> > 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 Twelve: Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge

> > TEXT 1-2

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca

> > na rodhayati mâm' yogo

> > na sânkhyam' dharma eva ca

> > na svâdhyâyas tapas tyâgo

> > neshthâ-pûrtam' na dakshinâ

> > vratâni yajn'as' chandâm' si

> > tîrthâni niyamâ yamâh

> > yathâvarundhe sat-sangah

> > sarva-sangâpaho hi mâm

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; na rodhayati - does not control; mâm - Me; yogah - the ashthânga- yoga system; na - neither; sânkhyam - the analytic study of the material elements; dharmah - ordinary piety such as nonviolence; eva - indeed; ca - also; na - neither; svâdhyâyah - chanting the Vedas; tapah - penances; tyâgah - the renounced order of life; na - nor; ishthâ-pûrtam - the performance of sacrifice and public welfare activities such as digging wells or planting trees; na - neither; dakshinâ - charity;

> > vratâni - taking vows such as fasting completely on Ekâdas'î; yajn'ah - worship of the demigods; chandâm' si - chanting confidential mantras; tîrthâni - going to holy places of pilgrimage; niyamâh - following major instructions for spiritual discipline; yamâh - and also minor regulations; yathâ - as; avarundhe - brings under control; sat-sangah - association with My devotee; sarva - all; sanga - material association; apahah - removing; hi - certainly; mâm - Me.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, by associating with My pure devotees one can destroy one's attachment for all objects of material sense gratification. Such purifying association brings Me under the control of My devotee. One may perform the ashthânga-yoga system, engage in philosophical analysis of the elements of material nature, practice nonviolence and other ordinary principles of piety, chant the Vedas, perform penances, take to the renounced order of life, execute sacrificial performances and dig wells, plant trees and perform other public welfare activities, give in charity, carry out severe vows, worship the demigods, chant confidential mantras, visit holy places or accept major and minor disciplinary injunctions, but even by performing such activities one does not bring Me under his control.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3-6

> > sat-sangena hi daiteyâ

> > yâtudhânâ mrigâh khagâh

> > gandharvâpsaraso nâgâh

> > siddhâs' cârana-guhyakâh

> > vidyâdharâ manushyeshu

> > vais'yâh s'ûdrâh striyo 'ntya-jâh

> > rajas-tamah-prakritayas

> > tasmim's tasmin yuge yuge

> > bahavo mat-padam' prâptâs

> > tvâshthra-kâyâdhavâdayah

> > vrishaparvâ balir bâno

> > mayas' câtha vibhîshanah

> > sugrîvo hanumân riksho

> > gajo gridhro vanikpathah

> > vyâdhah kubjâ vraje gopyo

> > yajn'a-patnyas tathâpare

> > sat-sangena - by association with My devotees; hi - certainly; daiteyâh - the sons of Diti; yâtudhânâh - demons; mrigâh - animals; khagâh - birds; gandharva - Gandharvas; apsarasah - the society girls of heaven; nâgâh - snakes; siddhâh - residents of Siddhaloka; cârana - the Câranas; guhyakâh - the Guhyakas;

> > vidyâdharah - the residents of Vidyâdharaloka; manushyeshu - among the human beings; vais'yiah - mercantile men; s'ûdrâh - laborers; striyah - women; antya-jâh - uncivilized men; rajah-tamah-prakritayah - those bound in the modes of passion and ignorance; tasmin tasmin - in each and every; yuge yuge - age;

> > bahavah - many living entities; mat - My; padam - abode; prâptâh - achieved; tvâshthra - Vritrâsura; kâyâdhava - Prahrâda Mahârâja; âdayah - and others like them; vrishaparvâ - named Vrishaparvâ; balih - Bali Mahârâja; bânah - Bânâsura; mayah - the demon Maya; ca - also; atha - thus; vibhîshanah - Vibhîshana, the brother of Râvana;

> > sugrîvah - the monkey king Sugrîva; hanumân - the great devotee Hanumân; rikshah - Jâmbavân; gajah - the devotee-elephant Gajendra; gridhrah - Jatâyu the vulture; vanikpathah - the merchant Tulâdhâra; vyâdhah - Dharma-vyâdha; kubjâ - the former prostitute Kubjâ, saved by Lord Krishna; vraje - in Vrindâvana; gopyah - the gopîs; yajn'a-patnyah - the wives of the brâhmanas performing sacrifice; tathâ - similarly; apare - others.

> > TRANSLATION

> > In every yuga many living entities entangled in the modes of passion and ignorance gained the association of My devotees. Thus, such living entities as the Daityas, Râkshasas, birds, beasts, Gandharvas, Apsarâs, Nâgas, Siddhas, Câranas, Guhyakas and Vidyâdharas, as well as such lower-class human beings as the vais'yas, s'ûdras, women and others, were able to achieve My supreme abode. Vritrâsura, Prahrâda Mahârâja and others like them also achieved My abode by association with My devotees, as did personalities such as Vrishaparvâ, Bali Mahârâja, Bânâsura, Maya, Vibhîshana, Sugrîva, Hanumân, Jâmbavân, Gajendra, Jatâyu, Tulâdhâra, Dharma-vyâdha, Kubjâ, the gopîs in Vrindâvana and the wives of the brâhmanas who were performing sacrifice.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > te nâdhîta-s'ruti-ganâ

> > nopâsita-mahattamâh

> > avratâtapta-tapasah

> > mat-sangân mâm upâgatâh

> > te - they; na - not; adhîta - having studied; s'ruti-ganâh - the Vedic literatures; na - not; upâsita -having worshiped; mahat-tamâh - great saints; avrata - without vows; atapta - not having undergone; tapasah - austerities; mat-sangât - simply by association with Me and My devotees; mâm - Me; upâgatâh - they achieved.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The persons I have mentioned did not undergo serious studies of the Vedic literature, nor did they worship great saintly persons, nor did they execute severe vows or austerities. Simply by association with Me and My devotees, they achieved Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > kevalena hi bhâvena

> > gopyo gâvo nagâ mrigâh

> > ye 'nye mûdha-dhiyo nâgâh

> > siddhâ mâm îyur an'jasâ

> > kevalena - by unalloyed; hi - indeed; bhâvena - by love; gopyah - the gopîs; gâvah - the Vrindâvana cows; nagâh - the unmoving creatures of Vrindâvana such as the twin arjuna trees; mrigâh - other animals; ye - those; anye - others; mûdha-dhiyah - with stunted intelligence; nâgâh - Vrindâvana snakes such as Kâliya; siddhâh - achieving the perfection of life; mâm - to Me; îyuh - they went; an'jasâ - quite easily.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The inhabitants of Vrîndâvana, including the gopîs, cows, unmoving creatures such as the twin arjuna trees, animals, living entities with stunted consciousness such as bushes and thickets, and snakes such as Kâliya, all achieved the perfection of life by unalloyed love for Me and thus very easily achieved Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > yam' na yogena sânkhyena

> > dâna-vrata-tapo-'dhvaraih

> > vyâkhyâ-svâdhyâya-sannyâsaih

> > prâpnuyâd yatnavân api

> > yam - whom; na - not; yogena - by the mystic yoga systems; sânkhyena - by philosophical speculation; dâna - by charity; vrata - vows; tapah - austerities; adhvaraih - or Vedic ritualistic sacrifices; vyâkhyâ - by explaining Vedic knowledge to others; svâdhyâya - personal study of the Veda; sannyâsaih - or by taking the renounced order of life; prâpnuyât - can one obtain; yatna-vân - with great endeavor; api - even.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Even though one engages with great endeavor in the mystic yoga system, philosophical speculation, charity, vows, penances, ritualistic sacrifices, teaching of Vedic mantras to others, personal study of the Vedas, or the renounced order of life, still one cannot achieve Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > râmena sârdham' mathurâm' pranîte

> > s'vâphalkinâ mayy anurakta-cittâh

> > vigâdha-bhâvena na me viyoga-

> > tîvrâdhayo 'nyam' dadris'uh sukhâya

> > râmena - with Balarâma; sârdham - with; mathurâm - to the city of Mathurâ; pranîte - when brought; s'vâphalkinâ - by Akrûra; mayi - Myself; anurakta - constantly attached; cittâh - those whose consciousness was; vigâdha - extremely deep; bhâvena - by love; na - not; me - than Me; viyoga - of separation; tîvra - intense; âdhayah - who were experiencing mental distress, anxiety; anyam - other; dadris'uh - they saw; sukhâya - that could make them happy.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The residents of Vrindâvana, headed by the gopîs, were always completely attached to Me with deepest love. Therefore, when My uncle Akrûra brought My brother Balarâma and Me to the city of Mathurâ, the residents of Vrindâvana suffered extreme mental distress because of separation from Me and could not find any other source of happiness.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > tâs tâh kshapâh preshthhatamena nîtâ

> > mayaiva vrindâvana-gocarena

> > kshanârdha-vat tâh punar anga tâsâm'

> > hînâ mayâ kalpa-samâ babhûvuh

> > tâs tâh - all those; kshapâh - nights; preshthha-tamena - with the most dearly beloved; nîtâh - spent; mayâ - with Me; eva - indeed; vrindâvana - in Vrindâvana; go-carena - who can be known; kshana - a moment; ardha-vat - like half; tâh - those very nights; punah - again; anga - dear Uddhava; tâsâm - for the gopîs; hînâh - bereft; mayâ - of Me; kalpa - a day of Brahmâ (4.320.000.000 years); samâh - equal to; babhûvuh - became.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Dear Uddhava, all of those nights that the gopîs spent with Me, their most dearly beloved, in the land of Vrindâvana seemed to them to pass in less than a moment. Bereft of My association, however, the gopîs felt that those same nights dragged on forever, as if each night were equal to a day of Brahmâ.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > tâ nâvidan mayy anushanga-baddha-

> > dhiyah svam âtmânam adas tathedam

> > yathâ samâdhau munayo 'bdhi-toye

> > nadyah pravishthâ iva nâma-rûpe

> > tâh - they (the gopîs); na - not; avidan - were aware of; mayi - in Me; anushanga - by intimate contact; baddha - bound up; dhiyah - their consciousness; svam - their own; âtmânam - body or self; adah - something remote; tathâ - thus considering; idam - this which is most near; yathâ - just as; samâdhau - in yoga-samâdhi; munayah - great sages; abdhi - of the ocean; toye - in the water; nadyah - rivers; pravishthâh - having entered; iva - like; nâma - names; rûpe - and forms.

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear Uddhava, just as great sages in yoga trance merge into self-realization, like rivers merging into the ocean, and are thus not aware of material names and forms, similarly, the gopîs of Vrindâvana were so completely attached to Me within their minds that they could not think of their own bodies, or of this world, or of their future lives. Their entire consciousness was simply bound up in Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > mat-kâmâ ramanam' jâram

> > asvarûpa-vido 'balâh

> > brahma mâm' paramam' prâpuh

> > sangâc chata-sahasras'ah

> > mat - Me; kâmâh - those who desired; ramanam - a charming lover; jâram - the lover of another's wife; asvarûpa-vidah - not knowing My actual situation; abalâh - women; brahma - the Absolute; mâm - Me; paramam - supreme; prâpuh - they achieved; sangât - by association; s'ata-sahasras'ah - by hundreds of thousands.

> > TRANSLATION

> > All those hundreds of thousands of gopîs, understanding Me to be their most charming lover and ardently desiring Me in that way, were unaware of My actual position. Yet by intimately associating with Me, the gopîs attained Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth.

> > ******

> > TEXT 14-15

> > tasmât tvam uddhavotsrijya

> > codanâm' praticodanâm

> > pravrittim' ca nivrittim' ca

> > s'rotavyam' s'rutam eva ca

> > mâm ekam eva s'aranam

> > âtmânam' sarva-dehinâm

> > yâhi sarvâtma-bhâvena

> > mayâ syâ hy akuto-bhayah

> > tasmât - therefore; tvam - you; uddhava - O Uddhava; utsrijya - giving up; codanâm - the regulations of the Vedas; praticodanâm - the injunctions of supplementary Vedic literatures; pravrittim - injunctions; ca - also; s'rotavyam - that which is to be heard; s' rutam - that which has been heard; eva - indeed; ca - also;

> > mâm - to Me; ekam - alone; eva - actually ; s'aranam - shelter; âtmânam - the Supersoul within the heart; sarva-dehinâm - of all conditioned souls; yâhi - you must go; sarva-âtma-bhâvena - with exclusive devotion; mayâ - by My mercy; syâh - you should be; hi - certainly; akutah-bhayah - free from fear in all circumstances.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Therefore, My dear Uddhava, abandon the Vedic mantras as well as the procedures of supplementary Vedic literatures and their positive and negative injunctions. Disregard that which has been heard and that which is to be heard. Simply take shelter of Me alone, for I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, situated within the heart of all conditioned souls. Take shelter of Me wholeheartedly, and by My grace be free from fear in all circumstances.

> > ******

> > TEXT 16

> > s'rî-uddhava uvâca

> > sam's'ayah s'rinvato vâcam'

> > tava yoges'vares'vara

> > na nivartata âtma-stho

> > yena bhrâmyati me manah

> > s'rî-uddhavah uvâca - S'rî Uddhava said; sam's'ayah - doubt; s'rinvatah - of the one who is hearing; vâcam - the words; tava - Your; yoga-îs'vara - of the lords of mystic power; îs'vara - You who are the Lord; na nivartate - will not go away; âtma - in the heart; sthah - situated; yena - by which; bhrâmyati - is bewildered; me - my; manah - mind.

> > TRANSLATION

> > S'rî Uddhava said: O Lord of all masters of mystic power, I have heard Your words, but the doubt in my heart does not go away; thus my mind is bewildered.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca

> > sa esha jîvo vivara-prasûtih

> > prânena ghoshena guhâm' pravishthah

> > mano-mayam' sûkshmam upetya rûpam'

> > mâtrâ svaro varna iti sthavishthhah

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; sah eshah - He Himself; jîvah - the Supreme Lord, who gives life to all; vivara - within the heart; prasûtih - manifest; prânena - along with the life air; ghoshena - with the subtle manifestation of sound; guhâm - the heart; pravishthah - who has entered; manah-mayam - perceived by the mind, or controlling the mind even of great demigods like Lord S'iva; sûkshmam - subtle; upetya - being situated in; rûpam - the form; mâtrâ - the different vocalic lengths; svarah - the different intonations; varnah - the different sounds of the alphabet; varnah - the different sounds of the alphabet; iti - thus; sthavishthhah - the gross form.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, the Supreme Lord gives life to every living being and is situated within the heart along with the life air and primal sound vibration. The Lord can be perceived in His subtle form within the heart by one's mind, since the Lord controls the minds of everyone, even great demigods like Lord S'iva. The Supreme Lord also assumes a gross form as the various sounds of the Vedas, composed of short and long vowels and consonants of different intonations.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > yathânalah khe 'nila-bandhur ushmâ

> > balena dâruny adhimathyamânah

> > anuh prajâto havishâ samedhate

> > tathaiva me vyaktir iyam' hi vânî

> > yathâ - just as; analah - fire; khe - in the space within wood; anila - air; bandhuh - whose help; ushmâ - heat; balena - strongly; dâruni - within the wood; adhimathyamânah - being kindled by friction; anuh - very tiny; prajâtah - is born; havishâ - with ghee (clarified butter); samedhate - it increases; tathâ - similarly; eva - indeed; me - My; vyaktih - manifestation; iyam - this; hi - certainly; vânî - the Vedic sounds.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When sticks of kindling wood are vigorously rubbed together, heat is produced by contact with air, and a spark of fire appears. Once the fire is kindled, ghee is added and the fire blazes. Similarly, I become manifest in the sound vibration of the Vedas.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > evam' gadih karma gatir visargo

> > ghrâno raso drik spars'ah s'rutis' ca

> > sankalpa-vijn'ânam athâbhimânah

> > sûtram' rajah-sattva-tamo-vikârah

> > evam - thus; gadih - speech; karma - the function of the hands; gatih - the function of the legs; visargah - the functions of the genital and anus; ghrânah - smell; rasah - taste; drik - sight; spars'ah - touch; s'rutih - hearing; ca - also; sankalpa - the mind's function; vijn'ânam - the function of intelligence and consciousness; atha - moreover; abhimânah - the function of false ego; sûtram - the function of pradhâna, or the subtle cause of material nature; rajah - of the mode of passion; sattva - goodness; tamah - and of ignorance; vikârah - the transformation.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The functions of the working senses &emdash; the organ of speech, the hands, the legs, the genital and the anus &emdash; and the functions of the knowledge-acquiring senses &emdash; the nose, tongue, eyes, skin and ears &emdash; along with the functions of the subtle senses of mind, intelligence, consciousness and false ego, as well as the function of the subtle pradhâna and the interaction of the three modes of material nature &emdash; all these should be understood as My materially manifest form.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > ayam' hi jîvas tri-vrid abja-yonir

> > avyakta eko vayasâ sa âdyah

> > vis'lishtha-s'aktir bahudheva bhati

> > bîjâni yonim' pratipadya yadvat

> > ayam - this; hi - certainly; jîvah - the supreme living entity who gives life to others; tri-vrit - containing the three modes of material nature; abja - of the universal lotus flower; yonih - the source; avyaktah - unmanifest (materially); ekah - alone; vayasâ - in course of time; sah - He; âdyah - eternal; vis'liishtha - divided; s'aktih - potencies; bahudhâ - in many divisions; iva - like; bhâti - He appears; bîjâni - seeds; yonim - in an agricultural field; pratipadya - falling; yat-vat - just like.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When many seeds are placed in an agricultural field, innumerable manifestations of trees, bushes, vegetables and so on will arise from a single source, the soil. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gives life to all and is eternal, originally exists beyond the scope of the cosmic manifestation. In the course of time, however, the Lord, who is the resting place of the three modes of nature and the source of the universal lotus flower, in which the cosmic manifestation takes place, divides His material potencies and thus appears to be manifest in innumerable forms, although He is one.

> > ******

> > TEXT 21

> > yasminn idam' protam as'esham otam'

> > patho yathâ tantu-vitâna-sam'sthah

> > ya esha sam'sâra-taruh purânah

> > karmâtmakah pushpa-phale prasûte

> > yasmin - in whom; idam - this universe; protam - woven crosswise; as'esham - the whole; otam - and lengthwise; patah - a cloth; yathâ - just like; tantu - of the threads; vitâna - in the expansion; sam'sthah - situated; yah - that which; esah - this; sam'sâra - of material existence; taruh - the tree; purânah - existing since time immemorial; karma - toward fruitive activities; âtmakah - naturally inclined; pushpa - the first result, blossoming; phale - and the fruit; prasûte - being produced.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Just as woven cloth rests on the expansion of lengthwise and crosswise threads, similarly the entire universe is expanded on the lengthwise and crosswise potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is situated within Him. The conditioned soul has been accepting material bodies since time immemorial, and these bodies are like great trees sustaining one's material existence. Just as a tree first blossoms and then produces fruit, similarly the tree of material existence, one's material body, produces the various results of material existence.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22-23

> > dve asya bîje s'ata-mûlas tri-nâlah

> > pan'ca-skandhah pan'ca-rasa-prasûtih

> > das'aika-s'âkho dvi-suparna-nîdas

> > tri-valkalo dvi-phalo 'rkam' pravishthah

> > adanti caikam' phalam asya gridhrâ

> > grâme-carâ ekam aranya-vâsâh

> > ham'sâ ya ekam' bahu-rûpam ijyair

> > mâyâ-mayam' veda sa veda vedam

> > dve - two; asya - of this tree; bîje - seeds; s'ata - hundreds; mûlah - of roots; tri - three; nâlah - lower trunks; pan'ca - five; skandah - upper trunks; pan'ca - five; rasa - saps; prasûtih - producing; das'a - ten; eka - plus one; s'âkhah - branches; dvi - two; suparna - of birds; nîdah - a nest; tri - three; valkalah - types of bark; dvi - two; phalah - fruits; arkam - the sun; pravishthah - extending into;

> > adanti - they eat or enjoy; ca - also; ekam - one; phalam - fruit; asya - of this tree; gridhrah - those who are lusty for material enjoyment; grâme - in householder life; carâh - living; ekam - another; aranya - in the forest; vâsâh - those who live; ham'sâh - swanlike men, saintly persons; yah - one who; ekam - one only, the Supersoul; bahu-rûpam - appearing in many forms; ijyaih - by the help of those who are worshipable, the spiritual masters; mâyâ-mayam - produced by the potency of the Supreme Lord; veda - knows; the actual meaning of the Vedic literature.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This tree of material existence has two seeds, hundreds of roots, three lower trunks and five upper trunks. It produces five flavors and has eleven branches and a nest made by two birds. The tree is covered by three types of bark, gives two fruits and extends up to the sun. Those lusty after material enjoyment and dedicated to family life enjoy one of the tree's fruits, and swanlike men in the renounced order of life enjoy the other fruit. One who with the help of the bona fide spiritual masters can understand this tree to be a manifestation of the potency of the one Supreme Truth appearing in many forms actually knows the meaning of the Vedic literature.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > evam' gurûpâsanayaika-bhaktyâ

> > vidyâ-kuthâhârena s'itena dhîrah

> > vivris'cya jîvâs'ayam apramattah

> > sampadya câtmânam atha tyajâstram

> > evam - thus (with the knowledge I have given you); guru - of the spiritual master; upûsanayâ - developed by worship; eka - unalloyed; bhaktyâ - by loving devotional service; vidyâ - of knowledge; kuthhârena - by the ax; s'itena - sharp; dhîrah - one who is steady by knowledge; vivris'cya - cutting down; jîva - of the living entity; âs'ayam - the subtle body (filled with designations created by the three modes of material nature); apramattah - being very careful in spiritual life; sampadya - achieving; ca - and; âtmânam - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atha - then; tyaja - you should give up; astram - the means by which you achieved perfection.

> > TRANSLATION

> > With steady intelligence you should develop unalloyed devotional service by careful worship of the spiritual master, and with the sharpened ax of transcendental knowledge you should cut off the subtle material covering of the soul. Upon realizing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you should then give up that ax of analytic knowledge.

> > Back to the running