Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Thirteen

SB5.13.12

TEXT 12

kvacit kvacit ksina-dhanas tu tasmin

sayyasana-sthana-vihara-hinah

yacan parad apratilabdha-kamah

parakya-drstir labhate ’vamanam

SYNONYMS

kvacit kvacit—sometimes; ksina-dhanah—becoming bereft of all riches; tu—but; tasmin—in that forest; sayya—of bedding for lying down; asana—of a sitting place; sthana—of a residential house; vihara—of enjoyment with a family; hinah—being bereft; yacan—begging; parat—from others (friends and relatives); apratilabdha-kamah—not getting his desires fulfilled; parakya-drstih—becomes greedy for the wealth of others; labhate—he obtains; avamanam—dishonor.

TRANSLATION

On the forest path of material existence, sometimes a person is without wealth and due to this does not have a proper home, bed or sitting place, nor proper family enjoyment. He therefore goes to beg money from others, but when his desires are not fulfilled by begging, he wants to borrow or steal the property of others. Thus he is insulted in society.

PURPORT

The principles of beg, borrow or steal are very appropriate in this material world. When one is in want, he begs, borrows or steals. If begging is unsuccessful, he borrows. If he cannot pay, he steals, and when he is caught, he is insulted. This is the law of material existence. No one can live here very honestly; therefore by trickery, cheating, begging, borrowing or stealing, one tries to satisfy his senses. Thus no one in this material world is living peacefully.

SB5.13.13

TEXT 13

anyonya-vitta-vyatisanga-vrddha-

vairanubandho vivahan mithas ca

adhvany amusminn uru-krcchra-vitta-

badhopasargair viharan vipannah

SYNONYMS

anyonya—with one another; vitta-vyatisanga—by monetary transactions; vrddha—increased; vaira-anubandhah—one is encumbered by enmity; vivahan—sometimes marrying; mithah—one another; ca—and; adhvani—on the path of material existence; amusmin—that; uru-krcchra—by great difficulties; vitta-badha—by scarcity of money; upasargaih—by diseases; viharan—wandering; vipannah—one becomes fully embarrassed.

TRANSLATION

Due to monetary transactions, relationships become very strained and end in enmity. Sometimes the husband and wife walk on the path of material progress, and to maintain their relationship they work very hard. Sometimes due to scarcity of money or due to diseased conditions, they are embarrassed and almost die.

PURPORT

In this material world, there are many transactions between peoples and societies as well as between nations, but gradually these end in enmity between the two parties. Similarly, in the marriage relationship, monetary transactions are sometimes overpowered by the dangerous conditions of material life. One then becomes diseased or monetarily embarrassed. In the modern age most countries have developed economically, but due to business exchanges, relationships seem to be strained. Finally wars are declared between nations, and as a result of these upheavals there is destruction all over the world, and people suffer heavily.

SB5.13.14

TEXT 14

tams tan vipannan sa hi tatra tatra

vihaya jatam parigrhya sarthah

avartate ’dyapi na kascid atra

viradhvanah param upaiti yogam

SYNONYMS

tan tan—all of them; vipannan—embarrassed in various ways; sah—the living being; hi—certainly; tatra tatra—here and there; vihaya—giving up; jatam—those who are newly born; parigrhya—taking; sa-arthah—the living being searching for his own interest; avartate—wanders in this forest; adya api—even until now; na—not; kascit—any of them; atra—here in this forest; vira—O hero; adhvanah—of the path of material life; param—the ultimate end; upaiti—gets; yogam—the process of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, on the forest path of material life, first a person is bereft of his father and mother, and after their death he becomes attached to his newly born children. In this way he wanders on the path of material progress and is eventually embarrassed. Nonetheless, no one knows how to get out of this, even up to the moment of death.

PURPORT

In this material world, family life is an institution of sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham (Bhag. 7.9.45). Through sex, the father and mother beget children, and the children get married and go down the same path of sexual life. After the death of the father and mother, the children get married and beget their own children. Thus generation after generation these things go on in the same way without anyone’s attaining liberation from the embarrassment of material life. No one accepts the spiritual processes of knowledge and renunciation, which end in bhakti-yoga. Actually human life is meant for jnana and vairagya, knowledge and renunciation. Through these one can attain the platform of devotional service. Unfortunately people in this age avoid the association of liberated people (sadhu-sanga) and continue in their stereotyped way of family life. Thus they are embarrassed by the exchange of money and sex.

SB5.13.15

TEXT 15

manasvino nirjita-dig-gajendra

mameti sarve bhuvi baddha-vairah

mrdhe sayiran na tu tad vrajanti

yan nyasta-dando gata-vairo ’bhiyati

SYNONYMS

manasvinah—very great heroes (mental speculators); nirjita-dik-gajendrah—who have conquered many other heroes as powerful as elephants; mama—my (my land, my country, my family, my community, my religion); iti—thus; sarve—all (great political, social and religious leaders); bhuvi—in this world; baddha-vairah—who have created enmity among themselves; mrdhe—in battle; sayiran—fall dead on the ground; na—not; tu—but; tat—the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vrajanti—approach; yat—which; nyasta-dandah—a sannyasi; gata-vairah—who has no enmity throughout the whole world; abhiyati—attains that perfection.

TRANSLATION

There were and are many political and social heroes who have conquered enemies of equal power, yet due to their ignorance in believing that the land is theirs, they fight one another and lay down their lives in battle. They are not able to take up the spiritual path accepted by those in the renounced order. Although they are big heroes and political leaders, they cannot take to the path of spiritual realization.

PURPORT

Big political leaders might be able to conquer equally powerful political enemies, but unfortunately they cannot subdue their strong senses, the enemies that always accompany them. Not being able to conquer these nearby enemies, they simply try to conquer other enemies. and ultimately they die in the struggle for existence. They do not take to the path of spiritual realization or become sannyasis. Sometimes these big leaders take up the guise of a sannyasi and call themselves mahatmas, but their only business is conquering their political enemies. Because they spoil their lives with the illusion of “this is my land and my family,” they cannot progress spiritually and attain liberation from the clutches of maya.

SB5.13.16

TEXT 16

prasajjati kvapi lata-bhujasrayas

tad-asrayavyakta-pada-dvija-sprhah

kvacit kadacid dhari-cakratas trasan

sakhyam vidhatte baka-kanka-grdhraih

SYNONYMS

prasajjati—becomes more and more attached; kvapi—sometimes; lata-bhuja-asrayah—who takes shelter of the soft arms of his beautiful wife which are like creepers; tat-asraya—who are sheltered by such creepers; avyakta-pada—who sing unclear songs; dvija-sprhah—desiring to hear birds; kvacit—sometimes; kadacit—somewhere; hari-cakratah trasan—being afraid of the roaring sound of a lion; sakhyam—friendship; vidhatte—makes; baka-kanka-grdhraih—with cranes, herons and vultures.

TRANSLATION

Sometimes the living entity in the forest of material existence takes shelter of creepers and desires to hear the chirping of the birds in those creepers. Being afraid of roaring lions in the forest, he makes friends with cranes, herons and vultures.

PURPORT

In the forest of the material world there are many animals and birds, trees and creepers. Sometimes the living entity wants to take shelter of the creepers; in other words, he wants to be happy by being embraced by the creeperlike arms of his wife. Within the creepers there are many chirping birds; this indicates that he wants to satisfy himself by hearing the sweet voice of his wife. In old age, however, he sometimes becomes afraid of imminent death, which is compared to a roaring lion. To save himself from the lion’s attack, he takes shelter of some bogus svamis, yogis, incarnations, pretenders and cheaters. Being misled by the illusory energy in this way, he spoils his life. It is said, harim vina mrtim na taranti: no one can be saved from the imminent danger of death without taking shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word hari indicates the lion as well as the Supreme Lord. To be saved from the hands of Hari, the lion of death, one must take shelter of the supreme Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. People with a poor fund of knowledge take shelter of nondevotee cheaters and pretenders in order to be saved from the clutches of death. In the forest of the material world, the living entity first of all wants to be very happy by taking shelter of the creeperlike arms of his wife and hearing her sweet voice. Later, he sometimes takes shelter of so-called gurus and sadhus who are like crane, herons and vultures. Thus he is cheated both ways by not taking shelter of the Supreme Lord.

SB5.13.17

TEXT 17

tair vancito hamsa-kulam samavisann

arocayan silam upaiti vanaran

taj-jati-rasena sunirvrtendriyah

parasparodviksana-vismrtavadhih

SYNONYMS

taih—by them (the cheaters and pretenders, the so-called yogis, svamis, incarnations and gurus); vancitah—being cheated; hamsa-kulam—the association of great paramahamsas, or devotees; samavisan—contacting; arocayan—not being satisfied with; silam—their behavior; upaiti—approaches; vanaran—the monkeys, which are all debauchees with no good character; tat-jati-rasena—by sense gratification in the association of such debauchees; sunirvrta-indriyah—being very satisfied with getting the opportunity of sense gratification; paraspara—of one another; udviksana—by seeing the faces; vismrta—who has forgotten; avadhih—the end of life.

TRANSLATION

Being cheated by them, the living entity in the forest of the material world tries to give up the association of these so-called yogis, svamis and incarnations and come to the association of real devotees, but due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master or advanced devotees; therefore he gives up their company and again returns to the association of monkeys who are simply interested in sense gratification and women. He derives satisfaction by associating with sense gratifiers and enjoying sex and intoxication. In this way he spoils his life simply by indulging in sex and intoxication. Looking into the faces of other sense gratifiers, he becomes forgetful and thus approaches death.

PURPORT

Sometimes a foolish person becomes disgusted with bad association and comes to the association of devotees and brahmanas and takes initiation from a spiritual master. As advised by the spiritual master, he tries to follow the regulative principles, but due to misfortune he cannot follow the instructions of the spiritual master. He therefore gives up the company of devotees and goes to associate with simian people who are simply interested in sex and intoxication. Those who are so-called spiritualists are compared to monkeys. Outwardly, monkeys sometimes resemble sadhus because they live naked in the forest and pick fruits, but their only desire is to keep many female monkeys and enjoy sex life. Sometimes so-called spiritualists seeking a spiritual life come to associate with Krsna conscious devotees, but they cannot execute the regulative principles or follow the path of spiritual life. Consequently they leave the association of devotees and go to associate with sense gratifiers, who are compared to monkeys. Again they revive their sex and intoxication, and looking at one another’s faces, they are thus satisfied. In this way they pass their lives up to the point of death.

SB5.13.18

TEXT 18

drumesu ramsyan suta-dara-vatsalo

vyavaya-dino vivasah sva-bandhane

kvacit pramadad giri-kandare patan

vallim grhitva gaja-bhita asthitah

SYNONYMS

drumesu—in the trees (or in houses standing like trees in which monkeys jump from one branch to another); ramsyan—enjoying; suta-dara-vatsalah—being attached to the children and wife; vyavaya-dinah—who is poor-hearted because of acting on the platform of sex desire; vivasah—unable to give up; sva-bandhane—in bondage to the reactions of one’s own activities; kvacit—sometimes; pramadat—from fear of imminent death; giri-kandare—in a cave in a mountain; patan—falling down; vallim—the branches of a creeper; grhitva—capturing; gaja-bhitah—being afraid of the elephant of death; asthitah—remains in that position.

TRANSLATION

When the living entity becomes exactly like a monkey jumping from one branch to another, he remains in the tree of household life without any profit but sex. Thus he is kicked by his wife just like the he-ass. Unable to gain release, he remains helplessly in that position. Sometimes he falls victim to am incurable disease, which is like falling into a mountain cave. He becomes afraid of death, which is like the elephant in the back of that cave, and he remains stranded, grasping at the twigs and branches of a creeper.

PURPORT

The precarious condition of a householder’s life is described herein. A householder’s life is full of misery, and the only attraction is sex with the wife who kicks him during sexual intercourse, just as the she-ass does her mate. Due to continuous sex life, he falls victim to many incurable diseases. At that time, being afraid of death, which is like an elephant. he remains hanging from the twigs and branches of the tree, just like a monkey.

SB5.13.19

TEXT 19

atah kathancit sa vimukta apadah

punas ca sartham pravisaty arindama

adhvany amusminn ajaya nivesito

bhraman jano ’dyapi na veda kascana

SYNONYMS

atah—from this; kathancit—somehow; sah—he; vimuktah—liberated; apadah—from the danger; punah ca—again; sa-artham—taking interest in that life; pravisati—begins; arim-dama—O King, killer of the enemies; adhvani—on the path of enjoyment; amusmin—that; ajaya—by the influence of the illusory energy; nivesitah—being absorbed; bhraman—traveling; janah—the conditioned soul; adya api—even up to death; na veda—does not understand; kascana—anything.

TRANSLATION

O killer of enemies, Maharaja Rahugana, if the conditioned soul somehow or other gets out of his dangerous position, he again returns to his home to enjoy sex life, for that is the way of attachment. Thus, under the spell of the Lord’s material energy, he continues to loiter in the forest of material existence. He does not discover his real interest even at the point of death.

PURPORT

This is the way of material life. When one is captured by sexual attraction, he becomes implicated in so many ways and cannot understand the real aim of life. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.31) says, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum: generally people do not understand the ultimate goal of life. As stated in the Vedas, om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah: those who are spiritually advanced simply look to the lotus feet of Visnu. The conditioned soul. however, not being interested in reviving his relationship with Visnu, becomes captivated by material activities and remains in everlasting bondage, being misled by so-called leaders.

SB5.13.20

TEXT 20

rahugana tvam api hy adhvano ’sya

sannyasta-dandah krta-bhuta-maitrah

asaj-jitatma hari-sevaya sitam

jnanasim adaya tarati-param

SYNONYMS

rahugana—O King Rahugana; tvam—you; api—also; hi—certainly; adhvanah—of the path of material existence; asya—this; sannyasta-dandah—having given up the king’s rod for punishing criminals; krta-bhuta-maitrah—having become friendly to everyone; asat-jita-atma—whose mind is not attracted to the material pleasure of life; hari-sevaya—by the means of loving service to the Supreme Lord; sitam—sharpened; jnana-asim—the sword of knowledge; adaya—taking i n hand; tara—cross over; ati-param—to the ultimate end of spiritual existence.

TRANSLATION

My dear King Rahugana, you are also a victim of the external energy, being situated on the path of attraction to material pleasure. So that you may become an equal friend to all living entities, I now advise you to give up your kingly position and the rod by which you punish criminals. Give up attraction to the sense objects and take up the sword of knowledge sharpened by devotional service. Then you will be able to cut the hard knot of illusory energy and cross to the other side of the ocean of nescience.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna compares the material world to a tree of illusion from which one must cut oneself free:

na rupam asyeha tathopalabhyate
nanto na cadir na ca sampratistha
asvattham enam suvirudha-mulam
asanga-sastrena drdhena chittva

tatah padam tat parimargitavyam
yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyah
tam eva cadyam purusam prapadye
yatah pravrttih prasrta purani

“The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination, one must cut down this tree with the weapon of detachment. So doing, one must seek that place from which, having once gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and in whom everything is abiding since time immemorial.” (Bg. 15.3–4)

SB5.13.21

TEXT 21

rajovaca

aho nr-janmakhila-janma-sobhanam

kim janmabhis tv aparair apy amusmin

na yad dhrsikesa-yasah-krtatmanam

mahatmanam vah pracurah samagamah

SYNONYMS

raja uvaca—King Rahugana said; aho—alas; nr-janma—you who have taken birth as a human being; akhila-janma-sobhanam—the best of all species of life; kim—what need; janmabhih—with births in a higher species like the demigods in the heavenly planets; tu—but; aparaih—not superior; api—indeed; amusmin—in the next birth; na—not; yat—which; hrsikesa-yasah—by the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hrsikesa, the master of all senses; krta-atmanam—of those whose hearts are purified; maha-atmanam—who are actually great souls; vah—of us; pracurah—abundant; samagamah—the association.

TRANSLATION

King Rahugana said: This birth as a human being is the best of all. Even birth among the demigods in the heavenly planets is not as glorious as birth as a human being on this earth. What is the use of the exalted position of a demigod? In the heavenly planets, due to profuse material comforts, there is no possibility of associating with devotees.

PURPORT

Human birth is a great opportunity for self-realization. One may take birth in a high planetary system among the demigods, but due to the profusion of material comforts, one cannot gain release from material bondage. Even on this earth those who are very opulent do not generally care to take to Krsna consciousness. An intelligent person actually interested in getting freed from the material clutches must associate with pure devotees. By such association, one can gradually become detached from the material attraction of money and women. Money and women are the basic principles of material attachment. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore advised those who are actually serious about returning back to Godhead to give up money and women in order to be fit to enter the kingdom of God. Money and women can be fully utilized in the service of the Lord, and one who can utilize them in this way can become freed from material bondage. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah (Bhag. 3.25.25). Only in the association of devotees can one relish the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just through a little association with a pure devotee. one can become successful in his journey back to Godhead.

SB5.13.22

TEXT 22

na hy adbhutam tvac-caranabja-renubhir

hatamhaso bhaktir adhoksaje ’mala

mauhurtikad yasya samagamac ca me

dustarka-mulo ’pahato ’vivekah

SYNONYMS

na—not; hi—certainly; adbhutam—wonderful; tvat-carana-abja-renubhih—by the dust of your lotus feet; hata-amhasah—who am completely freed from the reactions of sinful life; bhaktih—love and devotion; adhoksaje—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the capture of experimental knowledge; amala—completely freed from all material contamination; mauhurtikat—momentary; yasya—of whom; samagamat—by the visit and association; ca—also; me—my; dustarka—of false arguments; mulah—the root; apahatah—completely vanquished; avivekah—not discriminating.

TRANSLATION

It is not at all wonderful that simply by being covered by the dust of your lotus feet, one immediately attains the platform of pure devotional service to Adhoksaja, which is not available even to great demigods like Brahma. By associating with you just for a moment, I am now freed from all argument, false prestige and lack of discrimination, which are the roots of entanglement in the material world. Now I am free from all these problems.

PURPORT

Association with pure devotees certainly frees one from the material clutches. This is certainly true of King Rahugana’s association with Jada Bharata. King Rahugana was immediately freed from the misgivings of material association. The arguments offered by pure devotees to their disciples are so convincing that even a dull-headed disciple is immediately enlightened with spiritual knowledge.

SB5.13.23

TEXT 23

namo mahadbhyo ’stu namah sisubhyo

namo yuvabhyo nama avatubhyah

ye brahmana gam avadhuta-lingas

caranti tebhyah sivam astu rajnam

SYNONYMS

namah—all obeisances; mahadbhyah—unto the great personalities; astu—let there be; namah—my obeisances; sisubhyah—unto those great personalities who appear as boys; namah—respectful obeisances; yuvabhyah—unto those who appear as young men; namah—respectful obeisances; a-vatubhyah—unto those who appear as children; ye—all those who; brahmanah—self-realized in transcendental knowledge; gam—the earth; avadhuta-lingah—who remain hidden under different bodily guises; caranti—they traverse; tebhyah—from them; sivam astu—let there be all good fortune; rajnam—unto the royal dynasties or kings (who are always very puffed up).

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the great personalities, whether they walk on the earth’s surface as children, young boys, avadhutas or great brahmanas. Even if they are hidden under different guises, I offer my respects to all of them. By their mercy, may there be good fortune in the royal dynasties that are always offending them.

PURPORT

King Rahugana was very repentant because he had forced Jada Bharata to carry his palanquin. He therefore began offering prayers to all kinds of brahmanas and self-realized persons, even though they might be playing like children or hiding in some guises. The four Kumaras walked everywhere in the guise of five-year-old boys, and similarly there are many brahmanas, knowers of Brahman, who traverse the globe either as young men, children or avadhutas. Being puffed up due to their position, the royal dynasties generally offend these great personalities. Therefore King Rahugana began to offer his respectful obeisances unto them so that the offensive royal dynasties might not glide down into a hellish condition. If one offends a great personality. the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not excuse one, although the great personalities themselves might not take offense. Maharaja Ambarisa was offended by Durvasa, who even approached Lord Visnu for pardon. Lord Visnu would not grant him pardon; therefore he had to fall down at the lotus feet of Maharaja Ambarisa, even though Maharaja Ambarisa was a ksatriya-grhastha. One should be very careful not to offend the lotus feet of Vaisnavas and brahmanas.

SB5.13.24

TEXT 24

sri-suka uvaca

ity evam uttara-matah sa vai brahmarsi-sutah sindhu-pataya atma-satattvam viganayatah paranubhavah parama-karunikatayopadisya rahuganena sakarunam abhivandita-carana apurnarnava iva nibhrta-karanormy-asayo dharanim imam vicacara.

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti evam—in this way; uttara-matah—O Maharaja Pariksit, son of mother Uttara; sah—that brahmana; vai—indeed; brahma-rsi-sutah—Jada Bharata, the son of a highly educated brahmana; sindhu-pataye—unto the king of the province of Sindhu; atma-sa-tattvam—the actual constitutional position of the soul; viganayatah—although insulting Jada Bharata; para-anubhavah—who was very exalted in spiritual realization; parama-karunikataya—by his quality of being very kind to the fallen souls; upadisya—instructing; rahuganena—by King Rahugana; sa-karunam—piteously; abhivandita-caranah—whose lotus feet were worshiped; apurna-arnavah iva—like the full ocean; nibhrta—completely silenced; karana—of the senses; urmi—the waves; asayah—possessing a heart in which; dharanim—the earth; imam—this; vicacara—continued to roam.

TRANSLATION

Srila Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, O son of mother Uttara, there were some waves of dissatisfaction in the mind of Jada Bharata due to his being insulted by King Rahugana, who made him carry his palanquin, but Jada Bharata neglected this, and his heart again became calm and quiet like an ocean. Although King Rahugana had insulted him, he was a great paramahamsa. Being a Vaisnava, he was naturally very kindhearted, and he therefore told the King about the constitutional position of the soul. He then forgot the insult because King Rahugana pitifully begged pardon at his lotus feet. After this, he began to wander all over the earth, just as before.

PURPORT

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.21), Kapiladeva describes the symptoms of great personalities: titiksavah karunikah suhrdah sarva-dehinam. A saintly devotee is certainly very tolerant. He is the friend of all living entities, and he does not create enemies within the world. A pure devotee has all the qualities of a sadhu. Jada Bharata is an example of this. Due to the material body, his senses were certainly agitated when he was insulted by King Rahugana, but later, due to the King’s humble submission, Jada Bharata excused him. It is the duty of everyone desiring to return to Godhead to become submissive like King Rahugana and beg pardon of Vaisnavas one may have offended. Vaisnavas are generally very kindhearted; therefore if one immediately submits himself at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava, one is immediately cleared of offensive reactions. If one does not do so, the reactions will remain, and the results will not be very palatable.

SB5.13.25

TEXT 25

sauvira-patir api sujana-samavagata-paramatma-satattva atmany avidyadhyaropitam ca dehatma-matim visasarja; evam hi nrpa bhagavad-asritasritanubhavah.

SYNONYMS

sauvira-patih—the King of the state of Sauvira; api—certainly; su-jana—from an elevated person; samavagata—having completely understood; paramatma-sa-tattvah—the truth of the constitutional position of the spirit soul and the Supersoul; atmani—in himself; avidya—by nescience; adhyaropitam—erroneously attributed; ca—and; deha—in the body; atma-matim—the concept of the self; visasarja—completely gave up; evam—thus; hi—certainly; nrpa—O King; bhagavat-asrita-asrita-anubhavah—the consequence of taking shelter of a devotee who has similarly taken shelter of a spiritual master in the parampara system (one is sure to get out of the great nescience of the bodily concept of life).

TRANSLATION

After receiving lessons from the great devotee Jada Bharata, King Rahugana of the state of Sauvira became completely aware of the constitutional position of the soul. He thus gave up the bodily conception completely. My dear King, whoever takes shelter of the servant of the servant of the Lord is certainly glorified because he can without difficulty give up the bodily conception.

PURPORT

As stated in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.54):

“sadhu-sanga”, “sadhu-sanga”——sarva-sastre kaya
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya

It is a fact that if one takes shelter of a pure devotee, one attains all perfection, even if the association is a short one. A sadhu is a pure devotee of the Lord. It has been our practical experience that the first instruction of our spiritual master infused us with Krsna consciousness so that now we are at least on the path of Krsna consciousness and can understand the philosophy. As a result, there are many devotees engaged in this Krsna consciousness movement. The whole world is revolving under the bodily conception; therefore there must be devotees all over the world to deliver people from the false bodily conception and fully engage them in Krsna consciousness.

SB5.13.26

TEXT 26

rajovaca

yo ha va iha bahu-vida maha-bhagavata tvayabhihitah paroksena vacasa jiva-loka-bhavadhva sa hy arya-manisaya kalpita-visayo nanjasavyutpanna-loka-samadhigamah; atha tad evaitad duravagamam samavetanukalpena nirdisyatam iti.

SYNONYMS

raja uvaca—King Pariksit said; yah—which; ha—certainly; va—or; iha—in this narration; bahu-vida—who are aware of many incidents of transcendental knowledge; maha-bhagavata—O great devotee sage; tvaya—by you; abhihitah—described; paroksena—figuratively; vacasa—by words; jiva-loka-bhava-adhva—the path of material existence of the conditioned soul; sah—that; hi—indeed; arya-manisaya—by the intelligence of advanced devotees; kalpita-visayah—the subject matter is imagined; na—not; anjasa—directly; avyutpanna-loka—of persons who are not very experienced or intelligent; samadhigamah—the complete understanding; atha—therefore; tat eva—because of that; etat—this matter; duravagamam—which is difficult to understand; samaveta-anukalpena—by substituting the direct meaning of such incidents; nirdisyatam—let it be described; iti—thus.

TRANSLATION

King Pariksit then told Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear lord, O great devotee sage, you are omniscient. You have very nicely described the position of the conditioned soul, who is compared to a merchant in the forest. From these instructions intelligent men can understand that the senses of a person in the bodily conception are like rogues and thieves in that forest, and one’s wife and children are like jackals and other ferocious animals. However, it is not very easy for the unintelligent to understand the purport of this story because it is difficult to extricate the exact meaning from the allegory. I therefore request Your Holiness to give the direct meaning.

PURPORT

There are many stories and incidents in Srimad-Bhagavatam that are described figuratively. Such allegorical descriptions may not be understood by unintelligent men; therefore it is the duty of the student to approach a bona fide spiritual master for the direct explanation.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled, “Further Talks Between King Rahugana and Jada Bharata.”

Next chapter (SB 5.14)