Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9: “Liberation”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Twenty-four

SB9.24.32

TEXT 32

sapa durvasaso vidyam

deva-hutim pratositat

tasya virya-pariksartham

ajuhava ravim sucih

SYNONYMS

sa—she (Kunti, or Prtha); apa—achieved; durvasasah—from the great sage Durvasa; vidyam—mystic power; deva-hutim—calling any demigod; pratositat—who was satisfied; tasyah—with that (particular mystic power); virya—potency; pariksa-artham—just to examine; ajuhava—called for; ravim—the sun-god; sucih—the pious (Prtha).

TRANSLATION

Once when Durvasa was a guest at the house of Prtha’s father, Kunti, Prtha satisfied Durvasa by rendering service. Therefore she received a mystic power by which she could call any demigod. To examine the potency of this mystic power, the pious Kunti immediately called for the sun-god.

SB9.24.33

TEXT 33

tadaivopagatam devam

viksya vismita-manasa

pratyayartham prayukta me

yahi deva ksamasva me

SYNONYMS

tada—at that time; eva—indeed; upagatam—appeared (before her); devam—the sun-god; viksya—seeing; vismita-manasa—very much surprised; pratyaya-artham—just to see the potency of the mystic power; prayukta—I have used it; me—me; yahi—please return; deva—O demigod; ksamasva—forgive; me—me.

TRANSLATION

As soon as Kunti called for the demigod of the sun, he immediately appeared before her, and she was very much surprised. She told the sun-god, “I was simply examining the effectiveness of this mystic power. I am sorry I have called you unnecessarily. Please return and excuse me.”

SB9.24.34

TEXT 34

amogham deva-sandarsam

adadhe tvayi catmajam

yonir yatha na dusyeta

kartaham te sumadhyame

SYNONYMS

amogham—without failure; deva-sandarsam—meeting with the demigods; adadhe—I shall give (my semen); tvayi—unto you; ca—also; atmajam—a son; yonih—the source of birth; yatha—as; na—not; dusyeta—becomes polluted; karta—shall arrange; aham—I; te—unto you; sumadhyame—O beautiful girl.

TRANSLATION

The sun-god said: O beautiful Prtha, your meeting with the demigods cannot be fruitless. Therefore, let me place my seed in your womb so that you may bear a son. I shall arrange to keep your virginity intact, since you are still an unmarried girl.

PURPORT

According to Vedic civilization, if a girl gives birth to a child before she is married, no one will marry her. Therefore although the sun-god, after appearing before Prtha, wanted to give her a child, Prtha hesitated because she was still unmarried. To keep her virginity undisturbed, the sun-god arranged to give her a child that came from her ear, and therefore the child was known as Karna. The custom is that a girl should be married aksata-yoni, that is, with her virginity undisturbed. A girl should never bear a child before her marriage.

SB9.24.35

TEXT 35

iti tasyam sa adhaya

garbham suryo divam gatah

sadyah kumarah sanjajne

dvitiya iva bhaskarah

SYNONYMS

iti—in this way; tasyam—unto her (Prtha); sah—he (the sun-god); adhaya—discharging semen; garbham—pregnancy; suryah—the sun-god; divam—in the celestial planets; gatah—returned; sadyah—immediately; kumarah—a child; sanjajne—was born; dvitiyah—second; iva—like; bhaskarah—the sun-god.

TRANSLATION

After saying this, the sun-god discharged his semen into the womb of Prtha and then returned to the celestial kingdom. Immediately thereafter, from Kunti a child was born, who was like a second sun-god.

SB9.24.36

TEXT 36

tam satyajan nadi-toye

krcchral lokasya bibhyati

prapitamahas tam uvaha

pandur vai satya-vikramah

SYNONYMS

tam—that child; sa—she (Kunti); atyajat—gave up; nadi-toye—in the water of the river; krcchrat—with great repentance; lokasya—of the people in general; bibhyati—fearing; prapitamahah—(your) great-grandfather; tam—her (Kunti); uvaha—married; panduh—the king known as Pandu; vai—indeed; satya-vikramah—very pious and chivalrous.

TRANSLATION

Because Kunti feared people’s criticisms, with great difficulty she had to give up her affection for her child. Unwillingly, she packed the child in a basket and let it float down the waters of the river. O Maharaja Pariksit, your great-grandfather the pious and chivalrous King Pandu later married Kunti.

SB9.24.37

TEXT 37

srutadevam tu karuso

vrddhasarma samagrahit

yasyam abhud dantavakra

rsi-sapto diteh sutah

SYNONYMS

srutadevam—unto Srutadeva, a sister of Kunti’s; tu—but; karusah—the King of Karusa; vrddhasarma—Vrddhasarma; samagrahit—married; yasyam—through whom; abhut—was born; dantavakrah—Dantavakra; rsi-saptah—was formerly cursed by the sages Sanaka and Sanatana; diteh—of Diti; sutah—son.

TRANSLATION

Vrddhasarma, the King of Karusa, married Kunti’s sister Srutadeva, and from her womb Dantavakra was born. Having been cursed by the sages headed by Sanaka, Dantavakra had formerly been born as the son of Diti named Hiranyaksa.

SB9.24.38

TEXT 38

kaikeyo dhrstaketus ca

srutakirtim avindata

santardanadayas tasyam

pancasan kaikayah sutah

SYNONYMS

kaikeyah—the King of Kekaya; dhrstaketuh—Dhrstaketu; ca—also; srutakirtim—a sister of Kunti’s named Srutakirti; avindata—married; santardana-adayah—headed by Santardana; tasyam—through her (Srutakirti); panca—five; asan—there were; kaikayah—the sons of the King of Kekaya; sutah—sons.

TRANSLATION

King Dhrstaketu, the King of Kekaya, married Srutakirti, another sister of Kunti’s. Srutakirti had five sons, headed by Santardana.

SB9.24.39

TEXT 39

rajadhidevyam avantyau

jayaseno ’janista ha

damaghosas cedi-rajah

srutasravasam agrahit

SYNONYMS

rajadhidevyam—through Rajadhidevi, another sister of Kunti’s; avantyau—the sons (named Vinda and Anuvinda); jayasenah—King Jayasena; ajanista—gave birth to; ha—in the past; damaghosah—Damaghosa; cedi-rajah—the king of the state of Cedi; srutasravasam—Srutasrava, another sister; agrahit—married.

TRANSLATION

Through the womb of Rajadhidevi, another sister of Kunti’s, Jayasena begot two sons, named Vinda and Anuvinda. Similarly, the king of the Cedi state married Srutasrava. This king’s name was Damaghosa.

SB9.24.40

TEXT 40

sisupalah sutas tasyah

kathitas tasya sambhavah

devabhagasya kamsayam

citraketu-brhadbalau

SYNONYMS

sisupalah—Sisupala; sutah—the son; tasyah—of her (Srutasrava); kathitah—already described (in the Seventh Canto); tasya—his; sambhavah—birth; devabhagasya—from Devabhaga, a brother of Vasudeva’s; kamsayam—in the womb of Kamsa, his wife; citraketu—Citraketu; brhadbalau—and Brhadbala.

TRANSLATION

The son of Srutasrava was Sisupala, whose birth has already been described [in the Seventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam]. Vasudeva’s brother named Devabhaga had two sons born of his wife, Kamsa. These two sons were Citraketu and Brhadbala.

SB9.24.41

TEXT 41

kamsavatyam devasravasah

suvira isumams tatha

bakah kankat tu kankayam

satyajit purujit tatha

SYNONYMS

kamsavatyam—in the womb of Kamsavati; devasravasah—from Devasrava, a brother of Vasudeva’s; suvirah—Suvira; isuman—Isuman; tatha—as well as; bakah—Baka; kankat—from Kanka; tu—indeed; kankayam—in his wife, named Kanka; satyajit—Satyajit; purujit—Purujit; tatha—as well as.

TRANSLATION

Vasudeva’s brother named Devasrava married Kamsavati, by whom he begot two sons, named Suvira and Isuman. Kanka, by his wife Kanka, begot three sons, named Baka, Satyajit and Purujit.

SB9.24.42

TEXT 42

srnjayo rastrapalyam ca

vrsa-durmarsanadikan

harikesa-hiranyaksau

surabhumyam ca syamakah

SYNONYMS

srnjayah—Srnjaya; rastrapalyam—through his wife, Rastrapalika; ca—and; vrsa-durmarsana-adikan—begot sons headed by Vrsa and Durmarsana; harikesa—Harikesa; hiranyaksau—and Hiranyaksa; surabhumyam—in the womb of Surabhumi; ca—and; syamakah—King Syamaka.

TRANSLATION

King Srnjaya, by his wife, Rastrapalika, begot sons headed by Vrsa and Durmarsana. King Syamaka, by his wife, Surabhumi, begot two sons, named Harikesa and Hiranyaksa.

SB9.24.43

TEXT 43

misrakesyam apsarasi

vrkadin vatsakas tatha

taksa-puskara-saladin

durvaksyam vrka adadhe

SYNONYMS

misrakesyam—in the womb of Misrakesi; apsarasi—who belonged to the Apsara group; vrka-adin—Vrka and other sons; vatsakah—Vatsaka; tatha—as well; taksa-puskara-sala-adin—sons headed by Taksa, Puskara and Sala; durvaksyam—in the womb of his wife, Durvaksi; vrkah—Vrka; adadhe—begot.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, King Vatsaka, by the womb of his wife, Misrakesi, who was an Apsara, begot sons headed by Vrka. Vrka, by his wife, Durvaksi, begot Taksa, Puskara, Sala and so on.

SB9.24.44

TEXT 44

sumitrarjunapaladin

samikat tu sudamani

anakah karnikayam vai

rtadhama-jayav api

SYNONYMS

sumitra—Sumitra; arjunapala—Arjunapala; adin—headed by; samikat—from King Samika; tu—indeed; sudamani—in the womb of Sudamani, his wife; anakah—King Anaka; karnikayam—in the womb of his wife Karnika; vai—indeed; rtadhama—Rtadhama; jayau—and Jaya; api—indeed.

TRANSLATION

From Samika, by the womb of his wife, Sudamani, came Sumitra, Arjunapala and other sons. King Anaka, by his wife, Karnika, begot two sons, namely Rtadhama and Jaya.

SB9.24.45

TEXT 45

pauravi rohini bhadra

madira rocana ila

devaki-pramukhas casan

patnya anakadundubheh

SYNONYMS

pauravi—Pauravi; rohini—Rohini; bhadra—Bhadra; madira—Madira; rocana—Rocana; ila—Ila; devaki—Devaki; pramukhah—headed by; ca—and; asan—existed; patnyah—wives; anakadundubheh—of Vasudeva, who was known as Anakadundubhi.

TRANSLATION

Devaki, Pauravi, Rohini, Bhadra, Madira, Rocana, Ila and others were all wives of Anakadundubhi [Vasudeva]. Among them all, Devaki was the chief.

SB9.24.46

TEXT 46

balam gadam saranam ca

durmadam vipulam dhruvam

vasudevas tu rohinyam

krtadin udapadayat

SYNONYMS

balam—Bala; gadam—Gada; saranam—Sarana; ca—also; durmadam—Durmada; vipulam—Vipula; dhruvam—Dhruva; vasudevah—Vasudeva (the father of Krsna); tu—indeed; rohinyam—in the wife named Rohini; krta-adin—the sons headed by Krta; udapadayat—begot.

TRANSLATION

Vasudeva, by the womb of his wife Rohini, begot sons such as Bala, Gada, Sarana, Durmada, Vipula, Dhruva, Krta and others.

SB9.24.47-48

TEXTS 47–48

subhadro bhadrabahus ca

durmado bhadra eva ca

pauravyas tanaya hy ete

bhutadya dvadasabhavan

nandopananda-krtaka-

suradya madiratmajah

kausalya kesinam tv ekam

asuta kula-nandanam

SYNONYMS

subhadrah—Subhadra; bhadrabahuh—Bhadrabahu; ca—and; durmadah—Durmada; bhadrah—Bhadra; eva—indeed; ca—also; pauravyah—of the wife named Pauravi; tanayah—sons; hi—indeed; ete—all of them; bhuta-adyah—headed by Bhuta; dvadasa—twelve; abhavan—were born; nanda-upananda-krtaka-sura-adyah—Nanda, Upananda, Krtaka, Sura and others; madira-atmajah—the sons of Madira; kausalya—Kausalya; kesinam—a son named Kesi; tu ekam—only one; asuta—gave birth to; kula-nandanam—a son.

TRANSLATION

From the womb of Pauravi came twelve sons, including Bhuta, Subhadra, Bhadrabahu, Durmada and Bhadra. Nanda, Upananda, Krtaka, Sura and others were born from the womb of Madira. Bhadra [Kausalya] gave birth to only one son, named Kesi.

SB9.24.49

TEXT 49

rocanayam ato jata

hasta-hemangadadayah

ilayam uruvalkadin

yadu-mukhyan ajijanat

SYNONYMS

rocanayam—in another wife, whose name was Rocana; atah—thereafter; jatah—were born; hasta—Hasta; hemangada—Hemangada; adayah—and others; ilayam—in another wife, named Ila; uruvalka-adin—sons headed by Uruvalka; yadu-mukhyan—principal personalities in the Yadu dynasty; ajijanat—he begot.

TRANSLATION

Vasudeva, by another of his wives, whose name was Rocana, begot Hasta, Hemangada and other sons. And by his wife named Ila he begot sons headed by Uruvalka, all of whom were chief personalities in the dynasty of Yadu.

SB9.24.50

TEXT 50

viprstho dhrtadevayam

eka anakadundubheh

santidevatmaja rajan

prasama-prasitadayah

SYNONYMS

viprsthah—Viprstha; dhrtadevayam—in the womb of the wife named Dhrtadeva; ekah—one son; anakadundubheh—of Anakadundubhi, Vasudeva; santideva-atmajah—the sons of another wife, named Santideva; rajan—O Maharaja Pariksit; prasama-prasita-adayah—Prasama, Prasita and other sons.

TRANSLATION

From the womb of Dhrtadeva, one of the wives of Anakadundubhi [Vasudeva], came a son named Viprstha. The sons of Santideva, another wife of Vasudeva, were Prasama, Prasita and others.

SB9.24.51

TEXT 51

rajanya-kalpa-varsadya

upadeva-suta dasa

vasu-hamsa-suvamsadyah

sridevayas tu sat sutah

SYNONYMS

rajanya—Rajanya; kalpa—Kalpa; varsa-adyah—Varsa and others; upadeva-sutah—sons of Upadeva, another wife of Vasudeva’s; dasa—ten; vasu—Vasu; hamsa—Hamsa; suvamsa—Suvamsa; adyah—and others; sridevayah—born of another wife, named Srideva; tu—but; sat—six; sutah—sons.

TRANSLATION

Vasudeva also had a wife named Upadeva, from whom came ten sons, headed by Rajanya, Kalpa and Varsa. From Srideva, another wife, came six sons, such as Vasu, Hamsa and Suvamsa.

SB9.24.52

TEXT 52

devaraksitaya labdha

nava catra gadadayah

vasudevah sutan astav

adadhe sahadevaya

SYNONYMS

devaraksitaya—by the wife named Devaraksita; labdhah—achieved; nava—nine; ca—also; atra—here; gada-adayah—sons headed by Gada; vasudevah—Srila Vasudeva; sutan—sons; astau—eight; adadhe—begot; sahadevaya—in the wife named Sahadeva.

TRANSLATION

By the semen of Vasudeva in the womb of Devaraksita, nine sons were born, headed by Gada. Vasudeva, who was religion personified, also had a wife named Sahadeva, by whose womb he begot eight sons, headed by Sruta and Pravara.

SB9.24.53-55

TEXTS 53–55

pravara-sruta-mukhyams ca

saksad dharmo vasun iva

vasudevas tu devakyam

asta putran ajijanat

kirtimantam susenam ca

bhadrasenam udara-dhih

rjum sammardanam bhadram

sankarsanam ahisvaram

astamas tu tayor asit

svayam eva harih kila

subhadra ca mahabhaga

tava rajan pitamahi

SYNONYMS

pravara—Pravara (in some readings, Pauvara); sruta—Sruta; mukhyan—headed by; ca—and; saksat—directly; dharmah—religion personified; vasun iva—exactly like the chief Vasus in the heavenly planets; vasudevah—Srila Vasudeva, the father of Krsna; tu—indeed; devakyam—in the womb of Devaki; asta—eight; putran—sons; ajijanat—begot; kirtimantam—Kirtiman; susenam ca—and Susena; bhadrasenam—Bhadrasena; udara-dhih—all fully qualified; rjum—Rju; sammardanam—Sammardana; bhadram—Bhadra; sankarsanam—Sankarsana; ahi-isvaram—the supreme controller and serpent incarnation; astamah—the eighth one; tu—but; tayoh—of both (Devaki and Vasudeva); asit—appeared; svayam eva—directly, personally; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kila—what to speak of; subhadra—a sister, Subhadra; ca—and; mahabhaga—highly fortunate; tava—your; rajan—O Maharaja Pariksit; pitamahi—grandmother.

TRANSLATION

The eight sons born of Sahadeva such as Pravara and Sruta, were exact incarnations of the eight Vasus in the heavenly planets. Vasudeva also begot eight highly qualified sons through the womb of Devaki. These included Kirtiman, Susena, Bhadrasena, Rju, Sammardana, Bhadra and Sankarsana, the controller and serpent incarnation. The eighth son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself—Krsna. The highly fortunate Subhadra, the one daughter, was your grandmother.

PURPORT

The fifty-fifth verse says, svayam eva harih kila, indicating that Krsna, the eighth son of Devaki, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna is not an incarnation. Although there is no difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari and His incarnation, Krsna is the original Supreme Person, the complete Godhead. Incarnations exhibit only a certain percentage of the potencies of Godhead; the complete Godhead is Krsna Himself, who appeared as the eighth son of Devaki.

SB9.24.56

TEXT 56

yada yada hi dharmasya

ksayo vrddhis ca papmanah

tada tu bhagavan isa

atmanam srjate harih

SYNONYMS

yada—whenever; yada—when ever; hi—indeed; dharmasya—of the principles of religion; ksayah—deterioration; vrddhih—increasing; ca—and; papmanah—of sinful activities; tada—at that time; tu—indeed; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; isah—the supreme controller; atmanam—personally; srjate—descends; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

Whenever the principles of religion deteriorate and the principles of irreligion increase, the supreme controller, the Personality of Godhead Sri Hari, appears by His own will.

PURPORT

The principles by which an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends upon earth are explained in this verse. The same principles are also explained in Bhagavad-gita (4.7) by the Lord Himself:

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”

In the present age, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to inaugurate the Hare Krsna movement. At the present time, in Kali-yuga, people are extremely sinful and bad (manda). They have no idea of spiritual life and are misusing the benefits of the human form to live like cats and dogs. Under these circumstances Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has inaugurated the Hare Krsna movement, which is not different from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one associates with this movement, he directly associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. People should take advantage of the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra and thus gain relief from all the problems created in this age of Kali.

SB9.24.57

TEXT 57

na hy asya janmano hetuh

karmano va mahipate

atma-mayam vinesasya

parasya drastur atmanah

SYNONYMS

na—not; hi—indeed; asya—of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); janmanah—of the appearance, or taking birth; hetuh—there is any cause; karmanah—or for acting; va—either; mahipate—O King (Maharaja Pariksit); atma-mayam—His supreme compassion for the fallen souls; vina—without; isasya—of the supreme controller; parasya—of the Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the material world; drastuh—of the Supersoul, who witnesses everyone’s activities; atmanah—of the Supersoul of everyone.

TRANSLATION

O King, Maharaja Pariksit, but for the Lord’s personal desire, there is no cause for His appearance, disappearance or activities. As the Supersoul, He knows everything. Consequently there is no cause that affects Him, not even the results of fruitive activities.

PURPORT

This verse points out the difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and an ordinary living being. An ordinary living being receives a particular type of body according to his past activities (karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]). A living being is never independent and can never appear independently. Rather, one is forced to accept a body imposed upon him by maya according to his past karma. As explained in Bhagavad-gita (18.61), yantrarudhani mayaya. The body is a kind of machine created and offered to the living entity by the material energy under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the living entity must accept a particular type of body awarded to him by maya, the material energy, according to his karma. One cannot independently say, “Give me a body like this” or “Give me a body like that.” One must accept whatever body is offered by the material energy. This is the position of the ordinary living being.

When Krsna descends, however, He does so out of His merciful compassion for the fallen souls. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.8):

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge

“To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.” The Supreme Lord is not forced to appear. Indeed, no one can subject Him to force, for He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone is under His control, and He is not under the control of anyone else. Foolish people who because of a poor fund of knowledge think that one can equal Krsna or become Krsna are condemned in every way. No one can equal or surpass Krsna, who is therefore described as asamaurdhva. According to the Visva-kosa dictionary, the word maya is used in the sense of “false pride” and also in the sense of “compassion.” For an ordinary living being, the body in which he appears is his punishment. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14), daivi hy esa guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya: “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome.” But when Krsna comes the word maya refers to His compassion or mercy upon the devotees and fallen souls. By His potency, the Lord can deliver everyone, whether sinful or pious.

SB9.24.58

TEXT 58

yan maya-cestitam pumsah

sthity-utpatty-apyayaya hi

anugrahas tan-nivrtter

atma-labhaya cesyate

SYNONYMS

yat—whatever; maya-cestitam—the laws of material nature enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pumsah—of the living entities; sthiti—duration of life; utpatti—birth; apyayaya—annihilation; hi—indeed; anugrahah—compassion; tat-nivrtteh—the creation and manifestation of cosmic energy to stop the repetition of birth and death; atma-labhaya—thus going home, back to Godhead; ca—indeed; isyate—for this purpose the creation is there.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through His material energy in the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation just to deliver the living entity by His compassion and stop the living entity’s birth, death and duration of materialistic life. Thus He enables the living being to return home, back to Godhead.

PURPORT

Materialistic men sometimes ask why God has created the material world for the suffering of the living entities. The material creation is certainly meant for the suffering of the conditioned souls, who are part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (15.7):

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” All the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are as good as the Lord qualitatively, but quantitatively there is a great difference between them, for the Lord is unlimited whereas the living entities are limited. Thus the Lord possesses unlimited potency for pleasure, and the living entities have a limited pleasure potency. Anandamayo ’bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). Both the Lord and the living entity, being qualitatively spirit soul, have the tendency for peaceful enjoyment, but when the part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead unfortunately wants to enjoy independently, without Krsna, he is put into the material world, where he begins his life as Brahma and is gradually degraded to the status of an ant or a worm in stool. This is called manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. There is a great struggle for existence because the living entity conditioned by material nature is under nature’s full control (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]). Because of his limited knowledge, however, the living entity thinks he is enjoying in this material world. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. He is actually under the full control of material nature, but still he thinks himself independent (ahankara-vimudhatma kartaham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]). Even when he is elevated by speculative knowledge and tries to merge into the existence of Brahman, the same disease continues.

Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah (Bhag. 10.2.32). Even having attained that param padam, having merged into the impersonal Brahman, he falls again to the material world.

In this way, the conditioned soul undergoes a great struggle for existence in this material world, and therefore the Lord, out of compassion for him, appears in this world and instructs him. Thus the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” The real dharma is to surrender unto Krsna, but the rebellious living entity, instead of surrendering to Krsna, engages in adharma, in a struggle for existence to become like Krsna. Therefore out of compassion Krsna creates this material world to give the living entity a chance to understand his real position. Bhagavad-gita and similar Vedic literatures are presented so that the living being may understand his relationship with Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah (Bg. 15.15). All these Vedic literatures are meant to enable the human being to understand what he is, what his actual position is, and what his relationship is with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called brahma-jijnasa. Every conditioned soul is struggling, but human life provides the best chance for him to understand his position. Therefore this verse says, anugrahas tan-nivrtteh, indicating that the false life of repeated birth and death must be stopped and the conditioned soul should be educated. This is the purpose of the creation.

The creation does not arise whimsically, as atheistic men think.

asatyam apratistham te
jagad ahur anisvaram
aparaspara-sambhutam
kim anyat kama-haitukam

“They say that this world is unreal, that there is no foundation and that there is no God in control. It is produced of sex desire and has no cause other than lust.” (Bg. 16.8) Atheistic rascals think that there is no God and that the creation has taken place by chance, just as a man and woman meet by chance and the woman becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child. Actually, however, this is not the fact. The fact is that there is a purpose for this creation: to give the conditioned soul a chance to return to his original consciousness, Krsna consciousness, and then return home, back to Godhead, and be completely happy in the spiritual world. In the material world the conditioned soul is given a chance to satisfy his senses, but at the same time he is informed by Vedic knowledge that this material world is not his actual place for happiness. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam (Bg. 13.9). One must stop the repetition of birth and death. Every human being, therefore, should take advantage of this creation by understanding Krsna and his relationship with Krsna and in this way return home, back to Godhead.

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