Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Fifteen
SB6.15.17
TEXT 17
sri-angira uvaca
aham te putra-kamasya
putrado ’smy angira nrpa
esa brahma-sutah saksan
narado bhagavan rsih
SYNONYMS
sri-angirah uvaca—the great sage Angira said; aham—I; te—of you; putra-kamasya—desiring to have a son; putra-dah—the giver of the son; asmi—am; angirah—Angira Rsi; nrpa—O King; esah—this; brahma-sutah—the son of Lord Brahma; saksat—directly; naradah—Narada Muni; bhagavan—the most powerful; rsih—sage.
TRANSLATION
Angira said: My dear King, when you desired to have a son, I approached you. Indeed, I am the same Angira Rsi who gave you this son. As for this rsi, he is the great sage Narada, the direct son of Lord Brahma
SB6.15.18-19
TEXTS 18–19
ittham tvam putra-sokena
magnam tamasi dustare
atad-arham anusmrtya
mahapurusa-gocaram
anugrahaya bhavatah
praptav avam iha prabho
brahmanyo bhagavad-bhakto
navasaditum arhasi
SYNONYMS
ittham—in this way; tvam—you; putra-sokena—because of grief at the death of your son; magnam—merged; tamasi—in darkness; dustare—insurmountable; a-tat-arham—unsuitable for a person like you; anusmrtya—remembering; maha-purusa—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gocaram—who are advanced in understanding; anugrahaya—just to show favor; bhavatah—toward you; praptau—arrived; avam—we two; iha—in this place; prabho—O King; brahmanyah—one who is situated in the Supreme Absolute Truth; bhagavat-bhaktah—an advanced devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na—not; avasaditum—to lament; arhasi—you deserve.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, you are an advanced devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To be absorbed in lamentation for the loss of something material is unsuitable for a person like you. Therefore we have both come to relieve you from this false lamentation, which is due to your being merged in the darkness of ignorance. For those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge to be affected by material loss and gain is not at all desirable.
PURPORT
Several words in this verse are very important. The word maha-purusa refers to advanced devotees and also to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Maha means “the supreme,” and purusa means “person.” One who always engages in the service of the Supreme Lord is called maha-paurusika. Sukadeva Gosvami and Maharaja Pariksit are sometimes addressed as maha-paurusika. A devotee should always aspire to engage in the service of advanced devotees. As Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung:
tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame haya, ei abhilasa
A devotee should always aspire to live in the association of advanced devotees and engage in the service of the Lord through the parampara system. One should serve the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through the instructions of the great Gosvamis of Vrndavana. This is called tandera carana sevi. While serving the lotus feet of the Gosvamis, one should live in the association of devotees (bhakta-sane vasa). This is the business of a devotee. A devotee should not aspire for material profit or lament for material loss. When Angira Rsi and Narada saw that Maharaja Citraketu, an advanced devotee, had fallen in the darkness of ignorance and was lamenting for the material body of his son, by their causeless mercy they came to advise him so that he could be saved from this ignorance.
Another significant word is brahmanya. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sometimes addressed by the prayer namo brahmanya-devaya, which offers obeisances unto the Lord because He is served by the devotees. Therefore this verse states, brahmanyo bhagavad-bhakto navasaditum arhasi. This is the symptom of an advanced devotee. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. For a devotee—an advanced, self-realized soul—there is no cause for material jubilation or lamentation. He is always transcendental to conditional life. SB6.15.20 TEXT 20 tadaiva te param jnanam dadami grham agatah jnatvanyabhinivesam te putram eva dadamy aham SYNONYMS tada—then; eva—indeed; te—unto you; param—transcendental; jnanam—knowledge; dadami—I would have delivered; grham—to your home; agatah—came; jnatva—knowing; anya-abhinivesam—absorption in something else (in material things); te—your; putram—a son; eva—only; dadami—gave; aham—I. TRANSLATION When I first came to your home, I could have given you the supreme transcendental knowledge, but when I saw that your mind was absorbed in material things, I gave you only a son, who caused you jubilation and lamentation. SB6.15.21-23 TEXTS 21–23 adhuna putrinam tapo bhavataivanubhuyate evam dara grha rayo vividhaisvarya-sampadah sabdadayas ca visayas cala rajya-vibhutayah mahi rajyam balam koso bhrtyamatya-suhrj-janah sarve ’pi suraseneme soka-moha-bhayartidah gandharva-nagara-prakhyah svapna-maya-manorathah SYNONYMS adhuna—at the present moment; putrinam—of persons who have children; tapah—the tribulation; bhavata—by you; eva—indeed; anubhuyate—is experienced; evam—in this way; darah—good wife; grhah—residence; rayah—riches; vividha—various; aisvarya—opulences; sampadah—prosperities; sabda-adayah—sound and so on; ca—and; visayah—the objects of sense gratification; calah—temporary; rajya—of the kingdom; vibhutayah—opulences; mahi—land; rajyam—kingdom; balam—strength; kosah—treasury; bhrtya—servants; amatya—ministers; suhrt-janah—allies; sarve—all; api—indeed; surasena—O King of Surasena; ime—these; soka—of lamentation; moha—of illusion; bhaya—of fear; arti—and distress; dah—givers; gandharva-nagara-prakhyah—headed by the illusory sight of a gandharva-nagara, a big palace within the forest; svapna—dreams; maya—illusions; manorathah—and concoctions of the mind. TRANSLATION My dear King, now you are actually experiencing the misery of a person who has sons and daughters. O King, owner of the state of Surasena, one’s wife, his house, the opulence of his kingdom, and his various other opulences and objects of sense perception are all the same in that they are temporary. One’s kingdom, military power, treasury, servants, ministers, friends and relatives are all causes of fear, illusion, lamentation and distress. They are like a gandharva-nagara, a nonexistent palace that one imagines to exist in the forest. Because they are impermanent, they are no better than illusions, dreams and mental concoctions. PURPORT This verse describes the entanglement of material existence. In material existence, the living entity possesses many things—the material body, children, wife and so on (dehapatya-kalatradisu). One may think that these will give him protection, but that is impossible. In spite of all these possessions, the spirit soul has to give up his present situation and accept another. The next situation may be unfavorable, but even if it is favorable, one must give it up and again accept another body. In this way, one’s tribulation in material existence continues. A sane man should he perfectly aware that these things will never be able to give him happiness. One must be situated in his spiritual identity and eternally serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a devotee. Angira Rsi and Narada Muni gave this instruction to Maharaja Citraketu. SB6.15.24 TEXT 24 drsyamana vinarthena na drsyante manobhavah karmabhir dhyayato nana- karmani manaso ’bhavan SYNONYMS drsyamanah—being perceived; vina—without; arthena—substance or reality; na—not; drsyante—are seen; manobhavah—creations of mental concoction; karmabhih—by fruitive activities; dhyayatah—meditating upon; nana—various; karmani—fruitive activities; manasah—from the mind; abhavan—appear. TRANSLATION These visible objects like wife, children and property are like dreams and mental concoctions. Actually what we see has no permanent existence. It is sometimes seen and sometimes not. Only because of our past actions do we create such mental concoctions, and because of these concoctions, we perform further activities. PURPORT Everything material is a mental concoction because it is sometimes visible and sometimes not. At night when we dream of tigers and snakes, they are not actually present, but we are afraid because we are affected by what we envision in our dreams. Everything material is like a dream because it actually has no permanent existence. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura writes as follows in his commentary: arthena vyaghra-sarpadina vinaiva drsyamanah svapnadi-bhange sati na drsyante tad evam daradayo ’vastava-vastu-bhutah svapnadayo ’vastu-bhutas ca sarve manobhavah mano-vasana janyatvan manobhavah. At night one dreams of tigers and snakes, and while dreaming he actually sees them, but as soon as the dream is broken they no longer exist. Similarly, the material world is a creation of our mental concoctions. We have come to this material world to enjoy material resources, and by mental concoction we discover many, many objects of enjoyment because our minds are absorbed in material things. This is why we receive various bodies. According to our mental concoctions we work in various ways, desiring various achievements, and by nature and the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (karmana-daiva-netrena) we get the advantages we desire. Thus we become more and more involved with material concoctions. This is the reason for our suffering in the material world. By one kind of activity we create another, and they are all products of our mental concoctions. SB6.15.25 TEXT 25 ayam hi dehino deho dravya-jnana-kriyatmakah dehino vividha-klesa- santapa-krd udahrtah SYNONYMS ayam—this; hi—certainly; dehinah—of the living entity; dehah—body; dravya-jnana-kriya-atmakah—consisting of the material elements, the senses for acquiring knowledge, and the acting senses; dehinah—of the living entity; vividha—various; klesa—sufferings; santapa—and of pains; krt—the cause; udahrtah—is declared. TRANSLATION The living entity in the bodily conception of life is absorbed in the body, which is a combination of the physical elements, the five senses for gathering knowledge, and the five senses of action, along with the mind. Through the mind the living entity suffers three kinds of tribulations—adhibhautika, adhidaivika and adhyatmika. Therefore this body is a source of all miseries. PURPORT In the Fifth Canto (5.5.4), while instructing his sons, Rsabhadeva said, asann api klesada asa dehah: the body, although temporary, is the cause of all the miseries of material existence. As already discussed in the previous verse, the entire material creation is based on mental concoction. The mind sometimes induces us to think that if we purchase an automobile we can enjoy the physical elements, such as earth, water, air and fire, combined in forms of iron, plastic, petrol and so on. Working with the five material elements (panca-bhutas), as well as with our five knowledge-gathering senses like the eyes, ears and tongue and our five active senses like the hands and legs, we become involved in the material condition. Thus we are subjected to the tribulations known as adhyatmika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika. The mind is the center because the mind creates all these things. As soon as the material object is struck, however, the mind is affected, and we suffer. For example, with the material elements, the working senses and the knowledge-gathering senses we create a very nice car, and when the car is accidentally smashed in a collision, the mind suffers, and through the mind the living entity suffers. The fact is that the living entity, while concocting with the mind, creates the material condition. Because matter is destructible, through the material condition the living entity suffers. Otherwise, the living entity is detached from all material conditions. When one comes to the Brahman platform, the platform of spiritual life, fully understanding that he is a spiritual soul (aham brahmasmi), he is no longer affected by lamentation or hankering. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.54): brahma-bhutah prasannatma “One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything.” Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (15.7) the Lord says: mamaivamso jiva-loke “The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” The living entity is actually part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is unaffected by material conditions, but because the mind (manah) is affected, the senses are affected, and the living entity struggles for existence within this material world. SB6.15.26 TEXT 26 tasmat svasthena manasa vimrsya gatim atmanah dvaite dhruvartha-visrambham tyajopasamam avisa SYNONYMS tasmat—therefore; svasthena—with a careful; manasa—mind; vimrsya—considering; gatim—real position; atmanah—of yourself; dvaite—in the duality; dhruva—as permanent; artha—object; visrambham—belief; tyaja—give up; upasamam—a peaceful condition; avisa—take to. TRANSLATION Therefore, O King Citraketu, carefully consider the position of the atma. In other words, try to understand who you are—whether body, mind or soul. Consider where you have come from, where you are going after giving up this body, and why you are under the control of material lamentation. Try to understand your real position in this way, and then you will be able to give up your unnecessary attachment. You will also be able to give up the belief that this material world, or anything not directly in touch with service to Krsna, is eternal. Thus you will obtain peace. PURPORT The Krsna consciousness movement is factually endeavoring to bring human society to a sober condition. Because of a misdirected civilization, people are jumping in materialistic life like cats and dogs, performing all sorts of abominable, sinful actions and becoming increasingly entangled. The Krsna consciousness movement includes self-realization because one is first directed by Lord Krsna to understand that one is not the body but the owner of the body. When one understands this simple fact, he can direct himself toward the goal of life. Because people are not educated in terms of the goal of life, they are working like madmen and becoming more and more attached to the material atmosphere. The misguided man accepts the material condition as everlasting. One must give up his faith in material things and give up attachment for them. Then one will be sober and peaceful. SB6.15.27 TEXT 27 sri-narada uvaca etam mantropanisadam praticcha prayato mama yam dharayan sapta-ratrad drasta sankarsanam vibhum SYNONYMS sri-naradah uvaca—Sri Narada Muni said; etam—this; mantra-upanisadam—Upanisad in the form of a mantra by which one can achieve the highest goal of life; praticcha—accept; prayatah—with great attention (after finishing the funeral ceremony of your dead son); mama—from me; yam—which; dharayan—accepting; sapta-ratrat—after seven nights; drasta—you will see; sankarsanam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sankarsana; vibhum—the Lord. TRANSLATION The great sage Narada continued: My dear King, attentively receive from me a mantra, which is most auspicious. After accepting it from me, in seven nights you will be able to see the Lord face to face. SB6.15.28 TEXT 28 yat-pada-mulam upasrtya narendra purve sarvadayo bhramam imam dvitayam visrjya sadyas tadiyam atulanadhikam mahitvam prapur bhavan api param na cirad upaiti SYNONYMS yat-pada-mulam—the lotus feet of whom (Lord Sankarsana); upasrtya—obtaining shelter at; nara-indra—O King; purve—formerly; sarva-adayah—great demigods like Lord Mahadeva; bhramam—illusion; imam—this; dvitayam—consisting of duality; visrjya—giving up; sadyah—immediately; tadiyam—His; atula—unequaled; anadhikam—unsurpassed; mahitvam—glories; prapuh—achieved; bhavan—yourself; api—also; param—the supreme abode; na—not; cirat—after a long time; upaiti—will obtain. TRANSLATION My dear King, in former days Lord Siva and other demigods took shelter of the lotus feet of Sankarsana. Thus they immediately got free from the illusion of duality and achieved unequaled and unsurpassed glories in spiritual life. You will very soon attain that very same position. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Saints Narada and Angira Instruct King Citraketu.”
na socati na kanksati
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah-sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati