rule

 

Mahâmantra 4

 

 

 

Canto 11

 

Chapter 23

 

Forbearance: the Song of the Avantî Brâhmana.

(1) The son of Vyâsa said: 'When He thus respectfully was requested by Uddhava, the greatest of the devotees, began the chief of the Dâs'ârhas whose heroism is so worthy to hear about, to speak, praising the words of His servant. (2) The Supreme Lord said: 'O disciple of Brihaspati, there is virtually no pious soul in this world capable of keeping his mind in check being disturbed by the insulting words used by a bad person. (3) A person is not as much pained pierced by arrows going through the heart as he is hurt indeed hoarding the arrows of harsh words of untruthful people. (4) In this regard Uddhava, is a most pious story told, please listen with rapt attention as I describe it to you. (5) It was related by a mendicant who, being insulted by bad people, keeping his composure remembered it as the consequence of his past deeds. (6) In Avantî [in the district of Malwa] there once lived a certain brahmin very rich with opulences who earned his livelihood doing business; but he was a miser, full of lust, greed and prone to anger as he was [see also B.G. 2: 49]. (7) For his relatives and guests was he not even in words of respect as he, devoid of religiosity, also not at the right times catered to his own needs. (8) With him so ill-behaved developed his sons, in-laws, his wife, daughters and servants enmity toward the miser, withholding their affection in disgust. (9) This way lacking in dharma and pleasure became the five claimants of sacrifice [pañca-bhâga], with that obsessive treasurekeeper failing in both worlds [this and the next], angry at him. (10) The neglect of them depleted his portion of piety, o magnanimous one, and all the wealth he so painstakingly had troubled himself for became lost. (11) Being just in name a brahmin was some taken by his relatives, some by thieves, Uddhava, some by providence, some by time, some by common people and some by higher authorities [see also 10.49: 22]. (12) When devoid of religiosity and love he thus had lost his property, arose, being neglected by his family members, a hard to endure anxiety. (13) With him thus thinking for a long time choked with tears in agony lamenting the riches lost, arose, a majestic disregard for worldly matters. (14) He then said to this: 'Alas, how painful to trouble myself so much with all this toiling nor for the pleasure, nor for the love of God. (15) Generally do of misers the things of wealth never ever result in any happiness: in this life they result in torment and with the one who died they lead to hell. (16) Whatever pure fame the famous might have or praiseworthy qualities there'd be of the virtuous, even these are destroyed by but a little greed, just like what white leprosy does with an enchanting physical beauty. (17) In the attainment, the increase, the protecting, spending, loss and enjoyment of making money, is there for man labor, fear, anxiety and confusion. (18-19) Theft, violence, lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, discord, enmity, lack of faith, competition and [the three] dangers [of intoxication, promiscuity and gambling, see also 1.17: 24]: these are the fifteen man knows indeed as the unwanted things based on wealth; therefore should the one who wishes the ultimate benefit in life keep the undesirable under the heading of wealth at a great distance. (20) The brothers, wife, parents and friends that are one in love, all immediately turn into enemies over a single penny. (21) Even over a little amount of money give they, agitated and inflamed, in to anger and give they it as an adversary out for destruction, quickly, in a moment's notice, up in dropping the goodwill. (22) Having attained the human birth that the immortals pray for and in that life the status of the best of the twice-born, do they, destructive to their own best interest, not appreciate that; they head for an inauspicious destination [see also B.G. 16: 19-20]. (23) What person achieving this human life, the gateway to heaven and liberation, would become attached to property and, subject to death, remain in the realm of meaninglessness? (24) Like a moneyminded yaksha not distributing to the shareholders, viz. the greater family of the gods, the seers, the forefathers, one's relatives, the living entities and oneself, falls one down. (25) What now can I, an old man, achieve in the useless endeavor for money, youth and strength, by which maddened, people of discrimination try for perfection? [see B.G. 3: 35] (26) Why would someone wise constantly suffer the vain pursuit of wealth; for certain is someone in his world, because of this illusory potency, most bewildered. (27) What use are the goods or the ones providing them or what would be the use of the objects of desire or the people giving satisfaction; or else what use would it, for the one in the grip of death, be to be of the fruitive action that delivers one a next birth? (28) The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality comprising all the gods by whom I have been brought to this condition of detachment, is for certain, satisfied with me, the boat for the soul [see also 11.17: 44]. (29) With the time remaining will I, to find satisfaction within myself, unbewildered about my real interest, attenuate my body [to the minimum]. (30) May the gods, the controllers of the three worlds, in this be pleased; was it not Khathvânga who achieved the spiritual abode in but a moment?'

(31) The Supreme Lord said: 'Thus making up his mind became the most pious brahmin from Avantî, untying the knots in his heart, in peace a silent mendicant. (32) He wandered the big world alone and inconspicuous, and entered, herein with his self, senses and vital air controlled [see tri-danda], its cities and villages to live on charity. (33) Seeing him indeed an old, dirty beggar, was he with many an insult dishonored by the low-class people, my dear. (34) Some of them took his triple staff away, his begging bowl, his waterpot and his seat, and some took his prayer beads and his torn rags, where they, showing them in offering them back, again took them away from the sage. (35) And on a river shore about to partake of the food acquired by his begging, urinated the grave sinners upon him and spit they on his head. (36) He to the vow of silence not speaking they would deride with their words and beat up saying 'This one is a thief'; thus speaking they bound him in ropes while some shouted to it 'Tie him up, bind him!'. (37) Some criticized him committing insults like 'This one is a religious hypocrite, a cheater who, having lost his wealth and thrown out by his family, has taken to this profession'. (38-39) 'See how this person so powerful and steadfast as a massive mountain, with his silence striving for his goal, is as firmly determined as a duck'. Some ridiculed him speaking thus, while others passed foul air and, binding him in chains, kept the twiceborn one captive like a pet animal. (40) Thus destined to suffer that all due to other living beings, due to higher powers and due to himself [see kles'a], understood he that whatever came his way was allotted to him by his own destiny. (41) Being insulted by low-class men who tried to make him fall, sang he, remaining firm in his own duty, fixing his resolution in goodness, this song [see also B.G. 18: 33]:

(42) The twiceborn one said: 'These people are not the cause of my happiness or distress, nor are the demigods, my body, the planets, my karma or the time; it is, according the standard authorities [the s'ruti], nothing but the mind that is the cause, the mind which causes one to rotate in the cycle of material life. (43) The mind displaying indeed the modes is very strong by them and by the different sorts of white [goodness], red [passion] and black [ignorance] activities from which the conditions [the societal classes] arise to the same colors. (44) The soul not involved and golden [radiating enlightenment] existing along with the struggling mind, my friend, looks down upon the mind that with its image of the world embraces the objects of desire; and in that engagement he gets bound in attachment to the modes of nature. (45) Charity, doing one's duty, the niyama, the yama and the hearing [from the scripture], pious works and the purification by vows all entail the subduing of the mind, with the supreme of the yoga, the absorption of the mind [samâdhi], as their aim. (46) Tell me what is there to accomplish for him whose mind is pacified, perfectly fixed by charity and other processes; and what other thing can by these processes of charity and such be achieved when one is lost with a mind out of control? (47) As long as we know have others, [the senses and their] gods for example, fallen under the control of the mind and has the mind never fallen under the control of any other [but the Supreme One]; fearsome as a god [Aniruddha] is it likewise stronger than the strongest - indeed is He who can bring that mind under control the God of gods [see also B.G. 6: 35-36, *]. (48) Failing to conquer that difficult to conquer enemy [if worldly engaged, see B.G. 6: 6] who in its urges so unmanageable is tormenting and striking, do some therefore completely bewildered create useless quarrels, with the mortals in this world being friends, neuters and rivals. (49) Having accepted the material body as a part of their mind, in the sense of 'I' and 'mine', do human beings blinded in their intelligence by the hard to overcome illusion of 'this I am' and 'this is someone else', thus wander in darkness. (50) Asserting that [adhibhautika] these people would be the cause of my happiness and distress, then what room is there in this conception for the soul; they as that belong to the earth [and not to the soul] - with whom can one be angry when the tongue happens to be bitten by one's own teeth? (51) If one says that [adhidaivika] the gods would be responsible for the suffering then what has that suffering to do with the soul; that pain is all subject to change [while the soul is not] - at whom ever should the living being get angry when one limb of his own body hurts another limb? (52) If the soul itself [adhyâtmika] would be the cause of the happiness and distress, then by what else but his own nature would it be in that perspective; indeed there is nothing separate from the soul as that would be false - and whom to be angry with when there is no happiness or distress [in the witnessing soul, see B.G. 2: 14]? (53) If the planets would be the cause of happiness and distress, what then of the soul that is unborn; they relate to that what is born, as they [the astrologers] say, the planet is only troubled by other planets - at whom should the living being, distinct from that body, get angry then? (54) If we assume the karma to be the cause of happiness and distress, what would that karma mean to the soul; for sure are the animating person on the one hand and this animated body endowed with consciousness [on itself] not alive at the other, both not the root cause of the karma of course - whom to be angry with then? (55) If we say that time would be the cause of happiness and distress, then what for the soul in that idea; the soul belongs to time, the way fire doesn't burn the flames or the snow is not [harmed by cold] - with whom to become angry when there is no duality with the supreme [see also B.G. 18: 16 and timequotes]? (56) Not by anyone, anywhere or by any means is there for him, superior of transcendence, the influence of the duality to which the false ego arises that shapes the material existence; he whose intelligence is thus awakened has nothing to fear from other living beings. (57) By the worship of the feet of Mukunda will I cross over the hard to overcome ocean of material nescience; of this I am certain by the foregoing great seers [or âcâryas] anchored in the worship of the Soul Supreme [see also B.G. 6: 1-2].'

(58) The Supreme Lord said: 'With his wealth destroyed getting detached, leaving home, free from moroseness traveling the earth and despite of this way being insulted by rascals, sent the sage unswerving in his duties this song up. (59) As for giving happiness or distress to the soul is there nothing beside the mind, that bewildered out of ignorance created a material life of friends, neuters and enemies [see also 10.32: 17-22, B.G. 9: 29]. (60) Therefore in all respects, My best, bring with an intelligence absorbed in Me the mind under control and thus connected have the complete [the marriage, the comprehension] of yoga [see also s'iks'âshthaka-verse 1]. (61) Whosoever with full attention meditates on, makes others listen or listens himself to this [song] based upon the knowledge of the Absolute as sung by the mendicant, will for certain never be overwhelmed by the dualities.'

 

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Source Texts:

The Song of the Avantî Brâhmana

 

Text 1

The son of Vyâsa said: 'When He thus respectfully was requested by Uddhava, the greatest of the devotees, began the chief of the Dâs'ârhas whose heroism is so worthy to hear about, to speak, praising the words of His servant.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said - Lord Mukunda, the chief of the Dâs'ârhas, having thus been respectfully requested by the best of His devotees, S'rî Uddhava, first acknowledged the fitness of his servant's statements. Then the Lord, whose glorious exploits are most worthy of being heard, began to reply to him.

  

Text 2

The Supreme Lord said: 'O disciple of Brihaspati, there is virtually no pious soul in this world capable of keeping his mind in check being disturbed by the insulting words used by a bad person.

Lord S'rî Krishna said: O disciple of Brihaspati, there is virtually no saintly man in this world capable of resettling his own mind after it has been disturbed by the insulting words of uncivilized men.

 

Text 3

A person is not as much pained pierced by arrows going through the heart as he is hurt indeed hoarding the arrows of harsh words of untruthful people.

Sharp arrows which pierce one's chest and reach the heart do not cause as much suffering as the arrows of harsh, insulting words that become lodged within the heart when spoken by uncivilized men.

 

Text 4

In this regard Uddhava, is a most pious story told, please listen with rapt attention as I describe it to you.

My dear Uddhava, in this regard a most pious story is told, and I shall now describe it to you. Please listen with careful attention.

 

Text 5

It was related by a mendicant who, being insulted by bad people, keeping his composure remembered it as the consequence of his past deeds.

Once a certain sannyâsî was insulted in many ways by impious men. However, with determination he remembered that he was suffering the fruit of his own previous karma. I will narrate to you his story and that which he spoke.

 

 Text 6

In Avantî [in the district of Malwa] there once lived a certain brahmin very rich with opulences who earned his livelihood doing business; but he was a miser, full of lust, greed and prone to anger as he was [see also B.G. 2: 49].

In the country of Avantî there once lived a certain brâhmana who was very rich and gifted with all opulences, and who was engaged in the occupation of commerce. But he was a miserly person - lusty, greedy and very prone to anger.

 

 Text 7

For his relatives and guests was he not even in words of respect as he, devoid of religiosity, also not at the right times catered to his own needs.

In his home, devoid of religiosity and lawful sense gratification, the family members and guests were never properly respected, even with words. He would not even allow sufficient gratification for his own body at the suitable times.

 

Text 8

With him so ill-behaved developed his sons, in-laws, his wife, daughters and servants enmity toward the miser, withholding their affection in disgust.

Since he was so hardhearted and miserly, his sons, in-laws, wife, daughters and servants began to feel inimical toward him. Becoming disgusted, they would never treat him with affection.

 

Text 9

This way lacking in dharma and pleasure became the five claimants of sacrifice [pañca-bhâga], with that obsessive treasurekeeper failing in both worlds [this and the next], angry at him.

In this way the presiding deities of the five family sacrifices became angry at the brâhmana, who, being niggardly, guarded his wealth like a Yaksha, who had no good destination either in this world or the next, and who was totally deprived of religiosity and sense enjoyment.

 

Text 10

The neglect of them depleted his portion of piety, o magnanimous one, and all the wealth he so painstakingly had troubled himself for became lost.

O magnanimous Uddhava, by his neglect of these demigods he depleted his stock of piety and all his wealth. The accumulation of his repeated exhaustive endeavors was totally lost.

 

 Text 11

Being just in name a brahmin was some taken by his relatives, some by thieves, Uddhava, some by providence, some by time, some by common people and some by higher authorities [see also 10.49: 22].

Some of the wealth of this so-called brâhmana was taken away by his relatives, My dear Uddhava, some by thieves, some by the whims of providence, some by the effects of time, some by ordinary men and some by government authorities.

 

Text 12

When devoid of religiosity and love he thus had lost his property, arose, being neglected by his family members, a hard to endure anxiety.

Finally, when his property was completely lost, he who never engaged in religiosity or sense enjoyment became ignored by his family members. Thus he began to feel unbearable anxiety.

 

Text 13

With him thus thinking for a long time choked with tears in agony lamenting the riches lost, arose, a majestic disregard for worldly matters.

Having lost all his wealth, he felt great pain and lamentation. His throat choked up with tears, and he meditated for a long time on his fortune. Then a powerful feeling of renunciation came over him.

  

Text 14

He then said to this: 'Alas, how painful to trouble myself so much with all this toiling nor for the pleasure, nor for the love of God.

The brâhmana spoke as follows - O what great misfortune! I have simply tormented myself uselessly, struggling so hard for money that was not even intended for religiosity or material enjoyment.

 

Text 15

Generally do of misers the things of wealth never ever result in any happiness: in this life they result in torment and with the one who died they lead to hell.

Generally, the wealth of misers never allows them any happiness. In this life it causes their self-torment, and when they die it sends them to hell.

 

 Text 16

Whatever pure fame the famous might have or praiseworthy qualities there'd be of the virtuous, even these are destroyed by but a little greed, just like what white leprosy does with an enchanting physical beauty.

Whatever pure fame is possessed by the famous and whatever praiseworthy qualities are found in the virtuous are destroyed by even a small amount of greed, just as one's attractive physical beauty is ruined by a trace of white leprosy.

 

Text 17

In the attainment, the increase, the protecting, spending, loss and enjoyment of making money, is there for man labor, fear, anxiety and confusion.

In the earning, attainment, increase, protection, expense, loss and enjoyment of wealth, all men experience great labor, fear, anxiety and delusion.

  

 Text 18-19

Theft, violence, lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, discord, enmity, lack of faith, competition and [the three] dangers [of intoxication, promiscuity and gambling, see also 1.17: 24]: these are the fifteen man knows indeed as the unwanted things based on wealth; therefore should the one who wishes the ultimate benefit in life keep the undesirable under the heading of wealth at a great distance.

Theft, violence, speaking lies, duplicity, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, quarreling, enmity, faithlessness, envy and the dangers caused by women, gambling and intoxication are the fifteen undesirable qualities that contaminate men because of greed for wealth. Although these qualities are undesirable, men falsely ascribe value to them. One desiring to achieve the real benefit of life should therefore remain aloof from undesirable material wealth.

 

 Text 2o

The brothers, wife, parents and friends that are one in love, all immediately turn into enemies over a single penny.

Even a man's brothers, wife, parents and friends united with him in love will immediately break off their affectionate relationships and become enemies over a single coin.

 

 Text 21

Even over a little amount of money give they, agitated and inflamed, in to anger and give they it as an adversary out for destruction, quickly, in a moment's notice, up in dropping the goodwill.

For even a small amount of money these relatives and friends become very agitated and their anger is inflamed. Acting as rivals, they quickly give up all sentiments of goodwill and will reject one at a moment's notice, even to the point of committing murder.

 

 Text 22

Having attained the human birth that the immortals pray for and in that life the status of the best of the twice-born, do they, destructive to their own best interest, not appreciate that; they head for an inauspicious destination [see also B.G. 16: 19-20].

Those who obtain human life, which is prayed for even by the demigods, and in that human birth become situated as first-class brâhmanas, are extremely fortunate. If they disregard this important opportunity, they are certainly killing their own self-interest and thus achieve a most unfortunate end.

 

 Text 23

What person achieving this human life, the gateway to heaven and liberation, would become attached to property and, subject to death, remain in the realm of meaninglessness?

What mortal man, having achieved this human life, which is the very gateway to both heaven and liberation, would willingly become attached to that abode of worthlessness, material property?

 

 Text 24

Like a moneyminded yaksha not distributing to the shareholders, viz. the greater family of the gods, the seers, the forefathers, one's relatives, the living entities and oneself, falls one down.

One who fails to distribute his wealth to the proper shareholders - the demigods, sages, forefathers and ordinary living entities, as well as his immediate relatives, in-laws and own self - is maintaining his wealth simply like a Yaksha and will fall down.

 

 Text 25

What now can I, an old man, achieve in the useless endeavor for money, youth and strength, by which maddened, people of discrimination try for perfection? [see B.G. 3: 35]

Discriminating persons are able to utilize their money, youth and strength to achieve perfection. But I have feverishly squandered these in the useless endeavor for further wealth. Now that I am an old man, what can I achieve?

 

Text 26

Why would someone wise constantly suffer the vain pursuit of wealth; for certain is someone in his world, because of this illusory potency, most bewildered.

Why must an intelligent man suffer by his constant vain efforts to get wealth? Indeed, this whole world is most bewildered by someone's illusory potency.

 

 Text 27

What use are the goods or the ones providing them or what would be the use of the objects of desire or the people giving satisfaction; or else what use would it, for the one in the grip of death, be to be of the fruitive action that delivers one a next birth?

For one who is in the grips of death, what is the use of wealth or those who offer it, sense gratification or those who offer it, or, for that matter, any type of fruitive activity, which simply causes one to again take birth in the material world?

 

 Text 28

The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality comprising all the gods by whom I have been brought to this condition of detachment, is for certain, satisfied with me, the boat for the soul [see also 11.17: 44].

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, who contains within Himself all the demigods, must be satisfied with me. Indeed, He has brought me to this suffering condition and forced me to experience detachment, which is the boat to carry me over this ocean of material life.

 

 Text 29

With the time remaining will I, to find satisfaction within myself, unbewildered about my real interest, attenuate my body [to the minimum].

If there is any time remaining in my life, I will perform austerities and force my body to subsist on the bare necessities. Without further confusion I shall pursue that which constitutes my entire self-interest in life, and I shall remain satisfied within the self.

 

 Text 30

May the gods, the controllers of the three worlds, in this be pleased; was it not Khathvânga who achieved the spiritual abode in but a moment?'

Thus may the presiding demigods of these three worlds kindly show their mercy upon me. Indeed, Mahârâja Khathvânga was able to achieve the spiritual world in a single moment.

 

 Text 31

The Supreme Lord said: 'Thus making up his mind became the most pious brahmin from Avantî, untying the knots in his heart, in peace a silent mendicant.

Lord S'rî Krishna continued - His mind thus determined, that most excellent Avantî brâhmana was able to untie the knots of desire within his heart. He then assumed the role of a peaceful and silent sannyâsî mendicant.

 

 Text 32

He wandered the big world alone and inconspicuous, and entered, herein with his self, senses and vital air controlled [see tri-danda], its cities and villages to live on charity.

He wandered about the earth, keeping his intelligence, senses and life air under control. To beg charity he traveled alone to various cities and villages. He did not advertise his advanced spiritual position and thus was not recognized by others.

 

  Text 33

Seeing him indeed an old, dirty beggar, was he with many an insult dishonored by the low-class people, my dear.

O kind Uddhava, seeing him as an old, dirty beggar, rowdy persons would dishonor him with many insults.

 

 Text 34

Some of them took his triple staff away, his begging bowl, his waterpot and his seat, and some took his prayer beads and his torn rags, where they, showing them in offering them back, again took them away from the sage.

Some of these persons would take away his sannyâsî rod, and some the waterpot which he was using as a begging bowl. Some took his deerskin seat, some his chanting beads, and some would steal his torn, ragged clothing. Displaying these things before him, they would pretend to offer them back but would then hide them again.

 

 Text 35

And on a river shore about to partake of the food acquired by his begging, urinated the grave sinners upon him and spit they on his head.

When he was sitting on the bank of a river about to partake of the food that he had collected by his begging, such sinful rascals would come and pass urine on it, and they would dare to spit on his head.

  

 Text 36

He to the vow of silence not speaking they would deride with their words and beat up saying 'This one is a thief'; thus speaking they bound him in ropes while some shouted to it 'Tie him up, bind him!'.

Although he had taken a vow of silence, they would try to make him speak, and if he did not speak they would beat him with sticks. Others would chastise him, saying, 'This man is just a thief.' And others would bind him up with rope, shouting, 'Tie him up! Tie him up!'.

 

 Text 37

Some criticized him committing insults like 'This one is a religious hypocrite, a cheater who, having lost his wealth and thrown out by his family, has taken to this profession'.

They would criticize and insult him, saying, 'This man is just a hypocrite and a cheat. He makes a business of religion simply because he lost all his wealth and his family threw him out.'

 

  Text 38-39

'See how this person so powerful and steadfast as a massive mountain, with his silence striving for his goal, is as firmly determined as a duck'. Some ridiculed him speaking thus, while others passed foul air and, binding him in chains, kept the twiceborn one captive like a pet animal.

Some would ridicule him by saying, 'Just see this greatly powerful sage! He is as steadfast as the Himalaya Mountains. By practice of silence he strives for his goal with great determination, just like a duck.' Other persons would pass foul air upon him, and sometimes others would bind this twice-born brâhmana in chains and keep him captive like a pet animal.

 

 Text 40

Thus destined to suffer that all due to other living beings, due to higher powers and due to himself [see kles'a], understood he that whatever came his way was allotted to him by his own destiny.

The brâhmana understood that all his suffering - from other living beings, from the higher forces of nature and from his own body - was unavoidable, being allotted to him by providence.

 

 Text 41

Being insulted by low-class men who tried to make him fall, sang he, remaining firm in his own duty, fixing his resolution in goodness, this song [see also B.G. 18: 33]:

Even while being insulted by these low-class men who were trying to effect his downfall, he remained steady in his spiritual duties. Fixing his resolution in the mode of goodness, he began to chant the following song.

 

 Text 42

The twiceborn one said: 'These people are not the cause of my happiness or distress, nor are the demigods, my body, the planets, my karma or the time; it is, according the standard authorities [the s'ruti], nothing but the mind that is the cause, the mind which causes one to rotate in the cycle of material life.

The brâhmana said: These people are not the cause of my happiness and distress. Neither are the demigods, my own body, the planets, my past work, or time. Rather, it is the mind alone that causes happiness and distress and perpetuates the rotation of material life.

 

 Text 43

The mind displaying indeed the modes is very strong by them and by the different sorts of white [goodness], red [passion] and black [ignorance] activities from which the conditions [the societal classes] arise to the same colors.

The powerful mind actuates the functions of the material modes, from which evolve the different kinds of material activities in the modes of goodness, ignorance and passion. From the activities in each of these modes develop the corresponding statuses of life.

 

 Text 44

The soul not involved and golden [radiating enlightenment] existing along with the struggling mind, my friend, looks down upon the mind that with its image of the world embraces the objects of desire; and in that engagement he gets bound in attachment to the modes of nature.

Although present along with the struggling mind within the material body, the Supersoul is not endeavoring, because He is already endowed with transcendental enlightenment. Acting as my friend, He simply witnesses from His transcendental position. I, the infinitesimal spirit soul, on the other hand, have embraced this mind, which is the mirror reflecting the image of the material world. Thus I have become engaged in enjoying objects of desire and am entangled due to contact with the modes of nature.

 

 Text 45

Charity, doing one's duty, the niyama, the yama and the hearing [from the scripture], pious works and the purification by vows all entail the subduing of the mind, with the supreme of the yoga, the absorption of the mind [samâdhi], as their aim.

Charity, prescribed duties, observance of major and minor regulative principles, hearing from scripture, pious works and purifying vows all have as their final aim the subduing of the mind. Indeed, concentration of the mind on the Supreme is the highest yoga.

 

 Text 46

Tell me what is there to accomplish for him whose mind is pacified, perfectly fixed by charity and other processes; and what other thing can by these processes of charity and such be achieved when one is lost with a mind out of control?

If one's mind is perfectly fixed and pacified, then tell me what need does one have to perform ritualistic charity and other pious rituals? And if one's mind remains uncontrolled, lost in ignorance, then of what use are these engagements for him?

 

 Text 47

As long as we know have others, [the senses and their] gods for example, fallen under the control of the mind and has the mind never fallen under the control of any other [but the Supreme One]; fearsome as a god [Aniruddha] is it likewise stronger than the strongest - indeed is He who can bring that mind under control the God of gods [see also B.G. 6: 35-36, *].

All the senses have been under the control of the mind since time immemorial, and the mind himself never comes under the sway of any other. He is stronger than the strongest, and his godlike power is fearsome. Therefore, anyone who can bring the mind under control becomes the master of all the senses.

 

 Text 48

Failing to conquer that difficult to conquer enemy [if worldly engaged, see B.G. 6: 6] who in its urges so unmanageable is tormenting and striking, do some therefore completely bewildered create useless quarrels, with the mortals in this world being friends, neuters and rivals.

Failing to conquer this irrepressible enemy, the mind, whose urges are intolerable and who torments the heart, many people are completely bewildered and create useless quarrel with others. Thus they conclude that other people are either their friends, their enemies or parties indifferent to them.

 

 Text 49

Having accepted the material body as a part of their mind, in the sense of 'I' and 'mine', do human beings blinded in their intelligence by the hard to overcome illusion of 'this I am' and 'this is someone else', thus wander in darkness.

Persons who identify with this body, which is simply the product of the material mind, are blinded in their intelligence, thinking in terms of 'I' and 'mine.' Because of their illusion of 'this is I, but that is someone else,' they wander in endless darkness.

 

 Text 50

Asserting that [adhibhautika] these people would be the cause of my happiness and distress, then what room is there in this conception for the soul; they as that belong to the earth [and not to the soul] - with whom can one be angry when the tongue happens to be bitten by one's own teeth?

If you say that these people are the cause of my happiness and distress, then where is the place of the soul in such a conception? This happiness and distress pertain not to the soul but to the interactions of material bodies. If someone bites his tongue with his own teeth, at whom can he become angry in his suffering?

 

 Text 51

If one says that [adhidaivika] the gods would be responsible for the suffering then what has that suffering to do with the soul; that pain is all subject to change [while the soul is not] - at whom ever should the living being get angry when one limb of his own body hurts another limb?

If you say that the demigods who rule the bodily senses cause suffering, still, how can such suffering apply to the spirit soul? This acting and being acted upon are merely interactions of the changeable senses and their presiding deities. When one limb of the body attacks another, with whom can the person in that body be angry?

 

 Text 52

If the soul itself [adhyâtmika] would be the cause of the happiness and distress, then by what else but his own nature would it be in that perspective; indeed there is nothing separate from the soul as that would be false - and whom to be angry with when there is no happiness or distress [in the witnessing soul, see B.G. 2: 14] ?

If the soul himself were the cause of happiness and distress, then we could not blame others, since happiness and distress would be simply the nature of the soul. According to this theory, nothing except the soul actually exists, and if we were to perceive something besides the soul, that would be illusion. Therefore, since happiness and distress do not actually exist in this concept, why become angry at oneself or others?

 

 Text 53

If the planets would be the cause of happiness and distress, what then of the soul that is unborn; they relate to that what is born, as they [the astrologers] say, the planet is only troubled by other planets - at whom should the living being, distinct from that body, get angry then?

And if we examine the hypothesis that the planets are the immediate cause of suffering and happiness, then also where is the relationship with the soul, who is eternal? After all, the effect of the planets applies only to things that have taken birth. Expert astrologers have moreover explained how the planets are only causing pain to each other. Therefore, since the living entity is distinct from these planets and from the material body, against whom should he vent his anger?

 

Text 54

If we assume the karma to be the cause of happiness and distress, what would that karma mean to the soul; for sure are the animating person on the one hand and this animated body endowed with consciousness [on itself] not alive at the other, both not the root cause of the karma of course - whom to be angry with then?

If we assume that fruitive work is the cause of happiness and distress, we still are not dealing with the soul. The idea of material work arises when there is a spiritual actor who is conscious and a material body that undergoes the transformation of happiness and distress as a reaction to such work. Since the body has no life, it cannot be the actual recipient of happiness and distress, nor can the soul, who is ultimately completely spiritual and aloof from the material body. Since karma thus has no ultimate basis in either the body or the soul, at whom can one become angry?

 

Text 55

If we say that time would be the cause of happiness and distress, then what for the soul in that idea; the soul belongs to time, the way fire doesn't burn the flames or the snow is not [harmed by cold] - with whom to become angry when there is no duality with the supreme [see also B.G. 18: 16 and timequotes]?

If we accept time as the cause of happiness and distress, that experience still cannot apply to the spirit soul, since time is a manifestation of the Lord's spiritual potency and the living entities are also expansions of the Lord's spiritual potency manifesting through time. Certainly a fire does not burn its own flames or sparks, nor does the cold harm its own snowflakes or hail. In fact, the spirit soul is transcendental and beyond the experience of material happiness and distress. At whom, therefore, should one become angry?

 

Text 56

Not by anyone, anywhere or by any means is there for him, superior of transcendence, the influence of the duality to which the false ego arises that shapes the material existence; he whose intelligence is thus awakened has nothing to fear from other living beings.

The false ego gives shape to illusory material existence and thus experiences material happiness and distress. The spirit soul, however, is transcendental to material nature; he can never actually be affected by material happiness and distress in any place, under any circumstance or by the agency of any person. A person who understands this has nothing whatsoever to fear from the material creation.

 

Text 57

By the worship of the feet of Mukunda will I cross over the hard to overcome ocean of material nescience; of this I am certain by the foregoing great seers [or âcâryas] anchored in the worship of the Soul Supreme [see also B.G. 6: 1-2].'

I shall cross over the insurmountable ocean of nescience by being firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of Krishna. This was approved by the previous âcâryas, who were fixed in firm devotion to the Lord, Paramâtmâ, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

Text 58

The Supreme Lord said: 'With his wealth destroyed getting detached, leaving home, free from moroseness traveling the earth and despite of this way being insulted by rascals, sent the sage unswerving in his duties this song up.

Lord S'rî Krishna said: Thus becoming detached upon the loss of his property, this sage gave up his moroseness. He left home, taking sannyâsa, and began to travel about the earth. Even when insulted by foolish rascals he remained unswerved from his duty and chanted this song.

 

Text 59

As for giving happiness or distress to the soul is there nothing beside the mind, that bewildered out of ignorance created a material life of friends, neuters and enemies [see also 10.32: 17-22, B.G. 9: 29].

No other force besides his own mental confusion makes the soul experience happiness and distress. His perception of friends, neutral parties and enemies and the whole material life he builds around this perception are simply created out of ignorance.

 

Text 60

Therefore in all respects, My best, bring with an intelligence absorbed in Me the mind under control and thus connected have the complete [the marriage, the comprehension] of yoga [see also s'iks'âshthaka-verse 1].

My dear Uddhava, fixing your intelligence on Me, you should thus completely control the mind. This is the essence of the science of yoga.

 

Text 61

Whoever with full attention meditates on, makes others listen or listens himself to this [song] based upon the knowledge of the Absolute as sung by the mendicant, will for certain never be overwhelmed by the dualities.

Anyone who listens to or recites to others this song of the sannyâsî, which presents scientific knowledge of the Absolute, and who thus meditates upon it with full attention, will never again be overwhelmed by the dualities of material happiness and distress.

 

*: Some think that the essence of yoga is to stop the mind all together, but Krishna stresses in this chapter clearly that it is about the control, not the stopping. That stopping is an impersonalist mâyâvâda buddhist technique to concentrate on one's essence and constitutes a willfully created illusion [see Buddhism]. Saying neti-neti like Prahlâda e.g. will the mind indeed concentrate on the essence which exactly will boost the mind in that direction. So with the stopping of its worldly engagement, the real engagement of the mind in prayers and philosophy begins. Not going for the siddhis, the mystical perfections, must so the mind be engaged for the Fortunate One, for Krishna, by means of concentration on His names, mantras and stories; by s'ravanam, kîrtananam etc. one has to learn to listen at, sing and follow to the scripture, the guru and the co-believers. The first two yoga sûtras I.1&2 atha yogânus'ânamam, yogah citta vritti nirodah, should be translated with  'as the lesson of yoga, now curb the rumination of the mind about worldly things' and not with 'your yoga lesson now is to stop the mind from working'. Of course one has to use one's mind, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, to the voice of God; the mind is after all an aspect of the divine ruled by Aniruddha in the catur vyuha (see also vritti and siddhi).

 

 

 

 

For this original translation was used the Vedabase of the BBT offering the work
that Svâmi Prabhupâda's pupils did to complete his translation of the Bhâgavatam.
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam links-page
for this and more books of Prabhupâda.
Production:
Filognostic Association of The Order of Time


 

 

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