Bhagavata Purana

( अनुष्टुप् ) एवं भगवतः कृष्णात् लब्धमाना महात्मनः । आत्मानं मेनिरे स्त्रीणां मानिन्योऽभ्यधिकं भुवि

Thus, having received the favor of the great-souled Lord Krishna, those proud women considered themselves to be the most fortunate on earth.

तासां तत् सौभगमदं वीक्ष्य मानं च केशवः । प्रशमाय प्रसादाय तत्रैवान्तरधीयत

Seeing their pride, born from their good fortune, Keśava disappeared from there at once, to pacify and favor them.

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे पूर्वार्धे एकोन्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the twenty-ninth chapter of the first half of the Tenth Canto in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam Mahāpurāṇa, the scripture for the supreme paramahaṃsas.

( मालिनी ) भवभयमपहन्तुं ज्ञानविज्ञानसारं निगमकृद् उपजह्रे भृङ्गवद् वेदसारम् । अमृतमुदधितश्चा पाययद् भृत्यवर्गान् पुरुषं ऋषभमाद्यं कृष्णसंज्ञं नतोऽस्मि

I bow to that Supreme Person, the foremost, known as Krishna, who, like a bee extracting the essence of the Vedas, imparted the nectar of knowledge and realization to his servants, to remove the fear of worldly existence.

हरिर्देहभृतामात्मा स्वयं प्रकृतिरीश्वरः । तत्पादमूलं शरणं यतः क्षेमो नृणामिह

Hari is the soul of all embodied beings, the Lord of nature Himself; His feet are the refuge, from which comes safety for people in this world.

स वै प्रियतमश्चात्मा यतो न भयमण्वपि । इति वेद स वै विद्वान् यो विद्वान् स गुरुर्हरिः

He alone is the dearest Self, from whom not even the slightest fear arises; he who knows this is truly wise, and such a wise one is the teacher—Hari Himself.

नारद उवाच - प्रश्न एवं हि सञ्छिन्नो भवतः पुरुषर्षभ । अत्र मे वदतो गुह्यं निशामय सुनिश्चितम्

Nārada said: O best of men, your question has thus been answered; now, as I speak, listen attentively to this secret, well-determined matter.

क्षुद्रं चरं सुमनसां शरणे मिथित्वा रक्तं षडङ्‌घ्रिगणसामसु लुब्धकर्णम् । अग्रे वृकान् असुतृपोऽविगणय्य यान्तं पृष्ठे मृगं मृगय लुब्धकबाणभिन्नम्

A small, wandering creature, seeking shelter among the gentle, becomes attached to the sweet songs of the six-legged ones, greedy for their sound; heedless of the wolves ahead, who are never satisfied, he moves forward, while behind, a deer—wounded by the hunter's arrow—pursues him.

अस्यार्थः - सुमनःसमधर्मणां स्त्रीणां शरण आश्रमे पुष्पमधु गन्धवत् क्षुद्रतमं । काम्यकर्मविपाकजं कामसुखलवं जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यादि विचिन्वन्तं मिथुनीभूय तद् अभिनिवेशित मनसं । षडङ्‌घ्रिगण सामगीतवत् अतिमनोहर वनितादि जन आलापेषु अतितरां अति प्रलोभित कर्णमग्रे । वृकयूथवदात्मन आयुर्हरतो अहोरात्रान् तान् काल लव विशेषान् अविगणय्य गृहेषु विहरन्तं पृष्ठत एव । परोक्षमनुप्रवृत्तो लुब्धकः कृतान्तोऽन्तः शरेण यमिह पराविध्यति तं इमं आत्मानमहो । राजन् भिन्नहृदयं द्रष्टुमर्हसीति

The meaning is this: Among women of gentle nature, the shelter of the hermitage is like a flower's fragrance—very slight. Seeking fleeting pleasure born of desire, one becomes absorbed in union, with the mind fixed there. Like the songs of the six-legged ones, the alluring speech of women captivates the ears. Ahead, like a pack of wolves, time devours one's lifespan, day and night, unnoticed, as one enjoys life at home. Meanwhile, unseen, the hunter—Death—strikes with his arrow. O King, you should see this self, whose heart is pierced.

स त्वं विचक्ष्य मृगचेष्टितमात्मनोऽन्तः चित्तं नियच्छ हृदि कर्णधुनीं च चित्ते । जह्यङ्‌गनाश्रममसत् तमयूथगाथं प्रीणीहि हंसशरणं विरम क्रमेण

Therefore, observe the behavior of the deer and restrain your own mind within your heart, as a charioteer holds the reins. Abandon the company of women and the songs of the herd, and gradually take refuge in the shelter of the Swan—be satisfied and withdraw step by step.

राजोवाच - (अनुष्टुप्) श्रुतमन्वीक्षितं ब्रह्मन् भगवान् यदभाषत । नैतज्जानन्ति उपाध्यायाः किं न ब्रूयुर्विदुर्यदि

The king said: O brāhmaṇa, I have heard and reflected on what the Lord has spoken. Why do the teachers not explain this, if they know it?

संशयोऽत्र तु मे विप्र सञ्छिन्नस्तत्कृतो महान् । ऋषयोऽपि हि मुह्यन्ति यत्र नेन्द्रियवृत्तयः

O brāhmaṇa, my great doubt has been dispelled by your words. Even sages are bewildered where the senses do not reach.

कर्माण्यारभते येन पुमानिह विहाय तम् । अमुत्रान्येन देहेन जुष्टानि स यदश्नुते

By whatever actions a person acts here, abandoning this body, with another body he enjoys the results of those actions there.

इति वेदविदां वादः श्रूयते तत्र तत्र ह । कर्म यत्क्रियते प्रोक्तं परोक्षं न प्रकाशते

This is the debate heard among those who know the Vedas: the actions performed are said to be hidden, not manifest.

नारद उवाच - येनैवारभते कर्म तेनैवामुत्र तत्पुमान् । भुङ्‌क्ते हि अव्यवधानेन लिङ्‌गेन मनसा स्वयम्

Nārada said: By whatever actions one acts, by those very actions he enjoys the results in the next life, without interruption, through the subtle body and mind.

शयानं इमं उत्सृज्य श्वसन्तं पुरुषो यथा । कर्मात्मन्याहितं भुङ्‌क्ते तादृशेनेतरेण वा

Just as a man leaves behind a sleeping, breathing body, so does he enjoy the results of actions, either with that body or with another.

ममैते मनसा यद्यद् असौ अहं इति ब्रुवन् । गृह्णीयात् तत्पुमान् राद्धं कर्म येन पुनर्भवः

Whatever this person, saying 'I am this,' grasps with his mind, he attains the results of those actions, by which rebirth occurs.

यथानुमीयते चित्तं उभयैरिन्द्रियेहितैः । एवं प्राग्देहजं कर्म लक्ष्यते चित्तवृत्तिभिः

Just as the mind is inferred from the activities of both types of senses, so too are actions from previous bodies recognized by the movements of the mind.

नानुभूतं क्व चानेन देहेनादृष्टमश्रुतम् । कदाचिद् उपलभ्येत यद् रूपं यादृगात्मनि

With this body, one has not experienced nor seen nor heard; yet, at some time, that form may be perceived, as it is within oneself.

तेनास्य तादृशं राजन् लिङ्‌गिनो देहसम्भवम् । श्रद्धत्स्वाननुभूतोऽर्थो न मनः स्प्रष्टुमर्हति

Therefore, O King, the embodied soul attains such a form arising from the body; the meaning not directly experienced cannot be grasped by the mind.

मन एव मनुष्यस्य पूर्वरूपाणि शंसति । भविष्यतश्च भद्रं ते तथैव न भविष्यतः

The mind alone reveals to a person the previous forms, and likewise those that will be, as well as those that will not be—may you be blessed.

अदृष्टमश्रुतं चात्र क्वचित् मनसि दृश्यते । यथा तथानुमन्तव्यं देशकालक्रियाश्रयम्

Here, sometimes, what has not been seen or heard appears in the mind; thus, one should infer according to place, time, and action.

सर्वे क्रमानुरोधेन मनसीन्द्रियगोचराः । आयान्ति बहुशो यान्ति सर्वे समनसो जनाः

All objects accessible to the mind and senses come and go repeatedly in accordance with sequence; all people share this experience.

सत्त्वैकनिष्ठे मनसि भगवत्पार्श्ववर्तिनि । तमश्चन्द्रमसीवेदं उपरज्यावभासते

When the mind is fixed solely in sattva, dwelling near the Lord, then darkness, like the moon's shadow, is dispelled and this is illuminated.

नाहं ममेति भावोऽयं पुरुषे व्यवधीयते । यावद्‍बुद्धिमनोऽक्षार्थ गुणव्यूहो ह्यनादिमान्

The notion 'I' and 'mine' is interrupted in the person, as long as the arrangement of intellect, mind, senses, and qualities, which is beginningless, persists.

सुप्तिमूर्च्छोपतापेषु प्राणायनविघाततः । नेहतेऽहमिति ज्ञानं मृत्युप्रज्वारयोरपि

During sleep, fainting, and suffering, due to disruption of breath, the awareness 'I am' does not arise—even in the burning of death.

गर्भे बाल्येऽप्यपौष्कल्याद् एकादशविधं तदा । लिङ्‌गं न दृश्यते यूनः कुह्वां चन्द्रमसो यथा

In the womb and in childhood, due to immaturity, the elevenfold subtle body is not manifest, just as the moon is hidden in the new phase.

अर्थे हि अविद्यमानेऽपि संसृतिर्न निवर्तते । ध्यायतो विषयानस्य स्वप्नेऽनर्थागमो यथा

Even when the object is absent, the cycle does not cease; as one contemplates objects, misfortune comes in dreams, though they are unreal.

एवं पञ्चविधं लिङ्‌गं त्रिवृत्षोडश विस्तृतम् । एष चेतनया युक्तो जीव इत्यभिधीयते

Thus, the fivefold subtle body, expanded in three and sixteen ways, when joined with consciousness, is called the living being.