Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twenty

SB3.20.36

TEXT 36

naikatra te jayati salini pada-padmam

ghnantya muhuh kara-talena patat-patangam

madhyam visidati brhat-stana-bhara-bhitam

santeva drstir amala susikha-samuhah

SYNONYMS

na—not; ekatra—in one place; te—your; jayati—stay; salini—O beautiful woman; pada-padmam—lotus feet; ghnantyah—striking; muhuh—again and again; kara-talena—by the palm of the hand; patat—bouncing; patangam—the ball; madhyam—waist; visidati—gets fatigued; brhat—full grown; stana—of your breasts; bhara—by the weight; bhitam—oppressed; santa iva—as if fatigued; drstih—vision; amala—clear; su—beautiful; sikha—your hair; samuhah—bunch.

TRANSLATION

O beautiful woman, when you strike the bouncing ball against the ground with your hand again and again, your lotus feet do not stay in one place. Oppressed by the weight of your full-grown breasts, your waist becomes fatigued, and your clear vision grows dull, as it were. Pray braid your comely hair.

PURPORT

The demons observed beautiful gestures in the woman’s every step. Here they praise her full-grown breasts, her scattered hair and her movements in stepping forward and backward while playing with the ball. In every step they enjoy her womanly beauty, and while they enjoy her beauty their minds become agitated by sex desire. As moths at night surround a fire and are killed, so the demons become victims of the movements of the ball-like breasts of a beautiful woman. The scattered hair of a beautiful woman also afflicts the heart of a lusty demon.

SB3.20.37

TEXT 37

iti sayantanim sandhyam

asurah pramadayatim

pralobhayantim jagrhur

matva mudha-dhiyah striyam

SYNONYMS

iti—in this way; sayantanim—the evening; sandhyam—twilight; asurah—the demons; pramadayatim—behaving like a wanton woman; pralobhayantim—alluring; jagrhuh—seized; matva—thinking to be; mudha-dhiyah—unintelligent; striyam—a woman.

TRANSLATION

The asuras, clouded in their understanding, took the evening twilight to be a beautiful woman showing herself in her alluring form, and they seized her.

PURPORT

The asuras are described here as mudha-dhiyah, meaning that they are captivated by ignorance, just like the ass. The demons were captivated by the false, glaring beauty of this material form, and thus they embraced her.

SB3.20.38

TEXT 38

prahasya bhava-gambhiram

jighrantyatmanam atmana

kantya sasarja bhagavan

gandharvapsarasam ganan

SYNONYMS

prahasya—smiling; bhava-gambhiram—with a deep purpose; jighrantya—understanding; atmanam—himself; atmana—by himself; kantya—by his loveliness; sasarja—created; bhagavan—the worshipful Lord Brahma; gandharva—the celestial musicians; apsarasam—and of the heavenly dancing girls; ganan—the hosts of.

TRANSLATION

With a laugh full of deep significance, the worshipful Brahma then evolved by his own loveliness, which seemed to enjoy itself by itself, the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras.

PURPORT

The musicians in the upper planetary systems are called Gandharvas, and the dancing girls are called Apsaras. After being attacked by the demons and evolving a form of a beautiful woman in the twilight, Brahma next created Gandharvas and Apsaras. Music and dancing employed in sense gratification are to be accepted as demoniac, but the same music and dancing, when employed in glorifying the Supreme Lord as kirtana, are transcendental, and they bring about a life completely fit for spiritual enjoyment.

SB3.20.39

TEXT 39

visasarja tanum tam vai

jyotsnam kantimatim priyam

ta eva cadaduh pritya

visvavasu-purogamah

SYNONYMS

visasarja—gave up; tanum—form; tam—that; vai—in fact; jyotsnam—moonlight; kanti-matim—shining; priyam—beloved; te—the Gandharvas; eva—certainly; ca—and; adaduh—took possession; pritya—gladly; visvavasu-purah-gamah—headed by Visvavasu.

TRANSLATION

After that, Brahma gave up that shining and beloved form of moonlight. Visvavasu and other Gandharvas gladly took possession of it.

SB3.20.40

TEXT 40

srstva bhuta-pisacams ca

bhagavan atma-tandrina

dig-vasaso mukta-kesan

viksya camilayad drsau

SYNONYMS

srstva—having created; bhuta—ghosts; pisacan—fiends; ca—and; bhagavan—Lord Brahma; atma—his; tandrina—from laziness; dik-vasasah—naked; mukta—disheveled; kesan—hair; viksya—seeing; ca—and; amilayat—closed; drsau—two eyes.

TRANSLATION

The glorious Brahma next evolved from his sloth the ghosts and fiends, but he closed his eyes when he saw them stand naked with their hair scattered.

PURPORT

Ghosts and mischievous hobgoblins are also the creation of Brahma; they are not false. All of them are meant for putting the conditioned soul into various miseries. They are understood to be the creation of Brahma under the direction of the Supreme Lord.

SB3.20.41

TEXT 41

jagrhus tad-visrstam tam

jrmbhanakhyam tanum prabhoh

nidram indriya-vikledo

yaya bhutesu drsyate

yenocchistan dharsayanti

tam unmadam pracaksate

SYNONYMS

jagrhuh—took possession; tat-visrstam—thrown off by him; tam—that; jrmbhana-akhyam—known as yawning; tanum—the body; prabhoh—of Lord Brahma; nidram—sleep; indriya-vikledah—drooling; yaya—by which; bhutesu—among the living beings; drsyate—is observed; yena—by which; ucchistan—smeared with stool and urine; dharsayanti—bewilder; tam—that; unmadam—madness; pracaksate—is spoken of.

TRANSLATION

The ghosts and hobgoblins took possession of the body thrown off in the form of yawning by Brahma, the creator of the living entities. This is also known as the sleep which causes drooling. The hobgoblins and ghosts attack men who are impure, and their attack is spoken of as insanity.

PURPORT

The disease of insanity or being haunted by ghosts takes place in an unclean state of existence. Here it is clearly stated that when a man is fast asleep and saliva flows from his mouth and he remains unclean, ghosts then take advantage of his unclean state and haunt his body. In other words, those who drool while sleeping are considered unclean and are subject to be haunted by ghosts or to, go insane.

SB3.20.42

TEXT 42

urjasvantam manyamana

atmanam bhagavan ajah

sadhyan ganan pitr-ganan

paroksenasrjat prabhuh

SYNONYMS

urjah-vantam—full of energy; manyamanah—recognizing; atmanam—himself; bhagavan—the most worshipful; ajah—Brahma; sadhyan—the demigods; ganan—hosts; pitr-ganan—and the Pitas; paroksena—from his invisible form; asrjat—created; prabhuh—the lord of beings.

TRANSLATION

Recognizing himself to be full of desire and energy, the worshipful Brahma, the creator of the living entities, evolved from his own invisible form, from his navel, the hosts of Sadhyas and Pitas.

PURPORT

The Sadhyas and Pitas are invisible forms of departed souls, and they are also created by Brahma.

SB3.20.43

TEXT 43

ta atma-sargam tam kayam

pitarah pratipedire

sadhyebhyas ca pitrbhyas ca

kavayo yad vitanvate

SYNONYMS

te—they; atma-sargam—source of their existence; tam—that; kayam—body; pitarah—the Pitas; pratipedire—accepted; sadhyebhyah—to the Sadhyas; ca—and; pitrbhyah—to the Pitas; ca—also; kavayah—those well versed in rituals; yat—through which; vitanvate—offer oblations.

TRANSLATION

The Pitas themselves took possession of the invisible body, the source of their existence. It is through the medium of this invisible body that those well versed in the rituals offer oblations to the Sadhyas and Pitas [in the form of their departed ancestors] on the occasion of sraddha.

PURPORT

Sraddha is a ritualistic performance observed by the followers of the Vedas. There is a yearly occasion of fifteen days when ritualistic religionists follow the principle of offering oblations to departed souls. Thus those fathers and ancestors who, by freaks of nature, might not have a gross body for material enjoyment can again gain such bodies due to the offering of sraddha oblations by their descendants. The performance of sraddha, or offering oblations with prasada, is still current in India, especially at Gaya, where oblations are offered at the lotus feet of Visnu in a celebrated temple. Because the Lord is thus pleased with the devotional service of the descendants, by His grace He liberates the condemned souls of forefathers who do not have gross bodies, and He favors them to again receive a gross body for development of spiritual advancement.

Unfortunately, by the influence of maya, the conditioned soul employs the body he gets for sense gratification, forgetting that such an occupation may lead him to return to an invisible body. The devotee of the Lord, or one who is in Krsna consciousness, however, does not need to perform such ritualistic ceremonies as sraddha because he is always pleasing the Supreme Lord; therefore his fathers and ancestors who might have been in difficulty are automatically relieved. The vivid example is Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja requested Lord Nrsimhadeva to deliver his sinful father, who had so many times offended the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord replied that in a family where a Vaisnava like Prahlada is born, not only his father but his father’s father and their fathers—up to the fourteenth father back—are all automatically delivered. The conclusion, therefore, is that Krsna consciousness is the sum total of all good work for the family, for society and for all living entities. In the Caitanya-caritamrta the author says that a person fully conversant with Krsna consciousness does not perform any rituals because he knows that simply by serving Krsna in full Krsna consciousness, all rituals are automatically performed.

SB3.20.44

TEXT 44

siddhan vidyadharams caiva

tirodhanena so ’srjat

tebhyo ’dadat tam atmanam

antardhanakhyam adbhutam

SYNONYMS

siddhan—the Siddhas; vidyadharan—Vidyadharas; ca eva—and also; tirodhanena—by the faculty of remaining hidden from vision; sah—Lord Brahma; asrjat—created; tebhyah—to them; adadat—gave; tam atmanam—that form of his; antardhana-akhyam—known as the Antardhana; adbhutam—wonderful.

TRANSLATION

Then Lord Brahma, by his ability to be hidden from vision, created the Siddhas and Vidyadharas and gave them that wonderful form of his known as the Antardhana.

PURPORT

Antardhana means that these living creatures can be perceived to be present, but they cannot be seen by vision.

SB3.20.45

TEXT 45

sa kinnaran kimpurusan

pratyatmyenasrjat prabhuh

manayann atmanatmanam

atmabhasam vilokayan

SYNONYMS

sah—Lord Brahma; kinnaran—the Kinnaras; kimpurusan—the Kimpurusas; pratyatmyena—from his reflection (in water); asrjat—created; prabhuh—the lord of the living beings (Brahma); manayan—admiring; atmana atmanam—himself by himself; atma-abhasam—his reflection; vilokayan—seeing.

TRANSLATION

One day, Brahma, the creator of the living entities, beheld his own reflection in the water, and admiring himself, he evolved Kimpurusas as well as Kinnaras out of that reflection.

SB3.20.46

TEXT 46

te tu taj jagrhu rupam

tyaktam yat paramesthina

mithuni-bhuya gayantas

tam evosasi karmabhih

SYNONYMS

te—they (the Kinnaras and Kimpurusas); tu—but; tat—that; jagrhuh—took possession of; rupam—that shadowy form; tyaktam—given up; yat—which; paramesthina—by Brahma; mithuni-bhuya—coming together with their spouses; gayantah—praise in song; tam—him; eva—only; usasi—at daybreak; karmabhih—with his exploits.

TRANSLATION

The Kimpurusas and Kinnaras took possession of that shadowy form left by Brahma. That is why they and their spouses sing his praises by recounting his exploits at every daybreak.

PURPORT

The time early in the morning, one and a half hours before sunrise, is called brahma-muhurta. During this brahma-muhurta, spiritual activities are recommended. Spiritual activities performed early in the morning have a greater effect than in any other part of the day.

SB3.20.47

TEXT 47

dehena vai bhogavata

sayano bahu-cintaya

sarge ’nupacite krodhad

utsasarja ha tad vapuh

SYNONYMS

dehena—with his body; vai—indeed; bhogavata—stretching out full length; sayanah—lying fully stretched; bahu—great; cintaya—with concern; sarge—the creation; anupacite—not proceeded; krodhat—out of anger; utsasarja—gave up; ha—in fact; tat—that; vapuh—body.

TRANSLATION

Once Brahma lay down with his body stretched at full length. He was very concerned that the work of creation had not proceeded apace, and in a sullen mood he gave up that body too.

SB3.20.48

TEXT 48

ye ’hiyantamutah kesa

ahayas te ’nga jajnire

sarpah prasarpatah krura

naga bhogoru-kandharah

SYNONYMS

ye—which; ahiyanta—dropped out; amutah—from that; kesah—hairs; ahayah—snakes; te—they; anga—O dear Vidura; jajnire—took birth as; sarpah—snakes; prasarpatah—from the crawling body; krurah—envious; nagah—cobras; bhoga—with hoods; uru—big; kandharah—whose necks.

TRANSLATION

O dear Vidura, the hair that dropped from that body transformed into snakes, and even while the body crawled along with its hands and feet contracted, there sprang from it ferocious serpents and Nagas with their hoods expanded.

SB3.20.49

TEXT 49

sa atmanam manyamanah

krta-krtyam ivatmabhuh

tada manun sasarjante

manasa loka-bhavanan

SYNONYMS

sah—Lord Brahma; atmanam—himself; manyamanah—considering; krta-krtyam—had accomplished the object of life; iva—as if; atmabhuh—born from the Supreme; tada—then; manun—the Manus; sasarja—created; ante—at the end; manasa—from his mind; loka—of the world; bhavanan—promoting the welfare.

TRANSLATION

One day Brahma, the self-born, the first living creature, felt as if the object of his life had been accomplished. At that time he evolved from his mind the Manus, who promote the welfare activities or the universe.

SB3.20.50

TEXT 50

tebhyah so ’srjat sviyam

puram purusam atmavan

tan drstva ye pura srstah

prasasamsuh prajapatim

SYNONYMS

tebhyah—to them; sah—Lord Brahma; asrjat—gave; sviyam—his own; puram—body; purusam—human; atma-van—self-possessed; tan—them; drstva—on seeing; ye—those who; pura—earlier; srstah—were created (the demigods, Gandharvas, etc., who were created earlier); prasasamsuh—applauded; prajapatim—Brahma (the lord of created beings).

TRANSLATION

The self-possessed creator gave them his own human form. On seeing the Manus, those who had been created earlier—the demigods, the Gandharvas and so on—applauded Brahma, the lord of the universe.

SB3.20.51

TEXT 51

aho etaj jagat-srastah

sukrtam bata te krtam

pratisthitah kriya yasmin

sakam annam adama he

SYNONYMS

aho—oh; etat—this; jagat-srastah—O creator of the universe; sukrtam—well done; bata—indeed; te—by you; krtam—produced; pratisthitah—established soundly; kriyah—all ritualistic performances; yasmin—in which; sakam—along with this; annam—the sacrificial oblations; adama—we shall share; he—O.

TRANSLATION

They prayed: O creator of the universe, we are glad; what you have produced is well done. Since ritualistic acts have now been established soundly in this human form, we shall all share the sacrificial oblations.

PURPORT

The importance of sacrifice is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gita, Third Chapter, verse 10. The Lord confirms there that in the beginning of creation Brahma created the Manus, along with the ritualistic sacrificial method, and blessed them: “Continue these sacrificial rites, and you will be gradually elevated to your proper position of self-realization and will also enjoy material happiness.” All the living entities created by Brahma are conditioned souls and are inclined to lord it over material nature. The purpose of sacrificial rituals is to revive, gradually, the spiritual realization of the living entities. That is the beginning of life within this universe. These sacrificial rituals, however, are intended to please the Supreme Lord. Unless one pleases the Supreme Lord, or unless one is Krsna conscious, one cannot be happy either in material enjoyment or in spiritual realization.

SB3.20.52

TEXT 52

tapasa vidyaya yukto

yogena susamadhina

rsin rsir hrsikesah

sasarjabhimatah prajah

SYNONYMS

tapasa—by penance; vidyaya—by worship; yuktah—being engaged; yogena—by concentration of the mind in devotion; su-samadhina—by nice meditation; rsin—the sages; rsih—the first seer (Brahma); hrsikesah—the controller of his senses; sasarja—created; abhimatah—beloved; prajah—sons.

TRANSLATION

Having equipped himself with austere penance, adoration, mental concentration and absorption in devotion, accompanied by dispassion, and having controlled his senses, Brahma, the self-born living creature, evolved great sages as his beloved sons.

PURPORT

The ritualistic performances of sacrifice are meant for material economic development; in other words, they are meant to keep the body in good condition for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. But for actual attainment of spiritual knowledge, other qualifications are needed. What is essential is vidya, or worship of the Supreme Lord. Sometimes the word yoga is used to refer to the gymnastic performances of different bodily postures which help mental concentration. Generally, the different bodily postures in the yoga system are accepted by less intelligent men to be the end of yoga, but actually they are meant to concentrate the mind upon the Supersoul. After creating persons for economic development, Brahma created sages who would set the example for spiritual realization.

SB3.20.53

TEXT 53

tebhyas caikaikasah svasya

dehasyamsam adad ajah

yat tat samadhi-yogarddhi-

tapo-vidya-viraktimat

SYNONYMS

tebhyah—to them; ca—and; ekaikasah—each one; svasya—of his own; dehasya—body; amsam—part; adat—gave; ajah—the unborn Brahma; yat—which; tat—that; samadhi—deep meditation; yoga—concentration of the mind; rddhi—supernatural power; tapah—austerity; vidya—knowledge; virakti—renunciation; mat—possessing.

TRANSLATION

To each one of these sons the unborn creator of the universe gave a part of his own body, which was characterized by deep meditation, mental concentration, supernatural power, austerity, adoration and renunciation.

PURPORT

The word viraktimat in this verse means “possessed of the qualification of renunciation.” Spiritual realization cannot be attained by materialistic persons. For those who are addicted to sense enjoyment, spiritual realization is not possible. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that those who are too attached to seeking material possessions and material enjoyment cannot reach yoga-samadhi, absorption in Krsna consciousness. Propaganda that one can enjoy this life materially and at the same time spiritually advance is simply bogus. The principles of renunciation are four: (1) to avoid illicit sex life, (2) to avoid meat-eating, (3) to avoid intoxication and (4) to avoid gambling. These four principles are called tapasya, or austerity. To absorb the mind in the Supreme in Krsna consciousness is the process of spiritual realization.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twentieth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura.”

Next chapter (SB 3.21)