The Behaviour of a Perfect Person
VERSE 7.13.1
śrī-nārada uvāca
kalpas tv evaṁ parivrajya
deha-mātrāvaśeṣitaḥ
grāmaika-rātra-vidhinā
nirapekṣaś caren mahīm
SYNONYMS
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; kalpaḥ — a person who is competent to undergo the austerities of sannyāsa, the renounced order of life, or to prosecute studies in transcendental knowledge; tu — but; evam — in this way (as described previously); parivrajya — fully understanding his spiritual identity and thus traveling from one place to another; deha-mātra — keeping only the body; avaśeṣitaḥ — at last; grāma — in a village; eka — one only; rātra — of passing a night; vidhinā — in the process; nirapekṣaḥ — without dependence on any material thing; caret — should move from one place to another; mahīm — on the earth.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Nārada Muni said: A person able to cultivate spiritual knowledge should renounce all material connections, and merely keeping the body inhabitable, he should travel from one place to another, passing only one night in each village. In this way, without dependence in regard to the needs of the body, the sannyāsī should travel all over the world.
VERSE 7.13.2
bibhṛyād yady asau vāsaḥ
kaupīnācchādanaṁ param
tyaktaṁ na liṅgād daṇḍāder
anyat kiñcid anāpadi
SYNONYMS
bibhṛyāt — one should use; yadi — if; asau — a person in the renounced order; vāsaḥ — a garment or covering; kaupīna — a loincloth (just to cover the private parts); ācchādanam — for covering; param — that much only; tyaktam — given up; na — not; liṅgāt — than the distinguishing marks of a sannyāsī; daṇḍa-ādeḥ — like the rod (tridaṇḍa); anyat — other; kiñcit — anything; anāpadi — in ordinary undisturbed times.
TRANSLATION
A person in the renounced order of life may try to avoid even a dress to cover himself. If he wears anything at all, it should be only a loincloth, and when there is no necessity, a sannyāsī should not even accept a daṇḍa. A sannyāsī should avoid carrying anything but a daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu.
VERSE 7.13.3
eka eva cared bhikṣur
ātmārāmo ’napāśrayaḥ
sarva-bhūta-suhṛc-chānto
nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
ekaḥ — alone; eva — only; caret — can move; bhikṣuḥ — a sannyāsī taking alms; ātma-ārāmaḥ — fully satisfied in the self; anapāśrayaḥ — without depending on anything; sarva-bhūta-suhṛt — becoming a well-wisher of all living entities; śāntaḥ — completely peaceful; nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ — becoming absolutely dependent on Nārāyaṇa and becoming His devotee.
TRANSLATION
The sannyāsī, completely satisfied in the self, should live on alms begged from door to door. Not being dependent on any person or any place, he should always be a friendly well-wisher to all living beings and be a peaceful, unalloyed devotee of Nārāyaṇa. In this way he should move from one place to another.
VERSE 7.13.4
paśyed ātmany ado viśvaṁ
pare sad-asato ’vyaye
ātmānaṁ ca paraṁ brahma
sarvatra sad-asan-maye
SYNONYMS
paśyet — one should see; ātmani — in the Supreme Soul; adaḥ — this; viśvam — universe; pare — beyond; sat-asataḥ — the creation or cause of creation; avyaye — in the Absolute, which is free from deterioration; ātmānam — himself; ca — also; param — the supreme; brahma — absolute; sarvatra — everywhere; sat-asat — in the cause and in the effect; maye — all-pervading.
TRANSLATION
The sannyāsī should always try to see the Supreme pervading everything and see everything, including this universe, resting on the Supreme.
VERSE 7.13.5
supti-prabodhayoḥ sandhāv
ātmano gatim ātma-dṛk
paśyan bandhaṁ ca mokṣaṁ ca
māyā-mātraṁ na vastutaḥ
SYNONYMS
supti — in the state of unconsciousness; prabodhayoḥ — and in the state of consciousness; sandhau — in the state of marginal existence; ātmanaḥ — of oneself; gatim — the movement; ātma-dṛk — one who can actually see the self; paśyan — always trying to see or understand; bandham — the conditional state of life; ca — and; mokṣam — the liberated state of life; ca — also; māyā-mātram — only illusion; na — not; vastutaḥ — in fact.
TRANSLATION
During unconsciousness and consciousness, and between the two, he should try to understand the self and be fully situated in the self. In this way, he should realize that the conditional and liberated stages of life are only illusory and not actually factual. With such a higher understanding, he should see only the Absolute Truth pervading everything.
VERSE 7.13.6
nābhinanded dhruvaṁ mṛtyum
adhruvaṁ vāsya jīvitam
kālaṁ paraṁ pratīkṣeta
bhūtānāṁ prabhavāpyayam
SYNONYMS
na — not; abhinandet — one should praise; dhruvam — sure; mṛtyum — death; adhruvam — not sure; vā — either; asya — of this body; jīvitam — the duration of life; kālam — eternal time; param — supreme; pratīkṣeta — one must observe; bhūtānām — of the living entities; prabhava — manifestation; apyayam — disappearance.
TRANSLATION
Since the material body is sure to be vanquished and the duration of one’s life is not fixed, neither death nor life is to be praised. Rather, one should observe the eternal time factor, in which the living entity manifests himself and disappears.
VERSE 7.13.7
nāsac-chāstreṣu sajjeta
nopajīveta jīvikām
vāda-vādāṁs tyajet tarkān
pakṣaṁ kaṁca na saṁśrayet
SYNONYMS
na — not; asat-śāstreṣu — literature like newspapers, novels, dramas and fiction; sajjeta — one should be attached or should indulge in reading; na — nor; upajīveta — one should try to live; jīvikām — upon some professional literary career; vāda-vādān — unnecessary arguments on different aspects of philosophy; tyajet — one should give up; tarkān — arguments and counterarguments; pakṣam — faction; kaṁca — any; na — not; saṁśrayet — should take shelter of.
TRANSLATION
Literature that is a useless waste of time — in other words, literature without spiritual benefit — should be rejected. One should not become a professional teacher as a means of earning one’s livelihood, nor should one indulge in arguments and counterarguments. Nor should one take shelter of any cause or faction.
VERSE 7.13.8
na śiṣyān anubadhnīta
granthān naivābhyased bahūn
na vyākhyām upayuñjīta
nārambhān ārabhet kvacit
SYNONYMS
na — not; śiṣyān — disciples; anubadhnīta — one should induce for material benefit; granthān — unnecessary literatures; na — not; eva — certainly; abhyaset — should try to understand or cultivate; bahūn — many; na — nor; vyākhyām — discourses; upayuñjīta — should make as a means of livelihood; na — nor; ārambhān — unnecessary opulences; ārabhet — should attempt to increase; kvacit — at any time.
TRANSLATION
A sannyāsī must not present allurements of material benefits to gather many disciples, nor should he unnecessarily read many books or give discourses as a means of livelihood. He must never attempt to increase material opulences unnecessarily.
VERSE 7.13.9
na yater āśramaḥ prāyo
dharma-hetur mahātmanaḥ
śāntasya sama-cittasya
bibhṛyād uta vā tyajet
SYNONYMS
na — not; yateḥ — of the sannyāsī; āśramaḥ — the symbolic dress (with daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu); prāyaḥ — almost always; dharma-hetuḥ — the cause of advancement in spiritual life; mahā-ātmanaḥ — who is factually exalted and advanced; śāntasya — who is peaceful; sama-cittasya — who has attained the stage of being equipoised; bibhṛyāt — one may accept (such symbolic signs); uta — indeed; vā — or; tyajet — one may give up.
TRANSLATION
A peaceful, equipoised person who is factually advanced in spiritual consciousness does not need to accept the symbols of a sannyāsī, such as the tridaṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu. According to necessity, he may sometimes accept those symbols and sometimes reject them.
VERSE 7.13.10
avyakta-liṅgo vyaktārtho
manīṣy unmatta-bālavat
kavir mūkavad ātmānaṁ
sa dṛṣṭyā darśayen nṛṇām
SYNONYMS
avyakta-liṅgaḥ — whose symptoms of sannyāsa are unmanifested; vyakta-arthaḥ — whose purpose is manifested; manīṣī — such a great saintly person; unmatta — restless; bāla-vat — like a boy; kaviḥ — a great poet or orator; mūka-vat — like a dumb man; ātmānam — himself; saḥ — he; dṛṣṭyā — by example; darśayet — should present; nṛṇām — to human society.
TRANSLATION
Although a saintly person may not expose himself to the vision of human society, by his behavior his purpose is disclosed. To human society he should present himself like a restless child, and although he is the greatest thoughtful orator, he should present himself like a dumb man.
VERSE 7.13.11
atrāpy udāharantīmam
itihāsaṁ purātanam
prahrādasya ca saṁvādaṁ
muner ājagarasya ca
SYNONYMS
atra — herein; api — although not exposed to common eyes; udāharanti — the learned sages recite as an example; imam — this; itihāsam — historical incident; purātanam — very, very old; prahrādasya — of Prahlāda Mahārāja; ca — also; saṁvādam — conversation; muneḥ — of the great saintly person; ājagarasya — who took the profession of a python; ca — also.
TRANSLATION
As a historical example of this, learned sages recite the story of an ancient discussion between Prahlāda Mahārāja and a great saintly person who was feeding himself like a python.
VERSE 7.13.12-13
taṁ śayānaṁ dharopasthe
kāveryāṁ sahya-sānuni
rajas-valais tanū-deśair
nigūḍhāmala-tejasam
dadarśa lokān vicaran
loka-tattva-vivitsayā
vṛto ’mātyaiḥ katipayaiḥ
prahrādo bhagavat-priyaḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — that (saintly person); śayānam — lying down; dharā-upasthe — on the ground; kāveryām — on the bank of the river Kāverī; sahya-sānuni — on a ridge of the mountain known as Sahya; rajaḥ-valaiḥ — covered with dust and dirt; tanū-deśaiḥ — with all the parts of the body; nigūḍha — very grave and deep; amala — spotless; tejasam — whose spiritual power; dadarśa — he saw; lokān — to all the different planets; vicaran — traveling; loka-tattva — the nature of the living beings (especially those who are trying to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness); vivitsayā — to try to understand; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; amātyaiḥ — by royal associates; katipayaiḥ — a few; prahrādaḥ — Mahārāja Prahlāda; bhagavat-priyaḥ — who is always very, very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Prahlāda Mahārāja, the most dear servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, once went out touring the universe with some of his confidential associates just to study the nature of saintly persons. Thus he arrived at the bank of the Kāverī, where there was a mountain known as Sahya. There he found a great saintly person who was lying on the ground, covered with dirt and dust, but who was deeply spiritually advanced.
VERSE 7.13.14
karmaṇākṛtibhir vācā
liṅgair varṇāśramādibhiḥ
na vidanti janā yaṁ vai
so ’sāv iti na veti ca
SYNONYMS
karmaṇā — by activities; ākṛtibhiḥ — by bodily features; vācā — by words; liṅgaiḥ — by symptoms; varṇa-āśrama — pertaining to the particular material and spiritual divisions of varṇa and āśrama; ādibhiḥ — and by other symptoms; na vidanti — could not understand; janāḥ — people in general; yam — whom; vai — indeed; saḥ — whether that person; asau — was the same person; iti — thus; na — not; vā — or; iti — thus; ca — also.
TRANSLATION
Neither by that saintly person’s activities, by his bodily features, by his words nor by the symptoms of his varṇāśrama status could people understand whether he was the same person they had known.
VERSE 7.13.15
taṁ natvābhyarcya vidhivat
pādayoḥ śirasā spṛśan
vivitsur idam aprākṣīn
mahā-bhāgavato ’suraḥ
SYNONYMS
tam — him (the saintly person); natvā — after offering obeisances unto; abhyarcya — and worshiping; vidhi-vat — in terms of the rules and regulations of etiquette; pādayoḥ — the lotus feet of the saintly person; śirasā — with the head; spṛśan — touching; vivitsuḥ — desiring to know about him (the saintly person); idam — the following words; aprākṣīt — inquired; mahā-bhāgavataḥ — the very advanced devotee of the Lord; asuraḥ — although born in an asura family.
TRANSLATION
The advanced devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja duly worshiped and offered obeisances to the saintly person who had adopted a python’s means of livelihood. After thus worshiping the saintly person and touching his own head to the saint’s lotus feet, Prahlāda Mahārāja, in order to understand him, inquired very submissively as follows.
VERSE 7.13.16-17
bibharṣi kāyaṁ pīvānaṁ
sodyamo bhogavān yathā
vittaṁ caivodyamavatāṁ
bhogo vittavatām iha
bhogināṁ khalu deho ’yaṁ
pīvā bhavati nānyathā
SYNONYMS
bibharṣi — you are maintaining; kāyam — a body; pīvānam — fat; sa-udyamaḥ — one who endeavors; bhogavān — one who enjoys; yathā — as; vittam — money; ca — also; eva — certainly; udyama-vatām — of persons always engaged in economic development; bhogaḥ — sense gratification; vitta-vatām — for persons who possess considerable wealth; iha — in this world; bhoginām — of the enjoyers, karmīs; khalu — indeed; dehaḥ — body; ayam — this; pīvā — very fat; bhavati — becomes; na — not; anyathā — otherwise.
TRANSLATION
Seeing the saintly person to be quite fat, Prahlāda Mahārāja said: My dear sir, you undergo no endeavor to earn your livelihood, but you have a stout body, exactly like that of a materialistic enjoyer. I know that if one is very rich and has nothing to do, he becomes extremely fat by eating and sleeping and performing no work.
VERSE 7.13.18
na te śayānasya nirudyamasya
brahman nu hārtho yata eva bhogaḥ
abhogino ’yaṁ tava vipra dehaḥ
pīvā yatas tad vada naḥ kṣamaṁ cet
SYNONYMS
na — not; te — of you; śayānasya — lying down; nirudyamasya — without activities; brahman — O saintly person; nu — indeed; ha — it is evident; arthaḥ — money; yataḥ — from which; eva — indeed; bhogaḥ — sense enjoyment; abhoginaḥ — of one who is not engaged in sense enjoyment; ayam — this; tava — your; vipra — O learned brāhmaṇa; dehaḥ — body; pīvā — fat; yataḥ — how is it; tat — that fact; vada — kindly tell; naḥ — us; kṣamam — excuse; cet — if I have asked an impudent question.
TRANSLATION
O brāhmaṇa, fully in knowledge of transcendence, you have nothing to do, and therefore you are lying down. It is also understood that you have no money for sense enjoyment. How then has your body become so fat? Under the circumstances, if you do not consider my question impudent, kindly explain how this has happened.
VERSE 7.13.19
kaviḥ kalpo nipuṇa-dṛk
citra-priya-kathaḥ samaḥ
lokasya kurvataḥ karma
śeṣe tad-vīkṣitāpi vā
SYNONYMS
kaviḥ — very learned; kalpaḥ — expert; nipuṇa-dṛk — intelligent; citra-priya-kathaḥ — able to speak palatable words that are pleasing to the heart; samaḥ — equipoised; lokasya — of the people in general; kurvataḥ — engaged in; karma — fruitive work; śeṣe — you lie down; tat-vīkṣitā — seeing them all; api — although; vā — either.
TRANSLATION
Your Honor appears learned, expert and intelligent in every way. You can speak very well, saying things that are pleasing to the heart. You see that people in general are engaged in fruitive activities, yet you are lying here inactive.
VERSE 7.13.20
śrī-nārada uvāca
sa itthaṁ daitya-patinā
paripṛṣṭo mahā-muniḥ
smayamānas tam abhyāha
tad-vāg-amṛta-yantritaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — the great saint Nārada Muni said; saḥ — that saintly person (lying down); ittham — in this way; daitya-patinā — by the King of the Daityas (Prahlāda Mahārāja); paripṛṣṭaḥ — being sufficiently questioned; mahā-muniḥ — the great saintly person; smayamānaḥ — smiling; tam — unto him (Prahlāda Mahārāja); abhyāha — prepared to give answers; tat-vāk — of his words; amṛta-yantritaḥ — being captivated by the nectar.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni continued: When the saintly person was thus questioned by Prahlāda Mahārāja, the King of the Daityas, he was captivated by this shower of nectarean words, and he replied to the inquisitiveness of Prahlāda Mahārāja with a smiling face.
VERSE 7.13.21
śrī-brāhmaṇa uvāca
vededam asura-śreṣṭha
bhavān nanv ārya-sammataḥ
īhoparamayor nṝṇāṁ
padāny adhyātma-cakṣuṣā
SYNONYMS
śrī-brāhmaṇaḥ uvāca — the brāhmaṇa replied; veda — know very well; idam — all these things; asura-śreṣṭha — O best of the asuras; bhavān — you; nanu — indeed; ārya-sammataḥ — whose activities are approved by civilized men; īhā — of inclination; uparamayoḥ — of decreasing; nṝṇām — of the people in general; padāni — different stages; adhyātma-cakṣuṣā — by transcendental eyes.
TRANSLATION
The saintly brāhmaṇa said: O best of the asuras, Prahlāda Mahārāja, who are recognized by advanced and civilized men, you are aware of the different stages of life because of your inherent transcendental eyes, with which you can see a man’s character and thus know clearly the results of acceptance and rejection of things as they are.
VERSE 7.13.22
yasya nārāyaṇo devo
bhagavān hṛd-gataḥ sadā
bhaktyā kevalayājñānaṁ
dhunoti dhvāntam arkavat
SYNONYMS
yasya — of whom; nārāyaṇaḥ devaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa; bhagavān — the Lord; hṛt-gataḥ — in the core of the heart; sadā — always; bhaktyā — by devotional service; kevalayā — alone; ajñānam — ignorance; dhunoti — cleans; dhvāntam — darkness; arka-vat — as the sun.
TRANSLATION
Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of all opulences, is predominant within the core of your heart because of your being a pure devotee. He always drives away all the darkness of ignorance, as the sun drives away the darkness of the universe.
VERSE 7.13.23
tathāpi brūmahe praśnāṁs
tava rājan yathā-śrutam
sambhāṣaṇīyo hi bhavān
ātmanaḥ śuddhim icchatā
SYNONYMS
tathāpi — still; brūmahe — I shall answer; praśnān — all the questions; tava — your; rājan — O King; yathā-śrutam — as I have learned by hearing from the authorities; sambhāṣaṇīyaḥ — fit for being addressed; hi — indeed; bhavān — you; ātmanaḥ — of the self; śuddhim — purification; icchatā — by one who desires.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, although you know everything, you have posed some questions, which I shall try to answer according to what I have learned by hearing from authorities. I cannot remain silent in this regard, for a personality like you is just fit to be spoken to by one who desires self-purification.
VERSE 7.13.24
tṛṣṇayā bhava-vāhinyā
yogyaiḥ kāmair apūryayā
karmāṇi kāryamāṇo ’haṁ
nānā-yoniṣu yojitaḥ
SYNONYMS
tṛṣṇayā — because of material desires; bhava-vāhinyā — under the sway of the material laws of nature; yogyaiḥ — as it is befitting; kāmaiḥ — by material desires; apūryayā — without end, one after another; karmāṇi — activities; kāryamāṇaḥ — constantly being compelled to perform; aham — I; nānā-yoniṣu — in various forms of life; yojitaḥ — engaged in the struggle for existence.
TRANSLATION
Because of insatiable material desires, I was being carried away by the waves of material nature’s laws, and thus I was engaging in different activities, struggling for existence in various forms of life.
VERSE 7.13.25
yadṛcchayā lokam imaṁ
prāpitaḥ karmabhir bhraman
svargāpavargayor dvāraṁ
tiraścāṁ punar asya ca
SYNONYMS
yadṛcchayā — carried by the waves of material nature; lokam — human form; imam — this; prāpitaḥ — achieved; karmabhiḥ — by the influence of different fruitive activities; bhraman — wandering from one form of life to another; svarga — to the heavenly planets; apavargayoḥ — to liberation; dvāram — the gate; tiraścām — lower species of life; punaḥ — again; asya — of the human beings; ca — and.
TRANSLATION
In the course of the evolutionary process, which is caused by fruitive activities due to undesirable material sense gratification, I have received this human form of life, which can lead to the heavenly planets, to liberation, to the lower species, or to rebirth among human beings.
VERSE 7.13.26
tatrāpi dam-patīnāṁ ca
sukhāyānyāpanuttaye
karmāṇi kurvatāṁ dṛṣṭvā
nivṛtto ’smi viparyayam
SYNONYMS
tatra — there; api — also; dam-patīnām — of men and women united by marriage; ca — and; sukhāya — for the sake of pleasure, specifically the pleasure of sex life; anya-apanuttaye — for avoiding misery; karmāṇi — fruitive activities; kurvatām — always engaged in; dṛṣṭvā — by observing; nivṛttaḥ asmi — I have now ceased (from such activities); viparyayam — the opposite.
TRANSLATION
In this human form of life, men and women unite for the sensual pleasure of sex, but by actual experience we have observed that none of them are happy. Therefore, seeing the contrary results, I have stopped taking part in materialistic activities.
VERSE 7.13.27
sukham asyātmano rūpaṁ
sarvehoparatis tanuḥ
manaḥ-saṁsparśajān dṛṣṭvā
bhogān svapsyāmi saṁviśan
SYNONYMS
sukham — happiness; asya — of him; ātmanaḥ — of the living entity; rūpam — the natural position; sarva — all; īha — material activities; uparatiḥ — completely stopping; tanuḥ — the medium of its manifestation; manaḥ-saṁsparśa-jān — produced from demands for sense gratification; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; bhogān — sense enjoyment; svapsyāmi — I am sitting silently, thinking deeply about these material activities; saṁviśan — entering into such activities.
TRANSLATION
The actual form of life for the living entities is one of spiritual happiness, which is real happiness. This happiness can be achieved only when one stops all materialistic activities. Material sense enjoyment is simply an imagination. Therefore, considering this subject matter, I have ceased from all material activities and am lying down here.
VERSE 7.13.28
ity etad ātmanaḥ svārthaṁ
santaṁ vismṛtya vai pumān
vicitrām asati dvaite
ghorām āpnoti saṁsṛtim
SYNONYMS
iti — in this way; etat — a person materially conditioned; ātmanaḥ — of his self; sva-artham — own interest; santam — existing within oneself; vismṛtya — forgetting; vai — indeed; pumān — the living entity; vicitrām — attractive false varieties; asati — in the material world; dvaite — other than the self; ghorām — very fearful (due to continuous acceptance of birth and death); āpnoti — one becomes entangled; saṁsṛtim — in material existence.
TRANSLATION
In this way the conditioned soul living within the body forgets his self-interest because he identifies himself with the body. Because the body is material, his natural tendency is to be attracted by the varieties of the material world. Thus the living entity suffers the miseries of material existence.
VERSE 7.13.29
jalaṁ tad-udbhavaiś channaṁ
hitvājño jala-kāmyayā
mṛgatṛṣṇām upādhāvet
tathānyatrārtha-dṛk svataḥ
SYNONYMS
jalam — water; tat-udbhavaiḥ — by grass grown from that water; channam — covered; hitvā — giving up; ajñaḥ — a foolish animal; jala-kāmyayā — desiring to drink water; mṛgatṛṣṇām — a mirage; upādhāvet — runs after; tathā — similarly; anyatra — somewhere else; artha-dṛk — self-interested; svataḥ — in himself.
TRANSLATION
Just as a deer, because of ignorance, cannot see the water within a well covered by grass, but runs after water elsewhere, the living entity covered by the material body does not see the happiness within himself, but runs after happiness in the material world.
VERSE 7.13.30
dehādibhir daiva-tantrair
ātmanaḥ sukham īhataḥ
duḥkhātyayaṁ cānīśasya
kriyā moghāḥ kṛtāḥ kṛtāḥ
SYNONYMS
deha-ādibhiḥ — with the body, mind, ego and intelligence; daiva-tantraiḥ — under the control of superior power; ātmanaḥ — of the self; sukham — happiness; īhataḥ — searching after; duḥkha-atyayam — diminution of miserable conditions; ca — also; anīśasya — of the living entity fully under the control of material nature; kriyāḥ — plans and activities; moghāḥ kṛtāḥ kṛtāḥ — become baffled again and again.
TRANSLATION
The living entity tries to achieve happiness and rid himself of the causes of distress, but because the various bodies of the living entities are under the full control of material nature, all his plans in different bodies, one after another, are ultimately baffled.
VERSE 7.13.31
ādhyātmikādibhir duḥkhair
avimuktasya karhicit
martyasya kṛcchropanatair
arthaiḥ kāmaiḥ kriyeta kim
SYNONYMS
ādhyātmika-ādibhiḥ — adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika; duḥkhaiḥ — by the threefold miseries of material life; avimuktasya — of one who is not freed from such miserable conditions (or one who is subjected to birth, death, old age and disease); karhicit — sometimes; martyasya — of the living entity subjected to death; kṛcchra-upanataiḥ — things obtained because of severe miseries; arthaiḥ — even if some benefit is derived; kāmaiḥ — which can fulfill one’s material desires; kriyeta — what do they do; kim — and what is the value of such happiness.
TRANSLATION
Materialistic activities are always mixed with three kinds of miserable conditions — adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibautika. Therefore, even if one achieves some success by performing such activities, what is the benefit of this success? One is still subjected to birth, death, old age, disease and the reactions of his fruitive activities.
VERSE 7.13.32
paśyāmi dhanināṁ kleśaṁ
lubdhānām ajitātmanām
bhayād alabdha-nidrāṇāṁ
sarvato ’bhiviśaṅkinām
SYNONYMS
paśyāmi — I can practically see; dhaninām — of persons who are very rich; kleśam — the miseries; lubdhānām — who are extremely greedy; ajita-ātmanām — who are victims of their senses; bhayāt — because of fear; alabdha-nidrāṇām — who are suffering from insomnia; sarvataḥ — from all sides; abhiviśaṅkinām — being particularly afraid.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇa continued: I am actually seeing how a rich man, who is a victim of his senses, is very greedy to accumulate wealth, and therefore suffers from insomnia due to fear from all sides, despite his wealth and opulence.
VERSE 7.13.33
rājataś caurataḥ śatroḥ
sva-janāt paśu-pakṣitaḥ
arthibhyaḥ kālataḥ svasmān
nityaṁ prāṇārthavad bhayam
SYNONYMS
rājataḥ — from the government; caurataḥ — from thieves and rogues; śatroḥ — from enemies; sva-janāt — from relatives; paśu-pakṣitaḥ — from animals and birds; arthibhyaḥ — from beggars and persons seeking charity; kālataḥ — from the time factor; svasmāt — as well as from one’s self; nityam — always; prāṇa-artha-vat — for one who has life or money; bhayam — fear.
TRANSLATION
Those who are considered materially powerful and rich are always full of anxieties because of governmental laws, thieves and rogues, enemies, family members, animals, birds, persons seeking charity, the inevitable time factor and even their own selves. Thus they are invariably afraid.
VERSE 7.13.34
śoka-moha-bhaya-krodha-
rāga-klaibya-śramādayaḥ
yan-mūlāḥ syur nṛṇāṁ jahyāt
spṛhāṁ prāṇārthayor budhaḥ
SYNONYMS
śoka — lamentation; moha — illusion; bhaya — fear; krodha — anger; rāga — attachment; klaibya — poverty; śrama — unnecessary labor; ādayaḥ — and so on; yat-mūlāḥ — the original cause of all these; syuḥ — become; nṛṇām — of human beings; jahyāt — should give up; spṛhām — the desire; prāṇa — for bodily strength or prestige; arthayoḥ — and accumulating money; budhaḥ — an intelligent person.
TRANSLATION
Those in human society who are intelligent should give up the original cause of lamentation, illusion, fear, anger, attachment, poverty and unnecessary labor. The original cause of all of these is the desire for unnecessary prestige and money.
VERSE 7.13.35
madhukāra-mahā-sarpau
loke ’smin no gurūttamau
vairāgyaṁ paritoṣaṁ ca
prāptā yac-chikṣayā vayam
SYNONYMS
madhukāra — bees that go from flower to flower to collect honey; mahā-sarpau — the big snake (the python, which does not move from one place to another); loke — in the world; asmin — this; naḥ — our; guru — spiritual masters; uttamau — first-class; vairāgyam — renunciation; paritoṣam ca — and satisfaction; prāptāḥ — obtained; yat-śikṣayā — by whose instruction; vayam — we.
TRANSLATION
The bee and the python are two excellent spiritual masters who give us exemplary instructions regarding how to be satisfied by collecting only a little and how to stay in one place and not move.
VERSE 7.13.36
virāgaḥ sarva-kāmebhyaḥ
śikṣito me madhu-vratāt
kṛcchrāptaṁ madhuvad vittaṁ
hatvāpy anyo haret patim
SYNONYMS
virāgaḥ — detachment; sarva-kāmebhyaḥ — from all material desires; śikṣitaḥ — has been taught; me — unto me; madhu-vratāt — from the bumblebee; kṛcchra — with great difficulties; āptam — acquired; madhu-vat — as good as honey (“money is honey”); vittam — money; hatvā — killing; api — even; anyaḥ — another; haret — takes away; patim — the owner.
TRANSLATION
From the bumblebee I have learned to be unattached to accumulating money, for although money is as good as honey, anyone can kill its owner and take it away.
VERSE 7.13.37
anīhaḥ parituṣṭātmā
yadṛcchopanatād aham
no cec chaye bahv-ahāni
mahāhir iva sattvavān
SYNONYMS
anīhaḥ — with no desire to possess more; parituṣṭa — very satisfied; ātmā — self; yadṛcchā — in its own way, without endeavor; upanatāt — by things brought in by possession; aham — I; no — not; cet — if so; śaye — I lie down; bahu — many; ahāni — days; mahā-ahiḥ — a python; iva — like; sattva-vān — enduring.
TRANSLATION
I do not endeavor to get anything, but am satisfied with whatever is achieved in its own way. If I do not get anything, I am patient and unagitated like a python and lie down in this way for many days.
VERSE 7.13.38
kvacid alpaṁ kvacid bhūri
bhuñje ’nnaṁ svādv asvādu vā
kvacid bhūri guṇopetaṁ
guṇa-hīnam uta kvacit
śraddhayopahṛtaṁ kvāpi
kadācin māna-varjitam
bhuñje bhuktvātha kasmiṁś cid
divā naktaṁ yadṛcchayā
SYNONYMS
kvacit — sometimes; alpam — very little; kvacit — sometimes; bhūri — a great quantity; bhuñje — I eat; annam — food; svādu — palatable; asvādu — stale; vā — either; kvacit — sometimes; bhūri — great; guṇa-upetam — a nice flavor; guṇa-hīnam — without flavor; uta — whether; kvacit — sometimes; śraddhayā — respectfully; upahṛtam — brought by someone; kvāpi — sometimes; kadācit — sometimes; māna-varjitam — offered without respect; bhuñje — I eat; bhuktvā — after eating; atha — as such; kasmin cit — sometimes, in some place; divā — during the daytime; naktam — or at night; yadṛcchayā — as it is available.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes I eat a very small quantity and sometimes a great quantity. Sometimes the food is very palatable, and sometimes it is stale. Sometimes prasāda is offered with great respect, and sometimes food is given neglectfully. Sometimes I eat during the day and sometimes at night. Thus I eat what is easily available.
VERSE 7.13.39
kṣaumaṁ dukūlam ajinaṁ
cīraṁ valkalam eva vā
vase ’nyad api samprāptaṁ
diṣṭa-bhuk tuṣṭa-dhīr aham
SYNONYMS
kṣaumam — clothing made of linen; dukūlam — silk or cotton; ajinam — deerskin; cīram — loincloth; valkalam — bark; eva — as it is; vā — either; vase — I put on; anyat — something else; api — although; samprāptam — as available; diṣṭa-bhuk — because of destiny; tuṣṭa — satisfied; dhīḥ — mind; aham — I am.
TRANSLATION
To cover my body I use whatever is available, whether it be linen, silk, cotton, bark or deerskin, according to my destiny, and I am fully satisfied and unagitated.
VERSE 7.13.40
kvacic chaye dharopasthe
tṛṇa-parṇāśma-bhasmasu
kvacit prāsāda-paryaṅke
kaśipau vā parecchayā
SYNONYMS
kvacit — sometimes; śaye — I lie down; dhara-upasthe — on the surface of the earth; tṛṇa — on grass; parṇa — leaves; aśma — stone; bhasmasu — or a pile of ashes; kvacit — sometimes; prāsāda — in palaces; paryaṅke — on a first-class bedstead; kaśipau — on a pillow; vā — either; para — of another; icchayā — by the wish.
TRANSLATION
Sometimes I lie on the surface of the earth, sometimes on leaves, grass or stone, sometimes on a pile of ashes, or sometimes, by the will of others, in a palace on a first-class bed with pillows.
VERSE 7.13.41
kvacit snāto ’nuliptāṅgaḥ
suvāsāḥ sragvy alaṅkṛtaḥ
rathebhāśvaiś care kvāpi
dig-vāsā grahavad vibho
SYNONYMS
kvacit — sometimes; snātaḥ — bathing very nicely; anulipta-aṅgaḥ — with sandalwood pulp smeared all over the body; su-vāsāḥ — dressing with very nice garments; sragvī — decorated with garlands of flowers; alaṅkṛtaḥ — bedecked with various types of ornaments; ratha — on a chariot; ibha — on an elephant; aśvaiḥ — or on the back of a horse; care — I wander; kvāpi — sometimes; dik-vāsāḥ — completely naked; graha-vat — as if haunted by a ghost; vibho — O lord.
TRANSLATION
O my lord, sometimes I bathe myself very nicely, smear sandalwood pulp all over my body, put on a flower garland, and dress in fine garments and ornaments. Then I travel like a king on the back of an elephant or on a chariot or horse. Sometimes, however, I travel naked, like a person haunted by a ghost.
VERSE 7.13.42
nāhaṁ ninde na ca staumi
sva-bhāva-viṣamaṁ janam
eteṣāṁ śreya āśāse
utaikātmyaṁ mahātmani
SYNONYMS
na — not; aham — I; ninde — blaspheme; na — nor; ca — also; staumi — praise; sva-bhāva — whose nature; viṣamam — contradictory; janam — a living entity or human being; eteṣām — of all of them; śreyaḥ — the ultimate benefit; āśāse — I pray for; uta — indeed; aikātmyam — oneness; mahā-ātmani — in the Supersoul, the Parabrahman (Kṛṣṇa).
TRANSLATION
Different people are of different mentalities. Therefore it is not my business either to praise them or to blaspheme them. I only desire their welfare, hoping that they will agree to become one with the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 7.13.43
vikalpaṁ juhuyāc cittau
tāṁ manasy artha-vibhrame
mano vaikārike hutvā
taṁ māyāyāṁ juhoty anu
SYNONYMS
vikalpam — discrimination (between good and bad, one person and another, one nation and another, and all similar discrimination); juhuyāt — one should offer as oblations; cittau — in the fire of consciousness; tām — that consciousness; manasi — in the mind; artha-vibhrame — the root of all acceptance and rejection; manaḥ — that mind; vaikārike — in false ego, identification of oneself with matter; hutvā — offering as oblations; tam — this false ego; māyāyām — in the total material energy; juhoti — offers as oblations; anu — following this principle.
TRANSLATION
The mental concoction of discrimination between good and bad should be accepted as one unit and then invested in the mind, which should then be invested in the false ego. The false ego should be invested in the total material energy. This is the process of fighting false discrimination.
VERSE 7.13.44
ātmānubhūtau tāṁ māyāṁ
juhuyāt satya-dṛṅ muniḥ
tato nirīho viramet
svānubhūty-ātmani sthitaḥ
SYNONYMS
ātma-anubhūtau — unto self-realization; tām — that; māyām — the false ego of material existence; juhuyāt — should offer as an oblation; satya-dṛk — one who has actually realized the ultimate truth; muniḥ — such a thoughtful person; tataḥ — because of this self-realization; nirīhaḥ — without material desires; viramet — one must completely retire from material activities; sva-anubhūti-ātmani — in self-realization; sthitaḥ — thus being situated.
TRANSLATION
A learned, thoughtful person must realize that material existence is illusion. This is possible only by self-realization. A self-realized person, who has actually seen the truth, should retire from all material activities, being situated in self-realization.
VERSE 7.13.45
svātma-vṛttaṁ mayetthaṁ te
suguptam api varṇitam
vyapetaṁ loka-śāstrābhyāṁ
bhavān hi bhagavat-paraḥ
SYNONYMS
sva-ātma-vṛttam — the information of the history of self-realization; mayā — by me; ittham — in this way; te — unto you; su-guptam — extremely confidential; api — although; varṇitam — explained; vyapetam — without; loka-śāstrābhyām — the opinion of the common man or common literatures; bhavān — your good self; hi — indeed; bhagavat-paraḥ — having fully realized the Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
Prahlāda Mahārāja, you are certainly a self-realized soul and a devotee of the Supreme Lord. You do not care for public opinion or so-called scriptures. For this reason I have described to you without hesitation the history of my self-realization.
VERSE 7.13.46
śrī-nārada uvāca
dharmaṁ pāramahaṁsyaṁ vai
muneḥ śrutvāsureśvaraḥ
pūjayitvā tataḥ prīta
āmantrya prayayau gṛham
SYNONYMS
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Śrī Nārada Muni said; dharmam — the occupational duty; pāramahaṁsyam — of the paramahaṁsas, the most perfect human beings; vai — indeed; muneḥ — from the saintly person; śrutvā — thus hearing; asura-īśvaraḥ — the King of the asuras, Prahlāda Mahārāja; pūjayitvā — by worshiping the saintly person; tataḥ — thereafter; prītaḥ — being very pleased; āmantrya — taking permission; prayayau — left that place; gṛham — for his home.
TRANSLATION
Nārada Muni continued: After Prahlāda Mahārāja, the King of the demons, heard these instructions from the saint, he understood the occupational duties of a perfect person [paramahaṁsa]. Thus he duly worshiped the saint, took his permission and then left for his own home.