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brahmanah uvaca—the brahmana said; akovidah—without having experience; kovida-vada-vadan—words used by experienced persons; vadasi—you are speaking; atho—therefore; na—not; ati-vidam—of those who are very experienced; varisthah—the most important; na—not; surayah—such intelligent persons; hi—indeed; vyavaharam—mundane and social behavior; enam—this; tattva—of the truth; avamarsena—fine judgment by intelligence; saha—with; amananti—discuss.

The brahmana Jada Bharata said: My dear King, although you are not at all experienced, you are trying to speak like a very experienced man. Consequently you cannot be considered an experienced person. An experienced person does not speak the way you are speaking about the relationship between a master and a servant or about material pains and pleasures. These are simply external activities. Any advanced, experienced man, considering the Absolute Truth, does not talk in this way.

tathaiva rajann uru-garhamedha-

Krsna similarly chastised Arjuna. Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: “While speaking learned words, you are lamenting for what is not worthy of grief.” (Bg. 2.11) Similarly, among people in general, 99.9 percent try to talk like experienced advisers, but they are actually devoid of spiritual knowledge and are therefore like inexperienced children speaking nonsensically. Consequently their words cannot be given any importance. One has to learn from Krsna or His devotee. If one speaks on the basis of this experience—that is, on the basis of spiritual knowledge—one’s words are valuable. At the present moment, the entire world is full of foolish people. Bhagavad-gita describes these people as mudhas. They are trying to rule human society, but because they are devoid of spiritual knowledge, the entire world is in a chaotic condition. To be released from these miserable conditions, one has to become Krsna conscious and take lessons from an exalted personality like Jada Bharata, Lord Krsna and Kapiladeva. That is the only way to solve the problems of material life.

SB5.11.2

TEXT 2

vitana-vidyoru-vijrmbhitesu

na veda-vadesu hi tattva-vadah

prayena suddho nu cakasti sadhuh

tatha—therefore; eva—indeed; rajan—O King; uru-garha-medha—rituals related to material household life; vitana-vidya—in knowledge that expands; uru—very greatly; vijrmbhitesu—among those interested; na—not; veda-vadesu—who speak the version of the Vedas; hi—indeed; tattva-vadah—the spiritual science; prayena—almost always; suddhah—free from all contaminated activities; nu—indeed; cakasti—appear; sadhuh—a person who is advanced in devotional service.

My dear King, talks of the relationship between the master and the servant, the king and the subject and so forth are simply talks about material activities. People interested in material activities, which are expounded in the Vedas, are intent on performing material sacrifices and placing faith in their material activities. For such people, spiritual advancement is definitely not manifest.

In this verse, two words are significant—veda-vada and tattva-vada. According to Bhagavad-gita, those who are simply attached to the Vedas and who do not understand the purpose of the Vedas or the Vedanta-sutra are called veda-vada-ratah.

yam imam puspitam vacam
pravadanty avipascitah
veda-vada-ratah partha
nanyad astiti vadinah

kamatmanah svarga-para
janma-karma-phala-pradam
kriya-visesa-bahulam
bhogaisvarya-gatim prati

“Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say there is nothing more than this.” (Bg. 2.42–43)

The veda-vada followers of the Vedas are generally inclined to karma-kanda, the performance of sacrifice according to the Vedic injunctions. They are thereby promoted to higher planetary systems. They generally practice the Caturmasya system. Aksayyam ha vai caturmasya-yajinah sukrtam bhavati: one who performs the caturmasya-yajna becomes pious. By becoming pious, one may be promoted to the higher planetary systems (urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah). Some of the followers of the Vedas are attached to karma-kanda, the fruitive activities of the Vedas, in order to be promoted to a higher standard of life. Others argue that this is not the purpose of the Vedas. Tad yathaiveha karma jitah lokah ksiyate evam evam utra punya jitah lokah ksiyate. In this world someone may become very highly elevated by taking birth in an aristocratic family, by being well educated, beautiful or very rich. These are the gifts for pious activities enacted in the past life. However, these will be finished when the stock of pious activity is finished. If we become attached to pious activities, we may get these various worldly facilities in the next life and may take birth in the heavenly planets. But all this will eventually be finished. Ksine punye martya-lokam visanti (Bg. 9.21): when the stock of pious activity is finished, one again has to come to this martya-loka. According to the Vedic injunctions, the performance of pious activity is not really the objective of the Vedas. The objective of the Vedas is explained in Bhagavad-gita. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah: [Bg. 15.15] the objective of the Vedas is to understand Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are veda-vadis are not actually advanced in knowledge, and those who are followers of jnana-kanda (Brahman understanding) are also not perfect. However, when one comes to the platform of upasana and accepts the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes perfect (aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param). In the Vedas the worship of different demigods and the performance of sacrifice are certainly, mentioned, but such worship is inferior because the worshipers do not know that the ultimate goal is Visnu (na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]). When one comes to the platform of visnor aradhanam, or bhakti-yoga, one has attained the perfection of life. Otherwise, as indicated in Bhagavad-gita, one is not a tattva-vadi but a veda-vadi, a blind follower of the Vedic injunctions. A veda-vadi cannot be purified from material contamination unless he becomes a tattva-vadi, that is, one who knows tattva, the Absolute Truth. Tattva is also experienced in three features—brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. Even after coming to the platform of understanding tattva, one must worship Bhagavan, Visnu and His expansions, or one is not yet perfect. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate: [Bg. 7.19] after many births, one who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Krsna. The conclusion is that unintelligent men with a poor fund of knowledge cannot understand Bhagavan, Brahman or Paramatma, but after studying the Vedas and attaining the understanding of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is supposed to be on the platform of perfect knowledge.

SB5.11.3

TEXT 3

na tasya tattva-grahanaya saksad

variyasir api vacah samasan

svapne niruktya grhamedhi-saukhyam

na yasya heyanumitam svayam syat

na—not; tasya—of him (a student studying the Vedas); tattva-grahanaya—for accepting the real purpose of Vedic knowledge; saksat—directly; variyasih—very exalted; api—although; vacah—words of the Vedas; samasan—sufficiently became; svapne—in a dream; niruktya—by example; grha-medhi-saukhyam—happiness within this material world; na—not; yasya—of him who; heya-anumitam—concluded to be inferior; svayam—automatically; syat—become.

A dream becomes automatically known to a person as false and immaterial, and similarly one eventually realizes that material happiness in this life or the next, on this planet or a higher planet, is insignificant. When one realizes this, the Vedas, although an excellent source, are insufficient to bring about direct knowledge of the truth.

yavan mano rajasa purusasya

In Bhagavad-gita (2.45), Krsna advised Arjuna to become transcendental to the material activities impelled by the three material modes of nature (traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna). The purpose of Vedic study is to transcend the activities of the three modes of material nature. Of course in the material world the mode of goodness is accepted as the best, and one can be promoted to the higher planetary systems by being on the sattva-guna platform. However, that is not perfection. One must come to the conclusion that even the sattva-guna platform is also not good. One may dream that he has become a king with a good family, wife and children, but immediately at the end of that dream he comes to the conclusion that it is false. Similarly, all kinds of material happiness are undesirable for a person who wants spiritual salvation. If a person does not come to the conclusion that he has nothing to do with any kind of material happiness, he cannot come to the platform of understanding the Absolute Truth, or tattva jnana. Karmis, jnanis and yogis are after some material elevation. The karmis work hard day and night for some bodily comfort, and the jnanis simply speculate about how to get out of the entanglement of karma and merge into the Brahman effulgence. The yogis are very much addicted to the acquisition of material perfection and magical powers. All of them are trying to be materially perfect, but a devotee very easily comes to the platform of nirguna in devotional service, and consequently for the devotee the results of karma, jnana and yoga become very insignificant. Therefore only the devotee is on the platform of tattva jnana, not the others. Of course the jnani’s position is better than that of the karmi but that position is also insufficient. The jnani must actually become liberated, and after liberation he may be situated in devotional service (mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]).

SB5.11.4

TEXT 4

sattvena va tamasa vanuruddham

cetobhir akutibhir atanoti

nirankusam kusalam cetaram va

yavat—as long as; manah—the mind; rajasa—by the mode of passion; purusasya—of the living entity; sattvena—by the mode of goodness; va—or; tamasa—by the mode of darkness; va—or; anuruddham—controlled; cetobhih—by the knowledge-acquiring senses; akutibhih—by the senses of action; atanoti—expands; nirankusam—independent like an elephant not controlled by a trident; kusalam—auspiciousness; ca—also; itaram—other than auspiciousness, sinful activities; va—or.

As long as the mind of the living entity is contaminated by the three modes of material nature (goodness, passion and ignorance), his mind is exactly like an independent, uncontrolled elephant. It simply expands its jurisdiction of pious and impious activities by using the senses. The result is that the living entity remains in the material world to enjoy and suffer pleasures and pains due to material activity.

sa vasanatma visayoparakto

In Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that material pious and impious activities are both opposed to the principle of devotional service. Devotional service means mukti, freedom from material entanglement, but pious and impious activities result in entanglement within this material world. If the mind is captivated by the pious and impious activities mentioned in the Vedas, one remains eternally in darkness; one cannot attain the absolute platform. To change the consciousness from ignorance to passion or from passion to goodness does not really solve the problem. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (14.26), sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. One must come to the transcendental platform; otherwise life’s mission is never fulfilled.

SB5.11.5

TEXT 5

guna-pravaho vikrtah sodasatma

bibhrat prthan-namabhi rupa-bhedam

antar-bahistvam ca purais tanoti

sah—that; vasana—endowed with many desires; atma—the mind; visaya-uparaktah—attached to material happiness, sense gratification; guna-pravahah—driven by the force of either sattva-guna, rajo-guna or tamo-guna; vikrtah—transformed by lust and so on; sodasa-atma—the chief of the sixteen material elements (the five gross elements, the ten senses and the mind); bibhrat—wandering; prthak-namabhih—with separate names; rupa-bhedam—assuming different forms; antah-bahistvam—the quality of being first-class or last-class; ca—and; puraih—with different bodily forms; tanoti—manifests.

Because the mind is absorbed in desires for pious and impious activities, it is naturally subjected to the transformations of lust and anger. In this way, it becomes attracted to material sense enjoyment. In other words, the mind is conducted by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance. There are eleven senses and five material elements, and out of these sixteen items, the mind is the chief. Therefore the mind brings about birth in different types of bodies among demigods, human beings, animals and birds. When the mind is situated in a higher or lower position, it accepts a higher or lower material body.

Transmigration among the 8,400,000 species is due to the mind’s being polluted by certain material qualities. Due to the mind, the soul is subjected to pious and impious activities. The continuation of material existence is like the waves of material nature. In this regard. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, mayara vase, yaccha bhese’, khaccha habudubu, bhai: “My dear brother, the spirit soul is completely under the control of maya, and you are being carried away by its waves.” This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita:

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Bg. 3.27)

Material existence means being fully controlled by material nature. The mind is the center for accepting the dictations of material nature. In this way the living entity is carried away in different types of bodies continuously, millennium after millennium.

krsna bhuli’ sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha
ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha

(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 20.117)

Due to the living entity’s forgetfulness of Krsna, one is bound by the laws of material nature.

SB5.11.6

TEXT 6

duhkham sukham vyatiriktam ca tivram

kalopapannam phalam avyanakti

alingya maya-racitantaratma

sva-dehinam samsrti-cakra-kutah

duhkham—unhappiness due to impious activities; sukham—happiness due to pious activities; vyatiriktam—illusion; ca—also; tivram—very severe; kala-upapannam—obtained in the course of time; phalam—the resultant action; avyanakti—creates; alingya—embracing; maya-racita—created by material nature; antah-atma—the mind; sva-dehinam—the living being himself; samsrti—of the actions and reactions of material existence; cakra-kutah—which deceives the living entity into the wheel.

The materialistic mind covering the living entity’s soul carries it to different species of life. This is called continued material existence. Due to the mind, the living entity suffers or enjoys material distress and happiness. Being thus illusioned, the mind further creates pious and impious activities and their karma, and thus the soul becomes conditioned.

tavan ayam vyavaharah sadavih

Mental activities under the influence of material nature cause happiness and distress within the material world. Being covered by illusion, the living entity eternally continues conditioned life under different designations. Such living entities are known as nitya-baddha, eternally’ conditioned. On the whole, the mind is the cause of conditioned life; therefore the entire yogic process is meant to control the mind and the senses. If the mind is controlled, the senses are automatically controlled, and therefore the soul is saved from the reactions of pious and impious activity. If the mind is engaged at the lotus feet of Lord Krsna (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh), the senses are automatically engaged in the Lord’s service. When the mind and senses are engaged in devotional service, the living entity naturally becomes Krsna conscious. As soon as one always thinks of Krsna, he becomes a perfect yogi, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana [Bg. 6.47]). This antaratma, the mind, is conditioned by material nature. As stated here, maya-racitantaratma sva-dehinam samsrti-cakra-kutah: the mind, being most powerful, covers the living entity and puts him in the waves of material existence.

SB5.11.7

TEXT 7

ksetrajna-saksyo bhavati sthula-suksmah

tasman mano lingam ado vadanti

gunagunatvasya paravarasya

tavan—until that time; ayam—this; vyavaharah—the artificial designations (being fat or skinny, or belonging to the demigods or human beings); sada—always; avih—manifesting; ksetra-jna—of the Living entity; saksyah—testimony; bhavati—is; sthula-suksmah—fat and skinny; tasmat—therefore; manah—the mind; lingam—the cause; adah—this; vadanti—they say; guna-agunatvasya—of being absorbed in material qualities or devoid of material qualities; para-avarasya—and of lower and higher conditions of life.

The mind makes the living entity within this material world wander through different species of life, and thus the living entity experiences mundane affairs in different forms as a human being, demigod, fat person, skinny person and so forth. Learned scholars say that bodily appearance, bondage and liberation are caused by the mind.

gunanuraktam vyasanaya jantoh

Just as the mind is the cause of bondage, it can also be the cause of liberation. The mind is described here as para-avara, para means transcendental, and avara means material. When the mind is engaged in the Lord’s service (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh), it is called para, transcendental. When the mind is engaged in material sense gratification, it is called avara, or material. At the present moment, in our conditioned state, our mind is fully absorbed in material sense gratification, but it can be purified and brought to its original Krsna consciousness by the process of devotional service. We have often given the example of Ambarisa Maharaja. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. The mind must be controlled in Krsna consciousness. The tongue can be utilized to spread the message of Krsna and glorify the Lord or take prasada, the remnants of food offered to Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau: when one utilizes the tongue in the service of the Lord, the other senses can become purified. As stated in the Narada-pancaratra, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam: [Cc. Madhya 19.170] when the mind and senses are purified, one’s total existence is purified, and one’s designations are also purified. One no longer considers himself a human being, a demigod, cat, dog, Hindu, Muslim and so forth. When the senses and mind are purified and one is fully engaged in Krsna’s service, one can be liberated and return home, back to Godhead.

SB5.11.8

TEXT 8

ksemaya nairgunyam atho manah syat

yatha pradipo ghrta-vartim asnan

sikhah sadhuma bhajati hy anyada svam

padam tatha guna-karmanubaddham

vrttir manah srayate ’nyatra tattvam

guna-anuraktam—being attached to the material modes of nature; vyasanaya—for the conditioning in material existence; jantoh—of the living entity; ksemaya—for the ultimate welfare; nairgunyam—being unaffected by the material modes of nature; atho—thus; manah—the mind; syat—becomes; yatha—as much as; pradipah—a lamp; ghrta-vartim—a wick within clarified butter; asnan—burning; sikhah—the flame; sadhumah—with smoke; bhajati—enjoys; hi—certainly; anyada—otherwise; svam—its own original; padam—position; tatha—so; guna-karma-anubaddham—bound by the modes of nature and the reactions of material activities; vrttih—various engagements; manah—the mind; srayate—takes shelter of; anyatra—otherwise; tattvam—its original condition.

When the living entity’s mind becomes absorbed in the sense gratification of the material world, it brings about his conditioned life and suffering within the material situation. However, when the mind becomes unattached to material enjoyment, it becomes the cause of liberation. When the flame in a lamp burns the wick improperly, the lamp is blackened, but when the lamp is filled with ghee and is burning properly, there is bright illumination. Similarly, when the mind is absorbed in material sense gratification, it causes suffering, and when detached from material sense gratification, it brings about the original brightness of Krsna consciousness.