> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 6
> Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> Canto 6

> *******

> Chapter Fifteen: The Saints Narada and Angira Instruct King Citraketu

> *******

> TEXT 1

> srî-suka uvâca

> ûcatur mrtakopânte

> patitam mrtakopamam

> sokâbhibhûtam râjânam

> bodhayantau sad-uktibhih

> srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; ûcatuh--they spoke; mrtaka--the dead body; upânte--near; patitam--fallen; mrtaka-upamam--exactly like another dead body; soka-abhibhûtam--very much aggrieved by lamentation; râjânam--to the King; bodhayantau--giving instruction; sat-uktibhih--by instructions that are factual, not temporary.

> TRANSLATION

> Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: While King Citraketu, overcome by lamentation, lay like a dead body at the side of the dead body of his son, the two great sages Narada and Angira instructed him about spiritual consciousness as follows.

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> TEXT 2

> ko 'yam syât tava râjendra

> bhavân yam anusocati

> tvam câsya katamah srstau

> puredânîm atah param

> kah--who; ayam--this; syât--is; tava--to you; râja-indra--O best of kings; bhâvan--Your Lordship; yam--whom; anusocati--laments over; tvam--you; ca--and; asya--to him (the dead boy); katamah--who; srstau--in the birth; purâ--previously; idânîm--at this time, at the present; atah param--and hereafter, in the future.

> TRANSLATION

> O King, what relationship does the dead body for which you lament have with you, and what relationship do you have with him? You may say that you are now related as father and son, but do you think this relationship existed before? Does it truly exist now? Will it continue in the future?

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> TEXT 3

> yathâ prayânti samyânti

> sroto-vegena bâlukâh

> samyujyante viyujyante

> tathâ kâlena dehinah

> yathâ--just as; prayânti--move apart; samyânti--come together: srotah-vegena--by the force of waves; bâlukâh--the small particles of sand; samyujyante--they are united; viyujyante--they are separated: tathâ--similarly; kâlena--by time; dehinah--the living entities who have accepted material bodies.

> TRANSLATION

> O King, as small particles of sand sometimes come together and are sometimes separated due to the force of the waves, the living entities who have accepted material bodies sometimes come together and are sometimes separated by the force of time.

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> TEXT 4

> yathâ dhânâsu vai dhânâ

> bhavanti na bhavanti ca

> evam bhûtâni bhûtesu

> coditânîsa-mâyayâ

> yathâ--just as; dhânâsu--through seeds of paddy; vai--indeed; dhânâh--grains; bhavanti--are generated; na--not; bhavanti--are generated; ca--also; evam--in this way; bhûtâni--the living entities; bhûtesu--in other living entities; coditâni--impelled; îsa-mâyayâ--by the potency or power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> TRANSLATION

> When seeds are sown in the ground, they sometimes grow into plants and sometimes do not. Sometimes the ground is not fertile, and the sowing of seeds is unproductive. Similarly, sometimes a prospective father, being impelled by the potency of the Supreme Lord, can beget a child, but sometimes conception does not take place. Therefore one should not lament over the artificial relationship of parenthood, which is ultimately controlled by the Supreme Lord.

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> TEXT 5

> vayam ca tvam ca ye ceme

> tulya-kâlâs carâcarâh

> janma-mrtyor yathâ pascât

> prân naivam adhunâpi bhoh

> vayam--we (the great sages and the ministers and adherents of the King); ca--and; tvam--you; ca--also; ye--who; ca--also; ime--these; tulya-kâlâh--assembled at the same time; cara-acarâh--moving and not moving; janma--birth; mrtyoh--and death; yathâ--just as; pascât--after; prâk--before; na--not; evam--thus; adhunâ--at present; api--although; bhoh--O King.

> TRANSLATION

> O King, both you and us--your advisers, wives and ministers--as well as everything moving and not moving throughout the entire cosmos at this time, are in a temporary situation. Before our birth this situation did not exist, and after our death it will exist no longer. Therefore our situation now is temporary, although it is not false.

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> TEXT 6

> bhûtair bhûtâni bhûtesah

> srjaty avati hanti ca

> âtma-srstair asvatantrair

> anapekso 'pi bâlavat

> bhûtaih--by some living beings; bhûtâni--other living entities; bhûta-îsah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of everything; srjati--creates; avati--maintains; hanti--kills; ca--also; âtma-srstaih--who are created by Him; asvatantraih--not independent; anapeksah--not interested (in creation); api--although; bâla-vat--like a boy.

> TRANSLATION

> The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master and proprietor of everything, is certainly not interested in the temporary cosmic manifestation. Nonetheless, just as a boy at the beach creates something in which he is not interested, the Lord, keeping everything under His control, causes creation, maintenance and annihilation. He creates by engaging a father to beget a son, He maintains by engaging a government or king to see to the public's welfare, and He annihilates through agents for killing, such as snakes. The agents for creation, maintenance and annihilation have no independent potency, but because of the spell of the illusory energy, one thinks himself the creator, maintainer and annihilator.

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> TEXT 7

> dehena dehino râjan

> dehâd deho 'bhijâyate

> bîjâd eva yathâ bîjam

> dehy artha iva sâsvatah

> dehena--by the body; dehinah--of the father possessing a material body; râjan--O King; dehât--from the body (of the mother); dehah--another body; abhijâyate--takes birth; bîjât--from one seed; eva--indeed; yathâ--just as; bîjam--another seed; dehî--a person who has accepted a material body; arthah--the material elements; iva--like: sâsvatah--eternal.

> TRANSLATION

> As from one seed another seed is generated, O King, so from one body [the body of the father], through another body [the body of the mother], a third body is generated [the body of a son]. As the elements of the material body are eternal, the living entity who appears through these material elements is also eternal.

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> TEXT 8

> deha-dehi-vibhâgo 'yam

> aviveka-krtah purâ

> jâti-vyakti-vibhâgo 'yam

> yathâ vastuni kalpitah

> deha--of this body; dehi--and the proprietor of the body; vibhâgah--the division; ayam--this; aviveka--from ignorance; krtah--made; purâ--from time immemorial; jâti--of the class or caste; vyakti--and the individual; vibhâgah--division; ayam--this; yathâ--just as; vastuni--in the original object; kalpitah--imagined.

> TRANSLATION

> Divisions of generalization and specification, such as nationality and individuality, are the imaginations of persons who are not advanced in knowledge.

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> TEXT 9

> srî-suka uvâca

> evam âsvâsito râjâ

> citraketur dvijoktibhih

> vimrjya pâninâ vaktram

> âdhi-mlânam abhâsata

> srî-sukah uvâca--Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî said; evam--thus; âsvâsitah--being enlightened or given hope; râjâ--the King; citraketuh--Citraketu; dvija-uktibhih--by the instructions of the great brâhmanas (Nârada and Angirâ Rsi); vimrjya--wiping off; pâninâ--by the hand; vaktram--his face; âdhi-mlânam--shriveled due to lamentation; abhâsata--spoke intelligently.

> TRANSLATION

> Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Thus enlightened by the instructions of Narada and Angira, King Citraketu became hopeful with knowledge. Wiping his shriveled face with his hand, the King began to speak.

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> TEXT 10

> srî-râjovâca

> kau yuvâm jnâna-sampannau

> mahisthau ca mahîyasâm

> avadhûtena vesena

> gûdhâv iha samâgatau

> srî-râjâ uvâca--King Citraketu said; kau--who; yuvâm--you two; jnâna-sampannau--fully developed in knowledge; mahisthau--the greatest; ca--also; mahîyasâm--among other great personalities; avadhûtena--of the liberated wandering mendicants; vesena--by the dress; gûdhau--disguised; iha--in this place; samâgatau--arrived.

> TRANSLATION

> King Citraketu said: You have both come here dressed like avadhutas, liberated persons, just to cover your identities, but I see that of all men, you are the most elevated in awareness. You know everything as it is. Therefore you are the greatest of all great personalities.

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> TEXT 11

> caranti hy avanau kâmam

> brâhmanâ-bhagavat-priyâh

> mâdrsâm grâmya-buddhînâm

> bodhâyonmatta-linginah

> caranti--wander; hi--indeed; avanau--on the surface of the world; kâmam--according to desire; brâhmanâh--the brâhmanas; bhagavat-priyâh--who are also Vaisnavas, very dear to the Personality of Godhead; mâ-drsâm--of those like me; grâmya-buddhînâm--who are obsessed with temporary material consciousness; bodhâya--for the awakening; unmatta-linginah--who dress as if madmen.

> TRANSLATION

> Brahmanas who are exalted to the position of Vaisnavas, the most dear servants of Krsna, sometimes dress like madmen. Just to benefit materialists like us, who are always attached to sense gratification, and just to dissipate our ignorance, these Vaisnavas wander on the surface of the globe according to their desire.

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> TEXT 12-15

> kumâro nârada rbhur

> angirâ devalo 'sitah

> apântaratamâ vyâso

> mârkandeyo 'tha gautamah

> vasistho bhagavân râmah

> kapilo bâdarâyanih

> durvâsâ yâjnavalkyas ca

> jâtukarnas tathârunih

> romasas cyavano datta

> âsurih sapatanjalih

> rsir veda-sirâ dhaumyo

> munih pancasikhas tathâ

> hiranyanâbhah kausalyah

> srutadeva rtadhvajah

> ete pare ca siddhesâs

> caranti jnâna-hetavah

> kumârah--Sanat-kumâra; nâradah--Nârada Muni; rbhuh--Rbhu; angirâh--Angirâ; devalah--Devala; asitah--Asita; apântaratamâh--Vyâsa's previous name, Apântaratamâ; vyâsah--Vyâsa; mârkandeyah--Mârkandeya; atha--and; gautamah--Gautama;

> vasisthah--Vasistha; bhagavân râmah--Lord Parasurâma; kapilah--Kapila; bâdarâyanih--Sukadeva Gosvâmî; durvâsâh--Durvâsâ; yâjnavalkyah--Yâjnavalkya; ca--also; jâtukarnah--Jâtukarna; tathâ--as well as; arunih--Aruni;

> romasah--Romasa; cyavanah--Cyavana; dattah--Dattâtreya; âsurih--Âsuri; sa-patanjalih--with Patanjali Rsi; rsih--the sage; veda-sirâh--the head of the Vedas; dhaumyah--Dhaumya; munih--the sage; pancasikhah--Pancasikha; tathâ--so also;

> hiranyanâbhah--Hiranyanâbha; kausalyah--Kausalya; srutadevah--Srutadeva; rtadhvajah--Rtadhvaja; ete--all of these; pare--others; ca--and; siddha-îsâh--the masters of mystic power; caranti--wander; jnâna-hetavah--very learned persons who preach all over the world.

> TRANSLATION

> O great souls, I have heard that among the great and perfect persons wandering the surface of the earth to instruct knowledge to people covered by ignorance are Sanat-kumara, Narada, Rbhu, Angira, Devala, Asita, Apantaratama [Vyasadeva], Markandeya, Gautama, Vasistha, Bhagavan Parasurama, Kapila, Sukadeva, Durvasa, Yajnavalkya, Jatukarna and Aruni. Others are Romasa, Cyavana, Dattatreya, Asuri, Patanjali, the great sage Dhaumya who is like the head of the Vedas, the sage Pancasikha, Hiranyanabha, Kausalya, Srutadeva and Rtadhvaja. You must certainly be among them.

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> TEXT 16

> tasmâd yuvâm grâmya-pasor

> mama mûdha-dhiyah prabhû

> andhe tamasi magnasya

> jnâna-dîpa udîryatâm

> tasmât--therefore; yuvâm--both of you; grâmya-pasoh--of an animal like a hog, pig or dog; mama--me; mûdha-dhiyah--who am very foolish (due to having no spiritual knowledge); prabhû--O my two lords; andhe--in blind; tamasi--darkness; magnasya--of one who is absorbed; jnâna-dîpah--the torchlight of knowledge; udîryatâm--let it be ignited.

> TRANSLATION

> Because you are great personalities, you can give me real knowledge. I am as foolish as a village animal like a pig or dog because I am merged in the darkness of ignorance. Therefore, please ignite the torch of knowledge to save me.

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> TEXT 17

> srî-angirâ uvâca

> aham te putra-kâmasya

> putrado 'smy angirâ nrpa

> esa brahma-sutah sâksân

> nârado bhagavân rsih

> srî-angirâh uvâca--the great sage Angirâ said; aham--I; te--of you; putra-kâmasya--desiring to have a son; putra-dah--the giver of the son; asmi--am; angirâh--Angirâ Rsi; nrpa--O King; esah--this; brahma-sutah--the son of Lord Brahmâ; sâksât--directly; nâradah--Nârada Muni; bhagavân--the most powerful; rsih--sage.

> TRANSLATION

> Angira said: My dear King, when you desired to have a son, I approached you. Indeed, I am the same Angira Rsi who gave you this son. As for this rsi, he is the great sage Narada, the direct son of Lord Brahma

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> TEXT 18-19

> ittham tvâm putra-sokena

> magnim tamasi dustare

> atad-arham anusmrtya

> mahâpurusa-gocaram

> anugrahâya bhavatah

> prâptâv âvâm iha prabho

> brahmanyo bhagavad-bhakto

> nâvâsâditum arhasi

> ittham--in this way; tvâm--you; putra-sokena--because of grief at the death of your son; magnam--merged; tamasi--in darkness; dustare--insurmountable; a-tat-arham--unsuitable for a person like you; anusmrtya--remembering; mahâ-purusa--the Supreme Personality of Godhead;

> gocaram--who are advanced in understanding; anugrahâya--just to show favor; bhavatah--toward you; prâptau--arrived; âvâm--we two; iha--in this place; prabho--O King; brahmanyah--one who is situated in the Supreme Absolute Truth; bhagavat-bhaktah--an advanced devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na--not; avâsâditum--to lament; arhasi--you deserve.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, you are an advanced devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To be absorbed in lamentation for the loss of something material is unsuitable for a person like you. Therefore we have both come to relieve you from this false lamentation, which is due to your being merged in the darkness of ignorance. For those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge to be affected by material loss and gain is not at all desirable.

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> TEXT 20

> tadaiva te param jnânam

> dadâmi grham âgatah

> jnâtvânyâbhinivesam te

> putram eva dadâmy aham

> tadâ--then; eva--indeed; te--unto you; param--transcendental; jnânam--knowledge; dadâmi--I would have delivered; grham--to your home; âgatah--came; jnâtvâ--knowing; anya-abhinivesam--absorption in something else (in material things); te--your; putram--a son: eva--only; dadâmi--gave; aham--I.

> TRANSLATION

> When I first came to your home, I could have given you the supreme transcendental knowledge, but when I saw that your mind was absorbed in material things, I gave you only a son, who caused you jubilation and lamentation.

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> TEXT 21-23

> adhunâ putrinâm tâpo

> bhavataivânubhûyate

> evam dârâ grhâ râyo

> vividhaisvarya-sampadah

> sabdâdayas ca visayâs

> calâ râjya-vibhûtayah

> mahî râjyam balam koso

> bhrtyâmâtya-suhrj janâh

> sarve 'pi sûraseneme

> soka-moha-bhayârtidâh

> gandharva-nagara-prakhyâh

> svapna-mâyâ-manorathâh

> adhunâ--at the present moment; putrinâm--of persons who have children; tâpah--the tribulation; bhavatâ--by you; eva--indeed; anubhûyate--is experienced; evam--in this way; dârâh--good wife; grhâh--residence; râyah--riches; vividha--various; aisvarya--opulences; sampadah--prosperities;

> sabda-âdayah--sound and so on; ca--and; visayâh--the objects of sense gratification; calâh--temporary; râjya--of the kingdom; vibhûtayah--opulences; mahî--land; râjyam--kingdom; balam--strength; kosah--treasury; bhrtya--servants; amâtya--ministers; suhrt janâh--allies;

> sarve--all; api--indeed; sûrasena--O King of Sûrasena; ime--these; soka--of lamentation; moha--of illusion; bhaya--of fear; arti--and distress: dâh--givers; gandharva-nagara-prakhyâh--headed by the illusory sight of a gandharva-nagara, a big palace within the forest; svapna--dreams; mâyâ--illusions; manorathâh--and concoctions of the mind.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, now you are actually experiencing the misery of a person who has sons and daughters. O King, owner of the state of Surasena, one's wife, his house, the opulence of his kingdom, and his various other opulences and objects of sense perception are all the same in that they are temporary. One's kingdom, military power, treasury, servants, ministers, friends and relatives are all causes of fear, illusion, lamentation and distress. They are like a gandharva-nagara, a nonexistent palace that one imagines to exist in the forest. Because they are impermanent, they are no better than illusions, dreams and mental concoctions.

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> TEXT 24

> drsyamânâ vinârthena

> na drsyante manobhavâh

> karmabhir dhyâyato nânâ-

> karmâni manaso 'bhavan

> drsyamânâh--being perceived; vinâ--without; arthena--substance or reality; na--not; drsyante--are seen; manobhavâh--creations of mental concoction; karmabhih--by fruitive activities; dhyâyatah--meditating upon; nânâ--various; karmâni--fruitive activities; manasah--from the mind; abhavan--appear.

> TRANSLATION

> These visible objects like wife, children and property are like dreams and mental concoctions. Actually what we see has no permanent existence. It is sometimes seen and sometimes not. Only because of our past actions do we create such mental concoctions, and because of these concoctions, we perform further activities.

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> TEXT 25

> ayam hi dehino deho

> dravya jnâna-kriyâtmakah

> dehino vividha-klesa-

> santâpa-krd udâhrtah

> ayam--this; hi--certainly; dehinah--of the living entity; dehah--body; dravya jnâna-kriyâ-âtmakah--consisting of the material elements, the senses for acquiring knowledge, and the acting senses; dehinah--of the living entity; vividha--various; klesa--sufferings; santâpa--and of pains; krt--the cause; udâhrtah--is declared.

> TRANSLATION

> The living entity in the bodily conception of life is absorbed in the body, which is a combination of the physical elements, the five senses for gathering knowledge, and the five senses of action, along with the mind. Through the mind the living entity suffers three kinds of tribulations--adhibhautika, adhidaivika and adhyatmika. Therefore this body is a source of all miseries.

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> TEXT 26

> tasmât svasthena manasâ

> vimrsya gatim âtmanah

> dvaite dhruvârtha-visrambham

> tyajopasamam âvisa

> tasmât--therefore; svasthena--with a careful; manasâ--mind; vimrsya--considering; gatim--real position; âtmanah--of yourself; dvaite--in the duality; dhruva--as permanent; artha--object; visrambham--belief; tyaja--give up; upasamam--a peaceful condition; âvisa--take to.

> TRANSLATION

> Therefore, O King Citraketu, carefully consider the position of the atma. In other words, try to understand who you are--whether body, mind or soul. Consider where you have come from, where you are going after giving up this body, and why you are under the control of material lamentation. Try to understand your real position in this way, and then you will be able to give up your unnecessary attachment. You will also be able to give up the belief that this material world, or anything not directly in touch with service to Krsna, is eternal. Thus you will obtain peace.

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> TEXT 27

> srî-nârada uvâca

> etâm mantropanisadam

> pratîccha prayato mama

> yâm dhârayan sapta-râtrâd

> drastâ sankarsanam vibhum

> srî-nâradah uvâca--Srî Nârada Muni said; etâm--this; mantra-upanisadam--Upanisad in the form of a mantra by which one can achieve the highest goal of life; pratîccha--accept; prayatah--with great attention (after finishing the funeral ceremony of your dead son); mama--from me; yâm--which; dhârayan--accepting; sapta-râtrât--after seven nights; drastâ--you will see; sankarsanam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sankarsana; vibhum--the Lord.

> TRANSLATION

> The great sage Narada continued: My dear King, attentively receive from me a mantra, which is most auspicious. After accepting it from me, in seven nights you will be able to see the Lord face to face.

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> TEXT 28

> yat-pâda-mûlam upasrtya narendra pûrve

> sarvâdayo bhramam imam dvitayam visrjya

> sadyas tadîyam atulânadhikam mahitvam

> prâpur bhavân api param na cirâd upaiti

> yat-pâda-mûlam--the lotus feet of whom (Lord Sankarsana); upasrtya--obtaining shelter at; nara-indra--O King; pûrve--formerly; sarva-âdayah--great demigods like Lord Mahâdeva; bhramam--illusion; imam--this; dvitayam--consisting of duality; visrjya--giving up; sadyah--immediately; tadîyam--His; atula--unequaled; anadhi-kam--unsurpassed; mahitvam--glories; prâpuh--achieved; bhavân--yourself; api--also; param--the supreme abode; na--not; cirât--after a long time; upaiti--will obtain.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, in former days Lord Siva and other demigods took shelter of the lotus feet of Sankarsana. Thus they immediately got free from the illusion of duality and achieved unequaled and unsurpassed glories in spiritual life. You will very soon attain that very same position.

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