Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 4: “The Creation of the Fourth Order”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Twenty-five
SB4.25.12
TEXT 12
na sadhu mene tah sarva
bhutale yavatih purah
kaman kamayamano ’sau
tasya tasyopapattaye
SYNONYMS
na—never; sadhu—good; mene—thought; tah—them; sarvah—all; bhu-tale—on this earth; yavatih—all kinds of; purah—residential houses; kaman—objects for sense enjoyment; kamayamanah—desiring; asau—that King; tasya—his; tasya—his; upapattaye—for obtaining.
TRANSLATION
King Puranjana had unlimited desires for sense enjoyment; consequently he traveled all over the world to find a place where all his desires could be fulfilled. Unfortunately he found a feeling of insufficiency everywhere.
PURPORT
Srila Vidyapati, a great Vaisnava poet, has sung:
tatala saikate, vari-bindu-sama,
suta-mita-ramani-samaje
Material sense gratification, with society, friendship and love, is herein compared to a drop of water falling on a desert. A desert requires oceans of water to satisfy it, and if only a drop of water is supplied, what is its use? Similarly, the living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, as stated in the Vedanta-sutra, is anandamayo ’bhyasat, full of enjoyment. Being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entity is also seeking complete enjoyment. However, complete enjoyment cannot be achieved separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In his wanderings in the different species of life, the living entity may taste some type of enjoyment in one body or another, but full enjoyment of the senses cannot be obtained in any material body. Thus Puranjana, the living entity, wanders in different types of bodies, but everywhere meets frustration in his attempt to enjoy. In other words, the spiritual spark covered by matter cannot fully enjoy the senses in any circumstance in material life. A deer may become absorbed in the musical sounds vibrated by the hunter, but the result is that it loses its life. Similarly, a fish is very expert in gratifying its tongue, but when it eats the bait offered by the fisherman, it loses its life. Even the elephant, who is so strong, is captured and loses its independence while satisfying its genitals with a female elephant. In each and every species of life, the living entity gets a body to satisfy various senses, but he cannot enjoy all his senses at one time. In the human form of life he gets an opportunity to enjoy all his senses pervertedly, but the result is that he becomes so harassed in his attempted sense gratification that he ultimately becomes morose. As he tries to satisfy his senses more and more, he becomes more and more entangled. SB4.25.13 TEXT 13 sa ekada himavato daksinesv atha sanusu dadarsa navabhir dvarbhih puram laksita-laksanam SYNONYMS sah—that King Puranjana; ekada—once upon a time; himavatah—of the Himalaya Mountains; daksinesu—southern; atha—after this; sanusu—on the ridges; dadarsa—found; navabhih—with nine; dvarbhih—gates; puram—a city; laksita—visible; laksanam—having all auspicious facilities. TRANSLATION Once, while wandering in this way, he saw on the southern side of the Himalayas, in a place named Bharata-varsa [India], a city that had nine gates all about and was characterized by all auspicious facilities. PURPORT The tract of land south of the Himalaya Mountains is the land of India, which was known as Bharata-varsa. When a living entity takes birth in Bharata-varsa he is considered to be most fortunate. Indeed, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has stated: bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara Thus whoever takes birth in the land of Bharata-varsa attains all the facilities of life. He may take advantage of all these facilities for both material and spiritual advancement and thus make his life successful. After attaining the goal of life, one may distribute his knowledge and experience all over the world for humanitarian purposes. In other words, one who takes birth in the land of Bharata-varsa by virtue of his past pious activities gets full facility to develop the human form of life. In India, the climatic condition is such that one can live very peacefully without being disturbed by material conditions. Indeed, during the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira or Lord Ramacandra, people were free from all anxieties. There was not even extreme cold or extreme heat. The three kinds of miserable conditions—adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika (miseries inflicted by the body and mind itself, those inflicted by other living entities, and natural disturbances)—were all absent during the reign of Lord Ramacandra or Maharaja Yudhisthira. But at present, compared to other countries on earth, India is artificially disturbed. Despite these material disturbances, however, the country’s culture is such that one can easily attain the goal of life—namely salvation, or liberation from material bondage. Thus in order to take birth in India one must have performed many pious activities in a past life. In this verse the word laksita-laksanam indicates that the human body attained in Bharata-varsa is very auspicious. Vedic culture is full of knowledge, and a person born in India can fully take advantage of Vedic cultural knowledge and the cultural system known as varnasrama-dharma. Even at the present time, as we travel all over the world, we see that in some countries human beings have many material facilities but no facilities for spiritual advancement. We find everywhere the defects of one-sided facilities and a lack of full facilities. A blind man can walk but not see, and a lame man cannot walk but can see. Andha-pangu-nyaya. The blind man may take the lame man over his shoulder, and as he walks the lame man may give him directions. Thus combined they may work, but individually neither the blind man nor the lame man can walk successfully. Similarly, this human form of life is meant for the advancement of spiritual life and for keeping the material necessities in order. Especially in the Western countries there are ample facilities for material comforts, but no one has any idea of spiritual advancement. Many are hankering after spiritual advancement, but many cheaters come, take advantage of their money, bluff them and go away. Fortunately the Krsna consciousness movement is there to give all facilities for both material and spiritual advancement. In this way people in the Western countries may take advantage of this movement. In India any man in the villages, unaffected by the industrial cities of India, can still live in any condition and make spiritual advancement. The body has been called the city of nine gates, and these nine gates include two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, a genital and a rectum. When the nine gates are clean and working properly, it is to be understood that the body is healthy. In India these nine gates are kept clean by the villagers who rise early in the morning, bathe in the well or rivers, go to the temples to attend mangala-arati, chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra and take prasada. In this way one can take advantage of all the facilities of human life. We are gradually introducing this system in different centers in our Society in the Western countries. One who takes advantage of it becomes more and more enlightened in spiritual life. At the present moment, India may be compared to the lame man and the Western countries to the blind man. For the past two thousand years India has been subjugated by the rule of foreigners, and the legs of progress have been broken. In the Western countries the eyes of the people have become blind due to the dazzling glitter of material opulence. The blind man of the Western countries and the lame man of India should combine together in this Krsna consciousness movement. Then the lame man of India can walk with the help of the Westerner, and the blind Westerner can see with the help of the lame man. In short, the material advancement of the Western countries and the spiritual assets of India should combine for the elevation of all human society. SB4.25.14 TEXT 14 prakaropavanattala- parikhair aksa-toranaih svarna-raupyayasaih srngaih sankulam sarvato grhaih SYNONYMS prakara—walls; upavana—parks; attala—towers; parikhaih—with trenches; aksa—windows; toranaih—with gates; svarna—gold; raupya—silver; ayasaih—made of iron; srngaih—with domes; sankulam—congested; sarvatah—everywhere; grhaih—with houses. TRANSLATION That city was surrounded by walls and parks, and within it were towers, canals, windows and outlets. The houses there were decorated with domes made of gold, silver and iron. PURPORT The body is protected by walls of skin. The hairs on the body are compared to parks, and the highest parts of the body, like the nose and head, are compared to towers. The wrinkles and depressions on different parts of the body are compared to trenches or canals, the eyes are compared to windows, and the eyelids are compared to protective gates. The three types of metal—gold, silver and iron—represent the three modes of material nature. Gold represents goodness; silver, passion; and iron, ignorance. The body is also sometimes considered to be a bag containing three elements (tri-dhatu): mucus, bile and air (kapha, pitta and vayu). Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. According to Bhagavatam (10.84.13), one who considers this bag of mucus, bile and air to be the self is considered no better than a cow or an ass. SB4.25.15 TEXT 15 nila-sphatika-vaidurya- mukta-marakatarunaih klpta-harmya-sthalim diptam sriya bhogavatim iva SYNONYMS nila—sapphires; sphatika—crystal; vaidurya—diamonds; mukta—pearls; marakata—emeralds; arunaih—with rubies; klpta—bedecked; harmya-sthalim—the floors of the palaces; diptam—lustrous; sriya—with beauty; bhogavatim—the celestial town named Bhogavati; iva—like. TRANSLATION The floors of the houses in that city were made of sapphire, crystal, diamonds, pearls, emeralds and rubies. Because of the luster of the houses in the capital, the city was compared to the celestial town named Bhogavati. PURPORT In the city of the body, the heart is considered to be the capital. Just as the capital of a state is especially gorgeously filled with various high buildings and lustrous palaces, the heart of the body is filled with various desires and plans for material enjoyment. Such plans are sometimes compared to valuable jewels such as sapphires, rubies, pearls and emeralds. The heart becomes the center for all planning for material enjoyment. SB4.25.16 TEXT 16 sabha-catvara-rathyabhir akridayatanapanaih caitya-dhvaja-patakabhir yuktam vidruma-vedibhih SYNONYMS sabha—assembly houses; catvara—squares; rathyabhih—by streets; akrida-ayatana—gambling houses; apanaih—by shops; caitya—resting places; dhvaja-patakabhih—with flags and festoons; yuktam—decorated; vidruma—without trees; vedibhih—with platforms. TRANSLATION In that city there were many assembly houses, street crossings, streets, restaurants, gambling houses, markets, resting places, flags, festoons and beautiful parks. All these surrounded the city. PURPORT In this way the capital is described. In the capital there are assembly houses and many squares, many street crossings, avenues and streets, many gambling places, markets and places of rest, all decorated with flags and festoons. The squares are surrounded with railings and are devoid of trees. The heart of the body can be compared to the assembly house, for the living entity is within the heart along with the Paramatma, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.15): sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca. The heart is the center of all remembrance, forgetfulness and deliberation. In the body the eyes, ears and nose are different places of attraction for sense enjoyment, and the streets for going hither and thither may be compared to different types of air blowing within the body. The yogic process for controlling the air within the body and the different nerves is called susumna, the path of liberation. The body is also a resting place because when the living entity becomes fatigued he takes rest within the body. The palms and the soles of the feet are compared to flags and festoons. SB4.25.17 TEXT 17 puryas tu bahyopavane divya-druma-latakule nadad-vihangali-kula- kolahala-jalasaye SYNONYMS puryah—of that town; tu—then; bahya-upavane—in an outside garden; divya—very nice; druma—trees; lata—creepers; akule—filled with; nadat—vibrating; vihanga—birds; ali—bees; kula—groups of; kolahala—humming; jala-asaye—with a lake. TRANSLATION On the outskirts of that city were many beautiful trees and creepers encircling a nice lake. Also surrounding that lake were many groups of birds and bees that were always chanting and humming. PURPORT Since the body is a great city, there must be various arrangements such as lakes and gardens for sense enjoyment. Of the various parts of the body, those which incite sexual impulses are referred to here indirectly. Because the body has genitals, when the living entity attains the right age—be he man or woman—he becomes agitated by the sex impulse. As long as one remains a child, he is not agitated by seeing a beautiful woman. Although the sense organs are present, unless the age is ripe there is no sex impulse. The favorable conditions surrounding the sex impulse are compared here to a garden or a nice solitary park. When one sees the opposite sex, naturally the sex impulse increases. It is said that if a man in a solitary place does not become agitated upon seeing a woman, he is to be considered a brahmacari. But this practice is almost impossible. The sex impulse is so strong that even by seeing, touching or talking, coming into contact with, or even thinking of the opposite sex—even in so many subtle ways—one becomes sexually impelled. Consequently, a brahmacari or sannyasi is prohibited to associate with women, especially in a secret place. The sastras enjoin that one should not even talk to a woman in a secret place, even if she happens to be one’s own daughter, sister or mother. The sex impulse is so strong that even if one is very learned, he becomes agitated in such circumstances. If this is the case, how can a young man in a nice park remain calm and quiet after seeing a beautiful young woman? SB4.25.18 TEXT 18 hima-nirjhara-viprusmat- kusumakara-vayuna calat-pravala-vitapa- nalini-tata-sampadi SYNONYMS hima-nirjhara—from the icy mountain waterfall; viprut-mat—carrying particles of water; kusuma-akara—springtime; vayuna—by the air; calat—moving; pravala—branches; vitapa—trees; nalini-tata—on the bank of the lake with lotus flowers; sampadi—opulent. TRANSLATION The branches of the trees standing on the bank of the lake received particles of water carried by the spring air from the falls coming down from the icy mountain. PURPORT In this verse the word hima-nirjhara is particularly significant. The waterfall represents a kind of liquid humor or rasa (relationship). In the body there are different types of humor, rasa or mellow. The supreme mellow (relationship) is called the sexual mellow (adi-rasa). When this adi-rasa, or sex desire, comes in contact with the spring air moved by Cupid, it becomes agitated. In other words, all these are representations of rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda and sparsa. The wind is sparsa, or touch. The waterfall is rasa, or taste. The spring air (kusumakara) is smell. All these varieties of enjoyment make life very pleasing, and thus we become captivated by material existence. SB4.25.19 TEXT 19 nanaranya-mrga-vratair anabadhe muni-vrataih ahutam manyate pantho yatra kokila-kujitaih SYNONYMS nana—various; aranya—forest; mrga—animals; vrataih—with groups; anabadhe—in the matter of nonviolence; muni-vrataih—like the great sages; ahutam—as if invited; manyate—thinks; panthah—passenger; yatra—where; kokila—of cuckoos; kujitaih—by the cooing. TRANSLATION In such an atmosphere even the animals of the forest became nonviolent and nonenvious like great sages. Consequently, the animals did not attack anyone. Over and above everything was the cooing of the cuckoos. Any passenger passing along that path was invited by that atmosphere to take rest in that nice garden. PURPORT A peaceful family with wife and children is compared to the peaceful atmosphere of the forest. Children are compared to nonviolent animals. Sometimes, however, wives and children are called svajanakhya-dasyu, burglars in the name of kinsmen. A man earns his livelihood with hard labor, but the result is that he is plundered by his wife and children exactly as a person in a forest is attacked by some thieves and burglars who take his money. Nonetheless, in family life the turmoil of wife and children appears to be like the cooing of the cuckoos in the garden of family life. Being invited by such an atmosphere, the person who is passing through such a blissful family life desires to have his family with him at all costs. SB4.25.20 TEXT 20 yadrcchayagatam tatra dadarsa pramadottamam bhrtyair dasabhir ayantim ekaika-sata-nayakaih SYNONYMS yadrcchaya—all of a sudden, without engagement; agatam—arrived; tatra—there; dadarsa—he saw; pramada—one woman; uttamam—very beautiful; bhrtyaih—surrounded by servants; dasabhih—ten; ayantim—coming forward; eka-eka—each one of them; sata—of hundreds; nayakaih—the leaders. TRANSLATION While wandering here and there in that wonderful garden, King Puranjana suddenly came in contact with a very beautiful woman who was walking there without any engagement. She had ten servants with her, and each servant had hundreds of wives accompanying him. PURPORT The body has already been compared to a beautiful garden. During youth the sex impulse is awakened, and the intelligence, according to one’s imagination, is prone to contact the opposite sex. In youth a man or woman is in search of the opposite sex by intelligence or imagination, if not directly. The intelligence influences the mind, and the mind controls the ten senses. Five of these senses gather knowledge, and five work directly. Each sense has many desires to be fulfilled. This is the position of the body and the owner of the body, puranjana, who is within the body. SB4.25.21 TEXT 21 panca-sirsahina guptam pratiharena sarvatah anvesamanam rsabham apraudham kama-rupinim SYNONYMS panca—five; sirsa—heads; ahina—by a snake; guptam—protected; pratiharena—by a bodyguard; sarvatah—all around; anvesamanam—one who is searching after; rsabham—a husband; apraudham—not very old; kama-rupinim—very attractive to fulfill lusty desires. TRANSLATION The woman was protected on all sides by a five-hooded snake. She was very beautiful and young, and she appeared very anxious to find a suitable husband. PURPORT The vital force of a living entity includes the five kinds of air working within the body, which are known as prana, apana, vyana, samana and udana. The vital force is compared to a serpent because a serpent can live by simply drinking air. The vital force carried by the air is described as the pratihara, or the bodyguard. Without the vital force one cannot live for a moment. Indeed, all the senses are working under the protection of the vital force. The woman, who represents intelligence, was searching after a husband. This indicates that intelligence cannot act without consciousness. A beautiful woman is useless unless protected by the proper husband. Intelligence must always be very fresh; therefore the word apraudham (“very young”) is used here. Material enjoyment means utilizing the intelligence for the sake of rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda and sparsa, or form, taste, smell, sound and touch. SB4.25.22 TEXT 22 sunasam sudatim balam sukapolam varananam sama-vinyasta-karnabhyam bibhratim kundala-sriyam SYNONYMS su-nasam—very beautiful nose; su-datim—very beautiful teeth; balam—the young woman; su-kapolam—nice forehead; vara-ananam—beautiful face; sama—equally; vinyasta—arranged; karnabhyam—both ears; bibhratim—dazzling; kundala-sriyam—having beautiful earrings. TRANSLATION The woman’s nose, teeth and forehead were all very beautiful. Her ears were equally very beautiful and were bedecked with dazzling earrings. PURPORT The body of intelligence enjoys the objects of sense gratification that cover it, such as smell, vision and hearing. The word sunasam (“beautiful nose”) indicates the organ for acquiring knowledge by smell. Similarly, the mouth is the instrument for acquiring knowledge by taste, for by chewing an object and touching it with the tongue we can understand its taste. The word sukapolam (“nice forehead”) indicates a clear brain capable of understanding things as they are. By intelligence one can set things in order. The earrings set upon the two ears are placed there by the work of the intelligence. Thus the ways of acquiring knowledge are described metaphorically. SB4.25.23 TEXT 23 pisanga-nivim susronim syamam kanaka-mekhalam padbhyam kvanadbhyam calantim nupurair devatam iva SYNONYMS pisanga—yellow; nivim—garment; su-sronim—beautiful waist; syamam—blackish; kanaka—golden; mekhalam—belt; padbhyam—with the feet; kvanadbhyam—tinkling; calantim—walking; nupuraih—with ankle bells; devatam—a denizen of the heavens; iva—like. TRANSLATION The waist and hips of the woman were very beautiful. She was dressed in a yellow sari with a golden belt. While she walked, her ankle bells rang. She appeared exactly like a denizen of the heavens. PURPORT This verse expresses the joyfulness of the mind upon seeing a woman with raised hips and breasts dressed in an attractive sari and bedecked with ornaments. SB4.25.24 TEXT 24 stanau vyanjita-kaisorau sama-vrttau nirantarau vastrantena niguhantim vridaya gaja-gaminim SYNONYMS stanau—breasts; vyanjita—indicating; kaisorau—new youth; sama-vrttau—equally round; nirantarau—fixed close, side by side; vastra-antena—by the end of the sari; niguhantim—trying to cover; vridaya—out of shyness; gaja-gaminim—walking just like a great elephant. TRANSLATION With the end of her sari the woman was trying to cover her breasts, which were equally round and well placed side by side. She again and again tried to cover them out of shyness while she walked exactly like a great elephant. PURPORT The two breasts represent attachment and envy. The symptoms of raga and dvesa (attachment and envy) are described in Bhagavad-gita (3.34): indriyasyendriyasyarthe “Attraction and repulsion for sense objects are felt by embodied beings, but one should not fall under the control of senses and sense objects because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.” These representatives of attachment and envy are very much unfavorable for advancement in spiritual life. One should not be attracted by the breasts of young women. The great saint Sankaracarya has described the breasts of women, especially young women, as nothing but a combination of muscles and blood, so one should not be attracted by the illusory energy of raised breasts with nipples. They are agents of maya meant to victimize the opposite sex. Because the breasts are equally attractive, they are described as sama-vrttau. The sex impulse remains in an old man’s heart also, even up to the point of death. To be rid of such agitation, one must be very much advanced in spiritual consciousness, like Yamunacarya, who said: yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde “Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex pleasure, I spit at the thought, and my lips curl with distaste.” When one is spiritually advanced he can no longer be attracted by the lumps of flesh and blood which are the breasts of young women. The word nirantarau is significant because although the breasts are situated in different locations, the action is the same. We should not make any distinction between attachment and envy. As described in Bhagavad-gita (3.37), they are both products of rajo-guna (kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah). The word niguhantim (“trying to cover”) indicates that even if one is tainted by kama, lobha, krodha, etc., they can be transfigured by Krsna consciousness. In other words, one can utilize kama (lust) for serving Krsna. Being impelled by lust, an ordinary worker will work hard day and night; similarly a devotee can work hard day and night to satisfy Krsna. Just as karmis are working hard to satisfy kama-krodha, a devotee should work in the same way to satisfy Krsna. Similarly, krodha (anger) can also be used in the service of Krsna when it is applied to the nondevotee demons. Hanumanji applied his anger in this way. He was a great devotee of Lord Ramacandra, and he utilized his anger to set fire to the kingdom of Ravana, a nondevotee demon. Thus kama (lust) can be utilized to satisfy Krsna, and krodha (anger) can be utilized to punish the demons. When both are used for Krsna’s service, they lose their material significance and become spiritually important. SB4.25.25 TEXT 25 tam aha lalitam virah savrida-smita-sobhanam snigdhenapanga-punkhena sprstah premodbhramad-bhruva SYNONYMS tam—unto her; aha—addressed; lalitam—very gently; virah—the hero; sa-vrida—with shyness; smita—smiling; sobhanam—very beautiful; snigdhena—by sex desire; apanga-punkhena—by the arrow of glancing; sprstah—thus pierced; prema-udbhramat—exciting love; bhruva—by the eyebrows. TRANSLATION Puranjana, the hero, became attracted by the eyebrows and smiling face of the very beautiful girl and was immediately pierced by the arrows of her lusty desires. When she smiled shyly, she looked very beautiful to Puranjana, who, although a hero, could not refrain from addressing her. PURPORT Every living entity is a hero in two ways. When he is a victim of the illusory energy, he works as a great hero in the material world, as a great leader, politician, businessman, industrialist, etc., and his heroic activities contribute to the material advancement of civilization. One can also become a hero by being master of the senses, a gosvami. Material activities are false heroic activities, whereas restraining the senses from material engagement is great heroism. However great a hero one may be in the material world, he can be immediately conquered by the lumps of flesh and blood known as the breasts of women. In the history of material activities there are many examples, like the Roman hero Antony, who became captivated by the beauty of Cleopatra. Similarly, a great hero in India named Baji Rao became a victim of a woman during the time of Maharashtrian politics, and he was defeated. From history we understand that formerly politicians used to employ beautiful girls who were trained as visa-kanya. These girls had poison injected into their bodies from the beginning of their lives so that in due course of time they would become so immune to the poison and so poisonous themselves that simply by kissing a person they could kill him. These poisonous girls were engaged to see an enemy and kill him with a kiss. Thus there are many instances in human history of heroes who have been curbed simply by women. Being part and parcel of Krsna, the living entity is certainly a great hero, but due to his own weakness he becomes attracted to the material features. krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga-vancha kare It is said in the Prema-vivarta that when a living entity wants to enjoy material nature, he is immediately victimized by the material energy. A living entity is not forced to come into the material world. He makes his own choice, being attracted by beautiful women. Every living entity has the freedom to be attracted by material nature or to stand as a hero and resist that attraction. It is simply a question of the living entity’s being attracted or not being attracted. There is no question of his being forced to come into contact with material energy. One who can keep himself steady and resist the attraction of material nature is certainly a hero and deserves to be called a gosvami. Unless one is master of the senses, he cannot become a gosvami. The living entity can take one of two positions in this world. He may become a servant of his senses, or he may become master of them. By becoming a servant of the senses, one becomes a great material hero, and by becoming master of the senses, he becomes a gosvami, or spiritual hero. SB4.25.26 TEXT 26 ka tvam kanja-palasaksi kasyasiha kutah sati imam upa purim bhiru kim cikirsasi samsa me SYNONYMS ka—who; tvam—you; kanja-palasa—like the petals of the lotus; aksi—eyes; kasya—whose; asi—you are; iha—here; kutah—wherefrom; sati—O chaste one; imam—this; upa—near; purim—city; bhiru—O timid one; kim—what; cikirsasi—you are trying to do; samsa—kindly explain; me—unto me. TRANSLATION My dear lotus-eyed, kindly explain to me where you are coming from, who you are, and whose daughter you are. You appear very chaste. What is the purpose of your coming here? What are you trying to do? Please explain all these things to me. PURPORT The first aphorism in the Vedanta-sutra is athato brahma jijnasa. In the human form of life one should put many questions to himself and to his intelligence. In the various forms of life lower than human life the intelligence does not go beyond the range of life’s primary necessities—namely eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Dogs, cats and tigers are always busy trying to find something to eat or a place to sleep, trying to defend and have sexual intercourse successfully. In the human form of life, however, one should be intelligent enough to ask what he is, why he has come into the world, what his duty is, who is the supreme controller, what is the difference between dull matter and the living entity, etc. There are so many questions, and the person who is actually intelligent should simply inquire about the supreme source of everything: athato brahma jijnasa. A living entity is always connected with a certain amount of intelligence, but in the human form of life the living entity must inquire about his spiritual identity. This is real human intelligence. It is said that one who is simply conscious of the body is no better than an animal, even though he be in the human form. In Bhagavad-gita (15.15) Sri Krsna says, sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: “I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness.” In the animal form the living entity is completely forgetful of his relationship with God. This is called apohanam, or forgetfulness. In the human form of life, however, consciousness is more greatly developed, and consequently the human being has a chance to understand his relationship with God. In the human form one should utilize his intelligence by asking all these questions, just as Puranjana, the living entity, is asking the unknown girl where she has come from, what her business is, why she is present, etc. These are inquiries about atma-tattva—self-realization. The conclusion is that unless a living entity is inquisitive about self-realization he is nothing but an animal.
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara
raga-dvesau vyavasthitau
tayor na vasam agacchet
tau hy asya paripanthinau
nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit
tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane
bhavati mukha-vikarah susthu nisthivanam ca
nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare