11.22.1-3

śrī-uddhava uvāca

kati tattvāni viśveśa

sańkhyātāny ṛṣibhiḥ prabho

navaikādaśa pañca trīṇy

āttha tvam iha śuśruma

 

kecit ṣaḍ-viḿśatiḿ prāhur

apare pañca-viḿśatiḿ

saptaike nava ṣaṭ kecic

catvāry ekādaśāpare

kecit saptadaśa prāhuḥ

 

ṣoḍaśaike trayodaśa

etāvattvaḿ hi sańkhyānām

ṛṣayo yad-vivakṣayā

gāyanti pṛthag āyuṣmann

idaḿ no vaktum arhasi

 

śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; kati — how many; tattvāni — basic elements of creation; viśva-īśa — O Lord of the universe; sańkhyātāni — have been enumerated; ṛṣibhiḥ — by great authorities; prabho — O my master; nava — nine (God, the individual soul, the mahat-tattva, false ego and the five gross elements); ekākaśa — plus eleven (the ten knowledge-acquiring and working senses together with the mind); pañca — plus five (the subtle forms of the sense objects); trīṇi — plus three (the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, making altogether a total of twenty-eight); āttha — have stated; tvam — You; iha — during Your appearance in this world; śuśruma — so I have heard;

 

kecit — some; ṣaṭ-viḿśatim — twenty-six; prāhuḥ — they say; apare — others; pañca-viḿśatim — twenty-five; sapta — seven; eke — some; nava — nine; ṣaṭ — six; kecit — some; catvāri — four; ekādaśa — eleven; apare — still others; kecit — some; saptadaśa — seventeen; prāhuḥ — say;

 

ṣoḍaśa — sixteen; eke — some; trayodaśa — thirteen; etāvattvam — such cakulations; hi — indeed; sańkhyānām — of the different ways of counting the elements; ṛṣayaḥ — the sages; yat vivakṣayā — with the intention of expressing what ideas; gāyanti — they have declared; pṛthak — in various manners; āyuḥ-man — O supreme eternal; idam — this; naḥ — to us; vaktum — to explain; arhasi — You should please.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Uddhava inquired: My dear Lord, O master of the universe, how many different elements of creation have been enumerated by the great sages? I have heard You personally describe a total of twenty-eight — God, the jīva soul, the mahat-tattva, false ego, the five gross elements, the ten senses, the mind, the five subtle objects of perception and the three modes of nature. But some authorities say that there are twenty-six elements, while others cite twenty-five or else seven, nine, six, four or eleven, and even others say that there are seventeen, sixteen or thirteen. What did each of these sages have in mind when he calculated the creative elements in such different ways? O supreme eternal, kindly explain this to me.

 

11.22.4

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

yuktaḿ ca santi sarvatra

bhāṣante brāhmaṇā yathā

māyāḿ madīyām udgṛhya

vadatāḿ kiḿ nu durghaṭam

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; yuktam — reasonably; ca — even; santi — they are present; sarvatra — everywhere; bhāṣante — they speak; brāhmaṇāḥ — brāhmaṇas; yathā — how; māyām — the mystic energy; madīyam — My; udgṛhya — resorting to; vadatām — of those who speak; kim — what; nu — after all; durghaṭam — will be impossible.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa replied: Because all material elements are present everywhere, it is reasonable that different learned brāhmaṇas have analyzed them in different ways. All such philosophers spoke under the shelter of My mystic potency, and thus they could say anything without contradicting the truth.

 

11.22.5

naitad evaḿ yathāttha tvaḿ

yad ahaḿ vacmi tat tathā

evaḿ vivadatāḿ hetuḿ

śaktayo me duratyayāḥ

 

na — it is not; etat — this; evam — so; yathā — as; āttha — say; tvam — you; yat — which; aham — I; vacmi — am saying; tat — that; tathā — thus; evam — in this way; vivadatām — for those who argue; hetum — over logical reasons; śaktayaḥ — the energies (are impelling); me — My; duratyayāḥ — unsurpassable.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When philosophers argue, "I don't choose to analyze this particular case in the same way that you have," it is simply My own insurmountable energies that are motivating their analytic disagreements.

 

11.22.6

yāsāḿ vyatikarād āsīd

vikalpo vadatāḿ padam

prāpte śama-dame 'pyeti

vādas tam anu śāmyati

 

yāsām — of which (energies of Mine); vyatikarāt — by the interaction; āsīt — has arisen; vikalpaḥ — difference of opinion; vadatām — of those arguing; padam — the subject of discussion; prāpte — when one has achieved; śama — the ability to fix his intelligence on Me; dame — and control of his external senses; apyeti — disappears (that difference of opinion); vādaḥ — the argument itself; tam anu — consequently; śāmyati — subsides.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By interaction of My energies different opinions arise. But for those who have fixed their intelligence on Me and controlled their senses, differences of perception disappear, and consequently the very cause for argument is removed.

 

11.22.7

parasparānupraveśāt

tattvānāḿ puruṣarṣabha

paurvāparya-prasańkhyānaḿ

yathā vaktur vivakṣitam

 

paraspara — mutual; anupraveśāt — because of the entrance (as subtle causes within gross manifestations, and vice versa); tattvānām — of the various elements; puruṣa-ṛṣabha — O best among men (Uddhava); paurva — in terms of prior causes; aparya — or of resultant products; prasańkhyānam — enumeration; yathā — however; vaktuḥ — the speaker; vivakṣitam — wants to describe.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O best among men, because subtle and gross elements mutually enter into one another, philosophers may calculate the number of basic material elements in different ways, according to their personal desire.

 

11.22.8

ekasminn api dṛśyante

praviṣṭānītarāṇi ca

pūrvasmin vā parasmin vā

tattve tattvāni sarvaśaḥ

 

ekasmin — in one (element); api — even; dṛśyante — there are seen; praviṣṭāni — entered within; itarāṇi — others; ca — also; pūrvasmin — in a prior (subtle causal element, such as the dormant presence of ether within its cause, sound); vā — either; parasmin — or in a later (produced element, such as the subtle presence of sound within its further product, air); vā — or; tattve — in some element; tattvāni — other elements; sarvaśaḥ — in the cases of each of the different enumerations.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All subtle material elements are actually present within their gross effects; similarly, all gross elements are present within their subtle causes, since material creation takes place by progressive manifestation of elements from subtle to gross. Thus we can find all material elements within any single element.

 

11.22.9

paurvāparyam ato 'mīṣāḿ

prasańkhyānam abhīpsatām

yathā viviktaḿ yad-vaktraḿ

gṛhṇīmo yukti-sambhavāt

 

paurva — considering causal elements to include their manifest products; aparyam — or assuming elements to include their subtle causes; ataḥ — therefore; amīṣām — of these thinkers; prasańkhyānam — the counting; abhīpsatām — who are intending; yathā — how; viviktam — ascertained; yat-vaktram — from whose mouth; gṛhṇīmaḥ — We accept it; yukti — of reason; sambhavāt — because of the possibility.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, no matter which of these thinkers is speaking, and regardless of whether in their calculations they include material elements within their previous subtle causes or else within their subsequent manifest products, I accept their conclusions as authoritative, because a logical explanation can always be given for each of the different theories.

 

11.22.10

anādy-avidyā-yuktasya

puruṣasyātma-vedanam

svato na sambhavād anyas

tattva-jño jñāna-do bhavet

 

anādi — without beginning; avidyā — with ignorance; yuktasya — who is joined; puruṣasya — of a person; ātma-vedanam — the process of self-realization; svataḥ — by his own ability; na sambhavāt — because it cannot occur; anyaḥ — another person; tattva-jñaḥ — the knower of transcendental reality; jñāna-daḥ — the bestower of real knowledge; bhavet — must be.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because a person who has been covered by ignorance since time immemorial is not capable of effecting his own self-realization, there must be some other personality who is in factual knowledge of the Absolute Truth and can impart this knowledge to him.

 

11.22.11

puruṣeśvarayor atra

na vailakṣaṇyam aṇv api

tad-anya-kalpanāpārthā

jñānaḿ ca prakṛter guṇaḥ

 

puruṣa — between the enjoyer; īśvarayoḥ — and the supreme controller; atra — herein; na — there is no; vailakṣaṇyam — dissimilarity; aṇu — minute; api — even; tat — of them; anya — as being completely different; kalpanā — the imagined idea; apārthā — useless; jñānam — knowledge; ca — and; prakṛteḥ — of material nature; guṇaḥ — a quality.

 

TRANSLATION

 

According to knowledge in the material mode of goodness, there is no qualitative difference between the living entity and the supreme controller. The imagination of qualitative difference between them is useless speculation.

 

11.22.12

prakṛtir guṇa-sāmyaḿ vai

prakṛter nātmano guṇāḥ

sattvaḿ rajas tama iti

sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ

 

prakṛtiḥ — material nature; guṇa — of the three modes; sāmyam — the original equilibrium; vai — indeed; prakṛteḥ — of nature; na ātmanaḥ — not of the spirit soul; guṇāḥ — these modes; sattvam — goodness; rajaḥ — passion; tamaḥ — ignorance; iti — thus called; sthiti — of the maintenance of universal creation; utpatti — its production; anta — and its annihilation; hetavaḥ — the causes.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Nature exists originally as the equilibrium of the three material modes, which pertain only to nature, not to the transcendental spirit soul. These modes — goodness, passion and ignorance — are the effective causes of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe.

 

11.22.13

sattvaḿ jñānaḿ rajaḥ karma

tamo 'jñānam ihocyate

guṇa-vyatikaraḥ kālaḥ

svabhāvaḥ sūtram eva ca

 

sattvam — the mode of goodness; jñānam — knowledge; rajaḥ — the mode of passion; karma — fruitive work; tamaḥ — the mode of ignorance; ajñānam — foolishness; iha — in this world; ucyate — is called; guṇa — of the modes; vyatikaraḥ — the agitated transformation; kālaḥ — time; svabhāvaḥ — innate tendency, nature; sūtram — the mahat-tattva; eva — indeed; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this world the mode of goodness is recognized as knowledge, the mode of passion as fruitive work, and the mode of darkness as ignorance. Time is perceived as the agitated interaction of the material modes, and the totality of functional propensity is embodied by the primeval sūtra, or mahat-tattva.

 

11.22.14

puruṣaḥ prakṛtir vyaktam

ahańkāro nabho 'nilaḥ

jyotir āpaḥ kṣitir iti

tattvāny uktāni me nava

 

puruṣaḥ — the enjoyer; prakṛtiḥ — nature; vyaktam — the primeval manifestation of matter; ahańkāraḥ — false ego; nabhaḥ — ether; anilaḥ — air; jyotiḥ — fire; āpaḥ — water; kṣitiḥ — earth; iti — thus; tattvāni — the elements of creation; uktāni — have been described; me — by Me; nava — nine.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I have described the nine basic elements as the enjoying soul, nature, nature's primeval manifestation of the mahat-tattva, false ego, ether, air, fire, water and earth.

 

11.22.15

śrotraḿ tvag darśanaḿ ghrāṇo

jihveti jñāna-śaktayaḥ

vāk-pāṇy-upastha-pāyv-ańghriḥ

karmāṇy ańgobhayaḿ manaḥ

 

śrotram — the sense of hearing; tvak — the sense of touch, experienced upon the skin; darśanam — sight; ghrāṇaḥ — smell; jihvā — the sense of taste, experienced upon the tongue; iti — thus; jñāna-śaktayaḥ — the knowledge-acquiring senses; vāk — speech; pāṇi — the hands; upastha — the genitals; pāyu — the anus; ańghriḥ — and the legs; karmāṇi — the working senses; ańga — My dear Uddhava; ubhayam — belonging to both these categories; manaḥ — the mind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Hearing, touch, sight, smell and taste are the five knowledge acquiring senses, My dear Uddhava, and speech, the hands, the genitals, the anus and the legs constitute the five working senses. The mind belongs to both these categories.

 

11.22.16

śabdaḥ sparśo raso gandho

rūpaḿ cety artha-jātayaḥ

gaty-ukty-utsarga-śilpāni

karmāyatana-siddhayaḥ

 

śabdaḥ — sound; sparśaḥ — touch; rasaḥ — taste; gandhaḥ — fragrance; rūpam — form; ca — and; iti — thus; artha — of sense objects; jātayaḥ — the categories; gati — movement; ukti — speech; utsarga — excretion (by both the genitals and anus); śilpāni — and manufacture; karma-āyatana — by the above-mentioned working senses; siddhayaḥ — accomplished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Sound, touch, taste, smell and form are the objects of the knowledge-acquiring senses, and movement, speech, excretion and manufacture are functions of the working senses.

 

11.22.17

sargādau prakṛtir hy asya

kārya-kāraṇa-rūpiṇī

sattvādibhir guṇair dhatte

puruṣo 'vyakta īkṣate

 

sarga — of creation; ādau — in the beginning; prakṛtiḥ — the material nature; hi — indeed; asya — of this universe; kārya — the manifest products; kāraṇa — and subtle causes; rūpiṇī — embodying; sattva-ādibhiḥ — by means of goodness, passion and ignorance; guṇaiḥ — the modes; dhatte — assumes its position; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Lord; avyaktaḥ — not involved in material manifestation; īkṣate — witnesses.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the beginning of creation nature assumes, by the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, its form as the embodiment of all subtle causes and gross manifestations within the universe. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not enter the interaction of material manifestation but merely glances upon nature.

 

11.22.18

vyaktādāyo vikurvāṇā

dhātavaḥ puruṣekṣayā

labdha-vīryāḥ sṛjanty aṇḍaḿ

saḿhatāḥ prakṛter balāt

 

vyakta-ādayaḥ — the mahat-tattva and so on; vikurvāṇāḥ — undergoing transformation; dhātavaḥ — the elements; puruṣa — of the Lord; īkṣayā — by the glance; labdha — having attained; vīryāḥ — their potencies; sṛjanti — they create; aṇḍam — the egg of the universe; saḿhatāḥ — amalgamated; prakṛteḥ — of nature; balāt — by the power.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As the material elements, headed by the mahat-tattva, are transformed, they receive their specific potencies from the glance of the Supreme Lord, and being amalgamated by the power of nature, they create the universal egg.

 

11.22.19

saptaiva dhātava iti

tatrārthāḥ pañca khādayaḥ

jñānam ātmobhayādhāras

tato dehendriyāsavaḥ

 

sapta — seven; eva — indeed; dhātavaḥ — elements; iti — thus saying; tatra — therein; arthāḥ — the physical elements; pañca — five; kha-ādayaḥ — beginning with ether; jñānam — the spirit soul, who is the possessor of knowledge; ātmā — the Supreme Soul; ubhaya — of both (the seen nature and the jīva who is its seer); ādhāraḥ — the fundamental basis; tataḥ — from these; deha — the body; indriya — senses; asavaḥ — and vital airs.

 

TRANSLATION

 

According to some philosophers there are seven elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether, along with the conscious spirit soul and the Supreme Soul, who is the basis of both the material elements and the ordinary spirit soul. According to this theory, the body, senses, life air and all material phenomena are produced from these seven elements.

 

11.22.20

ṣaḍ ity atrāpi bhūtāni

pañca ṣaṣṭhaḥ paraḥ pumān

tair yuita ātma-sambhūtaiḥ

sṛṣṭvedaḿ samapāviśat

 

ṣaṭ — six; iti — thus; atra — in this theory; api — also; bhūtāni — the elements; pañca — five; ṣaṣṭhaḥ — the sixth; paraḥ — the transcendental; pumān — Supreme Personality; taiḥ — with those (five gross elements); yuktaḥ — conjoined; ātma — from Himself; sambhūtaiḥ — created; sṛṣṭvā — sending forth; idam — this creation; samupāviśat — He entered within it.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Other philosophers state that there are six elements — the five physical elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) and the sixth element, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That Supreme Lord, endowed with the elements that He has brought forth from Himself, creates this universe and then personally enters within it.

 

11.22.21

catvāry eveti tatrāpi

teja āpo 'nnam ātmanaḥ

jātāni tair idaḿ jātaḿ

janmāvayavinaḥ khalu

 

catvāri — four; eva — also; iti — thus; tatra — in that case; api — even; tejaḥ — fire; āpaḥ — water; annam — earth; ātmanaḥ — from the Self; jātāni — all arising; taiḥ — by them; idam — this cosmos; jātam — has come about; janma — the birth; avayavinaḥ — of the manifest product; khalu — indeed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Some philosophers propose the existence of four basic elements, of which three — fire, water and earth — emanate from the fourth, the Self. Once existing, these elements produce the cosmic manifestation, in which all material creation takes place.

 

11.22.22

sańkhyāne saptadaśake

bhūta-mātrendriyāṇi ca

pañca pañcaika-manasā

ātmā saptadaśaḥ smṛtaḥ

 

sańkhyāne — in the enumeration; saptadaśake — in terms of seventeen elements; bhūta — the five gross elements; mātra — the five subtle perceptions pertaining to each; indriyāṇi — and the five corresponding senses; ca — also; pañca pañca — in groups of five; eka-manasā — along with the one mind; ātmā — the soul; saptadaśaḥ — as the seventeenth; smṛtaḥ — is so considered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Some calculate the existence of seventeen basic elements, namely the five gross elements, the five objects of perception, the five sensory organs, the mind, and the soul as the seventeenth element.

 

11.22.23

tadvat ṣoḍaśa-sańkhyāne

ātmaiva mana ucyate

bhūtendriyāṇi pañcaiva

mana ātmā trayodaśa

 

tadvat — similarly; ṣoḍaśa-sańkhyāne — in counting sixteen; ātmā — the soul; eva — indeed; manaḥ — as the mind; ucyate — is identified; bhūta — the five gross elements; indriyāṇi — the senses; pañca — five; eva — certainly; manaḥ — the mind; ātmā — the soul (both the individual soul and the Supersoul); trayodaśa — thirteen.

 

TRANSLATION

 

According to the calculation of sixteen elements, the only difference from the previous theory is that the soul is identified with the mind. If we think in terms of five physical elements, five senses, the mind, the individual soul and the Supreme Lord, there are thirteen elements.

 

11.22.24

ekādaśatva ātmāsau

mahā-bhūtendriyāṇi ca

aṣṭau prakṛtayaś caiva

puruṣaś ca navety atha

 

ekādaśatve — in the consideration of eleven; ātmā — the soul; asau — this; mahā-bhūta — the gross elements; indriyāṇi — the senses; ca — and; aṣṭau — eight; prakṛtayaḥ — natural elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego); ca — also; eva — certainly; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Lord; ca — and; nava — nine; iti — thus; atha — furthermore.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Counting eleven, there are the soul, the gross elements and the senses. Eight gross and subtle elements plus the Supreme Lord would make nine.

 

11.22.25

iti nānā-prasańkhyānaḿ

tattvānām ṛṣibhiḥ kṛtam

sarvaḿ nyāyyaḿ yuktimattvād

viduṣāḿ kim aśobhanam

 

iti — in these ways; nānā — various; prasańkhyānam — enumeration; tattvānām — of the elements; ṛṣibhiḥ — by the sages; kṛtam — has been done; sarvam — all this; nyāyyam — logical; yukti-mattvāt — because of the presentation of rational arguments; viduṣām — of those who are learned; kim — what; aśobhanam — lack of brilliance.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus great philosophers have analyzed the material elements in many different ways. All of their proposals are reasonable, since they are all presented with ample logic. Indeed, such philosophical brilliance is expected of the truly learned.

 

11.22.26

śrī-uddhava uvāca

prakṛtiḥ puruṣaś cobhau

yady apy ātma-vilakṣaṇau

anyonyāpāśrayāt kṛṣṇa

dṛśyate na bhidā tayoḥ

prakṛtau lakṣyate hy ātmā

prakṛtiś ca tathātmani

 

śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; prakṛtiḥ — nature; puruṣaḥ — the enjoyer, or living entity; ca — and; ubhau — both; yadi api — although; ātma — constitutionally; vilakṣaṇau — distinct; anyonya — mutual; apāśrayāt — because of shelter; kṛṣṇa — O Lord Kṛṣṇa; dṛśyate na — it does not appear; bhidā — any difference; tayoḥ — between them; prakṛtau — within nature; lakṣyate — is apparently seen; hi — indeed; ātmā — the soul; prakṛtiḥ — nature; ca — and; tathā — also; ātmani — in the soul.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Uddhava inquired: Although nature and the living entity are constitutionally distinct, O Lord Kṛṣṇa, there appears to be no difference between them, because they are found residing within one another. Thus the soul appears to be within nature and nature within the soul.

 

11.22.27

evaḿ me puṇḍarīkākṣa

mahāntaḿ saḿśayaḿ hṛdi

chettum arhasi sarva-jña

vacobhir naya-naipuṇaiḥ

 

evam — thus; me — my; puṇḍarīka-akṣa — O lotus-eyed Lord; mahāntam — great; saḿśayam — doubt; hṛdi — within my heart; chettum — cut; arhasi — You should please; sarva-jña — O omniscient one; vacobhiḥ — with Your words; naya — in reasoning; naipuṇaiḥ — very expert.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, O omniscient Lord, kindly cut this great doubt out of my heart with Your own words, which exhibit Your great skill in reasoning.

 

11.22.28

tvatto jñānaḿ hi jīvānāḿ

pramoṣas te 'tra śaktitaḥ

tvam eva hy ātma-māyāyā

gatiḿ vettha na cāparaḥ

 

tvattaḥ — from You; jñānam — knowledge; hi — indeed; jīvānām — of the living beings; pramoṣaḥ — stealing away; te — Your; atra — in this knowledge; śaktitaḥ — by the potency; tvam — You; eva — alone; hi — indeed; ātma — Your own; māyāyāḥ — of the illusory potency; gatim — the real nature; vettha — You know; na — not; ca — and; aparaḥ — any other person.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From You alone the knowledge of the living beings arises, and by Your potency that knowledge is stolen away. Indeed, no one but Yourself can understand the real nature of Your illusory potency.

 

11.22.29

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

prakṛtiḥ puruṣaś ceti

vikalpaḥ puruṣarṣabha

eṣa vaikārikaḥ sargo

guṇa-vyatikarātmakaḥ

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; prakṛtiḥ — nature; puruṣaḥ — the enjoyer, living entity; ca — and; iti — thus; vikalpaḥ — complete distinction; puruṣa-ṛṣabha — O best among men; eṣaḥ — this; vaikārikaḥ — subject to transformation; sargaḥ — creation; guṇa — of the modes of nature; vyatikara — the agitation; ātmakaḥ — based upon.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O best among men, material nature and its enjoyer are clearly distinct. This manifest creation undergoes constant transformation, being founded upon the agitation of the modes of nature.

 

11.22.30

mamāńga māyā guṇa-mayy anekadhā

vikalpa-buddhīś ca guṇair vidhatte

vaikārikas tri-vidho 'dhyātmam ekam

athādhidaivam adhibhūtam anyat

 

mama — My; ańga — My dear Uddhava; māyā — material energy; guṇa-mayī — consisting of the three modes; anekadhā — manifold; vikalpa — different manifestations; buddhīḥ — and perceptions of these differences; ca — and; guṇaiḥ — by the modes; vidhatte — establishes; vaikārikaḥ — the full-blown manifestation of transformations; tri-vidhaḥ — having three aspects; adhyātmam — called adhyātma; ekam — one; atha — and; adhidaivam — adhidaiva; adhibhūtam — adhibhūta; anyat — another.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Uddhava, My material energy, comprising three modes and acting through them, manifests the varieties of creation along with varieties of consciousness for perceiving them. The manifest result of material transformation is understood in three aspects: adhyātmic, adhidaivic and adhibhautic.

 

11.22.31

dṛg rūpam ārkaḿ vapur atra randhre

parasparaḿ sidhyati yaḥ svataḥ khe

ātmā yad eṣām aparo ya ādyaḥ

svayānubhūtyākhila-siddha-siddhiḥ

 

dṛk — the function of sight (as adhyātma); rūpam — visible form (as adhibhūta); ārkam — of the sun; vapuḥ — the partial image (as adhidaiva); atra — in this; randhre — aperture (of the eyeball); parasparam — mutually; sidhyati — cause the manifestation of each other; yaḥ — which; svataḥ — by its own power; khe — in the sky; ātmā — the Supersoul; yat — which; eṣām — of these (three features); aparaḥ — separate; yaḥ — who; ādyaḥ — the original cause; svayā — by His own; anubhūtyā — transcendental experience; akhila — of all; siddha — manifest phenomena; siddhiḥ — the source of manifestation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Sight, visible form and the reflected image of the sun within the aperture of the eye all work together to reveal one another. But the original sun standing in the sky is self-manifested. Similarly, the Supreme Soul, the original cause of all entities, who is thus separate from all of them, acts by the illumination of His own transcendental experience as the ultimate source of manifestation of all mutually manifesting objects.

 

11.22.32

evaḿ tvag-ādi śravaṇādi cakṣur

jihvādi nāsādi ca citta-yuktam

 

evam — in the same way; tvak-ādi — the skin, the sensation of touch and the demigod of the wind, Vāyu; śravaṇa-ādi — the ears, the sensation of sound and the demigods of the directions; cakṣuḥ — the eyes (described in the previous verse); jihvā-adi — the tongue, the sensation of taste and the god of water, Varuṇa; nāsa-ādi — the nose, the sensation of smell and the Aśvinī-kumāras; ca — also; citta-yuktam — along with consciousness (implying not only conditioned consciousness together with the object of that consciousness and the presiding Deity Vāsudeva, but also the mind together with the object of thought and the moon-god Candra, intelligence with the object of intelligence and Lord Brahmā, and false ego together with the identification of false ego and Lord Rudra).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Similarly, the sense organs, namely the skin, ears, eyes, tongue and nose — as well as the functions of the subtle body, namely conditioned consciousness, mind, intelligence and false ego — can all be analyzed in terms of the threefold distinction of sense, object of perception and presiding deity.

 

11.22.33

yo 'sau guṇa-kṣobha-kṛto vikāraḥ

pradhāna-mūlān mahataḥ prasūtaḥ

ahaḿ tri-vṛn moha-vikalpa-hetur

vaikārikas tāmasa aindriyaś ca

 

yaḥ asau — this; guṇa — of the modes of nature; kṣobha — by the agitation; kṛtaḥ — caused; vikāraḥ — transformation; pradhāna-mūlāt — which is generated from the pradhāna, the unmanifest form of the total material nature; mahataḥ — from the mahat-tattva; prasūtaḥ — generated; aham — false ego; tri-vṛt — in three phases; moha — of bewilderment; vikalpa — and material variety; hetuḥ — the cause; vaikārikaḥ — in the mode of goodness; tāmasaḥ — in the mode of ignorance; aindriyaḥ — in the mode of passion; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the three modes of nature are agitated, the resultant transformation appears as the element false ego in three phases — goodness, passion and ignorance. Generated from the mahat-tattva, which is itself produced from the unmanifest pradhāna, this false ego becomes the cause of all material illusion and duality.

 

11.22.34

ātmāparijñāna-mayo vivādo

hy astīti nāstīti bhidārtha-niṣṭhaḥ

vyartho 'pi naivoparameta puḿsāḿ

mattaḥ parāvṛtta-dhiyāḿ sva-lokāt

 

ātma — of the Supreme Soul; aparijñāna-mayaḥ — based on lack of full knowledge; vivādaḥ — speculative argument; hi — indeed; asti — (this world) is real; iti — thus saying; na asti — it is not real; iti — thus saying; bhidā — material differences; artha-niṣṭhaḥ — having as its focus of discussion; vyarthaḥ — worthless; api — although; na — does not; eva — certainly; uparameta — cease; puḿsām — for persons; mattaḥ — from Me; parāvṛtta — who have turned; dhiyām — their attention; sva-lokāt — who am nondifferent from them.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The speculative argument of philosophers — "This world is real," "No, it is not real" — is based upon incomplete knowledge of the Supreme Soul and is simply aimed at understanding material dualities. Although such argument is useless, persons who have turned their attention away from Me, their own true Self, are unable to give it up.

 

11.22.35-36

śrī-uddhava uvāca

tvattaḥ parāvṛtta-dhiyaḥ

sva-kṛtaiḥ karmabhiḥ prabho

uccāvacān yathā dehān

gṛhṇanti visṛjanti ca

 

tan mamākhyāhi govinda

durvibhāvyam anātmabhiḥ

na hy etat prāyaśo loke

vidvāḿsaḥ santi vañcitāḥ

 

śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; tvattaḥ — from You; parāvṛtta — diverted; dhiyaḥ — whose minds; sva-kṛtaiḥ — done by them; karmabhiḥ — by the fruitive activities; prabho — O supreme master; ucca-avacān — higher and lower; yathā — in which way; dehān — material bodies; gṛhṇanti — they accept; visṛjanti — give up; ca — and;

 

tat — that; mama — to me; ākhyāhi — please explain; govinda — O Govinda; durvibhāvyam — impossible to understand; anātmabhiḥ — by those who are not intelligent; na — not; hi — indeed; etat — about this; prāyaśaḥ — for the most part; loke — in this world; vidvāḿsaḥ — knowledgeable; santi — they are; vañcitāḥ — who are cheated (by material illusion).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Uddhava said: O supreme master, the intelligence of those dedicated to fruitive activities is certainly deviated from You. Please explain to me how such persons accept superior and inferior bodies by their materialistic activities and then give up such bodies. O Govinda, this topic is very difficult for foolish persons to understand. Being cheated by illusion in this world, they generally do not become aware of these facts.

 

11.22.37

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

manaḥ karma-mayaḿ ṇṝṇām

indriyaiḥ pañcabhir yutam

lokāl lokaḿ prayāty anya

ātmā tad anuvartate

 

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; manaḥ — the mind; karma-mayam — shaped by fruitive work; nṝṇām — of persons; indriyaiḥ — along with the senses; pañcabhiḥ — five; yutam — conjoined; lokāt — from one world; lokam — to another world; prayāti — travels; anyaḥ — separate; ātmā — the soul; tat — that mind; anuvartate — follows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa said: The material mind of men is shaped by the reactions of fruitive work. Along with the five senses, it travels from one material body to another. The spirit soul, although different from this mind, follows it.

 

11.22.38

dhyāyan mano 'nu viṣayān

dṛṣṭān vānuśrutān atha

udyat sīdat karma-tantraḿ

smṛtis tad anu śāmyati

 

dhyāyat — meditating; manaḥ — the mind; anu — regularly; viṣayān — on the sense objects; dṛṣṭān — seen; vā — or; anuśrutān — heard from Vedic authority; atha — subsequently; udyat — rising; sīdat — dissolving; karma-tantram — bound to the reactions of fruitive work; smṛtiḥ — remembrance; tat anu — after that; śāmyati — is destroyed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The mind, bound to the reactions of fruitive work, always meditates on the objects of the senses, both those that are seen in this world and those that are heard about from Vedic authority. Consequently, the mind appears to come into being and to suffer annihilation along with its objects of perception, and thus its ability to distinguish past and future is lost.

 

11.22.39

viṣayābhiniveśena

nātmānaḿ yat smaret punaḥ

jantor vai kasyacid dhetor

mṛtyur atyanta-vismṛtiḥ

 

viṣaya — in (new) objects of perception; abhiniveśena — because of absorption; na — not; ātmānam — his previous self; yat — the situation in which; smaret — remembers; punaḥ — any more; jantoḥ — of the living entity; vai — indeed; kasyacit hetoḥ — for any reason or other; mṛtyuḥ — known as death; atyanta — total; vismṛtiḥ — forgetfulness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the living entity passes from the present body to the next body, which is created by his own karma, he becomes absorbed in the pleasurable and painful sensations of the new body and completely forgets the experience of the previous body. This total forgetfulness of one's previous material identity, which comes about for one reason or another, is called death.

 

11.22.40

janma tv ātmatayā puḿsaḥ

sarva-bhāvena bhūri-da

viṣaya-svīkṛtiḿ prāhur

yathā svapna-manorathaḥ

 

janma — birth; tu — and; ātmatayā — by identification with oneself; puḿsaḥ — of a person; sarva-bhāvena — completely; bhūri-da — O most charitable Uddhava; viṣaya — of the body; svī-kṛtim — the acceptance; prāhuḥ — is called; yathā — just as; svapna — a dream; manaḥ-rathaḥ — or a mental fantasy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O most charitable Uddhava, what is called birth is simply a person's total identification with a new body. One accepts the new body just as one completely accepts the experience of a dream or a fantasy as reality.

 

11.22.41

svapnaḿ manorathaḿ cetthaḿ

prāktanaḿ na smaraty asau

tatra pūrvam ivātmānam

apūrvam cānupaśyati

 

svapnam — a dream; manaḥ-ratham — a daydream; ca — and; ittham — thus; prāktanam — previous; na smarati — does not remember; asau — he; tatra — in that (present body); pūrvam — the previous; iva — as if; ātmānam — himself; apūrvam — having no past; ca — and; anupaśyati — he views.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Just as a person experiencing a dream or daydream does not remember his previous dreams or daydreams, a person situated in his present body, although having existed prior to it, thinks that he has only recently come into being.

 

11.22.42

indriyāyana-sṛṣṭyedaḿ

trai-vidhyaḿ bhāti vastuni

bahir-antar-bhidā-hetur

jano 'saj-jana-kṛd yathā

 

indriya-ayana — by the resting place of the senses (the mind); sṛṣṭyā — because of the creation (of identification with a new body); idam — this; trai-vidhyam — threefold variety (of high, middle and low class); bhāti — appears; vastuni — in the reality (the soul); bahiḥ — external; antaḥ — and internal; bhidā — of the differences; hetuḥ — the cause; janaḥ — a person; asat-jana — of a bad person; kṛt — the progenitor; yathā — as.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because the mind, which is the resting place of the senses, has created the identification with a new body, the threefold material variety of high, middle and low class appears as if present within the reality of the soul. Thus the self creates external and internal duality, just as a man might give birth to a bad son.

 

11.22.43

nityadā hy ańga bhūtāni

bhavanti na bhavanti ca

kālenālakṣya-vegena

sūkṣmatvāt tan na dṛśyate

 

nityadā — constantly; hi — indeed; ańga — My dear Uddhava; bhūtāni — created bodies; bhavanti — come into being; na bhavanti — go out of being; ca — and; kālena — by time; alakṣya — imperceptible; vegena — whose speed; sūkṣmatvāt — because of being very subtle; tat — that; na dṛśyate — is not seen.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear Uddhava, material bodies are constantly undergoing creation and destruction by the force of time, whose swiftness is imperceptible. But because of the subtle nature of time, no one sees this.

 

11.22.44

yathārciṣāḿ srotasāḿ ca

phalānāḿ vā vanaspateḥ

tathaiva sarva-bhūtānāḿ

vayo-'vasthādayaḥ kṛtāḥ

 

yathā — as; arciṣām — of the flames of a candle; srotasām — of the currents of a river; ca — and; phalānām — of fruits; vā — or; vanaspateḥ — of a tree; tathā — thus; eva — certainly; sarva-bhūtānām — of all material bodies; vayaḥ — of different ages; avasthā — situations; ādayaḥ — and so on; kṛtāḥ — are created.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The different stages of transformation of all material bodies occur just like those of the flame of a candle, the current of a river, or the fruits of a tree.

 

11.22.45

so 'yaḿ dīpo 'rciṣāḿ yadvat

srotasāḿ tad idaḿ jalam

so 'yaḿ pumān iti nṛṇāḿ

mṛṣā gīr dhīr mṛṣāyuṣām

 

saḥ — this; ayam — the same; dīpaḥ — light; arciṣām — of the radiation of a lamp; yadvat — just as; srotasām — of the currents flowing in a river; tat — that; idam — the same; jalam — water; saḥ — this; ayam — the same; pumān — person; iti — thus; nṛṇām — of men; mṛṣā — false; gīḥ — statement; dhīḥ — thought; mṛṣā-āyuṣām — of those who are wasting their life.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although the illumination of a lamp consists of innumerable rays of light undergoing constant creation, transformation and destruction, a person with illusory intelligence who sees the light for a moment will speak falsely, saying, "This is the light of the lamp." As one observes a flowing river, ever-new water passes by and goes far away, yet a foolish person, observing one point in the river, falsely states, "This is the water of the river." Similarly, although the material body of a human being is constantly undergoing transformation, those who are simply wasting their lives falsely think and say that each particular stage of the body is the person's real identity.

 

11.22.46

mā svasya karma-bījena

jāyate so 'py ayaḿ pumān

mriyate vāmaro bhrāntyā

yathāgnir dāru-saḿyutaḥ

 

mā — does not; svasya — of the self; karma-bījena — by the seed of his activities; jāyate — take birth; saḥ — he; api — indeed; ayam — this; pumān — personality; mriyate — dies; vā — or; amaraḥ — immortal; bhrāntyā — because of illusion; yathā — as; agniḥ — fire; dāru — with wood; saḿyutaḥ — joined.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A person does not actually take birth out of the seed of past activities, nor, being immortal, does he die. By illusion the living being appears to be born and to die, just as fire in connection with firewood appears to begin and then cease to exist.

 

11.22.47

niṣeka-garbha-janmāni

bālya-kaumāra-yauvanam

vayo-madhyaḿ jarā mṛtyur

ity avasthās tanor nava

 

niṣeka — impregnation; garbha — gestation; janmāni — and birth; bālya — infancy; kaumāra — childhood; yauvanam — and youth; vayaḥ-madhyam — middle age; jarā — old age; mṛtyuḥ — death; iti — thus; avasthāḥ — ages; tanoḥ — of the body; nava — nine.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Impregnation, gestation, birth, infancy, childhood, youth, middle age, old age and death are the nine ages of the body.