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Therefore, My dear Uddhava, abandon the mantras of the çrutis and smĺtis, as well as

the rules and regulations prescribed in the supplementary Vedic literature. Disregard all

that you have heard, and all that is to be heard, and just surrender unto Me alone because

I am the Supersoul of all living entities. By taking shelter of Me, you will certainly be

freed from fear in all circumstances, by My mercy.

COMMENTARY

After Çré Uddhava had inquired about the characteristics of a saintly person, the

SupremeLord,Kĺńëa, describedthecharacteristicsof thetwoclassesof transcendentalists,

the methods for executing devotional service in the association of devotees, and how

devotional service has the power to control Him. The Lord next described the good

qualities of the devotees and concluded that the gopés’ devotion to Him is the topmost

platform of love of God. The Lord further described how, when He was being taken,

along with Balaräma, by Akrüra to Mathurä, the gopés shed incessant tears due to

impending separation from Him. The gopés were greatly agitated due to feelings of

ecstatic love in separation from the Lord and thus their devotional service could control

Him. Here, Lord Çré Kĺńëa is trying to inspire Uddhava to follow in the footsteps of the

gopés and thus render devotional service as they did. Çré Kĺńëa said to Uddhava, “Give

up the rules and regulations prescribed in the scriptures, and give up all recommended

and prohibited activities mentioned in the Vedas.” Does this mean that Uddhava should

take sannyäsa? No, it means that he should give up the activities that are prescribed

for both householders and sannyäsés, and he should become indifferent to all that has

been heard, as well as all that may be heard in the future. In this way, Uddhava should

abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender to Kĺńëa in the mood of one of the

five rasas. Then, he will have no fear, by Kĺńëa’s mercy. He should not think that he

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will be the loser by rejecting fruitive activities and the cultivation of knowledge. The

Supreme Lord is there to protect His devotees from all types of fearful conditions.
PURPORT

After carefully deliberating on that which was spoken by the Supreme Lord, one

should simply surrender himself at the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,

knowing that this will eradicate all lamentation, illusion, and fear. Taking shelter of too

many persons will not award one any real benefit. Rather, by taking shelter of the son

of king of Vraja alone, who is one without a second, one will easily be liberated from the

hands of all inauspiciousness.
TEXT 16

é[qoÖv ovac

Sa&XaYa>Xa*

NaiNavTaRTa AaTMaSQaaeYaeNa>a]aMYaiTaMaeMaNa> ))16))

çré-uddhava uväca

saŕçayaů çĺëvato väcaŕ tava yogeçvareçvara

na nivartata ätma-stho yena bhrämyati me manaů
Çré Uddhava said: O Lord of the foremost yogis, even after hearing Your statements,

the doubt in my heart has not gone away, so my mind is bewildered.
COMMENTARY

Uddhava says, “My dear Lord Kĺńëa, You had first recommended that I perform my

duties according to the varëäçrama system, but then You advised me to give up these

activities and take to the advancement of knowledge. Now, You seem to be rejecting

the path of jďäna, and recommending that I surrender unto You and practice bhakti-

yoga. If I accept this path, how do I not know that in the future You will not once again

recommend that I perform my worldly duties.” Such frank talk indicates Uddhava’s

intimate relationship with Lord Kĺńëa.

PURPORT

In the first verse of the fourth chapter, the Lord said that one should take shelter

of Him while continuing to perform one’s prescribed duties within the varëäçrama

system without material desire. Uddhava took this to mean karma-miçrä bhakti, or

devotional service mixed with fruitive activities. Of course, if one has not yet realized

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that Lord Kĺńëa is the cause of all causes, there is no question of renouncing worldly

responsibilities. Such a person is encouraged to offer the fruits of his work to the Lord.

In the fourth verse of the fourth chapter, the Lord recommended that one give up his

worldly duties and engage in the cultivation of knowledge. Uddhava took this to mean

jďäna-miçrä bhakti, or devotional service mixed with speculative knowledge. Beginning

with verse thirty-five of the fourth chapter, Uddhava inquired about the two conditions

of existence—material bondage and liberation. In response, the Lord explained that

without devotional service, mere philosophical speculation cannot enable one to attain

perfection. In verse eighteen of chapter five, faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead

was extolled, and in verse twenty-three, Kĺńëa recommended hearing and chanting the

glories of the Lord. The Lord concluded by saying that the association of devotees is

essential for spiritual advancement. In verse twenty-six of the fifth chapter, Uddhava

inquired about the details of devotional service and the characteristics of perfection.

And in verse forty-eight, Lord Kĺńëa stated that only engagement in devotional service

awards one liberation. Finally, in verse fourteen of this chapter the Lord firmly rejected

both fruitive activities and mental speculation and in verse fifteen, He recommended

that one surrender unto Him unconditionally.

After receiving so many instructions, Uddhava appears to be bewildered about what

he should actually do. For this reason, Uddhava requests Lord Kĺńëa to clearly tell him

exactly what he should do.

TEXT 17

é[q>aGavaNauvac

Sa WzJaqvaeivvrPa[SaUiTa>Pa[a )

MaNaaeMaYa&SaU+MaMauPaeTYaćPa&Maa}aaSvraev ))17))

çré-bhagavän uväca

sa eńa jévo vivara-prasütiů präëena ghońeëa guhäŕ pravińöaů

mano-mayaŕ sükńmam upetya rüpaŕ mäträ svaro varëa iti sthavińöhaů
The Supreme Lord said: My dear Uddhava, the Supreme Lord is situated within the

hearts of all living beings. It is only by His presence that the life air functions so that the

physical processes continue to function. The Lord’s subtle presence within the heart can

be perceived by seeing how the mind is under superior control. The Lord also appears as

the sound of the Vedas, which is composed of short and long vowels and consonants.

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COMMENTARY

Uddhava was bewildered because Lord Kĺńëa had explained many different processes,

such as devotional service, speculative knowledge, renunciation, mystic yoga, austerities,

and pious duties. All of these processes are meant to help the living entities obtain

the shelter of Lord Kĺńëa, either directly or indirectly. Thus, Lord Kĺńëa explained the

entire Vedic system, from the beginning stages, to the most advanced. Actually, Lord

Kĺńëa was surprised that Uddhava thought that he was meant to practice every process,

as if the instructions were just meant for him. Lord Kĺńëa therefore wants to inform His

devotee, “My dear Uddhava, when I told you that analytic knowledge is to be practiced,

pious duties are to be performed, devotional service is obligatory, yoga procedures must

be observed, and austerities are to be executed, I was instructing all living entities,

although you were My immediate audience. Whatever I spoke in the past, have spoken

now, and will speak in the future should be understood as guidance for all living entities

in different situations. How could you possibly think that you were meant to practice

all of the different Vedic processes? I accept you as you are now, My pure devotee. You

are not supposed to execute all of these processes.” In this way, with lighthearted and

encouraging words, the Lord revealed to Uddhava the deep purpose behind the variety

of Vedic procedures.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the knower of the Vedas and it was He

who appeared from the four mouths of Brahmä in the form of the Vedas. This is being

described in this verse. The word jéva indicates that it is the Supreme Lord who gives

life. The Lord is speaking this verse with firm conviction while touching His chest with

His index finger. The word vivara indicates that the Vedas have manifested from the

womb of Brahmä’s body. The word ghońa means “transcendental sound vibration.” This

sound vibration, along with the life air, entered the heart of Brahmä and manifested

in the form of the Vedas, which is composed of short and long vowels, and consonants

pronounced with high and low tones.

PURPORT

When Kĺńëa and Balaräma left for Mathurä, the gopés became greatly afflicted

due to the pain of separation from Kĺńëa. They could not imagine any other source of

happiness than the association of Kĺńëa. This has been described in the tenth verse.

In the thirteenth verse of this chapter, the purport of all the Vedic literatures has

been explained. Then, in two verses, the supremacy of the Supreme Lord has been

described. The Lord is the ultimate shelter of everyone and all the Vedic mantras are

transcendental sound vibrations that have emanated from Him.

Çréla Çrédhara Svämé has described the word vivara as meaning “the basis of

everything.” This has been elaborately discussed in verses thirty-six to forty-three of

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the twenty-first chapter of the Eleventh Canto. Transcendental sound vibration appear

in two forms—gross and subtle. From the subtle form, the life air, intelligence, and mind

are manifest. From the gross form, the senses, parä, paçyanté, madhyamä, and vaikharé

manifest. The mind and the senses are particularly described as parä, or präëamayé.

When subtle substance is associated with the transcendental sound vibration, it is

known as manomayé paçyanté. When praëava, or oŕ, is manifest, it is called buddhimayé

madhyamä. When praëava transforms into alphabets, it is called vaikharé. Vaikharé

produces different meters, such as bĺhaté.

The tenth verse presents another meaning. The Supreme Personality of Godhead

is the life and soul of Vraja. Although Lord Kĺńëa eternally performs His pastimes in

the spiritual world, beyond the vision of the conditioned souls, He also enters within

the material universe to display these same pastimes. The words guhäŕ pravińöaů

indicates that after displaying such pastimes, the Lord withdraws them and enters into

His unmanifest pastimes, or those pastimes not manifest to the conditioned souls. In

this case, mäträ indicates the transcendental senses of the Lord, svara indicates the

Lord’s transcendental sound vibration and singing, and the word varëa indicates the

transcendental form of the Lord. The word sthavińöha, or “gross manifestation,” means

that the Lord becomes manifest in the material world even to those devotees who are

not completely advanced in Kĺńëa consciousness and whose vision is not completely

purified. Manomaya indicates that somehow or other Lord Kĺńëa is to be kept within

one’s mind; and for the non-devotees Lord Kĺńëa is sükńma, or most subtle, because He

cannot be known.

TEXT 18

YaQaaNal/>%e_iNal/bNDauĺZMaable/Nadaĺ

APa[JaaTaaehivzaSaMaeDaTaeTaQaEvMaeVYai˘-irYa&ihvayathänalaů khe ‘nila-bandhur uńmä balena däruëy adhimathyamänaů

aëuů prajäto havińä samedhate tathaiva me vyaktir iyaŕ hi väëé
When two pieces of wood are vigorously rubbed together, heat is produced by contact

with air, so that a spark appears. Once the fire is kindled, ghee is added so that the fire

blazes. Similarly, I am manifest in the sound vibration of the Vedas.
COMMENTARY

Lord Kĺńëa said to Uddhava, “Although there is fire within wood, it does not

manifest until there is friction with another piece of wood. When two pieces of wood

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are vigorously rubbed together, sparks appear with the help of the air. Thereafter, it

becomes a blazing fire as one continues to pour ghee upon it. Similarly, the Vedas are

produced from Me. Who other than Me can know the confidential purport of the

Vedas? It is I who have prescribed the process of karma, jďäna, and bhakti, so that the

conditioned souls can become delivered from material existence. My dear Uddhava, I

am now imparting the proper understanding of these processes to you because you are

the person most qualified to receive this knowledge. Later on, you will enlighten the

sages at Badarikäçrama, thus enabling them to achieve life’s ultimate goal.

PURPORT

The pastimes of the Supreme Lord become manifest when there is glorification of

the Lord in the association of devotees. Just as fire, which remains in an unmanifest

state, is produced by the friction of two pieces of wood, and then becomes a blazing fire

with the help of air and ghee, the manifestation of the Lord’s pastimes, along with His

names, forms, and qualities, is realized by means of kértana. Simply by the chanting of

the holy name of Kĺńëa, His forms, qualities, and pastimes become manifest.
TEXT 19

Wv&Gaid>k-MaRGaiTaivRSaGaaeRga]aé[uiTaę )

SaŞLPaivjaNaMaQaai>aMaaNa>SaU}a&rJa>SatvTaMaaeivk-ar> ))19))

evaŕ gadiů karma gatir visargo ghräëo raso dĺk sparçaů çrutiç ca

saěkalpa-vijďänam athäbhimänaů sütraŕ rajaů-sattva-tamo-vikäraů
It should be understood that the functions of the working senses—the organ of

speech, the hands, the legs, the genital and the anus—and the functions of the knowledge-

acquiring senses—the nose, tongue, eyes, skin and ears—along with the functions of the

subtle senses of mind, intelligence, consciousness, and false ego, as well as the function of

the subtle pradhäna and the interaction of the three modes of material nature—are all

My materially manifest form.

COMMENTARY

Lord Kĺńëa said to Uddhava, “Everything visible in this world should be known as

external manifestations of Myself. The function of the hands is to work. The function

of the legs is to move about. The function of the tongue is to vibrate various sounds. The

functions of the genitals and anus are to pass urine and stool. These are the activities

of the working senses. The function of the nose is to smell. The function of the tongue

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is to taste. The function of the eyes is to see. The function of the skin is to touch, and

the function of the ears is to hear. These are the activities of the knowledge-acquiring

senses. The function of the mind is to make plans. The function of the intelligence is

to put the plans of the mind into practical action. The function of the false ego is to

manifest pride, and the function of the material nature is to create transformations of

the three modes.

PURPORT

The visible material variegatedness is made possible by the transformations of the

three modes of material nature. This varigatedness is supported by the functions of the

organs of speech, the hands, the legs, the genitals, and the anus, as well as the nose, the

tongue, the eyes, the ears, the skin, the mind, the intelligence, the false ego, and the

material nature, which is called pradhäna, from which the living entities, the senses,

and the demigods have been created. The original source of all of this variegatedness

is the Supreme Lord. All of these manifestations gradually help one to attain the lotus

feet of the Supreme Lord, who is the complete spiritual whole, and who is the supreme

shelter for all.

Those who are averse to the service of the Supreme Lord glorify the functions of

the mind, as a result of being bewildered by false ego, and so cannot understand how

everything is an emanation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Actually, all material objects can be properly utilized in the service of the Supreme

Lord. Not understanding the variegated pastimes of the supreme spirit whole, people

who are absorbed in the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth falsely consider

eternal devotional service and temporary material enjoyment to be one and the same.

TEXT 20

AYa&ihJaqvińv*dBJaYaaeiNarVYa˘- Wk-aevYaSaaSa AaŰ> )

iviëíXai˘-bRhuDaev>aaiTabqJaaiNaYaaeiNa&Pa[iTaPaŰYaÜTa( ))20))

ayaŕ hi jévas tri-vĺd abja-yonir avyakta eko vayasä sa ädyaů

viçlińöa-çaktir bahudheva bhäti béjäni yoniŕ pratipadya yadvat
Many seeds grow into different kinds of plants when they are placed in an agricultural

field, although they arise from a single source, the soil. Similarly, the Supreme Personality

of Godhead, who originally exists in an unmanifested form, who is the source of the three

modes of material nature, who is eternal, and who is the source of the universal lotus

flower in which the cosmic manifestation takes place, divides His material potencies and

thus appears to be manifest in innumerable forms, although He is one.

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COMMENTARY

Here, the Lord wishes to establish that this material world, which has emanated from

Him, is non-different from Him. The Supreme Lord is the shelter of the three modes of

material nature, and He is the original cause of the fourteen planetary systems. Before

the creation, the Lord existed in His original transcendental form. He then manifested

Himself in the form of the universe, so that the knowledge-acquiring senses and working

senses were produced from His energy, as were the human beings and demigods.

PURPORT

The word avyakta indicates the Lord’s transcendental form, which exists alone

before the material creation. The Lord’s original form, being spiritual, does not undergo

birth, transformation or death. It is eternal. In the course of time, the Lord’s material

potencies are divided and manifest as bodies, bodily paraphernalia, sense objects, bodily

expansions, false ego and false proprietorship. Thus the Lord expands His conscious

living potency called jéva-çakti, which is manifest in innumerable material forms such as

those of men, demigods, animals, and so on. Being bewildered by false ego, non-devotees

indulge in material sense gratification and thus fail to understand that the internal

potency of the Supreme Lord as the original source of His external potency. Only when,

due to an inclination for devotional service, one develops a sense of discrimination

between matter and spirit, can he understand himself to be an eternal servant of the

Lord. The conditioned souls, on the other hand, being in the bodily concept of life,

think that material nature has the power to create living entities, under the control of

time.

TEXT 21

YaiSMaiŕd&Pa[aeTaMaXaezMaaeTa&Pa$=aeYaQaaTaNTauivTaaNaSa&SQa> )

Ya WzSa&SaarTaĺ>Paurak-MaaRTMak->PauZPaf-le/Pa[SaUTae ))21))

yasminn idaŕ protam açeńam otaŕ paöo yathä tantu-vitäna-saŕsthaů

ya eńa saŕsära-taruů puräëaů karmätmakaů puńpa-phale prasüte
Just as a cloth is a manifestation of lengthwise and crosswise threads, the universe is

expanded on the lengthwise and crosswise potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The conditioned soul has been accepting material bodies since time immemorial, and

these bodies are like trees sustaining his material existence. Just as a tree first blossoms

and then produces fruit, the tree of material existence, one’s material body, produces the

various results of material existence.

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COMMENTARY

209

The material universe is an expansion of the illusory potency of the Supreme Lord

and is always dependent on Him and non-different from Him. This simple understanding

can relieve the conditioned souls from endless wandering in the unhappy kingdom of

Maya. In this verse, the example is given of a cloth, which is made of threads, and is

therefore non-different from the threads. Similarly, this universe is a manifestation of

the potency of the Lord and is therefore not different from Him. The example of a tree

is also given in this verse. The tree of material existence, or the material body, produces

flowers and fruit, in the form of happiness and distress.