> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 7
> 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 7: "The Science of God"

> *****

> Chapter Twelve - The Perfect Society: Four Spiritual Classes

> *****

> TEXT 1

> srî-nârada uvâca

> brahmacârî guru-kule

> vasan dânto guror hitam

> âcaran dâsavan nîco

> gurau sudrdha-sauhrdah

> srî-nâradah uvâca--Srî Nârada Muni said; brahmacârî--a brahmacârî, a student living at the residence of the guru; guru-kule--at the residence of the guru; vasan--by living; dântah--continuously practicing control of the senses; guroh hitam--only for the benefit of the guru (not for one's personal benefit); âcaran--practicing; dâsa-vat--very humbly, like a slave; nîcah--submissive, obedient; gurau--unto the spiritual master; su-drdha--firmly; sauhrdah--in friendship or good will.

> TRANSLATION

> Narada Muni said: A student should practice completely controlling his senses. He should be submissive and should have an attitude of firm friendship for the spiritual master. With a great vow, the brahmacari should live at the guru-kula, only for the benefit of the guru.

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> TEXT 2

> sâyam prâtar upâsîta

> gurv-agny-arka-surottamân

> sandhye ubhe ca yata-vâg

> japan brahma samâhitah

> sâyam--in the evening; prâtah--in the morning; upâsîta--he should worship; guru--the spiritual master; agni--the fire (by a fire sacrifice); arka--the sun; sura-uttamân--and Lord Visnu, Purusottama, the best of personalities; sandhye--morning and evening; ubhe--both; ca--also; yata-vâk--without talking, being silent; japan--murmuring; brahma--the Gâyatrî mantra; samâhitah--being fully absorbed.

> TRANSLATION

> At both junctions of day and night, namely, in the early morning and in the evening, he should be fully absorbed in thoughts of the spiritual master, fire, the sun-god and Lord Visnu and by chanting the Gayatri mantra he should worship them.

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> TEXT 3

> chandâmsy adhîyîta guror

> âhûtas cet suyantritah

> upakrame 'vasâne ca

> caranau sirasâ namet

> chandâmsi--mantras in the Vedas, like the Hare Krsna mahâ-mantra and the Gâyatrî mantra; adhîyîta--one should chant or read regularly; guroh--from the spiritual master; âhûtah--being addressed or called (by him); cet--if; su-yantritah--faithful, well behaved; upakrame--in the beginning; avasâne--at the end (of reading Vedic mantras); ca--also; caranau--at the lotus feet; sirasâ--by the head; namet--one should offer obeisances.

> TRANSLATION

> Being called by the spiritual master, the student should study the Vedic mantras regularly. Every day, before beginning his studies and at the end of his studies, the disciple should respectfully offer obeisances unto the spiritual master.

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> TEXT 4

> mekhalâjina-vâsâmsi

> jatâ-danda-kamandalûn

> bibhryâd upavîtam ca

> darbha-pânir yathoditam

> mekhalâ--a belt made of straw; ajina-vâsâmsi--garments made of deerskin; jatâ--matted hair; danda--a rod; kamandalûn--and a waterpot known as a kamandalu; bibhryât--he (the brahmacârî) should regularly carry or wear; upavîtam ca--and a sacred thread; darbha-pânih--taking purified kusa in his hand; yathâ uditam--as recommended in the sâstras.

> TRANSLATION

> Carrying pure kusa grass in his hand, the brahmacari should dress regularly with a belt of straw and with deerskin garments. He should wear matted hair, carry a rod and waterpot and be decorated with a sacred thread, as recommended in the sastras.

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> TEXT 5

> sâyam prâtas cared bhaiksyam

> gurave tan nivedayet

> bhunjîta yady anujnâto

> no ced upavaset kvacit

> sâyam--in the evening; prâtah--in the morning; caret--should go out; bhaiksyam--to collect alms; gurave--unto the spiritual master; tat--all that he collects; nivedayet--should offer; bhunjîta--he should eat; yadi--if; anujnâtah--ordered (by the spiritual master); no--otherwise; cet--if; upavaset--should observe fasting; kvacit--sometimes.

> TRANSLATION

> The brahmacari should go out morning and evening to collect alms, and he should offer all that he collects to the spiritual master. He should eat only if ordered to take food by the spiritual master; otherwise, if the spiritual master does not give this order, he may sometimes have to fast.

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> TEXT 6

> susîlo mita-bhug daksah

> sraddadhâno jitendriyah

> yâvad-artham vyavaharet

> strîsu strî-nirjitesu ca

> su-sîlah--very polite and well behaved; mita-bhuk--eating only exactly what he needs, neither more nor less; daksah--expert or without laziness, always busy; sraddadhânah--possessing full faith in the instructions of the sâstra and the spiritual master; jita-indriyah--having full control over the senses; yâvat-artham--as much as necessary; vyavaharet--should behave externally; strîsu--unto women; strî-nirjitesu--men who are henpecked, controlled by women; ca--also.

> TRANSLATION

> A brahmacari should be quite well behaved and gentle and should not eat or collect more than necessary. He must always be active and expert, fully believing in the instructions of the spiritual master and the sastra. Fully controlling his senses, he should associate only as much as necessary with women or those controlled by women.

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> TEXT 7

> varjayet pramadâ-gâthâm

> agrhastho brhad-vratah

> indriyâni pramâthîni

> haranty api yater manah

> varjayet--must give up; pramadâ-gâthâm--talking with women; agrhasthah--a person who has not accepted the grhastha-âsrama (a brahmacârî or sannyâsî); brhat-vratah--invariably observing the vow of celibacy; indriyâni--the senses; pramâthîni--almost always unconquerable; haranti--take away; api--even; yateh--of the sannyâsî; manah--the mind.

> TRANSLATION

> A brahmacari, or one who has not accepted the grhastha-asrama [family life], must rigidly avoid talking with women or about women, for the senses are so powerful that they may agitate even the mind of a sannyasi, a member of the renounced order of life.

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> TEXT 8

> kesa-prasâdhanonmarda-

> snapanâbhyanjanâdikam

> guru-strîbhir yuvatibhih

> kârayen nâtmano yuvâ

> kesa-prasâdhana--brushing the hair; unmarda--massaging the body; snapana--bathing; abhyanjana-âdikam--massaging the body with oil and so on; guru-strîbhih--by the wife of the spiritual master; yuvatibhih--very young; kârayet--should allow to do; na--never; âtmanah--for personal service; yuvâ--if the student is a young man.

> TRANSLATION

> If the wife of the spiritual master is young, a young brahmacari should not allow her to care for his hair, massage his body with oil, or bathe him with affection like a mother.

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> TEXT 9

> nanv agnih pramadâ nâma

> ghrta-kumbha-samah pumân

> sutâm api raho jahyâd

> anyadâ yâvad-artha-krt

> nanu--certainly; agnih--the fire; pramadâ--the woman (one who bewilders the mind of man); nâma--the very name; ghrta-kumbha--a pot of butter; samah--like; pumân--a man; sutâm api--even one's daughter; rahah--in a secluded place; jahyât--one must not associate with; anyadâ--with other women also; yâvat--as much as; artha-krt--required.

> TRANSLATION

> Woman is compared to fire, and man is compared to a butter pot. Therefore a man should avoid associating even with his own daughter in a secluded place. Similarly, he should also avoid association with other women. One should associate with women only for important business and not otherwise.

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> TEXT 10

> kalpayitvâtmanâ yâvad

> âbhâsam idam îsvarah

> dvaitam tâvan na viramet

> tato hy asya viparyayah

> kalpayitvâ--ascertaining positively; âtmanâ--by self-realization; yâvat--as long as; âbhâsam--reflection (of the original body and senses); idam--this (the body and senses); îsvarah--completely independent of illusion; dvaitam--duality; tâvat--for that long; na--does not; viramet--see; tatah--by such duality; hi--indeed; asya--of the person; viparyayah--counteraction.

> TRANSLATION

> As long as a living entity is not completely self-realized--as long as he is not independent of the misconception of identifying with his body, which is nothing but a reflection of the original body and senses--he cannot be relieved of the conception of duality, which is epitomized by the duality between man and woman. Thus there is every chance that he will fall down because his intelligence is bewildered.

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> TEXT 11

> etat sarvam grhasthasya

> samâmnâtam yater api

> guru-vrttir vikalpena

> grhasthasyartu-gâminah

> etat--this; sarvam--all; grhasthasya--of a householder; samâmnâtam--described; yateh api--even of the person in the renounced order; guru-vrttih vikalpena--to follow the orders of the spiritual master; grhasthasya--of the householder; rtu-gâminah--accepting sex only during the period favorable for procreation.

> TRANSLATION

> All the rules and regulations apply equally to the householder and the sannyasi, the member of the renounced order of life. The grhastha, however, is given permission by the spiritual master to indulge in sex during the period favorable for procreation.

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> TEXT 12

> anjanâbhyanjanonmarda-

> stry-avalekhâmisam madhu

> srag-gandha-lepâlankârâms

> tyajeyur ye brhad-vratâh

> anjana--ointment or powder for decorating the eyes; abhyanjana--massaging the head; unmarda--massaging the body; strî-avalekha--to glance over a woman or to paint a woman's picture; âmisam--meat-eating; madhu--drinking liquor or honey; srak--decorating the body with garlands of flowers; gandha-lepa--smearing the body with scented ointment; alankârân--decorating the body with ornaments; tyajeyuh--must give up; ye--those who; brhat-vratâh--have taken the vow of celibacy.

> TRANSLATION

> Brahmacaris or grhasthas who have taken the vow of celibacy as described above should not indulge in the following: applying powder or ointment to the eyes, massaging the head with oil, massaging the body with the hands, seeing a woman or painting a woman's picture, eating meat, drinking wine, decorating the body with flower garlands, smearing scented ointment on the body, or decorating the body with ornaments. These they should give up.

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> TEXTS 13-14

> usitvaivam guru-kule

> dvijo 'dhîtyâvabudhya ca

> trayîm sângopanisadam

> yâvad-artham yathâ-balam

> dattvâ varam anujnâto

> guroh kâmam yadisvarah

> grham vanam vâ praviset

> pravrajet tatra vâ vaset

> usitvâ--residing; evam--in this way; guru-kule--under the care of the spiritual master; dvi-jah--the twice-born, namely the brâhmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas; adhîtya--studying Vedic literature; avabudhya--understanding it properly; ca--and; trayîm--the Vedic literatures; sa-anga--along with supplementary parts; upanisadam--as well as the Upanisads; yâvat-artham--as far as possible; yathâ-balam--as far as one can, according to one's ability;

> dattvâ--giving; varam--remuneration; anujnâtah--being asked; guroh--of the spiritual master; kâmam--desires; yadi--if; îsvarah--capable; grham--household life; vanam--retired life; vâ--either; praviset--one should enter; pravrajet--or get out of; tatra--there; vâ--either; vaset--should reside.

> TRANSLATION

> According to the rules and regulations mentioned above, one who is twice-born, namely a brahmana, ksatriya or vaisya, should reside in the guru-kula under the care of the spiritual master. There he should study and learn all the Vedic literatures along with their supplements and the Upanisads, according to his ability and power to study. If possible, the student or disciple should reward the spiritual master with the remuneration the spiritual master requests, and then, following the master's order, the disciple should leave and accept one of the other asramas, namely the grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, as he desires.

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> TEXT 15

> agnau gurâv âtmani ca

> sarva-bhûtesv adhoksajam

> bhûtaih sva-dhâmabhih pasyed

> apravistam pravistavat

> agnau--in the fire; gurau--in the spiritual master; âtmani--in one's self; ca--also; sarva-bhûtesu--in every living entity; adhoksajam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who cannot be seen or perceived with the material eyes or other material senses; bhûtaih--with all living entities; sva-dhâmabhih--along with His Lordship's paraphernalia; pasyet--one should see; apravistam--not entered; pravista-vat--also entered.

> TRANSLATION

> One should realize that in the fire, in the spiritual master, in one's self and in all living entities--in all circumstances and conditions--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, has simultaneously entered and not entered. He is situated externally and internally as the full controller of everything.

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> TEXT 16

> evam vidho brahmacârî

> vânaprastho yatir grhî

> caran vidita-vijnânah

> param brahmâdhigacchati

> evam vidhah--in this way; brahmacârî--whether one is a brahmacârî; vânaprasthah--or one is in the vânaprastha-âsrama; yatih--or in the sannyâsa-âsrama; grhî--or in the grhastha-âsrama; caran--by practice of self-realization and understanding of the Absolute Truth; vidita-vijnânah--fully conversant with the science of the Absolute Truth; param--the Supreme; brahma--the Absolute Truth; adhigacchati--one can understand.

> TRANSLATION

> By practicing in this way, whether one be in the brahmacari-asrama, grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama or sannyasa-asrama, one must always realize the all-pervading presence of the Supreme Lord, for in this way it is possible to understand the Absolute Truth.

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> TEXT 17

> vânaprasthasya vaksyâmi

> niyamân muni-sammatân

> yân âsthâya munir gacched

> rsi-lokam uhânjasâ

> vânaprasthasya--of a person in the vânaprastha-âsrama (retired life); vaksyâmi--I shall now explain; niyamân--the rules and regulations; muni-sammatân--which are recognized by great munis, philosophers and saintly persons; yân--which; âsthâya--being situated in, or practicing; munih--a saintly person; gacchet--is promoted; rsi-lokam--to the planetary system where the seers and munis go (Maharloka); uha--O King; anjasâ--without difficulty.

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> TEXT 18

> na krsta-pacyam asnîyâd

> akrstam câpy akâlatah

> agni-pakvam athâmam vâ

> arka-pakvam utâharet

> na--not; krsta-pacyam--grains grown by tilling of the field; asnîyât--one should eat; akrstam--grains that have grown without tilling of the field; ca--and; api--also; akâlatah--ripened untimely; agni-pakvam--grains prepared by being cooked in fire; atha--as well as; âmam--mango; vâ--either; arka-pakvam--food ripened naturally by the sunshine; uta--it is so enjoined; âharet--the vânaprastha should eat.

> TRANSLATION

> A person in vanaprastha life should not eat grains grown by tilling of the fields. He should also not eat grains that have grown without tilling of the field but are not fully ripe. Nor should a vanaprastha eat grains cooked in fire. Indeed, he should eat only fruit ripened by the sunshine.

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> TEXT 19

> vanyais caru-purodâsân

> nirvapet kâla-coditân

> labdhe nave nave 'nnâdye

> purânam ca parityajet

> vanyaih--by fruits and grains produced in the forest without cultivation; caru--grains to be offered in a fire sacrifice; purodâsân--the cakes prepared from caru; nirvapet--one should execute; kâla-coditân--that which has grown naturally; labdhe--on obtaining; nave--new; nave anna-âdye--newly produced food grains; purânam--the stock of old grains; ca--and; parityajet--one should give up.

> TRANSLATION

> A vanaprastha should prepare cakes to be offered in sacrifice from fruits and grains grown naturally in the forest. When he obtains some new grains, he should give up his old stock of grains.

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> TEXT 20

> agny-artham eva saranam

> utajam vâdri-kandaram

> srayeta hima-vâyv-agni-

> varsârkâtapa-sât svayam

> agni--the fire; artham--to keep; eva--only; saranam--a cottage; uta-jam--made of grass; vâ--or; adri-kandaram--a cave in a mountain; srayeta--the vânaprastha should take shelter of; hima--snow; vâyu--wind; agni--fire; varsa--rain; arka--of the sun; âtapa--shining; sât--enduring; svayam--personally.

> TRANSLATION

> A vanaprastha should prepare a thatched cottage or take shelter of a cave in a mountain only to keep the sacred fire, but he should personally practice enduring snowfall, wind, fire, rain and the shining of the sun.

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> TEXT 21

> kesa-roma-nakha-smasru-

> malâni jatilo dadhat

> kamandalv-ajine danda-

> valkalâgni-paricchadân

> kesa--hair on the head; roma--hair on the body; nakha--nails; smasru--moustache; malâni--and dirt on the body; jatilah--with matted locks of hair; dadhat--one should keep; kamandalu--a waterpot; ajine--and a deerskin; danda--rod; valkala--the bark of a tree; agni--fire; paricchadân--garments.

> TRANSLATION

> The vanaprastha should wear matted locks of hair on his head and let his body hair, nails and moustache grow. He should not cleanse his body of dirt. He should keep a waterpot, deerskin and rod, wear the bark of a tree as a covering, and use garments colored like fire.

> *****

> TEXT 22

> cared vane dvâdasâbdân

> astau vâ caturo munih

> dvâv ekam vâ yathâ buddhir

> na vipadyeta krcchratah

> caret--should remain; vane--in the forest; dvâdasa-abdân--twelve years; astau--for eight years; vâ--either; caturah--four years; munih--a saintly, thoughtful man; dvau--two; ekam--one; vâ--either; yathâ--as well as; buddhih--intelligence; na--not; vipadyeta--bewildered; krcchratah--because of hard austerities.

> TRANSLATION

> Being very thoughtful, a vanaprastha should remain in the forest for twelve years, eight years, four years, two years or at least one year. He should behave in such a way that he will not be disturbed or troubled by too much austerity.

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> TEXT 23

> yadâkalpah sva-kriyâyâm

> vyâdhibhir jarayâthavâ

> ânvîksikyâm vâ vidyâyâm

> kuryâd anasanâdikam

> yadâ--when; akalpah--unable to act; sva-kriyâyâm--in one's own prescribed duties; vyâdhibhih--because of disease; jarayâ--or because of old age; athavâ--either; ânvîksikyâm--in spiritual advancement; vâ--or; vidyâyâm--in the advancement of knowledge; kuryât--one must do; anasana-âdikam--not take sufficient food.

> TRANSLATION

> When because of disease or old age one is unable to perform his prescribed duties for advancement in spiritual consciousness or study of the Vedas, he should practice fasting, not taking any food.

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> TEXT 24

> âtmany agnîn samâropya

> sannyasyâham mamâtmatâm

> kâranesu nyaset samyak

> sanghâtam tu yathârhatah

> âtmani--in one's self; agnîn--the fire elements within the body; samâropya--properly placing; sannyasya--giving up; aham--false identity; mama--false conception; âtmatâm--of the body's being one's self or one's own; kâranesu--in the five elements that cause the material body; nyaset--one should merge; samyak--completely; sanghâtam--combination; tu--but; yathâ-arhatah--as it befits.

> TRANSLATION

> He should properly place the fire element in his own self and in this way give up bodily affinity, by which one thinks the body to be one's self or one's own. One should gradually merge the material body into the five elements [earth, water, fire, air and sky].

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> TEXT 25

> khe khâni vâyau nisvâsâms

> tejahsûsmânam âtmavân

> apsv asrk-slesma-pûyâni

> ksitau sesam yathodbhavam

> khe--in the sky; khâni--all the holes of the body; vâyau--in the air; nisvâsân--all the different airs moving within the body (prâna, apâna, etc.); tejahsu--in fire; usmânam--the heat of the body; âtma-vân--a person who knows the self; apsu--in water; asrk--blood; slesma--mucus; pûyâni--and urine; ksitau--in the earth; sesam--the remaining (namely skin, bones and the other hard things in the body); yathâ-udbhavam--wherefrom all of them grew.

> TRANSLATION

> A sober, self-realized person who has full knowledge should merge the various parts of the body in their original sources. The holes in the body are caused by the sky, the process of breathing is caused by the air, the heat of the body is caused by fire, and semen, blood and mucus are caused by water. The hard substances, like skin, muscle and bone, are caused by earth. In this way all the constituents of the body are caused by various elements, and they should be merged again into those elements.

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> TEXTS 26-28

> vâcam agnau savaktavyâm

> indre silpam karâv api

> padâni gatyâ vayasi

> ratyopastham prajâpata

> mrtyau pâyum visargam ca

> yathâ-sthânam vinirdiset

> diksu srotram sa-nâdena

> sparsenâdhyâtmani tvacam

> rûpâni caksusâ râjan

> jyotisy abhinivesayet

> apsu pracetasâ jihvâm

> ghreyair ghrânam ksitau nyaset

> vâcam--speech; agnau--in the fire-god (the personified god controlling fire); sa-vaktavyâm--with the subject matter of speaking; indre--unto King Indra; silpam--craftsmanship or the capacity to work with the hands; karau--as well as the hands; api--indeed; padâni--the legs; gatyâ--with the power to move; vayasi--unto Lord Visnu; ratyâ--sexual desire; upastham--with the genitals; prajâpatau--unto Prajâpati;

> mrtyau--unto the demigod known as Mrtyu; pâyum--the rectum; visargam--with its activity, evacuation; ca--also; yathâ-sthânam--in the proper place; vinirdiset--one should indicate; diksu--unto different directions; srotram--the aural sense; sa-nâdena--with sound vibration; sparsena--with touch; adhyâtmani--unto the wind-god; tvacam--the sense of touch;

> rûpâni--form; caksusâ--with eyesight; râjan--O King; jyotisi--in the sun; abhinivesayet--one should endow; apsu--unto water; pracetasâ--with the demigod known as Varuna; jihvâm--the tongue; ghreyaih--with the object of smell; ghrânam--the power to smell; ksitau--in the earth; nyaset--one should give.

> TRANSLATION

> Thereafter, the object of speech, along with the sense of speech [the tongue], should be bestowed upon fire. Craftsmanship and the two hands should be given to the demigod Indra. The power of movement and the legs should be given to Lord Visnu. Sensual pleasure, along with the genitals, should be bestowed upon Prajapati. The rectum, with the power of evacuation, should be bestowed, in its proper place, unto Mrtyu. The aural instrument, along with sound vibration, should be given to the deities presiding over the directions. The instrument of touch, along with the sense objects of touch, should be given to Vayu. Form, with the power of sight, should be bestowed upon the sun. The tongue, along with the demigod Varuna, should be bestowed upon water, and the power of smell, along with the two Asvini-kumara demigods, should be bestowed upon the earth.

> *****

> TEXTS 29-30

> mano manorathais candre

> buddhim bodhyaih kavau pare

> karmâny adhyâtmanâ rudre

> yad-aham mamatâ-kriyâ

> sattvena cittam ksetra-jne

> gunair vaikârikam pare

> apsu ksitim apo jyotisy

> ado vâyau nabhasy amum

> kûtasthe tac ca mahati

> tad avyakte 'ksare ca tat

> manah--the mind; manorathaih--along with material desires; candre--unto Candra, the mood demigod; buddhim--intelligence; bodhyaih--with the subject matter of intelligence; kavau pare--unto the supreme learned person, Lord Brahmâ; karmâni--material activities; adhyâtmanâ--with false ego; rudre--unto Lord Siva (Rudra); yat--wherein; aham--I am the material body; mamatâ--everything belonging to the material body is mine; kriyâ--such activities; sattvena--along with the existential conception; cittam--consciousness; ksetra-jne--unto the individual soul; gunaih--along with the material activities conducted by the material qualities; vaikârikam--the living entities under the influence of the material modes; pare--in the Supreme Being;

> apsu--in the water; ksitim--the earth; apah--the water; jyotisi--in the luminaries, specifically in the sun; adah--brightness; vâyau--in the air; nabhasi--in the sky; amum--that; kûtasthe--in the materialistic conception of life; tat--that; ca--also; mahati--in the mahat-tattva, the total material energy; tat--that; avyakte--in the nonmanifested; aksare--in the Supersoul; ca--also; tat--that.

> *****

> TEXT 31

> ity aksaratayâtmânam

> cin-mâtram avasesitam

> jnâtvâdvayo 'tha viramed

> dagdha-yonir ivânalah

> iti--thus; aksaratayâ--because of being spiritual; âtmânam--oneself (the individual soul); cit-mâtram--completely spiritual; avasesitam--the remaining balance (after the material elements are merged, one after another, into the original Supersoul); jnâtvâ--understanding; advayah--without differentiation, or of the same quality as the Paramâtmâ; atha--thus; viramet--one should cease from material existence; dagdha-yonih--whose source (the wood) has burnt up; iva--like; analah--flames.

> TRANSLATION

> When all the material designations have thus merged into their respective material elements, the living beings, who are all ultimately completely spiritual, being one in quality with the Supreme Being, should cease from material existence, as flames cease when the wood in which they are burning is consumed. When the material body is returned to its various material elements, only the spiritual being remains. This spiritual being is Brahman and is equal in quality with Parabrahman.

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