> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5
> 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 5

> **************

> Chapter Fourteen: The Material World as the Great Forest of Enjoyment

> The direct meaning of the forest of material existence is given in this chapter. Merchants sometimes enter the forest to collect many rare things and sell them at a good profit in the city, but the forest path is always bedecked with dangers. When the pure soul wants to give up the Lord's service to enjoy the material world, Krsna certainly gives him a chance to enter the material world. As stated in the prema-vivarta: krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare. This is the reason the pure spirit soul falls down to the material world. Due to his activities under the influence of the three modes of material nature, the living entity takes different positions in different species. Sometimes he is a demigod in the heavenly planets and sometimes a most insignificant creature in the lower planetary systems. In this regard, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, nana yoni sada phire: the living entity passes through various species. Kardarya bhaksana kare: he is obliged to eat and enjoy abominable things. Tara janma adhah-pate yaya: in this way his whole life is spoiled. Without the protection of an all-merciful Vaisnava. the conditioned soul cannot get out of the clutches of maya. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati), the living entity begins material life with his mind and the five knowledge-acquiring senses, and with these he struggles for existence within the material world. These senses are compared to rogues and thieves within the forest. They take away a man's knowledge and place him in a network of nescience. Thus the senses are like rogues and thieves that plunder his spiritual knowledge. Over and above this, there are family members, wife and children. who are exactly like ferocious animals in the forest. The business of such ferocious animals is to eat a man's flesh. The living entity allows himself to be attacked by jackals and foxes (wife and children), and thus his real spiritual life is finished. In the forest of material life, everyone is envious like mosquitoes, and rats and mice are always creating disturbances. Everyone in this material world is placed in many awkward positions and surrounded by envious people and disturbing animals. The result is that the living entity in the material world is always plundered and bitten by many living entities. Nonetheless, despite these disturbances, he does not want to give up his family life, and he continues his fruitive activities in an attempt to become happy in the future. He thus becomes more and more entangled in the results of karma, and thus he is forced to act impiously. His witnesses are the sun during the day and the moon during the night. The demigods also witness, but the conditioned soul thinks that his attempts at sense gratification are not being witnessed by anyone. Sometimes, when he is detected, he temporarily renounces everything, but due to his great attachment for the body, his renunciation is given up before he can attain perfection.

> In this material world there are many envious people. There is the tax-exacting government, which is compared to an owl, and there are invisible crickets that create unbearable sounds. The conditioned soul is certainly greatly harassed by the agents of material nature, but his intelligence is lost due to undesirable association. In an attempt to gain relief from the disturbances of material existence, he falls victim to so-called yogis, sadhus and incarnations who can display some magic but who do not understand devotional service. Sometimes the conditioned soul is bereft of all money, and consequently he becomes unkind to his family members. In this material world there is not a pinch of actual happiness, for which the conditioned soul is longing life after life. The government officials are like carnivorous Raksasas who exact heavy taxes for the maintenance of the government. The hard-working conditioned soul is very saddened due to these heavy taxes.

> The path of fruitive activities leads to difficult mountains, and sometimes the conditioned soul wants to cross these mountains, but he is never successful, and consequently he becomes more and more aggrieved and disappointed. Becoming materially and financially embarrassed, the conditioned soul unnecessarily chastises his family. In the material condition there are four principal needs, out of which sleep is compared to a python. When asleep, the conditioned soul completely forgets his real existence, and in sleep he does not feel the tribulations of material life. Sometimes, being in need of money, the conditioned soul steals and cheats, although he may apparently be associated with devotees for spiritual advancement. His only business is getting out of the clutches of maya, but due to improper guidance he becomes more and more entangled in material dealings. This material world is simply an embarrassment and is composed of tribulations presented as happiness. distress, attachment, enmity and envy. On the whole it is simply full of tribulation and misery. When a person loses his intelligence due to attachment to wife and sex, his entire consciousness becomes polluted. He thus only thinks of the association of women. The time factor, which is like a serpent, takes away everyone's life, including that of Lord Brahma and the insignificant ant. Sometimes the conditioned soul tries to save himself from inexorable time and thus takes shelter of some bogus savior. Unfortunately. the bogus savior cannot even save himself. How, then. can he protect others? The bogus saviors do not care for bona fide knowledge received from qualified brahmanas and Vedic sources. Their only business is indulging in sex and recommending sexual freedom even for widows. Thus they are like monkeys in the forest. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami thus explains the material forest and its difficult path to Maharaja Pariksit.

> *******

> TEXT 1

> sa hovâca

> sa esa dehâtma-mâninâm sattvâdi-guna-visesa-vikalpita-kusalâku-

> sala-samavahâra-vinirmita-vividha-dehâvalibhir viyoga-samyogâdy-

> anâdi-samsârânubhavasya dvâra-bhûtena sad-indriya-vargena tasmin

> durgâdhvavad asugame 'dhvany âpatita îsvarasya bhagavato visnor

> vasa-vartinyâ mâyayâ jîva-loko 'yam yathâ vanik-sârtho 'rtha-parah

> sva-deha-nispâdita-karmânubhavah smasânavad asivatamâyâm

> samsârâtavyâm gato nâdyâpi viphala-bahu-pratiyogehas tat-

> tâpopasamanîm hari-guru-caranâravinda-madhukarânupadavîm

> avarundhe.

> sah--the self-realized devotee (Srî Sukadeva Gosvâmî); ha--indeed; uvâca--spoke; sah--he (the conditioned soul); esah--this one; deha-âtma-mâninâm--of those who foolishly take the body to be the self; sattva-âdi--of sattva, rajah and tamah; guna--by the modes; visesa--particular; vikalpita--falsely constituted; kusala--sometimes by favorable actions; akusala--sometimes by very unfavorable actions; samavahâra--by a mixture of both; vinirmita--obtained; vividha--various types; deha-âvalibhih--by the series of bodies; viyoga-samyoga-âdi--symptomized by giving up one type of body (viyoga) and accepting another (samyoga); anâdi-samsâra-anubhavasya--of the perception of the beginningless process of transmigration; dvâra-bhûtena--existing as the doorways; sat-indriya-vargena--by these six senses (the mind and five knowledge-acquiring senses, namely the eyes, ears, tongue, nose and skin); tasmin--on that; durga-adhva-vat--like a path that is very difficult to traverse; asugame--being difficult to pass through; adhvani--on a path in the forest; âpatitah--happened; îsvarasya--of the controller; bhagavatah--the Supreme personality of Godhead; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; vasa-vartinyâ--acting under the control; mâyayâ--by the material energy; jîva-lokah--the conditioned living entity; ayam--this; yathâ--exactly like; vanik--a merchant; sa-arthah--having an object; artha-parah--who is very attached to money; sva-deha-nispâdita--performed by his own body; karma--the fruits of activities; anubhavah--who experiences; smasâna-vat asivatamâyâm--like an inauspicious cemetery or place of burial; samsâra-atavyâm--in the forest of material life; gatah--having entered; na--not; adya api--until now; viphala--unsuccessful; bahu-pratiyoga--full of great difficulties and varieties of miserable conditions; îhah--whose activities here in this material world; tat-tâpa-upasa-manîm--which pacifies the miseries of the forest of material life; hari-guru-carana-aravinda--to the lotus feet of the Lord and His devotee; madhukara-anupadavîm--the road followed in pursuance of devotees who are attached like bumblebees; avarundhe--gain.

> TRANSLATION

> When King Pariksit asked Sukadeva Gosvami about the direct meaning of the material forest, Sukadeva Gosvami replied as follows: My dear King, a man belonging to the mercantile community [vanik] is always interested in earning money. Sometimes he enters the forest to acquire some cheap commodities like wood and earth and sell them in the city at good prices. Similarly, the conditioned soul, being greedy, enters this material world for some material profit. Gradually he enters the deepest part of the forest, not really knowing how to get out. Having entered the material world, the pure soul becomes conditioned by the material atmosphere, which is created by the external energy under the control of Lord Visnu. Thus the living entity comes under the control of the external energy, daivi maya. Living independently and bewildered in the forest, he does not attain the association of devotees who are always engaged in the service of the Lord. Once in the bodily conception, he gets different types of bodies one after the other under the influence of material energy and impelled by the modes of material nature [sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna]. In this way the conditioned soul goes sometimes to the heavenly planets, sometimes to the earthly planets and sometimes to the lower planets and lower species. Thus he suffers continuously due to different types of bodies. These sufferings and pains are sometimes mixed. Sometimes they are very severe, and sometimes they are not. These bodily conditions are acquired due to the conditioned soul's mental speculation. He uses his mind and five senses to acquire knowledge, and these bring about the different bodies and different conditions. Using the senses under the control of the external energy, maya, the living entity suffers the miserable conditions of material existence. He is actually searching for relief, but he is generally baffled, although sometimes he is relieved after great difficulty. Struggling for existence in this way, he cannot get the shelter of pure devotees, who are like bumblebees engaged in loving service at the lotus feet of Lord Visnu.

> *******

> TEXT 2

> yasyâm u ha vâ ete sad-indriya-nâmânah karmanâ-dasyava eva te. tad

> yathâ purusasya dhanam yat kincid dharmaupayikam bahu-

> krcchrâdhigatam sâksât parama-purusârâdhana-laksano yo 'sau

> dharmas tam tu sâmparâya udâharanti. tad-dharmyam dhanam

> darsana-sparsana-sravanâsvâdanâvaghrâna-sankalpa-vyavasâya-

> grha-grâmyopabhogena kunâthasyâjitâtmano yathâ sârthasya vilum-

> panti.

> yasyâm--in which; u ha--certainly; vâ--or; ete--all these; sat-indriya-nâmânah--who are named the six senses (the mind and the five knowledge-acquiring senses); karmanâ--by their activity; dasyavah--the plunderers; eva--certainly; te--they; tat--that; yathâ--as; purusasya--of a person; dhanam--the wealth; yat--whatever; kincit--something; dharma-aupayikam--which is a means to religious principles; bahu-krcchra-adhigatam--earned after much hard labor; sâksât--directly; parama-purusa-ârâdhana-laksanah--whose symptoms are worship of the Supreme Lord by performance of sacrifices and so on; yah--which; asau--that; dharmah--religious principles; tam--that; tu--but; sâmparâye--for the benefit of the living entity after death; udâharanti--the wise declare; tat-dharmyam--religious (relating to the prosecution of the varnâsrama-dharma); dhanam--wealth; darsana--by seeing; sparsana--by touching; sravana--by heari ng; âsvâdana--by tasting; avaghrâna--by smelling; sankalpa--by determination; vyavasâya--by a conclusion; grha--in the material home; grâmya-upabhogena--by material sense gratification; kunâthasya--of the misguided conditioned soul; ajita-âtmanah--who has not controlled himself; yathâ--just as; sârthasya--of the living entity interested in sense gratification; vilumpanti--they plunder.

> TRANSLATION

> In the forest of material existence, the uncontrolled senses are like plunderers. The conditioned soul may earn some money for the advancement of Krsna consciousness, but unfortunately the uncontrolled senses plunder his money through sense gratification. The senses are plunderers because they make one spend his money unnecessarily for seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing, desiring and willing. In this way the conditioned soul is obliged to gratify his senses, and thus all his money is spent. This money is actually acquired for the execution of religious principles, but it is taken away by the plundering senses.

> *******

> TEXT 3

> atha ca yatra kautumbikâ dârâpatyâdayo nâmnâ karmanâ vrka-srgâlâ

> evânicchato 'pi kadaryasya kutumbina uranakavat samraksyamânam

> misato 'pi haranti.

> atha--in this way; ca--also; yatra--in which; kautumbikâh--the family members; dâra-apatya-âdayah--beginning with the wife and children; nâmnâ--by name only; karmanâ--by their behavior; vrka-srgâlâh--tigers and jackals; eva--certainly; anicchatah--of one who does not desire to spend his wealth; api--certainly; kadaryasya--being too miserly; kutumbinah--who is surrounded by family members; uranaka-vat--like a lamb; samraksyamânam--although protected; misatah--of one who is observing; api--even; haranti--they forcibly take away.

> TRANSLATION

> My dear King, family members in this material world go under the names of wife and children, but actually they behave like tigers and jackals. A herdsman tries to protect his sheep to the best of his ability, but the tigers and foxes take them away by force. Similarly, although a miserly man wants to guard his money very carefully, his family members take away all his assets forcibly, even though he is very vigilant.

> *******

> TEXT 4

> yatha hy anuvatsaram krsyamanam apy adagdha-bijam ksetram punar

> evavapana-kale gulma-trna-virudbhir gahvaram iva bhavaty evam eva

> grhasramah karma-ksetram yasmin na hi karmany utsidanti yad ayam

> kama-karanda esa avasathah.

> yathâ--just as; hi--certainly; anuvatsaram--every year; krsyamânam--being plowed; api--although; adagdha-bîjam--in which the seeds are not burned; ksetram--the field; punah--again; eva--certainly; âvapana-kâle--at the times for sowing the seeds; gulma--by bushes; trna--by grasses; vîrudbhih--by the creepers; gahvaram iva--like a bower; bhavati--becomes; evam--thus; eva--certainly; grha-âsramah--family life; karma-ksetram--the field of activities; yasmin--in which; na--not; hi--certainly; karmâni utsîdanti--fruitive activities disappear; yat--therefore; ayam--this; kâma-karandah--the storehouse of fruitive desire; ysah--this; âvasathah--abode.

> TRANSLATION

> Every year the plowman plows over his grain field, completely uprooting all weeds. Nonetheless, the seeds lie there and, not being completely burned, again come up with the plants sown in the field. Even after being plowed under, the weeds come up densely. Similarly, the grhastha-asrama [family life] is a field of fruitive activity. Unless the desire to enjoy family life is completely burned out, it grows up again and again. Even though camphor may be removed from a pot, the pot nonetheless retains the aroma of camphor. As long as the seeds of desire are not destroyed, fruitive activities are not destroyed.

> *******

> TEXT 5

> tatra gato damsa-masaka-samâpasadair man ujaih salabha-sakunta-

> taskara-mûsakâdibhir uparudhyamâna-bahih-prânah kvacit

> parivartamâno 'sminn adhvany avidyâ-kâma-karmabhir uparakta-

> manasânupapannârtham nara-lokam gandharva-nagaram upapannam

> iti mithyâ-drstir anupasyati.

> tatra--to that household life; gatah--gone; damsa--gadflies; masaka--mosquitoes; sama--equal to; apasadaih--who are low-class; manu jaih--by men; saabha--locusts; sakunta--a large bird of prey; taskara--thieves; mûsaka-âdibhih--by rats and so on; uparudhyamâna--being disturbed; bahih-prânah--the external life air in the form of wealth and so on; kvacit--sometimes; parivartamânah--wandering; asmin--in this; adhvani--path of material existence; avidyâ-kâma--by ignorance and lust; karmabhih--and by fruitive activities; uparakta-manasâ--due to the mind's being influenced; anupapanna-artham--in which the desired results are never obtained; nara-lokam--this material world; gandharva-nagaram--a will-o'-the-wisp city; upapannam--existing; iti--taking it as; mithyâ-drstih--he whose vision is mistaken; anupasyati--observes.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the conditioned soul in household life, being attached to material wealth and possessions, is disturbed by gadflies and mosquitoes, and sometimes locusts, birds of prey and rats give him trouble. Nonetheless, he still wanders down the path of material existence. Due to ignorance he becomes lusty and engages in fruitive activity. Because his mind is absorbed in these activities, he sees the material world as permanent, although it is temporary like a phantasmagoria, a house in the sky.

> *******

> TEXT 6

> tatra ca kvacid âtapodaka-nibhân visayân upadhâvati

> pâna-bhojana-vyavâyâdi-vyasana-lolupah.

> tatra--there (in this phantom place); ca--also; kvacit--sometimes; âtapa-udaka-nibhân--like the water in a mirage in the desert; visayân--the objects of sense enjoyment; upadhâvati--runs after; pâna--to drinking; bhojana--to eating; vyavâya--to sex life; âdi--and so on; vyasana--with addiction; lolupah--a debauchee.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes in this house in the sky [gandharva-pura] the conditioned soul drinks, eats and has sex. Being overly attached, he chases after the objects of the senses just as a deer chases a mirage in the desert.

> *******

> TEXT 7

> kvacic câsesa-dosa-nis adanam purîsa-visesam tad-varna-guna-nirmita-

> matih suvarnam upâditsaty agni-kâma-kâtara ivolmuka-pisâcam.

> kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; asesa--unlimited; dosa--of faults; nisadanam--the source of; purîsa--of stool; visesam--a particular type; tat-varna-guna--whose color is the same as that of the mode of passion (reddish); nirmita-matih--whose mind is absorbed in that; suvarnam--gold; upâditsati--desiring to get; agni-kâma--by the desire for fire; kâturah--who is troubled; iva--like; ulmuka-pisâcam--a phosphorescent light known as a will-o'-the-wisp, which is sometimes mistaken for a ghost.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the living entity is interested in the yellow stool known as gold and runs after it. That gold is the source of material opulence and envy, and it can enable one to afford illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication. Those whose minds are overcome by the mode of passion are attracted by the color of gold, just as a man suffering from cold in the forest runs after a phosphorescent light in a marshy land, considering it to be fire.

> *******

> TEXT 8

> atha kadâcin nivâsa-pânîya-dravinâdy-anekâtmopajîvanâbhinivesa

> etasyâm samsârâtavyâm itas tatah paridhâvati.

> atha--in this way; kadâcit--sometimes; nivâsa--residence; pânîya--water; dravina--wealth; âdi--and so on; aneka--in various items; âtma-upajîvana--which are considered necessary to maintain body and soul together; abhinivesah--a person fully absorbed; etasyâm--in this; samsâra-atavyâm--the material world, which is like a great forest; itah tatah--here and there; paridhâvati--runs around.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the conditioned soul is absorbed in finding residential quarters or apartments and getting a supply of water and riches to maintain his body. Absorbed in acquiring a variety of necessities, he forgets everything and perpetually runs around the forest of material existence.

> *******

> TEXT 9

> kvacic ca vâtyaupamyayâ pramadayâroham âropitas tat-kâla-rajasâ

> rajanî-bhûta ivâsâdhu-maryâdo rajas-valâkso 'pi dig-devatâ atirajas-

> vala-matir na vijânâti.

> kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; vâtyâ aupamyayâ--compared to a whirlwind; pramadayâ--by a beautiful woman; âroham âropitah--raised onto the lap for sex enjoyment; tat-kâla-rajasâ--by the passion of lusty desires at that moment; rajanî-bhûtah--the darkness of night; iva--like; asâdhu-maryâdah--who is without proper respect for the higher witnesses; rajah-vala-aksah--blinded by strong lusty desires; api--certainly; dik-devatâh--the demigods in charge of different directions, like the sun and the moon; atirajah-vala-matih--whose mind is overcome by lust; na vijânâti--he does not know (that witnesses all around take note of his impudent sexual act).

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes, as if blinded by the dust of a whirlwind, the conditioned soul sees the beauty of the opposite sex, which is called pramada. Being thus bewildered, he is raised upon the lap of a woman, and at that time his good senses are overcome by the force of passion. He thus becomes almost blind with lusty desire and disobeys the rules and regulations governing sex life. He does not know that his disobedience is witnessed by different demigods, and he enjoys illicit sex in the dead of night, not seeing the future punishment awaiting him.

> *******

> TEXT 10

> kvacit sakrd avagata-vis aya-vaitathyah svayam parâbhidhyânena

> vibhramsita-smrtis tayaiva marîci-toya-prâyâms tân evâbhidhâvati.

> kvacit--sometimes; sakrt--once; avagata-visaya-vaitathyah--becoming conscious of the uselessness of enjoying material sense gratification; svayam--himself; para-abhidhyânena--by the bodily concept of the self; vibhramsita--destroyed; smrtih--whose remembrance; tayâ--by that; eva--certainly; marîci-toya--water in a mirage; prâyân--similar to; tân--those sense objects; eva--certainly; abhidhâvati--runs after.

> TRANSLATION

> The conditioned soul sometimes personally appreciates the futility of sense enjoyment in the material world, and he sometimes considers material enjoyment to be full of miseries. However, due to his strong bodily conception, his memory is destroyed, and again and again he runs after material enjoyment, just as an animal runs after a mirage in the desert.

> *******

> TEXT 11

> kvacid ulûka jhillî-svanavad ati-parusa-rabhasâtopam pratyaksam

> paroksam vâ ripu-râja-kula-nirbhartsitenâti-vyathita-karna-mûa-hrdayah

> kvacit--sometimes; ulûka--of the owl; jhillî--and the cricket; svanavat--exactly like intolerable sounds; ati-parusa--extremely piercing; rabhasa--by perseverance; âtopam--agitation; pratyaksam--directly; paroksam--indirectly; vâ--or; ripu--of enemies; râja-kula--and of government officers; nirbhartsitena--by chastisement; ati-vyathita--very aggrieved; karna-mûla-hrdayah--whose ear and heart.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the conditioned soul is very aggrieved by the chastisement of his enemies and government servants, who use harsh words against him directly or indirectly. At that time his heart and ears become very saddened. Such chastisement may be compared to the sounds of owls and crickets.

> *******

> TEXT 12

> sa yadâ dugdha-pûrva-sukrtas tadâ kâraskara-kâkatundâdy-apunya-

> druma-latâ-visoda-pânavad ubhayârtha-sûnya-dravinân jîvan-mrtân

> svayam jîvan-mriyamâna upadhâvati.

> sah--that conditioned soul; yadâ--when; dugdha--exhausted; pûrva--previous; sukrtah--pious activities; tadâ--at that time; kâraskara-kâkatunda-âdi--named kâraskara, kâkatunda, etc.; apunya-druma-latâ--impious trees and creepers; visa-uda-pâna-vat--like wells with poisonous water; ubhaya-artha-sûnya--which cannot give happiness either in this life or in the next; dravinân--those who possess wealth; jîvat-mrtân--who are dead, although apparently alive; svayam--he himself; jîvat--living; mriyamânah--being dead; upadhâvati--approaches for material acquisition.

> TRANSLATION

> Due to his pious activities in previous lives, the conditioned soul attains material facilities in this life, but when they are finished, he takes shelter of wealth and riches, which cannot help him in this life or the next. Because of this, he approaches the living dead who possess these things. Such people are compared to impure trees, creepers and poisonous wells.

> *******

> TEXT 13

> ekadâsat-prasangân nikrta-matir vyudaka-srotah-skhalanavad

> ubhayato 'pi duhkhadam pâkhandam abhiyâti.

> ekadâ--sometimes; asat-prasangât--by association of nondevotees who are against the Vedic principles and who manufacture different paths of religion; nikrta-matih--whose intelligence has been brought to the abominable status of defying the authority of the Supreme personality of Godhead; vyudaka-srotah--into rivers without sufficient water; skhalana-vat--like jumping; ubhayatah--from both sides; api--although; duhkha-dam--giving distress; pâkhandam--the atheistic path; abhiyâti--he approaches.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes, to mitigate distresses in this forest of the material world, the conditioned soul receives cheap blessings from atheists. He then loses all intelligence in their association. This is exactly like jumping in a shallow river. As a result one simply breaks his head. He is not able to mitigate his sufferings from the heat, and in both ways he suffers. The misguided conditioned soul also approaches so-called sadhus and svamis who preach against the principles of the Vedas. He does not receive benefit from them, either in the present or in the future.

> *******

> TEXT 14

> yadâ tu para-bâdhayândha âtmane nopanamati tadâ hi pitr-putra-

> barhismatah pitr-putrân vâ sa khalu bhaksayati.

> yadâ--when; tu--but (because of misfortune); para-bâdhayâ--in spite of exploiting all others; andhah--blind; âtmane--for himself; na upanamati--does not fall into one's share; tadâ--at that time; hi--certainly; pitr-putra--of the father or sons; barhismatah--as insignificant as a piece of grass; pitr-putrân--father or sons; vâ--or; sah--he (the conditioned soul); khalu--indeed; bhaksayati--gives trouble to.

> TRANSLATION

> In this material world, when the conditioned soul cannot arrange for his own maintenance, despite exploiting others, he tries to exploit his own father or son, taking away that relative's possessions, although they may be very insignificant. If he cannot acquire things from his father, son or other relatives, he is prepared to give them all kinds of trouble.

> *******

> TEXT 15

> kvacid âsâdya grham dâvavat priyârtha-vidhuram asukhodarkam

> sokâgninâ dahyamâno bhrsam nirvedam upagacchati.

> kvacit--sometimes; âsâdya--experiencing; grham--the home life; dâva-vat--exactly like a blazing fire in the forest; priya-artha-vidhuram--without any beneficial object; asukha-udarkam--resulting only in more and more unhappiness; soka-agninâ--by the fire of lamentation; dahyamânah--being burned; bhrsam--very great; nirvedam--disappointment; upagacchati--he obtains.

> TRANSLATION

> In this world, family life is exactly like a blazing fire in the forest. There is not the least happiness, and gradually one becomes more and more implicated in unhappiness. In household life, there is nothing favorable for perpetual happiness. Being implicated in home life, the conditioned soul is burned by the fire of lamentation. Sometimes he condemns himself as being very unfortunate, and sometimes he claims that he suffers because he performed no pious activities in his previous life.

> *******

> TEXT 16

> kvacit kâla-visa-mita-râja-kula-raksasâpahrta-priyatama-dhanâsuh

> pramrtaka iva vigata jîva-laksana âste.

> kvacit--sometimes; kâla-visa-mita--made crooked by time; râja-kula--the government men; raksasâ--by those who are like carnivorous human beings; apahrta--being plundered; priya-tama--most dear; dhana--in the form of wealth; asuh--whose life air; pramrtakah--dead; iva--like; vigata-jîva-laksanah--bereft of all signs of life; âste--he remains.

> TRANSLATION

> Government men are always like carnivorous demons called Raksasas [man-eaters]. Sometimes these government men turn against the conditioned soul and take away all his accumulated wealth. Being bereft of his life's reserved wealth, the conditioned soul loses all enthusiasm. Indeed, it is as though he loses his life.

> *******

> TEXT 17

> kadâcin manorathopagata-pitr-pitâmahâdy asat sad iti

> svapna-nirvrti-laksanam anubhavati.

> kadâcit--sometimes; manoratha-upagata--obtained by mental concoction; pitr--the father; pitâ-maha-âdi--or grandfather and others; asat--although long dead (and although no one knows that the soul has gone); sat--again the father or grandfather has come; iti--thus thinking; svapna-nirvrti-laksanam--the kind of happiness found in dreams; anubhavati--the conditioned soul feels.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the conditioned soul imagines that his father or grandfather has again come in the form of his son or grandson. In this way he feels the happiness one sometimes feels in a dream, and the conditioned soul sometimes takes pleasure in such mental concoctions.

> *******

> TEXT 18

> kvacid grhâsrama-karma-codanâti-bhara-girim âruruksamâno

> loka-vyasana-karsita-manâh kantaka-sarkarâ-ksetram pravisann iva sîdati.

> kvacit--sometimes; grha-âsrama--in householder life; karma-codana--of the rules of fruitive activity; ati-bhara-girim--the big hill; âruruksamânah--desiring to ascend; loka--material; vyasana--to pursuits; karsita-manâh--whose mind is attracted; kantaka-sarkarâ-ksetram--a field covered with thorns and sharp pebbles; pravisan--entering; iva--like; sîdati--he laments.

> TRANSLATION

> In household life one is ordered to execute many yajnas and fruitive activities, especially the vivaha-yajna [the marriage ceremony for sons and daughters] and the sacred thread ceremony. These are all the duties of a grhastha, and they are very extensive and troublesome to execute. They are compared to a big hill over which one must cross when one is attached to material activities. A person desiring to cross over these ritualistic ceremonies certainly feels pains like the piercing of thorns and pebbles endured by one attempting to climb a hill. Thus the conditioned soul suffers unlimitedly.

> *******

> TEXT 19

> kvacic ca duhsahena kâyâbhyantara-vahninâ grhîta-sârah

> sva-kutumbâya krudhyati.

> kvacit ca--and sometimes; duhsahena--unbearable; kâya-abhyantara-vahninâ--because of the fire of hunger and thirst within the body; grhîta-sârah--whose patience is exhausted; sva-kutumbâya--unto his own family members; krudhyati--he becomes angry.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes, due to bodily hunger and thirst, the conditioned soul becomes so disturbed that he loses his patience and becomes angry with his own beloved sons, daughters and wife. Thus, being unkind to them, he suffers all the more.

> *******

> TEXT 20

> sa eva punar nidrâjagara-grhîto 'ndhe tamasi magnah sûnyâranya iva

> sete nânyat-kincana veda sava ivâpaviddhah.

> sah--that conditioned soul; eva--certainly; punah--again; nidrâ-ajagara--by the python of deep sleep; grhîtah--being devoured; andhe--in deep darkness; tamasi--in ignorance; magnah--being absorbed; sûnya-aranye--in the isolated forest; iva--like; sete--he lies down; na--not; anyat--else; kincana--anything; veda--knows; savah--a dead body; iva--like; apaviddhah--thrown away.

> TRANSLATION

> Sukadeva Gosvami continued speaking to Maharaja Pariksit: My dear King, sleep is exactly like a python. Those who wander in the forest of material life are always devoured by the python of sleep. Being bitten by this python, they always remain in the darkness of ignorance. They are like dead bodies thrown in a distant forest. Thus the conditioned souls cannot understand what is going on in life.

> *******

> TEXT 21

> kadâcid bhagna-mâna-damstro durjana-danda-sûkair

> alabdha-nidrâ-ksano vyathita-hrdayenânuksîyamâna-vijnâno 'ndha-kûpe

> 'ndhavat patati.

> kadâcit--sometimes; bhagna-mâna-damstrah--whose teeth of pride are broken; durjana-danda-sûkaih--by the envious activities of evil men, who are compared to a kind of serpent; alabdha-nidrâ-ksanah--who does not get an opportunity to sleep; vyathita-hrdayena--by a disturbed mind; anuksîyamâna--gradually being decreased; vijnânah--whose real consciousness; andha-kûpe--in a blind well; andha-vat--like illusion; patati--he falls down.

> TRANSLATION

> In the forest of the material world, the conditioned soul is sometimes bitten by envious enemies, which are compared to serpents and other creatures. Through the tricks of the enemy, the conditioned soul falls from his prestigious position. Being anxious, he cannot even sleep properly. He thus becomes more and more unhappy, and he gradually loses his intelligence and consciousness. In that state he becomes almost perpetually like a blind man who has fallen into a dark well of ignorance.

> *******

> TEXT 22

> karhi sma cit kâma-madhu-lavân vicinvan yadâ para-dâra-para-drav-yâny

> avarundhâno râjnâ svâmibhir vâ nihatah pataty apâre niraye.

> karhi sma cit--sometimes; kâma-madhu-lavân--little drops of honeylike sense gratification; vicinvan--searching after; yadâ--when; paradâra--another's wife, or a woman other than his own wife; para-dravyâni--another's money and possessions; avarundhânah--taking as his own property; râjnâ--by the government; svâmibhih vâ--or by the husband or relatives of the woman; nihatah--severely beaten; patati--he falls down; apâre--into unlimitedly; niraye--hellish conditions of life (the government's prison for criminal activities like rape, kidnapping or theft of others' property).

> TRANSLATION

> The conditioned soul is sometimes attracted to the little happiness derived from sense gratification. Thus he has illicit sex or steals another's property. At such a time he may be arrested by the government or chastised by the woman's husband or protector. Thus simply for a little material satisfaction, he falls into a hellish condition and is put into jail for rape, kidnapping, theft and so forth.

> *******

> TEXT 23

> atha ca tasmâd ubhayathâpi hi karmâsminn âtmanah samsârâvapanam

> udâharanti.

> atha--now; ca--and; tasmât--because of this; ubhayathâ api--both in this life and in the next; hi--undoubtedly; karma--fruitive activities; asmin--on this path of sense enjoyment; âtmanah--of the living entity; samsâra--of material life; âvapanam--the cultivation ground or source; udâharanti--the authorities of the Vedas say.

> TRANSLATION

> Learned scholars and transcendentalists therefore condemn the materialistic path of fruitive activity because it is the original source and breeding ground of material miseries, both in this life and in the next.

> *******

> TEXT 24

> muktas tato yadî bandhâd devadatta upâcchinatti tasmâd api visnumitra

> ity anavasthitih.

> muktah--liberated; tatah--from that; yadi--if; bandhât--from the government imprisonment or being beaten by the protector of the woman; deva-dattah--person named Devadatta; upâcchinatti--takes the money from him; tasmât--from the person named Devadatta; api--again; visnu-mitrah--a person named Visnumitra; iti--thus; anavasthitih--the riches do not stay in one place but pass from one hand to another.

> TRANSLATION

> Stealing or cheating another person out of his money, the conditioned soul somehow or other keeps it in his possession and escapes punishment. Then another man, named Devadatta, cheats him and takes the money away. Similarly, another man, named Visnumitra, steals the money from Devadatta and takes it away. In any case, the money does not stay in one place. It passes from one hand to another. Ultimately no one can enjoy the money, and it remains the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> *******

> TEXT 25

> kvacic ca sîta-vâtâdy-anekâdhidaivika-bhautikâtmîyânâm dasânâm

> pratinivârane 'kalpo duranta-cintayâ visanna âste.

> kvacit--sometimes; ca--also; sîta-vâta-âdi--such as cold and strong wind; aneka--various; adhidaivika--created by the demigods; bhautika--adhibhautika, created by other living beings; âtmîyânâm--adhyâtmika, created by the body and mind; dasânâm--of conditions of misery; pratinivârane--in the counteracting; akalpah--unable; duranta--very severe; cintayâ--by anxieties; visannah--morose; âste--he remains.

> TRANSLATION

> Being unable to protect himself from the threefold miseries of material existence, the conditioned soul becomes very morose and lives a life of lamentation. These threefold miseries are miseries suffered by mental calamity at the hands of the demigods [such as freezing wind and scorching heat], miseries offered by other living entities, and miseries arising from the mind and body themselves.

> *******

> TEXT 26

> kvacin mitho vyavaharan yat kincid dhanam anyebhyo vâ kâkinikâ-mâtram

> apy apaharan yat kincid vâ vidvesam eti vitta-sâthyât.

> kvacit--sometimes; mithah--with one another; vyavaharan--trading; yat kincit--whatever little bit; dhanam--money; anyebhyah--from others; vâ--or; kâkinikâ-mâtram--a very small amount (twenty cowries); api--certainly; apaharan--taking away by cheating; yat kincit--whatever small amount; vâ--or; vidvesam eti--creates enmity; vitta-sâthyât--because of cheating.

> TRANSLATION

> As far as transactions with money are concerned, if one person cheats another by a farthing or less, they become enemies.

> *******

> TEXT 27

> adhvany amusminn ima upasargâs tathâ

> sukha-duhkha-râga-dvesa-bhayâbhimâna-pramâdonmâda-

> soka-moha-lobha-mâtsaryersyâva-mâna-ksut-pipâsâdhi-vyâdhi janma jarâ-maranâdayah.

> adhvani--on the path of material life; amusmin--on that; ime--all these; upasargâh--eternal difficulties; tathâ--so much also; sukha--so-called happiness; duhkha--unhappiness; râga--attachment; dvesa--hate; bhaya--fear; abhimâna--false prestige; pramâda--illusion; unmâda--madness; soka--lamentation; moha--bewilderment; lobha--greed; mâtsarya--envy; îrsya--enmity; avamâna--insult; ksut--hunger; pipâsâ--thirst; âdhi--tribulations; vyâdhi--disease; janma--birth; jarâ--old age; marana--death; âdayah--and so on.

> TRANSLATION

> In this materialistic life, there are many difficulties, as I have just mentioned, and all of these are insurmountable. In addition, there are difficulties arising from so-called happiness, distress, attachment, hate, fear, false prestige, illusion, madness, lamentation, bewilderment, greed, envy, enmity, insult, hunger, thirst, tribulation, disease, birth, old age and death. All these combine together to give the materialistic conditioned soul nothing but misery.

> *******

> TEXT 28

> kvâpi deva-mâyayâ striyâ bhuja-latopagûdhah praskanna-viveka-vijnâno

> yad-vihâra-grhârambhâkula-hrdayas tad-âsrayâvasakta-suta-duhitr-

> kalatra-bhâsitâvaloka-vicestitâpahrta-hrdaya âtmânam ajitâtmâ-

> pâre 'ndhe tamasi prahinoti.

> kvâpi--somewhere; deva-mâyayâ--by the influence of the illusory energy; striyâ--in the form of one's girl friend or wife; bhuja-latâ -- by beautiful arms, which are compared to tender creepers in the forest; upagûdhah--being deeply embarrassed; praskanna--lost; viveka--all intelligence; vijnânah--scientific knowledge; yat-vihâra--for the enjoyment of the wife; grha-ârambha--to find a house or apartment; âkula-hrdayah--whose heart becomes engrossed; tat--of that house; âsraya-avasakta--who are under the shelter; suta--of sons; duhitr--of daughters; kalatra--of the wife; bhâsita-avaloka--by the conversations and by their beautiful glances; vicestita--by activities; apahrta-hrdayah--whose consciousness is taken away; âtmânam--himself; ajita--uncontrolled; âtmâ--whose self; apâre--in unlimited; andhe--blind darkness; tamasi--in hellish life; prahinoti--he hurls.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes the conditioned soul is attracted by illusion personified (his wife or girl friend) and becomes eager to be embraced by a woman. Thus he loses his intelligence as well as knowledge of life's goal. At that time, no longer attempting spiritual cultivation, he becomes overly attached to his wife or girl friend and tries to provide her with a suitable apartment. Again, he becomes very busy under the shelter of that home and is captivated by the talks, glances and activities of his wife and children. In this way he loses his Krsna consciousness and throws himself in the dense darkness of material existence.

> *******

> TEXT 29

> kadâcid îsvarasya bhagavato visnos cakrât paramânv-âdi-dvi-

> parârdhâpavarga-kâlopalaksanât pariva rtitena vayasâ ramhasâ harata

> âbrahma-trna-stambâdînâm bhûtânâm animisato misatâm

> vitrasta-hrdayas tam evesvaram kâla-cakra-nijâyudham sâksâd bhagavantam

> yajna-purusam anâdrtya pâkhanda-devatâh kanka-grdhra-baka-vata-

> prâyâ ârya-samaya-parihrtâh sânketyenâbhidhatte.

> kadâcit--sometimes; îsvarasya--of the Supreme Lord; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; cakrât--from the disc; paramânu-âdi--beginning from the time of minute atoms; dvi-parârdha--the duration of the life of Brahmâ; apavarga--ending; kâla--of time; upalaksanât--having the symptoms; parivartitena--revolving; vayasâ--by the chronological order of ages; ramhasâ--swiftly; haratah--taking away; â-brahma--beginning from Lord Brahmâ; trna-stamba-âdînâm--down to the small clumps of grass; bhûtânâm--of all living entities; animisatah--without blinking the eyes (without fail); misatâm--before the eyes of the living entities (without their being able to stop it); vitrasta-hrdayah--being afraid in the heart; tam--Him; eva--certainly; isvaram--the Supreme Lord; kâla-cakra-nija-âyudham--whose personal weapon is the disc of time; sâksât--directly; bhagavantam--the Supreme personality of Godhead; yajna-purusam--who accepts all kinds of sacrificial ceremonies; anâdrtya--without caring for; pâkhanda-devatâh--concocted incarnations of God (man-made gods or demigods); kanka--buzzards; grdhra--vultures; baka--herons; vata-prâyâh--like crows; ârya-samaya-parihrtâh--who are rejected by authorized Vedic scriptures accepted by the Aryans; sânketyena--by concoction or with no basis of authority indicated by scripture; abhidhatte--he accepts as worshipable.

> TRANSLATION

> The personal weapon used by Lord Krsna, the disc, is called hari-cakra, the disc of Hari. This cakra is the wheel of time. It expands from the beginning of the atoms up to the time of Brahma's death, and it controls all activities. It is always revolving and spending the lives of the living entities, from Lord Brahma down to an insignificant blade of grass. Thus one changes from infancy, to childhood, to youth and maturity, and thus one approaches the end of life. It is impossible to check this wheel of time. This wheel is very exacting because it is the personal weapon of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes the conditioned soul, fearing the approach of death, wants to worship someone who can save him from imminent danger. Yet he does not care for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose weapon is the indefatigable time factor. The conditioned soul instead takes shelter of a man-made god described in unauthorized scriptures. Such gods are like buzzards, vultures, herons and crows. Vedic scriptures do not refer to them. Imminent death is like the attack of a lion, and neither vultures, buzzards, crows nor herons can save one from such an attack. One who takes shelter of unauthorized man-made gods cannot be saved from the clutches of death.

> *******

> TEXT 30

> yadâ pâkhandibhir âtma-vancitais tair uru vancito brahma-kulam

> samâvasams tesâm sîlam upanayanâdi-srauta-smârta-karmânusthâ-

> nena bhagavato yajna-purusasyârâdhanam eva tad arocayan sûdra-

> kulam bhajate nigamâcâre 'suddhito yasya mithunî-bhâvah

> kutumba-bharanam yathâ vânara jâteh.

> yadâ--when; pâkhandibhih--by pâsandîs (godless atheists); âtma-vancitaih--who themselves are cheated; taih--by them; uru--more and more; vancitah--being cheated; brahma-kulam--the bona fide brâhmanas strictly following the Vedic culture; samâvasan--settling among them to advance spiritually; tesâm--of them (the brâhmanas who strictly follow Vedic principles); sîlam--the good character; upanayana-âdi--beginning with offering the sacred thread or training the conditioned soul to qualify as a bona fide brâhmana; srauta--according to the Vedic principles; smârta--according to the authorized scriptures derived from the Vedas; karma-anusthânena--the performance of activities; bhagavatah--of the Supreme personality of Godhead; yajna-purusasya--who is worshiped by Vedic ritualistic ceremonies; ârâdhanam--the process of worshiping Him; eva--certainly; tat arocayan--not finding pleasure in it due to its being difficult for unscrupulous persons to perform; sûdra-kulam--the society of sûdras; bhajate--he turns to; nigama-âcâre--in behaving according to Vedic principles; asuddhitah--not purified; yasya--of whom; mithunî-bhâvah--sex enjoyment or the materialistic way of life; kutumba-bharanam--the maintenance of the family; yathâ--as it is; vânara-jâteh--of the society of monkeys, or the descendants of the monkey.

> TRANSLATION

> The pseudo svamis, yogis and incarnations who do not believe in the Supreme Personality of Godhead are known as pasandis. They themselves are fallen and cheated because they do not know the real path of spiritual advancement, and whoever goes to them is certainly cheated in his turn. When one is thus cheated, he sometimes takes shelter of the real followers of Vedic principles [brahmanas or those in Krsna consciousness], who teach everyone how to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to the Vedic rituals. However, being unable to stick to these principles, these rascals again fall down and take shelter among sudras who are very expert in making arrangements for sex indulgence. Sex is very prominent among animals like monkeys, and such people who are enlivened by sex may be called descendants of monkeys.

> *******

> TEXT 31

> tatrâpi niravarodhah svairena viharann ati-krpana-buddhir

> anyonya-mukha-nirîksanâdinâ grâmya-karmanaiva vismrta-kâlâvadhih.

> tatra api--in that condition (in the society of human beings descended from monkeys); niravarodhah--without hesitation; svairena--independently, without reference to the goal of life; viharan--enjoying like monkeys; ati-krpana-buddhih--whose intelligence is dull because he does not properly utilize his assets; anyonya--of one another; mukha-nirîksana-âdinâ--by seeing the faces (when a man sees the beautiful face of a woman and the woman sees the strong build of the man's body, they always desire one another); grâmya-karmanâ--by material activities for sense gratification; eva--only; vismrta--forgotten; kâla-avadhih--the limited span of life (after which one's evolution may be degrading or elevating).

> TRANSLATION

> In this way the descendants of the monkeys intermingle with each other, and they are generally known as sudras. Without hesitating, they live and move freely, not knowing the goal of life. They are captivated simply by seeing the faces of one another, which remind them of sense gratification. They are always engaged in material activities, known as gramya-karma, and they work hard for material benefit. Thus they forget completely that one day their small life spans will be finished and they will be degraded in the evolutionary cycle.

> *******

> TEXT 32

> kvacid drumvad aihikârthesu grhesu ramsyan yathâ vânarah

> suta-dâra-vatsalo vyavâya-ksanah.

> kvacit--sometimes; druma-vat--like trees (as monkeys jump from one tree to another, the conditioned soul transmigrates from one body to another); aihika-arthesu--simply to bring about better worldly comforts; grhesu--in houses (or bodies); ramsyan--delighting (in one body after another, either in animal life, human life or demigod life); yathâ--exactly as; vânarah--the monkey; suta-dâra-vatsalah--very affectionate to the children and wife; vyavâya-ksanah--whose leisure time is spent in sex pleasure.

> TRANSLATION

> Just as a monkey jumps from one tree to another, the conditioned soul jumps from one body to another. As the monkey is ultimately captured by the hunter and is unable to get out of captivity, the conditioned soul, being captivated by momentary sex pleasure, becomes attached to different types of bodies and is encaged in family life. Family life affords the conditioned soul a festival of momentary sex pleasure, and thus he is completely unable to get out of the material clutches.

> *******

> TEXT 33

> evam adhvany avarundhâno mrtyu-gaja-bhayât tamasi giri-kandara-prâye.

> evam--in this way; adhvani--on the path of sense gratification; avarundhânah--being confined, he forgets the real purpose of life; mrtyu-gaja-bhayât--out of fear of the elephant of death; tamasi--in the darkness; giri-kandara-prâye--similar to the dark caves in the mountains.

> TRANSLATION

> In this material world, when the conditioned soul forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not care for Krsna consciousness, he simply engages in different types of mischievous and sinful activities. He is then subjected to the threefold miseries, and, out of fear of the elephant of death, he falls into the darkness found in a mountain cave.

> *******

> TEXT 34

> kvacic chita-vâtâdy-aneka-daivika-bhautikâtmîyânâm duhkhânâm

> pratinivârane 'kalpo duranta-visaya-visanna âste.

> kvacic ca sîta-vâtâdy-anekâdhidaivika-bhautikâtmîyânâm dasânâm

> pratinivârane 'kalpo duranta-cintayâ visanna âste.

> kvacit--sometimes; sîta-vâta-âdi--such as extreme cold or wind; aneka--many; daivika--offered by the demigods or powers beyond our control; bhautika--offered by other living entities; âtmîyânâm--offered by the conditioned material body and mind; duhkhânâm--the many miseries; pratinivârane--in counteracting; akalpah--being unable; duranta--insurmountable; visaya--from connection with sense gratification; visannah--morose; âste--he remains.

> *******

> TEXT 35

> kvacin mitho vyavaharan yat kincid dhanam upayâti vitta-sâthyena.

> kvacit--sometimes or somewhere; mithah vyavaharan--transacting with each other; yat--whatever; kincit--little bit; dhanam--material benefit or wealth; upayâti--he obtains; vitta-sâthyena--by means of cheating someone of his wealth.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes conditioned souls exchange money, but in due course of time, enmity arises because of cheating. Although there may be a tiny profit, the conditioned souls cease to be friends and become enemies.

> *******

> TEXT 36

> kvacit ksîna-dhanah sayyâsanâsanâdy-upabhoga-vihîno yâvad

> apratilabdha-manorathopagatâdâne 'vasita-matis tatas tato

> 'vamânâdîni janâd abhilabhate.

> kvacit--sometimes; ksîna-dhanah--not having sufficient money; sayyâ-âsana-asana-âdi--accommodations for sleeping, sitting or eating; upabhoga--of material enjoyment; vihînah--being bereft; yâvat--as long as; apratilabdha--not achieved; manoratha--by his desire; upagata--obtained; âdâne--in seizing by unfair means; avasita-matih--whose mind is determined; tatah--because of that; tatah--from that; avamâna-âdîni--insults and punishment; janât--from the people in general; abhilabhate--he gets.

> TRANSLATION

> Sometimes, having no money, the conditioned soul does not get sufficient accommodations. Sometimes he doesn't even have a place to sit, nor does he have the other necessities. In other words, he falls into scarcity, and at that time, when he is unable to secure the necessities by fair means, he decides to seize the property of others unfairly. When he cannot get the things he wants, he simply receives insults from others and thus becomes very morose.

> *******

> TEXT 37

> evam vitta-vyatisanga-vivrddha-vairânubandho 'pi pûrva-vâsanayâ

> mitha udvahaty athâpavahati.

> evam--in this way; vitta-vyatisanga--because of monetary transactions; vivrddha--increased; vaira-anubandhah--having relationships of enmity; api--although; pûrva-vâsanayâ--by the fructifying results of previous impious activities; mithah--with each other; udvahati--become united by means of the marriage of sons and daughters; atha--thereafter; apavahati--they give up the marriage or get a divorce.

> TRANSLATION

> Although people may be enemies, in order to fulfill their desires again and again, they sometimes get married. Unfortunately, these marriages do not last very long, and the people involved are separated again by divorce or other means.

> *******

> TEXT 38

> etasmin samsârâdhvani nânâ-klesopasarga-bâdhita âpanna-vipanno

> yatra yas tam u ha vâvetaras tatra visrjya jâtam jâtam upâdâya socan

> muhyan bibhyad-vivadan krandan samhrsyan gâyan nahyamânah

> sâdhu-varjito naivâvartate 'dyâpi yata ârabdha esa nara-loka-sârtho

> yam adhvanah pâram upadisanti.

> etasmin--on this; samsâra--of miserable conditions; adhvani--path; nânâ--various; klesa--by miseries; upasarga--by the troubles of material existence; bâdhitah--disturbed; âpanna--sometimes having gained; vipannah--sometimes having lost; yatra--in which; yah--who; tam--him; u ha vâva--or; itarah--someone else; tatra--thereupon; visrjya--giving up; jâtam jâtam--newly born; upâdâya--accepting; socan--lamenting; muhyan--being illusioned; bibhyat--fearing; vivadan--sometimes exclaiming loudly; krandan--sometimes crying; samhrsyan--sometimes being pleased; gâyan--singing; nahyamânah--being bound; sâdhu-varjitah--being away from saintly persons; na--not; eva--certainly; âvartate--achieves; adya api--even until now; yatah--from whom; ârabdhah--commenced; esah--this; nara-loka--of the material world; sa-arthah--the self-interested living entities; yam--whom (the Supreme personality of Godhead); adhvanah--of the path of material existence; pâram--the other end; upadisanti--saintly persons indicate.

> TRANSLATION

> The path of this material world is full of material miseries, and various troubles disturb the conditioned souls. Sometimes he loses, and sometimes he gains. In either case, the path is full of danger. Sometimes the conditioned soul is separated from his father by death or other circumstances. Leaving him aside he gradually becomes attached to others, such as his children. In this way, the conditioned soul is sometimes illusioned and afraid. Sometimes he cries loudly out of fear. Sometimes he is happy maintaining his family, and sometimes he is overjoyed and sings melodiously. In this way he becomes entangled and forgets his separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead since time immemorial. Thus he traverses the dangerous path of material existence, and on this path he is not at all happy. Those who are self-realized simply take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to get out of this dangerous material existence. Without accepting the devotional path, one cannot get out of the clutches of material existence. The conclusion is that no one can be happy in material life. One must take to Krsna consciousness.

> *******

> TEXT 39

> yad idam yogânusâsanam na vâ etad avarundhate yan nyasta-dandâ

> munaya upasama-sîlâ uparatâtmânah samavagacchanti.

> yat--which; idam--this ultimate abode of the Supreme personality of Godhead; yoga-anusâsanam--only to be achieved by practicing devotional service; na--not; vâ--either; etat--this path of liberation; avarundhate--obtain; yat--therefore; nyasta-dandâh--persons who have given up envying others; munayah--saintly persons; upasama-sîlâh--who are now situated in a most peaceful existence; uparata-âtmânah--who have control over the mind and senses; samavagacchanti--very easily obtain.

> TRANSLATION

> Saintly persons, who are friends to all living entities, have a peaceful consciousness. They have controlled their senses and minds, and they easily attain the path of liberation, the path back to Godhead. Being unfortunate and attached to the miserable material conditions, a materialistic person cannot associate with them.

> *******

> TEXT 40

> yad api dig-ibha jayino yajvino ye vai râjarsayah kim tu param mrdhe

> sayîrann asyâm eva mameyam iti krta-vairânubandhâyâm visrjya

> svayam upasamhrtâh.

> yat api--although; dik-ibha jayinah--who are victorious in all directions; yajvinah--expert in performing great sacrifices; ye--all of whom; vai--indeed; râja-rsayah--very great saintly kings; kim tu--but; param--only this earth; mrdhe--in battle; sayîran--lying down; asyâm--on this (earth); eva--indeed; mama--mine; iyam--this; iti--considering in that way; krta--on which is created; vaira-anu-bandhâyâm--a relationship of enmity with others; visrjya--giving up; svayam--his own life; upasamhrtâh--being killed.

> TRANSLATION

> There were many great saintly kings who were very expert in performing sacrificial rituals and very competent in conquering other kingdoms, yet despite their power they could not attain the loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is because those great kings could not even conquer the false consciousness of "I am this body, and this is my property." Thus they simply created enmity with rival kings, fought with them and died without having discharged life's real mission.

> *******

> TEXT 41

> karma-vallîm avalambya tata âpadah kathancin narakâd vimuktah

> punar apy evam samsârâdhvani vartamâno nara-loka-sârtham upayâti

> evam upari gato 'pi.

> karma-vallim--the creeper of fruitive activities; avalambya--taking shelter of; tatah--from that; âpadah--dangerous or miserable condition; kathancit--somehow or other; narakât--from the hellish condition of life; vimuktah--being freed; punah api--again; evam--in this way; samsâra-adhvani--on the path of material existence; vartamânah--existing; nara-loka-sa-artham--the field of self-interested material activities; upayâti--he enters; evam--thus; upari--above (in the higher planetary systems); gatah api--although promoted.

> TRANSLATION

> When the conditioned soul accepts the shelter of the creeper of fruitive activity, he may be elevated by his pious activities to higher planetary systems and thus gain liberation from hellish conditions, but unfortunately he cannot remain there. After reaping the results of his pious activities, he has to return to the lower planetary systems. In this way he perpetually goes up and comes down.

> *******

> TEXT 42

> tasyedam upagâyanti----

> ârsabhasyeha râjarser

> manasâpi mahâtmanah

> nânuvartmârhati nrpo

> maksikeva garutmatah

> tasya--of Jada Bharata; idam--this glorification; upagâyanti--they sing; ârsabhasya--of the son of Rsabhadeva; iha--here; râja-rseh--of the great saintly King; manasâ api--even by the mind; mahâ-âtmanah--of the great personality Jada Bharata; na--not; anuvartma arhati--able to follow the path; nrpah--any king; maksikâ--a fly; iva--like; garutmatah--of Garuda, the carrier of the Supreme personality of Godhead.

> TRANSLATION

> Having summarized the teachings of Jada Bharata, Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King Pariksit, the path indicated by Jada Bharata is like the path followed by Garuda, the carrier of the Lord, and ordinary kings are just like flies. Flies cannot follow the path of Garuda, and to date none of the great kings and victorious leaders could follow this path of devotional service, not even mentally.

> *******

> TEXT 43

> yo dustyajân dâra-sutân

> suhrd râjyam hrdi-sprsah

> jahau yuvaiva malavad

> uttamasloka-lâlasah

> yah--the same Jada Bharata who was formerly Mahârâja Bharata, the son of Mahârâja Rsabhadeva; dustyajân--very difficult to give up; dâra-sutân--the wife and children or the most opulent family life; suhrt--friends and well-wishers; râjyam--a kingdom that extended all over the world; hrdi-sprsah--that which is situated within the core of one's heart; jahau--he gave up; yuvâ eva--even as a young man; mala-vat--like stool; uttama-sloka-lâlasah--who was so fond of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, known as Uttamasloka.

> TRANSLATION

> While in the prime of life, the great Maharaja Bharata gave up everything because he was fond of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Uttamasloka. He gave up his beautiful wife, nice children, great friends and an enormous empire. Although these things were very difficult to give up, Maharaja Bharata was so exalted that he gave them up just as one gives up stool after evacuating. Such was the greatness of His Majesty.

> *******

> TEXT 44

> yo dustyajân ksiti-suta-svajanârtha-dârân

> prârthyâm sriyam sura-varaih sadayâvalokâm

> naicchan nrpas tad-ucitam mahatâm madhudvit-

> sevânurakta-manasâm abhavo 'pi phalguh

> yah--who; dustyajân--very difficult to give up; ksiti--the earth; suta--children; sva jana-artha-dârân--relatives, riches and a beautiful wife; prârthyâm--desirable; sriyam--the goddess of fortune; sura-varaih--by the best of the demigods; sa-daya-avalokâm--whose merciful glance; na--not; aicchat--desired; nrpah--the King; tat-ucitam--this is quite befitting him; mahatâm--of great personalities (mahâtmâs); madhu-dvit--of Lord Krsna, who killed the demon Madhu; sevâ-anurakta--attracted by the loving service; manasâm--of those whose minds; abhavah api--even the position of liberation; phalguh--insignificant.

> TRANSLATION

> Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the activities of Bharata Maharaja are wonderful. He gave up everything difficult for others to give up. He gave up his kingdom, his wife and his family. His opulence was so great that even the demigods envied it, yet he gave it up. It was quite befitting a great personality like him to be a great devotee. He could renounce everything because he was so attracted to the beauty, opulence, reputation, knowledge, strength and renunciation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Krsna is so attractive that one can give up all desirable things for His sake. Indeed, even liberation is considered insignificant for those whose minds are attracted to the loving service of the Lord.

> *******

> TEXT 45

> yajnâya dharma-pataye vidhi-naipunâya

> yogâya sânkhya-sirase prakrtîsvarâya

> nârâyanâya haraye nama ity udâram

> hâsyan mrgatvam api yah samudâjahâra

> yajnâya--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enjoys the results of all great sacrifices; dharma-pataye--unto the master or propounder of religious principles; vidhi-naipunâya--who gives the devotee the intelligence to follow the regulative principles expertly; yogâya--the personification of mystic yoga; sânkhya-sirase--who taught the Sânkhya philosophy or who actually gives knowledge of Sânkhya to the people of the world; prakrti-îsvarâya--the supreme controller of this cosmic manifestation; nârâyanâya--the resting place of the innumerable living entities (nara means the living entities, and ayana means the shelter); haraye--unto the Supreme personality of Godhead, known as Hari; namah--respectful obeisances; iti--thus; udâram--very loudly; hâsyan--smiling; mrgatvam api--although in the body of a deer; yah--who; samudâjahâra--chanted.

> TRANSLATION

> Even though in the body of a deer, Maharaja Bharata did not forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore when he was giving up the body of a deer, he loudly uttered the following prayer: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sacrifice personified. He gives the results of ritualistic activity. He is the protector of religious systems, the personification of mystic yoga, the source of all knowledge, the controller of the entire creation, and the Supersoul in every living entity. He is beautiful and attractive. I am quitting this body offering obeisances unto Him and hoping that I may perpetually engage in His transcendental loving service." Uttering this, Maharaja Bharata left his body.

> *******

> TEXT 46

> ya idam bhâgavata-sabhâjitâvadâta-guna-karmano râjarser

> bharatasyânucaritam svasty-ayanam âyusyam dhanyam yasasyam

> svargyâpavargyam vânusrnoty âkhyâsyaty abhinandati ca sarvâ evâsisa

> âtmana âsâste na kâncana parata iti.

> yah--anyone who; idam--this; bhâgavata--by exalted devotees; sabhâjita--greatly worshiped; avadâta--pure; guna--whose qualities; karmanah--and activities; râja-rseh--of the great saintly King; bharatasya--of Bharata Mahârâja; anucaritam--the narration; svasti-ayanam--the abode of auspiciousness; âyusyam--which increases one's duration of life; dhanyam--increases one's fortune; yasasyam--bestows reputation; svargya--gives promotion to the higher planetary systems (the goal of the karmîs); apavargyam--gives liberation from this material world and enables one to merge into the Supreme (the goal of the jnânîs); vâ--or; anusrnoti--always hears, following the path of devotional service; âkhyâsyati--describes for the benefit of others; abhinandati--glorifies the characteristics of devotees and the Supreme Lord; ca--and; sarvâh--all; eva--certainly; âsisah--blessings; âtmanah--for himself; âsâste--he achieves; na--not; kâncana--anything; paratah--from anyone else; iti--thus.

> TRANSLATION

> Devotees interested in hearing and chanting [sravanam kirtanam] regularly discuss the pure characteristics of Bharata Maharaja and praise his activities. If one submissively hears and chants about the all-auspicious Maharaja Bharata, one's life span and material opulences certainly increase. One can become very famous and easily attain promotion to the heavenly planets, or attain liberation by merging into the existence of the Lord. Whatever one desires can be attained simply by hearing, chanting and glorifying the activities of Maharaja Bharata. In this way, one can fulfill all his material and spiritual desires. One does not have to ask anyone else for these things, for simply by studying the life of Maharaja Bharata, one can attain all desirable things.

> > Back to the running text