Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 3 · Chapter 31
श्रीभगवानुवाच कर्मणा दैवनेत्रेण जन्तुर्देहोपपत्तये । स्त्रिया: प्रविष्ट उदरं पुंसो रेत:कणाश्रय: ॥ १ ॥
sri-bhagavan uvaca karmana daiva-netrena jantur dehopapattaye striyah pravista udaram pumso retah-kanasrayah
The Personality of Godhead said: Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter into the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body.
कललं त्वेकरात्रेण पञ्चरात्रेण बुद्बुदम् । दशाहेन तु कर्कन्धू: पेश्यण्डं वा तत: परम् ॥ २ ॥
kalalam tv eka-ratrena panca-ratrena budbudam dasahena tu karkandhuh pesy andam va tatah param
On the first night, the sperm and ovum mix, and on the fifth night the mixture ferments into a bubble. On the tenth night it develops into a form like a plum, and after that, it gradually turns into a lump of flesh or an egg, as the case may be.
मासेन तु शिरो द्वाभ्यां बाह्वङ्घ्र्याद्यङ्गविग्रह: । नखलोमास्थिचर्माणि लिङ्गच्छिद्रोद्भवस्त्रिभि: ॥ ३ ॥
masena tu siro dvabhyam bahv-anghry-ady-anga-vigrahah nakha-lomasthi-carmani linga-cchidrodbhavas tribhih
In the course of a month, a head is formed, and at the end of two months the hands, feet and other limbs take shape. By the end of three months, the nails, fingers, toes, body hair, bones and skin appear, as do the organ of generation and the other apertures in the body, namely the eyes, nostrils, ears, mouth and anus.
चतुर्भिर्धातव: सप्त पञ्चभि: क्षुत्तृडुद्भव: । षड्भिर्जरायुणा वीत: कुक्षौ भ्राम्यति दक्षिणे ॥ ४ ॥
caturbhir dhatavah sapta pancabhih ksut-trd-udbhavah sadbhir jarayuna vitah kuksau bhramyati daksine
Within four months from the date of conception, the seven essential ingredients of the body, namely chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen, come into existence. At the end of five months, hunger and thirst make themselves felt, and at the end of six months, the fetus, enclosed by the amnion, begins to move on the right side of the abdomen.
मातुर्जग्धान्नपानाद्यैरेधद्धातुरसम्मते । शेते विण्मूत्रयोर्गर्ते स जन्तुर्जन्तुसम्भवे ॥ ५ ॥
matur jagdhanna-panadyair edhad-dhatur asammate sete vin-mutrayor garte sa jantur jantu-sambhave
Deriving its nutrition from the food and drink taken by the mother, the fetus grows and remains in that abominable residence of stools and urine, which is the breeding place of all kinds of worms.
कृमिभि: क्षतसर्वाङ्ग: सौकुमार्यात्प्रतिक्षणम् । मूर्च्छामाप्नोत्युरुक्लेशस्तत्रत्यै: क्षुधितैर्मुहु: ॥ ६ ॥
krmibhih ksata-sarvangah saukumaryat pratiksanam murccham apnoty uru-klesas tatratyaih ksudhitair muhuh
Bitten again and again all over the body by the hungry worms in the abdomen itself, the child suffers terrible agony because of his tenderness. He thus becomes unconscious moment after moment because of the terrible condition.
कटुतीक्ष्णोष्णलवणरूक्षाम्लादिभिरुल्बणै: । मातृभुक्तैरुपस्पृष्ट: सर्वाङ्गोत्थितवेदन: ॥ ७ ॥
katu-tiksnosna-lavana- ruksamladibhir ulbanaih matr-bhuktair upasprstah sarvangotthita-vedanah
Owing to the mother’s eating bitter, pungent foodstuffs, or food which is too salty or too sour, the body of the child incessantly suffers pains which are almost intolerable.
उल्बेन संवृतस्तस्मिन्नन्त्रैश्च बहिरावृत: । आस्ते कृत्वा शिर: कुक्षौ भुग्नपृष्ठशिरोधर: ॥ ८ ॥
ulbena samvrtas tasminn antrais ca bahir avrtah aste krtva sirah kuksau bhugna-prstha-sirodharah
Placed within the amnion and covered outside by the intestines, the child remains lying on one side of the abdomen, his head turned towards his belly and his back and neck arched like a bow.
अकल्प: स्वाङ्गचेष्टायां शकुन्त इव पञ्जरे । तत्र लब्धस्मृतिर्दैवात्कर्म जन्मशतोद्भवम् । स्मरन्दीर्घमनुच्छ्वासं शर्म किं नाम विन्दते ॥ ९ ॥
akalpah svanga-cestayam sakunta iva panjare tatra labdha-smrtir daivat karma janma-satodbhavam smaran dirgham anucchvasam sarma kim nama vindate
The child thus remains just like a bird in a cage, without freedom of movement. At that time, if the child is fortunate, he can remember all the troubles of his past one hundred births, and he grieves wretchedly. What is the possibility of peace of mind in that condition?
आरभ्य सप्तमान्मासाल्लब्धबोधोऽपि वेपित: । नैकत्रास्ते सूतिवातैर्विष्ठाभूरिव सोदर: ॥ १० ॥
arabhya saptaman masal labdha-bodho ’pi vepitah naikatraste suti-vatair vistha-bhur iva sodarah
Thus endowed with the development of consciousness from the seventh month after his conception, the child is tossed downward by the airs that press the embryo during the weeks preceding delivery. Like the worms born of the same filthy abdominal cavity, he cannot remain in one place.
नाथमान ऋषिर्भीत: सप्तवध्रि: कृताञ्जलि: । स्तुवीत तं विक्लवया वाचा येनोदरेऽर्पित: ॥ ११ ॥
nathamana rsir bhitah sapta-vadhrih krtanjalih stuvita tam viklavaya vaca yenodare ’rpitah
The living entity in this frightful condition of life, bound by seven layers of material ingredients, prays with folded hands, appealing to the Lord, who has put him in that condition.
जन्तुरुवाच तस्योपसन्नमवितुं जगदिच्छयात्त- नानातनोर्भुवि चलच्चरणारविन्दम् । सोऽहं व्रजामि शरणं ह्यकुतोभयं मे येनेदृशी गतिरदर्श्यसतोऽनुरूपा ॥ १२ ॥
jantur uvaca tasyopasannam avitum jagad icchayatta- nana-tanor bhuvi calac-caranaravindam so ’ham vrajami saranam hy akuto-bhayam me yenedrsi gatir adarsy asato’nurupa
The human soul says: I take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in His various eternal forms and walks on the surface of the world. I take shelter of Him only, because He can give me relief from all fear and from Him I have received this condition of life, which is just befitting my impious activities.
यस्त्वत्र बद्ध इव कर्मभिरावृतात्मा भूतेन्द्रियाशयमयीमवलम्ब्य मायाम् । आस्ते विशुद्धमविकारमखण्डबोधम् आतप्यमानहृदयेऽवसितं नमामि ॥ १३ ॥
yas tv atra baddha iva karmabhir avrtatma bhutendriyasayamayim avalambya mayam aste visuddham avikaram akhanda-bodham atapyamana-hrdaye ’vasitam namami
I, the pure soul, appearing now bound by my activities, am lying in the womb of my mother by the arrangement of maya. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him who is also here with me but who is unaffected and changeless. He is unlimited, but He is perceived in the repentant heart. To Him I offer my respectful obeisances.
य: पञ्चभूतरचिते रहित: शरीरे च्छन्नोऽयथेन्द्रियगुणार्थचिदात्मकोऽहम् । तेनाविकुण्ठमहिमानमृषिं तमेनं वन्दे परं प्रकृतिपूरुषयो: पुमांसम् ॥ १४ ॥
yah panca-bhuta-racite rahitah sarire cchanno ’yathendriya-gunartha-cid-atmako ’ham tenavikuntha-mahimanam rsim tam enam vande param prakrti-purusayoh pumamsam
I am separated from the Supreme Lord because of my being in this material body, which is made of five elements, and therefore my qualities and senses are being misused, although I am essentially spiritual. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental to material nature and the living entities, because He is devoid of such a material body, and because He is always glorious in His spiritual qualities, I offer my obeisances unto Him.
यन्माययोरुगुणकर्मनिबन्धनेऽस्मिन् सांसारिके पथि चरंस्तदभिश्रमेण । नष्टस्मृति: पुनरयं प्रवृणीत लोकं युक्त्या कया महदनुग्रहमन्तरेण ॥ १५ ॥
yan-mayayoru-guna-karma-nibandhane ’smin samsarike pathi carams tad-abhisramena nasta-smrtih punar ayam pravrnita lokam yuktya kaya mahad-anugraham antarena
The human soul further prays: The living entity is put under the influence of material nature and continues a hard struggle for existence on the path of repeated birth and death. This conditional life is due to his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, without the Lord’s mercy, how can he again engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord?
ज्ञानं यदेतददधात्कतम: स देवस् त्रैकालिकं स्थिरचरेष्वनुवर्तितांश: । तं जीवकर्मपदवीमनुवर्तमानास् तापत्रयोपशमनाय वयं भजेम ॥ १६ ॥
jnanam yad etad adadhat katamah sa devas trai-kalikam sthira-caresv anuvartitamsah tam jiva-karma-padavim anuvartamanas tapa-trayopasamanaya vayam bhajema
No one other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as the localized Paramatma, the partial representation of the Lord, is directing all inanimate and animate objects. He is present in the three phases of time—past, present and future. Therefore, the conditioned soul is engaged in different activities by His direction, and in order to get free from the threefold miseries of this conditional life, we have to surrender unto Him only.
देह्यन्यदेहविवरे जठराग्निनासृग्- विण्मूत्रकूपपतितो भृशतप्तदेह: । इच्छन्नितो विवसितुं गणयन्स्वमासान् निर्वास्यते कृपणधीर्भगवन्कदा नु ॥ १७ ॥
dehy anya-deha-vivare jatharagninasrg- vin-mutra-kupa-patito bhrsa-tapta-dehah icchann ito vivasitum ganayan sva-masan nirvasyate krpana-dhir bhagavan kada nu
Fallen into a pool of blood, stool and urine within the abdomen of his mother, his own body scorched by the mother’s gastric fire, the embodied soul, anxious to get out, counts his months and prays, O my Lord, when shall I, a wretched soul, be released from this confinement
येनेदृशीं गतिमसौ दशमास्य ईश संग्राहित: पुरुदयेन भवादृशेन । स्वेनैव तुष्यतु कृतेन स दीननाथ: को नाम तत्प्रति विनाञ्जलिमस्य कुर्यात् ॥ १८ ॥
yenedrsim gatim asau dasa-masya isa sangrahitah puru-dayena bhavadrsena svenaiva tusyatu krtena sa dina-nathah ko nama tat-prati vinanjalim asya kuryat
My dear Lord, by Your causeless mercy I am awakened to consciousness, although I am only ten months old. For this causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the friend of all fallen souls, there is no way to express my gratitude but to pray with folded hands.
पश्यत्ययं धिषणया ननु सप्तवध्रि: शारीरके दमशरीर्यपर: स्वदेहे । यत्सृष्टयासं तमहं पुरुषं पुराणं पश्ये बहिर्हृदि च चैत्यमिव प्रतीतम् ॥ १९ ॥
pasyaty ayam dhisanaya nanu sapta-vadhrih sarirake dama-sariry aparah sva-dehe yat-srstayasam tam aham purusam puranam pasye bahir hrdi ca caityam iva pratitam
The living entity in another type of body sees only by instinct; he knows only the agreeable and disagreeable sense perceptions of that particular body. But I have a body in which I can control my senses and can understand my destination; therefore, I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whom I have been blessed with this body and by whose grace I can see Him within and without.
सोऽहं वसन्नपि विभो बहुदु:खवासं गर्भान्न निर्जिगमिषे बहिरन्धकूपे । यत्रोपयातमुपसर्पति देवमाया मिथ्या मतिर्यदनु संसृतिचक्रमेतत् ॥ २० ॥
so ’ham vasann api vibho bahu-duhkha-vasam garbhan na nirjigamise bahir andha-kupe yatropayatam upasarpati deva-maya mithya matir yad-anu samsrti-cakram etat
Therefore, my Lord, although I am living in a terrible condition, I do not wish to depart from my mother’s abdomen to fall again into the blind well of materialistic life. Your external energy, called deva-maya, at once captures the newly born child, and immediately false identification, which is the beginning of the cycle of continual birth and death, begins.
तस्मादहं विगतविक्लव उद्धरिष्य आत्मानमाशु तमस: सुहृदात्मनैव । भूयो यथा व्यसनमेतदनेकरन्ध्रं मा मे भविष्यदुपसादितविष्णुपाद: ॥ २१ ॥
tasmad aham vigata-viklava uddharisya atmanam asu tamasah suhrdatmanaiva bhuyo yatha vyasanam etad aneka-randhram ma me bhavisyad upasadita-visnu-padah
Therefore, without being agitated any more, I shall deliver myself from the darkness of nescience with the help of my friend, clear consciousness. Simply by keeping the lotus feet of Lord Visnu in my mind, I shall be saved from entering into the wombs of many mothers for repeated birth and death.
कपिल उवाच एवं कृतमतिर्गर्भे दशमास्य: स्तुवन्नृषि: । सद्य: क्षिपत्यवाचीनं प्रसूत्यै सूतिमारुत: ॥ २२ ॥
kapila uvaca evam krta-matir garbhe dasa-masyah stuvann rsih sadyah ksipaty avacinam prasutyai suti-marutah
Lord Kapila continued: The ten-month-old living entity has these desires even while in the womb. But while he thus extols the Lord, the wind that helps parturition propels him forth with his face turned downward so that he may be born.
तेनावसृष्ट: सहसा कृत्वावाक्शिर आतुर: । विनिष्क्रामति कृच्छ्रेण निरुच्छ्वासो हतस्मृति: ॥ २३ ॥
tenavasrstah sahasa krtvavak sira aturah viniskramati krcchrena nirucchvaso hata-smrtih
Pushed downward all of a sudden by the wind, the child comes out with great trouble, head downward, breathless and deprived of memory due to severe agony.
पतितो भुव्यसृङ्मिश्र: विष्ठाभूरिव चेष्टते । रोरूयति गते ज्ञाने विपरीतां गतिं गत: ॥ २४ ॥
patito bhuvy asrn-misrah vistha-bhur iva cestate roruyati gate jnane viparitam gatim gatah
The child thus falls on the ground, smeared with stool and blood, and plays just like a worm germinated from the stool. He loses his superior knowledge and cries under the spell of maya.
परच्छन्दं न विदुषा पुष्यमाणो जनेन स: । अनभिप्रेतमापन्न: प्रत्याख्यातुमनीश्वर: ॥ २५ ॥
para-cchandam na vidusa pusyamano janena sah anabhipretam apannah pratyakhyatum anisvarah
After coming out of the abdomen, the child is given to the care of persons who are unable to understand what he wants, and thus he is nursed by such persons. Unable to refuse whatever is given to him, he falls into undesirable circumstances.
शायितोऽशुचिपर्यङ्के जन्तु: स्वेदज-दूषिते । नेश: कण्डूयनेऽङ्गानामासनोत्थानचेष्टने ॥ २६ ॥
sayito ’suci-paryanke jantuh svedaja-dusite nesah kanduyane ’nganam asanotthana-cestane
Laid down on a foul bed infested with sweat and germs, the poor child is incapable of scratching his body to get relief from his itching sensation to say nothing of sitting up, standing or even moving.
तुदन्त्यामत्वचं दंशा मशका मत्कुणादय: । रुदन्तं विगतज्ञानं कृमय: कृमिकं यथा ॥ २७ ॥
tudanty ama-tvacam damsa masaka matkunadayah rudantam vigata-jnanam krmayah krmikam yatha
In his helpless condition, gnats, mosquitoes, bugs and other germs bite the baby, whose skin is tender, just as smaller worms bite a big worm. The child, deprived of his wisdom, cries bitterly.
इत्येवं शैशवं भुक्त्वा दु:खं पौगण्डमेव च । अलब्धाभीप्सितोऽज्ञानादिद्धमन्यु: शुचार्पित: ॥ २८ ॥
ity evam saisavam bhuktva duhkham paugandam eva ca alabdhabhipsito ’jnanad iddha-manyuh sucarpitah
In this way, the child passes through his childhood, suffering different kinds of distress, and attains boyhood. In boyhood also he suffers pain over desires to get things he can never achieve. And thus, due to ignorance, he becomes angry and sorry.
सह देहेन मानेन वर्धमानेन मन्युना । करोति विग्रहं कामी कामिष्वन्ताय चात्मन: ॥ २९ ॥
saha dehena manena vardhamanena manyuna karoti vigraham kami kamisv antaya catmanah
With the growth of the body, the living entity, in order to vanquish his soul, increases his false prestige and anger and thereby creates enmity towards similarly lusty people.
भूतै: पञ्चभिरारब्धे देहे देह्यबुधोऽसकृत् । अहंममेत्यसद्ग्राह: करोति कुमतिर्मतिम् ॥ ३० ॥
bhutaih pancabhir arabdhe dehe dehy abudho ’sakrt aham mamety asad-grahah karoti kumatir matim
By such ignorance the living entity accepts the material body, which is made of five elements, as himself. With this misunderstanding, he accepts nonpermanent things as his own and increases his ignorance in the darkest region.
तदर्थं कुरुते कर्म यद्बद्धो याति संसृतिम् । योऽनुयाति ददत्क्लेशमविद्याकर्मबन्धन: ॥ ३१ ॥
tad-artham kurute karma yad-baddho yati samsrtim yo ’nuyati dadat klesam avidya-karma-bandhanah
For the sake of the body, which is a source of constant trouble to him and which follows him because he is bound by ties of ignorance and fruitive activities, he performs various actions which cause him to be subjected to repeated birth and death.
यद्यसद्भि: पथि पुन: शिश्नोदरकृतोद्यमै: । आस्थितो रमते जन्तुस्तमो विशति पूर्ववत् ॥ ३२ ॥
yady asadbhih pathi punah sisnodara-krtodyamaih asthito ramate jantus tamo visati purvavat
If, therefore, the living entity again associates with the path of unrighteousness, influenced by sensually minded people engaged in the pursuit of sexual enjoyment and the gratification of the palate, he again goes to hell as before.
सत्यं शौचं दया मौनं बुद्धि: श्रीर्ह्रीर्यश: क्षमा । शमो दमो भगश्चेति यत्सङ्गाद्याति सङ्क्षयम् ॥ ३३ ॥
satyam saucam daya maunam buddhih srir hrir yasah ksama samo damo bhagas ceti yat-sangad yati sanksayam
He becomes devoid of truthfulness, cleanliness, mercy, gravity, spiritual intelligence, shyness, austerity, fame, forgiveness, control of the mind, control of the senses, fortune and all such opportunities.
तेष्वशान्तेषु मूढेषु खण्डितात्मस्वसाधुषु । सङ्गं न कुर्याच्छोच्येषु योषित्क्रीडामृगेषु च ॥ ३४ ॥
tesv asantesu mudhesu khanditatmasv asadhusu sangam na kuryac chocyesu yosit-krida-mrgesu ca
One should not associate with a coarse fool who is bereft of the knowledge of self-realization and who is no more than a dancing dog in the hands of a woman.
न तथास्य भवेन्मोहो बन्धश्चान्यप्रसङ्गत: । योषित्सङ्गाद्यथा पुंसो यथा तत्सङ्गिसङ्गत: ॥ ३५ ॥
na tathasya bhaven moho bandhas canya-prasangatah yosit-sangad yatha pumso yatha tat-sangi-sangatah
The infatuation and bondage which accrue to a man from attachment to any other object is not as complete as that resulting from attachment to a woman or to the fellowship of men who are fond of women.
प्रजापति: स्वां दुहितरं दृष्ट्वा तद्रूपधर्षित: । रोहिद्भूतां सोऽन्वधावदृक्षरूपी हतत्रप: ॥ ३६ ॥
prajapatih svam duhitaram drstva tad-rupa-dharsitah rohid-bhutam so ’nvadhavad rksa-rupi hata-trapah
At the sight of his own daughter, Brahma was bewildered by her charms and shamelessly ran up to her in the form of a stag when she took the form of a hind.
तत्सृष्टसृष्टसृष्टेषु को न्वखण्डितधी: पुमान् । ऋषिं नारायणमृते योषिन्मय्येह मायया ॥ ३७ ॥
tat-srsta-srsta-srstesu ko nv akhandita-dhih puman rsim narayanam rte yosin-mayyeha mayaya
Amongst all kinds of living entities begotten by Brahma, namely men, demigods and animals, none but the sage Narayana is immune to the attraction of maya in the form of woman.
बलं मे पश्य मायाया: स्त्रीमय्या जयिनो दिशाम् । या करोति पदाक्रान्तान्भ्रूविजृम्भेण केवलम् ॥ ३८ ॥
balam me pasya mayayah stri-mayya jayino disam ya karoti padakrantan bhruvi-jrmbhena kevalam
Just try to understand the mighty strength of My maya in the shape of woman, who by the mere movement of her eyebrows can keep even the greatest conquerors of the world under her grip.
सङ्गं न कुर्यात्प्रमदासु जातु योगस्य पारं परमारुरुक्षु: । मत्सेवया प्रतिलब्धात्मलाभो वदन्ति या निरयद्वारमस्य ॥ ३९ ॥
sangam na kuryat pramadasu jatu yogasya param param aruruksuh mat-sevaya pratilabdhatma-labho vadanti ya niraya-dvaram asya
One who aspires to reach the culmination of yoga and has realized his self by rendering service unto Me should never associate with an attractive woman, for such a woman is declared in the scripture to be the gateway to hell for the advancing devotee.
योपयाति शनैर्माया योषिद्देवविनिर्मिता । तामीक्षेतात्मनो मृत्युं तृणै: कूपमिवावृतम् ॥ ४० ॥
yopayati sanair maya yosid deva-vinirmita tam iksetatmano mrtyum trnaih kupam ivavrtam
The woman, created by the Lord, is the representation of maya, and one who associates with such maya by accepting services must certainly know that this is the way of death, just like a blind well covered with grass.
यां मन्यते पतिं मोहान्मन्मायामृषभायतीम् । स्त्रीत्वं स्त्रीसङ्गत: प्राप्तो वित्तापत्यगृहप्रदम् ॥ ४१ ॥
yam manyate patim mohan man-mayam rsabhayatim stritvam stri-sangatah prapto vittapatya-grha-pradam
A living entity who, as a result of attachment to a woman in his previous life, has been endowed with the form of a woman, foolishly looks upon maya in the form of a man, her husband, as the bestower of wealth, progeny, house and other material assets.
तामात्मनो विजानीयात्पत्यपत्यगृहात्मकम् । दैवोपसादितं मृत्युं मृगयोर्गायनं यथा ॥ ४२ ॥
tam atmano vijaniyat paty-apatya-grhatmakam daivopasaditam mrtyum mrgayor gayanam yatha
A woman, therefore, should consider her husband, her house and her children to be the arrangement of the external energy of the Lord for her death, just as the sweet singing of the hunter is death for the deer.
देहेन जीवभूतेन लोकाल्लोकमनुव्रजन् । भुञ्जान एव कर्माणि करोत्यविरतं पुमान् ॥ ४३ ॥
dehena jiva-bhutena lokal lokam anuvrajan bhunjana eva karmani karoty aviratam puman
Due to his particular type of body, the materialistic living entity wanders from one plane to another, following fruitive activities. In this way, he involves himself in fruitive activities and enjoys the result incessantly.
जीवो ह्यस्यानुगो देहो भूतेन्द्रियमनोमय: । तन्निरोधोऽस्य मरणमाविर्भावस्तु सम्भव: ॥ ४४ ॥
jivo hy asyanugo deho bhutendriya-mano-mayah tan-nirodho ’sya maranam avirbhavas tu sambhavah
In this way the living entity gets a suitable body with a material mind and senses, according to his fruitive activities. When the reaction of his particular activity comes to an end, that end is called death, and when a particular type of reaction begins, that beginning is called birth.
द्रव्योपलब्धिस्थानस्य द्रव्येक्षायोग्यता यदा । तत्पञ्चत्वमहंमानादुत्पत्तिर्द्रव्यदर्शनम् ॥ ४५ ॥ यथाक्ष्णोर्द्रव्यावयवदर्शनायोग्यता यदा । तदैव चक्षुषो द्रष्टुर्द्रष्टृत्वायोग्यतानयो: ॥ ४६ ॥
dravyopalabdhi-sthanasya dravyeksayogyata yada tat pancatvam aham-manad utpattir dravya-darsanam yathaksnor dravyavayava- darsanayogyata yada tadaiva caksuso drastur drastrtvayogyatanayoh
When the eyes lose their power to see color or form due to morbid affliction of the optic nerve, the sense of sight becomes deadened. The living entity, who is the seer of both the eyes and the sight, loses his power of vision. In the same way, when the physical body, the place where perception of objects occurs, is rendered incapable of perceiving, that is known as death. When one begins to view the physical body as one’s very self, that is called birth.
तस्मान्न कार्य: सन्त्रासो न कार्पण्यं न सम्भ्रम: । बुद्ध्वा जीवगतिं धीरो मुक्तसङ्गश्चरेदिह ॥ ४७ ॥
tasman na karyah santraso na karpanyam na sambhramah buddhva jiva-gatim dhiro mukta-sangas cared iha
Therefore, one should not view death with horror, nor have recourse to defining the body as soul, nor give way to exaggeration in enjoying the bodily necessities of life. Realizing the true nature of the living entity, one should move about in the world free from attachment and steadfast in purpose.
सम्यग्दर्शनया बुद्ध्या योगवैराग्ययुक्तया । मायाविरचिते लोके चरेन्न्यस्य कलेवरम् ॥ ४८ ॥
samyag-darsanaya buddhya yoga-vairagya-yuktaya maya-viracite loke caren nyasya kalevaram
Endowed with right vision and strengthened by devotional service and a pessimistic attitude towards material identity, one should relegate his body to this illusory world through his reason. Thus one can be unconcerned with this material world.
