S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 11
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda his pupils
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

 

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Canto 11: 'General History'

 

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Chapter Twenty-five: The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond

 

 

 

TEXT 1

s'rî-bhagavân uvâca

gunânâm asammis'rânâm

pumân yena yathâ bhavet

tan me purusha-varyedam

upadhâraya s'amsatah

s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; gunânâm - of the modes of nature; asammis'rânâm - in their unmixed state; pumân - a person; yena - by which mode; yathâ - how; bhavet - he becomes; tat - that; me - by Me; purusha-varya - O best among men; idam - this; upadhâraya - please try to understand; s'amsatah - as I speak.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said - O best among men, please listen as I describe to you how the living entity attains a particular nature by association with individual material modes.

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TEXTS 2 - 5

s'amo damas titikshekshâ

tapah satyam dayâ smritih

tusthis tyâgo 'sprihâ s'raddhâ

hrîr dayâdih sva-nirvritih

 

kâma îhâ madas trishnâ

stambha âs'îr bhidâ sukham

madotsâho yas'ah-prîtir

hâsyam vîryam balodyamah

 

krodho lobho 'nritam himsâ

yâcñâ dambhah klamah kalih

s'oka-mohau vishâdârtî

nidrâs'â bhîr anudyamah

 

sattvasya rajasas' caitâs

tamasas' cânupûrvas'ah

vrittayo varnita-prâyâh

sannipâtam atho s'rinu

s'amah - mind control; damah - sense control; titikshâ - tolerance; îkshâ - discrimination; tapah - strictly following one's prescribed duty; satyam - truthfulness; dayâ - mercy; smritih - observation of the past and future; tusthih - satisfaction; tyâgah - generosity; asprihâ - detachment from sense gratification; s'raddhâ - faith (in the guru and other bona fide authorities); hrîh - shame (due to improper activities); dayâ-âdih - charity, simplicity, humility and so on; sva-nirvritih - taking one's pleasure from within;

kâmah - material desire; îhâ - endeavor; madah - audacity; trishna - dissatisfaction even in gain; stambhah - false pride; âs'îh - praying to the demigods and other deities with desire for material gain; bhidâ - separatist mentality; sukham - sense gratification; mada-utsâhah - courage based on intoxication; yas'ah-prîtih - being fond of praise; hâsyam - indulging in ridicule; vîryam - advertising one's power; bala-udyamah - acting on the sanction of one's own strength;

krodhah - intolerant anger; lobhah - stinginess; anritam - false speech (speaking what is not stated in scripture as if it were evidence); himsâ - enmity; yâcñâ - begging; dambhah - hypocrisy; klamah - fatigue; kalih - quarrel; s'oka-mohau - lamentation and delusion; vishâda-ârtî - unhappiness and false humility; nidrâ - sloth; âs'â - false expectations; bhîh - fear; anudyamah - lack of endeavor;

sattvasya - of the mode of goodness; rajasah - of the mode of passion; ca - and; etâh - these; tamasah - of the mode of ignorance; ca - and; ânupûrvas'ah - one after another; vrittayah - the functions; varnita - have been described; prâyâh - for the most part; sannipâtam - the combination of these; atho - now; s'rinu - please hear.

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TEXT 6

sannipâtas tv aham iti

mamety uddhava yâ matih

vyavahârah sannipâto

mano-mâtrendriyâsubhih

sannipâtah - the combination of the modes; tu - and; aham iti - 'I'; mama iti - 'mine'; uddhava - O Uddhava; yâ - which; matih - mentality; vyavahârah - ordinary activities; sannipâtah - the combination; manah - by the mind; mâtrâ - the objects of perception; indriya - the senses; asubhih - and the vital airs.

TRANSLATION

My dear Uddhava, the combination of all three modes is present in the mentality of 'I' and 'mine.' The ordinary transactions of this world, which are carried out through the agency of the mind, the objects of perception, the senses and the vital airs of the physical body, are also based on the combination of the modes.

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TEXT 7

dharme cârthe ca kâme ca

yadâsau parinisthhitah

gunânâm sannikarsho 'yam

s'raddhâ-rati-dhanâvahah

dharme - in religiosity; ca - and; arthe - in economic development; ca - and; kâme - in sense gratification; ca - and; yadâ - when; asau - this living entity; parinisthhitah - is fixed; gunânâm - of the modes of nature; sannikarshah - the intermingling; ayam - this; s'raddhâ - faith; rati - sensual enjoyment; dhana - and wealth; âvahah - which each bring.

TRANSLATION

When a person devotes himself to religiosity, economic development and sense gratification, the faith, wealth and sensual enjoyment obtained by his endeavors display the interaction of the three modes of nature.

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TEXT 8

pravritti-lakshane nisthhâ

pumân yarhi grihâs'rame

sva-dharme cânu tisthheta

gunânâm samitir hi sâ

pravritti - of the path of material enjoyment; lakshane - in that which is the symptom; nisthhâ - dedication; pumân - a person; yarhi - when; griha-âs'rame - in family life; sva-dharme - in prescribed duties; ca - and; anu - later; tisthheta - he stands; gunânâm - of the modes of nature; samitih - the combination; hi - indeed; sâ - this.

TRANSLATION

When a man desires sense gratification, being attached to family life, and when he consequently becomes established in religious and occupational duties, the combination of the modes of nature is manifest.

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TEXT 9

purusham sattva-samyuktam

anumîyâc chamâdibhih

kâmâdibhî rajo-yuktam

krodhâdyais tamasâ yutam

purusham - a person; sattva-samyuktam - endowed with the mode of goodness; anumîyât - can be deduced; s'ama-âdibhih - by his qualities of sense control and so on; kâma-âdibhih - by lust and so on; rajah-yuktam - one who is in the mode of passion; krodha-âdyaih - by anger and so on; tamasâ - with the mode of ignorance; yutam - one who is endowed.

TRANSLATION

A person exhibiting qualities such as self-control is understood to be predominantly in the mode of goodness. Similarly, a passionate person is recognized by his lust, and one in ignorance is recognized by qualities such as anger.

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TEXT 10

yadâ bhajati mâm bhaktyâ

nirapekshah sva-karmabhih

tam sattva-prakritim vidyât

purusham striyam eva vâ

yadâ - when; bhajati - a person worships; mâm - Me; bhaktyâ - with devotion; nirapekshah - indifferent to results; sta-karmabhih - by his own prescribed duties; tam - him; sattva-prakritim - a person whose nature is in the mode of goodness; vidyât - one should understand; purusham - a man; striyam - a woman; eva - even; vâ - or.

TRANSLATION

Any person, whether man or woman, who worships Me with loving devotion, offering his or her prescribed duties unto Me without material attachment, is understood to be situated in goodness.

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TEXT 11

yadâ âs'isha âs'âsya

mâm bhajeta sva-karmabhih

tam rajah-prakritim vidyât

himsâm âs'âsya tâmasam

yadâ - when; âs'ishah - benedictions; âs'âsya - hoping for; mâm - Me; bhajeta - a person worships; sva-karmabhih - by his duties; tam - that; rajah-prakritim - a person situated in the mode of passion; vidyât - one should understand; himsâm - violence; âs'âsya - hoping for; tâmasam - a person in the mode of ignorance.

TRANSLATION

When a person worships Me by his prescribed duties with the hope of gaining material benefit, his nature should be understood to be in passion, and one who worships Me with the desire to commit violence against others is in ignorance.

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TEXT 12

sattvam rajas tama iti

gunâ jîvasya naiva me

citta-jâ yais tu bhûtânâm

sajjamâno nibadhyate

sattvam - the mode of goodness; rajah - the mode of passion; tamah - the mode of ignorance; iti - thus; gunâh - the modes; jîvasya - pertaining to the spirit soul; na - not; eva - indeed; me - to Me; citta-jâh - manifest within the mind; yaih - by which modes; tu - and; bhûtânâm - to material creations; sajjamânah - becoming attached; nibadhyate - one is bound up.

TRANSLATION

The three modes of material nature - goodness, passion and ignorance - influence the living entity but not Me. Manifesting within his mind, they induce the living entity to become attached to material bodies and other created objects. In this way the living entity is bound up.

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TEXT 13

yadetarau jayet sattvam

bhâsvaram vis'adam s'ivam

tadâ sukhena yujyeta

dharma-jñânâdibhih pumân

yadâ - when; itarau - the other two; jayet - overcomes; sattvam - the mode of goodness; bhâsvaram - luminous; vis'adam - pure; s'ivam - auspicious; tadâ - then; sukhena - with happiness; yujyeta - he becomes endowed; dharma - with religiousness; jñâna - knowledge; âdibhih - and other good qualities; pumân - a man.

TRANSLATION

When the mode of goodness, which is luminous, pure and auspicious, predominates over passion and ignorance, a man becomes endowed with happiness, virtue, knowledge and other good qualities.

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TEXT 14

yadâ jayet tamah sattvam

rajah sangam bhidâ calam

tadâ duhkhena yujyeta

karmanâ yas'asâ s'riyâ

yadâ - when; jayet - conquers; tamah sattvam - both ignorance and goodness; rajah - passion; sangam - (the cause of) attachment; bhidâ - separatism; calam - and change; tadâ - then; duhkhena - with misery; yujyeta - one becomes endowed; karmanâ - with material work; yas'asâ - with (the desire for) fame; s'riyâ - and with opulence.

TRANSLATION

When the mode of passion, which causes attachment, separatism and activity, conquers ignorance and goodness, a man begins to work hard to acquire prestige and fortune. Thus in the mode of passion he experiences anxiety and struggle.

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TEXT 15

yadâ jayed rajah sattvam

tamo mûdham layam jadam

yujyeta s'oka-mohâbhyâm

nidrayâ himsayâs'ayâ

yadâ - when; jayet - conquers; rajah sattvam - the modes of passion and goodness; tamah - the mode of darkness; mûdham - defeating one's discrimination; layam - covering over consciousness; jadam - devoid of endeavor; yujyeta - one becomes endowed; s'oka - with lamentation; mohâbhyâm - and bewilderment; nidrayâ - with oversleeping; himsayâ - with violent qualities; âs'ayâ - and false hopes.

TRANSLATION

When the mode of ignorance conquers passion and goodness, it covers one's consciousness and makes one foolish and dull. Falling into lamentation and illusion, a person in the mode of ignorance sleeps excessively, indulges in false hopes, and displays violence toward others.

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TEXT 16

yadâ cittam prasîdeta

indriyânâm ca nirvritih

dehe 'bhayam mano-'sangam

tat sattvam viddhi mat-padam

yadâ - when; cittam - the consciousness; prasîdeta - becomes clear; indriyânâm - of the senses; ca - and; nirvritih - cessation of their mundane activities; dehe - in the body; abhayam - fearlessness; manah - of the mind; asangam - detachment; tat - that; sattvam - the mode of goodness; viddhi - know it; mat - realization of Me; padam - the situation in which such can be achieved.

TRANSLATION

When consciousness becomes clear and the senses are detached from matter, one experiences fearlessness within the material body and detachment from the material mind. You should understand this situation to be the predominance of the mode of goodness, in which one has the opportunity to realize Me.

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TEXT 17

vikurvan kriyayâ câ-dhîr

anivrittis' ca cetasâm

gâtrâsvâsthyam mano bhrântam

raja etair nis'âmaya

vikurvan - becoming distorted; kriyayâ - by activity; ca - and; â - even up to; dhîh - the intelligence; anivrittih - failure to stop; ca - and; cetasâm - on the part of the conscious faculties of intelligence and the senses; gâtra - of the working senses; asvâsthyam - unhealthy condition; manah - the mind; bhrântam - unsteady; rajah - passion; etaih - by these symptoms; nis'âmaya - you should understand.

TRANSLATION

You should discern the mode of passion by its symptoms - the distortion of the intelligence because of too much activity, the inability of the perceiving senses to disentangle themselves from mundane objects, an unhealthy condition of the working physical organs, and the unsteady perplexity of the mind.

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TEXT 18

sîdac cittam vilîyeta

cetaso grahane 'kshamam

mano nastham tamo glânis

tamas tad upadhâraya

sîdat - failing; cittam - the higher faculties of consciousness; vilîyeta - become dissolved; cetasah - awareness; grahane - in controlling; akshamam - incapable; manah - the mind; nastham - ruined; tamah - ignorance; glânih - depression; tamah - the mode of ignorance; tat - that; upadhâraya - you should understand.

TRANSLATION

When one's higher awareness fails and finally disappears and one is thus unable to concentrate his attention, his mind is ruined and manifests ignorance and depression. You should understand this situation to be the predominance of the mode of ignorance.

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TEXT 19

edhamâne gune sattve

devânâm balam edhate

asurânâm ca rajasi

tamasy uddhava rakshasâm

edhamâne - when it is increasing; gune - the mode; sattve - of goodness; devânâm - of the demigods; balam - the strength; edhate - increases; asurânâm - of the enemies of the demigods; ca - and; rajasi - when the mode of passion increases; tamasi - when the mode of ignorance increases; uddhava - O Uddhava; rakshasâm - of the man-eating monsters.

TRANSLATION

With the increase of the mode of goodness, the strength of the demigods similarly increases. When passion increases, the demoniac become strong. And with the rise of ignorance, O Uddhava, the strength of the most wicked increases.

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TEXT 20

sattvâj jâgaranam vidyâd

rajasâ svapnam âdis'et

prasvâpam tamasâ jantos

turîyam trishu santatam

sattvât - by the mode of goodness; jâgaranam - waking consciousness; vidyât - one should understand; rajasâ - by passion; svapnam - sleep; âdis'et - is indicated; prasvâpam - deep sleep; tamasâ - by the mode of ignorance; jantoh - of the living entity; turîyam - the fourth, transcendental state; trishu - throughout the three; santatam - pervading.

TRANSLATION

It should be understood that alert wakefulness comes from the mode of goodness, sleep with dreaming from the mode of passion, and deep, dreamless sleep from the mode of ignorance. The fourth state of consciousness pervades these three and is transcendental.

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TEXT 21

upary upari gacchanti

sattvena brâhmanâ janâh

tamasâdho 'dha â-mukhyâd

rajasântara-cârinah

upari upari - higher and higher; gacchanti - they go; sattvena - by the mode of goodness; brâhmanâh - persons dedicated to Vedic principles; janâh - such men; tamasâ - by the mode of ignorance; adhah adhah - lower and lower; â-mukhyât - headfirst; rajasâ - by the mode of passion; antara-cârinah - remaining in intermediate situations.

TRANSLATION

Learned persons dedicated to Vedic culture are elevated by the mode of goodness to higher and higher positions. The mode of ignorance, on the other hand, forces one to fall headfirst into lower and lower births. And by the mode of passion one continues transmigrating through human bodies.

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TEXT 22

sattve pralînâh svar yânti

nara-lokam rajo-layâh

tamo-layâs tu nirayam

yânti mâm eva nirgunâh

sattve - in the mode of goodness; pralînâh - those who die; svah - to heaven; yânti - they go; nara-lokam - to the world of human beings; rajah-layâh - those who die in the mode of passion; tamah-layâh - those who die in the mode of ignorance; tu - and; nirayam - to hell; yânti - they go; mâm - to Me; eva - however; nirgunâh - those who are free from all the modes.

TRANSLATION

Those who leave this world in the mode of goodness go to the heavenly planets, those who pass away in the mode of passion remain in the world of human beings, and those dying in the mode of ignorance must go to hell. But those who are free from the influence of all modes of nature come to Me.

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TEXT 23

mad-arpanam nishphalam vâ

sâttvikam nija-karma tat

râjasam phala-sankalpam

himsâ-prâyâdi tâmasam

mat-arpanam - offered unto Me; nishphalam - done without expectation of result; vâ - and; sâttvikam - in the mode of goodness; nija - accepted as one's prescribed duty; karma - work; tat - that; râjasam - in the mode of passion; phala-sankalpam - done in expectation of some result; himsâ-prâya-âdi - done with violence, envy and so on; tâmasam - in the mode of ignorance.

TRANSLATION

Work performed as an offering to Me, without consideration of the fruit, is considered to be in the mode of goodness. Work performed with a desire to enjoy the results is in the mode of passion. And work impelled by violence and envy is in the mode of ignorance.

PURPORT

Ordinary work performed as an offering to God, without desire for the result, is understood to be in the mode of goodness, whereas activities of devotion - such as chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord - are transcendental forms of work beyond the modes of nature.

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TEXT 24

kaivalyam sâttvikam jñânam

rajo vaikalpikam ca yat

prâkritam tâmasam jñânam

man-nisthham nirgunam smritam

kaivalyam - absolute; sâttvikam - in the mode of goodness; jñânam - knowledge; rajah - in the mode of passion; vaikalpikam - manifold; ca - and; yat - which; prâkritam - materialistic; tâmasam - in the mode of ignorance; jñânam - knowledge; mat-nisthham - concentrated upon Me; nirgunam - transcendental; smritam - is considered.

TRANSLATION

Absolute knowledge is in the mode of goodness, knowledge based on duality is in the mode of passion, and foolish, materialistic knowledge is in the mode of ignorance. Knowledge based upon Me, however, is understood to be transcendental.

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TEXT 25

vanam tu sâttviko vâso

grâmo râjasa ucyate

tâmasam dyûta-sadanam

man-niketam tu nirgunam

vanam - the forest; tu - whereas; sâttvikah - in the mode of goodness; vâsah - residence; grâmah - the village neighborhood; râjasah - in the mode of passion; ucyate - is said; tâmasam - in the mode of ignorance; dyûta-sadanam - the gambling house; mat-niketam - My residence; tu - but; nirgunam - transcendental.

TRANSLATION

Residence in the forest is in the mode of goodness, residence in a town is in the mode of passion, residence in a gambling house displays the quality of ignorance, and residence in a place where I reside is transcendental.

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TEXT 26

sâttvikah kârako 'sangî

râgândho râjasah smritah

tâmasah smriti-vibhrastho

nirguno mad-apâs'rayah

sâttvikah - in the mode of goodness; kârakah - the performer of activities; asangî - free from attachment; râga-andhah - blinded by personal desire; râjasah - the performer in the mode of passion; smritah - is considered; tâmasah - the performer in the mode of ignorance; smriti - from remembrance of what is what; vibhrasthah - fallen; nirgunah - transcendental; mat-apâs'rayah - he who has taken shelter of Me.

TRANSLATION

A worker free of attachment is in the mode of goodness, a worker blinded by personal desire is in the mode of passion, and a worker who has completely forgotten how to tell right from wrong is in the mode of ignorance. But a worker who has taken shelter of Me is understood to be transcendental to the modes of nature.

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TEXT 27

sâttviky âdhyâtmikî s'raddhâ

karma-s'raddhâ tu râjasî

tâmasy adharme yâ s'raddhâ

mat-sevâyâm tu nirgunâ

sâttvikî - in the mode of goodness; âdhyâtmikî - spiritual; s'raddhâ - faith; karma - in work; s'raddhâ - faith; tu - but; râjasî - in the mode of passion; tâmasî - in the mode of ignorance; adharme - in irreligion; yâ - which; s'raddhâ - faith; mat-sevâyâm - in My devotional service; tu - but; nirgunâ - transcendental.

TRANSLATION

Faith directed toward spiritual life is in the mode of goodness, faith rooted in fruitive work is in the mode of passion, faith residing in irreligious activities is in the mode of ignorance, but faith in My devotional service is purely transcendental.

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TEXT 28

pathyam pûtam anâyastam

âhâryam sâttvikam smritam

râjasam cendriya-presthham

tâmasam cârti-dâs'uci

pathyam - beneficial; pûtam - pure; anâyastam - attained without difficulty; âhâryam - food; sâttvikam - in the mode of goodness; smritam - is considered; râjasam - in the mode of passion; ca - and; indriya-presthham - very dear to the senses; tâmasam - in the mode of ignorance; ca - and; ârti-da - which creates suffering; as'uci - is impure.

TRANSLATION

Food that is wholesome, pure and obtained without difficulty is in the mode of goodness, food that gives immediate pleasure to the senses is in the mode of passion, and food that is unclean and causes distress is in the mode of ignorance.

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TEXT 29

sâttvikam sukham âtmottham

vishayottham tu râjasam

tâmasam moha-dainyottham

nirgunam mad-apâs'rayam

sâttvikam - in the mode of goodness; sukham - happiness; âtma-uttham - generated from the self; vishaya-uttham - generated from sense objects; tu - but; râjasam - in the mode of passion; tâmasam - in the mode of ignorance; moha - from delusion; dainya - and degradation; uttham - derived; nirgunam - transcendental; mat-apâs'rayam - within Me.

TRANSLATION

Happiness derived from the self is in the mode of goodness, happiness based on sense gratification is in the mode of passion, and happiness based on delusion and degradation is in the mode of ignorance. But that happiness found within Me is transcendental.

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TEXT 30

dravyam des'ah phalam kâlo

jñânam karma ca kârakah

s'raddhâvasthâkritir nisthhâ

trai-gunyah sarva eva hi

dravyam - object; des'ah - place; phalam - result; kâlah - time; jñânam - knowledge; karma - activity; ca - and; kârakah - performer; s'raddhâ - faith; avasthâ - state of consciousness; âkritih - species; nisthhâ - destination; trai-gunyah - partaking of the three modes; sarvah - all these; eva hi - certainly.

TRANSLATION

Therefore material substance, place, result of activity, time, knowledge, work, the performer of work, faith, state of consciousness, species of life and destination after death are all based on the three modes of material nature.

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TEXT 31

sarve guna-mayâ bhâvâh

purushâvyakta-dhisthhitâh

dristham s'rutam anudhyâtam

buddhyâ vâ purusharshabha

sarve - all; guna-mayah - composed of the modes of nature; bhâvah - states of existence; purusha - by the enjoying soul; avyakta - and subtle nature; dhisthhitâh - established and maintained; dristham - seen; s'rutam - heard; anudhyâtam - conceived; buddhyâ - by the intelligence; vâ - or; purusha-rishabha - O best among men.

TRANSLATION

O best of human beings, all states of material being are related to the interaction of the enjoying soul and material nature. Whether seen, heard of or only conceived within the mind, they are without exception constituted of the modes of nature.

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TEXT 32

etâh samsritayah pumso

guna-karma-nibandhanâh

yeneme nirjitâh saumya

gunâ jîvena citta-jâh

bhakti-yogena man-nisthho

mad-bhâvâya prapadyate

etâh - these; samsritayah - created aspects of existence; pumsah - of a living being; guna - with the material qualities; karma - and work; nibandhanâh - connected; yena - by whom; ime - these; nirjitâh - are conquered; saumya - O gentle Uddhava; gunâh - the modes of nature; jîvena - by a living entity; citta-jâh - which are manifested from the mind; bhakti-yogena - through the process of devotional service; mat-nisthhah - dedicated to Me; mat-bhâvâya - of love for Me; prapadyate - receives the qualification.

TRANSLATION

O gentle Uddhava, all these different phases of conditioned life arise from work born of the modes of material nature. The living entity who conquers these modes, manifested from the mind, can dedicate himself to Me by the process of devotional service and thus attain pure love for Me.

PURPORT

The words mad-bhâvâya prapadyate indicate the attainment of love for God or of the same state of existence as that of the Supreme Lord. Actual liberation is residence within the eternal kingdom of God, where life is full of bliss and knowledge. The conditioned soul falsely imagines himself to be the enjoyer of the modes of nature, and thus a particular type of material work is generated, the reaction of which binds the conditioned soul to repeated birth and death. This fruitless process can be counteracted by loving service to the Lord, as described here.

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TEXT 33

tasmâd deham imam labdhvâ

jñâna-vijñâna-sambhavam

guna-sangam vinirdhûya

mâm bhajantu vicakshanâh

tasmât - therefore; deham - body; imam - this; labdhvâ - having obtained; jñâna - of theoretical knowledge; vijñâna - and realized knowledge; sambhavam - the place of generation; guna-sangam - association with the modes of nature; vinirdhûya - washing out completely; mâm - Me; bhajantu - they should worship; vicakshanâh - persons who are very intelligent.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, having achieved this human form of life, which allows one to develop full knowledge, those who are intelligent should free themselves from all contamination of the modes of nature and engage exclusively in loving service to Me.

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TEXT 34

nihsango mâm bhajed vidvân

apramatto jitendriyah

rajas tamas' câbhijayet

sattva-samsevayâ munih

nihsangah - free from material association; mâm - Me; bhajet - should worship; vidvân - a wise person; apramattah - not bewildered; jita-indriyah - having subdued his senses; rajah - the mode of passion; tamah - the mode of ignorance; ca - and; abhijayet - he should conquer; sattva-samsevayâ - by taking to the mode of goodness; munih - the sage.

TRANSLATION

A wise sage, free from all material association and unbewildered, should subdue his senses and worship Me. He should conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by engaging himself only with things in the mode of goodness.

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SB 11.25.35

TEXT 35

sattvam câbhijayed yukto

nairapekshyena s'ânta-dhîh

sampadyate gunair mukto

jîvo jîvam vihâya mâm

sattvam - the mode of goodness; ca - also; abhijayet - he should conquer; yuktah - engaged in devotional service; nairapekshyena - by being indifferent to the modes; s'ânta - pacified; dhîh - whose intelligence; sampadyate - he achieves; gunaih - from the modes of nature; muktah - liberated; jîvah - the living entity; jîvam - the cause of his being conditioned; vihâya - giving up; mâm - Me.

TRANSLATION

Then, being fixed in devotional service, the sage should also conquer the material mode of goodness by indifference toward the modes. Thus pacified within his mind, the spirit soul, freed from the modes of nature, gives up the very cause of his conditioned life and attains Me.

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TEXT 36

jîvo jîva-vinirmukto

gunais' câs'aya-sambhavaih

mayaiva brahmanâ pûrno

na bahir nântaras' caret

jîvah - the living entity; jîva-vinirmuktah - freed from the subtle conditioning of material consciousness; gunaih - from the modes of nature; ca - and; âs'aya-sambhavaih - which have manifested in his own mind; mayâ - by Me; eva - indeed; brahmanâ - by the Supreme Absolute Truth; pûrnah - made full in satisfaction; na - not; bahih - in the external (sense gratification); na - nor; antarah - in the internal (remembrance of sense gratification); caret - he should wander.

TRANSLATION

Freed from the subtle conditioning of the mind and from the modes of nature born of material consciousness, the living entity becomes completely satisfied by experiencing My transcendental form. He no longer searches for enjoyment in the external energy, nor does he contemplate or remember such enjoyment within himself.

 

 

 

 

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