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Texts:
The
Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living
Entities
Text
1
The
Supreme Lord said: 'The explanation of being bound and being
liberated due to My modes is that in reality they are not of
the modes at all; My illusory energy is not the cause of
bondage or liberation of [relating to]
Me
[*].
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Uddhava, due to
the influence of the material modes of nature, which are
under My control, the living entity is sometimes designated
as conditioned and sometimes as liberated. In fact, however,
the soul is never really bound up or liberated, and since I
am the supreme Lord of mâyâ, which is the cause
of the modes of nature, I also am never to be considered
liberated or in bondage. (Vedabase)
Text
2
Lamentation and
illusion, happiness and distress and the acceptance of a
material body under the influence of mâyâ
are merely notions of the intelligent self that prove the
different mundane states of existence to be just as unreal as
what one experiences in a dream.
Just
as a dream is merely a creation of one's intelligence but
has no actual substance, similarly, material lamentation,
illusion, happiness, distress and the acceptance of the
material body under the influence of mayâ are all
creations of My illusory energy. In other words, material
existence has no essential reality. (Vedabase)
Text
3
Please,
Uddhava, understand that knowledge and ignorance are two forms
of My manifestation that, produced by My original potency, give
rise to bondage and liberation.
O
Uddhava, both knowledge and ignorance, being products of
mâyâ, are expansions of My potency. Both
knowledge and ignorance are beginningless and perpetually
award libertation and bondage to embodied living beings.
(Vedabase)
Text
4
Of
the living entity, that is part and parcel of My Oneness o
great intelligence, bondage is there since time immemorial
because of ignorance and the opposite [of liberation]
is there because of knowledge.
O
most intelligent Uddhava, the living entity, called
jîva, is part and parcel of Me, but due to ignorance
he has been suffering in material bondage since time
immemorial. By knowledge, however, he can be liberated.
(Vedabase)
Text
5
Let
Me now, My dear, dilate on the different characteristics of the
opposing nature of being conditioned and being liberated, that
thus is found in one manifestation of character.
Thus,
My dear Uddhava, in the same material body we find opposing
characteristics, such as great happiness and misery. That is
because both the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is
eternally liberated, as well as the conditioned soul are
within the body. I shall now speak to you about their
different characteristics. (Vedabase)
Text
6
The
two friends form a pair of birds of a similar nature who happen
to have a nest in a tree. One of them eats the tree its fruits
while the other refrains from eating, even though he is of
superior strength [see also 6.4:
24].
By
chance, two birds have made a nest together in the same
tree. The two birds are friends and are of a similar nature.
One of them, however, is eating the fruits of the tree,
whereas the other, who does not eat the fruits, is in a
superior position due to His potency. (Vedabase)
Text
7
The one not
eating the fruits of the tree, omniscient knows himself
[Himself] as well as the other bird. The one eating
doesn't give it any thought and is always bound, while the one
who is full of knowledge at all times is liberated [see
also B.G. 4:
5].
The
bird who does not eat the fruits of the tree is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who by His omniscience perfectly
understands His own position and that of the conditioned
living entity, represented by the eating bird. That living
entity, on the other hand, does not understand himself or
the Lord. He is covered by ignorance and is thus called
eternally conditioned, whereas the Personality of Godhead,
being full of perfect knowledge, is eternally liberated.
(Vedabase)
Text
8
An enlightened
person does not consider himself the body he inhabits, just
like when a dreamer forgets his dream body when he rises in the
morning. A foolish person though thinks differently despite of
being situated in the body [as its controller], he
thinks like in a dream [he identifies with, see B.G.
16:
18].
One
who is enlightened in self-realization, although living
within the material body, sees himself as transcendental to
the body, just as one who has arisen from a dream gives up
identification with the dream body. A foolish person,
however, although not identical with his material body but
transcendental to it, thinks himself to be situated in the
body, just as one who is dreaming sees himself as situated
in an imaginary
body. (Vedabase)
Text
9
Free from the
contamination of desire an enlightened person will not consider
himself the doer, he rather considers his actions to be the
operation of the by the modes of nature directed senses that
respond to the by the modes created sense objects [see B.G.
3:
28].
An
enlightened person who is free from the contamination of
material desire does not consider himself to be the
performer of bodily activities; rather, he knows that in all
such activities it is only the senses, born of the modes of
nature, that are contacting sense objects born of the same
modes of nature. (Vedabase)
Text
10
Because of the
actions that factually are called down by the modes is the
ignorant soul, inhabiting the body that is ruled by destiny,
thus bound to [the egotistical notion of] 'I am the one
who engages' [see also B.G. 3:
27].
An
unintelligent person situated within the body created by his
previous fruitive activities thinks, "I am the performer of
action." Bewildered by false ego, such a foolish person is
therefore bound up by fruitive activities, which are in fact
carried out by the modes of nature. (Vedabase)
Text
11
An intelligent
person not attached to outer appearances is in his resting,
sitting, walking, bathing, seeing, touching, smelling, eating,
hearing and so on, thus never bound, regardless the direction
in which he moves with his sensuality.
An
enlightened person fixed in detachment engages his body in
lying down, sitting, walking, bathing, seeing, touching,
smelling, eating, hearing and so on, but is never entangled
by such activities. Indeed, remaining as a witness to all
bodily functions, he merely engages his bodily senses with
their objects and does not become entangled like an
unintelligent person. (Vedabase)
Text
12-13
Even though
situated in the material world, he cuts, completely aloof from
its ruling powers, with all doubts with the assistance of the
most expert and by detachment sharpened vision. Just as the
sky, the sun and the wind are aloof, he has, like having
awakened from a dream, turned away from the separateness of
things.
Although
the sky, or space, is the resting place of everything, the
sky does not mix with anything, nor is it entangled.
Similarly, the sun is not at all attached to the water in
which it is reflected within innumerable reservoirs, and the
mighty wind blowing everywhere is not affected by the
innumerable aromas and atmospheres through which it passes.
In the same way, a self-realized soul is completely detached
from the material body and the material world around it. He
is like a person who has awakened and arisen from a dream.
With expert vision sharpened by detachment, the
self-realized soul cuts all doubts to pieces through
knowledge of the self and completely withdraws his
consciousness from the expansion of material variety.
(Vedabase)
Text
14
The person of
whom the functions of the life breath, the senses, the mind and
the intelligence are not directed by desires, is completely
free, despite of being situated in a body that is ruled by the
senses.
A
person is considered to be completely liberated from the
gross and subtle material bodies when all the functions of
his vital energy, senses, mind and intelligence are
performed without material desire. Such a person, although
situated within the body, is not entangled.
(Vedabase)
Text
15
Sometimes
is one's body for some reason attacked [by animals or
enemies] and sometimes is one worshiped [by a lover or
a follower], but an intelligent person is never affected
when that happens
[see B.G. 14:
22-25].
Sometimes
for no apparent reason one's body is attacked by cruel
people or violent animals. At other times and in other
places, one will suddenly be offered great respect or
worship. One who becomes neither angry when attacked nor
satisfied when worshiped is actually intelligent.
(Vedabase)
Text
16
With
an equal vision having moved beyond the notion of good and bad
a wise man will not praise those who are doing or speaking very
well, nor criticize others who are doing or speaking
poorly [see
also B.G. 5:
18].
A
saintly sage sees with equal vision and therefore is not
affected by that which is materially good or bad. Indeed,
although he observes others performing good and bad work and
speaking properly and improperly, the sage does not praise
or criticize anyone. (Vedabase)
Text
17
One who is
satisfied within should not act upon, speak about or
contemplate matters of good and bad. A wise man should with
this way of living wander around like a dull materialistic
person [see also 5.9].
For
the purpose of maintaining his body, a liberated sage should
not act, speak or contemplate in terms of material good or
bad. Rather, he should be detached in all material
circumstances, and taking pleasure in self-realization, he
should wander about engaged in this liberated life-style,
appearing like a retarded person to outsiders.
(Vedabase)
Text
18
Someone who is
well versed in vedic literature but not that smart engages with
the supreme interest [the Lord], will as a result of
his efforts achieve a result comparable to the result of a
person taking care of a cow that gives no milk.
If
through meticulous study one becomes expert in reading Vedic
literature but makes no endeavor to fix one's mind on the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, then one's endeavor is
certainly like that of a man who works very hard to take
care of a cow that gives no milk. In other words, the fruit
of one's laborious study of Vedic knowledge will simply be
the labor itself. There will be no other tangible result.
(Vedabase)
Text
19
O Uddhava, he
who takes care of a cow that has given her milk, an unchaste
wife, a body always dependent upon others, unworthy children,
an unworthy recipient while donating, and he who wants to speak
without any knowledge of Me [see also 10.14:
4 and
5.6:
11],
suffers one misery after the other.
My
dear Uddhava, that man is certainly most miserable who takes
care of a cow that gives no milk, an unchaste wife, a body
totally dependent on others, useless children or wealth not
utilized for the right purpose. Similarly, one who studies
Vedic knowledge devoid of My glories is also most miserable.
(Vedabase)
Text
20
A wise person,
My best, should not engage in terms of disrespect for My
purifying activities or desired appearances in the form of the
pastime incarnations [the lîlâ-avatâras]
in service of the maintenance, creation and annihilation of the
world, o Uddhava.
My
dear Uddhava, an intelligent person should never take to
literatures that do not contain descriptions of My
activities, which purify the whole universe. Indeed, I
create, maintain and annihilate the entire material
manifestation. Among all My pastime incarnations, the most
beloved are Krishna and Balarâma. Any so-called
knowledge that does not recognize these activities of Mine
is simply barren and is not acceptable to those who are
actually intelligent. (Vedabase)
Text
21
When one sorts
this out and thus gives up the misconception of the material
diversity as existing separately from the soul
[**]
should one, with fixing one's purified mind upon Me, the
All-pervading One [see also B.G. 7:
19], put
an end to one's materialistic life [B.G.
18:
55].
Coming
to this conclusion of all knowledge, one should give up the
false conception of material variety that one imposes upon
the soul and thus cease one's material existence. The mind
should be fixed on Me, since I am all-pervading.
(Vedabase)
Text
22
And if you're
not able to steady your mind on the spiritual platform, then
dedicate, not deviating [from the regulative
principles], all your actions to Me without expecting
anything in return [B.G. 12:
11,
10:
10,
18:
54].
My
dear Uddhava, if you are not able to free your mind from all
material disturbance and thus absorb it completely on the
spiritual platform, then perform all your activities as an
offering to Me, without trying to enjoy the fruits.
(Vedabase)
Text
23-24
A
person of belief who listens to the narrations about My birth
and activities, that with one's purifying, singing, constant
rememberance and also dramatic expression are all-auspicious to
the world, will, when he under My protection for My sake
regulates his religiosity, sensual pleasure and finances
[the purushârtas],
develop an unflinching devotion unto Me, the Eternal One, o
Uddhava.
My
dear Uddhava, narrations of My pastimes and qualities are
all-auspicious and purify the entire universe. A faithful
person who constantly hears, glorifies and remembers such
transcendental activities, who through dramatic performances
relives My pastimes, beginning with My appearance, and who
takes full shelter of Me, dedicating his religious, sensual
and occupational activities for My satisfaction, certainly
obtains unflinching devotional service to Me, the eternal
Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)
Text
25
By
one's devotion for Me as acquired in sat-sanga
[the association with devotees] becomes one My
worshiper. As one can see with My devotees those people reach
My abode easily.'
One
who has obtained pure devotional service by association with
My devotees always engages in worshiping Me. Thus he very
easily goes to My abode, which is revealed by My pure
devotees. (Vedabase)
Text
26-27
S'rî
Uddhava said: 'What kind of person would in Your
opinion, o
Uttamas'loka,
be a saintly person, and what sort of worship unto You would
carry the approval of Your pure devotees? Please speak about
this to me, Your surrendered
devotee who loves You as his only shelter, o Master of the
Universe, Supervisor of the World and Commander of the
Person.
S'rî
Uddhava said: My dear Lord, O Supreme Personality of
Godhead, what type of person do You consider to be a true
devotee, and what type of devotional service is approved by
great devotees as worthy of being offered to Your Lordship?
My dear ruler of the universal controllers, O Lord of
Vaikunthha and almighty God of the universe, I am Your
devotee, and because I love You I have no other shelter than
You. Therefore please explain this to me. (Vedabase)
Text
28
You the Supreme
God and Spirit alike the sky, the Original Person
transcendental to material nature, are with Your incarnation,
in which You accepted different bodies, the Supreme Lord
according to the desire of the ones belonging to
You.'
My
dear Lord, as the Absolute Truth You are transcendental to
material nature, and like the sky You are never entangled in
any way. Still, being controlled by Your devotees' love, You
accept many different forms, incarnating according to Your
devotees' desires. (Vedabase)
Text
29-32
The Supreme
Lord said: 'When someone is merciful, causes no harm, is
tolerant towards all embodied beings, is firmly anchored in the
truth and an irreproachable soul; when someone is equal-minded,
always acting for the better, of an intelligence that is not
disturbed by material desires, is of restraint, is
soft-natured, pure-hearted, non-possessive, not worldly, eating
little and peaceful; when someone is steady, has Me for his
shelter, is thoughtful, vigilant, a profound soul, is keeping
respect, has conquered the shath-guna
[the different forms of material misery], offers
respect and invigorates; when someone is friendly,
compassionate and learned and thus knows the qualities and
shortcomings as taught by Me, is such a person, even when he
gives up his own religious preferences [see also B.G.
18:
66] in his
worship of all that belongs to Me, the best of the truthful
ones [see also 5.18:
12, B.G.
12:
13-20].
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Uddhava, a saintly
person is merciful and never injures others. Even if others
are aggressive he is tolerant and forgiving toward all
living entities. His strength and meaning in life come from
the truth itself, he is free from all envy and jealousy, and
his mind is equal in material happiness and distress. Thus,
he dedicates his time to work for the welfare of all others.
His intelligence is never bewildered by material desires,
and he has controlled his senses. His behavior is always
pleasing, never harsh and always exemplary, and he is free
from possessiveness. He never endeavors in ordinary, worldly
activities, and he strictly controls his eating. He
therefore always remains peaceful and steady. A saintly
person is thoughtful and accepts Me as his only shelter.
Such a person is very cautious in the execution of his
duties and is never subject to superficial transformations,
because he is steady and noble, even in a distressing
situation. He has conquered over the six material qualities
- namely hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and
death. He is free from all desire for prestige and offers
honor to others. He is expert in reviving the Krishna
consciousness of others and therefore never cheats anyone.
Rather, he is a well-wishing friend to all, being most
merciful. Such a saintly person must be considered the most
learned of men. He perfectly understands that the ordinary
religious duties prescribed by Me in various Vedic
scriptures possess favorable qualities that purify the
performer, and he knows that neglect of such duties
constitutes a discrepancy in one's life. Having taken
complete shelter at My lotus feet, however, a saintly person
ultimately renounces such ordinary religious duties and
worships Me alone. He is thus considered to be the best
among all living entities. (Vedabase)
Text
33
They
who, whether they know it or not as to who I am and how I am,
worship Me with unalloyed devotion, are by Me considered the
best devotees.
My
devotees may or may not know exactly what I am, who I am and
how I exist, but if they worship Me with unalloyed love,
then I consider them to be the best of devotees.
(Vedabase)
Text
34-41
Seeing,
touching and worshiping My appearance in this world My devotees
render personal service and offer prayers of glorification and
obeisance, to which they regularly sing about My qualities and
activities. In hearing the topics about Me they always with
faith meditate upon Me, o Uddhava, and offer as servants in
defense of the Soul all that they acquire. Discussing My birth
and activities they take great delight in engaging with musical
instruments and songs and dance, organizing to the order of the
moon [at sundays or lunar phases] meetings and
festivals in My [God's] houses. Sacrificing at all
celebrations and annual festivities as mentioned in the vedic
literatures and their tantras,
they observe vows and are of initiation in relation to Me. With
the installation of My deity they are faithfully attached and
endeavor for themselves as well as for others in working for
flower gardens, orchards, playgrounds, cities and temples.
Straightforward as servants they serve for My sake in
thoroughly cleaning and dusting the house [the temple],
washing with water [and
cow-dung, see also 10.6:
20*],
sprinkling scented water and making mandalas. Modestly without
pride, not advertising one's devotional service and not
reserving for oneself the light of the lamps presented to Me,
one should offer Me the thing most dear to oneself or anything
else that is most desired in the material world. With such
offering one qualifies for immortality.
My
dear Uddhava, one can give up false pride and prestige by
engaging in the following devotional activities. One may
purify oneself by seeing, touching, worshiping, serving, and
offering prayers of glorification and obeisances to My form
as the Deity and to My pure devotees. One should also
glorify My transcendental qualities and activities, hear
with love and faith the narrations of My glories and
constantly meditate on Me. One should offer to Me whatever
one acquires, and accepting oneself as My eternal servant,
one should give oneself completely to Me. One should always
discuss My birth and activities and enjoy life by
participating in festivals, such as
Janmâshthamî, which glorify My pastimes. In My
temple, one should also participate in festivals and
ceremonies by singing, dancing, playing musical instruments
and discussing Me with other Vaishnavas. One should observe
all the regularly celebrated annual festivals by attending
ceremonies, pilgrimages and making offerings. One should
also observe religious vows such as Ekâdas'î and
take initiation by the procedures mentioned in the Vedas,
Pañcarâtra and other, similar literatures. One
should faithfully and lovingly support the installation of
My Deity, and individually or in cooperation with others one
should work for the construction of Krishna conscious
temples and cities as well as flower gardens, fruit gardens
and special areas to celebrate My pastimes. One should
consider oneself to be My humble servant, without duplicity,
and thus should help to clean the temple, which is My home.
First one should sweep and dust thoroughly, and then one
should further cleanse with water and cow dung. Having dried
the temple, one should sprinkle scented water and decorate
the temple with mandalas. One should thus act just like My
servant. A devotee should never advertise his devotional
activities; therefore his service will not be the cause of
false pride. One should never use lamps that are offered to
Me for other purposes simply because there is need of
illumination, and similarly, one should never offer to Me
anything that has been offered to or used by others.
Whatever is most desired by one within this material world,
and whatever is most dear to oneself &emdash; one should
offer that very thing to Me. Such an offering qualifies one
for eternal life. (Vedabase)
Text
42
The
sun, the fire, the brahmins, the cows, the Vaishnavas, the sky,
the wind, the water, the earth, the soul and all living beings,
My dearest, all constitute a medium for My
worship.
O
saintly Uddhava, please know that you may worship Me in the
sun, fire, brâhmanas, cows, Vaishnavas, sky, wind,
water, earth, individual soul and all living entities.
(Vedabase)
Text
43-45
In the sun one
can find Me by selected verses [like the
Gâyatrî],
with the help of worship and with obeisances [like with the
Sûrya-namskar].
In fire one finds Me with offerings of ghee. One can find Me as
the best among the learned when one worships Me by being
hospitable to them. In the cows, My dear, you reach Me by means
of offerings of grass and such. In the Vaishnava one finds Me
by honoring him with loving friendship. I am found in the heart
by being fixed in meditation on one's inner nature. In the air
one finds Me by considering Me the life giving principle
[represented in the prâna,
by means of prânâyâma
see B.G. 4:
29]. In
water one can find Me using articles of worship that deal with
water [see B.G. 9:
26]. In
the earth [one finds Me] by offering food grains,
applying sacred mantras from the heart [see e.g.
Prasâda
sevâya
and Bhoga
ârati].
And within the embodied self one can find Me as the knower of
the field [see Paramâtmâ
and B.G. 13:
3] by
worshiping Me with a balanced mind [see
niyama].
My
dear Uddhava, one should worship Me within the sun by
chanting selected Vedic mantras and by performing worship
and offering obeisances. One may worship Me within fire by
offering oblations of ghee, and one may worship Me among the
brâhmanas by respectfully receiving them as guests,
even when uninvited. I can be worshiped within the cows by
offerings of grass and other suitable grains and
paraphernalia for the pleasure and health of the cows, and
one may worship Me within the Vaishnavas by offering loving
friendship to them and honoring them in all respects.
Through steady meditation I am worshiped within the inner
space of the heart, and within the air I can be worshiped by
knowledge that prâna, the life air, is the chief among
elements. I am worshiped within water by offerings of water
itself, along with other elements such as flowers and
tulasî leaves, and one may worship Me within the earth
by proper application of confidential seed mantras. One may
worship Me within the individual living entity by offering
food and other enjoyable substances, and one may worship Me
within all living entities by seeing the Supersoul within
all of them, thus maintaining equal vision.
(Vedabase)
Text
46
Devoutly
absorbed in Me thus meditating these different ways one must be
of worship for My transcendental form that is equipped with the
conchshell, the disc, the club and the lotus flower
[see
picture].
Thus,
in the previously mentioned places of worship and according
to the processes I have described, one should meditate on My
peaceful, transcendental form with four arms holding a
conchshell, Sudars'ana disc, club and lotus flower. In this
way, one should worship Me with fixed attention.
(Vedabase)
Text
47
Thus
fully fixed upon Me being of worship with the desired and good
works, one obtains by the fine quality of the service thus
delivered durable bhakti and the remembrance of Me [see
also B.G.
5:
29].
One
who has executed sacrificial performances and pious works
for My satisfaction, and who thus worships Me with fixed
attention, obtains unflinching devotional service unto Me.
By the excellent quality of his service such a worshiper
obtains realized knowledge of Me. (Vedabase)
Text
48
O
Uddhava, generally
speaking there are, apart from the bhakti-yoga that is realized
through the association with devotees, no means that actually
work, because I am the true path of life for the ones of virtue
[see also 4.31:
12].
My
dear Uddhava, I am personally the ultimate shelter and way
of life for saintly liberated persons, and thus if one does
not engage in My loving devotional service, which is made
possible by associating with My devotees, then for all
practical purposes, one possesses no effective means for
escaping from material existence. (Vedabase)
Text
49
Thus
o child of the Yadus, I will speak to you, who are willing to
listen, even about the most confidential highest secret [of
intimate association with Me], since you are My servant,
well-wisher and friend [compare
B.G. 18:
63 &
68].'
My
dear Uddhava, O beloved of the Yadu dynasty, because you are
My servant, well-wisher and friend, I shall now speak to you
the most confidential knowledge. Please hear as I explain
these great mysteries to you. (Vedabase)
*:
The paramparâ adds: 'The Supreme Personality of
Godhead is not different from His potencies, yet He is always
above them as the supreme controller.... Liberation means that
the living entity should transfer himself to the spiritual
potency of the Lord, which can be divided into three categories
- hlâdinî, the potency of bliss;
sandhinî, the potency of eternal existence; and
samvit, the potency of omniscience.' This is another
formulation of the divine in terms of
sat-cit-ânanda; Krishna as being eternity,
consciousness and bliss.
**:
Quoting from the Viveka, S'rîla
Madhvâcârya states that
nânâtva-bhramam, the mistake to the material
diversity, indicates the following illusions: considering the
living entity to be the Supreme; considering all living
entities to be ultimately one entity without separate
individuality; considering that there are many Gods
[independent of one another, see 5.18:
12];
thinking that Krishna is not God [is not personal as well
as impersonal the complete whole, vâsudeva sarvam
iti, B.G. 7:
19];
and considering that the material universe [the
impersonal] is the ultimate reality [see also
1.2:
11].
All these illusions are together fought by chanting the
Mahâmantra
or attending to the
other bhajans
for two hours a day.
