Introduction a Introduction

TEXT 6

SauPa

Wk-STaYaae>%adiTaiPaPPal/aŕMaNYaaeiNarŕae_iPable/Na>aUYaaNa( ))6))

suparëäv etau sadĺçau sakhäyau yadĺcchayaitau kĺta-néňau ca vĺkńe

ekas tayoů khädati pippalännam anyo niranno ‘pi balena bhüyän
There are two birds, the living entity and the Supersoul, who live together in a nest

(heart) of a tree (the material body). They are similar in nature, both being spiritual,

and they are inseparable friends. One bird (the living entity) enjoys the fruit of the tree,

whereas the other bird (the Supersoul), does not partake of the fruit because He is in a

superior position, on account of His potency.

COMMENTARY

Just as a bird is separate from the tree he sits in, the spirit soul and the Supersoul

are distinct from the material body, which is compared to a tree. Because both of them

are of the same spiritual quality, they are naturally related as friends. While residing

within the tree, one of them enjoys the fruit of that tree whereas the other one simply

witnesses his friend’s activities. This tree of material existence has its roots upwards and

its branches down, as described in the Bhagavad-gétä (15.1):




156

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

çré-bhagavän uväca

ürdhva-mülam adhaů-çäkham açvatthaŕ prähur avyayam

chandäŕsi yasya parëäni yas taŕ veda sa veda-vit
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an

imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and

whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the

Vedas.
Two birds live in this imperishable banyan tree. One of them is the living entity who

engages in eating the fruit of the tree, and the other is the Supersoul, who does not eat

the fruit but remains always self-satisfied. It is also stated in the Vedas:
dvä suparëä sayujä sakhäyä samänaŕ vĺkńaŕ parińasvajäte

tayor anyaů pippalaŕ svädy atty anaçnann anyo ‘bhicäkaçéti
Two companion birds sit together in the shelter of the same pippala tree. One

of them is relishing the taste of the tree’s berries, while the other refrains from

eating and instead watches over His friend. (Çvetäçvatara Upanińad 4.6)
TEXT 7

AaTMaaNaMaNYa&cSavedivÜaNaiPaPPal/adaeNaTauiPaPPal/ad> )

Yaae_ivŰYaaYauk( SaTauiNaTYabÖaeivŰaMaYaaeYa>SaTauiNaTYaMau˘-> ))7))

ätmänam anyaŕ ca sa veda vidvän apippalädo na tu pippalädaů

yo ‘vidyayä yuk sa tu nitya-baddho vidyä-mayo yaů sa tu nitya-muktaů
The Supersoul, who does not taste the fruit of the tree and who is the shelter of eternal

knowledge, knows all about Himself and the living entities. However, the living entity,

who tastes the fruit of the tree is ignorant of both himself and the Supreme Lord. The

living entity has been conditioned by the Lord’s illusory energy since time immemorial,

and the Supreme Lord, who is always in full knowledge, is eternally liberated.

COMMENTARY

The Supersoul knows Himself, as well as the living entities, and He does not eat the

bitter fruit of the tree of material existence. The conditioned living entity, on the other

hand, who tries to enjoy the fruits of his labor, neither knows himself nor the Supreme

Lord. These living entities are eternally conditioned whereas the Supersoul is eternally

The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities

157

full of knowledge. The word vidyä in this verse refers to the internal spiritual knowledge

of the Supreme Lord, which is distinct from material knowledge. In the Gopäla-täpani

Upanińad, it is stated:
There are two birds living as friends in the same tree—the living entity and

the Supersoul. The living entity is a separated part and parcel of the Supreme

Lord and he enjoys the fruits of his fruitive actions. The Supersoul is a plenary

portion of the Supreme Lord, and He witnesses the actions of the living entity.

PURPORT

There is always a distinction between the Supreme Lord, who is the supreme

controller, and the living entities, who are His eternal servants. The Lord is the master

of all potencies and the living entities are subordinate to Him. The Lord does not enjoy

the fruits of karma, and He is omniscient. The living entity enjoys the fruits of his own

karma, and he is ignorant. Due to ignorance, the living entity has been conditioned since

time immemorial. If he reinstates himself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, then by the

influence of spiritual knowledge, he becomes eternally liberated. In his conditioned state

of existence, the living entity enjoys by acting piously and suffers by acting impiously. In

the liberated state of existence, there is no question of piety or impiety because one is

fully devoted to the Supreme Lord and is not attached to the fruits of his karma.

TEXT 8

dehSQaae_iPaNadehSQaaeivÜaNa( SvPanaŰQaaeiTQaTa> )

AdehSQaae_iPadehSQa>ku-MaiTa>SvPand*GYaQaa ))8))

deha-stho ‘pi na deha-stho vidvän svapnäd yathotthitaů

adeha-stho ‘pi deha-sthaů kumatiů svapna-dĺg yathä

A liberated soul, although living within the material body, sees himself as distinct

from the body, just as one who wakes up from a dream sees that it was not his real life.

An ignorant person, however, thinks the body to be the self, just as a dreaming person

takes what he sees to be his reality.
COMMENTARY

In the next nine verses, the Lord will explain the difference between the conditioned

souls and the liberated souls. In a dream, one sees oneself in an imaginary body, but

upon waking, one gives up all identification with that body. Similarly, one who has

awakened to Kĺńëa consciousness no longer identifies with the gross or subtle material

158

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

bodies, nor does he become affected by the happiness and distress of material life. On

the other hand, a foolish person does not awaken from the dream of material existence

and is afflicted with innumerable problems due to false identification with the gross and

subtle material bodies. One should become situated in one’s eternal spiritual identity.

By properly identifying oneself as the eternal servant of Kĺńëa, one becomes relieved of

his false material identity, and therefore the miseries of illusory existence immediately

cease, just as the anxiety of a troublesome dream ceases as soon as one awakens to his

normal, pleasant surroundings.

PURPORT

Although the subject matter of a dream may remain fresh in the mind of a person

when he wakes up, the illusory nature of the dream is immediately realized by him.

However, those who are sleeping in the lap of material nature cannot realize the illusory

nature of their existence until they awaken by means of self-realization. The seer himself

is eternal but his dreams at night and his experiences during the day are of no lasting

importance, being no better than a phantasmagoria.
TEXT 9

wiNd]YaEiriNd]YaaQaeRzuGau

Ga*ůMaa ))9))

indriyair indriyärtheńu guëair api guëeńu ca

gĺhyamäëeńv ahaŕ kuryän na vidvän yas tv avikriyaů
A learned person who has seen the futility of material desires does not think that he

performs the activities of the body. Indeed, he knows that the activities of the body, which

amount to the senses contacting their objects, are going on automatically by the dictation

of the three modes of material nature.
COMMENTARY

One who is liberated from the bodily conception of life knows very well that he is

not the doer and that nothing belongs to him. However, there are persons who claim to

be transcendentally situated and yet are seen to be fully under the influence of material

desire. Such persons are nothing more than cheaters and so must be considered the

lowest of mankind.

The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities


PURPORT

159

The material body always interacts with the sense objects because in order to survive,

the body must eat, drink, speak, sleep, and so on, but an enlightened person who knows

the science of Kĺńëa consciousness never thinks, “These sense objects are my property.

They are meant for my pleasure.”

TEXT 10

dEvaDaqNaeXarqre_iSMaNGauaaVYaeNak-MaR

vTaRMaaNaae_buDaSTa}ak-TaaRSMaqiTaiNabDYaTae ))10))

daivädhéne çarére ‘smin guëa-bhävyena karmaëä

vartamäno ‘budhas tatra kartäsméti nibadhyate
Under the control of his previous deeds, a foolish person accepts a material body

and proudly considers himself the doer of all activities. Thus he becomes entangled in all

kinds of bodily affairs as the reactions to his fruitive activities that are actually carried

out by the three material qualities.
COMMENTARY

This material body is received as the result of one’s previous activities. While residing

in this body, one manipulates his senses and engages them in various activities. In this

way, he becomes entangled in the actions and reactions of work. How does it happen?

Because he is bewildered by false ego, the conditioned soul thinks himself to be the doer.

This is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä (3.27):

prakĺteů kriyamäëäni guëaiů karmaëi sarvaçaů

ahaěkära-vimüňhätmä kartäham iti manyate
The spirit soul, bewildered by the influence of false ego, thinks himself the

doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material

nature.

PURPORT

Those who are bewildered by false ego foolishly claim to be the doers of all activities,

which are actually carried out by the three modes of material nature. Accepting the

material body as the self, they think that they are working independently, although

their activities are fully under the control of material nature.

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UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

TEXT 11

Wv&ivr˘->XaYaNa AaSaNaa$=NaMaÂNae )

dXaRNaSPaXaRNaga]aaaeJaNaé[v

NaTaQaabDYaTaeivÜaNTa}aTa}aadYaNa( Gau

evaŕ viraktaů çayana äsanäöana-majjane

darçana-sparçana-ghräëa- bhojana-çravaëädińu

na tathä badhyate vidvän tatra taträdayan guëän

Learned persons who are fixed in detachment engage their senses in activities such

as sleeping, sitting, traveling, bathing, seeing, touching, smelling, and hearing, but they

never become entangled. By simply remaining as a witness, they do not become entangled

like foolish people.

COMMENTARY

A foolish person, as a result of his attachment for material objects, enjoys sense

gratification but then becomes entangled in material bondage. However, according to

the logic of vädita anuvĺtti, a liberated person is never entangled, even if he seems

somewhat connected with material happiness and lamentation. One who is actually

detached from matter, even though he may accept material objects for the maintenance

of his body, remains aloof as the witness of his activities.

PURPORT

An intelligent and experienced person is never compelled to act under the influence

of the three modes of material nature. He remains detached from activities like sleeping,

sitting idly, and traveling, and is not forced to perform activities like looking, touching,

smelling, and eating.
TEXTS 12-13

Pa[k*-iTaSQaae_PYaSa&Sa˘-aeYaQaa%&SaivTaaiNal/> )

vEXaarŰe+aYaaSa®iXaTaYaai^ŕSa&XaYa> ))12))

Pa[iTabuÖEvSvPanaNNaaNaaTvaiÜiNavTaRTae ))13))

prakĺti-stho ‘py asaŕsakto yathä khaŕ savitänilaů

vaiçäradyekńayäsaěga-çitayä chinna-saŕçayaů

pratibuddha iva svapnän nänätväd vinivartate

The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities

161

Although everything rests in space, it does not mix with anything, the sun is not

affected by the water in which its reflection appears, and the wind that blows everywhere

is not affected by the aromas it carries. Similarly, a self-realized soul is detached from the

material body and the world he lives in. He is like someone who has awakened from a

dream. With the sword of knowledge sharpened by detachment, the self-realized soul cuts

to pieces all doubts born of misidentification with matter, and thus withdraws his mind

from the temporary displays of Maya.

COMMENTARY

How is such detachment possible? The answer is provided here by giving the examples

of space, the air, and the sun. One who has cut-off the attachment of his senses for

their objects by utilizing the sharp weapon of renunciation, can remain aloof from the

material body and the material world.

PURPORT

A self-realized soul is freed of all doubts when he directly experiences his eternal

spiritual identity. Lord Kĺńëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and nothing is

separate from Him. Such an understanding frees one from all doubts. As stated here,

just like the sky, the sun, or the wind, one who is self-realized is not entangled, although

situated within the material creation of the Lord.

TEXT 14

YaSYaSYauvsTaSaŞLPaa>Pa[a

v*taYa>SaiviNaMauR˘-aedehSQaae_iPaihTaÓu ))14))

yasya syur véta-saěkalpäů präëendriya-mano-dhiyäm

vĺttayaů sa vinirmukto deha-stho ‘pi hi tad-guëaiů

A person is known to be actually liberated from the gross and subtle material bodies

when all the functions of his body and mind are performed without material desires.

Although possessing a material body, such a person is not in bondage.
COMMENTARY

Uddhava had asked, “How does a liberated person live?” The answer is that although

the material body and mind are subject to lamentation, illusion, hunger, lust, greed,

insanity, frustration, and so on, one who remains active in this world without attachment

is considered vinirmukta, or completely liberated.

162

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

PURPORT

Those who have no material desires are not influenced by the three modes of material

nature, even though they are situated within the material world. Their vital energy,

senses, mind, and intelligence are purified when engaged in the devotional service of

Lord Kĺńëa. Non-devotees are the servants of their material desires, whereas devotees

are the servants of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 15

YaSYaaTMaaih&SYaTaeih&óEYaeRNaik-iÄŰd*C^Yaa )

ACYaRTaevaKvicta}aNaVYaiTai§-YaTaebuDa> ))15))

yasyätmä hiŕsyate hiŕsrair yena kiďcid yadĺcchayä

arcyate vä kvacit tatra na vyatikriyate budhaů
Sometimes, one may be tormented by a miscreant or attacked by a ferocious animal,

and at other times, one may be shown all respect and worshiped. One who does not

become angry when attacked, or satisfied when worshiped, is certainly most intelligent.
COMMENTARY

What are the symptoms of a liberated soul? The answer is given here and the next

two verses. If one does not become angry when attacked for no apparent reason, and if

one does not become enlivened when glorified or worshiped, then one has passed the

test of self-realization and is considered fixed in spiritual intelligence. Yäjďavalkya has

said that when a person doesn’t become angry when pierced by sharp thorns, and doesn’t

become elated when shown great respect, he must be considered actually intelligent.

PURPORT

A person who is not affected, whether he is tortured or worshiped, is a liberated soul,

although living in this world.

TEXT 16

NaSTauvqTaNaiNaNdeTaku-vRTa>SaaßSaaDauva )

vdTaaeGauYaa&viJaRTa>SaMad*x( MauiNa> ))16))

na stuvéta na nindeta kurvataů sädhv asädhu vä

vadato guëa-dońäbhyäŕ varjitaů sama-dĺě muniů

The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities

163

A saintly person views everyone with equal vision, and so he is not affected by

what ordinary person considers good or bad. Although he certainly sees how others are

performing beneficial or horrible work, and speaking intelligently or foolishly, he does not

wish to praise or criticize anyone.
COMMENTARY

A liberated soul neither blasphemes nor praises people who are engaged on the

material platform.
PURPORT

The equipoised sage who does not see material qualities and faults is liberated. He

therefore neither glorifies anyone nor blasphemes anyone.
TEXT 17

Naku-YaaRNNavdeiTk-iÄNNaDYaaYaeTSaaßSaaDauva )

AaTMaaraMaae_NaYaav*tYaaivcreÂ@vNMauiNa> ))17))

na kuryän na vadet kiďcin na dhyäyet sädhv asädhu vä

ätmärämo ‘nayä vĺttyä vicarej jaňa-van muniů
For the sake of maintaining his body, a liberated soul does not act, speak, or think in

terms of material duality, considering something to be good and something else to be bad.

Rather, he is detached in all circumstances, taking pleasure in self-realization. Thus he

wanders about in his own mood, appearing like a dullard to outsiders.
COMMENTARY

A person who does not possess the above-mentioned qualities should be understood

to be a conditioned soul.
PURPORT

A self-satisfied devotee of the Lord does not divert his attention to observe the

activities of materialists. Thinking how everything can be utilized in the service of the

Lord, he never views material objects as meant for his gratification. He has no conception

of good and bad because he sees how everything can be used for the satisfaction of the

Lord. To the external vision of ordinary people, however, he may appear to be acting on

the material platform.

164

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

TEXT 18

XaBdb]ři

é[MaSTaSYaé[Maf-l/aeůDaeNauiMavr+aTa> ))18))

çabda-brahmaëi nińëäto na nińëäyät pare yadi

çramas tasya çrama-phalo hy adhenum iva rakńataů

If, after thoroughly studying the Vedic literature one makes no endeavor to fix his

mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then his endeavor is like that of a man

who works very hard to take care of a cow that gives no milk. In other words, the fruit

of one’s laborious study of Vedic knowledge is nothing more than the labor itself.
COMMENTARY

In this verse, the word pare indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and not

the impersonal Brahman. It will be seen later on that Lord Kĺńëa, the speaker of this

verse, repeatedly refers to Himself as the Supreme. An impersonal interpretation of this

verse would therefore be contradictory and illogical. If one’s aim is opposed to pleasing

the Lord, then all his endeavors are futile, just like the labor of a person who maintains

a barren cow.

PURPORT

The maintainer of a cow that does not give any milk does not receive any profit in

exchange for his service. Similarly, the endeavor of a person who has very strenuously

studied the Vedic literature will not prove fruitful if he has not concluded that he must

devote himself to the service of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 19

Gaa&duGDadaehaMaSaTaq&c>aaYaa|deh&ParaDaqNaMaSaTPa[Jaa&c )

ivta&TvTaqQask*-TaMa®vac&hqNaa&MaYaar+aiTadu>%du>%q ))19))

gäŕ dugdha-dohäm asatéŕ ca bhäryäŕ dehaŕ parädhénam asat-prajäŕ ca

vittaŕ tv atérthé-kĺtam aěga väcaŕ hénäŕ mayä rakńati duůkha-duůkhé
My dear Uddhava, that person is certainly most miserable who maintains a cow that

gives no milk, an unchaste wife, a body that is completely dependent upon others, useless

children, and wealth not utilized for a good purpose. Similarly, one who makes a study of

the Vedic literature that is devoid of My glories is certainly most miserable.

The Symptoms of Conditioned and Liberated Living Entities


COMMENTARY

165

One who is actually learned can appreciate that everything perceived through the

bodily senses are expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and that nothing

exists independently of Him. In this verse, through various examples, it is concluded

that the power of speech is useless if not engaged in glorifying the Supreme Lord. It is a

fact that in this world, a person labors uselessly while maintaining false hopes. There is

the example of the cow that gives no milk. When a cow no longer gives milk, one still

must work hard to protect her, because no one will purchase such a cow. The owner of

the cow may hope, “Perhaps she will again become pregnant and give some milk.” Then,

when this hope is smashed, the owner becomes indifferent to cow, and for this, he must

suffer in the next life, after going through so much trouble in this life.

Another example is that a man may discover that his wife doesn’t care for him any

more. Still, he may go on caring for such a useless woman, thinking, “If I work hard

and supply her everything she desires, she will surely love me in return.” Unfortunately,

such unchaste women generally do not change their attitude and so the husband simply

labors without any pleasing result.

Another example is that one who has attained wealth by the mercy of God must

give in charity to the deserving persons and causes. If such an opportunity presents

itself and one refused to give charity due to selfishness, one is considered a miser in this

life, and in the next life, he will be poverty-stricken.

PURPORT

One who maintains a cow that does not produce milk, an unchaste wife, a body that

is completely dependent upon others, sons that are not of good character, and wealth

that is not used for good purposes, suffers miseries, as do those who do not hear and

chant the glories of the Supreme Lord.