karain the two ears; vinyastasituated;
sphuratglowing; makarashaped like sharks; kualamearrings;
hemagolden colored; ambaramdress; ghana-ymamthe color of a
dark rain cloud; r-vatsathe unique curl of hair on the Lord's chest; rniketanamthe abode of the goddess of fortune; akhawith the
conchshell; cakraSudarana disc; gadclub; padmalotus; vanamland a garland of forest flowers; vibhitamdecorated; npurai
with ankle bells and bracelets; vilasatshining; pdamthe lotus feet;
kaustubhaof the Kaustubha gem; prabhaywith the effulgence;
yutamenriched; dyumatshining; kiracrown or helmet; kaaka
gold bracelets; kai-straa band for the waist or upper hip; agada
bracelets; yutamequipped with; sarva-agaall the parts of the body;
sundarambeautiful;
hdyamcharming;
prasdawith
mercy;
sumukhasmiling; kaamHis glance; su-kumrammost delicate;
abhidhyyetone should meditate; sarva-ageuin all the parts of the
body; manathe mind; dadhatplacing; indriyithe material senses;
indriya-arthebhyafrom the object of the senses; manasby the mind;
kyapulling back; tatthat; manamind; buddhyby intelligence;
srathinwhich is like the driver of a chariot; dhrabeing grave and
self-controlled; praayetone should strongly lead; mayiunto Me;

763

sarvatain all limbs of the body.

Keeping the eyes half closed and fixed on the tip of one's nose, being
enlivened and alert, one should meditate on the lotus flower situated
within the heart. This lotus has eight petals and is situated on an erect
lotus stalk. One should meditate on the sun, moon and fire, placing
them one after the other within the whorl of that lotus flower. Placing
My transcendental form within the fire, one should meditate upon it as
the auspicious goal of all meditation. That form is perfectly
proportioned, gentle and cheerful. It possesses four beautiful long arms,
a charming, beautiful neck, a handsome forehead, a pure smile and
glowing, shark-shaped earrings suspended from two identical ears. That
spiritual form is the color of a dark rain cloud and is garbed in goldenyellowish silk. The chest of that form is the abode of rvatsa and the
goddess of fortune, and that form is also decorated with a conchshell,
disc, club, lotus flower and garland of forest flowers. The two brilliant
lotus feet are decorated with ankle bells and bracelets, and that form
exhibits the Kaustubha gem along with an effulgent crown. The upper
hips are beautified by a golden belt, and the arms are decorated with
valuable bracelets. All of the limbs of that beautiful form capture the
heart, and the face is beautified by merciful glancing. Pulling the senses
back from the sense objects, one should be grave and self-controlled
and should use the intelligence to strongly fix the mind upon all of the
limbs of My transcendental body. Thus one should meditate upon that
most delicate transcendental form of Mine.
Lord Ka here answers Uddhava's question concerning the correct
procedure, nature and object of meditation for those desiring liberation.
TEXT 43
tat sarva-vypaka cittam
kyaikatra dhrayet
nnyni cintayed bhya
su-smita bhvayen mukham
tattherefore; sarvain all the parts of the body; vypakamspread;
cittamconsciousness; kyapulling back; ekatrain one place;
dhrayetone should concentrate; nanot; anyniother limbs of the
body; cintayetone should meditate on; bhyaagain; su-smitam

764

wonderfully smiling or laughing; bhvayetone should concentrate on;

mukhamthe face.
One should then pull the consciousness back from all the limbs of that
transcendental body. At that time, one should meditate only on the
wonderfully smiling face of the Lord.
TEXT 44
tatra labdha-pada cittam
kya vyomni dhrayet
tac ca tyaktv mad-roho
na kicid api cintayet
tatrain such meditation on the Lord's face; labdha-padambeing
established; cittamconsciousness; kyawithdrawing; vyomniin the
sky; dhrayetone should meditate; tatsuch meditation in the sky as
the cause of material manifestation; caalso; tyaktvgiving up; matto
Me; rohahaving ascended; nanot; kicitanything; apiat all;
cintayetone should think of.
Being established in meditation on the Lord's face, one should then
withdraw the consciousness and fix it in the sky. Then giving up such
meditation, one should become established in Me and give up the
process of meditation altogether.
As one becomes established in pure consciousness, the duality of "I am
meditating and this is the object of my meditation" vanishes, and one
comes to the stage of spontaneous relationship with the Personality of
Godhead. Every living entity is originally part and parcel of the Supreme
Lord, and when that forgotten eternal relationship is revived one
experiences remembrance of the Absolute Truth. In that stage, described
here as mad-roha, one no longer sees oneself as a meditator nor the
Lord as a mere object of meditation, but rather one enters the spiritual sky
for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in direct loving relationship with
the Lord.
Uddhava originally inquired about the procedure of meditation for those
desiring liberation. The word labdha-padam indicates that when one fixes
the mind upon the Lord's face, one achieves full liberation. In the
postliberation phase one then proceeds to render service to the original

765

Personality of Godhead. By giving up the concept of being a meditator,

one casts off the last small remnant of illusory energy and sees the Lord as
He actually is.
TEXT 45
eva samhita-matir
mm evtmnam tmani
vicae mayi sarvtman
jyotir jyotii sayutam
evamthus; samhitacompletely fixed; maticonsciousness; mm
Me; evaindeed; tmnamthe individual soul; tmaniwithin the
individual soul; vicaesees; mayiin Me; sarva-tmanin the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; jyotithe sunrays; jyotiiwithin the sun;
sayutamunited.
One who has completely fixed his mind on Me should see Me within his
own soul and should see the individual soul within Me, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Thus, he sees the individual souls united with
the Supreme Soul, just as one sees the sun's rays completely united
with the sun.
In the spiritual world everything is naturally effulgent because that is the
nature of spirit. Thus when one sees the individual soul as part and parcel
of the Supreme Lord, the experience can be compared to seeing the sun's
rays emanating from the sun. The Supreme Lord is within the living
entity, and simultaneously the living entity is within the Lord. But in both
cases the Supreme Lord, and not the living entity, is the maintainer and
controller. How happy everyone could be by taking to Ka
consciousness and finding the Supreme Lord, Ka, within everything
and everything within Ka. Liberated life in Ka consciousness is so
pleasurable that the greatest misfortune is to be without such
consciousness. r Ka is kindly explaining in many different ways the
supremacy of Ka consciousness, and fortunate persons will understand
the sincere message of the Lord.
TEXT 46
dhynenettha su-tvrea
yujato yogino mana

766

saysyaty u nirva
dravya jna-kriy-bhrama
dhynenaby meditation; itthamas thus mentioned; su-tvrea
extremely concentrated; yujataof one practicing; yoginaof the
yog; manathe mind; saysyatiwill go together; uquickly;
nirvamto extinction; dravya-jna-kriybased on perception of
material objects, knowledge and activities; bhramathe illusory
identification.
When the yog thus controls his mind by intensely concentrated
meditation, his illusory identification with material objects, knowledge
and activities is very quickly extinguished.
Because of false material identification, we accept our own body and
mind, the bodies and minds of others, and supernatural material control
to be ultimate realities. Supernatural control refers to the bodies and
minds of the demigods, who ultimately are humble servitors of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the mighty sun, which displays
immense potencies, obediently treads its universal path by the order of
Lord Ka.
It is clearly seen in this chapter that haha-yoga, karma-yoga, rja-yoga,
etc., are part and parcel of bhakti-yoga and do not actually exist
separately. The goal of life is Lord Ka, and one must eventually come
to the stage of pure devotion if one desires to perfect one's meditation or
yoga practice. In the mature stage of devotion, as described in this
chapter, one becomes free from the artificial duality of meditator and
object of meditation, and one spontaneously engages in hearing about and
glorifying the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such activities of bhakti-yoga are
natural because they spring from spontaneous love. When one revives
one's original nature as the loving servitor of Lord Ka, other yoga
processes cease to be interesting. Uddhava was a pure devotee even before
the Lord began His instruction; therefore it was not expected that
Uddhava would give up the supreme platform of being a personal
associate of the Lord to take up the mechanical exercises of the yoga
system. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is so elevated that even in the
beginning stages of practice one is considered liberated, because all of
one's activities are executed under proper guidance for the pleasure of the
Lord. In the haha-yoga system one is concerned with bodily control, and

767

in jna-yoga one is concerned with speculative knowledge. In both

systems one endeavors selfishly, desiring to become a great yog or a
philosopher. Such egoistic activity is described in this verse as kriy. One
must give up the illusory designations of dravya, jna and kriy and
come to the prideless stage of loving service to the Lord.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Lord Ka Explains the
Yoga System to r Uddhava."

768

15. Lord Ka's Description of Mystic Yoga Perfections

This chapter describes the eight primary and ten minor mystic
perfections. They are developed by fixing one's mind in yoga, but they are
ultimately obstructions to achieving the spiritual abode of Lord Viu.
Being questioned by Uddhava, Lord r Ka describes the characteristics
of the eighteen mystic perfections and the particular kind of meditation
by which each is achieved. In conclusion, Ka states that for one who
desires to perform pure devotional service to the Personality of Godhead,
the achievement of these mystic perfections is a waste of time, because
they distract one from proper worship. All these perfections are
automatically offered to a pure devotee, but he does not accept them.
Unless used in the yoga of devotional service, these perfections are
valueless. A devotee simply sees that the Personality of Godhead is always
present everywhere, both externally and internally, and depends
completely upon Him.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
jitendriyasya yuktasya
jita-vsasya yogina
mayi dhrayata ceta
upatihanti siddhaya
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; jitaindriyasyaof one who has conquered his senses; yuktasyawho has
steadied the mind; jita-vsasyaand conquered his breathing system;
yoginaof such a yog; mayiin Me; dhrayatafixing; cetahis
consciousness; upatihantiappear; siddhayathe mystic perfections of
yoga.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, the
mystic perfections of yoga are acquired by a yog who has conquered
his senses, steadied his mind, conquered the breathing process and

769

fixed his mind on Me.

There are eight primary mystic perfections, such as aim-siddhi, and ten
secondary perfections. In this Fifteenth Chapter Lord Ka will explain
that such mystic perfections are actually impediments to the development
of Ka consciousness, and that therefore one should not desire them.
TEXT 2
r-uddhava uvca
kay dhraay k svit
katha v siddhir acyuta
kati v siddhayo brhi
yogin siddhi-do bhavn
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; kayby what; dhraay
process of meditation; k svitwhich indeed; kathamin what manner;
vor; siddhimystic perfection; acyutaMy dear Lord; katihow
many; vor; siddhayaperfections; brhiplease speak; yoginmof
all yogs; siddhi-dathe giver of mystic perfections; bhavnYou.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord Acyuta, by what process can mystic
perfection be achieved, and what is the nature of such perfection? How
many mystic perfections are there? Please explain these things to me.
Indeed, You are the bestower of all mystic perfections.
TEXT 3
r-bhagavn uvca
siddhayo 'daa prokt
dhra yoga-pra-gai
tsm aau mat-pradhn
daaiva gua-hetava
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
siddhayamystic
perfections;
adaaeighteen;
proktare
declared; dhrameditations; yogaof yoga; pra-gaiby the
masters; tsmof the eighteen; aaueight; mat-pradhnhave their
shelter in Me; daaten; evaindeed; gua-hetavaare manifested
from the material mode of goodness.

770

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The masters of the yoga

system have declared that there are eighteen types of mystic perfection
and meditation, of which eight are primary, having their shelter in Me,
and ten are secondary, appearing from the material mode of goodness.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains the word mat pradhn as
follows. Lord Ka is naturally the shelter of the eight primary mystic
potencies and meditations because such perfections emanate from the
Lord's personal potency, and thus they are fully developed only within the
Lord Himself and the Lord's personal associates. When materialistic
persons mechanically acquire such potencies, the perfections awarded are
of an inferior degree and are considered to be manifestations of my,
illusion. A pure devotee of the Lord automatically receives from the Lord
wonderful potencies to execute his devotional service. If for sense
gratification one mechanically endeavors to acquire mystic perfections,
then these perfections are certainly considered to be inferior expansions
of the Lord's external potency.
TEXTS 4-5
aim mahim mrter
laghim prptir indriyai
prkmya ruta-deu
akti-preraam it
guev asago vait
yat-kmas tad avasyati
et me siddhaya saumya
av autpattik mat
aimthe perfection of becoming smaller than the smallest; mahim
becoming greater than the greatest; mrteof the body; laghim
becoming lighter than the lightest; prptiacquisition; indriyaiby the
senses; prkmyamobtaining or performing whatever one desires;
rutathings invisible,, about which one only hears; deuand things
visible; akti-preraammanipulating the subpotencies of my; it
the perfection of controlling; gueuin the modes of material nature;
asagabeing unobstructed; vaitthe power to bring others under
control; yatwhatever; kmadesire (there may be); tatthat;
avasyatione can obtain; etthese; meMy (potencies); siddhaya

771

mystic perfections; saumyaO gentle Uddhava; aaueight;

autpattiknatural and unexcelled; matunderstood to be.
Among the eight primary mystic perfections, the three by which one
transforms one's own body are aim, becoming smaller than the
smallest; mahim, becoming greater than the greatest; and laghim,
becoming lighter than the lightest. Through the perfection of prpti one
acquires whatever one desires, and through prkmya-siddhi one
experiences any enjoyable object, either in this world or the next.
Through iit-siddhi one can manipulate the subpotencies of my, and
through the controlling potency called vait-siddhi one is unimpeded
by the three modes of nature. One who has acquired kmvasyitsiddhi can obtain anything from anywhere, to the highest possible limit.
My dear gentle Uddhava, these eight mystic perfections are considered
to be naturally existing and unexcelled within this world.
Through aim-siddhi one can become so small that one can enter a stone
or pass through any obstacle. Through mahim-siddhi one becomes so
great that one covers everything, and through laghim one becomes so
light that one can ride on the sun's rays into the sun planet. Through
prpti-siddhi one can acquire anything from anywhere and can even touch
the moon with one's finger. By this mystic perfection one can also enter
into the senses of any other living entity through the predominating
deities of the particular senses; and by thus utilizing the senses of others,
one can acquire anything. Through prkmya one can experience any
enjoyable object, either in this world or the next, and through it, or the
controlling potency, one can manipulate the subpotencies of my, which
are material. In other words, even by acquiring mystic powers one cannot
pass beyond the control of illusion; however, one may manipulate the
subpotencies of illusion. Through vait, or the power to control, one can
bring others under one's dominion or keep oneself beyond the control of
the three modes of nature. Ultimately, one acquires through kmvasyit
the maximum powers of control, acquisition and enjoyment. The word
autpattik in this verse indicates being original, natural and unexcelled.
These eight mystic potencies originally exist in the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, Ka, in the superlative degree. Lord Ka becomes so
small that He enters within the atomic particles, and He becomes so large
that as Mah-Viu He breathes out millions of universes. The Lord can
become so light or subtle that even great mystic yogs cannot perceive

772

Him, and the Lord's acquisitive power is perfect, because He keeps the
total existence eternally within His body. The Lord certainly can enjoy
whatever He likes, control all energies, dominate all other persons and
exhibit complete omnipotency. Therefore it is to be understood that these
eight mystic perfections are insignificant expansions of the mystic
potency of the Lord, who in Bhagavad-gt is called Yogevara, the
Supreme Lord of all mystic potencies. These eight perfections are not
artificial, but are natural and unexcelled because they originally exist in
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXTS 6-7
anrmimattva dehe 'smin
dra-ravaa-daranam
mano-java kma-rpa
para-kya-praveanam
svacchanda-mtyur devn
saha-krnudaranam
yath-sakalpa-sasiddhir
jpratihat gati
anrmi-mattvambeing undisturbed by hunger, thirst, etc.; dehe asmin
in this body; drathings very far away; ravaahearing; daranam
and seeing; mana-javamoving the body at the speed of the mind;
kma-rpamassuming any body that one desires; para-kyathe bodies
of others; praveanamentering; sva-chandaaccording to one's own
desire; mtyudying; devnmof the demigods; sahatogether with
(the celestial girls); krthe sporting pastimes; anudaranam
witnessing; yathaccording to; sakalpaone's determination;
sasiddhiperfect
accomplishment;
jorder;
apratihat
unimpeded; gatiwhose progress.
The ten secondary mystic perfections arising from the modes of nature
are the powers of freeing oneself from hunger and thirst and other
bodily disturbances, hearing and seeing things far away, moving the
body at the speed of the mind, assuming any form one desires, entering
the bodies of others, dying when one desires, witnessing the pastimes
between the demigods and the celestial girls called Apsars, completely
executing one's determination and giving orders whose fulfillment is

773

unimpeded.
TEXTS 8-9
tri-kla-jatvam advandva
para-cittdy-abhijat
agny-arkmbu-vidn
pratiambho 'parjaya
et coddeata prokt
yoga-dhraa-siddhaya
yay dhraay y syd
yath v syn nibodha me
tri-kla-jatvamthe perfection of knowing past, present and future;
advandvambeing unaffected by dualities such as heat and cold; paraof
others; cittathe mind; diand so on; abhijatknowing; agniof
fire; arkathe sun; ambuwater; viaof poison; dnmand so on;
pratiambhachecking the potency; aparjayanot being conquered
by others; etthese; caalso; uddeatamerely by mentioning their
names and characteristics; proktare described; yogaof the yoga
system; dhraaof meditation; siddhayaperfections; yayby
which; dhraaymeditation; ywhich (perfection); sytmay occur;
yathby which means; vor; sytmay occur; nibodhaplease learn;
mefrom Me.
The power to know past, present and future; tolerance of heat, cold and
other dualities; knowing the minds of others; checking the influence of
fire, sun, water, poison, and so on; and remaining unconquered by
othersthese constitute five perfections of the mystic process of yoga
and meditation. I am simply listing these here according to their names
and characteristics. Now please learn from Me how specific mystic
perfections arise from specific meditations and also of the particular
processes involved.
According to the cryas these five perfections are considered to be quite
inferior to the others already mentioned, since they involve more or less
ordinary physical and mental manipulations. According to rla
Madhvcrya, in the perfection called agny-arkmbu-vidn
pratiambha, or checking the influence of fire, sun, water, poison, and

774

so on, the term "and so on" refers to one's remaining invulnerable to all
types of weapons as well as attacks by nails, teeth, beating, curses and
other such sources.
TEXT 10
bhta-skmtmani mayi
tan-mtra dhrayen mana
aimnam avpnoti
tan-mtropsako mama
bhta-skmaof the subtle elements; tmaniin the soul; mayiin Me;
tat-mtramon the subtle, elemental forms of perception; dhrayetone
should concentrate; manathe mind; aimnamthe mystic perfection
called aim; avpnoti-obtains; tat-mtrain the subtle elements;
upsakathe worshiper; mamaMy.
One who worships Me in My atomic form pervading all subtle elements,
fixing his mind on that alone, obtains the mystic perfection called
aim.
Aim refers to the mystic ability to make oneself smaller than the
smallest and thus able to enter within anything. The Supreme Personality
of Godhead is within the atoms and atomic particles, and one who
perfectly fixes his mind in that subtle atomic form of the Lord acquires
the mystic potency called aim, by which one can enter within even the
most dense matter such as stone.
TEXT 11
mahat-tattvtmani mayi
yath-sastha mano dadhat
mahimnam avpnoti
bhtn ca pthak pthak
mahat-tattvaof the total material energy; tmaniin the Soul; mayiin
Me; yathaccording to; sasthamthe particular situation; manathe
mind; dadhatfixing; mahimnamthe mystic perfection called mahim;
avpnoti-one achieves; bhtnmof the material elements; caalso;
pthak pthakeach one individually.
One who absorbs his mind in the particular form of the mahat-tattva

775

and thus meditates upon Me as the Supreme Soul of the total material
existence achieves the mystic perfection called mahim. By further
absorbing the mind in the situation of each individual element such as
the sky, air, fire, and so on, one progressively acquires the greatness of
each material element.
There are innumerable verses in Vedic literatures explaining that the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is qualitatively not different from His
creation and thus a yog may meditate upon the total material existence as
a manifestation of the external potency of the Lord. Once the yog has
established his realization that the material creation is not different from
the Lord, he obtains the perfection called mahim-siddhi. By realizing the
Lord's presence in each individual element the yog also acquires the
greatness of each element. However, the pure devotees are not very
interested in such perfections because they are surrendered to the
Personality of Godhead, who exhibits such perfections to the infinite
degree. Being always protected by the Lord, the pure devotees save their
precious time to chant Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/
Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. Thus they achieve for
themselves and others sasiddhi, or the supreme perfection, pure love of
Godhead, Ka consciousness, by which one expands one's existence
beyond the total material creation to the spiritual planets called
Vaikuha.
TEXT 12
paramu-maye citta
bhtn mayi rajayan
kla-skmrthat yog
laghimnam avpnuyt
parama-au-mayein the form of atoms; cittamhis consciousness;
bhtnmof the material elements; mayiin Me; rajayanattaching;
klaof time; skmasubtle; arthatmbeing the substance; yogthe
yog; laghimnamthe mystic perfection laghim; avpnuyt-may obtain.
I exist within everything, and I am therefore the essence of the atomic
constituents of material elements. By attaching his mind to Me in this
form, the yog may achieve the perfection called laghim, by which he
realizes the subtle atomic substance of time.

776

rmad-Bhgavatam elaborately explains that kla, or time, is the

transcendental form of the Lord that moves the material world. Since the
five gross elements are composed of atoms, the atomic particles are the
subtle substance or manifestation of the movements of time. More subtle
than time is the Personality of Godhead Himself, who expands His
potency as the time factor. By understanding all these things clearly the
yog obtains laghim-siddhi, or the power to make himself lighter than the
lightest.
TEXT 13
dhrayan mayy aha-tattve
mano vaikrike 'khilam
sarvendriym tmatva
prpti prpnoti man-man
dhrayanconcentrating; mayiin Me; aham-tattvewithin the element
of false ego; manathe mind; vaikrikein that which is produced from
the mode of goodness; akhilamcompletely; sarvaof all living entities;
indriymof the senses; tmatvamproprietorship; prptimthe
mystic perfection of acquisition; prpnotiobtains; mat-manthe yog
whose mind is fixed in Me.
Fixing his mind completely in Me within the element of false ego
generated from the mode of goodness, the yog obtains the power of
mystic acquisition, by which he becomes the proprietor of the senses of
all living entities. He obtains such perfection because his mind is
absorbed in Me.
It is significant that in order to acquire each mystic perfection one must
fix one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura states that those who pursue such
perfections without fixing the mind in the Supreme Lord acquire a gross
and inferior reflection of each mystic potency. Those who are not
conscious of the Lord cannot actually synchronize their minds perfectly
with the universal functions and therefore cannot elevate their mystic
opulences to the universal platform.
TEXT 14
mahaty tmani ya stre

777

dhrayen mayi mnasam

prkmya pramehya me
vindate 'vyakta-janmana
mahatiin the mahat-tattva; tmani-in the Supersoul; yaone who;
strecharacterized by the chain of fruitive activities; dhrayetshould
concentrate; mayiin Me; mnasamthe mental activities; prkmyam
the mystic perfection called prkmya; pramehyam-most excellent;
mefrom Me; vindateobtains or enjoys; avyakta-janmanafrom Him
whose appearance in this world cannot be materially perceived.
One who concentrates all mental activities in Me as the Supersoul of
that phase of the mahat-tattva which manifests the chain of fruitive
activities obtains from Me, whose appearance is beyond material
perception, the most excellent mystic perfection called prkmya.
rla Vrarghava crya explains that the word stra, or "thread," is used
to indicate that the mahat-tattva sustains one's fruitive activities just as a
thread sustains a row of jewels. Thus by fixed meditation on the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is the soul of the mahat-tattva, one can
achieve the most excellent perfection called prkmya. Avyakta-janmana
indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears from the
avyakta, or the spiritual sky, or that His birth is avyakta, beyond the
perception of material senses. Unless one accepts the transcendental form
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no possibility of
obtaining prkmya or any other genuine mystic perfection.
TEXT 15
viau try-adhvare citta
dhrayet kla-vigrahe
sa itvam avpnoti
ketraja-ketra-codanm
viauin Lord Viu, the Supersoul; tri-adhvarethe supreme
controller of my, which consists of three modes of nature; cittamthe
consciousness; dhrayetone concentrates; klaof time, the prime
mover; vigrahein the form; sahe, the yog; itvamthe mystic
perfection of controlling; avpnotiobtains; ketra-jathe conscious
living entity; ketraand the body with its designations; codanm

778

impelling.
One who places his consciousness on Viu, the Supersoul, the prime
mover and Supreme Lord of the external energy consisting of three
modes, obtains the mystic perfection of controlling other conditioned
souls, their material bodies and their bodily designations.
We should remember that mystic perfection never enables a living entity
to challenge the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. In fact, one
cannot obtain such perfections without the mercy of the Supreme Lord;
thus one's controlling power can never disturb the plan of Lord Ka.
One is allowed to exhibit mystic control only within the confines of the
law of God, and even a great yog who transgresses the law of God by his
so-called mystic opulences will be severely punished, as revealed in the
story of Durvs Muni cursing Ambara Mahrja.
TEXT 16
nryae turykhye
bhagavac-chabda-abdite
mano mayy dadhad yog
mad-dharm vaitm iyt
nryaein the Supreme Lord, Nryaa; turya-khyeknown as the
fourth, beyond the three modes of material nature; bhagavatfull of all
opulences; abda-abditeknown by the word; manathe mind; mayi
in Me; dadhatplacing; yogthe yog; mat-dharmbeing endowed
with My nature; vaitmthe mystic opulence called vait; iyt-may
obtain.
The yog who places his mind in My form of Nryaa, known as the
fourth factor, full of all opulences, becomes endowed with My nature
and thus obtains the mystic perfection called vait.
In Bhagavad-gt (7.13) Lord Ka states,
tribhir gua-mayair bhvair
ebhi sarvam ida jagat
mohita nbhijnti
mm ebhya param avyayam

779

"Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the

whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and
inexhaustible." Thus the Lord is called turya, or the fourth factor beyond
the three modes of nature. According to rla Vrarghava crya, turya
also indicates that the Lord is beyond the three ordinary phases of
consciousness, namely wakefulness, dreaming and dreamless sleep.
Bhaga-vac-chabda-abdite indicates that the Lord is known as Bhagavn, or
the possessor of unlimited opulences, principally beauty, fame, wealth,
knowledge, renunciation and intelligence.
In conclusion, one can obtain the mystic opulence vait, or freedom from
the modes of nature, by meditating upon the Lord as turya, the fourth
factor beyond those modes. Everything depends upon the favor of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 17
nirgue brahmai mayi
dhrayan viada mana
paramnandam pnoti
yatra kmo 'vasyate
nirguewithout qualities; brahmaiin Brahman; mayiin Me;
dhrayanconcentrating; viadampure; manathe mind; paramanandamthe greatest happiness; pnotiobtains; yatrawherein;
kmadesire; avasyateis completely fulfilled.
One who fixes his pure mind on Me in My manifestation as the
impersonal Brahman obtains the greatest happiness, wherein all his
desires are completely fulfilled.
Paramnanda, or "the greatest happiness," here indicates the greatest
material happiness, since it is clearly stated in rmad-Bhgavatam that a
devotee has no personal desire, or kma. One who has personal desire is
certainly within the material world, and on the material platform the
greatest happiness is kmvasyit-siddhi, or the perfection of completely
obtaining anything that one desires.
TEXT 18
vetadvpa-patau citta
uddhe dharma-maye mayi

780

dhraya chvetat yti

a-rmi-rahito nara
veta-dvpaof the white island, the abode of Krodakay Viu;
patauin
the
Lord;
cittamconsciousness;
uddhein
the
personification of goodness; dharma-mayein He who is always situated
in piety; mayiin Me; dhrayanconcentrating; vetatmpure
existence; ytiobtains; a-rmithe six waves of material disturbance;
rahitafreed from; naraa person.
A human being who concentrates on Me as the upholder of religious
principles, the personification of purity and the Lord of vetadvpa
obtains the pure existence in which he is freed from the six waves of
material disturbance, namely hunger, thirst, decay, death, grief and
illusion.
The Lord now begins to explain the processes for obtaining the ten
secondary mystic perfections derived from the modes of nature. Within
the material world Lord Viu, addressed here as vetadvpa-pati, the Lord
of vetadvpa, governs the material mode of goodness and is thus called
uddha and dharma-maya, or the personification of purity and piety. By
worshiping Lord Viu as the personification of material goodness one
obtains the material benediction of freedom from bodily disturbance.
TEXT 19
mayy ktmani pre
manas ghoam udvahan
tatropalabdh bhtn
haso vca oty asau
mayiin Me; ka-tmaniin the personification of the sky; prein
the life air; manaswith the mind; ghoamthe transcendental sound;
udvahanconcentrating on; tatrathere in the sky; upalabdh
perceived; bhtnmof all living entities; hasathe purified living
entity; vcawords or speaking; otihears; asauhe.
That purified living entity who fixes his mind on the extraordinary
sound vibrations occurring within Me as the personified sky and total
life air is then able to perceive within the sky the speaking of all living
entities.

781

Speech occurs by vibrating air within the sky. One who meditates on the
Supreme Lord as the personified sky and air thereby acquires the ability to
hear that which is vibrated at great distance. The word pra indicates
that the Lord is the personified life air of the individual living entities and
for the total aggregate of life forms. Ultimately, the pure devotees meditate
on the supreme vibrationHare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare
Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hareand are thus able
to hear the speech originating from liberated living entities far beyond the
material universe. Any living entity can hear such discussions by reading
rmad-Bhgavatam, Bhagavad-gt and other such literatures. One who
has properly understood the opulences of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead finds all perfection, mystic and otherwise, in Ka
consciousness.
TEXT 20
cakus tvaari sayojya
tvaram api cakui
m tatra manas dhyyan
viva payati drata
cakuthe eyes; tvaariin the sun; sayojyamerging; tvaram
the sun; apialso; cakuiin one's eyes; mmMe; tatrathere, in the
mutual merging of sun and eye; manaswith the mind; dhyyan
meditating; vivameverything; payatihe sees; dratafar away.
Merging one's sight into the sun planet and then the sun planet into
one's eyes, one should meditate on Me as existing within the
combination of sun and vision; thus one acquires the power to see any
distant thing.
TEXT 21
mano mayi su-sayojya
deha tad-anuvyun
mad-dhranubhvena
tatrtm yatra vai mana
manathe mind; mayiin Me; su-sayojyacompletely absorbing;
dehamthe material body; tatthe mind; anu-vyunby the wind that
follows; mat-dhraof meditation in Me; anubhvenaby the potency;

782

tatrathere; tmthe material body (goes); yatrawherever; vai

certainly; manathe mind (goes).
The yog who completely absorbs his mind in Me, and who then makes
use of the wind that follows the mind to absorb the material body in
Me, obtains through the potency of meditation on Me the mystic
perfection by which his body immediately follows his mind wherever it
goes.
Tad-anuvyun indicates the particular subtle air that follows the mind.
When the yog merges this air together with the body and mind in Ka
by the potency of meditation on the Lord, his gross material body, like the
subtle air, can follow the mind anywhere. This perfection is called manojava.
TEXT 22
yad mana updya
yad yad rpa bubhati
tat tad bhaven mano-rpa
mad-yoga-balam raya
yadwhen; manathe mind; updyaapplying; yat yatwhatever;
rpamform; bubhatione desires to assume; tat tatthat very form;
bhavetmay appear; mana-rpamthe form desired by the mind; matyoga-balamMy inconceivable mystic potency, by which I manifest
innumerable forms; rayabeing the shelter.
When the yog, applying his mind in a certain way, desires to assume a
particular form, that very form immediately appears. Such perfection is
possible by absorbing the mind in the shelter of My inconceivable
mystic potency, by which I assume innumerable forms.
This perfection is called kma-rpa, or the ability to assume any form that
one desires, even the form of a demigod. The pure devotees absorb their
minds in a particular type of service to Lord Ka and thus gradually
assume a spiritual body for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Thus
anyone who takes to the process of chanting the holy names of Ka and
follows the regulative principles of human life can acquire the ultimate
perfection of kma-rpa, assuming an eternal, spiritual body in the
kingdom of God.

783

TEXT 23
para-kya vian siddha
tmna tatra bhvayet
pia hitv viet pro
vyu-bhta aaghri-vat
paraof another; kyamthe body; viandesiring to enter; siddha
one perfected in yoga practice; tmnamoneself; tatrain that body;
bhvayetimagines; piamone's own gross body; hitvgiving up;
vietone should enter; prain the subtle body; vyu-bhta
becoming just like the wind; a-aghri-vatlike the bee, who easily
moves from one flower to another.
When a perfect yog desires to enter another's body, he should meditate
upon himself within the other body, and then, giving up his own gross
body, he should enter the other's body through the pathways of air, as
easily as a bee leaves one flower and flies into another.
As air is inhaled into the body through the nostrils and mouth, similarly,
the life air of the yog's subtle body travels through the pathways of
external air and easily enters into the body of another person, just as the
bee easily flies from flower to flower. One may admire a heroic man or
beautiful woman and desire to experience life within their extraordinary
material body. Such opportunities are available through the mystic
perfection called para-kya-praveanam. Pure devotees, being absorbed in
meditation upon the spiritual form of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, are not actually attracted to any material body. Thus the
devotees remain transcendental and satisfied on the platform of eternal
life.
TEXT 24
prypya guda pra
hd-ura-kaha-mrdhasu
ropya brahma-randhrea
brahma ntvotsjet tanum
prywith the heel of the foot; pyablocking; gudamthe anus;
pramthe vital air carrying the living entity; htfrom the heart;
urato the chest; kahato the neck; mrdhasuand to the head;

784

ropyaplacing; brahma-randhreaby the spiritual seat at the top of the

head; brahmato the spiritual world or impersonal Brahman (or any
other destination one has selected); ntvleading (the soul); utsjet
one should give up; tanumthe material body.
The yog who has achieved the mystic perfection called svacchandamtyu blocks the anus with the heel of the foot and then lifts the soul
from the heart to the chest, to the neck and finally to the head. Situated
within the brahma-randhra, the yog then gives up his material body
and guides the spirit soul to the selected destination.
This mystic opulence of svacchandu-mtyu, or dying at will, was
wonderfully exhibited by Bhmadeva at the end of the Battle of
Kuruketra. According to rla rdhara Svm, the term brahma, as used
in this verse, is an example of upalakaa, or the use of a general term to
indicate various concepts. Brahma here indicates the particular
destination selected by the yog, namely the spiritual sky, the impersonal
brahmajyoti or any other destination that has attracted the yog's mind.
TEXT 25
vihariyan surkre
mat-stha sattva vibhvayet
vimnenopatihanti
sattva-vtt sura-striya
vihariyandesiring to enjoy; suraof the demigods; krein the
pleasure gardens; matin Me; sthamsituated; sattvamthe mode of
goodness; vibhvayetone should meditate on; vimnenaby airplane;
upatihantithey arrive; sattvain the mode of goodness; vtt
appearing; suraof the demigods; striyathe women.
The yogi who desires to enjoy in the pleasure gardens of the demigods
should meditate on the purified mode of goodness, which is situated
within Me, and then the heavenly women, generated from the mode of
goodness, will approach him in airplanes.
TEXT 26
yath sakalpayed buddhy
yad v mat-para pumn

785

mayi satye mano yujas

tath tat samupnute
yathby which means; sakalpayetone may determine or resolve;
buddhyby the mind; yadwhen; vor; mat-parahaving faith in
Me; pumnthe yog; mayiin Me; satyewhose desire always becomes
truth; manathe mind; yujanabsorbing; tathby that means; tat
that very purpose; samupnutehe obtains.
A yogi who has faith in Me, absorbing his mind in Me and knowing that
My purpose is always fulfilled, will always achieve his purpose by the
very means he has determined to follow.
In this verse the word yad ("whenever") indicates that by the mystic
power called yath-sakalpa-sasiddhi one will achieve one's objective
even if one pursues it at an inauspicious time. Lord Ka is called satyasakalpa, or He whose desire, intention, purpose or resolve always comes
to pass.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura mentions that one should
determine to revive one's lost relationship with the Supreme Lord Ka
through the infallible means of devotional service, which can be executed
at any time or in any place. There are many books giving proper guidance
for achieving Lord Ka, and the following are mentioned: rla Jva
Gosvm's Sakalpa-kalpavka, rla Kadsa Kavirja's r Govindallmta, rla Vivantha Cakravart's r Ka-bhvanmta and
Sakalpa-kalpadruma, and rla Bhaktivinoda hkura's r Gaurgasmaraa-magala. In the modern age, His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda has given us over sixty large volumes of
transcendental literature, which can fix us firmly on the path back home,
back to Godhead. Our sakalpa, or determination, should be practical and
not useless. We should resolve to make a permanent solution to the
problems of life by going back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 27
yo vai mad-bhvam panna
itur vaitu pumn
kutacin na vihanyeta
tasya cj yath mama

786

yaone who (a yog); vaiindeed; matfrom Me; bhvamnature;

pannaachieved; itufrom the supreme ruler; vaituthe
supreme controller; pumna person (yog); kutacitin any way; na
vihanyetacannot be frustrated; tasyahis; caalso; jorder,
command; yathjust as; mamaMine.
A person who perfectly meditates on Me acquires My nature of being
the supreme ruler and controller. His order, like Mine, can never be
frustrated by any means.
By the command of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the entire
creation is moving. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (9.10),
maydhyakea prakti
syate sa-carcaram
hetunnena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
"This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunt, and
it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this
manifestation is created and annihilated again and again." Similarly,
Caitanya Mahprabhu has given His command that people all over the
world should take to Ka consciousness. The sincere devotees of the
Lord should go all over the world repeating the Lord's command. In this
way, they can share in His mystic opulence of giving orders that cannot be
counteracted.
TEXT 28
mad-bhakty uddha-sattvasya
yogino dhra-vida
tasya trai-klik buddhir
janma-mtypabhit
mat-bhaktyby devotion to Me; uddha-sattvasyaof one whose
existence is purified; yoginaof a yog; dhra-viduwho knows the
process of meditation; tasyaof him; trai-klikfunctioning in three
phases of time, namely past, present and future; buddhiintelligence;
janma-mtyubirth and death; upabhitincluding.

787

A yog who has purified his existence by devotion to Me and who thus
expertly knows the process of meditation obtains knowledge of past,
present and future. He can therefore see the birth and death of himself
and others.
After having explained the eight primary and ten secondary mystic
perfections of yoga, the Lord now explains the five inferior potencies.
TEXT 29
agny-dibhir na hanyeta
muner yoga-maya vapu
mad-yoga-nta-cittasya
ydasm udaka yath
agniby fire; dibhiand so on (sun, water, poison, etc.); nanot;
hanyetacan be injured; muneof a wise yog; yoga-mayamfully
cultivated in yoga science; vaputhe body; mat-yogaby devotional
connection with Me; ntapacified; cittasyawhose consciousness;
ydasmof the aquatics; udakamwater; yathjust as.
Just as the bodies of aquatics cannot be injured by water, similarly, the
body of a yogi whose consciousness is pacified by devotion to Me and
who is fully developed in yoga science cannot be injured by fire, sun,
water, poison, and so forth.
The creatures dwelling in the ocean are never injured by water; rather,
they enjoy life within the watery medium. Similarly, for one skilled in the
techniques of yoga, fending off attacks by weapons, fire, poison, and so
on, is a recreational activity. Prahlda Mahrja was attacked by his father
in all these ways, but because of his perfect Ka consciousness he was
not injured. The pure devotees of the Lord depend fully on the mercy of
Lord Ka, who possesses mystic opulences to an infinite degree and is
therefore known as Yogevara, the master of all mystic power. Because
devotees are always connected to Lord Ka, they do not feel any need to
separately develop powers already possessed unlimitedly by their Lord,
master and protector.
If a human being falls into the middle of the ocean he quickly drowns,
whereas the fish enjoy happiness sporting in the same waves. Similarly,
the conditioned souls have fallen into the ocean of material existence and

788

are drowning in the reactions to their sinful activities, whereas the

devotees recognize this world to be the potency of the Lord and enjoy
pleasurable pastimes within it by fully engaging in the loving service of
Lord Ka.
TEXT 30
mad-vibhtr abhidhyyan
rvatsstra-vibhit
dhvajtapatra-vyajanai
sa bhaved aparjita
matMy; vibhtopulent incarnations; abhidhyyanmeditating
upon; rvatsawith the Lord's rvatsa opulence; astraand weapons;
vibhitdecorated; dhvajawith flags; tapatrawith ceremonial
umbrellas; vyajanaiand different types of fans; sahe, the devoteeyog; bhavetbecomes; aparjitaunconquerable by others.
My devotee becomes unconquerable by meditating on My opulent
incarnations, which are decorated with rvatsa and various weapons
and are endowed with imperial paraphernalia such as flags, ornamental
umbrellas and fans.
The imperial paraphernalia of the Lord's opulent incarnations indicates
His omnipotency, and the devotees become unconquerable by meditating
on the Lord's powerful, royally equipped incarnations. As stated by
Bilvamagala hkura in Ka-karmta, verse 107,
bhaktis tvayi sthiratar bhagavan yadi syd
daivena na phalati divya-kiora-mrti
mukti svaya mukulitjali sevate 'smn
dharmrtha-kma-gataya samaya-pratk
"My dear Lord, if we develop unflinching devotional service unto You,
then automatically Your transcendental, youthful form is revealed to us.
Thus liberation herself waits with folded hands to serve us, and the
ultimate goals of religiosity, economic development and sense
gratification patiently wait to render service to us."
TEXT 31

789

upsakasya mm eva
yoga-dhraay mune
siddhaya prva-kathit
upatihanty aeata
upsakasyaof one who is worshiping; mmMe; evamthus; yogadhraayby the process of mystic meditation; muneof a learned
person; siddhayathe mystic perfections; prvapreviously; kathit
described; upatihantiapproach; aeatain all respects.
A learned devotee who worships Me through yoga meditation certainly
obtains in all respects the mystic perfections that I have described.
The word yoga-dhraay indicates that each devotee obtains the
particular perfection for which he has qualified himself. The Lord thus
concludes His discussion of yoga-siddhis.
TEXT 32
jitendriyasya dntasya
jita-vstmano mune
mad-dhra dhrayata
k s siddhi su-durlabh
jita-indriyasyaof one who has conquered his senses; dntasyawho is
disciplined and self-controlled; jita-vsawho has conquered his
breathing; tmanaand conquered the mind; muneof such a sage;
matin Me; dhrammeditation; dhrayatawho is conducting;
kwhat is; sthat; siddhiperfection; su-durlabhwhich is very
difficult to achieve.
For a sage who has conquered his senses, breathing and mind, who is
self-controlled and always absorbed in meditation on Me, what mystic
perfection could possibly be difficult to achieve?
rla rdhara Svm comments as follows. "Lord Ka here expresses
that there is no need to practice many different processes, for by
completely carrying out even one of the above-mentioned procedures one
controls one's senses, becomes absorbed in Him and thus achieves all
mystic perfections."
rla Jva Gosvm notes that one must meditate on the transcendental

790

form of the Lord, which is free from any material designation. This is the
essence of advancing in the yoga system; thus one acquires all mystic
perfections very easily from the personal body of the Personality of
Godhead.
TEXT 33
antaryn vadanty et
yujato yogam uttamam
may sampadyamnasya
kla-kapaa-hetava
antarynimpediments; vadantithey say; etthese mystic
perfections; yujataof one engaging in; yogamconnection with the
Absolute;
uttamamthe
supreme
stage;
maywith
Me;
sampadyamnasyaof one who is becoming completely opulent; klaof
time; kapaaof the interruption, waste; hetavacauses.
Learned experts in devotional service state that the mystic perfections
of yoga that I have mentioned are actually impediments and are a waste
of time for one who is practicing the supreme yoga, by which one
achieves all perfection in life directly from Me.
It is common sense that whatever is a useless waste of time should be
given up; therefore one should not pray to God for mystic yoga
perfections. For a pure devotee, who has no material desire, even
impersonal liberation is a useless disturbance in his life, and what to
speak of the material perfections of yoga, which cannot even be compared
to impersonal liberation. Such mystic perfections may be wonderful for an
immature and inexperienced person, but they are not impressive for a
learned man who has understood the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Simply by obtaining Lord Ka one dwells within an infinite ocean of
mystic opulences; therefore he should not waste precious time pursuing
separate mystic perfections.
TEXT 34
janmauadhi-tapo-mantrair
yvatr iha siddhaya
yogenpnoti t sarv
nnyair yoga-gati vrajet

791

janmaby birth; auadhiherbs; tapaausterities; mantraiand by

mantras; yvatas many as there are; ihain this world; siddhaya
perfections; yogenaby devotional service to Me; pnotione obtains;
tthose; sarvall of them; nanot; anyaiby other methods;
yoga-gatimthe actual perfection of yoga; vrajetone can achieve.
Whatever mystic perfections can be achieved by good birth, herbs,
austerities and mantras can all be achieved by devotional service to Me;
indeed, one cannot achieve the actual perfection of yoga by any other
means.
By taking birth as a demigod one is automatically endowed with many
mystic perfections. Simply by birth on Siddhaloka one automatically
acquires all of the eight principal perfections of yoga. Similarly, by birth as
a fish one becomes invulnerable to water, by birth as a bird one gets the
mystic perfection of flying, and by birth as a ghost one gets the mystic
perfection of disappearing and entering into the bodies of others. Patajali
Muni states that the mystic perfections of yoga can be achieved by birth,
herbs, austerities and mantras. The Lord states, however, that such
perfections are ultimately a waste of time and an impediment to achieving
the actual perfection of yoga, Ka consciousness.
Those who give up the process of bhakti-yoga and shop around for other
objects of meditation besides Ka are certainly not very intelligent.
Those who claim to be yogs but pursue the satisfaction of their own
senses are certainly kuyogs, or bhogi-yogs. Such kuyogs cannot
understand that just as they have tiny senses, the Absolute Truth has
absolute senses, nor can they understand that yoga is actually meant to
satisfy the absolute senses of the Lord. Therefore, persons who give up the
lotus feet of Lord Ka in order to pursue so-called happiness in mystic
perfection will undoubtedly be frustrated in their attempt. By meditating
exclusively on the Supreme Personality of Godhead one can achieve yogagati, the ultimate goal of yoga, which means living on Lord Ka's planet
and there enjoying spiritual opulences.
TEXT 35
sarvsm api siddhn
hetu patir aha prabhu
aha yogasya skhyasya
dharmasya brahma-vdinm

792

sarvsmof all of them; apiindeed; siddhnmof the mystic

perfections; hetuthe cause; patithe protector; ahamI am;
prabhuthe Lord; ahamI; yogasyaof unalloyed meditation on Me;
skhyasyaof analytic knowledge; dharmasyaof work executed
without personal desire; brahma-vdinmof the learned community of
Vedic teachers.
My dear Uddhava, I am the cause, the protector and the Lord of all
mystic perfections, of the yoga system, of analytic knowledge, of pure
activity and of the community of learned Vedic teachers.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word yoga here indicates liberation
from material life, and skhya indicates the means of obtaining
liberation. Thus Lord Ka is not merely the Lord of material yoga
perfections, but of the highest liberated perfections as well. One can
obtain skhya, or knowledge leading to liberation, by performing pious
activities, and Lord Ka is also the cause, protector and Lord of such
activities as well as of the learned teachers who instruct ordinary people
in the means of piety. In many different ways Lord Ka is the real object
of meditation and worship for every living entity. Lord Ka through the
expansion of His potencies is everything, and this simple understanding,
called Ka consciousness, is the supreme perfection of the yoga system.
TEXT 36
aham tmntaro bhyo
'nvta sarva-dehinm
yath bhtni bhteu
bahir anta svaya tath
ahamI; tmthe Supreme Lord; ntaraexisting within as the
Supersoul; bhyaexisting externally in My all-pervading feature;
anvtauncovered; sarva-dehinmof all living entities; yathjust
as; bhtnithe material elements; bhteuamong living entities;
bahiexternally; antainternally; svayamMyself; tathin the same
way.
Just as the same material elements exist within and outside of all
material bodies, similarly, I cannot be covered by anything else. I exist
within everything as the Supersoul and outside of everything in My all-

793

pervading feature.
Lord Ka is the entire basis of meditation for all yogs and philosophers,
and here the Lord clarifies His absolute position. Since the Lord is within
everything, one might think that the Lord is divided into pieces. However,
the word anvta, or "completely uncovered," indicates that nothing can
interrupt, disturb or in any way infringe upon the supreme existence of
the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. There is no actual
separation between the internal and external existence of the material
elements, which continuously exist everywhere. Similarly, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is all-pervading and is the ultimate perfection of
everything.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Fifteenth Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Lord Ka's Description of Mystic
Yoga Perfections."

794

16. The Lord's Opulence

In this chapter the Personality of Godhead, Lord r Ka, describes His

manifest opulences in terms of His specific potencies of knowledge,
strength, influence, and so on.
r Uddhava offered glorification to Lord r Ka, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and ultimate shelter of all holy places, saying,
"The Supreme Lord has no beginning and no end. He is the cause of the
birth, maintenance and destruction of all living entities. He is the soul of
all beings, and by secretly taking up residence within all living bodies He
sees everything. The conditioned souls, on the other hand, are bewildered
by His external energy and thus are unable to see Him." After offering
such prayers at the lotus feet of Lord Ka, r Uddhava revealed his
desire to know about the Lord's various opulences in heaven, on earth, in
hell and in all directions. Lord r Ka then described all these
opulences, after which He commented that all power, beauty, fame,
opulence, humility, charity, charm, good fortune, valor, tolerance and
wisdom-wherever they are manifest-are simply expansions from Himself.
It therefore cannot be truthfully said that a material object actually
possesses these opulences. Such conceptions are the results of mentally
combining two ideas to produce an object that exists only in the
imagination, such as a sky flower. Material opulences are not substantially
true, and therefore one should not become too involved in meditating
upon them. The pure devotees of the Supreme Lord utilize their
intelligence to properly regulate the activities of their speech, mind and
vital force and thus perfect their existence in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 1
r-uddhava uvca
tva brahma parama skd
andy-antam apvtam
sarvem api bhvn
tra-sthity-apyayodbhava

795

r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; tvamYou are; brahmathe

greatest; paramamthe supreme; sktHimself; andiwithout
beginning; antamwithout end; apvtamunlimited by anything else;
sarvemof all; apiindeed; bhvnmthings which exist; trathe
protector; sthitithe life-giver; apyayathe destruction; udbhavaand
the creation.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord, You are beginningless and endless, the
Absolute Truth Himself, unlimited by anything else. You are the
protector and life-giver, the destruction and creation of all things that
exist.
Brahma means the greatest of all and the cause of everything. Uddhava
here addresses the Lord as the paramam, or supreme brahma, because in
His feature as Bhagavn the Lord is the highest feature of the Absolute
Truth and the shelter of unlimited spiritual opulences. Unlike those of
ordinary living entities, the Lord's opulences cannot be restricted by time,
and thus the Lord is andy-antam, without beginning or end, and
apvtam, unhindered by any superior or equal potency. The opulence of
the material world is also resting within the Lord, who alone can protect,
maintain, create and destroy the material world. In this chapter, r
Uddhava inquires from the Lord about His spiritual and material
opulences in order to refine his appreciation of the Lord's position as the
Absolute Truth. Even Lord Viu, the ultimate creator of the material
world, is an expansion of Lord Ka, and thus r Uddhava wishes to
fully appreciate the unique status of his personal friend.
TEXT 2
uccvaceu bhteu
durjeyam akttmabhi
upsate tv bhagavan
yth-tathyena brhma
uccain the superior; avaceuand the inferior; bhteucreated objects
and entities; durjeyamhard to understand; akta-tmabhiby the
impious; upsatethey worship; tvmYou; bhagavanmy dear Lord;
yath-tathyenain truth; brhmathose dedicated to the Vedic
conclusion.

796

My dear Lord, although it is difficult for the impious to understand that

You are situated in all superior and inferior creations, those brhmaas
who are actual knowers of the Vedic conclusion worship You in truth.
The behavior of saintly persons is also to be taken as evidence, and
therefore it is here stated that although ignorant, impious persons are
bewildered before the Lord's all-pervading feature, those with purified,
clear consciousness worship the Lord as He is. In this chapter r Uddhava
inquires about the Lord's opulences, and here the words uccvaceu
bhteu ("within superior and inferior creations") clearly refer to the
Lord's external opulences, those manifested in the material world. The
saintly brhmaas, or Vaiavas, worship Lord Ka within all things and
yet recognize the variety in the Lord's creation. For example, in
worshiping the Deity, the devotees will select the nicest flowers, fruits and
ornaments for decorating the transcendental form of the Lord. Similarly,
although the Lord is present in the heart of every conditioned soul, the
devotee will give more attention to a conditioned soul interested in the
message of Lord Ka. Although the Lord is everywhere, the devotees
make distinctions, for the sake of the Lord's service, between His presence
in superior (ucca) and inferior (avaceu) creations.
TEXT 3
yeu yeu ca bhteu
bhakty tv paramaraya
upsn prapadyante
sasiddhi tad vadasva me
yeu yeuin which various; caalso; bhteuforms; bhaktywith
devotion; tvmYou; parama-ayathe great sages; upsn
worshiping; prapadyanteachieve; sasiddhimperfection; tatthat;
vadasvaplease speak; meto me.
Please tell me of the perfections that great sages achieve by worshiping
You with devotion. Also, kindly explain which of Your different forms
they worship.
r Uddhava here inquires about the spiritual opulences of the Lord,
which consist primarily of His viu-tattva expansions such as Vsudeva,
Sakaraa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. By worshiping different plenary

797

expansions of the Lord one achieves particular perfections, and r

Uddhava wants to know about this.
TEXT 4
gha carasi bhttm
bhtn bhta-bhvana
na tv payanti bhtni
payanta mohitni te
ghahidden; carasiYou are engaged; bhta-tmthe Supersoul;
bhtnmof the living entities; bhta-bhvanaO maintainer of all
living beings; nanot; tvmYou; payantithey see; bhtniliving
entities; payantamwho are seeing; mohitnibewildered; teby You.
O my Lord, maintainer of all, although You are the Supersoul of the
living entities, You remain hidden. Thus being bewildered by You, the
living entities cannot see You, although You are seeing them.
The Lord exists as the Supersoul within everything. He also appears in
various incarnations or sometimes empowers a devotee to act as an
incarnation. All such forms of the Lord are unknown to the nondevotees.
The bewildered conditioned souls think that the supreme enjoyer, r
Ka, is actually meant to be enjoyed by them for their sense
gratification. Praying to God for specific material benedictions and
assuming God's creation to be their personal property, the nondevotees
cannot understand the actual form of the Lord. They therefore remain
foolish and bewildered. Within the universe everything is subject to
creation, maintenance and destruction, and thus the Supersoul is the only
actual controller in the material world. Unfortunately, when the
Supersoul appears in various incarnations to clarify His position, ignorant
persons think that the Supersoul is merely another creation of the modes
of material nature. As stated in this verse, they cannot see that person
who is actually seeing them, and simply remain bewildered.
TEXT 5
y k ca bhmau divi vai rasy
vibhtayo diku mah-vibhte
t mahyam khyhy anubhvits te
nammi te trtha-padghri-padmam

798

y kwhatever; caalso; bhmauon the earth; diviin heaven;

vaiindeed; rasymin hell; vibhtayapotencies; dikuin all
directions; mah-vibhteO supremely potent; tthose; mahyam
unto me; khyhiplease explain; anubhvitmanifested; teby You;
nammiI offer my humble obeisances; teYour; trtha-padathe abode
of all holy places; aghri-padmamat the lotus feet.
O supremely potent Lord, please explain to me Your innumerable
potencies, which You manifest on the earth, in heaven, in hell and
indeed in all directions. I offer my humble obeisances at Your lotus feet,
which are the shelter of all holy places.
Uddhava here inquires about the Lord's material and spiritual potencies,
as manifested within our universe. Just as ordinary animals or insects
living in human cities cannot appreciate the scientific, cultural or military
achievements of man, similarly, foolish materialists cannot appreciate the
mighty opulences of the Personality of Godhead, even those manifested
within our universe. For the appreciation of ordinary human beings
Uddhava requests the Lord to reveal exactly how and in what forms He
expands His potencies. As already explained, the Lord is the essential
ingredient of all that exists, and thus any mighty or opulent manifestation
must ultimately rest on the Lord Himself.
TEXT 6
r-bhagavn uvca
evam etad aha pa
prana prana-vid vara
yuyutsun vinaane
sapatnair arjunena vai
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; evam
thus; etatthis; ahamI; pawas asked; pranamthe question or
topic; prana-vidmof those who know how to inquire; varayou who
are the best; yuyutsunby him who desired to fight; vinaanein the
Battle of Kuruketra; sapatnaiwith his rivals or enemies; arjunenaby
Arjuna; vaiindeed.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best of those who know
how to inquire, on the Battlefield of Kuruketra, Arjuna, desiring to

799

fight with his rivals, asked Me the same question that you are now
posing.
Lord Ka was pleased that His two friends, Arjuna and Uddhava, had
posed the same question regarding the opulences of the Personality of
Godhead. Lord Ka considered it wonderful that His two dear friends
had asked exactly the same question.
TEXT 7
jtv jti-vadha garhyam
adharma rjya-hetukam
tato nivtto hantha
hato 'yam iti laukika
jtvbeing aware; jtiof his relatives; vadhamthe killing;
garhyamabominable; adharmamirreligion; rjyato acquire a
kingdom; hetukamhaving as the motive; tatafrom such activity;
nivttaretired; haratthe killer; ahamI am; hatakilled; ayam
this group of relatives; itithus; laukikamundane.
On the Battlefield of Kuruketra Arjuna thought that killing his
relatives would be an abominable, irreligious activity, motivated only
by his desire to acquire a kingdom. He therefore desisted from the
battle, thinking, "I would be the killer of my relatives. They would be
destroyed." Thus Arjuna was afflicted with mundane consciousness.
Lord Ka here explains to Uddhava the circumstances in which r
Arjuna posed his questions.
TEXT 8
sa tad purua-vyghro
yukty me pratibodhita
abhyabhata mm eva
yath tva raa-mrdhani
sahe; tadat that time; purua-vyghrathe tiger among men;
yuktyby logical argument; meby Me; pratibodhitaenlightened in
real knowledge; abhyabhataaddressed questions; mmto Me;
evamthus; yathjust as; tvamyou; raaof the battle; mrdhaniin
the front.

800

At that time I enlightened Arjuna, the tiger among men, with logical
arguments, and thus in the front of the battle Arjuna addressed Me with
questions in the same way that you are now inquiring.
TEXT 9
aham tmoddhavm
bhtn suhd vara
aha sarvi bhtni
te sthity-udbhavpyaya
ahamI am; tmthe Supersoul; uddhavaO Uddhava; ammof
these; bhtnmliving entities; su-htthe well-wisher; varathe
supreme controller; ahamI am; sarvi bhtniall entities; temof
them; sthitithe maintenance; udbhavacreation; apyayaand
annihilation.
My dear Uddhava, I am the Supersoul of all living entities, and
therefore I am naturally their well-wisher and supreme controller. Being
the creator, maintainer and annihilator of all entities, I am not different
from them.
rla rdhara Svm points out that the Personality of Godhead maintains
an ablative and genitive relationship with His opulences. In other words,
the Lord is not different from all living entities, because they are coming
from Him and they belong to Him. The Lord gave a similar explanation to
Arjuna in the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gt (10.20), beginning with the
same words, aham tm. Although the Lord describes His external, or
material, opulences, the Lord's position is always transcendental and
nonmaterial. Just as the living soul within the body gives life to the body,
similarly, the Lord, by His supreme potency, gives life to all universal
opulences.
TEXT 10
aha gatir gatimat
kla kalayatm aham
gun cpy aha smya
guiny autpattiko gua
ahamI am; gatithe ultimate goal; gati-matmof those who seek

801

progress; klatime; kalayatmof those who exert control; ahamI

am; gunmof the modes of material nature; caalso; apieven;
ahamI am; smyammaterial equilibrium; guiniin the pious;
autpattikanatural; guavirtue.
I am the ultimate goal of all those seeking progress, and I am time
among those who exert control. I am the equilibrium of the modes of
material nature, and I am natural virtue among the pious.
TEXT 11
guinm apy aha stra
mahat ca mahn aham
skmm apy aha jvo
durjaynm aha mana
guinmamong things possessing qualities; apiindeed; ahamI am;
stramthe primary stra-tattva; mahatm-among great things; caalso;
mahnthe total material manifestation; ahamI am; skmm
among subtle things; apiindeed; ahamI am; jvathe spirit soul;
durjaynmamong things difficult to conquer; ahamI am; manathe
mind.
Among things possessing qualities I am the primary manifestation of
nature, and among great things I am the total material creation. Among
subtle things I am the spirit soul, and of things that are difficult to
conquer I am the mind.
TEXT 12
hirayagarbho vedn
mantr praavas tri-vt
akarm a-kro 'smi
padni cchandusm aham
hiraya-garbhaLord Brahm; vednmof the Vedas; mantrmof
mantras; praavathe okra; tri-vt-consisting of three letters;
akarmof letters; a-krathe first letter, a; asmiI am; padni
the three-line Gyatr mantra; chandasmamong sacred meters; ahamI
am.

802

Among the Vedas I am their original teacher, Lord Brahm, and of all
mantras I am the three-lettered okra. Among letters I am the first
letter, "a," and among sacred meters I am the Gyatr mantra.
TEXT 13
indro 'ha sarva-devn
vasnm asmi havya-v
ditynm aha vi
rudr nla-lohita
indraLord Indra; ahamI am; sarva-devnmamong the demigods;
vasnmamong the Vasus; asmiI am; havya-vthe carrier of
oblations, the fire-god Agni; ditynmamong the sons of Aditi; aham
I am; viuViu; rudrmamong the Rudras; nla-lohitaLord
iva.
Among the demigods I am Indra, and among the Vasus I am Agni, the
god of fire. I am Viu among the sons of Aditi, and among the Rudras I
am Lord iva.
Lord Viu appeared among the sons of Aditi as Vmanadeva.
TEXT 14
brahmar bhgur aha
rjarm aha manu
devar nrado 'ha
havirdhny asmi dhenuu
brahma-mamong the saintly brhmaas; bhguBhgu Muni;
ahamI am; rja-mamong the saintly kings; ahamI am;
manuManu; deva-mamong the saintly demigods; nrada
Nrada Muni; ahamI am; havirdhnKmadhenu; asmiI am;
dhenuuamong cows.
Among saintly brhmaas I am Bhgu Muni, and I am Manu among
saintly kings. I am Nrada Muni among saintly demigods, and I am
Kmadhenu among cows.

803

TEXT 15
siddhevar kapila
suparo 'ha patatrim
prajpatn dako 'ha
pitm aham aryam
siddha-varmamong perfected beings; kapilaI am Lord Kapila;
suparaGarua;
ahamI
am;
patatrimamong
birds;
prajpatnmamong the progenitors of mankind; dakaDaka;
ahamI am; pitmamong the forefathers; ahamI am; aryam
Aryam.
I am Lord Kapila among perfected beings and Garua among birds. I am
Daka among the progenitors of mankind, and I am Aryam among the
forefathers.
TEXT 16
m viddhy uddhava daityn
prahldam asurevaram
soma nakatrauadhn
dhanea yaka-rakasm
mmMe; viddhiyou should know; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava;
daitynmamong the sons of Diti, the demons; prahldamPrahlda
Mahrja; asura-varamthe lord of the asuras; somam-the moon;
nakatra-oadhnmamong the stars and herbs; dhana-amthe lord of
wealth, Kuvera; yaka-rakasmamong the Yakas and Rkasas.
My dear Uddhava, among the demoniac sons of Diti know Me to be
Prahlda Mahrja, the saintly lord of the asuras. Among the stars and
herbs I am their lord, Candra (the moon), and among Yakas and
Rkasas I am the lord of wealth, Kuvera.
TEXT 17
airvata gajendr
ydas varua prabhum
tapat dyumat srya
manuy ca bh-patim

804

airvatamthe elephant Airvata; gaja-indrmamong lordly

elephants; ydasmamong aquatics; varuamVarua; prabhumthe
lord of seas; tapatmamong things that heat; dyu-matmamong things
that illuminate; sryamI am the sun; manuymamong human
beings; caalso; bh-patimthe king.
I am Airvata among lordly elephants, and among aquatics I am Varuna,
the lord of the seas. Among all things that heat and illuminate I am the
sun, and among human beings I am the king.
It is significant to know that Lord Ka is represented within this
universe by the lord or supreme in all categories. No one can be as
aristocratic and perfect as r Ka, nor can anyone estimate the glories
of r Ka. Lord Ka is without doubt the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
TEXT 18
uccairavs turag
dhtnm asmi kcanam
yama sayamat cham
sarpm asmi vsuki
uccairavthe horse Uccairav; turagmamong horses;
dhtnmamong metals; asmiI am; kcanamgold; yama
Yamarja; sayamatmamong those who punish and suppress; ca
also; ahamI; sarpmamong serpents; asmiam; vsukiVsuki.
Among horses I am Uccairav, and I am gold among metals. I am
Yamarja among those who suppress and punish, and among serpents I
am Vsuki.
TEXT 19
ngendrm ananto 'ha
mgendra gi-darim
ramm aha turyo
varn prathamo 'nagha
nga-indrmamong the best of many-hooded snakes; ananta
Anantadeva; ahamI am; mga-indrathe lion; gi-darim

805

among animals with sharp horns and teeth; rammamong the four
social orders of life; ahamI am; turyathe fourth, sannysa;
varnmamong the four occupational orders; prathamathe first, the
brhmaas; anaghaO sinless one.
O sinless Uddhava, among the best of snakes I am Anantadeva, and
among those animals with sharp horns and teeth I am the lion. Among
the social orders I am the fourth, or the renounced order of life, and
among the occupational divisions I am the first, the brhmaas.
TEXT 20
trthn srotas gag
samudra sarasm aham
yudhn dhanur aha
tripura-ghno dhanumatm
tirthnmamong holy places; srotasmamong flowing things; gag
the sacred Ganges; samudrathe ocean; sarasmamong steady bodies
of water; ahamI am; yudhnmamong weapons; dhanuthe bow;
ahamI am; tri-pura-ghnaLord iva; dhanu-matmamong those
who wield the bow.
Among sacred and flowing things I am the holy Ganges, and among
steady bodies of water I am the ocean. Among weapons I am the bow,
and of the wielders of weapons I am Lord iva.
Lord iva used his bow to completely cover with arrows the three
demoniac cities built by Maya Dnava.
TEXT 21
dhiynm asmy aha merur
gahann himlaya
vanaspatnm avattha
oadhnm aha yava
dhiynmresidences; asmiam; ahamI; meruMount Sumeru;
gahannmof impervious places; himlayathe Himalayas;
vanaspatnmamong trees; avatthabanyan tree; oadhnmamong
plants; ahamI; yavabarley.

806

Among residences I am Mount Sumeru, and of impervious places I am

the Himalayas. Among trees I am the holy fig tree, and among plants I
am those that bear grains.
Oadhnm here indicates those plants that fructify once and then die.
Among them, those that give grains, which sustain human life, represent
Ka. Without grains it is not possible to produce milk products, nor can
one properly perform Vedic fire sacrifices without offerings of grains.
TEXT 22
purodhas vasiho 'ha
brahmihn bhaspati
skando 'ha sarva-sennym
agray bhagavn aja
purodhasmamong priests; vasihaVasiha Muni; ahamI am;
brahmihnmamong those fixed in the Vedic conclusion and purpose;
bhaspatiBhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods; skanda
Krtikeya; ahamI am; sarva-sennymamong all military leaders;
agraymamong those advancing in pious life; bhagavnthe great
personality; ajaLord Brahm.
Among priests I am Vasiha Muni, and among those highly situated in
Vedic culture I am Bhaspati. I am Krtikeya among great military
leaders, and among those advancing in superior ways of life I am the
great personality Lord Brahm.
TEXT 23
yajn brahma-yajo 'ha
vratnm avihisanam
vyv-agny-arkmbu-vg-tm
ucnm apy aha uci
yajnmof sacrifices; brahma-yajastudy of the Veda; ahamI am;
vratnmof vows; avihisanamnonviolence; vyuwind; agnifire;
arkathe sun; ambuwater; vkand speech; tmpersonified;
ucnmof all purifiers; apiindeed; ahamI am; ucipure.
Among sacrifices I am study of the Veda, and I am nonviolence among

807

vows. Among all things that purify I am the wind, fire, the sun, water
and speech.
TEXT 24
yognm tma-sarodho
mantro 'smi vijigatm
nvkik kaualn
vikalpa khyti-vdinm
yognmamong the eight stages of yoga practice (aga); tmasarodhathe ultimate stage, samdhi, in which the soul is completely
separated from illusion; mantraprudent political counsel; asmiI am;
vijigatmamong those desiring victory; nvkikspiritual science, by
which one can distinguish between matter and spirit; kaualnm
among all processes of expert discrimination; vikalpadiversity of
perception; khyti-vdinmamong the speculative philosophers.
Among the eight progressive states of yoga I am the final stage, samdhi,
in which the soul is completely separated from illusion. Among those
desiring victory I am prudent political counsel, and among processes of
expert discrimination I am the science of the soul, by which one
distinguishes spirit from matter. Among all speculative philosophers I
am diversity of perception.
Any science is based on the faculty of expert discrimination. By skillful
definition of isolated and interactive components one becomes expert in
any field. Ultimately the most intelligent person can isolate the spirit soul
from matter and describe the properties of matter and spirit as both
isolated and interactive components of reality. The proliferation of
innumerable philosophical speculations is due to differing modes of
perception within the material world. As stated in Bhagavad-gt (15.15),
sarvasya cha hdi sannivio matta smtir jnam apohana ca: the
Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in everyone's heart and
awards a particular degree of knowledge or ignorance according to one's
desire and merit. Thus the Lord Himself is the basis of the mundane
process of philosophical speculation, for He creates differing and
alternating modes of perception within the conditioned souls. It is to be
understood that one can acquire perfect knowledge only by hearing

808

directly from Lord Ka and not by hearing from conditioned

philosophers who imperfectly perceive the creation of the Lord through
the screen of their personal desires.
TEXT 25
str tu atarpha
pus svyambhuvo manu
nryao munn ca
kumro brahmacrim
strmamong ladies; tuindeed; atarpatarp; ahamI am;
pusmamong male personalities; svyambhuva manuthe great
prajpati Svyambhuva Manu; nryaathe sage Nryaa; munnm
among
saintly
sages;
caalso;
kumraSanat-kumra;
brahmacrimamong brahmacrs.
Among ladies I am atarp, and among male personalities I am her
husband, Svyambhuva Manu. I am Nryaa among the sages and
Sanat-kumra among brahmacrs.
TEXT 26
dharmm asmi sannysa
kemm abahir-mati
guhyn su-nta mauna
mithunnm ajas tv aham
dharmmamong religious principles; asmiI am; sannysa
renunciation; kemmamong all types of security; abahi-mati
awareness within (of the eternal soul); guhynmof secrets; suntam
pleasant speech; maunamsilence; mithunnmof sexual pairs; aja
Brahm, the original prajpati; tu-indeed; ahamI am.
Among religious principles I am renunciation, and of all types of
security I am consciousness of the eternal soul within. Of secrets I am
pleasant speech and silence, and among sexual pairs I am Brahm.
One who realizes the eternal soul within no longer fears any material
situation and thus is qualified to accept the renounced order of life,
sannysa. Certainly fear is one of the great miseries of material life;

809

therefore the gift of fearlessness is very valuable and represents Lord

Ka. Both in ordinary pleasant speech and silence, very few confidential
things are revealed, and thus diplomacy and silence are both aids to
secrecy. Lord Brahm is prominent among sexual pairs because the
original beautiful couple, Svyambhuva Manu and atarp, emerged
from Lord Brahm's body, as explained in Chapter Twelve of the Third
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam.
TEXT 27
savatsaro 'smy animim
tn madhu-mdhavau
msn mrgaro 'ha
nakatr tathbhijit
savatsarathe year; asmiI am; animimamong the vigilant cycles
of time; tnmamong seasons; madhu-mdhavauspring; msnm
among months; mrgaraMrgara (November-December); aham
I am; nakatrmamong asterisms; tathsimilarly; abhijitAbhijit.
Among the vigilant cycles of time I am the year, and among seasons I
am spring. Among months I am Mrgara, and among lunar houses I
am the auspicious Abhijit.
TEXT 28
aha yugn ca kta
dhr devalo 'sita
dvaipyano 'smi vysn
kavn kvya tmavn
ahamI am; yugnmamong ages; caalso; ktamSatya-yuga;
dhrmamong steady sages; devalaDevala; asitaAsita;
dvaipyanaKa Dvaipyana; asmiI am; vysnmamong the
editors of the Vedas; kavnmamong learned scholars; kvya
ukrcrya; tma-vnlearned in spiritual science.
Among ages I am the Satya-yuga, the age of truth, and among steady
sages I am Devala and Asita. Among those who have divided the Vedas I
am Ka Dvaipyana Vedavysa, and among learned scholars I am
ukrcrya, the knower of spiritual science.

810

TEXT 29
vsudevo bhagavat
tva tu bhgavatev aham
kimpurun hanumn
vidydhr sudarana
vsudevathe Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhagavatmof those
entitled to the name Bhagavn; tvamyou; tuindeed; bhgavateu
among My devotees; ahamI am; kimpurumamong the
Kimpuruas;
hanumnHanumn;
vidydhrmamong
the
Vidydharas; sudaranaSudarana.
Among those entitled to the name Bhagavn I am Vsudeva, and indeed,
you, Uddhava, represent Me among the devotees. I am Hanumn among
the Kimpuruas, and among the Vidydharas I am Sudarana.
The Vedic literatures state that one who possesses perfect knowledge of
the creation and destruction of all entities and who is completely situated
in omniscience is to be known as the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Bhagavn. Although many great personalities are sometimes called
Bhagavn, ultimately Bhagavn is the one supreme entity who possesses
unlimited opulences. Throughout history, many important personalities
have been addressed as "lord," but ultimately there is only one Supreme
Lord. In the Lord's catur-vyha, or quadruple expansion, the first
manifestation is Vsudeva, who here represents all of the Lord's
expansions in the viu-tattva category.
TEXT 30
ratnn padma-rgo 'smi
padma-koa su-peasm
kuo 'smi darbha-jtn
gavyam jya haviv aham
ratnnmof jewels; padma-rgathe ruby; asmiI am; padma-koa
the lotus cup; su-peasmamong beautiful things; kuathe sacred
kua grass; asmiI am; darbha-jtnmamong all types of grass;
gavyamcow products; jyamoffering of ghee; haviuamong
oblations; ahamI am.
Among jewels I am the ruby, and among beautiful things I am the lotus

811

cup. Among all types of grass I am the sacred kua, and of oblations I
am ghee and other ingredients obtained from the cow.
Paca-gavya refers to five sacrificial ingredients obtained from the cow,
namely milk, ghee, yogurt, dung and urine. The cow is so valuable that
even its dung and urine are antiseptic and fit for sacrificial offering. Kua
grass is also used for religious occasions. Mahrja Parkit constructed a
sitting place from kua grass during the last week of his life. Among
beautiful things the lotus cup formed by lotus petals represents Lord
Ka, and among jewels the ruby, which is similar to Lord Ka's own
Kaustubha gem, symbolizes the potency of the Lord.
TEXT 31
vyavasyinm aha lakm
kitavn chala-graha
titiksmi titik
sattva sattvavatm aham
vyavasyinmof the enterprising; ahamI am; lakmfortune;
kitavnmof cheaters; chala-grahathe gambling; titikthe
forgiveness; asmiI am; titikmamong the tolerant; sattvamthe
goodness; sattva-vatmamong those in the mode of goodness; ahamI
am.
Among the enterprising I am fortune, and among the cheaters I am
gambling. I am the forgiveness of the tolerant and the good qualities of
those in the mode of goodness.
TEXT 32
oja saho balavat
karmha viddhi stvatm
stvat nava-mrtnm
di-mrtir aha par
ojathe sensory strength; sahaand mental strength; balavatmof
the strong; karmathe devotional activities; ahamI am; viddhiplease
know; stvatmamong the devotees; stvatmamong those devotees;
nava-mrtnmwho worship Me in nine forms; di-mrtithe original
form, Vsudeva; ahamI am; parthe Supreme.

812

Of the powerful I am bodily and mental strength, and I am the

devotional activities of My devotees. My devotees worship Me in nine
different forms, among which I am the original and primary Vsudeva.
Generally, the Vaiavas worship the Personality of Godhead as
Vsudeva, Sakaraa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Nryaa, Hayagrva,
Varha, Nsiha and Brahm. It is understood that when a suitable living
entity is not available to fill the post of Brahm, the Lord Himself assumes
the position; therefore Lord Brahm is mentioned in the list. Lord Viu
sometimes appears as Indra and sometimes as Brahm, and it is Viu
appearing as Brahm who is indicated in this connection.
TEXT 33
vivvasu prvacittir
gandharvpsarasm aham
bhdharm aha sthairya
gandha-mtram aha bhuva
vivvasuVivvasu; prvacittiPrvacitti; gandharva-apsarasm
among the Gandharvas and Apsars; ahamI am; bhdharmof the
mountains; ahamI am; sthairyamthe steadiness; gandha-mtramthe
perception of aroma; ahamI am; bhuvaof the earth.
Among the Gandharvas I am Vivvasu, and I am Prvacitti among the
heavenly Apsaras. I am the steadiness of mountains and the fragrant
aroma of the earth.
In Bhagavad-gt (7.9) Lord Ka says, puyo gandha pthivy ca: "I
am the fragrance of the earth." The original fragrance of the earth is very
pleasing and represents Lord Ka. Although unpleasant aromas may be
artificially produced, they do not represent the Lord.
TEXT 34
ap rasa ca paramas
tejihn vibhvasu
prabh sryendu-tr
abdo 'ha nabhasa para
apmof water; rasathe taste; caalso; paramaexcellent;
tejihnmamong most brilliant things; vibhvasuthe sun; prabh

813

the effulgence; sryaof the sun; induthe moon; trmand the

stars; abdathe sound vibration; ahamI am; nabhasaof the sky;
paratranscendental.
I am the sweet taste of water, and among brilliant things I am the sun. I
am the effulgence of the sun, moon and stars, and I am the
transcendental sound that vibrates in the sky.
TEXT 35
brahmayn balir aha
vrm aham arjuna
bhtn sthitir utpattir
aha vai pratisakrama
brahmaynmof those dedicated to brahminical culture; baliBali
Mahrja, the son of Virocana; ahamI am; vrmof heroes; ahamI
am; arjunaArjuna; bhtnmof all living beings; sthitithe
maintenance; utpattithe creation; ahamI am; vaiindeed;
pratisakramathe annihilation.
Among those dedicated to brahminical culture I am Bali Mahrja, the
son of Virocana, and I am Arjuna among heroes. Indeed, I am the
creation, maintenance and annihilation of all living entities.
TEXT 36
gaty-ukty-utsargopdnam
nanda-spara-lakanam
svda-ruty-avaghram
aha sarvendriyendriyam
gatimovement of the legs (walking, running, etc.); uktispeech;
utsargaevacuation; updnamaccepting with the hands; nandathe
material pleasure of the sex organs; sparatouch; lakaamsight;
svdataste; rutihearing; avaghramsmell; ahamI am; sarvaindriyaof all the senses; indriyamthe potency to experience their
objects.
I am the functions of the five working sensesthe legs, speech, anus,

814

hands and sex organsas well as those of the five knowledge-acquiring

sensestouch, sight, taste, hearing and smell. I am also the potency by
which each of the senses experiences its particular sense object.
TEXT 37
pthiv vyur ka
po jyotir aha mahn
vikra puruo 'vyakta
raja sattva tama param
aham etat prasakhyna
jna tattva-vinicaya
pthivthe subtle form of earth, aroma; vyuthe subtle form of air,
touch; kathe subtle form of sky, sound; pathe subtle form of
water, taste; jyotithe subtle form of fire, form; ahamfalse ego;
mahnthe mahat-tattva; vikra-the sixteen elements (earth, water, fire,
air and sky, the five working senses, the five knowledge-acquiring senses
and the mind); puruathe living entity; avyaktammaterial nature,
prakti; raja-the mode of passion; sattvamthe mode of goodness;
tamathe mode of ignorance; paramthe Supreme Lord; ahamI am;
etatthis; prasakhynamall that has been enumerated; jnam
knowledge of the above-mentioned elements by individual symptoms;
tattva-vinicayasteady conviction, which is the fruit of knowledge.
I am form, taste, aroma, touch and sound; false ego; the mahat-tattva;
earth, water, fire, air and sky; the living entity; material nature; the
modes of goodness, passion and ignorance; and the transcendental
Lord. All these items, along with knowledge of their individual
symptoms and the steady conviction that results from this knowledge,
represent Me.
Having given a brief but detailed synopsis of His personal opulences
within this world, the Lord now briefly summarizes the opulences that
expand from His bodily effulgence. It is stated in Brahma-sahit that all
of the material universes with their infinite varieties, transformations and
opulences rest on the bodily effulgence of the Lord. rla Jva Gosvm has
elaborately explained this point in his commentary on this verse.

815

TEXT 38
mayevarea jvena
guena guin vin
sarvtmanpi sarvea
na bhvo vidyate kvacit
mayMe; vareathe Supreme Lord; jvenathe living entity;
guenathe modes of nature; guinthe mahat-tattva; vin-without;
sarva-tmanthe soul of all that exists; apiindeed; sarvea
everything; nanot; bhvaexistence; vidyatethere is; kvacit
whatsoever.
As the Supreme Lord I am the basis of the living entity, of the modes of
nature and of the mahat-tattva. Thus I am everything, and nothing
whatsoever can exist without Me.
Without the manifestation of the mahat-tattva, or total material existence,
and the jva, or living entity, nothing can exist within the material world.
Everything we experience is a combination of the living entity and matter,
in its various subtle and gross categories. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the entire basis of the existence of both the living entity and
matter. Nothing can possibly exist even for a moment without the mercy
of the Supreme Lord. One should not foolishly conclude that the Lord is
therefore material. As has been clearly explained in this canto of the
Bhgavatam, both the living entity and the Supreme Lord are completely
transcendental to material nature. The living entity, however, has the
propensity to dream that he is material, whereas the Lord constantly
remembers the transcendental position of both Himself and the
conditioned dreaming entity. As the Lord is transcendental, His abode is
also far beyond the reach of the modes of nature. The actual purpose of
life is to understand by mature conviction the transcendental Lord, His
transcendental abode, our own transcendental position and the process by
which we may go back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 39
sakhyna paramn
klena kriyate may
na tath me vibhtn
sjato 'ni koia

816

sakhynamcounting; parama-anmof the atoms; klenaafter

some time; kriyateis done; mayby Me; nanot; tathin the same
way; meof Me; vibhtnmof the opulences; sjatawho am
creating; aniuniverses; koiaby the innumerable millions.
Even though over a period of time I might count all the atoms of the
universe, I could not count all of My opulences which I manifest within
innumerable universes.
The Lord here explains that Uddhava should not expect a complete
catalog of the Lord's opulences, since even the Lord Himself finds no limit
to such opulences. According to rla Jva Gosvm, klena indicates that
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is within every atom and can
therefore easily calculate the total number of atoms. However, although
the Lord is certainly omniscient, even He Himself cannot supply a finite
number for His opulences, because they are infinite.
TEXT 40
teja r krtir aivarya
hrs tyga saubhaga bhaga
vrya titik vijna
yatra yatra sa me 'aka
tejapower; rbeautiful, valuable things; krtifame; aivaryam
opulence; hrhumility; tygarenunciation; saubhagamthat which
pleases the mind and senses; bhagagood fortune; vryamstrength;
titiktolerance; vijnamspiritual knowledge; yatra yatrawherever;
sathis; meMy; aakaexpansion.
Whatever power, beauty, fame, opulence, humility, renunciation,
mental pleasure, fortune, strength, tolerance or spiritual knowledge
there may be is simply an expansion of My opulence.
Although the Lord stated in the previous verse that His opulences are
innumerable, the Lord here gives a specific resume and demonstration of
His opulences.
TEXT 41
ets te krtit sarv
sakepea vibhtaya

817

mano-vikr evaite
yath vcbhidhyate
etthese; teto you; krtitdescribed; sarvall; sakepea
briefly; vibhtayaspiritual opulences; manaof the mind; vikr
transformations; evaindeed; etethese; yathaccordingly; vcby
words; abhidhyateeach is described.
I have briefly described to you all My spiritual opulences and also the
extraordinary material features of My creation, which are perceived by
the mind and defined in different ways according to circumstances.
According to Sanskrit grammar, and as confirmed by rla rdhara Svm,
the words et and ete describe two distinct sets of the Lord's opulences.
The Lord has described His opulent plenary expansions, such as
Vsudeva, Nryaa, the Supersoul, etc., and further the Lord has
described the outstanding features of the material creation, which are also
included among the glories of the Personality of Godhead. The plenary
manifestations of the Lord, such as Vsudeva, Nryaa, etc., are all
eternal, unchanging transcendental features of the Lord and are indicated
by the term et. The extraordinary aspects of material creation, however,
are circumstantial and dependent on individual perception, and they are
therefore described here by the words mano-vikr evaite yath
vcbhidhyate. rla Jva Gosvm explains that by consistent logical
application of synonyms, et refers to the Lord's eternal spiritual
manifestations, beyond the perception of the material senses, whereas ete
refers to those opulences that can be perceived by conditioned souls. He
gives the example that the paraphernalia and intimate associates of a king
are all considered to be part and parcel of the king and are therefore
granted royal status. Similarly, the opulent features of material creation
are reflected expansions of the Lord's personal opulences and thus may be
considered nondifferent from Him. One should not, however, wrongly
assume that such insignificant material opulences occupy the same status
as the Lord's plenary features as the Personality of Godhead, which are
qualitatively and quantitatively equal to the Lord.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura comments as follows on this verse.
"The Lord's external opulences are called mano-vikr, or 'related to
mental transformation,' because ordinary people perceive extraordinary
features of the material world according to their personal state of mind.

818

Thus the word vcbhidhyate indicates that conditioned souls describe

the Lord's material creation according to specific material circumstances.
Because of the circumstantial relative definitions of material opulence,
such opulence is never to be considered a direct plenary manifestation of
the Lord's personal form. When one's state of mind is transformed into a
favorable or affectionate state, one defines a manifestation of the Lord's
energy as 'my son,' 'my father,' 'my husband,' 'my uncle,' 'the son of my
brother,' 'my friend,' and so on. One forgets that every living entity is
actually part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that
whatever opulences, talents or outstanding features one may exhibit are
actually the potencies of the Lord. Similarly, when the mind is
transformed into a negative or inimical state, one thinks, 'This person will
be the ruin of me,' 'This person must be finished by me,' 'He is my enemy'
or 'I am his enemy,' 'He is a killer, or 'He should be killed.' The negative
state of mind is also expressed when one is attracted to the extraordinary
material aspects of particular persons or objects but forgets that they are
manifestations of the potency of the Personality of Godhead. Even the
demigod Indra, who is quite obviously a manifestation of the Lord's
material opulences, is misunderstood by others. For example, Indra's
wife, ac, thinks that Indra is 'my husband,' whereas Aditi thinks that he
is 'my son.' Jayanta thinks that he is 'my father,' Bhaspati thinks that he is
'my disciple,' whereas the demons feel that Indra is their personal enemy.
Thus different personalities define him according to their mental state.
The Lord's material opulences, being relatively perceived, are therefore
called mano-vikra, which means they are dependent on mental states.
This relative perception is material because it does not recognize the
Supreme Personality of Godhead as the actual source of the particular
opulence. If one sees Lord Ka as the source of all opulences and gives
up all desires to enjoy or possess the Lord's opulences, then one can see
the spiritual nature of these opulences. At that time, even though one may
continue to perceive the variety and distinctions of the material world,
one will become perfect in Ka consciousness. One should not
conclude, as do the voidist philosophers, that the Lord's spiritual
manifestations in the viu-tattva and liberated jva categories are also
products of relative perception and mental states. This useless idea is
contrary to the entire body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's
teachings to r Uddhava."
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the word vc also indicates the various

819

Vedic literatures that describe the particular processes by which the Lord
manifests His spiritual and material opulences, and in this context yath
indicates the specific procedures of manifestation and creation.
TEXT 42
vca yaccha mano yaccha
prn yacchedriyi ca
tmnam tman yaccha
na bhya kalpase 'dhvane
vcamspeech; yacchacontrol; manathe mind; yacchacontrol;
prnyour breathing; yacchacontrol; indriyithe senses; ca
also; tmnamthe intelligence; tmanby purified intelligence;
yacchacontrol; nanever; bhyaagain; kalpaseyou will fall;
adhvaneon the path of material existence.
Therefore, control your speaking, subdue the mind, conquer the life air,
regulate the senses and through purified intelligence bring your rational
faculties under control. In this way you will never again fall onto the
path of material existence.
One should see all things as expansions of the Supreme Lord's potency,
and thus with speech, mind and words one should offer respect to all
things, without minimizing any living entity or material object. Since
everything belongs to the Lord, everything ultimately should be engaged
in the Lord's service with great care. A self-realized devotee tolerates
personal insult and does not become envious of any living entity, nor does
he see anyone as his enemy. This is practical enlightenment. Although a
pure devotee may criticize those who obstruct the Lord's mission, such
criticism is never personally motivated nor is it ever based on
enviousness. An advanced devotee of the Lord may chastise his followers
or criticize the demoniac, but only to carry out the mission of the
Supreme Lord and never out of personal enmity or enviousness. For one
who completely gives up the material concept of life there is no possibility
of entering again onto the path of birth and death.
TEXT 43
yo vai v-manas sayag
asayacchan dhiy yati

820

tasya vrata tapo dna

sravaty ma-ghambu-vat
yaone who; vaicertainly; vk-manasthe speech and mind;
sayakcompletely;
asayacchannot
controlling;
dhiyby
intelligence; yatia transcendentalist; tasyahis; vratamvows;
tapaausterities; dnamcharity; sravatirun out; maunbaked;
ghaain a pot; ambu-vatlike water.
A transcendentalist who does not completely control his words and
mind by superior intelligence will find that his spiritual vows,
austerities and charity flow away just as water flows out of an unbaked
clay pot.
When a clay pot is properly baked it holds any liquid substance without
leakage. If a clay pot is not properly baked, however, water or any other
liquid within it will seep out and be lost. Similarly, a transcendentalist
who does not control his speech and mind will find that his spiritual
discipline and austerity gradually seep away and are lost. Dna, or
"charity," refers to work performed for the welfare of others. Those who
are trying to give the highest charity by preaching Ka consciousness
should not engage in speaking cleverly for the satisfaction of beautiful
women, nor should they attempt to become artificially intellectual simply
for the sake of mundane academic prestige. One should not even think of
intimate sexual relationships, nor should one daydream of acquiring a
prestigious position. Otherwise, one's determination to strictly practice
Ka consciousness will be lost, as described here. One must control the
mind, senses and speech by higher intelligence so that one's life will be
successful.
TEXT 44
tasmd vaco mana prn
niyacchen mat-paryaa
mad-bhakti-yuktay buddhy
tata parisampyate
tasmttherefore; vacawords; manathe mind; prnthe life
airs; niyacchetone should control; mat-paryaawho is devoted to
Me; matunto Me; bhaktiwith devotion; yuktayendowed;

821

buddhyby such intelligence; tatathus; parisampyateone fulfills

the mission of life.
Being surrendered to Me, one should control the speech, mind and life
air, and then through loving devotional intelligence one will completely
fulfill the mission of life.
One can develop loving devotional intelligence by perfectly chanting the
Brahma-gyatr mantra awarded at the moment of brhmaa initiation. By
clear intelligence, one becomes naturally and spontaneously disinterested
in the rewards offered by mental speculation and fruitive activities and
takes full shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Sixteenth Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Lord's Opulence."

822

17. Lord Ka's Description of the Varrama System

Previously, the Supreme Lord, r Ka, had assumed the form of Hasa
and glorified the duties of the brahmacr and ghastha orders. In this
present chapter Lord Ka further describes these matters to Uddhava.
After Uddhava inquires from r Ka about the duties of the social and
religious orders of the varrama society, the Lord replies that in the first
age, Satya-yuga, there was only one social order, called hasa. In that age
men were automatically dedicated to pure devotional service from their
very birth, and since everyone was perfect in-all respects, the age was
called Kta-yuga. The Vedas were then manifest in the form of the sacred
syllable o, and the Supreme Lord was perceived within the mind in the
form of the four-legged bull of religion. There were no formalized
processes of sacrifice, and the sinless people, who were naturally inclined
to austerity, simply engaged in meditation on the personal form of the
Lord. In the following age, Tret-yuga, there became manifest from the
heart of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the three Vedas, and from
them the three forms of the sacrificial fire. At that time the system of four
varas and four ramas, which prescribes material and spiritual duties
for the different members of society, appeared from the bodily limbs of
the Lord. According to how the social divisions took birth from higher
and lower features of the Lord's body, they became endowed with higher
and lower qualities. After this description, Lord Ka explains the
natures of persons in each of the four varas and of those who are outside
the limits of the varas. He also describes those qualities that pertain to
humanity in general.
Members of the higher orders are qualified to accept second birth. After
receiving the sacred thread initiation, they should go to live in the gurukula, the home of the spiritual master. With a pacified mind, the student
(brahmacr) should absorb himself in study of the Vedas. He should keep
matted hair and is forbidden to wash his teeth, prepare a nice seat for
himself, talk when bathing or evacuating, cut his hair and nails or at any
time pass semen. He must regularly perform worship at the three
junctures of the day and must render devotional service to his spiritual

823

master in a spirit free from envy. The brahmacr must offer to the guru
whatever food and other things he obtains by begging. He accepts for his
maintenance whatever remnants of the Lord he is granted. He should
render menial service to the spiritual master by massaging his feet and
worshiping him and should avoid all sense gratification and strictly
maintain the vow of celibacy. With his mind, body and words, he should
worship the Supreme Lord in the form of the Supersoul in the way
prescribed for him. For brahmacrs, seeing or touching women, and
conversations or sports in the company of women, are absolutely
disallowed. Cleanliness and ritual purification by water should be
observed by members of all the spiritual orders of society. Everyone is
also advised to always remember that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead is the Supreme Soul dwelling within the hearts of all.
After studying all the different aspects of the Vedas, a brhmaa who has
material desires may take permission from his spiritual master and enter
family life. Otherwise, if he has no material desire, he may become a
vnaprastha or sannys. The proper order of succession should be
followed in changing from one spiritual order to the next. One who
wishes to enter the household order should accept a wife who is of the
same social class, who is not objectionable, and who is somewhat younger
in age than he.
The obligatory duties of the three classes who are twice-born-the
brhmaas, katriyas and vaiyas-are worship of the Lord, study of the
Vedas and giving charity. The occupational duties of accepting charity,
teaching others and performing sacrifice for others are the privilege of the
brhmaas alone. If a brhmaa considers that his consciousness is
contaminated by engaging in these occupations, he may sustain his
existence by collecting grains from the fields. If he is disturbed by
poverty, the brhmaa may out of necessity accept the business of a
katriya or vaiya, but he should never take the occupation of a dra. In a
similar situation, a katriya may take the occupation of a vaiya, and a
vaiya that of a dra. But when the emergency has passed, it is not fitting
to continue earning one's living by a lower occupation. A brhmaa who
is properly fixed in his personal duty rejects all insignificant material
desires, always serves the Vaiavas and is under the protection of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The householder should study the
Vedas every day and maintain his wards with money honestly earned by
his own occupation. As far as possible, he should execute worship of the

824

Lord by ritual sacrifices. Remaining unattached to material life and fixed

in devotion to the Supreme Lord, the householder may finally take the
order of vnaprastha, so that he can fully involve himself in the Lord's
worship. If he has a grown son, he may directly take the renounced order
of sannysa. But persons who are excessively lusty after women, who have
no proper discrimination, and who are extremely attached to wealth and
possessions remain perpetually in anxiety over the welfare of their family
members and are doomed to take their next birth in a lower species of
life.
TEXTS 1-2
r-uddhava uvca
yas tvaybhihita prva
dharmas tvad-bhakti-lakaa
varamcravat
sarve dvi-padm api
yathnuhyamnena
tvayi bhaktir n bhavet
sva-dharmeravindka
tan mamkhytum arhasi
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; yawhich; tvayby You;
abhihitadescribed;
prvampreviously;
dharmareligious
principles; tvat-bhakti-lakaacharacterized by devotional service to
Your Lordship; vara-ramaof the varrama system; cravatmof
the faithful followers; sarvemof all; dvi-padmof ordinary human
beings (who do not follow the varrama system); apieven; yath
according to; anuhyamnenathe process being executed; tvayiin
You; bhaktiloving service; nmof human beings; bhavetmay be;
sva-dharmeaby one's own occupational duty; aravinda-akaO lotuseyed one; tatthat; mamato me; khytumto explain; arhasiYou
ought.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord, previously You described the
principles of devotional service that are to be practiced by followers of
the varrama system and even ordinary, unregulated human beings.
My dear lotus-eyed Lord, now please explain to me how all human
beings can achieve loving service unto You by the execution of their

825

prescribed duties.
Lord Ka has already elaborately explained the process of jna-yoga,
bhakti-yoga and aga-yoga. Now Uddhava inquires how those inclined
toward karma-yoga can achieve the perfection of life, Ka
consciousness. In Bhagavad-gt (4.13) Lord Ka describes that He is
personally the creator of the varrama system. Ctur-varya may
sa gua-karma-vibhgaa. Therefore the ultimate goal of the
varrama system is to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In
other words, one should become a devotee of the Lord and learn the
process of pure devotional service. The easiest method of achieving pure
devotional service is by the association of pure devotees of the Lord. If
one submissively and faithfully associates with pure devotees, one can
immediately achieve the perfection of life. A Ka conscious person is
not required to execute all the formalities of the varrama system,
because a Ka conscious person, absorbed in love of Godhead,
automatically gives up all sense gratification and mental speculation.
Those human beings who do not follow the varrama system are here
referred to as dvi-padm, or two-legged. In other words, one who does not
follow the religious path of life is known to be human only by the
possession of two legs. Even ordinary animals and insects are eagerly
engaged in eating, sleeping, mating and defending; the human being,
however, is distinguished from such lower forms of life by his capacity to
become religious and, ultimately, to love God in pure Ka
consciousness.
TEXTS 3-4
pur kila mah-bho
dharma paramaka prabho
yat tena hasa-rpea
brahmae 'bhyttha mdhava
sa idn su-mahat
klenmitra-karana
na pryo bhavit martyaloke prg anusita
purpreviously; kilaindeed; mah-bhoO mighty-armed one;
dharmamreligious principles; paramakambringing the greatest

826

happiness; prabhomy Lord; yatwhich; tenaby that; hasa-rpea

in the form of Lord Hasa; brahmaeunto Lord Brahm; abhyttha
You spoke; mdhavamy dear Mdhava; sathat (knowledge of
religious principles); idnmpresently; su-mahatafter very long;
klenatime; amitra-karanaO subduer of the enemy; nanot;
pryagenerally; bhavitwill exist; martya-lokein human society;
prkpreviously; anusitainstructed.
My dear Lord, O mighty-armed one, previously in Your form of Lord
Hasa You spoke to Lord Brahm those religious principles that bring
supreme happiness to the practitioner. My dear Mdhava, now much
time has passed, and that which You previously instructed will soon
practically cease to exist, O subduer of the enemy.
TEXTS 5-6
vakt kartvit nnyo
dharmasycyuta te bhuvi
sabhym api vairicy
yatra mrti-dhar kal
kartrvitr pravaktr ca
bhavat madhusdana
tyakte mah-tale deva
vinaa ka pravakyati
vaktspeaker; kartcreator; avitprotector; nanot; anyaany
other; dharmasyaof supreme religious principles; acyutamy dear
Acyuta; tethan You; bhuvion the earth; sabhymin the assembly;
apieven; vairicymof Lord Brahm; yatrawherein; mrti-dhar
in the personified form; kalthe Vedas; kartrby the creator;
avitrby the protector; pravaktrby the speaker; caalso; bhavat
by Your Lordship; madhusdanamy dear Madhusdana; tyaktewhen
it is abandoned; mah-talethe earth; devamy dear Lord; vinaam
those lost principles of religion; kawho; pravakyatiwill speak.
My dear Lord Acyuta, there is no speaker, creator and protector of
supreme religious principles other than Your Lordship, either on the
earth or even in the assembly of Lord Brahm, where the personified
Vedas reside. Thus, my dear Lord Madhusdana, when You, who are

827

the very creator, protector and speaker of spiritual knowledge, abandon

the earth, who will again speak this lost knowledge?
TEXT 7
tat tva na sarva-dharma-ja
dharmas tvad-bhakti-lakaa
yath yasya vidhyeta
tath varaya me prabho
tattherefore; tvamYou; naamong us (human beings); sarvadharma-jaO supreme knower of religious principles; dharmathe
spiritual path; tvat-bhaktiby loving service to You; lakaa
characterized; yathin which way; yasyaof whom; vidhyetamay be
executed; tathin that way; varayaplease describe; meunto me;
prabhomy Lord.
Therefore, my Lord, since You are the knower of all religious
principles, please describe to me the human beings who may execute
the path of loving service to You and how such service is to be
rendered.
TEXT 8
r-uka uvca
ittha sva-bhtya-mukhyena
pa sa bhagavn hari
prta kemya martyn
dharmn ha santann
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; itthamthus; sva-bhtyamukhyenaby the best of His devotees; paquestioned; saHe;
bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; harir Ka;
prtabeing pleased; kemyafor the highest welfare; martynmof
all conditioned souls; dharmnreligious principles; haspoke;
santanneternal.
r ukadeva Gosvm said: r Uddhava, the best of devotees, thus
inquired from the Lord. Hearing his question, the Personality of
Godhead, r Ka, was pleased and for the welfare of all conditioned

828

souls spoke those religious principles that are eternal.

TEXT 9
r-bhagavn uvca
dharmya ea tava prano
naireyasa-karo nm
varramcravat
tam uddhava nibodha me
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
dharmyafaithful to religious principles; eathis; tavayour;
pranaquestion; naireyasa-karathe cause of pure devotional
service; nmfor ordinary human beings; vara-ramathe
varrama system; cra-vatmfor those who faithfully follow; tam
those highest religious principles; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; nibodha
please learn; mefrom Me.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, your
question is faithful to religious principles and thus gives rise to the
highest perfection in life, pure devotional service, for both ordinary
human beings and the followers of the varrama system. Now please
learn from Me those supreme religious principles.
The word naireyasa-kara indicates that which awards the highest
perfection of life, Ka consciousness, which the Lord is explaining to r
Uddhava. When considering religious principles, ordinary human beings
remain bogged down in sectarian mundane considerations. The process
that awards the highest perfection of life should be considered the most
auspicious for human beings. The varrama system is the most
scientific presentation of religiosity on the earth, and those who are most
perfect in that system come to the point of Ka consciousness, or
dedicating everything for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 10
dau kta-yuge varo
n hasa iti smta
kta-kty praj jty
tasmt kta-yuga vidu

829

dauin the beginning (of the millennium); kta-yugein the Satyayuga, or age of truth; varathe social class; nmof human beings;
hasanamed hasa; iti-thus; smtawell known; kta-kty
perfect in the execution of duties by complete surrender to the Supreme
Lord; prajthe citizens; jtyautomatically by birth; tasmt
therefore; kta-yugamKta-yuga, or the age in which all duties are
fulfilled; viduwas thus known by the learned.
In the beginning, in Satya-yuga, there is only one social class, called
hasa, to which all human beings belong. In that age all people are
unalloyed devotees of the Lord from birth, and thus learned scholars
call this first age Kta-yuga, or the age in which all religious duties are
perfectly fulfilled.
It is understood from this verse that the supreme religious principle is
unalloyed surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Satyayuga there is no influence of the lower modes of nature, and therefore all
human beings belong to the highest social order, called hasa, in which
one comes under the direct supervision of the Personality of Godhead. In
the modern age people are crying out for social equality, but unless all
human beings are situated in the mode of goodness, which is the position
of purity and unalloyed devotion, social equality is not possible. As the
lower modes of nature become prominent, secondary religious principles
arise, by which people may be gradually elevated to the pure stage of
unalloyed surrender to God. In Satya-yuga there are no inferior human
beings, and thus there is no need of secondary religious principles.
Everyone directly takes to the unalloyed service of the Lord, fulfilling
perfectly all religious obligations. In Sanskrit, one who perfectly executes
all duties is called kta-ktya, as mentioned in this verse. Therefore Satyayuga is called Kta-yuga, or the age of perfect religious action. According
to rla Jva Gosvm, the word dau ("in the beginning") refers to the
moment of universal creation. In other words, the varrama system is
not a recent concoction but naturally arises at the time of creation and
should therefore be accepted by all intelligent human beings.
TEXT 11
veda praava evgre
dharmo 'ha va-rpa-dhk
upsate tapo-nih

830

hasa m mukta-kilbi
vedathe Veda; praava-the sacred syllable o; eva-indeed; agrein
Satya-yuga; dharmathe object of mental activities; ahamI; va-rpadhkbearing the form of the bull of religion; upsatethey worship;
tapa-nihfixed in austerity; hasamLord Hasa; mmMe;
muktafreed from; kilbiall sins.
In Satya-yuga the undivided Veda is expressed by the syllable o, and I
am the only object of mental activities. I become manifest as the fourlegged bull of religion, and thus the inhabitants of Satya-yuga, fixed in
austerity and free from all sins, worship Me as Lord Hasa.
The bull of religion is described in rmad-Bhgavatam (1.17.24): tapa
aucam day satyam iti pd kte kt. "In the age of Satya
[truthfulness], your four legs were established by the four principles of
austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness." r Vysadeva divided the
one Veda into fourthe g, Yajur, Sma and Atharva Vedasat the end of
Dvpara-yuga, but in Satya-yuga the whole of Vedic knowledge is easily
understood by everyone simply by vibrating the syllable o. In this age
there are no ritualistic or pious activities such as sacrifice, since everyone
is sinless, austere and fully engaged in worshiping the Personality of
Godhead, Lord Hasa, through the process of meditation.
TEXT 12
tret-mukhe mah-bhga
prn me hdayt tray
vidy prdurabht tasy
aham sa tri-vn makha
tret-mukheat the beginning of Tret-yuga; mah-bhgaO greatly
fortunate one; prtfrom the abode of pra, or the life air; meMy;
hdaytfrom the heart; traythe threefold; vidyVedic knowledge;
prdurabhtappeared; tasyfrom that knowledge; ahamI; sam
appeared; tri-vtin three divisions; makhasacrifice.
O greatly fortunate one, at the beginning of Tret-yuga Vedic knowledge
appeared from My heart, which is the abode of the air of life, in three
divisionsas g, Sma and Yajur. Then from that knowledge I
appeared as threefold sacrifice.

831

In Tret-yuga, the bull of religion loses one leg, and only seventy-five
percent of religious principles are manifested, represented by the three
principal Vedasg, Sma and Yajur. The Lord appears in the process of
threefold Vedic sacrifice. The three divisions are understood as follows.
The hot priest offers oblations into the fire and chants the g Veda; the
udgt priest chants the Sma Veda; and the adhvaryu priest, who arranges
the sacrificial ground, altar, etc., chants the Yajur Veda. In Tret-yuga
such sacrifice is the authorized process for spiritual perfection. The word
prt in this verse refers to the universal form of the Personality of
Godhead. This form is further described in the following verses.
TEXT 13
vipra-katriya-vi-dr
mukha-bhru-pda-j
vairjt puruj jt
ya tmcra-laka
viprabrhmaas; katriyakatriyas, the martial class; vivaiyas,
mercantile men; drdras, workers; mukhafrom the mouth;
bhuarms; ruthighs; pdaand legs; jborn; vairjtfrom the
universal form; purutfrom the Personality of Godhead; jt
generated; ye-who; tmapersonal; craby activities; laka
recognized.
In Tret-yuga the four social orders were manifested from the universal
form of the Personality of Godhead. The brhmaas appeared from the
Lord's face, the katriyas from the Lord's arms, the vaiyas from the
Lord's thighs and the dras from the legs of that mighty form. Each
social division was recognized by its particular duties and behavior.
TEXT 14
ghramo jaghanato
brahmacarya hdo mama
vaka-sthald vane-vsa
sannysa irasi sthita
gha-ramamarried life; jaghanatafrom the loins; brahmacaryam
celibate student life; hdafrom the heart; mamaMy; vaka-sthalt
from the chest; vanein the forest; vsadwelling; sannysathe

832

renounced order of life; irasiin the head; sthitasituated.

The married order of life appeared from the loins of My universal form,
and the celibate students came from My heart. The forest-dwelling
retired order of life appeared from My chest, and the renounced order
of life was situated within the head of My universal form.
There are two classes of brahmacr life. The naihiki-brahmacr remains
celibate throughout life, whereas the upakurva-brahmacr marries
upon finishing his student life. One who remains perpetually celibate is
situated within the heart of Lord Ka, but those brahmacrs who
eventually marry are situated within the loins of the universal form of the
Lord. The word vane-vsa refers to vnaprastha, or the retired order of
life, which is situated on the chest of the Lord.
TEXT 15
varnm ram ca
janma-bhmy-anusri
san praktayo nn
ncair ncottamottam
varnmof the occupational divisions; rammof the social
divisions; caalso; janmaof birth; bhmithe situation; anusri
according to; sanappeared; praktayathe natures; nmof
human beings; ncaiby inferior background; ncainferior nature;
uttamaby superior background; uttamsuperior natures.
The various occupational and social divisions of human society
appeared according to inferior and superior natures manifest in the
situation of the individual's birth.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the brhmaas and
sannyss, being situated on the head of the universal form of the Lord,
are considered to be the most qualified, whereas the dras and ghasthas,
being on the legs or loins of the Personality of Godhead, are considered to
be in the lowest position. A living entity is born with a certain amount of
intelligence, beauty and social opportunity, and he is therefore situated in
a particular occupational and social position within the varrama
system. Ultimately, such positions are external designations, but since the
majority of human beings are conditioned by the external energy of the

833

Lord, they should act according to the scientific varrama divisions

until they reach the stage of jvan-mukta, or liberated life.
TEXT 16
amo damas tapa auca
santoa kntir rjavam
mad-bhakti ca day satya
brahma-praktayas tv im
amapeacefulness; damasense control; tapaausterity; aucam
cleanliness; santoafull satisfaction; kntiforgiveness; rjavam
simplicity and straightforwardness; mat-bhaktidevotional service unto
Me; caalso; daymercy; satyamtruth; brahmaof the brhmaas;
praktayathe natural qualities; tuindeed; imthese.
Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, cleanliness, satisfaction, tolerance,
simple straightforwardness, devotion to Me, mercy and truthfulness are
the natural qualities of the brhmaas.
TEXT 17
tejo bala dhti aurya
titikaudryam udyama
sthairya brahmanyam aivarya
katra-praktayas tv im
tejadynamic power; balambodily strength; dhtidetermination;
auryamheroism; titiktolerance; audryamgenerosity; udyama
endeavor; sthairyamsteadiness; brahmayambeing always eager to
serve the brhmaas; aivaryamleadership; katraof the katriyas;
praktayathe natural qualities; tuindeed; imthese.
Dynamic power, bodily strength, determination, heroism, tolerance,
generosity, great endeavor, steadiness, devotion to the brhmaas and
leadership are the natural qualities of the katriyas.
TEXT 18
stikya dna-nih ca
adambho brahma-sevanam

834

atuir arthopacayair
vaiya-praktayas tv im
stikyamfaith in Vedic civilization; dna-nihdedicated to charity;
caalso; adambhabeing without hypocrisy; brahma-sevanamservice
to the brhmaas; atuiremaining dissatisfied; arthaof money;
upacayaiby the accumulation; vaiyaof the vaiyas; praktayathe
natural qualities; tuindeed; imthese.
Faith in Vedic civilization, dedication to charity, freedom from
hypocrisy, service to the brhmaas and perpetually desiring to
accumulate more money are the natural qualities of the vaiyas.
Atuir arthopacayai indicates that a vaiya is never satisfied with any
amount of wealth and always wants to accumulate more. On the other
hand, he is dna-niha, or dedicated to charitable work; brahmasev,
always engaged in assisting the brhmaas; and adambha, free from
hypocrisy. This is due to stikyam, or complete faith in the Vedic way of
life, and confidence that one will be rewarded or punished in the next life
for one's present activities. The fervent desire of the vaiyas to accumulate
wealth is not the same as ordinary material greed, because it is purified
and tempered by the superior qualities mentioned in this verse.
TEXT 19
uraa dvija-gav
devn cpy amyay
tatra labdhena santoa
dra-praktayas tv im
uraamservice; dvijaof the brhmaas; gavmof the cows;
devnmof worshipable personalities such as the demigods and the
spiritual master; caalso; apiindeed; amyaywithout duplicity;
tatrain such service; labdhenawith that which is obtained; santoa
complete satisfaction; draof the dras; praktayathe natural
qualities; tuindeed; imthese.
Service without duplicity to the brhmaas, cows, demigods and other
worshipable personalities, and complete satisfaction with whatever
income is obtained in such service, are the natural qualities of dras.

835

When the entire social order is functioning properly according to Vedic

standards, everyone is happy and satisfied. Although the dras are to be
satisfied with whatever income they obtain through their service, they
never lack the necessities of life, because the other orders of society, such
as katriyas and vaiyas, are required to be abundantly generous, and the
brhmaas are well known for being the most merciful of all. Therefore, if
all social classes obey the Vedic injunctions there will be a new and
blissful life for the entire human society under the guidance of Ka
consciousness.
TEXT 20
aaucam anta steya
nstikya uka-vigraha
kma krodha ca tara ca
sa bhvo 'ntyvasyinm
aaucamdirtiness; antamdishonesty; steyamthievery; nstikyam
faithlessness; uka-vigrahauseless quarreling; kmalust; krodha
anger; caalso; tarahankering; caalso; sathis; bhvathe
nature; antyain the lowest position; avasyinmof those residing.
Dirtiness, dishonesty, thievery, faithlessness, useless quarrel, lust,
anger and hankering constitute the nature of those in the lowest
position outside the varrama system.
Here the Lord describes those who reside outside the scientific social
system called varrama. In Europe and America, we have practically
observed that the standards of cleanliness are abominable even among socalled educated persons. Going without bathing and the use of indecent
language are common. In the modern age people whimsically speak
whatever they like, dispensing with all authority, and there is therefore
very little truthfulness or true wisdom. Similarly, in both the capitalistic
and communistic countries, everyone is busily engaged in stealing and
robbing from everyone else in the name of business, taxation or outright
crime. People are not confident of the kingdom of God nor of their own
eternal nature, and thus their faith is very weak. Moreover, since modern
human beings are not very interested in Ka consciousness they
constantly quarrel, bicker and fight over completely insignificant issues
relating to the material body. Thus at the slightest provocation there are

836

huge wars and massacres. Lust, anger and hankering have become
practically unlimited in Kali-yuga. The symptoms and characteristics
mentioned here can be abundantly observed throughout the world,
wherever people have fallen away from the varrama system. Because of
sinful habits such as animal killing, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling,
the great majority of human beings have become calas, or
untouchables.
TEXT 21
ahis satyam asteyam
akma-krodha-lobhat
bhta-priya-hiteh ca
dharmo 'ya srva-varika
ahisnonviolence; satyamtruthfulness; asteyamhonesty; a-kmakrodha-lobhatbeing free from lust, anger and greed; bhtaof all living
entities; priyathe happiness; hitaand welfare; hdesiring; caalso;
dharmaduty; ayamthis; srva-varikafor all members of society.
Nonviolence, truthfulness, honesty, desire for the happiness and
welfare of all others and freedom from lust, anger and greed constitute
duties for all members of society.
The word srva-varika indicates that the above-mentioned principles
constitute general piety, which should be observed by all members of
society, even those outside the varrama system. We practically find
that even in societies that have fallen away from the varrama system,
the above-mentioned principles are honored and encouraged. Such
principles do not constitute a specific path of liberation but are perennial
virtues in human society.
TEXT 22
dvitya prpynuprvyj
janmopanayana dvija
vasan guru-kule dnto
brahmdhyta chta
dvityamsecond; prpyaachieving; nuprvytby the gradual
process of purificatory ceremonies; janmabirth; upanayanamGyatr
initiation; dvijaa twice-born member of society; vasanresiding; guru-

837

kulein the rama of the spiritual master; dntaself-controlled;

brahmathe Vedic literatures; adhytashould study; caand also
understand; htabeing summoned by the spiritual master.
The twice-born member of society achieves second birth through the
sequence of purificatory ceremonies culminating in Gyatr initiation.
Being summoned by the spiritual master, he should reside within the
guru's rama and with a self-controlled mind carefully study the Vedic
literature.
The term dvija, or "twice-born," here indicates the three superior classes,
namely brhmaas, katriyas and vaiyas, who all receive the Gyatr
mantra, which signifies their second birth through spiritual initiation.
One's first birth is biological, or seminal, and does not necessarily indicate
that one is intelligent or enlightened. A young brhmaa boy, if qualified,
may be initiated with Gyatr mantra at the age of twelve, and katriyas
and vaiyas a few years later. In order to become enlightened with
spiritual knowledge, the boy resides within the guru-kula, or rama of
the spiritual master. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness
has established similar guru-kulas all over the world and is issuing a great
call to civilized human beings to arrange for the proper education of their
children. Every young boy and girl should learn to be self-controlled and
should become enlightened through study of authorized Vedic literatures.
In this way, unlike ordinary animals, insects, fish and birds, etc., an
enlightened human being may take birth twice and thus become perfect in
the knowledge that leads to ultimate liberation. The word nuprvyt in
this verse indicates the system of saskras, or purificatory rites,
beginning with garbhdhna-saskra, or the purification of the sexual
act. Generally, dras and those who do not follow the Vedic system are
not attracted to such purificatory ceremonies; therefore they remain
ignorant of spiritual life and envious of the bona fide spiritual master.
Those whose character has been civilized by a systematic cleansing
process give up the tendency to be argumentative and whimsical and
instead become submissive and eager to learn in the presence of a bona
fide spiritual master.
TEXT 23
mekhaljina-dakabrahma-stra-kamaaln

838

jailo 'dhauta-dad-vso
'rakta-pha kun dadhat
mekhalbelt; ajinadeerskin; daastaff; akabead necklace;
brahma-strabrhmaa thread; kamaalnand waterpot; jaila
with matted, unruly hair; adhautawithout polishing, bleaching or
ironing; dat-vsathe teeth and clothes; arakta-phawithout
accepting a luxurious or sensuous seat; kunkua grass; dadhat
carrying in his hand.
The brahmacr should regularly dress with a belt of straw and deerskin
garments. He should wear matted hair, carry a rod and waterpot and be
decorated with aka beads and a sacred thread. Carrying pure kua
grass in his hand, he should never accept a luxurious or sensuous
sitting place. He should not unnecessarily polish his teeth, nor should
he bleach and iron his clothes.
The word adhauta-dad-vasa indicates that a renounced brahmacr is not
concerned with a glistening smile to attract the opposite sex, nor does he
pay much attention to his outer garments. Brahmacr life is meant for
austerity and obedience to the spiritual master so that later in life, when
one becomes a businessman, politician or intellectual brhmaa, one will
be able to call upon resources of character, discipline, self-control,
austerity and humility. Student life, as described here, is far different from
the mindless hedonism known as modern education. Of course, in the
modern age, Ka conscious brahmacrs cannot artificially adopt the
ancient dress and ritualistic duties described here; but the essential values
of self-control, purity and obedience to a bona fide spiritual master are
just as necessary today as they were in Vedic times.
TEXT 24
snna-bhojana-homeu
japoccre ca vg-yata
na cchindyn nakha-romi
kakopastha-gatny api
snnawhile bathing; bhojanawhile eating; homeuand while
attending sacrificial performances; japawhile chanting mantras to
oneself; uccrewhile passing stool or urine; caalso; vk-yata

839

remaining silent; nanot; chindytshould cut; nakhathe nails;

romior hairs; kakain the armpits; upasthapubic; gatni
including; apieven.
A brahmacr should always remain silent while bathing, eating,
attending sacrificial performances, chanting japa or passing stool and
urine. He should not cut his nails and hair, including the armpit and
pubic hair.
Nrada Muni gives a similar technical description of Vedic brahmacr life
in Canto Seven, Chapter Twelve of rmad-Bhgavatam.
TEXT 25
reto nvakirej jtu
brahma-vrata-dhara svayam
avakre 'vaghypsu
yatsus tri-pad japet
retasemen; nanot; avakiretshould spill out; jtuever; brahmavrata-dharaone who is maintaining the vow of celibacy, or
brahmacarya; svayamby itself; avakrehaving flowed out;
avaghyabathing; apsuin water; yata-asucontrolling the breathing
by pryma; tri-padm-the Gyatr mantra; japethe should chant.
One observing the vow of celibate brahmacr life should never pass
semen. If the semen by chance spills out by itself, the brahmacr
should immediately take bath in water, control his breath by pryma
and chant the Gyatr mantra
TEXT 26
agny-arkcrya-go-vipraguru-vddha-sur uci
samhita upsta
sandhye dve yata-vg japan
agnithe fire-god; arkathe sun; cryathe crya; gothe cows;
viprathe brhmaas; guruthe spiritual master; vddhaelder
respectable persons; surnthe demigods; ucipurified; samhita
with fixed consciousness; upstahe should worship; sandhyein the

840

junctions of time; dvetwo; yata-vkobserving silence; japansilently

chanting or murmuring the proper mantras.
Purified and fixed in consciousness, the brahmacr should worship the
fire-god, sun, crya, cows, brhmaas, guru, elderly respectable
persons and demigods. He should perform such worship at sunrise and
sunset, without speaking but by silently chanting or murmuring the
appropriate mantras.
TEXT 27
crya m vijnyn
navamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhysyeta
sarva-deva-mayo guru
cryamthe spiritual master; mmMyself; vijnytone should
know; na avamanyetaone should never disrespect; karhicitat any
time; nanever; martya-buddhywith the idea of his being an ordinary
man; asyetaone should be envious; sarva-devaof all demigods;
mayarepresentative; guruthe spiritual master.
One should know the crya as Myself and never disrespect him in any
way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is
the representative of all the demigods.
This verse appears in Caitanya-caritmta (di 1.46). His Divine Grace
O Viupda Paramahasa Parivrjakcrya Aottara-ata r rmad
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda has commented on this verse as
follows.
"This is a verse from rmad-Bhgavatam (11.17.27) spoken by Lord r
Ka when He was questioned by Uddhava regarding the four social and
spiritual orders of society. He was specifically instructing how a
brahmacr should behave under the care of a spiritual master. A spiritual
master is not an enjoyer of facilities offered by his disciples. He is like a
parent. Without the attentive service of his parents, a child cannot grow
to manhood; similarly, without the care of the spiritual master one cannot
rise to the plane of transcendental service.
"The spiritual master is also called crya, or a transcendental professor of
spiritual science. Manu-sahit (2.140) explains the duties of an crya,

841

describing that a bona fide spiritual maser accepts charge of disciples,

teaches them the Vedic knowledge with all its intricacies, and gives them
their second birth. The ceremony performed to initiate a disciple into the
study of spiritual science is called upanti, or the function that brings one
nearer to the spiritual master. One who cannot be brought nearer to a
spiritual master cannot have a sacred thread, and thus he is indicated to
be a dra. The sacred thread worn on the body of a brhmaa, katriya or
vaiya is a symbol of initiation by the spiritual master; it is worth nothing
if worn merely to boast of high parentage. The duty of the spiritual master
is to initiate a disciple with the sacred thread ceremony, and after this
saskra, or purificatory process, the spiritual master actually begins to
teach the disciple about the Vedas. A person born a dra is not barred
from such spiritual initiation, provided he is approved by the spiritual
master, who is duly authorized to award a disciple the right to be a
brhmaa if he finds him perfectly qualified. In the Vyu Pura an crya
is defined as one who knows the import of all the Vedic literatures, abides
by their rules and regulations, and teaches his disciples to act in the same
way.
"Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead
reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore in the dealings of an
crya there are no activities but those of transcendental loving service to
the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is
worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who is called rayavigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take
shelter.
"If one poses himself as an crya but does not have an attitude of
servitorship to the Lord, he must be considered an offender, and this
offensive attitude disqualifies him from being an crya. The bona fide
spiritual master always engages in unalloyed devotional service to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. By this test he is known to be a direct
manifestation of the Lord and a genuine representative of r Nitynanda
Prabhu. Such a spiritual master is known as cryadeva. Influenced by an
envious temperament and dissatisfied because of an attitude of sense
gratification, mundaners criticize a real crya. In fact, however, a bona
fide crya is nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead, and therefore
to envy such an crya is to envy the Personality of Godhead Himself.
This will produce an effect subversive to transcendental realization.
"As mentioned previously, a disciple should always respect the spiritual

842

master as a manifestation of r Ka, but at the same time one should

always remember that a spiritual master is never authorized to imitate the
transcendental pastimes of the Lord. False spiritual masters pose
themselves as identical with r Ka in every respect, to exploit the
sentiments of their disciples, but such impersonalists can only mislead
their disciples, for their ultimate aim is to become one with the Lord. This
is against the principles of the devotional cult.
"The real Vedic philosophy is acintya-bhedbheda-tattva, which establishes
everything to be simultaneously one with and different from the
Personality of Godhead. rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm confirms that
this is the real position of a bona fide spiritual master and says that one
should always think of the spiritual master in terms of his intimate
relationship with Mukunda (r Ka). rla Jva Gosvm, in his Bhaktisandarbha (213), has clearly defined that a pure devotee's observation of
the spiritual master and Lord iva as one with the Personality of Godhead
exists in terms of their being very dear to the Lord, not identical with Him
in all respects. Following in the footsteps of rla Raghuntha dsa
Gosvm and rla Jva Gosvm, later cryas like rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura have confirmed the same truths. In his prayers to the
spiritual master, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura confirms that all the
revealed scriptures accept the spiritual master to be identical with the
Personality of Godhead because he is a very dear and confidential servant
of the Lord. Gauya Vaiavas therefore worship rla Gurudeva (the
spiritual master) in the light of his being the servitor of the Personality of
Godhead. In all the ancient literatures of devotional service and in the
more recent songs of rla Narottama dsa hkura, rla Bhaktivinoda
hkura and other unalloyed Vaiavas, the spiritual master is always
considered to be either one of the confidential associates of rmat
Rdhr or a manifested representation of rla Nitynanda Prabhu."
TEXT 28
sya prtar upnya
bhaikya tasmai nivedayet
yac cnyad apy anujtam
upayujta sayata
syamin the evening; prtain the morning; upnyabringing;
bhaikyamfood that is collected by begging; tasmaiunto him (the
crya); nivedayetone should deliver; yatthat which; caalso;

843

anyatother things; apiindeed; anujtamthat which is permitted;

upayujtaone should accept; sayatabeing fully controlled.
In the morning and evening one should collect foodstuffs and other
articles and deliver them to the spiritual master. Then, being selfcontrolled, one should accept for oneself that which is allotted by the
crya.
One who desires to receive the mercy of a bona fide spiritual master
should not be eager to accumulate the paraphernalia of sense gratification;
rather, whatever one is able to collect one should offer at the lotus feet of
the crya. Being self-controlled, one should humbly accept that which is
allotted by the bona fide spiritual master. Every living entity must
ultimately be trained to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but
until one has become expert in the techniques of spiritual service one
should offer everything to the spiritual master, who is completely realized
in the process of worshiping the Lord. When the spiritual master sees that
the disciple is advanced in Ka consciousness, he then engages the
disciple in directly worshiping the Personality of Godhead. A bona fide
spiritual master does not use anything for his personal sense gratification
and entrusts to his disciple only as much material opulence as the disciple
can properly offer to the lotus feet of the Lord. The example may be given
that when an ordinary father tries to train his son in business and other
material activities, he entrusts to the son only as much wealth as the son
can intelligently engage in profitable enterprises without foolishly wasting
the father's hard-earned money.
Similarly, the bona fide spiritual master teaches his disciple to worship
the Lord, and an immature disciple must simply deliver everything to the
lotus feet of the guru, just as an immature child does not keep a personal
bank account but rather receives his maintenance from the father, who
trains the son to be responsible. If one cheats oneself by defying the order
of a bona fide spiritual master or Ka, one certainly becomes a
nondevotee, or sense enjoyer, and falls from the spiritual path. Therefore,
one should be trained to serve a bona fide spiritual master and thus
become mature in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 29
urama crya
sadopsta nca-vat

844

yna-ayysana-sthnair
nti-dre ktjali
uramaengaged in serving; cryamthe bona fide spiritual
master; sadalways; upstaone should worship; nca-vatas a
humble servant; ynaby humbly following behind the guru when he is
walking; ayyby taking rest with the spiritual master; sanasitting
near the guru to render service; sthnaiby standing and humbly
waiting upon the guru; nanot; ativery; drefar away; kta-ajali
with folded hands.
While engaged in serving the spiritual master one should remain as a
humble servant, and thus when the guru is walking the servant should
humbly walk behind. When the guru lies down to sleep, the servant
should also lie down nearby, and when the guru has awakened, the
servant should sit near him, massaging his lotus feet and rendering
other, similar services. When the guru is sitting down on his sana, the
servant should stand nearby with folded hands, awaiting the guru's
order. In this way one should always worship the spiritual master.
TEXT 30
eva-vtto guru-kule
vased bhoga-vivarjita
vidy sampyate yvad
bibhrad vratam akhaitam
evamthus; vttaengaged; guru-kulein the rama of the spiritual
master; vasethe should live; bhogasense gratification; vivarjita
freed from; vidyVedic education; sampyateis completed; yvat
until; bibhratmaintaining; vratamthe vow (of brahmacarya);
akhaitamunbroken.
Until the student has completed his Vedic education he should remain
engaged in the rama of the spiritual master, should remain
completely free of material sense gratification and should not break his
vow of celibacy [brahmacarya].
This verse describes the upakurva-brahmacr, who enters ghastharama, or family life, after completing his Vedic education. The word

845

eva-vtta indicates that although one may eventually marry and

become prominent in society as an intellectual, politician or businessman,
during student life one must remain without false prestige as a humble
servant of the bona fide spiritual master. The naihiki-brahmacr, who
never marries, is described in the following verse.
TEXT 31
yady asau chandas lokam
rokyan brahma-viapam
gurave vinyased deha
svdhyyrtha bhad-vrata
yadiif; asauthat student; chandasm lokamthe Maharloka planet;
rokyandesiring to ascend to; brahma-viapamBrahmaloka; gurave
unto the guru; vinyasethe should offer; dehamhis body; sva-adhyya
of superior Vedic studies; arthamfor the purpose; bhat-vrata
observing the powerful vow of perpetual celibacy.
If the brahmacr student desires to ascend to the Maharloka or
Brahmaloka planets, then he should completely surrender his activities
to the spiritual master and, observing the powerful vow of perpetual
celibacy, dedicate himself to superior Vedic studies.
One who desires the supreme perfection of life must engage his body,
mind and words in the service of a bona fide spiritual master. One
desiring elevation to superior planets such as Brahmaloka and Maharloka
must fully engage in the spiritual master's service. We can thus imagine
the sincerity of purpose and service required to achieve the Kaloka
planet, which lies far beyond the material universe.
TEXT 32
agnau gurv tmani ca
sarva-bhteu m param
apthag-dhr upasta
brahma-varcasvy akalmaa
agnauin fire; gurauin the spiritual master; tmaniin oneself; ca
also; sarva-bhteuin all living entities; mmMe; paramthe
Supreme; apthak-dhwithout any concept of duality; upstaone
should worship; brahma-varcasvpossessing Vedic enlightenment;

846

akalmaasinless.
Thus enlightened in Vedic knowledge by service to the spiritual master,
freed from all sins and duality, one should worship Me as the
Supersoul, as I appear within fire, the spiritual master, one's own self
and all living entities.
One becomes glorious and enlightened by faithfully serving a bona fide
spiritual master, who is expert in the Vedic way of life. Thus purified, one
never engages in sinful activities, which immediately extinguish the fire of
spiritual enlightenment; nor does one become foolish and small-minded,
trying to exploit material nature for personal sense gratification. A
purified human being is apthag-dh, or without consciousness of duality,
because he has been trained to observe the Supreme Personality of
Godhead within all things. Such sublime consciousness should be
systematically taught throughout the world so that human society will
become peaceful and sublime.
TEXT 33
str nirkaa-sparasalpa-kvelandikam
prino mithun-bhtn
aghastho 'gratas tyajet
strmin relation to women; nirkaaglancing; sparatouching;
salpaconversing; kvelanajoking or sporting; dikamand so on;
prinaliving entities; mithun-bhtnengaged in sex; agha-sthaa
sannys, vnaprastha or brahmacr; agratafirst of all; tyajetshould
give up.
Those who are not marriedsannyss, vnaprasthas and
brahmacrsshould never associate with women by glancing,
touching, conversing, joking or sporting. Neither should they ever
associate with any living entity engaged in sexual activities.
Prina indicates all living entities, whether birds, bees or human beings.
Among most species of life, sexual intercourse is preceded by diverse
mating rituals. In human society, all types of entertainment (books,
music, films) and all places of amusement (restaurants, shopping centers,
resorts) are designed to stimulate the sexual urge and create an aura of

847

"romance." One who is not marrieda sannys, brahmacr or

vnaprasthashould rigidly avoid anything related to sex and of course
should never see any living entity, whether bird, insect or human,
engaging in the various phases of sexual intercourse. When a man jokes
with a woman, an intimate, sexually-charged atmosphere is immediately
created, and this should also be avoided for those aspiring to practice
celibacy. Even a householder who becomes attached to such activities will
also fall down into the darkness of ignorance.
TEXTS 34-35
aucam camana snna
sandhyopstir mamrcanam
trtha-sev japo 'spybhakysambhya-varjanam
sarvrama-prayukto 'ya
niyama kula-nandana
mad-bhva sarva-bhteu
mano-vk-kya-sayama
aucamcleanliness; camanampurifying the hands with water;
snnambathing; sandhyat sunrise, noon and sunset; upsti
religious services; mamaof Me; arcanamworship; trtha-sevgoing
to holy places; japachanting the holy names of the Lord; aspya
which are untouchable; abhakyauneatable; asambhyaor not to be
discussed; varjanamavoidance of things; sarvafor all; ramaorders
of life; prayuktaenjoined; ayamthis; niyamarule; kula-nandana
My dear Uddhava; mat-bhvaperceiving My existence; sarva-bhteu
in all living entities; manaof the mind; vkof words; kyaof the
body; sayamaregulation.
My dear Uddhava, general cleanliness, washing the hands, bathing,
performing religious services at sunrise, noon and sunset, worshiping
Me, visiting holy places, chanting japa, avoiding that which is
untouchable, uneatable or not to be discussed, and remembering My
existence within all living entities as the Supersoulthese principles
should be followed by all members of society through regulation of the
mind, words and body.

848

TEXT 36
eva bhad-vrata-dharo
brhmao 'gnir iva jvalan
mad-bhaktas tvra-tapas
dagdha-karmayo 'mala
evamthus; bhat-vratathat great vow of perpetual celibacy; dhara
maintaining; brhmaaa brhmaa; agnifire; ivalike; jvalan
becoming bright; mat-bhaktaMy devotee; tvra-tapasby intense
austerities; dagdhaburned; karmaof fruitive activities; ayathe
propensity or mentality; amalawithout contamination of material
desire.
A brhmaa observing the great vow of celibacy becomes brilliant like
fire and by serious austerity burns to ashes the propensity to perform
material activities. Free from the contamination of material desire, he
becomes My devotee.
The process of liberation is described in this verse. Once when rla
Prabhupda was traveling by airplane, a fellow passenger, who happened
to be a priest, told him that he had seen his disciples and found them
"bright-faced." rla Prabhupda was fond of relating this incident. The
spirit soul is more brilliant than the sun, and as the process of spiritual
purification gradually takes effect, even the external form of a devotee
becomes effulgent. The glowing fire of spiritual knowledge burns to ashes
the mentality of sense gratification, and one naturally becomes austere
and disinterested in mundane enjoyment. Among all austerities, the best
is celibacy, by which the shackles of material life immediately become
slackened. One who is amala, free from material desire, is known as a
pure devotee of the Lord. On the paths of jna, karma and yoga the mind
retains the concept of personal interest, but on the path of pure devotion
the mind is trained to see only the interests of the Personality of Godhead.
Thus a pure devotee of the Lord is amala, completely pure.
TEXT 37
athnantaram vekyan
yath-jijsitgama
gurave daki dattv
snyd gurv-anumodita

849

athathus; anantaramafter that; vekyandesiring to enter family life;

yathproperly; jijsitahaving studied; gamathe Vedic literature;
guraveto the spiritual master; dakimremuneration; dattvgiving;
snytthe brahmacr should cleanse himself, comb his hair, put on
nice clothes, etc.; guruby the spiritual master; anumoditapermitted.
A brahmacr who has completed his Vedic education and desires to
enter household life should offer proper remuneration to the spiritual
master, bathe, cut his hair, put on proper clothes, and so on. Then,
taking permission from the guru, he should go back to his home.
This verse describes the process called samvartana, or returning to one's
home after finishing Vedic education in the rama of the spiritual master.
One who cannot concentrate all of his desires in the devotional service of
the Lord is attracted to householder life, and if this attraction is not
regulated, one will fall down. Being covered by the ignorance of fruitive
activities and mental speculation, a living entity seeks enjoyment outside
the devotional service of the Supreme Lord and becomes a nondevotee.
One who takes to family life must rigidly follow the Vedic rules and
regulations in order to avoid the collapse of his spiritual determination.
One who enjoys intimate sense gratification with women must become
duplicitous in his dealings with others and consequently falls down from
the platform of simple, pure life. When the mind is disturbed by lust, one
begins to resent the principle of submission to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and His pure devotee, and the dark clouds of one's offensive
mentality completely cover the light of spiritual knowledge. One should
dovetail his propensity to love someone by serving the lotus feet of a pure
devotee. As stated in Vedic literature, "One who worships Govinda, Lord
Ka, but does not worship His devotees is not to be considered an
advanced Vaiava; rather, he is to be considered a proud hypocrite."
TEXT 38
gha vana vopaviet
pravrajed v dvijottama
ramd rama gacchen
nnyathmat-para caret
ghamthe family home; vanamthe forest; veither; upavietone
should enter; pravrajetone should renounce; vor; dvija-uttamaa

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brhmaa; ramtfrom one authorized status of life; ramamto

another authorized status; gacchetone should go; nanot; anyath
otherwise; amat-paraone who is not surrendered to Me; caretshould
act.
A brahmacr desiring to fulfill his material desires should live at home
with his family, and a householder who is eager to purify his
consciousness should enter the forest, whereas a purified brhmaa
should accept the renounced order of life. One who is not surrendered
to Me should move progressively from one rama to another, never
acting otherwise.
Those who are not surrendered devotees of the Lord must rigidly observe
the regulations governing one's authorized social status. There are four
social divisions of life, namely brahmacarya, ghastha, vnaprastha and
sannysa. One who wants to fulfill material desires should become an
ordinary householder (ghastha), establish a comfortable residence and
maintain his family. One desiring to accelerate the process of purification
may give up his home and business and live in a sacred place with his
wife, as indicated here by the word vanam, or "forest." There are many
sacred forests in India meant for this purpose, such as Vndvana and
Mypur. The word dvijottama indicates the brhmaas. Brhmaas,
katriyas and vaiyas are all dvija, or initiated in the Gyatr mantra, but
the brhmaa is dvijottama, or the highest among those who have received
second birth by spiritual initiation. It is recommended that a purified
brhmaa take to the renounced order of life (sannysa), giving up further
contact with his so-called wife. The brhmaa is specifically mentioned
here, since katriyas and vaiyas are not to take the renounced order of
life. Even so, there are many stories in the Bhgavatam wherein great
kings retire with their aristocratic wives to the forest to practice the
austerities of vnaprastha and thus accelerate the process of purification.
The brhmaas, however, may directly accept the renounced order of life.
The words ramd rama gacchet indicate that one may progressively
move from brahmacr life to ghastha life to vnaprastha life and then to
sannysa. The words ramd ramam emphasize that one should never
remain without an authorized social status, nor should one go backward,
falling down from a higher position. Those who are not surrendered
devotees of the Lord must rigidly observe such injunctions, for otherwise
they will quickly become degraded, and their sins will place them outside

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the bounds of authorized human civilization.

Lord Ka emphasizes here that a nondevotee must rigidly observe the
rituals and regulations of Vedic social divisions, whereas the Lord's pure
devotee, engaged twenty-four hours a day in Lord Ka's mission, is
transcendental to such divisions. If, however, one performs illicit
activities on the strength of being transcendental to Vedic social divisions,
one is revealed to be a materialistic neophyte and not an advanced
devotee of the Lord. An advanced devotee, who remains aloof from
material sense gratification, is not bound by the Vedic social divisions;
thus even a householder may live very austerely, traveling and preaching
Ka consciousness away from home, and even a sannys may
sometimes engage women in the devotional service of Lord Ka. The
most advanced devotees cannot be restricted by the rituals and
regulations of the varrama system, and they move freely around the
world distributing love of Godhead. Mat-para indicates a pure devotee of
the Lord who always keeps the Lord fixed in his heart and consciousness.
One who falls down to become a victim of sense gratification is not fully
established on the platform of mat-para and should rigidly observe the
social divisions and regulations to remain steady on the platform of pious
human life.
TEXT 39
ghrth sad bhrym
udvahed ajugupsitm
yavyas tu vayas
ya sa-varm anu kramt
ghahousehold; arthone who desires; sadmpossessing similar
characteristics; bhryma wife; udvahetone should marry;
ajugupsitmbeyond reproach;
yavyasmyounger; tuindeed;
vayasby age; ymanother wife; sa-varmthe first wife who is of
the same caste; anuafter; kramtin succession.
One who desires to establish family life should marry a wife of his own
caste, who is beyond reproach and younger in age. If one desires to
accept many wives he must marry them after the first marriage, and
each wife should be of a successively lower caste.
As stated in the Vedic literature,

852

tisro varnuprvyea
dve tathaik yath-kramam
brhmaa-katriya-vi
bhry sv dra-janmana
The purport of this verse is that one's first wife must always be sadm, or
similar to oneself. In other words, an intellectual man should marry an
intellectual wife, a heroic man should marry a heroic wife, a business
minded man should marry a woman who can encourage him in such
activities, and a dra should marry a less intelligent woman. The wife
must be beyond reproach in terms of her background and character and
should always be younger than oneself, ideally five to ten years younger.
If one desires to marry a second wife, then, as stated in this verse by the
word varnuprvyea and in the verse spoken by Lord Ka by the
word anukramt, one must wait until the first marriage is established and
then select a second wife from the next-lower caste. If one marries a third
time the wife must be, again, from the next-lower caste. For example, a
brhmaa's first wife will be a brhma, his second wife will be from the
katriya community, his third wife from the vaiya community and fourth
wife from the dra community. A katriya may first marry a katriya lady
and then vaiya and dra ladies. A vaiya can accept wives from two
classes, and a dra will accept a wife only from the dra class. By this
progression of marriages there will be relative peace in the family. These
Vedic marriage injunctions, as mentioned in the previous verse, are
especially for those who are not pure devotees of the Lord.
TEXT 40
ijydhyayana-dnni
sarve ca dvi-janmanm
pratigraho 'dhypana ca
brhmaasyaiva yjanam
ijysacrifice; adhyayanaVedic study; dnnicharity; sarvemof
all; caalso; dvi-janmanmthose who are twice-born; pratigraha
acceptance of charity; adhypanamteaching Vedic knowledge; caalso;
brhmaasyaof the brhmaa; evaonly; yjanamperforming
sacrifices for others.
All twice-born menbrhmaas, katriyas and vaiyasmust perform

853

sacrifice, study the Vedic literature and give charity. Only the
brhmaas, however, accept charity, teach the Vedic knowledge and
perform sacrifice on behalf of others.
All civilized men must participate in sacrificial performances, give charity
and study the Vedic literature. The best of the twice-born, namely the
brhmaas, are specifically empowered to lead sacrificial performances on
behalf of all members of society, teach everyone Vedic knowledge and
receive everyone's charity. Without the assistance or participation of
qualified brhmaas, the lower classes cannot properly study the Vedic
literature, perform sacrifices or give in charity, because they do not have
the required intelligence to perfectly execute such functions. When
katriyas and vaiyas take shelter of bona fide brhmaas, they are able to
properly execute their respective duties, and society functions smoothly
and efficiently.
TEXT 41
pratigraha manyamnas
tapas-tejo-yao-nudam
anybhym eva jveta
ilair v doa-dk tayo
pratigrahamaccepting charity; manyamnaconsidering; tapaof
one's austerity; tejaspiritual influence; yaaand fame; nudam
destruction; anybhymby the other two (teaching Vedic knowledge
and performing sacrifice); evaindeed; jvetaa brhmaa should live;
ilaiby collecting rejected grains in the field; vor; doathe
discrepancy; dkseeing; tayoof those two.
A brhmaa who considers that accepting charity from others will
destroy his austerity, spiritual influence and fame should maintain
himself by the other two brahminical occupations, namely teaching
Vedic knowledge and performing sacrifice. If the brhmaa considers
that those two occupations also compromise his spiritual position, then
he should collect rejected grains in agricultural fields and live without
any dependence on others.
A pure devotee of the Lord should always remember that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead will personally take care of him. As the Lord

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states in Bhagavad-gt (9.22):

anany cintayanto m
ye jan paryupsate
te nitybhiyuktn
yoga-kema vahmy aham
"But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My
transcendental formto them I carry what they lack and preserve what
they have."
A brhmaa should not become a professional beggar for his personal
maintenance. In India there are many so-called brhmaas who sit at the
gates of important temples and beg from everyone who comes and goes. If
someone does not give a donation they become angry and chase that
person. Similarly, in America there are many big preachers who collect
huge amounts of money by begging on television and radio. If a brhmaa
or Vaiava considers that being a professional beggar is weakening his
austerity, destroying his spiritual influence and giving him a bad
reputation, then he should give up that process. One may beg everyone to
contribute to the cause of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but one
will be diminished in austerity, influence and reputation by begging for
one's personal livelihood. A brhmaa may then take up the task of
teaching Vedic knowledge and performing sacrifice. But even such
occupations do not bring one to the highest platform of trust in God. A
brhmaa who teaches as a means of livelihood may often be curbed in
his teaching, and one who performs sacrifice may be manipulated by
materialistic worshipers. In this way, a brhmaa may be placed in an
embarrassing and compromised position. Therefore a high-class brhmaa
or Vaiava ultimately will depend completely on the mercy of the Lord
for his maintenance. The Lord promises to maintain His devotee, and an
advanced Vaiava never doubts the word of the Lord.
TEXT 42
brhmaasya hi deho 'ya
kudra-kmya neyate
kcchrya tapase ceha
pretynanta-sukhya ca
brhmaasyaof a brhmaa; hicertainly; dehabody; ayamthis;

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kudrainsignificant; kmyafor sense gratification; nanot; iyateis

meant; kcchryafor difficult; tapaseausterities; caalso; ihain this
world; pretyaafter death; anantaunlimited; sukhyahappiness; ca
also.
The body of a brhmaa is not intended to enjoy insignificant material
sense gratification; rather, by accepting difficult austerities in his life, a
brhmaa will enjoy unlimited happiness after death.
One may ask why a brhmaa should voluntarily accept inconvenience in
keeping his body and soul together. In this verse the Lord explains that
advanced human life is meant for serious austerity and not for
insignificant sense gratification. By spiritual advancement one is fixed in
transcendental bliss on the spiritual platform and gives up useless
absorption in the temporary material body. One should remain detached
from the material body, accepting only the bare necessities of life. The
brhmaas, by accepting a troublesome form of livelihood, never forget
that the material body is destined to grow old, become diseased and die in
misery. Thus remaining alert and transcendental, an advanced brhmaa,
at the end of this life, goes back home, back to Godhead, where he enjoys
unlimited spiritual bliss. Without such higher awareness, how can one be
considered a qualified brhmaa?
Those devotees engaged twenty-four hours a day in spreading the mission
of Lord Ka are beyond the platform of renunciation or sense
gratification because they engage everything in Lord Ka's service. A
pure devotee of the Lord eats only to get strength for serving the Lord and
does not accept either sumptuous or meager food simply for the body's
sake. However, everything may be accepted for the Lord, even sumptuous
meals. A brhmaa who is not working day and night to spread the glories
of the Lord should feel embarrassed to eat sumptuously for his personal
sense gratification, but a renounced Vaiava preacher may accept
invitations from all classes of pious people, and just to bless their homes
he will eat the opulent foods they offer to him. Similarly, he sometimes
eats sumptuously to get strength for defeating atheists and impersonalists.
As stated in Vedic literature, one cannot be a highly qualified brhmaa
unless one becomes a devotee of the Lord. And among the devotees, those
who are preaching Ka consciousness are the best, as confirmed by the
Lord Himself in the Eighteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gt.

856

TEXT 43
ilocha-vtty paritua-citto
dharma mahnta viraja jua
mayy arpittm gha eva tihan
nti-prasakta samupaiti ntim
ila-uchaof gleaning grains; vttyby the occupation; parituafully
satisfied; cittawhose consciousness; dharmamreligious principles;
mahntammagnanimous and hospitable; virajampurified of material
desire; juacultivating; mayiin Me; arpitadedicated; tm
whose mind; gheat home; evaeven; tihanremaining; nanot;
ativery; prasaktaattached; samupaitiachieves; ntimliberation.
A brhmaa householder should remain satisfied in mind by gleaning
rejected grains from agricultural fields and marketplaces. Keeping
himself free of personal desire, he should practice magnanimous
religious principles, with consciousness absorbed in Me. In this way a
brhmaa may stay at home as a householder without very much
attachment and thus achieve liberation.
Mahntam refers to magnanimous religious principles such as very
hospitably receiving guests, even those who are uninvited and
unexpected. Householders must always be magnanimous and charitable
to others, being alert to curb unnecessary affection and attachment in
family life. In the past, very renounced brhmaa householders would
collect grains that had fallen on the ground in the marketplace or those
that had been left behind in the fields after harvesting. The most
important item here is mayy arpittm, or fixing the mind in Lord Ka.
Despite his material situation, anyone who constantly meditates upon the
Lord can become a liberated soul. As stated in Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu
(1.2.187),
h yasya harer dsye
karma manas gir
nikhilsv api avasthsu
jvan-mukta sa ucyate
"A person acting in Ka consciousness [or, in other words, in the
service of Ka] with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a

857

liberated person, even within the material world, although he may be

engaged in many so-called material activities."
TEXT 44
samuddharanti ye vipra
sdanta mat-paryaam
tn uddhariye na cird
padbhyo naur ivravt
samuddharantiuplift; yethose who; viprama brhmaa or devotee;
sdantamsuffering (from poverty); mat-paryaamsurrendered to Me;
tnthose who have uplifted; uddhariyeI will uplift; na cirtin the
near future; padbhyafrom all miseries; naua boat; ivalike;
aravtfrom the ocean.
Just as a ship rescues those who have fallen into the ocean, similarly, I
very quickly rescue from all calamities those persons who uplift
brhmaas and devotees suffering in a poverty-stricken condition.
The Lord has described how brhmaas and devotees achieve the
perfection of life, and now a similar perfection is offered to those who
utilize their materialistic wealth to relieve the poverty-stricken condition
of devotees and brhmaas. Although one may neglect the devotional
service of the Lord to pursue a material life of sense gratification, one can
rectify one's position by dedicating one's hard-earned money to the
service of the Lord. Seeing the difficult austerities accepted by saintly
persons, a pious person should make arrangements for their comfort. Just
as a boat saves hopeless people who have fallen into the ocean, similarly,
the Lord uplifts persons who have hopelessly fallen into the ocean of
material attachment if they have been charitable to the brhmaas and
devotees.
TEXT 45
sarv samuddhared rj
piteva vyasant praj
tmnam tman dhro
yath gaja-patir gajn
sarvall; samuddharetmust uplift; rjthe king; pita father;

858

ivalike; vyasantfrom difficulties; prajthe citizens; tmnam

himself; tmanaby himself; dhrafearless; yathjust as; gajapatia bull elephant; gajnthe other elephants.
Just as the chief bull elephant protects all other elephants in his herd
and defends himself as well, similarly, a fearless king, just like a father,
must save all of the citizens from difficulty and also protect himself.
Lord Ka, having concluded His discussion of brahminical duties, now
describes the character and activities of a king. Protecting all of the
citizens from difficulty is an essential duty for the king.
TEXT 46
eva-vidho nara-patir
vimnenrka-varcas
vidhyehubha ktsnam
indrea saha modate
evam-vidhathus (protecting himself and the citizens); nara-patithe
king; vimnenawith an airplane; arka-varcasas brilliant as the sun;
vidhyaremoving; ihaon the earth; aubhamsins; ktsnamall;
indreaLord Indra; sahawith; modatehe enjoys.
An earthly king who protects himself and all citizens by removing all
sins from his kingdom will certainly enjoy with Lord Indra in airplanes
as brilliant as the sun.
TEXT 47
sdan vipro vaig-vtty
payair evpada taret
khagena vpadkrnto
na va-vtty kathacana
sdansuffering; vipraa brhmaa; vaikof a merchant; vttyby
the occupation; payaiby doing business; evaindeed; padam
suffering; taretshould overcome; khagenawith sword; vor;
padby suffering; krntaafflicted; nanot; vaof the dog;
vttyby the occupation; kathacanaby any means.

859

If a brhmaa cannot support himself through his regular duties and is

thus suffering, he may adopt the occupation of a merchant and
overcome his destitute condition by buying and selling material things.
If he continues to suffer extreme poverty even as a merchant, then he
may adopt the occupation of a katriya, taking sword in hand. But he
cannot in any circumstances become like a dog, accepting an ordinary
master.
va-vtty, or "a dog's profession," refers to the dras, who cannot live
without accepting a master. A destitute brhmaa who is suffering
intolerably may become a merchant and then a katriya but may never
take the position of a dra by working in a company or accepting a
master. Although a katriya is ordinarily considered more elevated than a
vaiya, the Lord here recommends that distressed brhmaas first accept
the vaiya occupation, since it is not violent.
TEXT 48
vaiya-vtty tu rjanyo
jven mgayaypadi
cared v vipra-rpea
na va-vtty kathacana
vaiyaof the mercantile class; vttyby the occupation; tuindeed;
rjanyaa king; jvetmay maintain himself; mgayayby hunting;
padiin an emergency or disastrous situation; caretmay act; vor;
vipra-rpeain the form of a brhmaa; nanever; vaof the dog;
vttyby the profession; kathacanain any circumstance.
A king or other member of the royal order who cannot maintain himself
by his normal occupation may act as a vaiya, may live by hunting or
may act as a brhmaa by teaching others Vedic knowledge. But he may
not under any circumstances adopt the profession of a dra.
TEXT 49
dra-vtti bhajed vaiya
dra kru-kaa-kriym
kcchrn mukto na garhyea
vtti lipseta karma

860

draof the dras; vttimoccupation; bhajetmay accept; vaiyaa

vaiya; draa dra; kruof the artisan; kaastraw baskets and
mats; kriymmaking; kcchrtfrom the difficult situation; mukta
freed; nanot; garhyeaby that which is inferior; vttimlivelihood;
lipsetaone should desire; karmaby work.
A vaiya, or mercantile man, who cannot maintain himself may adopt
the occupation of a dra, snd a dra who cannot find a master can
engage in simple activities like making baskets and mats of straw.
However, all members of society who have adopted inferior occupations
in emergency situations must give up those substitute occupations
when the difficulties have passed.
TEXT 50
veddhyya-svadh-svhbaly-anndyair yathodayam
devari-pit-bhtni
mad-rpy anv-aha yajet
veda-adhyyaby study of Vedic knowledge; svadhby offering the
mantra svadh; svh-by offering the mantra svh; bali-by token offerings
of food; anna-dyaiby offering grains, water, etc.; yathaccording to;
udayamone's prosperity; devathe demigods; isages; pitthe
forefathers; bhtniand all living entities; mat-rpimanifestations of
My potency; anu-ahamdaily; yajetone should worship.
One in the ghastha order of life should daily worship the sages by
Vedic study, the forefathers by offering the mantra svadh, the
demigods by chanting svh, all living entities by offering shares of
one's meals, and human beings by offering grains and water. Thus
considering the demigods, sages, forefathers, living entities and human
beings to be manifestations of My potency, one should daily perform
these five sacrifices.
The Lord again discusses the duties of those in the household order of
life. Obviously, the five ritualistic daily sacrifices mentioned here are
meant for those who are not pure devotees of the Lord and who thus have
to counteract their exploitation of material nature by the abovementioned

861

sacrifices. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

is training householders, sannyss, brahmacrs and vnaprasthas to
engage twenty-four hours a day in the loving service of the Lord. Those
who are full-time missionary workers in ISKCON have no further
obligations or sacrifices to perform, as confirmed in the Eleventh Canto of
rmad-Bhgavatam (11.5.41):
devari-bhtpta-n pit
na kikaro nyam ca rjan
sarvtman ya araa araya
gato mukunda parihtya kartam
"Anyone who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of
liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in
all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods,
sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers."
TEXT 51
yadcchayopapannena
uklenoprjitena v
dhanenpayan bhtyn
nyyenaivharet kratn
yadcchaywithout endeavor; upapannenawhich is acquired;
uklenaby one's honest occupation; uprjitenaacquired; vor;
dhanenawith money; apayannot subjecting to discomfort; bhtyn
dependents; nyyenaproperly; evaindeed; haretone should
perform; kratnsacrifices and other religious ceremonies.
A householder should comfortably maintain his dependents either with
money that comes of its own accord or with that gathered by honest
execution of one's duties. According to one's means, one should
perform sacrifices and other religious ceremonies.
The Lord here describes the religious duties that are to be performed as
far as possible, according to one's means, and when there is opportunity.
TEXT 52
kuumbeu na sajjeta

862

na pramdyet kuumby api

vipacin navara payed
adam api da-vat
kuumbeuto the family members; nanot; sajjetaone should be
attached; nanot; pramdyetshould become crazy; kuumbhaving
many dependent family members; apialthough; vipacita wise person;
navaramtemporary; payetshould see; adamfuture rewards such
as residence in heaven; apiindeed; da-vatjust like that which is
already experienced.
A householder taking care of many dependent family members should
not become materially attached to them, nor should he become mentally
unbalanced, considering himself to be the lord. An intelligent
householder should see that all possible future happiness, just like that
which he has already experienced, is temporary.
A family man often acts like a lord, protecting his wife, ordering his
children, maintaining servants, grandchildren, domestic animals, and so
forth. The words na pramdyet kuumby api indicate that although one
acts like a little lord, surrounded by his family, servants and friends, one
should not, through false pride, become mentally unbalanced, considering
oneself to be the actual lord. The word vipacit indicates that one should
remain sober and intelligent, never forgetting oneself to be the eternal
servant of the Supreme Lord.
Householders of the upper, middle and lower classes become attached to
different types of sense gratification. In any economic or social class,
however, one should remember that all material enjoyment, either here or
in the next life, is temporary and ultimately useless. A responsible
householder should guide his family members and other dependents back
home, back to Godhead, for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge. One
should not become a false and puffed-up lord for a brief span of time, for
then one will remain bound up, along with his family members, in the
cycle of repeated birth and death.
TEXT 53
putra-drpta-bandhn
sagama pntha-sagama
anu-deha viyanty ete

863

svapno nidrnugo yath

putraof children; drawife; ptarelatives; bandhnmand friends;
sagamathe association, living together; pnthaof travelers;
sagamaassociation; anu-dehamwith each change of body; viyanti
they are separated; eteall these; svapnaa dream; nidrin sleep;
anugaoccurring; yathjust as.
The association of children, wife, relatives and friends is just like the
brief meeting of travelers. With each change of body one is separated
from all such associates, just as one loses the objects one possesses in a
dream when the dream is over.
Pntha-sagama indicates the momentary association of travelers at
hotels, restaurants, tourist spots or, in more traditional cultures,
freshwater wells and walking paths. We are now associated with many
relatives, friends and well-wishers, but as soon as we change our material
body we will immediately be separated from all these associates, just as
upon awakening we are immediately separated from the imaginary
situation of a dream. One becomes attached to the sense gratification of
one's dream, and similarly, under the spell of the illusory concepts of "I"
and "mine," we become attached to so-called relatives and friends who
gratify our sense of false ego. Unfortunately, such fleeting egoistic
association covers our real knowledge of the self and the Supreme, and we
remain hovering in material illusion, futilely endeavoring for permanent
sense gratification. One who remains attached to the bodily concept of
family and friends cannot possibly give up the false egoism of "I" and
"mine," or "I am everything and everything is mine."
Without giving up material sense gratification we cannot become steady
on the transcendental platform of devotional service, and therefore we
cannot relish the actual flavor of eternal happiness. Unless one becomes a
pure devotee of the Lord, accepting Lord Ka as one's only friend, one
cannot give up the hankering for temporary and superficial material
relationships. A traveler far away from his home and loved ones may
strike up superficial conversations with other travelers, but such
relationships have no ultimate meaning. One should therefore revive one's
lost relationship with Lord Ka. We are constitutionally part and parcel
of Lord Ka, who is the reservoir of all spiritual pleasure, and our
original relationship with Him is full of love and happiness. But because

864

of our desire to enjoy independently from Him, we fall down into the
confusing, meaningless network of material relationships created by
my. An intelligent person realizes there is no actual pleasure or
satisfaction for the soul on either this planet or any other material planet.
Therefore, like a weary traveler exhausted from his journey, he should go
back home, back to Godhead, for eternal peace as the faithful servant of
Lord r Ka.
TEXT 54
ittha pariman mukto
ghev atithi-vad vasan
na ghair anubadhyeta
nirmamo nirahakta
itthamthus; parimandeeply considering; muktaa liberated soul;
gheuat home; atithi-vatjust like a guest; vasanliving; nanot;
ghaiby the domestic situation; anubadhyetashould become bound;
nirmamawithout any sense of personal proprietorship; nirahakta
without false ego.
Deeply considering the actual situation, a liberated soul should live at
home just like a guest, without any sense of proprietorship or false ego.
In this way he will not be bound or entangled by domestic affairs.
The word mukta, or "liberated," refers to one freed from all material
attachment. In this status, called mukta-saga, one no longer identifies
oneself as a permanent resident of the material world. This liberated
status may be attained even by one situated in family life. The only
requirement is that one should take up a serious program of kasakrtana, which includes constant chanting of the holy names of the
Lord, worship of the Deity and participation in the Ka consciousness
movement. Without a serious program of ka-sakrtana it is very
difficult to give up the iron shackles of attachment to women and the
byproducts of such attachment.
TEXT 55
karmabhir gha-medhyair
iv mm eva bhaktimn
tihed vana vopaviet

865

prajvn v parivrajet
karmabhiby activities; gha-medhyaisuitable for family life; iv
worshiping; mmMe; evaindeed; bhakti-mnbeing a devotee;
tihetone may remain at home; vanamthe forest; vor; upaviet
may enter; praj-vnhaving responsible children; vor; parivrajet
may take sannysa.
A householder devotee who worships Me by execution of his family
duties may remain at home, go to a holy place or, if he has a responsible
son, take sannysa.
This verse describes the three alternatives for a householder. He may
continue at home, or he may take vnaprastha, which involves going to a
sacred place with one's wife. Or if he has a responsible son to take over
his family duties, he may take sannysa, the renounced order, for a
definitive solution to the problems of life. In all three ramas, ultimate
success depends on sincere surrender to the Supreme Lord; therefore, the
most important qualification one can have is Ka consciousness.
TEXT 56
yas tv sakta-matir gehe
putra-vittaiatura
straia kpaa-dhr mho
mamham iti badhyate
yaone who; tuhowever; saktaattached; matiwhose
consciousness; geheto his home; putrafor children; vittaand money;
eaaby ardent desire; turadisturbed; straialusty to enjoy
women; kpaamiserly; dhwhose mentality; mhaunintelligent;
mamaeverything is mine; ahamI am everything; itithus thinking;
badhyateis bound.
But a householder whose mind is attached to his home and who is thus
disturbed by ardent desires to enjoy his money and children, who is
lusty after women, who is possessed of a miserly mentality and who
unintelligently thinks, "Everything is mine and I am everything," is
certainly bound in illusion.
Although one may try by various analytical or psychological processes to

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detach the mind from illusory family attachment, one will inevitably be
drawn back into the network of material attachment unless the heart is
purified by Ka consciousness. A miserly householder thinks only of his
own family or community, without mercy for outsiders. Being egoistic,
lusty, attached and always disturbed by ardent desires to enjoy money and
children, a materialistic householder is hopelessly bound in a web of
anxiety.
TEXT 57
aho me pitarau vddhau
bhry bltmajtmaj
anth mm te dn
katha jvanti dukhit
ahoalas; memy; pitarauparents; vddhauelderly; bhrywife;
bla-tma-jhaving a mere infant in her arms; tm-jand my other
young children; anthwith no one to protect them; mmme; te
without; dnwretched; kathamhow in the world; jvantican they
live; dukhitsuffering greatly.
"O my poor elderly parents, and my wife with a mere infant in her
arms, and my other young children! Without me they have absolutely
no one to protect them and will suffer unbearably. How can my poor
relatives possibly live without me?"
TEXT 58
eva ghaykiptahdayo mha-dhr ayam
atptas tn anudhyyan
mto 'ndha viate tama
evamthus; ghain his domestic situation; ayaby intense desire;
kiptaoverwhelmed; hdayahis heart; mhaunintelligent; dh
whose point of view; ayamthis person; atptaunsatisfied; tnthem
(family members); anudhyyanconstantly thinking of; mtahe dies;
andhamblindness; viateenters; tamadarkness.
Thus, because of his foolish mentality, a householder whose heart is
overwhelmed by family attachment is never satisfied. Constantly

867

meditating on his relatives, he dies and enters into the darkness of

ignorance.
Andha viate tama indicates that in his next life an attached
householder will certainly be degraded because of his primitive mentality
of bodily attachment, which is called mha-dh. In other words, after
enjoying the sense gratification of considering oneself the center of
everything, one enters into a lower species of life. Somehow or other, we
must fix our minds on Lord Ka and come out of the darkness of
ignorance to our real life in Ka consciousness.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Seventeenth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Lord Ka's Description of
the Varrama System."

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18. Description of Varrama-dharma

As related in this chapter, Lord r Ka explained to Uddhava the duties

of the vnaprastha and sannysa orders and the religious practices proper
to each of these levels of advancement.
One who is taking to the vnaprastha stage of life should leave his wife at
home in the care of his sons, or else take her along, and with a peaceful
mind spend the third quarter of his life in the forest. He should accept as
his food whatever bulbs, fruits, roots and so on that grow in the forest,
taking sometimes grains cooked by fire and sometimes fruits ripened by
time. Furthermore, he should take as his garments tree bark, grass, leaves
or the skin of a deer. It is prescribed that he should perform austerities by
not cutting his hair, beard, or nails. Nor should he make any special
attempt to remove dirt from his limbs. He should bathe three times daily
in cold water and sleep upon the ground. During the hot season he should
stand beneath the fearsome heat of the sun with fires blazing on four
sides. During the rainy season he should stand in the midst of the
downpour of rain, and during the cold winter he should submerge himself
in water up to his neck. He is absolutely forbidden to clean his teeth, to
store food that he has collected at one time to eat at another time, and to
worship the Supreme Lord with the flesh of animals. If he can maintain
those severe practices for the remainder of his life, the vnaprastha will
achieve the Tapoloka planet.
The fourth quarter of life is meant for sannysa. One should develop
complete detachment from attaining residence on different planets, up to
even Brahmaloka. Such wishes for material elevation are due to desire for
the fruits of material activity. When one recognizes that endeavors to
achieve residence on the higher planets ultimately award only suffering,
then it is enjoined that one should take to sannysa in a spirit of
renunciation. The process of accepting sannysa involves worshiping the
Lord with sacrifice, giving everything one possesses in charity to the
priests and establishing within one's own heart the various sacrificial fires.
For a sannys, association with women or even the sight of women is
more undesirable than taking poison. Except in emergencies, the sannys

869

should never wear more clothing than a loincloth or some simple

covering over his loincloth. He should carry no more than his staff and
waterpot. Giving up all violence to living creatures, he should become
subdued in the functions of his body, mind and speech. He should remain
detached and fixed on the self and travel alone to such pure places as the
mountains, rivers and forests. Thus engaged, he should remember the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and dwell in a place that is fearless and
not heavily populated. He should take his alms each day at seven homes
chosen at random from those of the members of the four social classes,
avoiding only the homes of those who are cursed or fallen. With a pure
heart he should offer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead whatever
food he has collected and take the mah-prasdam remnants. In this way
he should always be mindful that hankering for sense gratification is
bondage and that engaging the objects of the senses in the service of Lord
Mdhava is liberation. If one lacks knowledge and renunciation, or
continues to be troubled by the unconquered six enemies headed by lust
and the all-powerful senses, or if one accepts the tri-daa renounced
order simply for the purpose of carrying out a livelihood, then he will
achieve as his result only the killing of his own soul.
A paramahasa is not under the control of injunctions and prohibitions.
He is a devotee of the Supreme Lord, detached from external sense
gratification and completely free from desire for even such subtle
gratificatory goals as liberation. He is expert in discrimination and, just
like a simple child, is free from concepts of pride and insult. Although
actually competent, he wanders about like a dull person, and although
most learned, he engages himself like an insane fool in incoherent speech.
Although actually fixed in the Vedas, he behaves in an unordered fashion.
He tolerates the evil words of others and never shows contempt for
anyone else. He avoids acting as an enemy or vainly indulging in
argument. He sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead in all creatures
and also all living beings within the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In
order to keep his body alive for performing worship of the Lord, he
accepts whatever excellent or inferior food, clothing and bedding he can
obtain without endeavor. Although he has to make some effort to find
food for maintaining his body, he does not become joyful when he finds
something, nor does he become depressed when not finding anything.
The Supreme Lord Himself, although not at all subject to the Vedic orders
and prohibitions, by His own free will executes various prescribed duties;

870

similarly the paramahasa, even while on the platform of freedom from

subjugation to Vedic rules and prohibitions, carries out various duties.
Because his perception of dualities has become completely eradicated by
transcendental knowledge, which is focused on the Supreme Lord, he
obtains upon the demise of his material body the liberation known as
sri, in which one becomes equal in opulence with the Lord.
The person who desires his own best interest should take shelter of a
bona fide spiritual master. Filling his mind with faith, keeping free from
enviousness and remaining fixed in devotion, the disciple should serve
the spiritual master, whom he should regard as nondifferent from the
Supreme Lord. For a brahmacr, the primary duty is service to the
spiritual master. The main duties for a householder are protection of
living beings and sacrifice, for a vnaprastha austerities, and for a sannys
self-control and nonviolence. Celibacy (practiced by householders at all
times except once a month when the wife is fertile), penance, cleanliness,
self-satisfaction, friendship with all living beings and above all worship of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead are duties meant for every jva soul.
One acquires firm devotion for the Supreme Lord by always rendering
service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through one's own
particular prescribed duty, by not engaging in the worship of any other
personalities, and also by thinking of all creatures as the place of
residence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form as the
Supersoul. The followers of the karma-ka section of the Vedas can
attain the planets of the forefathers and so on by their ritualistic activities,
but if they become endowed with devotion for the Supreme Lord, then by
these same activities they can achieve the supreme stage of liberation.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
vana viviku putreu
bhry nyasya sahaiva v
vana eva vasec chntas
ttya bhgam yua
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; vanam
the forest; vivikudesiring to enter; putreuamong the sons;
bhrymwife; nyasyaentrusting; sahatogether with; evaindeed;
vor; vanein the forest; evacertainly; vasetone should dwell;
ntawith a peaceful mind; ttyamthe third; bhgamdivision;

871

yuaof life.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One who desires to adopt
the third order of life, vnaprastha, should enter the forest with a
peaceful mind, leaving his wife with his mature sons, or else taking her
along with him.
In Kali-yuga a human being generally cannot live more than one hundred
years, and even this is becoming most unusual. A man who has a
reasonable expectation of living for one hundred years may adopt the
vnaprastha order at the age of fifty, and then at the age of seventy-five he
may take sannysa for complete renunciation. Since in Kali-yuga very few
people live for one hundred years, one should adjust the schedule
accordingly. Vnaprastha is intended as a gradual transition from
materialistic family life to the stage of complete renunciation.
TEXT 2
kanda-mla-phalair vanyair
medhyair vtti prakalpayet
vasta valkala vsas
ta-parjinni v
kandawith bulbs; mlaroots; phalaiand fruits; vanyaigrowing
in the forest; medhyaipure; vttimsustenance; prakalpayetone
should arrange; vastaone should put on; valkalamtree bark; vsa
as clothes; tagrass; paraleaves; ajinnianimal skins; vor.
Having adopted the vnaprastha order of life, one should arrange one's
sustenance by eating uncontaminated bulbs, roots and fruits that grow
in the forest. One may dress oneself with tree bark, grass, leaves or
animal skins.
A renounced sage in the forest does not kill animals, but rather acquires
skins from animals who have suffered natural death. According to a
passage from Manu-sahit, quoted by rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura, the word medhyai, or "pure," indicates that while residing in
the forest a sage may not accept honey-based liquors, animal flesh,
fungus, mushrooms, horseradish or any hallucinogenic or intoxicating
herbs, even those taken as so-called medicine.

872

TEXT 3
kea-roma-nakha-marumalni bibhyd data
na dhved apsu majjeta
tri kla sthaile-aya
keahair on the head; romabodily hair; nakhafingernails and
toenails; marufacial hair; malnibodily waste products; bibhyt
one should tolerate; datathe teeth; na dhvetshould not clean;
apsuin water; majjetashould bathe; tri-klamthree times a day;
sthaileon the earth; ayalying down.
The vnaprastha should not groom the hair on his head, body or face,
should not manicure his nails, should not pass stool and urine at
irregular times and should not make a special endeavor for dental
hygiene. He should be content to take bath in water three times daily
and should sleep on the ground.
TEXT 4
grme tapyeta pacgnn
varsv sra- jale
katha-magna iira
eva vttas tapa caret
grmein the summer; tapyetaone should accept as austerity; pacaagnnfive fires (the overhead sun and fires burning on four sides);
varsuduring the rainy season; sratorrents of rain; -tolerating;
jalein water; -kahaup to the neck; magnasubmerged; iirein
the coldest part of winter; evamthus; vttaengaged; tapapenance;
caretone should execute.
Thus engaged as a vnaprastha, one should execute penance during the
hottest summer days by subjecting oneself to burning fires on four
sides and the blazing sun overhead; during the rainy season one should
remain outside, subjecting oneself to torrents of rain; and in the
freezing winter one should remain submerged in water up to one's
neck.
One who engages in sense gratification must perform severe penances at

873

the end of life to counteract his sinful, hedonistic activities. A devotee of

the Lord, however, naturally develops Ka consciousness and need not
subject himself to such radical penances. As stated in the Pacartra,
rdhito yadi haris tapas tata ki
nrdhito yadi haris tapas tata kim
antar bahir yadi haris tapas tata ki
nntar bahir yadi haris tapas tata kim
"If one is worshiping the Lord properly, what is the use of severe
penances? And if one is not properly worshiping the Lord, what is the use
of severe penances? If r Ka is realized within and without everything
that exists, what is the use of severe penances? And if r Ka is not
seen within and without everything, then what is the use of severe
penances?"
TEXT 5
agni-pakva samanyt
kla-pakvam athpi v
ulkhalma-kuo v
dantolkhala eva v
agniby fire; pakvammade ready to eat; samanytone should eat;
klaby time; pakvamright for eating; athaelse; apiindeed; vor;
ulkhalawith grinding mortar; amaand stone; kuapulverized,
ground up; vor; dantausing the teeth; ulkhalaas a grinding
mortar; evaindeed; vor, alternatively.
One may eat foodstuffs prepared with fire, such as grains, or fruits
ripened by time. One may grind one's food with mortar and stone or
with one's own teeth.
In Vedic civilization it is recommended that at the end of one's life one
should go to a holy place or forest for spiritual perfection. In sacred
forests one does not find restaurants, supermarkets, fast-food chains and
so on, and thus one must eat simply, reducing sense gratification.
Although in the Western countries people eat processed food, one living
simply must himself separate and pulverize grains and other foods before
eating. This is referred to here.

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TEXT 6
svaya sacinuyt sarvam
tmano vtti-kraam
dea-kla-balbhijo
ndadtnyadhtam
svayamhimself; sacinuytshould gather; sarvameverything;
tmanahis own; vttisustenance; kraamfacilitating; deathe
particular place; klathe time; balaand one's strength; abhija
understanding pragmatically; na dadtashould not take; anyadfor
another time; htamprovisions.
The vnaprastha should personally collect whatever he requires for his
bodily maintenance, carefully considering the time, place and his own
capacity. He should never collect provisions for the future.
According to Vedic regulations, one practicing austerity should collect
only what he requires for immediate use, and upon receiving gifts of
foodstuff he should immediately give up that which he has previously
collected, so that there will be no surplus. This regulation is meant to
keep one fixed in faithful dependence on the Supreme Lord. One should
never stock food or other bodily necessities for future use. The term deakla-balbhija indicates that in a particularly difficult place, or in time of
emergency or personal incapacity, this strict rule need not be followed, as
confirmed by rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura points out that unless one is
completely incapacitated, one should not depend on others for one's
personal maintenance, as this will create a debt that can only be repaid by
taking another birth in the material world. This applies only to those
endeavoring for personal purification and not to those engaged full time
in devotional service to Lord Ka. A pure devotee eats, dresses and
speaks only for the service of the Lord, and thus whatever assistance he
accepts from others is not for himself. He is fully surrendered to the
mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one not so
surrendered will certainly have to take birth again in the material world to
repay all of his debts to others.
TEXT 7
vanyai caru-puroair

875

nirvapet kla-coditn
na tu rautena paun
m yajeta vanram
vanyaiobtained in the forest; caruwith oblations of rice, barley and
dl beans; puroaiand sacrificial cakes prepared with wild rice;
nirvapetone should offer; kla-coditnritualistic sacrifices, such as
grayaa, offered according to seasons (grayaa is the offering of the
first fruits that appear after the rainy season); nanever; tuindeed;
rautenamentioned in the Vedas; paunwith animal sacrifice; mm
Me; yajetamay worship; vana-ramone who has gone to the forest,
taking the vnaprastha order of life.
One who has accepted the vnaprastha order of life should perform
seasonal sacrifices by offering oblations of caru and sacrificial cakes
prepared from rice and other grains found in the forest. The
vnaprastha, however, may never offer animal sacrifices to Me, even
those sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas.
One who has taken the vnaprastha order of life should never perform
animal sacrifices or eat meat.
TEXT 8
agnihotra ca dara ca
pauramsa ca prva-vat
cturmsyni ca muner
mntni ca naigamai
agni-hotramthe fire sacrifice; caalso; darathe sacrifice performed
on the new moon day; caalso; paura-msafull moon sacrifice; ca
also; prva-vatas previously, in the ghastha-rama; ctu-msyni-the
vows and sacrifices of cturmsya; ca-also; muneof the vnaprastha;
mntnienjoined; caalso; naigamaiby expert knowers of the
Vedas.
The vnaprastha should perform the agnihotra, dara and pauramsa
sacrifices, as he did while in the ghastha-rama. He should also
perform the vows and sacrifices of cturmsya, since all of these rituals
are enjoined for the vnaprastha-rama by expert knowers of the
Vedas.

876

rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura has given a detailed explanation

of the four rituals mentioned here, namely agnihotra, dara, pauramsa
and cturmsya. The conclusion is that everyone should simply chant
Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma,
Rma Rma, Hare Hare and avoid the difficult entanglement of Vedic
ritualistic ceremonies. If one neither chants Hare Ka nor performs such
rituals, one certainly becomes a pa, an atheistic fool.
TEXT 9
eva crena tapas
munir dhamani-santata
m tapo-mayam rdhya
i-lokd upaiti mm
evamthus; crenaby the practice; tapasof austerity; munithe
saintly vnaprastha; dhamani-santataemaciated so much that the veins
are visible throughout his body; mmMe; tapa-mayamthe goal of all
penance; rdhyaworshiping; ri-loktbeyond Mahrloka; upaiti
achieves; mmMe.
The saintly vnaprastha, practicing severe penances and accepting only
the bare necessities of life, becomes so emaciated that he appears to be
mere skin and bones. Thus worshiping Me through severe penances, he
goes to the Maharloka planet and then directly achieves Me.
A vnaprastha who develops pure devotional service achieves the Supreme
Lord, Ka, while in the vnaprastha stage of life. One who does not
become completely Ka conscious, however, first goes to the planet
Maharloka, or iloka, and from there directly achieves Lord Ka.
One achieves Maharloka, or iloka, through strict observance of positive
and negative regulations. However, without developing a taste for
chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord (ravaa krtana vio
[SB 7.5.23]), it is not possible to achieve the perfect liberation of going
back home, back to Godhead. Therefore, on the Maharloka planet the
unsuccessful sage gives more attention to chanting and hearing, and thus
he gradually develops pure love of Godhead.
TEXT 10
yas tv etat kcchrata cra

877

tapo nireyasa mahat

kmylpyase yujyd
blia ko 'paras tata
yaone who; tuindeed; etatthis; kcchratawith great penance;
cramfor a long time; tapaausterity; nireyasamawarding
ultimate liberation; mahatglorious; kmyafor sense gratification;
alpyaseinsignificant; yujytpractices; bliasuch a fool; ka
who; aparaelse; tatabesides him.
One who with long endeavor executes this painful but exalted penance,
which awards ultimate liberation, simply to achieve insignificant sense
gratification must be considered the greatest fool.
Although the process of vnaprastha described by Lord Ka is so
glorious that even the consolation prize is promotion to Maharloka, one
who consciously performs this process for such promotion to heaven is
certainly the greatest fool. The Lord does not want this process to be
abused or exploited by materialistic rascals, for the ultimate goal is love of
Godhead.
TEXT 11
yadsau niyame 'kalpo
jaray jta-vepathu
tmany agnn samropya
mac-citto 'gni samviet
yadwhen; asauthe saintly vnaprastha; niyamein his prescribed
duties; akalpaunable to carry on; jaraydue to old age; jtaarisen;
vepathutrembling of the body; tmaniwithin his heart; agnnthe
sacrificial fires; samropyaplacing; mat-cittahis mind fixed in Me;
agnimthe fire; samvietshould enter.
If the vnaprastha is overtaken by old age and because of his trembling
body is no longer able to execute his prescribed duties, he should place
the sacrificial fire within his heart by meditation. Then, fixing his mind
on Me, he should enter into the fire and give up his body.
Since the process of vnaprastha is recommended for those nearing the
end of life, there is always the likelihood that one will prematurely

878

succumb to the symptoms of old age and be unable to reach the final
stage of sannysa. If one simply cannot carry on his religious duties due to
old age, it is here advised that he fix the mind in Lord Ka and enter
into the sacrificial fire. Although this may not be possible in the modern
age, we can appreciate the absolute seriousness of going back home, back
to Godhead, as evidenced in this verse.
TEXT 12
yad karma-vipkeu
lokeu niraytmasu
virgo jyate samya
nyastgni pravrajet tata
yadwhen; karmaby fruitive activities; vipkeuin all that which is
obtained; lokeuincluding promotion to all the planets of the universe
up to Brahmaloka; niraya-tmasuplanets that are actually hellish, being
material; virgadetachment; jyateis born; samyakcompletely;
nyastagiving up; agnithe sacrificial fire of vnaprastha; pravrajet
one should take sannysa; tataat that point.
If the vnaprastha, understanding that even promotion to Brahmaloka is
a miserable situation, develops complete detachment from all possible
results of fruitive activities, then he may take the sannysa order of life.
TEXT 13
iv yathopadea m
dattv sarva-svam tvije
agnn sva-pra veya
nirapeka parivrajet
ivhaving worshiped; yathaccording to; upadeamscriptural
injunctions; mmMe; dattvhaving given; sarva-svamall one
possesses; tvijeto the priest; agnnthe sacrificial fire; sva-pre
within oneself; veyaplacing; nirapekawithout attachment;
parivrajetone should take sannysa and set off.
Having worshiped Me according to scriptural injunctions and having
given all one's property to the sacrificial priest, one should place the
fire sacrifice within oneself. Thus, with the mind completely detached,

879

one should enter the sannysa order of life.

One cannot maintain the sannysa order of life unless one gives up all
materialistic association and engages exclusively in devotional service to
the Supreme Lord. Any material desire will gradually prove to be a
stumbling block in the prosecution of renounced life. Therefore, a
liberated sannys must vigilantly keep himself free from the weeds of
material desires, which surface principally in the form of attachment to
women, money and reputation. One may possess a beautiful garden filled
with fruits and flowers, but without vigilant maintenance the garden will
be overrun by weeds. Similarly, one who achieves a beautiful state of
Ka consciousness takes the sannysa order of life, but if he does not
vigilantly and painstakingly keep his heart clean, there is always the
danger of a relapse into illusion.
TEXT 14
viprasya vai sannyasato
dev drdi-rpia
vighnn kurvanty aya hy asmn
kramya samiyt param
viprasyaof the saintly person; vaiindeed; sannyasatataking
sannysa; devthe demigods; dra-di-rpiaappearing in the form
of his wife or other women and attractive objects; vighnnstumbling
blocks; kurvanticreate; ayamthe sannys; hiindeed; asmnthem,
the demigods; kramyasurpassing; samiytshould go; paramback
home, back to Godhead.
"This man taking sannysa is going to surpass us and go back home,
back to Godhead." Thus thinking, the demigods create stumbling
blocks on the path of the sannys by appearing before him in the shape
of his former wife or other women and attractive objects. But the
sannys should pay the demigods and their manifestations no heed.
The demigods are empowered with universal administration and by their
potency may appear as the former wife of a sannys or as other women,
so that the sannys gives up his strict vows and becomes entangled in
sense gratification. Lord Ka here encourages all sannyss by telling
them, "Pay no attention to such illusory manifestations. Continue your

880

duties and go back home, back to Godhead."

TEXT 15
bibhyc cen munir vsa
kaupncchdana param
tyakta na daa-ptrbhym
anyat kicid anpadi
bibhytwould wear; cetif; munithe sannys; vsaclothes;
kaupnathe thick belt and underwear worn by saintly persons;
cchdanamcovering; paramother; tyaktamgiven up; nanever;
daabesides his staff; ptrbhymand waterpot; anyatelse; kicit
anything; anpadiwhen there is no emergency.
If the sannys desires to wear something besides a mere kaupna, he
may use another cloth around his waist and hips to cover the kaupna.
Otherwise, if there is no emergency, he should not accept anything
besides his daa and waterpot.
A sannys attracted to material possessions will spoil his worship of Lord
Ka.
TEXT 16
di-pta nyaset pda
vastra-pta pibej jalam
satya-pt vaded vca
mana-pta samcaret
diby the sight; ptamascertained as pure; nyasethe should place;
pdamhis foot; vastraby his cloth; ptamfiltered; pibethe should
drink; jalamwater; satyaby truthfulness; ptmpure; vadethe
should speak; vcamwords; manaascertained by the mind; ptam
to be pure; samcarethe should perform.
A saintly person should step or place his foot on the ground only after
verifying with his eyes that there are no living creatures, such as
insects, who might be injured by his foot. He should drink water only
after filtering it through a portion of his cloth, and he should speak only
words that possess the purity of truth. Similarly, he should perform
only those activities his mind has carefully ascertained to be pure.

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While walking, a saintly person is careful not to kill any tiny creatures on
the ground. Similarly, he filters his drinking water through cloth to avoid
swallowing small creatures living within the water. Speaking untruths
simply for sense gratification is detrimental to devotional service and
should be avoided. Speaking impersonal philosophy and glorifying the
sense gratification of the material world, even that found in heavenly
planets, contaminates the heart and must be avoided by those desiring
perfection in the loving service of the Lord. By serious consideration one
can understand that any activity other than devotional service to Lord
Ka has no ultimate value; therefore one should exclusively engage in
the purified activities of Ka consciousness.
TEXT 17
maunnhnilym
da vg-deha-cetasm
na hy ete yasya santy aga
veubhir na bhaved yati
maunaavoiding useless speech; anhagiving up fruitive activities;
anila-ymcontrolling the breathing process; dastrict
disciplines; vkof the voice; dehaof the body; cetasmof the mind;
nanot; hiindeed; etethese disciplines; yasyaof whom; santi
exist; agaMy dear Uddhava; veubhiby bamboo rods; nanever;
bhavetis; yatia real sannys.
One who has not accepted the three internal disciplines of avoiding
useless speech, avoiding useless activities and controlling the life air
can never be considered a sannys merely because of his carrying
bamboo rods.
The word daa indicates the staff carried by those in the renounced
order of life, and daa also indicates severe discipline. The Vaiava
sannyss accept a staff made of three bamboo rods, signifying dedication
of the body, mind and words to the service of the Supreme Lord. Here
Lord Ka says that one must first accept these three daas, or
disciplines (namely control of the voice, body and mind), within oneself.
The practice of anilyma (or pryma, regulating the life air) is meant
to control the mind, and one who always thinks of service to Lord Ka
has certainly achieved the perfection of pryma. Merely carrying the

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three external daas without assimilating the internal daas of bodily,

mental and vocal discipline can never make one an actual Vaiava
sannys, as explained here by Lord Ka.
In the Hasa-gt section of Mahbhrata and in rla Rpa Gosvm's
Upademta, there are instructions regarding the sannysa order of life. A
conditioned soul who adopts only the external ornaments of tridasannysa will not actually be able to control the senses. One who takes
sannysa for false prestige, making a show of saintliness without actual
advancement in ka-krtana, will soon be vanquished by the external
energy of the Lord.
TEXT 18
bhik caturu vareu
vigarhyn varjaya caret
saptgrn asakpts
tuyel labdhena tvat
bhikmcharity obtained by begging; caturuamong the four;
vareuoccupational divisions of society; vigarhynabominable,
impure; varjayanrejecting; caretone should approach; saptaseven;
grnhouses; asakptnwithout calculation or desire; tuyetone
should be satisfied; labdhenawith that obtained; tvatwith just that
amount.
Rejecting those houses that are polluted and untouchable, one should
approach without previous calculation seven houses and be satisfied
with that which is obtained there by begging. According to necessity,
one may approach each of the four occupational orders of society.
Saintly persons in the renounced order of life may beg from strict
followers of Vedic culture to obtain foodstuffs and other bodily
necessities. According to Vedic injunction, a renounced saint should beg
from the brhmaa community, but if there is danger of his starving, he
may beg from katriyas, then vaiyas, and even dras if they are not
sinful, as expressed here by the word vigarhyn. rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura explains that asakptn indicates that one should not
approach certain houses, calculating, "In that place I can get first-class
food. That house has a big reputation among beggars." Without
discriminating, one should go to seven houses and be satisfied with

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whatever may be obtained there. One should beg for one's personal
maintenance only from houses where the inhabitants, being sincere
followers of the varrama culture, have earned their livelihood by
honest means and are free from sinful activities. One may beg alms from
such householders. One must not beg alms for one's personal
maintenance from those who oppose the Supreme Lord's devotional
service, for such service is the whole purpose of varrama culture.
Those who oppose Vedic culture pass laws to make begging by saintly
persons a criminal act. They thus insult and persecute saintly beggars,
considering them to be ordinary vagrants. A lazy person begging to avoid
work is certainly abominable, but a saintly person dedicated to the service
of the Lord and practicing the discipline of begging to develop full
dependence on the Lord's mercy should be given all facility in human
society. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura explains that there are
three forms of collecting alms. Mdhukara is the process of imitating the
bee, who collects a tiny amount of nectar from each flower. In this way,
the saintly person accepts a very small amount from each person,
avoiding social conflict. The process mentioned here is asakpta, by
which one indiscriminately approaches seven houses, being satisfied with
whatever may be obtained. Prk-prata is that process by which one
establishes regular donors and collects one's maintenance from them. In
this regard rla Vrarghava crya has described the initial stage of
sannysa, called kucaka, as follows. A man accepting the initial stage of
sannysa arranges for his children or other relatives and well-wishers to
build him a ku, or meditation cottage. He gives up worldly affairs and
sits within the cottage, trying to remain free from lust, anger, greed,
illusion and so on. According to the prescribed injunctions of regulated
life, he accepts a tri-daa, purifies himself with a waterpot, shaves his
head (leaving a ikh, or tuft), chants Gyatr mantra on the sacred thread
and wears saffron garments. Bathing regularly, cleansing, performing
camana, chanting japa, studying the Vedas, remaining celibate and
meditating on the Lord, he receives regular supplies of food from his
children, friends and relatives. Accepting only the bare necessities of life,
he remains fixed in his cottage up to the moment of liberation.
TEXT 19
bahir jalaya gatv
tatropaspya vg-yata

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vibhajya pvita ea
bhujteam htam
bahioutside of urban areas, in a secluded place; jalaof water;
ayamto a reservoir; gatvgoing; tatrathere; upaspyabeing
purified by contact with water; vk-yatawithout speaking; vibhajya
duly distributing; pvitampurified; eamremnants; bhujtaone
should eat; aeamcompletely; htamgathered by begging.
Taking the food gathered through begging, one should leave the
populated areas and go to a reservoir of water in a secluded place.
There, having taken a bath and washed one's hands thoroughly, one
should distribute portions of the food to others who may request it.
One should do this without speaking. Then, having thoroughly cleansed
the remnants, one should eat everything on one's plate, leaving nothing
for future consumption.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura explains that a saintly person
should not argue or quarrel with materialistic persons who may request or
demand part of his foodstuff. The word vibhajya indicates that one should
give something to such persons to avoid disturbance, and then, offering
the remnants to Lord Viu, one should eat everything on one's plate,
without saving food for the future. The word bahi indicates that one
should not eat in a public place, and vg-yata indicates that one should
eat silently, meditating upon the Lord's mercy.
TEXT 20
eka caren mahm et
nisaga sayatendriya
tma-kra tma-rata
tma-vn sama-darana
ekaalone; caretone should move about; mahmthe earth; etm
this; nisagawithout any material attachment; sayata-indriya
completely controlling the senses; tma-kraenthusiastic by
realization of the Supersoul; tma-ratacompletely satisfied in spiritual
understanding; tma-vnsteady on the spiritual platform; samadaranawith equal vision everywhere.
Without any material attachment, with senses fully controlled,

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remaining enthusiastic, and satisfied in realization of the Supreme Lord

and his own self, the saintly person should travel about the earth alone.
Having equal vision everywhere, he should be steady on the spiritual
platform.
One who remains attached to material sense gratification cannot be steady
in the process of chanting Hare Ka. Being shackled by illusory desires,
he is not able to fully control the senses. Actually, one should take shelter
of devotional service to Lord Ka twenty-four hours a day, for by such
service one remains within the scope of spiritual reality. By chanting and
hearing the holy names of the Lord along with the Lord's glories and
pastimes, one naturally drifts away from the field of material sense
gratification. Good association with Lord Ka and His devotees
automatically vanquishes useless material association, and one is able to
carry out the Vedic injunctions meant to lift the conditioned soul out of
the material field and onto the liberated platform of Ka consciousness.
In this regard, rla Rpa Gosvm states in his Upademta (4),
dadti pratighti
guhyam khyti pcchati
bhukte bhojayate caiva
a-vidha prti-lakaam
"Offering gifts in charity, accepting charitable gifts, revealing one's mind
in confidence, inquiring confidentially, accepting prasdam and offering
prasdam are the six symptoms of love shared by one devotee and
another."
One who thus learns to associate with the Lord's devotees actually
remains insulated from the contamination of material life. By pure
association one gradually understands the name, form, qualities,
associates, pastimes and devotional service of Lord r Ka, and thus
even in this lifetime one can become a resident of the spiritual world. In
the association of pure devotees there is no material contamination and
no useless discussion, since all pure devotees are fully engaged twentyfour hours a day in the loving service of the Lord. By the influence of such
devotees, one develops equal vision (sama-darana) and sees the realized
knowledge of Ka consciousness everywhere. As one begins to
understand his eternal relationship with Lord Ka, he becomes tma-

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vn, situated in his constitutional position. An advanced Vaiava,

constantly enjoying the mellows of loving devotional service and carrying
out the mission of the Lord on the earth, is tma-kra, one who enjoys
life within the internal potency of the Supreme Lord. The advanced
devotee remains constantly attracted to the Supreme Lord and His
devotees and is therefore tma-rata, fully satisfied by constant engagement
in devotional service. One cannot possibly develop the exalted qualities
mentioned here without becoming an unalloyed devotee of Lord Ka.
One who is envious of the Lord and His devotees becomes attracted to
bad association, gradually loses control of the senses and falls down into
the network of impious life. The innumerable varieties of nondevotees are
like branches sprouting from the single tree of enviousness of the
Supreme Lord, Ka, and their association should be given up by all
means.
Without unalloyed devotional service to the Lord, one loses touch with
the desire and mission of the Personality of Godhead and becomes
attracted to worshiping the wonderful male and female creations of the
Lord's illusory energydemigods, demigoddesses, celebrities, politicians,
prostitutes, etc. In this way, one foolishly considers something besides
Lord Ka to be supremely wonderful. Actually, Lord Ka is the only
true object of worship for those desiring to experience unlimited beauty
and pleasure. By seriously taking to Ka consciousness one can realize
the transcendental position of Lord Ka and gradually develop all of the
qualities mentioned in this verse.
TEXT 21
vivikta-kema-arao
mad-bhva-vimalaya
tmna cintayed ekam
abhedena may muni
viviktasolitary; kemasafe; araahis dwelling; matin Me;
bhvaby
constant
thought;
vimalapurified;
ayahis
consciousness; tmnamon the soul; cintayethe should concentrate;
ekamalone; abhedenanot different; mayfrom Me; munithe sage.
Dwelling in a safe and solitary place, his mind purified by constant
thought of Me, the sage should concentrate on the soul alone, realizing
it to be nondifferent from Me.

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One who is engaged exclusively in the devotional service of the Lord in

one of the five principal relationships is to be known as a pure Vaiava.
Because of his advanced stage of love of Godhead, a pure devotee is able
to constantly chant the glories of the Lord without material hindrance. He
is not interested in anything except Lord Ka and never considers
himself to be qualitatively different from the Lord. One who is still
attracted by the gross material body and subtle material mind, which
cover the eternal soul, continues to see himself as different from the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. This misconception is due to false
identification with matter. With senses purified of material
contamination, one must serve the Lord, who is the master of all senses,
and thus one's devotional service is considered free from discrepancy.
One who ignores the injunctions of Vedic literature uselessly wastes his
sense activity in illusory material activities. He falsely considers himself to
be different from Lord Ka and therefore imagines that he possesses an
interest independent of the Lord's interest. There is no possibility that
such a person can achieve steadiness in life, because the material field of
action is constantly being shifted and transformed by the disturbing
influence of time. If a devotee begins to cultivate an interest apart from
the loving service of the Lord, his meditation on his oneness with the
Lord will be disturbed and overturned. When the mind deviates from the
lotus feet of the Lord, the duality of material nature again becomes
prominent within the mind, and one resumes a work program based on
the three modes of material nature. One who is not fixed in one's own
relationship with the Supreme Lord cannot be fearless or steady and is
deprived of the shelter of Lord r Ka. Therefore one should seriously
contemplate, as described in this verse, one's identity as a small particle of
consciousness not different from the supreme consciousness, Lord Ka.
Thus one should remain steady in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 22
anvkettmano bandha
moka ca jna-nihay
bandha indriya-vikepo
moka e ca sayama
anvketaone should see by careful study; tmanaof the soul;
bandhamthe bondage; mokamthe liberation; caalso; jnain
knowledge; nihayby steadiness; bandhabondage; indriyaof the

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senses; vikepadeviation to sense gratification; mokaliberation;

emof these senses; caand; sayamacomplete control.
By steady knowledge a sage should clearly ascertain the nature of the
soul's bondage and liberation. Bondage occurs when the senses are
deviated to sense gratification, and complete control of the senses
constitutes liberation.
By carefully understanding one's eternal nature, one will not again be
bound up in the shackles of material energy, and by constant engagement
in the service of the Absolute Truth, one is liberated. Then the flickering
material senses can no longer drag one into the false consciousness of
being a material enjoyer. Such steady sense control gives one relief from
the harassment of material sense gratification.
TEXT 23
tasmn niyamya a-varga
mad-bhvena caren muni
virakta kudra-kmebhyo
labdhvtmani sukha mahat
tasmttherefore; niyamyacompletely controlling; a-vargamthe six
senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste and the mind); mat-bhvenaby
consciousness of Me; caretshould live; munithe sage; virakta
detached; kudrainsignificant; kmebhyafrom sense gratification;
labdhvhaving experienced; tmaniin the self; sukhamhappiness;
mahatgreat.
Therefore, completely controlling the five senses and the mind by Ka
consciousness, a sage, having experienced spiritual bliss within the self,
should live detached from insignificant material sense gratification.
TEXT 24
pura-grma-vrajn srthn
bhikrtha pravia caret
puya-dea-saric-chailavanrama-vat mahm
puracities; grmatowns; vrajnand pasturing grounds; sa-arthn

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those working for bodily maintenance; bhik-arthamfor begging alms;

pravianentering; carethe should travel; puyapure; deaplaces;
saritwith rivers; ailamountains; vanaand forests; rama-vatm
possessing such residential places; mahmthe earth.
The sage should travel in sanctified places, by flowing rivers and within
the solitude of mountains and forests. He should enter the cities, towns
and pasturing grounds and approach ordinary working men only to beg
his bare sustenance.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word pura refers to cities and
towns with shopping centers, markets and other commercial enterprises,
whereas grma refers to smaller towns, lacking such facilities. The
vnaprastha or sannys trying to become free from material attachment
should avoid those who are working day and night for sense gratification,
approaching them only to engage them in necessary acts of charity. Those
who are preaching Ka consciousness all over the world are understood
to be liberated souls, and therefore they constantly approach the
materialistic living entities to engage them in the devotional service of
Lord Ka. However, even such preachers should strictly avoid contact
with the materialistic world when not actually necessary for advancing the
mission of Ka consciousness. The injunction is that one should not
deal unnecessarily with the materialistic world.
TEXT 25
vnaprasthrama-padev
abhka bhaikyam caret
sasidhyaty v asammoha
uddha-sattva ilndhas
vnaprastha-ramaof the vnaprastha order of life; padeuin the
position; abhkamalways; bhaikyambegging; caretone should
perform; sasidhyatione becomes spiritually perfect; uquickly;
asammohafree from illusion; uddhapurified; sattvaexistence;
laobtained by begging or gleaning; andhasby food.
One in the vnaprastha order of life should always practice taking
charity from others, for one is thereby freed from illusion and quickly
becomes perfect in spiritual life. Indeed, one who subsists on food

890

grains obtained in such a humble manner purifies his existence.

In the Western countries people are generally so dull that they cannot
distinguish between a saintly beggar and an ordinary hobo or hippie. A
saintly beggar is constantly engaged in authorized devotional service to
the Supreme Lord and accepts only what he requires for his bare
maintenance. The author of this book remembers entering the Ka
consciousness society as an arrogant university student and being quickly
humbled by the process of begging on the street on behalf of Ka. This
process is not theoretical but actually purifies one's existence by forcing
one to offer respect to all others. Unless one offers respect to others, one's
begging will be fruitless. Also, by begging one will not often eat very
sumptuously. This is good because when the tongue is controlled the
other senses are quickly pacified. A vnaprastha should never give up the
purifying process of begging for his food, and ordinary people should not
foolishly equate a lazy bum living at the cost of others with a saintly
beggar engaged in higher duties for the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 26
naitad vastutay payed
dyamna vinayati
asakta-citto viramed
ihmutra-cikritt
nanever; etatthis; vastutayas ultimate reality; payetone should
see; dyamnambeing observed by direct experience; vinayatiis
destroyed; asaktawithout attachment; cittawhose consciousness;
virametone should be detached; ihain this world; amutraand in
one's future life; cikrittfrom activities performed for material
advancement.
One should never see as ultimate reality those material things which
obviously will perish. With consciousness free from material
attachment, one should retire from all activities meant for material
progress in this life and the next.
One may doubt how a gentleman can retire from family life and live as a
beggar, eating meager foodstuffs. The Lord here responds by stating that
sumptuous or palatable foodsalong with all other material objects, such

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as the body itselfshould never be seen as ultimate reality, since they are
obviously perishable items. One should retire from material programs
destined to enhance the quality of one's illusion both in this life and the
next.
TEXT 27
yad etad tmani jagan
mano-vk-pra-sahatam
sarva myeti tarkea
sva-sthas tyaktv na tat smaret
yatwhich; etatthis; tmaniin the Supreme Lord; jagatuniverse;
manaof the mind; vkspeech; praand life air; sahatam
formed; sarvamall; mymaterial illusion; itithus; tarkeaby
logic; sva-sthafixed in the self; tyaktvgiving up; nanever; tat
that; smaretone should remember.
One should logically consider the universe, which is situated within the
Lord, and one's own material body, which is composed of mind, speech
and life air, to be ultimately products of the Lord's illusory energy.
Thus situated in the self, one should give up one's faith in these things
and should never again make them the object of one's meditation.
Every conditioned soul considers the material world to be the object of
his personal sense gratification and therefore considers the material body
to be his actual identity. The word tyaktv indicates that one must give up
one's false identification with the material world and the material body,
since both are merely products of the illusory potency of the Lord. One
should never again meditate on the material world and body as objects of
sense gratification but rather should become situated in Ka
consciousness. Looking at things from the eternal point of view, this
world is simply illusory. The material energy of the Lord is devoid of
consciousness and thus cannot be the basis of actual happiness. The
Supreme Lord Himself is the only absolutely conscious entity. He is
absolutely self-sufficient, standing alone as Viu, the Personality of
Godhead. Only Viu, and not the insignificant workings of material
nature, can give us the actual perfection of life.
TEXT 28

892

jna-niho virakto v
mad-bhakto vnapekaka
sa-lign rams tyaktv
cared avidhi-gocara
jnato philosophical knowledge; nihadedicated; virakta
detached from external manifestations; vaeither; mat-bhaktaMy
devotee; vor; anapekakanot desiring even liberation; sa-lign
with their rituals and external regulations; ramnthe duties pertaining
to particular statuses of life; tyaktvgiving up; caretone should
conduct oneself; avidhi-gocarabeyond the range of rules and
regulations.
A learned transcendentalist dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge
and thus detached from external objects, or My devotee who is
detached even from desire for liberationboth neglect those duties
based on external rituals or paraphernalia. Thus their conduct is
beyond the range of rules and regulations.
This verse describes the paramahasa stage of life, in which there is no
further need for rituals, external paraphernalia or rules and regulations. A
completely realized jna-yog pursuing liberation, or beyond that, a
perfect devotee of the Lord who does not desire even liberation, has no
further desire for material engagement. When one completely purifies the
mind, there is no possibility of sinful behavior. Rules and regulations are
meant for guiding those who have a tendency to act in ignorance or for
personal gratification, but one who is perfect in spiritual consciousness
can move freely, as described here by the Lord. One who tends to drive a
car recklessly or who is unfamiliar with the local road conditions certainly
needs the discipline of elaborate road signs and police enforcement of
traffic laws. A perfectly safe driver, however, is thoroughly familiar with
the local road conditions. He has no real need for the enforcement
officials or the speed limits and caution signs meant for those unfamiliar
with the road. A pure devotee of the Lord desires nothing except service
to the Lord; he automatically fulfills the purport of all negative and
positive injunctions, which is to always remember Ka and never forget
Him. One should not, however, artificially imitate the exalted position of
a paramahasa devotee, for such imitation will quickly ruin one's
spiritual career.

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In the previous verses the Lord has elaborately described various rituals,
paraphernalia and disciplines for the various spiritual orders of life. The
sannys, for example, carries a tri-daa and a waterpot and eats and lives
in a particular way. A paramahasa devotee, having completely given up
all attachment and interest in the material world, is no longer attracted by
such external features of renunciation.
TEXT 29
budho blaka-vat kret
kualo jaa-vac caret
vaded unmatta-vad vidvn
go-cary naigama caret
budhaalthough intelligent; blaka-vatlike a child (oblivious to honor
and dishonor); krethe should enjoy life; kualaalthough expert;
jaa-vatlike a stunted person; carethe should act; vadethe should
speak; unmatta-vatlike an insane person; vidvnalthough most
learned; go-carymunrestricted behavior; naigamaalthough expert in
Vedic injunctions; carethe should perform.
Although most wise, the paramahasa should enjoy life like a child,
oblivious to honor and dishonor; although most expert, he should
behave like a stunted, incompetent person; although most learned, he
should speak like an insane person; and although a scholar learned in
Vedic regulations, he should behave in an unrestricted manner.
A paramahasa-sannys, fearing that his mind may be deviated by the
tremendous prestige that people sometimes offer to a perfectly selfrealized person, conceals his position as described in this verse. A selfrealized person does not try to please the mass of people, nor does he
desire social prestige, since the mission of his life is to remain detached
from the material world and to always please the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Although neglecting ordinary rules and regulations, a
paramahasa does not ever become sinful or immoral, but rather neglects
ritualistic aspects of religious custom, such as dressing in a particular
way, performing certain ceremonies or executing specific penances and
austerities.
The pure devotees of the Lord who have dedicated their lives to
propagating the Lord's holy name must very expertly present Ka

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consciousness in a way pleasing to the mass of people so that they will

accept it. Those who are preaching should try to make Lord r Ka
popular without trying to advance their personal prestige in the name of
missionary progress. A paramahasa not engaged in distributing Ka
consciousness, however, should have no attachment whatsoever to public
opinion.
TEXT 30
veda-vda-rato na syn
na pa na haituka
uka-vda-vivde na
kacit paka samrayet
veda-vdain the karma-ka section of the Vedas; rataengaged;
nanever; sytshould be; nanor; paatheistic, acting against
Vedic injunctions; nanor; haitukaa mere logician or skeptic; ukavdaof useless topics; vivdein arguments; nanever; kacitany;
pakamside; samrayetshould take.
A devotee should never engage in the fruitive rituals mentioned in the
karma-ka section of the Vedas, nor should he become atheistic,
acting or speaking in opposition to Vedic injunctions. Similarly, he
should never speak like a mere logician or skeptic or take any side
whatsoever in useless arguments.
Although a paramahasa devotee conceals his exalted position, certain
activities are forbidden even for one trying to conceal himself. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains that in the name of concealment
one should not become a ghost. The word psaa refers to atheistic
philosophies opposing the Vedas, such as Buddhism, and haituka refers to
those who accept only that which can be demonstrated by mundane logic
or experimentation. Since the whole purpose of the Vedas is to
understand that which is beyond material experience, a skeptic's so-called
logic is irrelevant to spiritual progress. rla Jva Gosvm warns us in this
regard that a devotee should not read atheistic literature, even with the
purpose of refining arguments against atheism. Such literature should be
entirely avoided. The above-mentioned prohibited activities are so
detrimental to the advancement of Ka consciousness that they should
not be adopted even as a superficial show.

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TEXT 31
nodvijeta jand dhro
jana codvejayen na tu
ati-vds titiketa
nvamanyeta kacana
deham uddiya pau-vad
vaira kuryn na kenacit
nanever; udvijetashould be disturbed or frightened; jantbecause of
other people; dhraa saintly person; janamother people; caalso;
udvejayetshould-frighten or disturb; nanever; tuindeed; ati-vdn
insulting or harsh words; titiketahe should tolerate; nanever;
avamanyetashould belittle; kacanaanyone; dehamthe body;
uddiyafor the sake of; pau-vatlike an animal; vairamhostility;
kurythe should create; nanever; kenacitwith anyone.
A saintly person should never let others frighten or disturb him and,
similarly, should never frighten or disturb other people. He should
tolerate the insults of others and should never himself belittle anyone.
He should never create hostility with anyone for the sake of the
material body, for he would thus be no better than an animal.
r Caitanya Mahprabhu has stated,
td api su-ncena
taror iva sahiun
amnin mna-dena
krtanya sad hari
[Cc. di 17.31]
"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind,
thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more
tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer
all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name
of the Lord constantly."
A Vaiava should never disturb any other living entity with his body,
mind or words. He should always be tolerant and never belittle others.
Although a Vaiava may act powerfully against the demons for Lord
Ka's sakeas did Arjuna, Hanumn and many other great devoteesa

896

Vaiava becomes very meek and humble in regard to his own reputation.
TEXT 32
eka eva paro hy tm
bhtev tmany avasthita
yathendur uda-ptreu
bhtny ektmakni ca
ekaone; evaindeed; paraSupreme; hicertainly; tmthe
Personality of Godhead; bhteuwithin all bodies; tmaniwithin the
living entity; avasthitasituated; yathjust as; induthe moon;
udaof water; ptreuin different reservoirs; bhtniall material
bodies; ekaof the one Supreme Lord; tmaknicomposed of the
energy; caalso.
The one Supreme Lord is situated within all material bodies and within
everyone's soul. Just as the moon is reflected in innumerable reservoirs
of water, the Supreme Lord, although one, is present within everyone.
Thus every material body is ultimately composed of the energy of the
one Supreme Lord.
All material bodies are composed of the same material nature, which is
ultimately the potency of the one Supreme Lord. Therefore, one cannot
justify feelings of hostility toward any living entity. In carrying out the
Lord's mission on earth, the bona fide representatives of God never
become envious or hostile toward anyone, even when chastised by those
who flagrantly violate the laws of God. Every living being is ultimately the
son of God, and God is present within everyone's body. Therefore, saintly
persons should be very careful even when dealing with the most
insignificant person or creature.
TEXT 33
alabdhv na videta
kle kle 'ana kvacit
labdhv na hyed dhtimn
ubhaya daiva-tantritam
alabdhvnot obtaining; nanot; videtahe should be depressed; kle
kleat different times; aanamfood; kvacitwhatever; labdhv
obtaining; nanot; hyetshould rejoice; dhti-mnfixed in

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determination; ubhayamboth (obtaining and not obtaining good food);

daivaof the supreme power of God; tantritamunder the control.
If at times one does not obtain proper food one should not be
depressed, and when one obtains sumptuous food one should not
rejoice. Being fixed in determination, one should understand both
situations to be under the control of God.
Because we desire to enjoy the material body, the varieties of material
experience bring us flickering happiness and inevitable suffering. We
foolishly consider ourselves to be controllers and doers, and thus through
false egotism we are subjected to the volatile feelings of the material body
and mind.
TEXT 34
hrrtha samheta
yukta tat-pra-dhraam
tattva vimyate tena
tad vijya vimucyate
hrato eat; arthamin order; samhetaone should endeavor;
yuktamproper; tatof the person; pralife force; dhraam
sustaining; tattvamspiritual truth; vimyateis contemplated; tenaby
that strength of the mind, senses and life air; tatthat truth; vijya
understanding; vimucyateone is liberated.
If required, one should endeavor to get sufficient foodstuffs, because it
is always necessary and proper to maintain one's health. When the
senses, mind and life air are fit, one can contemplate spiritual truth,
and by understanding the truth one is liberated.
If foodstuffs do not come automatically or by token begging, then one
should endeavor to keep body and soul together so that one's spiritual
program will not be disturbed. Normally, those who are endeavoring in
spiritual life cannot maintain steady concentration on the truth if their
mind and body are weakened by undereating. On the other hand,
extravagant consumption of food is a great impediment for spiritual
advancement and should be given up. The word hrrtham in this verse
indicates eating only to keep oneself fit for spiritual advancement and
does not justify unnecessary collecting or warehousing of so-called alms.

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If one collects more than necessary for one's spiritual program, the
surplus becomes a heavy weight that drags one down to the material
platform.
TEXT 35
yadcchayopapannnnam
adyc chreham utparam
tath vsas tath ayy
prpta prpta bhajen muni
yadcchayof its own accord; upapannaacquired; annamfood;
adythe should eat; rehamfirst class; utaor; aparamlow class;
tathsimilarly; vsaclothing; tathsimilarly; ayymbedding;
prptam prptamwhatever is automatically obtained; bhajetshould
accept; munithe sage.
A sage should accept the food, clothing and beddingbe they of
excellent or inferior qualitythat come of their own accord.
Sometimes excellent, sumptuous food will come without endeavor, and at
other times tasteless food appears. A sage should not become happily
excited when a sumptuous plate is brought to him, nor should he angrily
refuse ordinary food that comes of its own accord. If no food comes at all,
as mentioned in the previous verse, one must endeavor to avoid
starvation. From these verses it appears that even a saintly sage must have
a good dose of common sense.
TEXT 36
aucam camana snna
na tu codanay caret
any ca niyam jn
yathha llayevara
aucamgeneral cleanliness; camanampurifying the hands with water;
snnamtaking bath; nanot; tuindeed; codanayby force; caret
one should perform; anynother; caalso; niyamnregular duties;
jnone who has realized knowledge of Me; yathjust as; ahamI;
llayby My own desire; varathe Supreme Lord.
Just as I, the Supreme Lord, execute regulative duties by My own free

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will, similarly, one who has realized knowledge of Me should maintain

general cleanliness, purify his hands with water, take bath and execute
other regulative duties not by force but by his own free will.
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends to the material
world, He generally observes the Vedic regulative duties to set a proper
example for mankind. The Lord acts by His own free will, since no one
can oblige, force or impel the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly,
the jn, or self-realized soul, is fixed on the spiritual platform, beyond
the material body, and should therefore execute the regulative duties in
relation to the material body by his own free will and not as a servant of
the rules and regulations. A self-realized soul is a servant of Lord Ka
and not of rules and regulations. Nevertheless, a transcendentalist strictly
complies with regular duties for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. In
other words, one who is advanced in loving devotional service to Lord
Ka spontaneously moves according to the will of the Supreme. One
who is perfectly situated in spiritual realization cannot become a servant
of the material body or of rules and regulations concerning the material
body. However, this verse and other similar statements in Vedic scriptures
should not be ignorantly misinterpreted to justify immoral, whimsical
behavior. Lord Ka is discussing the paramahasa stage of life, and
those who are attached to the material body have nothing to do with this
paramahasa stage, nor should they exploit its unique privileges and
status.
TEXT 37
na hi tasya vikalpkhy
y ca mad-vkay hat
-dehntt kvacit khytis
tata sampadyate may
nanot; hicertainly; tasyafor the realized person; vikalpaof
something separate from Ka; khyperception; ywhich
perception; caalso; matof Me; vkayby realized knowledge;
hatis destroyed; -until; dehaof the body; anttthe death; kvacit
sometimes; khytisuch perception; tatathen; sampadyateachieves
equal opulences; maywith Me.
A realized soul no longer sees anything as separate from Me, for his

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realized knowledge of Me has destroyed such illusory perception. Since

the material body and mind were previously accustomed to this kind of
perception, it may sometimes appear to recur; but at the time of death
the self-realized soul achieves opulences equal to Mine.
Lord Ka explained in verse 32 of this chapter that all material and
spiritual objects are expansions of His potency. By realized knowledge of
the Lord one gives up the illusion that anything, anywhere, at any time,
can be separate from Lord Ka. Lord Ka has also explained, however,
that one must keep the material body and mind fit for executing
devotional service; therefore even a self-realized soul may sometimes
appear to accept or reject certain conditions or objects within this world.
Such brief apparent duality of concentration upon something other than
Ka does not change the liberated status of a self-realized soul, who
achieves at the time of death the same opulences as Lord Ka in the
spiritual world. The function of illusion is to separate one from Lord
Ka, but the brief and occasional appearance of duality in the behavior
or mentality of a pure devotee never separates him from the Lord. It does
not constitute actual illusion, for it lacks the essential function of illusion,
namely, the separation of one from Lord Ka.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura describes the self-realized
devotees as follows. The devotee of the Lord does not see anything as
separate from Lord Ka and thus does not consider himself to be a
permanent resident of the material world. At every moment the devotee is
moved by his desire to serve Lord Ka. Just as those who are inclined to
sense gratification pass their time making arrangements for their
enjoyment, similarly the devotees are busy throughout the day arranging
their devotional service to Lord Ka. Therefore they have no time to act
like materialistic sense enjoyers. To ordinary persons it may seem that a
pure devotee is seeing something as separate from Ka, but a pure
devotee is actually fixed in his status as a liberated soul and is guaranteed
to achieve a spiritual body in the kingdom of God. Ordinary, materialistic
persons cannot always understand the activities of a pure devotee of the
Lord, and thus they may try to minimize his position, considering him to
be the same as themselves. At the end of life, however, the results
achieved by the devotees of the Lord and ordinary materialists are vastly
different.
TEXT 38

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dukhodarkeu kmeu
jta-nirveda tmavn
ajjsita-mad-dharmo
muni gurum upavrajet
dukhaunhappiness; udarkeuin that which brings as its future result;
kmeuin sense gratification; jtaarisen; nirvedadetachment; tmavndesiring spiritual perfection in life; ajijsitaone who has not
seriously considered; matMe; dharmathe process of obtaining;
munima wise person; guruma spiritual master; upavrajethe should
approach.
One who is detached from sense gratification, knowing its result to be
miserable, and who desires spiritual perfection, but who has not
seriously analyzed the process for obtaining Me, should approach a
bona fide and learned spiritual master.
In the previous verses Lord Ka described the duty of one who has
developed perfect knowledge. Now Lord Ka discusses the situation of
one who, desiring self-realization, has become detached from material life
but lacks perfect knowledge of Ka consciousness. Such a detached
person desiring self-realization must approach the lotus feet of a bona fide
spiritual master in Ka consciousness, and then he will quickly come to
the standard of perfect understanding. One who is seriously inclined
toward spiritual perfection should not hesitate to adopt the regular
discipline necessary for achieving the highest perfection in life.
TEXT 39
tvat paricared bhakta
raddhvn anasyaka
yvad brahma vijnyn
mm eva gurum dta
tvatthat long; paricaretshould serve; bhaktathe devotee; raddhvnwith great faith; anasyakabeing without envy; yvatuntil;
brahmaspiritual knowledge; vijnythe clearly realizes; mmMe;
evaindeed; gurumthe spiritual master; dtawith great respect.
Until a devotee has clearly realized spiritual knowledge, he should
continue with great faith and respect and without envy to render

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personal service to the guru, who is nondifferent from Me.

As stated by rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura in his Gurv-aaka
prayers, yasya prasdd bhagavat-prasda: one receives the mercy of the
Supreme Lord through the mercy of the bona fide spiritual master. A
devotee who has been blessed by his guru with spiritual knowledge
becomes qualified to directly engage in the mission of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. rla Prabhupda always emphasized that service
to the spiritual master in separation, pushing on the mission of the guru,
is the highest form of devotional service. The word paricaret in this verse
indicates waiting upon one's master by rendering personal service. In
other words, one who has not clearly realized the teachings of his spiritual
master should remain very close to the guru to avoid falling down into
illusion, but one who has acquired realized knowledge by the mercy of his
spiritual master may expand the spiritual master's mission by traveling
around the world to preach Ka consciousness.
TEXTS 40-41
yas tv asayata-a-varga
pracaendriya-srathi
jna-vairgya-rahitas
tri-daam upajvati
surn tmnam tma-stha
nihnute m ca dharma-h
avipakva-kayo 'smd
amumc ca vihyate
yaone who; tubut; asayatahaving not controlled; a-the six;
vargaitems of contamination; pracaafierce; indriyaof the senses;
srathithe driver, intelligence; jnaof knowledge; vairgyaand
detachment; rahitabereft; tri-daamthe sannysa order of life;
upajvatiutilizing for one's bodily maintenance; surnthe worshipable
demigods; tmnamhis own self; tma-sthamsituated within himself;
nihnutedenies; mmMe; caalso; dharmahruining religious
principles; avipakvanot yet dissolved; kayacontamination;
asmtfrom this world; amumtfrom the next life; caalso;
vihyatehe is lost, deviated.

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One who has not controlled the six forms of illusion [lust, anger, greed,
excitement, false pride and intoxication], whose intelligence, the leader
of the senses, is extremely attached to material things, who is bereft of
knowledge and detachment, who adopts the sannysa order of life to
make a living, who denies the worshipable demigods, his own self and
the Supreme Lord within himself, thus ruining all religious principles,
and who is still infected by material contamination, is deviated and lost
both in this life and the next.
Lord Ka here condemns bogus personalities who adopt the sannysa
order of life for sense gratification while still maintaining all of the
symptoms of gross illusion. A false show of sannysa is never accepted by
intelligent followers of Vedic principles. So-called sannyss who ruin all
Vedic religious principles sometimes become famous among foolish
persons, but they are simply cheating themselves and their followers.
These charlatan sannyss are never actually engaged in the loving
devotional service of Lord Ka.
TEXT 42
bhikor dharma amo 'his
tapa k vanaukasa
ghio bhta-rakejy
dvijasycrya-sevanam
bhikoof a sannys; dharmathe main religious principle; amaequanimity; ahisnonviolence; tapaausterity; kdiscrimination
(between the body and the soul); vanain the forest; okasaof one
dwelling, a vnaprastha; ghiaof a householder; bhta-rakoffering
shelter to all living entities; ijyperformance of sacrifice; dvi-jasyaof a
brahmacr; cryathe spiritual master; sevanamserving.
The main religious duties of a sannys are equanimity and nonviolence,
whereas for the vnaprastha austerity and philosophical understanding
of the difference between the body and soul are prominent. The main
duties of a householder are to give shelter to all living entities and
perform sacrifices, and the brahmacr is mainly engaged in serving the
spiritual master.
The brahmacr lives in the rama of the spiritual master and personally

904

assists the crya. Householders generally are entrusted with the

performance of sacrifice and Deity worship and should provide
maintenance for all living entities. The vnaprastha must clearly
understand the difference between body and soul in order to maintain his
status of renunciation, and he should also perform austerities. The
sannys should fully absorb his body, mind and words in self-realization.
Having thus achieved equanimity of mind, he is the best well-wisher of all
living entities.
TEXT 43
brahmacarya tapa auca
santoo bhta-sauhdam
ghasthasypy tau gantu
sarve mad-upsanam
brahma-caryamcelibacy; tapaausterity; aucampurity of mind
without attachment or repulsion; santoafull satisfaction; bhta
toward all living entities; sauhdamfriendship; ghasthasyaof the
householder; apialso; tauat the proper time; gantuapproaching
his wife; sarvemof all human beings; matof Me; upsanam
worship.
A householder may approach his wife for sex only at the time
prescribed for begetting children. Otherwise, the householder should
practice celibacy, austerity, cleanliness of mind and body, satisfaction
in his natural position, and friendship toward all living entities.
Worship of Me is to be practiced by all human beings, regardless of
social or occupational divisions.
Sarve mad-upsanam indicates that all followers of the varrama
system must worship Lord Ka or risk falling down from their position.
As stated in rmad-Bhgavatam (11.5.3), na bhajanty avajnanti sthnd
bhra patanty adha: even though one may be advanced in the
performance of Vedic rituals and customs, without worshiping the
Supreme Lord one will certainly fall down.
Those in the householder rama are not authorized to enjoy life like pigs
and dogs, freely exercising their sexual potency. A religious householder
should approach his wife at the prescribed time and place and beget a
saintly child for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, it is

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specifically mentioned here that a householder must practice celibacy

along with all of the other members of advanced human civilization. The
word aucam indicates cleanliness of mind and body, or else freedom from
attachment and repulsion. One who faithfully worships God as the
supreme controller experiences santoa, full satisfaction in whatever
situation the Lord arranges. By seeing Lord Ka within everyone, one
becomes bhta-suht, the well-wishing friend of all.
TEXT 44
iti m ya sva-dharmea
bhajen nityam ananya-bhk
sarva-bhteu mad-bhvo
mad-bhakti vindate dhm
itithus; mmMe; yaone who; sva-dharmeaby his prescribed
duty; bhajetworships; nityamalways; ananya-bhkwith no other
object of worship; sarva-bhteuin all living entities; matof Me;
bhvabeing conscious; mat-bhaktimdevotional service unto Me;
vindateachieves; dhmunflinching.
One who worships Me by his prescribed duty, having no other object of
worship, and who remains conscious of Me as present in all living
entities, achieves unflinching devotional service unto Me.
It is clearly explained in this verse that loving devotional service unto
Lord Ka is the ultimate goal of the entire varrama system, which
the Lord has been elaborately explaining. In any social or occupational
division of human society one must be a devotee of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and worship Him alone. The bona fide spiritual
master is the representative of Lord Ka, and worship of the crya goes
directly to the lotus feet of the Lord. Although ordinary householders are
sometimes ordered by Vedic injunctions to worship particular demigods
or forefathers, one should remember that Lord Ka is within all living
entities. As stated here, sarva-bhteu mad-bhva. The pure devotees of
the Lord worship the Lord alone, and those who cannot come to the
standard of pure devotional service should at least meditate upon the
Personality of Godhead within the demigods and all other living entities,
understanding that all religious processes are ultimately meant for the
pleasure of the Lord. In the course of missionary work even pure devotees

906

must deal with government leaders and other prominent members of

society, sometimes praising such persons and complying with their
orders. Yet because the devotees are always meditating on Lord Ka
situated as the Supersoul within everyone, they are therefore acting for
the Lord's pleasure and not for the pleasure of any ordinary human being.
Those persons dealing with different demigods in the course of their
varrama duties should similarly see the Lord as the basis of everything.
They should concentrate on pleasing the Supreme Lord by all activities.
This stage of life is called love of God, and it brings one to the point of
actual liberation.
TEXT 45
bhaktyoddhavnapyiny
sarva-loka-mahevaram
sarvotpatty-apyaya brahma
kraa mopayti sa
bhaktyby loving service; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; anapyiny
unfailing; sarvaof all; lokaworlds; mah-varamthe Supreme Lord;
sarvaof everything; utpattithe cause of the creation; apyayamand
annihilation; brahmathe Absolute Truth; kraamthe cause of the
universe; mto Me; upayticomes; sahe.
My dear Uddhava, I am the Supreme Lord of all worlds, and I create
and destroy this universe, being its ultimate cause. I am thus the
Absolute Truth, and one who worships Me with unfailing devotional
service comes to Me.
As described in the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.2.11), Lord
Ka is understood in three features-as impersonal Brahman, localized
Paramtm and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, r
Ka, the source of everything. Lord Ka absorbs the impersonal
philosophers into the rays of His body, appears before the perfect yogs as
the Lord of the heart, and ultimately brings His pure devotees back to His
own abode for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge.
TEXT 46
iti sva-dharma-niriktasattvo nirjta-mad-gati

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jna-vijna-sampanno
na cirt samupaiti mm
itithus; sva-dharmaby performing his prescribed duty; nirikta
having
purified;
sattvahis
existence;
nirjtacompletely
understanding; mat-gatiMy supreme position; jnawith knowledge
of the scriptures; vijnaand realized knowledge of the soul;
sampannaendowed; na cirtin the near future; samupaiti
completely achieves; mmMe.
Thus, one who has purified his existence by execution of his prescribed
duties, who fully understands My supreme position and who is
endowed with scriptural and realized knowledge, very soon achieves
Me.
TEXT 47
varramavat dharma
ea cra-lakaa
sa eva mad-bhakti-yuto
nireyasa-kara para
varrama-vatmof the followers of the varrama system; dharma
religious principle; eathis; craby proper behavior according to
the authorized tradition; lakaacharacterized; sathis; evaindeed;
mat-bhaktiwith devotional service to Me; yutaconjoined;
nireyasathe highest perfection of life; karagiving; para
supreme.
Those who are followers of this varrama system accept religious
principles according to authorized traditions of proper conduct. When
such varrama duties are dedicated to Me in loving service, they
award the supreme perfection of life.
According to the varrama system, the members of different orders and
statuses of life have many traditional duties, such as worshiping the
forefathers to save them from possible sinful reactions. All such Vedic
rituals, sacrifices, austerities and so forth should be offered to the lotus
feet of Lord r Ka. They then become the transcendental means for
going back home, back to Godhead. In other words, Ka consciousness,

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or loving service to Lord r Ka, is the sum and substance of

progressive human life.
TEXT 48
etat te 'bhihita sdho
bhavn pcchati yac ca mm
yath sva-dharma-sayukto
bhakto m samiyt param
etatthis; teunto you; abhihitamdescribed; sdhoO saintly
Uddhava; bhavnyou; pcchatihave asked; yatwhich; caand;
mmfrom Me; yaththe means by which; sva-dharmain one's
prescribed duty; sayuktaperfectly engaged; bhaktabeing a
devotee; mmto Me; samiytone may come; paramthe Supreme.
My dear saintly Uddhava, I have now described to you, just as you
inquired, the means by which My devotee, perfectly engaged in his
prescribed duty, can come back to Me, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Eighteenth Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Description of Varrama-dharma."

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19. The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge

This chapter describes how those who practice speculative knowledge

eventually give up their method, whereas the pure devotees remain
engaged in devotional service eternally. Also described are the different
practices of the yogs, beginning with yama.
The Supreme Lord, r Ka, stated to Uddhava, "One who is actually
wise, who knows the truth of the self and possesses transcendental
insight, rejects this world of dualities and the so-called knowledge meant
for facilitating enjoyment of it. He instead engages himself in trying to
satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all. This is pure
bhakti-yoga. Transcendental knowledge is greater than such ordinary
pious activities as chanting of mantras, but pure devotional service is
greater than even knowledge."
After this, Lord Ka, requested by r Uddhava to describe in full detail
pure transcendental knowledge and devotional service, related the same
instructions that the greatest of Vaiavas, Bhmadeva, gave on these
topics to r Yudhihira on the occasion of the battle at Kuruketra.
Following this, after being asked about yama and the other practices of
yoga, the Lord enumerated the twelve kinds of yama beginning with
nonviolence, and the twelve kinds of niyama, beginning with bodily
cleanliness.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
yo vidy-ruta-sampanna
tmavn nnumnika
may-mtram ida jtv
jna ca mayi sannyaset
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yaone
who; vidywith realized knowledge; rutaand preliminary scriptural
knowledge; sampannaendowed; tma-vnself-realized; nanot;
numnikaengaged in impersonal speculation; myillusion;

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mtramonly; idamthis universe; jtvknowing; jnamsuch

knowledge and the means of achieving it; caalso; mayito Me;
sannyasetone should surrender.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: A self-realized person who
has cultivated scriptural knowledge up to the point of enlightenment
and who is free from impersonal speculation, understanding the
material universe to be simply illusion, should surrender unto Me both
that knowledge and the means by which he achieved it.
My-mtram ida jtv indicates knowledge that the eternal spirit soul
and the eternal Personality of Godhead are completely separate from the
temporary qualities of the material world. The word vidy-ruta-sampanna
means that one should cultivate Vedic knowledge for the purpose of
enlightenment and not to make a show of mysticism, intellectuality or
impersonal speculation. Having neutralized the illusory effects of my,
one should then transfer one's attention to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, surrendering the process of philosophical negation to the Lord
Himself. rla Jva Gosvm gives the example that when there is danger
the king may issue weapons to private citizens, but after military victory
the individual citizens return the weapons to the king.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains this point of this verse as
follows. Somehow or other the living entity has to free himself from
material illusion, which has covered him since time immemorial.
Cultivating desirelessness and renunciation by practice of the mystic yoga
system, the living entity develops knowledge of illusion and may thus lift
himself above the reach of material ignorance. However, once one is
situated on the transcendental platform, both knowledge of illusion and
the process of acquiring such knowledge have no further practical
application. rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura gives the example that a
man may be haunted by the ghost of a snake or a tiger. As long as the man
is possessed and thinks, "I am a snake" or "I am a tiger," attempts will be
made to counteract the ghostly influence by application of jewels, mantras
and herbs. But when the man is freed from possession by ghosts, he again
thinks, "I am Mr. So-and-so, the son of Mr. So-and-so," and returns to his
original nature. At that time the jewels, mantras and herbs have no further
immediate application. The word vidy in this verse thus indicates
knowledge acquired through philosophical analysis, mystic yoga,
austerities and renunciation. Such knowledge of the temporary, illusory

911

nature of this world counteracts ignorance, and there are many Vedic
scriptures that train the living entity in such knowledge. Gradually one
gives up his false identification with the material body and mind and with
those material objects that interact with the body and mind. Having
realized such counteractive knowledge, one must engage in the loving
service of the Personality of Godhead and become a pure devotee. When
one is completely perfect in Ka consciousness, there is naturally little
interest in the innumerable details of illusion, and gradually one is
transferred to the spiritual world.
TEXT 2
jninas tv aham evea
svrtho hetu ca sammata
svarga caivpavarga ca
nnyo 'rtho mad-te priya
jninaof a learned self-realized philosopher; tuindeed; ahamI;
evaalone; iathe object of worship; sva-arthathe desired goal of
life; hetuthe means for achieving the goal of life; caalso; sammata
the settled conclusion; svargathe cause of all happiness in elevation to
heaven; caalso; evaindeed; apavargafreedom from all
unhappiness; caalso; nanot; anyaany other; arthapurpose;
matMe; rtewithout; priyadear object.
For learned, self-realized philosophers I am the only object of worship,
the desired goal of life, the means for achieving that goal, and the
settled conclusion of all knowledge. Indeed, because I am the cause of
their happiness and their freedom from unhappiness, such learned
souls have no effective purpose or dear object in life except Me.
In the previous verse Lord Ka stated that one should ultimately
surrender unto Him that knowledge by which the material world is seen
as illusion. Material attachments are certainly problems for the living
entities, since they are diseases of the spirit soul. One who has contracted
a skin disease that causes terrible itching gains only flickering relief by
scratching the unbearable sores. If he does not scratch he suffers greatly,
but by scratching, even though there is an instantaneous sensation of
pleasure, unbearable misery follows as the itching increases. Real
happiness is not found in scratching one's skin infections but rather in

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becoming free from such disease. Conditioned souls are harassed by many
illusory desires, and in desperation they try to gratify their senses through
the hopeless scratching processes of illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and
intoxication. They further try to gain relief through material society,
friendship and love, but the result is unbearable suffering. Real happiness
is to eliminate completely the itching disease of material desire. Since
material desire is a disease of the soul, one must acquire knowledge to
treat this disease and eliminate it. Such therapeutic knowledge is essential
as long as one is diseased, but when one is fully healthy, such technical
medical knowledge is no longer interesting to the healthy person, and he
may leave such knowledge to the doctors. Similarly, in the advanced stage
of Ka consciousness one need not think continually of one's personal
problems but may rather think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Lord Ka, with love and devotion. Lord Ka advises in the previous
verse that one should eliminate one's personal problems through
technical knowledge of illusion. After giving up constant meditation on
such problems, one can then become a lover of God. Lord Ka certainly
guides each and every sincere devotee internally within the heart and
externally through the bona fide spiritual master. In this way, Lord Ka
gradually trains His sincere devotees to give up their irrational attachment
to dead matter. Once freedom has been achieved, a devotee begins to
seriously cultivate his relationship with Lord Ka in the spiritual sky.
One may falsely think that just as at a certain stage of advancement one
ceases to concentrate on technical, analytic knowledge of illusion, so, at
another stage one may give up loving devotional service to Lord Ka. To
nullify such speculation Lord r Ka here states in various ways that He
is the supreme eternal goal of all truly learned human beings. Indeed, the
most prominent scholars within the universe are the sages, such as the
four Kumras, who accept Lord Ka as their only worshipable object.
Because they have discovered that they are eternal fragmental portions of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, r Ka, they are not interested in
fruitive activities and mental speculation. Lord Ka awards celestial
bliss and freedom from anxiety to His sincere followers, who have no
purpose or beloved object in life other than the Lord.
TEXT 3
jna-vijna-sasiddh
pada reha vidur mama

913

jn priyatamo 'to me
jnensau bibharti mm
jnain scriptural knowledge; vijnaand realized spiritual
understanding; sasiddhcompletely perfected; padamthe lotus feet;
rehamthe supreme object; viduthey know; mamaMy; jna
learned transcendentalist; priya-tamamost dear; atathus; meto
Me; jnenaby spiritual knowledge; asauthat learned person;
bibhartimaintains (in happiness); mmMe.
Those who have achieved complete perfection through philosophical
and realized knowledge recognize My lotus feet to be the supreme
transcendental object. Thus the learned transcendentalist is most dear
to Me, and by his perfect knowledge he maintains Me in happiness.
The words pada reha vidur mama ("they recognize My lotus feet to
be supreme") certainly eliminate the impersonalist philosophers from the
category of sasiddh, or completely perfected philosophers. Lord Ka
here refers to such great transcendental scholars as the four Kumras,
ukadeva Gosvm, r Vysadeva, rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura and rla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda. The Lord
similarly states in Bhagavad-gt (7.17-18),
tem jn nitya-yukta
eka-bhaktir viiyate
priyo hi jnino 'ty-artham
aha sa ca mama priya
"Of these, the wise one who is in full knowledge in union with Me
through pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him,
and he is dear to Me."
udr sarva evaite
jn tv tmaiva me matam
sthita sa hi yukttm
mm evnuttam gatim
[Bg. 7.18]
"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is

914

situated in knowledge of Me I consider verily to dwell in Me. Being

engaged in My transcendental service, he attains Me."
Jna refers to an authorized philosophical and analytic perception of
reality, and when such knowledge is clearly realized through the
sanctification of consciousness the resultant comprehensive experience is
called vijna. Speculative, impersonal knowledge does not actually purify
the heart of the living entity but rather merges him ever deeper into
forgetfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just as a father is
always proud of his son's education, similarly, Lord Ka becomes very
happy to see the living entities acquiring a sound spiritual education and
thus making progress on the way back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 4
tapas trtha japo dna
pavitrtari ca
nla kurvanti t siddhi
y jna-kalay kt
tapaausterity; trthamvisiting holy places; japaoffering silent
prayers; dnamcharity; pavitripious activities; itariother; ca
also; nanot; alamup to the same standard; kurvantithey award;
tmthis; siddhimperfection; ywhich; jnaof spiritual
knowledge; kalayby a fraction; ktis awarded.
That perfection which is produced by a small fraction of spiritual
knowledge cannot be duplicated by performing austerities, visiting holy
places, chanting silent prayers, giving in charity or engaging in other
pious activities.
Jna here refers to a clear understanding of the Lord's supreme dominion
over all that be, and this realized knowledge is nondifferent from the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. That the Lord is supreme is confirmed
in the previous verse by the words padam reha vidur mama. One may
perform penances or visit holy places with a proud menta!ity or material
motivation; similarly, one may chant prayers to God, give charity or
perform other externally pious activities with many bizarre, hypocritical
or even demoniac motivations. Realized knowledge of the supremacy of
Lord Ka, however, is a solid connection with the spiritual world, and if
one pursues this holy understanding one is gradually promoted to the

915

highest level of conscious existence, called Vaikuha, or the kingdom of

God.
TEXT 5
tasmj jnena sahita
jtv svtmnam uddhava
jna-vijna-sampanno
bhaja m bhakti-bhvata
tasmttherefore;
jnenaknowledge;
sahitamwith;
jtv
knowing; sva-tmnamyour own self; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava;
jnain Vedic knowledge; vijnaand clear realization; sampanna
accomplished; bhajaworship; mmMe; bhaktiof loving devotion;
bhvatain the mood.
Therefore, My dear Uddhava, through knowledge you should
understand your actual self. Then, advancing by clear realization of
Vedic knowledge, you should worship Me in the mood of loving
devotion.
The word vijna indicates realized knowledge of one's original, spiritual
form. Every living entity has an eternal spiritual form, which lies dormant
until one arouses one's original Ka consciousness. Without knowledge
of one's own spiritual personality it is not possible to cultivate love of the
Supreme Personality, Lord Ka. Therefore, the words jtv svtmnam
are significant here, indicating that every living entity can realize his full
potential as an individual person only in the kingdom of God.
TEXT 6
jna-vijna-yajena
mm ivtmnam tmani
sarva-yaja-pati m vai
sasiddhi munayo 'gaman
jnaof Vedic knowledge; vijnaand spiritual enlightenment;
yajenaby the sacrifice; mmMe; ivhaving worshiped;
tmnamthe Supreme Lord within everyone's heart; tmaniwithin
themselves; sarvaof all; yajasacrifices; patimthe Lord; mmMe;
vaicertainly; sasiddhimthe supreme perfection; munayathe sages;
agamanachieved.

916

Formerly, great sages, through the sacrifice of Vedic knowledge and

spiritual enlightenment, worshiped Me within themselves, knowing Me
to be the Supreme Lord of all sacrifice and the Supersoul in everyone's
heart. Thus coming to Me, these sages achieved the supreme perfection.
TEXT 7
tvayy uddhavrayati yas tri-vidho vikro
myntarpatati ndy-apavargayor yat
janmdayo 'sya yad am tava tasya ki syur
dy-antayor yad asato 'sti tad eva madhye
tvayiin you; uddhavaO Uddhava; rayatienters and remains; ya
which; tri-vidhain three divisions, according to the modes of nature;
vikra(the material body and mind, which are subject to) constant
transformation; myillusion; antarduring the present; patati
suddenly appears; nanot; diin the beginning; apavargayonor at
the end; yatsince; janmabirth; dayaand so on (growth,
procreation, maintenance, dwindling and death); asyaof the body;
yatwhen; amthese; tavain relation to you; tasyain relation to
your spiritual nature; kimwhat relationship; syucould they have;
diin the beginning; antayoand in the end; yatsince; asataof
that which does not exist; astiexists; tatthat; evaindeed; madhye
only in the middle, at present.
My dear Uddhava, the material body and mind, composed of the three
modes of material nature, attach themselves to you, but they are
actually illusion, since they appear only at the present, having no
original or ultimate existence. How is it possible, therefore, that the
various stages of the body, namely birth, growth, reproduction,
maintenance, dwindling and death, can have any relation to your
eternal self? These phases relate only to the material body, which
previously did not exist and ultimately will not exist. The body exists
merely at the present moment.
The example is given that a man walking in the forest may see a rope but
consider it to be a snake. Such perception is my, or illusion, although
the rope actually exists and a snake also exists in another place. Illusion
thus refers to the false identification of one object with another. The

917

material body exists briefly and then disappears. In the past the body did
not exist, and in the future it will not exist; it enjoys a flickering,
momentary existence in so-called present time. If we falsely identify
ourselves as the material body or mind, we are creating an illusion. One
who identifies himself as American, Russian, Chinese, Mexican, black or
white, man or woman, communist or capitalist, and so on, accepting such
designations as his permanent identity, is certainly in deep illusion. He
can be compared to a sleeping man who sees himself acting in a different
body while dreaming. In the previous verse Lord Ka told Uddhava that
spiritual knowledge is the means of achieving the highest perfection, and
now the Lord is explicitly describing such knowledge.
TEXT 8
r-uddhava uvca
jna viuddha vipula yathaitad
vairgya-vijna-yuta puram
khyhi vivevara viva-mrte
tvad-bhakti-yoga ca mahad-vimgyam
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; jnamknowledge; viuddham
transcendental; vipulamextensive; yathjust as; etatthis; vairagya
detachment; vijnaand direct perception of the truth; yutam
including; puramtraditional among great philosophers; khyhi
please explain; viva-varaO Lord of the universe; viva-mrteO form
of the universe; tvatunto You; bhakti-yogamloving devotional service;
caalso; mahatby great souls; vimgyamsought after.
r Uddhava said: O Lord of the universe! O form of the universe!
Please explain to me that process of knowledge which automatically
brings detachment and direct perception of the truth, which is
transcendental, and which is traditional among great spiritual
philosophers. This knowledge, sought by elevated personalities,
describes loving devotional service unto Your Lordship.
Those who are able to cross over the darkness of material existence are
called mahat, or great personalities. Secondary items like cosmic
consciousness or universal control do not deviate the attention of such
great souls from loving service to the Lord. r Uddhava desires to hear
knowledge of the eternal religious principles that are the traditional aim

918

and objective of all superior personalities.

TEXT 9
tpa-trayebhihatasya ghore
santapyamnasya bhavdhvana
paymi nnyac charaa tavghridvandvtapatrd amtbhivart
tpaby the miseries; trayeathreefold; abhihatasyaof one
overwhelmed; ghorewhich is terrible; santapyamnasyabeing
tormented; bhavaof material existence; adhvaniin the path; aO
Lord; paymiI see; nanone; anyatother; araamshelter; tava
Your; aghrilotus feet; dvandvaof the two; tapatrtthan the
umbrella; amtaof nectar; abhivartthe shower.
My dear Lord, for one who is being tormented on the terrible path of
birth and death and is constantly overwhelmed by the threefold
miseries, I do not see any possible shelter other than Your two lotus
feet, which are just like a refreshing umbrella that pours down showers
of delicious nectar.
Lord Ka, recognizing Uddhava's highly intellectual nature, has
repeatedly recommended to him that one should achieve perfection by
cultivation of transcendental knowledge. But the Lord has also clearly
demonstrated that such knowledge must bring one to the point of loving
devotional service to Him, for otherwise it is useless. In this verse r
Uddhava corroborates Lord Ka's statements that actual happiness is
obtained by surrendering to His lotus feet. When the incarnation of
Godhead Pthu Mahrja was crowned, the demigod Vyu presented him
with an umbrella that constantly sprayed fine particles of water. The
Lord's two lotus feet are similarly compared here to a wonderful umbrella
that produces a constant shower of delicious nectar, the bliss of Ka
consciousness. Normally, speculative analytic knowledge terminates in an
impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth, but the so-called bliss of
merging into impersonal spiritual existence can never be compared to the
bliss of Ka consciousness, as stated here by r Uddhava. Ka
consciousness thus automatically constitutes perfect knowledge, since
Lord Ka is the ultimate shelter of all living entities. The words
abhihatasya and abhivart are significant in this verse. Abhihatasya

919

indicates one who is being defeated on all sides by the onslaught of

material nature, whereas abhivart indicates a downpour of nectar that
eliminates all of the problems of material existence. By our intelligence we
should look beyond the dull material body and nonsensical material mind
to observe the unlimited shower of blissful nectar coming from the two
lotus feet of Lord Ka. Then our real good fortune will begin.
TEXT 10
daa jana sampatita bile 'smin
klhin kudra-sukhoru-taram
samuddharaina kpaypavargyair
vacobhir sica mahnubhva
daambitten; janamthe person; sampatitamhopelessly fallen; bile
in the dark hole; asminthis; klaof time; ahinby the serpent;
kudrainsignificant; sukhahaving happiness; uruand tremendous;
taramhankering; samuddharaplease uplift; enamthis person;
kpayby Your causeless mercy; pavargyaithat awaken one to
liberation; vacobhiby Your words; sicaplease pour; mahanubhvaO mighty Lord.
O almighty Lord, please be merciful and uplift this hopeless living
entity who has fallen into the dark hole of material existence, where the
snake of time has bitten him. In spite of such abominable conditions,
this poor living entity has tremendous desire to relish the most
insignificant material happiness. Please save me, my Lord, by pouring
down the nectar of Your instructions, which awaken one to spiritual
freedom.
Material life, so much cherished by the nondevotees, is here compared to
a dark hole filled with poisonous snakes. In material life there is certainly
no clear understanding of one's ultimate identity, of God or of the
universe. Everything is vague and dark. In material life the poisonous
snake of time is always threatening, and at any moment our near and dear
ones will be killed by the mortal fangs of the serpent. Ultimately, we
ourselves will also be bitten and killed by the poisonous effects of time.
The word sampatitam indicates that the falldown of the living entity is
complete. In other words, he cannot get up again. r Uddhava therefore
appeals to the Lord to be kind to these poor fallen souls, humbly

920

represented by his own self. If one receives the Lord's mercy, then even
without any further qualification one can go back home, back to
Godhead; and without the mercy of Lord Ka, the most learned,
austere, powerful, wealthy or beautiful man will be pathetically crushed
by the material world's machinery of illusion. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead, as described here, is mahnubhva, or the greatest, most
powerful and most merciful personality, whose influence extends
everywhere. The Lord's mercy is manifest in the form of His nectarean
instructions such as Bhagavad-gt and the Uddhava-gt, being spoken
here. The word kudra-sukhoru-taram reveals the irony of material
existence. Although material happiness is kudra, or ridiculous and
insignificant, our desire to enjoy it is uru, tremendous. Our
disproportionate hankering to enjoy dead matter is certainly an illusory
state of mind, and it gives us constant distress, keeping us bound up in
the dark hole of material existence. Every living entity should put aside
his false prestige based on ephemeral bodily qualifications and appeal
sincerely to the Supreme Lord, Ka, for His mercy. The Lord hears
every sincere appeal, from even the most fallen soul, and the effects of the
Lord's mercy are wonderful. Although jns, yogs and fruitive workers
are laboriously endeavoring to achieve their respective goals, their
position is precarious and uncertain. Simply by achieving the mercy of
Lord Ka, however, one can very easily attain the highest perfection of
life. If even one who is not a great or pure devotee of Lord Ka sincerely
appeals to the Lord for His mercy, the Lord is sure to give it generously.
TEXT 11
r-bhagavn uvca
ittham etat pur rj
bhma dharma-bht varam
ajta-atru papraccha
sarve no 'nuvatm
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ittham
thus; etatthis; purformerly; rjthe King; bhmamunto Bhma;
dharmaof religious principles; bhtmof the upholders; varamunto
the best; ajta-atruKing Yudhihira, who considered no one his
enemy; papracchaasked; sarvemwhile all; naof us;
anuvatmwere carefully listening.

921

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, just as

you are now inquiring from Me, similarly, in the past King Yudhihira,
who considered no one his enemy, inquired from the greatest of the
upholders of religious principles, Bhma, while all of us were carefully
listening.
TEXT 12
nivtte bhrate yuddhe
suhn-nidhana-vihvala
rutv dharmn bahn pacn
moka-dharmn apcchata
nivttewhen it ended; bhrateof the descendants of Bhrata (the
Kurus and Pavas); yuddhethe war; suhtof his beloved wellwishers; nidhanaby the destruction; vihvalaoverwhelmed; rutv
having heard; dharmnreligious principles; bahnmany; pactat
last; mokaconcerning liberation; dharmnreligious principles;
apcchataasked about.
When the great Battle of Kuruketra had ended, King Yudhihira was
overwhelmed by the death of many beloved well-wishers, and thus,
after listening to instructions about many religious principles, he finally
inquired about the path of liberation.
TEXT 13
tn aha te 'bhidhsymi
deva-vrata-makhc chrutn
jna-vairgya-vijnaraddh-bhakty-upabhitn
tnthose; ahamI; teunto you; abhidhsymiwill describe; devavrataof Bhmadeva; mukhtfrom the mouth; rutnheard; jna
Vedic knowledge; vairgyadetachment; vijnaself-realization;
raddhfaith; bhaktiand devotional service; upa-bhitnconsisting
of.
I will now speak unto you those religious principles of Vedic
knowledge, detachment, self-realization, faith and devotional service

922

that were heard directly from the mouth of Bhmadeva.

TEXT 14
navaikdaa paca trn
bhvn bhteu yena vai
ketthikam apy eu
taj jna mama nicitam
navanine; ekdaaeleven; pacafive; trnand three; bhvn
elements; bhteuin all living beings (from Lord Brahm down to the
immovable living entities); yenaby which knowledge; vaicertainly;
ketaone may see; athathus; ekamone element; apiindeed; eu
within these twenty-eight elements; tatthat; jnamknowledge;
mamaby Me; nicitamis authorized.
I personally approve of that knowledge by which one sees the
combination of nine, eleven, five and three elements in all living
entities, and ultimately one element within those twenty-eight.
The nine elements are material nature, the living entity, the mahat-tattva,
false ego, and the five objects of sense perception, namely sound, touch,
form, taste and aroma. The eleven elements are the five working senses
(the voice, hands, legs, anus and genital) plus the five knowledgeacquiring senses (the ears, touch, eyes, tongue and nostrils), along with
the coordinative sense, the mind. The five elements are the five physical
elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and sky, and the three elements are
the three modes of material naturegoodness, passion and ignorance. All
living entities, from mighty Lord Brahm down to an insignificant weed,
manifest material bodies composed of these twenty-eight elements. The
one element within all twenty-eight is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the Supersoul, who is all-pervading within the material and
spiritual worlds.
One can easily understand that the material universe is composed of
innumerable causes and effects. Since Lord Ka is the cause of all
causes, all secondary causes and their effects are ultimately nondifferent
from the Personality of Godhead. This understanding constitutes real
knowledge, or jna, which is essential for perfecting one's life.

923

TEXT 15
etad eva hi vijna
na tathaikena yena yat
sthity-utpatty-apyayn payed
bhvn tri-gutmanm
etatthis; evaindeed; hiactually; vijnamrealized knowledge;
nanot; tathin that way; ekenaby the one (Personality of Godhead);
yenaby whom; yatwhich (universe); sthitimaintenance; utpatti
creation; apyaynand annihilation; payetone should see;
bhvnmof all material elements; tri-guaof the three modes of
nature; tmanmcomposed.
When one no longer sees the twenty-eight separated material elements,
which arise from a single cause, but rather sees the cause itself, the
Personality of Godheadat that time one's direct experience is called
vijna, or self-realization.
The difference between jna (ordinary Vedic knowledge) and vijna
(self-realization) can be understood as follows. A conditioned soul,
although cultivating Vedic knowledge, continues to identify himself to
some extent with the material body and mind and consequently with the
material universe. In trying to understand the world he lives in, the
conditioned soul learns through Vedic knowledge that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is the one supreme cause of all material
manifestations. He comes to understand the world around him, which he
accepts more or less as his world. As he progresses in spiritual realization,
breaking through the barrier of bodily identification, and realizes the
existence of the eternal soul, he gradually identifies himself as part and
parcel of the spiritual world, Vaikuha. At that time he is no longer
interested in the Personality of Godhead merely as the supreme
explanation of the material world; rather, he begins to reorient his entire
mode of consciousness so that the central object of his attention is the
Personality of Godhead. Such a reorientation is required, since the
Supreme Lord is the factual center and cause of everything. A self-realized
soul in the stage of vijna thus experiences the Personality of Godhead
not merely as the creator of the material world but as the supreme living
entity existing blissfully in His own eternal context. As one progresses in
one's realization of the Supreme Lord in His own abode in the spiritual

924

sky, one gradually becomes disinterested in the material universe and

ceases to define the Supreme Lord in terms of His temporary
manifestations. A self-realized soul in the stage of vijna is not at all
attracted by objects that are created, maintained and ultimately destroyed.
The stage of jna is the preliminary stage of knowledge for those still
identifying themselves in terms of the material universe, whereas vijna
is the mature stage of knowledge for those who see themselves as part and
parcel of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 16
dv ante ca madhye ca
sjyt sjya yad anviyt
punas tat-pratisakrme
yac chiyeta tad eva sat
dauin the causal stage; antein the termination of the causal function;
caalso; madhyein the phase of maintenance; caalso; sjytfrom
one production; sjyamto another production; yatwhich; anviyt
accompanies; punaagain; tatof all material phases; pratisakrme
in the annihilation; yatwhich; iyetaremains; tatthat; evaindeed;
satthe one eternal.
Commencement, termination and maintenance are the stages of
material causation. That which consistently accompanies all these
material phases from one creation to another and remains alone when
all material phases are annihilated is the one eternal.
The Lord here reiterates that the one Supreme Personality of Godhead is
the basis of unlimited material variety. Material activity is a chain of
cause-and-effect relationships by which innumerable objects are
produced. A particular material effect is converted into a subsequent
cause, and when the causal phase is terminated, the effect disappears. Fire
causes firewood to burn to ashes, and when the causal function of fire is
finished, fire itself, which was the effect of a previous cause, is also
terminated. The simple fact is that all material objects are created,
maintained and ultimately annihilated by the supreme potency of the
Lord. And when the entire field of material cause and effect is withdrawn,
so that all cause-effect relationships vanish, the Personality of Godhead
remains in His own abode. Therefore, although innumerable objects may

925

function as causes, they are not the ultimate or supreme cause. Only the
Personality of Godhead is the absolute cause. Similarly, although material
things may exist, they do not always exist. The Personality of Godhead
alone has absolute existence. By the process of jna, or knowledge, one
should understand the supreme position of the Lord.
TEXT 17
ruti pratyakam aitihyam
anumna catuayam
pramev anavasthnd
vikalpt sa virajyate
rutiVedic knowledge; pratyakamdirect experience; aitihyam
traditional wisdom; anumnamlogical induction; catuayamfourfold;
pramneuamong all types of evidence; anavasthntdue to the
flickering nature; vikalptfrom material diversity; saa person;
virajyatebecomes detached.
From the four types of evidenceVedic knowledge, direct experience,
traditional wisdom and logical inductionone can understand the
temporary, insubstantial situation of the material world, by which one
becomes detached from the duality of this world.
In the ruti, or Vedic literature, it is clearly stated that everything
emanates from the Absolute Truth, is maintained by the Absolute Truth
and at the end is conserved within the Absolute Truth. Similarly, by direct
experience we can observe the creation and destruction of great empires,
cities, buildings, bodies and so on. Furthermore, we find all around the
world traditional wisdom warning people that things in this world cannot
last. Finally, by logical induction we can easily conclude that nothing in
this world is permanent. Material sense gratificationup to the highest
possible living standard found in the heavenly planets or down to the
lowest conditions in the most repugnant precincts of hellis always
unsteady and prone to collapse at any moment. One should therefore
develop vairgya, detachment, as stated here.
Another meaning of this verse is that the four types of evidence cited here
are often mutually contradictory in their description of the highest truth.
One should therefore be detached from the duality of mundane evidence,
including the portions of the Vedas that deal with the material world.

926

Instead, one should accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the

actual authority. Both in Bhagavad-gt and here in rmad-Bhgavatam
Lord Ka is personally speaking, and thus there is no need to enter into
the bewildering network of competing systems of mundane logic. One can
directly hear from the Absolute Truth Himself and immediately acquire
perfect knowledge. One thereby becomes detached from inferior systems
of knowledge, which cause one to hover on the material mental platform.
TEXT 18
karma parimitvd
-viricyd amagalam
vipacin navara payed
adam api da-vat
karmamof material activities; parimitvtbecause of being subject
to transformation; -up to; viricytthe planet of Lord Brahm;
amagalaminauspicious unhappiness; vipacitan intelligent person;
navaramas temporary; payetshould see; adamthat which he has
not yet experienced; apiindeed; da-vatjust like that already
experienced.
An intelligent person should see that any material activity is subject to
constant transformation and that even on the planet of Lord Brahm
there is thus simply unhappiness. Indeed, a wise man can understand
that just as all that he has seen is temporary, similarly, all things within
the universe have a beginning and an end.
The word adam indicates the heavenly standard of life available in the
higher planets within this universe. Such celestial neighborhoods are not
actually experienced on the earth planet, although they are described in
the Vedic literatures. One may argue that promotion to material heaven is
recommended in the karma-ka portion of the Vedas and that although
the happiness available there is not eternal, at least for some time one may
enjoy life. Lord Ka here states, however, that even on the planet of
Lord Brahm, which is superior to the heavenly planets, there is no
happiness whatsoever. Even in the upper planetary systems there is
rivalry, envy, irritation, lamentation and ultimately death itself.
TEXT 19

927

bhakti-yoga puraivokta
pryamya te 'nagha
puna ca kathayiymi
mad-bhakte kraa para
bhakti-yogadevotional service to the Lord; purpreviously; eva
indeed; uktaexplained; pryamyawho has developed love; te
unto you; anaghaO sinless Uddhava; punaagain; caalso;
kathayiymiI will explain; matunto Me; bhakteof devotional
service; kraamthe actual means; paramsupreme.
O sinless Uddhava, because you love Me, I previously explained to you
the process of devotional service. Now I will again explain the supreme
process for achieving loving service unto Me.
Although Lord Ka previously described bhakti-yoga to r Uddhava,
Uddhava is not yet satisfied, because he loves Lord Ka. Anyone who
loves the Lord cannot be fully satiated by discussions of devotional service
mixed with descriptions of mere Vedic duties and analytic philosophy.
The supreme stage of conscious existence is pure love of Ka, and one
who is addicted to Lord Ka desires to constantly drink the nectar of
such topics. Lord Ka has given an extensive survey of many aspects of
human civilization, including the varrama-dharma system and the
processes of distinguishing between matter and spirit, renouncing sense
gratification, and so forth. Now Uddhava is hankering to hear specifically
about pure devotional service to Lord Ka, and the Lord thus turns to
that topic.
TEXTS 20-24
raddhmta-kathy me
avan mad-anukrtanam
parinih ca pjy
stutibhi stavana mama
dara paricaryy
sarvgair abhivandanam
mad-bhakta-pjbhyadhik
sarva-bhteu man-mati
mad-arthev aga-ce ca

928

vacas mad-gueraam
mayy arpaa ca manasa
sarva-kma-vivarjanam
mad-arthe 'rtha-paritygo
bhogasya ca sukhasya ca
ia datta huta japta
mad-artha yad vrata tapa
eva dharmair manuym
uddhavtma-nivedinm
mayi sajyate bhakti
ko 'nyo 'rtho 'syvaiyate
raddhfaith; amtain the nectar; kathymof narrations; me
about Me; avatalways; matof Me; anukrtanamchanting the
glories; parinihfixed in attachment; caalso; pjymin
worshiping Me; stutibhiwith beautiful hymns; stavanamformal
prayers; mamain relation to Me; daragreat respect; paricaryym
for My devotional service; sarva-agaiwith all the limbs of the body;
abhivandanamoffering obeisances; matMy; bhaktaof the devotees;
pjworship; abhyadhikpreeminent; sarva-bhteuin all living
entities; matof Me; maticonsciousness; mat-artheufor the sake of
serving Me; aga-ceordinary, bodily activities; caalso; vacas
with words; mat-guaMy transcendental qualities; raamdeclaring;
mayiin Me; arpaamplacing; caalso; manasaof the mind; sarvakmaof all material desires; vivarjanamrejection; mat-arthefor My
sake; arthaof wealth; paritygathe giving up; bhogasyaof sense
gratification; caalso; sukhasyaof material happiness; caalso; iam
desirable activities; dattamcharity; hutamoffering of sacrifice;
japtamchanting the holy names of the Lord; mat-arthamfor the sake
of achieving Me; yatwhich; vratamvows, such as fasting on Ekda;
tapaausterities; evamthus; dharmaiby such religious principles;
manuynmof human beings; uddhavaMv dear Uddhava; tmanivedinmwho are surrendered souls; mayito Me; sajyatearises;
bhaktiloving devotion; kawhat; anyaother; arthapurpose;
asyaof My devotee; avaiyateremains.
Firm faith in the blissful narration of My pastimes, constant chanting of

929

My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me,

praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional
service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class
worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities,
offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of
words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejection of all
material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing
material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable
activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with
the purpose of achieving Methese constitute actual religious
principles, by which those human beings who have actually
surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What
other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?
The words mad-bhakta-pjbhyadhik are significant in this verse.
Abhyadhik indicates "superior quality." The Lord is extremely satisfied
with those who offer worship to His pure devotees, and He rewards them
accordingly. Because of the Lord's generous appraisal of His pure
devotees, worship of the pure devotees is described as superior to worship
of the Lord Himself. The words mad-arthev aga-ce state that ordinary,
bodily activities such as brushing the teeth, taking bath, eating, etc.,
should all be offered to the Supreme Lord as devotional service. The
words vacas mad-gueraam indicate that whether one speaks in
ordinary, crude language or with learned poetic eloquence, one should
describe the glories of the Personality of Godhead. The words mad-arthe
'rtha-parityga indicate that one should spend one's money for festivals
glorifying the Personality of Godhead, such as Ratha-ytr, Janmam
and Gaura-prim. Also, one is herein instructed to spend money to
assist the mission of one's spiritual master and other Vaiavas. Wealth
that cannot be used properly in the Lord's service and is thus an
impediment to one's clear consciousness should be given up entirely. The
word bhogasya refers to sense gratification, headed by sex enjoyment, and
sukhasya refers to sentimental material happiness, such as excessive
family attachment. The words datta hutam indicate that one should offer
to brhmaas and Vaiavas first-class foods cooked in ghee. One should
offer the vibration svh to Lord Viu in an authorized sacrificial fire
along with grains and ghee. The word japtam indicates that one should
constantly chant the holy names of the Lord.

930

TEXT 25
yadtmany arpita citta
nta sattvopabhitam
dharma jna sa vairgyam
aivarya cbhipadyate
yadwhen; tmaniin the Supreme Lord; arpitamfixed; cittam
consciousness; ntam-peaceful; sattvaby the mode of goodness;
upabhitamstrengthened; dharmamreligiosity; jnamknowledge;
sahe; vairgyamdetachment; aivaryamopulence; caalso;
abhipadyateachieves.
When one's peaceful consciousness, strengthened by the mode of
goodness, is fixed on the Personality of Godhead, one achieves
religiosity, knowledge, detachment and opulence.
A pure devotee becomes peaceful, nta, by desiring everything for the
service of the Lord and nothing for himself. He is strengthened by the
transcendental, or purified, mode of goodness and thus achieves the
supreme religious principle of directly serving the Lord. He also achieves
jna, or knowledge of the Lord's form and his own spiritual body,
detachment from material piety and sin, and the opulences of the spiritual
world. One who is not a pure devotee of the Lord, however, but whose
devotion is mixed with a fascination for mystic knowledge, is
strengthened by the material mode of goodness. Through his meditation
on the Lord he achieves the lesser results of dharma (piety in the mode of
goodness), jna (knowledge of spirit and matter) and vairgya
(detachment from the lower modes of nature). Ultimately, one should be
a pure devotee of the Lord, since even the best the material world has to
offer is most insignificant compared to the kingdom of God.
TEXT 26
yad arpita tad vikalpe
indriyai paridhvati
rajas-vala csan-niha
citta viddhi viparyayam
yatwhen; arpitamfixed; tatthis (consciousness); vikalpein
material variety (the body, home, family, etc.); indriyaiwith the senses;

931

paridhvatichasing all around; raja-valamstrengthened by the mode

of passion; caalso; asatto that which has no permanent reality;
nihamdedicated;
cittamconsciousness;
viddhiyou
should
understand; viparyayamthe opposite (of what was previously
mentioned).
When consciousness is fixed on the material body, home and other,
similar objects of sense gratification, one spends one's life chasing after
material objects with the help of the senses. Consciousness, thus
powerfully affected by the mode of passion, becomes dedicated to
impermanent things, and in this way irreligion, ignorance, attachment
and wretchedness arise.
In the previous verse Lord Ka explained the auspicious results of fixing
the mind in Him, and now the opposite is explained. Rajas-valam
indicates that one's passion grows so strong that one commits sinful
activities and reaps all types of misfortune. Although materialistic people
are blind to their impending wretchedness, one can confirm by all types
of evidencenamely Vedic injunctions, direct observation, traditional
wisdom and inductive logicthat the result of violating the laws of God
is disastrous.
TEXT 27
dharmo mad-bhakti-kt prokto
jna caiktmya-daranam
guesv asago vairgyam
aivarya cimdaya
dharmareligion; matMy; bhaktidevotional service; kt
producing; proktait is declared; jnamknowledge; caalso;
aiktmyathe presence of the Supreme Soul; daranamseeing; gueu
in the objects of sense gratification; asagahaving no interest;
vairgyamdetachment; aivaryamopulence; caalso; aimthe
mystic perfection called aim; daya-and so forth.
Actual religious principles are stated to be those that lead one to My
devotional service. Real knowledge is the awareness that reveals My allpervading presence. Detachment is complete disinterest in the objects
of material sense gratification, and opulence is the eight mystic

932

perfection, such as aim-siddhi.

The Supreme Lord is perfect knowledge; thus one who has been delivered
from ignorance automatically engages in the devotional service of the
Lord and is called religious. One who becomes detached from the three
modes of material nature and the gratificatory objects they produce is
considered to be situated in detachment. The eight mystic yoga
perfections, described previously by the Lord to Uddhava, constitute
material power, or opulence, in the highest degree.
TEXTS 28-32
r-uddhava uvca
yama kati-vidha prokto
niyamo vri-karaa
ka ama ko dama ka
k titik dhti prabho
ki dna ki tapa aurya
kim satyam tam ucyate
kas tyga ki dhana cea
ko yaja k ca daki
pusa ki svid bala rman
bhago lbha ca keava
k vidy hr par k r
ki sukha dukham eva ca
ka paita ka ca mrkha
ka panth utpatha ca ka
ka svargo naraka ka svit
ko bandhur uta ki gham
ka hya ko daridro v
kpaa ka ka vara
etn prann mama brhi
vipart ca sat-pate
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; yamadisciplinary regulations;
kati-vidhahow many different types; proktaare declared to exist;
niyamaregular daily duties; vor; ari-karaaO Ka, subduer of

933

the enemy; kawhat is; amamental equilibrium; kawhat is;

damaself-control; kamy dear Ka; kwhat is; titik
tolerance; dhtisteadfastness; prabhomy Lord; kimwhat is;
dnamcharity; kimwhat is; tapaausterity; auryamheroism;
kimwhat is; satyamreality; tamtruth; ucyateis said; kawhat is;
tygarenunciation; kimwhat is; dhanamwealth; caalso; iam
desirable; kawhat is; yajasacrifice; kwhat is; caalso;
dakireligious remuneration; pusaof a person; kimwhat is;
svitindeed; balamstrength; r-manO most fortunate Ka;
bhagaopulence; lbhaprofit; caalso; keavamy dear Keava;
kwhat is; vidyeducation; hrhumility; parsupreme; k
what is; rbeauty; kimwhat is; sukhamhappiness; dukham
unhappiness; evaindeed; caalso; kawho is; paitalearned;
kawho is; caalso; mrkhaa fool; kawhat is; panththe real
path; utpathathe false path; caalso; kawhat is; kawhat is;
svargaheaven; narakahell; kawhat is; svitindeed; kawho
is; bandhua friend; utaand; kimwhat is; ghamhome; kawho
is; hyawealthy; kawho is; daridrapoor; vor; kpaaa
miser; kawho is; kawho is; varaa controller; etnthese;
prannsubject matters of inquiry; mamato me; brhiplease speak;
vipartnthe opposite qualities; caalso; sat-pateO Lord of the
devotees.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord Ka, O chastiser of the enemies,
please tell me how many types of disciplinary regulations and regular
daily duties there are. Also, my Lord, tell me what is mental
equilibrium, what is self-control, and what is the actual meaning of
tolerance and steadfastness. What are charity, austerity and heroism,
and how are reality and truth to he described? What is renunciation,
and what is wealth? What is desirable, what is sacrifice, and what is
religious remuneration? My dear Keava, O most fortunate one, how am
I to understand the strength, opulence and profit of a particular person?
What is the best education, what is actual humility, and what is real
beauty? What are happiness and unhappiness? Who is learned, and who
is a fool? What are the true and the false paths in life, and what are
heaven and hell? Who is indeed a true friend, and what is one's real
home? Who is a rich man, and who is a poor man? Who is wretched,
and who is an actual controller? O Lord of the devotees, kindly explain

934

these matters to me, along with their opposites.

All of the items mentioned in these five verses are defined in different
ways by different cultures and societies throughout the world. Therefore,
r Uddhava is directly approaching the supreme authority, Lord Ka, to
obtain the standard definition for these universal aspects of civilized life.
TEXTS 33-35
r-bhagavn uvca
ahis satyam asteyam
asago hrr asacaya
stikya brahmacarya ca
mauna sthairya kambhayam
auca japas tapo homa
raddhtithya mad-arcanam
trthana parrtheh
tuir crya-sevanam
ete yam sa-niyam
ubhayor dvdaa smt
pusm upsits tta
yath-kma duhanti hi
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; ahis
nonviolence; satyamtruthfulness; asteyamnever coveting or stealing
the property of others; asagadetachment; hrhumility;
asacayabeing nonpossessive; stikyamtrust in the principles of
religion;
brahmacaryamcelibacy;
caalso;
maunamsilence;
sthairyamsteadiness; kamforgiving; abhayamfearless; aucam
internal and external cleanliness; japachanting the holy names of the
Lord; tapaausterity; homasacrifice; raddhfaith; tithyam
hospitality; mat-arcanamworship of Me; trtha-aanamvisiting holy
places; para-artha-haacting and desiring for the Supreme; tui
satisfaction; crya-sevanamserving the spiritual master; etethese;
yamdisciplinary principles; sa-niyamalong with secondary
regular duties; ubhayoof each; dvdaatwelve; smtare
understood; pusmby human beings; upsitbeing cultivated with
devotion; ttaMy dear Uddhava; yath-kmamaccording to one's
desire; duhantithey supply; hiindeed.

935

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Nonviolence, truthfulness,

not coveting or stealing the property of others, detachment, humility,
freedom from possessiveness, trust in the principles of religion,
celibacy, silence, steadiness, forgiveness and fearlessness are the twelve
primary disciplinary principles. Internal cleanliness, external
cleanliness, chanting the holy names of the Lord, austerity, sacrifice,
faith, hospitality, worship of Me, visiting holy places, acting and
desiring only for the supreme interest, satisfaction, and service to the
spiritual master are the twelve elements of regular prescribed duties.
These twenty-four elements bestow all desired benedictions upon those
persons who devotedly cultivate them.
TEXTS 36-39
amo man-nihat buddher
dama indriya-sayama
titik dukha-sammaro
jihvopastha-jayo dhti
daa-nysa para dna
kma-tygas tapa smtam
svabhva-vijaya aurya
satya ca sama-daranam
anyac ca sunt v
kavibhi parikrtit
karmasv asagama auca
tyga sannysa ucyate
dharma ia dhana n
yajo 'ha bhagavattama
daki jna-sandea
pryma para balam
amamental equilibrium; matin Me; nihatsteady absorption;
buddheof the intelligence; damaself-control; indriyaof the senses;
sayamaperfect discipline; titiktolerance; dukhaunhappiness;
sammaratolerating; jihvthe tongue; upasthaand genitals; jaya
conquering; dhtisteadiness; daaaggression; nysagiving up;
paramthe supreme; dnamcharity; kmalust; tygagiving up;

936

tapaausterity; smtamis considered; svabhvaone's natural

tendency to enjoy; vijayaconquering; auryamheroism; satyam
reality; caalso; sama-daranamseeing the Supreme Lord everywhere;
anyatthe next element (truthfulness); caand; su-ntpleasing;
vspeech; kavibhiby the sages; parikrtitis declared to be;
karmasuin fruitive activities; asagamadetachment; aucam
cleanliness; tygarenunciation; sannysathe sannysa order of life;
ucyateis said to be; dharmareligiousness; iamdesirable;
dhanamwealth; nmfor human beings; yajasacrifice; ahamI
am; bhagavat-tamathe Supreme Personality of Godhead; daki
religious remuneration; jna-sandeathe instruction of perfect
knowledge; prymathe yogic system of controlling the breath;
paramthe supreme; balamstrength.
Absorbing the intelligence in Me constitutes mental equilibrium, and
complete discipline of the senses is self-control. Tolerance means
patiently enduring unhappiness, and steadfastness occurs when one
conquers the tongue and genitals. The greatest charity is to give up all
aggression toward others, and renunciation of lust is understood to be
real austerity. Real heroism is to conquer one's natural tendency to
enjoy material life, and reality is seeing the Supreme Personality of
Godhead everywhere. Truthfulness means to speak the truth in a
pleasing way, as declared by great sages. Cleanliness is detachment in
fruitive activities, whereas renunciation is the sannysa order of life.
The true desirable wealth for human beings is religiousness, and I, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, am sacrifice. Religious remuneration
is devotion to the crya with the purpose of acquiring spiritual
instruction, and the greatest strength is the pryma system of breath
control.
Lord Ka here describes those qualities that are desirable for persons
advancing in human life. ama, or "mental equilibrium," means to fix the
intelligence in Lord Ka. Mere peacefulness without Ka
consciousness is a dull and useless state of mind. Dama, or "discipline,"
means first to control one's own senses. If one wants to discipline one's
children, disciples or followers without controlling one's own senses, one
becomes a mere laughingstock. Tolerance means to patiently endure
unhappiness, such as that provoked by the insults or negligence of others.
One must also sometimes accept material inconvenience to carry out the

937

injunctions of scriptures, and that unhappiness must also be patiently

endured. If one is not tolerant of the insults and abuse of others, nor
tolerant of the inconveniences that may arise from following authorized
religious scriptures, it is simply foolishness for him to make a whimsical
show of tolerating extreme heat, cold and pain and so on, just to impress
others. Concerning steadfastness, if one does not control the tongue and
genitals, then any other steadfastness is useless. Real charity means to
renounce all aggression toward others. If one gives money to charitable
causes but at the same time engages in exploitative business enterprises or
abusive political tactics, one's charity is worth nothing at all. Austerity
means to give up lust and sense gratification and to observe prescribed
vows such as Ekda; it does not mean inventing whimsical methods of
torturing the material body. Real heroism is to conquer one's lower
nature. Certainly everyone likes to propagate his own fame as a brilliant
person, but everyone is also subject to lust, anger, greed and so forth.
Therefore, if one can conquer these lower characteristics generated from
the modes of passion and ignorance, one is a greater hero than those who
merely destroy their political opponents through intrigue and violence.
One can develop equal vision by giving up jealousy and envy and by
recognizing the existence of the soul within every material body. This
attitude pleases the Supreme Lord, who then reveals Himself, solidifying
forever one's equal vision. Merely describing things that exist does not
constitute the last word in the perception of reality. One must also see the
true spiritual equality of all living entities and all situations. Truthfulness
means that one should speak in a pleasing way so that there will be a
beneficial effect. If one becomes attached to pointing out the faults of
others in the name of truth, then such faultfinding will not be appreciated
by saintly persons. The bona fide spiritual master speaks the truth in such
a way that people can elevate themselves to the spiritual platform, and
one should learn this art of truthfulness. If one is attached to material
things, his body and mind are understood to be always polluted.
Cleanliness therefore means to give up material attachment, not merely to
frequently rinse one's skin with water. Real renunciation is giving up
one's false sense of proprietorship over one's relatives and wife, and not
just giving away material objects, while real wealth is to be religious.
Sacrifice is the Personality of Godhead Himself, because the performer of
sacrifice, to be successful, must absorb his consciousness in the
Personality of Godhead and not in temporary, material rewards that may

938

accrue from sacrifice. Real religious remuneration means that one should
serve saintly persons who can enlighten one with spiritual knowledge.
One may offer remuneration to his spiritual master, who has enlightened
him, by distributing the same knowledge to others, thereby pleasing the
crya. Preaching work thus constitutes the highest form of
remuneration. By performing the pryma system of respiratory
control, one can easily subdue the mind, and one who can in this way
perfectly control the restless mind is the most powerful person.
TEXTS 40-45
bhago ma aivaro bhvo
lbho mad-bhaktir uttama
vidytmani bhid-bdho
jugups hrr akarmasu
rr gu nairapekydy
sukha dukha-sukhtyaya
dukha kma-sukhpek
paito bandha-moka-vit
mrkho dehdy-aha-buddhi
panth man-nigama smta
utpatha citta-vikepa
svarga sattva-guodaya
narakas tama-unnho
bandhur gurur aha sakhe
gha arra mnuya
guhyo hy hya ucyate
daridro yas tv asantua
kpao yo 'jitendriya
guev asakta-dhr o
gua-sago viparyaya
eta uddhava te pran
sarve sdhu nirpit
ki varitena bahun
lakaa gua-doayo
gua-doa-dir doo

939

guas tbhaya-varjita
bhagaopulence; meMy; aivaradivine; bhvanature; lbha
gain; mat-bhaktidevotional service unto Me; uttamasupreme;
vidyeducation; tmaniin the soul; bhidduality; bdha
nullifying; jugupsdisgust; hrmodesty; akarmasuin sinful
activities; rbeauty; gugood qualities; nairapekyadetachment
from material things; dyand so on; sukhamhappiness; dukha
material unhappiness; sukhaand material happiness; atyaya
transcending; dukhamunhappiness; kmaof lust; sukhaon the
happiness; apekmeditating; paitaa wise man; bandhafrom
bondage; mokaliberation; vitone who knows; mrkhaa fool;
dehawith the body; diand so forth (the mind); aham-buddhione
who identifies himself; panththe true path; matto Me; nigama
leading; smtais to be understood; utpathathe wrong path; cittaof
consciousness; vikepabewilderment; svargaheaven; sattva-gua
of the mode of goodness; udayathe predominance; narakahell;
tamaof the mode of ignorance; unnhathe predominance;
bandhuthe real friend; guruthe spiritual master; ahamI am;
sakheMy dear friend, Uddhava; ghamone's home; arramthe
body; mnuyamhuman; guawith good qualities; hyaenriched;
hiindeed; hyaa rich person; ucyateis stated to be; daridraa
poor person; yaone who; tuindeed; asantuaunsatisfied;
kpaaa wretched person; yaone who; ajitahas not conquered;
indriyathe senses; gueuin material sense gratification; asaktanot
attached; dhwhose intelligence; aa controller; guato sense
gratification; sagaattached; viparyayathe opposite, a slave; ete
these; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; teyour; pransubjects of
inquiry; sarveall; sdhuproperly; nirpitelucidated; kimwhat is
the value; varitenaof describing; bahunelaborately; lakaamthe
characteristics; guaof good qualities; doayoand of bad qualities;
gua-doagood and bad qualities; diseeing; doaa fault;
guathe real good quality; tuindeed; ubhayafrom both of them;
varjitadistinct.
Actual opulence is My own nature as the Personality of Godhead,
through which I exhibit the six unlimited opulences. The supreme gain
in life is devotional service to Me, and actual education is nullifying the
false perception of duality within the soul. Real modesty is to be

940

disgusted with improper activities, and beauty is to possess good

qualities such as detachment. Real happiness is to transcend material
happiness and unhappiness, and real misery is to be implicated in
searching for sex pleasure. A wise man is one who knows the process of
freedom from bondage, and a fool is one who identifies with his
material body and mind. The real path in life is that which leads to Me,
and the wrong path is sense gratification, by which consciousness is
bewildered. Actual heaven is the predominance of the mode of
goodness, whereas hell is the predominance of ignorance. I am
everyone's true friend, acting as the spiritual master of the entire
universe, and one's home is the human body. My dear friend Uddhava,
one who is enriched with good qualities is actually said to be rich, and
one who is unsatisfied in life is actually poor. A wretched person is one
who cannot control his senses, whereas one who is not attached to
sense gratification is a real controller. One who attaches himself to
sense gratification is the opposite, a slave. Thus, Uddhava, I have
elucidated all of the matters about which you inquired. There is no
need for a more elaborate description of these good and bad qualities,
since to constantly see good and bad is itself a bad quality. The best
quality is to transcend material good and evil.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is naturally full of six opulences,
namely unlimited beauty, wealth, fame, knowledge, strength and
renunciation. Therefore the greatest profit in life is to achieve personal
loving service to the Lord, who is naturally the reservoir of all pleasure.
Real education means to give up the false idea that anything is separate
from the Lord, the source of all potencies. Similarly, one should not
falsely consider the individual soul to be different or separate from the
Supreme Soul. Mere bashfulness does not constitute modesty. One should
spontaneously withdraw in disgust from sinful activities; then one is
actually modest or humble. One who is satisfied in Ka consciousness
and thus does not seek material pleasure or suffer material unhappiness is
considered to be actually situated in happiness. The most wretched
person is one addicted to sex pleasure, and a wise man is one who knows
the process of freedom from such material bondage. A fool is one who
gives up his eternal friendship with Lord Ka and instead identifies
himself with his own temporary material body, mind, society, community
and family. The real path in life is not simply a modern interstate highway

941

or, in more simple cultures, a footpath free of thorns and mud. It is that
path that leads to Lord Ka. The wrong path in life is not simply a road
having many thieves or tollbooths; it is that path that leads one to utter
confusion in material sense gratification. A heavenly situation is that in
which the mode of goodness predominates, rather than that found on the
planet of Indra, where passion and ignorance sometimes disturb the
celestial atmosphere. Hell is anywhere the mode of ignorance is
predominant, and not merely the hellish planets, where, according to
Lord iva, a pure devotee can think of Ka and remain happy. Our
actual friend in life is the bona fide spiritual master, who saves us from all
dangers. Among all gurus, Lord Ka is Himself the jagat-guru, or
spiritual master of the entire universe. In material life our own material
body is our immediate home, rather than some structure of bricks,
cement, stone and wood. A rich man is one who possesses innumerable
good qualities; he is not a neurotic fool with a large bank account. A poor
man is one who is unsatisfied, which is self-explanatory. One who cannot
control his senses is certainly wretched and miserable in life, whereas one
who detaches himself from material life is actually a lord or controller. In
modern times there are remnants of aristocracy in Europe and other
countries, but such so-called lords often display the habits of lower forms
of life. A real lord is one who conquers material existence by rising to the
spiritual platform. A person who is attached to material life will
undoubtedly manifest the opposites of all the good qualities mentioned
here, and he is thus the symbol of going backward in life. The Lord
concludes His analysis by stating that there is no need for further
elaboration of these good and bad qualities. Indeed, the purpose of life is
to transcend materially good and bad qualities and come to the liberated
platform of pure Ka consciousness. This point will be further
explained in the following chapter.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Nineteenth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Perfection of Spiritual
Knowledge."

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20. Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment

The processes of karma-yoga, jna-yoga and bhakti-yoga are explained in

this chapter, in terms of the presence of different good and bad qualities
in particular candidates.
The Vedic stras are the words expressing the order of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. In these Vedic literatures is found an outlook of
duality, based on such concepts as the varrama system, and at the
same time the Vedas reject this dualistic vision. Uddhava, desiring to
understand the reason why the scriptures contain such conflicting ideas,
and how these might be reconciled, inquired from Lord r Ka about
this matter. In response the Supreme Lord replied that the Vedas describe
the processes of karma-yoga, jna-yoga and bhakti-yoga for facilitating
the attainment of liberation. Karma-yoga is designated for those persons
who are not detached and who are full of gross desires; jna-yoga is for
those who are detached from the fruits of activity and have given up
material endeavors; and bhakti-yoga is for those persons who have taken
to the principle of yukta-vairgya, appropriate renunciation. As long as
one has not become uninterested in enjoying the fruits of one's work, or
as long as one's faith in the topics of discussion of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead on the path of devotional service has not
awakened, then one must continue to fulfill all the prescribed duties of
his karma. But neither the renunciant nor the devotee of the Supreme
Lord need carry out ritualistic duties.
Persons who follow their own duty, who abandon that which is forbidden
and who are free from greed and other unhealthy characteristics attain
either monistic knowledge or else, if they are fortunate, devotion to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such knowledge and devotion can be
achieved in the human form of life, which is therefore a desirable object
both for those living in hell and for the demigods. The human body, even
though it awards the whole purpose of existence in the form of
knowledge and devotion, is ephemeral; therefore one who is
discriminating should soberly strive for liberation before death comes.
The human body is like a boat, r Gurudeva is the helmsman, and the

943

mercy of the Supreme Lord is the favorable breeze. If the person who has
attained such a rare boat in the form of the human body does not desire to
cross over the ocean of material existence, he is in fact the killer of the
soul. The mind is fickle, but one should not indifferently allow it to act as
it will. Rather, one should conquer the senses and the vital air and by
intelligence endowed with the qualities of goodness should bring the
mind under control.
Until the mind finally becomes stable, one should continue to meditate
about the process of the creation of all material things in sequence from
subtle to gross and of their destruction in reverse sequence of gross to
subtle. One who has a sense of detachment and renunciation can give up
false identification with the body and other sense objects by constantly
studying the instructions of his spiritual master. By the yoga practice of
yama, niyama and so forth, by cultivation of transcendental knowledge
and by worship of and meditation upon the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, one can remember the Supersoul.
Virtue, or gua, means to remain steadfast in the object of one's particular
platform of qualification. By developing the desire to reject one's
accumulated material association by pursuing the injunctions of what is
good and what is bad, all of one's inauspicious material activities become
diminished. By devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
all perfections are achieved. Anyone who renders service to the Supreme
Lord by constant devotional service will be able to steadily fix his mind
upon the Supreme Lord, and thus all desires for sense gratification sitting
within the heart will be destroyed to the root. When one directly
perceives the presence of the Supreme Lord, his false ego becomes
completely eradicated; all of his doubts are shattered, and heaps of
material activities become diminished to nil. For this reason the devotees
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead do not consider knowledge and
renunciation to be the means for achieving the highest benefit. Only in
the heart of a person who is devoid of material desire and disinterested in
material things can devotional service to the Lord arise. The piety and
impiety that result from ritualistic injunctions and prohibitions cannot be
applied to the unalloyed pure devotees of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 1
r-uddhava uvca
vidhi ca pratiedha ca

944

nigamo hvarasya te
avekate 'ravika
gua doa ca karmam
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; vidhipositive injunction; ca
also; pratiedhaprohibitive injunction; caand; nigamathe Vedic
literature; hiindeed; varasyaof the Lord; teof You; avekate
focuses upon; aravia-akaO lotus-eyed one; guamgood or pious
qualities; doambad or sinful qualities; caalso; karmamof
activities.
r Uddhava said: My dear lotus-eyed Ka, You are the Supreme Lord,
and thus the Vedic literatures, consisting of positive and negative
injunctions, constitute Your order. Such literatures focus upon the good
and bad qualities of work.
At the end of the previous chapter, Lord Ka stated, gua-doa-dir
doo guas tbhaya-varjita: "Focusing upon material piety and sin is itself
a discrepancy, since actual piety means to transcend both of them." r
Uddhava now pursues this point so that Lord Ka will give a more
elaborate explanation of this difficult subject matter. r Uddhava here
states that the Vedic literatures, which constitute the laws of God, deal
with piety and sin; therefore, it must be clarified how one transcends
activities recommended in the Vedas. According to rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura, Uddhava suddenly understood Lord Ka's purpose
in the words He had just spoken, and to induce the Lord to elaborate
upon this interesting point Uddhava outwardly challenged the Lord's
statement.
TEXT 2
varrama-vikalpa ca
pratilomnulomajam
dravya-dea-vaya-kln
svarga narakam eva ca
vara-ramaof the varrama system; vikalpamthe variety of
superior and inferior positions created by piety and sin; caand;
pratilomabirth in a mixed family wherein the father is inferior in social
status to the mother; anuloma-jambirth in a mixed family in which the

945

father is superior in social status to the mother; dravyamaterial objects

or possessions; deathe place; vayaone's age; klnthe time;
svargamheaven; narakamhell; evaindeed; caalso.
According to Vedic literature, the superior and inferior varieties found
in the human social system, varrama, are due to pious and sinful
modes of family planning. Thus piety and sin are constant points of
reference in the Vedic analysis of the components of a given situation
namely the material ingredients, place, age and time. Indeed, the Vedas
reveal the existence of material heaven and hell, which are certainly
based on piety and sin.
Pratiloma indicates the combination of a superior woman with an inferior
man. For example, the vaidehaka community consists of those born of a
dra father and brhmaa mother, whereas the stas are those born from
a katriya father and a brhmaa mother or from a dra father and
katriya mother. Anuloma indicates those born from a superior father and
inferior mother. The mrdhvasikta are those born of a brhmaa father
and katriya mother. Ambahas are those born from a brhmaa father
and vaiya mother, and they often become medical men. Karaa indicates
those born of a vaiya father and dra mother or of a katriya father and
vaiya mother. That such mixing of castes is not very much appreciated in
the Vedic culture is demonstrated in the first chapter of Bhagavad-gt.
Arjuna was very worried that the death of so many katriyas on the
battlefield would lead to the mixing of superior women with inferior men,
and on those grounds he objected to fighting. In any case, the entire Vedic
social system is based on distinguishing between piety and sin, and r
Uddhava is encouraging the Lord to explain more elaborately His
statement that one should transcend both piety and sin.
TEXT 3
gua-doa-bhid-dim
antarea vacas tava
nireyasa katha n
niedha-vidhi-lakaam
guapiety; doasin; bhidthe difference between; dimseeing;
antareawithout; vacawords; tavaYour; nireyasamperfection
of life, liberation; kathamhow is it possible; nmfor human beings;

946

niedhaprohibitions;
characterized by.

vidhipositive

injunctions;

lakaam

Without seeing the difference between piety and sin, how can one
understand Your own instructions in the form of Vedic literatures,
which order one to act piously and forbid one to act sinfully?
Furthermore, without such authorized Vedic literatures, which
ultimately award liberation, how can human beings achieve the
perfection of life?
If one does not accept the necessity of performing pious activities and
avoiding sinful activities, it becomes very difficult to understand
authorized religious scriptures; and without such scriptures, how can
human beings attain salvation? This is the essence of r Uddhava's
question.
TEXT 4
pit-deva-manuyn
veda cakus tavevara
reyas tv anupalabdhe 'rthe
sdhya-sdhanayor api
pitof the forefathers; devaof the demigods; manuymof the
human beings; vedathe Vedic knowledge; cakuis the eye; tava
emanating from You; varaO Supreme Lord; reyasuperior; tu
indeed; anupalabdhein that which cannot be directly perceived; arthe
in the goals of human life, such as sense gratification, liberation, and
attainment of heaven; sdhya-sdhanayoboth in the means and the
end; apiindeed.
My dear Lord, in order to understand those things beyond direct
experiencesuch as spiritual liberation or attainment of heaven and
other material enjoyments beyond our present capacityand in general
to understand the means and end of all things, the forefathers,
demigods and human beings must consult the Vedic literatures, which
are Your own laws, for these constitute the highest evidence and
revelation.
One might argue that while human beings are certainly prone to
ignorance, the elevated forefathers and demigods are considered to be all-

947

knowing within universal affairs. If such superior beings would

communicate with the earth, then everyone could bypass Vedic
knowledge in achieving his personal desire. This concept is denied here
by the words veda caku. Even the demigods and forefathers have at best
an ambiguous conception of supreme liberation, and even in material
affairs they are subject to personal frustration. Although the demigods are
all-powerful in awarding material benedictions to inferior species such as
human beings, they are sometimes thwarted in their personal programs of
sense gratification. A rich businessman, for example, may have no
difficulty paying the insignificant salary of one of his innumerable
workers, but the same wealthy man may be completely frustrated in his
dealings with his own family and friends and may also be defeated in his
attempts to expand his fortune by further investments. Although a rich
man appears to be all-powerful to his subordinate workers, he must
personally struggle to fulfill his personal desires. Similarly, the demigods
and forefathers encounter many difficulties in maintaining and expanding
their celestial standard of living. They must therefore constantly take
shelter of superior Vedic knowledge. Even in the administration of cosmic
affairs, they strictly follow the guidelines of the Vedas, which are the laws
of God. If such fabulous entities as demigods must take shelter of the
Vedas, we can just imagine the position of human beings, who are
frustrated at virtually every step of their lives. Every human being should
accept Vedic knowledge as the highest evidence in material and spiritual
affairs. Uddhava points out to the Lord that if one accepts the authority of
Vedic knowledge, it is seemingly impossible to reject the concept of
material piety and sin. Thus Uddhava persists in examining the Lord's
controversial statement at the end of the last chapter.
TEXT 5
gua-doa-bhid-dir
nigamt te na hi svata
nigamenpavda ca
bhidy iti ha bhrama
guapiety; doasin; bhidthe difference between; diseeing;
nigamtfrom Vedic knowledge; teYour; nanot; hiindeed;
svataautomatically; nigamenaby the Vedas; apavdanullification;
caalso; bhidyof such distinction; itithus; haclearly;
bhramaconfusion.

948

My dear Lord, the distinction observed between piety and sin comes
from Your own Vedic knowledge and does not arise by itself. If the
same Vedic literature subsequently nullifies such distinction between
piety and sin, there will certainly be confusion.
In the Bhagavad-gt (15.15) Lord Ka states, vedai ca sarvair aham eva
vedya: "By all the Vedas I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of
Vedanta, and I know the Veda as it is." Vedic knowledge emanates from
the breathing of the Personality of Godhead; therefore, whatever Lord
Ka speaks is Veda, or perfect knowledge. The Vedic literatures are full
of descriptions of piety and sin, but Lord Ka's statement that one
should transcend piety and sin is also to be understood as Vedic
knowledge. r Uddhava has understood this point and therefore requests
Lord Ka to clear up an apparent contradiction. Ultimately, the material
world gives the living entities a chance to satisfy their perverted desires
and at the same time gradually achieve the liberation of going back home,
back to Godhead. Thus material piety must be considered a means and
never an absolute end, since the material world itself is not absolute,
being temporary and limited. The Personality of Godhead is Himself the
reservoir of all virtue and goodness. Those persons and activities that
please the Lord are to be considered virtuous, and those that displease
Him are to be considered sinful. There cannot be any other permanent
definition of these terms. If one becomes a mundane moralist, forgetting
the Supreme Lord, one's position is certainly imperfect, and one will not
achieve the ultimate goal of piety, going back home, back to Godhead. On
the other hand, there is great fear among moralists that if the distinction
between piety and sin is minimized, people will commit many atrocities
in the name of God. In the modern world there is no clear understanding
of spiritual authority, and moral men consider any appeal to transcend
morality to be an invitation to fanaticism, anarchy, violence and
corruption. Thus they regard material moral principles as more important
than directly trying to please God. Because this point is controversial,
Uddhava is anxiously requesting the Lord to give a clear explanation.
TEXT 6
r-bhagavn uvca
yogs trayo may prokt
n reyo-vidhitsay
jna karma ca bhakti ca

949

nopyo 'nyo 'sti kutracit

r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yog
processes; trayathree; mayby Me; proktdescribed; namof
human beings; reyaperfection; vidhitsaydesiring to bestow;
jnamthe path of philosophy; karmathe path of work; caalso;
bhaktithe path of devotion; caalso; nano; upyameans;
anyaother; astiexists; kutracitwhatsoever.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, because I
desire that human beings may achieve perfection, I have presented
three paths of advancementthe path of knowledge, the path of work
and the path of devotion. Besides these three there is absolutely no
other means of elevation.
Ultimately, the goal of philosophical speculation, pious regulated work
and devotional service is the sameKa consciousness. As stated by the
Lord in Bhagavad-gt (4.11),
ye yath m prapadyante
ts tathaiva bhajmy aham
mama vartmnuvartante
manuy prtha sarvaa
"All of themas they surrender unto MeI reward accordingly.
Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pth." Although all
authorized processes of human perfection ultimately lead to Ka
consciousness, or love of God, various performers have specific
propensities and qualifications and thus gravitate to different methods of
self-realization. Lord Ka here describes the three authorized processes
together in order to emphasize that their ultimate goal is one. At the same
time, philosophical speculation and regulated pious work can never be
considered equal to pure love of Godhead, as the Lord has elaborately
clarified in the previous chapters. The word traya, or "three," indicates
that despite their ultimate oneness of purpose, the three paths display
diversity in progress and achievement. One cannot achieve the same
result by mere speculation or piety that one achieves by directly
surrendering to the Personality of Godhead, depending completely on His
mercy and friendship. The word karma here indicates work dedicated to

950

the Personality of Godhead. As described in Bhagavad-gt (3.9),

yajrtht karmao 'nyatra
loko 'ya karma-bandhana
tad-artha karma kaunteya
mukta-saga samcara
"Work done as a sacrifice for Viu has to be performed, otherwise work
binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunt, perform your
prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always
remain unattached and free from bondage." In the process of jna, one
seeks impersonal liberation by merging into the glaring effulgence of the
Personality of Godhead. Such liberation is considered hellish by the
devotees, because by merging one loses all awareness of the supreme
blissful feature of the Lord as Bhagavn, the supreme person. The
performers of karma, or regulated work, seek the three aspects of human
progress other than liberationnamely religiosity, economic
development and sense gratification. The fruitive workers think that by
exhausting each of their innumerable material desires they will gradually
come out of the dark tunnel of material existence into the clear light of
spiritual liberation. This process is very dangerous and uncertain, because
not only is there virtually no limit to material desires, but even a slight
flaw in the process of regulated work constitutes sin and throws one off
the path of progressive life. The devotees directly aim for love of Godhead
and are therefore most pleasing to the Supreme Lord. In any case, all three
divisions of Vedic elevation depend completely on the mercy of Lord
Ka. One cannot progress along any one of these paths without the
blessings of the Lord. Other Vedic processes, such as austerity, charity
and so forth, are included within the three primary divisions described
here.
TEXT 7
nirvin jna-yogo
nysinm iha karmasu
tev anirvia-cittn
karma-yogas tu kminm
nirvinmfor those who are disgusted; jna-yogathe path of
philosophical speculation; nysinmfor those who are renounced; iha

951

among these three paths; karmasuin ordinary material activities; teu

in those activities; anirvianot disgusted; cittnmfor those who
have consciousness; karma-yogathe path of karma-yoga; tu-indeed;
kminmfor those who still desire material happiness.
Among these three paths, jna-yoga, the path of philosophical
speculation, is recommended for those who are disgusted with material
life and are thus detached from ordinary, fruitive activities. Those who
are not disgusted with material life, having many desires yet to fulfill,
should seek perfection through the path of karma-yoga.
In this verse the Lord reveals the different propensities that lead human
beings to adopt different processes of perfection. Those who are frustrated
in the ordinary material life of society, friendship and love, and who
understand that promotion to heaven simply brings further domestic
miseries, take directly to the path of knowledge. Through authorized
philosophical discrimination they transcend the bonds of material
existence. Those who are still desirous of enjoying material society,
friendship and love, and who are excited by the prospect of going with
their relatives to material heavenly planets, cannot take directly to the
path of rigorous philosophical advancement, which requires great
austerity. Such persons are advised to remain in family life and offer the
fruits of their work to the Supreme. In this way, they also can become
perfect and gradually learn detachment from material life.
TEXT 8
yadcchay mat-kathdau
jta-raddhas tu ya pumn
na nirvio nti-sakto
bhakti-yogo 'sya siddhi-da
yadcchaysomehow or other by good fortune; mat-kath-dauin the
narrations, songs, philosophy, dramatical performances, etc., that describe
My glories; jtaawakened; raddhafaith; tuindeed; ya-one who;
pumna person; nanot; nirviadisgusted; nanot; ati-sakta
very attached; bhakti-yogathe path of loving devotion; asyahis;
siddhi-dawill award perfection.
If somehow or other by good fortune one develops faith in hearing and

952

chanting My glories, such a person, being neither very disgusted with

nor attached to material life, should achieve perfection through the path
of loving devotion to Me.
If somehow or other one gets the association of pure devotees of the Lord
and hears from them the transcendental message of Lord Ka, then one
has the chance to become a devotee of the Lord. As mentioned in the
previous verse, those who become disgusted with material life take to
impersonal philosophical speculation and rigorously try to stamp out any
trace of personal existence. Those who are still attached to material sense
gratification try to purify themselves by offering the fruits of their
ordinary activities to the Supreme. A first-class candidate for pure
devotional service, on the other hand, is neither completely disgusted
with nor attached to material life. He does not desire to pursue ordinary
material existence any further, because it cannot award real happiness.
Nevertheless, a candidate for devotional service does not give up all hope
for perfecting personal existence. A person who avoids the two extremes
of material attachment and impersonal reaction to material attachment
and who somehow or other gets the association of pure devotees,
faithfully hearing their message, is a good candidate for going back home,
back to Godhead, as described here by the Lord.
TEXT 9
tvat karmi kurvta
na nirvidyeta yvat
mat-kath-ravadau v
raddh yvan na jyate
tvatup to that time; karmifruitive activities; kurvtaone should
execute; na nirvidyetais not satiated; yvatas long as; mat-kathof
discourses about Me; ravaa-dauin the matter of ravaam, krtanam
and so on; vor; raddhfaith; yvatas long as; nanot; jyateis
awakened.
As long as one is not satiated by fruitive activity and has not awakened
his taste for devotional service by ravaa krtana vio [SB 7.5.23]
one has to act according to the regulative principles of the Vedic
injunctions.

953

Unless one has developed firm faith in Lord Ka by association with

pure devotees and is thus engaged full time in the devotional service of
the Lord, one should not neglect ordinary Vedic principles and duties. As
stated by the Lord Himself,
ruti-smt mamaivje
yas te ullaghya vartate
j-cched mama dve
mad-bhakto 'pi na vaiava
"The ruti and smti literatures are to be understood as My injunctions,
and one who violates such codes is to be understood as violating My will
and thus opposing Me. Although such a person may claim to be My
devotee, he is not actually a Vaiava." The Lord here states that if one
has not developed firm faith in the process of chanting and hearing, one
must comply with the ordinary injunctions of Vedic literatures. There are
many symptoms by which one can recognize an advanced devotee of the
Lord. In the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.2.7) it is stated,
vsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yoga prayojita
janayaty u vairgya
jna ca yad ahaitukam
One who is actually engaged in advanced devotional service immediately
develops both clear knowledge of Ka consciousness and detachment
from nondevotional activities. One who is not situated on this platform
must comply with the ordinary injunctions of Vedic literature or risk
becoming inimical to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On the other
hand, one who has developed great faith in the devotional service of Lord
Ka does not hesitate to do anything that will further the mission of the
Lord. As stated in the Eleventh Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (11.5.41),
devari-bhtpta-n pit
na kikaro nyam ca rjan
sarvtman ya araa araya
gato mukunda parihtya kartam
"Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of

954

liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in
all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods,
sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers."
rla Jva Gosvm points out in this regard that when a person fully
surrenders to Lord Ka, he takes shelter of the Lord's promise to
liquidate all other responsibilities and debts of the surrendered soul. The
devotee thus becomes fearless by meditating on the Lord's promise of
protection. Those, however, who are materially attached are frightened by
the prospect of full surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
thereby revealing their inimical mentality toward the Lord.
TEXT 10
sva-dharma-stho yajan yajair
an-kma uddhava
na yti svarga-narakau
yady anyan na samcaret
sva-dharmain one's prescribed duties; sthasituated; yajan
worshiping; yajaiby prescribed sacrifices; an-kmanot
desiring fruitive results; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; nadoes not;
ytigo; svargato heaven; narakauor to hell; yadiif; anyat
something other than his prescribed duty; nadoes not; samcaret
perform.
My dear Uddhava, a person who is situated in his prescribed duty,
properly worshiping by Vedic sacrifices but not desiring the fruitive
result of such worship, will not go to the heavenly planets; similarly, by
not performing forbidden activities he will not go to hell.
The perfection of karma-yoga is described here. One who does not desire
fruitive rewards for his religious activities does not waste time going to
the heavenly planets for celestial sense gratification. Similarly, one who
does not neglect his prescribed duty or perform forbidden activities will
not be bothered by going to hell for punishment. Thus avoiding material
rewards and punishments, such a desireless person can be promoted to
the platform of pure devotional service to Lord Ka.
TEXT 11
asmi loke vartamna

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sva-dharma-stho 'nagha uci

jna viuddham pnoti
mad-bhakti v yadcchay
asminin this; lokeworld; vartamnaexisting; sva-dharmain one's
prescribed duty; sthasituated; anaghafree from sinful activities;
ucicleansed of material contamination; jnamknowledge;
viuddhamtranscendental; pnotiobtains; matto Me; bhaktim
devotional service; vor; yadcchayaccording to one's fortune.
One who is situated in his prescribed duty, free from sinful activities
and cleansed of material contamination, in this very life obtains
transcendental knowledge or, by fortune, devotional service unto Me.
Asmin loke indicates one's present duration of life. Before the death of
one's present body one can obtain transcendental knowledge or, by great
fortune, pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The word
yadcchay indicates that if one somehow or other gets the association of
pure devotees and hears from them faithfully, one can achieve Ka
consciousness, the highest perfection of life. According to rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura, through transcendental knowledge one obtains
liberation, whereas through pure devotional service one can achieve love
of Godhead, in which liberation is automatically included. Both results
are certainly superior to ordinary, fruitive activities, by which one tries to
enjoy much the same things that animals do. If one's devotional service is
mixed with a tendency toward fruitive activities or mental speculation,
then one may achieve the neutral stage of love of Godhead, whereas those
who are inclined to serve only Lord Ka advance to the higher stages of
love of Godhead in servitude, friendship, parental love and the conjugal
relationship.
TEXT 12
svargio 'py etam icchanti
loka nirayias tath
sdhaka jna-bhaktibhym
ubhaya tad-asdhakam
svargiathe residents of the heavenly planets; apieven; etamthis;
icchantidesire; lokamearth planet; nirayiathe residents of hell;

956

tathin the same way; sdhakamleading to achievement; jnabhaktibhymof transcendental knowledge and love of Godhead;
ubhayamboth (heaven and hell); tatfor that perfection; asdhakam
not useful.
The residents of both heaven and hell desire human birth on the earth
planet because human life facilitates the achievement of transcendental
knowledge and love of Godhead, whereas neither heavenly nor hellish
bodies efficiently provide such opportunities.
rla Jva Gosvm points out that in material heaven one becomes
absorbed in extraordinary sense gratification and in hell one is absorbed
in suffering. In both cases there is little impetus to acquire transcendental
knowledge or pure love of Godhead. Excessive suffering or excessive
enjoyment are thus impediments to spiritual advancement.
TEXT 13
na nara svar-gati kken
nrak v vicakaa
nema loka ca kketa
dehvet pramdyati
nanever; naraa human being; sva-gatimpromotion to heaven;
kketshould desire; nrakmto hell; vor; vicakaaa learned
person; nanor; imamthis; lokamearth planet; caalso; kketa
one should desire; dehain the material body; vetfrom absorption;
pramdyatione becomes a fool.
A human being who is wise should never desire promotion to heavenly
planets or residence in hell. Indeed, a human being should also never
desire permanent residence on the earth, for by such absorption in the
material body one becomes foolishly negligent of one's actual selfinterest.
One who has achieved human life on the earth has an excellent
opportunity to attain spiritual liberation through Ka consciousness, or
devotional service to the Lord. Thus one should not desire promotion to
heaven or risk residence in hell, where excessive enjoyment or
punishment deviate one's mind from self-realization. On the other hand,
one should not think, "The earth is so nice, I can stay here forever." One

957

should develop thorough detachment from all aspects and categories of

material existence and go back home, back to Godhead, where life is
eternal and full of bliss and knowledge.
Lord Ka now begins to develop His conclusive proof that actual human
progress lies beyond material piety and sin. The Lord first clarified that
there are basically three methods of human elevation, namely jna,
karma and bhakti, and that the goal is transcendental knowledge and
ultimately love of Godhead. Now the Lord explains that promotion to
heavenly planets (the final goal of piety) as well as residence in hell (the
result of sinful activities) are both useless in fulfilling the actual purpose
of life. Neither material piety nor sin establish the eternal living entity in
his constitutional position; therefore something more is required to
achieve the actual perfection of life.
TEXT 14
etad vidvn pur mtyor
abhavya ghaeta sa
apramatta ida jtv
martyam apy artha-siddhi-dam
etatthis; vidvnknowing; purbefore; mtyodeath; abhavyato
transcend material existence; ghaetashould act; sahe; apramatta
without laziness or foolishness; idamthis; jtvknowing; martyam
subject to death; apieven though; arthaof the goal of life; siddhidamgiving the perfection.
A wise person, knowing that although the material body is subject to
death it can still award the perfection of one's life, should not foolishly
neglect to take advantage of this opportunity before death arrives.
TEXT 15
chidyamna yamair etai
kta-na vanaspatim
khaga sva-ketam utsjya
kema yti hy alampaa
chidyamnambeing cut down; yamaiby cruel men, who are like
death personified; etaiby these; kta-namin which he has
constructed his nest; vanaspatima tree; khagaa bird; sva-ketamhis

958

home; utsjyagiving up; kemamhappiness; ytiachieves; hi

indeed; alampaawithout attachment.
Without attachment, a bird gives up the tree in which his nest was
constructed when that tree is cut down by cruel men who are like death
personified, and thus the bird achieves happiness in another place.
Here the example is given of detachment from the bodily concept of life.
The living entity resides within the body just as a bird dwells within a
tree. When thoughtless men cut down the tree, the bird, without
lamenting the loss of its previous nest, does not hesitate to establish its
residence in another place.
TEXT 16
aho-rtrai chidyamna
buddhvyur bhaya-vepathu
mukta-saga para buddhv
nirha upamyati
ahaby days; rtraiby nights; chidyamnambeing cut down;
buddhvknowing; yuthe duration of life; bhayawith fear;
vepathutrembling; mukta-sagafree from attachment; paramthe
Supreme Lord; buddhvunderstanding; nirhawithout material
desire; upamyatiachieves perfect peace.
Knowing that one's duration of life is being similarly cut down by the
passing of days and nights, one should be shaken by fear. In this way,
giving up all material attachment and desire, one understands the
Supreme Lord and achieves perfect peace.
An intelligent devotee knows that the passing days and nights are
exhausting one's duration of life, and he therefore gives up his futile
attachment to material sense objects. Instead, he strives to achieve
permanent benefit in life. Just as the detached bird immediately gives up
its nest and goes to another tree, similarly, a devotee knows that there is
no permanent opportunity for residence within the material world.
Instead he dedicates his working energy to achieving eternal residence in
the kingdom of God. Transcending the modes of material nature by
attaining Ka's own spiritual nature, the devotee at last obtains perfect
peace.

959

TEXT 17
n-deham dya su-labha su-durlabha
plava su-kalpa guru-karadhram
maynuklena nabhasvaterita
pumn bhavbdhi na taret sa tma-h
nrhuman; dehambody; dyamthe source of all favorable results; sulabhameffortlessly obtained; su-durlabhamalthough impossible to
obtain even with great endeavor; plavama boat; su-kalpamextremely
well suited for its purpose; guruhaving the spiritual master; karadhramas the captain of the boat; mayby Me; anuklenawith
favorable; nabhasvatwinds; ritamimpelled; pumna person;
bhavaof material existence; abdhimthe ocean; nadoes not; taret
cross over; sahe; tma-hthe killer of his own soul.
The human body, which can award all benefit in life, is automatically
obtained by the laws of nature, although it is a very rare achievement.
This human body can be compared to a perfectly constructed boat
having the spiritual master as the captain and the instructions of the
Personality of Godhead as favorable winds impelling it on its course.
Considering all these advantages, a human being who does not utilize
his human life to cross the ocean of material existence must be
considered the killer of his own soul.
The human body, which is obtained after passing through many inferior
forms, is created in such a way that it can award the highest perfection of
life. A human being is supposed to serve the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and the bona fide spiritual master is the appropriate guide for
such service. The causeless mercy of Lord Ka is compared to favorable
winds that help the boat of the body to ply smoothly on the course back
home, back to Godhead. Lord Ka gives His personal instructions in
Vedic literature, speaks through the bona fide spiritual master, and
encourages, warns and protects His sincere devotee from within the
devotee's heart. Such merciful guidance of the Lord moves a sincere soul
quickly on the path back to Godhead. But one who cannot understand
that the human body is a suitable boat for crossing the ocean of material
existence will see no need to accept a captain in the form of the spiritual
master and will not at all appreciate the favorable winds of the Lord's
mercy. He has no chance of achieving the goal of human life. Acting

960

against his own self-interest, he gradually becomes the killer of his own
soul.
TEXT 18
yadrambheu nirvio
virakta sayatendriya
abhysentmano yog
dhrayed acala mana
yadwhen; rambheuin material endeavors; nirviahopeless;
viraktadetached; sayatacompletely controlling; indriyathe
senses; abhysenaby practice; tmanaof the soul; yogthe
transcendentalist; dhrayetshould concentrate; acalamsteady;
manathe mind.
A transcendentalist, having become disgusted and hopeless in all
endeavors for material happiness, completely controls the senses and
develops detachment. By spiritual practice he should then fix the mind
on the spiritual platform without deviation.
The inevitable result of material sense gratification is disappointment and
pain that sears the heart. One becomes gradually hopeless and despondent
in material life; then, receiving good instructions from the Lord or His
devotee, one transforms one's material disappointment into spiritual
success. Actually, Lord Ka is our only true friend, and this simple
understanding can bring one to a new life of spiritual happiness in the
company of the Lord.
TEXT 19
dhryama mano yarhi
bhrmyad av anavasthitam
atandrito 'nurodhena
mrgetma-vaa nayet
dhryamambeing concentrated on the spiritual platform; manathe
mind;
yarhiwhen;
bhrmyatis
deviated;
usuddenly;
anavasthitamnot situated on the spiritual platform; atandrita
carefully; anurodhenaaccording to the prescribed regulations;
mrgeaby the process; tmaof the soul; vaamunder the control;
nayetone should bring.

961

Whenever the mind, being concentrated on the spiritual platform, is

suddenly deviated from its spiritual position, one should carefully bring
it under the control of the self by following the prescribed means.
Although one is seriously engaging the mind in Ka consciousness, the
mind is so flickering that it may suddenly be deviated from its spiritual
position. One should then carefully bring the mind back under the
control of the self. It is stated in Bhagavad-gt that if one is too austere or
too sensuous one cannot control the mind. Sometimes one may bring the
mind under control by allowing the material senses limited satisfaction.
For example, although one may eat austerely, from time to time one may
accept a reasonable amount of mah-prasdam, opulent foods offered to
the temple Deities, so that the mind will not become disturbed. Similarly,
one may occasionally relax with other transcendentalists through joking,
swimming and so forth. But if such activities are performed excessively,
they will lead to a setback in spiritual life. When the mind desires sinful
gratification such as illicit sex or intoxication, one must simply tolerate
the mind's foolishness and by strenuous effort push on with Ka
consciousness. Then the waves of illusion will soon subside, and the path
of advancement will again open wide.
TEXT 20
mano-gati na visjej
jita-pro jitendriya
sattva-sampannay buddhy
mana tma-vaa nayet
manaof the mind; gatimgoal; nanot; visjetshould lose sight of;
jita-praone who has conquered the breath; jita-indriyawho has
conquered his senses; sattvaof the mode of goodness; sampannay
characterized by flourishing; buddhyby the intelligence; manathe
mind; tma-vaamunder the control of the self; nayetone should
bring.
One should never lose sight of the actual goal of mental activities, but
rather, conquering the life air and senses and utilizing intelligence
strengthened by the mode of goodness, one should bring the mind
under the control of the self.

962

Although the mind may suddenly wander outside the jurisdiction of selfrealization, one must bring the mind back under control by clear
intelligence in the mode of goodness. The best solution is to keep the
mind always busy in the service of Lord Ka so that the mind cannot
wander onto the dangerous path of sense gratification, headed by sex
attraction. The material mind is naturally inclined to accept material
objects at every moment. Therefore unless the mind is seriously brought
under control there is no possibility of becoming steady on the path of
spiritual advancement.
TEXT 21
ea vai paramo yogo
manasa sagraha smta
hdaya-jatvam anvicchan
damyasyevrvato muhu
eathis; vaiindeed; paramasupreme; yogayoga process;
manasaof the mind; sagrahacomplete control; smtathus
declared; hdaya-jatvamthe characteristic of knowing intimately;
anvicchancarefully watching; damyasyawhich is to be subdued; iva
like; arvataof a horse; muhualways.
An expert horseman, desiring to tame a headstrong horse, first lets the
horse have his way for a moment and then, pulling the reins, gradually
places the horse on the desired path. Similarly, the supreme yoga
process is that by which one carefully observes the movements and
desires of the mind and gradually brings them under full control.
Just as an expert rider intimately knows the propensities of an untamed
horse and gradually brings the horse under control, an expert yog allows
the mind to reveal its materialistic propensities and then controls them
through superior intelligence. A learned transcendentalist withholds and
supplies sense objects so that the mind and senses remain fully controlled,
just as the horseman sometimes pulls sharply on the reins and sometimes
allows the horse to run freely. The rider never forgets his actual goal or
destination, and eventually places the horse on the right path. Similarly, a
learned transcendentalist, even though sometimes allowing the senses to
act, never forgets the goal of self-realization, nor does he allow the senses
to engage in sinful activity. Excessive austerity or restriction may result in

963

great mental disturbance, just as pulling excessively on the reins of a

horse may cause the horse to rear up against the rider. The path of selfrealization depends upon clear intelligence, and the easiest way to acquire
such expertise is surrender to Lord Ka. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gt
(10.10),
te satata-yuktn
bhajat prti-prvakam
dadmi buddhi-yoga ta
yena mm upaynti te
One may not be a great scholar or spiritual intellect, but if one is sincerely
engaged in loving service to the Lord without personal envy or personal
motivation the Lord will reveal from within the heart the methodology
required to control the mind. Expertly riding the waves of mental desire, a
Ka conscious person does not fall from the saddle, and he eventually
rides all the way back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 22
skhyena sarva-bhvn
pratilomnulomata
bhavpyayv anudhyyen
mano yvat prasdati
skhyenaby analytic study; sarvaof all; bhvnmmaterial
elements (cosmic, earthly and atomic); pratilomaby regressive function;
anulomataby progressive function; bhavacreation; apyayau
annihilation; anudhyyetshould constantly observe; manathe mind;
yvatuntil; prasdatiis spiritually satisfied.
Until one's mind is fixed in spiritual satisfaction, one should
analytically study the temporary nature of all material objects, whether
cosmic, earthly or atomic. One should constantly observe the process of
creation through the natural progressive function and the process of
annihilation through the regressive function.
There is a saying that whatever goes up must come down. Similarly, Lord
Ka states in the Bhagavad-gt (2.27),
jtasya hi dhruvo mtyur

964

dhruva janma mtasya ca

tasmd aparihrye 'rthe
na tva ocitum arhasi
"For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is
dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your
duty, you should not lament." Mano yvat prasdati: Until one has
established one's consciousness on the liberated platform of perfect
knowledge, one must constantly ward off the attacks of illusion through
rigid analytic observation of material nature. The material mind may be
attracted to sex; therefore by spiritual intelligence one should scrutinize
the temporary nature of one's own body and the body that has artificially
become the object of one's material lust. One may apply this rigid analysis
to all material bodies, from the fantastic cosmic body of Lord Brahm
down to that of the most insignificant germ. As previously stated by Lord
Ka, one who is advanced in Ka consciousness spontaneously avoids
sense gratification and is constantly drawn by spiritual love into his
relationship with Lord Ka. One who has not achieved the platform of
spontaneous Ka consciousness must remain constantly vigilant so as
not to be grossly cheated by the material energy of the Lord. One who
tries to exploit the material energy ruins his spiritual life and experiences
varieties of misery.
TEXT 23
nirviasya viraktasya
puruasyokta-vedina
manas tyajati daurtmya
cintitasynucintay
nirviasyaof one who is disgusted with the illusory nature of the
material world; viraktasyaand who is therefore detached; puruasyaof
such a person; ukta-vedinawho is guided by the instructions of his
spiritual master; manathe mind; tyajatigives up; daurtmyamthe
false identification with the material body and mind; cintitasyaof that
which is contemplated; anucintayby constant analysis.
When a person is disgusted with the temporary, illusory nature of this
world and is thus detached from it, his mind, guided by the instructions
of his spiritual master, considers again and again the nature of this

965

world and eventually gives up the false identification with matter.

Although it is difficult to control the mind, by constant practice the mind
can be spiritualized in Ka consciousness. A sincere disciple constantly
remembers the instructions of his spiritual master and thereby faces again
and again the stark truth that the material world is not the ultimate
reality. By detachment and perseverance the mind gradually gives up its
propensity toward sense gratification; thus illusion loses its grip on a
sincere Ka conscious devotee. Gradually the purified mind completely
gives up the false identification with this world and transfers its attention
to the spiritual platform. Then one is considered to be perfect in the yoga
system.
TEXT 24
yamdibhir yoga-pathair
nvkiky ca vidyay
mamrcopsanbhir v
nnyair yogya smaren mana
yama-dibhiby disciplinary regulations, etc.; yoga-pathaiby the
procedures of the yoga system; nvkikyby logical analysis; caalso;
vidyayby
spiritual
knowledge;
mamaMy;
arcworship;
upanbhiby adoration, etc.; vor; nanever; anyaiby other
(means); yogyamthe Supreme Personality of Godhead, the object of
meditation; smaretone should focus on; manathe mind.
Through the various disciplinary regulations and the purificatory
procedures of the yoga system, through logic and spiritual education or
through worship and adoration of Me, one should constantly engage his
mind in remembering the Personality of Godhead, the goal of yoga. No
other means should be employed for this purpose.
The word v is significant in this verse, for it indicates that one engaged in
the worship and adoration of the Personality of Godhead need not trouble
himself with the disciplinary, regulatory and purificatory procedures of
yoga, nor with the grueling intricacies of Vedic studies and logic. Yogyam,
or the most appropriate object of meditation, is the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, as confirmed throughout Vedic literature. One who directly
takes to the worship of the Lord should not employ other methods, for

966

full dependence on the Lord is in itself the supreme process of perfection.

TEXT 25
yadi kuryt pramdena
yog karma vigarhitam
yogenaiva dahed aho
nnyat tatra kadcana
yadiif; kurytshould perform; pramdenadue to negligence; yog
the yog; karmaan activity; vigarhitamabominable; yogenaby the
yoga process; evaonly; dahethe should burn up; ahathat sin;
nano; anyatother means; tatrain this matter; kadcanaat any
time (should be employed).
If, because of momentary inattention, a yogi accidentally commits an
abominable activity, then by the very practice of yoga he should burn to
ashes the sinful reaction, without at any time employing any other
procedure.
The word yogena here indicates jnena yogena and bhakty yogena, since
these two transcendental systems have the power to burn sinful reactions
to ashes. It should be clearly understood that the word ahas, or "sin,"
here refers to an accidental falldown against one's desire. Premeditated
exploitation of the mercy of the Lord can never be excused.
Significantly, the Lord forbids any extraneous purificatory rites, since the
transcendental yoga systems are themselves the most purifying processes,
especially bhakti-yoga. If one gives up one's regular prescribed duties to
perform a special ritual or penance, trying to purify a sinful reaction, then
one will be guilty of the additional fault of giving up one's prescribed
duties. One should pick oneself up from an accidental falldown and go on
vigorously with one's prescribed duties in life without being unnecessarily
discouraged. One should certainly lament and feel ashamed, or there will
be no purification. However, if one becomes overly depressed at an
accidental falldown one will not have the enthusiasm to go on to
perfection. Lord Ka also states in the Bhagavad-gt (9.30),
api cet su-durcro
bhajate mm ananya-bhk
sdhur eva sa mantavya

967

samyag vyavasito hi sa
"Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in
devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly
situated." The most important point is that one should be properly
engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, for then the Lord will
excuse and purify an accidental falldown. One should, however, be most
cautious to avoid such an unhappy event.
TEXT 26
sve sve 'dhikre y nih
sa gua parikrtita
karma jty-auddhnm
anena niyama kta
gua-doa-vidhnena
sagn tyjanecchay
sve sveeach in his own; adhikreposition; ywhich; nihsteady
practice; sathis; guapiety; parikrtitais thoroughly declared;
karmamof fruitive activities; jtiby nature; auddhnmimpure;
anenaby this; niyamadisciplinary control; ktais established;
guaof piety; doaof sin; vidhnenaby the rule; sagnmof
association with different types of sense gratification; tyjanaof
renunciation; icchayby the desire.
It is firmly declared that the steady adherence of transcendentalists to
their respective spiritual positions constitutes real piety and that sin
occurs when a transcendentalist neglects his prescribed duty. One who
adopts this standard of piety and sin, sincerely desiring to give up all
past association with sense gratification, is able to subdue materialistic
activities, which are by nature impure.
Lord Ka here explains more clearly that those persons directly engaged
in self-realization either through jna-yoga or bhakti-yoga need not give
up their regular duties and perform special penances to atone for an
accidental falldown. The actual purpose of Vedic literature is to direct one
back home, back to Godhead, and not to encourage material sense
gratification. Although the Vedas recommend innumerable rituals for
promotion to heavenly planets and enjoyment of all varieties of material

968

opulence, such materialistic rewards are meant only to engage

materialistic people, who otherwise would become demoniac. To purify
an accidental falldown, one who is engaged in transcendental realization
need not adopt any procedure beyond his own spiritual practice. The
words sagn tyjanecchay indicate that one should not practice
Ka consciousness or self-realization superficially or casually; rather,
one should sincerely and earnestly desire freedom from one's past sinful
life. Similarly, the words y nih indicate that one must constantly
practice Ka consciousness. Thus, essential piety is to give up material
sense gratification and engage in the loving service of the Lord. One who
engages his senses, mind and intelligence twenty-four hours a day in the
Lord's service is the most pious person, and the Lord personally protects
such a surrendered soul.
TEXTS 27-28
jta-raddho mat-kathsu
nirvia sarva-karmasu
veda dukhtmakn kmn
parityge 'py anvara
tato bhajeta m prta
raddhlur dha-nicaya
juama ca tn kmn
dukhodark ca garhayan
jtaone who has awakened; raddhafaith; mat-kathsuin the
descriptions of My glories; nirviadisgusted; sarvawith all;
karmasuactivities; vedahe knows; dukhamisery; tmakn
constituted of; kmnall types of sense gratification; paritygein the
process of renouncing; apialthough; anvaraunable; tatadue to
such faith; bhajetahe should worship; mmMe; prtaremaining
happy; raddhlubeing faithful; dharesolute; nicaya
conviction; juamaengaging in; caalso; tnthat; kmnsense
gratification; dukhamisery; udarknleading to; caalso; garhayan
repenting of.
Having awakened faith in the narrations of My glories, being disgusted
with all material activities, knowing that all sense gratification leads to
misery, but still being unable to renounce all sense enjoyment, My

969

devotee should remain happy and worship Me with great faith and
conviction. Even though he is sometimes engaged in sense enjoyment,
My devotee knows that all sense gratification leads to a miserable
result, and he sincerely repents such activities.
The beginning stage of pure devotional service is described here by the
Lord. A sincere devotee has practically seen that all material activities lead
only to sense gratification and all sense gratification leads only to misery.
Thus a devotee's sincere desire is to engage twenty-four hours a day in the
loving service of Lord Ka without any personal motivation. The
devotee sincerely desires to be established in his constitutional position as
the Lord's eternal servitor, and he prays to the Lord to elevate him to this
exalted position. The word anvara indicates that because of one's past
sinful activities and bad habits one may not immediately be able to
completely extinguish the enjoying spirit. The Lord here encourages such
a devotee not to be overly depressed or morose but to remain enthusiastic
and to go on with his loving service. The word nirvia indicates that a
sincere devotee, although somewhat entangled in the remnants of sense
gratification, is completely disgusted with material life and under no
circumstances willingly commits sinful activities. In fact, he avoids every
kind of materialistic activity. The word kmn basically refers to sex
attraction and its by-products in the form of children, home and so forth.
Within the material world, the sex impulse is so strong that even a sincere
candidate in the loving service of the Lord may sometimes be disturbed by
sex attraction or by lingering sentiments for wife and children. A pure
devotee certainly feels spiritual affection for all living entities, including
the so-called wife and children, but he knows that material bodily
attraction leads to no good, for it simply entangles one and one's so-called
relatives in a miserable chain reaction of fruitive activities. The word
dha-nicaya ("steadfast conviction") indicates that in any circumstance
a devotee is completely determined to go on with his prescribed duties for
Ka. Thus he thinks, "By my previous shameful life my heart is polluted
with many illusory attachments. Personally I have no power to stop them.
Only Lord Ka within my heart can remove such inauspicious
contamination. But whether the Lord removes such attachments
immediately or lets me go on being afflicted by them, I will never give up
my devotional service to Him. Even if the Lord places millions of
obstacles in my path, and even if because of my offenses I go to hell, I will

970

never for a moment stop serving Lord Ka. I am not interested in

mental speculation and fruitive activities; even if Lord Brahm personally
comes before me offering such engagements, I will not be even slightly
interested. Although I am attached to material things I can see very clearly
that they lead to no good because they simply give me trouble and disturb
my devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, I sincerely repent my foolish
attachments to so many material things, and I am patiently awaiting Lord
Ka's mercy."
The word prta indicates that a devotee feels exactly like the son or
subject of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is very attached to his
relationship with the Lord. Therefore, although sincerely lamenting
occasional lapses into sense enjoyment, he never gives up his enthusiasm
to serve Lord Ka. If a devotee becomes too morose or discouraged in
devotional service, he may drift into an impersonal consciousness or give
up his devotional service to the Lord. Therefore, the Lord here advises
that although one should sincerely repent, he should not become
chronically depressed. One should understand that because of his past
sins he must occasionally suffer disturbances from the material mind and
senses, but one should not therefore become a devotee of detachment, as
do the speculative philosophers. Although one may desire detachment to
purify one's devotional service to the Lord, if one becomes more
concerned with renunciation than with acting for the pleasure of Lord
Ka, he is misunderstanding the position of loving devotional service.
Faith in Lord Ka is so powerful that in due course of time it will
automatically award detachment and perfect knowledge. If one gives up
Lord Ka as the central object of one's worship and concentrates more
on knowledge and detachment, one will become deviated from one's
progress in going back home, back to Godhead. A sincere devotee of the
Lord must be sincerely convinced that simply by the strength of
devotional service and the mercy of Lord Ka he will achieve everything
auspicious in life. One must believe that Lord Ka is all-merciful and
that He is the only real goal of one's life. Such determined faith combined
with a sincere desire to give up sense enjoyment will carry one past the
obstacles of this world.
The words jta-raddha mat-kathsu are most significant here. By faithful
hearing of the mercy and glories of the Lord one will gradually be freed
from all material desire and clearly see at every moment the utter
frustration of sense gratification. Chanting the glories of the Lord with

971

firm faith and conviction is a tremendously powerful spiritual process that

enables one to give up all material association.
There is actually nothing inauspicious in the devotional service of the
Lord. Occasional difficulties experienced by a devotee are due to his
previous material activities. On the other hand, the endeavor for sense
gratification is completely inauspicious. Thus sense gratification and
devotional service are directly opposed to each other. In all circumstances
one should therefore remain the Lord's sincere servant, always believing
in His mercy. Then one will certainly go back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 29
proktena bhakti-yogena
bhajato msakn mune
km hdayy nayanti
sarve mayi hdi sthite
proktenawhich has been described; bhakti-yogenaby devotional
service; bhajatawho is worshiping; mMe; asaktconstantly;
muneof the sage; kmmaterial desires; hdayyin the heart;
nayantiare destroyed; sarveall of them; mayiin Me; hdiwhen
the heart; sthiteis firmly situated.
When an intelligent person engages constantly in worshiping Me
through loving devotional service as described by Me, his heart
becomes firmly situated in Me. Thus all material desires within the
heart are destroyed.
The material senses are engaged in gratifying the concoctions of the mind,
causing many types of material desires to become prominent, one after
another. One who constantly engages in the devotional service of the Lord
by hearing and chanting the Lord's transcendental glories with firm faith
gets relief from the harassment of material desires. By serving the Lord
one becomes strengthened in the conviction that r Ka is the only
actual enjoyer and all others are meant to share the Lord's pleasure
through devotional service. A devotee of the Lord situates r Ka on a
beautiful throne within his heart and there offers the Lord constant
service. Just as the rising sun gradually eliminates all trace of darkness,
the Lord's presence within the heart causes all material desires there to
weaken and eventually disappear. The words mayi hdi sthite ("when the

972

heart is situated in Me") indicate that an advanced devotee sees Lord

Ka not only within his own heart but within the hearts of all living
creatures. Thus a sincere devotee who chants and hears the glories of r
Ka should not be discouraged by the remnants of material desires
within the heart. He should faithfully wait for the devotional process to
naturally purify the heart of all contamination.
TEXT 30
bhidyate hdaya-granthi
chidyante sarva-saay
kyante csya karmi
mayi de 'khiltmani
bhidyatepierced; hdayaheart; granthiknots; chidyantecut to
pieces; sarvaall; saaymisgivings; kyanteterminated; caand;
asyahis; karmaichain of fruitive actions; mayiwhen I; deam
seen; akhila-tmanias the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The knot in the heart is pierced, all misgivings are cut to pieces and the
chain of fruitive actions is terminated when I am seen as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
Hdaya-granthi indicates that one's heart is bound to illusion by false
identification with the material body. One thus becomes absorbed in
material sex pleasure, dreaming of innumerable combinations of male and
female bodies. A person intoxicated by sex attraction cannot understand
that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure
and the supreme enjoyer. When a devotee achieves steadiness in
devotional service, feeling transcendental pleasure at every moment in the
execution of his loving service to the Lord, the knot of false identification
is pierced and all his misgivings are cut to pieces. In illusion we imagine
that the living entity cannot be fully satisfied without material sense
gratification and speculative doubting of the Absolute Truth. Materialistic
persons consider sense enjoyment and speculative doubting to be
essential for civilized life. A pure devotee, however, realizes that Lord
Ka is an unlimited ocean of happiness and the personification of all
knowledge. This realization of Lord Ka completely eradicates the twin
tendencies of sense gratification and mental speculation. Thus the chain
of fruitive activities, or karma, automatically collapses, just as a fire

973

collapses and goes out when its fuel is removed.

Advanced devotional service automatically awards one liberation from
material bondage, as confirmed by Lord Kapila: jarayaty u y koa
nigram analo yath. "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." (SB 3.25.33) rla Prabhupda states in his
purport to this verse, "A devotee does not have to try separately to attain
liberation. That very service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the
process of liberation, because to engage oneself in the service of the Lord
is to liberate oneself from material entanglement. r Bilvamagala
hkura explained this position very nicely. He said, 'If I have unflinching
devotion unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, then mukti, or
liberation, serves me as my maidservant. Mukti the maidservant is always
ready to do whatever I ask.' For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all.
Liberation takes place without separate endeavor."
TEXT 31
tasmn mad-bhakti-yuktasya
yogino vai mad-tmana
na jna na ca vairgya
prya reyo bhaved iha
tasmttherefore; mat-bhakti-yuktasyaof one who is engaged in My
loving service; yoginaof a devotee; vaicertainly; mat-tmana
whose mind is fixed in Me; nanot; jnamthe cultivation of
knowledge; nanor; caalso; vairgyamthe cultivation of
renunciation; pryagenerally; reyathe means of achieving
perfection; bhavetmay be; ihain this world.
Therefore, for a devotee engaged in My loving service, with mind fixed
on Me, the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not
the means of achieving the highest perfection within this world.
A surrendered devotee of Lord Ka does not seek perfection through the
cultivation of knowledge and renunciation outside the loving service of
the Lord. Devotional service to Lord Ka, being itself the supreme
transcendental process, never depends upon the secondary methods
involving the cultivation of knowledge and renunciation. By chanting and
hearing the glories of the Personality of Godhead a devotee automatically

974

realizes all knowledge, and as the devotee's attachment to the Lord

increases, he automatically gives up attachment for the inferior material
nature. The Lord has explicitly declared in the previous verses that a
devotee should not try to solve his lingering problems by means other
than devotional service. Although a sincere devotee has surrendered heart
and soul in loving service to the Lord, there may be lingering material
attachments that prevent the devotee from perfectly realizing
transcendental knowledge. Devotional service, however, will
automatically eradicate such lingering attachments in due course of time.
If the devotee tries to purify himself through cultivation of knowledge and
renunciation, which fall outside the scope of devotional service, there is
danger of his being deviated from the Lord's lotus feet and falling down
completely from the transcendental path. One who endeavors for
purification outside the loving service of the Lord has not actually
understood the transcendental potency of bhakti-yoga and does not
appreciate the extent of Lord Ka's mercy.
Within this world one's heart is bound by sex attraction, which disturbs
one's meditation on the lotus feet of Lord Ka. Intoxicated by contact
with women, the conditioned soul becomes artificially proud and forgets
his loving servitude to the Lord. Through determined cultivation of
knowledge and detachment, a conditioned soul may try to purify himself
without the mercy of Lord Ka, but such false pride is to be given up,
just as one must give up the false pride of material attraction. When pure
devotional service to the Lord is available to a conditioned soul, attraction
to other processes is certainly a deviation in his devotional career.
Material desire stubbornly residing within the heart can be vanquished by
taking full shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without false
confidence in one's own cultivation of knowledge and renunciation, one
should depend fully on the mercy of Lord Ka and at the same time
strictly follow the rules and regulations of bhakti-yoga, as instructed by
the Lord Himself.
TEXTS 32-33
yat karmabhir yat tapas
jna-vairgyata ca yat
yogena dna-dharmea
reyobhir itarair api
sarva mad-bhakti-yogena

975

mad-bhakto labhate 'jas

svargpavarga mad-dhma
kathacid yadi vchati
yatthat which is obtained; karmabhiby fruitive activities; yatthat
which; tapasby penance; jnaby cultivation of knowledge;
vairgyataby detachment; caalso; yatthat which is achieved;
yogenaby the mystic yoga system; dnaby charity; dharmeaby
religious duties; reyobhiby processes for making life auspicious;
itaraiby others; apiindeed; sarvamall; mat-bhakti-yogenaby
loving service unto Me; mat-bhaktaMy devotee; labhateachieves;
ajaseasily; svargapromotion to heaven; apavargamliberation
from all misery; mat-dhmaresidence in My abode; kathacitsomehow
or other; yadiif; vachatihe desires.
Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance,
knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all
other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by My devotee through
loving service unto Me. If somehow or other My devotee desires
promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in My abode, he easily
achieves such benedictions.
Lord Ka here reveals the transcendental glories of devotional service to
the Lord. Although pure devotees are desireless, desiring only the Lord's
service, sometimes a great devotee may desire the Lord's benediction to
facilitate his loving service. In the Sixth Canto of the Bhgavatam we find
that r Citraketu, a great devotee of the Lord, desired promotion to
heaven so that accompanied by the most attractive ladies of the
Vidydhara planet he could beautifully chant the glories of the Lord.
Similarly, r ukadeva Gosvm, the great narrator of rmadBhgavatam, desiring to avoid entanglement in the illusory potency of the
Lord, would not come out of his mother's womb. In other words,
ukadeva Gosvm desired apavargam, or liberation from my, so that
his devotional service would not be disturbed. Lord Ka personally sent
the illusory energy far away so that ukadeva Gosvm would come out of
his mother's womb. Because of intense loving desire to serve the lotus feet
of the Lord, a devotee may also desire promotion to the spiritual world.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, a devotee, having
given up the independent cultivation of knowledge and detachment, may

976

have firm faith in the devotional service of the Lord and yet remain
slightly attached to the fruits of such activities. By expert fruitive activities
one gains residence in material heaven, and by cultivation of detachment
one is relieved of all bodily distress. If Lord Ka detects within a
devotee's heart the desire for such benedictions, the Lord can easily award
them to His devotee.
The word itarai in this verse indicates visiting holy places, accepting
religious vows and so forth. Several auspicious processes of elevation are
mentioned in the verse preceding this, but all the auspicious results of
these processes are easily achieved by loving service to the Lord. Thus all
devotees of the Lord, in whatever stage of advancement, should dedicate
their energy exclusively to the Lord's service, as affirmed in the Second
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam by r ukadeva Gosvm:
akma sarva-kmo v
moka-kma udra-dh
tvrea bhakti-yogena
yajeta purua param
"A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material
desire, without any material desire or desiring liberation, must by all
means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead." (SB
2.3.10)
TEXT 34
na kicit sdhavo dhr
bhakt hy ekntino mama
vchanty api may datta
kaivalyam apunar-bhavam
nanever; kicitanything; sdhavasaintly persons; dhrwith
deep intelligence; bhaktdevotees; hicertainly; ekntina
completely dedicated; mamaunto Me; vchantidesire; apiindeed;
mayby Me; dattamgiven; kaivalyamliberation; apuna-bhavam
freedom from birth and death.
Because My devotees possess saintly behavior and deep intelligence,
they completely dedicate themselves to Me and do not desire anything
besides Me. Indeed, even if I offer them liberation from birth and death,

977

they do not accept it.

The words ekntino mama indicate that the pure devotees of the Lord,
being saintly and most intelligent, dedicate themselves exclusively to the
devotional service of the Personality of Godhead. Even when the Lord
offers them personal liberation from birth and death, the devotees will not
accept it. A pure devotee automatically gains an eternal life of bliss and
knowledge in the Lord's personal abode and thus considers mere
liberation without the loving service of the Lord to be most abominable.
One who chants Lord Ka's holy name or superficially serves the Lord
with the motive of achieving impersonal liberation or material sense
gratification cannot be considered a transcendental devotee of the Lord.
As long as one desires mundane religiosity, economic development, sense
gratification or liberation, one cannot achieve the platform of samdhi, or
perfect self-realization. Every living entity is actually the eternal servant of
Lord Ka and is constitutionally meant to engage in the loving service
of the Lord without personal desire. This pure and supreme status of life
is described in this verse by the Lord Himself.
TEXT 35
nairapekya para prhur
nireyasam analpakam
tasmn nirio bhaktir
nirapekasya me bhavet
nairapekyamnot desiring anything except devotional service; param
the best; prhuit is said; nireyasamhighest stage of liberation;
analpakamgreat; tasmttherefore; niriaof one who does not
seek personal rewards; bhaktiloving devotional service; nirapekasya
of one who only sees Me; meunto Me; bhavetmay arise.
It is said that complete detachment is the highest stage of freedom.
Therefore, one who has no personal desire and does not pursue
personal rewards can achieve loving devotional service unto Me.
As stated in rmad-Bhgavatam (2.3.10),
akma sarva-kmo v
moka-kma udra-dh
tvrea bhakti-yogena

978

yajeta purua param

"A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material
desire, without any material desire or desiring liberation, must by all
means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead." In this
statement by ukadeva Gosvm, the words tvrea bhakti-yogena are very
significant. rla Prabhupda remarks in this regard, "As the unmixed sun
ray is very forceful and is therefore called tvra, similarly, unmixed bhaktiyoga of hearing, chanting, etc., may be performed by one and all
regardless of inner motive." Undoubtedly, in this age of Kali people are
generally very fallen and polluted by material lust, greed, anger,
lamentation and so forth. In this age most people are sarva-kma, or full
of material desires. Still we must understand that simply by taking shelter
of Lord Ka we will achieve everything in life. The living entity should
not engage in any process except the loving service of the Lord. One must
accept that Lord Ka is the reservoir of all pleasure and that only Lord
Ka within our heart can fulfill our real desire. This simple faith that
one will achieve everything by approaching Lord Ka is the essence of
all knowledge and carries even a fallen person over the painful hurdles of
this difficult age.
TEXT 36
na mayy eknta-bhaktn
gua-doodbhav gu
sdhn sama-cittn
buddhe param upeyum
nanot; mayiin Me; eka-antaunalloyed; bhaktnmof the devotees;
guarecommended as good; doaforbidden as unfavorable;
udbhavarising from such things; gupiety and sin; sdhnmof
those who are free from material hankering; sama-cittnmwho
maintain steady spiritual consciousness in all circumstances; buddhe
that which can be conceived by material intelligence; parambeyond;
upeyumof those who have achieved.
Material piety and sin, which arise from the good and evil of this world,
cannot exist within My unalloyed devotees, who, being free from
material hankering, maintain steady spiritual consciousness in all
circumstances. Indeed, such devotees have achieved Me, the Supreme

979

Lord, who am beyond anything that can be conceived by material

intelligence.
The words buddhe param indicate that the material modes of nature
cannot be found within a pure devotee absorbed in the transcendental
qualities of the Lord. In the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gt, Lord Ka
clearly explains that a pure devotee is recognized by complete detachment
from personal desire; therefore, a pure devotee constantly engaged in
selfless service to Lord Ka may not always observe the innumerable
details of Vedic rituals and regulations. Such occasional negligence is not
to be considered a transgression. Similarly, observance of ordinary
material piety does not constitute the ultimate qualification of a soul
surrendered to God. Love of Ka and absolute surrender to the Lord's
will raise one immediately to the transcendental platform, where activities
performed on the Lord's behalf are absolute, being an expression of God's
will. Ordinary materialistic persons sometimes falsely claim this exalted
status for their whimsical, immoral activities and cause a great
disturbance in society. However, just as an ordinary person should not
falsely claim the executive privileges of the personal assistants of a
national leader, similarly, an ordinary conditioned soul may not foolishly
claim that his immoral, whimsical or speculative activities are sheltered by
divine right, being the will of God. One must actually be a pure devotee of
the Lord, empowered by the Lord Himself and completely surrendered to
the will of the Lord, before one may be accepted as transcendental to
ordinary piety and sin.
There are cases of highly elevated devotees who momentarily fell down
from the saintly platform of devotional service. The Lord instructs in
Bhagavad-gt (9.30),
api cet su-durcro
bhajate mm ananya-bhk
sdhur eva sa mantavya
samyag vyavasito hi sa
A momentary falldown by a sincere devotee of the Lord cannot change the
Lord's feelings toward such a person. Even an ordinary father or mother
quickly excuses a momentary transgression by their child. Just as children
and parents enjoy mutual love, the Lord's surrendered servants enjoy a
loving relationship with the Lord. An unpremeditated, accidental

980

falldown is quickly excused by the Lord, and all members of society must
share in the Lord's own feelings, excusing such a sincere devotee. An
advanced devotee should not be branded as materialistic or sinful because
of accidental falldown. A devotee immediately returns to the platform of
saintly service and begs the Lord's forgiveness. However, one who
permanently remains in a fallen condition can no longer be accepted as a
highly elevated devotee of the Lord.
TEXT 37
evam etn may din
anutihanti me patha
kema vindanti mat-sthna
yad brahma parama vidu
evamthus;
etnthese;
mayby
Me;
dininstructed;
anutihantithose who follow; meMe; pathathe means of
achieving; kemamfreedom from illusion; vindantithey achieve; matsthnamMy personal abode; yatthat which; brahma paramamthe
Absolute Truth; viduthey directly know.
Persons who seriously follow these methods of achieving Me, which I
have personally taught, attain freedom from illusion, and upon reaching
My personal abode they perfectly understand the Absolute Truth.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twentieth Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Pure Devotional Service Surpasses
Knowledge and Detachment."

981

21. Lord Ka's Explanation of the Vedic Path

There are persons who are unfit for all three of the forms of yoga-karma,
jna and bhakti. They are inimical to Lord Ka, attached to sense
gratification, and are dominated by fruitive activities aimed at fulfillment
of material desires. This chapter describes their faults in terms of place,
time, substance and beneficiary of actions.
For those who are perfect in knowledge and devotion to the Lord, there
are no materially good qualities or faults. But for a candidate endeavoring
on the platform of karma to achieve cessation of material life, execution of
regular and special fruitive duties is good and the failure to execute such
is evil. That which counteracts sinful reaction is also good for him.
For one on the platform of knowledge in the pure mode of goodness and
for one on the platform of devotion, the proper actions are, respectively,
cultivation of knowledge and practice of devotional service consisting of
hearing, chanting and so forth. For both, everything detrimental to their
proper actions is bad. But for persons who are not candidates for
transcendental advancement or who are not perfected souls, namely those
who are completely inimical to spiritual life and are devoted exclusively
to fruitive work for fulfillment of lusty desires, there are numerous
considerations of purity and impurity and auspiciousness and
inauspiciousness. These are to be made in terms of one's body, the place
of activity, the time, the objects utilized, the performer, the mantras
chanted and the particular activity.
In actuality, virtue and fault are not absolute but are relative to one's
particular platform of advancement. Remaining fixed in the type of
discrimination suitable to one's level of advancement is good, and
anything else is bad. This is the basic understanding of virtue and fault.
Even among objects belonging to the same category, there are different
considerations of their purity or impurity in relation to performance of
religious duties, worldly transactions, and the maintenance of one's life.
These distinctions are described in various scriptures.
The doctrine of varrama codifies precepts of bodily purity and
impurity. With respect to place, purity and impurity are distinguished by

982

such facts as the presence of black deer. In connection with time, there
are distinctions of purity and impurity either in terms of the time itself or
in terms of its specific relation with various objects. In connection with
physical substances, distinctions of purity and impurity are made in terms
of sanctification of objects and words and by such activities as bathing,
giving charity, performing austere penances and remembering the
Supreme Lord. There are also distinctions of the purity and impurity of
the performers of actions. When one's knowledge of mantras is received
from the lips of the bona fide spiritual master, one's mantra is considered
pure, and one's work is purified by offering it unto the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. If the six factors of place, time and so forth are
purified, then there is dharma, or virtue, but otherwise there is adharma,
or fault.
Ultimately, there is no substantial basis in distinctions of virtue and fault,
because they transform according to place, time, beneficiary and so on. In
regard to the execution of prescribed duties for sense gratification, the
actual intent of all the scriptures is the subduing of materialistic
propensities; such is the actual principle of religion that destroys sorrow,
confusion and fear and bestows all good fortune. Work performed for
sense gratification is not actually beneficial. The descriptions of such
fruitive benefits offered in various phala-rutis are actually meant to help
one gradually cultivate a taste for the highest benefit. But persons of
inferior intelligence take the flowery benedictory verses of the scriptures
to be the actual purport of the Vedas; this opinion, however, is never held
by those in factual knowledge of the truth of the Vedas. Persons whose
minds are agitated by the flowery words of the Vedas have no attraction
for hearing topics about Lord Hari. It should be understood that there is
no inner purport to the Vedas apart from the original Personality of
Godhead. The Vedas focus exclusively upon the Supreme Absolute Truth,
the Personality of Godhead. Because this material world is simply the
illusory energy of the Supreme Lord, it is by refuting material existence
that one gains disassociation from matter.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
ya etn mat-patho hitv
bhakti-jna-kriytmakn
kudrn km calai prair

983

juanta sasaranti te
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yethose
who; etnthese; mat-pathameans for achieving Me; hitvgiving up;
bhaktidevotional service; jnaanalytic philosophy; kriyregulated
work; tmaknconsisting of; kudrninsignificant; kmnsense
gratification; calaiby the flickering; praisenses; juanta
cultivating; sasarantiundergo material existence; tethey.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Those who give up these
methods for achieving Me, which consist of devotional service, analytic
philosophy and regulated execution of prescribed duties, and instead,
being moved by the material senses, cultivate insignificant sense
gratification, certainly undergo the continual cycle of material
existence.
As clearly explained by Lord Ka in the previous chapters,
philosophical analysis and also the performance of prescribed duties are
ultimately meant for achieving Ka consciousness, or pure love of God.
Devotional service, based on hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord,
directly engages the conditioned soul in the Lord's loving service and thus
is the most efficient means of achieving the Lord. All three processes,
however, share a common goal, Ka consciousness. Now the Lord
describes those who, being completely absorbed in material sense
gratification, do not adopt any authorized means to achieve the Lord's
mercy. Currently, hundreds of millions of unfortunate human beings fit
squarely into this category and, as described here, perpetually suffer the
bondage of material existence.
TEXT 2
sve sve 'dhikre y nih
sa gua parikrtita
viparyayas tu doa syd
ubhayor ea nicaya
sve sveeach in his own; adhikreposition; ysuch; nih
steadiness; sathis; guapiety; parikrtitais declared to be;
viparyayathe opposite; tuindeed; doaimpiety; sytis;
ubhayoof the two; eathis; nicayathe definite conclusion.

984

Steadiness in one's own position is declared to be actual piety, whereas

deviation from one's position is considered impiety. In this way the two
are definitely ascertained.
In the previous verse Lord Ka explained that the path of spiritual
progress begins with working without fruitive desires, advances to the
stage of realized spiritual knowledge, and culminates in direct
engagement in the devotional service of the Lord. Here the Lord
emphasizes that a conditioned soul should not artificially disrupt the
natural evolution of his Ka consciousness by deviating from those
duties prescribed by the Lord Himself. In the lower stages of human life
one is entangled in false identification with the gross material body and
desires to execute material fruitive activities based on society, friendship
and love. When such materialistic activities are offered in sacrifice to the
Supreme Lord, one becomes situated in karma-yoga. By regulated sacrifice
one gradually gives up the gross bodily concept of life and advances to the
stage of realization of spiritual knowledge, whereby one understands
oneself to be an eternal spirit soul completely different from the material
body and mind. Feeling relief from the pangs of materialism one becomes
very attached to one's spiritual knowledge, and thus one is situated in the
stage of jna-yoga. As the candidate further advances on the spiritual
path, he understands himself to be part and parcel of the Supreme Soul,
the Personality of Godhead, Lord Ka. He then sees that his conditional
life as well as his spiritual knowledge was obtained from the Personality
of Godhead, who awards the results of all types of activities, both pious
and sinful. By directly engaging in the loving service of the Supreme Lord
and understanding oneself to be the Lord's eternal servant, one's
attachment evolves into pure love of Godhead. Thus one first gives up the
lower stage of attachment to the material body and then subsequently
gives up attachment to cultivation of spiritual knowledge. This relieves
one of material life. Finally one recognizes the Lord Himself as the resting
place of one's eternal love and fully surrenders to God in full Ka
consciousness.
Lord Ka explains in this verse that one who is still attached to the
material body and mind cannot artificially give up the prescribed duties of
karma-yoga. In the same way, one who is a spiritual neophyte, just
beginning to realize the illusion of material life, should not artificially try
to think of the Lord's intimate pastimes twenty-four hours a day, imitating

985

the stage of prema-bhakti. Rather, he should cultivate analytic knowledge

of the material world, by which one gives up attachment to the material
body and mind. In rmad-Bhgavatam we find many analytic descriptions
of the material world, and they can free the conditioned soul from false
identification with matter. One who has achieved the perfect stage of love
of Godhead, however, being freed from all gross and subtle attachments
to the material world, may give up the lower stages of karma-yoga and
jna-yoga and engage directly in the Lord's loving service.
In Chapter Nineteen, verse 45, Lord Ka states, gua-doa-dir doo
guas tbhaya-varjita. One should not see material good and evil within
a devotee of the Lord. Indeed, one becomes pious by giving up such
mundane conceptions. rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura points out
that occasionally a neophyte devotee may be polluted by association with
those enthusiastically executing fruitive activities and mental speculation.
Such a devotee's religious activities may be affected by mundane
tendencies. Similarly, an ordinary person who observes the exalted status
of a pure devotee sometimes externally imitates the devotee's activities,
considering himself to be on the same exalted platform of pure devotional
service. These imperfect practitioners of bhakti-yoga are not exempt from
criticism, since their fruitive activities, mental speculation and false
prestige are material intrusions in the pure loving service of the Lord. A
pure devotee engaged exclusively in the Lord's service should not be
criticized, but a devotee whose devotional service is mixed with material
qualities may be corrected so that he can rise to the platform of pure
devotional service. Innocent persons should not be misled by the mixed
devotional service of those not engaged exclusively in the bhakti-yoga
system, but those unable to fully engage in Ka consciousness should
nevertheless not give up their regular prescribed duties, declaring them to
be illusion. For example, one unable to fully engage in pure Ka
consciousness should not give up his family, considering it an illusion, for
by doing so he will fall into illicit sex life. Material piety and analytic
knowledge of the material world must therefore be cultivated until one
comes to the stage of directly practicing Ka consciousness.
TEXT 3
uddhy-auddh vidhyete
samnev api vastuu
dravyasya vicikitsrtha

986

gua-doau ubhubhau
dharmrtha vyavahrrtha
ytrrtham iti cnagha
uddhipurity; auddhand impurity; vidhyeteare established;
samneuof the same category; apiindeed; vastuuamong objects;
dravyasyaof a particular object; vicikitsevaluation; arthamfor the
purpose of; gua-doaugood and bad qualities; ubha-aubhau
auspicious and inauspicious; dharma-arthamfor the purpose of religious
activities; vyavahra-arthamfor the purpose of ordinary dealings; ytrarthamfor one's physical survival; itithus; caalso; anaghaO
sinless one.
O sinless Uddhava, in order to understand what is proper in life one
must evaluate a given object within its particular category. Thus, in
analyzing religious principles one must consider purity and impurity.
Similarly, in one's ordinary dealings one must distinguish between good
and bad, and to insure one's physical survival one must recognize that
which is auspicious and inauspicious.
In religious activities, ordinary dealings and personal survival one cannot
avoid value judgements. Morality and religion are perennial necessities in
civilized society; therefore distinctions between purity and impurity, piety
and impiety, morality and immorality must somehow be ascertained.
Similarly, in our ordinary, worldly activities we distinguish between
palatable and tasteless food, good and bad business, high-class and lowclass residences, good and bad friends, and so forth. And to insure our
physical health and survival, we must constantly distinguish between
what is safe and unsafe, healthy and unhealthy, profitable and
unprofitable. Even a learned person must constantly distinguish between
good and bad within the material world, but at the same time he must
understand the transcendental position of Ka consciousness. Despite
one's careful calculation of that which is materially healthy and
unhealthy, the physical body will collapse and die. Despite careful
scrutiny of the socially favorable and unfavorable, one's entire social
milieu will vanish with the passing of time. In the same way, great
religions arise and disappear in the course of history. Thus mere
religiosity, social and financial expertise or physical fitness cannot award
the actual perfection of life. There is a transcendental good beyond the

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relative good of the material world. Any sane person accepts the practical
and immediate necessity of material discrimination; yet one must come
ultimately to the transcendental stage of Ka consciousness, where life
is eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. Lord Ka, in His elaborate
teachings to r Uddhava, is gradually clarifying the transcendental
position of Ka consciousness beyond the endless variety of material
good and evil.
TEXT 4
darito 'ya maycro
dharmam udvahat dhuram
daritarevealed; ayamthis; mayby Me; craway of life;
dharmamreligious principles; udvahatmfor those who are bearing;
dhuramthe burden.
I have revealed this way of life for those bearing the burden of mundane
religious principles.
Ordinary religious principles, prescribing innumerable rules, regulations
and prohibitions, are undoubtedly a great burden for those bereft of Ka
consciousness. In the First Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam (1.1.11) it is
stated, bhri bhri-karmi rotavyni vibhgaa: there are countless
religious scriptures in the world prescribing countless religious duties.
The authorized scriptures are those spoken by the Lord Himself or His
representatives, as stated in this verse. In the last chapter of Bhagavad-gt
(18.66) Lord Ka states, sarva-dharmn parityajya mm eka araa
vraja: [Bg. 18.66] one should give up the troublesome burden of mundane
piety and directly take to the loving service of the Lord, in which
everything is simplified. Lord Ka also states in Bhagavad-gt (9.2), susukham kartum avyayam: the bhakti-yoga process, which depends
completely upon the mercy of the Lord, is very joyful and easily
performed. Similarly, Locana dsa hkura sings,
parama karua, pahu dui jana,
niti-gauracandra
saba avatra-, sra-iromai,
kevala nanda-ka
r Caitanya Mahprabhu, who is Lord Ka Himself, appeared five

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hundred years ago to distribute the sublime method of chanting the holy
names of the Lord. In this way, rather than bearing the burden of artificial
austerity, one can directly take to the Lord's service, cleansing one's heart
and immediately experiencing transcendental bliss. Those who have taken
to Caitanya Mahprabhu's movement follow four basic principles: no
illicit sex, no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no intoxication and no
gambling. They rise early in the morning, chant Hare Ka and spend the
day happily engaged in the Lord's service. Those who follow the ritualistic
karma-ka section of the Vedas, however, are burdened with
innumerable regulations, rituals and ceremonies, which must be
personally performed by the worshipers or performed on their behalf by
qualified brhmaas. At any moment there is danger of discrepancy
resulting in the total loss of their accumulated piety. Similarly, those on
the philosophical path must painstakingly define, refine and adjust
philosophical categories, a process that generally ends in confusion and
hopelessness. The practitioners of mystic yoga undergo grueling
penances, subjecting themselves to severe heat and cold, near starvation
and so on. All such materialistic persons have personal desires to fulfill,
whereas the devotees of the Lord, who desire the Lord's pleasure, simply
depend upon the Lord's mercy and go back home, back to Godhead. In
the previous verse the Lord mentioned that in the material world there are
endless distinctions and value judgements to be made in the course of
one's life. A devotee, however, sees Ka within everything and
everything within Ka, remaining humble, simple and blissful in the
Lord's service. He does not perform elaborate religious ceremonies, nor
does he become antisocial or immoral. The devotee simply chants the
holy name of Ka and easily achieves the highest perfection of life.
Ordinary persons endeavor for bodily maintenance, but a devotee is
automatically maintained by the Lord's mercy. A devotee's ordinary
dealings and religious activities are also all dedicated to the Personality of
Godhead; thus there is nothing but Ka in a devotee's life. Ka gives
all protection and maintenance, and the devotee gives everything to
Ka. This natural liberated situation is called Ka consciousness. It is
the ultimate absolute good, as explained by the Lord throughout this
canto.
TEXT 5
bhmy-ambv-agny-anilk

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bhtn paca-dhtava
-brahma-sthvardn
rr tma-sayut
bhmiearth; ambuwater; agnifire; anilaair; ksky or ether;
bhtnmof all conditioned souls; pacathe five; dhtavabasic
elements; brahma-from Lord Brahm; sthvara-dnmdown to the
nonmoving creatures; rrused for the construction of the material
bodies; tmato the Supreme Soul; sayutequally related.
Earth, water, fire, air and ether are the five basic elements that
constitute the bodies of all conditioned souls, from Lord Brahm
himself down to the nonmoving creatures. These elements all emanate
from the one Personality of Godhead.
All material bodies are composed of different proportions of the same five
gross elements, which emanate from the one Personality of Godhead and
cover the living entities, who are all in the jva category.
The concepts of good and bad depend on the choice of the Supreme Lord
and not on inherent qualitative differences in material objects. A Ka
conscious person ultimately sees all material phenomena as one. The
devotee's good behavior, intelligent discrimination and artistic sense
within the material world are all based on the will of God. The material
elements, being emanations from the Supreme Lord, are ultimately all
nondifferent. However, advocates of mundane piety fear that if the
material duality of good and bad is minimized, people will become
immoral or anarchistic. Certainly the impersonal and atheistic philosophy
preached by modern scientists, in which material variety is reduced to
mere mathematical descriptions of molecular and atomic particles, leads
to immoral society. Although both material science and Vedic knowledge
uncover the illusion of material variety and reveal the ultimate oneness of
all material energy, only the devotees of Lord Ka are surrendered to the
supreme absolute piety of God's will. Thus they always act for the benefit
of all living entities, accepting material variety in the Lord's service,
according to the Lord's desire. Without Ka consciousness, or God
consciousness, people cannot understand the absolute position of
spiritual goodness; instead they artificially try to construct a civilization
based on interdependent self-interest on the material platform. Such a
foolish arrangement easily collapses, as evidenced by widespread social

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conflict and chaos in the modern age. All members of a civilized society
must accept the absolute authority of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, and then social peace and harmony will not rest on the flimsy
relative platform of mundane piety and sin.
TEXT 6
vedena nma-rpi
viami samev api
dhtuddhava kalpyanta
ete svrtha-siddhaye
vedenaby Vedic literature; nmanames; rpiand forms;
viamidifferent; sameuwhich are equal; apiindeed; dhtuuin
(material bodies composed of) the five elements; uddhavaMy dear
Uddhava; kalpyanteare conceived of; etemof them, the living
entities; sva-arthaof self-interest; siddhayefor the achievement.
My dear Uddhava, although all material bodies are composed of the
same five elements and are thus equal, the Vedic literatures conceive of
different names and forms in relation to such bodies so that the living
entities may achieve their goal of life.
The words nma-rpi viami refer to the system of varramadharma, in which members of human society are designated according to
four social and four occupational divisions. Those dedicated to
intellectual or religious perfection are called brhmaas, those dedicated
to political perfection are called katriyas, those dedicated to financial
perfection are called vaiyas, and those dedicated to eating, sleeping, sex
and honest work are called dras. Such propensities arise from the three
modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), because the
pure soul is not materially intellectual, ambitious for power, enterprising
or servile. Rather, the pure soul is always absorbed in loving devotion to
the Supreme Lord. If the various propensities of a conditioned soul are
not engaged in the varrama system, they will certainly be misused, and
thus that person will fall down from the standard of human life. The
Vedic system is designed by the Lord so that conditioned souls may
pursue their individual achievements and at the same time advance
toward the ultimate goal of life, Ka consciousness. Just as a doctor
deals with a crazy man by speaking to him sympathetically in terms of his

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false conception of life, one who understands the Vedic literature engages
the living entities according to their illusory identification with the
elements of matter. Although all material bodies are composed of the
same material elements and are thus qualitatively identical, as described
here by the word sameu, the Vedic social system, varrama, is created
to engage all human beings in Ka consciousness according to their
various degrees of material identification. The absolute good is the
Supreme Lord Himself, and that which approaches the Supreme Lord
becomes similarly good. Because the sun is the source of heat within this
world, an object that approaches the sun becomes hotter and hotter until
it merges into fire. In the same manner, as we approach the
transcendental nature of the Personality of Godhead, we automatically
become surcharged with absolute goodness. Although this knowledge is
the real basis of the Vedic literature, mundane piety is enjoined and sin is
prohibited so that one can gradually come to the platform of material
goodness, whereupon spiritual knowledge becomes visible.
TEXT 7
dea-kldi-bhvn
vastn mama sattama
gua-doau vidhyete
niyamrtha hi karmam
deaof space; klatime; diand so on; bhvnmof such states of
existence; vastnmof things; mamaby Me; sat-tamaO most saintly
Uddhava; gua-doaupiety and sin; vidhyeteare established; niyamaarthamfor the restriction; hicertainly; karmamof fruitive
activities.
O saintly Uddhava, in order to restrict materialistic activities, I have
established that which is proper and improper among all material
things, including time, space and all physical objects.
The word niyamrtham ("in order to restrict") is significant in this verse.
A conditioned soul falsely identifies with his material senses and thus
considers anything giving immediate satisfaction to the body to be good
and anything inconvenient or disturbing to be bad. By higher intelligence,
however, one recognizes long-term self-interest and danger. For example,
medicine may be immediately bitter, but by calculating one's long-term

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interest one accepts the bitter medicine to cure a disease that is not
immediately troublesome but ultimately fatal. Similarly, Vedic literature
restricts the sinful propensities of human beings by establishing what is
proper and what is improper among all the objects and activities of the
material world. Because everyone must eat, the Vedas prescribe foods in
the mode of goodness and not those which are sinful, such as meat, fish
and eggs. Similarly, one is advised to live in a peaceful and pious
community and not in association with sinful persons, nor in an unclean
or turbulent environment. By designating and restricting the exploitation
of the material world, Vedic knowledge gradually brings a conditioned
soul to the platform of material goodness. At that stage one becomes
eligible to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead and enter the
transcendental stage of life. It should be remembered that such mere
eligibility does not constitute actual qualification; without Ka
consciousness mere mundane piety can never qualify a conditioned soul
to go back home, back to Godhead. Within this world we are all infected
by false pride, which must be diminished through submission to the
Vedic injunctions. One who is completely engaged in the loving service of
the Lord need not adopt these preliminary methods, for he directly
contacts the Personality of Godhead through the spontaneous process of
surrender. In the previous verse the Lord explained why Vedic literatures
assign different values to the bodies of different living entities, and here
the Lord explains the Vedic value system in regard to the material objects
that interact with these bodies.
TEXT 8
aka-sro denm
abrahmayo 'sucir bhavet
ka-sro 'py asauvrakkasaskteriam
aka-srawithout spotted antelopes; denmamong places;
abrahmayawhere there is no devotion to the brhmaas; auci
contaminated; bhavetis; ka-srapossessing spotted antelopes;
apieven; asauvrawithout saintly cultured men; kkaa(a place of
low-class men, such as) the state of Gay; asasktawhere people do
not practice cleanliness or purificatory ceremonies; raamwhere the
land is barren.

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Among places, those bereft of the spotted antelope, those devoid of

devotion to the brhmaas, those possessing spotted antelopes but
bereft of respectable men, provinces like Kkaa and places where
cleanliness and purificatory rites are neglected, where meat-eaters are
prominent or where the earth is barren, are all considered to be
contaminated lands.
The word ka-sra refers to the spotted antelope, whose hide is used by
brahmacrs while residing in the rama of the spiritual master.
Brahmacrs never hunt in the forest, but rather accept skins from those
animals already deceased. The skin of the black or spotted antelope is also
used as a garment by those receiving instruction in the execution of Vedic
sacrifice. Therefore, since sacrifice cannot be properly performed in areas
bereft of such creatures, these places are impure. Furthermore, although
the inhabitants of a particular place may be expert in performing fruitive
activities and ritualistic sacrifices, if they are inimical to the devotional
service of the Lord, such a place is also polluted. rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura explains that previously the provinces of Bihar and
Bengal were bereft of devotional service to the Lord and were considered
impure. Then great Vaiavas such as Jayadeva appeared in these
territories, converting them into holy places.
The word asauvra indicates those places without suvras, respectable
saintly persons. Ordinarily, a person who obeys the state laws is
considered a respectable citizen. In the same way, one who strictly obeys
the law of God is considered to be a cultured or decent man, suvra. The
place where such intelligent persons reside is called sauvram. Kkaa
refers to the modern state of Bihar, which traditionally has been known as
a territory of uncivilized men. Even in such provinces, however, any place
where saintly persons gather is considered to be holy. On the other hand,
a province of generally respectable persons is immediately polluted by the
presence of sinful men. Asaskta indicates lack of external cleanliness, as
well as the absence of purificatory ceremonies for internal cleanliness.
rla Madhvcrya quotes from the Skanda Pura as follows: "Religious
persons should reside within an eight-mile radius of rivers, oceans,
mountains, hermitages, forests, spiritual cities or places where the
lagrma-l is found. All other places should be considered kkaa, 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

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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 Viu is duly installed and worshiped."
The Lord here elaborates upon the theme of piety and sin, which are
based on purity and impurity. Thus pure and contaminated places of
residence are described here.
TEXT 9
karmayo guavn klo
dravyata svata eva v
yato nivartate karma
sa doo 'karmaka smta
karmayasuitable for executing one's prescribed duty; guavnpure;
klatime; dravyataby achievement of auspicious objects; svata
by its own nature; evaindeed; vor; yatadue to which (time);
nivartateis impeded; karmaone's duty; sathis (time); doa
impure; akarmakainappropriate for working properly; smtais
considered.
A specific time is considered pure when it is appropriate, either by its
own nature or through achievement of suitable paraphernalia, for the
performance of one's prescribed duty. That time which impedes the
performance of one's duty is considered impure.
Having discussed pure and impure places, the Lord now discusses
different qualities of time. Certain times, such as the brhma-muhrta, the
last few hours before sunrise, are always auspicious for spiritual
advancement. Other times, not auspicious in themselves, become so by
achievement of material prosperity that facilitates one's mission in life.
Political, social or economic disturbances that obstruct the execution of
one's religious duties are considered inauspicious times. Similarly, a
woman is considered contaminated just after childbirth or during her
menstrual period. She cannot perform ordinary religious activities at such
times, which are therefore inauspicious and impure. rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura explains that the most auspicious of all times is the
moment one achieves the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
If one neglects the loving service of the Lord, being carried away by sense
gratification, he is certainly living in most inauspicious times. Therefore

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that moment in which one achieves the association of the Supreme Lord
or the Lord's pure devotee is the most auspicious time, whereas the
moment of losing such association is most inauspicious. In other words,
the perfection of life is simply Ka consciousness, by which one
transcends the dualities of time and space caused by the three modes of
material nature.
TEXT 10
dravyasya uddhy-auddh ca
dravyea vacanena ca
saskretha klena
mahatvlpataytha v
dravyasyaof an object; uddhipurity; auddhor impurity; caand;
dravyeaby another object; vacanenaby speech; caand;
saskreaby ritual performance; athaor else; klenaby time;
mahatva-alpatayby greatness or smallness; atha vor else.
An object's purity or impurity is established by application of another
object, by words, by rituals, by the effects of time or according to
relative magnitude.
Cloth is purified by application of clean water and contaminated by
application of urine. The words of a saintly brhmaa are pure, but the
sound vibration of a materialistic person is contaminated by lust and
envy. A saintly devotee explains actual purity to others, whereas a
nondevotee makes false propaganda that leads innocent people to commit
polluted, sinful activities. Pure rituals are those meant for the satisfaction
of the Supreme Lord, while materialistic ceremonies are those that lead
their followers into materialistic and demoniac activities. The word
saskrea also indicates that the purity or impurity of a particular object
is ascertained according to the regulations of ritualistic performances. For
example, a flower to be offered to the Deity must be purified with water.
Flowers or food cannot be offered to the Deity, however, if they have been
contaminated by being smelled or tasted before the offering. The word
klena indicates that certain substances are purified by time and others
contaminated by time. Rainwater, for example, is considered pure after
ten days' time, and after three days in cases of emergency. On the other
hand, certain foods decay in time and thus become impure. Mahatva

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indicates that great bodies of water do not become contaminated, and

alpatay means that a small amount of water can easily become polluted
or stagnant. In the same way, a great soul is not polluted by occasional
contact with materialistic persons, whereas one whose devotion to God is
very small is easily carried away and put into doubt by bad association. In
terms of combination with other substances, and in terms of speech,
ritual, time and magnitude, the purity and impurity of all objects can be
ascertained.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura remarks that impure or decayed food
is certainly forbidden for normal persons but is permissible for those who
have no other means of subsistence.
TEXT 11
aktyaktytha v buddhy
samddhy ca yad tmane
agha kurvanti hi yath
devasthnusrata
aktyby relative potency; aaktyimpotence; atha vor; buddhy
in terms of understanding; samddhyopulence; caand; yatwhich;
tmaneto oneself; aghamsinful reaction; kurvanticause; hiindeed;
yathin actuality; deaplace; avasthor one's condition;
anusratain accordance with.
Impure things may or may not impose sinful reactions upon a person,
depending on that person's strength or weakness, intelligence, wealth,
location and physical condition.
The Lord has described the purity and impurity of different places, times
and material objects. According to the laws of nature, that which is
impure contaminates a particular person in accordance with that person's
situation, as described here. For example, on certain occasions, such as a
solar eclipse or just after childbirth, one must restrict the intake of food
according to ritualistic injunctions. One who is physically weak, however,
may eat without being considered impious. Ordinary persons consider the
ten days following childbirth to be most auspicious, whereas one who is
learned knows that this period is actually impure. Ignorance of the law
does not save one from being punished, but one who consciously
commits sinful activities is considered most fallen. Concerning opulence

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(samddhi), worn-out, dirty clothing or a messy residence are considered

impure for a rich man but acceptable for one who is poor. The word dea
indicates that in a safe and peaceful place one is obligated to strictly
perform religious rituals, whereas in a dangerous or chaotic situation one
may be excused for occasional negligence of secondary principles. One
who is physically healthy must offer obeisances to the Deities, attend
religious functions and execute his prescribed duties, but a young child or
sickly person may be excused from such activities, as indicated by the
word avasth. Ultimately, as rla Rpa Gosvm states,
anybhilit-nya
jna-karmdy-anvtam
nuklyena knulana bhaktir uttam
[Cc. Madhya 19.167]
"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord
Ka favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through
fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure
devotional service." (Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.1.11) One should accept
everything which is favorable for the devotional service of Lord Ka and
reject whatever is unfavorable. One must learn the process of serving God
from the bona fide spiritual master and thus always maintain one's
existence pure and free from anxiety. In general, however, when
considering the relative purity and impurity of material things, all of the
above-mentioned factors must be calculated.
TEXT 12
dhnya-drv-asthi-tantn
rasa-taijasa-carmam
kla-vyv-agni-mt-toyai
prthivn yutyutai
dhnyaof grains; druof wood (in the form of both ordinary objects
and sacred utensils); asthibone (such as elephant tusks); tantnm
and thread; rasaof liquids (oil, ghee, etc.); taijasafiery objects (gold,
etc.); carmamand skins; klaby time; vyuby air; agniby fire;
mtby earth; toyaiand by water; prthivnm(also) of earthen
objects (such as chariot wheels, mud, pots, bricks, etc.); yutain

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combination; ayutaior separately.

Various objects such as grains, wooden utensils, things made of bone,
thread, liquids, objects derived from fire, skins and earthy objects are
all purified by time, by the wind, by fire, by earth and by water, either
separately or in combination.
The word kla, or "time," is mentioned here, since all purificatory
processes take place within time.
TEXT 13
amedhya-lipta yad yena
gandha-lepa vyapohati
bhajate prakti tasya
tac chauca tvad iyate
amedhyaby something impure; liptamtouched; yatthat thing which;
yenaby which; gandhathe bad smell; lepamand the impure
covering; vyapohatigives up; bhajatethe contaminated object again
assumes; praktimits original nature; tasyaof that object; tatthat
application; aucampurification; tvatto that extent; iyateis
considered.
A particular purifying agent is considered appropriate when its
application removes the bad odor or dirty covering of some
contaminated object and makes it resume its original nature.
Furniture, kitchen utensils, clothing and other objects are purified by
application of abrasion, alkali, acid, water and so on. One thereby
removes the bad fragrance or impure coating of such objects, restoring
them to their original clean appearance.
TEXT 14
snna-dna-tapo-'vasthvrya-saskra-karmabhi
mat-smty ctmana auca
uddha karmcared dvija
snnaby bathing; dnacharity; tapaausterity; avasthby virtue of
one's age; vryapotency; saskraexecution of ritual purification;

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karmabhiand prescribed duties; mat-smtyby remembrance of Me;

caalso; tmanaof the self; aucamcleanliness; uddhapure;
karmaactivity; carethe should perform; dvijaa twice-born man.
The self can be cleansed by bathing, charity, austerity, age, personal
strength, purificatory rituals, prescribed duties and, above all, by
remembrance of Me. The brhmaa and other twice-born men should be
duly purified before performing their specific activities.
The word avasth indicates that when boys and girls are young they are
kept pure by youthful innocence and that as they grow up they are kept
pure through proper education and engagement. By one's individual
potency one should avoid sinful activities and the association of those
inclined toward sense gratification. The word karma here refers to
prescribed duties, such as worshiping the spiritual master and the Deity,
chanting the Gyatr mantra three times daily and accepting spiritual
initiation. The prescribed duties of the varrama system automatically
purify one from the covering of false ego by dovetailing one's bodily
designation in appropriate religious activities. There are specific duties for
brhmaas, katriyas, vaiyas, dras, brahmacrs, ghasthas, vnaprasthas
and sannyss, as described previously in this canto by the Lord Himself.
The most significant word here is mat-smty ("by remembrance of Me").
Ultimately, one cannot avoid the infection of illusion through any process
except Ka consciousness. The three modes of nature perpetually
interact, and one must sometimes fall into the mode of ignorance and
sometimes rise to the mode of goodness, uselessly rotating within the
kingdom of illusion. But by Ka consciousness, remembrance of the
Personality of Godhead, one can actually uproot one's tendency to act
against the will of the Absolute Truth. Then one becomes freed from the
clutches of my and goes back home, back to Godhead. As stated in the
Garua Pura,
apavitra pavitro v
sarvvasth gato 'pi v
ya smaret puarkka
sa bhybhyantare uci
"Whether one is pure or contaminated, and regardless of one's external
situation, simply by remembering the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead

1000

one can internally and externally cleanse one's existence."

Lord Caitanya recommended that we constantly remember the Supreme
Lord by chanting His holy names, Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka,
Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. This sublime
process is essential for every human actually desirous of purifying his
existence.
TEXT 15
mantrasya ca parijna
karma-uddhir mad-arpaam
dharma sampadyate abhir
adharmas tu viparyaya
mantrasya(the purification) of a mantra; caand; parijnamcorrect
knowledge; karmaof work; uddhithe purification; mat-arpaam
offering unto Me; dharmareligiousness; sampadyateis achieved;
abhiby the six (purification of place, time, substance, the doer, the
mantras and the work); adharmairreligiosity; tubut; viparyaya
otherwise.
A mantra is purified when chanted with proper knowledge, and one's
work is purified when offered to Me. Thus by purification of the place,
time, substance, doer, mantras and work, one becomes religious, and by
negligence of these six items one is considered irreligious.
One receives a mantra from the mouth of a bona fide spiritual master,
who instructs the disciple in the method, meaning and ultimate purpose
of the mantra. The bona fide spiritual master in this age gives his disciple
the mah-mantra, or holy names of God, Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka
Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. One
who chants this mantra, considering himself to be the eternal servant of
the Lord, gradually learns to chant offenselessly and by such purified
chanting quickly achieves the highest perfection of life. The Lord here
summarizes His discussion of purity and impurity, which manifest
ultimately in religious and irreligious life.
TEXT 16
kvacid guo 'pi doa syd
doo 'pi vidhin gua

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gua-dortha-niyamas
tad-bhidm eva bdhate
kvacitsometimes; guapiety; apieven; doasin; sytbecomes;
doasin; apialso; vidhinon the strength of Vedic injunction;
guapiety; gua-doato piety and sin; artharegarding; niyama
restrictive regulation; tatof them; bhidmthe distinction; eva
actually; bdhateundoes.
Sometimes piety becomes sin, and sometimes what is ordinarily sin
becomes piety on the strength of Vedic injunctions. Such special rules
in effect eradicate the clear distinction between piety and sin.
The Lord clearly explains here that material piety and sin are always
relative considerations. For example, if a neighbor's house is on fire and
one chops a hole in the roof so that the trapped family may escape, one is
considered to be a pious hero because of the dangerous condition. In
normal conditions, however, if one chops a hole in his neighbor's roof or
breaks the neighbor's windows, he is considered a criminal. Similarly, one
who abandons one's wife and children is certainly irresponsible and
thoughtless. If one takes sannysa, however, and remains fixed on a
higher spiritual platform, he is considered to be a most saintly person.
Piety and sin therefore depend upon particular circumstances and are at
times difficult to distinguish.
According to rla Madhvcrya, 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. Animals, on the other
hand, being merged in ignorance, cannot be blamed for their offenses or
praised for their so-called good qualities, which all arise ultimately from
ignorance. Human beings who act like animals, with the idea that one
should not feel any guilt but should do whatever one likes, will certainly
take birth as animals absorbed in ignorance. And there are other foolish
people who, observing the relativity of material piety and sin, conclude
that there is no absolute good. It should be understood, however, that
Ka consciousness is absolutely good because it involves complete
obedience to the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
whose goodness is eternal and absolute. Those who are inclined to study
material piety and sin ultimately experience frustration due to the
relativity and variability of the subject matter. One should therefore come

1002

to the transcendental platform of Ka consciousness, which is valid and

perfect in all circumstances.
TEXT 17
samna-karmcaraa
patitn na ptakam
autpattiko gua sago
na ayna pataty adha
samnaequal; karmaof work; caraamthe performance;
patitnmfor those who are fallen; nais not; ptakama cause of
falldown; autpattikadictated by one's nature; guabecomes a good
quality; sagamaterial association; nadoes not; aynaone who is
lying down; patatifall; adhafurther down.
The same activities that would degrade an elevated person do not cause
falldown for those who are already fallen. Indeed, one who is lying on
the ground cannot possibly fall further. The material association that is
dictated by one's own nature is considered a good quality.
The Lord here further describes the ambiguity in ascertaining material
piety and sin. Although intimate association with women is most
abominable for a renounced sannys, the same association is pious for a
householder, who is ordered by Vedic injunction to approach his wife at
the suitable time for procreation. Similarly, a brhmaa who drinks liquor
is considered to be committing a most abominable act, whereas a dra, a
low-class man, who can moderate his drinking is considered to be selfcontrolled. Piety and sin on the material level are thus relative
considerations. Any member of society, however, who receives dk,
initiation into the chanting of the Lord's holy names, must strictly obey
the four regulative principles: no eating of meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex,
no intoxication and no gambling. A spiritually initiated person neglecting
these principles will certainly fall from his elevated position of liberation.
TEXT 18
yato yato nivarteta
vimucyeta tatas tata
ea dharmo n kema
oka-moha-bhaypaha

1003

yata yatafrom whatever; nivartetaone desists; vimucyetahe

becomes liberated; tata tatafrom that; eathis; dharmathe
system of religion; nmfor humans; kemathe path of
auspiciousness; okasuffering; mohadelusion; bhayaand fear;
apahawhich takes away.
By refraining from a particular sinful or materialistic activity, one
becomes freed from its bondage. Such renunciation is the basis of
religious and auspicious life for human beings and drives away all
suffering, illusion and fear.
In Caitanya-caritmta (Antya 6.220) it is stated,
mahprabhura bhakta-gaera vairgya pradhna
yh dekhi' prta hana gaura-bhagavn
"Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of r Caitanya
Mahprabhu's devotees. Seeing this renunciation, r Caitanya
Mahprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied."
Because of false ego one considers oneself to be the proprietor and enjoyer
of one's activities. Actually, Lord Ka, the Personality of Godhead, is the
proprietor and enjoyer of our activities; recognition of this fact in Ka
consciousness leads one to real renunciation. Every human being should
perform his prescribed duty as an offering to the Supreme Lord. Then
there will be no possibility of material entanglement. Lord Ka clearly
explains in Bhagavad-gt that prescribed duties performed as an offering
to the Lord award liberation from material bondage. Sinful activities
cannot be offered to the Lord but must be given up altogether. In effect,
the distinction between piety and sin is made so that the living entities
will become pious and eligible to surrender to the Supreme Lord. As
explained in Bhagavad-gt (7.28),
ye tv anta-gata ppa
jann puya-karmam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukt
bhajante m dha-vrat
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose
sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the

1004

duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination."

By thorough piety one's life becomes auspicious and freed from
lamentation, illusion and fear, and one can then take to the path of Ka
consciousness.
TEXT 19
viayeu gudhyst
pusa sagas tato bhavet
sagt tatra bhavet kma
kmd eva kalir nm
viayeuin material objects of sense gratification; gua-adhyst
because of presuming them to be good; pusaof a person; saga
attachment; tatafrom that presumption; bhavetcomes into being;
sagtfrom that material association; tatrathus; bhavetarises;
kmalust; kmtfrom lust; evaalso; kaliquarrel; nm
among men.
One who accepts material sense objects as desirable certainly becomes
attached to them. From such attachment lust arises, and this lust
creates quarrel among men.
The actual goal of human life should not be material sense gratification,
for it is the basis of conflict in human society. Although the Vedic
literature sometimes sanctions sense gratification, the ultimate purpose of
the Vedas is renunciation, since Vedic culture cannot possibly recommend
anything that disturbs human life. A lusty person is easily angered and
becomes inimical to anyone frustrating his lusty desires. Since his sex
desire can never be satisfied, a lusty person ultimately becomes frustrated
with his own sex partner, and thus a "love-hate" relationship develops. A
lusty person considers himself to be the enjoyer of God's creation and is
therefore full of pride and false prestige. The lusty, proud person will not
be attracted to the process of humble submission at the lotus feet of the
bona fide spiritual master. Attraction to illicit sex is thus the direct enemy
of Ka consciousness, which depends upon humble submission to the
representative of the Supreme Lord. Lord Ka also states in Bhagavadgt that desire for illicit sex is the all-devouring, sinful enemy of this
world.
Because modern society sanctions unrestricted mixing of men and

1005

women, its citizens cannot possibly achieve peace; rather, the regulation
of conflict becomes the basis of social survival. This is the symptom of an
ignorant society falsely accepting the material body as the highest good, as
described here by the words viayeu gudhyst. One who is too
affectionate to his own body will inevitably be seized by sex desire.
TEXT 20
kaler durviaha krodhas
tamas tam anuvartate
tamas grasyate pusa
cetan vypin drutam
kalefrom quarrel; durviahaintolerable; krodhaanger; tama
ignorance; tamthat anger; anuvartatefollows; tamasby ignorance;
grasyateis seized; pusaof a man; cetanthe consciousness;
vypinbroad; drutamswiftly.
From quarrel arises intolerable anger, followed by the darkness of
ignorance. This ignorance quickly overtakes a man's broad intelligence.
The desire for material association arises from one's propensity to deny
that everything is God's energy. Falsely imagining material sense objects
to be separate from the Supreme Lord, one desires to enjoy them; such
desire gives rise to conflict and quarrel in human society. This conflict
inevitably gives rise to great anger, which makes human beings become
foolish and destructive. Thus the actual goal of human life is quickly
forgotten.
TEXT 21
tay virahita sdho
jantu nyya kalpate
tato 'sya svrtha-vibhrao
mrcchitasya mtasya ca
tayof that intelligence; virahitadeprived; sdhoO saintly
Uddhava; jantua living creature; nyyapractically void; kalpate
becomes; tataconsequently; asyahis; sva-arthafrom the goals of
life; vibhraadownfall; mrcchitasyaof him who has become like
dull matter; mtasyavirtually dead; caand.

1006

O saintly Uddhava, a person bereft of real intelligence is considered to

have lost everything. Deviated from the actual purpose of his life, he
becomes dull, just like a dead person.
Ka consciousness is so vital and essential that one who has deviated
from this progressive path of self-realization is considered to be virtually
unconscious, or like a dead person. Since every living entity is part and
parcel of Ka, anyone who falsely identifies with the external body is
actually unconscious of his real position. Thus it is stated, nyya
kalpate: pursuing that which has no factual existence, he is devoid of any
tangible progress or benefit in life. One whose consciousness is absorbed
in the nonexistent becomes himself practically nonexistent. In this way,
the eternal living entities become fallen, lost in the ocean of material
existence, and it is only by the special mercy of the pure devotees of the
Lord that they can be rescued. The Lord's devotees therefore instruct the
fallen people to chant Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/
Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. By this process our real
consciousness and life can be quickly revived.
TEXT 22
viaybhiniveena
ntmna veda nparam
vka jvikay jvan
vyartha bhastreva ya vasan
viayain sense gratification; abhiniveenaby overabsorption; nanot;
tmnamhimself; vedaknows; nanor; aparamanother; vkaof a
tree; jvakayby the life-style; jvanliving; vyarthamin vain; bhastr
ivajust like a bellows; yawho; vasanis breathing.
Because of absorption in sense gratification, one cannot recognize
himself or others. Living uselessly in ignorance like a tree, one is
merely breathing just like a bellows.
Just as trees, having no means of defending themselves, are always being
cut down, similarly, the conditioned souls are constantly being cut down
by the cruel laws of nature, which impose innumerable miseries
culminating in sudden death. Although foolish people think they are
helping themselves and others, they actually do not know their own

1007

identity, nor the identities of their so-called friends and relatives.

Absorbed in gratifying the senses of the external body, they spend their
lives uselessly, without spiritual profit. This useless life-style can be
transformed into a perfect life simply by chanting the holy names of God
in Ka consciousness, as recommended by r Caitanya Mahprabhu.
TEXT 23
phala-rutir iya n
na reyo rocana param
reyo-vivakay prokta
yath bhaiajya-rocanam
phala-rutithe statements of scripture promising rewards; iyamthese;
nmfor men; naare not; reyathe highest good; rocanam
enticement; parammerely; reyathe ultimate good; vivakaywith
the idea of saying; proktamspoken; yathjust as; bhaiajyafor taking
medicine; rocanaminducement.
Those statements of scripture promising fruitive rewards do not
prescribe the ultimate good for men but are merely enticements for
executing beneficial religious duties, like promises of candy spoken to
induce a child to take beneficial medicine.
In the previous verse Lord Ka stated that persons absorbed in sense
gratification certainly deviate from the real purpose of human life. But
since the Vedas themselves promise heavenly sense gratification as the
result of sacrifice and austerity, how can such promotion to heaven be
considered a deviation from the goal of life? The Lord here explains that
the fruitive rewards offered in religious scriptures are merely
inducements, like candy that is used to induce a child to take medicine. It
is actually the medicine that is beneficial, and not the candy. Similarly, in
fruitive sacrifices it is the worship of Lord Viu that is beneficial, not the
fruitive reward itself. According to Bhagavad-gt, those professing fruitive
rewards to be the ultimate goal of religious scripture are certainly less
intelligent fools inimical to the purpose of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. The Lord desires that all conditioned souls be purified and
come back home, back to Godhead, for an eternal life of bliss and
knowledge. One who opposes the Lord's purpose in the name of
religiosity is certainly bewildered about the purpose of life.

1008

TEXT 24
utpattyaiva hi kmeu
preu sva-janeu ca
sakta-manaso marty
tmano 'nartha-hetuu
utpatty evasimply by birth; hiindeed; kmeuin objects of selfish
desires; preuin vital functions (such as one's duration of life, sense
activities, physical strength and sexual potency); sva-janeuin his family
members; caand; sakta-manasahaving become attached within the
mind; martymortal human beings; tmanaof their real self;
anarthaof defeating the purpose; hetuuwhich are the causes.
Simply by material birth, human beings become attached within their
minds to personal sense gratification, long duration of life, sense
activities, bodily strength, sexual potency and friends and family. Their
minds are thus absorbed in that which defeats their actual self-interest.
Our attachment to the material body and the bodies of family and friends
inevitably leads to unbearable anxiety and suffering. The mind absorbed
in the bodily concept of life cannot possibly advance in self-realization,
and thus one's hope for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge is defeated
by the objects of one's so-called affection. Activities performed in
ignorance are beneficial neither for oneself nor others, just as the
charitable activities one may perform in a dream bestow no tangible
benefit on real people. The conditioned soul is dreaming of a world
separate from God, but any advancement experienced in this dream world
is merely hallucination. The Lord states in Bhagavad-gt, sarva-lokamahevaram: [Bg. 5.29] He is the supreme enjoyer and Lord of all planets
and worlds. Only by Ka consciousness, recognition of the supremacy
of God, can one make actual progress in life.
TEXT 25
natn avidua svrtha
bhrmyato vjindhvani
katha yujyt punas teu
ts tamo viato budha
natnsubmissive;

aviduaignorant;

sva-arthamof

their

own

1009

interest; bhrmyatawandering; vjinaof danger; adhvaniupon the

path; kathamfor what purpose; yujytwould cause to engage;
punafurther; teuin those (modes of sense gratification); tnthem;
tamadarkness; viatawho are entering; budhathe intelligent
(Vedic authority).
Those ignorant of their real self-interest are wandering on the path of
material existence, gradually heading toward darkness. Why would the
Vedas further encourage them in sense gratification if they, although
foolish, submissively pay heed to Vedic injunctions?
Materialistic persons are not prepared to renounce society, friendship and
love, which are all based on sex indulgence, to instead take to a life of
renunciation and self-realization. In order to bring such foolish persons
under the canopy of Vedic injunctions, the Vedas promise innumerable
material rewards, even promotion to heavenly planets, to those who
faithfully execute the Vedic injunctions. As explained by the Lord, such
rewards are like the candy offered to a child, who then faithfully takes his
medicine. Material enjoyment is certainly the cause of suffering, since all
enjoyable objects are subject to destruction along with the so-called
enjoyer. Material life is simply painful and full of anxiety, frustration and
lamentation. We become agitated by seeing a so-called enjoyable object,
such as the naked body of a woman, a beautiful residence, a sumptuous
tray of food or the expansion of our own prestige, but actually such
imagined happiness is simply the intense expectation of a satisfaction that
never comes. One remains perpetually frustrated in material existence,
and the more one tries to enjoy, the more one's frustration increases.
Therefore, the Vedic knowledge, which aims at ultimate peace and
happiness on the spiritual platform, cannot possibly authorize the
materialistic way of life. Material rewards are employed by the Vedas
merely as inducements for the conditioned soul to take the medicine,
submission to the Supreme Lord, Viu, through various types of
sacrifice. Those who are veda-vda-rata claim that religious scriptures are
meant to facilitate sense gratification in the ignorance of conditioned life.
The true goal of religion, however, is spiritual liberation, in which
material sense gratification ceases to exist. The darkness of bodily
attachment cannot exist in the effulgent light of spiritual knowledge. In
the ocean of spiritual bliss, the anxiety-ridden apparent pleasure of this
world vanishes completely. The true meaning of veda, or perfect

1010

knowledge, is to surrender to the Supreme Lord in full Ka

consciousness for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge as the Lord's
faithful servant.
TEXT 26
eva vyavasita kecid
avijya kubuddhaya
phala-ruti kusumit
na veda-j vadanti hi
evamin this way; vyavasitamthe actual conclusion; kecitsome
people; avijyanot understanding; ku-buddhayahaving perverted
intelligence; phala-rutimthe scriptural statements promising material
rewards; kusumitmflowery; nado not; veda-jthose in full
knowledge of the Vedas; vadantispeak; hiindeed.
Persons with perverted intelligence do not understand this actual
purpose of Vedic knowledge and instead propagate as the highest Vedic
truth the flowery statements of the Vedas that promise material
rewards. Those in actual knowledge of the Vedas never speak in that
way.
The followers of the karma-mms philosophy declare that there is no
eternal kingdom of God beyond this universe and that one should
therefore become a professional performer of Vedic rituals in order to
keep oneself in a material heavenly planet. As explained by the Lord to r
Uddhava in a previous chapter, there is no actual happiness in the
material world, since one will inevitably rotate throughout the various
planetary environments stretching from heaven to hell and thus always be
disturbed within the material atmosphere. Although the doctor may give a
child candy-covered medicine, one who urges the child to eat the candy
and throw away the medicine is certainly a great fool. In the same way,
the flowery statements of the Vedas describing heavenly enjoyment do not
award the real fruit of Vedic knowledge but merely supply decorative
blossoms of sense gratification. As stated in the Vedas (g Veda 1.22.20),
tad vio parama pada sad payanti sraya. Even the demigods, who
are permanent residents of heaven, are always looking to the eternal
abode of the Supreme Lord. Foolish people who admire the standard of
living in material heaven should therefore note that the demigods

1011

themselves are devotees of the Supreme Lord. One should not become a
bogus propagator of so-called Vedic knowledge but should take to Ka
consciousness and make a genuine solution to the problem of progressing
in life.
TEXT 27
kmina kpa lubdh
pupeu phala-buddhaya
agni-mugdh dhma-tnt
sva loka na vidanti te
kminalusty persons; kpamiserly; lubdhgreedy; pupeu
flowers; phala-buddhayathinking to be the ultimate fruits; agniby
fire; mugdhbewildered; dhma-tntsuffocating from smoke;
svamtheir own; lokamidentity; na vidantido not recognize; te
they.
Those who are full of lust, avarice and greed mistake mere flowers to be
the actual fruit of life. Bewildered by the glare of fire and suffocated by
its smoke, they cannot recognize their own true identity.
Those attached to female association become proud separatists; desiring
everything for their personal gratification and that of their lady friends,
they become greedy misers, full of anxiety and envy. Such unfortunate
persons mistake the flowery statements of the Vedas to be the highest
perfection of life. The word agni-mugdh, "bewildered by fire," indicates
that such persons consider Vedic fire sacrifices awarding material benefit
to be the highest religious truth, and thus they merge into ignorance. Fire
produces smoke, which obscures one's vision. Similarly, the path of
fruitive fire sacrifices is cloudy and obscure, without clear understanding
of the spirit soul. The Lord here clearly states that fruitive religionists
cannot understand their actual spiritual identity, nor do they realize the
genuine shelter of the spirit soul in the kingdom of God.
Lord Ka states in Bhagavad-gt (15.15), vedai ca sarvair aham eva
vedya: all Vedic knowledge is actually meant to lead one to pure love of
Godhead. Lord Ka is certainly the Absolute Truth, and to love Him is
the ultimate purpose of our existence. The Vedic knowledge patiently
tries to bring the conditioned soul to this perfection of pure Ka
consciousness.

1012

TEXT 28
na te mm aga jnanti
hdi-stha ya ida yata
uktha-astr hy asu-tpo
yath nhra-cakua
nado not; tethey; mmMe; agaMy dear Uddhava; jnanti
know; hdi-sthamseated within the heart; yawho is; idamthis
created universe; yatafrom whom it comes; uktha-astrwho
consider Vedic ritual activities to be praiseworthy, or else, for whom their
own ritualistic performances are like the weapon that kills the sacrificial
animal; hiindeed; asu-tpainterested only in sense gratification;
yathjust as; nhrain fog; cakuathose whose eyes.
My dear Uddhava, persons dedicated to sense gratification obtained
through honoring the Vedic rituals cannot understand that I am
situated in everyone's heart and that the entire universe is nondifferent
from Me and emanates from Me. Indeed, they are just like persons
whose eyes are covered by fog.
The word uktha-astr refers to the chanting of certain Vedic hymns, by
which one obtains fruitive results in this world and the next. The word
astra also indicates a weapon, and thus uktha-astra also means the
weapon used in Vedic sacrifice to kill the sacrificial animal. Persons
exploiting Vedic knowledge for bodily gratification are slaughtering
themselves with the weapon of materialistic religious principles. They are
also compared to those trying to see within a dense fog. The false bodily
concept of life, in which one ignores the eternal soul within the body, is a
dense fog of ignorance that blocks our vision of God. Lord Ka
therefore begins His instruction in Bhagavad-gt by clearing away the
dense ignorance of the bodily concept of life. Religion means the law of
God. The Lord's final order, or law, is that every conditioned soul
surrender unto Him, learn to serve and love Him, and thus go back home,
back to Godhead. This is the process of Ka consciousness.
TEXTS 29-30
te me matam avijya
paroka viaytmak
hisy yadi rga syd

1013

yaja eva na codan

his-vihr hy labdhai
paubhi sva-sukhecchay
yajante devat yajai
pit-bhta-patn khal
tethey;
meMy;
matamconclusion;
avijyawithout
understanding; parokamconfidential; viaya-tmakabsorbed in
sense gratification; hisymto violence; yadiif; rgaattachment;
sytmay be; yajein the sacrificial prescriptions; evacertainly; na
there is not; codanencouragement; his-vihrthose who take
pleasure in violence; hiindeed; labdhaiwhich have been
slaughtered; paubhiby means of the animals; sva-sukhafor their own
happiness; icchaywith the desire; yajantethey worship; devatthe
demigods; yajaiby sacrificial rituals; pitthe forefathers; bhtapatnand the leaders among the ghostly spirits; khalcruel persons.
Those who are sworn to sense gratification cannot understand the
confidential conclusion of Vedic knowledge as explained by Me. Taking
pleasure in violence, they cruelly slaughter innocent animals in sacrifice
for their own sense gratification and thus worship demigods,
forefathers and leaders among ghostly creatures. Such passion for
violence, however, is never encouraged within the process of Vedic
sacrifice.
The Vedic scriptures sanction occasional animal sacrifice to satisfy cruel,
low-class men who cannot live without the taste of flesh and blood. Such
concessions, however, are restricted by rigorous obligatory rituals and are
meant to gradually discourage animal-killing, just as the exorbitant cost of
a liquor license restricts the number of retail outlets selling alcoholic
beverages. But unscrupulous persons misconstrue such restrictive
sanctions and declare that Vedic sacrifice is meant for killing animals in
order to enjoy sense gratification. Being materialistic, they desire to attain
the planets of the forefathers or demigods and thus worship such beings.
Sometimes materialistic persons are attracted to the subtle life-style of
ghosts and worship ghostly creatures. These methods constitute gross
ignorance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the actual
enjoyer of all sacrifice and austerity. The demons perform Vedic sacrifice

1014

but are inimical to Lord Nryaa, for they consider the demigods, the
forefathers or Lord iva to be equal to God. Although understanding the
authority of Vedic rituals, they do not accept the ultimate Vedic
conclusion and therefore never surrender to God. Thus false religious
principles flourish in the demoniac societies of the animal-killers.
Although in countries like America people outwardly profess to be
followers of God alone, actual worship and glorification is offered to
innumerable popular heroes such as entertainers, politicians, athletes and
other equally insignificant persons. Animal-killers, being grossly
materialistic, are inevitably attracted to the extraordinary features of
material illusion; they cannot understand the real platform of Ka
consciousness, or spiritual life.
TEXT 31
svapnopamam amu lokam
asanta ravaa-priyam
io hdi sakalpya
tyajanty arthn yath vaik
svapnaa dream; upamamequal to; amumthat; lokamworld (after
death); asantamunreal; ravaa-priyamonly enchanting to hear about;
iamundane achievements in this life; hdiin their hearts;
sakalpyaimagining; tyajantithey give up; arthntheir wealth;
yathlike; vaika businessman.
Just as a foolish businessman gives up his real wealth in useless
business speculation, foolish persons give up all that is actually
valuable in life and instead pursue promotion to material heaven, which
although pleasing to hear about is actually unreal, like a dream. Such
bewildered persons imagine within their hearts that they will achieve
all material blessings.
All over the world people are working hard to achieve perfect sense
gratification in this life or the next. As eternal living beings, part and
parcel of Lord Ka, we are naturally endowed with all bliss and
knowledge in the association of the Lord. But giving up this exalted
position of spiritual bliss and knowledge, we foolishly waste our time
pursuing the phantasmagoria of bodily happiness, just like a foolish
businessman who squanders his real assets in imaginary business ventures

1015

that deliver no real profit.

TEXT 32
raja-sattva-tamo-nih
raja-sattva-tamo-jua
upsata indra-mukhyn
devdn na yathaiva mm
rajain the mode of passion; sattvagoodness; tamaor ignorance;
nihestablished; rajapassion; sattvagoodness; tamaor
ignorance; juawho manifest; upsatethey worship; indramukhynheaded by Lord Indra; deva-dnthe demigods and other
deities; nabut not; yath evain the proper way; mmMe.
Those established in material passion, goodness and ignorance worship
the particular demigods and other deities, headed by Indra, who
manifest the same modes of passion, goodness or ignorance. They fail,
however, to properly worship Me.
Although the demigods are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, demigod worship fosters the false idea that the demigods exist
apart from the Supreme Lord. Such worship is avidhi-prvakam, or an
improper approach to the Absolute Truth. rla Madhvcrya quotes from
the Hari-vaa that among those primarily in the mode of ignorance there
are sometimes manifestations of passion and goodness. Ignorant persons
possessing a tendency toward goodness may go to hell but are also
allowed a little heavenly pleasure. Thus it can be seen that a man suffering
in miserable financial or political conditions sometimes enjoys the
company of a beautiful wife, though his general condition is hellish.
Those in ignorance mixed slightly with passion simply go to hell, and
those purely in the mode of ignorance glide down to the darkest region of
hell. Those devoid of devotion to the Supreme Lord are in ignorance in
these three categories. Sometimes persons situated in the mode of
goodness accept the supremacy of the Supreme Lord but are more
attracted to the demigods, believing that through Vedic rituals they can
achieve the same standard of living as the demigods. This proud tendency
is certainly an obstacle in the loving service of the Supreme Lord and
ultimately causes falldown.

1016

TEXTS 33-34
iveha devat yajair
gatv rasymahe divi
tasynta iha bhysma
mah-l mah-kul
eva pupitay vc
vykipta-manas nm
mnin cti-lubdhn
mad-vrtpi na rocate
ivoffering sacrifice; ihain this world; devatto the demigods;
yajaiby our sacrifices; gatvgoing; rasymahewe shall enjoy;
diviin heaven; tasyaof that enjoyment; anteat the end; ihaon this
earth; bhysmawe shall become; mah-lgreat householders;
mah-kulmembers of aristocratic families; evamthus; pupitayby
the flowery; vcwords; vykipta-manasmfor those whose minds
are bewildered; nmmen; mninmvery proud; caand; atilubdhnmextremely greedy; mad-vrttopics about Me; apieven;
na rocatehave no attraction.
The worshipers of demigods think, "We shall worship the demigods in
this life, and by our sacrifices we shall go to heaven and enjoy there.
When that enjoyment is finished we shall return to this world and take
birth as great householders in aristocratic families." Being excessively
proud and greedy, such persons are bewildered by the flowery words of
the Vedas. They are not attracted to topics about Me, the Supreme Lord.
Real pleasure is found in the transcendental form of the Lord, who is the
supreme Cupid, engaging in pastimes of love in the spiritual world.
Neglecting the eternal bliss of the Lord's pastimes, the foolish worshipers
of the demigods dream of becoming like the Lord, but they achieve
exactly the opposite result. In other words, they continue perpetually in
the cycle of birth and death.
TEXT 35
ved brahmtma-viays
tri-ka-viay ime
paroka-vd aya

1017

paroka mama ca priyam

vedthe Vedas; brahma-tmathe understanding that the soul is pure
spirit; viayhaving as their subject matter; tri-ka-viaydivided
into three sections (which represent fruitive work, worship of demigods
and realization of the Absolute Truth); imethese; paroka-vd
speaking esoterically; ayathe Vedic authorities; parokamindirect
explanation; mamato Me; caalso; priyamdear.
The Vedas, divided into three divisions, ultimately reveal the living
entity as pure spirit soul. The Vedic seers and mantras, however, deal in
esoteric terms, and I also am pleased by such confidential descriptions.
In the previous verses Lord Ka clearly refuted the concept that Vedic
knowledge is meant for material enjoyment, and here the Lord
summarizes the actual purpose of Vedic literature: self-realization.
Although the conditioned souls are struggling in the network of material
energy, their actual existence is transcendental freedom in the kingdom of
God. The Vedas gradually lift the conditioned soul out of the darkness of
illusion and establish him in the eternal loving service of the Lord. As
stated in the Vednta-stra (4.4.23), anvtti abdt: "One who properly
hears Vedic knowledge does not have to return to the cycle of birth and
death."
One may ask why the Lord Himself as well as the Lord's representatives,
the Vedic seers and mantras, speak in esoteric or indirect terms. As the
Lord states in Bhagavad-gt, nham praka sarvasya: [Bg. 7.25] the
Supreme Lord does not allow Himself to be taken cheaply, and thus He is
not manifest to superficial or inimical people. Those who are polluted by
the material atmosphere are induced to purify themselves through Vedic
rituals that offer fruitive results, just as a child is induced to take medicine
by the offer of a candy reward. Because of the confidential nature of Vedic
exposition, less intelligent persons cannot appreciate the ultimate
transcendental purpose of the Vedas, and consequently they fall down to
the platform of sense gratification.
The term brahmtma ("spirit soul") ultimately indicates the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who states in Bhagavad-gt that knowledge of
Him is rja-guhyam, the most confidential of all secrets. One who depends
upon material sense perception remains in gross ignorance of the
Absolute Truth. One who depends upon mental and intellectual

1018

speculation may get a clue that the eternal soul and Supersoul are both
within the material body. But one who depends upon the Lord Himself,
faithfully hearing the Lord's own message in Bhagavad-gt, perfectly
understands the entire situation and goes back home, back to Godhead,
having fulfilled the true purpose of Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 36
abda-brahma su-durbodha
prendriya-mano-mayam
ananta-pra gambhra
durvighya samudra-vat
abda-brahmathe transcendental sound of the Vedas; su-durbodham
extremely difficult to comprehend; praof the vital air; indriya
senses; manaand mind; mayammanifesting on the different levels;
ananta-pramwithout
limit;
gambhramdeep;
durvighyam
unfathomable; samudra-vatlike the ocean.
The transcendental sound of the Vedas is very difficult to comprehend
and manifests on different levels within the pra, senses and mind.
This Vedic sound is unlimited, very deep and unfathomable, just like
the ocean.
According to Vedic knowledge, the Vedic sound is divided into four
phases, which can be understood only by the most intelligent brhmaas.
This is because three of the divisions are internally situated within the
living entity and only the fourth division is externally manifested, as
speech. Even this fourth phase of Vedic sound, called vaikhar, is very
difficult to understand for ordinary human beings. rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura explains these divisions as follows. The pra phase
of Vedic sound, known as par, is situated in the dhra-cakra; the mental
phase, known as payant, is situated in the area of the navel, on the
maipraka-cakra; the intellectual phase, known as madhyam, is situated
in the heart area, in the anhata-cakra. Finally, the manifest sensory phase
of Vedic sound is called vaikhar.
Such Vedic sound is ananta-pra because it comprehends all vital energies
within the universe and beyond and is thus undivided by time or space.
Actually, Vedic sound vibration is so subtle, unfathomable and deep that
only the Lord Himself and His empowered followers such as Vysa and

1019

Nrada can understand its actual form and meaning. Ordinary human
beings cannot comprehend all of the intricacies and subtleties of Vedic
sound, but if one takes to Ka consciousness one can immediately
understand the conclusion of all Vedic knowledge, namely Lord Ka
Himself, the original source of Vedic knowledge. Foolish persons devote
their vital air, senses and mind to sense gratification and thus do not
understand the transcendental value of the holy name of God. Ultimately,
the essence of all Vedic sound is the holy name of the Supreme Lord,
which is not different from the Lord Himself. Since the Lord is unlimited,
His holy name is equally unlimited. No one can understand the
transcendental glories of the Lord without the Lord's direct mercy. By
offenselessly chanting the holy names Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka
Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare, one
can enter into the transcendental mysteries of Vedic sound. Otherwise the
knowledge of the Vedas will remain durvighyam, or impossible to
penetrate.
TEXT 37
mayopabhita bhmn
brahmananta-aktin
bhteu ghoa-rpea
visereva lakyate
mayby Me; upabhitamestablished; bhmnby the unlimited;
brahmathe changeless Absolute; ananta-aktinwhose potencies
have no end; bhteuwithin the living beings; ghoa-rpeain the
form of subtle sound, the okra; viseu-in the subtle fibrous covering of
a lotus stalk; rone thread; ivaas; lakyateappears.
As the unlimited, unchanging and omnipotent Personality of Godhead
dwelling within all living beings, I personally establish the Vedic sound
vibration in the form of okra within all living entities. It is thus
perceived subtly, just like a single strand of fiber on a lotus stalk.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead personally resides within the heart
of every living entity, and from this verse we can understand that the seed
of all Vedic knowledge is also situated within all living beings. In this
way, the process of awakening Vedic knowledge, and thereby awakening
one's eternal relationship with God, is natural and necessary for everyone.

1020

All perfection is found within the heart of the living being; as soon as the
heart is purified by chanting the holy names of God, that perfection,
Ka consciousness, immediately awakens.
TEXTS 38-40
yathoranbhir hdayd
rm udvamate mukht
kd ghoavn pro
manas spara-rpi
chando-mayo 'mta-maya
sahasra-padav prabhu
okrd vyajita-sparasvaromntastha-bhitm
vicitra-bh-vitat
chandobhi catur-uttarai
ananta-pr bhat
sjaty kipate svayam
yathjust as; ra-nbhia spider; hdaytfrom its heart; rm
its web; udvamateemits; mukhtthrough its mouth; ktfrom the
ether; ghoa-vnmanifesting sound vibration; prathe Lord in the
form of the original life air; manasby means of the primeval mind;
spara-rpiwhich exhibits the forms of the different phonemes of the
alphabet, beginning with the spara letters; chanda-mayacomprising
all the sacred Vedic meters; amta-mayafull of transcendental pleasure;
sahasra-padavmwhich branches out in thousands of directions;
prabhuthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; okrtfrom the subtle
vibration okra; vyajita-expanded; sparawith the consonant stops;
svaravowels; umasibilants; anta-sthaand semivowels; bhitm
decorated; vicitravariegated; bhby verbal expressions; vitatm
elaborated; chandobhialong with the metrical arrangements; catuuttaraieach having four syllables more than the previous; anantaprmlimitless; bhatmthe great expanse of Vedic literature; sjati
He creates; kipateand withdraws; svayamHimself.
Just as a spider brings forth from its heart its web and emits it through
its mouth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests Himself as
the reverberating primeval vital air, comprising all sacred Vedic meters

1021

and full of transcendental pleasure. Thus the Lord, from the ethereal
sky of His heart, creates the great and limitless Vedic sound by the
agency of His mind, which conceives of variegated sounds such as the
sparas. The Vedic sound branches out in thousands of directions,
adorned with the different letters expanded from the syllable o: the
consonants, vowels, sibilants and semivowels. The Veda is then
elaborated by many verbal varieties, expressed in different meters, each
having four more syllables than the previous one. Ultimately the Lord
again withdraws His manifestation of Vedic sound within Himself.
rla rdhara Svm has given an elaborate technical explanation of these
three verses, the understanding of which requires extensive linguistic
knowledge of the Sanskrit language. The essential point is that
transcendental knowledge is expressed through Vedic sound vibration,
which is itself a manifestation of the Absolute Truth, the Personality of
Godhead. Vedic sound emanates from the Supreme Lord and is vibrated
to glorify and understand Him. The conclusion of all Vedic sound
vibration is found in Bhagavad-gt, wherein the Lord states, vedai ca
sarvair aham eva vedya: [Bg. 15.15] all Vedic knowledge is simply meant
to teach us to know and love God. One who always thinks of Lord Ka,
who becomes the Lord's devotee and who bows down to and worships the
Lord with faith and devotion, chanting His holy name, has certainly
achieved a perfect understanding of all that is indicated by the word veda
("knowledge").
TEXT 41
gyatry uig anuup ca
bhat paktir eva ca
triub jagaty aticchando
hy atyay-atijagad-vir
gyatr uik anuup caknown as Gyatr, Uik and Anuup; bhat
paktiBhat and Pakti; eva caalso; triup jagat aticchanda
Triup, Jagat and Aticchanda; hiindeed; atyai-atijagat-virAtyai,
Atijagat and Ativir.
The Vedic meters are Gyatr, Uik, Anuup, Bhat, Pakti, Triup,
Jagat, Aticchanda, Atyai, Atijagat and Ativir.

1022

The Gyatr meter has twenty-four syllables, the Uik twenty-eight, the
Anuup thirty-two, and so on, each meter having four more syllables
than the previous one. Vedic sound is called bhat, or most expansive,
and thus it is not possible for ordinary living entities to understand all the
technical details in this matter.
TEXT 42
ki vidhatte kim cae
kim andya vikalpayet
ity asy hdaya loke
nnyo mad veda kacana
kimwhat; vidhatteenjoins (in the ritualistic karma-ka); kimwhat;
caeindicates (as the object of worship in the devat-ka); kim
what; andyadescribing in different aspects; vikalpayetraises the
possibility of alternatives (in the jna-ka); itithus; asyof Vedic
literature; hdayamthe heart, or confidential purpose; lokein this
world; nadoes not; anyaother; matthan Me; vedaknow;
kacanaanyone.
In the entire world no one but Me actually understands the confidential
purpose of Vedic knowledge. Thus people do not know what the Vedas
are actually prescribing in the ritualistic injunctions of karma-ka, or
what object is actually being indicated in the formulas of worship found
in the upsan-ka, or that which is elaborately discussed through
various hypotheses in the jna-ka section of the Vedas.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Absolute Truth, Lord r
Ka. Since the Lord is the source, maintainer and ultimate goal of Vedic
knowledge, He is veda-vit, or the only true knower of Vedic knowledge.
So-called philosophers, either Vedic scholars or ordinary men, may give
their sectarian opinion, but it is the Lord Himself who knows the
confidential purpose of the Vedas. The Lord is the only actual shelter and
lovable object for all living entities. As He states in the Tenth Chapter of
Bhagavad-gt (10.41):
yad yad vibhtimat sattva
rmad rjitam eva v
tad tad evvagaccha tva

1023

mama tejo-'a-sambhavam
"Know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty creations spring from but a
spark of My splendor." All beautiful, extraordinary and powerful
manifestations are insignificant displays of the Lord's own opulences.
Although ordinary people may quarrel over the purpose of religion, the
actual purpose is one, Ka consciousness, or pure love of Godhead. All
Vedic formulas are understood to be preliminary stages leading to the
perfect stage of Ka consciousness, in which one fully surrenders to the
devotional service of the Lord. The pure devotees of the Lord represent
Him within this world and never speak anything which is not authorized
by the Lord. Because they are repeating the Lord's own words, they are
also to be understood as true knowers of the Veda.
TEXT 43
m vidhatte 'bhidhatte m
vikalpypohyate tv aham
etvn sarva-vedrtha
abda sthya m bhidm
my-mtram andynte
pratiidhya prasdati
mmMe; vidhatteenjoins in sacrifice; abhidhattedesignates as the
object of worship; mmMe; vikalpyapresented as alternate
hypothesis; apohyateam refuted; tualso; ahamI; etvnthus;
sarva-vedaof all the Vedas; arthathe meaning; abdathe
transcendental sound vibration; sthyaestablishing; mmMe;
bhidmmaterial duality; my-mtramas simply illusion; andya
describing elaborately in different aspects; anteultimately; pratiidhya
negating; prasdatibecomes satisfied.
I am the ritualistic sacrifice enjoined by the Vedas, and I am the
worshipable Deity. It is I who am presented as various philosophical
hypotheses, and it is I alone who am then refuted by philosophical
analysis. The transcendental sound vibration thus establishes Me as the
essential meaning of all Vedic knowledge. The Vedas, elaborately
analyzing all material duality as nothing but My illusory potency,
ultimately completely negate this duality and achieve their own
satisfaction.

1024

The Lord declared in the previous verse that He alone knows the ultimate
purpose of the Vedas, and now the Lord reveals that He alone is the
ultimate basis and purpose of all Vedic knowledge. The karma-ka
section of the Vedas prescribes ritualistic sacrifices for promotion to
heaven. Such sacrifices are the Lord Himself. Similarly, the upsan-ka
section of the Vedas designates different demigods as objects of ritualistic
worship, and these deities are not different from the Lord Himself, being
expansions of the Lord's body. In the jna-ka section of the Vedas
different philosophical methods of analysis are presented and refuted.
Such knowledge, which analyzes the potency of the Supreme Lord, is not
different from Him. Ultimately Lord Ka is everything, because
everything is part and parcel of the Lord's multipotencies. Although Vedic
literature entices those absorbed in material duality to begin the Vedic
way of life by offering them materially desirable rewards, the Vedas
eventually refute all material duality by bringing one to the stage of God
consciousness, wherein there is nothing different from the Supreme Lord.
Within the Vedic literature there are various injunctions stating that at a
particular stage of life one should give up fruitive rituals and take to the
path of knowledge. Similarly, other injunctions declare that a self-realized
soul should give up the path of speculative knowledge and take directly to
the shelter of the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. But
nowhere is there an injunction recommending that one give up the loving
service of the Lord, because that is the eternal constitutional position of
every living entity. Different philosophical theses are presented and
rejected in the Vedas, since one who is progressing must give up each
previous stage in the advancement of knowledge. For example, one who
is addicted to sex enjoyment is taught to accept religious marriage and
enjoy sex pleasure with his wife. Such ritualistic knowledge is to be given
up when one attains the stage of detachment, whereupon one is
recommended to take the renounced order of life. In that stage of life one
is forbidden to see or speak with women. When, however, one reaches the
perfection of Ka consciousness, wherein the Lord is manifest
everywhere, one may engage all living entities, including women, in the
loving service of the Lord without danger of spiritual falldown. Thus
different injunctions based on progressive stages of spiritual vision are
presented and refuted in Vedic literature. Since all such injunctions and
processes are ultimately meant for the achievement of Ka
consciousness, the loving service of the Lord, they are not different from

1025

Lord Ka Himself. The conditioned soul, therefore, should not

prematurely stop his progressive march back home, back to Godhead, by
foolishly mistaking an intermediate or preliminary stage of advancement
as the actual goal of life. One must understand that the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, r Ka, is the source, maintenance and resting
place of everything, and that every living entity is the Lord's eternal
servant. In this way one should continue on the Vedic path all the way
back home, back to Godhead, for eternal life of bliss and knowledge.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-first
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Lord Ka's Explanation of
the Vedic Path."

1026

22. Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation

This chapter enumerates and categorizes the natural elements, explains

the difference between the male and female natures and describes birth
and death.
There are many opinions concerning the number of material elements.
But this difference of opinions, brought about by the influence of the
illusory energy, is not illogical. All the elements of nature exist
everywhere; so authorities who have accepted the illusory potency of the
Supreme Personality may propose a variety of theories. The
insurmountable illusory energy of God is the root cause of their mutually
contradictory arguments.
There is no difference between the ultimate enjoyer and the supreme
controller. To presuppose any distinction between them is senseless.
Ordinary knowledge is simply a quality of material nature, not of the soul
proper. The raw substance of material nature is designated according to
its different phases. In the mode of goodness, it is known as knowledge,
in the mode of passion as activity, and in the mode of darkness as
ignorance. Time is another name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and another name for material propensity is stra or mahat-tattva. The
twenty-five elements of nature are the Lord, nature, the mahat, false ego,
ether, air, fire, water, earth, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the
skin, speech, the hands, the feet, the genitals, the anus, the mind, sound,
touch, form, taste and smell.
The unmanifest Supreme Personality merely glances at nature. Material
nature, which is under the control of the Supreme Lord, then assumes the
forms of causes and effects and carries out the creation, maintenance and
destruction of the material world. Even though the purua and prakti
appear nondifferent to superficial vision, there is an ultimate difference
between the two. Material creation is produced from the modes of prakti,
and its quality is transformation. The living entities who are inimical to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead take on and give up various kinds of
material bodies through the agency of their own material work. But those
who are ignorant of the self, because of being bewildered by illusion, do

1027

not understand this. The mind, which is filled with ideas of fruitive work,
simply takes the senses with it from one body to another, while the soul
follows along. Nevertheless, on account of being totally absorbed in sense
gratification, one cannot remember his past existence.
The body undergoes nine stages of manifestation, which are brought
about by association with the qualities of material nature. These are
impregnation, gestation, birth, childhood, youth, maturity, middle age,
old age and death. From the death of one's father and the birth of one's
son, a person can easily comprehend the rise and fall of his own body.
The soul, who is the perceiver, is different from this body. But when there
is no knowledge of the true facts, the living entity, confused by the objects
of sense gratification, achieves his destinations within the cycle of
material existence. Thus the living entity continuously wanders under the
spell of material work, taking birth as a sage or a demigod when he is
predominated by the mode of goodness, among the demons or human
beings when he is predominantly influenced by the mode of passion, and
in the species of ghosts, spirits or animals when he is predominated by the
mode of ignorance. The spirit soul does not engage in the enjoyment of
sense objects; rather, it is the senses that perform this activity. Therefore
the living being has no actual need for sense gratificatory pleasures. With
the exception of those peaceful personalities who have taken shelter of the
lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are dedicated to the
divine duty of His service, everyone, including so-called learned scholars,
is inevitably overcome by the all-powerful material nature.
TEXTS 1-3
r-uddhava uvca
kati tattvni vivea
sakhytny ibhi prabho
navaikdaa paca try
ttha tvam iha uruma
kecit a-viati prhur
apare paca-viati
saptaike nava a kecic
catvry ekdapare
kecit saptadaa prhu
oaaike trayodaa

1028

etvattva hi sakhynm
ayo yad-vivakay
gyanti pthag yumann
ida no vaktum arhasi
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; katihow many; tattvnibasic
elements of creation; viva-aO Lord of the universe; sakhytni
have been enumerated; ibhiby great authorities; prabhoO my
master; navanine (God, the individual soul, the mahat-tattva, false ego
and the five gross elements); ekkaaplus eleven (the ten knowledgeacquiring and working senses together with the mind); pacaplus five
(the subtle forms of the sense objects); triplus three (the modes of
goodness, passion and ignorance, making altogether a total of twentyeight); tthahave stated; tvamYou; ihaduring Your appearance in
this world; urumaso I have heard; kecitsome; a-viatimtwentysix; prhuthey say; apareothers; paca-viatimtwenty-five;
saptaseven; ekesome; navanine; asix; kecitsome; catvri
four; ekdaaeleven; aparestill others; kecitsome; saptadaa
seventeen; prhusay; oaasixteen; ekesome; trayodaathirteen;
etvattvamsuch cakulations; hiindeed; sakhynmof the different
ways of counting the elements; ayathe sages; yat vivakaywith
the intention of expressing what ideas; gyantithey have declared;
pthakin various manners; yu-manO supreme eternal; idamthis;
nato us; vaktumto explain; arhasiYou should please.
Uddhava inquired: My dear Lord, O master of the universe, how many
different elements of creation have been enumerated by the great sages?
I have heard You personally describe a total of twenty-eightGod, the
jva soul, the mahat-tattva, false ego, the five gross elements, the ten
senses, the mind, the five subtle objects of perception and the three
modes of nature. But some authorities say that there are twenty-six
elements, while others cite twenty-five or else seven, nine, six, four or
eleven, and even others say that there are seventeen, sixteen or thirteen.
What did each of these sages have in mind when he calculated the
creative elements in such different ways? O supreme eternal, kindly
explain this to me.
Lord Ka thoroughly explained in the previous chapter that Vedic
knowledge is not meant for sense gratification but for liberation from

1029

material bondage. Now Uddhava presents some intermediate questions

that must be answered so the path of liberation will be clear. Different
philosophers have historically disagreed over the exact number of
material elements, about the existence and nonexistence of particular
external objects and about the existence of the soul itself. The jnaka section of the Vedas aims at liberation through analytic
understanding of the material world and of the spirit soul as a
transcendental element beyond matter. Ultimately the Supreme Lord
Himself stands above all elements and maintains them by His personal
potency. Uddhava mentions in numerical terms different methodologies
of various sages, citing first the Lord's own opinion. The word yuman,
or "possessing eternal form," is significant in this regard. Since Lord
Ka is eternal, He possesses all knowledge of past, present and future
and is thus the original and supreme philosopher.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the different analytic
approaches mentioned by r Uddhava are actually not contradictory,
since they are different methods of categorizing the same reality. Atheistic
speculation on reality does not recognize the existence of God;
consequently it is a worthless attempt to explain the truth. The Lord
Himself empowers different living entities to speculate and speak on
reality in different ways. The actual reality, however, is the Lord Himself,
who will now speak to r Uddhava.
TEXT 4
r-bhagavn uvca
yukta ca santi sarvatra
bhante brhma yath
my madym udghya
vadat ki nu durghaam
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yuktam
reasonably; caeven; santithey are present; sarvatraeverywhere;
bhantethey speak; brhmabrhmaas; yathhow; mymthe
mystic energy; madyamMy; udghyaresorting to; vadatmof those
who speak; kimwhat; nuafter all; durghaamwill be impossible.
Lord Ka replied: Because all material elements are present
everywhere, it is reasonable that different learned brhmaas have
analyzed them in different ways. All such philosophers spoke under the

1030

shelter of My mystic potency, and thus they could say anything without
contradicting the truth.
The words santi sarvatra in this verse indicate that all material elements
are found within each other in gross and subtle forms. In this way there
are innumerable ways to categorically describe them. The material world
is ultimately illusory, undergoing constant transformation. It may be
measured in different ways, just as the mirage of an oasis may be
described in different ways, but the Lord's own analysis of twenty-eight
elements is perfect and should be accepted. rla Jva Gosvm states that
the word my in this verse does not refer to mah-my, or the potency
of ignorance, but to the Lord's inconceivable mystic power, which shelters
the learned followers of Vedic knowledge. Each of the philosophers
mentioned here reveals a particular aspect of truth, and their theories are
not contradictory, since they are simply describing the same phenomena
with different categorical systems. Such philosophical disagreement is
endless within the material world; thus everyone should unite on the
platform of the Lord's own opinion, as stated in this verse. Similarly, in
Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka requests all conditioned souls to give up their
various forms of worship and surrender unto Him in full Ka
consciousness, becoming His devotees. Thus the whole universe can be
united in love of Godhead by chanting Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka
Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare Hare. By the
Lord's revealing Himself to a sincere devotee, the controversy of analytic
philosophy is ended.
TEXT 5
naitad eva yathttha tva
yad aha vacmi tat tath
eva vivadat hetu
aktayo me duratyay
nait is not; etatthis; evamso; yathas; tthasay; tvamyou;
yatwhich; ahamI; vacmiam saying; tatthat; taththus; evam
in this way; vivadatmfor those who argue; hetumover logical reasons;
aktayathe energies (are impelling); meMy; duratyay
unsurpassable.
When philosophers argue, "I don't choose to analyze this particular

1031

case in the same way that you have," it is simply My own

insurmountable energies that are motivating their analytic
disagreements.
Because of the material potencies of the Supreme Lord, mundane
philosophers are perpetually arguing about which came first, the chicken
or the egg. By the influence of the modes of goodness, passion and
ignorance, different philosophers are attracted to different views; and by
the influence of the material atmosphere created by the Lord, these
philosophers perpetually disagree with one another. The Supreme Lord
Himself, however, has given the clear explanation. As stated in rmadBhgavatam (6.4.31),
yac-chaktayo vadat vdin vai
vivda-savda-bhuvo bhavanti
kurvanti cai muhur tma-moha
tasmai namo 'nanta-guya bhmne
"Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-pervading Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who possesses unlimited transcendental qualities.
Acting from within the cores of the hearts of all philosophers, who
propagate various views, He caused them to forget their own souls while
sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing among themselves. Thus
He creates within this material world a situation in which they are unable
to come to a conclusion. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him."
TEXT 6
ys vyatikard sd
vikalpo vadat padam
prpte ama-dame 'pyeti
vdas tam anu myati
ysmof which (energies of Mine); vyatikartby the interaction;
sthas arisen; vikalpadifference of opinion; vadatmof those
arguing; padamthe subject of discussion; prptewhen one has
achieved; amathe ability to fix his intelligence on Me; dameand
control of his external senses; apyetidisappears (that difference of
opinion); vdathe argument itself; tam anuconsequently; myati
subsides.

1032

By interaction of My energies different opinions arise. But for those

who have fixed their intelligence on Me and controlled their senses,
differences of perception disappear, and consequently the very cause
for argument is removed.
Conflicting varieties of perception are created by the interaction of the
Lord's material energies in the minds of different philosophers, who
staunchly defend their opinions, stating, "This may be the case or perhaps
that or the other; or this may not be the case, or perhaps that is not the
case." Such logical or rational proposing, doubting, counter-proposing,
counteracting, etc., take thousands of different forms and become the
basis of argument. Actually, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord
Ka, is the basis of all existence, since everything emanates from the
Lord, is maintained by the Lord and at the end is merged to rest within
the Lord. Lord Ka is para-tattva, the highest truth underlying all other
dependent truths. In a society of learned persons who have understood
the Personality of Godhead to be everything, there is no further cause of
philosophical quarrel. Such unity of opinion is not based on the absence
of philosophical inquiry, nor on the stifling of rational discussion, but is
the natural result of spiritual enlightenment. So-called philosophers
proudly boast that they are searching and researching for the Absolute
Truth, yet they somehow consider one who has found the Absolute Truth
to be less intelligent than one who has not found it but is searching.
Because Lord Ka is the Absolute Truth, one who fully surrenders to the
Lord becomes the most learned person.
TEXT 7
parasparnupravet
tattvn puruarabha
paurvparya-prasakhyna
yath vaktur vivakitam
parasparamutual; anupravetbecause of the entrance (as subtle
causes within gross manifestations, and vice versa); tattvnmof the
various elements; purua-abhaO best among men (Uddhava);
paurvain terms of prior causes; aparyaor of resultant products;
prasakhynamenumeration; yathhowever; vaktuthe speaker;
vivakitamwants to describe.

1033

O best among men, because subtle and gross elements mutually enter
into one another, philosophers may calculate the number of basic
material elements in different ways, according to their personal desire.
Material creation takes place as a chain reaction in which subtle elements
expand and transform into progressively denser elements. Since a cause is
in a sense present within its effect, and the effect is subtly present within
the cause, all subtle and gross elements have entered within one another.
Thus one may categorize basic material elements in many different ways,
assigning various numbers and names according to one's methodology.
Although material philosophers proudly assume their individual theories
to be supreme, they are all speculating according to their personal
proclivities, as described in this and the following verse.
TEXT 8
ekasminn api dyante
pravintari ca
prvasmin v parasmin v
tattve tattvni sarvaa
ekasminin one (element); apieven; dyantethere are seen;
pravinientered within; itariothers; caalso; prvasminin a
prior (subtle causal element, such as the dormant presence of ether within
its cause, sound); veither; parasminor in a later (produced element,
such as the subtle presence of sound within its further product, air); v
or; tattvein some element; tattvniother elements; sarvaain the
cases of each of the different enumerations.
All subtle material elements are actually present within their gross
effects; similarly, all gross elements are present within their subtle
causes, since material creation takes place by progressive manifestation
of elements from subtle to gross. Thus we can find all material elements
within any single element.
Since material elements are present within each other, there are
innumerable ways to construe and categorize the material creation of
God. Ultimately, however, the significant element is God Himself, who is
the basis of all the transformations and permutations of the material
cosmos. The creation of the material world takes place by a progression

1034

from subtle to gross elements, as explained in the skhya-yoga system of

Lord Kapila. The example may be given that we find the dormant
existence of an earthen pot within mud and also the existence of mud
within the earthen pot. Similarly, one element is present within another,
and ultimately all elements rest within the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is simultaneously within everything. By such explanations,
Ka consciousness constitutes the ultimate scientific methodology for
factually understanding this universe.
TEXT 9
paurvparyam ato 'm
prasakhynam abhpsatm
yath vivikta yad-vaktra
ghmo yukti-sambhavt
paurvaconsidering causal elements to include their manifest products;
aparyamor assuming elements to include their subtle causes; ata
therefore; ammof these thinkers; prasakhynamthe counting;
abhpsatmwho are intending; yathhow; viviktamascertained; yatvaktramfrom whose mouth; ghmaWe accept it; yuktiof reason;
sambhavtbecause of the possibility.
Therefore, no matter which of these thinkers is speaking, and
regardless of whether in their calculations they include material
elements within their previous subtle causes or else within their
subsequent manifest products, I accept their conclusions as
authoritative, because a logical explanation can always be given for each
of the different theories.
Although innumerable philosophers may rationally describe the material
creation from different points of view, one cannot perfect one's
knowledge without Ka consciousness. An intellectual person should
therefore not be falsely proud simply because he has ascertained a
particular truth within the material world. The Lord here states that one
who follows the Vedic way of analysis will undoubtedly have many
insights concerning the material creation. Ultimately, however, one must
become a devotee of the Supreme Lord and perfect one's knowledge in
Ka consciousness.

1035

TEXT 10
andy-avidy-yuktasya
puruasytma-vedanam
svato na sambhavd anyas
tattva-jo jna-do bhavet
andiwithout beginning; avidywith ignorance; yuktasyawho is
joined; puruasyaof a person; tma-vedanamthe process of selfrealization; svataby his own ability; na sambhavtbecause it cannot
occur; anyaanother person; tattva-jathe knower of transcendental
reality; jna-dathe bestower of real knowledge; bhavetmust be.
Because a person who has been covered by ignorance since time
immemorial is not capable of effecting his own self-realization, there
must be some other personality who is in factual knowledge of the
Absolute Truth and can impart this knowledge to him.
Although the Lord tolerates different methods of calculating material
causes within their effects and material effects within their causes, there
cannot be any speculation regarding the two spiritual elements found in
this universe, namely the individual soul and the Supersoul. Lord Ka
clearly states in this verse that the living entity is incapable of effecting his
own enlightenment. The Supreme Lord is tattva-ja, omniscient, and
jna-da, the spiritual master of the entire universe. r Uddhava
mentioned that some philosophers describe twenty-five elements and
others twenty-six. The difference is that the twenty-six elements include a
separate category for the individual soul and the Supreme Soul, Lord
Ka, whereas the proponents of twenty-five elements artificially merge
the two transcendental categories of jva-tattva and viu-tattva, hiding the
eternal supremacy of the Personality of Godhead.
Knowledge based on the three modes of material nature cannot rise to the
transcendental platform, where the Personality of Godhead exists as the
supreme enjoyer of eternal spiritual varieties of form, color, flavor,
musical sounds and loving affairs. Mundane philosophers simply bounce
back and forth between material enjoyment and material renunciation.
Being victims of Myvda (impersonal) perception of the Absolute Truth,
they cannot achieve the shelter of the Personality of Godhead and thus
cannot understand Him. Because foolish, impersonal philosophers
consider themselves supreme, they are unable to appreciate that loving

1036

service exists on the spiritual platform. Stubbornly rejecting subservience

to the Personality of Godhead, the impersonalists are eventually
overwhelmed by the illusory potency of the Lord and undergo the
miseries of material existence. The Vaiavas, on the other hand, are not
envious of the Personality of Godhead. They gladly accept His shelter and
supremacy, and thus the Lord personally takes charge of His devotees and
enlightens them, filling them with His own transcendental bliss. Spiritual
service to the Supreme Lord is in this way free from the disappointment
and repression of material service.
TEXT 11
puruevarayor atra
na vailakayam av api
tad-anya-kalpanprth
jna ca prakter gua
puruabetween the enjoyer; varayoand the supreme controller;
atraherein; nathere is no; vailakayamdissimilarity; auminute;
apieven; tatof them; anyaas being completely different; kalpan
the imagined idea; aprthuseless; jnamknowledge; caand;
prakteof material nature; guaa quality.
According to knowledge in the material mode of goodness, there is no
qualitative difference between the living entity and the supreme
controller. The imagination of qualitative difference between them is
useless speculation.
According to certain philosophers there are twenty-five elements, among
which a single category is stipulated for both the individual living entity
and the Supreme Lord. Such impersonal knowledge is declared by the
Lord to be material: jna ca prakter gua. Such knowledge can,
however, be accepted to establish the qualitative identity of the Supreme
Lord and the living entities who expand from Him. Materialistic persons
sometimes believe that there is a supreme spirit in heaven but also think
that human beings are identical with their material bodies and thus
qualitatively and perpetually separated from the Supreme Lord.
Knowledge of the Lord's qualitative oneness with the living entity, as
described in this verse, refutes the materialistic concept of life and
partially establishes the Absolute Truth. r Caitanya Mahprabhu

1037

described the actual situation as acintya-bhedbheda-tattva: the supreme

controller and the controlled living entities are simultaneously one and
different. In the material mode of goodness the oneness is perceived. As
one proceeds further, to the stage of viuddha-sattva, or purified spiritual
goodness, one finds spiritual variety within the qualitative oneness,
completing one's knowledge of the Absolute Truth. The words na
vailakayam av api boldly affirm that the individual living entity is
indisputably part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and qualitatively one
with Him. Any philosophical attempt to separate the living entity from the
Supreme Lord and deny his eternal servitude to the Lord is thus refuted.
Speculation arriving at the conclusion that the living entity has
independent existence separate from the Lord is described here as
aprth, useless. Nevertheless, the theory of twenty-five elements is
acceptable to the Lord as a preliminary phase in the evolution of spiritual
knowledge.
TEXT 12
praktir gua-smya vai
prakter ntmano gu
sattva rajas tama iti
sthity-utpatty-anta-hetava
praktimaterial nature; guaof the three modes; smyamthe
original equilibrium; vaiindeed; prakteof nature; na tmananot
of the spirit soul; guthese modes; sattvamgoodness; raja
passion; tamaignorance; itithus called; sthitiof the maintenance of
universal creation; utpattiits production; antaand its annihilation;
hetavathe causes.
Nature exists originally as the equilibrium of the three material modes,
which pertain only to nature, not to the transcendental spirit soul.
These modesgoodness, passion and ignoranceare the effective
causes of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe.
In Bhagavad-gt (3.27) it is stated,
prakte kriyamni
guai karmi sarvaa
ahakra-vimhtm

1038

kartham iti manyate

"The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of
material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in
actuality carried out by nature."
The three modes of nature, in their original state of equilibrium, as well as
the subsequent creation generated from the modes, are vastly more
powerful than the tiny living entity who is controlled by them. The living
entity thus cannot be accepted as the actual doer or creator within the
material world. The mode of goodness is symptomized by the experience
of knowledge, the mode of passion by the experience of work, and the
mode of ignorance by the experience of darkness. These modes of
material knowledge, work and darkness have no real relation with the
transcendental spirit soul, who exhibits his own qualities of eternality,
bliss and knowledge (the sandhin, savit and hldin potencies of the
Supreme Lord). The material modes have no access within the kingdom
of God, in the unbounded atmosphere of which the eternal living entity is
meant to live.
TEXT 13
sattva jna raja karma
tamo 'jnam ihocyate
gua-vyatikara kla
svabhva stram eva ca
sattvamthe mode of goodness; jnamknowledge; rajathe mode of
passion; karmafruitive work; tamathe mode of ignorance;
ajnamfoolishness; ihain this world; ucyateis called; guaof the
modes;
vyatikarathe
agitated
transformation;
klatime;
svabhvainnate tendency, nature; stramthe mahat-tattva; evaindeed; caalso.
In this world the mode of goodness is recognized as knowledge, the
mode of passion as fruitive work, and the mode of darkness as
ignorance. Time is perceived as the agitated interaction of the material
modes, and the totality of functional propensity is embodied by the
primeval stra, or mahat-tattva.
The impetus for the interaction of the material elements is the forward

1039

movement of time. Because time is passing, the embryo grows within the
womb, gradually comes out, grows up, produces by-products, dwindles
and dies. All of this is due to the pushing of time. In the absence of the
time factor, the material elements do not interact but remain inert in the
form of pradhna. Lord Ka is establishing the basic categories of the
material world so that human beings can conceive of the Lord's creation.
Were the categories not condensed, analysis and conceptualization would
be impossible, since the Lord's potencies are infinite. Although there are
numerous divisions of material elements within the basic divisions, the
spirit soul is always to be understood as a distinct transcendental element,
meant for residence in the kingdom of God.
TEXT 14
purua praktir vyaktam
ahakro nabho 'nila
jyotir pa kitir iti
tattvny uktni me nava
puruathe enjoyer; praktinature; vyaktamthe primeval
manifestation of matter; ahakrafalse ego; nabhaether; anila
air; jyotifire; pawater; kitiearth; itithus; tattvnithe
elements of creation; uktnihave been described; meby Me; nava
nine.
I have described the nine basic elements as the enjoying soul, nature,
nature's primeval manifestation of the mahat-tattva, false ego, ether, air,
fire, water and earth.
Prakti, or nature, is originally unmanifest and later becomes manifest as
the mahat-tattva. Although the living entity is purua, an enjoyer, the real
process by which he can enjoy is by satisfying the transcendental senses of
the Lord, just as the hand eats by supplying food to the stomach. Within
material nature the living entity becomes a false enjoyer, forgetting his
subservience to the Lord. The material elements as well as the living
entity and the Supersoul are thus systematically analyzed to demonstrate
to the conditioned soul his actual constitutional position beyond material
nature.
TEXT 15

1040

rotra tvag darana ghro

jihveti jna-aktaya
vk-py-upastha-pyv-aghri
karmy agobhaya mana
rotramthe sense of hearing; tvakthe sense of touch, experienced
upon the skin; daranamsight; ghrasmell; jihvthe sense of
taste, experienced upon the tongue; itithus; jna-aktayathe
knowledge-acquiring senses; vkspeech; pithe hands; upasthathe
genitals; pyuthe anus; aghriand the legs; karmithe working
senses; agaMy dear Uddhava; ubhayambelonging to both these
categories; manathe mind.
Hearing, touch, sight, smell and taste are the five knowledge acquiring
senses, My dear Uddhava, and speech, the hands, the genitals, the anus
and the legs constitute the five working senses. The mind belongs to
both these categories.
Eleven elements are mentioned in this verse.
TEXT 16
abda sparo raso gandho
rpa cety artha-jtaya
gaty-ukty-utsarga-ilpni
karmyatana-siddhaya
abdasound; sparatouch; rasataste; gandhafragrance;
rpamform; caand; itithus; arthaof sense objects; jtayathe
categories; gatimovement; uktispeech; utsargaexcretion (by both
the genitals and anus); ilpniand manufacture; karma-yatanaby the
above-mentioned working senses; siddhayaaccomplished.
Sound, touch, taste, smell and form are the objects of the knowledgeacquiring senses, and movement, speech, excretion and manufacture are
functions of the working senses.
Here the word utsarga refers to evacuation by the genitals and anus, and
thus constitutes two elements. In this way ten elements are listed here in
two sets of five.

1041

TEXT 17
sargdau praktir hy asya
krya-kraa-rpi
sattvdibhir guair dhatte
puruo 'vyakta kate
sargaof creation; dauin the beginning; praktithe material
nature; hiindeed; asyaof this universe; kryathe manifest products;
kraaand subtle causes; rpiembodying; sattva-dibhiby means
of goodness, passion and ignorance; guaithe modes; dhatteassumes
its position; puruathe Supreme Lord; avyaktanot involved in
material manifestation; katewitnesses.
In the beginning of creation nature assumes, by the modes of goodness,
passion and ignorance, its form as the embodiment of all subtle causes
and gross manifestations within the universe. The Supreme Personality
of Godhead does not enter the interaction of material manifestation but
merely glances upon nature.
The Personality of Godhead is not subject to transformation like the
subtle and gross material elements. Thus the Lord is avyakta, or not
materially manifest at any stage of cosmic evolution. Regardless of the
specific method of cataloging the material elements, the Lord remains the
ultimate creator, maintainer and annihilator of the total cosmic situation.
TEXT 18
vyaktdyo vikurv
dhtava puruekay
labdha-vry sjanty aa
sahat prakter balt
vyakta-dayathe mahat-tattva and so on; vikurvundergoing
transformation; dhtavathe elements; puruaof the Lord; kayby
the glance; labdhahaving attained; vrytheir potencies; sjanti
they create; aamthe egg of the universe; sahatamalgamated;
prakteof nature; baltby the power.
As the material elements, headed by the mahat-tattva, are transformed,
they receive their specific potencies from the glance of the Supreme
Lord, and being amalgamated by the power of nature, they create the

1042

universal egg.
TEXT 19
saptaiva dhtava iti
tatrrth paca khdaya
jnam tmobhaydhras
tato dehendriysava
saptaseven; evaindeed; dhtavaelements; itithus saying; tatra
therein; arththe physical elements; pacafive; kha-daya
beginning with ether; jnamthe spirit soul, who is the possessor of
knowledge; tmthe Supreme Soul; ubhayaof both (the seen nature
and the jva who is its seer); dhrathe fundamental basis; tatafrom
these; dehathe body; indriyasenses; asavaand vital airs.
According to some philosophers there are seven elements, namely
earth, water, fire, air and ether, along with the conscious spirit soul and
the Supreme Soul, who is the basis of both the material elements and
the ordinary spirit soul. According to this theory, the body, senses, life
air and all material phenomena are produced from these seven
elements.
Having explained His own viewpoint, the Lord now summarizes various
other analytic methodologies.
TEXT 20
a ity atrpi bhtni
paca aha para pumn
tair yuita tma-sambhtai
sveda samapviat
asix; itithus; atrain this theory; apialso; bhtnithe elements;
pacafive; ahathe sixth; parathe transcendental; pumn
Supreme Personality; taiwith those (five gross elements); yukta
conjoined; tmafrom Himself; sambhtaicreated; svsending
forth; idamthis creation; samupviatHe entered within it.
Other philosophers state that there are six elementsthe five physical
elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and the sixth element, the

1043

Supreme Personality of Godhead. That Supreme Lord, endowed with

the elements that He has brought forth from Himself, creates this
universe and then personally enters within it.
rla rdhara Svm states that according to this philosophy, the ordinary
living entity is included within the category of the Supersoul. This theory
thus accepts only the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the five
physical elements.
TEXT 21
catvry eveti tatrpi
teja po 'nnam tmana
jtni tair ida jta
janmvayavina khalu
catvrifour; evaalso; itithus; tatrain that case; apieven; teja
fire; pawater; annamearth; tmanafrom the Self; jtniall
arising; taiby them; idamthis cosmos; jtamhas come about;
janmathe birth; avayavinaof the manifest product; khaluindeed.
Some philosophers propose the existence of four basic elements, of
which threefire, water and earthemanate from the fourth, the Self.
Once existing, these elements produce the cosmic manifestation, in
which all material creation takes place.
TEXT 22
sakhyne saptadaake
bhta-mtrendriyi ca
paca pacaika-manas
tm saptadaa smta
sakhynein the enumeration; saptadaakein terms of seventeen
elements; bhtathe five gross elements; mtrathe five subtle
perceptions pertaining to each; indriyiand the five corresponding
senses; caalso; paca pacain groups of five; eka-manasalong with
the one mind; tmthe soul; saptadaaas the seventeenth; smtais
so considered.
Some calculate the existence of seventeen basic elements, namely the

1044

five gross elements, the five objects of perception, the five sensory
organs, the mind, and the soul as the seventeenth element.
TEXT 23
tadvat oaa-sakhyne
tmaiva mana ucyate
bhtendriyi pacaiva
mana tm trayodaa
tadvatsimilarly; oaa-sakhynein counting sixteen; tmthe
soul; evaindeed; manaas the mind; ucyateis identified; bhtathe
five gross elements; indriyithe senses; pacafive; evacertainly;
manathe mind; tmthe soul (both the individual soul and the
Supersoul); trayodaathirteen.
According to the calculation of sixteen elements, the only difference
from the previous theory is that the soul is identified with the mind. If
we think in terms of five physical elements, five senses, the mind, the
individual soul and the Supreme Lord, there are thirteen elements.
According to the theory of thirteen elements, the sense objectsaroma,
taste, form, touch and soundare considered by-products of the
interaction of the senses and physical matter.
TEXT 24
ekdaatva tmsau
mah-bhtendriyi ca
aau praktaya caiva
purua ca navety atha
ekdaatvein the consideration of eleven; tmthe soul; asauthis;
mah-bhtathe gross elements; indriyithe senses; caand; aau
eight; praktayanatural elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind,
intelligence and false ego); caalso; evacertainly; puruathe
Supreme Lord; caand; navanine; itithus; athafurthermore.
Counting eleven, there are the soul, the gross elements and the senses.
Eight gross and subtle elements plus the Supreme Lord would make
nine.

1045

TEXT 25
iti nn-prasakhyna
tattvnm ibhi ktam
sarva nyyya yuktimattvd
vidu kim aobhanam
itiin these ways; nnvarious; prasakhynamenumeration;
tattvnmof the elements; ibhiby the sages; ktamhas been done;
sarvamall this; nyyyamlogical; yukti-mattvtbecause of the
presentation of rational arguments; vidumof those who are learned;
kimwhat; aobhanamlack of brilliance.
Thus great philosophers have analyzed the material elements in many
different ways. All of their proposals are reasonable, since they are all
presented with ample logic. Indeed, such philosophical brilliance is
expected of the truly learned.
The material world has been analyzed in innumerable ways by
innumerable brilliant philosophers, but the conclusion is always onethe
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vsudeva. Aspiring philosophers need
not waste their precious time showing off their intellectual brilliance,
because there is little left to analyze on the material platform. One should
simply surrender to the Absolute Truth, the supreme element, Lord r
Ka, and uncover one's eternal consciousness of God.
TEXT 26
r-uddhava uvca
prakti purua cobhau
yady apy tma-vilakaau
anyonyprayt ka
dyate na bhid tayo
praktau lakyate hy tm
prakti ca tathtmani
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; praktinature; puruathe
enjoyer, or living entity; caand; ubhauboth; yadi apialthough;
tmaconstitutionally;
vilakaaudistinct;
anyonyamutual;
apraytbecause of shelter; kaO Lord Ka; dyate nait does
not appear; bhidany difference; tayobetween them; praktau

1046

within nature; lakyateis apparently seen; hiindeed; tmthe soul;

praktinature; caand; tathalso; tmaniin the soul.
r Uddhava inquired: Although nature and the living entity are
constitutionally distinct, O Lord Ka, there appears to be no
difference between them, because they are found residing within one
another. Thus the soul appears to be within nature and nature within
the soul.
r Uddhava here expresses the doubt that arises in the heart of an
ordinary conditioned soul. Although the Vedic scriptures declare that the
material body is a temporary fabrication of the material modes of nature,
the conscious living entity within the body is actually an eternal spirit
soul. In Bhagavad-gt Lord Ka has declared the material elements
constituting the body to be His separated, inferior energy, whereas the
living entity is the superior, conscious energy of the Lord. Still, in
conditioned life the material body and conditioned soul appear
inseparable and thus nondifferent. Because the living entity enters the
womb of a mother and gradually comes out in a developed body, the soul
appears to have entered deeply within material nature. Similarly, by the
soul's identification with the material body, the body appears to enter
deeply within the consciousness of the soul. What is more, the body
cannot exist without the presence of the soul. By this apparent mutual
dependence, the difference between the body and soul is obscured. r
Uddhava therefore questions the Lord in order to clarify this issue.
TEXT 27
eva me puarkka
mahnta saaya hdi
chettum arhasi sarva-ja
vacobhir naya-naipuai
evamthus; memy; puarka-akaO lotus-eyed Lord; mahntam
great; saayamdoubt; hdiwithin my heart; chettumcut; arhasi
You should please; sarva-jaO omniscient one; vacobhiwith Your
words; nayain reasoning; naipuaivery expert.
O lotus-eyed Ka, O omniscient Lord, kindly cut this great doubt out
of my heart with Your own words, which exhibit Your great skill in

1047

reasoning.
r Uddhava requests Lord Ka to clearly demonstrate the difference
between the material body and the spirit soul.
TEXT 28
tvatto jna hi jvn
pramoas te 'tra aktita
tvam eva hy tma-myy
gati vettha na cpara
tvattafrom You; jnamknowledge; hiindeed; jvnmof the
living beings; pramoastealing away; teYour; atrain this
knowledge; aktitaby the potency; tvamYou; evaalone; hi
indeed; tmaYour own; myyof the illusory potency; gatimthe
real nature; vetthaYou know; nanot; caand; aparaany other
person.
From You alone the knowledge of the living beings arises, and by Your
potency that knowledge is stolen away. Indeed, no one but Yourself can
understand the real nature of Your illusory potency.
As stated in Bhagavad-gt, matta smtir jnam apohana ca: [Bg. 15.15]
"From Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness." By the
Lord's causeless mercy one is enlightened with knowledge, and by the
Lord's illusory potency that knowledge vanishes and one is merged into
ignorance. Those bewildered by my cannot understand the difference
between the material body and the spirit soul and thus should hear from
the Lord Himself to remove this illusory covering.
TEXT 29
r-bhagavn uvca
prakti purua ceti
vikalpa puruarabha
ea vaikrika sargo
gua-vyatikartmaka
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prakti
nature; puruathe enjoyer, living entity; caand; itithus; vikalpa
complete distinction; purua-abhaO best among men; eathis;

1048

vaikrikasubject to transformation; sargacreation; guaof the

modes of nature; vyatikarathe agitation; tmakabased upon.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best among men, material
nature and its enjoyer are clearly distinct. This manifest creation
undergoes constant transformation, being founded upon the agitation of
the modes of nature.
The word purua indicates the living entity and also the Supreme Lord,
who is the supreme living entity. Material nature, subject to
transformation, is full of duality, whereas the Lord is one and absolute.
Material nature is dependent on its creator, maintainer and annihilator;
the Lord, however, is completely self-reliant and independent. In the same
way, material nature is unconscious and dull, lacking self-awareness,
whereas the Supreme Lord is self-sufficient omniscience. The individual
living entity shares the eternality, bliss and knowledge of the Personality
of Godhead and is also completely distinct from material nature.
The word sarga here refers to the material amalgamation of the body,
which covers the living entity. The material body undergoes constant
transformation and is thus clearly different from the living entity, who is
eternally the same. In the transcendental kingdom of God there is no
conflict or agitation caused by creation, maintenance and destruction as
exhibited in the material world. There all variety is resolved in the
transcendental loving experience of Ka consciousness, the natural
constitutional position of the soul.
TEXT 30
mamga my gua-mayy anekadh
vikalpa-buddh ca guair vidhatte
vaikrikas tri-vidho 'dhytmam ekam
athdhidaivam adhibhtam anyat
mamaMy; agaMy dear Uddhava; mymaterial energy; guamayconsisting of the three modes; anekadhmanifold; vikalpa
different manifestations; buddhand perceptions of these differences;
caand; guaiby the modes; vidhatteestablishes; vaikrikathe
full-blown manifestation of transformations; tri-vidhahaving three
aspects;
adhytmamcalled
adhytma;
ekam-one;
athaand;
adhidaivamadhidaiva; adhibhtam-adhibhta; anyat-another.

1049

My dear Uddhava, My material energy, comprising three modes and

acting through them, manifests the varieties of creation along with
varieties of consciousness for perceiving them. The manifest result of
material transformation is understood in three aspects: adhytmic,
adhidaivic and adhibhautic.
The word vikalpa-buddh indicates that consciousness within various
material bodies reveals different aspects of the Lord's creation. Birds such
as seagulls glide on the ocean breezes, experiencing the Lord's creation of
wind and altitude. The fish experience life within the water, and other
creatures intimately experience life within trees or within the earth.
Human society affords its own varieties of awareness, and similarly in
heaven and hell different experiences are available. All types of material
consciousness are transformations of the three modes of material nature,
the expansions of the Lord's illusory energy.
TEXT 31
dg rpam rka vapur atra randhre
paraspara sidhyati ya svata khe
tm yad em aparo ya dya
svaynubhtykhila-siddha-siddhi
dkthe function of sight (as adhytma); rpamvisible form (as
adhibhta); rkamof the sun; vaputhe partial image (as adhidaiva);
atrain this; randhreaperture (of the eyeball); parasparammutually;
sidhyaticause the manifestation of each other; yawhich; svataby
its own power; khein the sky; tmthe Supersoul; yatwhich;
emof these (three features); aparaseparate; yawho; dyathe
original cause; svayby His own; anubhtytranscendental
experience; akhilaof all; siddhamanifest phenomena; siddhithe
source of manifestation.
Sight, visible form and the reflected image of the sun within the
aperture of the eye all work together to reveal one another. But the
original sun standing in the sky is self-manifested. Similarly, the
Supreme Soul, the original cause of all entities, who is thus separate
from all of them, acts by the illumination of His own transcendental
experience as the ultimate source of manifestation of all mutually
manifesting objects.

1050

Form is recognized by the function of the eye, and the eye's function is
understood by the presence of perceivable form. This interaction of sight
and form further depends on the presence of light provided by the
demigods, whose service of universal management depends on the
presence of those who are to be managed, namely the living entities
experiencing form with their eyes. Thus the three factors-adhytma,
represented by the senses such as the eye; adhibhta, the sense objects
such as form; and adhidaiva, the influence of the controlling deitiesexist
in an interdependent relationship.
The sun globe itself is said to be self-manifest, self-luminous and selfexperiencing; it does not share the interdependence of the senses and
sense objects although facilitating their function. Similarly, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead facilitates the interdependent experiences of all
living entities. For example, newspapers, radio and television reveal world
events to the mass of people. Parents reveal facts about life to their
children, teachers to their students, friends to friends, and so on. The
government manifests its will to the people and the people to their
government. The sun and moon reveal the visual forms of all objects, and
the perception of sound reveals audible form. The vibrations of particular
types of music or rhetoric reveal the inner feelings of other living beings,
and other types of knowledge are revealed by aroma, touch and taste. In
this way, through the interaction of the senses and mind with
innumerable sense objects, different types of knowledge are acquired. All
such informative interactions, however, depend upon the supreme
illuminating power of the Personality of Godhead. As stated in Brahmasahit (5.52), yac-cakur ea savit sakala-grahm: "Among all the
planets the sun is considered the eye of the Supreme Lord." The
Personality of Godhead is eternally omniscient by His own transcendental
potency, and thus no one can reveal anything to the Lord about anything.
Still, Lord Ka humbly accepts our prayers offered in Ka
consciousness. In conclusion, Lord Ka clearly explains here that His
sublime characteristics are completely different from those of the manifest
universe. The Lord is therefore the supreme transcendental entity, free
from all material influence.
TEXT 32
eva tvag-di ravadi cakur
jihvdi nsdi ca citta-yuktam

1051

evamin the same way; tvak-dithe skin, the sensation of touch and
the demigod of the wind, Vyu; ravaa-dithe ears, the sensation of
sound and the demigods of the directions; cakuthe eyes (described in
the previous verse); jihv-adithe tongue, the sensation of taste and the
god of water, Varua; nsa-dithe nose, the sensation of smell and the
Avin-kumras; caalso; citta-yuktamalong with consciousness
(implying not only conditioned consciousness together with the object of
that consciousness and the presiding Deity Vsudeva, but also the mind
together with the object of thought and the moon-god Candra,
intelligence with the object of intelligence and Lord Brahm, and false ego
together with the identification of false ego and Lord Rudra).
Similarly, the sense organs, namely the skin, ears, eyes, tongue and
noseas well as the functions of the subtle body, namely conditioned
consciousness, mind, intelligence and false egocan all be analyzed in
terms of the threefold distinction of sense, object of perception and
presiding deity.
The individual soul has no permanent relationship with the inter
dependent material functions of the senses, sense objects and controlling
deities. The living entity is originally pure spirit soul and is meant to
depend on the Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world. It is useless
to try to analyze matter and spirit within the same categories, since they
belong to different potencies of the Supreme Lord. Thus the act of
spiritually perceiving the Supreme Lord, His abode and one's own self is
an entirely antimaterial process realized within pure Ka consciousness.
TEXT 33
yo 'sau gua-kobha-kto vikra
pradhna-mln mahata prasta
aha tri-vn moha-vikalpa-hetur
vaikrikas tmasa aindriya ca
ya asauthis; guaof the modes of nature; kobhaby the agitation;
ktacaused; vikratransformation; pradhna-mltwhich is
generated from the pradhna, the unmanifest form of the total material
nature; mahatafrom the mahat-tattva; prasta-generated; ahamfalse
ego; tri-vtin three phases; mohaof bewilderment; vikalpaand
material variety; hetuthe cause; vaikrikain the mode of goodness;

1052

tmasain the mode of ignorance; aindriyain the mode of passion;

caand.
When the three modes of nature are agitated, the resultant
transformation appears as the element false ego in three phases
goodness, passion and ignorance. Generated from the mahat-tattva,
which is itself produced from the unmanifest pradhna, this false ego
becomes the cause of all material illusion and duality.
By giving up one's false ego of identification with the three modes of
nature, one can achieve Ka consciousness, the pure, original state of
existence. The word moha-vikalpa-hetu indicates that because of false ego
one considers himself to be the enjoyer of nature and thus develops a false
sense of material duality in terms of material happiness and distress. False
ego is removed by identifying oneself as the Lord's eternal servitor in full
Ka consciousness.
TEXT 34
tmparijna-mayo vivdo
hy astti nstti bhidrtha-niha
vyartho 'pi naivoparameta pus
matta parvtta-dhiy sva-lokt
tmaof the Supreme Soul; aparijna-mayabased on lack of full
knowledge; vivdaspeculative argument; hiindeed; asti(this
world) is real; itithus saying; na astiit is not real; itithus saying;
bhidmaterial differences; artha-nihahaving as its focus of
discussion; vyarthaworthless; apialthough; nadoes not; eva
certainly; uparametacease; pusmfor persons; mattafrom Me;
parvttawho have turned; dhiymtheir attention; sva-loktwho am
nondifferent from them.
The speculative argument of philosophers"This world is real," "No, it
is not real"is based upon incomplete knowledge of the Supreme Soul
and is simply aimed at understanding material dualities. Although such
argument is useless, persons who have turned their attention away from
Me, their own true Self, are unable to give it up.
If one doubts the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one
will inevitably doubt the reality of the Lord's creation. Thus, without

1053

understanding Lord Ka, mere argument and debate over the reality and
nonreality of the material world are useless. The material world is real
specifically because it emanates from the supreme reality, Lord Ka.
Without understanding the reality of Lord Ka one can never definitely
ascertain the reality of His creation; one will always wonder if he is
actually seeing something or merely thinking that he is seeing it. This
kind of speculation can never be resolved without taking shelter of the
Supreme Lord and is therefore useless. The devotees of the Lord are not
inclined to such argument, because they are factually advancing in
spiritual enlightenment and are fully satisfied with their progressively
more beautiful experience of Ka consciousness.
TEXTS 35-36
r-uddhava uvca
tvatta parvtta-dhiya
sva-ktai karmabhi prabho
uccvacn yath dehn
ghanti visjanti ca
tan mamkhyhi govinda
durvibhvyam antmabhi
na hy etat pryao loke
vidvsa santi vacit
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; tvattafrom You; parvtta
diverted; dhiyawhose minds; sva-ktaidone by them; karmabhi
by the fruitive activities; prabhoO supreme master; ucca-avacnhigher
and lower; yathin which way; dehnmaterial bodies; ghantithey
accept; visjantigive up; caand; tatthat; mamato me; khyhi
please explain; govindaO Govinda; durvibhvyamimpossible to
understand; antmabhiby those who are not intelligent; nanot; hi
indeed; etatabout this; pryaafor the most part; lokein this world;
vidvsaknowledgeable; santithey are; vacitwho are cheated
(by material illusion).
r Uddhava said: O supreme master, the intelligence of those dedicated
to fruitive activities is certainly deviated from You. Please explain to me
how such persons accept superior and inferior bodies by their
materialistic activities and then give up such bodies. O Govinda, this

1054

topic is very difficult for foolish persons to understand. Being cheated

by illusion in this world, they generally do not become aware of these
facts.
No one can be considered intelligent without understanding the science
of God, which includes a description of the negative results of those who
have forgotten their eternal relationship with Him. There are many socalled wise men in the world, but although considering themselves to be
most intelligent, they generally do not surrender to the supreme
intelligence of the Lord. Thus they concoct varieties of philosophies
according to their positions within the modes of nature. However, one
cannot escape the influence of material nature through philosophy
generated from that same illusory nature. Liberation is achieved by perfect
knowledge coming from the spiritual platform, the kingdom of God. By
faithfully hearing from Lord Ka and His authorized representatives one
can easily achieve liberation and go back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 37
r-bhagavn uvca
mana karma-maya m
indriyai pacabhir yutam
lokl loka prayty anya
tm tad anuvartate
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mana
the mind; karma-mayamshaped by fruitive work; nmof persons;
indriyaialong with the senses; pacabhifive; yutamconjoined;
loktfrom one world; lokamto another world; praytitravels;
anyaseparate; tmthe soul; tatthat mind; anuvartatefollows.
Lord Ka said: The material mind of men is shaped by the reactions
of fruitive work. Along with the five senses, it travels from one material
body to another. The spirit soul, although different from this mind,
follows it.
TEXT 38
dhyyan mano 'nu viayn
dn vnurutn atha

1055

udyat sdat karma-tantra

smtis tad anu myati
dhyyatmeditating; manathe mind; anuregularly; viaynon the
sense objects; dnseen; vor; anurutnheard from Vedic
authority; athasubsequently; udyatrising; sdatdissolving; karmatantrambound to the reactions of fruitive work; smtiremembrance;
tat anuafter that; myatiis destroyed.
The mind, bound to the reactions of fruitive work, always meditates on
the objects of the senses, both those that are seen in this world and
those that are heard about from Vedic authority. Consequently, the
mind appears to come into being and to suffer annihilation along with
its objects of perception, and thus its ability to distinguish past and
future is lost.
One may ask how the subtle body, or mind, gives up its connection with
one physical body and enters another. Such entering and leaving of
physical bodies is called birth and death by conditioned souls. One
utilizes his present senses to meditate on the visible objects of this
worldbeautiful women, palatial estates, and so onand similarly one
daydreams about the heavenly planets described in the Vedas. As death
occurs, the mind is pulled away from the objects of its immediate
experience and enters another body to experience a new set of sense
objects. As the mind undergoes total reorientation there is the apparent
loss of one's previous mentality and creation of a new mind, though
actually the same mind is experiencing, but in a different way.
The conditioned soul is overwhelmed by the constant flow of material
experience consisting of direct perception and abstract contemplation of
the objects of this world. One thereby loses his transcendental memory of
his relationship with God. As soon as one identifies with this world he
forgets his eternal identity and surrenders to the false ego created by
my.
TEXT 39
viaybhiniveena
ntmna yat smaret puna
jantor vai kasyacid dhetor
mtyur atyanta-vismti

1056

viayain (new) objects of perception; abhiniveenabecause of

absorption; nanot; tmnamhis previous self; yatthe situation in
which; smaretremembers; punaany more; jantoof the living
entity; vaiindeed; kasyacit hetofor any reason or other; mtyu
known as death; atyantatotal; vismtiforgetfulness.
When the living entity passes from the present body to the next body,
which is created by his own karma, he becomes absorbed in the
pleasurable and painful sensations of the new body and completely
forgets the experience of the previous body. This total forgetfulness of
one's previous material identity, which comes about for one reason or
another, is called death.
Depending on one's karma, or fruitive activities, one may achieve a
beautiful, wealthy or powerful body or be degraded to an abominable
condition of life. Taking birth in heaven or in hell, the living entity learns
to completely identify his ego with the new body and thus becomes
absorbed in the pleasure, fear, opulence or suffering of the new body,
completely forgetting the experiences of the previous body. Death occurs
when the specific karma allotted to a physical body is finished. Since that
particular body's karma is used up, it can no longer act upon one's mind;
in that way one forgets the previous body. The new body is created by
nature so that one can experience the karma currently in effect.
Consequently one's entire consciousness becomes absorbed in one's
current body in order that one can fully experience the results of his
previous activities. Because the living entity falsely identifies himself as
the body, bodily death is experienced as death of the soul. Actually,
however, the soul is eternal and is never subject to creation or
annihilation. This analytic knowledge of self-realization is easily
understood in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 40
janma tv tmatay pusa
sarva-bhvena bhri-da
viaya-svkti prhur
yath svapna-manoratha
janmabirth; tuand; tmatayby identification with oneself;
pusaof a person; sarva-bhvenacompletely; bhri-daO most

1057

charitable Uddhava; viayaof the body; sv-ktimthe acceptance;

prhuis called; yathjust as; svapnaa dream; mana-rathaor a
mental fantasy.
O most charitable Uddhava, what is called birth is simply a person's
total identification with a new body. One accepts the new body just as
one completely accepts the experience of a dream or a fantasy as reality.
Identification with one's material body surpasses the mere affection and
attachment one feels for the bodies of relatives or friends. The word sarvabhvena here shows that one totally accepts the material body to be
oneself, just as one completely accepts the experience of a dream as real.
Mere imagination without practical action is called a daydream; the
mental concoction that occurs in a sleeping state is called a dream. Our
identification with our own body and our blind acceptance of bodily
relationships as permanent constitute a prolonged form of dreaming or
fantasy in which one imagines oneself to be separate from the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The term birth, therefore, does not refer to the
generation of a new entity but to the blind acceptance by the spirit soul of
a new material body.
TEXT 41
svapna manoratha cettha
prktana na smaraty asau
tatra prvam ivtmnam
aprvam cnupayati
svapnama dream; mana-rathama daydream; caand; itthamthus;
prktanamprevious; na smaratidoes not remember; asauhe; tatra
in that (present body); prvamthe previous; ivaas if; tmnam
himself; aprvamhaving no past; caand; anupayatihe views.
Just as a person experiencing a dream or daydream does not remember
his previous dreams or daydreams, a person situated in his present
body, although having existed prior to it, thinks that he has only
recently come into being.
The objection may be raised that sometimes when experiencing a dream
one actually remembers a previous dream. rla Vivantha Cakravart
hkura replies that by the mystic power of jti-smara one can remember

1058

one's previous body, and as is well known, "The exception establishes the
rule." Normally, conditioned souls do not perceive their past existence;
they think, "I am six years old" or "I am thirty years old," and "previous
to this birth I did not exist." In such material ignorance one cannot
understand the actual situation of the soul.
TEXT 42
indriyyana-syeda
trai-vidhya bhti vastuni
bahir-antar-bhid-hetur
jano 'saj-jana-kd yath
indriya-ayanaby the resting place of the senses (the mind); sy
because of the creation (of identification with a new body); idamthis;
trai-vidhyamthreefold variety (of high, middle and low class); bhti
appears; vastuniin the reality (the soul); bahiexternal; antaand
internal; bhidof the differences; hetuthe cause; janaa person;
asat-janaof a bad person; ktthe progenitor; yathas.
Because the mind, which is the resting place of the senses, has created
the identification with a new body, the threefold material variety of
high, middle and low class appears as if present within the reality of the
soul. Thus the self creates external and internal duality, just as a man
might give birth to a bad son.
The wealth, beauty, strength, intelligence, fame and detachment of
different bodies are considered to be excellent, normal or inferior
according to the material situation. The spirit soul acquires a particular
body and thus judges himself and others to be high, middle or low class
according to their material situation. Actually, the eternal soul exists
beyond material duality but falsely mistakes the material situation to be
his own. The words asaj-jana-kd yath are significant. A father may by
nature be peaceful, but because his bad son gets into trouble the father is
forced to defend his son and consider his son's enemies to be enemies of
the entire family. Thus the bad son implicates the father in troublesome
conflicts. Similarly, the spirit soul has no intrinsic problems, but by
creating a false identification with the material body the soul becomes
involved in the happiness and distress of the body. With this verse the
Lord summarizes His discussion of the difference between the body and

1059

the soul.
TEXT 43
nityad hy aga bhtni
bhavanti na bhavanti ca
klenlakya-vegena
skmatvt tan na dyate
nityadconstantly; hiindeed; agaMy dear Uddhava; bhtni
created bodies; bhavanticome into being; na bhavantigo out of being;
caand; klenaby time; alakyaimperceptible; vegenawhose speed;
skmatvtbecause of being very subtle; tatthat; na dyateis not
seen.
My dear Uddhava, material bodies are constantly undergoing creation
and destruction by the force of time, whose swiftness is imperceptible.
But because of the subtle nature of time, no one sees this.
TEXT 44
yathrci srotas ca
phaln v vanaspate
tathaiva sarva-bhtn
vayo-'vasthdaya kt
yathas; arcimof the flames of a candle; srotasmof the currents
of a river; caand; phalnmof fruits; vor; vanaspateof a tree;
taththus; evacertainly; sarva-bhtnmof all material bodies;
vayaof different ages; avasthsituations; dayaand so on; kt
are created.
The different stages of transformation of all material bodies occur just
like those of the flame of a candle, the current of a river, or the fruits of
a tree.
The wavering flame of a candle sometimes waxes brightly and again
becomes weak. Finally it vanishes altogether. The waves of a flowing river
rise and fall, creating innumerable shapes and patterns. The fruits of a tree
gradually take birth, grow, ripen, sweeten and eventually rot and die.
Similarly, one can easily understand that one's own body is undergoing

1060

constant transformation, and that the body is certainly subject to old age,
disease and death. At different times of life the body exhibits degrees of
sexual potency, physical strength, desire, wisdom and so on. As the body
grows old, physical strength diminishes, but one's knowledge may
increase even as the body undergoes such transformation.
Material birth and death occur within the realm of segmented time. The
birth, creation or production of a material object immediately connects it
with a segmented sequence of subtle time within the material world. Thus
its destruction or death is inevitable. The irresistible force of time moves
so subtly that only the most intelligent can perceive it. Just as the candle
flame gradually diminishes, as the flowing currents move within the river
or as fruits gradually ripen on a tree, the material body is steadily moving
toward inevitable death. The temporary body should therefore never be
confused with the eternal, unchanging spirit soul.
TEXT 45
so 'ya dpo 'rci yadvat
srotas tad ida jalam
so 'ya pumn iti n
m gr dhr myum
sathis; ayamthe same; dpalight; arcimof the radiation of a
lamp; yadvatjust as; srotasmof the currents flowing in a river; tat
that; idamthe same; jalamwater; sathis; ayamthe same; pumn
person; itithus; nmof men; mfalse; gstatement; dh
thought; m-yumof those who are wasting their life.
Although the illumination of a lamp consists of innumerable rays of
light undergoing constant creation, transformation and destruction, a
person with illusory intelligence who sees the light for a moment will
speak falsely, saying, "This is the light of the lamp." As one observes a
flowing river, ever-new water passes by and goes far away, yet a foolish
person, observing one point in the river, falsely states, "This is the
water of the river." Similarly, although the material body of a human
being is constantly undergoing transformation, those who are simply
wasting their lives falsely think and say that each particular stage of the
body is the person's real identity
Although one may say, "This is the light of the lamp," there are

1061

innumerable rays of light being created, transformed and destroyed at

every moment; and although one may speak of the water of the river,
there is an ever-new supply of different water molecules passing by.
Similarly, when one meets a young child, one accepts that particular
transitory phase of the body as the actual identity of the person,
considering him to be a child. One also considers an old body to be an old
person. In fact, however, the material body of a human being, just like the
waves of a river or the radiation of a lamp, is merely a transformation of
the three modes of material nature, the potency of the Supreme Lord. The
real identity of a person is spirit soul, part and parcel of Lord Ka, but
as Lord Ka proves in this verse, a conditioned soul is incapable of
observing or understanding the subtle movements of time. With the gross
vision of material consciousness one cannot ascertain the subtle segments
of material manifestation, which are impelled by the Lord Himself as time.
The word myum in this verse indicates those who are uselessly
wasting their time in ignorance without understanding the instructions of
the Lord. Such persons gullibly accept any particular phase of the body to
be the actual identity of the spirit soul within the body. Because the spirit
soul is not subject to material transformation, when he engages himself in
the eternal variegated pleasure of Ka consciousness, loving service to
the Supreme Lord, he will experience no further ignorance and suffering.
TEXT 46
m svasya karma-bjena
jyate so 'py aya pumn
mriyate vmaro bhrnty
yathgnir dru-sayuta
mdoes not; svasyaof the self; karma-bjenaby the seed of his
activities; jyatetake birth; sahe; apiindeed; ayamthis; pumn
personality; mriyatedies; vor; amaraimmortal; bhrnty
because of illusion; yathas; agnifire; druwith wood; sayuta
joined.
A person does not actually take birth out of the seed of past activities,
nor, being immortal, does he die. By illusion the living being appears to
be born and to die, just as fire in connection with firewood appears to
begin and then cease to exist.

1062

The element fire exists perpetually within the material creation, but in
connection with a particular piece of wood fire apparently comes into
existence and ceases to exist. Similarly, the living entity is eternal, but in
connection with a particular body apparently takes birth and dies. The
reactions of karma thus impose an illusory suffering or enjoyment upon
the living entity, but they do not cause the entity himself to change his
eternal nature. In other words, karma represents a cycle of illusion in
which each illusory activity produces another. Ka consciousness stops
this cycle of karma by engaging the living being in spiritual activities in
the loving service of the Lord. By such Ka consciousness one can
escape the illusory chain of fruitive reactions.
TEXT 47
nieka-garbha-janmni
blya-kaumra-yauvanam
vayo-madhya jar mtyur
ity avasths tanor nava
niekaimpregnation; garbhagestation; janmniand birth; blya
infancy; kaumrachildhood; yauvanamand youth; vaya-madhyam
middle age; jarold age; mtyudeath; itithus; avasthages;
tanoof the body; navanine.
Impregnation, gestation, birth, infancy, childhood, youth, middle age,
old age and death are the nine ages of the body.
TEXT 48
et manoratha-mayr
hnyasyoccvacs tan
gua-sagd updatte
kvacit kacij jahti ca
etthese; mana-ratha-mayachieved by meditation of the mind;
hacertainly; anyasyaof the body (who is separate from the self);
uccagreater; avacand lesser; tanbodily conditions; guasagtbecause of associating with the modes of nature; updattehe
accepts; kvacitsometimes; kacitsomeone; jahtigives up; caand.
Although the material body is different from the self, because of the

1063

ignorance due to material association one falsely identifies oneself with

the superior and inferior bodily conditions. Sometimes a fortunate
person is able to give up such mental concoction.
One who has received the special mercy of the Supreme Lord is able to
give up the mental concoction of bodily identification. Thus there is
always a chance of escaping the cycle of birth and death.
TEXT 49
tmana pit-putrbhym
anumeyau bhavpyayau
na bhavpyaya-vastnm
abhijo dvaya-lakaa
tmanaone's own; pitfrom the father or ancestors; putrbhym
and the son; anumeyaucan be surmised; bhavabirth; apyayauand
death; nais no longer; bhava-apyaya-vastnmof all that is subject to
generation and destruction; abhijaone who is in proper knowledge;
dvayaby these dualities; lakaacharacterized.
By the death of one's father or grandfather one can surmise one's own
death, and by the birth of one's son one can understand the condition of
one's own birth. A person who thus realistically understands the
creation and destruction of material bodies is no longer subject to these
dualities.
The Lord has described the nine stages of the material body, beginning
with impregnation, gestation and birth. One may argue that a living entity
cannot remember his presence in the mother's womb nor his birth and
early infancy. The Lord therefore states here that one can experience these
phases of bodily existence by studying one's own child. Similarly,
although one may hope to live forever, by experiencing the death of one's
father, grandfather or great-grandfather, one has definite proof that the
material body will die. A sober person, knowing the soul to be eternal,
therefore gives up false identification with the temporary, unreliable body
and takes shelter of the devotional service of the Lord. By this process one
can escape the artificial imposition of birth and death.
TEXT 50

1064

taror bja-vipkbhy
yo vidv janma-sayamau
taror vilakao dra
eva dra tano pthak
taroof a tree; bja(birth from) its seed; vipkbhym(destruction
subsequent to) maturity; yaone who; vidvnin knowledge; janma
of birth; sayamauand death; tarofrom the tree; vilakaa
distinct; drathe witness; evamin the same way; drathe
witness; tanoof the material body; phakis separate.
One who observes the birth of a tree from its seed and the ultimate
death of the tree after maturity certainly remains a distinct observer
separate from the tree. In the same way, the witness of the birth and
death of the material body remains separate from it.
As a reference to trees, vipka indicates the final transformation called
death. In reference to other types of plants such as rice, vipka indicates
the stage of maturity, in which death also occurs. Thus by common
observation one can understand the actual position of one's material body
and one's own position as the transcendental observer.
TEXT 51
prakter evam tmnam
avivicybudha pumn
tattvena spara-sammha
sasra pratipadyate
praktefrom material nature; evamin this way; tmnamthe self;
avivicyafailing to distinguish; abudhathe unintelligent; pumn
person; tattvenabecause of thinking (material things) to be real;
sparaby material contact; sammhacompletely bewildered;
sasramthe cycle of material existence; pratipadyateattains.
An unintelligent man, failing to distinguish himself from material
nature, thinks nature to be real. By contact with it he becomes
completely bewildered and enters into the cycle of material existence.
A similar verse is found in rmad-Bhgavatam (1.7.5):

1065

yay sammohito jva

tmna tri-gutmakam
paro 'pi manute 'nartha
tat-kta cbhipadyate
"Due to this external energy, the living entity, although transcendental to
the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as a material product
and thus undergoes the reactions of material miseries."
TEXT 52
sattva-sagd n devn
rajassura-mnun
tamas bhta-tiryaktva
bhrmito yti karmabhi
sattva-sagtby association with the mode of goodness; nto the
sages; devnto the demigods; rajasby the mode of passion; asurato
the demons; mnunand to human beings; tamasby the mode of
ignorance; bhtato the ghostly spirits; tiryaktvamor the animal
kingdom; bhrmitamade to wander; ytihe goes; karmabhi
because of his fruitive activities.
Made to wander because of his fruitive work, the conditioned soul, by
contact with the mode of goodness, takes birth among the sages or
demigods. By contact with the mode of passion he becomes a demon or
human being, and by association with the mode of ignorance he takes
birth as a ghost or in the animal kingdom.
The word tiryaktvam means "the status of an animal," which includes all
lower forms of life, such as beasts, birds, insects, fish and plants.
TEXT 53
ntyato gyata payan
yathaivnukaroti tn
eva buddhi-gun payann
anho 'py anukryate
ntyatapersons who are dancing; gyataand singing; payan
observing; yathjust as; evaindeed; anukarotiimitates; tnthem;

1066

evamthus; buddhiof the material intelligence; gunthe acquired

qualities; payanseeing; anhaalthough not himself engaged in
activity; apinevertheless; anukryateis made to imitate.
Just as one may imitate persons whom one sees dancing and singing,
similarly the soul, although never the doer of material activities,
becomes captivated by material intelligence and is thus forced to
imitate its qualities.
Sometimes people are captivated by professional singers and dancers and
imitate within their minds the musical rhythms and melodies of the
performers along with their romantic, humorous or heroic emotions.
People sing songs heard on the radio and imitate dances and dramatic
performances seen on television or in movies and theaters, entering into
the emotions and art of the performer. The conditioned soul is similarly
captivated by the concoctions of the material mind and intelligence,
which convince him that he can become the enjoyer of the material
world. Although different from the material body and never the actual
performer of its activities, the conditioned soul is induced to engage his
body in material activities, which entangle him in the cycle of birth and
death. One should not accept the illicit propositions of material
intelligence, but rather should engage himself fully in the service of the
Lord in Ka consciousness.
TEXTS 54-55
yathmbhas pracalat
taravo 'pi cal iva
cakus bhrmyamena
dyate bhramatva bh
yath manoratha-dhiyo
viaynubhavo m
svapna-d ca drha
tath sasra tmana
yathas; ambhasby water; pracalatmoving, agitated; tarava
trees; apiindeed; calmoving; ivaas if; cakuby the eyes;
bhrmyamenawhich are being turned about; dyateappears;
bhramatmoving; ivaas if; bhthe earth; yathas; mana-ratha

1067

of a mental fantasy; dhiyathe ideas; viayaof sense gratification;

anubhavathe experience; mfalse; svapna-dathings seen in a
dream; caand; drhaO descendant of Darha; taththus;
sasrathe material life; tmanaof the soul.
The soul's material life, his experience of sense gratification, is actually
false, O descendant of Darha, just like trees' appearance of quivering
when the trees are reflected in agitated water, or like the earth's
appearance of spinning due to one's spinning his eyes around, or like
the world of a fantasy or dream.
Trees appear to be swaying when reflected in agitated water, and
similarly, when one is sitting on a moving boat the trees on the shore
appear to be moving. When the wind whips up the water, creating waves,
the water appears to have movement of its own, although it is actually
being moved by the wind. The conditioned soul in material life does not
perform any activities, but rather the material body, with the consent of
the illusioned living entity, is being moved by the modes of nature. One
imposes this external movement upon oneself, considering oneself to be
dancing, singing, running, dying, conquering and so on, although these
are merely interactions of the external body with the modes of nature.
TEXT 56
arthe hy avidyamne 'pi
sastir na nivartate
dhyyato viayn asya
svapne 'narthgamo yath
arthein truth; hicertainly; avidyamnenot existing;
though; sastimaterial existence; na nivartatedoes
dhyyatawho is meditating; viaynon the objects
gratification; asyafor him; svapnein a dream; anarthaof
things; gamathe coming; yathjust as.

apieven
not stop;
of sense
unwanted

For one who is meditating on sense gratification, material life, although

lacking factual existence, does not go away, just as the unpleasant
experiences of a dream do not.
One may object that if Lord Ka insists that material life is false, then
why should one endeavor to stop it? The Lord therefore explains here that

1068

although not factual, material life stubbornly continues for one addicted
to sense gratification, just as a frightening dream continues for one
merged in sleep. The word avidyamna, "not existing," means that
material life is based on mental concoction, in which one thinks, "I am a
man," "I am a woman," "I am a doctor," "I am a senator," "I am a street
sweeper" and so on. A conditioned soul enthusiastically performs his
activities based on the imaginary identification with the body. Thus
although the spirit soul exists and the body exists, the false identification
with the body does not exist. Material life, based on a false idea, has no
factual existence.
After one awakens from a dream, the dim reflection of the dream may
linger in one's memory. Similarly, one engaging in the devotional service
of the Lord may be troubled sometimes by the dim reflection of sinful life.
One should therefore become strong in Ka consciousness by hearing
the Lord's instructions to r Uddhava.
TEXT 57
tasmd uddhava m bhukva
viayn asad-indriyai
tmgrahaa-nirbhta
paya vaikalpika bhramam
tasmttherefore; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; m bhukvado not
enjoy; viaynthe objects of sense gratification; asatimpure;
indriyaiwith senses; tmaof the self; agrahaainability to realize;
nirbhtamin which is manifest; payasee it; vaikalpikambased on
material duality; bhramamthe illusion.
Therefore, O Uddhava, do not try to enjoy sense gratification with the
material senses. See how illusion based on material dualities prevents
one from realizing the self.
Everything that exists is the potency and property of the Supreme Lord,
meant to be used in His loving service. Seeing material objects as separate
from the Lord and thus meant to be possessed and enjoyed by oneself is
called vaikalpika bhramam, the illusion of material duality. When
selecting one's personal object of enjoyment, such as food, clothing,
residence or vehicle, one considers the relative quality of the object to be
acquired. Consequently, in material life one is in constant anxiety, trying

1069

to acquire the most excellent sense gratification for one's personal

pleasure. If one realizes everything as the property of the Lord, however,
he will see everything as meant for the Lord's pleasure. He will feel no
personal anxiety, because he is satisfied simply to be engaged in the Lord's
loving service. It is not possible to exploit the property of the Lord and at
the same time advance in self-realization.
TEXTS 58-59
kipto 'vamnito 'sadbhi
pralabdho 'syito 'tha v
tita sanniruddho v
vtty v parihpita
nihyuto mtrito vjair
bahudhaiva prakampita
reyas-kma kcchra-gata
tmantmnam uddharet
kiptainsulted; avamnitaneglected; asadbhiby bad men;
pralabdharidiculed; asyitaenvied; atha vor else; tita
chastised; sanniruddhatied up; vor; vttyof his means of
livelihood; vor; parihpitadeprived; nihyutaspat upon;
mtritapolluted with urine; vor; ajaiby foolish men;
bahudhrepeatedly; evamthus; prakampitaagitated; reyakmaone who desires the highest goal in life; kcchra-gata
experiencing difficulty; tmanby his intelligence; tmnamhimself;
uddharetshould save.
Even though neglected, insulted, ridiculed or envied by bad men, or
even though repeatedly agitated by being beaten, tied up or deprived of
one's occupation, spat upon or polluted with urine by ignorant people,
one who desires the highest goal in life should in spite of all these
difficulties use his intelligence to keep himself safe on the spiritual
platform.
Throughout history many of the above-mentioned inconveniences have
been experienced by devotees of the Lord. One who is advanced in God
consciousness does not allow himself to become obsessed with the
material body even in such conditions, but rather keeps the mind fixed on

1070

the spiritual platform through proper intelligence.

TEXT 60
r-uddhava uvca
yathaivam anubudhyeya
vada no vadat vara
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; yathhow; evamthus;
anubudhyeyamI may properly understand; vadaplease speak; nato
us; vadatmof all speakers; varaO You who are the best.
r Uddhava said: O best of all speakers, please explain to me how I
may properly understand this.
TEXT 61
su-duaham ima manya
tmany asad-atikramam
vidum api vivtman
praktir hi balyas
te tvad-dharma-niratn
nts te caralayn
su-dusahammost difficult to tolerate; imamthis; manyeI consider;
tmaniupon oneself; asatby ignorant people; atikramamthe attacks;
vidumfor those who are learned; apieven; viva-tmanO soul of
the universe; praktione's conditioned personality; hicertainly;
balyasvery strong; teexcept for; tvat-dharmain Your devotional
service; niratnthose who are fixed; ntnpeaceful; teYour; caraalaynwho reside at the lotus feet.
O soul of the universe, the conditioning of one's personality in material
life is very strong, and therefore it is very difficult even for learned men
to tolerate the offenses committed against them by ignorant people.
Only Your devotees, who are fixed in Your loving service and who have
achieved peace by residing at Your lotus feet, are able to tolerate such
offenses.
Unless one becomes advanced in the process of hearing and chanting the
glories of the Supreme Lord, theoretical learning cannot make one

1071

actually saintly. One's conditioned personality, the result of long material

association, is very difficult to overcome. Therefore we should humbly
take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, who has so wonderfully
explained to r Uddhava the real meaning of knowledge.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-second
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Enumeration of the
Elements of Material Creation."

1072

23. The Song of the Avant Brhmaa.

This chapter tells the story of a mendicant sannys from the Avant
country as an example of how one should tolerate the disturbances and
offenses created by evil persons.
The harsh words of uncouth persons pierce the heart even more severely
than arrows. Yet a mendicant brhmaa from the city of Avant, even
while being attacked by wicked men, considered this trouble to be simply
the consequence of his own past deeds and tolerated it with utmost
sobriety. Previously the brhmaa had been an agriculturalist and
merchant. He had been extremely greedy, miserly and prone to anger. As
a result, his wife, sons, daughters, relatives and servants were all deprived
of every kind of enjoyment and gradually came to behave unaffectionately
toward him. In due course of time, thieves, family members and
providence took away the sum total of his wealth. Finding himself
without any property and abandoned by everyone, the brhmaa
developed a deep sense of renunciation.
He considered how the earning and preservation of wealth involve great
effort, fear, anxiety and confusion. Because of wealth, there arise fifteen
unwanted items-thievery, violence, lying, deception, lust, anger, pride,
feverishness, disagreement, hatred, distrust, conflict, attachment to
women, gambling and intoxication. When this meditation arose in his
heart, the brhmaa could understand that the Supreme Lord r Hari had
somehow become satisfied with him. He felt that only because the Lord
was pleased with him had the apparently unfavorable turn of events in his
life occurred. He was grateful that a sense of detachment had arisen in his
heart and considered it the factual means for delivering his soul. In this
condition he determined to engage the duration of his life in the worship
of Lord Hari and thus accepted the mendicant order of tridai-sannysa.
Subsequently, he would enter different villages to beg charity, but the
people would harass and disturb him. But he simply tolerated all this,
remaining firm as a mountain. He remained fixed in his chosen spiritual
practice and sang a song renowned as the Bhiku-gta.
Neither mortal persons, the demigods, the soul, the ruling planets, the

1073

reactions of work nor time are the causes of one's happiness and distress.
Rather, the mind alone is their cause, because it is the mind that makes
the spirit soul wander in the cycle of material life. The real purpose of all
charity, religiosity and so forth is to bring the mind under control. A
person who has already composed his mind in meditation has no need for
these other processes, and for a person who is incapable of fixing his
mind they are of no practical use. The false conception of material ego
binds the transcendental soul to material sense objects. The Avant
brhmaa therefore became determined to bring himself over the
insurmountable ocean of material existence by rendering service to the
lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, Mukunda, with the same perfect faith in
the Lord exhibited by the great devotees of the past.
Only when one can focus his intelligence on the lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead can the mind be completely subdued; this is the
essence of all practical prescriptions for spiritual advancement.
TEXT 1
r-bdaryair uvca
sa evam asita uddhavena
bhgavata-mukhyena drha-mukhya
sabhjayan bhtya-vaco mukundas
tam babhe ravaya-vrya
r-bdaryai uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; saHe; evamthus;
asitarespectfully requested; uddhavenaby Uddhava; bhgavata
of the devotees; mukhyenaby the greatest; drhaof the dynasty of
Drha (the Yadus); mukhyathe chief; sabhjayanpraising; bhtya
of His servant; vacathe words; mukundaLord Mukunda, Ka;
tamto him; babhebegan to speak; ravayamost worthy of
hearing about; vryawhose omnipotency.
ukadeva Gosvm said: Lord Mukunda, the chief of the Drhas,
having thus been respectfully requested by the best of His devotees, r
Uddhava, first acknowledged the fitness of his servant's statements.
Then the Lord, whose glorious exploits are most worthy of being heard,
began to reply to him.
TEXT 2

1074

r-bhagavn uvca
brhaspatya sa nsty atra
sdhur vai durjaneritai
duraktair bhinnam tmna
ya samdhtum vara
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
brhaspatyaO disciple of Bhaspati; sahe; na astithere is not;
atrain this world; sdhua saintly person; vaiindeed; durjanaby
uncivilized men; ritaiused; duruktaiby insulting words; bhinnam
disturbed; tmnamhis mind; yawho; samdhtumto compose;
varais capable.
Lord r Ka said: O disciple of Bhaspati, there is virtually no saintly
man in this world capable of resettling his own mind after it has been
disturbed by the insulting words of uncivilized men.
In the modern age there is widespread propaganda ridiculing the path of
spiritual realization, and thus even saintly devotees are disturbed to see
the progress of human society being obstructed. Still, a devotee of the
Lord must tolerate any personal insult, though he cannot tolerate offense
against the Lord Himself or the Lord's pure devotee.
TEXT 3
na tath tapyate viddha
pumn bais tu marma-gai
yath tudanti marma-sth
hy asat parueava
nanot; tathin the same way; tapyateis caused pain; viddha
pierced; pumna person; baiby arrows; tuhowever; marmagaigoing to the heart; yathas; tudantiprick; marma-sth
attaching within the heart; hiindeed; asatmof evil persons; parua
harsh (words); iavathe arrows.
Sharp arrows which pierce one's chest and reach the heart do not cause
as much suffering as the arrows of harsh, insulting words that become
lodged within the heart when spoken by uncivilized men.

1075

TEXT 4
kathayanti mahat puyam
itihsam ihoddhava
tam aha varayiymi
nibodha su-samhita
kathayantithey tell; mahatgreatly; puyampious; itihsamstory;
ihain this regard; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; tamthat; ahamI;
varayiymiwill describe; nibodhaplease listen; su-samhitawith
careful attention.
My dear Uddhava, in this regard a most pious story is told, and I shall
now describe it to you. Please listen with careful attention.
The Lord will now relate to Uddhava a historical account which teaches
how to tolerate the insults of others.
TEXT 5
kenacid bhiku gta
paribhtena durjanai
smarat dhti-yuktena
vipka nija-karmam
kenacitby a certain; bhikusannys; gtamsung; paribhtena
who was insulted; durjanaiby impious persons; smarat
remembering; dhti-yuktenafixing his resolution; vipkamthe
consequences; nija-karmamof his own past activities.
Once a certain sannys was insulted in many ways by impious men.
However, with determination he remembered that he was suffering the
fruit of his own previous karma. I will narrate to you his story and that
which he spoke.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura comments as follows. "Often
those who give up the materialistic path and devote themselves to
renunciation are attacked by impious persons. This analysis, however, is
superficial, since the punishment is actually the cumulative result of one's
past karma. Some renunciants show lack of tolerance when presented
with the remnants of their previous sins and thus are forced to enter again
onto the path of impious life. r Caitanya Mahprabhu therefore instructs

1076

that one should become as tolerant as a tree. If a neophyte on the path of

devotional service to the Lord's pure devotees is attacked by envious
persons, he must accept it as a consequence of his previous fruitive
activities. One should be intelligent and avoid future unhappiness by
rejecting the ethic of an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If one refuses
to enter into enmity with envious men, they will automatically leave him
alone."
TEXT 6
avantiu dvija kacid
sd hyatama riy
vrt-vtti kadaryas tu
km lubdho 'ti-kopana
avantiuin the Avant country; dvijabrhmaa; kacita certain;
stthere was; hya-tamavery rich; riywith opulences; vrt
by business; vttiearning his livelihood; kadaryamiserly; tubut;
kmlusty; lubdhakgreedy; ati-kopanavery prone to anger.
In the country of Avant there once lived a certain brhmaa who was
very rich and gifted with all opulences, and who was engaged in the
occupation of commerce. But he was a miserly personlusty, greedy
and very prone to anger.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the Avant country is the district of
Malwa. This brhmaa was extremely wealthy, doing business in
agriculture, banking and so on. Being a miser, he suffered agony when his
hard-earned wealth was lost, as will be described by the Lord Himself.
TEXT 7
jtayo 'tithayas tasya
v-mtrepi nrcit
nyvasatha tmpi
kle kmair anarcita
jtayathe relatives; atithayaand guests; tasyahis; vk-mtrea
apieven by words; na arcitwere not shown respect; nyaavasathein his home deprived of religiosity and sense gratification;
tmhimself; apieven; kleat the suitable times; kmaiwith
sensory enjoyment; anarcitanot gratified.

1077

In his home, devoid of religiosity and lawful sense gratification, the

family members and guests were never properly respected, even with
words. He would not even allow sufficient gratification for his own
body at the suitable times.
TEXT 8
duhlasya kadaryasya
druhyante putra-bndhav
dr duhitaro bhty
via ncaran priyam
dulasyahaving a bad character; kadaryasyatoward the miser;
druhyantethey developed enmity; putrahis sons; bndhavand inlaws; drhis wife; duhitarahis daughters; bhtythe servants;
visadisgusted; na caranthey did not act; priyamaffectionately.
Since he was so hardhearted and miserly, his sons, in-laws, wife,
daughters and servants began to feel inimical toward him. Becoming
disgusted, they would never treat him with affection.
TEXT 9
tasyaiva yaka-vittasya
cyutasyobhaya-lokata
dharma-kma-vihnasya
cukrudhu paca-bhgina
tasyaat him; evamin this way; yaka-vittasyawho simply kept his
wealth without spending it, like the Yakas, who guard the treasury of
Kuvera; cyutasyawho was deprived; ubhayaof both; lokataworlds
(this life and the next); dharmareligiosity; kmaand sense
gratification; vihnasyalacking; cakrudhuthey became angry; pacabhginathe deities of the five prescribed household sacrifices.
In this way the presiding deities of the five family sacrifices became
angry at the bhmaa, who, being niggardly, guarded his wealth like a
Yaka, who had no good destination either in this world or the next,
and who was totally deprived of religiosity and sense enjoyment.

1078

TEXT 10
tad-avadhyna-visrastapuya-skandhasya bhri-da
artho 'py agacchan nidhana
bahv-ysa-parirama
tatof them; avadhynabecause of his neglect; visrastadepleted;
puyaof piety; skandhasyawhose portion; bhri-daO magnanimous
Uddhava; arthathe wealth; apiindeed; agacchat nidhanambecame
lost; bahumuch; ysaof endeavor; pariramawhich consisted
only of the labor.
O magnanimous Uddhava, by his neglect of these demigods he depleted
his stock of piety and all his wealth. The accumulation of his repeated
exhaustive endeavors was totally lost.
The brhmaa's stock of piety became like a withered branch that no
longer gives fruits or flowers. rla Jva Gosvm comments that the
brhmaa had a trace of piety directed at the Supreme Lord with hopes of
liberation. That pure portion of the branch of his piety remained
unwithered, eventually giving the fruit of knowledge.
TEXT 11
jtyo jaghu kicit
kicid dasyava uddhava
daivata klata kicid
brahma-bandhor n-prthivt
jtayathe relatives; jaghutook away; kicitsome; kicitsome;
dasyavathieves; uddhavaO Uddhava; daivataby providence;
klataby time; kicitsome; brahma-bandhoof the so-called
brhmaa; nby common men; prthivtand by elevated government
officials.
Some of the wealth of this so-called brhmaa was taken away by his
relatives, My dear Uddhava, some by thieves, some by the whims of
providence, some by the effects of time, some by ordinary men and
some by government authorities.
It appears that even though the so-called brhmaa was determined not to

1079

spend his money, his wife and other relatives managed to squeeze out a
portion. According to rla rdhara Svm, providence here refers to fires
in the home and other types of occasional misfortune. Effects of time here
refers to the destruction of agricultural crops through seasonal
irregularities and other such occurrences. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
hkura points out that one should not merely proclaim oneself to be a
brhmaa but should actually understand one's original identity as a
servant of the Lord. One declaring himself to be a brhmaa but
maintaining a materialistic mentality is not a real brhmaa, but rather a
brahma-bandhu, or so-called brhmaa. The humble devotees of Lord
Viu, following the indications of the Vedic scriptures, refer to
themselves as unfortunate and unable to understand the kingdom of God;
they do not proudly proclaim themselves to be brhmaas. Those who are
wise, however, know that such humble devotees are actually brhmaas
whose hearts are cleansed by the pure mode of goodness.
TEXT 12
sa eva dravie nae
dharma-kma-vivarjita
upekita ca sva-janai
cintm pa duratyaym
sahe; evamthus; draviewhen his property; naewas lost;
dharmareligiosity; kmaand sense enjoyment; vivarjitadevoid of;
upekitaneglected; caand; sva-janaiby his family members;
cintmanxiety; pahe obtained; duratyayminsurmountable.
Finally, when his property was completely lost, he who never engaged
in religiosity or sense enjoyment became ignored by his family
members. Thus he began to feel unbearable anxiety.
TEXT 13
tasyaiva dhyyato drgha
naa-ryas tapasvina
khidyato bpa-kahasya
nirveda su-mahn abht
tasyaof him; evamthus; dhyyatathinking; drghamfor a long
time; naa-ryahis wealth lost; tapasvinaexperiencing agony;

1080

khidyatalamenting; bpa-kahasyahis throat choked with tears;

nirvedaa sense of renunciation; su-mahnvery great; abhtarose.
Having lost all his wealth, he felt great pain and lamentation. His throat
choked up with tears, and he meditated for a long time on his fortune.
Then a powerful feeling of renunciation came over him.
The brhmaa had previously been trained in pious life, but his past
goodness was covered by his offensive behavior. Finally, his previous
purity was reawakened within him.
TEXT 14
sa chedam aho kaa
vthtm me 'nutpita
na dharmya na kmya
yasyrthysa da
sahe; caand; ahaspoke; idamthis; ahoalas; kaamthe
painful misfortune; vthvainly; tmthe self; memy; anutpita
distressed; nanot; dharmyafor religiosity; nanor; kmyafor
sense gratification; yasyawhose; arthafor wealth; ysa-labor;
dasuch as this.
The brhmaa spoke as follows: O what great misfortune! I have simply
tormented myself uselessly, struggling so hard for money that was not
even intended for religiosity or material enjoyment.
TEXT 15
pryeth kadary
na sukhya kadcana
iha ctmopatpya
mtasya narakya ca
pryeagenerally; arthitems of wealth; kadarymof those who
are misers; nado not; sukhyalead to happiness; kadcanaat any
time; ihain this life; caboth; tmaof himself; upatpyaresult in
the torment; mtasyaand of him when he has died; narakyain the
attainment of hell; caand.

1081

Generally, the wealth of misers never allows them any happiness. In

this life it causes their self-torment, and when they die it sends them to
hell.
A miser is afraid to spend his money even for obligatory religious and
social duties. Offending God and people in general, he goes to hell.
TEXT 16
yao yaasvin uddha
lghy ye guin gu
lobha sv-alpo 'pi tn hanti
vitro rpam ivepsitam
yaathe fame; yaasvinmof those who are famous; uddhampure;
lghypraiseworthy; yewhich; guinmof those endowed with
good qualities; guthe qualities; lobhagreed; su-alpaa little;
apieven; tnthese; hantidestroys; vitrawhite leprosy; rpam
physical beauty; ivajust as; psitamenchanting.
Whatever pure fame is possessed by the famous and whatever
praiseworthy qualities are found in the virtuous are destroyed by even a
small amount of greed, just as one's attractive physical beauty is ruined
by a trace of white leprosy.
TEXT 17
arthasya sdhane siddhe
utkare rakae vyaye
nopabhoga ysas
trsa cint bhramo nm
arthaysaof wealth; sdhanein the earning; siddhein the attainment;
utkarein the increasing; rakaein the protecting; vyayein the
expending; nain the loss; upabhogeand in the enjoyment; ysa
labor; trsafear; cintanxiety; bhramaconfusion; nmfor
men.
In the earning, attainment, increase, protection, expense, loss and
enjoyment of wealth, all men experience great labor, fear, anxiety and
delusion.

1082

TEXTS 18-19
steya hisnta dambha
kma krodha smayo mada
bhedo vairam avivsa
saspardh vyasanni ca
ete pacadanarth
hy artha-ml mat nm
tasmd anartham arthkhya
reyo-'rth dratas tyajet
steyamtheft; hisviolence; antamlying; dambhaduplicity;
kmalust; krodhaanger; smayaperplexity; madapride;
bhedadisagreement; vairamenmity; avivsalack of faith;
saspardhrivalry; vyasannithe dangers (coming from women,
gambling and intoxication); caand; etethese; pacadaafifteen;
anarthunwanted things; hiindeed; artha-mlbased on wealth;
matare known; nmby men; tasmttherefore; anarthamthat
which is undesirable; artha-khyamwealth, spoken of as if desirable;
reya-arthone who desires the ultimate benefit of life; drataat a
great distance; tyajetshould leave.
Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride,
quarreling, enmity, faithlessness, envy and the dangers caused by
women, gambling and intoxication are the fifteen undesirable qualities
that contaminate men because of greed for wealth. Although these
qualities are undesirable, men falsely ascribe value to them. One
desiring to achieve the real benefit of life should therefore remain aloof
from undesirable material wealth.
The words anartham arthkhyam, or "undesirable wealth," indicate wealth
that cannot be efficiently engaged in the loving service of the Lord. Such
superfluous money or property will undoubtedly pollute a man with all of
the above-mentioned qualities and therefore should be given up.
TEXT 20
bhidyante bhrtaro dr
pitara suhdas tath
eksnigdh kkiin

1083

sadya sarve 'raya kt

bhidyantethey break off; bhrtarathe brothers; drwife;
pitaraparents; suhdafriends; tathand; ekaas if one;
snigdhvery dear; kkiinby a small coin; sadyaimmediately;
sarveall of them; arayaenemies; ktmade.
Even a man's brothers, wife, parents and friends united with him in
love will immediately break off their affectionate relationships and
become enemies over a single coin.
TEXT 21
arthenlpyas hy ete
sarabdh dpta-manyava
tyajanty u spdho ghnanti
sahasotsjya sauhdam
arthenaby wealth; alpyasinsignificant; hieven; etethey;
sarabdhagitated;
dptainflamed;
manyavatheir
anger;
tyajantithey give up; uvery quickly; spdhabecoming
quarrelsome; ghnantithey destroy; sahasquickly; utsjyarejecting;
sauhdamgoodwill.
For even a small amount of money these relatives and friends become
very agitated and their anger is inflamed. Acting as rivals, they quickly
give up all sentiments of goodwill and will reject one at a moment's
notice, even to the point of committing murder.
TEXT 22
labdhv janmmara-prrthya
mnuya tad dvijgryatm
tad andtya ye svrtha
ghnanti ynty aubh gatim
labdhvhaving attained; janmathe birth; amaraby the demigods;
prrthyamprayed for; mnuyamhuman; tatand in that; dvijagryatmthe status of being the best of the twice-born; tatthat;
andtyanot appreciating; yethose who; sva-arthamtheir own best

1084

interest; ghnantidestroy; yntithey go; aubhmto an inauspicious;

gatimdestination.
Those who obtain human life, which is prayed for even by the
demigods, and in that human birth become situated as first-class
brhmaas, are extremely fortunate. If they disregard this important
opportunity, they are certainly killing their own self-interest and thus
achieve a most unfortunate end.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura comments as follows. "Human
birth is better than that of the demigods, ghosts, spirits, animals, trees,
lifeless stones, and so forth, because the demigods simply enjoy celestial
pleasures, and in other forms of life there is excessive suffering. It is only
in human life that one deeply considers one's ultimate benefit in life.
Human birth is therefore more desirable than even that of the demigods."
Within human life the position of a high-class brhmaa is certainly most
desirable. If a brhmaa, however, gives up the devotional service of the
Lord and works hard like a dra simply for the prestige of his
community, he is certainly on the platform of material sense gratification.
The special qualification of the brhmaas is the spiritual knowledge by
which they recognize every living entity to be an eternal servant of the
Lord. A brhmaa, free from false ego, thus feels himself lower than a
blade of grass and tolerantly offers respect to all living entities. All human
beings, and especially the brhmaas, should avoid becoming killers of
their own self-interest by neglecting Ka consciousness, the loving
service of the Lord. Such neglect paves the way for future suffering.
TEXT 23
svargpavargayor dvra
prpya lokam ima pumn
dravie ko 'nuajjeta
martyo 'narthasya dhmani
svargaof heaven; apavargayoand liberation; dvramthe gateway;
prpyaachieving; lokamthe human life; imamthis; pumna
person; dravieto property; kawho; anuajjetawill become
attached; martyaprone to death; anarthasyaof worthlessness;
dhmaniin the realm.

1085

What mortal man, having achieved this human life, which is the very
gateway to both heaven and liberation, would willingly become
attached to that abode of worthlessness, material property?
That which one intends to use for one's personal sense gratification is
called material property, whereas paraphernalia to be used in the Lord's
loving service is understood to be spiritual. One should give up all one's
material property by utilizing it completely in the devotional service of
the Lord. A person who owns a luxurious mansion should install the
Deity of the Lord and hold regular programs to propagate Ka
consciousness. Similarly, wealth should be used to build temples of the
Lord and publish literature scientifically explaining the Personality of
Godhead. One who blindly renounces material property without utilizing
it in the service of the Lord does not understand that everything belongs
to the Personality of Godhead. Such blind renunciation is based on the
material idea that "This property could belong to me, but I don't want it."
Everything, in fact, belongs to God; knowing this one neither tries to
enjoy nor to reject the things of this world, but peacefully engages them
in the service of the Lord.
TEXT 24
devari-pit-bhtni
jtn bandh ca bhgina
asavibhajya ctmna
yaka-vitta pataty adha
devathe demigods; isages; pitdeparted forefathers; bhtniand
living entities in general; jtnone's immediate relatives; bandhn
extended family; caand; bhginato the shareholders; asavibhajya
not distributing; caand; tmnamto oneself; yaka-vittawhose
wealth is simply like that of a Yaka; patatihe falls; adhadown.
One who fails to distribute his wealth to the proper shareholdersthe
demigods, sages, forefathers and ordinary living entities, as well as his
immediate relatives, in-laws and own selfis maintaining his wealth
simply like a Yaka and will fall down.
One who does not share his wealth with the above-mentioned authorized
persons and does not even enjoy the wealth himself will certainly suffer

1086

unlimited problems in life.

TEXT 25
vyarthayrthehay vitta
pramattasya vayo balam
kual yena sidhyanti
jaraha ki nu sdhaye
vyarthayuseless; arthafor wealth; hayby the endeavor; vittam
money; pramattasyaof the maddened; vayayouth; balamstrength;
kualthose who are discriminating; yenaby means of which;
sidhyantibecome perfect; jarahaan old man; kimwhat; nu
indeed; sdhayecan I achieve.
Discriminating persons are able to utilize their money, youth and
strength to achieve perfection. But I have feverishly squandered these in
the useless endeavor for further wealth. Now that I am an old man,
what can I achieve?
TEXT 26
kasmt sakliyate vidvn
vyarthayrthehaysakt
kasyacin myay nna
loko 'ya su-vimohita
kasmtwhy; sakliyatesuffers; vidvnone who is wise; vyarthay
vain; artha-hayin the pursuit of wealth; asaktconstantly; kasyacit
of someone; myayby the illusory potency; nnamcertainly; loka
the world; ayamthis; su-vimohitavery much bewildered.
Why must an intelligent man suffer by his constant vain efforts to get
wealth? Indeed, this whole world is most bewildered by someone's
illusory potency.
TEXT 27
ki dhanair dhana-dair v ki
kmair v kma-dair uta
mtyun grasyamnasya

1087

karmabhir vota janma-dai

kimof what use; dhanaiare different kinds of wealth; dhana-dai
the givers of wealth; vor; kimwhat is the use; kmaiof the objects
of sense gratification; vor; kma-daithose who give such sense
gratification; utaor; mtyunby death; grasyamnasyafor one who is
being seized; karmabhiby fruitive activities; v utaor else; janmadaiwhich give him his next birth.
For one who is in the grips of death, what is the use of wealth or those
who offer it, sense gratification or those who offer it, or, for that matter,
any type of fruitive activity, which simply causes one to again take birth
in the material world?
TEXT 28
nna me bhagavs tua
sarva-deva-mayo hari
yena nto dam et
nirveda ctmana plava
nnamcertainly; mewith Me; bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of
Godhead; tuais satisfied; sarva-deva-mayawho comprises all the
demigods; hariLord Viu; yenaby whom; ntaI have been
brought; damto the condition; etmthis; nirvedadetachment;
caand; tmanaof the self; plavathe boat (to carry me over the
ocean of material suffering).
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, who contains within
Himself all the demigods, must be satisfied with me. Indeed, He has
brought me to this suffering condition and forced me to experience
detachment, which is the boat to carry me over this ocean of material
life.
The brhmaa could understand that the demigods, who award different
types of sense gratification as the result of one's fruitive activities, cannot
bestow the highest benefit in life. When the brhmaa lost all his property
he could understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
comprises all the demigods, had given him the highest perfection, not by
awarding sense gratification but by saving him from the ocean of material

1088

enjoyment. Being thus deprived of the opportunity to cultivate religiosity,

wealth, sense gratification and liberation, the brhmaa became detached,
and transcendental knowledge awakened within his heart.
TEXT 29
so 'ha klvaeea
oayiye 'gam tmana
apramatto 'khila-svrthe
yadi syt siddha tmani
sa ahamI; kla-avaeeawith whatever time remains; oayiye
shall reduce to the minimum; agamthis body; tmanamy;
apramattaunbewildered; akhilaentire; sva-arthein the real selfinterest; yadiif; sytthere remains any (time); siddhasatisfied;
tmaniwithin myself.
If there is any time remaining in my life, I will perform austerities and
force my body to subsist on the bare necessities. Without further
confusion I shall pursue that which constitutes my entire self-interest in
life, and I shall remain satisfied within the self.
TEXT 30
tatra mm anumoderan
devs tri-bhuvanevar
muhrtena brahma-loka
khavga samasdhayat
tatrain this regard; mmwith me; anumoderanmay they kindly be
pleased; devthe demigods; tri-bhuvanaof the three worlds;
varthe controllers; muhrtenain a single moment; brahmalokam
the spiritual world; khavgaKing Khavga; samasdhayat
achieved.
Thus may the presiding demigods of these three worlds kindly show
their mercy upon me. Indeed, Mahrja Khavga was able to achieve
the spiritual world in a single moment.
The brhmaa of Avant thought that although he was an old man who
might die at any moment he could follow the example of Mahrja

1089

Khavga, who achieved the Lord's mercy in a single moment. Mahrja

Khavga, as described in the Second Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam,
fought valiantly on behalf of the demigods, and they offered the king any
benediction he might desire. Khavga Mahrja chose to find out the
remaining duration of his life, which unfortunately was a single moment.
The king therefore immediately surrendered to Lord Ka and achieved
the spiritual world. The brhmaa of Avant desired to follow this
example; with the blessings of the demigods, who are all devotees of the
Lord, he hoped to become fully Ka conscious before giving up his
body.
TEXT 31
r-bhagavn uvca
ity abhipretya manas
hy vantyo dvija-sattama
unmucya hdaya-granthn
nto bhikur abhn muni
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Lord said; itithus; abhipretya
concluding; manaswithin his mind; hiindeed; vantyaof the
district of Avant; dvija-sat-tamanow the most pious brhmaa;
unmucyauntying; hdayain his heart; granthnthe knots (of desire);
ntapeaceful; bhikua mendicant sannys; abhthe became;
munisilent.
Lord r Ka continued: His mind thus determined, that most
excellent Avant brhmaa was able to untie the knots of desire within
his heart. He then assumed the role of a peaceful and silent sannys
mendicant.
TEXT 32
sa cacra mahm et
sayattmendriynila
bhikrtha nagara-grmn
asago 'lakito 'viat
sahe; cacrawandered; mahmthe earth; etmthis; sayata
controlled; tmahis consciousness; indriyasenses; anilaand vital
air; bhik-arthamfor the purpose of taking charity; nagarathe cities;

1090

grmnand villages; asagawithout any association; alakitanot

making himself prominent, thus unrecognized; aviathe entered.
He wandered about the earth, keeping his intelligence, senses and life
air under control. To beg charity he traveled alone to various cities and
villages. He did not advertise his advanced spiritual position and thus
was not recognized by others.
According to rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura, the acceptance of
the tridai-sannysa order of life is the chief indication that one has
actually taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The three
rods of the daa, or staff, of the Vaiava sannys indicate control of the
body, mind and words by engaging them only in the loving service of the
Lord. This procedure helps one to become more tolerant than a tree, as
recommended by r Caitanya Mahprabhu. By strict control of one's
body, mind and speech, the quality of tolerance becomes strengthened,
and thus one manifests the further qualities of forgiving others, never
wasting one's time, detachment from sense gratification, lack of false pride
in one's work and not hankering for liberation. One in this way gives up
the mentality of materialistic persons, who establish so-called affectionate
relationships of mutual flattery and exploit each other for sense
gratification. One who adopts the strict path of Ka consciousness,
following in the footsteps of great souls, can achieve the shelter of the
Lord.
TEXT 33
ta vai pravayasa bhikum
avadhtam asaj-jan
dv paryabhavan bhadra
bahvbhi paribhtibhi
tamhim; vaiindeed; pravayasamold; bhikumthe beggar;
avadhtamunclean; asatlow-class; janpersons; dvseeing;
paryabhavandishonored; bhadraO kind Uddhava; bahvbhiwith
many; paribhtibhiinsults
O kind Uddhava, seeing him as an old, dirty beggar, rowdy persons
would dishonor him with many insults.

1091

TEXT 34
kecit tri-veu jaghur
eke ptra kamaalum
pha caike 'ka-stra ca
kanth cri kecana
pradya ca punas tni
daritny dadur mune
kecitsome of them; tri-veumhis sannys triple staff; jaghuthey
took away; ekesome; ptramhis begging bowl; kamaalum
waterpot; phamseat; caand; ekesome; aka-stramchanting
beads; caand; kanthmrags; critorn; kecanasome of them;
pradyaoffering back; caand; punaagain; tnithey; daritni
which were being shown; daduthey took away; muneof the sage.
Some of these persons would take away his sannys rod, and some the
waterpot which he was using as a begging bowl. Some took his deerskin
seat, some his chanting beads, and some would steal his torn, ragged
clothing. Displaying these things before him, they would pretend to
offer them back but would then hide them again.
TEXT 35
anna ca bhaikya-sampanna
bhujnasya sarit-tae
mtrayanti ca ppih
hvanty asya ca mrdhani
annamfood; caand; bhaikyaby his begging; sampannamacquired;
bhujnasyaof him who was about to partake; saritof a river; taeon
the shore; mtrayantithey urinate upon; caand; ppihmost
sinful persons; hvantithey spit; asyahis; caand; mrdhanion his
head.
When he was sitting on the bank of a river about to partake of the food
that he had collected by his begging, such sinful rascals would come
and pass urine on it, and they would dare to spit on his head.
TEXT 36

1092

yata-vca vcayanti
tayanti na vakti cet
tarjayanty apare vgbhi
steno 'yam iti vdina
badhnanti rajjv ta kecid
badhyat badhyatm iti
yata-vcamwho had taken a vow of silence; vcayantithey try to make
speak; tayantithey beat; na vaktihe does not speak; cetif;
tarjayantithey cajole; apareothers; vgbhiwith their words;
stenathief; ayamthis person; itithus; vdinasaying; badhnanti
they bind up; rajjvwith rope; tamhim; kecitsome; badhyatm
badhyatm"Bind him up! Bind him up!"; itithus saying.
Although he had taken a vow of silence, they would try to make him
speak, and if he did not speak they would beat him with sticks. Others
would chastise him, saying, "This man is just a thief." And others
would bind him up with rope, shouting, "Tie him up! Tie him up!"
TEXT 37
kipanty eke 'vajnanta
ea dharma-dhvaja aha
ka-vitta im vttim
agraht sva-janojjhita
kipantithey criticize; ekesome; avajnantacommitting insults;
eathis person; dharma-dhvajaa religious hypocrite; ahaa
cheater; ka-vittahaving lost his wealth; immthis; vttim
occupation; agrahthas taken; sva-janaby his family; ujjhitaturned
out.
They would criticize and insult him, saying, "This man is just a
hypocrite and a cheat. He makes a business of religion simply because
he lost all his wealth and his family threw him out."
TEXTS 38-39
aho ea mah-sro
dhtimn giri-r iva

1093

maunena sdhayaty artha

baka-vad dha-nicaya
ity eke vihasanty enam
eke durvtayanti ca
ta babandhur nirurudhur
yath kranaka dvijam
ahojust see; eathis person; mah-sravery powerful; dhtimn
steadfast; giri-rthe Himalaya Mountains; ivajust like; maunena
with his vow of silence; sdhayatihe is striving; arthamfor his goal;
baka-vatjust like a duck; dhafirm; nicayahis determination;
itithus speaking; ekesome; vihasantiridicule; enamhim; eke
some; durvtayantipass foul air; caand; tamhim; babandhuthey
bound in chains; nirurudhukept captive; yathas; kranakama pet
animal; dvijamthat brhmaa.
Some would ridicule him by saying, "Just see this greatly powerful
sage! He is as steadfast as the Himalaya Mountains. By practice of
silence he strives for his goal with great determination, just like a
duck." Other persons would pass foul air upon him, and sometimes
others would bind this twice-born brhmaa in chains and keep him
captive like a pet animal.
TEXT 40
eva sa bhautika dukha
daivika daihika ca yat
bhoktavyam tmano dia
prpta prptam abudhyata
evamthus; sahe; bhautikamdue to other living entities; dukham
suffering; daivikamdue to higher powers; daihikamdue to his own
body; caand; yatwhatever; bhoktavyamdestined to be suffered;
tmanahis own; diamallotted by destiny; prptam prptam
whatever was received; abudhyatahe understood.
The brhmaa understood that all his sufferingfrom other living
beings, from the higher forces of nature and from his own bodywas
unavoidable, being allotted to him by providence.

1094

Many cruel persons harassed the brhmaa, and his own body caused him
suffering in the form of fever, hunger, thirst, fatigue, etc. The higher
forces of nature are those that cause excessive heat, cold, wind and rain.
The brhmaa realized that his suffering was due to his false identification
with his material body, and not to the interaction of his body with
external phenomena. Rather than try to adjust his external situation, he
tried to adjust his Ka consciousness and thus realize his actual identity
as eternal spirit soul.
TEXT 41
paribhta im gthm
agyata nardhamai
ptayadbhi sva dharma-stho
dhtim sthya sttvikm
paribhtainsulted; immthis; gthmsong; agyatahe sang;
nara-adhamaiby low-class men; ptayadbhiwho were trying to
make him fall down; sva-dharmain his own duty; stharemaining
firm; dhtimhis resolution; sthyafixing; sttvikmin the mode of
goodness.
Even while being insulted by these low-class men who were trying to
effect his downfall, he remained steady in his spiritual duties. Fixing
his resolution in the mode of goodness, he began to chant the following
song.
Resolution in the mode of goodness is described in Bhagavad-gt (18.33):
dhty yay dhrayate
mana-prendriya-kriy
yogenvyabhicriy
dhti s prtha sttvik
"O son of Pth, that determination which is unbreakable, which is
sustained with steadfastness by yoga practice, and thus controls the mind,
life and the acts of the senses, is in the mode of goodness."
Atheists who are envious of the devotees of the Supreme Lord are called
nardhamas, or the lowest of men, and undoubtedly are enroute to hell.
By all means at their disposal they disturb the devotional service of the

1095

Lord, sometimes by direct attack and sometimes by mockery. The

devotees, however, remain tolerant, fixing their determination in the
mode of goodness. As described by rla Rpa Gosvm in r
Upademta (1),
vco vega manasa krodha-vega
jihv-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etn vegn yo viaheta dhra
sarvm apm pthiv sa iyt
"A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands,
the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is
qualified to make disciples all over the world."
TEXT 42
dvija uvca
nya jano me sukha-dukha-hetur
na devattm graha-karma-kl
mana para kraam mananti
sasra-cakra parivartayed yat
dvija uvcathe brhmaa said; nanot; ayamthese; janapeople;
memy; sukhaof happiness; dukhaand distress; hetuthe cause;
nanor; devatthe demigods; tmmy own body; grahathe
controlling planets; karmamy past work; klor time; manathe
mind; paramrather only; kraathe cause; manantiis called by
standard authorities; sasraof material life; cakramthe cycle;
parivartayetcauses to rotate; yatwhich.
The brhmaa said: These people are not the cause of my happiness
and distress. Neither are the demigods, my own body, the planets, my
past work, or time. Rather, it is the mind alone that causes happiness
and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life.
TEXT 43
mano gun vai sjate balyas
tata ca karmi vilakani
uklni kny atha lohitni

1096

tebhya sa-var stayo bhavanti

manathe mind; gunthe activities of the modes of nature; vai
indeed; sjatemanifests; balyavery strong; tataby those qualities;
caand; karmimaterial activities; vilakaniof different varieties;
uklniwhite (in the mode of goodness); kniblack (in the mode of
ignorance); athaand; lohitnired (in the mode of passion); tebhya
from those activities; sa-varhaving the same corresponding colors;
stayacreated conditions; bhavantiarise.
The powerful mind actuates the functions of the material modes, from
which evolve the different kinds of material activities in the modes of
goodness, ignorance and passion. From the activities in each of these
modes develop the corresponding statuses of life.
In the mode of goodness one considers oneself to be a saintly or wise
person, in the mode of passion one struggles for material success, and in
the mode of ignorance one becomes cruel, lazy and sinful. By the
combination of the material modes one identifies oneself as a demigod, a
king, a rich capitalist, a wise scholar, etc. These conceptions are material
designations generated from the modes of nature, and they arrange
themselves according to the tendency of the powerful mind to enjoy
temporary sense gratification. The word balyas in this verse, meaning
"very strong," indicates that the material mind becomes insensitive to
intelligent advice. Even if we are informed that we are committing many
sins and offenses in order to earn money, we may still think that money
should be acquired at all costs, since without it one can neither perform
religious ceremonies nor gratify the senses with beautiful women,
mansions and vehicles. Once the money is achieved, one suffers further
problems, but the stubborn mind will never heed good advice in this
regard. One must therefore give up mental concoction and control the
mind in Ka consciousness, as exemplified here by the brhmaa from
Avant.
TEXT 44
anha tm manas samhat
hira-mayo mat-sakha udvicae
mana sva-liga parighya kmn
juan nibaddho gua-sagato 'sau

1097

anhanot endeavoring; tmthe Supreme Soul; manasalong with

the mind; samhatwhich is struggling; hira-mayaexhibiting
transcendental enlightenment; mat-sakhamy friend; udvicaelooks
down from above; manathe mind; sva-lingamwhich projects the
image of the material world upon him (the soul); parighyaembracing;
kmnobjects of desire; juanengaging with; nibaddhabecomes
bound; gua-sagatabecause of association with the modes of nature;
asauthat infinitesimal spirit soul.
Although present along with the struggling mind within the material
body, the Supersoul is not endeavoring, because He is already endowed
with transcendental enlightenment. Acting as my friend, He simply
witnesses from His transcendental position. I, the infinitesimal spirit
soul, on the other hand, have embraced this mind, which is the mirror
reflecting the image of the material world. Thus I have become engaged
in enjoying objects of desire and am entangled due to contact with the
modes of nature.
TEXT 45
dna sva-dharmo niyamo yama ca
ruta ca karmi ca sad-vratni
sarve mano-nigraha-lakant
paro hi yogo manasa samdhi
dnamgiving of charity; sva-dharmacarrying out one's prescribed
duties; niyamathe regulations of day-to-day life; yamathe major
regulations of spiritual practice; caand; rutamlistening to scripture;
caand; karmipious work; caand; satpure; vratnivows;
sarveall; mana-nigrahathe subduing of the mind; lakaa
consisting of; anttheir aim; parasupreme; hiindeed; yoga
transcendental knowledge; manasaof the mind; samdhimeditation
on the Supreme in trance.
Charity, prescribed duties, observance of major and minor regulative
principles, hearing from scripture, pious works and purifying vows all
have as their final aim the subduing of the mind. Indeed, concentration
of the mind on the Supreme is the highest yoga.

1098

TEXT 46
samhita yasya mana pranta
dndibhi ki vada tasya ktyam
asayata yasya mano vinayad
dndibhi ced apara kim ebhi
samhitamperfectly fixed; yasyawhose; manamind; prantam
pacified; dna-dibhiby charity and the other processes; kimwhat;
vadaplease tell; tasyaof those processes; ktyamuse; asayatam
uncontrolled; yasyawhose; manamind; vinayatdissolving; dnadibhiby these processes of charity and so on; cetif; aparam
further; kimwhat use; ebhiof these.
If one's mind is perfectly fixed and pacified, then tell me what need
does one have to perform ritualistic charity and other pious rituals?
And if one's mind remains uncontrolled, lost in ignorance, then of what
use are these engagements for him?
TEXT 47
mano-vae 'nye hy abhavan sma dev
mana ca nnyasya vaa sameti
bhmo hi deva sahasa sahyn
yujyd vae ta sa hi deva-deva
manaof the mind; vaeunder the control; anyeothers; hiindeed;
abhavanhave become; smain the past; devthe senses (represented
by their presiding deities); manathe mind; caand; nanever;
anyasyaof another; vaamunder the control; sameticomes;
bhmafearsome; hiindeed; devathe godlike power; sahasa
than the strongest; sahynstronger; yujytcan fix; vaeunder
control; tamthat mind; sasuch a person; hiindeed; deva-deva
the master of all the senses.
All the senses have been under the control of the mind since time
immemorial, and the mind himself never comes under the sway of any
other. He is stronger than the strongest, and his godlike power is
fearsome. Therefore, anyone who can bring the mind under control
becomes the master of all the senses.

1099

TEXT 48
tam durjaya atrum asahya-vegam
arun-tuda tan na vijitya kecit
kurvanty asad-vigraham atra martyair
mitry udsna-ripn vimh
tamthat; durjayamdifficult to conquer; atrumenemy; asahya
intolerable; vegamwhose urges; arum-tudamcapable of tormenting the
heart; tattherefore; na vijityafailing to conquer over; kecitsome
people; kurvantithey create; asatuseless; vigrahamquarrel; atrain
this world; martyaiwith mortal living beings; mitrifriends;
udsnaindifferent persons; ripnand rivals; vimhcompletely
bewildered.
Failing to conquer this irrepressible enemy, the mind, whose urges are
intolerable and who torments the heart, many people are completely
bewildered and create useless quarrel with others. Thus they conclude
that other people are either their friends, their enemies or parties
indifferent to them.
Falsely identifying oneself as the material body, and accepting bodily
expansions such as children and grandchildren to be one's eternal
property, one completely forgets that every living being is qualitatively
one with God. There is no essential difference between one individual
being and another, since all are eternal expansions of the Supreme Lord.
The mind absorbed in false ego creates the material body, and by
identification with the body, the conditioned soul is overwhelmed by false
pride and ignorance, as described here.
TEXT 49
deha mano-mtram ima ghtv
mamham ity andha-dhiyo manuy
eo 'ham anyo 'yam iti bhramea
duranta-pre tamasi bhramanti
dehamthe material body; mana-mtramcoming simply from the
mind; imamthis; ghtvhaving accepted; mamamine; ahamI;
itithus; andhablinded; dhiyatheir intelligence; manuyhuman
beings; eathis; ahamI am; anyasomeone else; ayamthis is;

1100

itithus; bhrameaby the illusion; duranta-preunsurpassable;

tamasiwithin the darkness; bhramantithey wander.
Persons who identify with this body, which is simply the product of the
material mind, are blinded in their intelligence, thinking in terms of "I"
and "mine." Because of their illusion of "this is I, but that is someone
else," they wander in endless darkness.
TEXT 50
janas tu hetu sukha-dukhayo cet
kim tmana ctra hi bhaumayos tat
jihv kvacit sandaati sva-dadbhis
tad-vedany katamya kupyet
janathese people; tubut; hetuthe cause; sukha-dukhayoof my
happiness and distress; cetif; kimwhat; tmanafor the self; ca
and; atrain this conception; hiindeed; bhaumayothey pertain to
the material bodies; tatthat (status of being the performer and the
sufferer); jihvmthe tongue; kvacitsometimes; sandaatiis bitten;
svaby one's own; dadbhiteeth; tatof that; vedanymin the
distress; katamyawith whom; kupyetcan one get angry.
If you say that these people are the cause of my happiness and distress,
then where is the place of the soul in such a conception? This happiness
and distress pertain not to the soul but to the interactions of material
bodies. If someone bites his tongue with his own teeth, at whom can he
become angry in his suffering?
Although bodily pleasure and pain are felt by the soul, one must tolerate
such duality, understanding it to be a creation of one's own material
mind. If one accidentally bites his own tongue or lip, he cannot become
angry and pull out his own teeth. Similarly, all living beings are individual
parts and parcels of God, and thus nondifferent from each other. All of
them are meant to serve the Supreme Lord in spiritual equality. If the
living beings give up their master's service and instead quarrel among
themselves, they will be forced to suffer by the laws of nature. If the
conditioned souls establish artificial relationships of affection based on
the material body and having nothing to do with God, then time itself will
destroy such relationships, and they will be subjected to further suffering.

1101

But if the individual living entities understand each other to be of the

same family, all having connection with the Supreme Lord, their mutual
friendship will develop. Thus one should not exhibit anger that will be
harmful to oneself and others. Although the brhmaa was receiving kind
offerings of charity from some people and being harassed and beaten by
others, he denied that these people were the ultimate cause of his
happiness and distress, for he was fixed on the platform of self-realization
beyond the material body and mind.
TEXT 51
dukhasya hetur yadi devats tu
kim tmanas tatra vikrayos tat
yad agam agena nihanyate kvacit
krudhyeta kasmai purua sva-dehe
dukhasyaof suffering; hetuthe cause; yadiif; devatthe
demigods (who rule over the different senses within the body); tubut;
kimwhat; tmanafor the soul; tatrain that connection;
vikrayowhich pertain to the transformable (senses and their deities);
tatthat (acting and being acted upon); yatwhen; agama limb;
agenaby another limb; nihanyateis hurt; kvacitever; krudhyeta
should become angry; kasmaiat whom; puruathe living entity; svadehewithin his own body.
If you say that the demigods who rule the bodily senses cause suffering,
still, how can such suffering apply to the spirit soul? This acting and
being acted upon are merely interactions of the changeable senses and
their presiding deities. When one limb of the body attacks another,
with whom can the person in that body be angry?
The brhmaa is elaborately explaining the condition of self-realization, in
which one understands oneself to be totally distinct from the material
body and mind and the demigods who control them. By cultivating bodily
happiness we are forced to accept bodily pain. Foolish conditioned souls
endeavor to eliminate distress and enjoy happiness, but material
happiness and distress are two sides of the same coin. One cannot relish
bodily happiness without identifying oneself as the body. But as soon as
such identification occurs, one is harassed by the innumerable pains and
sufferings also inevitably present within the same body. Bodily happiness

1102

and distress are administered by the demigods, who can never be brought
under our control; thus one remains subject to the whims of providence
on the material platform. If, however, one surrenders to the Personality of
Godhead, Lord Ka, the reservoir of all pleasure, one can reach the
spiritual platform, where transcendental bliss enlivens the liberated souls
without any interrupting anxiety or unhappiness.
TEXT 52
tm yadi syt sukha-dukha-hetu
kim anyatas tatra nija-svabhva
na hy tmano 'nyad yadi tan m syt
krudhyeta kasmn na sukha na dukham
tmthe soul himself; yadiif; sytshould be; sukha-dukhaof
happiness and distress; hetuthe cause; kimwhat; anyataother;
tatrain that theory; nijahis own; svabhvanature; nanot; hi
indeed; tmanathan the soul; anyatanything separate; yadiif; tat
that; mfalse; sytwould be; krudhyetaone can become angry;
kasmtat whom; nathere is no; sukhamhappiness; nanor;
dukhammisery.
If the soul himself were the cause of happiness and distress, then we
could not blame others, since happiness and distress would be simply
the nature of the soul. According to this theory, nothing except the soul
actually exists, and if we were to perceive something besides the soul,
that would be illusion. Therefore, since happiness and distress do not
actually exist in this concept, why become angry at oneself or others?
Because a dead body does not feel pleasure or pain, our happiness and
distress are due to our own consciousness, which is the nature of the soul.
It is not, however, the original function of the soul to enjoy material
happiness and suffer material distress. These are produced by ignorant
material affection and enmity based on false ego. Our involvement in
sense gratification drags our consciousness into the material body, where
it is shocked by the inevitable bodily pains and problems.
On the spiritual platform there is neither material happiness nor distress
because there the living consciousness is fully engaged, without personal
desire, in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. This is the actual
position of happiness, aloof from false bodily identification. Rather than

1103

uselessly becoming enraged with others for one's own foolishness, one
should take to self-realization and solve the problems of life.
TEXT 53
grah nimitta sukha-dukhayo cet
kim tmano 'jasya janasya te vai
grahair grahasyaiva vadanti p
krudhyeta kasmai puruas tato 'nya
grahthe controlling planets; nimittamthe immediate cause; sukhadukhayoof happiness and distress; cetif; kimwhat; tmanafor
the soul; ajasyawho is unborn; janasyaof that which is born; te
those planets; vaiindeed; grahaiby other planets; grahasyaof a
planet; evaonly; vadanti(expert astrologers) say; pmsuffering;
krudhyetashould become angry; kasmaiat whom; puruathe living
entity; tatafrom that material body; anyadistinct.
And if we examine the hypothesis that the planets are the immediate
cause of suffering and happiness, then also where is the relationship
with the soul, who is eternal? After all, the effect of the planets applies
only to things that have taken birth. Expert astrologers have moreover
explained how the planets are only causing pain to each other.
Therefore, since the living entity is distinct from these planets and from
the material body, against whom should he vent his anger?
TEXT 54
karmstu hetu sukha-dukhayo cet
kim tmanas tad dhi jajaatve
dehas tv acit puruo 'ya supara
krudhyeta kasmai na hi karma mlam
karmaone's fruitive activities; astuhypothetically granted; hetuthe
cause; sukha-dukhayoof happiness and distress; cetif; kimwhat;
tmanafor the soul; tatthat karma; hicertainly; jaa-ajaatvein
being both material and not material; dehathe body; tuon the one
hand; acitnot living; puruathe person; ayamthis; su-para
endowed with living consciousness; krudhyetaone should become
angry; kasmaiat whom; naare not; hicertainly; karmafruitive
activities; mlamthe root cause.

1104

If we assume that fruitive work is the cause of happiness and distress,

we still are not dealing with the soul. The idea of material work arises
when there is a spiritual actor who is conscious and a material body
that undergoes the transformation of happiness and distress as a
reaction to such work. Since the body has no life, it cannot be the actual
recipient of happiness and distress, nor can the soul, who is ultimately
completely spiritual and aloof from the material body. Since karma thus
has no ultimate basis in either the body or the soul, at whom can one
become angry?
The material body is composed of earth, water, fire and air, just like
bricks, stones and other objects. Our consciousness, falsely absorbed in
the body, experiences happiness and distress, and fruitive work (karma) is
performed when we falsely consider ourselves to be the enjoyers of the
material world. False ego is thus the illusory combination within our
minds of the self and the body, which are actually two separate objects.
Since karma, or material work, is based on illusory consciousness, these
activities are also illusory and have no factual basis in either the body or
the soul. When a conditioned soul falsely considers himself to be the
body, and consequently the enjoyer of the material world, he tries to find
pleasure in illicit connection with women. Such sinful activity is based on
his false concept of being the body and thus the enjoyer of women and of
the world. Since he is not the body, his activity of enjoying a woman does
not actually exist. There is merely the interaction of two machines,
namely the two bodies, and the interaction of the illusory consciousness
of the man and woman. The sensation of illicit sex occurs within the
material body and is falsely assimilated by the false ego as its own
experience. Thus the miserable or pleasurable reactions of karma
ultimately act upon the false ego and not upon the body, which is
composed of dull matter, nor upon the soul, which has nothing to do with
matter. False ego is the illusory concoction of the mind; it is specifically
this false ego that is suffering happiness and distress. The soul cannot
become angry at others, since he is not personally enjoying or suffering.
Rather, the false ego is doing this.
TEXT 55
klas tu hetu sukha-dukhayo cet
kim tmanas tatra tad-tmako 'sau
ngner hi tpo na himasya tat syt

1105

krudhyeta kasmai na parasya dvandvam

klatime; tubut; hetuthe cause; sukha-dukhayoof happiness
and distress; cetif; kimwhat; tmanafor the soul; tatrain that
idea; tat-tmakabased on time; asauthe soul; nanot; agnefrom
fire; hiindeed; tpaburning; nanot; himasyaof snow; tatthat;
sytbecomes; krudhyetashould become angry; kasmaiat whom;
nathere is not; parasyafor the transcendental soul; dvandvam
duality.
If we accept time as the cause of happiness and distress, that experience
still cannot apply to the spirit soul, since time is a manifestation of the
Lord's spiritual potency and the living entities are also expansions of
the Lord's spiritual potency manifesting through time. Certainly a fire
does not burn its own flames or sparks, nor does the cold harm its own
snowflakes or hail. In fact, the spirit soul is transcendental and beyond
the experience of material happiness and distress. At whom, therefore,
should one become angry?
The material body is dull matter and does not experience happiness,
distress or anything else. Because the spirit soul is completely
transcendental, he should fix his consciousness on the transcendental
Lord, who is beyond material happiness and distress. It is only when
transcendental consciousness falsely identifies with dull matter that the
living entity imagines he is enjoying and suffering in the material world.
This illusory identification of consciousness with matter is called false ego
and is the cause of material existence.
TEXT 56
na kenacit kvpi kathacansya
dvandvoparga parata parasya
yathhama sasti-rpia syd
eva prabuddho na bibheti bhtai
nathere is not; kenacitby the agency of anyone; kva apianywhere;
kathacanaby any means; asyafor him, the soul; dvandvaof the
duality (of happiness and distress); upargathe influence; parata
parasyawho is transcendental to material nature; yathin the same
way as; ahamafor the false ego; sastito material existence;

1106

rpiawhich give shape; sytarises; evamthus; prabuddhaone

whose intelligence is awakened; na bibhetidoes not fear; bhtaion
the basis of material creation.
The false ego gives shape to illusory material existence and thus
experiences material happiness and distress. The spirit soul, however,
is transcendental to material nature; he can never actually be affected
by material happiness and distress in any place, under any
circumstance or by the agency of any person. A person who
understands this has nothing whatsoever to fear from the material
creation.
The brhmaa has refuted six specific explanations of the happiness and
distress of the living entity, and now he refutes any other explanation that
might be given. On the basis of false ego, the bodily covering factually
overwhelms the spirit soul, and thus one falsely enjoys and suffers that
which has no real relationship with oneself. One who can understand this
sublime teaching of the brhmaa, spoken by the Lord to Uddhava, will
never again suffer the terrible anxiety of fear within the material world.
TEXT 57
et sa sthya partma-nihm
adhysit prvatamair maharibhi
aha tariymi duranta-pra
tamo mukundghri-nievayaiva
etmthis; sasuch; sthyabecoming completely fixed in; paratma-nihmdevotion to the Supreme Person, Ka; adhysitm
worshiped; prva-tamaiby previous; mah-ibhicryas; ahamI;
tariymishall cross over; duranta-pramthe insurmountable;
tamathe ocean of nescience; mukunda-aghriof the lotus feet of
Mukunda; nievayby worship; evacertainly.
I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly
fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Ka. This was approved by the
previous cryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord,
Paramtm, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This verse is quoted by Kadsa Kavirja in his Caitanya-caritmta
(Madhya 3.6). rla Prabhupda comments as follows. "In connection

1107

with this verse, which is a quotation from rmad-Bhgavatam (11.23.57),

rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura says that of the sixty-four items
required for rendering devotional service, acceptance of the symbolic
marks of sannysa is a regulative principle. If one accepts the sannysa
order, his main business is to devote his life completely to the service of
Mukunda, Ka. If one does not completely devote his mind and body to
the service of the Lord, he does not actually become a sannys. It is not
simply a matter of changing dress. In Bhagavad-gt (6.1) it is also stated,
anrita karma-phala krya karma karoti ya/ sa sannys ca yog ca:
one who works devotedly for the satisfaction of Ka is a sannys. The
dress is not sannysa, but the attitude of service to Ka is.
"The word partma-nih means being a devotee of Lord Ka. Partm,
the Supreme Person, is Ka. vara parama ka sac-cid-nandavigraha [Bs. 5.1]. Those who are completely dedicated to the lotus feet of
Ka in service are actually sannyss. As a matter of formality, the
devotee accepts the sannysa dress as previous cryas did. He also
accepts the three daas. Later Viu Svm considered that accepting the
dress of a tri-da was partma-nih. Therefore sincere devotees add
another daa, the jva-daa, to the three existing daas. The Vaiava
sannys is known as a tridai-sannys. The Myvd sannys accepts
only one daa, not understanding the purpose of tri-daa. Later, many
persons in the community of iva Svm gave up the tma-nih
(devotional service) of the Lord and followed the path of akarcrya.
Instead of accepting 108 names, those in the iva Svm sampradya
follow the path of akarcrya and accept the ten names of sannysa.
Although r Caitanya Mahprabhu accepted the then-existing order of
sannysa (namely eka-daa), He still recited a verse from rmadBhgavatam about the tridaa-sannysa accepted by the brhmaa of
Avantpura. Indirectly He declared that within that ekadaa (one daa),
four daas existed as one. Accepting ekadaa sannysa without
partma-nih (devotional service to Lord Ka) is not acceptable to r
Caitanya Mahprabhu. In addition, according to the exact regulative
principles, one should add the jva-daa to the tri-daa. These four
daas, bound together as one, are symbolic of unalloyed devotional
service to the Lord. Because the ekadai-sannyss of the Myvda
school are not devoted to the service of Ka, they try to merge into the
Brahman effulgence, which is a marginal position between material and
spiritual existence. They accept this impersonal position as liberation.

1108

Myvd sannyss, not knowing that r Caitanya Mahprabhu was a trida, think of Caitanya Mahprabhu as an ekadai-sannys. This is due
to their vivarta, bewilderment. In rmad-Bhgavatam there is no such
thing as an ekadai-sannys; indeed, the tridai-sannys is accepted as
the symbolic representation of the sannysa order. By citing this verse
from rmad-Bhgavatam, r Caitanya Mahprabhu accepted the sannysa
order recommended in rmad-Bhgavatam. The Myvd sannyss, who
are enamored of the external energy of the Lord, cannot understand the
mind of r Caitanya Mahprabhu.
"To date, all the devotees of r Caitanya Mahprabhu, following in His
footsteps, accept the sannysa order and keep the sacred thread and tuft of
unshaved hair. The ekadai-sannyss of the Myvd school give up the
sacred thread and do not keep any tuft of hair. Therefore they are unable
to understand the purport of tridaa-sannysa, and as such they are not
inclined to dedicate their lives to the service of Mukunda. They simply
think of merging into the existence of Brahman because of their disgust
with the material existence. The cryas who advocate the daivavarrama (the social order of ctur-varyam mentioned in Bhagavadgt) do not accept the proposition of sura-varrama, which maintains
that the social order of vara is indicated by birth.
"The most intimate devotee of r Caitanya Mahprabhu, namely
Gaddhara Paita, accepted the tridaa-sannysa and also accepted
Mdhava Updhyya as his tridai-sannys disciple. It is said that from
this Madhvcrya the sampradya known in western India as the
Vallabhcrya-sampradya has begun. rla Gopla Bhaa Vasu, who is
known as a smty-crya in the Gauya Vaiava-sampradya, later
accepted the tridaa-sannysa order from Tridaipda Prabodhnanda
Sarasvat. Although acceptance of tridaa-sannysa is not distinctly
mentioned in the Gauya Vaiava literature, the first verse of rla Rpa
Gosvm's Upademta advocates that one should accept the tridaasannysa order by controlling the six forces:
vco vega manasa krodha-vega
jihv-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etn vegn yo viaheta dhra
sarvm apm pthiv sa iyt
[NoI 1]
"One who can control the forces of speech, mind, anger, belly, tongue and

1109

genitals is known as a gosvm and is competent to accept disciples all

over the world.' The followers of r Caitanya Mahprabhu never accepted
the Myvda order of sannysa, and for this they cannot be blamed. r
Caitanya Mahprabhu accepted rdhara Svm, who was a tridaisannys, but the Myvd sannyss, not understanding rdhara Svm,
sometimes think that rdhara Svm belonged to the Myvda ekadaasannysa community. Actually this was not the case."
TEXT 58
r-bhagavn uvca
nirvidya naa-dravie gata-klama
pravrajya g paryaamna ittham
nirkto 'sadbhir api sva-dharmd
akampito 'm munir ha gthm
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; nirvidya
becoming detached; naa-draviehis wealth having been destroyed;
gata-klamafree from moroseness; pravrajyaleaving home; gmthe
earth; paryaamnatraveling; itthamin this way; nirktainsulted;
asadbhiby rascals; apieven though; sva-dharmtfrom his
prescribed duties; akampitaunswerved; ammthis; munithe sage;
haspoke; gthmsong.
Lord r Ka said: Thus becoming detached upon the loss of his
property, this sage gave up his moroseness. He left home, taking
sannysa, and began to travel about the earth. Even when insulted by
foolish rascals he remained unswerved from his duty and chanted this
song.
Those becoming free from the materialistic way of life, which involves
grueling austerities performed to acquire money, may chant the preceding
song of the Vaiava sannys. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
states that if one is not capable of listening to the song of this sannys,
then one will certainly remain an obedient servant of material illusion.
TEXT 59
sukha-dukha-prado nnya
puruasytma-vibhrama
mitrodsna-ripava

1110

sasras tamasa kta

sukha-dukha-pradagiver of happiness and distress; nathere is no;
anyaother; puruasyaof the soul; tmaof the mind; vibhrama
bewilderment; mitrafriends; udsnaindifferent parties; ripavaand
enemies; sasramaterial life; tamasaout of ignorance; kta
created.
No other force besides his own mental confusion makes the soul
experience happiness and distress. His perception of friends, neutral
parties and enemies and the whole material life he builds around this
perception are simply created out of ignorance.
Everyone is working hard to please their friends, defeat their enemies and
maintain the status quo with neutral parties. These relations are certainly
based on the material body and do not exist beyond the body's inevitable
demise. They are called ignorance, or material illusion.
TEXT 60
tasmt sarvtman tta
nigha mano dhiy
mayy veitay yukta
etvn yoga-sagraha
tasmttherefore; sarva-tmanin all respects; tta-My dear Uddhava;
nighabring under control; manathe mind; dhiy-with
intelligence; mayiin Me; veitaywhich is absorbed; yuktalinked
up; etvnthus; yoga-sagrahathe essence of spiritual practice.
My dear Uddhava, fixing your intelligence on Me, you should thus
completely control the mind. This is the essence of the science of yoga.
TEXT 61
ya et bhiku gt
brahma-nih samhita
dhraya chrvaya chvan
dvandvair naivbhibhyate
yawhoever; etmthis; bhikuby the sannys; gtmsung;

1111

brahmaknowledge of the Absolute; nihmbased upon; samhita

with full attention; dhrayanmeditating; rvayancausing others to
hear; vanhimself hearing; dvandvaiby dualities; nanever; eva
indeed; abhibhyatewill become overwhelmed.
Anyone who listens to or recites to others this song of the sannys,
which presents scientific knowledge of the Absolute, and who thus
meditates upon it with full attention, will never again be overwhelmed
by the dualities of material happiness and distress.
The Vaiava sannys took shelter of the devotional service of the Lord
and thus could overcome the illusory potency of his worshipable object,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He himself meditated upon and
heard this song, and also taught it to others. Having received the Lord's
mercy, he enlightened other conditioned souls with transcendental
intelligence so that they could also follow in the footsteps of the devotees
of the Lord. Religion actually means to become a pure devotee of the
Supreme Lord in loving service. Those who are trying to enjoy the
material world or merely renounce it to avoid personal inconvenience
cannot actually understand love of Godhead, in which the only objective
is the satisfaction of the Lord.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-third
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Song of the Avant
Brhmaa."

1112

24. The Philosophy of Skhya

In this chapter Lord Ka gives instruction how bewilderment of the

mind can be dispelled by the science of Skhya. Herein the Supreme
Lord again imparts to Uddhava instruction about the analysis of material
nature. By assimilating this knowledge the spirit soul can drive away his
confusion based on false dualities.
In the beginning of creation, the seer and seen are one and
indistinguishable. This Supreme Absolute Truth, one without a second
and inaccessible to words and mind, then separates into two-the seer,
which means consciousness or personality, and the seen, which means
substance or nature. The material nature, which comprises the three
modes of matter, is agitated by the controlling male factor. The mahattattva then becomes manifest together with the energies of consciousness
and activity. From these come the principle of false ego in its three
aspects of goodness, passion and ignorance. From false ego in the mode of
ignorance arise fifteen subtle forms of sense perception, followed by the
fifteen physical elements. From false ego in the mode of passion come the
ten senses, and from false ego in the mode of goodness come the mind
and the eleven demigods who preside over the senses. By the
conglomeration of all of these elements grows the universal egg, in the
midst of which the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the creating Lord
of the universe takes up residence in the role of indwelling Supersoul.
From the navel of this ultimate creator comes a lotus, upon which Brahma
takes birth. Lord Brahma, invested with the mode of passion, executes
austerities by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and on
the strength of these penances he is able to create all the planets of the
universe. The region of heaven is meant for the demigods, that of inner
space for ghostly spirits and that of the earth for human beings and
others. In the region above these three planetary systems are the places of
advanced sages, and in the lower worlds are those of the demons, Nga
serpents and so forth. The goals achieved by activities based on the three
modes of material nature are all within the three mortal worlds. The
destinations of yoga, severe austerity and the renounced order of life are

1113

the worlds known as Mahar, Janas, Tapas and Satya. The goal of
devotional service to the Supreme Lord, on the other hand, is the lotus
feet of the Personality of Godhead in His abode, Vaikuha. This universe
of material action and reaction is constituted under the control of time
and the three modes of material nature. Moreover, whatever exists in this
universe is simply the product of the combination of material nature and
her Lord. In the same way that creation proceeds gradually from the one
and supremely subtle to the multitudinous and very gross, the process of
annihilation proceeds from the grossest to the subtlest manifestation of
nature, leaving only the eternal spiritual substance. This ultimate Soul
remains situated within Himself, alone and without end. The mind of a
person who meditates on these ideas does not become bewildered by
material dualities. This science of Skhya, narrated in alternating
sequences of creation and annihilation, serves to cut off all doubts and
bondage.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
atha te sampravakymi
skhya prvair vinicitam
yad vijya pumn sadyo
jahyd vaikalpika bhramam
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; atha
now; teunto you; sampravakymiI shall speak; skhyamthe
knowledge of the evolution of the elements of creation; prvaiby
previous authorities; vinicitamascertained; yatwhich; vijya
knowing; pumna person; sadyaimmediately; jahytcan give up;
vaikalpikambased on false duality; bhramamthe illusion.
Lord r Ka said: Now I shall describe to you the science of Skhya,
which has been perfectly established by ancient authorities. By
understanding this science a person can immediately give up the
illusion of material duality.
In the previous chapter the Lord explained that one can give up material
duality by controlling the mind and fixing it in Ka consciousness. This
chapter describes the Skhya system, in which the difference between
matter and spirit is elaborately explained. By hearing this knowledge one

1114

can easily separate the mind from material contamination and fix it on the
spiritual platform in Ka consciousness. The Skhya philosophy
system mentioned here is that presented by Lord Kapila in the Third
Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam and not the atheistic Skhya presented later
by materialists and Myvds. The material elements, which emanate
from the potency of the Lord, evolve in a progressive sequence. One
should not foolishly think that such evolution begins from an original
material element without the assistance of the Lord. This speculative
theory is generated from the false ego of conditioned life and constitutes
gross ignorance, unacceptable to the Personality of Godhead and His
followers.
TEXT 2
sj jnam atho artha
ekam evvikalpitam
yad viveka-nipu
dau kta-yuge 'yuge
stthere existed; jnamthe seer; atha uthus; arthathe seen;
ekamone; evasimply; avikalpitamundifferentiated; yadwhen;
vivekain discrimination; nipupersons who were expert; dauin
the beginning; kta-yugein the age of purity; ayugeand before that,
during the time of annihilation.
Originally, during the Kta-yuga, when all men were very expert in
spiritual discrimination, and also previous to that, during the period of
annihilation, the seer existed alone, nondifferent from the seen object.
Kta-yuga is the first age, also known as Satya-yuga, in which knowledge,
being perfect, is not different from its object. In modern society,
knowledge is highly speculative and constantly changing. There is often a
vast difference between people's theoretical ideas and actual reality. In
Satya-yuga, however, people are viveka-nipu, or expert in intelligent
discrimination, and thus there is no difference between their vision and
reality. In Satya-yuga, the population in general is self-realized. Seeing
everything as the potency of the Supreme Lord, they do not artificially
create duality between themselves and other living entities. This is a
further aspect of the oneness of Satya-yuga. At the time of annihilation,
everything merges to rest within the Lord, and at that time also there is no

1115

difference between the Lord, who becomes the only seer, and the objects
of knowledge, which are contained within the Lord. The liberated living
entities in the eternal spiritual world are never subject to such merging
but remain forever undisturbed in their spiritual forms. Because they are
voluntarily one with the Lord in love, their abode is never annihilated.
TEXT 3
tan my-phala-rpea
kevala nirvikalpitam
v-mano-'gocara satya
dvidh samabhavad bhat
tatthat (Supreme); myof the material nature; phalaand the
enjoyer of its manifestations; rpeain the two forms; kevalamone;
nirvikalpitamnondifferentiated; vkto speech; manaand the mind;
agocaraminaccessible; satyamtrue; dvidhtwofold; samabhavatHe
became; bhatthe Absolute Truth.
That one Absolute Truth, remaining free from material dualities and
inaccessible to ordinary speech and mind, divided Himself into two
categoriesthe material nature and the living entities who are trying to
enjoy the manifestations of that nature.
Both material nature and the living entity are potencies of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 4
tayor ekataro hy artha
prakti sobhaytmik
jna tv anyatamo bhva
purua so 'bhidhyate
tayoof the two; ekataraone; hiindeed; arthaentity; prakti
nature; sshe; ubhaya-tmikconsisting of both the subtle causes and
their manifest products; jnam(who possesses) consciousness; tu
and; anyatamathe other; bhvaentity; puruathe living soul;
sahe; abhidhyateis called.
Of these two categories of manifestation, one is material nature, which
embodies both the subtle causes and manifests products of matter. The

1116

other is the conscious living entity, designated as the enjoyer.

According to rla Jva Gosvm, prakti here refers to the subtle pradhna,
which later becomes manifest as mahat-tattva.
TEXT 5
tamo raja sattvam iti
prakter abhavan gu
may prakobhyamy
purunumatena ca
tamaignorance; rajapassion; sattvamgoodness; itithus;
praktefrom nature; abhavanbecame manifest; guthe modes;
mayby Me; prakobhyamywho was being agitated; puruaof
the living entity; anumatenain order to fulfill the desires; caand.
When material nature was agitated by My glance, the three material
modesgoodness, passion and ignorancebecame manifest to fulfill
the pending desires of the conditioned souls.
The Lord casts His glance over material nature to remind her that the
conditioned souls have not worked out their chain of fruitive activity and
mental speculation and that creation is therefore again necessary. The
Lord desires that the conditioned souls get the opportunity to become
Ka conscious in love of Godhead by understanding the futility of life
without the Lord. The modes of nature arise after the glance of the Lord
and become inimical to one another, each mode attempting to conquer
the other two. There is constant competition between birth, maintenance
and annihilation. Although a child desires to take birth, the cruel mother
may desire to kill the child through abortion. Although we may desire to
kill the weeds in a field, they stubbornly take birth again and again.
Similarly, we often desire to maintain our physical status quo, but still
deterioration sets in. Thus there is constant competition among the
modes of nature, and by their combinations and permutations the living
entities try to enjoy innumerable material situations without Ka
consciousness. The word purunumatena indicates that the Lord sets the
stage for such material futility so that the conditioned souls will
eventually come back home, back to Godhead.

1117

TEXT 6
tebhya samabhavat stra
mahn strea sayuta
tato vikurvato jto
yo 'hakro vimohana
tebhyafrom those modes; samabhavatarose; stramthe first
transformation of nature, endowed with the potency of activity; mahn
primeval nature endowed with the potency of knowledge; streawith
this stra-tattva; sayta-conjoined; tatafrom the mahat; vikurvatatransforming; jtawas generated; yawhich; ahakrafalse ego;
vimohanathe cause of bewilderment.
From these modes arose the primeval stra, along with the mahattattva. By the transformation of the mahat-tattva was generated the false
ego, the cause of the living entities' bewilderment.
According to rla rdhara Svm, stra is the first transformation of
material nature that manifests the potency of activity, and it is
accompanied by the mahat-tattva, which is endowed with the potency of
knowledge. In the material world, one's real knowledge is covered by
fruitive activity and mental speculation. As one's devotional service to the
Lord slackens, these two tendencies grow automatically, just as the
diminishing of light automatically brings an increase in darkness.
TEXT 7
vaikrikas taijasa ca
tmasa cety aha tri-vt
tan-mtrendriya-manas
kraa cid-acin-maya
vaikrikain the mode of goodness; taijasain the mode of passion;
caand; tmasain the mode of ignorance; caalso; itithus; aham
false ego; tri-vtin three categories; tat-mtraof the subtle forms of
sense objects; indriyaof the senses; manasmand of the mind;
kraamthe cause; cit-acitboth spirit and matter; maya
encompassing.
False ego, which is the cause of physical sensation, the senses, and the
mind, encompasses both spirit and matter and manifests, in three

1118

varieties: in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.

The word cid-acin-maya, "encompassing both spirit and matter," is
significant in this regard. The false ego is the illusory combination of the
eternal conscious soul and the temporary unconscious body. Because the
spirit soul desires to exploit illicitly the creation of God, he is bewildered
by the three modes of nature and assumes an illusory identity within the
material world. Struggling to enjoy, he becomes more and more entangled
in the complexities of illusion and only increases his anxiety. This
hopeless situation can be overcome by taking to pure Ka
consciousness, in which the pleasure of the Supreme Lord becomes the
only goal of one's life.
TEXT 8
arthas tan-mtrikj jaje
tmasd indriyi ca
taijasd devat sann
ekdaa ca vaiktt
arthathe gross elements; tat-mtriktfrom the subtle sensations
(which themselves are derived from false ego in the mode of goodness);
jajebecame generated; tmastfrom false ego in the mode of
ignorance; indriyithe senses; caand; taijastfrom false ego in the
mode of passion; devatthe demigods; sanarose; ekdaaeleven;
caand; vaikttfrom false ego in the mode of goodness.
From false ego in the mode of ignorance came the subtle physical
perceptions, from which the gross elements were generated. From false
ego in the mode of passion came the senses, and from false ego in the
mode of goodness arose the eleven demigods.
From false ego in the mode of ignorance, sound is generated along with
the sense of hearing to receive it and the sky as its medium. Next, the
sensation of touch, air and the sense of touch are generated, and thus
from subtle to gross all of the elements and their perceptions are
generated. The senses, because they are busily engaged in activity, are
created from false ego in the mode of passion. From false ego in goodness
come eleven demigods: the deities of the directions, the wind and the sun,
Varua, the Avin deities, Agni, Indra, Upendra, Mitra, Brahm and

1119

Candra.
TEXT 9
may sacodit bhv
sarve sahatya-kria
aam utpdaym sur
mamyatanam uttamam
mayby Me; sacoditimpelled; bhvelements; sarveall;
sahatyaby amalgamation; kriafunctioning; aamthe egg of
the universe; utpdaym suthey brought into being; mamaMy;
yatanamresidence; uttamamsuperior.
Impelled by Me, all these elements combined to function in an orderly
fashion and together gave birth to the universal egg, which is My
excellent place of residence.
TEXT 10
tasminn aha samabhavam
ae salila-sasthitau
mama nbhym abht padma
vivkhya tatra ctma-bh
tasminwithin that; ahamI; samabhavamappeared; aein the egg
of the universe; salilain the water of the Causal Ocean; sasthitau
which was situated; mamaMy; nbhymfrom the navel; abhtarose;
padmama lotus; viva-khyamknown as universal; tatrain that; ca
and; tma-bhself-born Brahm.
I Myself appeared within that egg, which was floating on the causal
water, and from My navel arose the universal lotus, the birthplace of
self-born Brahm.
The Supreme Lord here describes His appearance in His transcendental
pastime form of r Nryaa. Lord Nryaa enters within the universe
but does not give up His purely transcendental body of knowledge and
bliss. Lord Brahm, however, born from the Lord's navel lotus, has a
material body. Although Lord Brahm is the most powerful mystic, his
body, which pervades all material existence, is material, whereas the body

1120

of the Supreme Lord Hari, Nryaa, is always transcendental.

TEXT 11
so 'sjat tapas yukto
rajas mad-anugraht
lokn sa-pln vivtm
bhr bhuva svar iti tridh
sahe, Brahm; asjatcreated; tapasby his austerity; yukta
endowed; rajaswith the potency of the mode of passion; matMy;
anugrahtbecause of the mercy; loknthe different planets; sa-pln
along with their presiding demigods; vivaof the universe; tmthe
soul; bh bhuva sva iticalled Bhr, Bhuvar and Svar; tridhthree
divisions.
Lord Brahm, the soul of the universe, being endowed with the mode of
passion, performed great austerities by My mercy and thus created the
three planetary divisions, called Bhr, Bhuvar and Svar, along with
their presiding deities.
TEXT 12
devnm oka st svar
bhtn ca bhuva padam
martydn ca bhr loka
siddhn tritayt param
devnmof the demigods; okathe home; stbecame; sva
heaven; bhtnmof ghostly spirits; caand; bhuvaBhuvar; padam
the place; martya-dnmof ordinary mortal humans and other beings;
caand; bh lokathe planet called Bhr; siddhnm(the place) of
those striving for liberation; tritaytthese three divisions; param
beyond.
Heaven was established as the residence of the demigods, Bhuvarloka as
that of the ghostly spirits, and the earth system as the place of human
beings and other mortal creatures. Those mystics who strive for
liberation are promoted beyond these three divisions.
Planets such as Indraloka and Candraloka are meant for the heavenly

1121

enjoyment of the most pious fruitive workers. The highest four planets,
however, Satyaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, are meant for
those who are most perfectly endeavoring for liberation. Caitanya
Mahprabhu is so inconceivably merciful that He is promoting the most
fallen victims of Kali-yuga beyond these four planets and even beyond
Vaikuha, to the supreme planet of Lord Ka in the spiritual sky, called
Goloka Vndvana. rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura explains that
heaven is the residence of the demigods, the earth is the residence of the
human beings, and in between is a temporary residence for both classes of
beings.
TEXT 13
adho 'sur ngn
bhmer oko 'sjat prabhu
tri-loky gataya sarv
karma tri-gutmanm
adhabelow; asurmof the demons; ngnmof the celestial
snakes; bhmefrom the earth; okathe residence; asjatcreated;
prabhuLord Brahm; tri-lokymof the three worlds; gatayathe
destinations; sarvall; karmamof fruitive activities; tri-guatmanmpartaking of the three modes.
Lord Brahm created the region below the earth for the demons and the
Nga snakes. In this way the destinations of the three worlds were
arranged as the corresponding reactions for different kinds of work
performed within the three modes of nature.
TEXT 14
yogasya tapasa caiva
nysasya gatayo 'mal
mahar janas tapa satya
bhakti-yogasya mad-gati
yogasyaof mystic yoga; tapasaof great austerity; caand; eva
certainly; nysasyaof the renounced order of life; gatayathe
destinations; amalspotless; mahaMahar; janaJanas; tapa
Tapas; satyamSatya; bhakti-yogasyaof devotional service; matMy;
gatidestination.

1122

By mystic yoga, great austerities and the renounced order of life, the
pure destinations of Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka are
attained. But by devotional yoga, one achieves My transcendental
abode.
rla Jva Gosvm explains that the word tapasa in this verse refers to
austerities performed by brahmacrs and vnaprasthas. A brahmacr who
practices celibacy perfectly in some particular stage of his life achieves
Maharloka, and one who perfectly practices lifelong celibacy achieves
Janaloka. By perfect execution of vnaprastha one may achieve Tapoloka,
and one in the renounced order of life goes to Satyaloka. These different
destinations certainly depend on one's seriousness in the yoga system. In
the Third Canto of the Bhgavatam, Lord Brahm explains to the
demigods, "The inhabitants of Vaikuha travel in their airplanes made of
lapis lazuli, emeralds and gold. Although crowded by their consorts, who
have large hips and beautiful smiling faces, they cannot be stimulated to
passion by their mirth and beautiful charms." (SB 3.15.20) Thus in the
spiritual world, the kingdom of God, the inhabitants have absolutely no
desire for personal satisfaction, since they are completely satisfied in love
of Godhead. Because they only think of the Lord's pleasure, there is no
possibility of cheating, anxiety, lust, disappointment, and so on. As
described in Bhagavad-gt (18.62),
tam eva araa gaccha
sarva-bhvena bhrata
tat-prasdt parm nti
sthna prpsyasi vatam
"O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will
attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode."
TEXT 15
may kltman dhtr
karma-yuktam ida jagat
gua-pravha etasminn
unmajjati nimajjati
mayby Me; kla-tmanwho contains the energy of time; dhtr
the creator; karma-yuktamfull of fruitive activities; idamthis; jagat

1123

world; gua-pravhein the mighty current of the modes; etasminin

this; unmajjatione rises up; nimajjatione drowns.
All results of fruitive work have been arranged within this world by Me,
the supreme creator acting as the force of time. Thus one sometimes
rises up toward the surface of this mighty river of the modes of nature
and sometimes again submerges.
Unmajjati refers to one's promotion to the higher planetary systems, as
mentioned in previous verses, and nimajjati refers to being submerged in
a miserable condition of life by impious activities. In both cases one is
drowning within the mighty river of material existence, which carries one
far away from one's real home in the kingdom of God.
TEXT 16
aur bhat ka sthlo
yo yo bhva prasidhyati
sarvo 'py ubhaya-sayukta
prakty puruea ca
ausmall; bhatgreat; kathin; sthlastout; ya ya
whatever; bhvamanifestation; prasidhyatiis established; sarvaall;
apiindeed; ubhayaby both; sayuktaconjoined; praktyby
nature; purueaby the enjoying spirit soul; caand.
Whatever features visibly exist within this worldsmall or great, thin
or stoutcertainly contain both the material nature and its enjoyer, the
spirit soul.
TEXT 17
yas tu yasydir anta ca
sa vai madhya ca tasya san
vikro vyavahrrtho
yath taijasa-prthiv
yawhich (cause); tuand; yasyaof which (product); dithe
beginning; antathe end; caand; sathat; vaiindeed; madhyam
the middle; caand; tasyaof that product; sanbeing (real); vikra
the transformation; vyavahra-arthafor ordinary purposes; yathas;

1124

taijasathings produced from gold (which is itself derived from fire);

prthivaand things produced from earth.
Gold and earth are originally existing as ingredients. From gold one
may fashion golden ornaments such as bracelets and earrings, and from
earth one may fashion clay pots and saucers. The original ingredients
gold and earth exist before the products made from them, and when the
products are eventually destroyed, the original ingredients, gold and
earth, will remain. Thus, since the ingredients are present in the
beginning and at the end, they must also be present in the middle
phase, taking the form of a particular product to which we assign for
convenience a particular name, such as bracelet, earring, pot or saucer.
We can therefore understand that since the ingredient cause exists
before the creation of a product and after the product's destruction, the
same ingredient cause must be present during the manifest phase,
supporting the product as the basis of its reality.
The Lord here explains that the original cause is certainly present in its
effect, citing the example of gold and clay functioning as the causal
ingredients of many different products in which gold and clay continue to
be present. For our convenience, we assign different names to temporary
products, although their essential nature continues to be that of the
ingredient, and not of the temporary product.
TEXT 18
yad updya prvas tu
bhvo vikurute 'param
dir anto yad yasya
tat satyam abhidhyate
yatwhich (form); updyaaccepting as the ingredient cause; prva
the previous cause (such as the mahat-tattva); tuand; bhvathing;
vikuruteproduces as transformation; aparamthe second thing (such as
the element ahakra); dithe beginning; antathe end; yad
when; yasyaof which (product); tatthat (cause); satyamreal;
abhidhyateis called.
A material object, itself composed of an essential ingredient, creates
another material object through transformation. Thus one created

1125

object becomes the cause and basis of another created object. A

particular thing may thus be called real in that it possesses the basic
nature of another object that constitutes its origin and final state.
One may understand the purport of this verse through the simple analogy
of a clay pot. A clay pot is formed from a lump of clay, which is itself
prepared from the earth. In this case earth is the original ingredient
forming the clay lump, and the clay lump is in a sense the original cause
of the pot. When the pot is destroyed, it will again assume the designation
clay and ultimately merge back into the earth, its original cause. In
relation to the clay pot, clay is the beginning and final state; thus the pot
is called real, for it possesses the essential characteristics of clay, which
exists before and after the existence of the functioning instrument known
as the pot. Similarly, earth exists before and after the clay, and thus clay
may be considered real because it possesses the essential characteristics of
earth, which exists before and after the existence of the clay. Similarly,
earth and other elements are created from the mahat-tattva, which exists
before and after the existence of the elements, which may be considered
real because they possess the essential characteristics of the mahat-tattva.
The mahat-tattva is ultimately the creation of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the cause of all causes, who exists after all is annihilated. The
Absolute Truth is the Supreme Lord Himself, who step by step gives
meaning and character to all that exists.
TEXT 19
praktir yasyopdnam
dhra purua para
sato 'bhivyajaka klo
brahma tat tritaya tv aham
praktimaterial nature; yasyaof which (produced manifestation of
the universe); updnamthe ingredient cause; dhrathe foundation;
puruathe Personality of Godhead; paraSupreme; sataof the real
(nature); abhivyajakathe agitating agent; klatime; brahmathe
Absolute Truth; tatthis; tritayamgroup of three; tubut; ahamI.
The material universe may be considered real, having nature as its
original ingredient and final state. Lord Mah-Viu is the resting place
of nature, which becomes manifest by the power of time. Thus nature,

1126

the almighty Viu and time are not different from Me, the Supreme
Absolute Truth.
Material nature is the energy of the Lord, Mah-Viu is His plenary
portion, and time represents the Lord's activity. In this way, time and
nature are always subservient to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who creates, maintains and annihilates all that exists through the agency
of His potencies and plenary portions. In other words, Lord Ka is the
Absolute Truth because He contains all existence within Himself.
TEXT 20
sarga pravartate tvat
paurvparyea nityaa
mahn gua-visargrtha
sthity-anto yvad kaam
sargathe creation; pravartatecontinues to exist; tvatto that
extent; paurva-aparyeain the form of parents and children; nityaa
perpetually; mahnbountiful; gua-visargaof the variegated
manifestation of the material modes; arthafor the purpose; sthitiantauntil the end of its maintenance; yvatas long as; kaamthe
glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
As long as the Supreme Personality of Godhead continues to glance
upon nature, the material world continues to exist, perpetually
manifesting through procreation the great and variegated flow of
universal creation.
Although the mahat-tattva, impelled by the force of time, is the ingredient
cause of this world, it is clearly explained here that the Supreme Lord is
personally the only ultimate cause of all that exists. Time and nature are
powerless to act without the glance of the Personality of Godhead. He
creates unlimited material variety for the sense gratification of the
conditioned souls, who try to enjoy life as the children of particular
parents and as the parents of particular children, throughout the
8,400,000 species of life.
TEXT 21
vir maysdyamno

1127

loka-kalpa-vikalpaka
pacatvya vieya
kalpate bhuvanai saha
virthe universal form; mayby Me; sdyamnabeing pervaded;
lokaof the planets; kalpaof repeated creation, maintenance and
destruction; vikalpakamanifesting the variety; pacatvyathe
elemental manifestation of creation of the five elements; vieyain
varieties; kalpateis capable of displaying; bhuvanaiwith the different
planets; sahabeing endowed.
I am the basis of the universal form, which displays endless variety
through the repeated creation, maintenance and destruction of the
planetary systems. Originally containing within itself all planets in their
dormant state, My universal form manifests the varieties of created
existence by arranging the coordinated combination of the five
elements.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the word may refers to the Lord in His
form as eternal time.
TEXTS 22-27
anne pralyate martyam
anna dhnsu lyate
dhn bhmau pralyante
bhmir gandhe pralyate
apsu pralyate gandha
pa ca sva-gue rase
lyate jyotii raso
jyot rpe pralyate
rpa vyau sa ca spare
lyate so 'pi cmbare
ambara abda-tan-mtra
indriyi sva-yoniu
yonir vaikrike saumya
lyate manasvare
abdo bhtdim apyeti

1128

bhtdir mahati prabhu

sa lyate mahn sveu
guesu gua-vattama
te 'vyakte sampralyante
tat kle lyate 'vyaye
klo my-maye jve
jva tmani mayy aje
tm kevala tma-stho
vikalppya-lakaa
annein food; pralyatebecomes merged; martyamthe mortal body;
annamfood; dhnsuwithin the grains; lyatebecomes merged;
dhnthe grains; bhmauin the earth; pralyantebecome merged;
bhmithe earth; gandhewithin fragrance; pralyatebecomes
merged; apsuin water; pralyatebecomes merged; gandhafragrance;
pawater; caand; sva-guewithin its own quality; rasetaste;
lyatebecomes merged; jyotiiwithin fire; rasataste; jyotifire;
rpewithin form; pralyatebecomes merged; rpamform; vyauin
air; sait; caand; sparein touch; lyatebecomes merged; sait;
apialso; caand; ambarein ether; ambaramether; abdain sound;
tat-mtreits corresponding subtle sensation; indriyithe senses; svayoniuin their sources, the demigods; yonithe demigods; vaikrike
in false ego in the mode of goodness; saumyaMy dear Uddhava; lyate
become merged; manasiin the mind; varewhich is the controller;
abdasound; bhta-dimin the original false ego; apyetibecomes
merged; bhta-difalse ego; mahatiin the total material nature;
prabhupowerful; sathat; lyatebecomes merged; mahnthe total
material nature; sveuin its own; gueuthree modes; gua-vattamabeing the ultimate abode of these modes; tethey; avyaktein
the unmanifest form of nature; sampralyantebecome completely
merged; tatthat; klein time; lyatebecome merged; avyayein the
infallible; klatime; my-mayewho is full of transcendental
knowledge; jvein the Supreme Lord, who activates all living beings;
jvathat Lord; tmaniin the Supreme Self; mayiin Me; ajethe
unborn; tmthe original Self; kevalaalone; tma-sthaselfsituated; vikalpaby creation; apyaand annihilation; lakaa
characterized.

1129

At the time of annihilation, the mortal body of the living being becomes
merged into food. Food merges into the grains, and the grains merge
back into the earth. The earth merges into its subtle sensation,
fragrance. Fragrance merges into water, and water further merges into
its own quality, taste. That taste merges into fire, which merges into
form. Form merges into touch, and touch merges into ether. Ether
finally merges into the sensation of sound. The senses all merge into
their own origins, the presiding demigods, and they, O gentle Uddhava,
merge into the controlling mind, which itself merges into false ego in
the mode of goodness. Sound becomes one with false ego in the mode
of ignorance, and all-powerful false ego, the first of all the physical
elements, merges into the total nature. The total material nature, the
primary repository of the three basic modes, dissolves into the modes.
These modes of nature then merge into the unmanifest form of nature,
and that unmanifest form merges into time. Time merges into the
Supreme Lord, present in the form of the omniscient Mah-purua, the
original activator of all living beings. That origin of all life merges into
Me, the unborn Supreme Soul, who remains alone, established within
Himself. It is from Him that all creation and annihilation are
manifested.
The annihilation of the material world is the reversal of the process of
creation, and ultimately everything is merged to rest within the Supreme
Lord, who remains full in His absolute position.
TEXT 28
evam anvkamasya
katha vaikalpiko bhrama
manaso hdi tiheta
vyomnvrkodaye tama
evamin this way; anvkamasyaof one who is carefully examining;
kathamhow; vaikalpikabased on duality; bhramaillusion;
manasaof his mind; hdiin the heart; tihetacan remain; vyomni
in the sky; ivajust as; arkaof the sun; udayeupon the rising;
tamadarkness.
Just as the rising sun removes the darkness of the sky, similarly, this
scientific knowledge of cosmic annihilation removes all illusory duality

1130

from the mind of a serious student. Even if illusion somehow enters his
heart, it cannot remain there.
Just as the brilliant sun removes all darkness from the sky, a clear
understanding of the knowledge spoken by Lord Ka to Uddhava
removes all ignorance concocted by the material mind. One will then no
longer accept the material body as the self. Even if such illusion
temporarily manifests within one's consciousness, it will be driven away
by the resurgence of one's spiritual knowledge.
TEXT 29
ea skhya-vidhi prokta
saaya-granthi-bhedana
pratilomnulombhy
parvara-da may
eathis; skhya-vidhimethod of Skhya (analytic philosophy);
proktaspoken; saayaof doubts; granthithe bondage; bhedana
which breaks; pratiloma-anulombhymin both direct and reverse order;
parathe situation of the spiritual world; avaraand the inferior
situation of the material world; dby Him who sees perfectly; may
by Me.
Thus I, the perfect seer of everything material and spiritual, have
spoken this knowledge of Skhya, which destroys the illusion of doubt
by scientific analysis of creation and annihilation.
Lord r Ka has explained that the material mind accepts and rejects
many different concepts of life, generating innumerable false arguments
about the actual process of perfection. But a person who takes shelter of
the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can see everything
with clear intelligence. One who understands how the Supreme Lord
creates and annihilates can be liberated from material bondage and devote
himself to the eternal service of the Supreme Lord.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-fourth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Philosophy of Skhya."

1131

25. The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond

To establish the transcendental nature of the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, this chapter describes the various functional manifestations of
the three modes (goodness, passion and ignorance), which arise in the
mind.
Control of the mind, control of the senses, tolerance and so forth are
manifestations of the unmixed mode of goodness. Desire, endeavor, false
pride and so on are manifestations of the unmixed mode of passion. And
anger, greed and bewilderment are among the functions of the unmixed
mode of ignorance. In the admixture of the three modes we find the
concept of "I" and "my," behavior in accordance with this mentality by
body, mind and words, adherence to the principles of religiosity,
economic development and sense gratification, and the fixed pursuit of
one's occupational duty for material interest.
A person whose character is in the mode of goodness worships Lord Hari
in a spirit of devotion, without regard to profit. On the other hand, one
who hankers after the fruits of his worship of the Lord is passionate by
nature. And one who desires violence is in the mode of ignorance. These
modes of goodness, passion and ignorance are present in the infinitesimal
living entity, whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead is
transcendental to the three modes of material nature.
The substance, place and result of activity, along with the time, the
knowledge underlying action, the activity itself, the performer, his faith,
his level of awareness, his spiritual progress and his destination after
death, all partake of the three modes and manifest variously in terms of
distinctions and hierarchies. But objects related to the Supreme
Personality, places connected with Him, happiness based on Him, the
time occupied in His worship, knowledge related to Him, work offered to
Him, the performer of work who acts under His shelter, faith in His
devotional service, progress toward the spiritual realm, and the
destination of the Supreme Lord's personal abode all transcend the
material modes.
There are many different destinations and conditions of life for the spirit

1132

soul within the cycle of material existence. These are all based on the
modes of nature and on fruitive activities, which are governed by the
modes. It is only by practicing the yoga of pure devotional service to the
Supreme Lord that one can conquer the three modes, which arise
originally from the mind. After obtaining a human body, which has the
potential for developing knowledge and realization, a person who is
intelligent should renounce association with the three modes of nature
and then worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. First, by
increasing the mode of goodness, one can defeat passion and ignorance.
Then one can conquer material goodness by evolving his consciousness to
the platform of transcendence. At that time he becomes entirely liberated
from the material modes, gives up his subtle body (the material mind,
intelligence and false ego) and attains the association of the Personality of
Godhead. By the shattering of his subtle covering, the living entity is able
to come face to face with the Supreme Lord and thus achieve absolute
fulfillment by His grace.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
gunm asammir
pumn yena yath bhavet
tan me purua-varyedam
upadhraya asata
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said;
gunmof the modes of nature; asammirmin their unmixed
state; pumna person; yenaby which mode; yathhow; bhavethe
becomes; tatthat; meby Me; purua-varyaO best among men;
idamthis; upadhrayaplease try to understand; asataas I speak.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best among men, please
listen as I describe to you how the living entity attains a particular
nature by association with individual material modes.
The word asammira indicates that which is not mixed with anything else.
Lord Ka now explains how each of the three material modes
(goodness, passion and ignorance), acting separately, causes a
conditioned soul to manifest a particular type of existence. The living
entity is ultimately transcendental to the modes of nature, being part and

1133

parcel of Lord Ka, but in conditioned life he manifests material

qualities. This is described in the following verses.
TEXTS 2-5
amo damas titikek
tapa satya day smti
tuis tygo 'sph raddh
hrr daydi sva-nirvti
kma h madas t
stambha r bhid sukham
madotsho yaa-prtir
hsya vrya balodyama
krodho lobho 'nta his
yc dambha klama kali
oka-mohau vidrt
nidr bhr anudyama
sattvasya rajasa caits
tamasa cnuprvaa
vttayo varita-pry
sanniptam atho u
amamind control; damasense control; titiktolerance; k
discrimination; tapastrictly following one's prescribed duty; satyam
truthfulness; daymercy; smtiobservation of the past and future;
tuisatisfaction; tygagenerosity; asphdetachment from sense
gratification; raddhfaith (in the guru and other bona fide authorities);
hrshame (due to improper activities); day-dicharity, simplicity,
humility and so on; sva-nirvtitaking one's pleasure from within;
kmamaterial desire; hendeavor; madaaudacity; ta
dissatisfaction even in gain; stambhafalse pride; praying to the
demigods and other deities with desire for material gain; bhidseparatist
mentality; sukhamsense gratification; mada-utshacourage based on
intoxication; yaa-prtibeing fond of praise; hsyamindulging in
ridicule; vryamadvertising one's power; bala-udyamaacting on the
sanction of one's own strength; krodhaintolerant anger; lobha
stinginess; antamfalse speech (speaking what is not stated in scripture
as if it were evidence); hisenmity; ycbegging; dambha

1134

hypocrisy; klamafatigue; kaliquarrel; oka-mohaulamentation

and delusion; vida-rtunhappiness and false humility; nidrsloth;
false expectations; bhfear; anudyamalack of endeavor;
sattvasyaof the mode of goodness; rajasaof the mode of passion;
caand; etthese; tamasaof the mode of ignorance; caand;
nuprvaaone after another; vttayathe functions; varitahave
been described; pryfor the most part; sanniptamthe combination
of these; athonow; uplease hear.
Mind and sense control, tolerance, discrimination, sticking to one's
prescribed duty, truthfulness, mercy, careful study of the past and
future, satisfaction in any condition, generosity, renunciation of sense
gratification, faith in the spiritual master, being embarrassed at
improper action, charity, simplicity, humbleness and satisfaction within
oneself are qualities of the mode of goodness. Material desire, great
endeavor, audacity, dissatisfaction even in gain, false pride, praying for
material advancement, considering oneself different and better than
others, sense gratification, rash eagerness to fight, a fondness for
hearing oneself praised, the tendency to ridicule others, advertising
one's own prowess and justifying one's actions by one's strength are
qualities of the mode of passion. Intolerant anger, stinginess, speaking
without scriptural authority, violent hatred, living as a parasite,
hypocrisy, chronic fatigue, quarrel, lamentation, delusion, unhappiness,
depression, sleeping too much, false expectations, fear and laziness
constitute the major qualities of the mode of ignorance. Now please
hear about the combination of these three modes.
TEXT 6
sanniptas tv aham iti
mamety uddhava y mati
vyavahra sannipto
mano-mtrendriysubhi
sanniptathe combination of the modes; tuand; aham iti"I"; mama
iti"mine"; uddhavaO Uddhava; ywhich; matimentality;
vyavahraordinary activities; sanniptathe combination; mana
by the mind; mtrthe objects of perception; indriyathe senses;
asubhiand the vital airs.

1135

My dear Uddhava, the combination of all three modes is present in the

mentality of "I" and "mine." The ordinary transactions of this world,
which are carried out through the agency of the mind, the objects of
perception, the senses and the vital airs of the physical body, are also
based on the combination of the modes.
The illusory concept of "I" and "mine" occurs by the mixture of the three
modes of nature. A person in goodness may feel, "I am peaceful." One in
passion may think, "I am lusty." And one in ignorance may think, "I am
angry." Similarly, one may think "my peace," "my lust" or "my anger."
One completely absorbed in the mentality of being peaceful could not
work in the material world; he would lack any impulse to perform
activity. Similarly, one absorbed in lust would be blinded without at least
a tinge of peacefulness or restraint. One overwhelmed with anger could
not function properly in the material world without the mixture of other
qualities. Thus we find that a material mode does not occur in a pure,
isolated form but rather is mixed with other modes, thereby making
possible normal functioning within this world. Ultimately one should
think, "I am an eternal servant of Lord Ka" and "My only possession is
loving service to the Lord." This is the pure state of consciousness,
beyond the material modes of nature.
TEXT 7
dharme crthe ca kme ca
yadsau parinihita
gun sannikaro 'ya
raddh-rati-dhanvaha
dharmein religiosity; caand; arthein economic development; caand; kmein sense gratification; caand; yadwhen; asauthis
living entity; parinihitais fixed; gunmof the modes of nature;
sannikarathe intermingling; ayamthis; raddhfaith; rati
sensual enjoyment; dhanaand wealth; vahawhich each bring.
When a person devotes himself to religiosity, economic development
and sense gratification, the faith, wealth and sensual enjoyment
obtained by his endeavors display the interaction of the three modes of
nature.

1136

Religiosity, economic development and sense gratification are situated

within the modes of nature, and the faith, wealth and enjoyment obtained
by them clearly reveal the particular situation of a person within the
modes of nature.
TEXT 8
pravtti-lakae nih
pumn yarhi ghrame
sva-dharme cnu tiheta
gun samitir hi s
pravttiof the path of material enjoyment; lakaein that which is the
symptom; nihdedication; pumna person; yarhiwhen; gharamein family life; sva-dharmein prescribed duties; caand; anu
later; tihetahe stands; gunmof the modes of nature; samitithe
combination; hiindeed; sthis.
When a man desires sense gratification, being attached to family life,
and when he consequently becomes established in religious and
occupational duties, the combination of the modes of nature is
manifest.
According to rla rdhara Svm, religious duties performed for
promotion to heaven are understood to be in the mode of passion, those
performed to enjoy ordinary family life are in the mode of ignorance, and
those performed selflessly to fulfill one's occupational duty in the
varrama system are in the mode of goodness. The Lord has thus
explained how mundane religiosity is manifest within the modes of
nature.
TEXT 9
purua sattva-sayuktam
anumyc chamdibhi
kmdibh rajo-yukta
krodhdyais tamas yutam
puruama person; sattva-sayuktamendowed with the mode of
goodness; anumytcan be deduced; ama-dibhiby his qualities of
sense control and so on; kma-dibhiby lust and so on; raja-yuktam
one who is in the mode of passion; krodha-dyaiby anger and so on;

1137

tamaswith the mode of ignorance; yutamone who is endowed.

A person exhibiting qualities such as self-control is understood to be
predominantly in the mode of goodness. Similarly, a passionate person
is recognized by his lust, and one in ignorance is recognized by
qualities such as anger.
TEXT 10
yad bhajati m bhakty
nirapeka sva-karmabhi
ta sattva-prakti vidyt
purua striyam eva v
yadwhen; bhajatia person worships; mmMe; bhaktywith
devotion; nirapekaindifferent to results; sva-karmabhiby his own
prescribed duties; tamhim; sattva-praktima person whose nature is
in the mode of goodness; vidytone should understand; puruama
man; striyama woman; evaeven; vor.
Any person, whether man or woman, who worships Me with loving
devotion, offering his or her prescribed duties unto Me without material
attachment, is understood to be situated in goodness.
TEXT 11
yad ia sya
m bhajeta sva-karmabhi
ta raja-prakti vidyt
hism sya tmasam
yadwhen; iabenedictions; syahoping for; mmMe;
bhajetaa person worships; sva-karmabhiby his duties; tamthat;
raja-praktima person situated in the mode of passion; vidytone
should understand; hismviolence; syahoping for; tmasama
person in the mode of ignorance.
When a person worships Me by his prescribed duties with the hope of
gaining material benefit, his nature should be understood to be in
passion, and one who worships Me with the desire to commit violence

1138

against others is in ignorance.

TEXT 12
sattva rajas tama iti
gu jvasya naiva me
citta-j yais tu bhtn
sajjamno nibadhyate
sattvamthe mode of goodness; rajathe mode of passion; tamathe
mode of ignorance; itithus; guthe modes; jvasyapertaining to
the spirit soul; nanot; evaindeed; meto Me; citta-jmanifest
within the mind; yaiby which modes; tuand; bhtnmto material
creations; sajjamnabecoming attached; nibadhyateone is bound up.
The three modes of material naturegoodness, passion and
ignoranceinfluence the living entity but not Me. Manifesting within
his mind, they induce the living entity to become attached to material
bodies and other created objects. In this way the living entity is bound
up.
The living entity is the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, having the
tendency to be overwhelmed by the Lord's illusory material energy. The
Personality of Godhead, however, is the absolute controller of illusion.
Illusion can never control the Lord. Thus the Supreme Lord, r Ka, is
the eternal object of service for all living beings, who are eternally
servants of the Lord.
The three modes of nature manifest within the material energy. When a
conditioned soul adopts a material mentality, the modes exert their
influence within the jurisdiction of that mentality. But if one purifies
one's mind in the devotional service of the Lord, the modes of nature can
no longer act upon him, since they have no influence on the spiritual
platform.
TEXT 13
yadetarau jayet sattva
bhsvara viada ivam
tad sukhena yujyeta
dharma-jndibhi pumn

1139

yadwhen; itarauthe other two; jayetovercomes; sattvamthe

mode of goodness; bhsvaramluminous; viadampure; ivam
auspicious; tadthen; sukhenawith happiness; yujyetahe becomes
endowed; dharmawith religiousness; jnaknowledge; dibhiand
other good qualities; pumna man.
When the mode of goodness, which is luminous, pure and auspicious,
predominates over passion and ignorance, a man becomes endowed
with happiness, virtue, knowledge and other good qualities.
One can control one's mind and senses in the mode of goodness.
TEXT 14
yad jayet tama sattva
raja saga bhid calam
tad dukhena yujyeta
karma yaas riy
yadwhen; jayetconquers; tama sattvamboth ignorance and
goodness; rajapassion; sagam(the cause of) attachment; bhid
separatism; calamand change; tadthen; dukhenawith misery;
yujyetaone becomes endowed; karmawith material work; yaas
with (the desire for) fame; riyand with opulence.
When the mode of passion, which causes attachment, separatism and
activity, conquers ignorance and goodness, a man begins to work hard
to acquire prestige and fortune. Thus in the mode of passion he
experiences anxiety and struggle.
TEXT 15
yad jayed raja sattva
tamo mha laya jaam
yujyeta oka-mohbhy
nidray hisayay
yadwhen; jayetconquers; raja sattvamthe modes of passion and
goodness; tamathe mode of darkness; mhamdefeating one's
discrimination; layamcovering over consciousness; jaamdevoid of
endeavor; yujyetaone becomes endowed; okawith lamentation;

1140

mohbhymand bewilderment; nidraywith oversleeping; hisay

with violent qualities; ayand false hopes.
When the mode of ignorance conquers passion and goodness, it covers
one's consciousness and makes one foolish and dull. Falling into
lamentation and illusion, a person in the mode of ignorance sleeps
excessively, indulges in false hopes, and displays violence toward
others.
TEXT 16
yad citta prasdeta
indriy ca nirvti
dehe 'bhaya mano-'saga
tat sattva viddhi mat-padam
yadwhen; cittamthe consciousness; prasdetabecomes clear;
indriymof the senses; caand; nirvticessation of their mundane
activities; dehein the body; abhayamfearlessness; manaof the
mind; asagamdetachment; tatthat; sattvamthe mode of goodness;
viddhiknow it; matrealization of Me; padamthe situation in which
such can be achieved.
When consciousness becomes clear and the senses are detached from
matter, one experiences fearlessness within the material body and
detachment from the material mind. You should understand this
situation to be the predominance of the mode of goodness, in which one
has the opportunity to realize Me.
TEXT 17
vikurvan kriyay c-dhr
anivtti ca cetasm
gtrsvsthya mano bhrnta
raja etair nimaya
vikurvanbecoming distorted; kriyayby activity; caand; even up
to; dhthe intelligence; anivttifailure to stop; caand; cetasm
on the part of the conscious faculties of intelligence and the senses;
gtraof the working senses; asvsthyamunhealthy condition;

1141

manathe mind; bhrntamunsteady; rajapassion; etaiby these

symptoms; nimayayou should understand.
You should discern the mode of passion by its symptomsthe
distortion of the intelligence because of too much activity, the inability
of the perceiving senses to disentangle themselves from mundane
objects, an unhealthy condition of the working physical organs, and the
unsteady perplexity of the mind.
TEXT 18
sdac citta vilyeta
cetaso grahae 'kamam
mano naa tamo glnis
tamas tad upadhraya
sdatfailing; cittamthe higher faculties of consciousness; vilyeta
become dissolved; cetasaawareness; grahaein controlling;
akamamincapable; manathe mind; naamruined; tama
ignorance; glnidepression; tamathe mode of ignorance; tatthat;
upadhrayayou should understand.
When one's higher awareness fails and finally disappears and one is
thus unable to concentrate his attention, his mind is ruined and
manifests ignorance and depression. You should understand this
situation to be the predominance of the mode of ignorance.
TEXT 19
edhamne gue sattve
devn balam edhate
asur ca rajasi
tamasy uddhava rakasm
edhamnewhen it is increasing; guethe mode; sattveof goodness;
devnmof the demigods; balamthe strength; edhateincreases;
asurmof the enemies of the demigods; caand; rajasiwhen the
mode of passion increases; tamasiwhen the mode of ignorance
increases; uddhavaO Uddhava; rakasmof the man-eating monsters.

1142

With the increase of the mode of goodness, the strength of the

demigods similarly increases. When passion increases, the demoniac
become strong. And with the rise of ignorance, O Uddhava, the strength
of the most wicked increases.
TEXT 20
sattvj jgaraa vidyd
rajas svapnam diet
prasvpa tamas jantos
turya triu santatam
sattvtby the mode of goodness; jgaraamwaking consciousness;
vidytone should understand; rajasby passion; svapnamsleep;
dietis indicated; prasvpamdeep sleep; tamasby the mode of
ignorance; jantoof the living entity; turyamthe fourth,
transcendental state; triuthroughout the three; santatampervading.
It should be understood that alert wakefulness comes from the mode of
goodness, sleep with dreaming from the mode of passion, and deep,
dreamless sleep from the mode of ignorance. The fourth state of
consciousness pervades these three and is transcendental.
Our original Ka consciousness exists eternally within the soul, and it is
also present in all the three phases of awareness, namely normal
wakefulness, dreaming and dreamless sleep. Being covered by the modes
of nature, this spiritual consciousness may not be manifest, but it
continues to exist eternally as the real nature of the living entity.
TEXT 21
upary upari gacchanti
sattvena brhma jan
tamasdho 'dha -mukhyd
rajasntara-cria
upari uparihigher and higher; gacchantithey go; sattvenaby the
mode of goodness; brhmapersons dedicated to Vedic principles;
jansuch men; tamasby the mode of ignorance; adha adha
lower and lower; -mukhytheadfirst; rajasby the mode of passion;
antara-criaremaining in intermediate situations.

1143

Learned persons dedicated to Vedic culture are elevated by the mode of

goodness to higher and higher positions. The mode of ignorance, on the
other hand, forces one to fall headfirst into lower and lower births. And
by the mode of passion one continues transmigrating through human
bodies.
dras, persons in the mode of ignorance, are generally in deep illusion
about the purpose of life, accepting the gross material body as the self.
Those in passion and ignorance are called vaiyas and hanker intensely
for wealth, whereas katriyas, who are in the mode of passion, are eager
for prestige and power. Those in the mode of goodness, however, hanker
after perfect knowledge; they are therefore called brhmaas. Such a
person is promoted up to the supreme material position of Brahmaloka,
the planet of Lord Brahm. One who is in the mode of ignorance
gradually falls to the level of unmoving species, such as trees and stones,
while one in the mode of passion, filled with material desire but satisfying
it within Vedic culture, is allowed to remain in human society.
TEXT 22
sattve praln svar ynti
nara-loka rajo-lay
tamo-lays tu niraya
ynti mm eva nirgu
sattvein the mode of goodness; pralnthose who die; svato
heaven; yntithey go; nara-lokamto the world of human beings;
raja-laythose who die in the mode of passion; tama-laythose
who die in the mode of ignorance; tuand; nirayamto hell; yntithey
go; mmto Me; evahowever; nirguthose who are free from all
the modes.
Those who leave this world in the mode of goodness go to the heavenly
planets, those who pass away in the mode of passion remain in the
world of human beings, and those dying in the mode of ignorance must
go to hell. But those who are free from the influence of all modes of
nature come to Me.
TEXT 23

1144

mad-arpaa niphala v
sttvika nija-karma tat
rjasa phala-sakalpa
his-prydi tmasam
mat-arpaamoffered unto Me; niphalamdone without expectation of
result; vand; sttvikamin the mode of goodness; nijaaccepted as
one's prescribed duty; karmawork; tatthat; rjasamin the mode of
passion; phala-sakalpamdone in expectation of some result; hisprya-didone with violence, envy and so on; tmasamin the mode of
ignorance.
Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the
fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed
with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work
impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance.
Ordinary work performed as an offering to God, without desire for the
result, is understood to be in the mode of goodness, whereas activities of
devotionsuch as chanting and hearing the glories of the Lordare
transcendental forms of work beyond the modes of nature.
TEXT 24
kaivalya sttvika jna
rajo vaikalpika ca yat
prkta tmasa jna
man-niha nirgua smtam
kaivalyamabsolute; sttvikamin the mode of goodness; jnam
knowledge; rajain the mode of passion; vaikalpikammanifold; ca
and; yatwhich; prktammaterialistic; tmasamin the mode of
ignorance; jnamknowledge; mat-nihamconcentrated upon Me;
nirguamtranscendental; smtamis considered.
Absolute knowledge is in the mode of goodness, knowledge based on
duality is in the mode of passion, and foolish, materialistic knowledge
is in the mode of ignorance. Knowledge based upon Me, however, is
understood to be transcendental.
The Lord clearly explains here that spiritual knowledge of His supreme

1145

personality is transcendental to ordinary religious knowledge in the mode

of goodness. In the mode of goodness one understands the existence of a
higher spiritual nature within all things. In the mode of passion one
acquires scientific knowledge of the material body. And in the mode of
ignorance one fixes one's mind on the sense objects without higher
awareness, perceiving things as a small child or a retarded person does.
rla Jva Gosvm elaborately explains in his commentary on this verse
that the material mode of goodness does not award perfect knowledge of
the Absolute Truth. He quotes from rmad-Bhgavatam (6.14.2), proving
that many great demigods in the mode of goodness could not understand
the transcendental personality of Lord Ka. In the material mode of
goodness, one becomes pious or religious, aware of a higher, spiritual
nature. On the spiritual platform of purified goodness, however, one
establishes a direct, loving relationship with the Absolute Truth,
rendering service to the Lord rather than merely maintaining a connection
to mundane piety. In the mode of passion the conditioned soul speculates
about the reality of his own existence and of the world around him, and
considers speculatively the existence of a kingdom of God. In the mode of
ignorance one acquires knowledge for sense gratification, absorbing the
mind in varieties of eating, sleeping, defending and sex, without any
higher purpose. Thus, within the modes of nature the conditioned souls
are trying to gratify their senses, or else they are trying to free themselves
from sense gratification. But they cannot directly engage themselves in
their constitutional, liberated activities until they come to the
transcendental position of Ka consciousness, beyond the modes of
nature.
TEXT 25
vana tu sttviko vso
grmo rjasa ucyate
tmasa dyta-sadana
man-niketa tu nirguam
vanamthe forest; tuwhereas; sttvikain the mode of goodness;
vsaresidence; grmathe village neighborhood; rjasain the
mode of passion; ucyateis said; tmasamin the mode of ignorance;
dyta-sadanamthe gambling house; mat-niketamMy residence; tu
but; nirguamtranscendental.

1146

Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town

is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the
quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I reside is
transcendental.
Many creatures in the forest, such as the trees, wild boars and insects, are
actually in the modes of passion and ignorance. But residence in the forest
is designated as being in the mode of goodness because there one may live
a solitary life free from sinful activities, material opulence and passionate
ambition. Throughout the history of India, many millions of persons from
all walks of life have adopted the orders of vnaprastha and sannysa and
have gone to sacred forests to practice austerity and perfect their selfrealization. Even in America and other Western countries, persons such
as Thoreau achieved fame by retiring to the forest to reduce the scope and
opulence of material involvement.
The word grma here indicates residence in the village of one's family.
Family life is certainly full of false pride, false hopes, false affection,
lamentation and illusion, since the family connection is squarely resting
on the bodily concept of life, the very opposite of self-realization. The
word dyta-sadanam, "gambling house," refers to pool halls, racetracks,
poker clubs, bars and other sinful places that maintain an abysmal level of
consciousness in the mode of ignorance. Man-niketam refers to the Lord's
own abode in the spiritual world as well as the Lord's temples within this
world, wherein the Deity form of the Lord is appropriately worshiped.
One who lives in the temple of Lord Ka, following the rules and
regulations of temple life, is understood to be residing on the
transcendental platform. In these verses the Lord clearly explains that all
material phenomena may be divided into three divisions according to the
modes of nature, and that ultimately there is the fourth, or
transcendental, divisionKa consciousnesswhich elevates all
aspects of human culture to the liberated platform.
TEXT 26
sttvika krako 'sag
rgndho rjasa smta
tmasa smti-vibhrao
nirguo mad-apraya
sttvikain the mode of goodness; krakathe performer of activities;

1147

asagfree from attachment; rga-andhablinded by personal desire;

rjasathe performer in the mode of passion; smtais considered;
tmasathe performer in the mode of ignorance; smtifrom
remembrance of what is what; vibhraafallen; nirgua
transcendental; mat-aprayahe who has taken shelter of Me.
A worker free of attachment is in the mode of goodness, a worker
blinded by personal desire is in the mode of passion, and a worker who
has completely forgotten how to tell right from wrong is in the mode of
ignorance. But a worker who has taken shelter of Me is understood to
be transcendental to the modes of nature.
A transcendental worker performs his activities in strict accordance with
the directions of Lord Ka and the Lord's bona fide representatives.
Taking shelter of the Lord's guidance, such a worker remains
transcendental to the material modes of nature.
TEXT 27
sttviky dhytmik raddh
karma-raddh tu rjas
tmasy adharme y raddh
mat-sevy tu nirgu
sttvikin the mode of goodness; dhytmikspiritual; raddhfaith;
karmain work; raddhfaith; tubut; rjasin the mode of passion;
tmasin the mode of ignorance; adharmein irreligion; ywhich;
raddhfaith; mat-sevymin My devotional service; tubut;
nirgutranscendental.
Faith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of goodness, faith
rooted in fruitive work is in the mode of passion, faith residing in
irreligious activities is in the mode of ignorance, but faith in My
devotional service is purely transcendental.
TEXT 28
pathya ptam anyastam
hrya sttvika smtam
rjasa cendriya-preha
tmasa crti-duci

1148

pathyambeneficial;
ptampure;
anyastamattained
without
difficulty; hryamfood; sttvikamin the mode of goodness; smtam
is considered; rjasamin the mode of passion; caand; indriyaprehamvery dear to the senses; tmasamin the mode of ignorance;
caand; rti-dawhich creates suffering; auciis impure.
Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in the
mode of goodness, food that gives immediate pleasure to the senses is
in the mode of passion, and food that is unclean and causes distress is
in the mode of ignorance.
Food in the mode of ignorance causes painful disease and ultimately
premature death.
TEXT 29
sttvika sukham tmottha
viayottha tu rjasam
tmasa moha-dainyottha
nirgua mad-aprayam
sttvikamin the mode of goodness; sukhamhappiness; tma-uttham
generated from the self; viaya-utthamgenerated from sense objects;
tubut; rjasamin the mode of passion; tmasamin the mode of
ignorance; mohafrom delusion; dainyaand degradation; uttham
derived; nirguamtranscendental; mat-aprayamwithin Me.
Happiness derived from the self is in the mode of goodness, happiness
based on sense gratification is in the mode of passion, and happiness
based on delusion and degradation is in the mode of ignorance. But that
happiness found within Me is transcendental.
TEXT 30
dravya dea phala klo
jna karma ca kraka
raddhvasthktir nih
trai-guya sarva eva hi
dravyamobject; deaplace; phalamresult; klatime; jnam
knowledge; karmaactivity; caand; krakaperformer; raddh

1149

faith; avasthstate of consciousness; ktispecies; nih

destination; trai-guyapartaking of the three modes; sarvaall these;
eva hicertainly.
Therefore material substance, place, result of activity, time, knowledge,
work, the performer of work, faith, state of consciousness, species of
life and destination after death are all based on the three modes of
material nature.
TEXT 31
sarve gua-may bhv
puruvyakta-dhihit
da ruta anudhyta
buddhy v puruarabha
sarveall; gua-mayacomposed of the modes of nature; bhva
states of existence; puruaby the enjoying soul; avyaktaand subtle
nature; dhihit-established and maintained; damseen; rutam
heard; anudhytamconceived; buddhyby the intelligence; vor;
purua-abhaO best among men.
O best of human beings, all states of material being are related to the
interaction of the enjoying soul and material nature. Whether seen,
heard of or only conceived within the mind, they are without exception
constituted of the modes of nature.
TEXT 32
et sastaya puso
gua-karma-nibandhan
yeneme nirjit saumya
gu jvena citta-j
bhakti-yogena man-niho
mad-bhvya prapadyate
etthese; sastayacreated aspects of existence; pusaof a
living being; guawith the material qualities; karmaand work;
nibandhanconnected; yenaby whom; imethese; nirjitare
conquered; saumyaO gentle Uddhava; guthe modes of nature;

1150

jvenaby a living entity; citta-jwhich are manifested from the mind;

bhakti-yogenathrough the process of devotional service; mat-niha
dedicated to Me; mat-bhvyaof love for Me; prapadyatereceives the
qualification.
O gentle Uddhava, all these different phases of conditioned life arise
from work born of the modes of material nature. The living entity who
conquers these modes, manifested from the mind, can dedicate himself
to Me by the process of devotional service and thus attain pure love for
Me.
The words mad-bhvya prapadyate indicate the attainment of love for
God or of the same state of existence as that of the Supreme Lord. Actual
liberation is residence within the eternal kingdom of God, where life is
full of bliss and knowledge. The conditioned soul falsely imagines himself
to be the enjoyer of the modes of nature, and thus a particular type of
material work is generated, the reaction of which binds the conditioned
soul to repeated birth and death. This fruitless process can be
counteracted by loving service to the Lord, as described here.
TEXT 33
tasmd deham ima labdhv
jna-vijna-sambhavam
gua-saga vinirdhya
m bhajantu vicaka
tasmttherefore; dehambody; imamthis; labdhvhaving obtained;
jnaof theoretical knowledge; vijnaand realized knowledge;
sambhavamthe place of generation; gua-sagamassociation with the
modes of nature; vinirdhyawashing out completely; mmMe;
bhajantuthey should worship; vicakapersons who are very
intelligent.
Therefore, having achieved this human form of life, which allows one to
develop full knowledge, those who are intelligent should free
themselves from all contamination of the modes of nature and engage
exclusively in loving service to Me.
TEXT 34

1151

nisago m bhajed vidvn

apramatto jitendriya
rajas tama cbhijayet
sattva-sasevay muni
nisagafree from material association; mmMe; bhajetshould
worship; vidvna wise person; apramattanot bewildered; jitaindriyahaving subdued his senses; rajathe mode of passion;
tamathe mode of ignorance; caand; abhijayethe should conquer;
sattva-sasevayby taking to the mode of goodness; munithe sage.
A wise sage, free from all material association and unbewildered,
should subdue his senses and worship Me. He should conquer the
modes of passion and ignorance by engaging himself only with things in
the mode of goodness.
TEXT 35
sattva cbhijayed yukto
nairapekyea nta-dh
sampadyate guair mukto
jvo jva vihya mm
sattvamthe mode of goodness; caalso; abhijayethe should conquer;
yuktaengaged in devotional service; nairapekyeaby being
indifferent to the modes; ntapacified; dhwhose intelligence;
sampadyatehe achieves; guaifrom the modes of nature; mukta
liberated; jvathe living entity; jvamthe cause of his being
conditioned; vihyagiving up; mmMe.
Then, being fixed in devotional service, the sage should also conquer
the material mode of goodness by indifference toward the modes. Thus
pacified within his mind, the spirit soul, freed from the modes of
nature, gives up the very cause of his conditioned life and attains Me.
The word nairapekyea refers to complete detachment from the modes of
material nature. By attachment to the loving service of the Lord, which is
completely transcendental, one gives up one's interest in the modes of
nature.

1152

TEXT 36
jvo jva-vinirmukto
guai caya-sambhavai
mayaiva brahma pro
na bahir nntara caret
jvathe living entity; jva-vinirmuktafreed from the subtle
conditioning of material consciousness; guaifrom the modes of
nature; caand; aya-sambhavaiwhich have manifested in his own
mind; mayby Me; evaindeed; brahmaby the Supreme Absolute
Truth; pramade full in satisfaction; nanot; bahiin the external
(sense gratification); nanor; antarain the internal (remembrance of
sense gratification); carethe should wander.
Freed from the subtle conditioning of the mind and from the modes of
nature born of material consciousness, the living entity becomes
completely satisfied by experiencing My transcendental form. He no
longer searches for enjoyment in the external energy, nor does he
contemplate or remember such enjoyment within himself.
The human form of life is a rare opportunity for achieving spiritual
liberation in Ka consciousness. Lord Ka has elaborately described in
this chapter the characteristics of the three modes of nature and the
transcendental situation of Ka consciousness. r Caitanya
Mahprabhu has ordered us to take shelter of the holy name of Lord
Ka, by which process we can easily transcend the modes of nature and
begin our real life of loving devotional service to Lord Ka.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-fifth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Three Modes of Nature
and Beyond."

1153

26. The Aila-gt

This chapter explains how unfavorable association is a threat to one's

position in devotional service and how by associating with saintly persons
one can attain the highest platform of devotion.
The jva who has received a human body, which is in itself most
conducive toward achieving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and
who has situated himself in the duties of devotional service to the Lord
becomes capable of realizing Him, the very identity of spiritual bliss. Such
a person, fully dedicated to the Supreme Personality, is liberated from the
influence of My; even while continuing to reside in this world created
by illusion he is totally untouched by it. Those souls, on the other hand,
who are bound up by My are devoted only to their bellies and genitals.
They are impure, and by associating with them one will fall down into the
dark pit of ignorance.
The emperor Purrav, who was bewildered by the association of the
heavenly lady Urva, later became renounced after being separated from
her. He thus sang a song expressing his contempt for womanly
connection. He described that persons who are attached to the body of a
woman (or a man)-which is simply a mass of skin, meat, blood, sinew,
brain tissue, marrow and bones-are not much different from worms. What
is the worth of the education, austerity, renunciation, reception of the
Vedas, solitary living and silence of one whose mind becomes stolen away
by the body of a woman? Learned men should distrust their six mental
enemies, headed by lust, and thus avoid associating with women or with
men who are controlled by women. After declaring these facts, King
Purrav, now freed from the illusion of material existence, attained
realization of the Supreme Lord in His form as the indwelling Supersoul.
In conclusion, one who is intelligent should give up bad association and
let himself become attracted to the company of saintly persons. By their
transcendental instructions, the saintly devotees of the Lord can break the
false attachments of one's mind. Real saints are always liberated and
devoted to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In their association there
are constant discussions about the Supreme Lord, by serving whom the

1154

spirit soul completely eradicates his material sins and obtains pure
devotional service. And when one gains the devotional service of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original ocean of unlimited
perfect qualities, what else remains to be gained?
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
mal-lakaam ima kya
labdhv mad-dharma sthita
nanda paramtmnam
tma-stha samupaiti mm
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; matlakaamin which I can be realized; imamthis; kyamhuman body;
labdhvhaving achieved; mat-dharmein devotional service to Me;
sthitasituated; nandamwho is pure ecstasy; parama-tmnamthe
Supreme Soul; tma-sthamsituated within the heart; samapaitihe
achieves; mmMe.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having achieved this human
form of life, which affords one the opportunity to realize Me, and being
situated in My devotional service, one can achieve Me, the reservoir of
all pleasure and the Supreme Soul of all existence, residing within the
heart of every living being.
Because of bad association, even those who are spiritually liberated may
fall down from self-realization. Within the material world the association
of women is especially dangerous, and therefore in this chapter the Ailagta is spoken to prevent such a falldown. One can be saved from sex
attraction by association with saintly persons, who awaken one's real
spiritual intelligence. Therefore Lord Ka will speak to Uddhava the
amazing song of Purrav, also known as the Aila-gt.
TEXT 2
gua-mayy jva-yony
vimukto jna-nihay
gueu my-mtreu
dyamnev avastuta
vartamno 'pi na pumn

1155

yujyate 'vastubhir guai

gua-mayybased on the modes of nature; jva-yonyfrom the cause
of material life, false identification; vimuktaone who has become
completely free; jnain transcendental knowledge; nihayby being
properly fixed; gueuamong the products of the modes of nature;
my-mtreuwhich are simply illusion; dyamneuappearing before
the eyes; avastutaalthough not real; vartamnaliving; api
although; nadoes not; pumnthat person; yujyatebecome entangled;
avastubhiunreal; guaiwith the manifestations of the modes of
nature.
A person fixed in transcendental knowledge is freed from conditioned
life by giving up his false identification with the products of the
material modes of nature. Seeing these products as simply illusion, he
avoids entanglement with the modes of nature, although constantly
among them. Because the modes of nature and their products are
simply not real, he does not accept them.
The three modes of nature become manifest as varieties of material
bodies, places, families, countries, foods, sports, war, peace and so forth.
In other words, everything we see within the material world is constituted
of the modes of nature. A liberated soul, although existing within the
ocean of material energy, sees everything as the property of the Lord and
is thus not entangled. Although My tempts such a liberated soul to
become a thiefto steal the property of the Lord for sense gratification
a Ka conscious person does not bite the bait of My; he remains
honest and pure in Ka consciousness. In other words, he does not
believe that anything within the universe can become his personal
property for sense gratification, especially the illusory form of a woman.
TEXT 3
saga na kuryd asat
inodara-tp kvacit
tasynugas tamasy andhe
pataty andhnugndha-vat
sagamassociation; na kurytone should never make; asatmof
those who are materialistic; inathe genitals; udaraand the belly;

1156

tpmwho are devoted to gratifying; kvacitat any time; tasyaof any

such person; anugathe follower; tamasi andheinto the darkest pit;
patatihe falls; andha-anugafollowing a blind man; andha-vatjust
like another blind man.
One should never associate with materialists, those dedicated to
gratifying their genitals and bellies. By following them one falls into the
deepest pit of darkness, just like a blind man who follows another blind
man.
TEXT 4
aila samr im gthm
agyata bhac-chrav
urva-virahn muhyan
nirvia oka-sayame
ailaKing Purrav; samrthe great emperor; immthis; gthm
song; agyatasang; bhatmighty; ravwhose fame; urvavirahtbecause of experiencing separation from Urva; muhyanbecoming
bewildered;
nirviafeeling
detached;
okahis
lamentation; sayamewhen he was finally able to bring under control.
The following song was sung by the famous emperor Purrav. When
deprived of his wife, Urva, he was at first bewildered, but by
controlling his lamentation he began to feel detachment.
This story is also narrated in the Ninth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam. Aila,
or Purrav, was a great king whose glories were vast. On being separated
from Urva, he felt great bewilderment at first. But after meeting her
briefly at Kuruketra, he worshiped the demigods with the sacrificial fire
given him by the Gandharvas and received the privilege of entering the
planet where she resided.
TEXT 5
tyaktvtmna vrayant t
nagna unmatta-van npa
vilapann anvagj jye
ghore tiheti viklava

1157

tyaktvabandoning; tmnamhim; vrajantmgoing away; tmunto

her; nagnabeing naked; unmatta-vatlike a madman; npathe king;
vilapancrying out; anvagtfollowed; jyeO my wife; ghoreO
terrible woman; tihaplease stop; itithus speaking; viklava
overwhelmed with distress.
When she was leaving him, even though he was naked he ran after her
just like a madman and called out in great distress, "O my wife, O
terrible lady! Please stop!"
As his beloved wife was leaving him, the shocked king was crying out,
"My dear wife, please think for a moment. Just stop! You terrible lady,
can't you stop? Why don't we speak together for a while? Why are you
killing me?" Thus lamenting, he followed her.
TEXT 6
kmn atpto 'nujuan
kullakn vara-ymin
na veda yntr nyntr
urvay-ka-cetana
kmnlusty
desires;
atptaunsatiated;
anujuangratifying;
kullakninsignificant; varaof many years; ymin-the nights; na
vedahe did not know; yntgoing; nanor; yntapproaching;
urvaby Urva; kaattracted; cetanahis mind.
Although for many years Purrav had enjoyed sex pleasure in the
evening hours, still he was not satisfied by such insignificant
enjoyment. His mind was so attracted to Urva that he did not notice
how the nights were coming and going.
This verse refers to Purrav's materialistic experience with Urva.
TEXT 7
aila uvca
aho me moha-vistra
kma-kamala-cetasa
devy ghta-kahasya
nyu-kha ime smt

1158

aila uvcaKing Purrav said; ahoalas; memy; mohaof the

delusion; vistrathe extent; kmaby lust; kamalacontaminated;
cetasamy consciousness; devyby this goddess; ghtais seized;
kahasyawhose neck; nahave not; yuof my life span; kha
the divisions; imethese; smtbeen taken notice of.
King Aila said: Alas, just see the extent of my delusion! This goddess
was embracing me and held my neck in her grip. My heart was so
polluted by lust that I had no idea how my life was passing.
TEXT 8
nha vedbhinirmukta
sryo vbhyudito 'muy
mito vara-pgn
bathni gatny uta
nadid not; ahamI; vedaknow; abhinirmuktahaving set; srya
the sun; vor; abhyuditarisen; amuyby her; mitadeceived;
varayears; pgnmcomprising many; bataalas; ahnidays;
gatnihave gone; utacertainly.
That lady cheated me so much that I did not even see the rising or
setting of the sun. Alas, for so many years I passed my days in vain!
Due to attachment to the goddess, King Purrav forgot his devotional
service to the Supreme Lord and became more concerned with pleasing
this beautiful young lady. Thus he later lamented, having wasted his
valuable time. Those who are Ka conscious utilize every moment in
the Lord's loving service.
TEXT 9
aho me tma-sammoho
yentm yoit kta
kr-mga cakravart
naradeva-ikhmai
ahoalas; memy; tmaof myself; sammohatotal bewilderment;
yenaby which; tmmy body; yoitmof women; ktabecame;
kr-mgaa toy animal; cakravartmighty emperor; naradevaof

1159

kings; ikh-maithe crown jewel.

Alas, although I am supposed to be a mighty emperor, the crown jewel
of all kings on this earth, just see how my bewilderment has rendered
me a toy animal in the hands of women!
Since the king's body had become fully engaged in satisfying the
superficial desires of women, his body was now like a toy animal in their
hands.
TEXT 10
sa-paricchadam tmna
hitv tam ivevaram
ynt striya cnvagama
nagna unmatta-vad rudan
sa-paricchadamalong with my kingdom and all paraphernalia;
tmnammyself; hitvabandoning; tama blade of grass; ivaas if;
varamthe powerful lord; yntmgoing away; striyamthe woman;
caand; anvagamanI followed; nagnanaked; unmatta-vatlike a
madman; rudancrying out.
Although I was a powerful lord with great opulence, that woman gave
me up as if I were no more than an insignificant blade of grass. And
still, naked and without shame, I followed her, crying out to her like a
madman.
TEXT 11
kutas tasynubhva syt
teja atvam eva v
yo 'nvagaccha striya ynt
khara-vat pda-tita
kutawhere; tasyaof that person (myself); anubhvathe influence;
sytis; tejastrength; atvamsovereignty; evaindeed; vor;
yawho; anvagacchamran after; striyamthis woman; yntmwhile
going away; khara-vatjust like an ass; pdaby the foot; tita
punished.

1160

Where are my so-called great influence, power and sovereignty? Just

like an ass being kicked in the face by his she-ass, I ran after that
woman, who had already given me up.
TEXT 12
ki vidyay ki tapas
ki tygena rutena v
ki viviktena maunena
strbhir yasya mano htam
kimwhat is the use; vidyayof knowledge; kimwhat; tapasof
austerities; kimwhat; tygenaof renunciation; rutenaof having
studied the scriptures; vor; kimwhat; viviktenaof solitude;
maunenaof silence; strbhiby women; yasyawhose; manathe
mind; htamtaken away.
What is the use of a big education or the practice of austerities and
renunciation, and what is the use of studying religious scriptures, of
living in solitude and silence, if, after all that, one's mind is stolen by a
woman?
All of the above-mentioned processes are useless if one's heart and mind
are stolen by an insignificant woman. One who hankers after a woman's
association certainly spoils his spiritual progress. rla Bhaktisiddhnta
Sarasvat hkura states that if one worships the example of the liberated
gops of Vndvana, who accepted Lord r Ka as their paramour, one
can free one's mental activities from the contamination of lust.
TEXT 13
svrthasykovida dhi m
mrkha paita-mninam
yo 'ham varat prpya
strbhir go-khara-vaj jita
sva-arthasyahis own best interest; akovidamwho does not know;
dhikto hell; mmwith me; mrkhama fool; paita-mninam
imagining himself to be a great scholar; yawho; ahamI; varatm
the position of lordship; prpyaachieving; strbhiby women; gokhara-vatlike a bullock or an ass; jitaconquered.

1161

To hell with me! I am such a fool that I didn't even know what was
good for me, although I arrogantly thought I was highly intelligent.
Although I achieved the exalted position of a lord, I allowed myself to
be conquered by women as if I were a bullock or a jackass.
All the fools of this world consider themselves very wise scholars even
though, intoxicated by sense gratification and maddened by their lust for
women's association, they become just like bullocks and jackasses. By the
mercy of a saintly spiritual master, this lusty propensity can gradually be
removed and one can understand the terrible, contemptible nature of
material sense gratification. In this verse King Purrav is coming to his
senses in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 14
sevato vara-pgn me
urvay adharsavam
na tpyaty tma-bh kmo
vahnir hutibhir yath
sevatawho was serving; vara-pgnfor many years; memy;
urvayof Urva; adharaof the lips; savamthe nectar; na
tpyatinever became satisfied; tma-bhborn from the mind;
kmathe lust; vahnifire; hutibhiby oblations; yathjust as.
Even after I had served the so-called nectar of the lips of Urva for
many years, my lusty desires kept rising again and again within my
heart and were never satisfied, just like a fire that can never be
extinguished by the oblations of ghee poured into its flames.
TEXT 15
pucalypahta citta
ko nv anyo mocitu prabhu
tmrmevaram te
bhagavantam adhokajam
pucalyaby a prostitute; apahtamstolen; cittamthe intelligence;
kawho; nuindeed; anyaother person; mocitumto free;
prabhuis capable; tma-rmaof the self-satisfied sages; varam
the Lord; teexcept for; bhagavantamthe Supreme Personality of

1162

Godhead; adhokajamwho lies beyond the purview of material senses.

Who but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who lies beyond
material perception and is the Lord of self-satisfied sages, can possibly
save my consciousness, which has been stolen by a prostitute?
TEXT 16
bodhitasypi devy me
skta-vkyena durmate
mano-gato mah-moho
npayty ajittmana
bodhitasyawho had been informed; apieven; devyby the goddess
Urva; meof me; su-uktawell-spoken; vkyenaby words;
durmatewhose intelligence was dull; mana-gatawithin the mind;
mah-mohathe great confusion; na apaytidid not cease; ajitatmanawho had failed to control his senses.
Because I allowed my intelligence to become dull and because I failed to
control my senses, the great confusion in my mind did not go away,
even though Urva herself gave me wise counsel with well-spoken
words.
As described in the Ninth Canto of rmad-Bhgavatam, the goddess
Urva plainly told Purrav that he should never trust women or believe
their promises. Despite this frank advice, he became fully attached and
thus suffered great mental anguish.
TEXT 17
kim etay no 'pakta
rajjv v sarpa-cetasa
drau svarpviduo
yo 'ha yad ajitendriya
kimwhat; etayby her; nato us; apaktamoffense has been done;
rajjvby a rope; vor; sarpa-cetasawho is thinking it to be a snake;
drauof such a seer; svarpathe real identity; aviduawho does
not understand; yawho; ahamI; yatbecause of; ajita-indriya
having not controlled the senses.

1163

How can I blame her for my trouble when I myself am ignorant of my

real, spiritual nature? I did not control my senses, and so I am like a
person who mistakenly sees a harmless rope as a snake.
When a person mistakes a rope for a snake, he becomes fearful and
anxious. Such fear and anxiety are, of course, illusion, since the rope can
never bite. Similarly, one who mistakenly thinks that the material, illusory
energy of the Lord exists for his personal sense gratification will certainly
bring down on his head an avalanche of material, illusory fear and
anxiety. King Purrav frankly admits here that the young lady Urva is
not to blame. After all, it was Purrav who mistakenly considered her to
be an object of his personal enjoyment, and therefore he suffered the
reaction by the laws of nature. Purrav himself was the offender for
trying to exploit the external form of Urva.
TEXT 18
kvya malmasa kyo
daurgandhydy-tmako 'uci
kva gu saumanasydy
hy adhyso 'vidyay kta
kvawhere; ayamthis; malmasavery filthy; kyamaterial body;
daurgandhyabad odor; diand so on; tmakaconsisting of;
auciunclean; kvawhere; guthe so-called good qualities;
saumanasyathe fragrance and tenderness of flowers; dyand so on;
hicertainly; adhysathe superficial imposition; avidyayby
ignorance; ktacreated.
What is this polluted body anywayso filthy and full of bad odors? I
was attracted by the fragrance and beauty of a woman's body, but what
are those so-called attractive features? They are simply a false covering
created by illusion.
Purrav now understands that although he was madly attracted to the
fragrant, shapely body of Urva, in fact that body was a sack of stool, gas,
bile, mucus, hairs and other repugnant elements. In other words,
Purrav is now becoming sane.
TEXTS 19-20

1164

pitro ki sva nu bhryy

svmino 'gne va-gdhrayo
kim tmana ki suhdm
iti yo nvasyate
tasmin kalevare 'medhye
tuccha-nihe viajjate
aho su-bhadra su-nasa
su-smita ca mukha striya
pitroof the parents; kimwhether; svamthe property; nuor;
bhryyof the wife; svminaof the employer; agneof the fire;
va-gdhrayoof the dogs and jackals; kimwhether; tmanaof the
soul; kimwhether; suhdamof friends; itithus; yawho; na
avasyatecan never decide; tasminto that; kalevarematerial body;
amedhyeabominable; tuccha-niheheading toward the lowest
destination; viajjatebecomes attached; ahoah; su-bhadramvery
attractive; su-nasamhaving a beautiful nose; su-smitambeautiful smile;
caand; mukhamthe face; striyaof a woman.
One can never decide whose property the body actually is. Does it
belong to one's parents, who have given birth to it, to one's wife, who
gives it pleasure, or to one's employer, who orders the body around? Is
it the property of the funeral fire or of the dogs and jackals who may
ultimately devour it? Is it the property of the indwelling soul, who
partakes in its happiness and distress, or does the body belong to
intimate friends who encourage and help it? Although a man never
definitely ascertains the proprietor of the body, he becomes most
attached to it. The material body is a polluted material form heading
toward a lowly destination, yet when a man stares at the face of a
woman he thinks, "What a good-looking lady! What a charming nose
she's got, and see her beautiful smile!"
The phrase tuccha-nihe, or "headed toward a lowly destination,"
indicates that if buried, the body will be consumed by worms; if burned, it
will turn to ashes; and if dying in a lonely place, it will be consumed by
dogs and vultures. The illusory potency of My enters within the female
form and bewilders a man's mind. The man is attracted to My appearing
within the female form, but when he embraces the woman's body he ends

1165

up with two handfuls of stool, blood, mucus, pus, skin, bone, hairs and
flesh. People should not be like cats and dogs, in the ignorance of bodily
consciousness. A human being should be enlightened in Ka
consciousness and learn to serve the Supreme Lord without falsely trying
to exploit His potencies.
TEXT 21
tva-msa-rudhira-snyumedo-majjsthi-sahatau
vi-mtra-pye ramat
km kiyad antaram
tvakout of skin; msaflesh; rudhirablood; snyumuscle;
medafat; majjmarrow; asthiand bone; sahataucomposed;
viof stool; mtraurine; pyeand pus; ramatmenjoying;
kmmcompared to the worms; kiyathow much; antaram
difference.
What difference is there between ordinary worms and persons who try
to enjoy this material body composed of skin, flesh, blood, muscle, fat,
marrow, bone, stool, urine and pus?
TEXT 22
athpi nopasajjeta
stru straieu crtha-vit
viayendriya-sayogn
mana kubhyati nnyath
atha apiyet therefore; na upasajjetahe should never make contact;
struwith women; straieuwith men who are attached to women;
caor; artha-vitone who knows what is best for him; viayaof the
objects of enjoyment; indriyawith the senses; sayogtbecause of the
connection; manathe mind; kubhyatibecomes agitated; nanot;
anyathotherwise.
Yet even one who theoretically understands the actual nature of the
body should never associate with women or with men attached to
women. After all, the contact of the senses with their objects inevitably
agitates the mind.

1166

TEXT 23
add arutd bhvn
na bhva upajyate
asamprayujata prn
myati stimita mana
adtwhich is not seen; aruttwhich is not heard; bhvtfrom a
thing; nadoes not; bhvamental agitation; upajyatearise;
asamprayujatafor one who is not using; prnthe senses;
myatibecomes pacified; stimitamchecked; manathe mind.
Because the mind is not disturbed by that which is neither seen nor
heard, the mind of a person who restricts the material senses will
automatically be checked in its material activities and become pacified.
It may be argued that even while closing one's eyes, while dreaming or
while living in a solitary place, one may remember or contemplate sense
gratification. Such an experience, however, is due to previous sense
gratification that one repeatedly saw and heard about. When one restricts
the senses from their objects, especially from intimate contact with
women, the mind's material propensity will slacken and, like a fire
without fuel, eventually die.
TEXT 24
tasmt sago na kartavya
stru straieu cendriyai
vidu cpy avisrabdha
a-varga kim u mdm
tasmttherefore; sagaassociation; na kartavyashould never be
made; struwith women; straieuwith men attached to women; ca
and; indriyaiby one's senses; vidumof wise men; ca apieven;
avisrabdhauntrustworthy; a-vargathe six enemies of the mind
(lust, anger, greed, bewilderment, intoxication and envy); kim uwhat to
speak; mdmof persons like me.
Therefore one should never let his senses associate freely with women
or with men attached to women. Even those who are highly learned
cannot trust the six enemies of the mind; what to speak, then, of foolish
persons like me.

1167

TEXT 25
r-bhagavn uvca
eva pragyan npa-deva-deva
sa urva-lokam atho vihya
tmnam tmany avagamya m vai
upramaj jana-vidhta-moha
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; evamin
this way; pragyansinging; npaamong men; devaand among
demigods; devawho was eminent; sahe, King Purrav; urvalokamthe planet of Urva, Gandharvaloka; atha uthen; vihya-giving
up; tmnamthe Supreme Soul; tmaniwithin his own heart;
avagamyarealizing; mmMe; vaiindeed; upramathe became
peaceful; jnaby transcendental knowledge; vidhtaremoved;
mohahis illusion.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Having thus chanted this
song, Mahrja Purrav, eminent among the demigods and human
beings, gave up the position he had achieved in the planet of Urva. His
illusion cleansed away by transcendental knowledge, he understood Me
to be the Supreme Soul within his heart and so at last achieved peace.
TEXT 26
tato dusagam utsjya
satsu sajjeta buddhimn
santa evsya chindanti
mano-vysagam uktibhi
tatatherefore; dusagambad association; utsjyathrowing away;
satsuto saintly devotees; sajjetahe should become attached; buddhimanone who is intelligent; santasaintly persons; evaonly; asya
his; chindanticut off; manaof the mind; vysagamexcessive
attachment; uktibhiby their words.
An intelligent person should therefore reject all bad association and
instead take up the association of saintly devotees, whose words cut off
the excessive attachment of one's mind.

1168

TEXT 27
santo 'napek mac-citt
prant sama-darina
nirmam nirahakr
nirdvandv niparigrah
santathe saintly devotees; anapeknot dependent on anything
material; mat-cittwho have fixed their minds on Me; prant
completely peaceful; sama-darinaendowed with equal vision;
nirmama-free from possessiveness; nirahakrfree from false ego;
nirdvandvfree from all dualities; niparigrahfree from greed.
My devotees fix their minds on Me and do not depend upon anything
material. They are always peaceful, endowed with equal vision, and free
from possessiveness, false ego, duality and greed.
TEXT 28
teu nitya mah-bhga
mah-bhgeu mat-kath
sambhavanti hi t n
juat prapunanty agham
teuamong them; nityamconstantly; mah-bhgaO greatly fortunate
Uddhava; mah-bhgeuamong these greatly fortunate devotees; matkathdiscussions about Me; sambhavantiarise; hiindeed; t
these topics; nmof persons; juatmwho are partaking in them;
prapunantitotally purify; aghamthe sins.
O greatly fortunate Uddhava, in the association of such saintly devotees
there is constant discussion of Me, and those partaking in this chanting
and hearing of My glories are certainly purified of all sins.
Even if one does not receive direct instructions from a pure devotee,
simply by hearing him glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead one
can be purified of all sinful reactions caused by one's involvement in
illusion.
TEXT 29
t ye vanti gyanti

1169

hy anumodanti cdt
mat-par raddadhn ca
bhakti vindanti te mayi
tthose topics; yepersons who; vantihear; gyantichant; hi
indeed; anumodantitake to heart; caand; dtwith respect; matpardedicated to Me; raddadhnfaithful; caand; bhaktim
devotional service; vindantiachieve; tethey; mayifor Me.
Whoever hears, chants and respectfully takes to heart these topics
about Me becomes faithfully dedicated to Me and thus achieves My
devotional service.
One who hears from advanced devotees of Lord Ka can be saved from
the ocean of material existence. When one obeys the order of a bona fide
spiritual master, the polluted workings of the mind are checked, one sees
things in a new, spiritual light, and there blossoms the propensity for
selfless loving service to the Lord, which gives the fruit of love of
Godhead.
TEXT 30
bhakti labdhavata sdho
kim anyad avaiyate
mayy ananta-gue brahmay
nandnubhavtmani
bhaktimdevotional service to the Supreme Lord; labdhavatawho has
achieved; sdhofor the devotee; kimwhat; anyatelse; avaiyate
remains; mayito Me; ananta-guewhose qualities are countless;
brahmaito the Absolute Truth; nandaof ecstasy; anubhavathe
experience; tmaniwho comprises.
What more remains to be accomplished for the perfect devotee after
achieving devotional service unto Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth,
whose qualities are innumerable and who am the embodiment of all
ecstatic experience?
Devotional service to Lord Ka is so pleasing that a pure devotee cannot
desire anything except service to the Lord. In the Tenth Canto of rmadBhgavatam, Lord Ka told the gops that they would have to accept

1170

their own service as the ultimate reward of their devotion to Him, since
nothing awards as much happiness and knowledge as devotional service
itself. When one sincerely chants and hears the holy name and fame of
Lord Ka, the heart is purified ad gradually one can appreciate the
actual, blissful nature of Ka consciousness, loving service to the Lord.
TEXT 31
yathoparayamasya
bhagavanta vibhvasum
ta bhaya tamo 'pyeti
sdhn sasevatas tath
yathjust as; uparayamasyaof one who is approaching;
bhagavantamthe powerful; vibhvasumfire; tamcold; bhayam
fear; tamadarkness; apyetiare removed; sdhnsaintly devotees;
sasevatafor one who is serving; tathsimilarly.
Just as cold, fear and darkness are eradicated for one who has
approached the sacrificial fire, so dullness, fear and ignorance are
destroyed for one engaged in serving the devotees of the Lord.
Those engaged in fruitive activities are certainly dull; they lack higher
awareness of the Supreme Lord and the soul. Materialists are engaged
more or less mechanically in gratifying their senses and ambitions, and
thus they are considered dull or practically unconscious. All such
dullness, fear and ignorance are removed when one serves the lotus feet of
the Lord, just as cold, fear and darkness are removed when one
approaches a fire.
TEXT 32
nimajjyonmajjat ghore
bhavbdhau paramyaam
santo brahma-vida nt
naur dhevpsu majjatm
nimajjyaof those who are submerging; unmajjatmand rising again;
ghorein the horrible; bhavaof material life; abdhauocean; parama
supreme; ayanamshelter; santasaintly devotees; brahma-vidawho
understand the Absolute Truth; ntpeaceful; naua boat; dh
strong; ivajust as; apsuin the water; majjatmfor those who are

1171

drowning.
The devotees of the Lord, peacefully fixed in absolute knowledge, are
the ultimate shelter for those who are repeatedly rising and falling
within the fearful ocean of material life. Such devotees are just like a
strong boat that comes to rescue persons who are at the point of
drowning.
TEXT 33
anna hi prin pra
rtn araa tv aham
dharmo vitta n pretya
santo 'rvg bibhyato 'raam
annamfood; hiindeed; prinmof living entities; prathe very
life; rtnmof those who are distressed; araamthe shelter; tuand;
ahamI; dharmareligion; vittamthe wealth; nmof men;
pretyawhen they have passed away from this world; santathe
devotees; arvkof going downward; bibhyatafor those who are
fearful; araamthe refuge.
Just as food is the life of all creatures, just as I am the ultimate shelter
for the distressed, and just as religion is the wealth of those who are
passing away from this world, so My devotees are the only refuge of
persons fearful of falling into a miserable condition of life.
Those fearful of being dragged down by material lust and anger should
take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord's devotees, who can engage one
safely in the Lord's loving service.
TEXT 34
santo dianti caksi
bahir arka samutthita
devat bndhav santa
santa tmham eva ca
santathe devotees; diantibestow; cakieyes; bahiexternal;
arkathe sun; samutthitawhen it is fully risen; devatworshipable
deities; bndhavrelatives; santathe devotees; santathe devotees;

1172

tmone's very soul; ahamMyself; eva caas well.

My devotees bestow divine eyes, whereas the sun allows only external
sight, and that only when it is risen in the sky. My devotees are one's
real worshipable deities and real family; they are one's own self, and
ultimately they are nondifferent from Me.
Foolishness is the wealth of the impious, who place great value on their
treasure and firmly make up their minds to remain in the darkness of
ignorance. Saintly devotees of the Lord are just like the sun. By the light
of their words, the living entities' eyes of knowledge are opened and the
darkness of ignorance is destroyed. Thus the saintly devotees are one's
real friends and relatives. They are the proper recipients of servicenot
the gross material body, which merely clamors for sense gratification.
TEXT 35
vaitasenas tato 'py evam
urvay loka-nipha
mukta-sago mahm etm
tmrma cacra ha
vaitasenaKing Purrav; tata apifor that reason; evamthus;
urvayof Urva; lokaof being on the same planet; niphafreed
from the desire; muktaliberated; sagafrom all material association;
mahmthe earth; etmthis; tma-rmaself-satisfied; cacrahe
traveled; haindeed.
Thus losing his desire to be on the same planet as Urva, Mahrja
Purrav began to wander the earth free of all material association and
completely satisfied within the self.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-sixth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Aila-gt."

1173

27. Lord Ka's Instructions on the Process of Deity Worship

In this chapter the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains the process

of kriy-yoga, or Deity worship.
Worshiping the Deity form of the Supreme Lord automatically brings
purity and satisfaction to the mind. Thus it is the source of all desirable
gains. If a person has no engagement in Deity service he will simply
remain attracted to material sense gratification, and he will have no hope
of giving up bad association. The Personality of Godhead has given
instruction, among the regulations of the Stvata scriptures, on the
process of worshiping Him as the bona fide Deity. Brahm, iva, Nrada,
Vysa and all other sages have recommended this process described by the
Lord as most perfectly beneficial for all the occupational classes and
spiritual orders of human society, including even the women and dras.
There are three varieties of arcana, Deity worship, based on either the
original Vedas, the secondary tantras, or a combination of these. The
Deity image, the ground, the fire, the sun, the water and the heart of the
worshiper are all true locations of the Deity's presence. The Deity form to
be worshiped may be constructed of any one of eight substances-stone,
wood, metal, clay, paint, sand (drawn upon the ground), the mind or
jewels. These categories are further subdivided into two: temporary and
permanent.
The details of the worshiping process are as follows: The devotee should
bathe both physically and by chanting mantras, and then he should
perform the utterance of Gyatr at the prescribed juncture of the day. He
should arrange a seat facing either east or north, or else directly facing the
Deity, and should bathe and clean the Deity. Then he should present
clothing and ornaments, sprinkle water on the vessels and other
paraphernalia to be used in the worship, and offer water for bathing the
Deity's feet, arghya, water for washing His mouth, fragrant oils, incense,
lamps, flowers and food preparations. After this, one should worship the
Lord's personal servants and bodyguards, His consort energies, and the
spiritual masters by chanting their respective mla-mantras. The
worshiper should recite prayers from the Puras and other sources, offer

1174

obeisances flat on the ground, beg for benediction, and place on himself
the remnants of the Lord's garlands.
Included in this method of Deity worship are the proper installation of the
transcendental Deity by constructing a fine temple, and also the
conducting of processions and other festivals. By worshiping Lord r Hari
with unconditional devotion in this manner, one gains access to pure
loving service to His lotus feet. But if one steals property that has been
given as charity to the Deity or the brhmaas, whether given by himself
or by others, he will have to take his next birth as a stool-eating worm.
TEXT 1
r-uddhava uvca
kriy-yoga samcakva
bhavad-rdhana prabho
yasmt tv ye yathrcanti
stvat stvatarabha
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; kriy-yogamthe prescribed
method of activity; samcakvaplease explain; bhavatof You;
rdhanamthe Deity worship; prabhoO Lord; yasmtbased on what
kind of form; tvmYou; yewho; yathin what manner; arcanti
they worship; stvatthe devotees; stvata-abhaO master of the
devotees.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord, O master of the devotees, please
explain to me the prescribed method of worshiping You in Your Deity
form. What are the qualifications of those devotees who worship the
Deity, on what basis is such worship established, and what is the
specific method of worship?
In addition to performing their prescribed duties, devotees of the Lord
engage in regulated worship of the Lord in His Deity form in the temple.
Such worship acts powerfully to cleanse the heart of both the lust to enjoy
one's material body and the material family attachment that results
directly from this lust. To be effective, however, the process of Deity
worship must be performed in the authorized way. Therefore Uddhava
now inquires from the Lord about this subject.
TEXT 2

1175

etad vadanti munayo

muhur nireyasa nm
nrado bhagavn vysa
cryo 'girasa suta
etatthis; vadantithey say; munayathe great sages; muhu
repeatedly; nireyasamthe highest goal of life; nmfor men;
nradaNrada Muni; bhagavn vysarla Vedavysa; cryamy
spiritual master; agirasaof Agir; sutathe son.
All the great sages repeatedly declare that such worship brings the
greatest benefit possible in human life. This is the opinion of Nrada
Muni, the great Vysadeva and my own spiritual master, Bhaspati.
TEXTS 3-4
nista te mukhmbhojd
yad ha bhagavn aja
putrebhyo bhgu-mukhyebhyo
devyai ca bhagavn bhava
etad vai sarva-varnm
ram ca sammatam
reyasm uttama manye
str-dr ca mna-da
nistamemanated; teYour; mukha-ambhojtfrom the lotus mouth;
yatwhich; haspoke; bhagavnthe great lord; ajaself-born
Brahm; putrebhyato his sons; bhgu-mukhyebhyaheaded by Bhgu;
devyaito the goddess Prvat; caand; bhagavn bhavaLord iva;
etatthis (process of Deity worship); vaiindeed; sarva-varnmby
all the occupational classes of society; rammand spiritual orders;
caalso; sammatamapproved; reyasmof different kinds of benefit
in life; uttamamthe topmost; manyeI think; strfor women;
drmand low-class workers; caalso; mna-daO magnanimous
Lord.
O most magnanimous Lord, the instructions on this process of Deity
worship first emanated from Your lotus mouth. Then they were spoken
by the great Lord Brahm to his sons, headed by Bhgu, and by Lord

1176

iva to his wife, Prvat. This process is accepted by and appropriate for
all the occupational and spiritual orders of society. Therefore I consider
worship of You in Your Deity form to be the most beneficial of all
spiritual practices, even for women and dras.
TEXT 5
etat kamala-patrka
karma-bandha-vimocanam
bhaktya cnuraktya
brhi vivevarevara
etatthis; kamala-patra-akaO lotus-eyed Lord; karma-bandhafrom
the bondage of material work; vimocanamthe means of liberation;
bhaktyato Your devotee; anuraktyawho is very attached; brhi
please speak; viva-varaof all the lords of the universe; varaO
Supreme Lord.
O lotus-eyed one, O Supreme Lord of all lords of the universe, please
explain to Your devoted servant this means of liberation from the
bondage of work.
TEXT 6
r-bhagavn uvca
na hy anto 'nanta-prasya
karma-kasya coddhava
sakipta varayiymi
yathvad anuprvaa
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; nathere
is not; hiindeed; antaany end; ananta-prasyaof the boundless;
karma-kasyaVedic prescriptions for the execution of worship; ca
and; uddhavaO Uddhava; sakiptamin brief; varayiymiI shall
explain; yath-vatin a suitable manner; anuprvaain the
appropriate order.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, there is
no end to the innumerable Vedic prescriptions for executing Deity
worship; so I shall explain this topic to you briefly, one step at a time.

1177

Here the word karma-ka refers to the various Vedic methods of

worship, culminating in Deity worship of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Just as the means of sense gratification and material
renunciation are innumerable, the transcendental pastimes and qualities
the Supreme Personality of Godhead enjoys in His own abode, called
Vaikuha, are also innumerable. The various concepts of piety and
methods of purification in the material world ultimately cannot be
reconciled amongst themselves without accepting the Absolute Truth, the
Personality of Godhead, since without appreciation of Him there is no
definitive understanding of what is actually obligatory for a human being.
Even though almost all human beings are engaged in various processes of
worship, the Lord will now summarize this topic, describing how one
should worship Him in His Deity form.
TEXT 7
vaidikas tntriko mira
iti me tri-vidho makha
traym psitenaiva
vidhin m samarcaret
vaidikaaccording to the four Vedas; tntrikaaccording to practical,
explanatory literatures; miramixed; itithus; meof Me; trividhaof three kinds; makhasacrifice; traymof the three;
psitenathat which one feels to be most suitable; evacertainly;
vidhinby the process; mmMe; samarcaretone should properly
worship.
One should carefully worship Me by selecting one of the three methods
by which I receive sacrifice: Vedic, tantric or mixed.
Vaidika refers to sacrifice performed with mantras from the four Vedas and
auxiliary Vedic literature. Tntrika refers to such literatures as the
Pacartra and the Gautamya-tantra. And "mixed" indicates utilization of
both literatures. It should be remembered that superficial imitation of
elaborate Vedic sacrifices will not bring one the actual perfection of life.
One must perform sacrifice according to the prescription of the Supreme
Lord, who recommends for this age the chanting of His holy names: Hare
Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare Hare/ Hare Rma, Hare Rma,
Rma Rma, Hare Hare.

1178

TEXT 8
yad sva-nigamenokta
dvijatva prpya prua
yath yajeta m bhakty
raddhay tan nibodha me
yadwhen; svaspecified according to one's qualification; nigamena
by the Vedas; uktamenjoined; dvijatvamthe status of becoming twiceborn; prpyaachieving; pruaa person; yathin which way;
yajetahe should execute worship; mmunto Me; bhaktywith
devotion; raddhaywith faith; tatthat; nibodhaplease hear; me
from Me.
Now please listen faithfully as I explain exactly how a person who has
achieved twice-born status through the relevant Vedic prescriptions
should worship Me with devotion.
The word sva-nigamena refers to the particular Vedic injunctions relevant
to one's social and occupational status. Members of the brhmaa,
katriya and vaiya communities all achieve dvijatvam, twice-born status,
by initiation into the Gyatr mantra. Traditionally, fully qualified
brhmaa boys may be initiated at age eight, katriyas at eleven and
vaiyas at twelve, provided the proper conditions are met. Having
achieved twice-born status, one should faithfully worship the Supreme
Personality of Godhead in His form of the Deity, as the Lord Himself will
describe.
TEXT 9
arcy sthaile 'gnau v
srye vpsu hdi dvija
dravyea bhakti-yukto 'rcet
sva-guru mm amyay
arcymwithin the Deity form; sthailein the earth; agnauin fire;
vor; sryein the sun; vor; apsuin water; hdiin the heart;
dvijathe brhmaa; dravyeaby various paraphernalia; bhaktiyuktaendowed with devotion; arcethe should worship; sva-gurum
his worshipable Lord; mmMe; amyaywithout any deception.
A twice-born person should worship Me, his worshipable Lord, without

1179

duplicity, offering appropriate paraphernalia in loving devotion to My

Deity form or to a form of Me appearing upon the ground, in fire, in the
sun, in water or within the worshiper's own heart.
TEXT 10
prva snna prakurvta
dhauta-danto 'ga-uddhaye
ubhayair api ca snna
mantrair md-grahadin
prvamfirst; snnambath; prakurvtaone should perform; dhauta
having cleaned; dantahis teeth; agaof the body; uddhayefor
purification; ubhayaiwith both kinds; api caalso; snnambathing;
mantraiwith mantras; mt-grahaa-dinby smearing with earth and
so on.
One should first purify his body by cleansing his teeth and bathing.
Then one should perform a second cleansing by smearing the body with
earth and chanting both Vedic and tantric mantras.
TEXT 11
sandhyopstydi-karmi
vedencoditni me
pj tai kalpayet samyaksakalpa karma-pvanm
sandhyat the three junctures of the day (dawn, noon and sunset);
upstiworship (by chanting the Gyatr mantra); diand so on;
karmiprescribed duties; vedenaby the Vedas; coditni
recommended; meMy; pjmworship; taiby these activities;
kalpayetone should perform; samyak-sakalpawho has perfectly
fixed his determination (that the object of his endeavor will be the
Personality of Godhead); karmathe reaction of fruitive work; pvanm
which eradicates.
Fixing the mind on Me, one should worship Me by his various
prescribed duties, such as chanting the Gyatr mantra at the three
junctures of the day. Such performances are enjoined by the Vedas and

1180

purify the worshiper of reactions to fruitive activities.

TEXT 12
ail dru-may lauh
lepy lekhy ca saikat
mano-may mai-may
pratima-vidh smt
ailmade of stone; dru-maymade of wood; lauhmade of metal;
lepymade of clay, sandalwood and other substances laid down as a
paste; lekhypainted; caand; saikatmade of sand; mana-may
conceived of in the mind; mai-maymade of jewels; pratimthe
Deity; aa-vidhin eight varieties; smtit is remembered.
The Deity form of the Lord is said to appear in eight varietiesstone,
wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels.
rla Jva Gosvm explains that certain Deity forms, such as those made
of sand, are manifested for a brief time to fulfill a personal desire of the
worshiper. Those, however, who desire to attain pure love of God should
worship the permanent form of the Deity (made, for instance, of marble,
gold or brass), and they should maintain continual worship. In Ka
consciousness there is no scope for neglecting the worship of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 13
calcaleti dvi-vidh
pratih jva-mandiram
udvsvhane na sta
sthirym uddhavrcane
calmovable; acalimmovable; itithus; dvi-vidhof two varieties;
pratithe installation; jva-mandiramof the Deity, who is the shelter
of all living entities; udvsasending away; vhaneand calling forth;
na staare not done; sthirymfor the permanently established Deity;
uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; arcanein His worship.
The Deity form of the Lord, who is the shelter of all living entities, can
be established in two ways: temporarily or permanently. But a

1181

permanent Deity, having been called, can never be sent away, My dear
Uddhava.
The devotees of the Lord understand themselves to be the Lord's eternal
servitors; recognizing the Deity to be the Lord Himself, they permanently
install the Deity and engage in perpetual worship. The impersonalists,
however, regard the eternal form of the Lord as a temporary manifestation
of illusion. In fact, they regard the Deity form as a mere steppingstone
in their ambitious program to become God. Materialistic persons of
whatever stripe consider the Lord to be their order supplier, and so they
make temporary arrangements for religious ceremonies to achieve
temporary material sense gratification. This temporary mode of worship is
favored by those desiring to exploit the Personality of Godhead for their
personal ends, whereas the loving devotees in Ka consciousness
eternally engage in worship of the Personality of Godhead. They install
permanent Deities meant to be worshiped perpetually.
TEXT 14
asthiry vikalpa syt
sthaile tu bhaved dvayam
snapana tv avilepyym
anyatra parimrjanam
asthirymin the case of the temporarily installed Deity; vikalpaan
option (as to whether the Deity is to be called and sent away); sytthere
is; sthailein the case of the Deity traced upon the ground; tubut;
bhavetdo occur; dvayamthese two rituals; snapanamthe bathing;
tubut; avilepyymin the case when the Deity is not made out of clay
(or paint or wood); anyatrain the other cases; parimrjanamthorough
cleansing, but without water.
The Deity that is temporarily established can optionally be called forth
and sent away, but these two rituals should always be performed when
the Deity is traced upon the ground. Bathing should be done with water
except if the Deity is made of clay, paint or wood, in which cases a
thorough cleansing without water is enjoined.
Various classes of devotees worship the Deity of the Personality of
Godhead according to their various stages of faith in the Lord. An

1182

advanced devotee of Lord Ka understands his eternal loving

relationship with the Lord and, seeing the Deity as the Lord Himself,
establishes an eternal relationship with the Deity based on loving
servitude to Him. Understanding Lord Ka to be the eternal form of
bliss and knowledge, a faithful devotee makes a permanent arrangement
for Deity worship, installing the Lord's form made of, for example, stone,
wood or marble.
The lagrma-il is considered to be automatically installed even
without the formal ceremony, and so it is forbidden to call the Deity with
mantras or ask the Deity to leave. On the other hand, if one prepares a
Deity form by drawing on sanctified ground or by constructing a sand
image, one must call the Deity with mantras and then ask the Deity to
leave the external form, which will soon be demolished by the natural
elements.
The general principle is that a pure devotee of the Lord understands his
relationship with the Deity to be eternal. The more one surrenders in
loving devotion to the Deity, the more one can understand the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Lord Ka is a person, but He is the Supreme
Person, possessing His own unique feelings. One can easily please the
Lord by devotional service offered to His Deity form. By pleasing the Lord
one can gradually progress in the mission of human life and eventually go
back home, back to Godhead, where the Deity personally appears before
the devotee and welcomes the devotee to His personal abode, known
throughout the world as the kingdom of God.
TEXT 15
dravyai prasiddhair mad-yga
pratimdiv amyina
bhaktasya ca yath-labdhair
hdi bhvena caiva hi
dravyaiwith items of paraphernalia; prasiddhaiexcellent; matygaMy worship; pratim-diuin the different Deity forms;
amyinawho has no material desire; bhaktasyaof a devotee; caand;
yath-labdhaiby whatever paraphernalia he can easily obtain; hdiin
the heart; bhvenaby mental conception; caand; eva hicertainly.
One should worship Me in My Deity forms by offering the most
excellent paraphernalia. But a devotee completely freed from material

1183

desire may worship Me with whatever he is able to obtain, and may

even worship Me within his heart with mental paraphernalia.
A devotee still troubled by material desire tends to see the world as an
object of sense gratification. Such a neophyte devotee may misunderstand
the Lord's supreme position and may even consider the Lord an object of
his own enjoyment. Hence the neophyte must offer opulent paraphernalia
to the Deity so that he may constantly remember that the Deity is the
supreme enjoyer and that he, the neophyte, is simply the worshiper and is
actually meant for the Deity's pleasure. In contrast, an advanced devotee,
one fixed in Ka consciousness, never forgets that the Supreme Lord is
the actual enjoyer and controller of everything. The pure devotee offers
his unalloyed love to the Personality of Godhead along with whatever
paraphernalia is easily obtained. A Ka conscious devotee does not
waver in his devotion to Lord Ka, and even with the simplest offering
he completely satisfies the Personality of Godhead.
TEXTS 16-17
snnlakaraa preham
arcym eva tddhava
sthaile tattva-vinyso
vahnv jya-pluta havi
srye cbhyarhaa preha
salile salildibhi
raddhayophta preha
bhaktena mama vry api
snnabathing; alakaraamand decorating with clothing and
ornaments; prehamis most appreciated; arcymfor the Deity form;
evacertainly; tuand; uddhavaO Uddhava; sthailefor the Deity
drawn upon the ground; tattva-vinysaestablishing the expansions and
potencies of the Lord within the various limbs of the Deity by chanting
the respective mantras; vahnaufor the sacrificial fire; jyain ghee;
plutamdrenched; havithe oblations of sesame, barley and so on;
sryefor the sun; caand; abhyarhaamthe yoga meditation of twelve
sanas and offerings of arghya; preham-most dear; salilefor the water;
salila-dibhiby offerings of water and so on; raddhaywith faith;
uphtampresented; prehammost dear; bhaktenaby the devotee;

1184

mamaMy; vriwater; apieven.

In worshiping the temple Deity, my dear Uddhava, bathing and
decoration are the most pleasing offerings. For the Deity traced on
sacred ground, the process of tattva-vinysa is most dear. Oblations of
sesame and barley soaked in ghee are the preferred offering to the
sacrificial fire, whereas worship consisting of upasthna and arghya is
preferred for the sun. One should worship Me in the form of water by
offering water itself. Actually, whatever is offered to Me with faith by
My devoteeeven if only a little wateris most dear to Me.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is present everywhere, and Vedic
culture prescribes various ritualistic methods for worshiping the Lord in
His various manifestations. The principal item is the faith and devotion of
the worshiper, without which everything else is useless, as the Lord
describes in the next verse.
TEXT 18
bhry apy abhaktophta
na me toya kalpate
gandho dhpa sumanaso
dpo 'nndya ca ki puna
bhriopulent; apieven; abhaktaby a nondevotee; uphtam
offered; nadoes not; meMy; toyasatisfaction; kalpatecreate;
gandhafragrance; dhpaincense; sumanasaflowers; dpa
lamps; anna-dyamfoodstuffs; caand; kim punawhat to speak of.
Even very opulent presentations do not satisfy Me if they are offered by
nondevotees. But I am pleased by any insignificant offering made by My
loving devotees, and I am certainly most pleased when nice
presentations of fragrant oil, incense, flowers and palatable foods are
offered with love.
The Lord has stated in the previous verse that even a little water offered
with love and devotion gives Him great pleasure. Therefore the words ki
puna indicate the Lord's complete happiness when a suitably opulent
offering is made with love and devotion. But an opulent offering made by
a nondevotee cannot please the Lord. As rla Jva Gosvm explains, the
rules and regulations concerning Deity worship and the listing of offenses

1185

against the Deities are all meant for helping one avoid precisely this kind
of disrespectful or neglectful attitude toward the Personality of Godhead
in His Deity form. In fact, all offenses against the Deity are based upon
irreverence and disregard for the Lord's position as master, and thus upon
disobedience to His orders. Since one must worship the Deity with
reverence, one should offer opulent presentations to the Deity with love,
for such presentations both enhance the respectfulness of the worshiper
and help him avoid offenses in his worship.
TEXT 19
uci sambhta-sambhra
prg-darbhai kalpitsana
sna prg udag vrced
arcy tv atha sammukha
uciclean; sambhtahaving collected; sambhrathe paraphernalia;
prktheir tips facing the east; darbhaiwith blades of kua grass;
kalpitahaving arranged; sanahis own seat; snasitting; prk
facing the east; udakfacing the north; vor; arcethe should perform
the worship; arcymof the Deity; tubut; athaor else; sammukha
directly facing.
After cleansing himself and collecting all the paraphernalia, the
worshiper should arrange his own seat with blades of kua grass whose
tips point eastward. He should then sit facing either east or north, or
else, if the Deity is fixed in one place, he should sit directly facing the
Deity.
The word sambhta-sambhra means that before beginning the Deity
worship one should place all necessary paraphernalia nearby. In this way
one will not have to get up continually to search for different items. If the
Deity has been permanently installed, then one should sit facing the
Deity.
TEXT 20
kta-nysa kta-nys
mad-arc pinmjet
kalaa prokaya ca
yathvad upasdhayet

1186

kta-nysahaving sanctified his own body (by touching various parts

and chanting appropriate mantras while meditating on the corresponding
forms of the Supreme Lord); kta-nysm(the Deity) upon which the
same process has been applied; mat-arcmMy Deity manifestation;
pinwith his hand; mjetshould clean (by removing remnants of
old offerings); kalaamthe ritual pot filled with auspicious substances;
prokayamthe vessel containing water for sprinkling; caand; yathvatappropriately; upasdhayethe should prepare.
The devotee should sanctify the various parts of his body by touching
them and chanting mantras. He should do the same for My Deity forms
and then with his hands he should clean the Deity of old flowers and
the remnants of previous offerings. He should properly prepare the
sacred pot and the vessel containing water for sprinkling.
Before beginning the process of worship mentioned here, one should offer
obeisances to one's spiritual master, the Deity and other worshipable
personalities.
TEXT 21
tad-adbhir deva-yajana
dravyy tmnam eva ca
prokya ptri try adbhis
tais tair dravyai ca sdhayet
tatof the vessel for sprinkling; adbhiwith the water; deva-yajanam
the place where the Deity is worshiped; dravyithe paraphernalia;
tmnamone's own body; evaindeed; caalso; prokyasprinkling;
ptrithe vessels; trithree; adbhiwith water; tai taiwith
those available; dravyaiauspicious items; caand; sdhayethe
should arrange.
Then, with the water of that prokaya vessel he should sprinkle the
area where the Deity is being worshiped, the offerings that are going to
be presented, and his own body. Next he should decorate with various
auspicious substances three vessels filled with water.
rla rdhara Svm gives references from Vedic literature stating that the
water meant for bathing the feet should be combined with millet seeds,

1187

drv grass mixed in water, viukrnta flowers and other items. The
water used for arghya should include the following eight items: fragrant
oil, flowers, unbroken barleycorns, husked barleycorns, the tips of kua
grass, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and drv grass. The water for sipping
should include jasmine flowers, ground cloves and kakkola berries.
TEXT 22
pdyrghycamanyrtha
tri ptri deika
hd rtha ikhay
gyatry cbhimantrayet
pdyaof the water offered to the Lord for bathing His feet; arghyathe
water offered to the Lord as a token of respectful greeting; camanya
and the water offered to the Lord for washing His mouth; arthamplaced
there for the purpose; trithree; ptrithe vessels; deikathe
worshiper; hdby the "heart" mantra; rby the "head" mantra;
athaand; ikhayby the "crown" mantra; gyatryand by the
Gyatr mantra; caalso; abhimantrayethe should perform purification
by chanting.
The worshiper should then purify those three vessels. He should
sanctify the vessel holding water for washing the Lord's feet by chanting
hdayya nama, the vessel containing water for arghya by chanting
irase svh, and the vessel containing water for washing the Lord's
mouth by chanting ikhyai vaa. Also, the Gyatr mantra should be
chanted for all three vessels.
TEXT 23
pie vyv-agni-sauddhe
ht-padma-sth par mama
av jva-kal dhyyen
ndnte siddha-bhvitm
piewithin the body; vyuby air; agniand by fire; sauddhe
which has become completely purified; htof the heart; padmaupon
the lotus; sthmsituated; parmthe transcendental form; mamaof
Mine; avmvery subtle; jva-kalmthe Personality of Godhead, from
whom all living entities expand; dhyyethe should meditate upon; nda-

1188

anteat the end of the vibration of o; siddha-by perfected sages;

bhvitmexperienced.
The worshiper should meditate upon My subtle formwhich is
situated within the worshiper's own body, now purified by air and
fireas the source of all living entities. This form of the Lord is
experienced by self-realized sages in the last part of the vibration of the
sacred syllable o.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the praava, or okra, has five parts:
A, U, M, the nasal bindu and the reverberation (nda). Liberated souls
meditate upon the Lord at the end of that reverberation.
TEXT 24
taytma-bhtay pie
vypte sampjya tan-maya
vhyrcdiu sthpya
nyastga m prapjayet
tayby that form meditated upon; tma-bhtayconceived of
according to one's own realization; piein the physical body; vypte
which has become pervaded; sampjyaperfectly worshiping that form;
tat-mayasurcharged by His presence; vhyainviting; arc-diu
within the various Deities being worshiped; sthpyaestablishing Him;
nyasta-agamhaving touched the Deity's various limbs with the
chanting of appropriate mantras; mmto Me; prapjayethe should
carry out all the details of worship.
The devotee conceives of the Supersoul, whose presence surcharges the
devotee's body, in the form corresponding to his realization. Thus the
devotee worships the Lord to his full capacity and becomes fully
absorbed in Him. By touching the various limbs of the Deity and
chanting appropriate mantras, the devotee should invite the Supersoul
to join the Deity's form, and then the devotee should worship Me.
The body of a devotee is pervaded by the Supreme Lord just as a house is
pervaded by the glow of a lamp. Just as one gestures in a friendly way to
indicate that a guest should enter one's house, one touches the body of
the Deity, chants appropriate mantras, and enthusiastically invites the
Supersoul to enter the form of the Deity. Since both the Deity and the

1189

Supersoul are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are not different.
One form of the Lord can immediately become manifest in another.
TEXTS 25-26
pdyopasparrhadn
upacrn prakalpayet
dharmdibhi ca navabhi
kalpayitvsana mama
padmam aa-dala tatra
karik-kesarojjvalam
ubhbhy veda-tantrbhy
mahya tbhaya-siddhaye
pdyawater for washing the Lord's feet; upasparawater for washing
the Lord's mouth; arhaawater presented as arghya; dn-and other
paraphernalia; upacrnthe offerings; prakalpayetone should make;
dharma-dibhiwith the personifications of religion, knowledge,
renunciation and opulence; caand; navabhiwith the nine (energies
of the Lord); kalpayitvhaving imagined; sanamthe seat; mama
My; padmama lotus; aa-dalamhaving eight petals; tatratherein;
karikin the whorl; kesarawith saffron filaments; ujjvalam
effulgent; ubhbhymby both means; veda-tantrbhymof the Vedas
and tantras; mahyam-to Me; tuand; ubhayaof both (enjoyment and
liberation); siddhayefor the achievement.
The worshiper should first imagine My seat as decorated with the
personified deities of religion, knowledge, renunciation and opulence
and with My nine spiritual energies. He should think of the Lord's
sitting place as an eight-petaled lotus, effulgent on account of the
saffron filaments within its whorl. Then, following the regulations of
both the Vedas and the tantras, he should offer Me water for washing
the feet, water for washing the mouth, arghya and other items of
worship. By this process he achieves both material enjoyment and
liberation.
According to rla rdhara Svm, religion, knowledge, renunciation and
opulence are the legs of the Lord's sitting platform and occupy the four
corners, beginning with the southeast. Irreligion, ignorance, attachment

1190

and wretchedness are the intermediate legs, standing in the four

directions beginning with the east. The nine aktis, or potencies, of the
Lord are Vimal, Utkari, Jna, Kriy, Yog, Prahv, Saty, n and
Anugrah.
TEXT 27
sudarana pcajanya
gadsu-dhanur-haln
muala kaustubha ml
rvatsa cnupjayet
sudaranamthe Lord's disc; pcajanyamthe Lord's conchshell;
gadHis club; asisword; iuarrows; dhanubow; halnand
plow; mualamHis muala weapon; kaustubhamthe Kaustubha gem;
mlmHis garland; rvatsamthe decoration of rvatsa on His chest;
caand; anupjayetone should worship one after another.
One should worship, in order, the Lord's Sudarana disc, His
Pcajanya conchshell, His club, sword, bow, arrows and plow, His
muala weapon, His Kaustubha gem, His flower garland and the
rvatsa curl of hair on His chest.
TEXT 28
nanda sunanda garua
pracaa caa eva ca
mahbala bala caiva
kumuda kamudekaam
nandam sunandam garuamnamed Nanda, Sunanda and Garua;
pracaam caamPracaa and Caa; evaindeed; caalso; mahbalam balamMahbala and Bala; caand; evaindeed; kumudam
kumuda-kaamKumuda and Kumudekaa.
One should worship the Lord's associates Nanda and Sunanda, Garua,
Pracaa and Caa, Mahbala and Bala, and Kumuda and
Kumudekaa.
TEXT 29

1191

durg vinyaka vysa

vivakena gurn surn
sve sve sthne tv abhimukhn
pjayet prokadibhi
durgmthe Lord's spiritual energy; vinyakamthe original Gaea;
vysamthe compiler of the Vedas; vivaksenamVivaksena; gurn
one's spiritual masters; surnthe demigods; sve sveeach in his own;
sthneplace; tuand; abhimukhnall facing the Deity; pjayetone
should worship; prokaa-dibhiby the various prescriptions
beginning with sprinkling of water for purification.
With offerings such as prokaa one should worship Durg, Vinyaka,
Vysa, Vivaksena, the spiritual masters and the various demigods. All
these personalities should be in their proper places facing the Deity of
the Lord.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the Gaea and Durg mentioned in this
verse are not the same personalities present within the material world;
rather, they are eternal associates of the Lord in Vaikuha. In this world
Gaea, the son of Lord iva, is famous for awarding financial success,
and the goddess Durg, the wife of Lord iva, is famous as the external,
illusory potency of the Supreme Lord. The personalities mentioned here,
however, are eternally liberated associates of the Lord who reside in the
spiritual sky, beyond the material manifestation. rla Jva Gosvm quotes
from various Vedic literatures to prove that the name Durg may also
indicate the internal potency of the Lord, who is nondifferent from Him.
The external, or covering, potency of the Lord expands from this original
Durg. The Durg of the material world, called Mah-my, assumes the
function of bewildering the living entities. Thus a devotee should not fear
becoming polluted by worshiping the Durg mentioned here, who has the
same name as illusion, but rather the devotee must show respect to these
eternal servitors of the Supreme Lord in Vaikuha.
TEXTS 30-31
candanora-karprakukumguru-vsitai
salilai snpayen mantrair
nityad vibhave sati

1192

svara-gharmnuvkena
mahpurua-vidyay
pauruepi sktena
smabh rjandibhi
candanawith sandalwood paste; urathe fragrant ura root;
karpracamphor; kukumavermilion; agurualoes wood; vsitai
which are perfumed; salilaiby different kinds of water; snpayetone
should bathe the Deity; mantraiwith mantras; nityadevery day;
vibhaveassets; satito the extent that there are; svara-gharmaanuvkenaby the chapter of the Vedas known as Svara-gharma; mahpurua-vidyay-by the incantation called Mahpurua; pauruea-by the
Purua-skta; api-also; sktenathe Vedic hymn; smabhiby songs
from the Sma Veda; rjana-dibhiknown as Rjana and so on.
The worshiper should bathe the Deity every day, as opulently as his
assets permit, using waters scented with sandalwood, ura root,
camphor, kukuma and aguru. He should also chant various Vedic
hymns, such as the anuvka known as Svara-gharma, the Mahpuruavidy, the Purua-skta and various songs of the Sma Veda, such as the
Rjana and the Rohiya.
The Purua-skta prayer, beginning o sahasra-r-purua sahasrka
sahasra-pt, is contained within the g Veda.
TEXT 32
vastropavtbharaapatra-srag-gandha-lepanai
alakurvta sa-prema
mad-bhakto m yathocitam
vastrawith clothing; upavtaa brhmaa thread; bharaa
ornaments; patradecorations drawn on various parts of the body with
tilaka; srak-garlands; gandha-lepanaiand smearing of fragrant oils;
alakurvtahe should decorate; sa-premawith love; mat-bhaktaMy
devotee; mmMe; yath ucitamas is enjoined.
My devotee should then lovingly decorate Me with clothing, a brhmaa
thread, various ornaments, marks of tilaka and garlands, and he should
anoint My body with fragrant oils, all in the prescribed manner.

1193

rla rdhara Svm quotes Lord r Viu's instructions to Ambara

Mahrja in the Viu-dharma Upapura as follows: "Absorbing your
mind completely in the Deity, you should give up all other shelter and
consider the Deity your intimate well-wisher. You should mentally
worship Him and meditate upon Him while you walk, while you stand,
while you sleep and eat. You should see the Deity in front of you, behind,
above, below and on both sides. In this way you should constantly
remember My Deity form." In the Gautamya-tantra one is enjoined to
give the Deity of the Lord a brhmaa thread, if possible one made of
gold. In the Nsiha Pura it is stated, "If one offers to Lord Govinda a
yellow sacred thread containing three strands of silk, he will become an
expert in Vednta."
TEXT 33
pdyam camanya ca
gandha sumanaso 'katn
dhpa-dpopahryi
dadyn me raddhayrcaka
pdyamwater for washing the feet; camanyamwater for washing the
mouth; caand; gandhamfragrances; sumanasaflowers; akatn
unbroken grains; dhpaincense; dpalamps; upahryisuch items
of paraphernalia; dadythe should present; meto Me; raddhay
with faith; arcakathe worshiper.
The worshiper should faithfully present Me with water for washing My
feet and mouth, fragrant oils, flowers and unbroken grains, along with
incense, lamps and other offerings.
TEXT 34
gua-pyasa-sarpi
akuly-ppa-modakn
sayva-dadhi-sp ca
naivedya sati kalpayet
guasugar candy; pyasasweet rice; sarpiand ghee; akula
kind of large, ear-shaped cake made of rice flour, sugar and sesame and
fried in ghee; ppavarious kinds of sweet cakes; modaknsmall

1194

conical steamed dumplings made of rice flour and filled with sweet
coconut and sugar; sayvaan oblong cake made of wheat, ghee and
milk and covered with sugar and spices; dadhiyogurt; spnvegetable
soups; caand; naivedyamofferings of food; satiif he has sufficient
means; kalpayetthe devotee should arrange.
Within his means, the devotee should arrange to offer Me sugar candy,
sweet rice, ghee, akul [rice-flour cakes], ppa [various sweet cakes],
modaka [steamed rice-flour dumplings filled with sweet coconut and
sugar], sayva [wheat cakes made with ghee and milk and covered
with sugar and spices], yogurt, vegetable soups and other palatable
foods.
One can acquire detailed information of proper and improper foods to
offer in Deity worship by consulting r Hari-bhakti-vilsa, Eighth vilsa,
verses 152-164.
TEXT 35
abhyagonmardandaradanta-dhvbhiecanam
anndya-gta-ntyni
parvai syur utnv-aham
abhyagawith ointment; unmardanamassaging; daraoffering a
mirror; danta-dhvawashing the teeth; abhiecanambathing; anna
offering food that can be eaten without chewing; dyaoffering food that
is chewed; gtsinging; ntyniand dancing; parvaion special
holidays; syuthese offerings should be made; utaor else (if it is
within one's means); anu-ahamevery day.
On special occasions, and daily if possible, the Deity should be
massaged with ointment, shown a mirror, offered a eucalyptus stick for
brushing His teeth, bathed with the five kinds of nectar, offered all
kinds of opulent foods, and entertained with singing and dancing.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura describes the process of Deity
worship as follows: "First the Deity's teeth should be cleaned and His
body massaged with fragrant oil and rubbed with vermilion, camphor
powder and so forth. Then He should be bathed with fragrant water and
the five kinds of nectar. Next one should offer valuable silk garments and

1195

jeweled ornaments to the Deity, smear His body with sandalwood paste,
and offer Him garlands and other gifts. After this, one should hold a
mirror in front of the Deity and then offer fragrant oil, flowers, incense,
lamps and scented water for refreshing the mouth. One should offer all
types of palatable foods, fragrant water, betel nuts, garlands, rati lamps, a
bed to rest on, and so on. One should also fan the Deity and perform
instrumental music, singing and dancing. This Deity worship must be
performed on special occasions like religious holidays or else, if one can
afford it, daily." According to rla rdhara Svm, Ekda is an
appropriate day for performing special Deity worship.
TEXT 36
vidhin vihite kue
mekhal-garta-vedibhi
agnim dhya parita
samhet pinoditam
vidhinaccording to scriptural injunctions; vihiteconstructed; kue
in the sacrificial arena; mekhalwith the paraphernalia of the sacred
belt; gartathe sacrificial pit; vedibhiand the altar mound; agnimthe
fire; dhyaestablishing; paritaon all sides; samhetone should
build up; pinwith his hands; uditamblazing.
In an arena constructed according to scriptural injunctions, the devotee
should perform a fire sacrifice, utilizing the sacred belt, the sacrificial
pit and the altar mound. When igniting the sacrificial fire, the devotee
should bring it to a blaze with wood piled up by his own hands.
TEXT 37
paristrytha paryuked
anvdhya yath-vidhi
prokaysdya dravyi
prokygnau bhvayeta mm
paristryascattering (kua grass); athathen; paryukethe should
sprinkle with water; anvdhyaperforming the ritual of anvdhna
(placing wood into the fire with recitations of o bhr bhuva sva);
yath-vidhiaccording to the standard prescription; prokayby the
water in the camana vessel; sdyahaving arranged; dravyithe

1196

items to be offered as oblations; prokyasprinkling them; agnauwithin

the fire; bhvayetahe should meditate; mmon Me.
After spreading kua grass on the ground and sprinkling it with water,
one should perform the anvdhna ritual according to the prescribed
rules. Then one should arrange the items to be offered as oblations and
should sanctify them with water from the sprinkling vessel. The
worshiper should next meditate upon Me within the fire.
rla Jva Gosvm mentions that one should meditate upon the Lord as
the Supersoul within the sacrificial fire.
TEXTS 38-41
tapta-jmbnada-prakhya
akha-cakra-gadmbujai
lasac-catur-bhuja nta
padma-kijalka-vsasam
sphurat-kira-kaaka
kai-stra-vargadam
rvatsa-vakasa bhrjatkaustubha vana-mlinam
dhyyann abhyarcya dri
havibhightni ca
prsyjya-bhgv ghrau
dattv cjya-pluta havi
juhuyn mla-mantrea
oaarcvadnata
dharmdibhyo yath-nyya
mantrai svii-kta budha
taptamolten; jmb-nadaof gold; prakhyamthe color; akhawith
His conchshell; cakradisc; gadclub; ambujaiand lotus flower;
lasatbrilliant; catu-bhujamhaving four arms; ntampeaceful;
padmaof a lotus; kijalkacolored like the filaments; vsasamHis
garment; sphuratshining; kirahelmet; kaakabracelets; katistrabelt; vara-agadamfine ornaments on the arms; r-vatsathe
emblem of the goddess of fortune; vakasamupon His chest; bhrjat

1197

effulgent; kaustubhamthe Kaustubha gem; vana-mlinamwearing a

flower garland; dhyyanmeditating upon Him; abhyarcyaperforming
worship of Him; dripieces of dry wood; haviwith the purified
butter; abhightnisoaked; caand; prsyathrowing into the fire;
jyaof the ghee; bhgauthe two designated portions; ghrauin the
course of performing the ghra ritual; dattvoffering; caand; jya
with ghee; plutamdrenched; havivarious oblations; juhuytone
should offer into the fire; mla-mantreawith the primary mantras
naming each deity; oaa-cwith the hymn Purua-skta, consisting of
sixteen lines of verse; avadnatapouring an oblation after each line;
dharma-dibhyato the demigods, beginning with Yamarja; yathnyyamin the proper order; mantraiwith the specific mantras
naming each demigod; svii-ktamthe ritual of this name; budhathe
intelligent devotee.
The intelligent devotee should meditate upon that form of the Lord
whose color is like molten gold, whose four arms are resplendent with
the conchshell, disc, club and lotus flower, and who is always peaceful
and dressed in a garment colored like the filaments within a lotus
flower. His helmet, bracelets, belt and fine arm ornaments shine
brilliantly. The symbol of rvatsa is on His chest, along with the
glowing Kaustubha gem and a garland of forest flowers. The devotee
should then worship that Lord by taking pieces of firewood soaked in
the sacrificial ghee and throwing them into the fire. He should perform
the ritual of ghra, presenting into the fire the various items of
oblation drenched in ghee. He should then offer to sixteen demigods,
beginning with Yamarja, the oblation called svii-kt, reciting the basic
mantras of each deity and the sixteen-line Purua-skta hymn. Pouring
one oblation after each line of the Purua-skta, he should utter the
particular mantra naming each deity.
TEXT 42
abhyarcytha namasktya
pradebhyo bali haret
mla-mantra japed brahma
smaran nryatmakam
abhyarcyahaving thus worshiped; athathen; namasktyaoffering his

1198

obeisances by bowing down; pradebhyaunto the Lord's personal

associates; balimofferings; harethe should present; mla-mantram
the basic mantra for the Deity; japethe should chant quietly; brahma
the Absolute Truth; smaranremembering; nryaa-tmakamas the
Supreme Personality, Lord Nryaa.
Having thus worshiped the Lord in the sacrificial fire, the devotee
should offer his obeisances to the Lord's personal associates by bowing
down and should then present offerings to them. He should then chant
quietly the mla-mantra of the Deity of the Lord, remembering the
Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality, Nryaa.
TEXT 43
dattvcamanam ucchea
vivakenya kalpayet
mukha-vsa surabhimat
tmbldyam athrhayet
dattvoffering; camanamwater for washing the Lord's mouth;
uccheamthe remnants of His food; vivaksenyato the personal
associate of Lord Viu, Vivaksena; kalpayetone should give; mukhavsamcologne for the mouth; surabhi-matfragrant; tmbla-dyam
betel-nut preparation; atha-then; arhayetone should present.
Once again he should offer the Deity water for washing His mouth, and
he should give the remnants of the Lord's food to Vivaksena. Then he
should present the Deity with fragrant perfume for the mouth and
prepared betel nut.
TEXT 44
upagyan gan ntyan
karmy abhinayan mama
mat-kath rvayan van
muhrta kaiko bhavet
upagyansinging along; ganloudly vibrating; ntyandancing;
karmitranscendental activities; abhinayanimitating by acting out;
mamaMy; mat-kathstories about Me; rvayancausing others to

1199

hear; vanhearing himself; muhrtamfor some time; kaika

absorbed in the celebration; bhavethe should become.
Singing along with others, chanting loudly and dancing, acting out My
transcendental pastimes, and hearing and telling stories about Me, the
devotee should for some time absorb himself in such festivity.
A devotee engaged in regulative worship of the Supreme Lord should
sometimes become ecstatically absorbed in chanting and hearing the
pastimes of the Lord, dancing, and other festivities. The word muhrtam,
"for some time," indicates that a devotee should be careful not to neglect
his regulative principles and service to the Lord in the name of so-called
ecstasy. Although one may be ecstatically engaged in chanting, hearing
and dancing, he cannot give up the formality of regulated service to the
Lord.
TEXT 45
stavair uccvacai stotrai
paurai prktair api
stutv prasda bhagavann
iti vandeta daa-vat
stavaiwith prayers from the scriptures; ucca-avacaiof greater and
lesser varieties; stotraiand with prayers written by human authors;
pauraifrom the Puras; prktai-from ordinary sources; apialso;
stutvthus praying to the Lord; prasdaplease show Your mercy;
bhagavanO Lord; itithus saying; vandetaone should pay homage;
daa-vatfalling down on the ground like a rod.
The devotee should offer homage to the Lord with all kinds of hymns
and prayers, both from the Puras and from other ancient scriptures,
and also from ordinary traditions. Praying, "O Lord, please be merciful
to me! "he should fall down flat like a rod to offer his obeisances.
TEXT 46
iro mat-pdayo ktv
bhubhy ca parasparam
prapanna phi mm a
bhta mtyu-grahravt

1200

irahis head; mat-pdayoat My two feet; ktvplacing;

bhubhymwith the hands; caand; parasparamtogether (grasping
the feet of the Deity); prapannamwho am surrendered; phiplease
protect; mmme; aO Lord; bhtamafraid; mtyuof death;
grahathe mouth; aravtof this material ocean.
Placing his head at the feet of the Deity, he should then stand with
folded hands before the Lord and pray, "O my Lord, please protect me,
who am surrendered unto You. I am most fearful of this ocean of
material existence, standing as I am in the mouth of death."
TEXT 47
iti e may datt
irasy dhya sdaram
udvsayec ced udvsya
jyotir jyotii tat puna
itithus praying; emthe remnants; mayby Me; dattmgiven;
irasion one's head; dhyaplacing; sa-daramrespectfully;
udvsayetshould send the Deity away; cetif; udvsyamif such is
meant to be performed; jyotithe light; jyotiiwithin the light; tat
that; punaonce again.
Praying in this way, the devotee should respectfully place upon his
head the remnants I offer to him. And if the particular Deity is meant to
be sent away at the end of the worship, then this should be performed,
the devotee once again placing the light of the Deity's presence inside
the light of the lotus within his own heart.
TEXT 48
arcdiu yad yatra
raddh m tatra crcayet
sarva-bhtev tmani ca
sarvtmham avasthita
arc-diuin the Deity form and other manifestations of the Supreme
Lord; yadwhenever; yatrain whichever form; raddhfaith
develops; mmMe; tatrathere; caand; arcayethe should worship;

1201

sarva-bhteuwithin all created beings; tmaniseparately, in My

original form; caalso; sarva-tmthe original soul of all; ahamI am;
avasthitaso situated.
Whenever one develops faith in Mein My form as the Deity or in
other bona fide manifestationsone should worship Me in that form. I
certainly exist both within all created beings and also separately in My
original form, since I am the Supreme Soul of all.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped according to the faith
of a particular worshiper. The Deity form, arc, is specifically mentioned
here because Deity worship is essential for spiritual progress. rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura mentions that inexperienced persons
may think that the Deity is meant for the sense gratification of the
worshiper, since superficially the Deity is made of external substances
such as marble or brass. But through the process of installing the Deity by
chanting of authorized mantras, one invites the Supreme Personality of
Godhead to enter the Deity form. By regulated, faithful worship one
gradually understands that the Deity is completely nondifferent from the
Supreme Lord Himself. At that stage, on the strength of Deity worship,
one rises to the second-class platform of devotional service. At this more
developed stage one desires to make friendship with other devotees of the
Lord, and as one becomes solidly established in the community of
Vaiavas, one completely gives up material life and gradually becomes
perfect in Ka consciousness.
TEXT 49
eva kriy-yoga-pathai
pumn vaidika-tntrikai
arcann ubhayata siddhi
matto vindaty abhpsitm
evamin this way; kriy-yogaof regulated Deity worship; pathaiby
the processes; pumna person; vaidika-tntrikaipresented in the
Vedas and tantras; arcan-worshiping; ubhayatain both this life and the
next; siddhimperfection; mattafrom Me; vindatihe achieves;
abhpsitmdesired.
By worshiping Me through the various methods prescribed in the Vedas

1202

and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired perfection in both this
life and the next.
TEXT 50
mad-arc sampratihpya
mandira krayed dham
pupodynni ramyi
pj-ytrotsavritn
mat-arcmMy Deity form; sampratihpyaproperly establishing;
mandirama temple; krayethe should construct; dhamstrong;
pupa-udynniflower gardens; ramyibeautiful; pjfor regular,
daily worship; ytrspecial festivals; utsavaand yearly holidays;
ritnset aside.
The devotee should more fully establish My Deity by solidly
constructing a temple, along with beautiful gardens. These gardens
should be set aside to provide flowers for the regular daily worship,
special Deity processions and holiday observances.
Wealthy, pious persons should be engaged in constructing temples and
gardens for the pleasure of the Deity. The word dham indicates that the
most solid means of construction should be employed.
TEXT 51
pjdn pravhrtha
mah-parvasv athnv-aham
ketrpaa-pura-grmn
dattv mat-sritm iyt
pj-dnmof the regular worship and special festivals; pravhaarthamin order to assure the continuance; mah-parvasuon
auspicious occasions; athaand; anu-ahamdaily; ketraland; paa
shops; puracities; grmnand villages; dattvbestowing as a gift to
the Deity; mat-sritmopulence equal to Mine; iythe achieves.
One who offers the Deity gifts of land, markets, cities and villages so
that the regular daily worship and special festivals of the Deity may go
on continually will achieve opulence equal to My own.

1203

By placing tracts of land in the Deity's name, there will be regular income
for opulent Deity worship, both from rent and from agricultural
production. A worshiper who makes the arrangements mentioned above
will certainly achieve opulence like that of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 52
pratihay srvabhauma
sadman bhuvana-trayam
pjdin brahma-loka
tribhir mat-smyatm iyt
pratihayby having installed the Deity; srva-bhaumamsovereignty
over the entire earth; sadmanby building a temple for the Lord;
bhuvana-trayamrulership over the three worlds; pj-dinby worship
and other service; brahma-lokamthe planet of Lord Brahm; tribhiby
all three; mat-smyatmthe status of equality with Me (by having a
transcendental, spiritual body similar to Mine); iythe attains.
By installing the Deity of the Lord one becomes king of the entire earth,
by building a temple for the Lord one becomes ruler of the three
worlds, by worshiping and serving the Deity one goes to the planet of
Lord Brahm, and by performing all three of these activities one
achieves a transcendental form like My own.
TEXT 53
mm eva nairapekyea
bhakti-yogena vindati
bhakti-yoga sa labhata
eva ya pjayeta mm
mmMe; evaindeed; nairapekyeaby being free from motivation;
bhakti-yogenaby the performance of devotional service; vindati
achieves; bhakti-yogamdevotional service; sahe; labhatereceives;
evamthus; yawhom; pjayetaworships; mmMe.
But one who simply engages in devotional service with no consideration
of fruitive results attains Me. Thus whoever worships Me according to
the process I have described will ultimately attain pure devotional
service unto Me.

1204

The previous two verses were spoken by the Lord to attract those
interested in fruitive results, and now the ultimate purpose of worshiping
the Lord is described. The ultimate goal in life is Lord Ka Himself.
Love for the Lord is the highest bliss, although ordinary people cannot
understand this.
TEXT 54
ya sva-datt parair datt
hareta sura-viprayo
vtti sa jyate vi-bhug
varm ayutyutam
yawho; sva-dattmgiven previously by himself; paraiby others;
dattmgiven; haretatakes away; sura-viprayobelonging to the
demigods or brhmaas; vttimproperty; sahe; jyatetakes birth;
vi-bhukas a stool-eating worm; varmfor years; ayutaten
thousand; ayutamtimes ten thousand.
Anyone who steals the property of the demigods or the brhmaas,
whether originally given to them by himself or someone else, must live
as a worm in stool for one hundred million years.
TEXT 55
kartu ca srather hetor
anumoditur eva ca
karma bhgina pretya
bhyo bhyasi tat-phalam
kartuof the performer; caand; sratheof the assistant; hetoof
the instigator; anumodituof the person who approves; eva caalso;
karmamof the fruitive reactions; bhginaof the shareholder;
pretyain the next life; bhyamore grievously; bhyasito the extent
that the action is grievous; tat(must suffer) of that; phalamthe result.
Not only the performer of the theft but also anyone who assists him,
instigates the crime, or simply approves of it must also share the
reaction in the next life. According to their degree of participation, they
each must suffer a proportionate consequence.

1205

Stealing paraphernalia meant for worshiping the Supreme Lord or His

authorized representatives should be avoided at all costs.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-seventh
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Lord Ka's Instructions on
the Process of Deity Worship."

1206

28. Jna-yoga

This chapter briefly summarizes the process of jna-yoga, which

previous chapters described in detail.
Every created thing in this universe is a material product of the three
modes of nature, is subject to sensory perception, and is essentially
unreal. Actually, the designations of "good" and "bad" that we assign to
the various objects and activities of this world are all superficial. It is
better to avoid condemning or praising anything of this world, because
doing so simply entangles one in matter and deprives one of the higher
goals of spiritual life. Hidden within every object of the material universe
is the spirit soul, who underlies both the causes and products of manifest
existence. One should see things in this light and thus move about the
material world in a mood of detachment.
As long as there is a relationship between the bodily senses, which are
comprised of matter, and the soul, which is the reality, one will continue
in false consciousness. Although material existence is unreal, those who
lack discrimination remain entangled in the cycle of birth and death
because of their absorption in sense gratification. All the phases of
material life-such as birth, death, sorrow and happiness-belong not to the
soul but to the materialistic false ego. By learning to distinguish between
the soul and its opposite, matter, one can destroy this false identification.
There is a single Absolute Truth present at the beginning and at the end
of this world. During its interim, or maintenance, phase the cosmic
manifestation is also founded upon the same Absolute Truth. This
Absolute, Brahman, exists everywhere, both positively by its
manifestations and negatively by its aloofness. Brahman is unique in being
self-sufficient, whereas this world is the expansion of Brahman produced
through the material mode of passion.
By the mercy of a bona fide spiritual master, one can understand the
Absolute Truth and come to appreciate the nonspiritual nature of the
material body and its extensions. Desisting from engagement in material
sense enjoyment, one then becomes satisfied in the ecstasy of the self. Just
as the sun remains untouched by the coming and going of clouds, the

1207

discriminating, liberated person remains unaffected by the activities of his

senses. Nevertheless, until one becomes perfectly fixed in bhakti-yoga,
pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, one should carefully avoid
contacting material sense objects. An aspiring devotee may meet various
obstacles and fall down, but in his next life he will continue his practice
by dint of what he has already accomplished in devotional service. He will
never again become bound up by the laws of karma. The man who is
liberated and established in discrimination will under no circumstances
seek false enjoyment by indulging in material sense gratification. He
knows that the soul is changeless and that any contrary conception
imposed on the pure self is sheer illusion.
If, during the immature stage of spiritual practice, one suffers physical
disease or other disturbances, the Vedas enjoin that he should certainly
take proper measures to eradicate the problem. The prescribed remedies
for lust and the other enemies of the mind are meditation on the Supreme
Lord and sakrtana, the loud chanting of His names. The remedy for the
disease of false ego is rendering service to the Supreme Lord's saintly
devotees.
By practicing yoga, some nondevotees keep their bodies youthful and fit,
and may even achieve mystic perfections or long life. But these
attainments are actually worthless, because they are perfections only of
the material body. An intelligent person is therefore uninterested in this
kind of process. Rather, by taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord, an aspiring devotee who is seriously dedicated to the Lord rids
himself of all disturbances and becomes empowered to attain the highest
perfection, the full bliss of spiritual life.
TEXT 1
r-bhagavn uvca
para-svabhva-karmi
na praasen na garhayet
vivam ekmaka payan
prakty puruea ca
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; para
anyone else's; svabhvanature; karmiand activities; na praaset
one should not praise; na garhayetone should not criticize; vivamthe
world; eka-tmakambased on one reality; payanseeing; prakty
along with nature; purueawith the enjoying soul; caalso.

1208

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One should neither praise

nor criticize the conditioned nature and activities of other persons.
Rather, one should see this world as simply the combination of material
nature and the enjoying souls, all based on the one Absolute Truth.
Material situations and activities appear to be good, passionate or ignorant
according to the interaction of the modes of nature. These modes are
produced by the illusory potency of the Lord, which is itself not different
from its master, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So a devotee of the
Lord remains aloof from the illusory, temporary manifestations of
material nature. At the same time, he accepts material nature as the
potency of the Lord and thus essentially real. The example may be given
that modeling clay is shaped by a child into various playful forms such as
tigers, men or houses. The modeling clay is real, whereas the temporary
shapes it assumes are illusory, not being actual tigers, men or houses.
Similarly, the entire cosmic manifestation is modeling clay in the hands of
the Supreme Lord, who acts through my to shape the glaring temporary
forms of illusion, which absorb the minds of those who are not devotees
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 2
para-svabhva-karmi
ya praasati nindati
sa u bhrayate svrthd
asaty abhiniveata
paraanother's; svabhvapersonality; karmiand work; yawho;
praasatipraises;
nindaticriticizes;
sahe;
uquickly;
bhrayatefalls down; sva-arthtfrom his own interest; asatiin
unreality; abhiniveatabecause of becoming entangled.
Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of
others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his
entanglement in illusory dualities.
A conditioned soul desires to lord it over material nature and thus
criticizes another conditioned soul whom he considers inferior. Similarly,
one praises a superior materialist because one aspires to that superior
position, in which one may dominate others. Praising and criticizing

1209

other materialistic people are thus directly or indirectly based on envy of

other living entities and cause one to fall down from sva-artha, one's real
self-interest, Ka consciousness.
The words asaty abhiniveata, "by absorption in the temporary, or
unreal," indicate that one should not adopt a concept of material duality
and praise or criticize other materialistic persons. Rather, one should
praise the pure devotees of the Supreme Lord and criticize the mentality
of rebellion against the Personality of Godhead, by which one becomes a
nondevotee. One should not criticize a low-class materialist, thinking that
a high-class materialist is nice. In other words, one should distinguish
between the material and the spiritual and should not become absorbed in
good and bad on the material platform. For example, an honest citizen
distinguishes between the life of civil freedom and that of imprisonment,
whereas a foolish prisoner distinguishes between comfortable and
uncomfortable prison cells. Just as for a free citizen any situation in
prison is unacceptable, for a liberated, Ka conscious devotee any
material position is unappealing.
rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura indicates that rather than trying
to separate conditioned souls by materialistic distinctions, one should
bring them together to chant the holy names of the Lord and propagate
the sakrtana movement of Lord Caitanya. A nondevotee, or even an
envious third-class devotee, is not interested in uniting people on the
platform of love of Godhead. Instead he unnecessarily separates them by
emphasizing material distinctions like "communist," "capitalist," "black,"
"white," "rich," "poor," "liberal," "conservative" and so on. Material life is
always imperfect, full of ignorance and disappointing in the end. Rather
than praising and criticizing the high and low features of ignorance, one
should be absorbed in Ka consciousness, on the spiritual platform of
eternity, bliss and knowledge.
TEXT 3
taijase nidraypanne
pia-stho naa-cetana
my prpnoti mtyu v
tadvan nnrtha-dk pumn
taijasewhen the senses, which are the products of false ego in the mode
of passion; nidrayby sleep; panneare overcome; piain the shell
of the material body; stha(the soul) who is situated; naa-cetana

1210

having lost his consciousness; mymthe illusion of dreaming;

prpnotihe experiences; mtyumthe deathlike condition of deep sleep;
vor; tadvatin the same way; nn-arthain terms of material
varieties; dkwho sees; pumna person.
Just as the embodied spirit soul loses external consciousness when his
senses are overcome by the illusion of dreaming or the deathlike state
of deep sleep, so a person experiencing material duality must encounter
illusion and death.
The material senses are described here as taijasa because they are born of
false ego in the mode of passion. Impelled by false ego, one dreams of the
material world without the Personality of Godhead and makes plans to
lord it over nature, to exploit her resources. Modern atheistic scientists
have developed this false ego to a fine art and imagine themselves great
heroes conquering the obstacles of nature and moving forward toward
inevitable omniscience. Such dreamy materialists are repeatedly stunned
by the crushing reactions of the laws of nature, and their arrogant,
agnostic civilizations are repeatedly annihilated by world wars, natural
disasters and violent shifts of the cosmic situation.
On a simpler level, all conditioned souls are captivated by sex attraction
and thus bound to the illusion of material society, friendship and love.
They imagine themselves to be wonderful enjoyers of the material nature,
which suddenly turns against them and kills them just like the "tamed"
animal that suddenly turns on its master and kills him.
TEXT 4
ki bhadra kim abhadra v
dvaitasyvastuna kiyat
vcodita tad anta
manas dhytam eva ca
kimwhat; bhadramgood; kimwhat; abhadrambad; vor;
dvaitasyaof this duality; avastunainsubstantial; kiyathow much;
vcby words; uditamgenerated; tatthat; antamfalse; manas
by the mind; dhytammeditated upon; evaindeed; caand.
That which is expressed by material words or meditated upon by the
material mind is not ultimate truth. What, therefore, is actually good or

1211

bad within this insubstantial world of duality, and how can the extent
of such good and bad be measured?
The actual truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom
everything emanates, by whom everything is maintained, and in whom
everything merges to rest. Material nature is the reflection of the Absolute
Truth, and by the interaction of the material modes of nature the
innumerable varieties of matter appear to be separate, independent truths.
My, illusion, distracts the conditioned soul from the Absolute Truth
and absorbs his mind in the glaring manifestation of matter, which
ultimately is nondifferent from the Absolute Truth, being an emanation
from Him. The sense of good and bad as separate from the Supreme Lord
is like the good and bad dreams experienced by a sleeping person. Good
and bad dreams are equally unreal. Similarly, material good and evil have
no permanent existence separate from the Personality of Godhead.
The Supreme Lord is the well-wisher of every living entity, and therefore
execution of His order is good, whereas disobeying His order is bad. Lord
Ka has created a perfect social and occupational system called
varrama-dharma, and the Lord has further given perfect spiritual
knowledge in Bhagavad-gt and other literatures. Execution of Lord
Ka's order will bring complete social, psychological, political,
economic and spiritual success to human society. We should not foolishly
look for so-called good outside the orders of the Personality of Godhead.
Such orders are called the laws of God and constitute the essence, or
substance, of religion.
TEXT 5
chy-pratyhvaybhs
hy asanto 'py artha-kria
eva dehdayo bhv
yacchanty -mtyuto bhayam
chyshadows; pratyhvayaechoes; bhsand false appearances;
hiindeed;
asantanonexistent;
apialthough;
arthaideas;
kriacreating; evamin the same way; deha-dayathe body and
so on; bhvmaterial conceptions; yacchantithey give; -mtyuta
up to the point of death; bhayamfear.
Although shadows, echoes and mirages are only illusory reflections of

1212

real things, such reflections do cause a semblance of meaningful or

comprehensible perception. In the same way, although the
identification of the conditioned soul with the material body, mind and
ego is illusory, this identification generates fear within him even up to
the moment of death.
Although shadows, echoes and mirages are mere reflections of real
substances, they create strong emotions in persons falsely accepting them
as real. In the same manner, a conditioned soul is seized by such emotions
as fear, lust, anger and hope because of his illusory perception of himself
as the material body, mind and false ego. By practical example it is thus
shown that even illusory objects may cause highly emotional reactions.
Ultimately our emotions should be absorbed in the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, who is eternal truth. Fear is forever vanquished when one
takes shelter of the Lord's lotus feet. One can then enjoy the pure
emotions of liberated life.
TEXTS 6-7
tmaiva tad ida viva
sjyate sjati prabhu
tryate trti vivtm
hriyate haratvara
tasmn na hy tmano 'nyasmd
anyo bhvo nirpita
nirpite 'ya tri-vidh
nirmla bhtir tmani
ida gua-maya viddhi
tri-vidha myay ktam
tmthe Supreme Soul; evaalone; tat idamthis; vivamuniverse;
sjyateis created; sjatiand creates; prabhuthe Supreme Lord;
tryateis protected; trtiprotects; viva-tmthe Soul of all that be;
hriyateis withdrawn; haratiwithdraws; varathe supreme
controller; tasmtthan Him; nano; hiindeed; tmanathan the
Soul; anyasmtwho is distinct; anyaother; bhvaentity;
nirpitais ascertained; nirpitethus established; ayamthis; trividhthreefold; nirmlwithout basis; bhtiappearance; tmani
within the Supersoul; idamthis; gua-mayamconsisting of the modes

1213

of nature; viddhiyou should know; tri-vidhamthreefold; myayby

the illusory energy; ktamcreated.
The Supersoul alone is the ultimate controller and creator of this world,
and thus He alone is also the created. Similarly, the Soul of all existence
Himself both maintains and is maintained, withdraws and is
withdrawn. No other entity can be properly ascertained as separate
from Him, the Supreme Soul, who nonetheless is distinct from
everything and everyone else. The appearance of the threefold material
nature, which is perceived within Him, has no actual basis. Rather, you
should understand that this material nature, composed of the three
modes, is simply the product of His illusory potency.
The Absolute Truth, Lord r Ka, expands His external potency and
thus creates the material cosmos. As with the sun globe and its expanded
rays, the Lord and His expanded potency are simultaneously one and
different. Although to conditioned souls material duality seems to be
based on the modes of nature, the entire material manifestation is actually
nondifferent from the Lord and is of one ultimately spiritual nature. The
modes of nature create sense objects, demigods, human beings, animals,
friends, enemies and so forth. But in reality, everything is simply an
expansion of the potency of the Supreme Lord.
Foolishly, the conditioned soul tries to lord it over material nature, but
the Lord Himself, being nondifferent from that nature, is its only true
proprietor. In several places the rmad-Bhgavatam has given the
example of the spider spinning its web by expanding thread from its own
mouth. Similarly, through His own potency the Lord manifests the
material world, maintains it and eventually withdraws it within Himself.
Although the Lord is the unique Supreme Personality of Godhead, above
everyone and everything, He is simultaneously and inconceivably
nondifferent from everything. Therefore it is the Lord Himself who is
manifested when the Lord creates, it is the Lord Himself who is
maintained when the Lord maintains, and it is the Lord Himself who is
withdrawn at the time of annihilation.
Although the Lord is nondifferent from both His spiritual abode and His
material creation, still the spiritual abode, Vaikuha, is always superior
to the material manifestation. Both matter and spirit are energies of the
Lord, yet the spiritual energy is molded into the eternal forms of bliss and
knowledge, whereas the temporary forms of matter are symbols of

1214

ignorance and frustration for the conditioned souls who covet them. The
Supreme Lord is Himself the reservoir of all pleasure and is thus dear to
His devotees. The presumption that the Lord cannot give us complete
pleasure is due to our misidentifying Him as a product of the material
modes of nature. As a result, we pursue false happiness in the deadly
embrace of my and thus deviate from our eternal loving relationship
with Lord Ka.
TEXT 8
etad vidvn mad-udita
jna-vijna-naipuam
na nindati na ca stauti
loke carati srya-vat
etatthis; vidvnone who knows; matby Me; uditamdescribed;
jnain knowledge; vijnaand realization; naipuamthe status of
being fixed; na nindatidoes not criticize; na canor; stautipraise;
lokewithin the world; caratihe wanders; srya-vatjust like the sun.
One who has properly understood the process of becoming firmly fixed
in theoretical and realized knowledge, as described herein by Me, does
not indulge in material criticism or praise. Like the sun, he wanders
freely throughout this world.
Every living entity emanates from the Supreme Lord and is thus naturally
full of realized knowledge. But when one becomes attached to praising or
criticizing material good and bad for one's personal sense gratification,
one's expert knowledge of the Lord becomes covered. A pure devotee
should neither love nor hate any aspect of material illusion; he should
rather accept whatever is favorable for serving Ka and reject whatever
is unfavorable, following the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master.
TEXT 9
pratyakenumnena
nigamentma-savid
dy-antavad asaj jtv
nisago vicared iha
pratyakeaby direct perception; anumnenaby logical deduction;
nigamenaby the statements of scripture; tma-savidand by one's

1215

own realization; di-anta-vathaving a beginning and an end; asat

unreal; jtvknowing; nisagafree from attachment; vicaretone
should move about; ihain this world.
By direct perception, logical deduction, scriptural testimony and
personal realization, one should know that this world has a beginning
and an end and so is not the ultimate reality. Thus one should live in
this world without attachment.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, there are two main material dualities.
The first duality is that one sees material good and bad, beautiful and
ugly, rich and poor, and so on. The second is that one sees the entire
material world as separate from or independent of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. The first duality, that of opposites, is subject to
dissolution by the influence of time, and the second duality, that of
separateness, is merely a hallucination. One who is firmly convinced of
the temporary, illusory nature of this world moves about freely, without
attachment. Although engaging in all types of devotional service for the
Lord, such a person is never entangled and remains cheerful and satisfied
in spiritual consciousness.
TEXT 10
r-uddhava uvca
naivtmano na dehasya
sastir dra-dyayo
antma-sva-dor a
kasya syd upalabhyate
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; nathere is not; evaindeed;
tmanaof the self; nanor; dehasyaof the body; sastimaterial
existence; dra-dyayo-of the seer or the seen; antmaof that which
is not spirit; sva-door of him who has innate knowledge; aO
Lord; kasyaof whom; sytmay be; upalabhyatewhich is
experienced.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord, it is not possible for this material
existence to be the experience of either the soul, who is the seer, or of
the body, which is the seen object. On the one hand, the spirit soul is
innately endowed with perfect knowledge, and on the other hand, the

1216

material body is not a conscious, living entity. To whom, then, does this
experience of material existence pertain?
Since the living entity is pure spirit soul, innately full of perfect
knowledge and bliss, and since the material body is a biochemical
machine without knowledge or personal consciousness, who or what is
actually experiencing the ignorance and anxiety of this material
existence? The conscious experience of material life cannot be denied,
and thus Uddhava asks Lord Ka this question to elicit a more precise
understanding of the process by which illusion occurs.
TEXT 11
tmvyayo 'gua uddha
svaya-jyotir anvta
agni-vad dru-vad acid
deha kasyeha sasti
tmthe spirit soul; avyayainexhaustible; aguatranscendental to
the material modes; uddhapure; svayam-jyotiself-luminous;
anvtauncovered; agni-vatlike fire; dru-vatlike firewood; acit
nonliving; dehathe material body; kasyaof which; ihain this
world; sastithe experience of material life.
The spirit soul is inexhaustible, transcendental, pure, self-luminous and
never covered by anything material. It is like fire. But the nonliving
material body, like firewood, is dull and unaware. So in this world, who
is it that actually undergoes the experience of material life?
The words anvta and agni-vat are significant here. Fire can never be
covered with darkness because by nature fire is illuminating. Similarly,
the spirit soul is svaya-jyoti, or self-luminous, and thus the soul is
transcendentalhe can never be covered by the darkness of material life.
On the other hand, the material body, like firewood, is by nature dull and
unilluminated. In itself it does not have any awareness of life. If the soul is
transcendental to material life and the body is not even conscious of it,
the following question arises: How does our experience of material
existence actually take place?
TEXT 12

1217

r-bhagavn uvca
yvad dehendriya-prair
tmana sannikaraam
sasra phalavs tvad
aprtho 'py avivekina
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yvatas
long as; dehaby the body; indriyasenses; praiand vital force;
tmanaof the soul; sannikaraamattraction; sasramaterial
existence; phala-vnfruitful; tvatfor that duration; aprtha
meaningless; apialthough; avivekinafor the undiscriminating.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: As long as the foolish spirit
soul remains attracted to the material body, senses and vital force, his
material existence continues to flourish, although it is ultimately
meaningless.
Here the word sannikaraam indicates that the pure spirit soul
voluntarily connects himself with the material body, considering this a
most fruitful arrangement. Actually, the situation is aprtha, useless,
unless one uses one's embodied situation to engage in the loving service
of the Lord. At that time one's connection is actually with Lord Ka, not
with the body, which becomes a mere instrument for executing one's
higher purpose.
TEXT 13
arthe hy avidyamne 'pi
sastir na nivartate
dhyyato viayn asya
svapne 'narthgamo yath
arthereal cause; hicertainly; avidyamnenot existing; api
although; sastithe material existential condition; nanot;
nivartatedoes cease; dhyyatacontemplating; viaynobjects of the
senses; asyaof the living entity; svapnein a dream; anarthaof
disadvantages; gamaarrival; yathlike.
Actually, the living entity is transcendental to material existence. But
because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material
existential condition does not cease, and, just as in a dream, he is

1218

affected by all sorts of disadvantages.

This same verse and other very similar verses occur elsewhere in the
rmad-Bhgavatam: Third Canto, Chapter twenty-seven, verse 4; Fourth
Canto, Chapter twenty-nine, verses 35 and 73; and Eleventh Canto,
Chapter twenty-two, verse 56. In fact, this verse completely explains the
essence of illusion.
TEXT 14
yath hy apratibuddhasya
prasvpo bahv-anartha-bht
sa eva pratibuddhasya
na vai mohya kalpate
yathas; hiindeed; apratibuddhasyafor one who has not awakened;
prasvpasleep; bahumany; anarthaundesirable experiences; bht
presenting; sathat same dream; evaindeed; pratibuddhasyafor one
who has awakened; nanot; vaicertainly; mohyaconfusion;
kalpategenerates.
Although while dreaming a person experiences many undesirable
things, upon awakening he is no longer confused by the dream
experiences.
Even a liberated soul must observe material objects while living in this
world. But being awake to Ka consciousness, he understands that
sensory pains and pleasures, like dreams, are without substance. Thus the
liberated soul is not bewildered by illusion.
TEXT 15
oka-hara-bhaya-krodhalobha-moha-sphdaya
ahakrasya dyante
janma-mtyu ca ntmana
okalamentation; haraelation; bhayafear; krodhaanger; lobha
greed; mohaconfusion; sphhankering; dayaand so on;
ahakrasyaof false ego; dyantethey appear; janmabirth;
mtyudeath; caand; nanot; tmanaof the soul.

1219

Lamentation, elation, fear, anger, greed, confusion and hankering, as

well as birth and death, are experiences of the false ego and not of the
pure soul.
False ego is the pure soul's illusory identification with the subtle material
mind and the gross material body. As a result of this illusory
identification, the conditioned soul feels lamentation for things lost,
jubilation over things gained, fear of things inauspicious, anger at the
frustration of his desires, and greed for sense gratification. And so,
bewildered by such false attractions and aversions, the conditioned soul
must accept further material bodies, which means he must undergo
repeated births and deaths. One who is self-realized knows that all such
mundane emotions have nothing to do with the pure soul, whose natural
propensity is to engage in the loving service of the Lord.
TEXT 16
dehendriya-pra-mano-'bhimno
jvo 'ntar-tm gua-karma-mrti
stra mahn ity urudheva gta
sasra dhvati kla-tantra
dehawith the material body; indriyasenses; pralife air; mana
and mind; abhimnawho is falsely identifying; jvathe living entity;
antasituated within; tmthe soul; guaaccording to his material
qualities; karmaand work; mrtiassuming his form; stramthe
stra-tattva; mahn-the original form of material nature; itithus;
urudhin many different ways; ivaindeed; gtadescribed;
sasrein material life; dhvatihe runs about; klaof time;
tantraunder the strict control.
The living entity who falsely identifies with his body, senses, life air
and mind, and who dwells within these coverings, assumes the form of
his own materially conditioned qualities and work. He is designated
variously in relation to the total material energy, and thus, under the
strict control of supreme time, he is forced to run here and there within
material existence.
False ego, which causes the living entity to suffer material existence, is
here described in detail as the illusory identification with the material

1220

body, senses, life air and mind. The word kla refers directly to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who imposes the limiting segments of
time upon the conditioned souls, keeping them tightly bound under the
laws of nature. Liberation is not an impersonal experience; liberation is
attainment of one's eternal body, senses, mind and intelligence in the
association of the Personality of Godhead. We can revive our eternal,
liberated personality, free from the contamination of false ego, by
dedicating ourselves to the loving service of the Lord in Ka
consciousness. When the pure spirit soul accepts the false ego, he must
undergo material suffering. One automatically conquers the false ego by
accepting oneself, in pure Ka consciousness, to be the eternal servant
of Lord Ka.
TEXT 17
amlam etad bahu-rpa-rpita
mano-vaca-pra-arra-karma
jnsinopsanay itena
cchittv munir g vicaraty ata
amlamwithout foundation; etatthis (false ego); bahu-rpain many
forms; rpitamascertained; manaof the mind; vacaspeech;
prathe life air; arraand the gross body; karmathe functions;
jnaof transcendental knowledge; asinby the sword; upsanay
through devotional worship (of the spiritual master); itenawhich has
been sharpened; chittvcutting off; munia sober sage; gmthis
earth; vicaratiwanders; atafree from material desires.
Although the false ego has no factual basis, it is perceived in many
formsas the functions of the mind, speech, life air and bodily
faculties. But with the sword of transcendental knowledge, sharpened
by worship of a bona fide spiritual master, a sober sage will cut off this
false identification and live in this world free from all material
attachment.
The word bahu-rpa-rpitam, "perceived in many forms," also indicates
that the false ego is manifest in the belief that one is a demigod, a great
man, a beautiful lady, an oppressed worker, a tiger, a bird, an insect and
so on. By the influence of false ego, the pure soul accepts some material
covering to be his ultimate self, but such ignorance can be removed by the

1221

process described in this verse.

TEXT 18
jna viveko nigamas tapa ca
pratyakam aitihyam athnumnam
dy-antayor asya yad eva kevala
kla ca hetu ca tad eva madhye
jnamtranscendental knowledge; vivekadiscrimination; nigama
the scripture; tapaausterity; caand; pratyakamdirect perception;
aitihyamthe historical accounts of the Puras; atha-and; anumnam
logic; diin the beginning; antayoand the end; asyaof this
creation; yatwhich; evaindeed; kevalamalone; klathe
controlling factor of time; caand; hetuthe ultimate cause; caand;
tatthat; evaalone; madhyein the middle.
Real spiritual knowledge is based on the discrimination of spirit from
matter, and it is cultivated by scriptural evidence, austerity, direct
perception, reception of the Puras' historical narrations, and logical
inference. The Absolute Truth, which alone was present before the
creation of the universe and which alone will remain after its
destruction, is also the time factor and the ultimate cause. Even in the
middle stage of this creation's existence, the Absolute Truth alone is the
actual reality.
Material scientists and philosophers are desperately searching for the
ultimate material cause or principle, which is described here as kla, the
time factor. The material process of cause and effect takes place entirely
within a sequence of time; in other words, the time factor is the
motivating impetus for material cause and effect. This time factor is a
manifestation of the Supersoul, the form of the Supreme Lord that
pervades and supports the cosmic manifestation. The method for
acquiring knowledge is scientifically described here, and those who are
serious, reasonable scholars will take advantage of the transcendental
epistemology revealed here by the Lord.
TEXT 19
yath hiraya sv-akta purastt
pacc ca sarvasya hira-mayasya

1222

tad eva madhye vyavahryama

nnpadeair aham asya tadvat
yathjust as; hirayamgold; su-aktamunmanifest as manufactured
products;
purasttpreviously;
pactsubsequently;
caand;
sarvasyaof everything; hira-mayasyathat is made of gold; tatthat
gold; evaalone; madhyein the middle; vyavahryamambeing
utilized; nnvarious; apadeaiin terms of designations; ahamI;
asyaof this created universe; tadvatin the same way.
Gold alone is present before its manufacture into gold products, the
gold alone remains after the products' destruction, and the gold alone is
the essential reality while it is being utilized under various
designations. Similarly, I alone exist before the creation of this
universe, after its destruction and during its maintenance.
Gold is manufactured into many types of jewelry, as well as into coins and
other luxurious products. But at each stagebefore manufacture, during
manufacture, during utilization and afterwardthe essential reality is
gold. In the same way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the
essential realityboth the dynamic and the ingredient cause of
everything. All throughout the material creation, the Lord is simply
setting into motion His own potency, which is not different from Him.
TEXT 20
vijnam etat triy-avastham aga
gua-traya kraa-karya-kart
samanvayena vyatirekata ca
yenaiva turyea tad eva satyam
vijnam(the mind, whose symptom is) full knowledge; etatthis; triavasthamexisting in three conditions (wakeful consciousness, sleep and
deep sleep); agaMy dear Uddhava; gua-trayammanifesting through
the three modes of nature; kraaas the subtle cause (adhytma);
kryathe gross product (adhibhta); kartand the producer
(adhidaiva); samanvayenain each of them, one after another;
vyatirekataas separate; caand; yenaby which; evaindeed;
turyeafourth factor; tatthat; evaalone; satyamis the Absolute
Truth.

1223

The material mind manifests in three phases of consciousness

wakefulness, sleep and deep sleepwhich are products of the three
modes of nature. The mind further appears in three different rolesthe
perceiver, the perceived and the regulator of perception. Thus the mind
is manifested variously throughout these threefold designations. But it
is the fourth factor, existing separately from all this, that alone
constitutes the Absolute Truth.
As stated in Kaha Upaniad (2.2.15), tam eva bhntam anubhti sarva/
tasya bhs sarvam ida vibhti: "Everything radiates its illumination in
pursuance of His original illumination; His light illuminates everything in
this universe." As thus described, the entire range of perception, cognition
and sensitivity is an insignificant expansion of the perception, cognition
and sensitivity of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 21
na yat purastd uta yan na pacn
madhye ca tan na vyapadea-mtram
bhta prasiddha ca parea yad yat
tad eva tat syd iti me man
nadoes not exist; yatthat which; purasttpreviously; utanor;
yatwhich; nanot; pactafterward; madhyein between; caand;
tatthat; nadoes not exist; vyapadea-mtrammerely a designation;
bhtamcreated; prasiddhammade known; caand; pareaby
another; yat yatwhatever; tatthat; evaonly; tatthat other; syt
actually is; itithus; meMy; manidea.
That which did not exist in the past and will not exist in the future also
has no existence of its own for the period of its duration, but is only a
superficial designation. In My opinion, whatever is created and revealed
by something else is ultimately only that other thing.
Although all material products, such as our own bodies, are temporary
and thus ultimately false, the material world is a real manifestation of the
Lord's potency. The basic substance, or reality, of this world is the
Personality of Godhead Himself, whereas the temporary designations
imposed by the conditioned souls are illusion. Thus we consider ourselves
American, Russian, British, German, Indian, black, white, Hindu, Muslim,

1224

Christian and so forth. In fact, we are the marginal potency of the

Supreme Lord, but by attempting to exploit the Lord's inferior material
potency we have become entangled in illusion. Everything should be
properly defined in terms of the Personality of Godhead, who is the
essential reality of this and all other worlds.
TEXT 22
avidyamno 'py avabhsate yo
vaikriko rjasa-sarga esa
brahma svaya jyotir ato vibhti
brahmendriyrthtma-vikra-citram
avidyamnaactually not existing; apialthough; avabhsateappears;
yawhich; vaikrikamanifestation of transformations; rjasaof the
mode of passion; sargathe creation; eathis; brahmathe Absolute
Truth (on the other hand); svayamestablished in Himself; jyoti
luminous; atatherefore; vibhtibecomes manifest; brahmathe
Absolute Truth; indriyaof the senses; arthatheir objects; tmathe
mind; vikraand of the transformations of the five gross elements;
citramas the variety.
Although thus not existing in reality, this manifestation of
transformations created from the mode of passion appears real because
the self-manifested, self-luminous Absolute Truth exhibits Himself in
the form of the material variety of the senses, the sense objects, the
mind and the elements of physical nature.
The total material nature, pradhna, is originally undifferentiated and
inert, but later it undergoes transformation when the Supreme Lord,
through His time agent, glances upon it and activates the mode of
passion. Material transformation thus takes place and is exhibited as the
Lord's inferior energy. In contrast, the Supreme Lord's personal abode
possesses eternal variety, which is the self-luminous, internal opulence of
the Absolute Truth and is not subject to material creation, transformation
or annihilation. The material world is in this way simultaneously one with
and different from the Absolute Truth.
TEXT 23
eva sphuta brahma-viveka-hetubhi

1225

parpavdena viradena
chittvtma-sandeham uprameta
svnanda-tuo 'khila-kmukebhya
evamin this way; sphuamclearly; brahmaof the Absolute Truth;
viveka-hetubhiby discriminating, logical arguments; paraof
misidentification with other conceptions; apavdenaby refutation;
viradenaexpert; chittvcutting off; tmaregarding the identity of
the self; sandehamdoubt; uprametaone should desist; sva-nandain
his own transcendental ecstasy; tuasatisfied; akhilafrom all;
kmukebhyathings of lust.
Thus clearly understanding by discriminating logic the unique position
of the Absolute Truth, one should expertly refute one's
misidentification with matter and cut to pieces all doubts about the
identity of the self. Becoming satisfied in the soul's natural ecstasy, one
should desist from all lusty engagements of the material senses.
TEXT 24
ntm vapu prthivam indriyi
dev hy asur vyur jalam huta
mano 'nna-mtra dhia ca sattvam
ahakti kha kitir artha-smyam
nais not; tmthe self; vaputhe body; prthivammade of earth;
indriyithe senses; devthe presiding demigods; hiindeed; asu
the living air; vyuthe external air; jalamwater; huta-afire;
manathe mind; anna-mtrambeing only matter; dhia
intelligence; caand; sattvammaterial consciousness; ahaktifalse
ego; khamthe ether; kitiearth; arthathe objects of sense
perception; smyamand the original, undifferentiated state of nature.
The material body made of earth is not the true self; nor are the senses,
their presiding demigods or the air of life; nor is the external air, water
or fire or one's mind. All these are simply matter. Similarly, neither
one's intelligence, material consciousness nor ego, nor the elements of
ether or earth, nor the objects of sense perception, nor even the
primeval state of material equilibrium can be considered the actual
identity of the soul.

1226

TEXT 25
samhitai ka karaair gutmabhir
guo bhaven mat-suvivikta-dhmna
vikipyamair uta ki nu daa
ghanair upetair vigatai rave kim
samhitaiwhich are perfectly concentrated in meditation; kawhat;
karaaiby senses; gua-tmabhiwhich are basically manifestations
of the modes of nature; guavirtue; bhavetwill be; matMy; suviviktawho has properly ascertained; dhmnathe personal identity;
vikipyamaiwhich are being agitated; utaon the other hand; kim
what; nuindeed; daamblame; ghanaiby clouds; upetaiwhich
have come; vigataior which have gone away; raveof the sun; kim
what.
For one who has properly realized My personal identity as the Supreme
Godhead, what credit is there if his sensesmere products of the
material modesare perfectly concentrated in meditation? And on the
other hand, what blame is incurred if his senses happen to become
agitated? Indeed, what does it mean to the sun if the clouds come and
go?
A pure devotee of the Lord is considered eternally liberated, because he
has perfectly understood the Lord's transcendental personality and abode
and is always engaged in serving the Lord's mission within this world.
Although superficially such a devotee may appear agitated by events in
the material world while engaged in the Lord's mission, this does not
change his exalted status as the Lord's eternal servitor, just as the exalted
status of the sun is not changed even when the sun is apparently covered
by clouds.
TEXT 26
yath nabho vyv-analmbu-bh-guair
gatgatair vartu-guair na sajjate
tathkara sattva-rajas-tamo-malair
aha-mate sasti-hetubhi param
yathjust as; nabhathe sky; vyuof air; analafire; ambuwater;
bhand earth; guaiby the qualities; gata-gataiwhich come and

1227

go; vor; tu-guaiby the qualities of the seasons (such as heat and
cold); na sajjateis not entangled; tathsimilarly; akaramthe
Absolute Truth; sattva-raja-tamaof the modes of goodness, passion
and ignorance; malaiby the contaminations; aham-mateof the
conception of false ego; sasti-hetubhiby the causes of material
existence; paramthe Supreme.
The sky may display the various qualities of the air, fire, water and
earth that pass through it, as well as such qualities as heat and cold,
which continually come and go with the seasons. Yet the sky is never
entangled with any of these qualities. Similarly, the Supreme Absolute
Truth is never entangled with the contaminations of goodness, passion
and ignorance, which cause the material transformations of the false
ego.
The word aha-mate here indicates the conditioned living entity, who
becomes manifest with the false ego of a particular material body. By
contrast, the Personality of Godhead is unaffected by the modes of nature,
and thus He is never covered by a material body and never subject to false
ego. As described here, the Lord is eternally infallible and pure.
TEXT 27
tathpi saga parivarjanyo
gueu my-raciteu tvat
mad-bhakti-yogena dhena yvad
rajo nirasyeta mana-kaya
tath apinevertheless; sagaassociation; parivarjanyamust be
rejected; gueuwith the modes; my-raciteuproduced by the
illusory material energy; tvatfor that long; mat-bhakti-yogenaby
devotional service to Me; dhenafirm; yvatuntil; rajapassionate
attraction; nirasyetais eliminated; manaof the mind; kayathe
dirt.
Nevertheless, until by firmly practicing devotional service to Me one
has completely eliminated from his mind all contamination of material
passion, one must very carefully avoid associating with the material
modes, which are produced by My illusory energy.
The word tathpi in this verse indicates that even though the material

1228

nature is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord (as elaborately described in

this chapter), one who has yet to conquer material desire should not
artificially associate with material things, declaring them to be
nondifferent from the Lord. Thus one aspiring to be Ka conscious
should not loosely associate with women, claiming them to be
nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead, for by such imitation of the
most advanced devotees one will become a sense gratifier. A neophyte
devotee who presumes himself liberated is impelled by the mode of
passion to become falsely proud of his position, and thus he neglects the
actual process of devotional service to the Lord. One must have firm and
steady engagement in the loving service of the Lord, under the direction
of higher authorities; then advancement in Ka consciousness will be
easy and sublime.
TEXT 28
yathmayo 'sdhu cikitsito n
puna puna santudati prarohan
eva mano 'pakva-kaya-karma
kuyogina vidhyati sarva-sagam
yathas; mayaa disease; asdhuimperfectly; cikitsitatreated;
nmof men; puna punaagain and again; santudatigives distress;
prarohanrising up; evamin the same way; manathe mind;
apakvaunpurified; kayaof contamination; karmafrom its
activities; ku-yoginamthe imperfect yog; vidhyatitorments; sarvasagamwho is full of all kinds of material attachment.
Just as an improperly treated disease recurs and gives repeated distress
to the patient, the mind that is not completely purified of its perverted
tendencies will remain attached to material things and repeatedly
torment the imperfect yog.
Sarva-sagam refers to one's stubborn attachment to material objects of
so-called enjoyment, such as children, wife, money, nation and friends.
One who increases his attachment to children, wife and so on, although
supposedly performing devotional service to Lord Ka, is understood to
be either a kuyog, as described in this verse, or a bewildered neophyte
who has failed to properly treat the disease of the heart called material
attachment. If one has repeated relapses into material attachment, he has

1229

failed to eradicate the darkness of ignorance from his heart.

TEXT 29
kuyogino ye vihitntaryair
manuya-bhtais tridaopasai
te prktanbhysa-balena bhyo
yujanti yoga na tu karma-tantram
ku-yoginathose practitioners of yoga whose knowledge is not
complete; yewho; vihitaimposed; antaryaiby obstructions;
manuya-bhtaiin the form of human beings (their relatives, disciples
and so on); tridaaby the demigods; upasaisent; tethey;
prktanaof the previous life; abhysaof the accumulated practice;
balenaon the strength; bhyaonce again; yujantiengage; yogam
in spiritual practice; nanever; tuhowever; karma-tantramthe
entanglement of fruitive work.
Sometimes the progress of imperfect transcendentalists is checked by
attachment to family members, disciples or others, who are sent by
envious demigods for that purpose. But on the strength of their
accumulated advancement, such imperfect transcendentalists will
resume their practice of yoga in the next life. They will never again be
trapped in the network of fruitive work.
Sometimes sannyss and other spiritual teachers are bewildered by
flattering followers and disciples sent by the demigods to embarrass
spiritual leaders who are lacking complete spiritual knowledge. Similarly,
spiritual progress is sometimes checked by attachment to one's bodily
relatives. Although an imperfect transcendentalist may fall down from
yoga practice in this life, he will resume it in the next life on the strength
of his accumulated merit, as described in the Bhagavad-gt. The words na
tu karma-tantram indicate that a fallen transcendentalist does not have to
pass through the lower stages of fruitive activity and gradually be
promoted to the practice of yoga. Rather, he will immediately resume his
yoga practice at that point at which he left it. Of course, one should not
presume to fall back on the facility offered here but should try to become
perfect in this lifetime. Sannyss, especially, should remove the knot of
lust from their hearts and should avoid falling into the clutches of
flattering followers or female disciples sent by the demigods to expose a

1230

so-called spiritual leader who is imperfect in Ka conscious knowledge.

TEXT 30
karoti karma kriyate ca jantu
kenpy asau codita -nipatt
na tatra vidvn praktau sthito 'pi
nivtta-ta sva-sukhnubhty
karotihe performs; karmamaterial work; kriyateis acted upon; ca
also; jantuthe living entity; kena apiby some force or other; asau
he; coditaimpelled; -nipttup to the point of death; nanot;
tatrathere; vidvna wise person; praktauin material nature;
sthitasituated; apieven though; nivttahaving given up; ta
material desire; svaby his own; sukhaof happiness; anubhty
experience.
An ordinary living entity performs material work and is transformed by
the reaction to such work. Thus he is driven by various desires to
continue working fruitively up to the very moment of his death. A wise
person, however, having experienced his own constitutional bliss, gives
up all material desires and does not engage in fruitive work.
By sexual association with women, a man is driven to enjoy the female
form again and again, and indeed he remains lusty up to the moment of
death. Similarly, through association with family and friends the knot of
material attachment becomes very tight. Thus the reactions of fruitive
work bind one more and more in the cycle of material defeat. But a
learned person, one who is in touch with the Supreme Lord within his
heart, realizes the ultimate frustration of material work and the danger of
entering the womb of a pig or dog in a future life as the result of sinful
activities. One on the platform of self-realization does not regard himself
as an enjoyer of the world. Rather, he regards the entire cosmos as simply
an insignificant expansion of the Lord's potencyand himself as the
Lord's humble servant.
TEXT 31
tihantam snam uta vrajanta
aynam ukantam adantam annam
svabhvam anyat kim aphamnam

1231

tmnam tma-stha-matir na veda

tihantamstanding; snamsitting; utaor; vrajantamwalking;
aynamlying down; ukantamurinating; adantameating; annam
food; sva-bhvammanifested from his conditioned nature; anyatother;
kim apiwhatever; hamnamexecuting; tmnamhis own bodily self;
tma-sthafixed in the true self; matiwhose consciousness; na veda
he does not recognize.
The wise man, whose consciousness is fixed in the self, does not even
notice his own bodily activities. While standing, sitting, walking, lying
down, urinating, eating or performing other bodily functions, he
understands that the body is acting according to its own nature.
TEXT 32
yadi sma payaty asad-indriyrtha
nnnumnena viruddham anyat
na manyate vastutay man
svpna yathotthya tirodadhnam
yadiif; smaever; payatihe sees; asatimpure; indriya-artham
sense objects; nnof their being based on duality; anumnenaby the
logical inference; viruddhamrefuted; anyatseparate from true reality;
na manyatedoes not accept; vastutayas real; manthe intelligent
man; svpnamof a dream; yathas if; utthyawaking;
tirodadhnamwhich is in the process of disappearing.
Although a self-realized soul may sometimes see an impure object or
activity, he does not accept it as real. By logically understanding impure
sense objects to be based on illusory material duality, the intelligent
person sees them to be contrary to and distinct from reality, in the same
way that a man awakening from sleep views his fading dream.
A sane person can clearly distinguish between a dream experience and his
real life. Similarly a man, or intelligent person, can clearly perceive
polluted material sense objects to be creations of the Lord's illusory
energy and not factual reality. This is the practical test of realized
intelligence.

1232

TEXT 33
prva ghta gua-karma-citram
ajnam tmany aviviktam aga
nivartate tat punar kayaiva
na ghyate npi visyya tm
prvampreviously; ghtamaccepted; guaof the modes of nature;
karmaby the activities; citrammade varied; ajnamthe ignorance;
tmaniupon the soul; aviviktamimposed as identical; agaMy dear
Uddhava; nivartateceases; tatthat; punaagain; kayby
knowledge; evaalone; na ghyateis not accepted; nanor; api
indeed; visjyabeing rejected; tmthe soul.
Material nescience, which expands into many varieties by the activities
of the modes of nature, is wrongly accepted by the conditioned soul to
be identical with the self. But through the cultivation of spiritual
knowledge, My dear Uddhava, this same nescience fades away at the
time of liberation. The eternal self, on the other hand, is never assumed
and never abandoned.
It is emphasized here that the eternal self is never assumed or imposed as
a material designation, nor is it ever abandoned. As explained in the
Bhagavad-gt, the soul is eternally the same and does not undergo
transformation. The modes of nature, however, create the gross material
body and subtle mind as a result of one's previous fruitive activities, and
these gross and subtle bodies are imposed upon the soul. Thus the living
entity can neither assume nor reject the soul, which is an eternal fact.
Rather, he should give up the gross ignorance of material consciousness
by cultivating spiritual knowledge, as indicated here.
TEXT 34
yath hi bhnor udayo n-caku
tamo nihanyn na tu sad vidhatte
eva samk nipu sat me
hanyt tamisra puruasya buddhe
yathas; hiindeed; bhnoof the sun; udayathe rising; n
human; cakumof eyes; tamathe darkness; nihanytdestroys;
nanot; tubut; satobjects that exist; vidhattecreates; evam

1233

similarly; samkfull realization; nipupotent; sattrue; meof

Me; hanytdestroys; tamisramthe darkness; puruasyaof a person;
buddhein the intelligence.
When the sun rises it destroys the darkness covering men's eyes, but it
does not create the objects they then see before them, which in fact
were existing all along. Similarly, potent and factual realization of Me
will destroy the darkness covering a person's true consciousness.
TEXT 35
ea svaya-jyotir ajo 'prameyo
mahnubhti sakalnubhti
eko 'dvityo vacas virme
yeneit vg-asava caranti
eathis (Supersoul); svayam-jyotiself-luminous; ajaunborn;
aprameyaimpossible
to
measure;
mah-anubhtifull
of
transcendental consciousness; sakala-anubhtiaware of everything;
ekaone; advityawithout a second; vacasm virme(realized only)
when material words cease; yenaby whom; itimpelled; vk
speech; asavaand the life airs; carantimove.
The Supreme Lord is self-luminous, unborn and immeasurable. He is
pure transcendental consciousness and perceives everything. One
without a second, He is realized only after ordinary words cease. By
Him the power of speech and the life airs are set into motion.
The Supreme Lord is self-luminous, self-manifested, whereas the
individual living entity is manifested by Him. The Lord is unborn, but the
living entity, because of material, designative coverings, takes birth in
conditioned life. The Lord is immeasurable, being all-pervasive, whereas
the living entity is localized. The Supreme Lord is mahnubhti, the
totality of consciousness, whereas the living entity is a tiny spark of
consciousness. The Lord is sakalnubhti, omniscient, whereas the living
entity is aware only of his own limited experience. The Supreme Lord is
one, whereas the living entities are innumerable. Considering all these
contrasts between the Lord and ourselves, we should not waste time like
the foolish material scientists and philosophers, who struggle to find the
origin of this world by their insignificant mental speculation and word

1234

jugglery. Although one may discover some of the gross laws of material
nature through material research, there is no hope of achieving the
Absolute Truth by such petty endeavors.
TEXT 36
etvn tma-sammoho
yad vikalpas tu kevale
tman te svam tmnam
avalambo na yasya hi
etvnwhatever; tmaof the self; sammohadelusion; yatwhich;
vikalpaidea of duality; tubut; kevalein the unique; tmanin the
self; rtewithout; svamthat very; tmnamself; avalambabasis;
nathere is not; yasyaof which (duality); hiindeed.
Whatever apparent duality is perceived in the self is simply the
confusion of the mind. Indeed, such supposed duality has no basis to
rest upon apart from one's own soul.
As explained in verse 33 of this chapter, the eternal self is neither
assumed nor lost, since every living entity is an eternal reality. The word
vikalpa, or "duality," here refers to the mistaken idea that the spirit soul is
partly composed of matter in the form of the gross body or subtle mind. It
is thus that foolish persons consider the material body or mind to be an
intrinsic or fundamental component of the self. In fact the living entity is
pure spirit, without any tinge of matter. Consequently the false ego,
which is generated by the false identification with matter, is a mistaken
identity imposed upon the pure spirit soul. The sense of ego, or "I am" in
other words, the sense of one's individual identitycomes from the spirit
soul, because there is no other possible basis for such self-awareness. By
studying one's false sense of ego, one can analytically understand that
there is a pure ego, which is expressed by the words aha brahmsmi, "I
am pure spirit soul." One can easily understand in a similar way that there
is a supreme spirit soul, the Personality of Godhead, who is the
omniscient controller of everything. Such understanding in Ka
consciousness constitutes perfect knowledge, as described here by the
Lord.
TEXT 37

1235

yan nmktibhir grhya

paca-varam abdhitam
vyarthenpy artha-vdo 'ya
dvaya paita-mninm
yatwhich; nmaby names; ktibhiand forms; grhyam
perceivable; paca-varamconsisting of the five material elements;
abdhitamundeniable; vyarthenain vain; apiindeed; artha-vda
the imaginative interpretation; ayamthis; dvayamduality; paitamninmof so-called scholars.
The duality of the five material elements is perceived only in terms of
names and forms. Those who say this duality is real are pseudoscholars
vainly proposing fanciful theories without basis in fact.
Material names and forms, subject as they are to creation and
annihilation, have no permanent existence and so do not constitute
essential, fundamental principles of reality. The material world consists of
variegated transformations of the potency of God. Although God is real
and His potency is real, the particular forms and names that temporarily
or circumstantially appear have no ultimate reality. Gross ignorance
occurs when the conditioned soul imagines himself to be material or a
mixture of matter and spirit. Some philosophers argue that the eternal
soul in contact with matter is permanently transformed and that the false
ego represents a new and permanent reality of the soul. rla Jva Gosvm
replies that spirit is the living, superior energy of the Lord, whereas
matter is the inferior, unconscious energy of the Lord, and that these two
energies thus possess opposite qualities, as with light and darkness. The
superior living entity and inferior matter therefore cannot possibly merge
into a common existence, since they eternally possess opposite and
incompatible characteristics. The hallucination of a mixture of matter and
spirit is called illusion; it becomes specifically manifest as false ego, which
identifies with a specific material body or mind created by illusion.
Clearly those scientists or philosophers who are embedded in gross
ignorance cannot be real scientists and philosophers. The simple criterion
of spiritual self-awareness unfortunately eliminates a huge percentage of
modern so-called scientists and philosophers, who bury their foolish
noses in the Lord's material energy, without any knowledge of or interest
in the Lord Himself.

1236

TEXT 38
yogino 'pakva-yogasya
yujata kya utthitai
upasargair vihanyeta
tatrya vihito vidhi
yoginaof the yog; apakva-yogasyawho is immature in the practice of
yoga; yujatatrying to engage; kyathe body; utthitaiwhich have
arisen; upasargaiby disturbances; vihanyetamay be frustrated;
tatrain that connection; ayamthis; vihitais prescribed; vidhi
recommended process.
The physical body of the endeavoring yog who is not yet mature in his
practice may sometimes be overcome by various disturbances.
Therefore the following process is recommended.
Having described the process of cultivating knowledge, the Lord now
gives instructions to the yog whose body may be disturbed by disease or
other impediments. Those inferior yogs who are attached to the body and
bodily exercises are often incomplete in their realization, and thus the
Lord here offers them some assistance.
TEXT 39
yoga-dhraay kcid
sanair dhranvitai
tapo-mantrauadhai kcid
upasargn vinirdahet
yoga-dhraayby yogic meditation; kcitsome disturbances;
sanaiby prescribed postures; dhra-anvitaitogether with
meditation on controlled breathing; tapaby special austerities;
mantramagical chants; auadhaiand medicinal herbs; kcit
some; upasargnobstructions; vinirdahetcan be eradicated.
Some of these obstructions may be counteracted by yogic meditation or
by sitting postures, practiced together with concentration on controlled
breathing, and others may be counteracted by special austerities,
mantras or medicinal herbs.

1237

TEXT 40
kcin mamnudhynena
nma-sakrtandibhi
yogevarnuvtty v
hanyd aubha-dn anai
kcitsome; mamaof Me; anudhynenaby constant thought;
nmaof the holy names; saktanaby the loud chanting; dibhi
and so on; yoga-varaof the great masters of yoga; anuvttyby
following in the footsteps; vor; hanytmay be destroyed; aubhadn(the obstructions) that create inauspicious situations; anai
gradually.
These inauspicious disturbances can be gradually removed by constant
remembrance of Me, by congregational hearing and chanting of My holy
names, or by following in the footsteps of the great masters of yoga.
According to rla rdhara Svm, by meditation on the Supreme Lord
one can overcome lust and other mental disturbances, and by following in
the footsteps of great transcendentalists one can overcome hypocrisy, false
pride and other types of mental imbalance.
TEXT 41
kecid deham ima dhr
su-kalpa vayasi sthiram
vidhya vividhopyair
atha yujanti siddhaye
kecitsome; dehamthe material body; imamthis; dhrselfcontrolled; su-kalpamfit; vayasiin youth; sthiramfixed; vidhya
making; vividhaby various; upyaimeans; athathus; yujanti
they engage; siddhayefor the achievement of material perfections.
By various methods, some yogs free the body from disease and old age
and keep it perpetually youthful. Thus they engage in yoga for the
purpose of achieving material mystic perfections.
The process described here is meant to fulfill one's material desires, not to
bring one transcendental knowledge. Therefore this process cannot be
accepted as devotional service to the Lord, according to rla

1238

Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura. Despite all such mystic perfections,

the material body will ultimately die. Actual eternal youth and happiness
are available only on the spiritual platform of Ka consciousness.
TEXT 42
na hi tat kualdtya
tad-yso hy aprthaka
antavattvc charrasya
phalasyeva vanaspate
nanot; hiindeed; tatthat; kualaby those expert in transcendental
knowledge; dtyamto be respected; tatof that; ysathe endeavor;
hicertainly; aprthakauseless; anta-vattvtbecause of being subject
to destruction; arrasyaon the part of the material body; phalasyaof
the fruit; ivajust as; vanaspateof a tree.
This mystic bodily perfection is not valued very highly by those expert
in transcendental knowledge. Indeed, they consider endeavor for such
perfection useless, since the soul, like a tree, is permanent, but the
body, like a tree's fruit, is subject to destruction.
The example given here is of a tree that seasonally bears fruit. The fruit
exists for a very short time, whereas the tree may exist for thousands of
years. Similarly, the spirit soul is eternal, whereas the material body, even
when preserved as long as possible, is destroyed relatively quickly. The
body should never be equated with the eternally existing spirit soul.
Those who are actually intelligent, who actually have spiritual knowledge,
are not interested in material mystic perfections.
TEXT 43
yoga nievato nitya
kya cet kalpatm iyt
tac chraddadhyn na matimn
yogam utsjya mat-para
yogamthe practice of yoga; nievataof one executing; nityam
regularly; kyathe material body; ceteven if; kalpatmfitness;
iytattains; tatin that; raddadhyttake faith; nadoes not; matimnwho is intelligent; yogamthe system of mystic yoga; utsjya
giving up; mat-parathe devotee dedicated to Me.

1239

Although the physical body may be improved by various processes of

yoga, an intelligent person who has dedicated his life to Me does not
place his faith in the prospect of perfecting his physical body through
yoga, and in fact he gives up such procedures.
A devotee of the Lord keeps his body fit by eating nourishing Ka
prasdam, by maintaining a clean and regulated life, free from
unnecessary anxiety, and by chanting and dancing before the Deity of the
Lord. When a devotee is sick, he accepts medical treatment by normal
methods, but beyond this there is no need to absorb one's mind in the
physical body in the name of so-called yoga practice. Ultimately one must
accept the destiny that has been ordained by the Lord.
TEXT 44
yoga-carym im yog
vicaran mad-apraya
nntaryair vihanyeta
nispha sva-sukhnubh
yoga-carymthe prescribed process of yoga; immthis; yogthe
practitioner; vicaranexecuting; mat-aprayahaving taken shelter of
Me; nanot; antaryaiby obstacles; vihanyetais checked;
nisphafree from hankering; svaof the soul; sukhathe happiness;
anubhexperiencing within.
The yog who has taken shelter of Me remains free from hankering
because he experiences the happiness of the soul within. Thus while
executing this process of yoga, he is never defeated by obstacles.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the Supreme Lord has briefly described
to Uddhava the essential wisdom of all the Upaniads, with the conclusion
that pure devotional service to the Lord is the real means of ultimate
liberation. In this regard rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat hkura
emphasizes that although haha-yogs and rja-yogs try to make progress
along their prescribed paths, they confront obstacles and often fail to
achieve their desired goals. However, one who surrenders to the Supreme
Lord will certainly be victorious on his spiritual path back home, back to
Godhead.

1240

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-eighth
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Jna-yoga."

1241

29. Bhakti-yoga

Thinking that the previously described spiritual practice, based on

detachment, is too difficult, Uddhava inquired about an easier method. In
reply, Lord r Ka gave brief instructions on devotional service.
The fruitive workers and mystic yogs, who are bewildered by the illusory
energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and puffed up by their
false identifications, refuse to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme
Lord. But the swanlike men, those who know how to discriminate
between the essential and nonessential, always take shelter at the lotus
feet of the Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord Himself-within the
living entity as the caittya-guru and without as the spiritual master who
teaches by example-eradicates all the misfortune of the spirit soul and
reveals His own personal form.
One should execute all duties for the sake of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, keeping one's mind absorbed in Him. One should take
advantage of the sacred abodes of the Lord, where His devotees reside,
and one should serve the Lord and celebrate the festivals and holidays in
His honor. By understanding all living beings to be Lord Ka's place of
residence, one can attain the ability to see equally everywhere, and thus
all faulty qualities of envy, false ego and so on will be removed. Bearing
this in mind, the devotee should give up his proud relatives, his separatist
outlook and his mundane embarrassment and should offer obeisances flat
on the ground to all, even the dogs and outcastes. As long as one has not
learned to see the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in all
creatures, he must continue to use his body, mind and speech to worship
the Supreme Lord in that manner of offering full obeisances to all.
Because this eternal process of devotional service to the Supreme Lord is
transcendental and has been established by the Lord Himself, it can never,
to the slightest extent, be defeated or prove fruitless. When one offers
himself completely to the Supreme Lord with exclusive devotion, the Lord
becomes particularly pleased, and thus the devotee achieves immortality,
becoming qualified to obtain opulence equal to that of the Lord.
After receiving these instructions, r Uddhava went to Badarikrama in

1242

pursuance of Lord Ka's order, and by perfectly carrying out the

instructions of the Supreme Lord, he attained the Lord's transcendental
abode. By faithfully serving these instructions spoken by the Personality
of Godhead to Uddhava, the greatest of devotees, the entire world can
become liberated.
TEXT 1
r-uddhava uvca
su-dustarm im manye
yoga-carym antmana
yathjas pumn siddhyet
tan me brhy ajascyuta
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; su-dustarmvery difficult to
execute; immthis; manyeI think; yoga-carymprocess of yoga;
antmanafor one who has not controlled his mind; yathhow;
ajaseasily; pumna person; siddhyetmay accomplish it; tatthat;
meto me; brhiplease tell; ajasin a simple manner; acyutaO
infallible Lord.
r Uddhava said: My dear Lord Acyuta, I fear that the method of yoga
described by You is very difficult for one who cannot control his mind.
Therefore please explain to me in simple terms how someone can more
easily execute it.
TEXT 2
pryaa pudarkka
yuyanto yogino mana
vidanty asamdhnn
mano-nigraha-karit
pryaafor the most part; puarka-akaO lotus-eyed Lord;
yujantawho engage; yoginayogs; manathe mind; vidanti
become frustrated; asamdhntbecause of inability to attain trance;
mana-nigrahaby the attempt to subdue the mind; karitweary.
O lotus-eyed Lord, generally those yogs who try to steady the mind
experience frustration because of their inability to perfect the state of
trance. Thus they weary in their attempt to bring the mind under

1243

control.
Without the shelter of the Supreme Lord, a yog easily becomes
discouraged in the difficult task of fixing his mind on the Supreme.
TEXT 3
athta nanda-dugha padmbuja
has rayerann aravinda-locana
sukha nu vivevara yoga-karmabhis
tvan-myaym vihat na mnina
athanow; atatherefore; nanda-dughamthe source of all ecstasy;
pada-ambujamYour lotus feet; hasthe swanlike men; rayeran
take shelter of; aravinda-locanaO lotus-eyed; sukhamhappily; nu
indeed; viva-varaLord of the universe; yoga-karmabhibecause of
their practice of mysticism and fruitive work; tvat-myayby Your
material energy; amthese; vihatdefeated; nado not (take shelter);
mninathose who are falsely proud.
Therefore, O lotus-eyed Lord of the universe, swanlike men happily
take shelter of Your lotus feet, the source of all transcendental ecstasy.
But those who take pride in their accomplishments in yoga and karma
fail to take shelter of You and are defeated by Your illusory energy.
r Uddhava emphasizes here that one can achieve spiritual perfection
simply by taking shelter of the Personality of Godhead. Those who do so
are called has, the most discriminating human beings, since they are
able to locate the actual source of spiritual happiness, the Lord's lotus
feet. The word yoga-karmabhi indicates that those who are attracted to or
proud of achievements in the field of mystic yoga or ordinary material
endeavor cannot appreciate the great advantage of obediently
surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Generally the yogs
and fruitive workers are proud of their so-called achievements and are
more attracted to their own endeavor than to the Lord Himself. By
humbly taking shelter of Lord Ka, one can advance easily and quickly
on the path of Ka consciousness and go back home, back to Godhead.
TEXT 4
ki citram acyuta tavaitad aea-bandho

1244

dsev ananya-araesu yad tma-sttvam

yo 'rocayat saha mgai svayam var rmat-kira-taa-pita-pdapha
kimwhat; citramwonder; acyutaO infallible Lord; tavaYour;
etatthis; aea-bandhoO friend of all; dseufor the servants;
ananya-araeuwho have taken no other shelter; yatwhich; tmasttvamintimacy with You; yawho; arocayatacted affectionately;
sahawith; mgaithe animals (monkeys); svayamYourself;
varmof the great demigods; rmateffulgent; kiraof the
helmets; taaby the edges; pitashaken; pda-phawhose
footstool.
My dear infallible Lord, it is not very astonishing that You intimately
approach Your servants who have taken exclusive shelter of You. After
all, during Your appearance as Lord Rmacandra, even while great
demigods like Brahm were vying to place the effulgent tips of their
helmets upon the cushion where Your lotus feet rested, You displayed
special affection for monkeys such as Hanumn because they had taken
exclusive shelter of You.
The devotees of the Lord become completely successful by the Lord's
causeless mercy. Sometimes Lord Ka accepts a position of subservience
to His great devotees, as with Nanda Mahrja, the gops, Bali Mahrja
and others. Although demigods like Lord Brahm were standing in line to
touch their helmets to the Lord's foot cushion, still Lord Rmacandra
awarded His most intimate friendship to subhumans, such as the
monkeys headed by Hanumn. Similarly Lord Ka's affection for the
deer and cows, and even for the trees of Vndvana, is well known.
Further, the Lord gladly drove the chariot of Arjuna and acted as the
messenger and faithful subordinate of King Yudhihira. Such devotees
have no need for the elaborate jna-yoga systems or the process for
achieving mystic powers. All these devotees are represented here by r
Uddhava, who frankly informs the Lord that the sophisticated systems of
philosophical speculation and mystic yoga are not appealing for one who
has developed a taste for direct loving service to the Lord.
TEXT 5
ta tvkhiltma-dayitevaram ritn

1245

sarvrtha-da sva-kta-vid visjeta ko nu

ko v bhajet kim api vismtaye 'nu bhtyai
ki v bhaven na tava pda-rajo-ju na
tamthat; tvYou; akhilaof all; tmathe Supreme Soul; dayitathe
most dear; varamand the supreme controller; rtnmof those
who take shelter of You; sarva-arthaof all perfections; damthe
bestower; sva-ktathe benefit you have given; vitwho knows; visjetacan reject; kawho; nuindeed; kawho; vor; bhajetcan accept;
kim apianything; vismtayefor forgetfulness; anuconsequently;
bhtyaifor sense gratification; kimwhat; vor; bhavetis; nanot;
tavaYour; pdaof the lotus feet; rajathe dust; jumfor those
who are serving; naourselves.
Who, then, could dare reject You, the very Soul, the most dear object of
worship, and the Supreme Lord of allYou who give all possible
perfections to the devotees who take shelter of You? Who could be so
ungrateful, knowing the benefits You bestow? Who would reject You
and accept something for the sake of material enjoyment, which simply
leads to forgetfulness of You? And what lack is there for us who are
engaged in the service of the dust of Your lotus feet?
As stated in the Nryaya of the Moka-dharma, in r Mahbhrata,
y vai sdhana-sampatti
pururtha-catuaye
tay vin tad pnoti
naro nryaraya
"Whatever among the four goals of human life can be achieved by various
spiritual practices is automatically achieved without such endeavors by
the person who has taken shelter of Lord Nryaa, the refuge of all
persons." Thus a Ka conscious person knows that he will obtain all
perfection of life simply by surrendering to the devotional service of Lord
Ka. This is the highest stage of yoga, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gt.
TEXT 6
naivopayanty apaciti kavayas tavea
brahmyupi ktam ddha-muda smaranta

1246

yo 'ntar bahis tanu-bhtm aubha vidhunvann

crya-caittya-vapu sva-gati vyanakti
na evanot at all; upayantiare able to express; apacitimtheir
gratitude; kavayalearned devotees; tavaYour; aO Lord; brahmayuwith a lifetime equal to Lord Brahm's; apiin spite of; ktam
magnanimous work; ddhaincreased; mudajoy; smaranta
remembering; yawho; antawithin; bahioutside; tanu-bhtmof
those who are embodied; aubhammisfortune; vidhunvandissipating;
cryaof the spiritual master; caittyaof the Supersoul; vapuby the
forms; svaown; gatimpath; vyanaktishows.
O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could
not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed
with the prolonged lifetime of Brahm, for You appear in two features
externally as the crya and internally as the Supersoulto deliver the
embodied living being by directing him how to come to You.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, Lord Ka is ten million times more
dear to a devotee than life itself. And according to rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura, even by rendering devotional service for the total
duration of one thousand universal creations, a devotee cannot repay the
debt he feels to the Lord for having awarded him loving service to the
Lord's lotus feet. The Lord appears within the heart as the Supersoul and
externally both as the spiritual master and as His literary incarnationthe
supreme Vedic knowledge of Bhagavad-gt and rmad-Bhgavatam.
TEXT 7
r-uka uvca
ity uddhaventy-anurakta-cetas
po jagat-kranaka sva-aktibhi
ghta-mrti-traya varevaro
jagda sa-prema-manohara-smita
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; itithus; uddhavenaby
Uddhava; ati-anuraktaextremely attached; cetaswhose heart;
paasked; jagatthe universe; kranakawhose plaything; svaaktibhiby His own energies; ghtawho has assumed; mrti
personal forms; trayathree; varaof all controllers; varathe

1247

supreme controller; jagdaHe spoke; sa-premaloving; mana-hara

attractive; smitawhose smile.
ukadeva Gosvm said: Thus questioned by the most affectionate
Uddhava, Lord Ka, the supreme controller of all controllers, who
takes the entire universe as His plaything and assumes the three forms
of Brahm, Viu and iva, began to reply, lovingly displaying His allattractive smile.
TEXT 8
r-bhagavn uvca
hanta te kathayiymi
mama dharmn su-magaln
yn raddhaycaran martyo
mtyu jayati durjayam
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; hanta
yes; teto you; kathayiymiI shall speak; mamarelating to Me;
dharmnreligious principles; su-magalnmost auspicious; yn
which; raddhaywith faith; caranexecuting; martyaa mortal
human
being;
mtyumdeath;
jayaticonquers;
durjayam
unconquerable.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Yes, I shall describe to you
the principles of devotion to Me, by executing which a mortal human
being will conquer unconquerable death.
TEXT 9
kuryt sarvi karmi
mad-artha anakai smaran
mayy arpita-mana-citto
mad-dharmtma-mano-rati
kurytone should perform; sarviall; karmiprescribed activities;
mat-arthamfor Me; anakaiwithout becoming impetuous; smaran
remembering; mayiunto Me; arpitawho has offered; mana-citta
his mind and his intelligence; mat-dharmaMy devotional service; tmamanaof his own mind; ratithe attraction.

1248

Always remembering Me, one should perform all his duties for Me
without becoming impetuous. With mind and intelligence offered to
Me, one should fix his mind in attraction to My devotional service.
The words mad-dharmtma-mano-rati mean that all of one's love and
affection should be devoted to pleasing the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. It is not indicated here that one should try to relish selfish
satisfaction in devotional service, but rather that one should be attracted
to the Lord's own satisfaction, which one achieves by faithfully executing
the order of a bona fide spiritual master coming in disciplic succession
from Lord Ka Himself. Attachment to one's own satisfaction, even
within devotional service, is materialistic, whereas attachment to the
satisfaction of the Lord is pure spiritual emotion.
TEXT 10
den puyn rayeta
mad-bhaktai sdhubhi ritn
devsura-manuyeu
mad-bhaktcaritni ca
denplaces; puynsacred; rayetahe should take shelter of; matbhaktaiby My devotees; sdhubhisaintly; ritnresorted to; deva
among the demigods; asurademons; manuyeuand human beings;
mat-bhaktaof My devotees; caritnithe activities; caand.
One should take shelter of holy places where My saintly devotees
reside, and one should be guided by the exemplary activities of My
devotees, who appear among the demigods, demons and human beings.
Nrada Muni is one of the great devotees of the Lord who appeared
among the demigods. Prahlda Mahrja appeared among the demons,
and many other great devotees, such as Ambara Mahrja and the
Pavas, appeared among human beings. One should take shelter of the
devotees' exemplary activities and also the holy places where devotees
reside. Thus one will remain safe on the path of devotional service.
TEXT 11
pthak satrea v mahya
parva-ytr-mahotsavn

1249

krayed gta-ntydyair
mahrja-vibhtibhi
pthakalone; satreain assembly; vor; mahyamfor Me; parva
monthly observances, such as Ekdai; ytrspecial gatherings; mahutsavnand festivals; krayetone should arrange to perform; gta
with singing; ntya-dyaidancing and so on; mah-rjaroyal;
vibhtibhiwith signs of opulence.
Either alone or in public gatherings, with singing, dancing and other
exhibitions of royal opulence, one should arrange to celebrate those
holy days, ceremonies and festivals set aside specially for My worship.
TEXT 12
mm eva sarva-bhteu
bahir antar apvtam
kettmani ctmna
yath kham amalaya
mmMe; evaindeed; sarva-bhteuwithin all living beings; bahi
externally; antainternally; apvtamuncovered; ketaone should
see; tmaniwithin himself; caalso; tmnamthe Supreme Soul;
yathas; khamthe sky; amala-ayahaving a pure heart.
With a pure heart one should see Me, the Supreme Soul within all
beings and also within oneself, to be both unblemished by anything
material and also present everywhere, both externally and internally,
just like the omnipresent sky.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the Lord has spoken
the present verse to attract those who are inclined toward philosophical
speculation about the Absolute Truth. Such transcendental scholars
searching for the ultimate unity will be attracted by the Lord's
manifestation described here.
TEXTS 13-14
iti sarvi bhtni
mad-bhvena mah-dyute
sabhjayan manyamno

1250

jna kevalam rita

brhmae pukkase stene
brahmaye 'rke sphuligake
akrre krrake caiva
sama-dk paito mata
itiin this way; sarvito all; bhtniliving beings; mat-bhvena
with the sense of My presence; mah-dyuteO greatly effulgent Uddhava;
sabhjayangiving respect; manyamnaso considering; jnam
knowledge; kevalamtranscendental; ritataking shelter of;
brhmaein the brhmaa; pukkasein the outcaste of the Pukkasa
tribe; stenein the thief; brahmayein the man who respects
brahminical culture; arkein the sun; sphuligakein the spark of the
fire; akrrein the gentle; krrakein the cruel; caalso; evaindeed;
sama-dkhaving equal vision; paitaa learned scholar; matais
considered.
O brilliant Uddhava, one who thus views all living entities with the idea
that I am present within each of them, and who by taking shelter of this
divine knowledge offers due respect to everyone, is considered actually
wise. Such a man sees equally the brhmaa and the outcaste, the thief
and the charitable promoter of brahminical culture, the sun and the tiny
sparks of fire, the gentle and the cruel.
A series of opposites is set forth herenamely the high-class brhmaa
and the low-class aborigine, the thief who steals from respectable persons
and the respecter of brahminical culture who gives charity to brhmaas,
the all-powerful sun and the insignificant spark, and finally the kind and
the cruel. Ordinarily, the ability to distinguish between such opposites
qualifies one as intelligent. How, then, can the Lord state that ignoring
such obvious differences establishes one as a wise man? The answer is
given by the words mad-bhvena: a wise person sees the Supreme
Personality of Godhead within everything. Therefore, although externally
perceiving and dealing with the varieties of material situations, a wise
man is more impressed by and concerned with the overwhelming unity of
all existence, which is based on the presence of the Supreme Lord within
everything. As explained here, a truly wise person is not limited to
superficial material discrimination.

1251

TEXT 15
narev abhka mad-bhva
puso bhvayato 'cirt
spardhsy-tiraskr
shakr viyanti hi
nareuin all persons; abhkamconstantly; mat-bhvamthe
personal presence of Me; pusaof the person; bhvayatawho is
meditating upon; acirtquickly; spardhthe tendency to feel rivalry
(against equals); asyenvy (of superiors); tiraskrand abuse (of
inferiors); saalong with; ahakrfalse ego; viyantithey disappear;
hiindeed.
For him who constantly meditates upon My presence within all
persons, the bad tendencies of rivalry, envy and abusiveness, along with
false ego, are very quickly destroyed.
We conditioned souls tend to feel rivalry toward our equals, envy toward
our superior, and the desire to belittle our subordinates. These
contaminated propensities, along with their very basis, false ego, can be
quickly vanquished by meditating upon the Supreme Personality of
Godhead within every living being.
TEXT 16
visjya smayamnn svn
da vr ca daihikm
praamed daa-vad bhmv
-va-cla-go-kharam
visjyagiving up; smayamnnwho are laughing; svnone's own
friends; damthe outlook; vrmthe embarrassment; caand;
daihikmof the bodily conception; praametone should offer
obeisances; daa-vatfalling down like a rod; bhmauupon the
ground; -even; vato the dogs; claoutcastes; gocows;
kharamand asses.
Disregarding the ridicule of one's companions, one should give up the
bodily conception and its accompanying embarrassment. One should
offer obeisances before alleven the dogs, outcastes, cows and asses
falling flat upon the ground like a rod.

1252

One should practice seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead within

all creatures. r Caitanya Mahprabhu advised all devotees to consider
themselves lower than a blade of grass and to be more tolerant than a tree.
In such a humble position, one will not be disturbed in the prosecution of
pure devotional service to the Lord. A devotee does not foolishly think
that a cow or an ass is God, but rather the devotee sees the Supreme Lord
within all creatures, and on this higher, spiritual plane he does not
discriminate.
TEXT 17
yvat sarveu bhteu
mad-bhvo nopajyate
tvad evam upsta
v-mana-kya-vttibhi
yvatas long as; sarveuin all; bhteuliving entities; mat-bhva
the vision of My presence; na upajyatedoes not fully develop; tvat
for that long; evamin this way; upstaone must worship; vkof his
speech; manamind; kyaand body; vttibhiby the functions.
Until one has fully developed the ability to see Me within all living
beings, one must continue to worship Me by this process with the
activities of his speech, mind and body.
Until one fully realizes the Supreme Lord within all beings, he should
continue the process of offering obeisances to all creatures. Although one
may not be able to actually fall on the ground before all creatures, at least
within his mind or by his words one should offer respect to all living
beings. This will accelerate the devotee's self-realization.
TEXT 18
sarva brahmtmaka tasya
vidyaytma-manay
paripayann uparamet
sarvato muita-saaya
sarvameverything; brahma-tmakambased on the Absolute Truth;
tasyafor him; vidyayby transcendental knowledge; tma-manay
by realization of the Supreme Soul; paripayanseeing everywhere;
uparamethe should desist from material activities; sarvatain all

1253

cases; mukta-saayafreed from doubts.

By such transcendental knowledge of the all-pervading Personality of
Godhead, one is able to see the Absolute Truth everywhere. Freed thus
from all doubts, one gives up fruitive activities.
TEXT 19
aya hi sarva-kalpn
sadhrcno mato mama
mad-bhva sarva-bhteu
mano-vk-kya-vttibhi
ayamthis;
hiindeed;
sarvaof
all;
kalpnmprocesses;
sadhrcnathe most appropriate; matais considered; mamaby Me;
mat-bhvaseeing Me; sarva-bhteuwithin all living entities; manavk-kya-vttibhiby the functions of one's mind, words and body.
Indeed, I consider this processusing one's mind, words and bodily
functions for realizing Me within all living beingsto be the best
possible method of spiritual enlightenment.
TEXT 20
na hy agopakrame dhvaso
mad-dharmasyoddhavv api
may vyavasita samya
nirguatvd ania
nathere is not; hiindeed; agaMy dear Uddhava; upakramein the
attempt; dhvasadestruction; mat-dharmasyaof My devotional
service; uddhavaMy dear Uddhava; authe slightest; apieven;
mayby Me; vyavasitaestablished; samyakperfectly; nirgua-tvt
because of its being transcendental; aniahaving no ulterior motive.
My dear Uddhava, because I have personally established it, this process
of devotional service unto Me is transcendental and free from any
material motivation. Certainly a devotee never suffers even the slightest
loss by adopting this process.

1254

Although great sages and authorities have established various methods of

human progress, the Supreme Lord Himself has introduced the system of
bhakti-yoga, wherein one directly takes shelter of the Lord in loving
service. One who serves the Lord without personal motivation can never
be defeated in his progress and will certainly go back home, back to
Godhead, in the near future.
TEXT 21
yo yo mayi pare dharma
kalpyate niphalya cet
tad-yso nirartha syd
bhayder iva sattama
ya, yawhatever; mayiunto Me; parethe Supreme; dharmais
religion; kalpyatetends; niphalyatoward becoming free from the
result of material work; cetif; tatof that; ysathe endeavor;
nirarthafutile; sytmay be; bhaya-deof fear and so on; ivaas;
sat-tamaO best of saintly persons.
O Uddhava, greatest of saints, in a dangerous situation an ordinary
person cries, becomes fearful and laments, although such useless
emotions do not change the situation. But activities offered to Me
without personal motivation, even if they are externally useless, amount
to the actual process of religion.
Even the most insignificant activity, when offered to the Supreme Lord
without personal desire, can elevate one to the perfection of spiritual life.
Actually, Lord Ka always protects and maintains His devotee. But if a
devotee cries to the Lord for protection or maintenance, desiring to
continue his devotional service unimpeded, Lord Ka accepts such
apparently unnecessary appeals to be the highest religious process.
TEXT 22
e buddhimat buddhir
man ca manim
yat satyam anteneha
martyenpnoti mmtam
ethis; buddhi-matmof the intelligent; buddhithe intelligence;
manthe cleverness; caand; manimof the clever; yatwhich;

1255

satyamthe real; antenaby the false; ihain this life; martyenaby

the mortal; pnotiobtains; mMe; amtamthe immortal.
This process is the supreme intelligence of the intelligent and the
cleverness of the most clever, for by following it one can in this very life
make use of the temporary and unreal to achieve Me, the eternal reality.
As described in this chapter, one who desires personal prestige in the
Lord's service cannot be considered intelligent and clever. Similarly, one
who is anxious to become a sophisticated transcendental philosopher is
not the most intelligent. Nor is one who is expert in accumulating money.
The Lord here states that the most intelligent and clever person is the
devotee who offers his temporary, illusory material body and possessions
to Him with love and without personal motivation. The devotee thus
obtains the eternal Absolute Truth. In other words, real intelligence is to
actually surrender to Lord Ka, without personal desire or duplicity.
That is the Lord's opinion.
TEXT 23
ea te 'bhihita ktsno
brahma-vdasya sagraha
samsa-vysa-vidhin
devnm api durgama
eathis; teunto you; abhihitahas been described; ktsna
completely; brahma-vdasyaof the science of the Absolute Truth;
sagrahathe survey; samsain brief; vysain detail; vidhinby
both means; devnmfor the demigods; apieven; durgama
inaccessible.
Thus have I related to youboth in brief and in detaila complete
survey of the science of the Absolute Truth. Even for the demigods, this
science is very difficult to comprehend.
The word devnm indicates those living beings in the mode of goodness
(such as demigods, saints and pious philosophers) who nevertheless
cannot understand the Absolute Truth because they lack full surrender to
the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 24

1256

abhkaas te gadita
jna vispaa-yuktimat
etad vijya mucyeta
puruo naa-saaya
abhkaarepeatedly; teto you; gaditamspoken; jnam
knowledge; vispaaclear; yuktilogical arguments; mathaving;
etatthis; vijyaproperly understanding; mucyetawill become
liberated; puruaa person; naadestroyed; saayahis doubts.
I have repeatedly spoken this knowledge to you with clear reasoning.
Anyone who properly understands it will become free from all doubts
and attain liberation.
TEXT 25
su-vivikta tava prana
mayaitad api dhrayet
santana brahma-guhya
para brahmdhigacchati
sa-viviktamclearly elucidated; tavayour; pranamquestion; may
by Me; etatthis; apieven; dhrayetfixes his attention upon;
santanameternal; brahma-guhyamsecret of the Vedas; param
supreme; brahmathe Absolute Truth; adhigacchatihe attains.
Anyone who fixes his attention on these clear answers to your
questions will attain to the eternal, confidential goal of the Vedasthe
Supreme Absolute Truth.
TEXT 26
ya etan mama bhakteu
sampradadyt su-pukalam
tasyha brahma-dyasya
dadmy tmnam tman
yawho; etatthis; mamaMy; bhakteuamong the devotees;
sampradadytinstructs; su-pukalamliberally; tasyato him; ahamI;
brahma-dyasyato the person who is the bestower of knowledge of the

1257

Absolute; dadmiI give; tmnamMyself; tmanby Myself.

One who liberally disseminates this knowledge among My devotees is
the bestower of the Absolute Truth, and to him I give My very own self.
TEXT 27
ya etat samadhyta
pavitra parama uci
sa pyethar ahar m
jna-dpena darayan
yawho; etatthis; samadhytarecites loudly; pavitramthe
purifying agent; paramamsupreme; uciclear and transparent; sa
he; pyetabecomes purified; aha ahaday after day; mmMe;
jna-dpenawith the lamp of knowledge; darayanexhibiting.
He who loudly recites this supreme knowledge, which is the most lucid
and purifying, becomes purified day by day, for he reveals Me to others
with the lamp of transcendental knowledge.
TEXT 28
ya etac chraddhay nityam
avyagra uyn nara
mayi bhakti par kurvan
karmabhir na sa badhyate
yawho; etatthis; raddhaywith faith; nityamregularly;
avyagrafree from distraction; uytlistens; naraa person;
mayito Me; bhaktimdevotional service; parmtranscendental;
kurvanperforming; karmabhiby fruitive actions; nanot; sahe;
badhyatebecomes bound up.
Anyone who regularly listens to this knowledge with faith and
attention, all the while engaging in My pure devotional service, will
never become bound by the reactions of material work.
TEXT 29
apy uddhava tvay brahma

1258

sakhe samavadhritam
api te vigato moha
oka csau mano-bhava
apiwhether; uddhavaO Uddhava; tvayby you; brahmaspiritual
knowledge; sakheO friend; samavadhritamsufficiently understood;
apiwhether; teyour; vigatais removed; mohathe illusion;
okalamentation; caand; asauthis; mana-bhavaborn of your
mind.
My dear friend Uddhava, have you now completely understood this
transcendental knowledge? Are the confusion and lamentation that
arose in your mind now dispelled?
r Uddhava had been bewildered by considering manifestations of Lord
Ka's own potency to be separate from Him. Uddhava's lamentation
arose because he thought himself separated from Lord Ka. Actually, r
Uddhava is an eternally liberated soul, but the Lord placed him in
bewilderment and lamentation so that this supreme knowledge of the
Uddhava-gta could be spoken. Lord Ka's question here indicates that if
Uddhava had not perfectly understood this knowledge, Lord Ka would
have explained the same thing again. According to rla Vivantha
Cakravart hkura, since r Uddhava is the intimate friend of Lord
Ka, the Lord's question here was in a friendly, playful spirit. The Lord
was well aware of Uddhava's complete enlightenment in Ka
consciousness.
TEXT 30
naitat tvay dmbhikya
nstikya ahya ca
auror abhaktya
durvintya dyatm
nanot; etatthis; tvayby you; dmbhikyato a hypocrite;
nstikyato an atheist; ahyato a cheat; caand; auroto one
who does not listen with faith; abhaktyato a nondevotee; durvintya
to one who is not humbly submissive; dyatmshould be given.
You should not share this instruction with anyone who is hypocritical,
atheistic or dishonest, or with anyone who will not listen faithfully,

1259

who is not a devotee, or who is simply not humble.

TEXT 31
etair doair vihnya
brahmayya priyya ca
sdhave ucaye bryd
bhakti syc chdra-yoitm
etaiof these; doaifaulty qualities; vihnyato the person who is
devoid; brahmayyato one dedicated to the welfare of the brhmaas;
priyyakindly disposed; ca-and; sdhavesaintly; ucayepure;
brytone should speak; bhaktidevotion; sytif it is present;
draof the common workers; yoitmand women.
This knowledge should be taught to one who is free from these bad
qualities, who is dedicated to the welfare of the brhmaas, and who is
kindly disposed, saintly and pure. And if common workers and women
are found to have devotion for the Supreme Lord, they are also to be
accepted as qualified hearers.
TEXT 32
naitad vijya jijsor
jtavyam avaiyate
ptv pyam amta
ptavya nvaiyate
nanot; etatthis; vijyafully understanding; jijsoof the
inquisitive person; jtavyammatter to be understood; avaiyate
remains; ptvhaving drunk; pyampalatable; amtamnectarean
beverage; ptavyamto be drunk; nanothing; avaiyateremains.
When an inquisitive person comes to understand this knowledge, he
has nothing further to know. After all, one who has drunk the most
palatable nectar cannot remain thirsty.
TEXT 33
jne karmai yoge ca

1260

vrty daa-dhrae
yvn artho n tta
tvs te 'ha catur-vidha
jnein the process of knowledge; karmaiin fruitive work; yogein
mystic yoga; caand; vrtymin ordinary business; daa-dhraein
political rule; yvnwhatever; arthaaccomplishment; nmof
men; ttaMy dear Uddhava; tvnthat much; teto you; ahamI;
catu-vidhafourfold (i.e., the fourfold goals of human life: religiosity,
economic development, sense gratification and liberation).
Through analytic knowledge, ritualistic work, mystic yoga, mundane
business and political rule, people seek to advance in religiosity,
economic development, sense gratification and liberation. But because
you are My devotee, whatever men can accomplish in these multifarious
ways you will very easily find within Me.
Lord Ka is the basis of all that exists, and one who takes exclusive
shelter of the Lord never suffers any loss whatsoever for his intelligent
decision to surrender to Ka.
TEXT 34
martyo yad tyakta-samasta-karm
nivedittm vicikrito me
tadmtatva pratipadyamno
maytma-bhyya ca kalpate vai
martyaa mortal; yadwhen; tyaktahaving given up; samastaall;
karmhis fruitive activities; nivedita-tmhaving offered his very self;
vicikritadesirous of doing something special; mefor Me; tadat
that time; amtatvamimmortality; pratipadyamnain the process of
attaining; maywith Me; tma-bhyyafor equal opulence; caalso;
kalpatehe becomes qualified; vaiindeed.
A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely
unto Me, eagerly desiring to render service unto Me, achieves liberation
from birth and death and is promoted to the status of sharing My own
opulences.

1261

TEXT 35
r-uka uvca
sa evam darita-yoga-mrgas
tadottamaloka-vaco niamya
baddhjali prty-uparuddha-kaho
na kicid ce 'ru-pariplutka
r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; sahe (Uddhava); evam
thus; daritashown; yoga-mrgathe path of yoga; tadthen;
uttama-lokaof Lord r Ka; vacathe words; niamyahaving
heard; baddha-ajaliwith hands folded in prayer; prtiout of love;
uparuddhachoked; kahahis throat; na kicitnothing; cehe
said; aruwith tears; pariplutaoverflowing; akahis eyes.
ukadeva Gosvm said: Hearing these words spoken by Lord Ka,
and having thus been shown the entire path of yoga, Uddhava folded
his hands to offer obeisances. But his throat choked up with love and
his eyes overflowed with tears; so he could say nothing.
TEXT 36
viabhya citta praayvaghra
dhairyea rjan bahu-manyamna
ktjali prha yadu-pravra
r spas tac-cararavindam
viabhyarestraining;
cittamhis
mind;
praayawith
love;
avaghramcompletely agitated; dhairyeawith steadfastness; rjan
O King; bahu-manyamnafeeling grateful; kta-ajalihis hands
folded; prhahe spoke; yadu-pravramto the greatest hero of the
Yadus; rwith his head; spantouching; tatHis; caraaaravindamlotus feet.
Steadying his mind, which had become overwhelmed with love,
Uddhava felt extremely grateful to Lord Ka, the greatest hero of the
Yadu dynasty. My dear King Parkit, Uddhava bowed down to touch
the Lord's lotus feet with his head and then spoke with folded hands.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the fear of separation from Lord Ka
was continually entering the mind of r Uddhava, and thus he tried to

1262

maintain his enthusiasm by remembering the Lord's great kindness upon

him. He steadied his mind with feelings of gratitude toward the Lord.
TEXT 37
r-uddhava uvca
vidrvito moha-mahndhakro
ya rito me tava sannidhnt
vibhvaso ki nu sampa-gasya
ta tamo bh prabhavanty ajdya
r-uddhava uvcar Uddhava said; vidrvitais driven away;
mohaof delusion; mah-andhakrathe great darkness; yawhich;
ritawas taken shelter of; meby me; tavaYour; sannidhntby
the presence; vibhvasoof the sun; kimwhat; nuindeed; sampagasyafor one who has come into the proximity; tamcold; tama
darkness; bhfear; prabhavantihave power; ajaO unborn; dya-O
primeval Lord.
r Uddhava said: O unborn, primeval Lord, although I had fallen into
the great darkness of illusion, my ignorance has now been dispelled by
Your merciful association. Indeed, how can cold, darkness and fear
exert their power over one who has approached the brilliant sun?
Although r Uddhava feared separation from the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Lord Ka, he now understands that in a fundamental sense
the Lord is everything. Ka consciousness can never be threatened or
diminished for one who has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
TEXT 38
pratyarpito me bhavatnukampin
bhtyya vijna-maya pradpa
hitv kta-jas tava pda-mla
ko 'nya samyc charaa tvadyam
pratyarpitaoffered in return; meto me; bhavatby Your good self;
anukampinwho is merciful; bhtyyato Your servant; vijnamayaof transcendental knowledge; pradpathe torchlight; hitv
giving up; kta-jawho is grateful; tavaYour; pda-mlamthe sole
of the lotus feet; kawho; anyamto another; samytcan go;
araamfor shelter; tvadyamYour.

1263

In return for my insignificant surrender, You have mercifully bestowed

upon me, Your servant, the torchlight of transcendental knowledge.
Therefore, what devotee of Yours who has any gratitude could ever give
up Your lotus feet and take shelter of another master?
TEXT 39
vka ca me su-dha sneha-po
drha-vy-andhaka-stvateu
prasrita si-vivddhaye tvay
sva-myay hy tma-subodha-hetin
vkacut off; caand; memy; su-dhavery firm; sneha-pa
binding rope of affection; drha-vi-andhaka-stvateufor the
Drhas, Vis, Andhakas and Stvatas; prasritacast; siof Your
creation; vivddhayefor the increase; tvayby You; sva-myay
through Your illusory energy; hiindeed; tmaof the soul; su-bodha
of proper knowledge; hetinby the sword.
The firmly binding rope of my affection for the families of the Drhas,
Vis, Andhakas and Stvatasa rope You originally cast over me by
Your illusory energy for the purpose of developing Your creationis
now cut off by the weapon of transcendental knowledge of the self.
Although the members of the families mentioned in this verse are eternal
associates of Lord Ka and thus proper objects of affection, r Uddhava
had regarded them as his personal relatives rather than simply as pure
devotees of the Lord. Influenced by the Lord's illusory potency, Uddhava
had desired the prosperity and victory of these dynasties. But now, by
hearing Lord Ka's instructions, he has again fixed his mind exclusively
upon Lord Ka, and thus he regards his so-called family members
without any mundane conceptionas eternal servants of the Lord.
TEXT 40
namo 'stu te mah-yogin
prapannam anudhi mm
yath tvac-carambhoje
rati syd anapyin
nama astulet me offer my obeisances; teunto You; mah-yoginO

1264

greatest of mystics; prapannamwho am surrendered; anudhiplease

instruct; mmme; yathhow; tvatYour; caraa-ambhojeat the
lotus feet; ratitranscendental attraction; sytmay be; anapyin
undeviating.
Obeisances unto You, O greatest of yogs. Please instruct me, who am
surrendered unto You, how I may have undeviating attachment to Your
lotus feet.
TEXTS 41-44
r-bhagavn uvca
gacchoddhava maydio
badary-khya mamramam
tatra mat-pda-trthode
snnopasparanai uci
kaylakanandy
vidhtea-kalmaa
vasno valkalny aga
vanya-bhuk sukha-nispha
titikur dvandva-mtr
sula sayatendriya
nta samhita-dhiy
jna-vijna-sayuta
matto 'nuikita yat te
viviktam anubhvayan
mayy veita-vk-citto
mad-dharma-nirato bhava
ativrajya gats tisro
mm eyasi tata param
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; gaccha
please go; uddhavaO Uddhava; mayby Me; diaordered; badarkhyamnamed Badarik; mamaMy; ramamto the hermitage;
tatrathere; mat-pdaemanating from My feet; trthaof the holy
places; udein the water; snnaby bathing; upasparanaiand by
touching for purification; ucicleansed; kayby glancing;

1265

alakanandyupon the river Gag; vidhtacleansed; aeaof all;

kalmaasinful reactions; vasnawearing; valkalnibark; aga
My dear Uddhava; vanyafruits, nuts, roots, etc., of the forest; bhuk
eating; sukhahappy; nisphaand free from desire; titikutolerant;
dvandva-mtrmof all dualities; su-laexhibiting saintly character;
sayata-indriyawith controlled senses; ntapeaceful; samhita
perfectly concentrated; dhiywith intelligence; jna-with knowledge;
vijnaand realization; sayutaendowed; mattafrom Me;
anuikitamlearned; yatthat which; teby you; viviktamascertained
with discrimination; anubhvayanthoroughly meditating upon; mayi
in Me; veitaabsorbed; vkyour words; cittaand mind; matdharmaMy transcendental qualities; nirataconstantly endeavoring to
realize; bhavabe thus situated; ativrajyacrossing beyond; gatthe
destinations of material nature; tisrathree; mmunto Me; eyasi
you will come; tata paramthereafter.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, take My
order and go to My rama called Badarik. Purify yourself by both
touching and also bathing in the holy waters there, which have
emanated from My lotus feet. Rid yourself of all sinful reactions with
the sight of the sacred Alakanand River. Dress yourself in bark and eat
whatever is naturally available in the forest. Thus you should remain
content and free from desire, tolerant of all dualities, good-natured, selfcontrolled, peaceful and endowed with transcendental knowledge and
realization. With fixed attention, meditate constantly upon these
instructions I have imparted to you and assimilate their essence. Fix
your words and thoughts upon Me, and always endeavor to increase
your realization of My transcendental qualities. In this way you will
cross beyond the destinations of the three modes of nature and finally
come back to Me.
TEXT 45
r-uka uvca
sa evam ukto hari-medhasoddhava
pradakia ta paristya pdayo
iro nidhyru-kalbhir rdra-dhr
nyaicad advandva-paro 'py apakrame

1266

r-uka uvcar ukadeva Gosvm said; sahe; evamthus;

uktaaddressed; hari-medhasby the Supreme Lord, whose
intelligence takes away the misery of material life; uddhavaUddhava;
pradakiamfacing with his right side; tamHim; paristya
circumambulating; pdayoat the two feet; irahis head; nidhya
placing; aru-kalbhiwith the teardrops; rdramelted; dhwhose
heart; nyaicathe drenched; advandva-parauninvolved in material
dualities; apialthough; apakrameat the time of leaving.
ukadeva Gosvm said: Thus addressed by Lord Ka, whose
intelligence destroys all the suffering of material life, r Uddhava
circumambulated the Lord and then fell down, placing his head upon
the Lord's feet. Although Uddhava was free from the influence of all
material dualities, his heart was breaking, and at this time of departure
he drenched the Lord's lotus feet with his tears.
TEXT 46
su-dustyaja-sneha-viyoga-ktaro
na aknuvas ta parihtum tura
kcchra yayau mrdhani bhart-pduke
bibhran namasktya yayau puna puna
su-dustyajaimpossible to give up; sneha(from Him) in whom he had
reposed such affection; viyogabecause of separation; ktarabeside
himself; na aknuvanbeing incapable; tamHim; parihtumto
abandon; turaoverwhelmed; kcchram yayauhe experienced great
pain; mrdhaniupon his head; bhartof his master; pdukethe
slippers; bibhrancarrying; namasktyabowing down to offer
obeisances; yayauhe went away; puna punaagain and again.
Greatly fearing separation from Him for whom he felt such
indestructible affection, Uddhava was distraught, and he could not give
up the Lord's company. Finally, feeling great pain, he bowed down to
the Lord again and again, placed the slippers of his master upon his
head, and departed.
According to the rmad-Bhgavatam (3.4.5), while Uddhava was enroute
to Badarikrama he heard about the Lord's journey to Prabhsa. Turning
back and following Lord Ka from behind, he saw the Lord alone just

1267

after the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty. After being again mercifully
instructed by the Personality of Godhead (along with Maitreya, who had
just arrived), Uddhava felt his knowledge of the truth reawaken, and then,
by the order of the Lord, he went on his way.
TEXT 47
tatas tam antar hdi sanniveya
gato mah-bhgavato vilm
yathopadi jagad-eka-bandhun
tapa samsthya harer agd gatim
tatathen; tamHim; antawithin; hdihis mind; sanniveya
placing; gatagoing; mah-bhgavatathe great devotee; vilmto
Badarikrama; yathas; upadimdescribed; jagatof the universe;
ekaby the only; bandhunfriend; tapaausterities; samsthya
properly executing; hareof the Supreme Lord; agthe attained;
gatimthe destination.
Thereupon, placing the Lord deeply within his heart, the great devotee
Uddhava went to Badarikrama. By engaging there in austerities, he
attained to the Lord's personal abode, which had been described to him
by the only friend of the universe, Lord Ka Himself.
r Uddhava returned to Dvrak in the spiritual sky, according to rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura.
TEXT 48
ya etad nanda-samudra-sambhta
jnmta bhgavatya bhitam
kena yogevara-sevitghri
sac-chraddhaysevya jagad vimucyate
yaanyone who; etatthis; nandaof ecstasy; samudraocean;
sambhtamcollected; jnaof knowledge; amtamthe nectar;
bhgavatyato His devotee; bhitamspoken; kenaby Ka;
yoga-varaby the masters of yoga; sevitaserved; aghriwhose
lotus feet; sattrue; raddhaywith faith; sevyarendering service;
jagatthe whole world; vimucyatebecomes liberated.
Thus Lord Ka, whose lotus feet are served by all great yoga masters,

1268

spoke to His devotee this nectarean knowledge, which comprises the

entire ocean of spiritual bliss. Anyone within this universe who receives
this narration with great faith is assured of liberation.
TEXT 49
bhava-bhayam apahantu jna-vijna-sra
nigama-kd upajahre bhga-vad veda-sram
amtam udadhita cpyayad bhtya-vargn
puruam abham dya ka-saja nato 'smi
bhavaof material life; bhayamthe fear; apahantumin order to take
away; jna-vijnaof knowledge and self-realization; sramthe
essence; nigamaof the Vedas; ktthe author; upajahredelivered;
bhga-vatlike a bee; veda-sramthe essential meaning of the Vedas;
amtamthe nectar; udadhitafrom the ocean; caand; apyayat
made to drink; bhtya-vargnHis many devotees; puruamto the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; abhamthe greatest; dyamthe first
of all beings; ka-sajamnamed Lord Ka; natabowed down;
asmiI am.
I offer my obeisances to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, the
original and greatest of all beings, Lord r Ka. He is the author of
the Vedas, and just to destroy His devotees' fear of material existence,
like a bee He has collected this nectarean essence of all knowledge and
self-realization. Thus He has awarded to His many devotees this nectar
from the ocean of bliss, and by His mercy they have drunk it.
Just as a bee extracts nectar from a flower without harming the flower,
Lord r Ka extracts the essence of all Vedic knowledge without
disturbing the elaborate system of Vedic advancement. In other words,
Lord r Ka establishes Himself as the goal of Vedic knowledge without
destroying preliminary, inferior processes that may be applicable to
grossly materialistic men. r ukadeva Gosvm thus concludes by
offering his obeisances to the spiritual master of the entire universe, Lord
r Ka.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-ninth

1269

Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "Bhakti-yoga."

1270

30. The Disappearance of the Yadu Dynasty

This chapter discusses the destruction of the Yadu dynasty in connection

with the winding up of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
After r Uddhava left for Badarikrama, Lord r Ka, taking note of
many bad omens, advised the Ydavas to abandon Dvrak and go to
Prabhsa, on the bank of the Sarasvat, to perform svasty-ayana and other
rituals for counteracting bad fortune. They followed His advice and went
to Prabhsa. There they became absorbed in festivity, and by the illusory
power of Lord Ka they became intoxicated from drinking liquor. Thus
losing their intelligence, they quarreled among themselves and began
killing one another, until not a man was left alive.
Afterward, r Baladeva went to the shore of the ocean and by the mystic
strength of yoga gave up His body. Seeing the disappearance of Baladeva,
Lord r Ka sat down silently upon the ground. Then a hunter named
Jar, mistaking the sole of the Lord's left foot for a deer, pierced it with an
arrow. The hunter immediately understood his mistake and, falling at the
feet of Lord r Ka, begged to be punished. In reply Lord Ka told
the hunter that what he had done was actually according to His own
desire. The Lord then sent the hunter to Vaikuha.
When Druka, Ka's charioteer, arrived on the scene and saw Lord
Ka in that condition, he began to lament. Ka told him that he
should go to Dvrak, inform the residents about the annihilation of the
Yadu dynasty, and advise them all to leave Dvrak for Indraprastha.
Druka obediently carried out this order.
TEXT 1
r-rjovca
tato mah-bhgavata
uddhave nirgate vanam
dvravaty kim akarod
bhagavn bhta-bhvana

1271

r-rj uvcathe king said; tatathen; mah-bhgavatethe great

devotee; uddhaveUddhava; nirgatewhen he had gone; vanamto the
forest; dvravatymin Dvrak; kimwhat; akarotdid; bhagavnthe
Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhtaof all living beings; bhvana
the protector.
King Parkit said: After the great devotee Uddhava left for the forest,
what did the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the protector of all
living beings, do in the city of Dvrak?
Parkit Mahrja now inquires from ukadeva Gosvm about the topic
of Chapter One of this canto, namely the annihilation of the Yadu dynasty
and Lord Ka's return to the spiritual sky. Because Lord Ka was
playing the part of an ordinary member of the Yadu dynasty, He appeared
to react to the curse of the brhmaas by giving up His earthly pastimes.
Lord Ka cannot actually be cursed by anyone. Nrada Muni and the
other sages who cursed the Yadu dynasty are eternal devotees of Lord
Ka and could hardly curse Him. Therefore, in giving up His pastimes
and leaving the earth with the Yadu dynasty, Lord Ka demonstrated
His internal potency and personal will, since no one can challenge the
supreme potency of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 2
brahma-popasase
sva-kule ydavarabha
preyas sarva-netr
tanu sa katham atyajat
brahma-paby the curse of the brhmaas; upasasehaving been
destroyed; sva-kuleHis own family; ydava-abhathe chief of the
Yadus; preyasmmost dear; sarva-netrmto all eyes; tanumthe
body; saHe; kathamhow; atyajatgave up.
After His own dynasty met destruction from the curse of the brhmaas,
how could the best of the Yadus give up His body, the dearmost object
of all eyes?
In relation to this verse, rla Jva Gosvm explains that the Personality of
Godhead never gives up His spiritual body, which is eternal, full of bliss
and knowledge. The word katham therefore indicates "How is it

1272

possible?", meaning it is not actually possible for Lord Ka to give up

His eternal form, which is preyas sarva-netrm, the most attractive
object of pleasure for the eyes and all other senses.
TEXT 3
pratykrau nayanam abal yatra lagna na eku
karvia na sarati tato yat satm tma-lagnam
yac-chrr vc janayati rati ki nu mna kavn
dv jior yudhi ratha-gata yac ca tat-smyam yu
pratykraumto withdraw; nayanamtheir eyes; abalthe women;
yatrain which; lagnamattached; na ekuwere not able; karathe
ears; viamhaving entered; na saratiwould not leave; tatathence;
yatwhich; satmof the sages; tmain their hearts; lagnam
attached; yatof which; rthe beauty; vcmof the words;
janayatigenerates; ratimspecial pleasurable attraction; kim nuwhat
to speak of; mnamthe reputation; kavnmof the poets; dv
seeing; jioof Arjuna; yudhion the battlefield; ratha-gatamon the
chariot; yatwhich; caand; tat-smyaman equal status with Him;
yuthey attained.
Once their eyes were fixed upon His transcendental form, women were
unable to withdraw them, and once that form had entered the ears of
the sages and become fixed in their hearts, it would never depart. What
to speak of acquiring fame, the great poets who described the beauty of
the Lord's form would have their words invested with transcendentally
pleasing attraction. And by seeing that form on Arjuna's chariot, all the
warriors on the battlefield of Kuruketra attained the liberation of
gaining a spiritual body similar to the Lord's.
Transcendental, liberated personalities such as the gops of Vndvana and
Rukmi, the original goddess of fortune, were constantly meditating on
the Lord's spiritual body. Great liberated sages (satm), having heard
about Lord Ka's body, could not take it out of their hearts. The Lord's
bodily beauty expanded the love and poetic output of great liberated
poets, and simply by seeing Lord Ka's body, the warriors at Kuruketra
achieved spiritual liberation with an eternal body similar to the Lord's.
Therefore it is impossible to imagine Lord Ka's eternal form of bliss to
be in any way material. Those who imagine that Lord Ka gave up His

1273

eternal form are certainly bewildered by the Lord's illusory energy.

TEXT 4
r ir uvca
divi bhuvy antarike ca
mahotptn samutthitn
dvsnn su-dharmy
ka prha yadn idam
r-i uvcathe sage (ukadeva Gosvm) said; diviin the sky;
bhuvion the earth; antarikein outer space; caand; mah-utptn
great disturbances; samutthitnwhich had appeared; dvseeing;
snnwho were seated; su-dharmymin the legislative assembly
called the Sudharm; kaLord Ka; prhaspoke; yadnto the
Yadus; idamthis.
ukadeva Gosvm said: Having observed many disturbing signs in the
sky, on the earth and in outer space, Lord Ka addressed the Yadus
assembled in the Sudharm council hall as follows.
According to rla rdhara Svm, the inauspicious sign in the sky was
the appearance of a halo around the sun, on the earth there were small
earthquakes, and in outer space there was an unnatural redness on the
horizon. These and other, similar omens were impossible to counteract,
because they were personally arranged by Lord Ka.
TEXT 5
r-bhagavn uvca
ete ghor mahotpt
dvrvaty yama-ketava
muhrtam api na stheyam
atra no yadu-pugav
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; etethese;
ghorfearful;
mahgreat;
utptinauspicious
omens;
dvrvatymin Dvrak; yamaof the king of death; ketavathe flags;
muhrtama moment; apieven; na stheyamshould not remain; atra
here; nawe; yadu-pugavO best of the Yadus.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O leaders of the Yadu

1274

dynasty, please note all these terrible omens that have appeared in
Dvrak just like the flags of death. We should not remain here a
moment longer.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura has given a great amount of evidence
from the Vedic literatures proving that the humanlike form of the
Personality of Godhead and His holy name, abode, paraphernalia and
associates are all eternal, spiritual manifestations without any tinge of
material contamination. (See Appendix). In this regard the crya has
further explained that because the living entities must suffer the reactions
to their sinful activities, the Lord arranges for them to be punished during
the Kali-yuga. In other words, it is not Lord Ka's desire that
conditioned souls be sinful and suffer, but since they are already sinful,
the Lord creates an appropriate age during which they can experience the
bitter fruits of irreligiosity.
Since Lord Ka personally establishes religious principles in His various
appearances in this material world, at the end of Dvpara-yuga religion on
the earth was overwhelmingly powerful. All the significant demons had
been killed; the great sages, saints and devotees had been greatly
encouraged, enlightened and fortified; and there was little scope for
irreligion. Had Lord Ka ascended to the spiritual sky in His spiritual
body before the eyes of the world, it would have been very difficult for
Kali-yuga to flourish. Lord Ka left the world in exactly that way during
His appearance as Rmacandra, and hundreds of thousands of years later,
hundreds of millions of pious persons still discuss this wonderful pastime
of the Lord. To pave the way for Kali-yuga, however, Lord Ka left this
world in a way that puzzles those who are not His staunch devotees.
The eternal form of the Lord is described throughout Vedic literature, and
His eternal form constitutes the highest understanding of the Absolute
Truth according to all great cryas, including akarcrya and Caitanya
Mahprabhu. Yet although Lord Ka's eternal, spiritual form is a
realized fact for advanced devotees, for those who are weak in Ka
consciousness the inconceivable pastimes and plan of the Lord are
sometimes hard to appreciate properly.
TEXT 6
striyo bl ca vddh ca
akhoddhra vrajantv ita
vaya prabhsa ysymo

1275

yatra pratyak sarasvat

striyathe women; blchildren; caand; vddhold men; ca
and; akha-uddhramto the holy place called akhoddhra (about
halfway between Dvrak and Prabhsa); vrajantuthey should go; ita
from here; vayamwe; prabhsamto Prabhsa; ysymashall go;
yatrawhere; pratyakflowing west; sarasvatthe river Sarasvat
The women, children and old men should leave this city and go to
akhoddhra. We shall go to Prabhsa-ketra, where the river
Sarasvat flows toward the west.
The word vayam here refers to the able-bodied male members of the Yadu
dynasty.
TEXT 7
tatrbhiicya ucaya
upoya su-samhit
devat pjayiyma
snapanlepanrhaai
tatrathere; abhiicyataking bath; ucayacleansed; upoyafasting;
su-samhitfixing our minds; devatthe demigods; pjayiyma
we shall worship; snapanaby bathing; lepanasmearing with
sandalwood; arhaaiand by various offerings.
There we should bathe for purification, fast, and fix our minds in
meditation. We should then worship the demigods by bathing their
images, anointing them with sandalwood pulp, and presenting them
various offerings.
TEXT 8
brhmas tu mah-bhgn
kta-svastyayan vayam
go-bh-hiraya-vsobhir
gajva-ratha-vemabhi
brhmanthe brhmaas; tuand; mah-bhgngreatly fortunate;
ktahaving performed; svasti-ayanthe ceremonies for good fortune;

1276

vayamwe; gowith cows; bhland; hirayagold; vsobhiand

clothing;
gajawith elephants;
avahorses;
rathachariots;
vemabhiand houses.
After performing the expiatory rituals with the help of greatly fortunate
brhmaas, we will worship those brhmaas by offering them cows,
land, gold, clothing, elephants, horses, chariots and dwelling places.
TEXT 9
vidhir ea hy aria-ghno
magalyanam uttamam
deva-dvija-gav pj
bhteu paramo bhava
vidhithe prescribed process; eathis; hiindeed; aria
inauspicious obstacles; ghnawhich destroys; magala-ayanamwhich
brings good fortune; uttamamthe best; devaof the demigods; dvija
brhmaas; gavmand cows; pjworship; bhteuamong living
beings; paramaexcellent; bhavarebirth.
This is indeed the appropriate process for counteracting our imminent
adversity, and it is sure to bring about the highest good fortune. Such
worship of the demigods, brhmaas and cows can earn the highest
birth for all living entities.
TEXT 10
iti sarve samkarya
yadu-vddh madhu-dvia
tatheti naubhir uttrya
prabhsa prayay rathai
itithus; sarveall of them; samkaryahearing; yadu-vddhthe
elders of the Yadu dynasty; madhu-dviafrom Lord Ka, the enemy of
the demon Madhu; tathso be it; itithus saying; naubhiby boats;
uttryacrossing over (the ocean); prabhsamto Prabhsa; prayayu
they went; rathaiin chariots.
Having heard these words from Lord Ka, the enemy of Madhu, the

1277

elders of the Yadu dynasty gave their assent, saying, "So be it." After
crossing over the ocean in boats, they proceeded on chariots to
Prabhsa.
TEXT 11
tasmin bhagavatdia
yadu-devena ydav
cakru paramay bhakty
sarva-reyopabhitam
tasminthere; bhagavatby the Supreme Personality of Godhead;
diamwhat was instructed; yadu-devenaby the Lord of the Yadus;
ydavthe
Yadus;
cakruperformed;
paramaywith
transcendental; bhaktydevotion; sarvaall; reyawith auspicious
rituals; upabhitamenriched.
There, with great devotion, the Ydavas performed the religious
ceremonies according to the instructions of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, their personal Lord. They also performed various other
auspicious rituals.
TEXT 12
tatas tasmin mah-pna
papur maireyaka madhu
dia-vibhraita-dhiyo
yad-dravair bhrayate mati
tatathen; tasminthere; maha large amount; pnamdrink;
paputhey drank; maireyakamcalled maireya; madhu-sweet-tasting;
diaby destiny; vibhraitahaving lost; dhiyatheir intelligence;
yatof which beverage; dravaiby the liquid ingredients; bhrayateis
disrupted; matithe mind.
Then, their intelligence covered by Providence, they liberally indulged
in drinking the sweet maireya beverage, which can completely
intoxicate the mind.
The word dia here indicates the desire of the Supreme Personality of

1278

Godhead. In the first chapter of this Canto, "The Curse Upon the Yadu
Dynasty," this incident is elaborately explained.
TEXT 13
mah-pnbhimattn
vr dpta-cetasm
ka-my-vimhn
saghara su-mahn abht
mah-pnaby the excessive drinking; abhimattnmwho became
intoxicated; vrmof the heroes; dptabecoming arrogant;
cetasmtheir minds; ka-myby the illusory energy of Lord Ka;
vimhnmwho became bewildered; sagharafriction; su-mahn
very great; abhtarose.
The heroes of the Yadu dynasty became intoxicated from their
extravagant drinking and began to feel arrogant. When they were thus
bewildered by the personal potency of Lord Ka, a terrible quarrel
arose among them.
TEXT 14
yuyudhu krodha-sarabdh
velym tatyina
dhanurbhir asibhir bhallair
gadbhis tomararibhi
yuyudhuthey fought; krodhawith anger; sarabdhthoroughly
agitated; velymon the shore; tatyinabearing weapons;
dhanurbhiwith bows; asibhiwith swords; bhallaiwith a
peculiarly shaped arrow; gadbhiwith clubs; tomarawith lances;
ibhiand spears.
Infuriated, they seized their bows and arrows, swords, bhallas, clubs,
lances and spears and attacked one another on the shore of the ocean.
TEXT 15
patat-patkai ratha-kujardibhi
kharora-gobhir mahiair narair api

1279

mitha sametyvatarai su-durmad

nyahan arair dadbhir iva dvip vane
patat-patkaiwith flags flying; rathaon chariots; kujaraelephants;
dibhiand other carriers; kharaon asses; uracamels; gobhiand
bulls; mahiaion buffalos; naraion human beings; apieven;
mithatogether; sametyameeting; avataraiand on mules; sudurmadvery much enraged; nyahanthey attacked; araiwith
arrows; dadbhiwith their tusks; ivaas if; dvipelephants; vanein
the forest.
Riding on elephants and chariots with flags flying, and also on donkeys,
camels, bulls, buffalos, mules and even human beings, the extremely
enraged warriors came together and violently attacked one another with
arrows, just as elephants in the forest attack one another with their
tusks.
TEXT 16
pradyumna-smbau yudhi rha-matsarv
akrra-bhojv aniruddha-styak
subhadra-sagrmajitau su-druau
gadau sumitr-surathau samyatu
pradyumna-smbauPradyumna and Smba; yudhiin the battle;
rhaaroused; matsarautheir enmity; akrra-bhojauAkrra and
Bhoja;
aniruddha-styakAniruddha
and
Styaki;
subhadrasagrmajitauSubhadra and Sagrmajit; su-druauferocious;
gadauthe two Gadas (one the brother of r Ka and the other His
son); sumitr-surathauSumitra and Suratha; samyatumet together.
Their mutual enmity aroused, Pradyumna fought fiercely against
Smba, Akrra against Kuntibhoja, Aniruddha against Styaki,
Subhadra against Sagrmajit, Sumitra against Suratha, and the two
Gadas against each other.
TEXT 17
anye ca ye vai niaholmukdaya
sahasrajic-chatajid-bhnu-mukhy

1280

anyonyam sdya madndha-krit

jaghnur mukundena vimohit bham
anyeothers; caand; yethose who; vaiindeed; niaha-ulmakadayaNiaha, Ulmuka and so on; sahasrajit-atajit-bhnu-mukhya
headed by Sahasrajit, atajit and Bhnu; anyonyameach other; sdya
meeting; madaby intoxication; andha-kritblinded; jaghnuthey
killed; mukundenaby Lord Mukunda; vimohitconfused; bham
totally.
Others also, such as Niaha, Ulmuka, Sahasrajit, atajit and Bhnu,
confronted and killed one another, being blinded by intoxication and
thus completely bewildered by Lord Mukunda Himself.
TEXT 18
drha-vy-andhaka-bhoja-stvat
madhv-arbud mthura-rasen
visarjan kukur kuntaya ca
mithas tu jaghnu su-visjya sauhdam
drha-vi-andhaka-bhoja-stvatthe Drhas, Vis, Andhakas,
Bhojas and Stvatas; madhu-arbudthe Madhus and Arbudas; mthurarasenthe inhabitants of Mathur and rasena; visarjanthe
Visarjanas; kukurthe Kukuras; kuntayathe Kuntis; caalso;
mithaeach other; tuand; jaghnuthey killed; su-visjya
completely abandoning; sauhdamtheir friendship.
Completely abandoning their natural friendship, the members of the
various Yadu clansthe Drhas, Vis and Andhakas, the Bhojas,
Stvatas, Madhus and Arbudas, the Mthuras, rasenas, Visarjanas,
Kukuras and Kuntisall slaughtered one another.
TEXT 19
putr ayudhyan pitbhir bhrtbhi ca
svasrya-dauhitra-pitvya-mtulai
mitri mitrai suhda suhdbhir
jts tv ahan jtaya eva mh

1281

putrsons;
ayudhyanfought;
pitbhiwith
their
fathers;
bhrtbhiwith brothers; caand; svasryawith the sons of sisters;
dauhitrathe sons of daughters; pitvyapaternal uncles; mtulaiand
maternal uncles; mitrifriends; mitraiwith friends; suhdawellwishers; suhdbhiwith well-wishers; jtnintimate relatives; tu
and; ahankilled; jtayaintimate relatives; evaindeed; mh
bewildered.
Thus bewildered, sons fought with fathers, brothers with brothers,
nephews with paternal and maternal uncles, and grandsons with
grandfathers. Friends fought with friends, and well-wishers with wellwishers. In this way intimate friends and relatives all killed one
another.
TEXT 20
areu hyameu
bhajyamnesu dhanvasu
astreu kyamneu
muibhir jahrur erak
areuthe
arrows;
hyamneuas
they
became
depleted;
bhajyamneuas they became broken; dhanvasuthe bows; astreu
the missile weapons; kyamneuas they were used up; muibhi
with their fists; jahruthey seized; erakcane stalks.
When all their bows had been broken and their arrows and other
missiles spent, they seized the tall stalks of cane with their bare hands.
TEXT 21
t vajra-kalp hy abhavan
parigh muin bht
jaghnur dvias tai kena
vryams tu ta ca te
tthose stalks; vajra-kalpas strong as thunderbolts; hiindeed;
abhavanbecame; parighiron staffs; muinwith their fists;
bhtheld; jaghnuthey attacked; dviatheir enemies; taiwith
these; kenaby Lord Ka; vryambeing checked; tu

1282

although; tamHim; caas well; tethey.

As soon as they took these cane stalks in their fists, the stalks changed
into iron rods as hard as thunderbolts. With these weapons the
warriors began attacking one another again and again, and when Lord
Ka tried to stop them they attacked Him as well.
TEXT 22
pratyanka manyamn
balabhadra ca mohit
hantu kta-dhiyo rjann
pann tatyina
pratyankaman enemy; manyamnthinking; balabhadramLord
Balarma; caalso; mohitconfused; hantumto kill; kta-dhiya
having made up their minds; rjanO King Parkit; pannthey set
upon Him; tatyinawielding weapons.
In their confused state, O King, they also mistook Lord Balarma for an
enemy. Weapons in hand, they ran toward Him with the intention of
killing Him.
TEXT 23
atha tv api sakruddhv
udyamya kuru-nandana
erak-mui-parighau
carantau jaghnatur yudhi
athathen; tauthose two (Ka and Balarma); apialso;
sakruddhaugreatly angered; udyamyajoining the fight; kurunandanaO favorite son of the Kurus; erak-muithe canes in their
fists; parighauusing as clubs; carantaumoving about; jaghnatuthey
began to kill; yudhiin the battle.
O son of the Kurus, Ka and Balarma then became very angry.
Picking up cane stalks, They moved about within the battle and began
to kill with these clubs.

1283

TEXT 24
brahma-popasn
ka-myvttmanm
spardh-krodha kaya ninye
vaiavo 'gnir yath vanam
brahma-paby the curse of the brhmaas; upasnmwho were
overtaken; ka-myby the illusory energy of Lord Ka; vta
covered; tmanmof those whose minds; spardharising from rivalry;
krodhathe anger; kayamto destruction; ninyeled; vaiavaof
bamboo trees; agnia fire; yathas; vanamthe forest.
The violent anger of these warriors, who were overcome by the
brhmaas' curse and bewildered by Lord Ka's illusory potency, now
led them to their annihilation, just as a fire that starts in a bamboo
grove destroys the entire forest.
TEXT 25
eva naeu sarveu
kuleu sveu keava
avatrito bhuvo bhra
iti mene 'vaeita
evamin this way; naeuwhen they had been destroyed; sarveuall;
kuleuthe clans of the dynasty; sveuHis own; keavaLord Ka;
avatritadiminished; bhuvaof the earth; bhrathe burden; iti
thus; meneHe thought; avaeitaremaining.
When all the members of His own dynasty were thus destroyed, Lord
Ka thought to Himself that at last the burden of the earth had been
removed.
TEXT 26
rma samudra-vely
yogam sthya pauruam
tatyja loka mnuya
sayojytmnam tmani

1284

rmaLord Balarma; samudraof the ocean; velymon the shore;

yogammeditation; sthyaresorting to; pauruamupon the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; tatyjaHe gave up; lokamthe world;
mnuyamhuman; sayojyamerging; tmnamHimself; tmani
within Himself.
Lord Balarma then sat down on the shore of the ocean and fixed
Himself in meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Merging Himself within Himself, He gave up this mortal world.
TEXT 27
rma-niryam lokya
bhagavn devak-suta
niasda dharopasthe
tum sdya pippalam
rma-niryamthe departure of Lord Balarma; lokyaobserving;
bhagavnthe Supreme Lord; devak-sutathe son of Devak;
niasdasat down; dhar-upastheon the lap of the earth; tum
silently; sdyafinding; pippalama pippala tree.
Lord Ka, the son of Devak, having seen the departure of Lord Rma,
sat down silently on the ground under a nearby pippala tree.
TEXTS 28-32
bibhrac catur-bhuja rpa
bhryiu prabhay svay
dio vitimir kurvan
vidhma iva pvaka
rvatska ghana-yma
tapta-haka-varcasam
kaueymbara-yugmena
parivta su-magalam
sundara-smita-vaktrbja
nla-kuntala-maitam
puarkbhirmka

1285

sphuran makara-kualam
kai-stra-brahma-strakira-kaakgadai
hra-npura-mudrbhi
kaustubhena virjitam
vana-ml-partga
mrtimadbhir nijyudhai
ktvorau dakie pdam
sna pakajruam
bibhratbearing; catu-bhujamwith four arms; rpamHis form;
bhrjiubrilliant; prabhaywith its effulgence; svayown; dia
all the directions; vitimirdevoid of darkness; kurvanmaking;
vidhmawithout smoke; ivaas; pvakaa fire; rvatsa-akam
with the mark of rvatsa; ghana-ymamdark blue like the clouds;
taptamolten; hakalike gold; varcasamHis glowing effulgence;
kaueyaof silk; ambaraof garments; yugmenaa pair; parivtam
wearing; su-magalamall-auspicious; sundarabeautiful; smitawith
smiling; vaktraHis face; abjamlike a lotus; nlablue; kuntalawith
locks of hair; maitam(His head) adorned; puarkalotus;
abhirmacharming; akameyes; sphurattrembling; makarashaped
like sharks; kualamHis earrings; kati-strawith belt; brahmastrasacred thread; kirahelmet; kaakabracelets; agadaiand
arm ornaments; hrawith necklaces; npuraankle bells; mudrbhi
and His royal symbols; kaustubhenawith the Kaustubha gem;
virjitamsplendid; vana-mlby a flower garland; partaencircled;
agamHis limbs; mrti-madbhipersonified; nijaHis own;
yudhaiand by the weapons; ktvplacing; urauon His thigh;
dakieright; pdamHis foot; snamsitting; pakajalike a lotus;
aruamreddish.
The Lord was exhibiting His brilliantly effulgent four-armed form, the
radiance of which, just like a smokeless fire, dissipated the darkness in
all directions. His complexion was the color of a dark blue cloud and
His effulgence the color of molten gold, and His all-auspicious form
bore the mark of rvatsa. A beautiful smile graced His lotus face, locks
of dark blue hair adorned His head, His lotus eyes were very attractive,

1286

and His shark-shaped earrings glittered. He wore a pair of silken

garments, an ornamental belt, the sacred thread, bracelets and arm
ornaments, along with a helmet, the Kaustubha jewel, necklaces,
anklets and other royal emblems. Encircling His body were flower
garlands and His personal weapons in their embodied forms. As He sat
He held His left foot, with its lotus-red sole, upon His right thigh.
TEXT 33
mualvaeya-khaakteur lubdhako jar
mgsykra tac-caraa
vivydha mga-akay
mualafrom the iron club; avaearemaining; ayaof iron;
khaawith the fragment; ktawho had made; iuhis arrow;
lubdhakathe hunter; jarnamed Jar; mgaof a deer; syaof the
face; kramhaving the form; tatHis; caraamlotus foot; vivydha
pierced; mga-akaythinking it to be a deer.
Just then a hunter named Jar, who had approached the place, mistook
the Lord's foot for a deer's face. Thinking he had found his prey, Jar
pierced the foot with his arrow, which he had fashioned from the
remaining iron fragment of Smba's club.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the statement that the
arrow "pierced the Lord's foot" expresses the point of view of the hunter,
who thought he had struck a deer. In fact the arrow merely touched the
Lord's lotus foot and did not pierce it, since the Lord's limbs are
composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss. Otherwise, in the description
of the next verse (that the hunter became fearful and fell down with his
head upon the Lord's feet), ukadeva Gosvm would have stated that he
extracted his arrow from the Lord's foot.
TEXT 34
catur-bhuja ta purua
dv sa kta-kilbia
bhta papta iras
pdayor asura-dvia

1287

catu-bhujamfour-armed; tamthat; puruampersonality; dv

seeing; sahe; kta-kilbiahaving committed an offense; bhta
afraid; paptafell; iraswith his head; pdayoat the feet; asuradviaof the Supreme Lord, the enemy of the demons.
Then, seeing that four-armed personality, the hunter became terrified of
the offense he had committed, and he fell down, placing his head upon
the feet of the enemy of the demons.
TEXT 35
ajnat ktam ida
ppena madhusdana
kantum arhasi ppasya
uttamaloka me 'nagha
ajnatwho was acting without knowledge; ktamhas been done;
idamthis; ppenaby a sinful person; madhusdanaO Madhusdana;
kantum arhasiplease forgive; ppasyaof the sinful person; uttamalokaO glorious Lord; memy; anaghaO sinless one.
Jar said: O Lord Madhusdana, I am a most sinful person. I have
committed this act out of ignorance. O purest Lord, O Uttamaloka,
please forgive this sinner.
TEXT 36
yasynusmaraa nm
ajna-dhvnta-nanam
vadanti tasya te vio
maysdhu kta prabho
yasyaof whom; anusmaraamthe constant remembrance; nmof
all men; ajnaof ignorance; dhvntathe darkness; nanamthat
which destroys; vadantithey say; tasyatoward Him; teYou; vioO
Lord Viu; mayby me; asdhuwrongly; ktamthis has been done;
prabhoO master.
O Lord Viu, the learned say that for any man, constant remembrance
of You will destroy the darkness of ignorance. O master, I have wronged

1288

You!
TEXT 37
tan mu jahi vaikuha
ppmna mga-lubdhakam
yath punar aha tv eva
na kury sad-atikramam
tattherefore; mme; uquickly; jahiplease kill; vaikuhaO
Lord of Vaikuha; ppmnamthe sinful; mga-lubdhakamhunter of
deer; yathso that; punaagain; ahamI; tuindeed; evamthus; na
kurymmay not do; satagainst saintly persons; atikramam
transgression.
Therefore, O Lord of Vaikuha, please kill this sinful hunter of animals
immediately so he may not again commit such offenses against saintly
persons.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura explains that the fratricidal battle of
the Yadu dynasty and the hunter's attack upon Lord Ka are clearly
activities of the Lord's internal potency for the purpose of fulfilling the
Lord's pastime desires. According to the evidence, the quarrel among the
members of the Yadu dynasty occurred at sunset; then the Lord sat down
on the bank of the Sarasvat River. It is stated that a hunter then arrived
with the intention of killing a deer, but it is highly unlikelywhen more
than 560 million warriors had just been killed in a great uproarious battle
and the place had been flooded with blood and strewn with corpsesthat
a simple hunter would somehow come along trying to kill a deer. Since
deer are by nature fearful and timid, how could any deer possibly be on
the scene of such a huge battle, and how could a hunter calmly go about
his business in the midst of such carnage? Therefore, the withdrawal of
the Yadu dynasty and Lord Ka's own disappearance from this earth
were not material historical events; they were instead a display of the
Lord's internal potency for the purpose of winding up His manifest
pastimes on earth.
TEXT 38
yasytma-yoga-racita na vidur virico

1289

rudrdayo 'sya tanay patayo gir ye

tvan-myay pihita-daya etad aja
ki tasya te vayam asad-gatayo gma
yasyawhose; tma-yogaby the personal mystic power; racitam
produced; na vidathey do not understand; viricaLord Brahm;
rudra-dayaiva and others; asyahis; tanaysons; pataya
masters; girmof the words of the Vedas; yewho are; tvat-myayby
Your illusory potency; pihitacovered; dayawhose vision; etatof
this; ajadirectly; kimwhat; tasyaof Him; teof You; vayamwe;
asatimpure; gatayawhose birth; gmashall say.
Neither Brahm nor his sons, headed by Rudra, nor any of the great
sages who are masters of the Vedic mantras can understand the function
of Your mystic power. Because Your illusory potency has covered their
sight, they remain ignorant of how Your mystic power works.
Therefore, what can I, such a low-born person, possibly say?
TEXT 39
r-bhagavn uvca
m bhair jare tvam uttiha
kma ea kto hi me
yhi tva mad-anujta
svarga su-ktin padam
r-bhagavn uvcathe Supreme Personality of Godhead said; m
bhaido not fear; jareO Jar; tvamyou; uttihaplease get up;
kmathe desire; eathis; ktadone; hiindeed; meMy; yhi
go; tvamyou; mat-anujtagiven permission by Me; svargamto the
spiritual world; su-ktinmof the pious; padamthe abode.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Jar, do not fear.
Please get up. What has been done is actually My own desire. With My
permission, go now to the abode of the pious, the spiritual world.
TEXT 40
ity dio bhagavat
kenecch-arri

1290

tri parikramya ta natv

vimnena diva yayau
itithus; diainstructed; bhagavatby the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; kenaby Lord Ka; icch-arriwhose transcendental
body is manifested simply by His own will; trithree times;
parikramyacircumambulating; tamto Him; natvbowing down;
vimnenaby a celestial airplane; divaminto the sky; yayauhe went.
So instructed by the Supreme Lord Ka, who assumes His
transcendental body by His own will, the hunter circumambulated the
Lord three times and bowed down to Him. Then the hunter departed in
an airplane that had appeared just to carry him to the spiritual sky.
TEXT 41
druka ka-padavm
anvicchann adhigamya tm
vyu tulasikmodam
ghrybhimukha yayau
drukaDruka, the chariot driver of Lord Ka; kaof Lord
Ka; padavmthe trail; anvicchanseeking out; adhigamyacoming
upon; tmi; vyum-the air; tulasik-modam-fragrant with the aroma of
tulas flowers; ghryascenting; abhimukhamtoward Him; yayauhe
went.
At that time Druka was searching for his master, Ka. As he neared
the place where the Lord was sitting, he perceived the aroma of tulas
flowers in the breeze and went in its direction.
TEXT 42
ta tatra tigma-dyubhir yudhair vta
hy avattha-mle kta-ketana patim
sneha-pluttm nipapta pdayo
rathd avaplutya sa-bpa-locana
tamHim; tatrathere; tigmabrilliant; dyubhithe effulgence of
which; yudhaiby His weapons; vtamsurrounded; hiindeed;

1291

avatthaof the banyan tree; mleat the base; kta-ketanamresting;

patimhis master; snehawith affection; plutaoverwhelmed; tm
his heart; nipaptahe fell down; pdayoat His feet; rathtfrom the
chariot; avaplutyarushing down; sa-bpafilled with tears; locana
his eyes.
Upon seeing Lord Ka resting at the foot of a banyan tree, surrounded
by His shining weapons, Druka could not control the affection he felt
in his heart. His eyes filled with tears as he rushed down from the
chariot and fell at the Lord's feet.
TEXT 43
apayatas tvac-carambuja prabho
di praa tamasi pravi
dio na jne na labhe ca nti
yath niym uupe praae
apayataof me, who am not seeing; tvatYour; caraa-ambujam
lotus feet; prabhoO master; dithe power of vision; praais
destroyed; tamasiinto darkness; pravihaving entered; diathe
directions; na jneI do not know; na labheI cannot obtain; caand;
ntimpeace; yathjust as; niymin the night; uupewhen the
moon; praaehas become new.
Druka said: Just as on a moonless night people are merged into
darkness and cannot find their way, now that I have lost sight of Your
lotus feet, my Lord, I have lost my vision and am wandering blindly in
darkness. I cannot tell my direction, nor can I find any peace.
TEXT 44
iti bruvati ste vai
ratho garua-lchana
kham utpapta rjendra
sva-dhvaja udkata
itithus; bruvatiwhile he was speaking; stethe chariot driver; vai
indeed; rathathe chariot; garua-lchanamarked with the flag of
Garua; khaminto the sky; utpaptaarose; rja-indraO king of

1292

kings (Parkit); sa-avaalong with the horses; dhvajaand flag;

udkataas he looked up, watching.
[ukadeva Gosvm continued:] O foremost of kings, while the chariot
driver was still speaking, before his very eyes the Lord's chariot rose up
into the sky along with its horses and its flag, which was marked with
the emblem of Garua.
TEXT 45
tam anvagacchan divyni
viu-praharani ca
tenti-vismittmna
stam ha janrdana
tamthat chariot; anvagacchanthey followed; divynidivine; viu
of Lord Viu; praharanithe weapons; caand; tenaby that
occurrence; ati-vismitaastonished; tmnamhis mind; stamto the
driver; haspoke; janrdanaLord r Ka.
All the divine weapons of Viu rose up and followed the chariot. The
Lord, Janrdana, then spoke to His chariot driver, who was most
astonished to see all this.
TEXT 46
gaccha dvravat sta
jtn nidhana mitha
sakaraasya nirya
bandhubhyo brhi mad-dam
gacchajust go; dvravatmto Dvrak; staO chariot driver;
jtnmof their close relatives; nidhanamthe destruction; mitha
mutual; sakaraasyaof Lord Balarma; niryamthe passing away;
bandhubhyato Our family members; brhispeak; mat-damMy
condition.
O driver, go to Dvrak and tell Our family members how their loved
ones destroyed one another. Also tell them of the disappearance of Lord
Sakaraa and of My present condition.

1293

Lord Ka sent His chariot driverless back to Vaikuha, along with the
horses and weapons, because the chariot driver, Druka, had some final
service to do on earth.
TEXT 47
dvraky ca na stheya
bhavadbhi ca sva-bandhubhi
may tyakt yadu-pur
samudra plvayiyati
dvrakymin Dvrak; caand; na stheyamshould not remain;
bhavadbhiyou; caand; sva-bandhubhialong with your relatives;
mayby Me; tyaktmabandoned; yadu-purmthe capital of the
Yadus; samudrathe ocean; plvayiyatiwill drown.
You and your relatives should not remain in Dvrak, the capital of the
Yadus, because once I have abandoned that city it will be inundated by
the ocean.
TEXT 48
sva sva parigraha sarve
dya pitarau ca na
arjunenvit sarva
indraprastha gamiyatha
svam svameach his own; parigrahamfamily; sarveall of them;
dyataking; pitarauparents; caand; naOur; arjunenaby
Arjuna; avitprotected; sarveall; indraprasthamto Indraprastha;
gamiyathayou should go.
You should all take your own families, together with My parents, and
under Arjuna's protection go to Indraprastha.
TEXT 49
tva tu mad-dharmam sthya
jna-niha upekaka
man-my-racitm et
vijayopaama vraja

1294

tvamyou; tuhowever; mat-dharmamin My devotional service;

sthyaremaining
firm;
jna-nihafixed
in
knowledge;
upekakaindifferent; mat-myby My illusory energy; racitm
created; etmthis; vijyaunderstanding; upaamamcessation from
agitation; vrajaobtain.
You, Druka, should be firmly situated in devotion to Me, remaining
fixed in spiritual knowledge and unattached to material considerations.
Understanding these pastimes to be a display of My illusory potency,
you should remain peaceful.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the word tu here emphasizes that Druka
is an eternally liberated associate of Lord Ka, having descended from
Vaikuha. Therefore, even though others might be bewildered by the
Lord's pastimes, Druka should remain peaceful and fixed in spiritual
knowledge.
TEXT 50
ity uktas ta parikramya
namasktya puna puna
tat-pdau ry updhya
durman prayayau purm
itithus; uktaspoken to; tamHim; parikramyacircumambulating;
nama-ktyaoffering obeisances; puna punaagain and again; tatpdauHis lotus feet; riupon his head; updhyaplacing;
durmanunhappy in his mind; prayayauhe went; purmto the city.
Thus ordered, Druka circumambulated the Lord and offered
obeisances to Him again and again. He placed Lord Ka's lotus feet
upon his head and then with a sad heart went back to the city.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Thirtieth Chapter,
of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Disappearance of the Yadu
Dynasty."

1295

31. The Disappearance of Lord r Ka

This chapter describes the return of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

to His own abode, along with all the Yadus.
Upon learning from Druka that Lord r Ka had returned to His
abode, Vasudeva and all the others remaining in Dvrak became very
much agitated by lamentation and went out from the city to find Him. All
the demigods who, in pursuance of the desire of Lord Ka, had taken
birth in the Yadu dynasty to render assistance in His pastimes followed
Lord Ka and returned to their respective abodes. The Lord's activities
of creating a life for Himself and then dismantling it are simply tricks of
My, like an actor's performance. Actually, He creates the entire
universe, and then He enters within it as the Supersoul. In the end, He
again winds up the entire universe within Himself and, remaining in His
private glory, desists from external pastimes.
Though overcome by feelings of separation from Ka, Arjuna was
nevertheless able to pacify himself by remembering all the various
instructions given to him by the Lord. Arjuna then carried out the rituals
of offering pia and so on for his dead relatives. At that time the ocean
swallowed up all of Dvrak-pur except for the Lord's own residence.
Arjuna took the remaining members of the Yadu dynasty to Indraprastha,
where he installed Vajra upon the throne. Hearing of these events, the
Pavas, led by Yudhihira, placed Parkit upon their throne and left
for the great journey.
TEXT 1
r-uka uvca
atha tatrgamad brahm
bhavny ca sama bhava
mahendra-pramukh dev
munaya sa-prajevar
r-uka uvcaukadeva Gosvm said; athathen; tatrathere;
gamatcame; brahmLord Brahm; bhavnyhis consort, Bhavn;

1296

caand; samamalong with; bhavaLord iva; mah-indrapramukhled by Lord Indra; devthe demigods; munayathe
sages; sawith; praj-varthe progenitors of the universe's
population.
ukadeva Gosvm said: Then Lord Brahm arrived at Prabhsa along
with Lord iva and his consort, the sages, the Prajpatis and all the
demigods, headed by Indra.
TEXTS 2-3
pitara siddha-gandharv
vidydhara-mahorag
cra yaka-raksi
kinnarpsaraso dvij
drau-km bhagavato
nirya paramotsuk
gyanta ca ganta ca
aure karmi janma ca
pitarathe
forefathers;
siddha-gandharvthe
Siddhas
and
Gandharvas; vidydhara-mah-uragthe Vidydharas and the great
serpents; crathe Craas; yaka-raksithe Yakas and
Rkasas; kinnara-apsarasathe Kinnaras and Apsars; dvijthe great
birds; drau-kmdesirous of seeing; bhagavataof the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; niryamthe passing away; parama-utsuk
very eager; gyantachanting; caand; gantapraising; caand;
aureof Lord auri (Ka); karmithe activities; janmathe birth;
caand.
The forefathers, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidydharas and great serpents
also came, along with the Craas, Yakas, Rkasas, Kinnaras, Apsars
and relatives of Garua, greatly eager to witness the departure of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. As they were coming, all these
personalities variously chanted and glorified the birth and activities of
Lord auri [Ka].
TEXT 4

1297

vavu pupa-vari
vimnvalibhir nabha
kurvanta sakula rjan
bhakty paramay yut
vavuthey showered; pupa-varishowers of flowers; vimnaof
airplanes; valibhiby great numbers; nabhathe sky; kurvanta
making; sakulamfilled up; rjanO King Parkit; bhaktywith
devotion; paramaytranscendental; yutendowed.
O King, crowding the sky with their many airplanes, they showered
down flowers with great devotion.
TEXT 5
bhagavn pitmaha vkya
vibhtr tmano vibhu
sayojytmani ctmna
padma-netre nyamlayat
bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; pitmahamLord
Brahm; vkyaseeing; vibhtthe powerful expansions, the
demigods; tmanaHis own; vibhuthe Almighty Lord; sayojya
fixing; tmaniin Himself; caand; tmnamHis consciousness;
padma-netreHis lotus eyes; nyamlyatclosed.
Seeing before Him Brahm, the grandfather of the universe, along with
the other demigods, who are all His personal and powerful expansions,
the Almighty Lord closed His lotus eyes, fixing His mind within
Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
According to rla rdhara Svm, Lord Ka had previously answered
the prayers of Lord Brahm and the other demigods, who had requested
the Lord to descend within this universe for the protection of His
servants, the demigods. Now the demigods arrived before the Lord, each
one desiring to take the Lord to his own planet. To avoid these
innumerable social obligations, the Lord closed His eyes as if absorbed in
samdhi.
rla Jva Gosvm adds that Lord Ka closed His eyes to instruct the
yogs how to leave this mortal world without attachment to one's mystic

1298

opulences. All the demigods, including Brahm, are mystic expansions of

Lord Ka, and yet the Lord closed His eyes to emphasize that one
should fix one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead when
departing from this world.
TEXT 6
lokbhirm sva-tanu
dhra-dhyna-magalam
yoga-dhraaygneyydagdhv dhmviat svakam
lokato all the worlds; abhirmmmost attractive; sva-tanumHis own
transcendental body; dhraof all trance; dhynaand meditation;
magalamthe auspicious object; yoga-dhraayby mystic trance;
gneyyfocused on fire; adagdhvwithout burning; dhmathe
abode; viatHe entered; svakamHis own.
Without employing the mystic gney meditation to burn up His
transcendental body, which is the all-attractive resting place of all the
worlds and the object of all contemplation and meditation, Lord Ka
entered into His own abode.
A yog empowered to select the moment of leaving his body can cause it
to burst into flames by engaging in the yogic meditation called gney, and
thus he passes into his next life. The demigods similarly employ this
mystic fire when being transferred to the spiritual world. But the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is completely different from conditioned souls
like yogs and demigods, since the Lord's eternal, spiritual body is the
source of all existence, as indicated here by the words lokbhirm svatanum. Lord Ka's body is the source of pleasure for the entire universe.
The word dhra-dhyna-magalam indicates that those trying for
spiritual elevation through meditation and yoga achieve all auspiciousness
through meditation on the Lord's body. Since yogs are liberated simply by
thinking of Lord Ka's body, that body is certainly not material and
therefore not subject to burning by mundane mystic fire or any other type
of fire.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura reminds us of Lord Ka's statement
in the Eleventh Canto, Chapter Fourteen, verse 37: vahni-madhye smared
rpa mamaitad dhyna-magalam. "Within the fire one should meditate

1299

upon My form, which is the auspicious object of all meditation." Since

Lord Ka's transcendental form is present within fire as the maintaining
principle, how can fire affect that form? Thus although the Lord appeared
to enter the mystic yoga trance, the word adagdhv indicates that the
Lord, since His body is purely spiritual, bypassed the formality of burning
and directly entered His own abode in the spiritual sky. This point has
also been elaborately explained by rla Jva Gosvm in his commentary
to this verse.
TEXT 7
divi dundubhayo nedu
petu sumanasa ca kht
satya dharmo dhtir bhme
krti r cnu ta yayu
diviin heaven; dundubhayakettledrums; nedusounded; petu
fell; sumanasaflowers; caand; khtfrom the sky; satyamTruth;
dharmaReligion; dhtiFaithfulness; bhmefrom the earth;
krtiFame; rBeauty; caand; anufollowing; tamHim;
yayuthey went.
As soon as Lord r Ka left the earth, Truth, Religion, Faithfulness,
Glory and Beauty immediately followed Him. Kettledrums resounded in
the heavens and flowers showered from the sky.
According to rla rdhara Svm, all the demigods were jubilant because
each one thought Lord Ka was coming to his own planet.
TEXT 8
devdayo brahma-mukhy
na vianta sva-dhmani
avijta-gati ka
dadu cti-vismit
deva-dayathe demigods and others; brahma-mukhyheaded by
Brahm; nanot; viantamentering; sva-dhmaniHis own abode;
avijtaunknown; gatimHis movements; kamLord Ka;
daduthey saw; caand; ati-vismitvery amazed.
Most of the demigods and other higher beings led by Brahm could not

1300

see Lord Ka as He was entering His own abode, since He did not
reveal His movements. But some of them did catch sight of Him, and
they were extremely amazed.
TEXT 9
saudmany yathkle
ynty hitvbhra-maalam
gatir na lakyate martyais
tath kasya daivatai
saudmanyof lightning; yathjust as; kein the sky; ynty
which is traveling; hitvhaving left; abhra-maalamthe clouds;
gatithe movement; na lakyatecannot be ascertained; martyaiby
mortals; tathsimilarly; kasyaof Lord Ka; daivataiby the
demigods.
Just as ordinary men cannot ascertain the path of a lightning bolt as it
leaves a cloud, the demigods could not trace out the movements of Lord
Ka as He returned to His abode.
The sudden movements of a lightning bolt are seen by the demigods but
not by human beings. Similarly, the sudden departure of Lord Ka
could be understood by the Lord's intimate associates in the spiritual sky
but not by the demigods.
TEXT 10
brahma-rudrdayas te tu
dv yoga-gati hare
vismits t praasanta
sva sva loka yayus tad
brahma-rudra-dayaBrahm, Rudra and others; tethey; tubut;
dvseeing; yoga-gatimthe mystic power; hareof Lord Ka;
vismitastonished; tmthat power; praasantaglorifying; svam
svameach to his own; lokamworld; yayuwent; tadthen.
A few of the demigods, howevernotably Lord Brahm and Lord
ivacould ascertain how the Lord's mystic power was working, and
thus they became astonished. All the demigods praised the Lord's

1301

mystic power and then returned to their own planets.

Although the demigods are virtually omniscient within this universe, they
could not understand the movements of Lord Ka's mystic potency.
Thus they were astonished.
TEXT 11
rjan parasya tanu-bhj-jananpyayeh
my-viambanam avehi yath naasya
svtmanedam anuviya vihtya cnte
sahtya ctma-mahinoparata sa ste
rjanO King Parkit; parasyaof the Supreme; tanu-bhtresembling
the embodied living beings; jananaof birth; apyayaand disappearance;
hthe activities; myof His illusory potency; viambanamthe
false show; avehiyou should understand; yathjust as; naasyaof an
actor; svcreating; tmanby Himself; idamthis universe;
anuviyaentering it; vihtyaplaying; caand; antein the end;
sahtyawinding it up; caand; tma-mahinwith His own glory;
uparatahaving ceased; saHe; steremains.
My dear King, you should understand that the Supreme Lord's
appearance and disappearance, which resemble those of embodied
conditioned souls, are actually a show enacted by His illusory energy,
just like the performance of an actor. After creating this universe He
enters into it, plays within it for some time, and at last winds it up.
Then the Lord remains situated in His own transcendental glory, having
ceased from the functions of cosmic manifestation.
According to rla Jva Gosvm, the so-called fight among the members of
the Yadu dynasty was actually a display of the pastime potency of the
Lord, since Lord Ka's personal associates are never subject to ordinary
birth and death like conditioned souls. This being the case, certainly the
Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is transcendental to material
birth and death, as clearly stated in this verse.
The word naasya, "of an actor or magician," is significant here. rla
Vivantha Cakravart hkura tells the following story of a certain
magician who exhibits the trick of dying:
"In front of a great king, a magician approaches a stack of valuable

1302

garments, jewels, coins and so forth, all placed there by the king. Taking a
jeweled necklace, the magician tells the king, 'Now I am taking this
necklace, and you can't have it,' and he makes the necklace disappear.
'Now I'm taking this gold coin, and you can't have it,' he says, and makes
the gold coin disappear. Next, challenging the king in the same way, the
magician makes seven thousand horses disappear. Then the magician
creates the illusion that the king's children, grandchildren, brothers and
other family members have attacked each other and that nearly all are
dead from the violent quarrel. The king hears the magician speaking and
at the same time observes these things taking place before him as he sits
in the great assembly hall.
"Then the magician says, 'O King, I no longer wish to live. Just as I have
studied magic, so also, by the mercy of the lotus feet of my guru, I have
learned the mystic meditation of yoga. One is supposed to give up one's
body while meditating in a holy place, and since you have performed so
many pious activities, you are a holy place yourself. Therefore I shall now
give up my body.'
"Thus speaking, the magician sits down in the proper yoga posture, fixes
himself in pryma, pratyhra, dhra, dhyna and samdhi and
becomes silent. A moment later, a fire generated from his trance blazes
forth out of his body and burns it to ashes. Then all the wives of the
magician, distraught with lamentation, enter into that fire.
"Three or four days later, after the magician has returned to his own
province, he sends one of his daughters to the king. The daughter tells
him, 'O King, I have just come to your palace, bringing along with me,
invisibly, all your sons, grandsons and brothers in good healthalong
with all the jewels and other items given by you. Please, therefore, give
me whatever you consider fitting remuneration for the wisdom of the
magic that has been exhibited before you.' In this way, even by ordinary
magic one can simulate birth and death."
It is not difficult to understand, therefore, that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, although transcendental to the laws of nature, exhibits His
illusory potency so that ordinary fools will think the Lord has left His
body like a human being. Actually, Lord Ka returned to His abode in
His own eternal body, as confirmed throughout the Vedic literature.
TEXT 12
martyena yo guru-suta yama-loka-nta

1303

tv cnayac charaa-da paramstra-dagdham

jigye 'ntakntakam apam asv ana
ki svvane svar anayan mgayu sa-deham
martyenain the same human body; yawho; guru-sutamthe son of
His spiritual master; yama-lokato the planet of Yamarja; ntam
brought; tvmyou; caand; nayatbrought back; araa-dathe
giver of shelter; parama-astraby the supreme weapon, the brahmstra;
dagdham-burned; jigyeHe conquered; antakaof the agents of death;
antakamwho is the death; apieven; amLord iva; asauHe,
Ka; anaincapable; kimwhether; svaof Himself; avanein the
protection; svato the spiritual world; anayatbrought; mgayumthe
hunter; sa-dehamin the same body.
Lord Ka brought the son of His guru back from the planet of the lord
of death in the boy's selfsame body, and as the ultimate giver of
protection He saved you also when you were burned by the brahmstra
of Avatthm. He conquered in battle even Lord iva, who deals death
to the agents of death, and He sent the hunter Jar directly to Vaikuha
in his human body. How could such a personality be unable to protect
His own Self?
To mitigate his own and Parkit Mahrja's distress at the narration of
Lord Ka's departure from this world, r ukadeva Gosvm here gives
several clear examples proving that Lord Ka is far beyond the influence
of death. Although the son of Lord Ka's spiritual master (Sndpani
Muni) had been taken by death, the Lord brought him back in his same
body. Similarly, the power of Brahman cannot touch Lord Ka, since
Parkit Mahrja, though burned by the brahmstra weapon, was easily
saved by the Lord. Lord iva was clearly defeated by Lord Ka in the
battle with Bsura, and the hunter Jar was sent to a Vaikuha planet
in his same human body. Death is an insignificant expansion of Lord
Ka's external potency and cannot possibly act upon the Lord Himself.
Those who actually understand the transcendental nature of Lord Ka's
activities will find convincing evidence in these examples.
TEXT 13
tathpy aea-sthiti-sambhavpyayev
ananya-hetur yad aea-akti-dhk

1304

naicchat praetu vapur atra eita

martyena ki sva-stha-gati pradarayan
tath apinevertheless; aeaof all created beings; sthitiin the
maintenance; sambhavacreation; apyayeuand annihilation; ananyahetuthe exclusive cause; yatbecause; aeaunlimited; akti
potencies; dhkpossessing; na aicchatHe did not desire; praetumto
keep; vapuHis transcendental body; atrahere; eitamremaining;
martyenawith this mortal world; kimwhat use; sva-sthaof those
who are fixed in Him; gatimthe destination; pradarayanshowing.
Although Lord Ka, being the possessor of infinite powers, is the only
cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of innumerable
living beings, He simply did not desire to keep His body in this world
any longer. Thus He revealed the destination of those fixed in the self
and demonstrated that this mortal world is of no intrinsic value.
Although Lord Ka descended to this world to save the fallen souls, He
did not want to encourage people in the future to loiter here
unnecessarily. In other words, as soon as possible one should perfect
one's Ka consciousness and go back home, back to Godhead. If Lord
Ka had remained longer on the earth, He would have unnecessarily
increased the prestige of the material world.
As stated by r Uddhava in rmad-Bhgavatam (3.2.11), dyntar adhd
yas tu sva-bimba loka-locanam: "Lord r Ka, who manifested His
eternal form before the vision of all on the earth, performed His
disappearance by removing His form from the sight of those who are
unable to see Him [as He is] due to not executing the required penance. "
Uddhava also states in the Bhgavatam (3.2.10):
devasya myay sp
ye cnyad-asad-rit
bhrmyate dhr na tad-vkyair
tmany upttmano harau
"Under no circumstances can the words of persons bewildered by the
illusory energy of the Lord deviate the intelligence of those who are
completely surrendered souls." One who follows the Vaiava authorities
in his attempt to understand Lord Ka's transcendental disappearance

1305

easily appreciates that the Lord is the omnipotent Personality of Godhead

and that His spiritual body is identical with His eternal spiritual potency.
TEXT 14
ya et prtar utthya
kasya padav parm
prayata krtayed bhakty
tm evpnoty anuttamm
yaanyone who; etmthis; prtaearly in the morning; utthya
getting up; kasyaof Lord Ka; padavmthe destination; parm
supreme; prayatawith careful attention; krtayetglorifies; bhakty
with devotion; tmthat destination; evaindeed; pnotihe obtains;
anuttamamunsurpassable.
Anyone who regularly rises early in the morning and carefully chants
with devotion the glories of Lord r Ka's transcendental
disappearance and His return to His own abode will certainly achieve
that same supreme destination.
TEXT 15
druko dvrakm etya
vasudevograsenayo
patitv carav asrair
nyaicat ka-vicyuta
drukaDruka; dvrakmin Dvrak; etyaarriving; vasudevaugrasenayoof Vasudeva and Ugrasena; patitvfalling down;
caraauat the feet; asraiwith his tears; nyaicatdrenched; kavicyutadeprived of Lord Ka.
As soon as Druka reached Dvrak, he threw himself at the feet of
Vasudeva and Ugrasena and drenched their feet with his tears,
lamenting the loss of Lord Ka.
TEXTS 16-17
kathaym sa nidhana
vn ktsnao npa

1306

tac chrutvodvigna-hday
jan oka-virmrcchit
tatra sma tvarit jagmu
ka-vilea-vihval
vyasava erate yatra
jtayo ghnanta nanam
kathaym sahe related; nidhanamthe destruction; vnmof the
Vis; ktsnaatotal; npaO King Parkit; tatthat; rutv
hearing; udvignaagitated; hdaytheir hearts; janthe people;
okaby sorrow; virmrcchitrendered senseless; tatrathere; sma
indeed; tvaritswiftly; jagmuthey went; ka-vileaby
separation from Lord Ka; vihvaloverwhelmed; vyasavalifeless;
eratethey lay; yatrawhere; jtayatheir relatives; ghnanta
striking; nanamtheir own faces.
Druka delivered the account of the total destruction of the Vis, and
upon hearing this, O Parkit, the people became deeply distraught in
their hearts and stunned with sorrow. Feeling the overwhelming pain of
separation from Ka, they struck their own faces while hurrying to
the place where their relatives lay dead.
TEXT 18
devak rohi caiva
vasudevas tath sutau
ka-rmv apayanta
okrt vijahu smtim
devakDevak; rohiRohi; caalso; evaindeed; vasudeva
Vasudeva; tathas well; sutautheir two sons; ka-rmauKa and
Rma; apayantanot seeing; oka-rtfeeling the pain of
lamentation; vijahuthey lost; smtimtheir consciousness.
When Devak, Rohi and Vasudeva could not find their sons, Ka
and Rma, they lost consciousness out of anguish.
According to rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura, the original Devak,
Rohi and other ladies of Dvrak actually remained in Dvrak, invisible

1307

to the eyes of the material world, whereas the demigods who represented
partial aspects of Devak, Rohi and so on went to Prabhsa to see their
dead relatives.
TEXT 19
pr ca vijahus tatra
bhagavad-virahtur
upaguhya pats tta
citm ruruhu striya
prntheir lives; caand; vijahuthey gave up; tatrathere;
bhagavatfrom the Personality of Godhead; virahabecause of
separation; turtormented; upagahyaembracing; patntheir
husbands; ttamy dear Parkit; citmthe funeral pyre; ruruhu
they climbed upon; striyathe wives.
Tormented by separation from the Lord, His parents gave up their lives
at that very spot. My dear Parkit, the wives of the Ydavas then
climbed onto the funeral pyres, embracing their dead husbands.
TEXT 20
rma-patnya ca tad-deham
upaguhygnim vian
vasudeva-patnyas tad-gtra
pradyumndn hare snu
ka-patnyo 'viann agni
rukmiy-dys tad-tmik
rma-patnyathe wives of Lord Balarma; caand; tat-dehamHis
body; upaguhyaembracing; agnimthe fire; vianentered; vasudevapatnyathe wives of Vasudeva; tat-gtramhis body; pradyumna-dn
Pradyumna and the others; hareof Lord Hari; snuthe daughtersin-law; ka-patnyathe wives of Lord Ka; avianentered;
agnimthe fire; rukmi-dyled by Queen Rukmi; tat-tmik
whose consciousness was completely absorbed in Him.
The wives of Lord Balarma also entered the fire and embraced His
body, and Vasudeva's wives entered his fire and embraced his body.
The daughters-in-law of Lord Hari entered the funeral fires of their

1308

respective husbands, headed by Pradyumna. And Rukmi and the

other wives of Lord Kawhose hearts were completely absorbed in
Himentered His fire.
It is understood that the anguished scene described here is a display of the
Lord's illusory potency, adding a final dramatic note to Lord Ka's
pastimes on the earth. In reality, Lord Ka returned to His eternal abode
in His original body, and His eternal associates returned with Him. This
final heartbreaking scene of the Lord's pastimes is a creation of the Lord's
internal potency that brings the Lord's manifest pastimes to a perfect
dramatic end.
TEXT 21
arjuna preyasa sakhyu
kasya virahtura
tmna sntvaym sa
ka-gtai sad-uktibhi
arjunaArjuna; preyasaof his dear; sakhyufriend; kasyaLord
Ka; virahabecause of the separation; turadistressed; tmnam
himself; sntvaym saconsoled; ka-gtaiwith the song sung by
Lord Ka (the Bhagavad-gt); sat-uktibhiwith the transcendental
words.
Arjuna felt great distress over separation from Lord Ka, his dearmost
friend. But he consoled himself by remembering the transcendental
words the Lord had sung to him.
According to rla rdhara Svm, Arjuna remembered such verses from
the Gt as:
nha praka sarvasya
yoga-my-samvta
mho 'ya nbhijnti
loko mm ajam avyayam
(Bg. 7.25)
"I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am
covered by My eternal creative potency (yoga-my), and so the deluded
world knows Me not, who am unborn and infallible."

1309

Similarly, rla Jva Gosvm has mentioned the Gt verse mm evaiyasi

satya te pratijne priyo 'si me (Bg. 18.65): "You will come to Me without
fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend." He has also
quoted from the Svarga-parva of the Mahbhrata as follows:
dadara tatra govinda
brahmae vapunvitam
tenaiva da-prvea
sdyenopascitam
dpyamna sva-vapu
divyair astrair upasktam
cakra-prabhtibhir ghorair
divyai purua-vigrahai
upsyamna vrea
phlgunena su-varcas
yath-svarpa kaunteya
tathaiva madhusdanam
tv ubhau purua-vyghrau
samudvkya yudhihiram
yathrha pratipedte
pjay deva-pjitau
"There Yudhihira saw Lord Govinda as the Absolute Truth in His
original, personal form. He appeared just as Yudhihira had seen Him
before, with all the same characteristics. He was glowing brilliantly with
the effulgence coming from His own body, and He was surrounded by His
transcendental weaponsthe disc and so onwhich appeared in their
fearsome personified forms. O descendant of Kunt, Lord Madhusdana
was being worshiped by the effulgent hero Arjuna, who also appeared in
his original form. When these two lions among men, who are worshipable
by the demigods, noticed the presence of Yudhihira, they approached
him with proper respect and offered him worship."
TEXT 22
bandhn naa-gotrm

1310

arjuna smparyikam
hatn kraym sa
yath-vad anuprvaa
bandhnmof the relatives; naa-gotrmwho had no remaining
immediate family members; arjunaArjuna; smparyikamthe funeral
rites; hatnmof the killed; kraym sahad executed; yath-vatas
prescribed in the Vedas; anuprvaain order of the seniority of the
deceased.
Arjuna then saw to it that the funeral rites were properly carried out for
the dead, who had no remaining male family members. He executed the
required ceremonies for each of the Yadus, one after another.
TEXT 23
dvrak hari tyakt
samudro 'plvayat kat
varjayitv mah-rja
rmad-bhagavad-layam
dvrakmDvrak; hariby Lord Hari; tyaktmabandoned;
samudrathe ocean; aplvayatoverflooded; katimmediately;
varjayitvexcept for; mah-rjaO King; rmat-bhagavatof the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; layamthe residence.
As soon as Dvrak was abandoned by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the ocean flooded it on all sides, O King, sparing only His
palace.
rla Jva Gosvm explains that whereas the external manifestation of the
Lord's abode was covered by the ocean, the Lord's eternal Dvrak exists
beyond the material universe and certainly beyond the material ocean.
Dvrak had been constructed by Vivakarm, the architect of the
demigods, and the Sudharm assembly hall had been brought from
heaven. In that city there were many beautiful and splendorous residences
of the aristocratic Yadu dynasty, and the most beautiful residence of all
was that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. rla Jva Gosvm
mentions that even in the modern age, people who live near the site of the
original Dvrak sometimes catch a glimpse of it in the ocean. Ultimately,

1311

the Lord's associates and abode are eternal, and one who understands this
is qualified to become fully Ka conscious.
TEXT 24
nitya sannihitas tatra
bhagavn madhusdana
smtyeubha-hara
sarva-magala-magalam
nityameternally; sannihitapresent; tatrathere; bhagavnthe
Supreme Personality of Godhead; madhusdanaMadhusdana;
smtyby remembrance; aea-aubhaof everything inauspicious;
haramwhich takes away; sarva-magalaof all auspicious things;
magalamthe most auspicious.
Lord Madhusdana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is eternally
present in Dvrak. It is the most auspicious of all auspicious places,
and merely remembering it destroys all contamination.
TEXT 25
str-bla-vddhn dya
hata-en dhanajaya
indraprastha samveya
vajra tatrbhyaecayat
strthe women; blachildren; vddhnand elders; dyataking;
hataof the killed; enthe survivors; dhanajayaArjuna;
indraprasthamin the capital of the Pavas; samveyaresettling;
vajramVajra, the son of Aniruddha; tatrathere; abhyaecayatplaced
upon the throne.
Arjuna took the survivors of the Yadu dynastythe women, children
and old mento Indraprastha, where he installed Vajra as ruler of the
Yadus.
TEXT 26
rutv suhd-vadha rjann
arjunt te pitmah

1312

tv tu vaa-dhara ktv
jagmu sarve mah-patham
rutvhearing; suhtof their friend; vadhamthe death; rjanO
King; arjuntfrom Arjuna; teyour; pitmahgrandfathers
(Yudhihira and his brothers); tvmyou; tuand; vaa-dharamthe
maintainer of the dynasty; ktvmaking; jagmuthey left; sarveall
of them; mah-pathamfor the great journey.
Hearing from Arjuna of the death of their friend, my dear King, your
grandfathers established you as the maintainer of the dynasty and left
to prepare for their departure from this world.
TEXT 27
ya etad deva-devasya
vio karmi janma ca
krtayec chraddhay martya
sarva-ppai pramucyate
yawho; etatthese; deva-devasyaof the Lord of lords; vioof
Lord Viu; karmithe activities; janmathe birth; caand;
krtayetchants; raddhaywith faith; martyaa human being; sarvappaifrom all sins; pramucyatebecomes completely liberated.
A person who with faith engages in chanting the glories of these various
pastimes and incarnations of Viu, the Lord of lords, will gain
liberation from all sins.
TEXT 28
ittha harer bhagavato rucirvatravryi bla-caritni ca antamni
anyatra ceha ca rutni gan manuyo
bhakti par paramahasa-gatau labheta
itthamthus; hareof Lord Hari; bhagavataof the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; ruciraattractive; avatraof the incarnations;
vryithe exploits; blachildhood; caritnipastimes; caand; amtamnimost auspicious; anyatraelsewhere; caand; ihahere; ca

1313

also; rutniheard; ganclearly chanting; manuyaa person;

bhaktimdevotional service; parmtranscendental; paramahasaof
the perfect sages; gataufor the destination (Lord r Ka); labheta
will attain.
The all-auspicious exploits of the all-attractive incarnations of Lord r
Ka, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and also the pastimes He
performed as a child, are described in this rmad-Bhgavatam and in
other scriptures. Anyone who clearly chants these descriptions of His
pastimes will attain transcendental loving service unto Lord Ka, who
is the goal of all perfect sages.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda to the Eleventh Canto, Thirty-first
Chapter, of the rmad-Bhgavatam, entitled "The Disappearance of Lord
r Ka."
The Eleventh Canto was completed at the New Gokula South American
pilgrimage site, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, March 26, 1982.
END OF THE ELEVENTH CANTO

Appendix: The Absolute Nature of the Supreme Lord

In his commentary on Text 5, Chapter 30, rla Vivantha Cakravart

hkura quotes several statements by r Uddhava from the rmadBhgavatam (3.2.7-12) that nicely explain the transcendental nature of
Lord Ka's disappearance from this world. The reader is referred to that
portion of rla Prabhupda's rmad-Bhgavatam for further illumination
on this subject.
Next, from various Vedic scriptures Vivantha Cakravart cites many
important verses that clearly establish the absolute, eternal nature of the
Personality of Godhead's forms, names, abodes, qualities, pastimes and
entourage.
Forms: The Gopla-tpan Upaniad (1.38) states, govinda sac-cid-

1314

nanda-vigraha vndvana-sura-bhraha-talsna satata sa-marudgao 'ha paramay stuty toaymi: "With transcendental prayers, I and
the Maruts are always trying to satisfy Lord Govinda, whose personal
form is eternal and full of knowledge and bliss, and who is sitting amidst
the celestial desire trees of Vndvana."
Similarly, in his Vednta-bhya rla Madhvcrya cites the following
passage from the ruti: vsudeva sakaraa pradyumno 'niruddho 'ha
matsya krmo varho narasiho vmano rmo rmo rma ko buddha
kalkir aha atadhha sahasradhham amito 'ham ananto 'ha naivaite
jyante naivaite mriyante naim ajna-bandho na mukti sarva eva hy ete
pr ajar amt param paramnand. "I am Vsudeva, Sakaraa,
Pradyumna and Aniruddha. I am Matsya, Krma, Varha, Narasiha,
Vmana, the three Rmas [Rmacandra, Paraurma and Balarma],
Ka, Buddha and Kalki. Immeasurable and unlimited, I appear in
hundreds and thousands of forms, none of which ever takes birth or dies.
These forms of Mine are not bound by ignorance, nor do they have to
strive for liberation. They are all complete, free from old age, immortal,
supreme and supremely blissful."
The Dhyna-bindu Upaniad states, nirdoa-pra-gua-vigraha tmatantro nicetantmaka- arra-guai ca hnah/ nanda-mtra-mukha-pdasaroruhdi: "[The Lord's] personal form possesses complete and faultless
transcendental qualities. Indeed, the form of the completely independent
Lord is free from all lifeless bodily characteristics. His lotus face and lotus
feet consist simply of pure ecstasy."
The Vsudeva Upaniad states, sad-rpam advaya brahma madhydyanta-vivarjitam/ sva-prabha sac-cid-nanda bhakty jnati cvyayam:
"[The Lord's] transcendental form is the Absolute Truth, devoid of duality
or of middle, beginning or end. It is self-effulgent, eternal and full of
knowledge and bliss. Only through devotional service can one understand
that form to be infallible."
The Brahma Pura states, nanda-vraja-jannand sac-cid-nandavigraha: [Bs. 5.1], "The body of the Lord, who gives ecstasy to the
residents of King Nanda's pastures, is eternal and full of knowledge and
bliss." The Mah-varha Pura states, sarve nity svat ca dehs tasya
partmana/ hnopadna-rahit naiva prakti-j kvacit: "The bodies of
that Supreme Soul are all eternal and primeval. Since they are not born of
material nature, they are not subject to destruction or creation."
The Nsiha Pura states, yuge yuge viur andi-mrtim sthya ia

1315

paripti dua-h: "In each age, Lord Viu assumes His various eternal
forms in order to protect those who are civilized [the devotees] and to
destroy those who are evil [the demons]." The Bhad-vaiava-smti
states, yo vetti bhautika deha kasya paramtmana/ sa sarvasmd
bahikrya rauta-smrta-vidhnata/ mukha tasyvalokypi sa-cela
snnam caret: "If a person thinks the body of the Supreme Soul, Lord
Ka, is made of matter, he should be excluded from all ceremonies,
both of the ruti and the smti. One who even glances upon such a
person's face must immediately take a bath with all his clothes on." The
Mahbhrata states, na bhta-sagha-samsthno deho 'sya paramtmana:
"The body of the Supreme Soul is not composed of a combination of
material elements." Also from the Mahbhrata: amto 'mta-vapu.
"His personal expansions and personal bodies are all immortal."
The rmad-Bhgavatam itself contains many passages attesting to the
absolute nature of the Lord's forms. Here are a few: bda-brahma
dadhad vapu. "Appearing in Your transcendental form as the Vedas and
as the personal feature of the Absolute Truth..." Yat tad vapur bhti
vibhayudhair avyakta-cid-vyaktam adhrayad vibhu (8.18.12): "That
transcendental body which is appearing with its ornaments and weapons has
been assumed by the Almighty Lord as the spiritual manifestation of Himself,
who is materially unmanifested." Babandha prkta yath (10.9.14): "She
bound Him up just like an ordinary child." Satya-jnnantnanda-mtraikarasa-mrtya (10.13.54): "The viu-mrtis all had eternal, unlimited
forms full of knowledge and bliss and existing beyond the influence of
time." Svecch-mayasya na tu bhta-mayasya (10.14.2): "His body is
composed of His own desire, rather than of material elements." And tvayy
eva nitya-sukha-bodha-tanau: "In You, whose body is full of eternal
happiness and consciousness..."
Names: The g Veda states, o sya jnanto nma cid viviktan: "If we
understand even a little of the glories of His holy name..." The
Bhgavatam (10.8.15) contains the following passage: bahni santi nmni
rpai ca sutasya te gua-karmnurpi. "For this son of yours there are
many forms and names according to His transcendental qualities." That
this passage is in the present tense indicates that the Lord's names are
absolute and eternal.
The Padma Pura states, yat tv anma-rpa evya bhagavn harir
vara/ akarteti ca yo vedai smtibhi cbhidhyate: "It is the Personality
of Godhead, Lord Hari, whom the Vedas and smtis describe as that which

1316

has no name or form and which does nothing." The Vsudevdhytma

reconciles the apparent contradiction thus raised: aprasiddhes tadgunm anmo 'sau prakrtita/ aprktatvd rpasypy arpo 'sv
udryate/ sambandhena pradhnasya harer nsty eva kartat/ akartram
ata prhu pura ta pur vida. "Because His qualities are generally
unknown, He is said to have no name. Because His form is not material,
He is said to be formless. And because Lord Hari does nothing in
relationship with the material nature, He is said to be inactive."
Abodes: The Gopla-tpan Upaniad (2.36) states, ts madhye skd
brahma gopla-pur: "Among all these [abodes], the residence of Lord
Gopla is directly the Absolute Truth." And the Padma Pura states,
nitya me mathur vidhi pur dvravat tath: "You should know that
My cities of Mathur and Dvrak are both eternal." An alternate reading
for this verse is nitya me mathur vidhi vana vndvana tath, in
which case the translation is "You should know that both My Mathur
and My forest of Vndvana are eternal."
Qualities: The Bhgavatam (1.16.29) states, ete cnye ca bhagavan nity
yatra mah-gu/prrthy mahattvam icchadbhir na viyanti sma karhicit:
"In Him reside these and many other transcendental qualities, which are
eternally present and never to be separated from Him."
Pastimes: The Purua-bodhan Upaniad, of the Pippalda-kha of the
Atharva Veda, states, eko devo nitya-llnurakto bhakta-vyp bhakta-hdy
antar-tm: "He is the one Supreme Lord, always attached to His eternal
pastimes, extending Himself to His devotees, and present as the Supreme
Soul within the hearts of His devotees." In the Bhgavatam (10.90.48) we
find the verse beginning jayati jana-nivsa, which contains the phrase
dorbhir asyann adharmam, "with His arms casting out irreligion." The
same verse also states, vraja-pura-vanitn vardhayan kma-devam,
"increasing the lusty desires of the young women of Vndvana village. "
The Bhgavatam (10.29.15) states, kma krodha bhaya sneham
aikya sauhdam eva v/ nitya harau vidadhato ynti tan-mayat hi te:
"Persons who constantly direct their lust, anger, fear, protective affection,
feeling of impersonal oneness or friendship toward Lord Hari are sure to
become absorbed in thought of Him." That all these passages employ the
present tense indicates that the Lord is eternally enacting His pastimes.
Entourage: The Padma Pura states, eta hi ydav sarve mad-ga eva
bhvini/ sarvath mat-priy devi mat-tulya-gua-lina: "My dear lady, all
these Ydavas are My personal associates. They are in all respects very

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dear to Me, O goddess, and their characters are equal to Mine."

To summarize, we may cite the following verse from the Vedic literature:
nityv avatre bhagavn nitya-mrtir jagat-pati/ nitya-rpo nitya-gandho
nityaivarya-sukhnubh: "In His eternal incarnation, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the master of the universe, exhibits His eternal
personal form. His bodily beauty, His fragrance, His opulence and His
happiness are also all eternal."