Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 3 Chapter 32

Entanglement in Fruitive Activities

VERSE 3.32.1

kapila uvāca

atha yo gṛha-medhīyān
dharmān evāvasan gṛhe
kāmam arthaṁ ca dharmān svān
dogdhi bhūyaḥ piparti tān

SYNONYMS

kapilaḥ uvāca — Lord Kapila said; atha — now; yaḥ — the person who; gṛha-medhīyān — of the householders; dharmān — duties; eva — certainly; āvasan — living; gṛhe — at home; kāmam — sense gratification; artham — economic development; ca — and; dharmān — religious rituals; svān — his; dogdhi — enjoys; bhūyaḥ — again and again; piparti — performs; tān — them.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead said: The person who lives in the center of household life derives material benefits by performing religious rituals, and thereby he fulfills his desire for economic development and sense gratification. Again and again he acts the same way.

VERSE 3.32.2

sa cāpi bhagavad-dharmāt
kāma-mūḍhaḥ parāṅ-mukhaḥ
yajate kratubhir devān
pitṝṁś ca śraddhayānvitaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he; ca api — moreover; bhagavat-dharmāt — from devotional service; kāma-mūḍhaḥ — infatuated by lust; parāk-mukhaḥ — having the face turned away; yajate — worships; kratubhiḥ — with sacrificial ceremonies; devān — the demigods; pitṝn — the forefathers; ca — and; śraddhayā — with faith; anvitaḥ — endowed.

TRANSLATION

Such persons are ever bereft of devotional service due to being too attached to sense gratification, and therefore, although they perform various kinds of sacrifices and take great vows to satisfy the demigods and forefathers, they are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service.

VERSE 3.32.3

tac-chraddhayākrānta-matiḥ
pitṛ-deva-vrataḥ pumān
gatvā cāndramasaṁ lokaṁ
soma-pāḥ punar eṣyati

SYNONYMS

tat — to the demigods and forefathers; śraddhayā — with reverence; ākrānta — overcome; matiḥ — his mind; pitṛ — to the forefathers; deva — to the demigods; vrataḥ — his vow; pumān — the person; gatvā — having gone; cāndramasam — to the moon; lokam — planet; soma-pāḥ — drinking soma juice; punaḥ — again; eṣyati — will return.

TRANSLATION

Such materialistic persons, attracted by sense gratification and devoted to the forefathers and demigods, can be elevated to the moon, where they drink an extract of the soma plant. They again return to this planet.

VERSE 3.32.4

yadā cāhīndra-śayyāyāṁ
śete ’nantāsano hariḥ
tadā lokā layaṁ yānti
ta ete gṛha-medhinām

SYNONYMS

yadā — when; ca — and; ahi-indra — of the king of snakes; śayyāyām — on the bed; śete — lies; ananta-āsanaḥ — He whose seat is Ananta Śeṣa; hariḥ — Lord Hari; tadā — then; lokāḥ — the planets; layam — unto dissolution; yānti — go; te ete — those very; gṛha-medhinām — of the materialistic householders.

TRANSLATION

All the planets of the materialistic persons, including all the heavenly planets, such as the moon, are vanquished when the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, goes to His bed of serpents, which is known as Ananta Śeṣa.

VERSE 3.32.5

ye sva-dharmān na duhyanti
dhīrāḥ kāmārtha-hetave
niḥsaṅgā nyasta-karmāṇaḥ
praśāntāḥ śuddha-cetasaḥ

SYNONYMS

ye — those who; sva-dharmān — their own occupational duties; na — do not; duhyanti — take advantage of; dhīrāḥ — intelligent; kāma — sense gratification; artha — economic development; hetave — for the sake of; niḥsaṅgāḥ — free from material attachment; nyasta — given up; karmāṇaḥ — fruitive activities; praśāntāḥ — satisfied; śuddha-cetasaḥ — of purified consciousness.

TRANSLATION

Those who are intelligent and are of purified consciousness are completely satisfied in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Freed from the modes of material nature, they do not act for sense gratification; rather, since they are situated in their own occupational duties, they act as one is expected to act.

VERSE 3.32.6

nivṛtti-dharma-niratā
nirmamā nirahaṅkṛtāḥ
sva-dharmāptena sattvena
pariśuddhena cetasā

SYNONYMS

nivṛtti-dharma — in religious activities for detachment; niratāḥ — constantly engaged; nirmamāḥ — without a sense of proprietorship; nirahaṅkṛtāḥ — without false egoism; sva-dharma — by one’s own occupational duties; āptena — executed; sattvena — by goodness; pariśuddhena — completely purified; cetasā — by consciousness.

TRANSLATION

By executing one’s occupational duties, acting with detachment and without a sense of proprietorship or false egoism, one is posted in one’s constitutional position by dint of complete purification of consciousness, and by thus executing so-called material duties he can easily enter into the kingdom of God.

VERSE 3.32.7

sūrya-dvāreṇa te yānti
puruṣaṁ viśvato-mukham
parāvareśaṁ prakṛtim
asyotpatty-anta-bhāvanam

SYNONYMS

sūrya-dvāreṇa — through the path of illumination; te — they; yānti — approach; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; viśvataḥ-mukham — whose face is turned everywhere; para-avara-īśam — the proprietor of the spiritual and material worlds; prakṛtim — the material cause; asya — of the world; utpatti — of manifestation; anta — of dissolution; bhāvanam — the cause.

TRANSLATION

Through the path of illumination, such liberated persons approach the complete Personality of Godhead, who is the proprietor of the material and spiritual worlds and is the supreme cause of their manifestation and dissolution.

VERSE 3.32.8

dvi-parārdhāvasāne yaḥ
pralayo brahmaṇas tu te
tāvad adhyāsate lokaṁ
parasya para-cintakāḥ

SYNONYMS

dvi-parārdha — two parārdhas; avasāne — at the end of; yaḥ — which; pralayaḥ — death; brahmaṇaḥ — of Lord Brahmā; tu — indeed; te — they; tāvat — so long; adhyāsate — dwell; lokam — on the planet; parasya — of the Supreme; para-cintakāḥ — thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Worshipers of the Hiraṇyagarbha expansion of the Personality of Godhead remain within this material world until the end of two parārdhas, when Lord Brahmā also dies.

VERSE 3.32.9

kṣmāmbho-’nalānila-viyan-mana-indriyārtha-
bhūtādibhiḥ parivṛtaṁ pratisañjihīrṣuḥ
avyākṛtaṁ viśati yarhi guṇa-trayātmā
kālaṁ parākhyam anubhūya paraḥ svayambhūḥ

SYNONYMS

kṣmā — earth; ambhaḥ — water; anala — fire; anila — air; viyat — ether; manaḥ — mind; indriya — the senses; artha — the objects of the senses; bhūta — ego; ādibhiḥ — and so on; parivṛtam — covered by; pratisañjihīrṣuḥ — desiring to dissolve; avyākṛtam — the changeless spiritual sky; viśati — he enters; yarhi — at which time; guṇa-traya-ātmā — consisting of the three modes; kālam — the time; para-ākhyam — two parārdhas; anubhūya — after experiencing; paraḥ — the chief; svayambhūḥ — Lord Brahmā.

TRANSLATION

After experiencing the inhabitable time of the three modes of material nature, known as two parārdhas, Lord Brahmā closes the material universe, which is covered by layers of earth, water, air, fire, ether, mind, ego, etc., and goes back to Godhead.

VERSE 3.32.10

evaṁ paretya bhagavantam anupraviṣṭā
ye yogino jita-marun-manaso virāgāḥ
tenaiva sākam amṛtaṁ puruṣaṁ purāṇaṁ
brahma pradhānam upayānty agatābhimānāḥ

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; paretya — having gone a long distance; bhagavantam — Lord Brahmā; anupraviṣṭāḥ — entered; ye — those who; yoginaḥ — yogīs; jita — controlled; marut — the breathing; manasaḥ — the mind; virāgāḥ — detached; tena — with Lord Brahmā; eva — indeed; sākam — together; amṛtam — the embodiment of bliss; puruṣam — unto the Personality of Godhead; purāṇam — the oldest; brahma pradhānam — the Supreme Brahman; upayānti — they go; agata — not gone; abhimānāḥ — whose false ego.

TRANSLATION

The yogīs who become detached from the material world by practice of breathing exercises and control of the mind reach the planet of Brahmā, which is far, far away. After giving up their bodies, they enter into the body of Lord Brahmā, and therefore when Brahmā is liberated and goes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supreme Brahman, such yogīs can also enter into the kingdom of God.

VERSE 3.32.11

atha taṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛt-padmeṣu kṛtālayam
śrutānubhāvaṁ śaraṇaṁ
vraja bhāvena bhāmini

SYNONYMS

atha — therefore; tam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living entities; hṛt-padmeṣu — in the lotus hearts; kṛta-ālayam — residing; śruta-anubhāvam — whose glories you have heard; śaraṇam — unto the shelter; vraja — go; bhāvena — by devotional service; bhāmini — My dear mother.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, My dear mother, by devotional service take direct shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated in everyone’s heart.

VERSE 3.32.12-15

ādyaḥ sthira-carāṇāṁ yo
veda-garbhaḥ saharṣibhiḥ
yogeśvaraiḥ kumārādyaiḥ
siddhair yoga-pravartakaiḥ

bheda-dṛṣṭyābhimānena
niḥsaṅgenāpi karmaṇā
kartṛtvāt saguṇaṁ brahma
puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabham

sa saṁsṛtya punaḥ kāle
kāleneśvara-mūrtinā
jāte guṇa-vyatikare
yathā-pūrvaṁ prajāyate

aiśvaryaṁ pārameṣṭhyaṁ ca
te ’pi dharma-vinirmitam
niṣevya punar āyānti
guṇa-vyatikare sati

SYNONYMS

ādyaḥ — the creator, Lord Brahmā; sthira-carāṇām — of the immobile and mobile manifestations; yaḥ — he who; veda-garbhaḥ — the repository of the Vedas; saha — along with; ṛṣibhiḥ — the sages; yoga-īśvaraiḥ — with great mystic yogīs; kumāra-ādyaiḥ — the Kumāras and others; siddhaiḥ — with the perfected living beings; yoga-pravartakaiḥ — the authors of the yoga system; bheda-dṛṣṭyā — because of independent vision; abhimānena — by misconception; niḥsaṅgena — nonfruitive; api — although; karmaṇā — by their activities; kartṛtvāt — from the sense of being a doer; sa-guṇam — possessing spiritual qualities; brahma — Brahman; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; puruṣa-ṛṣabham — the first puruṣa incarnation; saḥ — he; saṁsṛtya — having attained; punaḥ — again; kāle — at the time; kālena — by time; īśvara-mūrtinā — the manifestation of the Lord; jāte guṇa-vyatikare — when the interaction of the modes arises; yathā — as; pūrvam — previously; prajāyate — is born; aiśvaryam — opulence; pārameṣṭhyam — royal; ca — and; te — the sages; api — also; dharma — by their pious activities; vinirmitam — produced; niṣevya — having enjoyed; punaḥ — again; āyānti — they return; guṇa-vyatikare sati — when the interaction of the modes takes place.

TRANSLATION

My dear mother, someone may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a special self-interest, but even demigods such as Lord Brahmā, great sages such as Sanat-kumāra and great munis such as Marīci have to come back to the material world again at the time of creation. When the interaction of the three modes of material nature begins, Brahmā, who is the creator of this cosmic manifestation and who is full of Vedic knowledge, and the great sages, who are the authors of the spiritual path and the yoga system, come back under the influence of the time factor. They are liberated by their nonfruitive activities and attain the first incarnation of the puruṣa, but at the time of creation they come back in exactly the same forms and positions they previously had.

VERSE 3.32.16

ye tv ihāsakta-manasaḥ
karmasu śraddhayānvitāḥ
kurvanty apratiṣiddhāni
nityāny api ca kṛtsnaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

ye — those who; tu — but; iha — in this world; āsakta — addicted; manasaḥ — whose minds; karmasu — to fruitive activities; śraddhayā — with faith; anvitāḥ — endowed; kurvanti — perform; apratiṣiddhāni — with attachment to the result; nityāni — prescribed duties; api — certainly; ca — and; kṛtsnaśaḥ — repeatedly.

TRANSLATION

Persons who are too addicted to this material world execute their prescribed duties very nicely and with great faith. They daily perform all such prescribed duties with attachment to the fruitive result.

VERSE 3.32.17

rajasā kuṇṭha-manasaḥ
kāmātmāno ’jitendriyāḥ
pitṝn yajanty anudinaṁ
gṛheṣv abhiratāśayāḥ

SYNONYMS

rajasā — by the mode of passion; kuṇṭha — full of anxieties; manasaḥ — their minds; kāma-ātmānaḥ — aspiring for sense gratification; ajita — uncontrolled; indriyāḥ — their senses; pitṝn — the forefathers; yajanti — they worship; anudinam — every day; gṛheṣu — in home life; abhirata — engaged; āśayāḥ — their minds.

TRANSLATION

Such persons, impelled by the mode of passion, are full of anxieties and always aspire for sense gratification due to uncontrolled senses. They worship the forefathers and are busy day and night improving the economic condition of their family, social or national life.

VERSE 3.32.18

trai-vargikās te puruṣā
vimukhā hari-medhasaḥ
kathāyāṁ kathanīyoru-
vikramasya madhudviṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

trai-vargikāḥ — interested in the three elevating processes; te — those; puruṣāḥ — persons; vimukhāḥ — not interested; hari-medhasaḥ — of Lord Hari; kathāyām — in the pastimes; kathanīya — worth chanting of; uru-vikramasya — whose excellent prowess; madhu-dviṣaḥ — the killer of the Madhu demon.

TRANSLATION

Such persons are called trai-vargika because they are interested in the three elevating processes. They are averse to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can give relief to the conditioned soul. They are not interested in the Supreme Personality’s pastimes, which are worth hearing because of His transcendental prowess.

VERSE 3.32.19

nūnaṁ daivena vihatā
ye cācyuta-kathā-sudhām
hitvā śṛṇvanty asad-gāthāḥ
purīṣam iva viḍ-bhujaḥ

SYNONYMS

nūnam — certainly; daivena — by the order of the Lord; vihatāḥ — condemned; ye — those who; ca — also; acyuta — of the infallible Lord; kathā — stories; sudhām — nectar; hitvā — having given up; śṛṇvanti — they hear; asat-gāthāḥ — stories about materialistic persons; purīṣam — stool; iva — like; viṭ-bhujaḥ — stool-eaters (hogs).

TRANSLATION

Such persons are condemned by the supreme order of the Lord. Because they are averse to the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are compared to stool-eating hogs. They give up hearing the transcendental activities of the Lord and indulge in hearing of the abominable activities of materialistic persons.

VERSE 3.32.20

dakṣiṇena pathāryamṇaḥ
pitṛ-lokaṁ vrajanti te
prajām anu prajāyante
śmaśānānta-kriyā-kṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

dakṣiṇena — southern; pathā — by the path; aryamṇaḥ — of the sun; pitṛ-lokam — to Pitṛloka; vrajanti — go; te — they; prajām — their families; anu — along with; prajāyante — they take birth; śmaśāna — the crematorium; anta — to the end; kriyā — fruitive activities; kṛtaḥ — performing.

TRANSLATION

Such materialistic persons are allowed to go to the planet called Pitṛloka by the southern course of the sun, but they again come back to this planet and take birth in their own families, beginning again the same fruitive activities from birth to the end of life.

VERSE 3.32.21

tatas te kṣīṇa-sukṛtāḥ
punar lokam imaṁ sati
patanti vivaśā devaiḥ
sadyo vibhraṁśitodayāḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; te — they; kṣīṇa — exhausted; su-kṛtāḥ — results of their pious activities; punaḥ — again; lokam imam — to this planet; sati — O virtuous mother; patanti — fall; vivaśāḥ — helpless; devaiḥ — by higher arrangement; sadyaḥ — suddenly; vibhraṁśita — caused to fall; udayāḥ — their prosperity.

TRANSLATION

When the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they fall down by higher arrangement and again come back to this planet, just as any person raised to a high position sometimes all of a sudden falls.

VERSE 3.32.22

tasmāt tvaṁ sarva-bhāvena
bhajasva parameṣṭhinam
tad-guṇāśrayayā bhaktyā
bhajanīya-padāmbujam

SYNONYMS

tasmāt — therefore; tvam — you (Devahūti); sarva-bhāvena — with loving ecstasy; bhajasva — worship; parameṣṭhinam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat-guṇa — the qualities of the Lord; āśrayayā — connected with; bhaktyā — by devotional service; bhajanīya — worshipable; pada-ambujam — whose lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

My dear mother, I therefore advise that you take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for His lotus feet are worth worshiping. Accept this with all devotion and love, for thus you can be situated in transcendental devotional service.

VERSE 3.32.23

vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

SYNONYMS

vāsudeve — unto Kṛṣṇa; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; bhakti-yogaḥ — devotional service; prayojitaḥ — discharged; janayati — produces; āśu — very soon; vairāgyam — detachment; jñānam — knowledge; yat — which; brahma-darśanam — self-realization.

TRANSLATION

Engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and application of devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa make it possible to advance in knowledge and detachment, as well as in self-realization.

VERSE 3.32.24

yadāsya cittam artheṣu
sameṣv indriya-vṛttibhiḥ
na vigṛhṇāti vaiṣamyaṁ
priyam apriyam ity uta

SYNONYMS

yadā — when; asya — of the devotee; cittam — the mind; artheṣu — in the sense objects; sameṣu — same; indriya-vṛttibhiḥ — by the activities of the senses; na — not; vigṛhṇāti — does perceive; vaiṣamyam — difference; priyam — agreeable; apriyam — not agreeable; iti — thus; uta — certainly.

TRANSLATION

The exalted devotee’s mind becomes equipoised in sensory activities, and he is transcendental to that which is agreeable and not agreeable.

VERSE 3.32.25

sa tadaivātmanātmānaṁ
niḥsaṅgaṁ sama-darśanam
heyopādeya-rahitam
ārūḍhaṁ padam īkṣate

SYNONYMS

saḥ — the pure devotee; tadā — then; eva — certainly; ātmanā — by his transcendental intelligence; ātmānam — himself; niḥsaṅgam — without material attachment; sama-darśanam — equipoised in vision; heya — to be rejected; upādeya — acceptable; rahitam — devoid of; ārūḍham — elevated; padam — to the transcendental position; īkṣate — he sees.

TRANSLATION

Because of his transcendental intelligence, the pure devotee is equipoised in his vision and sees himself to be uncontaminated by matter. He does not see anything as superior or inferior, and he feels himself elevated to the transcendental platform of being equal in qualities with the Supreme Person.

VERSE 3.32.26

jñāna-mātraṁ paraṁ brahma
paramātmeśvaraḥ pumān
dṛśy-ādibhiḥ pṛthag bhāvair
bhagavān eka īyate

SYNONYMS

jñāna — knowledge; mātram — only; param — transcendental; brahma — Brahman; parama-ātmā — Paramātmā; īśvaraḥ — the controller; pumān — Supersoul; dṛśi-ādibhiḥ — by philosophical research and other processes; pṛthak bhāvaiḥ — according to different processes of understanding; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ekaḥ — alone; īyate — is perceived.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead alone is complete transcendental knowledge, but according to the different processes of understanding He appears differently, either as impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead or as the puruṣa-avatāra.

VERSE 3.32.27

etāvān eva yogena
samagreṇeha yoginaḥ
yujyate ’bhimato hy artho
yad asaṅgas tu kṛtsnaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

etāvān — of such a measure; eva — just; yogena — by yoga practice; samagreṇa — all; iha — in this world; yoginaḥ — of the yogī; yujyate — is achieved; abhimataḥ — desired; hi — certainly; arthaḥ — purpose; yat — which; asaṅgaḥ — detachment; tu — indeed; kṛtsnaśaḥ — completely.

TRANSLATION

The greatest common understanding for all yogīs is complete detachment from matter, which can be achieved by different kinds of yoga.

VERSE 3.32.28

jñānam ekaṁ parācīnair
indriyair brahma nirguṇam
avabhāty artha-rūpeṇa
bhrāntyā śabdādi-dharmiṇā

SYNONYMS

jñānam — knowledge; ekam — one; parācīnaiḥ — averse; indriyaiḥ — by the senses; brahma — the Supreme Absolute Truth; nirguṇam — beyond the material modes; avabhāti — appears; artha-rūpeṇa — in the form of various objects; bhrāntyā — mistakenly; śabda-ādi — sound and so on; dharmiṇā — endowed with.

TRANSLATION

Those who are averse to the Transcendence realize the Supreme Absolute Truth differently through speculative sense perception, and therefore, because of mistaken speculation, everything appears to them to be relative.

VERSE 3.32.29

yathā mahān ahaṁ-rūpas
tri-vṛt pañca-vidhaḥ svarāṭ
ekādaśa-vidhas tasya
vapur aṇḍaṁ jagad yataḥ

SYNONYMS

yathā — as; mahān — the mahat-tattva; aham-rūpaḥ — the false ego; tri-vṛt — the three modes of material nature; pañca-vidhaḥ — the five material elements; sva-rāṭ — the individual consciousness; ekādaśa-vidhaḥ — the eleven senses; tasya — of the living entity; vapuḥ — the material body; aṇḍam — the brahmāṇḍa; jagat — the universe; yataḥ — from which or from whom.

TRANSLATION

From the total energy, the mahat-tattva, I have manifested the false ego, the three modes of material nature, the five material elements, the individual consciousness, the eleven senses and the material body. Similarly, the entire universe has come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.32.30

etad vai śraddhayā bhaktyā
yogābhyāsena nityaśaḥ
samāhitātmā niḥsaṅgo
viraktyā paripaśyati

SYNONYMS

etat — this; vai — certainly; śraddhayā — with faith; bhaktyā — by devotional service; yoga-abhyāsena — by practice of yoga; nityaśaḥ — always; samāhita-ātmā — he whose mind is fixed; niḥsaṅgaḥ — aloof from material association; viraktyā — by detachment; paripaśyati — understands.

TRANSLATION

This perfect knowledge can be achieved by a person who is already engaged in devotional service with faith, steadiness and full detachment, and who is always absorbed in thought of the Supreme. He is aloof from material association.

VERSE 3.32.31

ity etat kathitaṁ gurvi
jñānaṁ tad brahma-darśanam
yenānubuddhyate tattvaṁ
prakṛteḥ puruṣasya ca

SYNONYMS

iti — thus; etat — this; kathitam — described; gurvi — O respectful mother; jñānam — knowledge; tat — that; brahma — the Absolute Truth; darśanam — revealing; yena — by which; anubuddhyate — is understood; tattvam — the truth; prakṛteḥ — of matter; puruṣasya — of spirit; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

My dear respectful mother, I have already described the path of understanding the Absolute Truth, by which one can come to understand the real truth of matter and spirit and their relationship.

VERSE 3.32.32

jñāna-yogaś ca man-niṣṭho
nairguṇyo bhakti-lakṣaṇaḥ
dvayor apy eka evārtho
bhagavac-chabda-lakṣaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

jñāna-yogaḥ — philosophical research; ca — and; mat-niṣṭhaḥ — directed towards Me; nairguṇyaḥ — free from the material modes of nature; bhakti — devotional service; lakṣaṇaḥ — named; dvayoḥ — of both; api — moreover; ekaḥ — one; eva — certainly; arthaḥ — purpose; bhagavat — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śabda — by the word; lakṣaṇaḥ — signified.

TRANSLATION

Philosophical research culminates in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After achieving this understanding, when one becomes free from the material modes of nature, he attains the stage of devotional service. Either by devotional service directly or by philosophical research, one has to find the same destination, which is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.32.33

yathendriyaiḥ pṛthag-dvārair
artho bahu-guṇāśrayaḥ
eko nāneyate tadvad
bhagavān śāstra-vartmabhiḥ

SYNONYMS

yathā — as; indriyaiḥ — by the senses; pṛthak-dvāraiḥ — in different ways; arthaḥ — an object; bahu-guṇa — many qualities; āśrayaḥ — endowed with; ekaḥ — one; nānā — differently; īyate — is perceived; tadvat — similarly; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śāstra-vartmabhiḥ — according to different scriptural injunctions.

TRANSLATION

A single object is appreciated differently by different senses due to its having different qualities. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, but according to different scriptural injunctions He appears to be different.

VERSE 3.32.34-36

kriyayā kratubhir dānais
tapaḥ-svādhyāya-marśanaiḥ
ātmendriya-jayenāpi
sannyāsena ca karmaṇām

yogena vividhāṅgena
bhakti-yogena caiva hi
dharmeṇobhaya-cihnena
yaḥ pravṛtti-nivṛttimān

ātma-tattvāvabodhena
vairāgyeṇa dṛḍhena ca
īyate bhagavān ebhiḥ
saguṇo nirguṇaḥ sva-dṛk

SYNONYMS

kriyayā — by fruitive activities; kratubhiḥ — by sacrificial performances; dānaiḥ — by charity; tapaḥ — austerities; svādhyāya — study of Vedic literature; marśanaiḥ — and by philosophical research; ātma-indriya-jayena — by controlling the mind and senses; api — also; sannyāsena — by renunciation; ca — and; karmaṇām — of fruitive activities; yogena — by yoga practice; vividha-aṅgena — of different divisions; bhakti-yogena — by devotional service; ca — and; eva — certainly; hi — indeed; dharmeṇa — by prescribed duties; ubhaya-cihnena — having both symptoms; yaḥ — which; pravṛtti — attachment; nivṛtti-mān — containing detachment; ātma-tattva — the science of self-realization; avabodhena — by understanding; vairāgyeṇa — by detachment; dṛḍhena — strong; ca — and; īyate — is perceived; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ebhiḥ — by these; sa-guṇaḥ — in the material world; nirguṇaḥ — beyond the material modes; sva-dṛk — one who sees his constitutional position.

TRANSLATION

By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of life, by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order, by performing the different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service, by exhibiting the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and detachment, by understanding the science of self-realization, and by developing a strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented in the material world as well as in transcendence.

VERSE 3.32.37

prāvocaṁ bhakti-yogasya
svarūpaṁ te catur-vidham
kālasya cāvyakta-gater
yo ’ntardhāvati jantuṣu

SYNONYMS

prāvocam — explained; bhakti-yogasya — of devotional service; svarūpam — the identity; te — to you; catuḥ-vidham — in four divisions; kālasya — of time; ca — also; avyakta-gateḥ — the movement of which is imperceptible; yaḥ — which; antardhāvati — chases; jantuṣu — the living entities.

TRANSLATION

My dear mother, I have explained to you the process of devotional service and its identity in four different social divisions. I have explained to you as well how eternal time is chasing the living entities, although it is imperceptible to them.

VERSE 3.32.38

jīvasya saṁsṛtīr bahvīr
avidyā-karma-nirmitāḥ
yāsv aṅga praviśann ātmā
na veda gatim ātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

jīvasya — of the living entity; saṁsṛtīḥ — courses of material existence; bahvīḥ — many; avidyā — in ignorance; karma — by work; nirmitāḥ — produced; yāsu — into which; aṅga — My dear mother; praviśan — entering; ātmā — the living entity; na — not; veda — understands; gatim — the movement; ātmanaḥ — of himself.

TRANSLATION

There are varieties of material existence for the living entity according to the work he performs in ignorance or forgetfulness of his real identity. My dear mother, if anyone enters into that forgetfulness, he is unable to understand where his movements will end.

VERSE 3.32.39

naitat khalāyopadiśen
nāvinītāya karhicit
na stabdhāya na bhinnāya
naiva dharma-dhvajāya ca

SYNONYMS

na — not; etat — this instruction; khalāya — to the envious; upadiśet — one should teach; na — not; avinītāya — to the agnostic; karhicit — ever; na — not; stabdhāya — to the proud; na — not; bhinnāya — to the misbehaved; na — not; eva — certainly; dharma-dhvajāya — to the hypocrites; ca — also.

TRANSLATION

Lord Kapila continued: This instruction is not meant for the envious, for the agnostics or for persons who are unclean in their behavior. Nor is it for hypocrites or for persons who are proud of material possessions.

VERSE 3.32.40

na lolupāyopadiśen
na gṛhārūḍha-cetase
nābhaktāya ca me jātu
na mad-bhakta-dviṣām api

SYNONYMS

na — not; lolupāya — to the greedy; upadiśet — one should instruct; na — not; gṛha-ārūḍha-cetase — to one who is too attached to family life; na — not; abhaktāya — to the nondevotee; ca — and; me — of Me; jātu — ever; na — not; mat — My; bhakta — devotees; dviṣām — to those who are envious of; api — also.

TRANSLATION

It is not to be instructed to persons who are too greedy and too attached to family life, nor to persons who are nondevotees and who are envious of the devotees and of the Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.32.41

śraddadhānāya bhaktāya
vinītāyānasūyave
bhūteṣu kṛta-maitrāya
śuśrūṣābhiratāya ca

SYNONYMS

śraddadhānāya — faithful; bhaktāya — to the devotee; vinītāya — respectful; anasūyave — nonenvious; bhūteṣu — to all living entities; kṛta-maitrāya — friendly; śuśrūṣā — faithful service; abhiratāya — eager to render; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

Instruction should be given to the faithful devotee who is respectful to the spiritual master, nonenvious, friendly to all kinds of living entities and eager to render service with faith and sincerity.

VERSE 3.32.42

bahir-jāta-virāgāya
śānta-cittāya dīyatām
nirmatsarāya śucaye
yasyāhaṁ preyasāṁ priyaḥ

SYNONYMS

bahiḥ — for what is outside; jāta-virāgāya — to him who has developed detachment; śānta-cittāya — whose mind is peaceful; dīyatām — let this be instructed; nirmatsarāya — nonenvious; śucaye — perfectly cleansed; yasya — of whom; aham — I; preyasām — of all that is very dear; priyaḥ — the most dear.

TRANSLATION

This instruction should be imparted by the spiritual master to persons who have taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be more dear than anything, who are not envious of anyone, who are perfectly cleansed and who have developed detachment for that which is outside the purview of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

VERSE 3.32.43

ya idaṁ śṛṇuyād amba
śraddhayā puruṣaḥ sakṛt
yo vābhidhatte mac-cittaḥ
sa hy eti padavīṁ ca me

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — he who; idam — this; śṛṇuyāt — may hear; amba — O mother; śraddhayā — with faith; puruṣaḥ — a person; sakṛt — once; yaḥ — he who; — or; abhidhatte — repeats; mat-cittaḥ — his mind fixed on Me; saḥ — he; hi — certainly; eti — attains; padavīm — abode; ca — and; me — My.

TRANSLATION

Anyone who once meditates upon Me with faith and affection, who hears and chants about Me, surely goes back home, back to Godhead.