CANTO 11:

General History
Chapter 1The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty
Chapter 2Mahrja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
Chapter 3Liberation from My and Karma Knowing and Worshiping the Lord
Chapter 4The Activities of Nara-Nryana and the other Avatras described
Chapter 5Nrada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva
Chapter 6Retirement on the Advise of Brahm and Uddhava Addressed in Private
Chapter 7Krishna Speaks about the Masters of the Avadhta and the Pigeon of Attachment
Chapter 8What One Learns from Nature and the Story of Pingal
Chapter 9Detachment from All that is Material
Chapter 10The Soul Free, the Soul Bound
Chapter 11Bondage and Liberation Explained and the Saintly Person His Devotional Service
Chapter 12The Confidential Secret Beyond Renunciation and Knowledge
Chapter 13The Hamsa-avatra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahm
Chapter 14The Devotional Coherence of the Methods and the Meditation on Vishnu
Chapter 15Mystical Perfection: the Siddhis
Chapter 16The Lord's Opulence
Chapter 17: TheVarns'rama System and the Boat of Bhakti: the Students and the Householders
Chapter 18The Varns'rama System: the Withdrawn and the Renounced
Chapter 19The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge
Chapter 20Triknda Yoga: Bhakti Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment
Chapter 21On Distinguishing between Good and Bad

Chapter 22Prakriti and Purusha: Nature and the Enjoyer

Chapter 23Forbearance: the Song of the Avant Brhmana
Chapter 24Analytic Knowledge, Snkhya, Summarized
Chapter 25The Three Modes of Nature and Beyond
Chapter 26The Song of Purrav
Chapter 27On Respecting the Form of God
Chapter 28Jna Yoga or the Denomination and the Real
Chapter 29Bhakti Yoga: the Most Auspicious way to Conquer Death
Chapter 30The Disappearance of the Yadu-dynasty
Chapter 31The Ascension of Lord Krishna

Chapter 1
The Curse Upon the Yadu Dynasty
(1) S'r S'uka said: 'After Lord Krishna surrounded by the Yadus together with Rma realized the
elimination of the Daityas and reduced the burden of the earth, rose very soon a conflict [between the
Kauravas and the Pndavas]. (2) The Supreme Lord who relieved the earth of her burden by killing all the
kings that assembled on opposite sides to fight, made the ones who time and again were driven mad by
the duplicitous gambling, the insults, the grabbing by the hair [of Draupad] and the other transgressions
of their enemies, the immediate cause [of the dynastic struggle, see also Yayti and 10.49 & 10.68]. (3)
After the Yadus under the protection of His own arms had eliminated the kings who with their royal armies
had burdened the world, thought the Unfathomable Lord to Himself: 'One may say that the burden of the
earth has been eliminated, but I don't think it's gone; with the Yadu dynasty itself is the intolerable alas
remaining [see also 4.16: 13]. (4) They who in every respect sought their refuge in Me were never
frustrated in the control they exercized, thus have they no defeat to fear from any other side. Therefore I'll
inspire a quarrel within the Yadu-dynasty like fire in a bamboo-grove and will I thus achieve [My purpose:]
My abode of peace [see also 3.3: 14 and 8.8: 37].'
(5) Thus having decided o King, withdrew the Controller, the Almighty One whose every desire comes to
pass, His family by means of a curse that was pronounced against them by the brahmins. (6-7) By His
own form, the beauty of all the worlds, delivering the eyes of men, by His words delivering the minds of all
who remembered them and by His feet delivering the [devotional] activities to them, demonstrated the
Lord, who thus had been of attraction and had attained His position, that to His opinion the people who
were ignorant, with the on earth spreading of His glories in the best of verses, very easily with [the
listening to and chanting of] them would attain their destination [see also 7.5: 23-24].'
(8) The King said: 'How could it happen that this curse against the Vrishnis was pronounced by the
brahmins? The Vrishnis who were fully absorbed in Krishna, were always charitable and respectful with

the learned ones and served the elders. (9) What motivated them to such a serious curse and what was
its nature, o purest of the twice-born? Please tell me how there, among those who shared the same soul
[of Krishna], could be this discord.'
(10) The son of Vysa said: 'Carrying a body that was the amalgamation of all things beautiful, on earth
performing the most auspicious activities and fully satisfied enjoying His life as He resided in His abode
[of Dvrak], wanted He, who was so greatly sung, to destroy His dynasty. That was the only thing left to
do. (11-12) After having performed favorable rituals to bestow piety, stayed the sages Vis'vmitra, Asita,
Kanva, Durvs, Bhrigu, Angir, Kas'yapa, Vmadeva, Atri, Vasishthha, along with Nrada and others,
[some day] in the house of the lord of the Yadus [Vasudeva]. Thereafter went they to Pindraka [a site of
pilgrimage] to the occasion of which the Lord bid them farewell, He, the Soul of Time about whom
chanting is so auspicious for the entire world because the impurities of Kali-yuga are taken away by it.
(13-15) There were they by the young boys of the Yadu dynasty in a game approached in which Smba
the son of Jmbavat [see also 10.68] had dressed up in woman's clothes. Taking hold of their feet asked
they, feigning humility, impudently: 'This black-eyed pregnant woman would like to have a son, o learned
ones. But she is too embarrassed to ask it herself. Therefore we ask you whether you, with your vision
that is never clouded, can tell whether she'll give birth to a son or not?'
(16) o King, the sages thus being tricked said angered to the boys: 'She will bear you, o fools, a mace
which will destroy the dynasty!'
(17) They, most terrified to hear that, hastily uncovered the belly of Smba wherein they indeed found a
club made of iron. (18) 'What have we done, what will the family say of us? What a bad luck!' Thus being
overwhelmed speaking took they the club and went they home. (19) With the beauty of their faces faded,
brought they the club to the king [Ugrasena] during a meeting of all the Yadus and told they what had
happened. (20) When they saw the club and heard about the infallible curse of the learned, o King, were
the inhabitants of Dvrak amazed and distraught with fear. (21) Having that club ground to bits threw
huka [Ugrasena], the Yadu king, the bits together with the remaining iron of the club into the water of the
ocean. (22) The lump was swallowed by some fish. The bits were from that place by the waves carried
away and washed ashore where they grew into sharp canes [called eraka]. (23) The fish in the ocean was
together with others caught in a net by a fisherman. The piece of iron contained in the fish's stomach was
fixed by a hunter [called Jar] on an arrow [as an arrowhead]. (24) The Supreme Lord very well knowing
the meaning of all that happened, didn't want to undo what had passed though and accepted, exhibiting
His form of Time, the curse of the brahmins.'

Chapter 2
Mahrja Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
(1) S'r S'uka said: 'Most eager to be of worship for Krishna, o best of the Kurus, dwelled Nrada
frequently in Dvrak, the capital protected by the arms of Govinda [see also 6.5: 43 & 10.69]. (2) Who
indeed who has senses and is faced with death coming from all sides, o King, wouldn't be of worship for
the lotusfeet of Mukunda who is so worshipable for even the best of the immortals? (3) One day said
Vasudeva the following to the deva-rishi who came over to his house and was respectfully greeted,
worshiped with paraphernalia and comfortably seated. (4) S'r Vasudeva said: 'O great lord, the visit of
your good self, of you who are there just as well for the misers as for all on the path of Uttamas'loka, is as
the visit of a good father because you appear for the benefit of all embodied souls. (5) What the gods do,
results in as well the misery as the happiness of the living beings, but what saints like you do who

accepted the Infallible One as their very soul, results in happiness only [see also 1.2: 25-26, 3.25: 21]. (6)
The gods who behave like one's shadow, care for their worshippers according the karma one has and the
obeisances one makes, but the saints are of mercy for the fallen souls [irrespective their actions. See also
B.G. 3: 12, 4: 12, 7: 20-23]. (7) O brahmin, [even though you maybe didn't think of instructing me,]
nevertheless do I ask you what would be the best thing to do in order to please the Supreme Lord. To
hear about Him with faith is for those who are destined to die the way to be freed from all fear [compare
10.2: 30-33]. (8) A long time ago [in a previous life], when I worshipped Ananta, the Lord Awarding
Liberation, desired I, bewildered by Hismy, to beget a child in this world and forgot I about my liberation
[see also 10.3: 32-45 and 4.1: 20]. (9) O you true to the vow, please instruct us therefore, so that we by
your mercy without much trouble may find liberation from this world that so full of dangers frightens us at
every step.'
(10) S'r S'uka said: 'O king, thus questioned by the intelligent Vasudeva was the deva-rishipleased to
speak to him because his qualities reminded him of the Lord. (11) S'r Nrada said: 'The question you
asked about the bhgavata-dharma is the correct one, o best of the Stvatas, for the entire universe is
purified by that dharma. (12) By hearing or talking about it, by meditating upon it, accepting it with
reverence or appreciating it when it is done by others, purifies this righteous respect of the truth
immediately even those who are averse to the gods and the entire world. (13) Today you brought to my
mind the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead Nryana [see also 10.87: 5] about whom chanting
and hearing one becomes supremely blissful and pious. (14) To shed light on this matter is often the
example related of the ancient history of a conversation between the sons of Rishabha and the king of
Videha who was a broad-minded soul. (15) The son of Svyambhuva Manu named Priyavrata had a son
named gndhra; from him there was Nbhi and his son is remembered as Rishabhadeva [see also 5.3].
(16) He appearing in this world with the desire to teach the process of attaining liberation, is considered a
plenary expansion of Vsudeva. Of Him there were one hundred sons who perfectly observed the Vedas.
(17) Of them was the eldest one, Bharata [see 5.7], completely devoted to Nryana. It is by his name
that this wonderful part of the world is honored with the name Bhrata-varsha [or India]. (18) When his
earthly pleasures ended and he consequently rejected a material life, left he his home behind and
achieved he in three consecutive births in worship of Lord Hari His destination by practicing austerities.
(19) Nine of his [Rishabha's] sons were fully sovereign masters over the nine separate areas [nava-dvpa]
of this subcontinent while eighty-one other sons were twice-born brahmins who opened the path of
[karma-knda] fruitive vedic sacrifices [see 5.2: 19-21]. (20-21) The nine remaining sons, Kavi, Havir,
Antarksha, Prabuddha, Pippalyana, virhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhjana were sages engaged
in explaining the Absolute Truth. Because of their scholarship in the science of spirituality were they
greatly motivated and wandered they around dressed by the wind only [naked]. (22) They [called
thenava-yogendras] wandering the earth saw the entire universe, consisting of the gross and the subtle,
as one and the same form of the Supreme Lord and as non-different from the Self [see also 1.5: 20 and
B.G. 13: 14 & 15: 7]. (23) Unimpeded moving at will go they wherever they like and travel they thus freely
the worlds of the godly, the perfected, the subjected, the heavenly singers, the treasure keepers, the
[common] humans, the ones of superpower and the serpentine and visit they the sages, the angels, the
ghostly followers of S'iva, the scientists, the twice-born ones and the cows. (24) Once in Ajanbha [name
of India before Bharata] arrived they during the soma-sacrifice of the great soul of Nimi [see also 9.13]
that was carried out to the wishes of the seers. (25) Seeing those pure devotees in their brilliance rivaling
the sun, o King, rose the performer of the sacrifice, the brahmins, everyone, nay even the fires, up in
respect. (26) The ruler of Videha [Nimi], recognizing them as devotees of Nryana glad about it seated
them and was of all the respect they deserved. (27) With humility bowing down to the nine of them who
were as resplendent in their lustre as the sons of Brahm [see 4.22: 6] proceeded the king, immersed in
transcendental rapture, to question them. (28) S'r Videha [Nimi] said: 'I consider you to be direct
associates of the Supreme Lord, the enemy of Madhu, as servants of Vishnu traveling around for the

sake of purifying all the worlds. (29) I think that to achieve the association of those dear to the Lord of
Vaikunthha is as difficult as it is for embodied beings to achieve a human body that any moment can be
lost [see also B.G. 8: 16 & 16: 19-20]. (30) Therefore I'm asking you, o sinless ones, what the supreme
good would be in this material ocean where for human beings to have but for a second the association of
the truthful is the greatest treasure. (31) Please speak about the science of devotional service as far as
we're able to follow your argument; satisfied by it will He, the Unborn Lord, even give Himself to the one
who took shelter.'
(32) S'r Nrada said: 'They, the greatest of the great thus by Nimi questioned, o Vasudeva, spoke on their
turn with reverence affectionately to the king in the company of the priests and the members of the
sacrificial assembly. (33) S'r Kavi said: 'In my view is by someone who in his intelligence is constantly
disturbed in this world because he takes the temporal [body] for the true self, the state of truly not having
to fear from any side found when he worships the lotus feet of the Infallible One, because all fear ceases
in that state [see 3.9: 6 and e.g. B.G. 2: 56, 2: 71, 4: 10, 12: 13-14]. (34) The proper means are discussed
by the Supreme Lord and known as thebhgavata dharma by which people wrestling with their
intelligence easily may realize the Supreme Soul. (35) A man accepting that o King, is never bewildered
and will never come to trip or fall in this, not even closing his eyes while running [see also the catuh-s'loki
of B.G. 10: 8-11 and verse 5: 17]. (36) Whatever one following one's own nature does with the body,
speech, mind, senses, intelligence or the purified consciousness, should all be offered to the Supreme
with the thought: 'This is for Nryana' ['nryanya iti', compare B.G. 3: 9 and 9: 27]. (37) For the ones
who led by the illusory energy and forgetful about God, turned away in falsely identifying themselves [with
the body] will fear rise because of one's being absorbed in matters second to the Lord. For that reason
should an intelligent person be fully and purely devoted to Him, the Lord and consider his spiritual master
as his Lord and Soul [see B.G. also 4: 34, 1.5: 12 and B.G. 7: 14, 15: 7]. (38) By the intelligence of the
dual experience may one, as in a dream, be seeing things manifest themselves or notice desires that are
unreal. For that reason should an intelligent person bring the mind under control that referring to material
activities is committed to positive and negative desires, and thus be fearless [see also B.G. 6: 35]. (39)
Hearing of the all-auspicious appearances and activities of Him with the Wheel in His Hand [see 1.9: 37]
Whose associated names are chanted in this world, should one singing without the material association
[of a wife, home and children], free and unashamed move in all directions. (40) Thus vowed develops one
by chanting His so very dear, holy name, the attachment of a mind dissolved in laughing and crying loudly
and in getting exited like a madman to which one dances and sings unconcerned about what others think
of it [*]. (41) Ether, air, fire, water, earth and the luminaries, all living beings, the directions, the trees and
other immovable beings, the rivers and oceans and whatever that might exist in the Supreme Lord's body
of creation, one should bow to considering nothing to be separate [**]. (42) Devotion, experiencing the
presence of the Supreme Lord and detachment from everything else, are the three [characteristics] at the
same time occurring with someone engaged in the process of taking shelter, about the way things are
with someone engaged in eating who experiences satisfaction with the nourishment and the reduction of
hunger. (43) For the devotee who thus is worshiping the feet of Acyuta will devotion, detachment and
knowledge of the Supreme Lord manifest, o king Nimi, whereupon he then directly will attain the
transcendental peace [see B.G. 2: 71].'
(44) The king said: 'Please tell me next about the devotee of the Fortunate One; what are his duties, what
is his nature, how does he behave among men, what does he say and by which symptoms is he dear to
the Lord?'
(45) S'r Havir said: 'He is the most advanced one of devotion to the Lord [an uttama adhikr] who sees
this Soul, this basic principle of all existence, in all forms of existence [of matter and spirit] nd at the
same time is able to be of devotional service to the Supreme Spirit Soul departing from the point of view

that all forms of existence are situated within the [gigantic universal body of the] Supreme Lord [see also
B.G. 6: 29 & 30]. (46) In the previous phase, on the middle platform, is he [the madhyama] of love for the
Supreme Lord, of friendship with persons of advancement, of mercy to the neophytes and disregards he
the envious ones [see also 4.24: 57, 7.9: 43, B.G. 4: 8 & 15: 7 and ***]. (47) He who in his worship for the
Lord faithfully engages with the deity [themrti] but is not that respectful towards the devotees nor towards
the people in general, is a materialistic devotee [aprkrita or a beginner, a kanishthha, see also B.G. 7: 20
and 3.29: 24-25 & 7.14: 40]. (48) He who in spite of the engagement of his senses with the objects of the
senses hates nor rejoices and sees this universe as the deluding material energy of Vishnu is indeed a
first-class devotee [see also B.G. 5: 3]. (49) He who by the birth, decay, hunger, fear and thirst of the
body, the life air, the mind and the intelligence is not bewildered, he who is not bewildered by the
inescapable features of a material life because he keeps the Lord in mind [see also 6.2: 14], is the
foremost devotee [see also B.G. 2: 56-57]. (50) In the mind of the one who dwells in Vsudeva only is
there no chance that the lust [see B.G. 3: 37-43] or the karmic craving for results [see also B.G. 6: 4] will
develop; such a one verily is a first class devotee. (51) He is dear to the Lord who is not attached in the
egotistical sentiment of a bodily concept of existence in the sense of being of a good birth, of meritorious
acts, a certain varns'rma status orientation or a certain faction or race [see B.G. 2: 71 & 12: 13-14]. (52)
He who is not of a dualistic mind of 'mine' and 'thine' about property and the body, someone who is equal
to and peaceful with all living beings, is truly the best of devotees [see B.G. 13: 28-31 & 14: 22-25]. (53)
He who not tempted by the opulence found in the three worlds, not even for a moment, half a second or a
split of a second, moves away from the lotusfeet of the Supreme Lord that are the refuge of the godly and
others for whom - undisturbed in their remembrance - the Unconquerable One is their very soul, is the
topmost Vaishnava [see also 18: 66]. (54) Again: how can of the toes of the feet of the Supreme Lord, the
feet of all those great heroic acts, how can of the moonshine of the jewel-like nails that takes away the
pain in the hearts, there for the ones who are of worship be any pain of importance? Can the burning heat
of the sun be of any effect when the moon has risen [see also 10.14: 58]? (55) He never leaves the heart
of the one whom one calls His foremost devotee, however accidentally that devotee directly called for Him
[by means of His names], He who, bound by the ropes of love, destroys the sins however much they
heaped up [see also B.G. 4: 36].'
Footnotes:
*: S'r Caitanya Mahprabhu also emphasized this by quoting: 'harer nma harer nma harer nmaiva kevalam kalau nsty eva nsty eva
nsty eva gatir anyath [Adi 17.21]':'In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual
progress but the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.' Also S'rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat Thhkura recommends to this
that one studies the following verse:'parivadatu jano yath tath v nanu mukharo na vayam vicraymah hari-rasa-madir-madtimatt bhuvi viluthhmo nathmo nirvis'mah': 'Let the garrulous populace say whatever they like; we shall pay them no regard. Thoroughly
maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating beverage of love for Krishna, we shall enjoy life running about, rolling on the ground and dancing
in ecstasy.' (Padyval 73) This is what defines Krishna-consiousness.
**: S'rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat Thhkura has warned us that if we do not see everything as a manifestation of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, we shall become victims ofphalgu-vairgya, or immature renunciation.
***: Theparampar adds here: 'S'rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat Thhkura has given a nice explanation of the difference between arcana and
bhajana. Arcanarefers to the platform of sdhana-bhakti, in which one serves the Lord to carry out the rules and regulations of the process.
One who has achieved the shelter of the Lord's holy name and is totally engaged in the attempt to serve the Lord should be considered to be
on the platform of bhajana, even though his external activities may sometimes be less strict than those of the neophyte engaged in arcana.
This apparent lack of strictness, however, refers to laxity not in the basic principles of sane behavior and renunciation of sense gratification,
but rather in the details of Vaishnava ceremonies.'
*4: Nimi, the King of Videha, asked, so helps us theparampar, the following nine questions of the nine Yogendras, the saintly sons of
Rishabha. (1) What is the highest good? (Chapter Two, verse 30); (2) What are the religious principles (dharma), natural proclivities
(svabhva), behavior (cra), speech (vkya) and outward symptoms (lakshana) of a bhgavata, a Vaishnava devotee of the Lord? (2.44);
(3) What is the external energy of Vishnu, the Supreme Lord? (3.1); (4) How can one become dissociated from this my? (3.17); (5) What is
the true identity of Brahman? (3.34); (6) What are the three types of karma, namely karma based on the enjoyment of the fruits of work,

karma offered to the Supreme Lord, and naishkarmya? (3.41); (7) What are the various pastimes of the various incarnations of God? (4.1);
(8) What is the aim or destination of one who is against the Supreme Lord and devoid of bhakti (in other words, a nondevotee)? (5.1); and (9)
What are the respective colors, forms and names of the fouryugvatras, the four incarnations of the Supreme Lord who appear in the four
ages, and what is the process of worshiping each of Them? (5.19).
The transcendental answers to these inquiries were given by the great devotees Kavi, Havir, Antarksha, Prabuddha, Pippalyana, virhotra,
Drumila, Camasa and Karabhjana. These nineparamahamsas answered the nine questions, each in turn, in the following verses: (1) 2.3343; (2) 2.45-55; (3) 3.3-16; (4) 3.18-33; (5) 3.35-40; (6) 3.43-55; (7) 4.2-23; (8) 5.2-18; and (9) 5.20-42.

Chapter 3
Liberation from My and Karma Knowing and Worshiping the Lord
(1) The honorable king [Nimi] said: 'My lords, please tell us about the Supreme Lord Vishnu His illusory
potency [or my, see also 11.2: 48], we wish to understand that what bewilders even the great mystics.
(2) Cherishing the nectar of your words about the topics of Hari, am I not yet satiated by that antidote for
the pain that torments a mortal experiencing the misery ofsamsra.'
(3) S'r Antarksha said: 'By the elements of the greater creation evolved [conditioned] the Soul of All
Creation the creatures high and low [see B.G. 13: 22 & 14: 18], o mighty armed one, so that for the
Original One His own [parts and parcels] there was the [choice of] accomplishing by sense-gratification
and by self-realization [see also 10.87: 2]. (4) Having entered the living beings that were thus created with
the help of the five gross elements and with having divided Himself as the one [witness, the spirit, the
mind] to the ten [senses of perception and action], gives He them a life with the modes. (5) The living
being, that enlivened by the Suprme Soul with the modes enjoys those modes, thinks that this created
body is the true self and that it is the master and thus becomes entangled [see also B.G. 15: 8, compare
11.2: 37]. (6) Because of the sense-motivated actions is the proprietor of the body because of his desires
engaged in different karmic - fruitive - actions and reaps he the different types of fruit therefrom. And thus
moves he through this world in as well a state of happiness as the contrary of it [see B.G. 2: 62]. (7) This
way by his karma reaching destinations that bring him a lot of things that are not so good, experiences the
living being till the end of time birth and death helplessly. (8) When the dissolution of the material
elements is at hand withdraws the [Lord in the form of] Time that is Without a Beginning or an End, the
manifest universe consisting of the gross objects and subtle modes [back] into the unmanifest [see also
3.29: 40-45, 3.26: 51]. (9) Most assuredly will there be a terrible drought on the earth lasting for a hundred
years during which the accumulated heat of the sun will seriously scorch the three worlds. (10) Beginning
from the lower regions [Ptla], will the fire from the mouth of Sankarshana with its flames driven by the
winds shooting upwards, burn all directions. (11) Great masses of clouds will rain for a hundred years with
torrents massive as elephant trunks and because of that will everything be inundated. (12) O King, like a
fire running out of fuel, will thereafter the universe, the Original Form of the Supreme Lord, be given up by
Him [in the form of Brahm] as He enters the subtle reality of the unseen [see also B.G. 8: 19, 3.32: 1215]. (13) The earth by the wind deprived of its aroma changes back into water and the water by the same
process deprived of its taste becomes fire [again, see *]. (14) Fire, by darkness deprived of its form,
inevitably turns into air and the air, losing its touch, dissolves into the ether. The ether by the Supreme
Soul of Time no longer being tangible then merges into the ego [of not-knowing]. (15) The senses, the
mind and the intelligence along with the gods [representing the emotions], o King, enter into the egoelement and the I-awareness along with all its guna-qualities merges into the Supreme Self [see also 3.6
and 3.26: 21-48]. (16) With us thus having described this illusory energy consisting of three qualities, this
agent of creation, maintenance and dissolution of the Supreme Lord, what more would you like to hear?'

(17) The honorable king said: 'O great sage, please tell how persons who are dull of intelligence with ease
may overcome this material energy of the Lord that is so unsurpassable to those who are not selfcontrolled.'
(18) S'r Prabuddha said: 'Looking at people who live as husband and wife should one understand that
their endeavoring to accomplish results in order to lessen the distress and to gain in happiness, leads to
opposite results. (19) What happiness would be gained by the unsteadiness of having a home, children,
relatives and domestic animals and with the hard to acquire wealth that one is in pain for but leads to the
death of the soul? (20) One should understand that the next world [heaven or 'a higher planet'] for which
one this way settles with one's fruitive action, cannot be sustained and is characterized by the resultant
[competitive] mutual destruction of equals, superiors and those who rank lower [B.G. 8: 16]. (21)
Therefore should someone eager to know about the highest good, take shelter of a spiritual master who
resides in the supreme tranquility of the Absolute Truth and is well versed in the brahminical word [see
e.g. 5.5: 10-13, 7.11: 13, 7.12: 1-16, 7.15: 25-26, 10.86: 57 & B.G. 4: 34]. (22) At his feet should one, with
the guru as one's soul and deity, learn to be of respect for thebhgavata dharma [or emancipation
process, see 11.2: 34] by which without deceit being faithfully of service the Supreme Soul, the Lord
bestowing His own Self, can be satisfied [**]. (23) On the basis of a mind that in every way is of
detachment should one properly, with mercy, friendship and reverence for all living beings, cultivate
association with the saintly and the saints [compare 11.2: 46]. (24) One should be of [inner and outer]
cleanliness, penance, tolerance and silence; scriptural study, simplicity, celibacy, nonviolence and of
equanimity when confronted with the duality [see also yama & niyama and B.G. 12: 13-20]. (25) In
solitude without a fixed residence, wearing old rags and satisfied with anything, should one with the
Controller constantly kept in mind, meditate upon the True Self that is Omnipresent [see also 2.2: 5, 7.13:
1-10]. (26) With faith in the scriptures that relate to the Supreme Lord and not blaspheming other
scriptures, should one with respect for the truth, being of strict control with the mind, one's speech and
one's activities, be of inner peace and sense control as well [see also B.G. 15: 15]. (27-28) Hearing,
chanting and meditating the pastimes and transcendental qualities of the Lord, of whose incarnations the
activities are all wonderful, must one do everything for His sake. Whatever worship one performs, of
whatever charity, penance, japa, piety, one is, including whatever one holds dear, one's wife, one's sons,
home and very life air, should one all dedicate to the Supreme [see also B.G. 9: 27]. (29) With rendering
service to both [the moving and nonmoving] must one be of friendship for as well the [normal] human
beings as for the ones who are of a saintly respect, for the purest souls, such as those who accept
Krishna as the Lord of their heart. (30) In mutual discussions, in being mutually attracted and pleasing
one another, is there thanks to the glories of the Lord, in the joint cessation of material activities, the
purification of [one's relation to] the soul [see also B.G. 3: 38]. (31) Remembering and reminding one
another is one by the bhakti unto the Lord who puts an end to the chain of sins, awakened and has one of
the devotion a body that is moved by ecstasy [see also 11.2: 40]. (32) Sometimes one cries by the
thought of Acyuta, sometimes one laughs, takes one great pleasure and speaks one, acts one
wondrously, dances and sings one and sometimes is one, after the example of the Unborn One getting
silent, freed from distress and attains one the Supreme [see also 10.35]. (33) Thus learning about the
bhgavata dharma and by the resulting bhakti completely being devoted to Nryana, crosses one easily
over themy that is so difficult to overcome [see also 1.1: 2].'
(34) The honorable king [Nimi] said: 'Please, all of you expert knowers of the spiritual, be so kind as to
describe to us the transcendental situation of the Supersoul of the Absolute Truth that is associated with
the name of Nryana [see also 1.2: 11].'
(35) S'r Pippalyana said: 'Please o King, know the Supreme [Personality of Godhead] to encompass the
following: the Causeless Cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of this universe, which in

wakefulness, in the dream state and in deep sleep, as well as external to these states exists and by which
the bodies, the senses, the life airs and the minds of each being separately are enlivened and acting. (36)
This can nor by the mind, by the faculties of speech, sight, intelligence, the life air or the senses be
covered, just as a fire cannot be covered by its own sparks. Not even the vedic word may express it. For
the Vedas deny that the Supreme Self can be expressed in words - that can only be achieved by indirect
expressions, words that refer to that without which the scriptural restrictions would have no ultimate
purpose [compare 10.87]. (37) In the beginning being One became the goodness, passion and ignorance
thereafter known as the threefold that associated with the power to act, the power of consciousness and
the I-awareness is called the individual living being [the jva]. That individuality assumed the forms of
spiritual knowledge [the gods], the actions [the senses] and the fruits [of good and bad results]. Thus
possessing great varieties of energy is it the Supreme alone beyond both the gross and the subtle that is
manifest [as the Absolute Truth or Brahman, see alsomahat-tattva, pradhna, 4.29: 79, B.G. 10: 42, 13:
13& 7: 14]. (38) This Soul, never born and never dying, grows nor decays; it is the knower of the times of
living of the living beings subjected to change, and that Soul, omnipresent and everlasting, is pure
consciousness the same way as the [one] life air [prna] within that by the power of the senses
manifested itself as being divided [see also B.G. 2: 23-30 and ***]. (39) [With beings] from eggs, from
embryos, from plants and from the indistinct of moisture [micro-organisms] accompanies the vital air the
individual soul [see also linga] from one [life form] to the other. The same way as the soul, apart from the
thought process invariably stays the same when remembrance restores from a deep sleep in which the
ego and the senses together had merged [see B.G. 2: 22]. (40) When one desires the feet of the One
With the Lotus-navel is the dirt of the heart, which sprouted from the fruitive action according the modes
of nature, cleansed away by the power of bhakti and is, when one is fully purified, directly the truth of the
soul realized, about the same way as one with the naked eye can see the sunshine [B.G. 2: 55 & 6: 20-23
andnyyika].'
(41) The honorable king said: 'Please explain to us the karma yoga by which being refined a person in
this life quickly gets rid of his fruitive actions and, freed from karmic reactions, enjoys the transcendental
[see also B.G. 1-6 or 3: 5]. (42) In front of my father [Ikshvku see also 9.6: 4] I asked the sages [the
Kumras] a similar question in the past, but the sons of Brahm didn't answer, please, for that reason,
speak about it.'
(43) S'r virhotra replied: 'Karma, akarma and vikarma are, because they originating from the Controller
not being worldly, are subject matter understood through the Vedas, something about which even the
great scholars are confused [see also B.G. 4: 16-17 and 4.29: 26-27]. (44) In covert terms do the Vedas,
offering guidance for the childlike human beings to be freed from their karma, indeed prescribe material
activities just as one prescribes a medicine [see also B.G. 3: 26, see 5.5: 17, 10.24: 17-18]. (45) The one,
who not having subdued his senses, ignorantly not performs what the Vedas prescribe, will, by his
irreligion defying the duty, achieve death time and again [see also B.G. 3: 8, 16: 23-24, 17: 5-6, 18: 7].
(46) Certainly will one, when one according to what the Vedas prescribe without attachment performs and
sacrifices for the sake of the Supreme Controller, achieve the perfection that, to raise the interest, is put in
terms of fruitive results [karma-knda & B.G. 4: 17-23]. (47) One who swiftly wants to cut through the knot
[of attachment] in the heart should worship Lord Kes'ava and as well study the divinity as described in the
supplementary vedic literatures [thetantra's, see also B.G. 12: 6-7]. (48) Having obtained the mercy [the
initiation] of the teacher of example who shows him what is handed down by tradition, should the devotee
be of worship for the Supreme Personality in the particular form he prefers [see also B.G. 3: 35, 7: 20].
(49) Clean in front of it seated controlling the breath and so on [seeashthnga-yoga] should he, purifying
the body with the in renunciation invoked protection, worship the Lord [assigning the different parts of his
body to Him by marking them with mantras, see also B.G. 5: 27-28 and 6.8: 4-6]. (50-51) With preparing
oneself in one's mind and heart with all available ingredients, with the deity and everything belonging to it,

the items to be offered, and with sprinkling the floor and the place to sit, should one, preparing the water
for the sacrifice, with a concentrated mind put the deity in its proper place having drawn sacred marks on
its heart and other parts and next be of worship with the appropriate mantra [4*]. (52-53) With the mantras
belonging to Him should one be of worship for each particular deity and its limbs, His special features [like
His cakra] and His associates [like the paca-tattva, see the S'is'umra-mantra or the Ambaris'a prayers
for the cakramentioned in 5.23: 8 and 9.5]. With all respect complementing the worship as enjoined with
water for its feet, scented water to welcome, fine clothing, ornaments, fragrances, necklaces, unbroken
barleycorns [meant for applying tilaka] and with garlands, incense, lamps and such offerings, should one
with reverence and prayer bow down to the Lord. (54) Absorbing oneself in that [as a servant and not
falsely identifying oneself] should one thus meditating fully be of worship for themrti of the Lord and,
taking the remnants on one's head, put Him respectfully back where He belongs. (55) He who thus
worships the Controller, the Supreme Soul, present in the fire, the sun, the water and so on, as also in the
guest and in one's own heart [see also 2.2: 8], becomes without delay liberated indeed.'
Footnotes:
*: When a quality is removed, becomes an element nondifferent from the element that evolved earlier in the evolution of the universe, it then
merges, changes, or dissolves into it. That is how the annihilation of the universe takes place.
** S'rla Rpa Gosvm formulated four preliminary requisites for advancement in this: '[1] Accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona
fide spiritual master, [2] becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning from him how to discharge the duties of devotional service,
[3] obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion, and [4] following in the footsteps of the greatcryas [teachers] under
the direction of the spiritual master.' (Bhakti-rasmrita-sindhu 1.2.74)
*** S'rla Madhvcrya here quotes, from the Moksha-dharma section of Vysadeva's Mahbhrata, the Lord saying:
aham hi jva-samjo vai
mayi jvah santanah
maivam tvaynumantavyam
dristho jvo mayeti ha
aham s'reyo vidhsymi
yathdhikram s'varah
'The living entity, known as jva, is not different from Me, for he is My expansion. Thus the living entity is eternal, as I am, and always exists
within Me. But you should not artificially think, 'Now I have seen the soul.' Rather, I, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will bestow this
benediction upon you when you are actually qualified.'
*4 Just as eachprkrita, impersonalist, materialistic devotee is worshiping the Lord in His form of Time with pragmatically perverted or
unleaped clocks and weekdivisions [see the Order of Time andkla for correcting on this] as the deity of preference with mantras like 'be on
time' and 'time is money', so does classical bhakti with the kanishthha or beginning personalist devotee more truthfully to the vedic authority
arrange for also the personal form of the Lord in the form of a deity worshiping with 'om namo bhagavate vsudevya' [4.8: 54], the Gyatr,
theor the Mahmantra of Lord Caitanya, and other mantras. In all these cases should be remembered what Vysa in 11.2: 47 says onmrtiworship in general.

Chapter 4
The Activities of Nara-Nryana and the other Avatras described
(1) The honorable king [Nimi] said: 'Please tell us of the activities of each of these self chosen
appearances, by which the Lord performed, is performing and will perform in this world [see also 2.7].'
(2) S'r Drumila said: 'Indeed, he who tries to enumerate the unlimited transcendental qualities of the
Unlimited One is certainly a person with the intelligence of a child; somehow may one in time count the

particles of dust of the earth, but not so the qualities of the Reservoir of all Potencies [see also 10.14: 7,
10.51: 38]. (3) When the Original Personality of Godhead Nryana entered His plenary expansion, the
from Himself generated body of the universe created out of the five material elements, became He thus
known as the Purusha [see also 1.3: 1]. (4) Within this elaborate three-world body of His are there from
His senses both the senses of action and perception of the embodied beings, is there from His nature the
spiritual knowledge and from His tradition strength and ability. He is the prime mover [the original doer
nd non-doer] who by the goodness and the other qualities is of creation, destruction and maintenance
[see B.G. 3: 27, 13: 30 and S.B. 6.17: 19, 3.26: 7, 3.27: 2, 3.32: 12-15, 10.46: 41, 10.83: 3]. (5) In the
beginning manifested He in the creation of this universe through the mode of passion the One
commanding the hundreds [of sages: Lord Brahm]; in the maintenance as the protector of dharma of the
twice-born He became Vishnu, the Lord of Sacrifice and for the annihilation in the mode of ignorance He
became Rudra [Lord S'iva]; thus is He the Original Person always of creation, maintenance and
destruction among the created beings [see also 2.10: 41-46, 4.29: 79, 4.30: 23].
(6) As Nara-Nryana, the best of sages perfectly of peace, was He born from Mrti the daughter of
Daksha and wife of Dharma [*]. Standing for the cessation of all material work did He, Who even lives
today and whose feet are being served by the greatest of sages, speak about and perform Himself the
work to be done [see B.G. 9: 27 and also 2.7: 6, 4.1: 49-57, 5.19: 9]. (7) Lord Indra afraid thinking 'He
wants to usurp my kingdom', engaged Cupid who going to Badariks'rama with his associates the
Apsaras, with his arrows, the glances of the women and the gentle breeze of spring, not knowing His
greatness, attempted to pierce Him. (8) The Original Godhead understanding the offense committed by
Indra, spoke free from pride laughingly to those who were trembling: 'Please fear not, o mighty Madana
[Lord of Love], o god of the wind and wives of the demigods, please accept these gifts from Us, do not
deny this s'rama your grace'.
(9) O god of men [Nimi], after He Who Brings Fearlessness had spoken this way, bowed the gods
ashamed to Him, begging with their heads down for compassion saying: 'O Almighty One, such a grace is
not so unusual with You, the Supreme One Unchanging to Whose feet in great numbers bow down the
ones sober and self-satisfied [see also 1.7: 10]. (10) For those who serve You to transcend their material
worlds of living and reach Your abode, are there many hindrances created by the enlightened souls [or
the demigods], but for the other type of devotee, the devotee who in sacrifices is offering and allots those
God-conscious ones their share, there is no such thing because he with You as his Protector with his foot
steps over the head that [with those gods] was formed by that obstacle [see also 9.4: * and 10.2: 33]. (11)
Some try to defeat the hunger, thirst and other physical conditions that with us in time by the seasons
might occur, by controlling their breath, tongue and sexual urges, but [because of that frustration] they fall
victim of anger and thus waste the benefit of their difficult austeristies. With their penance rendered
useless they are like people who crossed over limitless oceans just to drown in a calf's hoofprint [see B.G.
17: 5-6, 6.1: 16 and compare 5.8: 23 and 10.12: 12].'
(12) With them thus offering praise manifested He before their eyes [a host of] women most wonderful in
appearance, who all nicely decorated performed reverential service to the Almighty One [see also 2.7: 6].
(13) Seeing these women were the followers of the godly bewildered by the magnificence of their beauty
and fragrance which rivaled that of the goddess of fortune en were they defeated in their opulence. (14)
To those who bowed down before Him said the Lord of All Lords with a faint smile: 'Please choose any of
these ladies suitable as an ornament of heaven.'
(15) Vibrating 'om' to that, offered those servants of the demigods the Lord their obeisances and returned
they to heaven with placing Urvas', the best of the Apsaras, in front of them. (16) Bowing down to Lord

Indra in his assembly told they him, as the residents of the three heavens were listening, about the
strength of Nryana. He was perplexed. (17) Acyuta in the form of the [transcendental] swan speaking
about selfrealization, Datttreya, the Kumras and Rishabha, is the father, the Supreme Lord Vishnu who
for the welfare of the entire world by His expansions descends into this world [B.G. 14: 4]. By Him, the
killer of Madhu, were in His horse-incarnation [Hayagrva] the original texts of the Vedas brought back.
(18) In His fish-incarnation [Matsya] were Vaivasvata Manu [Satyavrata], the planet earth, and the herbs
protected; in His boar-incarnation [Varha] delivering the earth from the waters, was the demoniac son
[Hiranyksha] of Diti killed; as a tortoise [Kurma] He held the mountain when the nectar was being
churned upon His back and [as Vishnu] He freed the king of the elephants [Gajendra] who surrendered to
Him in his distress because of the crocodile. (19) He delivered from [a laughing] Indra the ascetic sages
[the Vlakhilyas] who offering prayers had fallen [into the water of a cow's hoofprint]; He delivered Indra
from the darkness of having killed Vritrsura; He delivered the wives of the demigods imprisoned in the
asura palace [by Bhaumsura]; as Nrisimhadeva He killed Hiranyakas'ipu, the asura king, in order to
bring the saintly devotees fearlessness. (20) For the sake of the God-fearing He killed the daitya leaders
in the battle between the gods and the demons [see 8.10], by His various appearances [the ams'aavatras] during the reign of each Manu He protects all the worlds and as Lord Vmana took He on the
pretext of charity the earth away from Bali to return her to the sons of Aditi. (21) As Lord Paras'urma rid
He the earth of the members of the ruling class and destroyed He as the fire that He descending from
Bhrigu was, twenty-seven times over the dynasty of Haihaya. As the husband of St [Rmacandra]
subdued He the ocean and killed He Ten-head [Rvana] along with the soldiers of Lank. When one tells
the stories about the glories of Him who is always victorious, is the contamination of the entire world
annihilated. (22) The Unborn Lord [as Krishna] taking His birth in the Yadu-dynasty, will, in order to
diminish the burden of the earth, perform deeds even difficult for the godly to perform; as [the Buddha] will
He by speculative arguments bewilder the ones unfit to perform the vedic sacrifices and at the end of Kaliyuga will He [as Lord Kalki] put an end to all the low-class rulers. (23) Of the so very glorious Lord of the
Living Being [the Lord of the Universe Jagads'vara] thus described, o mighty-armed one, there are
innumerable appearances and activities just like these.'
Footnote:
*: According to the Matsya Purna (3.10), Dharma, the father of Nara-Nryana Rishi, was born from the right breast of Brahm and later
married thirteen of the daughters of Prajpati Daksha.

Chapter 5
Nrada Concludes His Teachings to Vasudeva
(1) The honorable king [Nimi] said: 'O you perfect in the knowledge of the soul, what is the destination of
those who, as good as never worshiping the Supreme Personality of Hari [see also 11.3: *4], with their
lusts not at peace are out of control with themselves?'
(2) S'r Camasa said: 'From the face, arms, thighs and feet of the Original Person were by the modes of
nature [in different combinations *] the four spiritual orders [or s'ramas] and vocations [orvarnas] headed
by the brahmins generated [see also B.G. 4: 13]. (3) Any member of them who, not of worship, has a low
opinion of the Original Person who is the very best of their soul and the Supreme Controller, will, having
strayed from his position, fall down [see B.G. 16: 23]. (4) There are many people who are far removed
from the talks about the Destroyer [of the sin; the Lord] and never think of the glories of the Infallible One;
they, falling in the category of the women [compare 5.17: 15] and s'dras and such, are the ones
deserving the mercy of personalities like you. (5) Even then do also the intellectuals, the nobles and the

traders, who [by initiation] got access to the Lord His lotus feet, get bewildered in being committed to [all
kinds of] philosophies [see also 5.6: 11, B.G. 2: 42-43]. (6) Ignorant about the matters of karma do they
who factually lack in experience but arrogantly consider themselves very learned, enchanted by the
beauty of language express themselves in flattering entreaties [to the demigods] by which they get
bewildered [see also B.G. 9: 3]. (7) Full of passion and perverted in their desires are they angry like
snakes, deceitful and conceited and do they sinfully make fun of those dear to Acyuta. (8) As worshipers
of women they speak amongst each other in their homes encouraging and worshiping sex as the very
best thing; without any regard for the distribution of food and gifts in gratitude [to the spiritual leaders and
their following], think they of their own livelihood only and kill they, oblivious to the consequences, the
animals [see also B.G. 16]. (9) With their intelligence blinded by the pride based on their opulence,
special abilities, lineage, education, renunciation, beauty, strength and performance of rituals, do they
hard-hearted deride the saintly dear to the Lord, nor do they respect the Controller Himself [see also e.g.
1.8: 26, 4.2: 24, 4.31: 21, 5.1: 12, 7.15: 19, 8.22: 26 and also B.G. 2: 42-43]. (10) The Soul of the most
worshipable Controller who alike the ether is eternally situated in all embodied beings, is the Ultimate
Controller glorified by the Vedas, but the unintelligent don't take heed; they rather go on discussing the
topics of their whimsical pleasures. (11) The indulgence in sex and the consumption of meat and alcohol
one always finds in the conditioned living being and are verily by no command of scripture endorsed; what
in regard of these is prescribed for [respectively] the marriage, the sacrifice and the ritual use of wine, is
there to the end of their cessation [see also 1.17: 38-39]. (12) The only wealth that matters is to reap the
fruit of one's dharma [the righteousness with nature, the religiosity] from which there is the knowledge
combined with the wisdom and the subsequent liberation. But from ones family life has one no eye for the
insurmountable power of death over one's body [see also 3.30: 7, 7.6: 8, 4.29: 52-55 but also 4.22: 10].
(13) It is enjoined that wine should be taken by smelling it and that likewise an animal should be killed as
prescribed and not in wanton violence [with large-scale animal slaughter]; the same way is sexual
intercourse there for conquering [the urges of procreation, like with defecating] and not so much for the
sensual pleasure [B.G. 7: 11]; for this purest notion of one's proper duty, do they [the unintelligent] have
no understanding [see also 7.15]. (14) Those who have no knowledge of these facts and very unholy
presumptuously consider themselves saintly, do harm to innocently trusting animals; upon leaving their
bodies will those animals eat them [compare 5.26: 11-13 and 4.25: 7-8]. (15) Envying their own True Self,
their Lord and Controller living [in their own body and] in the bodies of others, do they, who in their
affection are fixed on their own mortal frame and all its relations, fall down. (16)Those who [thus] have not
achieved the emancipation [ofmoksha] but did transcend the gross foolishness, are dedicated to the three
goals of pious living [the ritual, an income and regulated desires], but are, not for a moment being of
reflection [working too hard], factually [on the way of] killing themselves [see also the purushrthas,10.2:
32]. (17) These murderers of their own self who miss the peace, in their ignorance think to know but do,
failing to perform their duty, suffer the destruction of all their hopes and dreams by time. (18) Those who
turned their face away from Vsudeva enter, as is arranged by the illusory energy of the Supreme Soul,
unwillingly the darkness leaving behind their homes, children, friends and wives.'
(19) The honorable king said: 'In what time did the Supreme Lord have what color and what form and by
what names and what processes is He worshiped; please speak about it in our presence.'
(20) S'r Karabhjana replied: 'In these [yugas] named Krita [or Satya], Tret, Dvpara and Kali is the
Lord, having different complexions [see also 10.26: 16], names and forms, similarly by various processes
worshiped. (21) In Satya-yuga is He white, has He four arms, matted locks, a tree bark garment, a black
deerskin, a sacred thread, aksha-seed prayer beads and carries He a rod and a waterpot. (22) The
human beings then are peaceful, free from envy, kind to all, equipoised and as well of austerity as of mind
and sense control in their worship of the Lord. (23) Thus is He variously celebrated as Hamsa ['the
Swan'], Suparna ['Beautiful Wings'], Vaikunthha ['the Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven'], Dharma ['the

Maintainer of the Religion'], Yoges'vara ['the Controller of the Yoga'], Amala ['the Immaculate One'], s'vara
['the Supreme Controller'], Purusha ['the Original Person'], Avyakta ['the One Unmanifest'] and
Paramtm ['the Supersoul']. (24) In Tret-yuga has He a red complexion, four arms, wears He three
belts [according the initiations for the first three varnas], has He golden locks and has He, as the
personification of the three Vedas, the sacrificial laddles [**] and such as His symbols. (25) In that time do
the human beings who as seekers of the Absolute Truth are fixed in their religiosity, worship Him, Hari, the
Godhead within all the Gods, with the rituals of sacrifice of the three Vedas [see also 1.16: 20]. (26) In
Tret-yuga the Lord is glorified by the names of Vishnu ['the All-pervading One'], Yaja ['the Lord of
Sacrifice'], Pris'nigarbha [the son of Pris'ni, 10.3: 32], Sarvadeva ['God of All Gods'], Urukrama ['He of
Transcendental Feats'], Vrishkapi [the Memorable One Rewarding Who Dispels the Distress'], Jayanta
['the All-victorious'] and Urugya ['the Most Glorified']. (27) In Dvpara-yuga is the Supreme Lord gray
blue, wears He yellow garments and carries He His implements [the disc, club, lotus and conch] together
with the bodily marks of the S'rvatsa and so on and His ornaments [like the peacock feather and the
Kaustubha gem]. (28) In that age, o King, do the mortals who want to gain knowledge of the Supreme
worship Him, the Original Personality playing the role of a great king, according the Vedas and tantra's
[like e.g. in 1.10: 16-18 and 10.4: 17-24 and ***] with the following mantra: (29-30) 'Our obeisances to
Sankarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and You, Vsudeva; You Nryana Rishi, the Original One and
Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Greater Soul, the Controller of the Creation, the Very Form of the
Universe and the True Self of all Living Beings [see catur-vyha].' (31) O King, thus they praise in
Dvpara-yuga the Lord of the Universe; please hear in which manner one in respect of the scriptural
regulations also is of worship in Kali-yuga [see also 7.9: 38]. (32) The intelligent [then] do worship [Him
who] with a bright [not-dark or golden] luster along with [His] associates, servitors, weapons and
attendants, by the sacrifice of mainly congregational chanting [is] praising [speaks, spreads or is colored
by] Krishna with: (33) 'O Supreme Personality let me praise Your lotus feet. I always meditate upon them
for they put an end to the humiliation we suffer as a consequence of the material influence. They, amply
rewarding the true desire of the soul, are the abode and the place of pilgrimage to which S'iva and
Brahm bow down. They, relieving the distress of Your servants, are the most worthy shelter, they are the
boat for the ocean of birth and death. (34) O Supreme Personality let me pay homage to the lotus feet of
You Who upon the words of a brahmin [like Akrra, S'r Advaita or John the Babtist], as the Most Religious
One abandoning the so hard to forsake opulence of S'r that is so anxiously desired by the godly, being of
mercy for the ones who are caught in animal nature, [as Rma, Krishna, the Buddha, as Jesus, as
Caitanya etc.] went to the distant land [India, the wilderness, the forest, the desert, into sannysa] in
pursuance of the object of Your desire [Your mission, Your dharma, Your presence as the Lord of the
devotees, 4*].' (35) O King, thus is the Supreme Lord Hari, the Controller of All Felicity, with His names
and forms as belonging to each yuga worshiped by the people of that age. (36) The faithful ones [of
spiritual progress] knowing of the value of the age of Kali praise it by pointing out that it's essence implies
that by [mere] congregational chanting [sankrtana] as good as all one's goals can be attained. (37)
Indeed, for the embodied wandering around in this universe, there is no greater gain than this [sankrtana]
from which one obtains the Supreme Peace and of which the cycle of birth and death is broken [see also
2.1: 11, 3.33: 7, 8.23: 16 and 8.23*]. (38-40) The inhabitants of Satya- and the other yugas, o King, want
to take birth in Kali-yuga because one in that time o great monarch, in various places finds the devotees
who are dedicated to Nryana. Especially finds one them in great numbers in the provinces of South
India. The human beings there who drink from the water of the rivers the Tmraparn, the Kritaml, the
Payasvin, the extremely pious Kver, the Mahnad and the Pratc, o lord of men, are mostly purehearted devotees of the Supreme Lord Vsudeva. (41) O King, a person who, giving up on the material
duties, in full surrender approached the shelter of Mukunda, the One Affording Shelter, is not the servant
nor the debtor of the gods, the sages, the ordinary living beings, of friends and relatives or of the
forefathers [see also B.G. 3: 9]. (42) From the one who fixed at His feet is engaged in worship and thus is
dear to Lord Hari, the Supreme Controller Who entered the heart the moment one gave up on other

engagements, are whatever irregularities that somehow occurred all removed [see 8.23: 16 and B.G. 9:
22, 9: 30, 18: 56].'
(43) S'r Nrada said: 'After he thus had heard about the science of devotional service felt the master of
Mithil satisfied indeed and offered he next together with the priests the sagacious sons of Jayant [the
Yogendras 5.4: 8] worship. (44) Next, with all present watching, disappeared the ones of perfection. The
king, faithfullyfollowing this dharma, achieved the supreme destination. (45) You [Vasudeva], o most
fortunate soul, will also, endowed with faith in these principles of devotional service that you heard of,
after having abandoned all material concerns, go to the Supreme. (46) The earth was fulfilled indeed by
the glories of the two of you being husband and wife, because the Supreme Lord, the Controller Hari
assumed the position of your son. (47) When you for Krishna proved your love of seeing, embracing and
conversing, taking rest, sitting and eating with Him as a son, have the hearts of the two of you become
purified. (48) Kings like S'is'upla, Paundraka and S'lva who in competition enviously related to His
movements, glances and so on, and thus meditating fixed their minds upon Him as they layed down, sat
etc., have achieved a position at the same level; what then may one expect from those who were
favorably minded [see mukti and also Jaya & Vijaya]? (49) Do not deign to impose upon Krishna, the
Supreme Soul and Controller of All, the idea that He would be your son; by the power of His illusory
potency He appeared as a normal human being in concealing His opulence as the Supreme One Infallible
[see also B.G. 4: 6]. (50) Of Him who descended in order to kill the asura members of the noble class who
burdened the earth and to award [the devotees] liberation, has the fame spread wide in the world [see
also B.G. 4: 7].'
(51) S'r S'uka said: 'Having heard this were the greatly fortunate Vasudeva and Devak most amazed and
gave they up the folly they had cherished. (52) He who one-pointed of attention meditates upon this
pious, historical account, will in this very life cleanse away the contamination and achieve spiritual
perfection.'
Footnotes:
*: With the Rik-samhit (8.4: 19), the S'ukla-yajur Veda (34: 11) and the Atharva Veda (19: 66) all saying 'The brhmanaappeared as His face,
the king as His arms, the vais'ya as His thighs, and the s'dra was born from His feet' are, according to S'rdhara Svm, the brahmins
considered to be born of the mode of goodness, the kshatriyasof a combination of goodness and passion, the vais'yas of a combination of
passion and ignorance and the s'dras of the mode of ignorance.
**: Mentioned here are the vikankata wooden sruk and the khadirawooden sruv that serves the sruk for pouring ghee into the fire.
***: Theparampar, as to remind us of the degradation of devotion through the yugas [see also 1.16: 20] elucidates: 'The inhabitants of
Satya-yuga were described ass'nth, nirvairh, suhridah andsamh, or peaceful, free from envy, the well-wishers of every living entity, and
fixed on the spiritual platform beyond the modes of material nature. Similarly the inhabitants of Tret-yuga were described as
dharmishthhh andbrahma-vdinah, or thoroughly religious, and expert followers of the Vedic injunctions. In the present verse, the
inhabitants of Dvpara-yuga are said to be simplyjijsavah, desiring to know the Absolute Truth. Otherwise they are described as martyh,
or subject to the weakness of mortal beings.' One after the other age is one thus worshiping by meditation, sacrifices, temple worship and
congregational chanting.
4*: Theparampar adds to this: 'Corroborating the explanation of this verse, the followers of Caitanya Mahprabhu also worship Him in His
six-armed form of shad-bhuja. Two arms carry the waterpot and danda of thesannys Caitanya Mahprabhu, two arms carry the flute of
Lord Krishna, and two arms carry the bow and arrow of S'r Rmacandra. This shad-bhuja form is the actual purport of this verse of the
S'rmad-Bhgavatam'.

Chapter 6
Retirement on the Advise of Brahm and Uddhava Addressed in Private

(1) S'r S'uka said: 'Then [after Nrada had left] did lord Brahm surrounded by his sons, the gods and the
lords of man, arrive [in Dvrak] together with Lord Bhava [S'iva], for all living beings the controller
favorable, who was accompanied by a host of ghostly beings. (2-4) Indra the powerful controller and his
gods [the maruts], the sons of Aditi, the good of clarity [the Vasus], the protectors of health [the As'vins],
the artists [the Ribhus], the descendants of Angir, the expansions of S'iva [the Rudras], the gods of the
intellect [the Vis'vedevas], and the gods of commerce [the Sdhyas], and other demigods; the singers and
dancing girls of heaven [Gandharvas and Apsaras], the ones of excel [the Ngas], the perfected [Siddhas]
and the venerable [Cranas], the treasure keepers [Guhyakas], the seers [the Rishis], the forefathers
[Pitas] as also the scientists [Vidydharas] and the ones of special talents [the Kinnaras] all together
arrived in Dvrak eager to see Krishna, the Supreme Lord who removes the impurities everywhere in the
universe and who with His transcendental form enchanting the entire human society spreads His fame
throughout all the worlds. (5) In that resplendent city rich with a great abundance saw they with their
hungry eyes Lord Krishna who is so wonderful to behold.
(6) With covering Him, the best of the Yadus, with flower garlands brought from the gardens of heaven
praised they Him, the Lord of the Living Being, expressing themselves in ideas and words of charm. (7)
The gods said: 'We with our intelligence, senses, vital air, mind and words bow down to Your lotus feet, o
Lord, which are meditated upon within the heart by those who united in the love of striving for liberation
from the powerful bondage to karmic reactions. (8) You, who by the material energy consisting of three
modes, protects and destroys the manifestation with the inconceivable of Yourself, are situated within the
modes of that material nature, but You are by these modes not entangled in karmic activities at all, o You
Unconquerable One, since You, the Unimpeded and Unimpeachable One, are always absorbed in Your
happiness [see also B.G. 3: 22]. (9) O Worshipable One, the purification of those persons who have a
contaminated consciousness is not as much brought about by incantations, respecting injunctions, study
of the scriptures, charity, penances and rituals, as by the faithful listening to the greatest of souls who
situated in goodness have fully matured in Your transcendental glories [see also 4.29: 36-38]. (10) May
there for us be the lotus feet, the fire that annihilates our inauspicious mentality and by the sages desiring
the real benefit is carried in their appeased hearts, the fire that by the truthful of self-control is carried for
gaining a likewise opulence; it is by worshiping three times a day Your forms [of soul, ego, mind and
intelligence, the catur-vyha] that one reaches beyond the heavens [see also 11.5: 34]. (11) They [Your
feet] are meditated upon by the ones who, having folded their hands, pour the ghee into the fire of
sacrifice in the [nirukta] process of understanding the three Vedas; they are meditated upon by the
yogapracticioners who, inquisitive about Your [yoga-]my, are united in the realization of the True Self
and [even more] perfectly are they worshiped by the elderly, exemplary devotees [seeuttama and 11.2:
45-47]. (12) S'r, Your Lordship's consort, is with our withered flower garland for You, o Almighty One, in
this feeling as challenged as a jealous co-wife because You accept our offering as being properly brought
[see also B.G. 9: 26]; may there always be the lotusfeet, the fire of the destruction of our impure desires!
(13) Your feet that like a flag decorating a flagpole with three mighty steps [defeat the possessiveness and
bring down the water of the Ganges] in each of the three worlds [see 8.20] create fear and fearlessness
among the Asuras and the godly their respective armies. For the saintly are they there for the attainment
of heaven and for the envious are they there for just the opposite, o Most Powerful One. May these feet, o
Supreme Lord, free us who worship You from our sins. (14) As oxen bound [by the rope] through the nose
do Brahm and all the other embodied beings have their existence, in which they being controlled by the
Time struggle with each other. May the lotus feet of You, the Supreme Personality in the beyond of both
the material nature nd the individual person, for us spread the transcendental fortune [compare 1.13: 42,
6.3: 12]. (15) You are the cause of this creation, maintenance and annihilation, the cause of the unseen,
the individual soul and the greater of the manifest reality. They say that You, this very same personality,
are the factor of time controlling all who appears as a threefold wheel, that You are the Supreme
Personality who in the form of Time uninterrupted in Your flow effects the diminution of everything [*]. (16)

The masculine [of Mah-Vishnu] that from You [as father Time] acquires the potent seed of this creation,
impregnates the greater of matter [mahat-tattva]. Therefrom generates He whose semen is never wasted,
joined with that same nature from the Self - just as an ordinary fetus is produced - the golden primeval
egg of the universe endowed with its [seven] outer layers [see kosha]. (17) With that are You of everything
mobile and stationary the original Controller, because You Yourself o Master of the Senses, in Your
activities are never affected by the objects of the senses that manifested because of the operating modes
of nature, while others, acting on their own account, live in fear because of them [see also B.G. 16: 2324]. (18) The sixteen thousand [of Your wives] were so enchanting the moments when they, showing their
feelings with their eyebrows, smiles and glances, launched the arrows of Cupid. But with their messages
and advances of conjugal love, were they by all their devices not able to perplex Your senses [see also
1.11: 36]. (19) The full rivers of Your nectarean topics and the rivers resulting from the bathing of Your feet
are able to destroy all contamination of the three worlds. Those who strive for purification and want to find
association approach [You therefore] in two ways, namely by making their ears listen to the stories offered
by the tradition and by bringing their bodies in contact with [the waters] that flow from Your feet.'
(20) The honorable son of Vysa [S'uka] said: 'Along with S'iva and the demigods thus praising Govinda,
the Lord, offered he who commands the hundreds [of sages, Brahm], from his position in the sky, his
obeisances. (21) S'r Brahm said: 'O Lord, we requested You previously to diminish the burden of the
earth. O Unlimited Soul, You have fulfilled that request the way we asked it. (22) Having established the
principles of dharma among the pious and among the seekers of truth is it indeed Your glory by You
spread in all directions, which removes the contamination of all the worlds. (23) Descending in the Yadu
dynasty have You, for the benefit of the universe assuming a form, with magnanimous deeds performed
incomparable activities. (24) O Lord, those saintly souls who in the age of Kali hear and chant about Your
activities, will easily cross over the darkness [see also 10.14]. (25) O Supreme Personality, since Your
descent in the Yadu-vams'a have one hundred and twenty-five autumns passed, o Master. (26-27) O You
Foundation of Everything, for You there is no longer an obligation to the godly, and the remaining part of
the dynasty has virtually been annihilated by this curse of the brahmins [see 11.1]. Therefore we ask You
whether You intend to leave for Your Supreme Abode and if You please want to continue with us, the
protectors of all worlds and their inhabitants, to protect the servants of Vaikunthha [of Lord Vishnu].'
(28) The Supreme Lord said: 'I understand what you've said, o controller of the demigods; in your favor
has all the work been done to remove the burden of the earth. (29) This very Yadu family has, because it
threatened to devour the entire world in having expanded in its power, courage and opulence, been
checked by Me just as an ocean is by its shore. (30) If I were to leave without withdrawing the vast
dynasty of overly proud Yadus, would for that reason the entire world be destroyed by this flood. (31)
Right now has because of the brahmins' curse the annihilation of the family begun. After that has taken
place will I, o sinless Brahm, pay a visit to your abode.'
(32) S'r S'uka said: 'Thus being addressed by the Lord of the World, fell the selfborn one down at His feet
to offer Him his obeisances together with the different gods and returned the godhead to his abode. (33)
Following, when the Supreme Lord observed the development of serious disturbances in the city of
Dvrak, spoke He to the assembled Yadu elders. (34) The Supreme Lord said: 'These indeed very great
disturbances appearing everywhere are a consequence of the curse that was expressed by the brahmins
against our family; it is impossible to counteract. (35) We should not stay here if we want to continue with
our lives, let's not delay and this very day go to Prabhsa, that so very pious place [**]. (36) The king of
the stars [the moon god] seized by consumption because of a curse of Daksha, once took a bath there
and was immediately freed from the reaction to his sin and resumed the waxing with his phases. (37-38)
When we also bathe over there to the satisfaction of the forefathers and offer different kinds of foodstuff to
the demigods and the venerable ones of learning and as well distribute gifts with our faith in them as

being suitable candidates for the charity, will we overcome the danger, just as one with boats crosses
over the ocean.'
(39) S'r S'uka said: 'O child of the Kurus, the Ydavas, who thus by the Fortunate One were instructed,
made up their minds and yoked their horses to their chariots to head for the holy site. (40-41) O King,
Uddhava [see also 3.2 and 10.46 & 47], who as an ever faithful follower of Krishna came to hear what by
the Lord was said, approached, in respect of the fearful evil omens [see also 1.14: 2-5], in private the Lord
of the lords of the entire living universe and adressed Him with folded hands bowing down his head at His
feet. (42) S'r Uddhava said: 'O Lord and God of Gods, o Master of Yoga, o Piety of Hearing and Singing,
withdrawing this family from this world, You say that, even though You as the all-pervading, benevolent
Controller are capable of revoking the curse of the brahmins, You're unable to do so! (43) I'm not even
capable to tolerate it but for half a moment to give up on Your lotusfeet, o Kes'ava; please take me along
to Your abode o Master [see also 3.29: 13]. (44) Your pastimes supremely auspicious, o Krishna, are
nectar to the human ear. Once they have the taste will people relinquish their desires for other things. (45)
How can we, who were always devoted to You when we were laying down, sitting, walking, standing,
bathing, recreating and eating and such, ever abandon You, our dear most Self? (46) Eating the food
remnants and adorned with the garlands, fragrances, garments and ornaments that You enjoyed, will we,
Your servants, for sure conquer the illusory energy. (47) The but in air clad sinless members of the
renounced order who as sages of strict observance keep their seed going upwards, go to the abode
known as Brahman [see rdhva retah and also 10.2: 32]. (48-49) We on the other hand, o Greatest of
Yogis, who in this world wander on the paths of fruitive labor will, along with Your devotees, cross beyond
the hard to conquer darkness by discussing the topics with which we remember and glorify Your deeds,
words, movements, broad smiles, glances and the amorous sports You have in imitation of the human
world.'
(50) S'r S'uka said: 'Thus being informed, o King, spoke the Supreme Lord, the son of Devak, privately
for a long time with His dear servant Uddhava.'
Footnotes:
*: Time in three can be regarded as the three types of seasons, summer winter and spring/autumn or as the three to the order, the cakra, of
the sun, moon and the stars or the past, the present and the future and as the time of nature, culture and the psychological experience [see
also tri-klika, 5.22: 2, time-quotes and B.G. 10: 30 & 33, 11: 32].
**: Prabhsa is a famous holy place located near the Veraval railway station, within the region of Junagarah. At the base of the same pippala
tree under which Lord Krishna was reported to have reposed there is now a temple. One mile away from the tree, on the seashore, is the Vraprabhajana Mathha, and it is said that from this point the hunter Jar fired the arrow which marked the end of His earthly presence [as
described in the last two chapters of this Canto].

Chapter 7
Krishna Speaks about the Masters of the Avadhta and the Pigeon of Attachment
(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'That what you said to Me, o greatly fortunate one [Uddhava], reflects My plan
[to withdraw the dynasty]; and therefore are Brahm, Bhava and the leaders of the worlds, looking
forward to see me back in My abode. (2) Certainly have I [in my earthly stay] in full performed My duty for
the sake of the God-conscious. It is for them that I descended along with my partial expansion [Balarma]
to the prayer of Lord Brahm. (3) This family finished by the curse will be destroyed in a mutual quarrel
and on the seventh day [from now] will the ocean inundate this city. (4) When I, o virtuous one, have
abandoned this world, will she be overcome by Kali and soon be bereft of all piety [see also 1.16 & 17].

(5) Be sure not to remain in this world once I've abondoned her, for in Kali's time will the people on earth
be enmeshed in sin My dearest. (6) You should factually forsaking all emotional ties, with your mind fully
fixed onMe, wander around in this world with an equal mind [see B.G. 6: 9, 6: 29, 14: 22-25]. (7) This
temporary world you think of, talk about, observe, hear and all that, you should recognize to be a deluding
game of shadows capturing your imagination [see also 10.40: 25]. (8) Someone who is not [spiritually]
connected is confounded by all the opinions about what would be right and wrong, favorable, unfavorable
and defiant and is thus innerly divided about good and evil [B.G. 4: 16]. (9) Consider therefore with your
senses under control and your mind connected, this world as an expanse within the Self and that Self as
situated in Me, the Lord Above. (10) With knowledge and wisdom fully endowed is one, satisfied within
oneself and of apprehension with the Soul that for everyone who is embodied is the object of affection,
never discouraged by setbacks. (11) Risen above the two of considering bad - and refraining from - what
is forbidden and considering good - and doing that - what's generally accepted, isn't one dancing to the
piper like an immature child. (12) When one to all one's fellow beings acts as a well-wisher firmly rooted in
peace, and one wisely knows the universe as being pervaded by Me, will one never ever be the one who
time and again tastes defeat.'
(13) S'r S'uka said: 'O King, after thus by the Supreme Lord having been instructed bowed the exalted
and fortunate Uddhava, eager to learn about the supreme principle, down to the Infallible One to offer his
respects. (14) S'r Uddhava said: 'O Lord of Yoga who unites us, o Soul who connects us, o Source of the
Mystical, to my advantage You spoke of renunciation the way it is known in sannysa. (15) This
renunciation is difficult to perform my Lord when one is dedicated to material pleasure and sense
gratification, especially when one is not devoted to You I think [compare B.G. 6: 33-34]. (16) I am with my
consciousness merged with the body and its relations as arranged by Your my and thus foolish of the
notion of 'I' and of 'mine'. Teach me therefore, so that Your dear servant may easily execute according the
process that You instruct. (17) Who else is there but You who are of the Truth and reveal Yourself for me
personally? What other speaker than my Lord, the Supreme Soul, does actually qualify? Not even among
the ones awakened do I see such a speaker. In their consciousness are all, up to the ones lead by
Brahm, embodied souls who, when they take the external for substantial, are bewildered by Yourmy.
(18) Therefore do I, who with my mind in renunciation am tormented in distress, appraoch You Nryana,
o Friend of Man for shelter, o You perfect, unlimited and omniscient Controller ever fresh in Your abode of
Vaikunthha.'
(19) The Supreme Lord said: 'Generally do humans who are well acquainted with the state of affairs in
this world deliver themselves with the help of their own intelligence from the inauspicious disposition [of a
wanton mind]. (20) In a way constitutes the intelligence the guru of a person because he with the help of
the intelligent self, or his soul, is able to benefit from his reasoning and direct perception. (21) And thus
can they who are wise because of their experience, in their reasoning with the [bhakti-]yoga in their
human existence, see Me clearly manifested in My full glory of being endowed with all My energies [see
also Kapila]. (22) There are many types of bodies created with one, two, three, four or more legs or with
none at all; of them is the human form the one most dear to Me [see also 3.29: 30, 6.4: 9]. (23) Situated in
such a body is one with one's faculties of perception, through apparent and indirectly ascertained
symptoms and with logical deductions directly looking for Me, the Supreme Controller beyond the grasp of
sense perception [see also 2.2: 35, 2.9: 36]. (24) Concerning this is cited an ancient story of a
conversation between an avadhta and the o so mighty king Yadu.
(25) Yadu, well versed in the dharma, once saw a young brahmin mendicant wandering around unafraid
of anything, and took the opportunity to ask him questions[see also 7.13]. (26) S'r Yadu said: 'How did
you acquire this extraordinary intelligence o brahmin? How can you, fully cognizant not being engaged in
any work, travel the world with the confidence of a child? (27) Normally are people who are religious, work

for an income, gratify their senses and pursue knowledge, endeavoring for the purpose of opulence, a
good name and a long life. (28) You however, capable, learned, experienced, handsome and eloquent as
you are, are not a doer; you do not desire a thing, like a stupefied, maddened, ghostly creature. (29)
Everyone is burning in the forest fire of lust and greed, but you, who to be free from the fire stand in the
Ganges like an elephant, do not burn at all. (30) Please o brahmin, disclose to us, who are asking you for
it, what the cause is of the inner happiness that you, living all by yourself, experience without any form of
material enjoyment.'
(31) The Supreme Lord said: 'This way being asked and honored by the greatly fortunate and intelligent
Yadu who out of respect for the brahminical humbly bowed his head, spoke the twice-born one. (32) The
honorable brahmin said: 'Rationally taking shelter of many spiritual masters o King, do I, having gained in
intelligence from them, now liberated wander around in this world. Please listen to their description. (3335) The earth, the air, the sky, the water, the fire, the moon; the sun, the pigeon, the python, the sea, the
moth, the honeybee; the elephant, the honey thief, the deer, the fish, the prostitute [Pingal], the osprey;
the child, the girl, the arrow-maker, the serpent, the spider and the wasp. These are my twenty-four
spiritual masters o King. From studying their actions have I in this life learned everything about the Self.
(36) Please listen o tiger among men as I explain to you, o son of Nhusha [or Yayti], what I so learned
from each of them separately.
(37) From the earth I learned the rule that he who is in knowledge should not deviate from the path and
keep steady, however harassed he is by his fellow living beings who in fact simply answer to what is
arranged by fate. (38) From the mountain [that is part of the earth] learns one always to be there for
others, that one must devote all one's actions to the service of others. To the example of a tree [see S'r
S'r S'ikshshthaka-3] to be dedicated to others is for a pious person the sole reason for his existence
[see also 10.22: 31-35 and B.G. 17: 20-22].
(39) A sage should be happy with the mere movement of his vital air and not so much seek his
satisfaction in things that please the senses. That way will his spiritual knowing not be lost and his mind
and speech not be distracted. (40) To the example of the wind should a yogi, relating to the objects of the
senses and their favorable and unfavorable qualities, as a transcendental soul not get entangled. (41) A
yogi may in this world live in earthly bodies and take upon himself their characteristic qualities, but he,
well aware of himself, does not get entangled in those qualities, just as the air doesn't with the different
odors.
(42) Similar to the ether that is present within the moving and nonmoving living beings, should a sage who
unattached - according the Supersoul that is present in all things - realizes that he himself is pure spirit,
meditate upon the expansiveness as being undivided and all-pervading [see also B.G. 2: 24, 3: 15, 6: 2930, 9: 6, 11: 17, 12: 3-4 and 13: 14]. (43) The same way as the realm of the ether is not touched by the
winds that blow the clouds, is a person [in his real self] not affected by the physical bodies consisting of
fire, water and earth that according the modes of nature are moved by Time.
(44) A sage, who by nature is a pure, softhearted, sweet and gentle place of pilgrimage for the human
beings, sanctifies, just as water does, the ones who gather [the friends], by showing himself to them and
by allowing a respectful touching and honoring of his person [see alsoskhya].
(45) Brilliant, glowing and immovable because of his austerity, is he who only eats when it is necessary
connected in the soul. Even when he eats everything [and thus goes beyond necessity] is the one austere
not contaminated, just as a fire isn't. (46) Sometimes [like a fire thus] concealed and sometimes manifest

devours he, being worshipable to those who desire the highest, the offerings that are brought from all
sides and burns he the misfortune of the past and the misfortune lying ahead [see also 10.81: 4 and B.G.
3: 14]. (47) By His own potency assuming the identity of each enters the Almighty One, just like fire
appearing in firewood, the different types of bodies of higher and lower life forms ['true' and 'untrue' ones,
god or animal].
(48) Enforced by the movements of Time that itself cannot be seen, changes the state of the body with
the phases of life from birth to death. But that does not affect the soul, just as the moon itself is not
affected by its phases [B.G. 2: 13, 2: 20]. (49) The way the soul(s) cannot be seen with the bodies that
constantly are born and die again like the flames of a fire, can also the Time itself not be seen, despite its
speeding, urging stream [*].
(50) A yogi accepting the sense objects renounces them at the right time [according thecakra order]. He
doesn't get entangled in them just as the sun doesn't when he with his rays enters the waters. (51) When
the sun seems to have fallen apart in his reflections doesn't one consider his original form as being
different. So too is the soul, that for the dull-minded appears to have fallen apart in reflections [of different
selves], not seen as different.
(52) One should never lose oneself in excessive affection or close association with anyone, because one
thus indulging will have to suffer great distress. One then lives by the day like a pigeon [see also 7.2: 5056]. (53) A certain pigeon once in the forest built its nest in a tree and dwelt there for some years with a
female companion. (54) As attached partners in their household were they with their hearts full of affection
tied together as by ropes, glance to glance, body to body and mind to mind. (55) Trusting each other as a
couple were they in the trees of the forest occupied with resting, sitting, walking, standing communicating,
playing, eating and so on. (56) Whatever she would like, o King, was what he, desiring to please her, tried
to fulfill. Not holding back in any way, catered he mercifully to her desires, even when it was difficult. (57)
The chaste she-pigeon got pregnant for the first time and delivered, in due course, in the nest the eggs in
the presence of her husband. (58) From them hatched at the appropriate time the little ones with the
tender limbs and feathers that were created by the inconceivable potencies of the Lord. (59) The couple
most happy nourished their progeny, to which they compassionately in rapture listened to the awkward
sounds of their chirping children. (60) Seeing the little ones happy with their fluffy wings, their endearing
chirping and their activities of jumping up to fly, filled the parents with joy. (61) With their hearts bound
together by affection nourished they completely bewildered by the illusory potency of Vishnu their
children, their offspring. (62) One day went the two heads of the family away for food for the children and
wandered they far most anxiously searching all around in the forest. (63) A certain hunter who happened
to pass through the forest saw the young moving about near their nest and caught them with a net he had
spread. (64) The he and she pigeon who were always eagerly engaged in the care of their children next
returned to the nest to bring them food. (65) When the female pigeon saw that the ones born from her, her
children, were trapped in the net, rushed she forward in utter distress crying out to them who were also
crying. (66) Bound by her affection unrelenting looking after the captured children, forgot she herself
being overwhelmed by themy of the Unborn One and was she also trapped in the net. (67) The
unfortunate male pigeon most wretchedly lamented over the capture of his children who were him more
dear than his life and his wife who was so much alike him: (68) 'Alas, just see how I, so unintelligent and
so little of merit, find my destruction. I failed to fulfill the threefold purpose [thepurushrthas] of life and
have thus ruined my family! (69) She who being suitable accepted me faithfully as her husband, has,
saintly having departed for heaven with her sons, left me behind with my home empty. (70) What now is
the purpose of my life with my wife and children dead and me wretched suffering a miserable life of
separation in the empty nest?' (71) With him distressed watching them indeed caught in the net in the grip
of death, fell, even he stunned failing in intelligence, also into the net. (72) The ruthless hunter having

achieved his purpose took the householder pigeon, the pigeon children and the pigeon wife with him and
set off for his home.
(73) A family man who [because of neglecting the civil virtues] dissatisfied with the soul takes pleasure in
material opposites, will suffer greatly together with his relatives, just like this bird that [without the
religiosity, the sense control and the economic arrangements] is so miserable in maintaining his family.
(74) The person who having achieved the human position, with the door of liberation wide open, in family
affairs is attached like this bird, may, to whatever height he reached, be considered fallen [see also 3.30,
3.32: 1-3, 4.28: 17, 5.26: 35, 7.14, 7.15: 38-39, 7.15: 67, 8.16: 9 and 10.69: 40].'
Footnote:
*: This analytic method, of in this case returning to the subject of the fire after having introduced the next subject of the moon, is
calledsimhvalokana, or 'the lion's glance', by which one simultaneously proceeds forward and casts backward glances to see if anything has
been overlooked.

Chapter 8
What One Learns from Nature and the Story of Pingal
(1) The honorable brahmin said: 'Since there is sensual happiness for as well those in heaven as for
those in hell o King, and because there for all the embodied beings is also the unhappiness [as a logical
consequence, reaction or shadow], should an intelligent person not desire such happiness [see B.G. 16:
16].
(2) As inactive as a python should one eat what is acquired accidentally, whether it is much or little,
tasteless or pure and delicious food [7.13: 37-38]. (3) Fasting for many days should one keep one's peace
and patiently wait when no food comes one's way, just like the python that eats what providence provides
[7.15: 15]. (4) When one as well physically as mentally being strong maintains the body without much
effort, is one peaceful and not sleepy. Even though one is capable of anything, should one [in that
situation refrain] from endeavoring.
(5) A sage pleasing and grave, unfathomable, unlimited and unsurpassable [in his knowing] most surely is
never disturbed like the calm waters of the ocean [see also B.G. 12: 15]. (6) Destitute or flourishing with
the desirable, does someone wise, with Nryana as the One Supreme, swell nor dry up, just like the
ocean with the rivers [B.G. 2: 70].
(7) Seeing a woman does he who didn't conquer his senses, tempted by that seductive illusory energy of
God, blindly fall down into the darkness, just like a moth falls into the fire. (8) Upon seeing the clothing,
golden ornaments and so on of the women the way it is arranged bym