SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 3

The Supreme Lord [as Kapila] said: 'Not being of change, not claiming proprietorship, is the living entity, although residing in a material body, not affected by the modes of material nature; just like the sun, which stays unaffected from being reflected in water.

The Personality of Godhead Kapila continued: When the living entity is thus unaffected by the modes of material nature, because he is unchanging and does not claim proprietorship, he remains apart from the reactions of the modes, although abiding in a material body, just as the sun remains aloof from its reflection on water. (Vedabase)

Text 2

When this very living entity is absorbed by false ego in the modes of material nature, is the individual soul bewildered, thus thinking: 'I am the doer'.

When the soul is under the spell of material nature and false ego, identifying his body as the self, he becomes absorbed in material activities, and by the influence of false ego he thinks that he is the proprietor of everything. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Because of faulty actions, following his association with material nature, he from this helplessly undergoes the path of repeated birth and death in discontent, being born from different wombs [or species], living a good or a bad life or a mixture of these.

The conditioned soul therefore transmigrates into different species of life, higher and lower, because of his association with the modes of material nature. Unless he is relieved of material activities, he has to accept this position because of his faulty work. (Vedabase)

Text 4

Although he actually does not exist but from the real cause, does it - the contemplating of the objective of the material existence of the living entity - not cease to be and thus, like with a dream, he ends up in disappointment.

Actually a living entity is transcendental to material existence, but because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material existential condition does not cease, and just as in a dream, he is affected by all sorts of disadvantages. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Therefore must the mind of attachment to material enjoyment gradually be brought under control by devotional service on the path of stringent detachment.

It is the duty of every conditioned soul to engage his polluted consciousness, which is now attached to material enjoyment, in very serious devotional service with detachment. Thus his mind and consciousness will be under full control. (Vedabase)

Text 6

Beginning with yama [meaning the great yoga-vow of nonviolence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possessiveness in the practice of detachment], he will be steadfast by the yogasystem, having great faith in unalloyed service unto Me and listening to the stories.

One has to become faithful by practicing the controlling process of the yoga system and must elevate himself to the platform of unalloyed devotional service by chanting and hearing about Me. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Seeing all living beings equally without enmity, not entertaining intimate relations living celibate and in silence, he offers the results of his labor.

In executing devotional service, one has to see every living entity equally, without enmity towards anyone yet without intimate connections with anyone. One has to observe celibacy, be grave and execute his eternal activities, offering the results to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 8

Satisfied with what comes without effort, eating little and living thoughtfully in a secluded place, he is peaceful, kind, compassionate and selfrealized.

For his income a devotee should be satisfied with what he earns without great difficulty. He should not eat more than what is necessary. He should live in a secluded place and always be thoughtful, peaceful, friendly, compassionate and self-realized. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Not following the physical concept of life in relating to others and in the dealings with his own body does he, through spiritual knowledge, see the factual truth of the material and the personal.

One's seeing power should be increased through knowledge of spirit and matter, and one should not unnecessarily identify himself with the body and thus become attracted by bodily relationships. (Vedabase)

Text 10

With the intelligence on material things in peace keeping other conceptions of life afar, he realizes the soul within as if he has his eyes on the sun itself.

One should be situated in the transcendental position, beyond the stages of material consciousness, and should be aloof from all other conceptions of life. Thus realizing freedom from false ego, one should see his own self just as he sees the sun in the sky. (Vedabase)

Text 11

He realizes the being bound to the truth, the eye for the illusory of matter, as being transcendental, manifest as a reflection in the untrue and as having entered into everything as one without a second.

A liberated soul realizes the Absolute Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental and who is manifest as a reflection even in the false ego. He is the support of the material cause and He enters into everything. He is absolute, one without a second, and He is the eyes of the illusory energy. (Vedabase)

Text 12

It is like the sun above the water and in the sky, that is seen as a reflection on the water or on the wall.

The presence of the Supreme Lord can be realized just as the sun is realized first as a reflection on water, and again as a second reflection on the wall of a room, although the sun itself is situated in the sky. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Thus is by the reflections of the true in the threefold of the materially identified ego consisting of mind, body and senses, the truth of the self discovered.

The self-realized soul is thus reflected first in the threefold ego and then in the body, senses and mind. (Vedabase)

Text 14

The elements of matter, the objects of enjoyment, the material senses, the mind, intelligence and so on, that are here merged that here as in one's sleep are merged in the untrue are there in the awakening freed from the egotism.

Although a devotee appears to be merged in the five material elements, the objects of material enjoyment, the material senses and material mind and intelligence, he is understood to be awake and to be freed from the false ego. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Although he is not lost, he in falsehood then thinks himself as lost, because as a witness, he is, like someone who lost his fortune, distressed of losing his self-consciousness.

The living entity can vividly feel his existence as the seer, but because of the disappearance of the ego during the state of deep sleep, he falsely takes himself to be lost, like a man who has lost his fortune and feels distressed, thinking himself to be lost. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Coming to understand this, realizes that person himself as one who manifests his own individuality and does he see what he of the situation under the false of ego accepted.

When, by mature understanding, one can realize his individuality, then the situation he accepts under false ego becomes manifest to him. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Devahûti said: 'Dear brahmin, isn't it so that material nature never releases the soul as the two are eternally attracted to one another, o Best One?

S'rî Devahûti inquired: My dear brâhmana, does material nature ever give release to the spirit soul? Since one is attracted to the other eternally, how is their separation possible? (Vedabase)

Text 18:

As we have no separate existence of the aroma and the earth or water and taste, so is it also with the intelligence and consciousness.

As there is no separate existence of the earth and its aroma or of water and its taste, there cannot be any separate existence of intelligence and consciousness. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

How then can of this there be the freedom from material nature of the soul, that as a non-doer with those modes existing, is bound to the karma caused by the association therewith?

Hence even though he is the passive performer of all activities, how can there be freedom for the soul as long as material nature acts on him and binds him? (Vedabase)

Text 20:

The great fear in a certain case avoided by reflecting upon the reality, reappears, since the cause didn't cease to be.

Even if the great fear of bondage is avoided by mental speculation and inquiry into the fundamental principles, it may still appear again, since its cause has not ceased. (Vedabase)

Text 21:

The Supreme Lord said: '[The freedom will be realized,] when with a pure mind serious unto Me and hearing for a long time about Me, one in devotional service executes one's duties without desiring the fruits thereof.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One can get liberation by seriously discharging devotional service unto Me and thereby hearing for a long time about Me or from Me. By thus executing one's prescribed duties, there will be no reaction, and one will be freed from the contamination of matter. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

By means of the spiritual knowledge with the vision of the Absolute of the Truth, is one, by yoga detached and strongly connected in penance, firmly fixed in being absorbed in the soul.

This devotional service has to be performed strongly in perfect knowledge and with transcendental vision. One must be strongly renounced and must engage in austerity and perform mystic yoga in order to be firmly fixed in self-absorption. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

In its material nature is a living entity day and night consumed, disappearing gradually like firewood does with the incidence of fire.

The influence of material nature has covered the living entity, and thus it is as if the living entity were always in a blazing fire. But by the process of seriously discharging devotional service, this influence can be removed, just as wooden sticks which cause a fire are themselves consumed by it. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

Giving up on the pleasure he tasted [in the material world] he stands in his own glory, seeing the wrong of the desire to enjoy it always and the harm it does to depend on that.

By discovering the faultiness of his desiring to lord it over material nature and by therefore giving it up, the living entity becomes independent and stands in his own glory. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

As indeed with one who is asleep with a dream bringing many bad things, can that very dream though certainly not bewilder the one who's awake.

In the dreaming state one's consciousness is almost covered, and one sees many inauspicious things, but when he is awakened and fully conscious, such inauspicious things cannot bewilder him. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

Thus can someone who knows the Absolute Truth of the material of nature in fixing his mind on Me, as the One who always rejoices in the soul, not be harmed.

The influence of material nature cannot harm an enlightened soul, even though he engages in material activities, because he knows the truth of the Absolute, and his mind is fixed on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

When thus for many years and many births he is engaged in self-realization, he becomes in every respect, up to the highest spiritual position [of satyaloka], detached and a thoughtful person.

When a person thus engages in devotional service and self-realization for many, many years and births, he becomes completely reluctant to enjoy any one of the material planets, even up to the highest planet, which is known as Brahmaloka; he becomes fully developed in consciousness. (Vedabase)

Text 28-29:

My devotee, under My protection realizes by My unlimited mercy, for the good of the intelligence the ultimate goal of what is called kaivalya [enlightenment, emancipation], attaining in this life a truly steady self-knowledge and freedom from doubt. Having left for that abode the yogi never returns after taking leave from the subtle and gross bodies.

My devotee actually becomes self-realized by My unlimited causeless mercy, and thus, when freed from all doubts, he steadily progresses towards his destined abode, which is directly under the protection of My spiritual energy of unadulterated bliss. That is the ultimate perfectional goal of the living entity. After giving up the present material body, the mystic devotee goes to that transcendental abode and never comes back. (Vedabase)

Text 30

When the attention of the perfected yogi is not drawn towards yogic powers, my dear mother, then, having no other cause, will his progress towards Me become perpetual, as therein he will not find the power of death.

When a perfect yogî's attention is no longer attracted to the by-products of mystic powers, which are manifestations of the external energy, his progress towards Me becomes unlimited, and thus the power of death cannot overcome him. (Vedabase)