Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 7: “The Science of God”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Thirteen
The Behavior of a Perfect Person
SB7.13Summary
This Thirteenth Chapter describes the regulative principles for sannyasis and also describes the history of an avadhuta. It concludes with a description of perfection for the student in spiritual advancement.
Sri Narada Muni has been describing the symptoms of various asramas and varnas. Now, in this chapter, he specifically describes the regulative principles to be followed by sannyasis. After retiring from family life, one should accept the status of vanaprastha, in which he must formally accept the body as his means of existence but gradually forget the bodily necessities of life. After vanaprastha life, having left home, one should travel to different places as a sannyasi. Without bodily comforts and free from dependence on anyone with respect to bodily necessities, one should travel everywhere, wearing almost nothing or actually walking naked. Without association with ordinary human society, one should beg alms and always be satisfied in himself. One should be a friend to every living entity and be very peaceful in Krsna consciousness. A sannyasi should travel alone in this way, not caring for life or death, waiting for the time when he will leave his material body. He should not indulge in unnecessary books or adopt professions like astrology, nor should he try to become a great orator. He should also give up the path of unnecessary argument and should not depend on anyone under any circumstances. He should not try to allure people into becoming his disciples just so that the number of his disciples may increase. He should give up the habit of reading many books as a means of livelihood, and he should not attempt to increase the number of temples and mathas, or monasteries. When a sannyasi thus becomes completely independent, peaceful and equipoised, he can select the destination he desires after death and follow the principles by which to reach that destination. Although fully learned, he should always remain silent, like a dumb person, and travel like a restless child.
In this regard, Narada Muni described a meeting between Prahlada and a saintly person who had adopted the mode of life of a python. In this way he described the symptoms of a paramahamsa. A person who has attained the paramahamsa stage knows very well the distinction between matter and spirit. He is not at all interested in gratifying the material senses, for he is always deriving pleasure from devotional service to the Lord. He is not very anxious to protect his material body. Being satisfied with whatever he attains by the grace of the Lord, he is completely independent of material happiness and distress, and thus he is transcendental to all regulative principles. Sometimes he accepts severe austerities, and sometimes he accepts material opulence. His only concern is to satisfy Krsna, and for that purpose he can do anything and everything, without reference to the regulative principles. He is never to be equated with materialistic men, nor is he subject to the judgments of such men. SB7.13.1 TEXT 1 sri-narada uvaca kalpas tv evam parivrajya deha-matravasesitah gramaika-ratra-vidhina nirapeksas caren mahim SYNONYMS sri-naradah uvaca—Sri Narada Muni said; kalpah—a person who is competent to undergo the austerities of sannyasa, 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-matra—keeping only the body; avasesitah—at last; grama—in a village; eka—one only; ratra—of passing a night; vidhina—in the process; nirapeksah—without dependence on any material thing; caret—should move from one place to another; mahim—on the earth. TRANSLATION Sri Narada 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 sannyasi should travel all over the world. SB7.13.2 TEXT 2 bibhryad yady asau vasah kaupinacchadanam param tyaktam na lingad dandader anyat kincid anapadi SYNONYMS bibhryat—one should use; yadi—if; asau—a person in the renounced order; vasah—a garment or covering; kaupina—a loincloth (just to cover the private parts); acchadanam—for covering; param—that much only; tyaktam—given up; na—not; lingat—than the distinguishing marks of a sannyasi; danda-adeh—like the rod (tridanda); anyat—other; kincit—anything; anapadi—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 sannyasi should not even accept a danda. A sannyasi should avoid carrying anything but a danda and kamandalu. SB7.13.3 TEXT 3 eka eva cared bhiksur atmaramo ’napasrayah sarva-bhuta-suhrc-chanto narayana-parayanah SYNONYMS ekah—alone; eva—only; caret—can move; bhiksuh—a sannyasi taking alms; atma-aramah—fully satisfied in the self; anapasrayah—without depending on anything; sarva-bhuta-suhrt—becoming a well-wisher of all living entities; santah—completely peaceful; narayana-parayanah—becoming absolutely dependent on Narayana and becoming His devotee. TRANSLATION The sannyasi, 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 Narayana. In this way he should move from one place to another. SB7.13.4 TEXT 4 pasyed atmany ado visvam pare sad-asato ’vyaye atmanam ca param brahma sarvatra sad-asan-maye SYNONYMS pasyet—one should see; atmani—in the Supreme Soul; adah—this; visvam—universe; pare—beyond; sat-asatah—the creation or cause of creation; avyaye—in the Absolute, which is free from deterioration; atmanam—himself; ca—also; param—the supreme; brahma—absolute; sarvatra—everywhere; sat-asat—in the cause and in the effect; maye—all-pervading. TRANSLATION The sannyasi should always try to see the Supreme pervading everything and see everything, including this universe, resting on the Supreme. SB7.13.5 TEXT 5 supti-prabodhayoh sandhav atmano gatim atma-drk pasyan bandham ca moksam ca maya-matram na vastutah SYNONYMS supti—in the state of unconsciousness; prabodhayoh—and in the state of consciousness; sandhau—in the state of marginal existence; atmanah—of oneself; gatim—the movement; atma-drk—one who can actually see the self; pasyan—always trying to see or understand; bandham—the conditional state of life; ca—and; moksam—the liberated state of life; ca—also; maya-matram—only illusion; na—not; vastutah—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. PURPORT The unconscious state is nothing but ignorance, darkness or material existence, and in the conscious state one is awake. The marginal state, between consciousness and unconsciousness, has no permanent existence. Therefore one who is advanced in understanding the self should understand that unconsciousness and consciousness are but illusions, for they fundamentally do not exist. Only the Supreme Absolute Truth exists. As confirmed by the Lord in Bhagavad-gita (9.4): maya tatam idam sarvam “By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.” Everything exists on the basis of Krsna’s impersonal feature; nothing can exist without Krsna. Therefore the advanced devotee of Krsna can see the Lord everywhere, without illusion. SB7.13.6 TEXT 6 nabhinanded dhruvam mrtyum adhruvam vasya jivitam kalam param pratikseta bhutanam prabhavapyayam SYNONYMS na—not; abhinandet—one should praise; dhruvam—sure; mrtyum—death; adhruvam—not sure; va—either; asya—of this body; jivitam—the duration of life; kalam—eternal time; param—supreme; pratikseta—one must observe; bhutanam—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. PURPORT The living entities in the material world, not only at the present but also in the past, have been involved in trying to solve the problem of birth and death. Some stress death and point to the illusory existence of everything material, whereas others stress life, trying to preserve it perpetually and enjoy it to the best of their ability. Both of them are fools and rascals. It is advised that one observe the eternal time factor, which is the cause of the material body’s appearance and disappearance, and that one observe the living entity’s entanglement in this time factor. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura therefore sings in his Gitavali: anadi karama-phale, padi’ bhavarnava-jale, One should observe the activities of eternal time, which is the cause of birth and death. Before the creation of the present millennium, the living entities were under the influence of the time factor, and within the time factor the material world comes into existence and is again annihilated. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. Being under the control of the time factor, the living entities appear and die, life after life. This time factor is the impersonal representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who gives the living entities conditioned by material nature a chance to emerge from this nature by surrendering to Him. SB7.13.7 TEXT 7 nasac-chastresu sajjeta nopajiveta jivikam vada-vadams tyajet tarkan paksam kamca na samsrayet SYNONYMS na—not; asat-sastresu—literature like newspapers, novels, dramas and fiction; sajjeta—one should be attached or should indulge in reading; na—nor; upajiveta—one should try to live; jivikam—upon some professional literary career; vada-vadan—unnecessary arguments on different aspects of philosophy; tyajet—one should give up; tarkan—arguments and counterarguments; paksam—faction; kamca—any; na—not; samsrayet—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 counter-arguments. Nor should one take shelter of any cause or faction. PURPORT A person desiring to advance in spiritual understanding should be extremely careful to avoid reading ordinary literature. The world is full of ordinary literature that creates unnecessary agitation in the mind. Such literature, including newspapers, dramas, novels and magazines, is factually not meant for advancement in spiritual knowledge. Indeed, it has been described as a place of enjoyment for crows (tad vayasam tirtham). Anyone advancing in spiritual knowledge must reject such literature. Furthermore, one should not concern oneself with the conclusions of various logicians or philosophers. Of course, those who preach sometimes need to argue with the contentions of opponents, but as much as possible one should avoid an argumentative attitude. In this connection, Srila Madhvacarya says: aprayojana-paksam na samsrayet na vyakhyayopajiveta “There is no need to take shelter of unnecessary literature or concern oneself with many so-called philosophers and thinkers who are useless for spiritual advancement. Nor should one accept a disciple for the sake of fashion or popularity. One should be callous to these so-called sastras, neither opposing nor favoring them, and one should not earn one’s livelihood by taking money for explaining sastra. A sannyasi must always be neutral and seek the means to advance in spiritual life, taking full shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord.” SB7.13.8 TEXT 8 na sisyan anubadhnita granthan naivabhyased bahun na vyakhyam upayunjita narambhan arabhet kvacit SYNONYMS na—not; sisyan—disciples; anubadhnita—one should induce for material benefit; granthan—unnecessary literatures; na—not; eva—certainly; abhyaset—should try to understand or cultivate; bahun—many; na—nor; vyakhyam—discourses; upayunjita—should make as a means of livelihood; na—nor; arambhan—unnecessary opulences; arabhet—should attempt to increase; kvacit—at any time. TRANSLATION A sannyasi 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. PURPORT So-called svamis and yogis generally make disciples by alluring them with material benefits. There are many so-called gurus who attract disciples by promising to cure their diseases or increase their material opulence by manufacturing gold. These are lucrative allurements for unintelligent men. A sannyasi is prohibited from making disciples through such material allurements. Sannyasis sometimes indulge in material opulence by unnecessarily constructing many temples and monasteries, but actually such endeavors should be avoided. Temples and monasteries should be constructed for the preaching of spiritual consciousness or Krsna consciousness, not to provide free hotels for persons who are useful for neither material nor spiritual purposes. Temples and monasteries should be strictly off limits to worthless clubs of crazy men. In the Krsna consciousness movement we welcome everyone who agrees at least to follow the movement’s regulative principles—no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating and no gambling. In the temples and monasteries, gatherings of unnecessary, rejected, lazy fellows should be strictly disallowed. The temples and monasteries should be used exclusively by devotees who are serious about spiritual advancement in Krsna consciousness. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains the word arambhan as meaning mathadi-vyaparan, which means “attempts to construct temples and monasteries.” The first business of the sannyasi is to preach Krsna consciousness, but if, by the grace of Krsna, facilities are available, then he may construct temples and monasteries to give shelter to the serious students of Krsna consciousness. Otherwise such temples and monasteries are not needed. SB7.13.9 TEXT 9 na yater asramah prayo dharma-hetur mahatmanah santasya sama-cittasya bibhryad uta va tyajet SYNONYMS na—not; yateh—of the sannyasi; asramah—the symbolic dress (with danda and kamandalu); prayah—almost always; dharma-hetuh—the cause of advancement in spiritual life; maha-atmanah—who is factually exalted and advanced; santasya—who is peaceful; sama-cittasya—who has attained the stage of being equipoised; bibhryat—one may accept (such symbolic signs); uta—indeed; va—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 sannyasi, such as the tridanda and kamandalu. According to necessity, he may sometimes accept those symbols and sometimes reject them. PURPORT There are four stages of the renounced order of life—kuticaka, bahudaka, parivrajakacarya and paramahamsa. Herein, Srimad-Bhagavatam considers the paramahamsas among the sannyasis. The Mayavadi impersonalist sannyasis cannot attain the paramahamsa stage. This is because of their impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. The Absolute Truth is perceived in three stages, of which bhagavan, or realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is meant for the paramahamsas. Indeed, Srimad-Bhagavatam itself is meant for the paramahamsas (paramo nirmatsaranam satam). Unless one is in the paramahamsa stage, he is not eligible to understand the Srimad-Bhagavatam. For paramahamsas, or sannyasis in the Vaisnava order, preaching is the first duty. To preach, such sannyasis may accept the symbols of sannyasa, such as the danda and kamandalu, or sometimes they may not. Generally the Vaisnava sannyasis, being paramahamsas, are automatically called babajis, and they do not carry a kamandalu or danda. Such a sannyasi is free to accept or reject the marks of sannyasa. His only thought is “Where is there an opportunity to spread Krsna consciousness?” Sometimes the Krsna consciousness movement sends its representative sannyasis to foreign countries where the danda and kamandalu are not very much appreciated. We send our preachers in ordinary dress to introduce our books and philosophy. Our only concern is to attract people to Krsna consciousness. We may do this in the dress of sannyasis or in the regular dress of gentlemen. Our only concern is to spread interest in Krsna consciousness. SB7.13.10 TEXT 10 avyakta-lingo vyaktartho manisy unmatta-balavat kavir mukavad atmanam sa drstya darsayen nrnam SYNONYMS avyakta-lingah—whose symptoms of sannyasa are unmanifested; vyakta-arthah—whose purpose is manifested; manisi—such a great saintly person; unmatta—restless; bala-vat—like a boy; kavih—a great poet or orator; muka-vat—like a dumb man; atmanam—himself; sah—he; drstya—by example; darsayet—should present; nrnam—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. PURPORT A great personality very much advanced in Krsna consciousness may not expose himself by the signs of a sannyasi. To cover himself, he may live like a restless child or a dumb person, although he is the greatest orator or poet. SB7.13.11 TEXT 11 atrapy udaharantimam itihasam puratanam prahradasya ca samvadam muner ajagarasya ca SYNONYMS atra—herein; api—although not exposed to common eyes; udaharanti—the learned sages recite as an example; imam—this; itihasam—historical incident; puratanam—very, very old; prahradasya—of Prahlada Maharaja; ca—also; samvadam—conversation; muneh—of the great saintly person; ajagarasya—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 Prahlada Maharaja and a great saintly person who was feeding himself like a python. PURPORT The saintly person met by Prahlada Maharaja was undergoing ajagara-vrtti, the living conditions of a python, which does not go anywhere but sits in one place for years and eats whatever is automatically available. Prahlada Maharaja, along with his associates, met this great saint and spoke to him as follows. SB7.13.12-13 TEXTS 12–13 tam sayanam dharopasthe kaveryam sahya-sanuni rajas-valais tanu-desair nigudhamala-tejasam dadarsa lokan vicaran loka-tattva-vivitsaya vrto ’matyaih katipayaih prahrado bhagavat-priyah SYNONYMS tam—that (saintly person); sayanam—lying down; dhara-upasthe—on the ground; kaveryam—on the bank of the River Kaveri; sahya-sanuni—on a ridge of the mountain known as Sahya; rajah-valaih—covered with dust and dirt; tanu-desaih—with all the parts of the body; nigudha—very grave and deep; amala—spotless; tejasam—whose spiritual power; dadarsa—he saw; lokan—to all the different planets; vicaran—traveling; loka-tattva—the nature of the living beings (especially those who are trying to advance in Krsna consciousness); vivitsaya—to try to understand; vrtah—surrounded; amatyaih—by royal associates; katipayaih—a few; prahradah—Maharaja Prahlada; bhagavat-priyah—who is always very, very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TRANSLATION Prahlada Maharaja, 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 Kaveri, 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. SB7.13.14 TEXT 14 karmanakrtibhir vaca lingair varnasramadibhih na vidanti jana yam vai so ’sav iti na veti ca SYNONYMS karmana—by activities; akrtibhih—by bodily features; vaca—by words; lingaih—by symptoms; varna-asrama—pertaining to the particular material and spiritual divisions of varna and asrama; adibhih—and by other symptoms; na vidanti—could not understand; janah—people in general; yam—whom; vai—indeed; sah—whether that person; asau—was the same person; iti—thus; na—not; va—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 varnasrama status could people understand whether he was the same person they had known. PURPORT The inhabitants of that particular place on the bank of the Kaveri in the valley of the mountain known as Sahya were unable to understand whether that saint was the same man they had known. It is therefore said, vaisnavera kriya mudra vijne na bhujhaya. A highly advanced Vaisnava lives in such a way that no one can understand what he is or what he was. Nor should attempts be made to understand the past of a Vaisnava. Without asking the saintly person about his previous life, Prahlada Maharaja immediately offered him respectful obeisances. SB7.13.15 TEXT 15 tam natvabhyarcya vidhivat padayoh sirasa sprsan vivitsur idam apraksin maha-bhagavato ’surah SYNONYMS tam—him (the saintly person); natva—after offering obeisances unto; abhyarcya—and worshiping; vidhi-vat—in terms of the rules and regulations of etiquette; padayoh—the lotus feet of the saintly person; sirasa—with the head; sprsan—touching; vivitsuh—desiring to know about him (the saintly person); idam—the following words; apraksit—inquired; maha-bhagavatah—the very advanced devotee of the Lord; asurah—although born in an asura family. TRANSLATION The advanced devotee Prahlada Maharaja 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, Prahlada Maharaja, in order to understand him, inquired very submissively as follows. SB7.13.16-17 TEXTS 16–17 bibharsi kayam pivanam sodyamo bhogavan yatha vittam caivodyamavatam bhogo vittavatam iha bhoginam khalu deho ’yam piva bhavati nanyatha SYNONYMS bibharsi—you are maintaining; kayam—a body; pivanam—fat; sa-udyamah—one who endeavors; bhogavan—one who enjoys; yatha—as; vittam—money; ca—also; eva—certainly; udyama-vatam—of persons always engaged in economic development; bhogah—sense gratification; vitta-vatam—for persons who possess considerable wealth; iha—in this world; bhoginam—of the enjoyers, karmis; khalu—indeed; dehah—body; ayam—this; piva—very fat; bhavati—becomes; na—not; anyatha—otherwise. TRANSLATION Seeing the saintly person to be quite fat, Prahlada Maharaja 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. PURPORT Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura did not like his disciples to become very fat in the course of time. He would become very anxious upon seeing his fat disciples becoming bhogis, or enjoyers of the senses. This attitude is herewith confirmed by Prahlada Maharaja, who was surprised to see a saintly person adopting ajagara-vrtti and becoming very fat. In the material world also, we generally see that when a man who is poor and skinny gradually endeavors to earn money through business or some other means and he then gets the money, he enjoys the senses to his satisfaction. By enjoying the senses one becomes fat. Therefore in spiritual advancement becoming fat is not at all satisfactory. SB7.13.18 TEXT 18 na te sayanasya nirudyamasya brahman nu hartho yata eva bhogah abhogino ’yam tava vipra dehah piva yatas tad vada nah ksamam cet SYNONYMS na—not; te—of you; sayanasya—lying down; nirudyamasya—without activities; brahman—O saintly person; nu—indeed; ha—it is evident; arthah—money; yatah—from which; eva—indeed; bhogah—sense enjoyment; abhoginah—of one who is not engaged in sense enjoyment; ayam—this; tava—your; vipra—O learned brahmana; dehah—body; piva—fat; yatah—how is it; tat—that fact; vada—kindly tell; nah—us; ksamam—excuse; cet—if I have asked an impudent question. TRANSLATION O brahmana, 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. PURPORT Generally those engaged in spiritual advancement take food only once, either in the afternoon or in the evening. If one takes food only once, naturally he does not become fat. The learned sage, however, was quite fat, and therefore Prahlada Maharaja was very much surprised. Because of being experienced in self-realization, a transcendentalist certainly becomes bright-faced. And one who is advanced in self-realization must be considered to possess the body of a brahmana. Because the bright-faced saintly person was lying down and not working and yet was quite fat, Prahlada Maharaja was puzzled and wanted to question him about this.
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
na caham tesv avasthitah
taribare na dekhi upaya
naprayojana-paksi syan
na vrtha sisya-bandha-krt
na codasinah sastrani
na viruddhani cabhyaset
na nisiddhan samacaret
evam-bhuto yatir yati
tad-eka-sarano harim