Causelessmercy - Ebook - Srimad-Bhagavatam - Canto 6 - 1.3

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 6: “Prescribed Duties for Mankind”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter One

SB6.1.41

TEXT 41

yena sva-dhamny ami bhava

rajah-sattva-tamomayah

guna-nama-kriya-rupair

vibhavyante yatha-tatham

SYNONYMS

yena—by whom (Narayana); sva-dhamni—although in His own place, the spiritual world; ami—all these; bhavah—manifestations; rajah-sattva-tamah-mayah—created by the three modes of material nature (passion, goodness and ignorance); guna—qualities; nama—names; kriya—activities; rupaih—and with forms; vibhavyante—are variously manifested; yatha-tatham—exactly to the right point.

TRANSLATION

The supreme cause of all causes, Narayana, is situated in His own abode in the spiritual world, but nevertheless He controls the entire cosmic manifestation according to the three modes of material nature—sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. In this way all living entities are awarded different qualities, different names [such as brahmana, ksatriya and vaisya], different duties according to the varnasrama institution, and different forms. Thus Narayana is the cause of the entire cosmic manifestation.

PURPORT

The Vedas inform us:

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate
na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

(Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8)

Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is almighty, omnipotent. He has multifarious energies, and therefore He is able to remain in His own abode and without endeavor supervise and manipulate the entire cosmic manifestation through the interaction of the three modes of material nature—sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. These interactions create different forms, bodies, activities and changes, which all occur perfectly. Because the Lord is perfect, everything works as if He were directly supervising and taking part in it. Atheistic men, however, being covered by the three modes of material nature, cannot see Narayana to be the supreme cause behind all activities. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.13):

tribhir gunamayair bhavair
ebhih sarvam idam jagat
mohitam nabhijanati
mam ebhyah param avyayam

“Deluded by the three modes, the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible.” Because unintelligent agnostics are mohita, illusioned by the three modes of material nature, they cannot understand that Narayana, Krsna, is the supreme cause of all activities. As stated in Brahma-samhita (5.1):

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam

“Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.”

suryo ’gnih kham marud devah

somah sandhyahani disah

kam kuh svayam dharma iti

hy ete daihyasya saksinah

suryah—the sun-god; agnih—the fire; kham—the sky; marut—the air; devah—the demigods; somah—the moon; sandhya—evening; ahani—the day and night; disah—the directions; kam—the water; kuh—the land; svayam—personally; dharmah—Yamaraja or the Supersoul; iti—thus; hi—indeed; ete—all of these; daihyasya—of a living entity embodied in the material elements; saksinah—witnesses.

The sun, fire, sky, air, demigods, moon, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and Supersoul Himself all witness the activities of the living entity.

The members of some religious sects, especially Christians, do not believe in the reactions of karma. We once had a discussion with a learned Christian professor who argued that although people are generally punished after the witnesses of their misdeeds are examined, where are the witnesses responsible for one’s suffering the reactions of past karma? To such a person the answer by the Yamadutas is given here. A conditioned soul thinks that he is working stealthily and that no one can see his sinful activities, but we can understand from the sastras that there are many witnesses, including the sun, fire, sky, air, moon, demigods, evening, day, night, directions, water, land and the Supersoul Himself, who sits with the individual soul within his heart. Where is the dearth of witnesses? The witnesses and the Supreme Lord both exist, and therefore so many living entities are elevated to higher planetary systems or degraded to lower planetary systems, including the hellish planets. There are no discrepancies, for everything is arranged perfectly by the management of the Supreme God (svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca). The witnesses mentioned in this verse are also mentioned in other Vedic literatures:

aditya-candrav anilo ’nalas ca
dyaur bhumir apo hrdayam yamas ca
ahas ca ratris ca ubhe ca sandhye
dharmo ’pi janati narasya vrttam

etair adharmo vijnatah

sthanam dandasya yujyate

sarve karmanurodhena

dandam arhanti karinah

etaih—by all these (witnesses, beginning from the sun-god); adharmah—deviation from the regulative principles; vijnatah—is known; sthanam—the proper place; dandasya—of punishment; yujyate—is accepted as; sarve—all; karma-anurodhena—with consideration of the activities performed; dandam—punishment; arhanti—deserve; karinah—the performers of sinful activities.

The candidates for punishment are those who are confirmed by these many witnesses to have deviated from their prescribed regulative duties. Everyone engaged in fruitive activities is suitable to be subjected to punishment according to his sinful acts.

SB6.1.44

TEXT 44

sambhavanti hi bhadrani

viparitani canaghah

karinam guna-sango ’sti

dehavan na hy akarma-krt

SYNONYMS

sambhavanti—there are; hi—indeed; bhadrani—auspicious, pious activities; viparitani—just the opposite (inauspicious, sinful activities); ca—also; anaghah—O sinless inhabitants of Vaikuntha; karinam—of the fruitive workers; guna-sangah—contamination of the three modes of nature; asti—there is; deha-van—anyone who has accepted this material body; na—not; hi—indeed; akarma-krt—without performing action.

TRANSLATION

O inhabitants of Vaikuntha, you are sinless, but those within this material world are all karmis, whether acting piously or impiously. Both kinds of action are possible for them because they are contaminated by the three modes of nature and must act accordingly. One who has accepted a material body cannot be inactive, and sinful action is inevitable for one acting under the modes of material nature. Therefore all the living entities within this material world are punishable.

PURPORT

The difference between human beings and nonhuman beings is that a human is supposed to act according to the direction of the Vedas. Unfortunately, men manufacture their own ways of acting, without reference to the Vedas. Therefore all of them commit sinful actions and are punishable.

yena yavan yathadharmo

dharmo veha samihitah

sa eva tat-phalam bhunkte

tatha tavad amutra vai

yena—by which person; yavan—to which extent; yatha—in which manner; adharmah—irreligious activities; dharmah—religious activities; va—or; iha—in this life; samihitah—performed; sah—that person; eva—indeed; tat-phalam—the particular result of that; bhunkte—enjoys or suffers; tatha—in that way; tavat—to that extent; amutra—in the next life; vai—indeed.

In proportion to the extent of one’s religious or irreligious actions in this life, one must enjoy or suffer the corresponding reactions of his karma in the next.

As stated in Bhagavad-gita (14.18):

urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
adho gacchanti tamasah

Those who act in the mode of goodness are promoted to higher planetary systems to become demigods, those who act in an ordinary way and do not commit excessively sinful acts remain within this middle planetary system, and those who perform abominable sinful actions must go down to hellish life.

yatheha deva-pravaras

trai-vidhyam upalabhyate

bhutesu guna-vaicitryat

tathanyatranumiyate

yatha—just as; iha—in this life; deva-pravarah—O best of the demigods; trai-vidhyam—three kinds of attributes; upalabhyate—are achieved; bhutesu—among all living entities; guna-vaicitryat—because of the diversity of the contamination by the three modes of nature; tatha—similarly; anyatra—in other places; anumiyate—it is inferred.

O best of the demigods, we can see three different varieties of life, which are due to the contamination of the three modes of nature. The living entities are thus known as peaceful, restless and foolish; as happy, unhappy or in-between; or as religious, irreligious and semireligious. We can deduce that in the next life these three kinds of material nature will similarly act.

The actions and reactions of the three modes of material nature are visible in this life. For example, some people are very happy, some are very distressed, and some are in mixed happiness and distress. This is the result of past association with the modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance. Since these varieties are visible in this life, we may assume that the living entities, according to their association with the different modes of material nature, will be happy, distressed or between the two in their next lives also. Therefore the best policy is to disassociate oneself from the three modes of material nature and be always transcendental to their contamination. This is possible only when one fully engages in the devotional service of the Lord. As Krsna confirms in Bhagavad-gita (14.26):

mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down under any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the spiritual platform.” Unless one is fully absorbed in the service of the Lord, one is subject to the contamination of the three modes of material nature and must therefore suffer from distress or mixed happiness and distress.

vartamano ’nyayoh kalo

gunabhijnapako yatha

evam janmanyayor etad

dharmadharma-nidarsanam

vartamanah—the present; anyayoh—of the past and future; kalah—time; guna-abhijnapakah—making known the qualities; yatha—just as; evam—thus; janma—birth; anyayoh—of the past and future births; etat—this; dharma—religious principles; adharma—irreligious principles; nidarsanam—indicating.

Just as springtime in the present indicates the nature of springtimes in the past and future, so this life of happiness, distress or a mixture of both gives evidence concerning the religious and irreligious activities of one’s past and future lives.

Our past and future are not very difficult to understand, for time is under the contamination of the three modes of material nature. As soon as spring arrives, the usual exhibition of various types of fruits and flowers automatically becomes manifest, and therefore we may conclude that spring in the past was adorned with similar fruits and flowers and will be so adorned in the future also. Our repetition of birth and death is taking place within time, and according to the influence of the modes of nature, we are receiving various types of bodies and being subjected to various conditions.

manasaiva pure devah

purva-rupam vipasyati

anumimamsate ’purvam

manasa bhagavan ajah

manasa—by the mind; eva—indeed; pure—in his abode, or within everyone’s heart like the Supersoul; devah—the demigod Yamaraja (divyatiti devah, one who is always brilliant and illuminated is called deva); purva-rupam—the past religious or irreligious condition; vipasyati—completely observes; anumimamsate—he considers; apurvam—the future condition; manasa—with his mind; bhagavan—who is omnipotent; ajah—as good as Lord Brahma.

The omnipotent Yamaraja is as good as Lord Brahma, for while situated in his own abode or in everyone’s heart like the Paramatma, he mentally observes the past activities of a living entity and thus understands how the living entity will act in future lives.

One should not consider Yamaraja an ordinary living being. He is as good as Lord Brahma. He has the complete cooperation of the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart, and therefore, by the grace of the Supersoul, he can see the past, present and future of a living being from within. The word anumimamsate means that he can decide in consultation with the Supersoul. Anu means “following.” The actual decisions concerning the next lives of the living entities are made by the Supersoul, and they are carried out by Yamaraja.

yathajnas tamasa yukta

upaste vyaktam eva hi

na veda purvam aparam

nasta-janma-smrtis tatha

yatha—just as; ajnah—an ignorant living being; tamasa—in sleep; yuktah—engaged; upaste—acts according to; vyaktam—a body manifested in a dream; eva—certainly; hi—indeed; na veda—does not know; purvam—the past body; aparam—the next body; nasta—lost; janma-smrtih—the remembrance of birth; tatha—similarly.

As a sleeping person acts according to the body manifested in his dreams and accepts it to be himself, so one identifies with his present body, which he acquired because of his past religious or irreligious actions, and is unable to know his past or future lives.

A man engages in sinful activities because he does not know what he did in his past life to get his present materially conditioned body, which is subjected to the threefold miseries. As stated by Rsabhadeva in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.4), nunam pramattah kurute vikarma: a human being who is mad after sense gratification does not hesitate to act sinfully. Yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti: he performs sinful actions simply for sense gratification. Na sadhu manye: this is not good. Yata atmano ’yam asann api klesada asa dehah: because of such sinful actions, one receives another body in which to suffer as he is suffering in his present body because of his past sinful activities.

It should be understood that a person who does not have Vedic knowledge always acts in ignorance of what he has done in the past, what he is doing at the present and how he will suffer in the future. He is completely in darkness. Therefore the Vedic injunction is, tamasi ma: “Don’t remain in darkness.” Jyotir gama: “Try to go to the light.” The light or illumination is Vedic knowledge, which one can understand when he is elevated to the mode of goodness or when he transcends the mode of goodness by engaging in devotional service to the spiritual master and the Supreme Lord. This is described in the Svetasvatara Upanisad (6.23):

yasya deve para bhaktir
yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah
prakasante mahatmanah

[SU 6.23]

“Unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master, all the imports of Vedic knowledge are automatically revealed.” The Vedas enjoin, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] one must approach a spiritual master who has full knowledge of the Vedas and be faithfully directed by him in order to become a devotee of the Lord. Then the knowledge of the Vedas will be revealed. When the Vedic knowledge is revealed, one need no longer remain in the darkness of material nature.

According to his association with the material modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—a living entity gets a particular type of body. The example of one who associates with the mode of goodness is a qualified brahmana. Such a brahmana knows past, present and future because he consults the Vedic literature and sees through the eyes of sastra (sastra-caksuh). He can understand what his past life was, why be is in the present body, and how he can obtain liberation from the clutches of maya and not accept another material body. This is all possible when one is situated in the mode of goodness. Generally, however, the living entities are engrossed in the modes of passion and ignorance.

In any case, one receives an inferior or superior body at the discretion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma. As stated in the previous verse:

manasaiva pure devah
purva-rupam vipasyati
anumimamsate ’purvam
manasa bhagavan ajah

Everything depends on bhagavan, or ajah, the unborn. Why doesn’t one please Bhagavan to receive a better body? The answer is ajnas tamasa: because of gross ignorance. One who is in complete darkness cannot know what his past life was or what his next life will be; he is simply interested in his present body. Even though he has a human body, a person in the mode of ignorance and interested only in his present body is like an animal, for an animal, being covered by ignorance, thinks that the ultimate goal of life and happiness is to eat as much as possible. A human being must be educated to understand his past life and how he can endeavor for a better life in the future. There is even a book, called Bhrgu-samhita, which reveals information about one’s past, present and future lives according to astrological calculations. Somehow or other one must be enlightened about his past, present and future. One who is interested only in his present body and who tries to enjoy his senses to the fullest extent is understood to be engrossed in the mode of ignorance. His future is very, very dark. Indeed, the future is always dark for one who is grossly covered by ignorance. Especially in this age, human society is covered by the mode of ignorance, and therefore everyone thinks his present body to be everything, without consideration of the past or future.

pancabhih kurute svarthan

panca vedatha pancabhih

ekas tu sodasena trin

svayam saptadaso ’snute

pancabhih—with the five working senses (voice, arms, legs, anus and genitals); kurute—performs; sva-arthan—his desired interests; panca—the five objects of the senses (sound, form, touch, aroma and taste); veda—knows; atha—thus; pancabhih—by the five senses of perception (hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting and feeling); ekah—the one; tu—but; sodasena—by these fifteen items and the mind; trin—the three categories of experience (happiness, distress and a mixture of both); svayam—he, the living entity himself; saptadasah—the seventeenth item; asnute—enjoys.

Above the five senses of perception, the five working senses and the five objects of the senses is the mind, which is the sixteenth element. Above the mind is the seventeenth element, the soul, the living being himself, who, in cooperation with the other sixteen, enjoys the material world alone. The living being enjoys three kinds of situations, namely happy, distressful and mixed.

Everyone engages in work with his hands, legs and other senses just to achieve a certain goal according to his concocted ideas. One tries to enjoy the five sense objects, namely form, sound, taste, aroma and touch, not knowing the actual goal of life, which is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Because of disobeying the Supreme Lord, one is put into material conditions, and he then tries to improve his situation in a concocted way, not desiring to follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nevertheless, the Supreme Lord is so kind that He comes Himself to instruct the bewildered living entity how to act obediently and then gradually return home, back to Godhead, where he can attain an eternal, peaceful life of bliss and knowledge. The living entity has a body, which is a very complicated combination of the material elements, and with this body he struggles alone, as indicated in this verse by the words ekas tu. For example, if one is struggling in the ocean, he must swim through it alone. Although many other men and aquatics are swimming in the ocean, he must take care of himself because no one else will help him. Therefore this verse indicates that the seventeenth item, the soul, must work alone. Although he tries to create society, friendship and love, no one will be able to help him but Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Therefore his only concern should be how to satisfy Krsna. That is also what Krsna wants (sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]). People bewildered by material conditions try to be united, but although they strive for unity among men and nations, all their attempts are futile. Everyone must struggle alone for existence with the many elements of nature. Therefore one’s only hope, as Krsna advises, is to surrender to Him, for He can help one become free from the ocean of nescience. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore prayed:

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

“O Krsna, beloved son of Nanda Maharaja, I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other I have fallen into this ocean of nescience, and although I am struggling very hard, there is no way I can save myself. If You kindly pick me up and fix me as one of the particles of dust at Your lotus feet, that will save me.”

In a similar way, Bhaktivinoda Thakura sang:

anadi karama-phale, padi’ bhavarnava-jale,
taribare na dekhi upaya

“My dear Lord, I cannot remember when I somehow or other fell into this ocean of nescience, and now I can find no way to rescue myself.” We should remember that everyone is responsible for his own life. If an individual becomes a pure devotee of Krsna, he is then delivered from the ocean of nescience.

tad etat sodasa-kalam

lingam sakti-trayam mahat

dhatte ’nusamsrtim pumsi

harsa-soka-bhayartidam

tat—therefore; etat—this; sodasa-kalam—made of sixteen parts (namely the ten senses, the mind and the five sense objects); lingam—the subtle body; sakti-trayam—the effect of the three modes of material nature; mahat—insurmountable; dhatte—gives; anusamsrtim—almost perpetual rotation and transmigration in different types of bodies; pumsi—unto the living entity; harsa—jubilation; soka—lamentation; bhaya—fear; arti—misery; dam—which gives.

The subtle body is endowed with sixteen parts—the five knowledge-acquiring senses, the five working senses, the five objects of sense gratification, and the mind. This subtle body is an effect of the three modes of material nature. It is composed of insurmountably strong desires, and therefore it causes the living entity to transmigrate from one body to another in human life, animal life and life as a demigod. When the living entity gets the body of a demigod, he is certainly very jubilant, when he gets a human body he is always in lamentation, and when he gets the body of an animal, he is always afraid. In all conditions, however, he is actually miserable. His miserable condition is called samsrti, or transmigration in material life.

The sum and substance of material conditional life is explained in this verse. The living entity, the seventeenth element, is struggling alone, life after life. This struggle is called samsrti, or material conditional life. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that the force of material nature is insurmountably strong (daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya). Material nature harasses the living entity in different bodies, but if the living entity surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes free from this entanglement, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]). Thus his life becomes successful.

dehy ajno ’jita-sad-vargo

necchan karmani karyate

kosakara ivatmanam

karmanacchadya muhyati

dehi—the embodied soul; ajnah—without perfect knowledge; ajita-sat-vargah—who has not controlled the senses of perception and the mind; na icchan—without desiring; karmani—activities for material benefit; karyate—is caused to perform; kosakarah—the silkworm; iva—like; atmanam—himself; karmana—by fruitive activities; acchadya—covering; muhyati—becomes bewildered.

The foolish embodied living entity, inept at controlling his senses and mind, is forced to act according to the influence of the modes of material nature, against his desires. He is like a silkworm that uses its own saliva to create a cocoon and then becomes trapped in it, with no possibility of getting out. The living entity traps himself in a network of his own fruitive activities and then can find no way to release himself. Thus he is always bewildered, and repeatedly he dies.

As already explained, the influence of the modes of nature is very strong. The living entity entangled in different types of fruitive activity is like a silkworm trapped in a cocoon. Getting free is very difficult unless he is helped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

na hi kascit ksanam api

jatu tisthaty akarma-krt

karyate hy avasah karma

gunaih svabhavikair balat

na—not; hi—indeed; kascit—anyone; ksanam api—even for a moment; jatu—at any time; tisthati—remains; akarma-krt—without doing anything; karyate—he is caused to perform; hi—indeed; avasah—automatically; karma—fruitive activities; gunaih—by the three modes of nature; svabhavikaih—which are produced by his own tendencies in previous lives; balat—by force.

Not a single living entity can remain unengaged even for a moment. One must act by his natural tendency according to the three modes of material nature because this natural tendency forcibly makes him work in a particular way.

The svabhavika, or one’s natural tendency, is the most important factor in action. One’s natural tendency is to serve because a living entity is an eternal servant of God. The living entity wants to serve, but because of his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord, he serves under the modes of material nature and manufactures various modes of service, such as socialism, humanitarianism and altruism. However, one should be enlightened in the tenets of Bhagavad-gita and accept the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that one give up all natural tendencies for material service under different names and take to the service of the Lord. One’s original natural tendency is to act in Krsna consciousness because one’s real nature is spiritual. The duty of a human being is to understand that since he is essentially spirit, he must abide by the spiritual tendency and not be carried away by material tendencies. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has therefore sung:

(miche) mayara vase, yaccha bhese’,
khaccha habudubu, bhai

“My dear brothers, you are being carried away by the waves of material energy and are suffering in many miserable conditions. Sometimes you are drowning in the waves of material nature, and sometimes you are tossed like a swimmer struggling in the ocean.” As confirmed by Bhaktivinoda Thakura, this tendency to be battered by the waves of maya can be changed to one’s original, natural tendency, which is spiritual, when the living entity comes to understand that he is eternally krsna-dasa, a servant of God, Krsna.

(jiva) krsna-dasa, ei visvasa,
karle ta’ ara duhkha nai

If instead of serving maya under different names, one turns his service attitude toward the Supreme Lord, he is then safe, and there is no more difficulty. If one returns to his original, natural tendency in the human form of life by understanding the perfect knowledge given by Krsna Himself in the Vedic literature, one’s life is successful.

labdhva nimittam avyaktam

vyaktavyaktam bhavaty uta

yatha-yoni yatha-bijam

svabhavena baliyasa

labdhva—having gotten; nimittam—the cause; avyaktam—unseen or unknown to the person; vyakta-avyaktam—manifested and unmanifested, or the gross body and the subtle body; bhavati—come into being; uta—certainly; yatha-yoni—exactly like the mother; yatha-bijam—exactly like the father; sva-bhavena—by the natural tendency; baliyasa—which is very powerful.

The fruitive activities a living being performs, whether pious or impious, are the unseen cause for the fulfillment of his desires. This unseen cause is the root for the living entity’s different bodies. Because of his intense desire, the living entity takes birth in a particular family and receives a body which is either like that of his mother or like that of his father. The gross and subtle bodies are created according to his desire.

The gross body is a product of the subtle body. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (8.6):

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah

“Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.” The atmosphere of the subtle body at the time of death is created by the activities of the gross body. Thus the gross body acts during one’s lifetime, and the subtle body acts at the time of death. The subtle body, which is called linga, the body of desire, is the background for the development of a particular type of gross body, which is either like that of one’s mother or like that of one’s father. According to the Rg Veda, if at the time of sex the secretions of the mother are more profuse than those of the father, the child will receive a female body, and if the secretions of the father are more profuse than those of the mother, the child will receive a male body. These are the subtle laws of nature, which act according to the desire of the living entity. If a human being is taught to change his subtle body by developing a consciousness of Krsna, at the time of death the subtle body will create a gross body in which he will be a devotee of Krsna, or if he is still more perfect, he will not take another material body but will immediately get a spiritual body and thus return home, back to Godhead. This is the process of the transmigration of the soul. Therefore instead of trying to unite human society through pacts for sense gratification that can never be achieved, it is clearly desirable to teach people how to become Krsna conscious and return home, back to Godhead. This is true now and, indeed, at any time.

esa prakrti-sangena

purusasya viparyayah

asit sa eva na cirad

isa-sangad viliyate

esah—this; prakrti-sangena—because of association with the material nature; purusasya—of the living entity; viparyayah—a situation of forgetfulness or an awkward position; asit—came to be; sah—that position; eva—indeed; na—not; cirat—taking a long time; isa-sangat—from the association of the Supreme Lord; viliyate—is vanquished.

Since the living entity is associated with material nature, he is in an awkward position, but if in the human form of life he is taught how to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, this position can be overcome.

The word prakrti means material nature, and purusa may also refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one wants to continue his association with prakrti, the female energy of Krsna, and be separated from Krsna by the illusion that he is able to enjoy prakrti, he must continue in his conditional life. If he changes his consciousness, however, and associates with the supreme, original person (purusam sasvatam), or with His associates, he can get out of the entanglement of material nature. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.9), janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah: one must simply understand the Supreme Person, Krsna, in terms of His form, name, activities and pastimes. This will keep one always in the association of Krsna. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so’rjuna: [Bg. 4.9] thus after giving up his gross material body, one accepts not another gross body but a spiritual body in which to return home, back to Godhead. Thus one ends the tribulation caused by his association with the material energy. In summary, the living entity is an eternal servant of God, but he comes to the material world and is bound by material conditions because of his desire to lord it over matter. Liberation means giving up this false consciousness and reviving one’s original service to the Lord. This return to one’s original life is called mukti, as confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (muktir hitvanyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih).

ayam hi sruta-sampannah

sila-vrtta-gunalayah

dhrta-vrato mrdur dantah

satya-van mantra-vic chucih

gurv-agny-atithi-vrddhanam

susrusur anahankrtah

sarva-bhuta-suhrt sadhur

mita-vag anasuyakah

ayam—this person (known as Ajamila); hi—indeed; sruta-sampannah—well educated in Vedic knowledge; sila—of good character; vrtta—good conduct; guna—and good qualities; alayah—the reservoir; dhrta-vratah—fixed in the execution of the Vedic injunctions; mrduh—very mild; dantah—completely controlling the mind and senses; satya-vak—always truthful; mantra-vit—knowing how to chant the Vedic hymns; sucih—always very neat and clean; guru—the spiritual master; agni—the fire-god; atithi—guests; vrddhanam—and of the old household members; susrusuh—very respectfully engaged in the service; anahankrtah—without pride or false prestige; sarva-bhuta-suhrt—friendly to all living entities; sadhuh—well behaved (no one could find any fault in his character); mita-vak—talking with great care not to speak nonsense; anasuyakah—not envious.

In the beginning this brahmana named Ajamila studied all the Vedic literatures. He was a reservoir of good character, good conduct and good qualities. Firmly established in executing all the Vedic injunctions, he was very mild and gentle, and he kept his mind and senses under control. Furthermore, he was always truthful, he knew how to chant the Vedic mantras, and he was also very pure. Ajamila was very respectful to his spiritual master, the fire-god, guests, and the elderly members of his household. Indeed, he was free from false prestige. He was upright, benevolent to all living entities, and well behaved. He would never speak nonsense or envy anyone.

The order carriers of Yamaraja, the Yamadutas, are explaining the factual position of piety and impiety and how a living entity is entangled in this material world. Describing the history of Ajamila’s life, the Yamadutas relate that in the beginning he was a learned scholar of the Vedic literature. He was well behaved, neat and clean, and very kind to everyone. In fact, he had all good qualities. In other words, he was like a perfect brahmana. A brahmana is expected to be perfectly pious, to follow all the regulative principles and to have all good qualities. The symptoms of piety are explained in these verses. Srila Viraraghava Acarya comments that dhrta-vrata means dhrtam vratam stri-sanga-rahityatmaka-brahmacarya-rupam. In other words, Ajamila followed the rules and regulations of celibacy as a perfect brahmacari and was very softhearted, truthful, clean and pure. How he fell down in spite of all these qualities and thus came to be threatened with punishment by Yamaraja will be described in the following verses.

ekadasau vanam yatah

pitr-sandesa-krd dvijah

adaya tata avrttah

phala-puspa-samit-kusan

dadarsa kaminam kancic

chudram saha bhujisyaya

pitva ca madhu maireyam

madaghurnita-netraya

mattaya vislathan-nivya

vyapetam nirapatrapam

kridantam anugayantam

hasantam anayantike

ekada—once upon a time; asau—this Ajamila; vanam yatah—went to the forest; pitr—of his father; sandesa—the order; krt—carrying out; dvijah—the brahmana; adaya—collecting; tatah—from the forest; avrttah—returning; phala-puspa—fruits and flowers; samit-kusan—two kinds of grass, known as samit and kusa; dadarsa—saw; kaminam—very lusty; kancit—someone; sudram—a fourth-class man, a sudra; saha—along with; bhujisyaya—an ordinary maidservant or prostitute; pitva—after drinking; ca—also; madhu—nectar; maireyam—made of the soma flower; mada—by intoxication; aghurnita—moving; netraya—her eyes; mattaya—intoxicated; vislathat-nivya—whose dress was slackened; vyapetam—fallen from proper behavior; nirapatrapam—without fear of public opinion; kridantam—engaged in enjoyment; anugayantam—singing; hasantam—smiling; anaya—with her; antike—close by.

Once this brahmana Ajamila, following the order of his father, went to the forest to collect fruit, flowers and two kinds of grass, called samit and kusa. On the way home, he came upon a sudra, a very lusty, fourth-class man, who was shamelessly embracing and kissing a prostitute. The sudra was smiling, singing and enjoying as if this were proper behavior. Both the sudra and the prostitute were drunk. The prostitute’s eyes were rolling in intoxication, and her dress had become loose. Such was the condition in which Ajamila saw them.

While traveling along the public way, Ajamila came upon a fourth-class man and a prostitute, who are vividly described here. Drunkenness was sometimes manifest even in bygone ages, although not very frequently. In this age of Kali, however, such sin is to be seen everywhere, for people all over the world have become shameless. Long ago, when he saw the scene of the drunken sudra and the prostitute, Ajamila, who was a perfect brahmacari, was affected. Nowadays such sin is visible in so many places, and we must consider the position of a brahmacari student who sees such behavior. For such a brahmacari to remain steady is very difficult unless he is extremely strong in following the regulative principles. Nevertheless, if one takes to Krsna consciousness very seriously, he can withstand the provocation created by sin. In our Krsna consciousness movement we prohibit illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. In Kali-yuga, a drunk, half-naked woman embracing a drunk man is a very common sight, especially in the Western countries, and restraining oneself after seeing such things is very difficult. Nevertheless, if by the grace of Krsna one adheres to the regulative principles and chants the Hare Krsna mantra, Krsna will certainly protect him. Indeed, Krsna says that His devotee is never vanquished (kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati). Therefore all the disciples practicing Krsna consciousness should obediently follow the regulative principles and remain fixed in chanting the holy name of the Lord. Then there need be no fear. Otherwise one’s position is very dangerous, especially in this Kali-yuga.

drstva tam kama-liptena

bahuna parirambhitam

jagama hrc-chaya-vasam

sahasaiva vimohitah

drstva—by seeing; tam—her (the prostitute); kama-liptena—decorated with turmeric to incite lusty desires; bahuna—with the arm; parirambhitam—embraced; jagama—went; hrt-saya—of lusty desires within the heart; vasam—under the control; sahasa—suddenly; eva—indeed; vimohitah—being illusioned.

The sudra, his arm decorated with turmeric powder, was embracing the prostitute. When Ajamila saw her, the dormant lusty desires in his heart awakened, and in illusion he fell under their control.

It is said that if one’s body is smeared with turmeric, it attracts the lusty desires of the opposite sex. The word kama-liptena indicates that the sudra was decorated with turmeric smeared on his body.

stambhayann atmanatmanam

yavat sattvam yatha-srutam

na sasaka samadhatum

mano madana-vepitam

stambhayan—trying to control; atmana—by the intelligence; atmanam—the mind; yavat sattvam—as far as possible for him; yatha-srutam—by remembering the instruction (of celibacy, brahmacarya, not even to see a woman); na—not; sasaka—was able; samadhatum—to restrain; manah—the mind; madana-vepitam—agitated by Cupid or lusty desire.

As far as possible he patiently tried to remember the instructions of the sastras not even to see a woman. With the help of this knowledge and his intellect, he tried to control his lusty desires, but because of the force of Cupid within his heart, he failed to control his mind.

Unless one is very strong in knowledge, patience and proper bodily, mental and intellectual behavior, controlling one’s lusty desires is extremely difficult. Thus after seeing a man embracing a young woman and practically doing everything required for sex life, even a fully qualified brahmana, as described above, could not control his lusty desires and restrain himself from pursuing them. Because of the force of materialistic life, to maintain self-control is extremely difficult unless one is specifically under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service.

tan-nimitta-smara-vyaja-

graha-grasto vicetanah

tam eva manasa dhyayan

sva-dharmad virarama ha

tat-nimitta—caused by the sight of her; smara-vyaja—taking advantage of his thinking of her always; graha-grastah—being caught by an eclipse; vicetanah—having completely forgotten his real position; tam—her; eva—certainly; manasa—by the mind; dhyayan—meditating upon; sva-dharmat—from the regulative principles executed by a brahmana; virarama ha—he completely ceased.

In the same way that the sun and moon are eclipsed by a low planet, the brahmana lost all his good sense. Taking advantage of this situation, he always thought of the prostitute, and within a short time he took her as a servant in his house and abandoned all the regulative principles of a brahmana.

By speaking this verse, Sukadeva Gosvami wants to impress upon the mind of the reader that Ajamila’s exalted position as a brahmana was vanquished by his association with the prostitute, so much so that he forgot all his brahminical activities. Nevertheless, at the end of his life, by chanting the four syllables of the name Narayana, he was saved from the gravest danger of falling down. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: even a little devotional service can save one from the greatest danger. Devotional service, which begins with chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is so powerful that even if one falls down from the exalted position of a brahmana through sexual indulgence, he can be saved from all calamities if he somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord. This is the extraordinary power of the Lord’s holy name. Therefore in Bhagavad-gita it is advised that one not forget the chanting of the holy name even for a moment (satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]). There are so many dangers in this material world that one may fall down from an exalted position at any time. Yet if one keeps himself always pure and steady by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he will be safe without a doubt.

tam eva tosayam asa

pitryenarthena yavata

gramyair manoramaih kamaih

prasideta yatha tatha

tam—her (the prostitute); eva—indeed; tosayam asa—he tried to please; pitryena—he got from his father’s hard labor; arthena—by the money; yavata—as long as possible; gramyaih—material; manah-ramaih—pleasing to her mind; kamaih—by presentations for sense enjoyment; prasideta—she would be satisfied; yatha—so that; tatha—in that way.

Thus Ajamila began spending whatever money he had inherited from his father to satisfy the prostitute with various material presentations so that she would remain pleased with him. He gave up all his brahminical activities to satisfy the prostitute.

There are many instances throughout the world in which even a purified person, being attracted by a prostitute, spends all the money he has inherited. Prostitute hunting is so abominable that the desire for sex with a prostitute can ruin one’s character, destroy one’s exalted position and plunder all one’s money. Therefore illicit sex is strictly prohibited. One should be satisfied with his married wife, for even a slight deviation will create havoc. A Krsna conscious grhastha should always remember this. He should always be satisfied with one wife and be peaceful simply by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. Otherwise at any moment he may fall down from his good position, as exemplified in the case of Ajamila.

vipram sva-bharyam apraudham

kule mahati lambhitam

visasarjacirat papah

svairinyapanga-viddha-dhih

vipram—the daughter of a brahmana; sva-bharyam—his wife; apraudham—not very old (youthful); kule—from a family; mahati—very respectable; lambhitam—married; visasarja—he gave up; acirat—very soon; papah—being sinful; svairinya—of the prostitute; apanga-viddha-dhih—his intelligence pierced by the lustful glance.

Because his intelligence was pierced by the lustful glance of the prostitute, the victimized brahmana Ajamila engaged in sinful acts in her association. He even gave up the company of his very beautiful young wife, who came from a very respectable brahmana family.

Customarily everyone is eligible to inherit his father’s property, and Ajamila also inherited the money of his father. But what did he do with the money? Instead of engaging the money in the service of Krsna, he engaged it in the service of a prostitute. Therefore he was condemned and was punishable by Yamaraja. How did this happen? He was victimized by the dangerous lustful glance of a prostitute.

yatas tatas copaninye

nyayato ’nyayato dhanam

babharasyah kutumbinyah

kutumbam manda-dhir ayam

yatah tatah—wherever possible, however possible; ca—and; upaninye—he got; nyayatah—properly; anyayatah—improperly; dhanam—money; babhara—he maintained; asyah—of her; kutum-binyah—possessing many sons and daughters; kutumbam—the family; manda-dhih—bereft of all intelligence; ayam—this person (Ajamila).

Although born of a brahmana family, this rascal, bereft of intelligence because of the prostitute’s association, earned money somehow or other, regardless of whether properly or improperly, and used it to maintain the prostitute’s sons and daughters.

SB6.1.67

TEXT 67

yad asau sastram ullanghya

svaira-cary ati-garhitah

avartata ciram kalam

aghayur asucir malat

SYNONYMS

yat—because; asau—this brahmana; sastram ullanghya—transgressing the laws of sastra; svaira-cari—acting irresponsibly; ati-garhitah—very much condemned; avartata—passed; ciram kalam—a long time; agha-ayuh—whose life was full of sinful activities; asucih—unclean; malat—because of impurity.

TRANSLATION

This brahmana irresponsibly spent his long lifetime transgressing all the rules and regulations of the holy scripture, living extravagantly and eating food prepared by a prostitute. Therefore he is full of sins. He is unclean and is addicted to forbidden activities.

PURPORT

Food prepared by an unclean, sinful man or woman, especially a prostitute, is extremely infectious. Ajamila ate such food, and therefore he was subject to be punished by Yamaraja.

tata enam danda-paneh

sakasam krta-kilbisam

nesyamo ’krta-nirvesam

yatra dandena suddhyati

tatah—therefore; enam—him; danda-paneh—of Yamaraja, who is authorized to punish; sakasam—in the presence; krta-kilbisam—who has regularly committed all sinful activities; nesyamah—we shall take; akrta-nirvesam—who has not undergone atonement; yatra—where; dandena—by punishment; suddhyati—he will be purified.

This man Ajamila did not undergo atonement. Therefore because of his sinful life, we must take him into the presence of Yamaraja for punishment. There, according to the extent of his sinful acts, he will be punished and thus purified.

The Visnudutas had forbidden the Yamadutas to take Ajamila to Yamaraja, and therefore the Yamadutas explained that taking such a man to Yamaraja was appropriate. Since Ajamila had not undergone atonement for his sinful acts, he was to be taken to Yamaraja to be purified. When a man commits murder he becomes sinful, and therefore he also must be killed; otherwise after death he must suffer many sinful reactions. Similarly, punishment by Yamaraja is a process of purification for the most abominable sinful persons. Therefore the Yamadutas requested the Visnudutas not to obstruct their taking Ajamila to Yamaraja.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, First Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The History of the Life of Ajamila.”

Next chapter (SB 6.2)