SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 3

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking with Maitreya Muni, the learned son of Dvaipâyana Vyâsa,Vidura, respectfully expressed a request. (2) Vidura said: 'O brahmin, how can of the Supreme Lord, although He is of the complete whole and the unchangeable, His pastimes take place of acting with the modes of nature while He Himself is outside of them?' (3) Boys willing to play with other boys are enthused in the matter of playing, but how is that different for one who is self-satisfied and at all times detached? (4) Caused to create the universe with the three modes of nature, the primal Self by the potency of the Supreme Lord maintains all of it and again conversely dissolves it. (5) How can He, the Pure Self whose consciousness, nor from Himself, nor from others nor by any time, place or situation is obscured, in the normal position of a living entity be associated with nescience? (6) By what kind of activities does the one Supreme Lord of all this, in whom the living entities dwell, result in either misfortune or misery? (7) On this, o learned one, is, in distress of nescience, my mind causing me trouble and therefore, o great one, please clear the great impurity of my mind.'

(8) S'rî S'uka said: 'He, this way urged by Vidura so anxious to find out about the reality, as a great sage acted as if wondered and then without hesitation God-consciously replied. (9) Maitreya said: 'Saying that of the Supreme Lord one is of illusion, that of the ever liberated of His Lordship there would be insufficiency or the idea of bondage, one becomes logically contradictory. (10) Of that kind of confusion of the identifying self of people one is thus bereft of meaning, which from the outside looks like if one's own head is being cut off. (11) The way because of the quality of water the moon reflected in it is trembling, offers the quality of the body, an illusory image to the seer differing from it. (12) In this existence does, in bhakti-yoga relating to the Fortunate One, indeed that [illusion] diminish gradually, when one by the mercy of Vâsudeva is engaged in detachment. (13) When the senses thus are satisfied with the observing soul that to the Lord finds engagement in transcendence, are the miseries completely vanquished as if one has enjoyed sound sleep. (14) If one can put an end to all kinds of misery by simply listening to the repeated explanations about the qualities of Murarî [Krishna as the enemy of Mura], what then again to say of the, to one's heart's desire, serving of the dust of His lotus feet?''

(15) Vidura said: 'O learned one, you're perfectly right in stating that [reasoning from] the deluding energy of the Lord is not the path for the soul to follow; it proves itself as meaningless without the basis of the Supreme root outside of which one misses the point. (16) All these explanations you gave are as good as they should be, o learned one, the self is not without the apparent meaning in being moved by the external of the Lord, as outside the origin of the Supreme there is no basis. (17) In this world the one slowest of understanding and the one of transcendental intelligence both enjoy in happiness while the persons in between do suffer. (18) Having aknowledged and being convinced of what is insubstantial, of that what is not the soul, am I, by the service of your feet, thus able to give up [the notion that one is in illusion because of the Lord]. (19) In serving the Personality of Godhead who is the unchangeable enemy of the demon Madhu, one develops, in different relationships [râsas] to the feet, the highly ecstatic that vanquishes distress. (20) Of those who are meager in their austerity it is certainly rarely seen that they are on the path of service towards the Kingdom of God [Vaikunthha] in which the Lord by the godly is always glorified as the controller of all living beings.

(21) After the creation of first the complete of the material energy, in a gradual process of differentiation [evolution] the universal form manifested along with its senses and organs in which later the Almighty entered [for His incarnations]. (22) He who is called the original person has thousands of limbs, legs and hands living in all the worlds of the universe according the evolution of each. (23) You explained how there are three kinds of life [to the modes] in which one has ten kinds of life-force with the [five] senses and their [fivefold] interest, please describe now to me what the specific powers of the societal divisions are. (24) In these [divisions] has, with the sons, grandsons and family-members of the different generations, that prowess spread itself in the different forms of existence. (25) What were all the Manus [heads of the age], and also the generations that for certain followed, to which He was decided as the leader or the father of the living beings [the prajâpati, or Brahmâ] of the generations, and what was their descend? (26) What worlds are there at the head and which earthly worlds are lying beneath, o son of Mitrâ; please describe what their situation is and what the extend of their worldly locations is. (27) Describe me the infrahuman, the human and the superhuman, as there are the generations and subdivisions of the ones born from the reptiles [or the birds], from wombs, from moist, from the twice-born and from the soil [the plants and vegetables]. (28) Kindly describe the incarnations to the modes of material nature for the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe and the magnanimous activities of the one Personality of Godhead who forms the ultimate shelter.

(29) What are to the respective divisions of the statusorientations to age and vocation in society the embodiments, the character and the births of the sages and their activities, and the divisions of the Veda in categories? (30) And of what sacrifices and ways are the expansions of the yogic capacity, o master, and what is the path of devotional service, in the nonmaterial interest and analytical study as well, of relating to the Personality of God with regulative principles? (31) The paths and imperfections of the faithless, they who go against the grain, and the situation and movements of the individual souls as many as there are to the modes and the types of work, what are they? (32) And what are the non-contradictory causes of religiosity, economic development, sense-gratification and salvation, what are the different means of livelihood, the codes of law, the scriptural injunctions and what are the different regulative principles? (33) How are the periodical offerings of respect regulated, o brahmin, to that what the forefathers have created and how are the timedurations settled to the planets, the stars and luminaries? (34) What may one expect from charity, penance and the endeavoring for reservoirs of water and how are the duties described for someone away from home and for a man in danger? (35) Please describe to me, o sinless one, how He as either the Supreme Person, the Father of the Religion, or the Controller of All, or as all of these can be satisfied completely. (36) O best among the brahmins, please describe the spiritual masters so kind to the needy, who tell their followers, their disciples and sons, even what they didn't ask for. (37) O supreme one, how many dissolutions are there for the elements of nature, who are they who in this are thereupon saved, and who are they who [of praise] may join in Him when He is asleep? (38) And what is the nature and identity of as well the individual person as of the Supreme, what is the leading motive of the vedic wisdom and what moves the guru and his disciples? (39) How in the world is from a person his devotion as also his detachment, there the source of the self-sufficient spiritual knowledge as defended by the spotless devotees?

(40) All these questions I asked in the desire to know about the pastimes of the Lord; please answer them to me as a friend for those ignorant ones who lost their vision by the external energy. (41) All the Vedas, sacrifices, charities and penances, o spotless one, do for sure not even partially compare to the freedom from fear that an individual soul is offered by a person imparting the teaching [like you].'

(42) S'rî S'uka said: 'He [Maitreya], the chief among the sages so well known with the stories [Purânas], thus being questioned by the chief of the Kurus was sufficiently satisfied and inspired and thus being stimulated on the topics about the Supreme Lord, he smilingly replied Vidura.'

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking with Maitreya Muni, the learned son of Dvaipâyana Vyâsa, Vidura, learning from Him, respectfully expressed a request.

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus speaking with Maitreya Muni, the learned son of Dvaipâyana Vyâsa,Vidura, respectfully expressed a request. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Vidura said: 'O brahmin, how can of the Supreme Lord, although He is of the complete whole and the unchangeable, His pastimes take place of acting with the modes of nature while He Himself is outside of them?'

Vidura said: 'O brahmin, how can of the Supreme Lord, although He is of the complete whole and the unchangeable, his pastimes take place of acting with the modes of nature while He himself is outside of them? (Vedabase) ?

Text 3

Boys willing to play with other boys are enthused in the matter of playing, but how is that different for one who is self-satisfied and at all times detached?

Boys willing to play with other boys are enthused in the matter of playing, but how is that different for one who is self-satisfied and at all times detached? (Vedabase)

Text 4

Caused to create the universe with the three modes of nature, the primal Self by the potency of the Supreme Lord maintains all of it and again conversely dissolves it.

The Supreme Lord gave rise to the universe endowed with its three modes; by the potency of her soul are all these maintained and again conversely dissolved as well. (Vedabase)

Text 5

How can He, the Pure Self whose consciousness, nor from Himself, nor from others nor by any time, place or situation is obscured, in the normal position of a living entity be associated with nescience?

How can it be that that pure self under the circumstances of time in the position of a living entity, being of dreams and others, devoid of consciousness can be engaged in nescience? (Vedabase)

Text 6

By what kind of activities does the one Supreme Lord of all this, in whom the living entities dwell, result in either misfortune or misery?

The One Supreme Lord is situated in all these living entities; by what kind of actions is there either the misfortune or the obstruction of the living beings? (Vedabase)

Text 7

On this, o learned one, is, in distress of nescience, my mind causing me trouble and therefore, o great one, please clear the great impurity of my mind.

On this, o learned one, is, in distress of nescience, my mind causing me trouble and therefore, o great one, please clear the great illusion of my thinking.' (Vedabase)

Text 8

S'rî S'uka said: " He, this way urged by Vidura so anxious to find out about the reality, as a great sage acted as if wondered and then without hesitation God-consciously replied.

S'rî S'uka said: "He, this way urged by Vidura so anxious to find out about the reality, as a great sage acted as if wondered and then without hesitation God-consciously replied. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Maitreya said: 'Saying that of the Supreme Lord one is of illusion, that of the ever liberated of His Lordship there would be insufficiency or the idea of bondage, one becomes logically contradictory.

Maitreya said: 'Saying that of the Supreme Lord one is of illusion, that of the ever liberated of His Lordship there would be insufficiency or the idea of bondage, one becomes logically contradictory. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Of that kind of confusion of the identifying self of people one is thus bereft of meaning, which from the outside looks like one's own head has been cut off.

Of that kind of confusion of the identifying self of people one is thus bereft of meaning, which superficiality looks like if one's own head is being cut off. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The way because of the quality of water the moon reflected in it is trembling, offers the quality of the body, an illusory image to the seer differing from it.

As because of the quality of water the moon reflected in it is trembling, so the self is seen by the seer to the [material] qualities that are other than of the soul. (Vedabase)

Text 12

In this existence does, in bhakti-yoga relating to the Fortunate One, indeed that [illusion] diminish gradually, when one by the mercy of Vâsudeva is engaged in detachment.

To that there is also detachment being engaged by the mercy of Vâsudeva in relating to the Supreme in bhakti[devotional]-yoga, which gradually diminishes this [delusion] in existence. (Vedabase)

Text 13

When the senses thus are satisfied with the observing soul that to the Lord finds engagement in transcendence, are the miseries completely vanquished as if one has enjoyed sound sleep.

When the senses are satisfied thus to the observing soul that is becoming engaged in transcendence to the Lord, then miseries are done with completely as if one has enjoyed sound sleep. (Vedabase)

Text 14

If one can put an end to all kinds of misery by simply listening to the repeated explanations about the qualities of Murarî [Krishna as the enemy of Mura], what then again to say of the, to one's heart's desire, serving of the dust of His lotus feet?'

If one can put an end to an unlimited number of miserable conditions by following to the transcendent of hearing and chanting about Murarî [Krishna as the enemy of Mura], then what again to say of the serving [itself] of His lotusfeet in the attraction of the selfrealized? (Vedabase)

Text 15

Vidura said: 'O learned one, you're perfectly right in stating that [reasoning from] the deluding energy of the Lord is not the path for the soul to follow; it proves itself as meaningless without the basis of the Supreme root outside of which one misses the point.

Vidura said: 'O powerful one, you have cut down my doubts with the weapon of your convincing words my Lord, now my mind on both [God and the living being], o Supreme one, has perfectly merged. (Vedabase)

Text 16

All these explanations you gave are as good as they should be, o learned one, the self is not without the apparent meaning in being moved by the external of the Lord, as outside the origin of the Supreme there is no basis.

All these explanations you gave are as good as they should be, o learned one, the self is not without the apparent meaning in being moved by the external of the Lord, as outside the origin of the Supreme there is no basis. (Vedabase)

Text 17

In this world the one slowest of understanding and the one of transcendental intelligence both enjoy in happiness while the persons in between do suffer.

In this world the one slowest of understanding and the one of transcendental intelligence both enjoy in happiness while the persons in between do suffer. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Having aknowledged and being convinced of what is insubstantial, of that what is not the soul, am I, by the service of your feet, thus able to give up [the notion that one is in illusion because of the Lord].

I am obliged by the service to your feet in being ascertained that to the apparent values there is nothing material although its self seems to be so, and thus I am able to give up [the misconception]. (Vedabase)

Text 19

In serving the Personality of Godhead who is the unchangeable enemy of the demon Madhu, one develops, in different relationships [râsas] to the feet, the highly ecstatic that vanquishes distress.

In serving the personality of Godhead who is the unchangeable enemy of the demon Madhu, one develops in different relationships [râsa's] to the feet the highly ecstatic that vanquishes distress. (Vedabase)

Text 20

Of those who are meager in their austerity it is certainly rarely seen that they are on the path of service towards the Kingdom of God [Vaikunthha] in which the Lord by the godly is always glorified as the controller of all living beings.

Of those who are meager in their austerity it is certainly rarely seen that they are on the path of service towards the Kingdom of God [Vaikunthha] in which the Lord by the godly is always glorified as the controller of all living beings. (Vedabase)

Text 21

After the creation of first the complete of the material energy, in a gradual process of differentiation [evolution] the universal form manifested along with its senses and organs in which later the Almighty entered [for His incarnations].

After the creation of first the complete of the material energy, in a gradual process of differentiation [evolution] the universal form manifested along with its senses and organs in which later the Almighty entered [for His incarnations]. (Vedabase)

Text 22

He who is called the original person has thousands of limbs, legs and hands living in all the worlds of the universe according the evolution of each.

He who is called the original person has thousands of limbs, legs and hands living in all the worlds of the universe according the evolution of each. (Vedabase)

Text 23

You explained how there are three kinds of life [to the modes] in which one has ten kinds of life-force with the [five] senses and their [fivefold] interest, please describe now to me what the specific powers of the societal divisions are.

You explained how there are three kinds of life [to the modes] in which one has ten kinds of life-force with the [five] senses and their [fivefold] interest, please describe now to me what the specific prowess of the societal divisions are. (Vedabase)

Text 24

In these [divisions] has, with the sons, grandsons and family-members of the different generations, that prowess spread itself in the different forms of existence.

In them, that prowess along with the sons, grandsons and family-members of the different generations has spread itself in the form of all the different varieties. (Vedabase)

Text 25

What were all the Manus [heads of the age], and also the generations that for certain followed, to which He was decided as the leader or the father of the living beings [the prajâpati, or Brahmâ] of the generations, and what was their descend?

What were all the Manus [heads of the age], and the generations following surely too, to which was He decided as the leader or the father of the living beings [the prajâpati, or Brahmâ] of the generations, and what was their descend? (Vedabase)

Text 26

What worlds are there at the head and which earthly worlds are lying beneath, o son of Mitrâ; please describe what their situation is and what the extend of their worldly locations is.

What worlds are there at the head and which earthly worlds are lying beneath, o son of Mitrâ; please describe what their situation is and what the extend of their worldly locations is. (Vedabase)

Text 27

Describe me the infrahuman, the human and the superhuman, as there are the generations and subdivisions of the ones born from the reptiles [or the birds], from wombs, from moist, from the twice-born and from the soil [the plants and vegetables].

Describe me the infrahuman, the human and the superhuman, as born from the reptiles or the birds and the generations and subdivisions of the ones born from wombs, who are toiling or twice-born or of the plants and vegetables. (Vedabase)

Text 28

Kindly describe the incarnations to the modes of material nature for the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe and the magnanimous activities of the one Personality of Godhead who forms the ultimate shelter.

Kindly describe the incarnations to the modes of material nature for the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe and the magnanimous activities of the one Personality of Godhead who forms the ultimate shelter. (Vedabase)

Text 29

What are to the respective divisions of the statusorientations to age and vocation in society the embodiments, the character and the births of the sages and their activities, and the divisions of the Veda in categories?

What are to the respective divisions of the statusorientations to age and vocation in society the embodiments, the character and the birth's of the sages and their activities and the divisions of the Veda in categories? (Vedabase)

Text 30

And of what sacrifices and ways are the expansions of the yogic capacity, o master, and what is the path of devotional service, in the nonmaterial interest and analytical study as well, of relating to the Personality of God with regulative principles?

And of what sacrifices and ways are the expansions of the yogîc capacity, o master, and what is the path of devotional service in the nonmaterial interest and analytical study as well of relating to the Personality of God with regulative principles? (Vedabase)

Text 31

The paths and imperfections of the faithless, they who go against the grain, and the situation and movements of the individual souls as many as there are to the modes and the types of work, what are they?

The paths of the faithless, crossbreeding in the imperfect of their contradiction, and the situation and movements of the individual souls as many as there are to the modes and the types of work, what are they? (Vedabase)

Text 32

And what are the non-contradictory causes of religiosity, economic development, sense-gratification and salvation, what are the different means of livelihood, the codes of law, the scriptural injunctions and what are the different regulative principles?

The causes of religiosity, economic development, sense-gratification and salvation that do not contradict to the means of livelihood to law and order and the scriptural injunctions; what are also their different regulations? (Vedabase)

Text 33

How are the periodical offerings of respect regulated, o brahmin, to that what the forefathers have created and how are the timedurations settled to the planets, the stars and luminaries?

How are the periodical offerings of respect regulated, o brahmin, to the created of the forefathers and how are the timedurations settled to the planets, the stars and luminaries? (Vedabase)

Text 34

What may one expect from charity, penance and the endeavoring for reservoirs of water and how are the duties described for someone away from home and for a man in danger?

What is the practical outcome of charity, penance and the endeavoring for reservoirs of water and how are the duties described of one who is away from home and of a man in danger? (Vedabase)

Text 35

Please describe to me, o sinless one, how He as either the Supreme Person, the Father of the Religion, the Controller of All, or as all of these can be satisfied completely.

Please describe to me, o sinless one, how He as either the Supreme Person, the Father of the Religion, or the controller of all, or as all of these can be satisfied completely. (Vedabase)

Text 36

O best among the brahmins, please describe the spiritual masters so kind to the needy, who tell their followers, their disciples and sons, even what they didn't ask for.

O best among the brahmins, please describe the spiritual masters so kind to the needy, the followers, the disciples and their sons without being asked for it. (Vedabase)

Text 37

O supreme one, how many dissolutions are there for the elements of nature, who are they who in this are thereupon saved, and who are they who [of praise] may join in Him when He is asleep?

O great sage, how many dissolutions are there to the chief elements of nature and then who are they, who being saved for the Lord may be of His service in His slumber? (Vedabase)

Text 38

And what is the nature and identity of as well the individual person as of the Supreme, what is the leading motive of the vedic wisdom and what moves the guru and his disciples?

And what, to the existence of the different identities of the Supreme, is of Vedic knowledge the same as a necessity to the spiritual master and his disciple? (Vedabase)

Text 39

How in the world is from a person his devotion as also his detachment, there the source of the self-sufficient spiritual knowledge as defended by the spotless devotees?

Spotless devotees also have mentioned the source of such knowledge; how does the devotion and certainly also the detachment of the living entity lead to selfsufficient knowledge? (Vedabase)

Text 40

All these questions I asked in the desire to know about the pastimes of the Lord; please answer them to me as a friend for those ignorant ones who lost their vision by the external energy.

All these questions I asked in the desire to know about the pastimes of the Lord; please answer them to me as a friend for those ignorant ones who lost their vision by the external energy. (Vedabase)

Text 41

All the Vedas, sacrifices, charities and penances, o spotless one, do for sure not even partially compare to the freedom from fear that an individual soul is offered by a person imparting the teaching [like you].

All divisions of the Veda, all sacrifices and all penances and charities surely do not even partially compare, o spotless one, to the security the living entity is offered by one who gives such assurance. (Vedabase)

Text 42

S'rî S'uka said: 'He [Maitreya], the chief among the sages so well known with the stories [Purânas], thus being questioned by the chief of the Kurus was sufficiently satisfied and inspired and thus being stimulated on the topics about the Supreme Lord, he smilingly replied Vidura.

S'rî S'uka said: 'He [Maitreya], the chief among the sages so well known with the stories [Purânas], thus being questioned by the chief of the Kuru's felt sufficiently enriched and satisfied and thus being stimulated on the topics about the Supreme Lord, he smilingly replied Vidura.' (Vedabase)