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

Chapter Twenty-eight

SB3.28.29

TEXT 29

bhrtyanukampita-dhiyeha grhita-murteh

sancintayed bhagavato vadanaravindam

yad visphuran-makara-kundala-valgitena

vidyotitamala-kapolam udara-nasam

SYNONYMS

bhrtya—for the devotees; anukampita-dhiya—out of compassion; iha—in this world; grhita-murteh—who presents different forms; sancintayet—one should meditate on; bhagavatah—of the Personality of Godhead; vadana—countenance; aravindam—lotuslike; yat—which; visphuran—glittering; makara—alligator-shaped; kundala—of His earrings; valgitena—by the oscillation; vidyotita—illuminated; amala—crystal clear; kapolam—His cheeks; udara—prominent; nasam—His nose.

TRANSLATION

The yogi should then meditate on the lotuslike countenance of the Lord, who presents His different forms in this world out of compassion for the anxious devotees. His nose is prominent, and His crystal-clear cheeks are illuminated by the oscillation of His glittering alligator-shaped earrings.

PURPORT

The Lord descends to the material world out of His deep compassion for His devotees. There are two reasons for the Lord’s appearance or incarnation in the material world. Whenever there is a discrepancy in the discharge of religious principles and there is prominence of irreligion, the Lord descends for the protection of the devotees and the destruction of the nondevotees. When He appears, His main purpose is to give solace to His devotees. He does not have to come Himself to destroy the demons, for He has many agents; even the external energy, maya, has sufficient strength to kill them. But when He comes to show compassion to His devotees, He kills the nondevotees as a matter of course.

The Lord appears in the particular form loved by a particular type of devotee. There are millions of forms of the Lord, but they are one Absolute. As stated in the Brahma-samhita, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam: [Bs. 5.33] all the different forms of the Lord are one, but some devotees want to see Him in the form of Radha and Krsna, others prefer Him as Sita and Ramacandra, others would see Him as Laksmi-Narayana, and others want to see Him as four-handed Narayana, Vasudeva. The Lord has innumerable forms, and He appears in a particular form as preferred by a particular type of devotee. A yogi is advised to meditate upon the forms that are approved by devotees. A yogi cannot imagine a form for meditation. Those so-called yogis who manufacture a circle or target are engaged in nonsense. Actually, a yogi must meditate upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that has been experienced by the Lord’s pure devotees. Yogi means devotee. Yogis who are not actually pure devotees should follow in the footsteps of devotees. It is especially mentioned here that the yogi should meditate upon the form which is thus approved; he cannot manufacture a form of the Lord.

SB3.28.30

TEXT 30

yac chri-niketam alibhih parisevyamanam

bhutya svaya kutila-kuntala-vrnda-justam

mina-dvayasrayam adhiksipad abja-netram

dhyayen manomayam atandrita ullasad-bhru

SYNONYMS

yat—which face of the Lord; sri-niketam—a lotus; alibhih—by bees; parisevyamanam—surrounded; bhutya—by elegance; svaya—its; kutila—curly; kuntala—of hair; vrnda—by a multitude; justam—adorned; mina—of fish; dvaya—a pair; asrayam—dwelling; adhiksipat—putting to shame; abja—a lotus; netram—having eyes; dhyayet—one should meditate on; manah-mayam—formed in the mind; atandritah—attentive; ullasat—dancing; bhru—having eyebrows.

TRANSLATION

The yogi then meditates upon the beautiful face of the Lord, which is adorned with curly hair and decorated by lotuslike eyes and dancing eyebrows. A lotus surrounded by swarming bees and a pair of swimming fish would be put to shame by its elegance.

PURPORT

One important statement here is dhyayen manomayam. Manomayam is not imagination. Impersonalists think that the yogi can imagine any form he likes, but, as stated here, the yogi must meditate upon the form of the Lord which is experienced by devotees. Devotees never imagine a form of the Lord. They are not satisfied by something imaginary. The Lord has different eternal forms; each devotee likes a particular form and thus engages himself in the service of the Lord by worshiping that form. The Lord’s form is depicted in different ways according to scriptures. As already discussed, there are eight kinds of representations of the original form of the Lord. These representations can be produced by the use of clay, stone, wood, paint, sand, etc., depending upon the resources of the devotee.

Manomayam is a carving of the form of the Lord within the mind. This is included as one of the eight different carvings of the form of the Lord. It is not imagination. Meditation on the actual form of the Lord may be manifested in different manners, but one should not conclude that one has to imagine a form. There are two comparisons in this verse: first the Lord’s face is compared to a lotus, and then His black hair is compared to humming bees swarming around the lotus, and His two eyes are compared to two fish swimming about. A lotus flower on the water is very beautiful when surrounded by humming bees and fish. The Lord’s face is self-sufficient and complete. His beauty defies the natural beauty of a lotus.

SB3.28.31

TEXT 31

tasyavalokam adhikam krpayatighora-

tapa-trayopasamanaya nisrstam aksnoh

snigdha-smitanugunitam vipula-prasadam

dhyayec ciram vipula-bhavanaya guhayam

SYNONYMS

tasya—of the Personality of Godhead; avalokam—glances; adhikam—frequent; krpaya—with compassion; atighora—most fearful; tapa-traya—threefold agonies; upasamanaya—soothing; nisrstam—cast; aksnoh—from His eyes; snigdha—loving; smita—smiles; anugunitam—accompanied by; vipula—abundant; prasadam—full of grace; dhyayet—he should contemplate; ciram—for a long time; vipula—full; bhavanaya—with devotion; guhayam—in the heart.

TRANSLATION

The yogis should contemplate with full devotion the compassionate glances frequently cast by the Lord’s eyes, for they soothe the most fearful threefold agonies of His devotees. His glances, accompanied by loving smiles, are full of abundant grace.

PURPORT

As long as one is in conditional life, in the material body, it is natural that he will suffer from anxieties and agonies. One cannot avoid the influence of material energy, even when one is on the transcendental plane. Sometimes disturbances come, but the agonies and anxieties of the devotees are at once mitigated when they think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His beautiful form or the smiling face of the Lord. The Lord bestows innumerable favors upon His devotee, and the greatest manifestation of His grace is His smiling face, which is full of compassion for His pure devotees.

SB3.28.32

TEXT 32

hasam harer avanatakhila-loka-tivra-

sokasru-sagara-visosanam atyudaram

sammohanaya racitam nija-mayayasya

bhru-mandalam muni-krte makara-dhvajasya

SYNONYMS

hasam—the smile; hareh—of Lord Sri Hari; avanata—bowed; akhila—all; loka—for persons; tivra-soka—caused by intense grief; asru-sagara—the ocean of tears; visosanam—drying up; ati-udaram—most benevolent; sammohanaya—for charming; racitam—manifested; nija-mayaya—by His internal potency; asya—His; bhru-mandalam—arched eyebrows; muni-krte—for the good of the sages; makara-dhvajasya—of the sex-god.

TRANSLATION

A yogi should similarly meditate on the most benevolent smile of Lord Sri Hari, a smile which, for all those who bow to Him, dries away the ocean of tears caused by intense grief. The yogi should also meditate on the Lord’s arched eyebrows, which are manifested by His internal potency in order to charm the sex-god for the good of the sages.

PURPORT

The entire universe is full of miseries, and therefore the inhabitants of this material universe are always shedding tears out of intense grief. There is a great ocean of water made from such tears, but for one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ocean of tears is at once dried up. One need only see the charming smile of the Supreme Lord. In other words, the bereavement of material existence immediately subsides when one sees the charming smile of the Lord.

It is stated in this verse that the charming eyebrows of the Lord are so fascinating that they cause one to forget the charms of sense attraction. The conditioned souls are shackled to material existence because they are captivated by the charms of sense gratification, especially sex life. The sex-god is called Makara-dhvaja. The charming brows of the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect the sages and devotees from being charmed by material lust and sex attraction. Yamunacarya, a great acarya, said that ever since he had seen the charming pastimes of the Lord, the charms of sex life had become abominable for him, and the mere thought of sex enjoyment would cause him to spit and turn his face. Thus if anyone wants to be aloof from sex attraction, he must see the charming smile and fascinating eyebrows of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB3.28.33

TEXT 33

dhyanayanam prahasitam bahuladharostha-

bhasarunayita-tanu-dvija-kunda-pankti

dhyayet svadeha-kuhare ’vasitasya visnor

bhaktyardrayarpita-mana na prthag didrkset

SYNONYMS

dhyana-ayanam—easily meditated upon; prahasitam—the laughter; bahula—abundant; adhara-ostha—of His lips; bhasa—by the splendor; arunayita—rendered rosy; tanu—small; dvija—teeth; kunda-pankti—like a row of jasmine buds; dhyayet—he should meditate upon; sva-deha-kuhare—in the core of his heart; avasitasya—who resides; visnoh—of Visnu; bhaktya—with devotion; ardraya—steeped in love; arpita-manah—his mind being fixed; na—not; prthak—anything else; didrkset—he should desire to see.

TRANSLATION

With devotion steeped in love and affection, the yogi should meditate within the core of his heart upon the laughter of Lord Visnu. The laughter of Visnu is so captivating that it can be easily meditated upon. When the Supreme Lord is laughing, one can see His small teeth, which resemble jasmine buds rendered rosy by the splendor of His lips. Once devoting his mind to this, the yogi should no longer desire to see anything else.

PURPORT

It is recommended that the yogi visualize the laughter of the Lord after studying His smile very carefully. These particular descriptions of meditation on the smile, laughter, face, lips and teeth all indicate conclusively that God is not impersonal. It is described herein that one should meditate on the laughter or smiling of Visnu. There is no other activity that can completely cleanse the heart of the devotee. The exceptional beauty of the laughter of Lord Visnu is that when He smiles His small teeth, which resemble the buds of jasmine flowers, at once become reddish, reflecting His rosy lips. If the yogi is able to place the beautiful face of the Lord in the core of his heart, he will be completely satisfied. In other words, when one is absorbed in seeing the beauty of the Lord within himself, the material attraction can no longer disturb him.

SB3.28.34

TEXT 34

evam harau bhagavati pratilabdha-bhavo

bhaktya dravad-dhrdaya utpulakah pramodat

autkanthya-baspa-kalaya muhur ardyamanas

tac capi citta-badisam sanakair viyunkte

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; harau—towards Lord Hari; bhagavati—the Personality of Godhead; pratilabdha—developed; bhavah—pure love; bhaktya—by devotional service; dravat—melting; hrdayah—his heart; utpulakah—experiencing standing of the hairs of the body; pramodat—from excessive joy; autkanthya—occasioned by intense love; baspa-kalaya—by a stream of tears; muhuh—constantly; ardyamanah—being afflicted; tat—that; ca—and; api—even; citta—the mind; badisam—hook; sanakaih—gradually; viyunkte—withdraws.

TRANSLATION

By following this course, the yogi gradually develops pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. In the course of his progress in devotional service, the hairs on his body stand erect through excessive joy, and he is constantly bathed in a stream of tears occasioned by intense love. Gradually, even the mind, which he used as a means to attract the Lord, as one attracts a fish to a hook, withdraws from material activity.

PURPORT

Here it is clearly mentioned that meditation, which is an action of the mind, is not the perfect stage of samadhi, or absorption. In the beginning the mind is employed in attracting the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in the higher stages there is no question of using the mind. A devotee becomes accustomed to serving the Supreme Lord by purification of his senses. In other words, the yoga principles of meditation are required as long as one is not situated in pure devotional service. The mind is used to purify the senses, but when the senses are purified by meditation, there is no need to sit in a particular place and try to meditate upon the form of the Lord. One becomes so habituated that he automatically engages in the personal service of the Lord. When the mind forcibly is engaged upon the form of the Lord, this is called nirbija-yoga, or lifeless yoga, for the yogi does not automatically engage in the personal service of the Lord. But when he is constantly thinking of the Lord, that is called sabija-yoga, or living yoga. One has to be promoted to the platform of living yoga.

One should engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita. The stage of premanjana-cchurita can be attained by developing complete love. When one’s love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service is fully developed, one always sees the Lord, even without artificially meditating on His form. His vision is divine because he has no other engagement. At this stage of spiritual realization it is not necessary to engage the mind artificially. Since the meditation recommended in the lower stages is a means to come to the platform of devotional service, those already engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord are above such meditation. This stage of perfection is called Krsna consciousness.

SB3.28.35

TEXT 35

muktasrayam yarhi nirvisayam viraktam

nirvanam rcchati manah sahasa yatharcih

atmanam atra puruso ’vyavadhanam ekam

anviksate pratinivrtta-guna-pravahah

SYNONYMS

mukta-asrayam—situated in liberation; yarhi—at which time; nirvisayam—detached from sense objects; viraktam—indifferent; nirvanam—extinction; rcchati—obtains; manah—the mind; sahasa—immediately; yatha—like; arcih—the flame; atmanam—the mind; atra—at this time; purusah—a person; avyavadhanam—without separation; ekam—one; anviksate—experiences; pratinivrtta—freed; guna-pravahah—from the flow of material qualities.

TRANSLATION

When the mind is thus completely freed from all material contamination and detached from material objectives, it is just like the flame of a lamp. At that time the mind is actually dovetailed with that of the Supreme Lord and is experienced as one with Him because it is freed from the interactive flow of the material qualities.

PURPORT

In the material world the activities of the mind are acceptance and rejection. As long as the mind is in material consciousness, it must be forcibly trained to accept meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when one is actually elevated to loving the Supreme Lord, the mind is automatically absorbed in thought of the Lord. In such a position a yogi has no other thought than to serve the Lord. This dovetailing of the mind with the desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called nirvana, or making the mind one with the Supreme Lord.

The best example of nirvana is cited in Bhagavad-gita. In the beginning the mind of Arjuna deviated from Krsna’s. Krsna wanted Arjuna to fight, but Arjuna did not want to, so there was disagreement. But after hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna dovetailed his mind with Krsna’s desire. This is called oneness. This oneness, however, did not cause Arjuna and Krsna to lose their individualities. The Mayavadi philosophers cannot understand this. They think that oneness necessitates loss of individuality. Actually, however, we find in Bhagavad-gita that individuality is not lost. When the mind is completely purified in love of Godhead, the mind becomes the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind at that time does not act separately, nor does it act without inspiration to fulfill the desire of the Lord. The individual liberated soul has no other activity. pratinivrtta-guna-pravahah. In the conditioned state the mind is always engaged in activity impelled by the three modes of the material world, but in the transcendental stage, the material modes cannot disturb the mind of the devotee. The devotee has no other concern than to satisfy the desires of the Lord. That is the highest stage of perfection, called nirvana or nirvana-mukti. At this stage the mind becomes completely free from material desire.

Yatharcih. Arcih means “flame.” When a lamp is broken or the oil is finished, we see that the flame of the lamp goes out. But according to scientific understanding, the flame is not extinguished; it is conserved. This is conservation of energy. Similarly, when the mind stops functioning on the material platform, it is conserved in the activities of the Supreme Lord. The Mayavadi philosophers’ conception of cessation of the functions of the mind is explained here: cessation of the mental functions means cessation of activities conducted under the influence of the three modes of material nature.

SB3.28.36

TEXT 36

so ’py etaya caramaya manaso nivrttya

tasmin mahimny avasitah sukha-duhkha-bahye

hetutvam apy asati kartari duhkhayor yat

svatman vidhatta upalabdha-paratma-kasthah

SYNONYMS

sah—the yogi; api—moreover; etaya—by this; caramaya—ultimate; manasah—of the mind; nivrttya—by cessation of material reaction; tasmin—in his; mahimni—ultimate glory; avasitah—situated; sukha-duhkha-bahye—outside of happiness and distress; hetutvam—the cause; api—indeed; asati—a product of ignorance; kartari—in the false ego; duhkhayoh—of pleasure and pain; yat—which; sva-atman—to his own self; vidhatte—he attributes; upalabdha—realized; para-atma—of the Personality of Godhead; kasthah—the highest truth.

TRANSLATION

Thus situated in the highest transcendental stage, the mind ceases from all material reaction and becomes situated in its own glory, transcendental to all material conceptions of happiness and distress. At that time the yogi realizes the truth of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He discovers that pleasure and pain as well as their interactions, which he attributed to his own self, are actually due to the false ego, which is a product of ignorance.

PURPORT

Forgetfulness of one’s relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a product of ignorance. By yoga practice one can eradicate this ignorance of thinking oneself independent of the Supreme Lord. One’s actual relationship is eternally that of love. The living entity is meant to render transcendental loving service to the Lord. Forgetfulness of that sweet relationship is called ignorance, and in ignorance one is impelled by the three material modes of nature to think himself the enjoyer. When the devotee’s mind is purified and he understands that his mind has to be dovetailed with the desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has attained the perfectional, transcendental stage, which is beyond the perception of material distress and happiness.

As long as one acts on his own account, he is subject to all the material perceptions of so-called happiness and distress. Actually there is no happiness. Just as there is no happiness in any of the activities of a madman, so in material activities the mental concoctions of happiness and distress are false. Actually everything is distress.

When the mind is dovetailed to act according to the desire of the Lord, one has attained the transcendental stage. The desire to lord it over material nature is the cause of ignorance, and when that desire is completely extinguished and the desires are dovetailed with those of the Supreme Lord, one has reached the perfectional stage. Upalabdha-paratma-kasthah. Upalabdha means “realization.” Realization necessarily indicates individuality. In the perfectional, liberated stage, there is actual realization. Nivrttya means that the living entity keeps his individuality; oneness means that he realizes happiness in the happiness of the Supreme Lord. In the Supreme Lord there is nothing but happiness. Anandamayo ’bhyasat: the Lord is by nature full of transcendental happiness. In the liberated stage, oneness with the Supreme Lord means that one has no realization other than happiness. But the individual still exists, otherwise this word upalabdha, indicating individual realization of transcendental happiness, would not have been used.

SB3.28.37

TEXT 37

deham ca tam na caramah sthitam utthitam va

siddho vipasyati yato ’dhyagamat svarupam

daivad upetam atha daiva-vasad apetam

vaso yatha parikrtam madira-madandhah

SYNONYMS

deham—material body; ca—and; tam—that; na—not; caramah—last; sthitam—sitting; utthitam—rising; va—or; siddhah—the realized soul; vipasyati—can conceive; yatah—because; adhyagamat—he has achieved; sva-rupam—his real identity; daivat—according to destiny; upetam—arrived; atha—moreover; daiva-vasat—according to destiny; apetam—departed; vasah—clothing; yatha—as; parikrtam—put on; madira-mada-andhah—one who is blinded by intoxication.

TRANSLATION

Because he has achieved his real identity, the perfectly realized soul has no conception of how the material body is moving or acting, just as an intoxicated person cannot understand whether or not he has clothing on his body.

PURPORT

This stage of life is explained by Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. A person whose mind is completely dovetailed with the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who engages one hundred percent in the service of the Lord, forgets his material bodily demands.

SB3.28.38

TEXT 38

deho ’pi daiva-vasagah khalu karma yavat

svarambhakam pratisamiksata eva sasuh

tam sa-prapancam adhirudha-samadhi-yogah

svapnam punar na bhajate pratibuddha-vastuh

SYNONYMS

dehah—the body; api—moreover; daiva-vasa-gah—under the control of the Personality of Godhead; khalu—indeed; karma—activities; yavat—as much as; sva-arambhakam—begun by himself; pratisamiksate—continues to function; eva—certainly; sa-asuh—along with the senses; tam—the body; sa-prapancam—with its expansions; adhirudha-samadhi-yogah—being situated in samadhi by yoga practice; svapnam—born in a dream; punah—again; na—not; bhajate—he does accept as his own; pratibuddha—awake; vastuh—to his constitutional position.

TRANSLATION

The body of such a liberated yogi, along with the senses, is taken charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it functions until its destined activities are finished. The liberated devotee, being awake to his constitutional position and thus situated in samadhi, the highest perfectional stage of yoga, does not accept the by-products of the material body as his own. Thus he considers his bodily activities to be like the activities of a body in a dream.

PURPORT

The following questions may be posed. As long as the liberated soul is in contact with the body, why don’t the bodily activities affect him? Doesn’t he actually become contaminated by the action and reaction of material activities? In answer to such questions, this verse explains that the material body of a liberated soul is taken charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not acting due to the living force of the living entity; it is simply acting as a reaction to past activities. Even after being switched off, an electric fan moves for some time. That movement is not due to the electric current, but is a continuation of the last movement; similarly, although a liberated soul appears to be acting just like an ordinary man, his actions are to be accepted as the continuation of past activities. In a dream one may see himself expanded through many bodies, but when awake he can understand that those bodies were all false. Similarly, although a liberated soul has the by-products of the body—children, wife, house, etc.—he does not identify himself with those bodily expansions. He knows that they are all products of the material dream. The gross body is made of the gross elements of matter, and the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence, ego and contaminated consciousness. If one can accept the subtle body of a dream as false and not identify oneself with that body, then certainly an awake person need not identify with the gross body. As one who is awake has no connection with the activities of the body in a dream, an awakened, liberated soul has no connection with the activities of the present body. In other words, because he is acquainted with his constitutional position, he never accepts the bodily concept of life.

SB3.28.39

TEXT 39

yatha putrac ca vittac ca

prthan martyah pratiyate

apy atmatvenabhimatad

dehadeh purusas tatha

SYNONYMS

yatha—as; putrat—from a son; ca—and; vittat—from wealth; ca—also; prthak—differently; martyah—a mortal man; pratiyate—is understood; api—even; atmatvena—by nature; abhimatat—for which one has affection; deha-adeh—from his material body, senses and mind; purusah—the liberated soul; tatha—similarly.

TRANSLATION

Because of great affection for family and wealth, one accepts a son and some money as his own, and due to affection for the material body, one thinks that it is his. But actually, as one can understand that his family and wealth are different from him, the liberated soul can understand that he and his body are not the same.

PURPORT

The status of real knowledge is explained in this verse. There are many children, but we accept some children as our sons and daughters because of our affection for them, although we know very well that these children are different from us. Similarly, because of great affection for money, we accept some amount of wealth in the bank as ours. In the same way, we claim that the body is ours because of affection for it. I say that it is “my” body. I then extend that possessive concept and say, “It is my hand, my leg,” and further, “It is my bank balance, my son, my daughter.” But actually I know that the son and the money are separate from me. It is the same with the body; I am separate from my body. It is a question of understanding, and the proper understanding is called pratibuddha. By obtaining knowledge in devotional service, or Krsna consciousness, one can become a liberated soul.

SB3.28.40

TEXT 40

yatholmukad visphulingad

dhumad vapi sva-sambhavat

apy atmatvenabhimatad

yathagnih prthag ulmukat

SYNONYMS

yatha—as; ulmukat—from the flames; visphulingat—from the sparks; dhumat—from the smoke; va—or; api—even; sva-sambhavat—produced from itself; api—although; atmatvena—by nature; abhimatat—intimately connected; yatha—as; agnih—the fire; prthak—different; ulmukat—from the flames.

TRANSLATION

The blazing fire is different from the flames, from the sparks and from the smoke, although all are intimately connected because they are born from the same blazing wood.

PURPORT

Although the blazing firewood, the sparks, the smoke and the flame cannot stay apart because each of them is part and parcel of the fire, still they are different from one another. A less intelligent person accepts the smoke as fire, although fire and smoke are completely different. The heat and light of the fire are separate, although one cannot differentiate fire from heat and light.

SB3.28.41

TEXT 41

bhutendriyantah-karanat

pradhanaj jiva-samjnitat

atma tatha prthag drasta

bhagavan brahma-samjnitah

SYNONYMS

bhuta—the five elements; indriya—the senses; antah-karanat—from the mind; pradhanat—from the pradhana; jiva-samjnitat—from the jiva soul; atma—the Paramatma; tatha—so; prthak—different; drasta—the seer; bhagavan—the Personality of Godhead; brahma-samjnitah—called Brahman.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Parambrahma, is the seer. He is different from the jiva soul, or individual living entity, who is combined with the senses, the five elements and consciousness.

PURPORT

A clear conception of the complete whole is given herewith. The living entity is different from the material elements, and the supreme living entity, the Personality of Godhead, who is the creator of the material elements, is also different from the individual living entity. This philosophy is propounded by Lord Caitanya as acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Everything is simultaneously one with and different from everything else. The cosmic manifestation created by the Supreme Lord by His material energy is also simultaneously different and nondifferent from Him. The material energy is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord, but at the same time, because that energy is acting in a different way, it is different from Him. Similarly, the individual living entity is one with and different from the Supreme Lord. This “simultaneously one and different” philosophy is the perfect conclusion of the Bhagavata school, as confirmed here by Kapiladeva.

Living entities are compared to the sparks of a fire. As stated in the previous verse, fire, flame, smoke and firewood are combined together. Here the living entity, the material elements and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are combined together. The exact position of the living entities is just like that of the sparks of a fire; they are part and parcel. The material energy is compared to the smoke. The fire is also part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. In the Visnu Purana it is said that whatever we can see or experience, either in the material or spiritual world, is an expansion of the different energies of the Supreme Lord. As fire distributes its light and heat from one place, the Supreme Personality of Godhead distributes His different energies all over His creation.

The four principles of the Vaisnava philosophic doctrine are suddha-advaita (purified oneness), dvaita-advaita (simultaneous oneness and difference), visista-advaita and dvaita. All four principles of Vaisnava philosophy are based on the thesis of Srimad-Bhagavatam explained in these two verses.

SB3.28.42

TEXT 42

sarva-bhutesu catmanam

sarva-bhutani catmani

iksetananya-bhavena

bhutesv iva tad-atmatam

SYNONYMS

sarva-bhutesu—in all manifestations; ca—and; atmanam—the soul; sarva-bhutani—all manifestations; ca—also; atmani—in the Supreme Spirit; ikseta—he should see; ananya-bhavena—with equal vision; bhutesu—in all manifestations; iva—as; tat-atmatam—the nature of itself.

TRANSLATION

A yogi should see the same soul in all manifestations, for all that exists is a manifestation of different energies of the Supreme. In this way the devotee should see all living entities without distinction. That is realization of the Supreme Soul.

PURPORT

As stated in the Brahma-samhita, not only does the Supreme Soul enter each and every universe, but He enters even the atoms. The Supreme Soul is present everywhere in the dormant stage, and when one can see the presence of the Supreme Soul everywhere, one is liberated from material designations.

The word sarva-bhutesu is to be understood as follows. There are four different divisions of species—living entities which sprout from the earth, living entities born of fermentation or germination, living entities which come from eggs and living entities which come from the embryo. These four divisions of living entities are expanded in 8,400,000 species of life. A person who is freed from material designations can see the same quality of spirit present everywhere or in every manifested living entity. Less intelligent men think that plants and grass grow out of the earth automatically, but one who is actually intelligent and has realized the self can see that this growth is not automatic; the cause is the soul, and the forms come out in material bodies under different conditions. By fermentation in the laboratory many germs are born, but this is due to the presence of the soul. The material scientist thinks that eggs are lifeless, but that is not a fact. From Vedic scripture we can understand that living entities in different forms are generated under different conditions. Birds evolve from eggs, and beasts and human beings are born from the embryo. The perfect vision of the yogi or devotee is that he sees the presence of the living entity everywhere.

SB3.28.43

TEXT 43

sva-yonisu yatha jyotir

ekam nana pratiyate

yoninam guna-vaisamyat

tathatma prakrtau sthitah

SYNONYMS

sva-yonisu—in forms of wood; yatha—as; jyotih—fire; ekam—one; nana—differently; pratiyate—is exhibited; yoninam—of different wombs; guna-vaisamyat—from the different conditions of the modes; tatha—so; atma—the spirit soul; prakrtau—in the material nature; sthitah—situated.

TRANSLATION

As fire is exhibited in different forms of wood, so, under different conditions of the modes of material nature, the pure spirit soul manifests itself in different bodies.

PURPORT

It is to be understood that the body is designated. Prakrti is an interaction by the three modes of material nature, and according to these modes, someone has a small body, and someone has a very large body. For example, the fire in a big piece of wood appears very big, and in a stick the fire appears small. Actually, the quality of fire is the same everywhere, but the manifestation of material nature is such that according to the fuel, the fire appears bigger and smaller. Similarly, the soul in the universal body, although of the same quality, is different from the soul in the smaller body.

The small particles of soul are just like sparks of the larger soul. The greatest soul is the Supersoul, but the Supersoul is quantitatively different from the small soul. The Supersoul is described in the Vedic literature as the supplier of all necessities of the smaller soul (nityo nityanam). One who understands this distinction between the Supersoul and the individual soul is above lamentation and is in a peaceful position. When the smaller soul thinks himself quantitatively as big as the larger soul, he is under the spell of maya, for that is not his constitutional position. No one can become the greater soul simply by mental speculation.

The smallness or greatness of different souls is described in the Varaha Purana as svamsa-vibhinnamsa. The svamsa soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the vibhinnamsa souls, or small particles, are eternally small particles, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah [Bg. 15.7]). The small living entities are eternally part and parcel, and therefore it is not possible for them to be quantitatively as great as the Supersoul.

SB3.28.44

TEXT 44

tasmad imam svam prakrtim

daivim sad-asad-atmikam

durvibhavyam parabhavya

svarupenavatisthate

SYNONYMS

tasmat—thus; imam—this; svam—own; prakrtim—material energy; daivim—divine; sat-asat-atmikam—consisting of cause and effect; durvibhavyam—difficult to understand; parabhavya—after conquering; sva-rupena—in the self-realized position; avatisthate—he remains.

TRANSLATION

Thus the yogi can be in the self-realized position after conquering the insurmountable spell of maya, who presents herself as both the cause and effect of this material manifestation and is therefore very difficult to understand.

PURPORT

It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that the spell of maya, which covers the knowledge of the living entity, is insurmountable. However, one who surrenders unto Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can conquer this seemingly insurmountable spell of maya. Here also it is stated that the daivi prakrti, or the external energy of the Supreme Lord, is durvibhavya, very difficult to understand and very difficult to conquer. One must, however, conquer this insurmountable spell of maya, and this is possible, by the grace of the Lord, when God reveals Himself to the surrendered soul. It is also stated here, svarupenavatisthate. Svarupa means that one has to know that he is not the Supreme Soul, but rather, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul; that is self-realization. To think falsely that one is the Supreme Soul and that one is all-pervading is not svarupa. This is not realization of his actual position. The real position is that one is part and parcel. It is recommended here that one remain in that position of actual self-realization. In Bhagavad-gita this understanding is defined as Brahman realization.

After Brahman realization, one can engage in the activities of Brahman. As long as one is not self-realized, he engages in activities based on false identification with the body. When one is situated in his real self, then the activities of Brahman realization begin. The Mayavadi philosophers say that after Brahman realization, all activities stop, but that is not actually so. If the soul is so active in its abnormal condition, existing under the covering of matter, how can one deny its activity when free? An example may be cited here. If a man in a diseased condition is very active, how can one imagine that when he is free from the disease he will be inactive? Naturally the conclusion is that when one is free from all disease his activities are pure. It may be said that the activities of Brahman realization are different from those of conditional life, but that does not stop activity. This is indicated in Bhagavad-gita (18.54): after one realizes oneself to be Brahman, devotional service begins. Mad-bhaktim labhate param: after Brahman realization, one can engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore devotional service of the Lord is activity in Brahman realization.

For those who engage in devotional service there is no spell of maya, and their situation is all-perfect. The duty of the living entity, as a part and parcel of the whole, is to render devotional service to the whole. That is the ultimate perfection of life.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-eighth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Lord Kapila’s Instructions on the Execution of Devotional Service.”

Next chapter (SB 3.29)