Chapter Twenty-six
Fundamental Principles of Material Nature
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
atha te sampravaksyami
tattvanam laksanam prthak
yad viditva vimucyeta
purusah prakrtair gunaih
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said; atha--now; te--to you; sampravaksyami--I shall describe; tattvanam--of the categories of the Absolute Truth; laksanam--the distinctive features; prthak--one by one; yat--which; viditva--knowing; vimucyeta--one can be released; purusah--any person; prakrtaih--of the material nature; gunaih--from the modes.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead, Kapila, continued: My dear mother, now I shall describe unto you the different categories of the Absolute Truth, knowing which any person can be released from the influence of the modes of material nature.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, only through devotional service (bhaktya mam abhijanati). As stated in the Bhagavatam, the object of devotional service is mam, Krsna. And, as explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta, to understand Krsna means to understand Krsna in His personal form with His internal energy, His external energy, His expansions and His incarnations. There are many diverse departments of knowledge in understanding Krsna. Sankhya philosophy is especially meant for persons who are conditioned by this material world. It is generally understood by the parampara system, or by disciplic succession, to be the science of devotional service. Preliminary studies of devotional service have already been explained. Now the analytical study of devotional service will be explained by the Lord, who says that by such an analytical study, one becomes freed from the modes of material nature. The same assertion is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. Tato mam tattvato jnatva: by understanding the Lord according to various categories, one can become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. This is also explained here. By understanding the science of devotional service in Sankhya philosophy, one can become free from the modes of material nature. The eternal self, after becoming freed from the spell of material nature, becomes eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. As long as one has even a slight desire to enjoy or lord it over material nature, there is no chance of his being freed from the influence of nature's material modes. Therefore, one has to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead analytically, as explained in the Sankhya system of philosophy by Lord Kapiladeva.
TEXT 2
TEXT
jnanam nihsreyasarthaya
purusasyatma-darsanam
yad ahur varnaye tat te
hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam
SYNONYMS
jnanam--knowledge; nihsreyasa-arthaya--for the ultimate perfection; purusasya--of a man; atma-darsanam--self-realization; yat--which; ahuh--they said; varnaye--I shall explain; tat--that; te--to you; hrdaya--in the heart; granthi--the knots; bhedanam--cuts.
TRANSLATION
Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut.
PURPORT
It is said that by proper understanding of the pure self, or by self-realization, one can be freed from material attachment. Knowledge leads one to attain the ultimate perfection of life and to see oneself as he is. The Svetasvatara Upanisad (3.8) also confirms this. Tam eva viditvati-mrtyum eti: simply by understanding one's spiritual position, or by seeing oneself as he is, one can be freed from material entanglement. In various ways, the seeing of oneself is described in the Vedic literatures, and it is confirmed in the Bhagavatam (purusasya atma-darsanam) that one has to see oneself and know what he is. As Kapiladeva explains to His mother, this "seeing" can be done by hearing from the proper authoritative source. Kapiladeva is the greatest authority because He is the Personality of Godhead, and if someone accepts whatever is explained as it is, without interpretation, then he can see himself.
Lord Caitanya explained to Sanatana Gosvami the real constitutional position of the individual. He said directly that each and every individual soul is eternally a servitor of Krsna. Jivera 'svarupa' haya--krsnera 'nitya-dasa': every individual soul is eternally a servitor. When one is fixed in the understanding that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul and that his eternal position is to serve in association with the Supreme Lord, he becomes self-realized. This position of rightly understanding oneself cuts the knot of material attraction (hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam). Due to false ego, or false identification of oneself with the body and the material world, one is entrapped by maya, but as soon as one understands that he is qualitatively the same substance as the Supreme Lord because he belongs to the same category of spirit soul, and that his perpetual position is to serve, one attains atma-darsanam and hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam, self-realization. When one can cut the knot of attachment to the material world, his understanding is called knowledge. Atma-darsanam means to see oneself by knowledge; therefore, when one is freed from the false ego by the cultivation of real knowledge, he sees himself, and that is the ultimate necessity of human life. The soul is thus isolated from the entanglement of the twenty-four categories of material nature. Pursuit of the systematic philosophic process called Sankhya is called knowledge and self-revelation.
TEXT 3
TEXT
anadir atma puruso
nirgunah prakrteh parah
pratyag-dhama svayam-jyotir
visvam yena samanvitam
SYNONYMS
anadih--without a beginning; atma--the Supreme Soul; purusah--the Personality of Godhead; nirgunah--transcendental to the material modes of nature; prakrteh parah--beyond this material world; pratyak-dhama--perceivable everywhere; svayam-jyotih--self-effulgent; visvam--the entire creation; yena--by whom; samanvitam--is maintained.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul, and He has no beginning. He is transcendental to the material modes of nature and beyond the existence of this material world. He is perceivable everywhere because He is self-effulgent, and by His self-effulgent luster the entire creation is maintained.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as being without beginning. He is purusa, the Supreme Spirit. purusa means "person." When we think of a person in our present experience, that person has a beginning. This means that he has taken birth and that there is a history from the beginning of his life. But the Lord is particularly mentioned here as anadi, beginningless. If we examine all persons, we will find that everyone has a beginning, but when we approach a person who has no beginning, He is the Supreme Person. That is the definition given in the Brahma-samhita. Isvarah paramah krsnah: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Krsna, the supreme controller; He is without beginning, and He is the beginning of everyone. This definition is found in all Vedic literatures.
The Lord is described as the soul, or spirit. What is the definition of spirit? Spirit is perceivable everywhere. Brahman means "great." His greatness is perceived everywhere. And what is that greatness? Consciousness. We have personal experience of consciousness, for it is spread all over the body; in every hair follicle of our body we can feel consciousness. This is individual consciousness. Similarly, there is superconsciousness. The example can be given of a small light and the sunlight. The sunlight is perceived everywhere, even within the room or in the sky, but the small light is experienced within a specific limit. Similarly, our consciousness is perceived within the limit of our particular body, but the superconsciousness, or the existence of God, is perceived everywhere. He is present everywhere by His energy. It is stated in the Visnu Purana that whatever we find, anywhere and everywhere, is the distribution of the energy of the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gita also it is confirmed that the Lord is all-pervading and exists everywhere by His two kinds of energy, one spiritual and the other material. Both the spiritual and material energies are spread everywhere, and that is the proof of the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The existence of consciousness everywhere is not temporary. It is without beginning, and because it is without beginning, it is also without end. The theory that consciousness develops at a certain stage of material combination is not accepted herein, for the consciousness which exists everywhere is said to be without beginning. The materialistic or atheistic theory stating that there is no soul, that there is no God and that consciousness is the result of a combination of matter is not acceptable. Matter is not beginningless; it has a beginning. As this material body has a beginning, the universal body does also. And as our material body has begun on the basis of our soul, the entire gigantic universal body has begun on the basis of the Supreme Soul. The Vedanta-sutra says, janmady asya. This entire material exhibition--its creation, its growth, its maintenance and its dissolution--is an emanation from the Supreme Person. In Bhagavad-gita also, the Lord says, "I am the beginning, the source of birth of everything."
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described here. He is not a temporary person, nor does He have a beginning. He is without a cause, and He is the cause of all causes. parah means "transcendental," "beyond the creative energy." The Lord is the creator of the creative energy. We can see that there is a creative energy in the material world, but He is not under this energy. He is prakrti-parah, beyond this energy. He is not subjected to the threefold miseries created by the material energy because He is beyond it. The modes of material nature do not touch Him. It is explained here, svayam-jyotih: He is light Himself. We have experience in the material world of one light's being a reflection of another, just as moonlight is a reflection of the sunlight. Sunlight is also the reflection of the brahmajyoti. Similarly, brahmajyoti, the spiritual effulgence, is a reflection of the body of the Supreme Lord. This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita: yasya prabha prabhavatah. The brahmajyoti, or Brahman effulgence, is due to His bodily luster. Therefore it is said here, svayam-jyotih: He Himself is light. His light is distributed in different ways, as the brahmajyoti, as sunlight and as moonlight. Bhagavad-gita confirms that in the spiritual world there is no need of sunlight, moonlight or electricity. The Upanisads also confirm this; because the bodily luster of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is sufficient to illuminate the spiritual world, there is no need of sunlight, moonlight or any other light or electricity. This self-illumination also contradicts the theory that the spirit soul, or the spiritual consciousness, develops at a certain point in material combination. The term svayam-jyotih indicates that there is no tinge of anything material or any material reaction. It is confirmed here that the concept of the Lord's all-pervasiveness is due to His illumination everywhere. We have experience that the sun is situated in one place, but the sunlight is diffused all around for millions and millions of miles. That is our practical experience. Similarly, although the supreme light is situated in His personal abode, Vaikuntha or Vrndavana, His light is diffused not only in the spiritual world but beyond that. In the material world also, that light is reflected by the sun globe, and the sunlight is reflected by the moon globe. Thus although He is situated in His own abode, His light is distributed all over the spiritual and material worlds. The Brahma-samhita (5.37) confirms this. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah: He is living in Goloka, but still He is present all over the creation. He is the Supersoul of everything, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He has innumerable transcendental qualities. It is also concluded that although He is undoubtedly a person, He is not a purusa of this material world. Mayavadi philosophers cannot understand that beyond this material world there can be a person; therefore they are impersonalists. But it is explained very nicely here that the Personality of Godhead is beyond material existence.
TEXT 4
TEXT
sa esa prakrtim suksmam
daivim gunamayim vibhuh
yadrcchayaivopagatam
abhyapadyata lilaya
SYNONYMS
sah esah--that same Supreme Personality of Godhead; prakrtim--material energy; suksmam--subtle; daivim--related to Visnu; gunamayim--invested with the three modes of material nature; vibhuh--the greatest of the great; yadrcchaya--of His own will; iva--quite; upagatam--obtained; abhyapadyata--He accepted; lilaya--as His pastime.
TRANSLATION
As His pastime, that Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest of the great, accepted the subtle material energy, which is invested with three material modes of nature and which is related with Visnu.
PURPORT
In this verse the word gunamayim is very significant. Daivim means "the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead," and gunamayim means "invested with the three modes of material nature." When the material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears, this gunamayim energy acts as a manifestation of the energies of the three modes; it acts as a covering. The energy emanated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests in two ways--as an emanation from the Supreme Lord and as a covering of the Lord's face. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that because the whole world is illusioned by the three modes of material nature, the common conditioned soul, being covered by such energy, cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The example of a cloud is very nicely given. All of a sudden there may appear a big cloud in the sky. This cloud is perceived in two ways. To the sun the cloud is a creation of its energy, but to the ordinary common man in the conditioned state, it is a covering to the eyes; because of the cloud, the sun cannot be seen. It is not that the sun is actually covered by the cloud; only the vision of the ordinary being is covered. Similarly, although maya cannot cover the Supreme Lord, who is beyond maya, the material energy covers the ordinary living entities. Those conditioned souls who are covered are individual living entities, and He from whose energy maya is created is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In another place in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the First Canto, Seventh Chapter, it is stated that Vyasadeva, by his spiritual vision, saw the Supreme Lord and the material energy standing behind Him. This indicates that material energy cannot cover the Lord, just as darkness cannot cover the sun. Darkness can cover a jurisdiction which is very insignificant in comparison to that of the sun. Darkness can cover a small cave, but not the open sky. Similarly, the covering capacity of the material energy is limited and cannot act on the Supreme personality of Godhead, who is therefore called vibhu. As the appearance of a cloud is accepted by the sun, so the appearance of the material energy at a certain interval is accepted by the Lord. Although His material energy is utilized to create the material world, this does not mean that He is covered by that energy. Those who are covered by the material energy are called conditioned souls. The Lord accepts the material energy for His material pastimes in creation, maintenance and dissolution. But the conditioned soul is covered; he cannot understand that beyond this material energy there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the cause of all causes, just as a less intelligent person cannot understand that beyond the covering of the clouds there is bright sunshine.
TEXT 5
TEXT
gunair vicitrah srjatim
sa-rupah prakrtim prajah
vilokya mumuhe sadyah
sa iha jnana-guhaya
SYNONYMS
gunaih--by the threefold modes; vicitrah--variegated; srjatim--creating; sa-rupah--with forms; prakrtim--material nature; prajah--living entities; vilokya--having seen; mumuhe--was illusioned; sadyah--at once; sah--the living entity; iha--in this world; jnana-guhaya--by the knowledge-covering feature.
TRANSLATION
Divided into varieties by her threefold modes, material nature creates the forms of the living entities, and the living entities, seeing this, are illusioned by the knowledge-covering feature of the illusory energy.
PURPORT
Material energy has the power to cover knowledge, but this covering cannot be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is applicable only to the prajah, or those who are born with material bodies, the conditioned souls. The different kinds of living entities vary according to the modes of material nature, as explained in Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literature. In Bhagavad-gita (7.12) it is very nicely explained that although the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance are born of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is not subject to them. In other words, the energy emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot act on Him; it acts on the conditioned souls, who are covered by the material energy. The Lord is the father of all living entities because He impregnates material energy with the conditioned souls. Therefore, the conditioned souls get bodies created by the material energy, whereas the father of the living entities is aloof from the three modes.
It is stated in the previous verse that the material energy was accepted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order that He might exhibit pastimes for the living entities who wanted to enjoy and lord it over the material energy. This world was created through the material energy of the Lord for the so-called enjoyment of such living entities. Why this material world was created for the sufferings of the conditioned souls is a very intricate question. There is a hint in the previous verse in the word lilaya, which means "for the pastimes of the Lord." The Lord wants to rectify the enjoying temperament of the conditioned souls. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that no one is the enjoyer but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This material energy is created, therefore, for anyone who pretends to enjoy. An example can be cited here that there is no necessity for the government's creation of a separate police department, but because it is a fact that some of the citizens will not accept the state laws, a department to deal with criminals is necessary. There is no necessity, but at the same time there is a necessity. Similarly, there was no necessity to create this material world for the sufferings of the conditioned souls, but at the same time there are certain living entities, known as nitya-baddha, who are eternally conditioned. We say that they have been conditioned from time immemorial because no one can trace out when the living entity, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, became rebellious against the supremacy of the Lord.
It is a fact that there are two classes of men--those who are obedient to the laws of the Supreme Lord and those who are atheists or agnostics, who do not accept the existence of God and who want to create their own laws. They want to establish that everyone can create his own laws or his own religious path. Without tracing out the beginning of the existence of these two classes, we can take it for granted that some of the living entities revolted against the laws of the Lord. Such entities are called conditioned souls, for they are conditioned by the three modes of material nature. Therefore the words gunair vicitrah are used here.
In this material world there are 8,400,000 species of life. As spirit souls, they are all transcendental to this material world. Why, then, do they exhibit themselves in different stages of life? The answer is given here: they are under the spell of the three modes of material nature. Because they were created by the material energy, their bodies are made of the material elements. Covered by the material body, the spiritual identity is lost, and therefore the word mumuhe is used here, indicating that they have forgotten their own spiritual identity. This forgetfulness of spiritual identity is present in the jivas, or souls, who are conditioned, being subject to be covered by the energy of material nature. Jnana-guhaya is another word used. Guha means "covering." Because the knowledge of the minute conditioned souls is covered, they are exhibited in so many species of life. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Chapter, First Canto, "The living entities are illusioned by the material energy." In the Vedas also it is stated that the eternal living entities are covered by different modes and that they are called tricolored--red, white and blue--living entities. Red is the representation of the mode of passion, white is the representation of the mode of goodness, and blue is the representation of the mode of ignorance. These modes of material nature belong to the material energy, and therefore the living entities under these different modes of material nature have different kinds of material bodies. Because they are forgetful of their spiritual identities, they think the material bodies to be themselves. To the conditioned soul, "me" means the material body. This is called moha, or bewilderment.
It is repeatedly said in the Katha Upanisad that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never affected by the influence of material nature. It is, rather, the conditioned souls, or the minute infinitesimal parts and parcels of the Supreme, who are affected by the influence of material nature and who appear in different bodies under the material modes.
TEXT 6
TEXT
evam parabhidhyanena
kartrtvam prakrteh puman
karmasu kriyamanesu
gunair atmani manyate
SYNONYMS
evam--in this way; para--other; abhidhyanena--by identification; kartrtvam--the performance of activities; prakrteh--of the material nature; puman--the living entity; karmasu kriyamanesu--while the activities are being performed; gunaih--by the three modes; atmani--to himself; manyate--he considers.
TRANSLATION
Because of his forgetfulness, the transcendental living entity accepts the influence of material energy as his field of activities, and thus actuated, he wrongly applies the activities to himself.
PURPORT
The forgetful living entity can be compared to a man who is under the influence of disease and has become mad or to a man haunted by ghosts, who acts without control and yet thinks himself to be in control. Under the influence of material nature, the conditioned soul becomes absorbed in material consciousness. In this consciousness, whatever is done under the influence of the material energy is accepted by the conditioned soul as self-actuated. Actually, the soul in his pure state of existence should be in Krsna consciousness. When a person is not acting in Krsna consciousness, he is understood to be acting in material consciousness. Consciousness cannot be killed, for the symptom of the living entity is consciousness. The material consciousness simply has to be purified. One becomes liberated by accepting Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, as master and by changing the mode of consciousness from material consciousness to Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 7
TEXT
tad asya samsrtir bandhah
para-tantryam ca tat-krtam
bhavaty akartur isasya
saksino nirvrtatmanah
SYNONYMS
tat--from the misconception; asya--of the conditioned soul; samsrtih--conditioned life; bandhah--bondage; para-tantryam--dependence; ca--and; tat-krtam--made by that; bhavati--is; akartuh--of the nondoer; isasya--independent; saksinah--the witness; nirvrta-atmanah--joyful by nature.
TRANSLATION
Material consciousness is the cause of one's conditional life, in which conditions are enforced upon the living entity by the material energy. Although the spirit soul does not do anything and is transcendental to such activities, he is thus affected by conditional life.
PURPORT
The Mayavadi philosopher, who does not differentiate between the Supreme Spirit and the individual spirit, says that the conditional existence of the living entity is his lila, or pastime. But the word "pastime" implies employment in the activities of the Lord. The Mayavadis misuse the word and say that even if the living entity has become a stool-eating hog, he is also enjoying his pastimes. This is a most dangerous interpretation. Actually the Supreme Lord is the leader and maintainer of all living entities. His pastimes are transcendental to any material activity. Such pastimes of the Lord cannot be dragged to the level of the conditional activities of the living entities. In conditional life the living entity actually remains as if a captive in the hands of material energy. Whatever the material energy dictates, the conditioned soul does. He has no responsibility; he is simply the witness of the action, but he is forced to act in that way due to his offense in his eternal relationship with Krsna. Lord Krsna therefore says in Bhagavad-gita that maya, His material energy, is so forceful that it is insurmountable. But if a living entity simply understands that his constitutional position is to serve Krsna and he tries to act on this principle, then however conditioned he may be, the influence of maya immediately vanishes. This is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gita, Seventh Chapter: Krsna takes charge of anyone who surrenders to Him in helplessness, and thus the influence of maya, or conditional life, is removed.
The spirit soul is actually sac-cid-ananda--eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. Under the clutches of maya, however, he suffers from continued birth, death, disease and old age. One has to be serious to cure this condition of material existence and transfer himself to Krsna consciousness, for thus his long suffering may be mitigated without difficulty. In summary, the suffering of the conditioned soul is due to his attachment to material nature. This attachment should thus be transferred from matter to Krsna.
TEXT 8
TEXT
karya-karana-kartrtve
karanam prakrtim viduh
bhoktrtve sukha-duhkhanam
purusam prakrteh param
SYNONYMS
karya--the body; karana--the senses; kartrtve--regarding the demigods; karanam--the cause; prakrtim--material nature; viduh--the learned understand; bhoktrtve--regarding the perception; sukha--of happiness; duhkhanam--and of distress; purusam--the spirit soul; prakrteh--to material nature; param--transcendental.
TRANSLATION
The cause of the conditioned soul's material body and senses, and the senses' presiding deities, the demigods, is the material nature. This is understood by learned men. The feelings of happiness and distress of the soul, who is transcendental by nature, are caused by the spirit soul himself.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita it is said that when the Lord descends to this material world, He comes as a person by His own energy, atma-maya. He is not forced by any superior energy. He comes by His own will, and this can be called His pastime, or lila. But here it is clearly stated that the conditioned soul is forced to take a certain type of body and senses under the three modes of material nature. That body is not received according to his own choice. In other words, a conditioned soul has no free choice; he has to accept a certain type of body according to his karma. But when there are bodily reactions as felt in happiness and distress, it is to be understood that the cause is the spirit soul himself. If he so desires, the spirit soul can change this conditional life of dualities by choosing to serve Krsna. The living entity is the cause of his own suffering, but he can also be the cause of his eternal happiness. When he wants to engage in Krsna consciousness, a suitable body is offered to him by the internal potency, the spiritual energy of the Lord, and when he wants to satisfy his senses, a material body is offered. Thus it is his free choice to accept a spiritual body or a material body, but once the body is accepted he has to enjoy or suffer the consequences. The Mayavadi philosopher's presentation is that the living entity enjoys his pastimes by accepting the body of a hog. This theory is not acceptable, however, because the word "pastime" implies voluntary acceptance for enjoyment. Therefore this interpretation is most misleading. When there is enforced acceptance for suffering, it is not a pastime. The Lord's pastimes and the conditioned living entity's acceptance of karmic reaction are not on the same level.
TEXT 9
TEXT
devahutir uvaca
prakrteh purusasyapi
laksanam purusottama
bruhi karanayor asya
sad-asac ca yad-atmakam
SYNONYMS
devahutih uvaca--Devahuti said; prakrteh--of His energies; purusasya--of the Supreme Person; api--also; laksanam--characteristics; purusa-uttama--O Supreme Personality of Godhead; bruhi--kindly explain; karanayoh--causes; asya--of this creation; sat-asat--manifest and unmanifest; ca--and; yat-atmakam--consisting of which.
TRANSLATION
Devahuti said: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, kindly explain the characteristics of the Supreme Person and His energies, for both of these are the causes of this manifest and unmanifest creation.
PURPORT
prakrti, or material nature, is connected with both the Supreme Lord and the living entities, just as a woman is connected with her husband as a wife and with her children as a mother. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that He impregnates mother nature with children, living entities, and thereafter all species of living entities become manifest. The relationship of all living entities with material nature has been explained. Now an understanding of the relationship between material nature and the Supreme Lord is sought by Devahuti. The product of that relationship is stated to be the manifest and unmanifest material world. The unmanifest material world is the subtle mahat-tattva, and from that mahat-tattva the material manifestation has emerged.
In the Vedic literatures it is said that by the glance of the Supreme Lord the total material energy is impregnated, and then everything is born of material nature. It is also confirmed in the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita that under His glance, adhyaksena--under His direction and by His will--nature is working. It is not that nature works blindly. After understanding the position of the conditioned souls in relation to material nature, Devahuti wanted to know how nature works under the direction of the Lord and what the relationship is between the material nature and the Lord. In other words, she wanted to learn the characteristics of the Supreme Lord in relation to the material nature.
The relationship of the living entities with matter and that of the Supreme Lord with matter are certainly not on the same level, although the Mayavadis may interpret it in that way. When it is said that the living entities are bewildered, the Mayavadi philosophers ascribe this bewilderment to the Supreme Lord. But that is not applicable. The Lord is never bewildered. That is the difference between personalists and impersonalists. Devahuti is not unintelligent. She has enough intelligence to understand that the living entities are not on the level of the Supreme Lord. Because the living entities are infinitesimal, they become bewildered or conditioned by material nature, but this does not mean that the Supreme Lord is also conditioned or bewildered. The difference between the conditioned soul and the Lord is that the Lord is the Lord, the master of material nature, and He is therefore not subject to its control. He is controlled neither by spiritual nature nor by material nature. He is the supreme controller Himself, and He cannot be compared to the ordinary living entities, who are controlled by the laws of material nature.
Two words used in this verse are sat and asat. The cosmic manifestation is asat--it does not exist--but the material energy of the Supreme Lord is sat, or ever existing. Material nature is ever existing in its subtle form as the energy of the Lord, but it sometimes manifests this nonexistent or temporarily existent nature, the cosmos. An analogy may be made with the father and mother: the mother and the father exist, but sometimes the mother begets children. Similarly, this cosmic manifestation, which comes from the unmanifest material nature of the Supreme Lord, sometimes appears and again disappears. But the material nature is ever existing, and the Lord is the supreme cause for both the subtle and gross manifestations of this material world.
TEXT 10
TEXT
sri-bhagavan uvaca
yat tat tri-gunam avyaktam
nityam sad-asad-atmakam
pradhanam prakrtim prahur
avisesam visesavat
SYNONYMS
sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yat--now further; tat--that; tri-gunam--combination of the three modes; avyaktam--unmanifested; nityam--eternal; sat-asat-atmakam--consisting of cause and effect; pradhanam--the pradhana; prakrtim--prakrti; prahuh--they call; avisesam--undifferentiated; visesa-vat--possessing differentiation.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: The unmanifested eternal combination of the three modes is the cause of the manifest state and is called pradhana. It is called prakrti when in the manifested stage of existence.
PURPORT
The Lord points out material nature in its subtle stage, which is called pradhana, and He analyzes this pradhana. The explanation of pradhana and prakrti is that pradhana is the subtle, undifferentiated sum total of all material elements. Although they are undifferentiated, one can understand that the total material elements are contained therein. When the total material elements are manifested by the interaction of the three modes of material nature, the manifestation is called prakrti. Impersonalists say that Brahman is without variegatedness and without differentiation. One may say that pradhana is the Brahman stage, but actually the Brahman stage is not pradhana. pradhana is distinct from Brahman because in Brahman there is no existence of the material modes of nature. One may argue that the mahat-tattva is also different from pradhana because in the mahat-tattva there are manifestations. The actual explanation of pradhana, however, is given here: when the cause and effect are not clearly manifested (avyakta), the reaction of the total elements does not take place, and that stage of material nature is called pradhana. pradhana is not the time element because in the time element there are actions and reactions, creation and annihilation. Nor is it the jiva, or marginal potency of living entities, or designated, conditioned living entities, because the designations of the living entities are not eternal. One adjective used in this connection is nitya, which indicates eternality. Therefore the condition of material nature immediately previous to its manifestation is called pradhana.
TEXT 11
TEXT
pancabhih pancabhir brahma
caturbhir dasabhis tatha
etac catur-vimsatikam
ganam pradhanikam viduh
SYNONYMS
pancabhih--with the five (gross elements); pancabhih--the five (subtle elements); brahma--Brahman; caturbhih--the four (internal senses); dasabhih--the ten (five senses for gathering knowledge and five organs of action); tatha--in that way; etat--this; catuh-vimsatikam--consisting of twenty-four elements; ganam--aggregate; pradhanikam--comprising the pradhana; viduh--they know.
TRANSLATION
The aggregate elements, namely the five gross elements, the five subtle elements, the four internal senses, the five senses for gathering knowledge and the five outward organs of action, are known as the pradhana.
PURPORT
According to Bhagavad-gita, the sum total of the twenty-four elements described herein is called the yonir mahad brahma. The sum total of the living entities is impregnated into this yonir mahad brahma, and they are born in different forms, beginning from Brahma down to the insignificant ant. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic literatures, the sum total of the twenty-four elements, pradhana, is also described as yonir mahad brahma; it is the source of the birth and subsistence of all living entities.
TEXT 12
TEXT
maha-bhutani pancaiva
bhur apo 'gnir marun nabhah
tan-matrani ca tavanti
gandhadini matani me
SYNONYMS
maha-bhutani--the gross elements; panca--five; eva--exactly; bhuh--earth; apah--water; agnih--fire; marut--air; nabhah--ether; tat-matrani--the subtle elements; ca--also; tavanti--so many; gandha-adini--smell and so on (taste, color, touch and sound); matani--considered; me--by Me.
TRANSLATION
There are five gross elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether. There are also five subtle elements: smell, taste, color, touch and sound.
TEXT 13
TEXT
indriyani dasa srotram
tvag drg rasana-nasikah
vak karau caranau medhram
payur dasama ucyate
SYNONYMS
indriyani--the senses; dasa--ten; srotram--the sense of hearing; tvak--the sense of touch; drk--the sense of sight; rasana--the sense of taste; nasikah--the sense of smell; vak--the organ of speech; karau--two hands; caranau--the organs for traveling (legs); medhram--the generative organ; payuh--the evacuating organ; dasamah--the tenth; ucyate--is called.
TRANSLATION
The senses for acquiring knowledge and the organs for action number ten, namely the auditory sense, the sense of taste, the tactile sense, the sense of sight, the sense of smell, the active organ for speaking, the active organs for working, and those for traveling, generating and evacuating.
TEXT 14
TEXT
mano buddhir ahankaras
cittam ity antar-atmakam
caturdha laksyate bhedo
vrttya laksana-rupaya
SYNONYMS
manah--the mind; buddhih--intelligence; ahankarah--ego; cittam--consciousness; iti--thus; antah-atmakam--the internal, subtle senses; catuh-dha--having four aspects; laksyate--is observed; bhedah--the distinction; vrttya--by their functions; laksana-rupaya--representing different characteristics.
TRANSLATION
The internal, subtle senses are experienced as having four aspects, in the shape of mind, intelligence, ego and contaminated consciousness. Distinctions between them can be made only by different functions, since they represent different characteristics.
PURPORT
The four internal senses, or subtle senses, described herein are defined by different characteristics. When pure consciousness is polluted by material contamination and when identification with the body becomes prominent, one is said to be situated under false ego. Consciousness is the function of the soul, and therefore behind consciousness there is soul. Consciousness polluted by material contamination is called ahankara.
TEXT 15
TEXT
etavan eva sankhyato
brahmanah sa-gunasya ha
sanniveso maya prokto
yah kalah panca-vimsakah
SYNONYMS
etavan--so much; eva--just; sankhyatah--enumerated; brahmanah--of Brahman; sa-gunasya--with material qualities; ha--indeed; sannivesah--arrangement; maya--by Me; proktah--spoken; yah--which; kalah--time; panca-vimsakah--the twenty-fifth.
TRANSLATION
All these are considered the qualified Brahman. The mixing element, which is known as time, is counted as the twenty-fifth element.
PURPORT
According to the Vedic version there is no existence beyond Brahman. Sarvam khalv idam brahma (Chandogya Upanisad 3.14.1). It is stated also in the Visnu Purana that whatever we see is parasya brahmanah saktih; everything is an expansion of the energy of the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman. When Brahman is mixed with the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance, there results the material expansion, which is sometimes called saguna Brahman and which consists of these twenty-five elements. In the nirguna Brahman, where there is no material contamination, or in the spiritual world, the three modes--goodness, passion and ignorance--are not present. Where nirguna Brahman is found, simple unalloyed goodness prevails. Saguna Brahman is described by the Sankhya system of philosophy as consisting of twenty-five elements, including the time factor (past, present and future).
TEXT 16
TEXT
prabhavam paurusam prahuh
kalam eke yato bhayam
ahankara-vimudhasya
kartuh prakrtim iyusah
SYNONYMS
prabhavam--the influence; paurusam--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prahuh--they have said; kalam--the time factor; eke--some; yatah--from which; bhayam--fear; ahankara-vimudhasya--deluded by false ego; kartuh--of the individual soul; prakrtim--material nature; iyusah--having contacted.
TRANSLATION
The influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is felt in the time factor, which causes fear of death due to the false ego of the deluded soul who has contacted material nature.
PURPORT
The living entity's fear of death is due to his false ego of identifying with the body. Everyone is afraid of death. Actually there is no death for the spirit soul, but due to our absorption in the identification of body as self, the fear of death develops. It is also stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.2.37), bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat. Dvitiya refers to matter, which is beyond spirit. Matter is the secondary manifestation of spirit, for matter is produced from spirit. Just as the material elements described are caused by the Supreme Lord, or the Supreme Spirit, the body is also a product of the spirit soul. Therefore, the material body is called dvitiya, or "the second." One who is absorbed in this second element or second exhibition of the spirit is afraid of death. When one is fully convinced that he is not his body, there is no question of fearing death, since the spirit soul does not die.
If the spirit soul engages in the spiritual activities of devotional service, he is completely freed from the platform of birth and death. His next position is complete spiritual freedom from a material body. The fear of death is the action of the kala, or the time factor, which represents the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, time is destructive. Whatever is created is subject to destruction and dissolution, which is the action of time. Time is a representation of the Lord, and it reminds us also that we must surrender unto the Lord. The Lord speaks to every conditioned soul as time. He says in Bhagavad-gita that if someone surrenders unto Him, then there is no longer any problem of birth and death. We should therefore accept the time factor as the Supreme Personality of Godhead standing before us. This is further explained in the following verse.
TEXT 17
TEXT
prakrter guna-samyasya
nirvisesasya manavi
cesta yatah sa bhagavan
kala ity upalaksitah
SYNONYMS
prakrteh--of material nature; guna-samyasya--without interaction of the three modes; nirvisesasya--without specific qualities; manavi--O daughter of Manu; cesta--movement; yatah--from whom; sah--He; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kalah--time; iti--thus; upalaksitah--is designated.
TRANSLATION
My dear mother, O daughter of Svayambhuva Manu, the time factor, as I have explained, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom the creation begins as a result of the agitation of the neutral, unmanifested nature.
PURPORT
The unmanifested state of material nature, pradhana, is being explained. The Lord says that when the unmanifested material nature is agitated by the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it begins to manifest itself in different ways. Before this agitation, it remains in the neutral state, without interaction by the three modes of material nature. In other words, material nature cannot produce any variety of manifestations without the contact of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is very nicely explained in Bhagavad-gita. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of the products of material nature. Without His contact, material nature cannot produce anything.
In the Caitanya-caritamrta also, a very suitable example is given in this connection. Although the nipples on a goat's neck appear to be breast nipples, they do not give milk. Similarly, material nature appears to the material scientist to act and react in a wonderful manner, but in reality it cannot act without the agitator, time, who is the representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When time agitates the neutral state of material nature, material nature begins to produce varieties of manifestations. Ultimately it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of creation. As a woman cannot produce children unless impregnated by a man, material nature cannot produce or manifest anything unless it is impregnated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of the time factor.
TEXT 18
TEXT
antah purusa-rupena
kala-rupena yo bahih
samanvety esa sattvanam
bhagavan atma-mayaya
SYNONYMS
antah--within; purusa-rupena--in the form of Supersoul; kala-rupena--in the form of time; yah--He who; bahih--without; samanveti--exists; esah--He; sattvanam--of all living entities; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atma-mayaya--by His potencies.
TRANSLATION
By exhibiting His potencies, the Supreme Personality of Godhead adjusts all these different elements, keeping Himself within as the Supersoul and without as time.
PURPORT
Here it is stated that within the heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides as the Supersoul. This situation is also explained in Bhagavad-gita: the Supersoul rests beside the individual soul and acts as a witness. This is also confirmed elsewhere in the Vedic literature: two birds are sitting on the same tree of the body; one is witnessing, and the other is eating the fruits of the tree. This purusa, or Paramatma, who resides within the body of the individual soul, is described in Bhagavad-gita (13.23) as the upadrasta, witness, and the anumanta, sanctioning authority. The conditioned soul engages in the happiness and distress of the particular body given him by the arrangement of the external energy of the Supreme Lord. But the supreme living being, or the Paramatma, is different from the conditioned soul. He is described in Bhagavad-gita as mahesvara, or the Supreme Lord. He is Paramatma, not jivatma. Paramatma means the Supersoul, who is sitting by the side of the conditioned soul just to sanction his activities. The conditioned soul comes to this material world in order to lord it over material nature. Since one cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supreme Lord, He lives with the jiva soul as witness and sanction-giver. He is also bhokta; He gives maintenance and sustenance to the conditioned soul.
Since the living entity is constitutionally part and parcel of the Supreme personality of Godhead, the Lord is very affectionate to the living entities. Unfortunately, when the living entity is bewildered or illusioned by the external energy, he becomes forgetful of his eternal relationship with the Lord, but as soon as he becomes aware of his constitutional position, he is liberated. The minute independence of the conditioned soul is exhibited by his marginal position. If he likes, he can forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead and come into the material existence with a false ego to lord it over material nature, but if he likes he can turn his face to the service of the Lord. The individual living entity is given that independence. His conditional life is ended and his life becomes successful as soon as he turns his face to the Lord, but by misusing his independence he enters into material existence. Yet the Lord is so kind that, as Supersoul, He always remains with the conditioned soul. The concern of the Lord is neither to enjoy nor to suffer from the material body. He remains with the jiva simply as sanction-giver and witness so that the living entity can receive the results of his activities, good or bad.
Outside the body of the conditioned soul, the Supreme personality of Godhead remains as the time factor. According to the Sankhya system of philosophy, there are twenty-five elements. The twenty-four elements already described plus the time factor make twenty-five. According to some learned philosophers, the Supersoul is included to make a total of twenty-six elements.
TEXT 19
TEXT
daivat ksubhita-dharminyam
svasyam yonau parah puman
adhatta viryam sasuta
mahat-tattvam hiranmayam
SYNONYMS
daivat--by the destiny of the conditioned souls; ksubhita--agitated; dharminyam--whose equilibrium of the modes; svasyam--His own; yonau--in the womb (material nature); parah puman--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhatta--impregnated; viryam--semen (His internal potency); sa--she (material nature); asuta--delivered; mahat-tattvam--the sum total of cosmic intelligence; hiranmayam--known as Hiranmaya.
TRANSLATION
After the Supreme Personality of Godhead impregnates material nature with His internal potency, material nature delivers the sum total of the cosmic intelligence, which is known as Hiranmaya. This takes place in material nature when she is agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls.
PURPORT
This impregnation of material nature is described in Bhagavad-gita, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 3. Material nature's primal factor is the mahat-tattva, or breeding source of all varieties. This part of material nature, which is called pradhana as well as Brahman, is impregnated by the Supreme personality of Godhead and delivers varieties of living entities. Material nature in this connection is called Brahman because it is a perverted reflection of the spiritual nature.
It is described in the Visnu Purana that the living entities belong to the spiritual nature. The potency of the Supreme Lord is spiritual, and the living entities, although they are called marginal potency, are also spiritual. If the living entities were not spiritual, this description of impregnation by the Supreme Lord would not be applicable. The Supreme Lord does not put His semen into that which is not spiritual, but it is stated here that the Supreme Person puts His semen into material nature. This means that the living entities are spiritual by nature. After impregnation, material nature delivers all kinds of living entities, beginning from the greatest living creature, Lord Brahma, down to the insignificant ant, in all varieties of form. In Bhagavad-gita (14.4) material nature is clearly mentioned as sarva-yonisu. This means that of all varieties of species--demigods, human beings, animals, birds and beasts (whatever is manifested)--material nature is the mother, and the Supreme personality of Godhead is the seed-giving father. Generally it is experienced that the father gives life to the child but the mother gives its body; although the seed of life is given by the father, the body develops within the womb of the mother. Similarly, the spiritual living entities are impregnated into the womb of material nature, but the body, being supplied by material nature, takes on many different species and forms of life. The theory that the symptoms of life are manifest by the interaction of the twenty-four material elements is not supported here. The living force comes directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is completely spiritual. Therefore, no material scientific advancement can produce life. The living force comes from the spiritual world and has nothing to do with the interaction of the material elements.
TEXT 20
TEXT
visvam atma-gatam vyanjan
kuta-stho jagad-ankurah
sva-tejasapibat tivram
atma-prasvapanam tamah
SYNONYMS
visvam--the universe; atma-gatam--contained within itself; vyanjan--manifesting; kuta-sthah--unchangeable; jagat-ankurah--the root of all cosmic manifestations; sva-tejasa--by its own effulgence; apibat--swallowed; tivram--dense; atma-prasvapanam--which had covered the mahat-tattva; tamah--darkness.
TRANSLATION
Thus, after manifesting variegatedness, the effulgent mahat-tattva, which contains all the universes within itself, which is the root of all cosmic manifestations and which is not destroyed at the time of annihilation, swallows the darkness that covered the effulgence at the time of dissolution.
PURPORT
Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is ever existing, all-blissful and full of knowledge, His different energies are also ever existing in the dormant stage. Thus when the mahat-tattva was created, it manifested the material ego and swallowed up the darkness which covered the cosmic manifestation at the time of dissolution. This idea can be further explained. A person at night remains inactive, covered by the darkness of night, but when he is awakened in the morning, the covering of night, or the forgetfulness of the sleeping state, disappears. Similarly, when the mahat-tattva appears after the night of dissolution, the effulgence is manifested to exhibit the variegatedness of this material world.
TEXT 21
TEXT
yat tat sattva-gunam svaccham
santam bhagavatah padam
yad ahur vasudevakhyam
cittam tan mahad-atmakam
SYNONYMS
yat--which; tat--that; sattva-gunam--the mode of goodness; svaccham--clear; santam--sober; bhagavatah--of the Personality of Godhead; padam--the status of understanding; yat--which; ahuh--is called; vasudeva-akhyam--by the name vasudeva; cittam--consciousness; tat--that; mahat-atmakam--manifest in the mahat-tattva.
TRANSLATION
The mode of goodness, which is the clear, sober status of understanding the Personality of Godhead and which is generally called vasudeva, or consciousness, becomes manifest in the mahat-tattva.
PURPORT
The vasudeva manifestation, or the status of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is called pure goodness, or suddha-sattva. In the suddha-sattva status there is no infringement of the other qualities, namely passion and ignorance. In the Vedic literature there is mention of the Lord's expansion as the four Personalities of Godhead--Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Here in the reappearance of the mahat-tattva the four expansions of Godhead occur. He who is seated within as Supersoul expands first as Vasudeva.
The vasudeva stage is free from infringement by material desires and is the status in which one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the objective which is described in the Bhagavad-gita as adbhuta. This is another feature of the mahat-tattva. The vasudeva expansion is also called Krsna consciousness, for it is free from all tinges of material passion and ignorance. This clear state of understanding helps one to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The vasudeva status is also explained in Bhagavad-gita as ksetra-jna, which refers to the knower of the field of activities as well as the Superknower. The living being who has occupied a particular type of body knows that body, but the Superknower, Vasudeva, knows not only a particular type of body but also the field of activities in all the different varieties of bodies. In order to be situated in clear consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one must worship Vasudeva. Vasudeva is Krsna alone. When Krsna, or Visnu, is alone, without the accompaniment of His internal energy, He is Vasudeva. When He is accompanied by His internal potency, He is called Dvarakadhisa. To have clear consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one has to worship Vasudeva. It is also explained in Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births one surrenders to Vasudeva. Such a great soul is very rare.
In order to get release from the false ego, one has to worship Sankarsana. Sankarsana is also worshiped through Lord Siva; the snakes which cover the body of Lord Siva are representations of Sankarsana, and Lord Siva is always absorbed in meditation upon Sankarsana. One who is actually a worshiper of Lord Siva as a devotee of Sankarsana can be released from false, material ego. If one wants to get free from mental disturbances, one has to worship Aniruddha. For this purpose, worship of the moon planet is also recommended in the Vedic literature. Similarly, to be fixed in one's intelligence one has to worship Pradyumna, who is reached through the worship of Brahma. These matters are explained in Vedic literature.
TEXT 22
TEXT
svacchatvam avikaritvam
santatvam iti cetasah
vrttibhir laksanam proktam
yathapam prakrtih para
SYNONYMS
svacchatvam--clarity; avikaritvam--freedom from all distraction; santatvam--serenity; iti--thus; cetasah--of consciousness; vrttibhih--by characteristics; laksanam--traits; proktam--called; yatha--as; apam--of water; prakrtih--natural state; para--pure.
TRANSLATION
After the manifestation of the mahat-tattva, these features appear simultaneously. As water in its natural state, before coming in contact with earth, is clear, sweet and unruffled, so the characteristic traits of pure consciousness are complete serenity, clarity, and freedom from distraction.
PURPORT
The pure status of consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, exists in the beginning; just after creation, consciousness is not polluted. The more one becomes materially contaminated, however, the more consciousness becomes obscured. In pure consciousness one can perceive a slight reflection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As in clear, unagitated water, free from impurities, one can see everything clearly, so in pure consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one can see things as they are. One can see the reflection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one can see his own existence as well. This state of consciousness is very pleasing, transparent and sober. In the beginning, consciousness is pure.
TEXTS 23-24
TEXT
mahat-tattvad vikurvanad
bhagavad-virya-sambhavat
kriya-saktir ahankaras
tri-vidhah samapadyata
vaikarikas taijasas ca
tamasas ca yato bhavah
manasas cendriyanam ca
bhutanam mahatam api
SYNONYMS
mahat-tattvat--from the mahat-tattva; vikurvanat--undergoing a change; bhagavat-virya-sambhavat--evolved from the Lord's own energy; kriya-saktih--endowed with active power; ahankarah--the material ego; tri-vidhah--of the three kinds; samapadyata--sprang up; vaikarikah--material ego in transformed goodness; taijasah--material ego in passion; ca--and; tamasah--material ego in ignorance; ca--also; yatah--from which; bhavah--the origin; manasah--of the mind; ca--and; indriyanam--of the senses for perception and action; ca--and; bhutanam mahatam--of the five gross elements; api--also.
TRANSLATION
The material ego springs up from the mahat-tattva, which evolved from the Lord's own energy. The material ego is endowed predominantly with active power of three kinds--good, passionate and ignorant. It is from these three types of material ego that the mind, the senses of perception, the organs of action, and the gross elements evolve.
PURPORT
In the beginning, from clear consciousness, or the pure state of Krsna consciousness, the first contamination sprang up. This is called false ego, or identification of the body as self. The living entity exists in the natural state of Krsna consciousness, but he has marginal independence, and this allows him to forget Krsna. Originally, pure Krsna consciousness exists, but because of misuse of marginal independence there is a chance of forgetting Krsna. This is exhibited in actual life; there are many instances in which someone acting in Krsna consciousness suddenly changes. In the Upanisads it is stated, therefore, that the path of spiritual realization is just like the sharp edge of a razor. The example is very appropriate. One shaves his cheeks with a sharp razor very nicely, but as soon as his attention is diverted from the activity, he immediately cuts his cheek because he mishandles the razor.
Not only must one come to the stage of pure Krsna consciousness, but one must also be very careful. Any inattentiveness or carelessness may cause falldown. This falldown is due to false ego. From the status of pure consciousness, the false ego is born because of misuse of independence. We cannot argue about why false ego arises from pure consciousness. Factually, there is always the chance that this will happen, and therefore one has to be very careful. False ego is the basic principle for all material activities, which are executed in the modes of material nature. As soon as one deviates from pure Krsna consciousness, he increases his entanglement in material reaction. The entanglement of materialism is the material mind, and from this material mind, the senses and material organs become manifest.
TEXT 25
TEXT
sahasra-sirasam saksad
yam anantam pracaksate
sankarsanakhyam purusam
bhutendriya-manomayam
SYNONYMS
sahasra-sirasam--with a thousand heads; saksat--directly; yam--whom; anantam--Ananta; pracaksate--they all; sankarsana-akhyam--Sankarsana by name; purusam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhuta--the gross elements; indriya--the senses; manah-mayam--consisting of the mind.
TRANSLATION
The threefold ahankara, the source of the gross elements, the senses and the mind, is identical with them because it is their cause. It is known by the name of Sankarsana, who is directly Lord Ananta with a thousand heads.
TEXT 26
TEXT
kartrtvam karanatvam ca
karyatvam ceti laksanam
santa-ghora-vimudhatvam
iti va syad ahankrteh
SYNONYMS
kartrtvam--being the doer; karanatvam--being the instrument; ca--and; karyatvam--being the effect; ca--also; iti--thus; laksanam--characteristic; santa--serene; ghora--active; vimudhatvam--being dull; iti--thus; va--or; syat--may be; ahankrteh--of the false ego.
TRANSLATION
This false ego is characterized as the doer, as an instrument and as an effect. It is further characterized as serene, active or dull according to how it is influenced by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance.
PURPORT
Ahankara, or false ego, is transformed into the demigods, the controlling directors of material affairs. As an instrument, the false ego is represented as different senses and sense organs, and as the result of the combination of the demigods and the senses, material objects are produced. In the material world we are producing so many things, and this is called advancement of civilization, but factually the advancement of civilization is a manifestation of the false ego. By false ego all material things are produced as objects of enjoyment. One has to cease increasing artificial necessities in the form of material objects. One great acarya, Narottama dasa Thakura, has lamented that when one deviates from pure consciousness of Vasudeva, or Krsna consciousness, he becomes entangled in material activities. The exact words he uses are, sat-sanga chadi' kainu asate vilasa. te-karane lagila ye karma-bandha-phansa: "I have given up the pure status of consciousness because I wanted to enjoy in the temporary, material manifestation; therefore I have been entangled in the network of actions and reactions."
TEXT 27
TEXT
vaikarikad vikurvanan
manas-tattvam ajayata
yat-sankalpa-vikalpabhyam
vartate kama-sambhavah
SYNONYMS
vaikarikat--from the false ego of goodness; vikurvanat--undergoing transformation; manah--the mind; tattvam--principle; ajayata--evolved; yat--whose; sankalpa--thoughts; vikalpabhyam--and by reflections; vartate--happens; kama-sambhavah--the rise of desire.
TRANSLATION
From the false ego of goodness, another transformation takes place. From this evolves the mind, whose thoughts and reflections give rise to desire.
PURPORT
The symptoms of the mind are determination and rejection, which are due to different kinds of desires. We desire that which is favorable to our sense gratification, and we reject that which is not favorable to sense gratification. The material mind is not fixed, but the very same mind can be fixed when engaged in the activities of Krsna consciousness. Otherwise, as long as the mind is on the material platform, it is hovering, and all this rejection and acceptance is asat, temporary. It is stated that he whose mind is not fixed in Krsna consciousness must hover between acceptance and rejection. However advanced a man is in academic qualifications, as long as he is not fixed in Krsna consciousness he will simply accept and reject and will never be able to fix his mind on a particular subject matter.
TEXT 28
TEXT
yad vidur hy aniruddhakhyam
hrsikanam adhisvaram
saradendivara-syamam
samradhyam yogibhih sanaih
SYNONYMS
yat--which mind; viduh--is known; hi--indeed; aniruddha-akhyam--by the name Aniruddha; hrsikanam--of the senses; adhisvaram--the supreme ruler; sarada--autumnal; indivara--like a blue lotus; syamam--bluish; samradhyam--who is found; yogibhih--by the yogis; sanaih--gradually.
TRANSLATION
The mind of the living entity is known by the name of Lord Aniruddha, the supreme ruler of the senses. He possesses a bluish-black form resembling a lotus flower growing in the autumn. He is found slowly by the yogis.
PURPORT
The system of yoga entails controlling the mind, and the Lord of the mind is Aniruddha. It is stated that Aniruddha is four-handed, with Sudarsana cakra, conchshell, club and lotus flower. There are twenty-four forms of Visnu, each differently named. Among these twenty-four forms, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna and Vasudeva are depicted very nicely in the Caitanya-caritamrta, where it is stated that Aniruddha is worshiped by the yogis. Meditation upon voidness is a modern invention of the fertile brain of some speculator. Actually the process of yoga meditation, as prescribed in this verse, should be fixed upon the form of Aniruddha. By meditating on Aniruddha one can become free from the agitation of acceptance and rejection. When one's mind is fixed upon Aniruddha, one gradually becomes God-realized; he approaches the pure status of Krsna consciousness, which is the ultimate goal of yoga.
TEXT 29
TEXT
taijasat tu vikurvanad
buddhi-tattvam abhut sati
dravya-sphurana-vijnanam
indriyanam anugrahah
SYNONYMS
taijasat--from the false ego in passion; tu--then; vikurvanat--undergoing transformation; buddhi--intelligence; tattvam--principle; abhut--took birth; sati--O virtuous lady; dravya--objects; sphurana--coming into view; vijnanam--ascertaining; indriyanam--to the senses; anugrahah--giving assistance.
TRANSLATION
By transformation of the false ego in passion, intelligence takes birth, O virtuous lady. The functions of intelligence are to help in ascertaining the nature of objects when they come into view, and to help the senses.
PURPORT
Intelligence is the discriminating power to understand an object, and it helps the senses make choices. Therefore intelligence is supposed to be the master of the senses. The perfection of intelligence is attained when one becomes fixed in the activities of Krsna consciousness. By the proper use of intelligence one's consciousness is expanded, and the ultimate expansion of consciousness is Krsna consciousness.
TEXT 30
TEXT
samsayo 'tha viparyaso
niscayah smrtir eva ca
svapa ity ucyate buddher
laksanam vrttitah prthak
SYNONYMS
samsayah--doubt; atha--then; viparyasah--misapprehension; niscayah--correct apprehension; smrtih--memory; eva--also; ca--and; svapah--sleep; iti--thus; ucyate--are said; buddheh--of intelligence; laksanam--characteristics; vrttitah--by their functions; prthak--different.
TRANSLATION
Doubt, misapprehension, correct apprehension, memory and sleep, as determined by their different functions, are said to be the distinct characteristics of intelligence.
PURPORT
Doubt is one of the important functions of intelligence; blind acceptance of something does not give evidence of intelligence. Therefore the word samsaya is very important; in order to cultivate intelligence, one should be doubtful in the beginning. But doubting is not very favorable when information is received from the proper source. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that doubting the words of the authority is the cause of destruction.
As described in the Patanjali yoga system, pramana-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidra-smrtyah. By intelligence only one can understand things as they are. By intelligence only can one understand whether or not he is the body. The study to determine whether one's identity is spiritual or material begins in doubt. When one is able to analyze his actual position, the false identification with the body is detected. This is viparyasa. When false identification is detected, then real identification can be understood. Real understanding is described here as niscayah, or proved experimental knowledge. This experimental knowledge can be achieved when one has understood the false knowledge. By experimental or proved knowledge, one can understand that he is not the body but spirit soul.
Smrti means "memory," and svapa means "sleep." Sleep is also necessary to keep the intelligence in working order. If there is no sleep, the brain cannot work nicely. In Bhagavad-gita it is especially mentioned that persons who regulate eating, sleeping and other necessities of the body in the proper proportion become very successful in the yoga process. These are some of the aspects of the analytical study of intelligence as described in both the Patanjali yoga system and the Sankhya philosophy system of Kapiladeva in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
TEXT 31
TEXT
taijasanindriyany eva
kriya-jnana-vibhagasah
pranasya hi kriya-saktir
buddher vijnana-saktita
SYNONYMS
taijasani--produced from egoism in the mode of passion; indriyani--the senses; eva--certainly; kriya--action; jnana--knowledge; vibhagasah--according to; pranasya--of the vital energy; hi--indeed; kriya-saktih--the senses of action; buddheh--of the intelligence; vijnana-saktita--the senses for acquiring knowledge.
TRANSLATION
Egoism in the mode of passion produces two kinds of senses--the senses for acquiring knowledge and the senses of action. The senses of action depend on the vital energy, and the senses for acquiring knowledge depend on intelligence.
PURPORT
It has been explained in the previous verses that mind is the product of ego in goodness and that the function of the mind is acceptance and rejection according to desire. But here intelligence is said to be the product of ego in passion. That is the distinction between mind and intelligence; mind is a product of egoism in goodness, and intelligence is a product of egoism in passion. The desire to accept something and reject something is a very important factor of the mind. Since mind is a product of the mode of goodness, if it is fixed upon the Lord of the mind, Aniruddha, then the mind can be changed to Krsna consciousness. It is stated by Narottama dasa Thakura that we always have desires. Desire cannot be stopped. But if we transfer our desires to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the perfection of life. As soon as the desire is transferred to lording it over material nature, it becomes contaminated by matter. Desire has to be purified. In the beginning, this purification process has to be carried out by the order of the spiritual master, since the spiritual master knows how the disciple's desires can be transformed into Krsna consciousness. As far as intelligence is concerned, it is clearly stated here that it is a product of egoism in passion. By practice one comes to the point of the mode of goodness, and by surrendering or fixing the mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one becomes a very great personality, or mahatma. In Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said, sa mahatma sudurlabhah: "Such a great soul is very rare."
In this verse it is clear that both kinds of senses, the senses for acquiring knowledge and the senses for action, are products of egoism in the mode of passion. And because the sense organs for activity and for acquiring knowledge require energy, the vital energy, or life energy, is also produced by egoism in the mode of passion. We can actually see, therefore, that those who are very passionate can improve in material acquisition very quickly. It is recommended in the Vedic scriptures that if one wants to encourage a person in acquiring material possessions, one should also encourage him in sex life. We naturally find that those who are addicted to sex life are also materially advanced because sex life or passionate life is the impetus for the material advancement of civilization. For those who want to make spiritual advancement, there is almost no existence of the mode of passion. Only the mode of goodness is prominent. We find that those who engage in Krsna consciousness are materially poor, but one who has eyes can see who is the greater. Although he appears to be materially poor, a person in Krsna consciousness is not actually a poor man, but the person who has no taste tor Krsna consciousness and appears to be very happy with material possessions is actually poor. Persons infatuated by material consciousness are very intelligent in discovering things for material comforts, but they have no access to understanding the spirit soul and spiritual life. Therefore, if anyone wants to advance in spiritual life, he has to come back to the platform of purified desire, the purified desire for devotional service. As stated in the Narada-pancaratra, engagement in the service of the Lord when the senses are purified in Krsna consciousness is called pure devotion.
TEXT 32
TEXT
tamasac ca vikurvanad
bhagavad-virya-coditat
sabda-matram abhut tasman
nabhah srotram tu sabdagam
SYNONYMS
tamasat--from egoism in ignorance; ca--and; vikurvanat--undergoing transformation; bhagavat-virya--by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; coditat--impelled; sabda-matram--the subtle element sound; abhut--was manifested; tasmat--from that; nabhah--ether; srotram--the sense of hearing; tu--then; sabda-gam--which catches sound.
TRANSLATION
When egoism in ignorance is agitated by the sex energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound come the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing.
PURPORT
It appears from this verse that all the objects of our sense gratification are the products of egoism in ignorance. It is understood from this verse that by agitation of the element of egoism in ignorance, the first thing produced was sound, which is the subtle form of ether. It is stated also in the Vedanta-sutra that sound is the origin of all objects of material possession and that by sound one can also dissolve this material existence. Anavrttih sabdat means "liberation by sound." The entire material manifestation began from sound, and sound can also end material entanglement, if it has a particular potency. The particular sound capable of doing this is the transcendental vibration Hare Krsna. Our entanglement in material affairs has begun from material sound. Now we must purify that sound in spiritual understanding. There is sound in the spiritual world also. If we approach that sound, then our spiritual life begins, and the other requirements for spiritual advancement can be supplied. We have to understand very clearly that sound is the beginning of the creation of all material objects for our sense gratification. Similarly, if sound is purified, our spiritual necessities also are produced from sound.
Here it is said that from sound the ether became manifested and that the air became manifested from ether. How the ethereal sky comes from sound, how the air comes from sky and how fire comes from air will be explained later on. Sound is the cause of the sky, and sky is the cause of srotram, the ear. The ear is the first sense for receiving knowledge. One must give aural reception to any knowledge one wants to receive, either material or spiritual. Therefore srotram is very important. The Vedic knowledge is called sruti; knowledge has to be received by hearing. By hearing only can we have access to either material or spiritual enjoyment.
In the material world, we manufacture many things for our material comfort simply by hearing. They are already there, but just by hearing, one can transform them. If we want to build a very high skyscraper, this does not mean that we have to create it. The materials for the skyscraper--wood, metal, earth, etc.--are already there, but we make our intimate relationship with those already created material elements by hearing how to utilize them. Modern economic advancement for creation is also a product of hearing, and similarly one can create a favorable field of spiritual activities by hearing from the right source. Arjuna was a gross materialist in the bodily conception of life and was suffering from the bodily concept very acutely. But simply by hearing, Arjuna became a spiritualized, Krsna conscious person. Hearing is very important, and that hearing is produced from the sky. By hearing only can we make proper use of that which already exists. The principle of hearing to properly utilize preconceived materials is applicable to spiritual paraphernalia as well. We must hear from the proper spiritual source.
TEXT 33
TEXT
arthasrayatvam sabdasya
drastur lingatvam eva ca
tan-matratvam ca nabhaso
laksanam kavayo viduh
SYNONYMS
artha-asrayatvam--that which conveys the meaning of an object; sabdasya--of sound; drastuh--of the speaker; lingatvam--that which indicates the presence; eva--also; ca--and; tat-matratvam--the subtle element; ca--and; nabhasah--of ether; laksanam--definition; kavayah--learned persons; viduh--know.
TRANSLATION
Persons who are learned and who have true knowledge define sound as that which conveys the idea of an object, indicates the presence of a speaker screened from our view and constitutes the subtle form of ether.
PURPORT
It is very clear herein that as soon as we speak of hearing, there must be a speaker; without a speaker there is no question of hearing. Therefore the Vedic knowledge, which is known as sruti, or that which is received by hearing, is also called apaurusa. Apaurusa means "not spoken by any person materially created." It is stated in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, tene brahma hrda. The sound of Brahman, or Veda, was first impregnated into the heart of Brahma, the original learned man (adi-kavaye). How did he become learned? Whenever there is learning, there must be a speaker and the process of hearing. But Brahma was the first created being. Who spoke to him? Since no one was there, who was the spiritual master to give knowledge? He was the only living creature; therefore the Vedic knowledge was imparted within his heart by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated within everyone as Paramatma. Vedic knowledge is understood to be spoken by the Supreme Lord, and therefore it is free from the defects of material understanding. Material understanding is defective. If we hear something from a conditioned soul, it is full of defects. All material and mundane information is tainted by illusion, error, cheating and imperfection of the senses. Because Vedic knowledge was imparted by the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental to material creation, it is perfect. If we receive that Vedic knowledge from Brahma in disciplic succession, then we receive perfect knowledge.
Every word we hear has a meaning behind it. As soon as we hear the word "water," there is a substance--water--behind the word. Similarly, as soon as we hear the word "God," there is a meaning to it. If we receive that meaning and explanation of "God" from God Himself, then it is perfect. But if we speculate about the meaning of "God," it is imperfect. Bhagavad-gita, which is the science of God, is spoken by the Personality of Godhead Himself. This is perfect knowledge. Mental speculators or so-called philosophers who are researching what is actually God will never understand the nature of God. The science of God has to be understood in disciplic succession from Brahma, who was first instructed about knowledge of God by God Himself. We can understand the knowledge of God by hearing Bhagavad-gita from a person authorized in the disciplic succession.
When we speak of seeing, there must be form. By our sense perception, the beginning experience is the sky. Sky is the beginning of form. And from the sky, other forms emanate. The objects of knowledge and sense perception begin, therefore, from the sky.
TEXT 34
TEXT
bhutanam chidra-datrtvam
bahir antaram eva ca
pranendriyatma-dhisnyatvam
nabhaso vrtti-laksanam
SYNONYMS
bhutanam--of all living entities; chidra-datrtvam--the accommodation of room; bahih--external; antaram--internal; eva--also; ca--and; prana--of the vital air; indriya--the senses; atma--and the mind; dhisnyatvam--being the field of activities; nabhasah--of the ethereal element; vrtti--activities; laksanam--characteristics.
TRANSLATION
The activities and characteristics of the ethereal element can be observed as accommodation for the room for the external and internal existences of all living entities, namely the field of activities of the vital air, the senses and the mind.
PURPORT
The mind, the senses and the vital force, or living entity, have forms, although they are not visible to the naked eye. Form rests in subtle existence in the sky, and internally it is perceived as the veins within the body and the circulation of the vital air. Externally there are invisible forms of sense objects. The production of the invisible sense objects is the external activity of the ethereal element, and the circulation of vital air and blood is its internal activity. That subtle forms exist in the ether has been proven by modern science by transmission of television, by which forms or photographs of one place are transmitted to another place by the action of the ethereal element. That is very nicely explained here. This verse is the potential basis of great scientific research work, for it explains how subtle forms are generated from the ethereal element, what their characteristics and actions are, and how the tangible elements, namely air, fire, water and earth, are manifested from the subtle form. Mental activities, or psychological actions of thinking, feeling and willing, are also activities on the platform of ethereal existence. The statement in Bhagavad-gita that the mental situation at the time of death is the basis of the next birth is also corroborated in this verse. Mental existence transforms into tangible form as soon as there is an opportunity due to contamination or development of the gross elements from subtle form.
TEXT 35
TEXT
nabhasah sabda-tanmatrat
kala-gatya vikurvatah
sparso 'bhavat tato vayus
tvak sparsasya ca sangrahah
SYNONYMS
nabhasah--from ether; sabda-tanmatrat--which evolves from the subtle element sound; kala-gatya--under the impulse of time; vikurvatah--undergoing transformation; sparsah--the subtle element touch; abhavat--evolved; tatah--thence; vayuh--air; tvak--the sense of touch; sparsasya--of touch; ca--and; sangrahah--perception.
TRANSLATION
From ethereal existence, which evolves from sound, the next transformation takes place under the impulse of time, and thus the subtle element touch and thence the air and sense of touch become prominent.
PURPORT
In the course of time, when the subtle forms are transformed into gross forms, they become the objects of touch. The objects of touch and the tactile sense also develop after this evolution in time. Sound is the first sense object to exhibit material existence, and from the perception of sound, touch perception evolves and from touch perception the perception of sight. That is the way of the gradual evolution of our perceptive objects.
TEXT 36
TEXT
mrdutvam kathinatvam ca
saityam usnatvam eva ca
etat sparsasya sparsatvam
tan-matratvam nabhasvatah
SYNONYMS
mrdutvam--softness; kathinatvam--hardness; ca--and; saityam--cold; usnatvam--heat; eva--also; ca--and; etat--this; sparsasya--of the subtle element touch; sparsatvam--the distinguishing attributes; tat-matratvam--the subtle form; nabhasvatah--of air.
TRANSLATION
Softness and hardness and cold and heat are the distinguishing attributes of touch, which is characterized as the subtle form of air.
PURPORT
Tangibility is the proof of form. In actuality, objects are perceived in two different ways. They are either soft or hard, cold or hot, etc. This tangible action of the tactile sense is the result of the evolution of air, which is produced from the sky.
TEXT 37
TEXT
calanam vyuhanam praptir
netrtvam dravya-sabdayoh
sarvendriyanam atmatvam
vayoh karmabhilaksanam
SYNONYMS
calanam--moving; vyuhanam--mixing; praptih--allowing approach; netrtvam--carrying; dravya-sabdayoh--particles of substances and sound; sarva-indriyanam--of all the senses; atmatvam--providing for the proper functioning; vayoh--of air; karma--by actions; abhilaksanam--the distinct characteristics.
TRANSLATION
The action of the air is exhibited in movements, mixing, allowing approach to the objects of sound and other sense perceptions, and providing for the proper functioning of all other senses.
PURPORT
We can perceive the action of the air when the branches of a tree move or when dry leaves on the ground collect together. Similarly, it is only by the action of the air that a body moves, and when the air circulation is impeded, many diseases result. Paralysis, nervous breakdowns, madness and many other diseases are actually due to an insufficient circulation of air. In the Ayur-vedic system these diseases are treated on the basis of air circulation. If from the beginning one takes care of the process of air circulation, such diseases cannot take place. From the Ayur-veda as well as from the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is clear that so many activities are going on internally and externally because of air alone, and as soon as there is some deficiency in the air circulation, these activities cannot take place. Here it is clearly stated, netrtvam dravya-sabdayoh. Our sense of proprietorship over action is also due to the activity of the air. If the air circulation is stifled, we cannot approach a place after hearing. If someone calls us, we hear the sound because of the air circulation, and we approach that sound or the place from which the sound comes. It is clearly said in this verse that these are all movements of the air. The ability to detect odors is also due to the action of the air.
TEXT 38
TEXT
vayos ca sparsa-tanmatrad
rupam daiveritad abhut
samutthitam tatas tejas
caksu rupopalambhanam
SYNONYMS
vayoh--from air; ca--and; sparsa-tanmatrat--which evolves from the subtle element touch; rupam--form; daiva-iritat--according to destiny; abhut--evolved; samutthitam--arose; tatah--from that; tejah--fire; caksuh--sense of sight; rupa--color and form; upalambhanam--perceiving.
TRANSLATION
By interactions of the air and the sensations of touch, one receives different forms according to destiny. By evolution of such forms, there is fire, and the eye sees different forms in color.
PURPORT
Because of destiny, the touch sensation, the interactions of air, and the situation of the mind, which is produced of the ethereal element, one receives a body according to his previous activities. Needless to say, a living entity transmigrates from one form to another. His form changes according to destiny and by the arrangement of a superior authority which controls the interaction of air and the mental situation. Form is the combination of different types of sense perception. Predestined activities are the plans of the mental situation and the interaction of air.
TEXT 39
TEXT
dravyakrtitvam gunata
vyakti-samsthatvam eva ca
tejastvam tejasah sadhvi
rupa-matrasya vrttayah
SYNONYMS
dravya--of an object; akrtitvam--dimension; gunata--quality; vyakti-samsthatvam--individuality; eva--also; ca--and; tejastvam--effulgence; tejasah--of fire; sadhvi--O virtuous lady; rupa-matrasya--of the subtle element form; vrttayah--the characteristics.
TRANSLATION
My dear mother, the characteristics of form are understood by dimension, quality and individuality. The form of fire is appreciated by its effulgence.
PURPORT
Every form that we appreciate has its particular dimensions and characteristics. The quality of a particular object is appreciated by its utility. But the form of sound is independent. Forms which are invisible can be understood only by touch; that is the independent appreciation of invisible form. Visible forms are understood by analytical study of their constitution. The constitution of a certain object is appreciated by its internal action. For example, the form of salt is appreciated by the interaction of salty tastes, and the form of sugar is appreciated by the interaction of sweet tastes. Tastes and qualitative constitution are the basic principles in understanding the form of an object.
TEXT 40
TEXT
dyotanam pacanam panam
adanam hima-mardanam
tejaso vrttayas tv etah
sosanam ksut trd eva ca
SYNONYMS
dyotanam--illumination; pacanam--cooking, digesting; panam--drinking; adanam--eating; hima-mardanam--destroying cold; tejasah--of fire; vrttayah--functions; tu--indeed; etah--these; sosanam--evaporating; ksut--hunger; trt--thirst; eva--also; ca--and.
TRANSLATION
Fire is appreciated by its light and by its ability to cook, to digest, to destroy cold, to evaporate, and to give rise to hunger, thirst, eating and drinking.
PURPORT
The first symptoms of fire are distribution of light and heat, and the existence of fire is also perceived in the stomach. Without fire we cannot digest what we eat. Without digestion there is no hunger and thirst or power to eat and drink. When there is insufficient hunger and thirst, it is understood that there is a shortage of fire within the stomach, and the Ayur-vedic treatment is performed in connection with the fire element, agni-mandyam. Since fire is increased by the secretion of bile, the treatment is to increase bile secretion. The Ayur-vedic treatment thus corroborates the statements in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The characteristic of fire in subduing the influence of cold is known to everyone. Severe cold can always be counteracted by fire.
TEXT 41
TEXT
rupa-matrad vikurvanat
tejaso daiva-coditat
rasa-matram abhut tasmad
ambho jihva rasa-grahah
SYNONYMS
rupa-matrat--which evolves from the subtle element form; vikurvanat--undergoing transformation; tejasah--from fire; daiva-coditat--under a superior arrangement; rasa-matram--the subtle element taste; abhut--became manifested; tasmat--from that; ambhah--water; jihva--the sense of taste; rasa-grahah--which perceives taste.
TRANSLATION
By the interaction of fire and the visual sensation, the subtle element taste evolves under a superior arrangement. From taste, water is produced, and the tongue, which perceives taste, is also manifested.
PURPORT
The tongue is described here as the instrument for acquiring knowledge of taste. Because taste is a product of water, there is always saliva on the tongue.
TEXT 42
TEXT
kasayo madhuras tiktah
katv amla iti naikadha
bhautikanam vikarena
rasa eko vibhidyate
SYNONYMS
kasayah--astringent; madhurah--sweet; tiktah--bitter; katu--pungent; amlah--sour; iti--thus; na-ekadha--manifoldly; bhautikanam--of other substances; vikarena--by transformation; rasah--the subtle element taste; ekah--originally one; vibhidyate--is divided.
TRANSLATION
Although originally one, taste becomes manifold as astringent, sweet, bitter, pungent, sour and salty due to contact with other substances.
TEXT 43
TEXT
kledanam pindanam trptih
prananapyayanondanam
tapapanodo bhuyastvam
ambhaso vrttayas tv imah
SYNONYMS
kledanam--moistening; pindanam--coagulating; trptih--causing satisfaction; pranana--maintaining life; apyayana--refreshing; undanam--softening; tapa--heat; apanodah--driving away; bhuyastvam--being in abundance; ambhasah--of water; vrttayah--the characteristic functions; tu--in fact; imah--these.
TRANSLATION
The characteristics of water are exhibited by its moistening other substances, coagulating various mixtures, causing satisfaction, maintaining life, softening things, driving away heat, incessantly supplying itself to reservoirs of water, and refreshing by slaking thirst.
PURPORT
Starvation can be mitigated by drinking water. It is sometimes found that if a person who has taken a vow to fast takes a little water at intervals, the exhaustion of fasting is at once mitigated. In the Vedas it is also stated, apomayah pranah: "Life depends on water." With water, anything can be moistened or dampened. Flour dough can be prepared with a mixture of water. Mud is made by mixing earth with water. As stated in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, water is the cementing ingredient of different material elements. If we build a house, water is actually the constituent in making the bricks. Fire, water and air are the exchanging elements for the entire material manifestation, but water is most prominent. Also, excessive heat can be reduced simply by pouring water on the heated field.
TEXT 44
TEXT
rasa-matrad vikurvanad
ambhaso daiva-coditat
gandha-matram abhut tasmat
prthvi ghranas tu gandhagah
SYNONYMS
rasa-matrat--which evolves from the subtle element taste; vikurvanat--undergoing transformation; ambhasah--from water; daiva-coditat--by a superior arrangement; gandha-matram--the subtle element odor; abhut--became manifest; tasmat--from that; prthvi--earth; ghranah--the olfactory sense; tu--in fact; gandha-gah--which perceives aromas.
TRANSLATION
Due to the interaction of water with the taste perception, the subtle element odor evolves under superior arrangement. Thence the earth and the olfactory sense, by which we can variously experience the aroma of the earth, become manifest.
TEXT 45
TEXT
karambha-puti-saurabhya-
santogramladibhih prthak
dravyavayava-vaisamyad
gandha eko vibhidyate
SYNONYMS
karambha--mixed; puti--offensive; saurabhya--fragrant; santa--mild; ugra--strong, pungent; amla--acid; adibhih--and so on; prthak--separately; dravya--of substance; avayava--of portions; vaisamyat--according to diversity; gandhah--odor; ekah--one; vibhidyate--is divided.
TRANSLATION
Odor, although one, becomes many--as mixed, offensive, fragrant, mild, strong, acidic and so on--according to the proportions of associated substances.
PURPORT
Mixed smell is sometimes perceived in foodstuffs prepared from various ingredients, such as vegetables mixed with different kinds of spices and asafetida. Bad odors are perceived in filthy places, good smells are perceived from camphor, menthol and similar other products, pungent smells are perceived from garlic and onions, and acidic smells are perceived from turmeric and similar sour substances. The original aroma is the odor emanating from the earth, and when it is mixed with different substances, this odor appears in different ways.
TEXT 46
TEXT
bhavanam brahmanah sthanam
dharanam sad-visesanam
sarva-sattva-gunodbhedah
prthivi-vrtti-laksanam
SYNONYMS
bhavanam--modeling forms; brahmanah--of the Supreme Brahman; sthanam--constructing places of residence; dharanam--containing substances; sat-visesanam--distinguishing the open space; sarva--all; sattva--of existence; guna--qualities; udbhedah--the place for manifestation; prthivi--of earth; vrtti--of the functions; laksanam--the characteristics.
TRANSLATION
The characteristics of the functions of earth can be perceived by modeling forms of the Supreme Brahman, by constructing places of residence, by preparing pots to contain water, etc. In other words, the earth is the place of sustenance for all elements.
PURPORT
Different elements, such as sound, sky, air, fire and water, can be perceived in the earth. Another feature of the earth especially mentioned here is that earth can manifest different forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By this statement of Kapila's it is confirmed that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahman, has innumerable forms, which are described in the scriptures. By manipulation of earth and its products, such as stone, wood and jewels, these forms of the Supreme Lord can be present before our eyes. When a form of Lord Krsna or Lord Visnu is manifested by presentation of a statue made of earth, it is not imaginary. The earth gives shape to the Lord's forms as described in the scriptures.
In the Brahma-samhita there is description of Lord Krsna's lands, the variegatedness of the spiritual abode, and the forms of the Lord playing a flute with His spiritual body. All these forms are described in the scriptures, and when they are thus presented they become worshipable. They are not imaginary as the Mayavada philosophy says. Sometimes the word bhavana is misinterpreted as "imagination." But bhavana does not mean "imagination;" it means giving actual shape to the description of Vedic literature. Earth is the ultimate transformation of all living entities and their respective modes of material nature.
TEXT 47
TEXT
nabho-guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya tac chrotram ucyate
vayor guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya tat sparsanam viduh
SYNONYMS
nabhah-guna-visesah--the distinctive characteristic of sky (sound); arthah--object of perception; yasya--whose; tat--that; srotram--the auditory sense; ucyate--is called; vayoh guna-visesah--the distinctive characteristic of air (touch); arthah--object of perception; yasya--whose; tat--that; sparsanam--the tactile sense; viduh--they know.
TRANSLATION
The sense whose object of perception is sound is called the auditory sense, and that whose object of perception is touch is called the tactile sense.
PURPORT
Sound is one of the qualifications of the sky and is the subject matter for hearing. Similarly, touch is the qualification of the air and is the subject of the touch sensation.
TEXT 48
TEXT
tejo-guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya tac caksur ucyate
ambho-guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya tad rasanam viduh
bhumer guna-viseso 'rtho
yasya sa ghrana ucyate
SYNONYMS
tejah-guna-visesah--the distinctive characteristic of fire (form); arthah--object of perception; yasya--whose; tat--that; caksuh--the sense of sight; ucyate--is called; ambhah-guna-visesah--the distinctive characteristic of water (taste); arthah--object of perception; yasya--whose; tat--that; rasanam--the sense of taste; viduh--they know; bhumeh guna-visesah--the distinctive characteristic of earth (odor); arthah--object of perception; yasya--whose; sah--that; ghranah--the sense of smell; ucyate--is called.
TRANSLATION
The sense whose object of perception is form, the distinctive characteristic of fire, is the sense of sight. The sense whose object of perception is taste, the distinctive characteristic of water, is known as the sense of taste. Finally, the sense whose object of perception is odor, the distinctive characteristic of earth, is called the sense of smell.
TEXT 49
TEXT
parasya drsyate dharmo
hy aparasmin samanvayat
ato viseso bhavanam
bhumav evopalaksyate
SYNONYMS
parasya--of the cause; drsyate--is observed; dharmah--the characteristics; hi--indeed; aparasmin--in the effect; samanvayat--in order; atah--hence; visesah--the distinctive characteristic; bhavanam--of all the elements; bhumau--in earth; eva--alone; upalaksyate--is observed.
TRANSLATION
Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former are observed in the latter. That is why the peculiarities of all the elements exist in the earth alone.
PURPORT
Sound is the cause of the sky, sky is the cause of the air, air is the cause of fire, fire is the cause of water, and water is the cause of earth. In the sky there is only sound; in the air there are sound and touch; in the fire there are sound, touch and form; in water there are sound, touch, form and taste; and in the earth there are sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Therefore earth is the reservoir of all the qualities of the other elements. Earth is the sum total of all other elements. The earth has all five qualities of the elements, water has four qualities, fire has three, air has two, and the sky has only one quality, sound.
TEXT 50
TEXT
etany asamhatya yada
mahad-adini sapta vai
kala-karma-gunopeto
jagad-adir upavisat
SYNONYMS
etani--these; asamhatya--being unmixed; yada--when; mahat-adini--the mahat-tattva, false ego and five gross elements; sapta--all together seven; vai--in fact; kala--time; karma--work; guna--and the three modes of material nature; upetah--accompanied by; jagat-adih--the origin of creation; upavisat--entered.
TRANSLATION
When all these elements were unmixed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of creation, along with time, work, and the qualities of the modes of material nature, entered into the universe with the total material energy in seven divisions.
PURPORT
After stating the generation of the causes, Kapiladeva speaks about the generation of the effects. At that time when the causes were unmixed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His feature of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, entered within each universe. Accompanying Him were all of the seven primary elements--the five material elements, the total energy (mahat-tattva) and the false ego. This entrance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead involves His entering even the atoms of the material world. This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.35): andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. He is not only within the universe, but within the atoms also. He is within the heart of every living entity. Garbhodakasayi Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, entered into everything.
TEXT 51
TEXT
tatas tenanuviddhebhyo
yuktebhyo 'ndam acetanam
utthitam puruso yasmad
udatisthad asau virat
SYNONYMS
tatah--then; tena--by the Lord; anuviddhebhyah--from these seven principles, roused into activity; yuktebhyah--united; andam--an egg; acetanam--unintelligent; utthitam--arose; purusah--Cosmic Being; yasmat--from which; udatisthat--appeared; asau--that; virat--celebrated.
TRANSLATION
From these seven principles, roused into activity and united by the presence of the Lord, an unintelligent egg arose, from which appeared the celebrated Cosmic Being.
PURPORT
In sex life, the combination of matter from the parents, which involves emulsification and secretion, creates the situation whereby a soul is received within matter, and the combination of matter gradually develops into a complete body. The same principle exists in the universal creation: the ingredients were present, but only when the Lord entered into the material elements was matter actually agitated. That is the cause of creation. We can see this in our ordinary experience. Although we may have clay, water and fire, the elements take the shape of a brick only when we labor to combine them. Without the living energy, there is no possibility that matter can take shape. Similarly, this material world does not develop unless agitated by the Supreme Lord as the virat-purusa. Yasmad udatisthad asau virat: by His agitation, space was created, and the universal form of the Lord also manifested therein.
TEXT 52
TEXT
etad andam visesakhyam
krama-vrddhair dasottaraih
toyadibhih parivrtam
pradhanenavrtair bahih
yatra loka-vitano 'yam
rupam bhagavato hareh
SYNONYMS
etat--this; andam--egg; visesa-akhyam--called visesa; krama--one after another; vrddhaih--increased; dasa--ten times; uttaraih--greater; toya-adibhih--by water and so on; parivrtam--enveloped; pradhanena--by pradhana; avrtaih--covered; bahih--on the outside; yatra--where; loka-vitanah--the extension of the planetary systems; ayam--this; rupam--form; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hareh--of Lord Hari.
TRANSLATION
This universal egg, or the universe in the shape of an egg, is called the manifestation of material energy. Its layers of water, air, fire, sky, ego and mahat-tattva increase in thickness one after another. Each layer is ten times bigger than the previous one, and the final outside layer is covered by pradhana. Within this egg is the universal form of Lord Hari, of whose body the fourteen planetary systems are parts.
PURPORT
This universe, or the universal sky which we can visualize with its innumerable planets, is shaped just like an egg. As an egg is covered by a shell, the universe is also covered by various layers. The first layer is water, the next is fire, then air, then sky, and the ultimate holding crust is pradhana. Within this egglike universe is the universal form of the Lord as the virat-purusa. All the different planetary situations are parts of His body. This is already explained in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto. The planetary systems are considered to form different bodily parts of that universal form of the Lord. Persons who cannot directly engage in the worship of the transcendental form of the Lord are advised to think of and worship this universal form. The lowest planetary system, Patala, is considered to be the sole of the Supreme Lord, and the earth is considered to be the belly of the Lord. Brahmaloka, or the highest planetary system, where Brahma lives, is considered to be the head of the Lord.
This virat-purusa is considered an incarnation of the Lord. The original form of the Lord is Krsna, as confirmed in Brahma-samhita: adi-purusa. The virat-purusa is also purusa, but He is not adi-purusa. The adi-purusa is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. anadir adir govindah. In Bhagavad-gita Krsna is also accepted as the adi-purusa, the original. Krsna says, "No one is greater than I." There are innumerable expansions of the Lord, and all of them are purusas, or enjoyers, but neither the virat-purusa nor the purusa-avataras--Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu--nor any of the many other expansions, is the original. In each universe there are Garbhodakasayi Visnu, the virat-purusa and Ksirodakasayi Visnu. The active manifestation of the virat-purusa is described here. persons who are in the lower grade of understanding regarding the Supreme Personality of Godhead may think of the universal form of the Lord, for that is advised in the Bhagavatam.
The dimensions of the universe are estimated here. The outer covering is made of layers of water, air, fire, sky, ego and mahat-tattva, and each layer is ten times greater than the one previous. The space within the hollow of the universe cannot be measured by any human scientist or anyone else, and beyond the hollow there are seven coverings, each one ten times greater than the one preceding it. The layer of water is ten times greater than the diameter of the universe, and the layer of fire is ten times greater than that of water. Similarly, the layer of air is ten times greater than that of fire. These dimensions are all inconceivable to the tiny brain of a human being.
It is also stated that this description is of only one egglike universe. There are innumerable universes besides this one, and some of them are many, many times greater. It is considered, in fact, that this universe is the smallest; therefore the predominating superintendent, or Brahma, has only four heads for management. In other universes, which are far greater than this one, Brahma has more heads. In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is stated that all these Brahmas were called one day by Lord Krsna on the inquiry of the small Brahma, who, after seeing all the larger Brahmas, was thunderstruck. That is the inconceivable potency of the Lord. No one can measure the length and breadth of God by speculation or by false identification with God. These attempts are symptoms of lunacy.
TEXT 53
TEXT
hiranmayad anda-kosad
utthaya salile sayat
tam avisya maha-devo
bahudha nirbibheda kham
SYNONYMS
hiranmayat--golden; anda-kosat--from the egg; utthaya--arising; salile--on the water; sayat--lying; tam--in it; avisya--having entered; maha-devah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bahudha--in many ways; nirbibheda--divided; kham--apertures.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the virat-purusa, situated Himself in that golden egg, which was lying on the water, and He divided it into many departments.
TEXT 54
TEXT
nirabhidyatasya prathamam
mukham vani tato 'bhavat
vanya vahnir atho nase
pranoto ghrana etayoh
SYNONYMS
nirabhidyata--appeared; asya--of Him; prathamam--first of all; mukham--a mouth; vani--the organ of speech; tatah--then; abhavat--came forth; vanya--with the organ of speech; vahnih--the god of fire; athah--then; nase--the two nostrils; prana--the vital air; utah--joined; ghranah--the olfactory sense; etayoh--in them.
TRANSLATION
First of all a mouth appeared in Him, and then came forth the organ of speech, and with it the god of fire, the deity who presides over that organ. Then a pair of nostrils appeared, and in them appeared the olfactory sense, as well as prana, the vital air.
PURPORT
With the manifestation of speech, fire also became manifested, and with the manifestation of nostrils the vital air, the breathing process and the sense of smell also became manifested.
TEXT 55
TEXT
ghranad vayur abhidyetam
aksini caksur etayoh
tasmat suryo nyabhidyetam
karnau srotram tato disah
SYNONYMS
ghranat--from the olfactory sense; vayuh--the wind-god; abhidyetam--appeared; aksini--the two eyes; caksuh--the sense of sight; etayoh--in them; tasmat--from that; suryah--the sun-god; nyabhidyetam--appeared; karnau--the two ears; srotram--the auditory sense; tatah--from that; disah--the deities presiding over the directions.
TRANSLATION
In the wake of the olfactory sense came the wind-god, who presides over that sense. Thereafter a pair of eyes appeared in the universal form, and in them the sense of sight. In the wake of this sense came the sun-god, who presides over it. Next there appeared in Him a pair of ears, and in them the auditory sense and in its wake the Dig-devatas, or the deities who preside over the directions.
PURPORT
The appearance of different bodily parts of the Lord's universal form and the appearance of the presiding deities of those bodily parts is being described. As in the womb of a mother a child gradually grows different bodily parts, so in the universal womb the universal form of the Lord gives rise to the creation of various paraphernalia. The senses appear, and over each of them there is a presiding deity. It is corroborated by this statement of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and also by Brahma-samhita, that the sun appeared after the appearance of the eyes of the universal form of the Lord. The sun is dependent on the eyes of the universal form. The Brahma-samhita also says that the sun is the eye of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Yac-caksur esa savita. Savita means "the sun." The sun is the eye of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, everything is created by the universal body of the Supreme Godhead. Material nature is simply the supplier of materials. The creation is actually done by the Supreme Lord, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.10). Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram: "Under My direction does material nature create all moving and nonmoving objects in the cosmic creation."
TEXT 56
TEXT
nirbibheda virajas tvag-
roma-smasrv-adayas tatah
tata osadhayas casan
sisnam nirbibhide tatah
SYNONYMS
nirbibheda--appeared; virajah--of the universal form; tvak--skin; roma--hair; smasru--beard, mustache; adayah--and so on; tatah--then; tatah--thereupon; osadhayah--the herbs and drugs; ca--and; asan--appeared; sisnam--genitals; nirbibhide--appeared; tatah--after this.
TRANSLATION
Then the universal form of the Lord, the virat-purusa, manifested His skin, and thereupon the hair, mustache and beard appeared. After this all the herbs and drugs became manifested, and then His genitals also appeared.
PURPORT
The skin is the site of the touch sensation. The demigods who control the production of herbs and medicinal drugs are the deities presiding over the tactile sense.
TEXT 57
TEXT
retas tasmad apa asan
nirabhidyata vai gudam
gudad apano 'panac ca
mrtyur loka-bhayankarah
SYNONYMS
retah--semen; tasmat--from that; apah--the god who presides over the waters; asan--appeared; nirabhidyata--was manifested; vai--indeed; gudam--an anus; gudat--from the anus; apanah--the organ of defecation; apanat--from the organ of defecation; ca--and; mrtyuh--death; loka-bhayam-karah--causing fear throughout the universe.
TRANSLATION
After this, semen (the faculty of procreation) and the god who presides over the waters appeared. Next appeared an anus and then the organs of defecation and thereupon the god of death, who is feared throughout the universe.
PURPORT
It is understood herewith that the faculty to discharge semen is the cause of death. Therefore, yogis and transcendentalists who want to live for greater spans of life voluntarily restrain themselves from discharging semen. The more one can restrain the discharge of semen, the more one can be aloof from the problem of death. There are many yogis living up to three hundred or seven hundred years by this process, and in the Bhagavatam it is clearly stated that discharging semen is the cause of horrible death. The more one is addicted to sexual enjoyment, the more susceptible he is to a quick death.
TEXT 58
TEXT
hastau ca nirabhidyetam
balam tabhyam tatah svarat
padau ca nirabhidyetam
gatis tabhyam tato harih
SYNONYMS
hastau--the two hands; ca--and; nirabhidyetam--were manifested; balam--power; tabhyam--from them; tatah--thereafter; svarat--Lord Indra; padau--the two feet; ca--and; nirabhidyetam--became manifested; gatih--the process of movement; tabhyam--from them; tatah--then; harih--Lord Visnu.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter the two hands of the universal form of the Lord became manifested, and with them the power of grasping and dropping things, and after that Lord Indra appeared. Next the legs became manifested, and with them the process of movement, and after that Lord Visnu appeared.
PURPORT
The deity presiding over the hands is Indra, and the presiding deity of movement is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. Visnu appeared on the appearance of the legs of the virat-purusa.
TEXT 59
TEXT
nadyo 'sya nirabhidyanta
tabhyo lohitam abhrtam
nadyas tatah samabhavann
udaram nirabhidyata
SYNONYMS
nadyah--the veins; asya--of the universal form; nirabhidyanta--became manifested; tabhyah--from them; lohitam--blood; abhrtam--was produced; nadyah--the rivers; tatah--from that; samabhavan--appeared; udaram--the stomach; nirabhidyata--became manifested.
TRANSLATION
The veins of the universal body became manifested and thereafter the red corpuscles, or blood. In their wake came the rivers (the deities presiding over the veins), and then appeared an abdomen.
PURPORT
Blood veins are compared to rivers; when the veins were manifested in the universal form, the rivers in the various planets were also manifested. The controlling deity of the rivers is also the controlling deity of the nervous system. In Ayur-vedic treatment, those who are suffering from the disease of nervous instability are recommended to take a bath by dipping into a flowing river.
TEXT 60
TEXT
ksut-pipase tatah syatam
samudras tv etayor abhut
athasya hrdayam bhinnam
hrdayan mana utthitam
SYNONYMS
ksut-pipase--hunger and thirst; tatah--then; syatam--appeared; samudrah--the ocean; tu--then; etayoh--in their wake; abhut--appeared; atha--then; asya--of the universal form; hrdayam--a heart; bhinnam--appeared; hrdayat--from the heart; manah--the mind; utthitam--appeared.
TRANSLATION
Next grew feelings of hunger and thirst, and in their wake came the manifestation of the oceans. Then a heart became manifest, and in the wake of the heart the mind appeared.
PURPORT
The ocean is considered to be the presiding deity of the abdomen, where the feelings of hunger and thirst originate. When there is an irregularity in hunger and thirst, one is advised, according to Ayur-vedic treatment, to take a bath in the ocean.
TEXT 61
TEXT
manasas candrama jato
buddhir buddher giram patih
ahankaras tato rudras
cittam caityas tato 'bhavat
SYNONYMS
manasah--from the mind; candramah--the moon; jatah--appeared; buddhih--intelligence; buddheh--from intelligence; giram patih--the lord of speech (Brahma); ahankarah--false ego; tatah--then; rudrah--Lord Siva; cittam--consciousness; caityah--the deity presiding over consciousness; tatah--then; abhavat--appeared.
TRANSLATION
After the mind, the moon appeared. Intelligence appeared next, and after intelligence, Lord Brahma appeared. Then the false ego appeared and then Lord Siva, and after the appearance of Lord Siva came consciousness and the deity presiding over consciousness.
PURPORT
The moon appeared after the appearance of mind, and this indicates that the moon is the presiding deity of mind. Similarly, Lord Brahma, appearing after intelligence, is the presiding deity of intelligence, and Lord Siva, who appears after false ego, is the presiding deity of false ego. In other words, it is indicated that the moon-god is in the mode of goodness, whereas Lord Brahma is in the mode of passion and Lord Siva is in the mode of ignorance. The appearance of consciousness after the appearance of false ego indicates that, from the beginning, material consciousness is under the mode of ignorance and that one therefore has to purify himself by purifying his consciousness. This purificatory process is called Krsna consciousness. As soon as the consciousness is purified, the false ego disappears. Identification of the body with the self is called false identification, or false ego. Lord Caitanya confirms this in His Siksastaka. He states that the first result of chanting the maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, is that dirt is cleared from the consciousness, or the mirror of the mind, and then at once the blazing fire of material existence is over. The blazing fire of material existence is due to false ego, but as soon as the false ego is removed, one can understand his real identity. At that point he is actually liberated from the clutches of maya. As soon as one is freed from the clutches of false ego, his intelligence also becomes purified, and then his mind is always engaged upon the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared on the full-moon day as Gauracandra, or the spotless transcendental moon. The material moon has spots on it, but on the transcendental moon, Gauracandra, there are no spots. In order to fix the purified mind in the service of the Supreme Lord, one has to worship the spotless moon, Gauracandra. Those who are materially passionate or those who want to exhibit their intelligence for material advancement in life are generally worshipers of Lord Brahma, and persons who are in the gross ignorance of identifying with the body worship Lord Siva. Materialists like Hiranyakasipu and Ravana are worshipers of Lord Brahma or Lord Siva, but Prahlada and other devotees in the service of Krsna consciousness worship the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 62
TEXT
ete hy abhyutthita deva
naivasyotthapane 'sakan
punar avivisuh khani
tam utthapayitum kramat
SYNONYMS
ete--these; hi--indeed; abhyutthitah--manifested; devah--demigods; na--not; eva--at all; asya--of the virat-purusa; utthapane--in waking; asakan--were able; punah--again; avivisuh--they entered; khani--the apertures of the body; tam--Him; utthapayitum--to awaken; kramat--one after another.
TRANSLATION
When the demigods and presiding deities of the various senses were thus manifested, they wanted to wake their origin of appearance. But upon failing to do so, they reentered the body of the virat-purusa one after another in order to wake Him.
PURPORT
In order to wake the sleeping Deity-controller within, one has to rechannel the sense activities from concentration on the outside to concentration inside. In the following verses, the sense activities which are required to wake the virat-purusa will be explained very nicely.
TEXT 63
TEXT
vahnir vaca mukham bheje
nodatisthat tada virat
ghranena nasike vayur
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
vahnih--the god of fire; vaca--with the organ of speech; mukham--the mouth; bheje--entered; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--then; virat--the virat-purusa; ghranena--with the olfactory sense; nasike--into His two nostrils; vayuh--the god of the winds; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
The god of fire entered His mouth with the organ of speech, but the virat-purusa could not be aroused. Then the god of wind entered His nostrils with the sense of smell, but still the virat-purusa refused to be awakened.
TEXT 64
TEXT
aksini caksusadityo
nodatisthat tada virat
srotrena karnau ca diso
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
aksini--His two eyes; caksusa--with the sense of sight; adityah--the sun-god; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--then; virat--the virat-purusa; srotrena--with the sense of hearing; karnau--His two ears; ca--and; disah--the deities presiding over the directions; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
The sun-god entered the eyes of the virat-purusa with the sense of sight, but still the virat-purusa did not get up. Similarly, the predominating deities of the directions entered through His ears with the sense of hearing, but still He did not get up.
TEXT 65
TEXT
tvacam romabhir osadhyo
nodatisthat tada virat
retasa sisnam apas tu
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
tvacam--the skin of the virat-purusa; romabhih--with the hair on the body; osadhyah--the deities presiding over the herbs and plants; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--then; virat--the virat-purusa; retasa--with the faculty of procreation; sisnam--the organ of generation; apah--the water-god; tu--then; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
The predominating deities of the skin, herbs and seasoning plants entered the skin of the virat-purusa with the hair of the body, but the Cosmic Being refused to get up even then. The god predominating over water entered His organ of generation with the faculty of procreation, but the virat-purusa still would not rise.
TEXT 66
TEXT
gudam mrtyur apanena
nodatisthat tada virat
hastav indro balenaiva
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
gudam--His anus; mrtyuh--the god of death; apanena--with the organ of defecation; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa; hastau--the two hands; indrah--Lord Indra; balena--with their power to grasp and drop things; eva--indeed; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
The god of death entered His anus with the organ of defecation, but the virat-purusa could not be spurred to activity. The god Indra entered the hands with their power of grasping and dropping things, but the virat-purusa would not get up even then.
TEXT 67
TEXT
visnur gatyaiva caranau
nodatisthat tada virat
nadir nadyo lohitena
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
visnuh--Lord Visnu; gatya--with the faculty of locomotion; eva--indeed; caranau--His two feet; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa; nadih--His blood vessels; nadyah--the rivers or river-gods; lohitena--with the blood, with the power of circulation; na--not; udatisthat--did stir; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
Lord Visnu entered His feet with the faculty of locomotion, but the virat-purusa refused to stand up even then. The rivers entered His blood vessels with the blood and the power of circulation, but still the Cosmic Being could not be made to stir.
TEXT 68
TEXT
ksut-trdbhyam udaram sindhur
nodatisthat tada virat
hrdayam manasa candro
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
ksut-trdbhyam--with hunger and thirst; udaram--His abdomen; sindhuh--the ocean or ocean-god; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa; hrdayam--His heart; manasa--with the mind; candrah--the moon-god; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
The ocean entered His abdomen with hunger and thirst, but the Cosmic Being refused to rise even then. The moon-god entered His heart with the mind, but the Cosmic Being would not be roused.
TEXT 69
TEXT
buddhya brahmapi hrdayam
nodatisthat tada virat
rudro 'bhimatya hrdayam
nodatisthat tada virat
SYNONYMS
buddhya--with intelligence; brahma--Lord Brahma; api--also; hrdayam--His heart; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa; rudrah--Lord Siva; abhimatya--with the ego; hrdayam--His heart; na--not; udatisthat--did arise; tada--even then; virat--the virat-purusa.
TRANSLATION
Brahma also entered His heart with intelligence, but even then the Cosmic Being could not be prevailed upon to get up. Lord Rudra also entered His heart with the ego, but even then the Cosmic Being did not stir.
TEXT 70
TEXT
cittena hrdayam caityah
ksetra-jnah pravisad yada
virat tadaiva purusah
salilad udatisthata
SYNONYMS
cittena--along with reason, consciousness; hrdayam--the heart; caityah--the deity presiding over consciousness; ksetra-jnah--the knower of the field; pravisat--entered; yada--when; virat--the virat-purusa; tada--then; eva--just; purusah--the Cosmic Being; salilat--from the water; udatisthata--arose.
TRANSLATION
However, when the inner controller, the deity presiding over consciousness, entered the heart with reason, at that very moment the Cosmic Being arose from the causal waters.
TEXT 71
TEXT
yatha prasuptam purusam
pranendriya-mano-dhiyah
prabhavanti vina yena
notthapayitum ojasa
SYNONYMS
yatha--just as; prasuptam--sleeping; purusam--a man; prana--the vital air; indriya--the senses for working and recording knowledge; manah--the mind; dhiyah--the intelligence; prabhavanti--are able; vina--without; yena--whom (the Supersoul); na--not; utthapayitum--to arouse; ojasa--by their own power.
TRANSLATION
When a man is sleeping, all his material assets--namely the vital energy, the senses for recording knowledge, the senses for working, the mind and the intelligence--cannot arouse him. He can be aroused only when the Supersoul helps him.
PURPORT
The explanation of Sankhya philosophy is described here in detail in the sense that the virat-purusa, or the universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the original source of all the various sense organs and their presiding deities. The relationship between the virat-purusa and the presiding deities or the living entities is so intricate that simply by exercising the sense organs, which are related to their presiding deities, the virat-purusa cannot be aroused. It is not possible to arouse the virat-purusa or to link with the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead by material activities. Only by devotional service and detachment can one perform the process of linking with the Absolute.
TEXT 72
TEXT
tam asmin pratyag-atmanam
dhiya yoga-pravrttaya
bhaktya viraktya jnanena
vivicyatmani cintayet
SYNONYMS
tam--upon Him; asmin--in this; pratyak-atmanam--the Supersoul; dhiya--with the mind; yoga-pravrttaya--engaged in devotional service; bhaktya--through devotion; viraktya--through detachment; jnanena--through spiritual knowledge; vivicya--considering carefully; atmani--in the body; cintayet--one should contemplate.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it.
PURPORT
One can realize the Supersoul within oneself. He is within one's body but apart from the body, or transcendental to the body. Although sitting in the same body as the individual soul, the Supersoul has no affection for the body, whereas the individual soul does. One has to detach himself, therefore, from this material body, by discharging devotional service. It is clearly mentioned here (bhaktya) that one has to execute devotional service to the Supreme. As it is stated in the First Canto, Second Chapter, of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.7), vasudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogah prayojitah. When Vasudeva, the all-pervading Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is served in completely pure devotion, detachment from the material world immediately begins. The purpose of Sankhya is to detach oneself from material contamination. This can be achieved simply by devotional service to the Supreme personality of Godhead.
When one is detached from the attraction of material prosperity, one can actually concentrate his mind upon the Supersoul. As long as the mind is distracted towards the material, there is no possibility of concentrating one's mind and intelligence upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His partial representation, Supersoul. In other words, one cannot concentrate one's mind and energy upon the Supreme unless one is detached from the material world. Following detachment from the material world, one can actually attain transcendental knowledge of the Absolute Truth. As long as one is entangled in sense enjoyment, or material enjoyment, it is not possible to understand the Absolute Truth. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (18.54). One who is freed from material contamination is joyful and can enter into devotional service, and by devotional service he can be liberated.
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, it is stated that one becomes joyful by discharging devotional service. In that joyful attitude, one can understand the science of God, or Krsna consciousness; otherwise it is not possible. The analytical study of the elements of material nature and the concentration of the mind upon the Supersoul are the sum and substance of the Sankhya philosophical system. The perfection of this sankhya-yoga culminates in devotional service unto the Absolute Truth.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-sixth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Fundamental Principles of Material Nature."