> > S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 11
> > 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 11: 'General History'

> > ******

> > Chapter Ten: The Nature of Fruitive Activity

> > TEXT 1

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca

> > mayoditeshv avahitah

> > sva-dharmeshu mad-âs'rayah

> > varnâs'rama-kulâcâram

> > akâmâtmâ samâcaret

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; mayâ - by Me; uditeshu - spoken; avahitah - with great care; sva-dharmeshu - in the duties of devotional service to the Lord; mat-âs'rayah - one who accepts Me as shelter; varna-âs'rama - the Vedic system of social and occupational divisions; kula - of the society; âcâram - conduct; akâma - devoid of material desires; âtmâ - such a person; samâcaret - should practice.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Supreme Personality of Godhead said - Taking full shelter in Me, with the mind carefully fixed in the devotional service of the Lord as spoken by Me, one should live without personal desire and practice the social and occupational system called varnâs'rama.

> > ******

> > TEXT 2

> > anvîksheta vis'uddhâtmâ

> > dehinâm vishayâtmanâm

> > guneshu tattva-dhyânena

> > sarvârambha-viparyayam

> > anvîksheta - one should see; vis'uddha - purified; âtmâ - soul; dehinâm - of the embodied beings; vishaya-âtmanâm - of those who are dedicated to sense gratification; guneshu - in the material objects of pleasure; tattva - as truth; dhyânena - by conceiving; sarva - of all; ârambha - endeavors; viparyayam - the inevitable failure.

> > TRANSLATION

> > A purified soul should see that because the conditioned souls who are dedicated to sense gratification have falsely accepted the objects of sense pleasure as truth, all of their endeavors are doomed to failure.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3

> > suptasya vishayâloko

> > dhyâyato vâ manorathah

> > nânâtmakatvâd viphalas

> > tathâ bhedâtma-dhîr gunaih

> > suptasya - of one who is sleeping; vishaya - sense gratification; âlokah - seeing; dhyâyatah - of one who is meditating; vâ - or; manah-rathah - merely a creation of the mind; nânâ - a large variety; âtmakatvât - due to having the nature of; viphalah - bereft of the real perfection; tathâ - in that way; bheda-âtma - in that which is separately constituted; dhîh - intelligence; gunaih - by the material senses.

> > TRANSLATION

> > One who is sleeping may see many objects of sense gratification in a dream, but such pleasurable things are merely creations of the mind and are thus ultimately useless. Similarly, the living entity who is asleep to his spiritual identity also sees many sense objects, but these innumerable objects of temporary gratification are creations of the Lord's illusory potency and have no permanent existence. One who meditates upon them, impelled by the senses, uselessly engages his intelligence.

> > ******

> > TEXT 4

> > nivrittam karma seveta

> > pravrittam mat-paras tyajet

> > jijn'âsâyâm sampravritto

> > nâdriyet karma-codanâm

> > nivrittam - regulative duties; karma - such work; seveta - one should perform; pravrittam - activities for sense gratification; mat-parah - one who is dedicated to Me; tyajet - should give up; jijn'âsâyâm - in searching for spiritual truth; sampravrittah - being perfectly engaged; na - not; âdriyet - one should accept; karma - any material activity; codanâm - injunctions governing.

> > TRANSLATION

> > One who has fixed Me within his mind as the goal of life should give up activities based on sense gratification and should instead execute work governed by the regulative principles for advancement. When, however, one is fully engaged in searching out the ultimate truth of the soul, one should not accept the scriptural injunctions governing fruitive activities.

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > yamân abhîkshnam seveta

> > niyamân mat-parah kvacit

> > mad-abhijn'am gurum s'ântam

> > upâsîta mad-âtmakam

> > yamân - major regulative principles, such as not to kill; abhîkshnam - always; seveta - one should observe; niyamân - minor regulations, such as cleansing the body; mat-parah - one who is devoted to Me; kvacit - as far as possible; mat-abhijn'am - one who knows Me as I am in My personal form; gurum - the spiritual master; s'ântam - peaceful; upâsîta - one should serve; mat-âtmakam - who is not different from Me.

> > TRANSLATION

> > One who has accepted Me as the supreme goal of life should strictly observe the scriptural injunctions forbidding sinful activities and, as far as possible, should execute the injunctions prescribing minor regulative duties such as cleanliness. Ultimately, however, one should approach a bona fide spiritual master who is full in knowledge of Me as I am, who is peaceful, and who by spiritual elevation is not different from Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 6

> > amâny amatsaro daksho

> > nirmamo dridha-sauhridah

> > asatvaro 'rtha-jijn'âsur

> > anasûyur amogha-vâk

> > amânî - without false ego; amatsarah - not considering oneself to be the doer; dakshah - without laziness; nirmamah - without any sense of proprietorship over one's wife, children, home, society, etc.; dridha-sauhridah - being fixed in the mood of loving friendship with the spiritual master, who is one's worshipable deity; asatvarah - without becoming bewildered due to material passion; artha-jijn'âsuh - desiring knowledge of the Absolute Truth; anasûyuh - free from envy; amogha-vâk - completely free from useless conversation.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > jâyâpatya-griha-kshetra-

> > svajana-dravinâdishu

> > udâsînah samam pas'yan

> > sarveshv artham ivâtmanah

> > jâyâ - to wife; apatya - children; griha - home; kshetra - land; svajana - relatives and friends; dravina - bank account; âdishu - and so on; udâsînah - remaining indifferent; samam - equally; pas'yan - seeing; sarveshu - in all of these; artham - purpose; iva - like; âtmanah - of oneself.

> > TRANSLATION

> > One should see one's real self-interest in life in all circumstances and should therefore remain detached from wife, children, home, land, relatives, friends, wealth and so on.

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > vilakshanah sthûla-sûkshmâd

> > dehâd âtmekshitâ sva-drik

> > yathâgnir dâruno dâhyâd

> > dâhako 'nyah prakâs'akah

> > vilakshanah - having different characteristics; sthûla - from the gross; sûkshmât - and the subtle; dehât - from the body; âtmâ - the spirit soul; îkshitâ - the seer; sva-drik - self-enlightened; yathâ - just as; agnih - fire; dârunah - from firewood; dâhyât - from that which is to be burned; dâhakah - that which burns; anyah - other; prakâs'akah - that which illuminates.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Just as fire, which burns and illuminates, is different from firewood, which is to be burned to give illumination, similarly the seer within the body, the self-enlightened spirit soul, is different from the material body, which is to be illuminated by consciousness. Thus the spirit soul and the body possess different characteristics and are separate entities.

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > nirodhotpatty-anu-brihan-

> > nânâtvam tat-kritân gunân

> > antah pravistha âdhatta

> > evam deha-gunân parah

> > nirodha - dormancy; utpatti - manifestation; anu - tiny; brihat - large; nânâtvam - the variety of characteristics; tat-kritân - produced by that; gunân - qualities; antah - within; pravisthah - having entered; âdhatte - accepts; evam - thus; deha - of the material body; gunân - qualities; parah - the transcendental entity.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Just as fire may appear differently as dormant, manifest, weak, brilliant and so on, according to the condition of the fuel, similarly, the spirit soul enters a material body and accepts particular bodily characteristics.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > yo 'sau gunair viracito

> > deho 'yam purushasya hi

> > samsâras tan-nibandho 'yam

> > pumso vidyâ cchid âtmanah

> > yah - which; asau - that(subtle body); gunaih - by the material modes; viracitah - constructed; dehah - the body; ayam - this (gross body); purushasya - of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hi - certainly; samsârah - material existence; tat-nibandhah - tied to that; ayam - this; pumsah - of the living entity; vidyâ - knowledge; chit - that which cuts apart; âtmanah - of the soul.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The subtle and gross material bodies are created by the material modes of nature, which expand from the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Material existence occurs when the living entity falsely accepts the qualities of the gross and subtle bodies as being his own factual nature. This illusory state, however, can be destroyed by real knowledge.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > tasmâj jijn'âsayâtmânam

> > âtma-stham kevalam param

> > sangamya nirased etad

> > vastu-buddhim yathâ-kramam

> > tasmât - therefore; jijn'âsayâ - by the cultivation of knowledge; âtmânam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; âtma - within oneself; stham - situated; kevalam - pure; param - transcendental and supreme; sangamya - approaching by realized knowledge; niraset - one should give up; etat - this; vastu - within material objects; buddhim - concept of reality; yathâ-kramam - gradually, step by step.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Therefore, by the cultivation of knowledge one should approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead situated within oneself. By understanding the Lord's pure, transcendental existence, one should gradually give up the false vision of the material world as independent reality.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > âcâryo 'ranir âdyah syâd

> > ante-vâsy uttarâranih

> > tat-sandhânam pravacanam

> > vidyâ-sandhih sukhâvahah

> > âcâryah - the spiritual master; aranih - sacred kindling wood used in the sacrificial fire; âdyah - held beneath; syât - is to be considered; ante-vâsî - the disciple; uttara - at the top; aranih - kindling wood; tat-sandhânam - the stick in the middle, which connects the upper and lower wood; pravacanam - instructions; vidyâ - transcendental knowledge; sandhih - like the fire, arising from the friction, that spreads throughout the firewood; sukha - happiness; âvahah - bringing.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The spiritual master can be compared to the lower kindling stick, the disciple to the upper kindling stick, and the instruction given by the guru to the third stick placed in between. The transcendental knowledge communicated from guru to disciple is compared to the fire arising from the contact of these, which burns the darkness of ignorance to ashes, bringing great happiness both to guru and disciple.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > vais'âradî sâti-vis'uddha-buddhir

> > dhunoti mâyâm guna-samprasûtâm

> > gunâms' ca sandahya yad-âtmam etat

> > svayam ca s'âmyaty asamid yathâgnih

> > vais'âradî - available from the expert; sâ - this; ati-vis'uddha - most pure; buddhih - intelligence or knowledge; dhunoti - repels; mâyâm - illusion; guna - from the modes of material nature; samprasûtâm - produced; gunân - the modes of nature themselves; ca - also; sandahya - completely burning up; yat - from which modes; âtmam - constituted; etat - this (material existence); svayam - itself; ca - also; s'âmyati - is pacified; asamit - without fuel; yathâ - just as; agnih - fire.

> > TRANSLATION

> > By submissively hearing from an expert spiritual master, the expert disciple develops pure knowledge, which repels the onslaught of material illusion arising from the three modes of material nature. Finally this pure knowledge itself ceases, just as fire ceases when the stock of fuel has been consumed.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 14 - 16

> > athaishâm karma-kartËnâm

> > bhoktËnâm sukha-duhkhayoh

> > nânâtvam atha nityatvam

> > loka-kâlâgamâtmanâm

> > manyase sarva-bhâvânâm

> > samsthâ hy autpattikî yathâ

> > tat-tad-âkriti-bhedena

> > jâyate bhidyate ca dhîh

> > evam apy anga sarveshâm

> > dehinâm deha-yogatah

> > kâlâvayavatah santi

> > bhâvâ janmâdayo 'sakrit

> > atha - thus; eshâm - of those; karma - fruitive activities; kartrînâm - of the performers; bhoktrînâm - of the enjoyers; sukha-duhkhayoh - of happiness and distress; nânâtvam - variegatedness; atha - moreover; nityatvam - perpetual existence; loka - of the materialistic world; kâla - material time; âgama - Vedic literatures recommending fruitive activities; âtmanâm - and the self;

> > manyase - if you think; sarva - of all; bhâvânâm - material objects; samsthâ - the actual situation; hi - certainly; autpattikî - original; yathâ - as; tat-tat - of all different objects; âkriti - of their forms; bhedena - by the difference; jâyate - is born; bhidyate - and changes; ca - also; dhîh - intelligence or knowledge;

> > evam - thus; api - even though; anga - O Uddhava; sarveshâm - of all; dehinâm - embodied beings; deha-yogatah - by contact with a material body; kâla - of time; avayavatah - by the portions or limbs; santi - there are; bhâvâh - states of existence; janma - birth; âdayah - and so on; asakrit - constantly.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear Uddhava, I have thus explained to you perfect knowledge. There are philosophers, however, who challenge My conclusion. They state that the natural position of the living entity is to engage in fruitive activities, and they see him as the enjoyer of the happiness and unhappiness that accrue from his own work. According to this materialistic philosophy, the world, time, the revealed scriptures and the self are all variegated and eternal, existing as a perpetual flow of transformations. Knowledge, moreover, cannot be one or eternal, because it arises from the different and changing forms of objects; thus knowledge itself is always subject to change. Even if you accept such a philosophy, My dear Uddhava, there will still be perpetual birth, death, old age and disease, since all living entities must accept a material body subject to the influence of time.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > tatrâpi karmanâm kartur

> > asvâtantryam ca lakshyate

> > bhoktus' ca duhkha-sukhayoh

> > ko nv artho vivas'am bhajet

> > tatra - in the matter of one's ability to obtain happiness; api - furthermore; karmanâm - of fruitive activities; kartuh - of the performer; asvâtantryam - the lack of independence; ca - also; lakshyate - is clearly seen; bhoktuh - of the one who is trying to enjoy; ca - also; duhkha-sukhayoh - happiness and unhappiness; kah - what; nu - indeed; arthah - value; vivas'am - for one who is not in control; bhajet - can be derived.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not independent or in control of their destiny. When a person is always under the superior control of another, how can he expect any valuable results from his own fruitive actions?

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > na dehinâm sukham kin'cid

> > vidyate vidushâm api

> > tathâ ca duhkham mûdhânâm

> > vrithâhankaranam param

> > na - not; dehinâm - of embodied beings; sukham - happiness; kin'cit - some; vidyate - there is; vidushâm - of those who are intelligent; api - even; tathâ - similarly; ca - also; duhkham - unhappiness; mûdhânâm - of the big fools; vrithâ - useless; ahankaranam - false ego; param - only, or completely.

> > TRANSLATION

> > It is observed within the material world that sometimes even an intelligent person is not happy. Similarly, sometimes even a great fool is happy. The concept of becoming happy through expertly performing material activities is simply a useless exhibition of false egotism.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > yadi prâptim vighâtam ca

> > jânanti sukha-duhkhayoh

> > te 'py addhâ na vidur yogam

> > mrityur na prabhaved yathâ

> > yadi - if; prâptim - achievement; vighâtam - removal; ca - also; jânanti - they know; sukha - of happiness; duhkhayoh - and of distress; te - they; api - still; addhâ - directly; na - not; viduh - do know; yogam - the process; mrityuh - death; na - not; prabhavet - would exert its power; yathâ - by which.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Even if people know how to achieve happiness and avoid unhappiness, they still do not know the process by which death will not be able to exert its power over them.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > ko 'nv arthah sukhayaty enam

> > kâmo vâ mrityur antike

> > âghâtam nîyamânasya

> > vadhyasyeva na tusthi-dah

> > kah - what; nu - certainly; arthah - material object; sukhayati - gives happiness; enam - to a person; kâmah - sense gratification derived from material things; vâ - or; mrityuh - death; antike - standing nearby; âghâtam - to the place of execution; nîyamânasya - of one who is being led; vadhyasya - of one who is to be killed; iva - like; na - not at all; tusthi-dah - gives satisfaction.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Death is not at all pleasing, and since everyone is exactly like a condemned man being led to the place of execution, what possible happiness can people derive from material objects or the gratification they provide?

> > ******

> > TEXT 21

> > s'rutam ca dristha-vad dustham

> > spardhâsûyâtyaya-vyayaih

> > bahv-antarâya-kâmatvât

> > krishi-vac câpi nishphalam

> > s'rutam - material happiness which is heard of; ca - also; dristha-vat - just like that which we have already seen; dustham - is contaminated; spardhâ - by jealousy; asûyâ - by envy; atyaya - by death; vyayaih - and by decay; bahu - many; antarâya - obstacles; kâmatvât - because of accepting happiness with such characteristics; krishi-vat - like agriculture; ca - also; api - even; nishphalam - fruitless.

> > TRANSLATION

> > That material happiness of which we hear, such as promotion to heavenly planets for celestial enjoyment, is just like that material happiness we have already experienced. Both are polluted by jealousy, envy, decay and death. Therefore, just as an attempt to raise crops becomes fruitless if there are many problems like crop disease, insect plague or drought, similarly, the attempt to attain material happiness, either on earth or on the heavenly planets, is always fruitless because of innumerable obstacles.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22

> > antarâyair avihito

> > yadi dharmah sv-anusthhitah

> > tenâpi nirjitam sthânam

> > yathâ gacchati tac chrinu

> > antarâyaih - by obstacles and discrepancies; avihitah - not affected; yadi - if; dharmah - one's execution of regulated duties according to Vedic injunctions; sv-anusthhitah - excellently performed; tena - by that; api - even; nirjitam - accomplished; sthânam - status; yathâ - the manner in which; gacchati - it perishes; tat - that; s'rinu - please hear.

> > TRANSLATION

> > If one performs Vedic sacrifices and fruitive rituals without any mistake or contamination, one will achieve a heavenly situation in the next life. But even this result, which is only achieved by perfect performance of fruitive rituals, will be vanquished by time. Now hear of this.

> > ******

> > TEXT 23

> > isthveha devatâ yajn'aih

> > svar-lokam yâti yâjn'ikah

> > bhun'jîta deva-vat tatra

> > bhogân divyân nijârjitân

> > isthvâ - having worshiped; iha - in this world; devatâh - the demigods; yajn'aih - with sacrifices; svah-lokam - to the heavenly planets; yâti - goes; yâjn'ikah - the performer of sacrifice; bhun'jîta - he may enjoy; deva-vat - like a god; tatra - therein; bhogân - pleasures; divyân - celestial; nija - by himself; arjitân - achieved.

> > TRANSLATION

> > If on earth one performs sacrifices for the satisfaction of the demigods, he goes to the heavenly planets, where, just like a demigod, he enjoys all of the heavenly pleasures he has earned by his performances.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > sva-punyopacite s'ubhre

> > vimâna upagîyate

> > gandharvair viharan madhye

> > devînâm hridya-vesha-dhrik

> > sva - his own; punya - by the pious activities; upacite - accumulated; s'ubhre - shining; vimâne - in an airplane; upagîyate - is glorified by songs; gandharvaih - by the heavenly Gandharvas; viharan - enjoying life; madhye - in the middle; devînâm - of heavenly goddesses; hridya - charming; vesha - clothes; dhrik - wearing.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Having achieved the heavenly planets, the performer of ritualistic sacrifices travels in a glowing airplane, which he obtains as the result of his piety on earth. Being glorified by songs sung by the Gandharvas and dressed in wonderfully charming clothes, he enjoys life surrounded by heavenly goddesses.

> > ******

> > TEXT 25

> > strîbhih kâmaga-yânena

> > kinkinî-jâla-mâlinâ

> > krîdan na vedâtma-pâtam

> > surâkrîdeshu nirvritah

> > strîbhih - with heavenly women; kâma-ga - going wherever one desires; yânena - with such an airplane; kinkinî-jâla-mâlinâ - decorated with circles of bells; krîdan - having a good time; na - not; veda - does consider; âtma - his own; pâtam - falldown; sura - of the demigods; âkrîdeshu - in the pleasure gardens; nirvritah - being comfortable, relaxed and happy.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Accompanied by heavenly women, the enjoyer of the fruits of sacrifice goes on pleasure rides in a wonderful airplane, which is decorated with circles of tinkling bells and which flies wherever he desires. Being relaxed, comfortable and happy in the heavenly pleasure gardens, he does not consider that he is exhausting the fruits of his piety and will soon fall down to the mortal world.

> > ******

> > TEXT 26

> > tâvat sa modate svarge

> > yâvat punyam samâpyate

> > kshîna-punyah pataty arvâg

> > anicchan kâla-câlitah

> > tâvat - that long; sah - he; modate - enjoys life; svarge - in the heavenly planets; yâvat - until; punyam - his pious results; samâpyate - are used up; kshîna - exhausted; punyah - his piety; patati - he falls; arvâk - down from heaven; anicchan - not desiring to fall; kâla - by time; câlitah - pushed down.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Until his pious results are used up, the performer of sacrifice enjoys life in the heavenly planets. When the pious results are exhausted, however, he falls down from the pleasure gardens of heaven, being moved against his desire by the force of eternal time.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 27 - 29

> > yady adharma-ratah sangâd

> > asatâm vâjitendriyah

> > kâmâtmâ kripano lubdhah

> > straino bhûta-vihimsakah

> > pas'ûn avidhinâlabhya

> > preta-bhûta-ganân yajan

> > narakân avas'o jantur

> > gatvâ yâty ulbanam tamah

> > karmâni duhkhodarkâni

> > kurvan dehena taih punah

> > deham âbhajate tatra

> > kim sukham martya-dharminah

> > yadi - if; adharma - in irreligion; ratah - he is engaged; sangât - due to association; asatâm - of materialistic people; vâ - or; ajita - due to not conquering; indriyah - the senses; kâma - material lusty desires; âtmâ - living for; kripanah - miserly; lubdhah - greedy; strainah - a woman-hunter; bhûta - against other living beings; vihimsakah - committing violence;

> > pas'ûn - animals; avidhinâ - without the authority of Vedic injunctions; âlabhya - killing; preta-bhûta - ghosts and spirits; ganân - the groups of; yajan - worshiping; narakân - to hells; avas'ah - helplessly, being under the control of fruitive activities; jantuh - a living being; gatvâ - having gone; yâti - approaches; ulbanam - extreme; tamah - darkness;

> > karmâni - activities; duhkha - great unhappiness; udarkâni - bringing in the future; kurvan - performing; dehena - with such a body; taih - by such activities; punah - again; deham - a material body; âbhajate - accepts; tatra - therein; kim - what; sukham - happiness; martya - always leading to death; dharminah - of one sworn to activities.

> > TRANSLATION

> > If a human being is engaged in sinful, irreligious activities, either because of bad association or because of his failure to control his senses, then such a person will certainly develop a personality full of material desires. He thus becomes miserly toward others, greedy and always anxious to exploit the bodies of women. When the mind is so polluted one becomes violent and aggressive and without the authority of Vedic injunctions slaughters innocent animals for sense gratification. Worshiping ghosts and spirits, the bewildered person falls fully into the grip of unauthorized activities and thus goes to hell, where he receives a material body infected by the darkest modes of nature. In such a degraded body, he unfortunately continues to perform inauspicious activities that greatly increase his future unhappiness, and therefore he again accepts a similar material body. What possible happiness can there be for one who engages in activities inevitably terminating in death?

> > ******

> > TEXT 30

> > lokânâm loka-pâlânâm

> > mad bhayam kalpa-jîvinâm

> > brahmano 'pi bhayam matto

> > dvi-parârdha-parâyushah

> > lokânâm - in all the planetary systems; loka-pâlânâm - and for all the planetary leaders, such as the demigods; mat - of Me; bhayam - there is fear; kalpa-jîvinâm - for those who live for a kalpa, or a day of Brahmâ; brahmanah - of Lord Brahmâ; api - even; bhayam - there is fear; mattah - from Me; dvi-parârdha - two parârdhas, totalling 311,040,000,000,000 years; para - supreme; âyushah - whose duration of life.

> > TRANSLATION

> > In all the planetary systems, from the heavenly to the hellish, and for all of the great demigods who live for one thousand yuga cycles, there is fear of Me in My form of time. Even Brahmâ, who possesses the supreme life span of 311,040,000,000,000 years, is also afraid of Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 31

> > gunâh srijanti karmâni

> > guno 'nusrijate gunân

> > jîvas tu guna-samyukto

> > bhunkte karma-phalâny asau

> > gunâh - the material senses; srijanti - create; karmâni - pious and impious material activities; gunah - the three modes of nature; anusrijate - set into motion; gunân - the material senses; jîvah - the minute living entity; tu - indeed; guna - the material senses or the material modes of nature; samyuktah - fully engaged in; bhunkte - experiences; karma - of activities; phalâni - the various results; asau - the spirit soul.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The material senses create material activities, either pious or sinful, and the modes of nature set the material senses into motion. The living entity, being fully engaged by the material senses and modes of nature, experiences the various results of fruitive work.

> > ******

> > TEXT 32

> > yâvat syâd guna-vaishamyam

> > tâvan nânâtvam âtmanah

> > nânâtvam âtmano yâvat

> > pâratantryam tadaiva hi

> > yâvat - as long as; syât - there is; guna - of the modes of material nature; vaishamyam - separate existences; tâvat - then there will be; nânâtvam - different states of existence; âtmanah - of the soul; nânâtvam - different states of existence; âtmanah - of the soul; yâvat - as long as there are; pâratantryam - dependence; tadâ - then there will be; eva - certainly; hi - indeed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As long as the living entity thinks that the modes of material nature have separate existences, he will be obliged to take birth in many different forms and will experience varieties of material existence. Therefore, the living entity remains completely dependent on fruitive activities under the modes of nature.

> > ******

> > TEXT 33

> > yâvad asyâsvatantratvam

> > tâvad îs'varato bhayam

> > ya etat samupâsîrams

> > te muhyanti s'ucârpitâh

> > yâvat - as long as; asya - of the living being; asvatantratvam - there is no freedom from dependence on the modes of nature; tâvat - then there will be; îs'varatah - from the supreme controller; bhayam - fear; ye - those who; etat - to this material concept of life; samupâsîran - devote themselves; te - they; muhyanti - are bewildered; s'ucâ - in lamentation; arpitâh - always absorbed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The conditioned soul who remains dependent on fruitive activities under the material modes of nature will continue to fear Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, since I impose the results of one's fruitive activities. Those who accept the material concept of life, taking the variegatedness of the modes of nature to be factual, devote themselves to material enjoyment and are therefore always absorbed in lamentation and grief.

> > ******

> > TEXT 34

> > kâla âtmâgamo lokah

> > svabhâvo dharma eva ca

> > iti mâm bahudhâ prâhur

> > guna-vyatikare sati

> > kâlah - time; âtmâ - the self; âgamah - Vedic knowledge; lokah - the universe; svabhâvah - different natures of different living entities; dharmah - religious principles; eva - certainly; ca - also; iti - thus; mâm - Me; bahudhâ - in many ways; prâhuh - they call; guna - of the modes of nature; vyatikare - agitation; sati - when there is.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When there is agitation and interaction of the material modes of nature, the living entities then describe Me in various ways such as all-powerful time, the Self, Vedic knowledge, the universe, one's own nature, religious ceremonies and so on.

> > ******

> > TEXT 35

> > s'rî-uddhava uvâca

> > guneshu vartamâno 'pi

> > deha-jeshv anapâvritah

> > gunair na badhyate dehî

> > badhyate vâ katham vibho

> > s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; guneshu - in the modes of material nature; vartamânah - being situated; api - although; deha - from the material body; jeshu - born; anapâvritah - being uncovered; gunaih - by the modes of nature; na - not; badhyate - is bound; dehî - the living entity within the material body; badhyate - is bound; vâ - or; katham - how does it happen; vibho - O my Lord.

> > TRANSLATION

> > S'rî Uddhava said - O my Lord, a living entity situated within the material body is surrounded by the modes of nature and the happiness and distress that are born of activities caused by these modes. How is it possible that he is not bound by this material encirclement? It may also be said that the living entity is ultimately transcendental and has nothing to do with the material world. Then how is he ever bound by material nature?

> > ******

> > TEXTS 36 - 37

> > katham varteta viharet

> > kair vâ jn'âyeta lakshanaih

> > kim bhun'jîtota visrijec

> > chayîtâsîta yâti vâ

> > etad acyuta me brûhi

> > pras'nam pras'na-vidâm vara

> > nitya-baddho nitya-mukta

> > eka eveti me bhramah

> > katham - in what way; varteta - he is situated; viharet - he enjoys; kaih - by which; vâ - or; jn'âyeta - would be known; lakshanaih - by symptoms; kim - what; bhun'jîta - he would eat; uta - and; visrijet - would evacuate; s'ayîta - would lie down; âsîta - would sit; yâti - goes; vâ - or;

> > etat - this; acyuta - O Acyuta; me - to me; brûhi - explain; pras'nam - the question; pras'na-vidâm - of all those who know how to answer questions; vara - O the best; nitya-baddhah - eternally conditioned; nitya-muktah - eternally liberated; ekah - singular; eva - certainly; iti - thus; me - my; bhramah - confusion.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O my Lord, Acyuta, the same living entity is sometimes described as eternally conditioned and at other times as eternally liberated. I am not able to understand, therefore, the actual situation of the living entity. You, my Lord, are the best of those who are expert in answering philosophical questions. Please explain to me the symptoms by which one can tell the difference between a living entity who is eternally liberated and one who is eternally conditioned. In what various ways would they remain situated, enjoy life, eat, evacuate, lie down, sit or move about?

> > Back to the running text