Introduction a Introduction

Among yugas, I am Satya-yuga, the age of truth, and among sober sages, I am Devala

and Asita. Among those who divided the Vedas, I am Kĺńëa Dvaipäyaëa Vedavyäsa,

and among learned scholars, I am the wise Çukräcärya, who is learned in the spiritual

science.
TEXT 29

vaSaudevae>aGavTaa&Tv&Tau>aaGavTaeZvhMa( )

ik-MPauĺzaNaa&hNauMaiNvŰaDa]a ))29))

väsudevo bhagavatäŕ tvaŕ tu bhägavateńv aham

kimpuruńänäŕ hanuman vidyädhräëäŕ sudarçanaů
Among personalities who are entitled to be called Bhagavän, I am Väsudeva, and you,

Uddhava, represent Me among the devotees. Among the Kimpuruńas, I am Hanumän,

and among the Vidyädharas, I am Sudarçana.
TEXT 30

rŇaNaa&PaÚraGaae_iSMaPaÚk-aeXa>SauPaeXaSaaMa( )

ku-Xaae_iSMad>aRJaaTaqNaa&GaVYaMaaJYa&hiv>ZvhMa( ))30))

ratnänäŕ padma-rägo ‘smi padma-koçaů su-peçasäm

kuço ‘smi darbha-jäténäŕ gavyam äjyaŕ haviůńv aham
Among jewels, I am the ruby, and among beautiful things, I am the whorl of the lotus.

Among grasses, I am the sacred kuça grass, and among oblations meant for sacrifice, I am

cow’s ghee.

The Lord’s Opulence


TEXT 31

VYavSaaiYaNaaMah&l/+Maq>ik-TavaNaa&^l/Ga]h> )

iTaiTa+aaiSMaiTaiTa+aU
vyavasäyinäm ahaŕ lakńméů kitavänäŕ chala-grahaů

titikńäsmi titikńüëäŕ sattvaŕ sattvavatäm aham

315

I am the wealth of those who are enterprising, and among the cheaters, I am gambling.

I am the forgiveness of those who are tolerant, and I am the good qualities of those who

are situated in the mode of goodness.
TEXT 32

AaeJa>Sahaebl/vTaa&k-MaaRh&iviÖSaaTvTaaMa( )

SaaTvTaa&NavMaUTasNaaMaaidMaUiTaRrh&Para ))32))

ojaů saho balavatäŕ karmähaŕ viddhi sätvatäm

sätvatäŕ nava-mürténäm ädi-mürtir ahaŕ parä
Of those who are exceptionally powerful, I am mental and physical strength, and I am

the devotional activities of the devotees. Among the nine forms worshiped by devotees, I

am Väsudeva.
COMMENTARY

The Personality of Godhead expands as Väsudeva, Saěkarńaëa, Pradyumna,

Aniruddha, Näräyaëa, Hayagréva, Varäha, and Nĺsiŕha, and sometimes He accepts the

post of Brahmä. It has been explained that when no one is qualified to occupy the post

of Brahmä, the Lord Himself accepts this position. Lord Vińëu also sometimes appears

as Indra. During the reign of Sväyambhüva Manu, Lord Vińëu appeared as Indra, and in

some kalpas, Lord Vińëu appeared as Brahmä.
TEXT 33

ivěavSau>PaUvRicitaGaRNDavaRPSarSaaMahMa( )

>aUDaraauv> ))33))

viçvävasuů pürvacittir gandharväpsarasäm aham

bhüdharäëäm ahaŕ sthairyaŕ gandha-mätram ahaŕ bhuvaů

316

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

Among the Gandharvas, I am Viçvävasu, and among the Apsaräs, I am Pürvacitti. I

am the immovability of mountains and I am the original fragrance of the earth.
COMMENTARY

The world mäträ indicates the original fragrance of the earth. In the Bhagavad-

gétä (7.9) Lord Kĺńëa says, puëyo gandhaů pĺthivyäŕ ca: “I am the original fragrance of

the earth.” The original fragrance of the earth is very pleasing and it represents Lord

Kĺńëa.
TEXT 34

APaa&rSaęParMaSTaeiJaďaNaa&iv>aavSau> )

Pa[>aaSaUYaeRNduTaaraaSa>Par> ))34))

apäŕ rasaç ca paramas tejińöhänäŕ vibhävasuů

prabhä süryendu-täräëäŕ çabdo ‘haŕ nabhasaů paraů
I am the taste of water, and I am the light of the sun, moon, and stars. I am the

transcendental sound vibration heard within the sky.
COMMENTARY

By the use of the word parama, or “excellent,” other tastes, such as sour and bitter,

have been rejected. The word para in this verse is used to indicate transcendental

sound.

TEXT 35

b]ř )

>aUTaaNaa&iSQaiTaĺTPaitarh&vEPa[iTaSaŞ]Ma> ))35))

brahmaëyänäŕ balir ahaŕ véräëäm aham arjunaů

bhütänäŕ sthitir utpattir ahaŕ vai pratisaěkramaů
Among those who are dedicated to maintaining brahminical culture, I am Bali

Mahäräja, the son of Virocana, and among heroic warriors, I am Arjuna. Indeed, I am

the creation, maintenance, and annihilation of all living entities.

COMMENTARY

The word pratisaŕkramaů refers to annihilation.

The Lord’s Opulence


TEXT 36

GaTYau˘-yuTSaGaaeRPaadaNaMaaNaNdSPaXaRl/+aNaMa( )

AaSvadé[uTYavga]a
gaty-ukty-utsargopädänam änanda-sparça-lakńanam

äsväda-çruty-avaghräëam ahaŕ sarvendriyendriyam

317

I am the functions of the legs, such as walking, and I am the functions of the hands,

such as picking up. I am speaking, evacuation, the pleasure of the genitals, touching,

seeing, tasting, hearing, and smelling. I am the potency by which each of the senses

experiences its particular sense object.
COMMENTARY

The Supreme Lord Çré Kĺńëa provides the potency whereby the five working senses

and the five knowledge-acquiring senses can act. This is confirmed in the Vedas, wherein

it is stated that the Lord supplies the energy whereby the senses can abstract pleasure

from the sense objects.
TEXT 37

Pa*iQavqvaYaurak-aXa AaPaaeJYaaeiTarh&MahaNa( )

ivk-ar>Pauĺzae_VYa˘&-rJa>Satv&TaMa>ParMa( )

AhMaeTaTPa[Sa&:YaaNa&jaNa&TatviviNaęYa> ))37))

pĺthivé väyur äkäça äpo jyotir ahaŕ mahän

vikäraů puruńo ‘vyaktaŕ rajaů sattvaŕ tamaů param

aham etat prasaěkhyänaŕ jďänaŕ tattva-viniçcayaů
I am the form, taste, smell, touch, and sound; false ego; the mahat-tattva; the five

gross material elements; the eleven senses; the spirit soul, material nature, the three

modes of material nature, goodness, passion and ignorance; as well as the transcendental

Lord. I am all of these things, as well as the knowledge of their characteristics and the

conviction brought about by this knowledge.

COMMENTARY

After giving a detailed summary of His opulences within this world, the Lord now

describes the opulences that are expansions of His effulgence. The word pĺthivé, or earth,

indicates its subtle fragrance. The word ahaŕ refers to ahaěkära, or false ego. The word

318

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

mahän refers to the mahat-tattva. These seven are transformations of material nature.

The five gross material elements are earth, water, fire, air, and sky. The eleven senses

include the five working senses, the five knowledge-acquiring senses, and the mind. The

word puruńa refers to the living entity. Thus, the total number of items is twenty-five.

In the Säěkhya philosophy, the three modes of material nature—goodness, passion, and

ignorance—are also included. These are all opulences of the Supreme Lord.

TEXT 38

MaYaeěre

SavaRTMaNaaiPaSaveRaavaeivŰTaeKvicTa( ))38))

mayeçvareëa jévena guëena guëinä vinä

sarvätmanäpi sarveëa na bhävo vidyate kvacit
As the Absolute Truth, I am the origin of the living entity, the three modes of

material nature, and the mahat-tattva. I am in one sense everything, and so nothing can

exist without Me.

COMMENTARY

When the mahat-tattva, or total material existence, combines with the jévas, or

living entities, this material world becomes manifest. Everything that we experience

within this world is a combination of the living entity and the material energy. The

Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin of both the living entities and matter.

Thus it should be concluded that nothing can exist without the mercy of the Supreme

Lord.

PURPORT

The cosmic manifestation is a combination of the Supreme Lord’s two energies,

the living entities and the illusory energy, Maya. Because the energy and the energetic

are ultimately one, when we speak of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all of His

energies are automatically included. One should never make the mistake of equating

the temporary material nature with the eternal spiritual abode of the Lord. One should

not conclude that the perverted nature of material existence also exists in the eternal

realm, which is full of spiritual variegatedness. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is

the entire basis of the existence of both the living entity and matter.

The Lord’s Opulence


TEXT 39

Sa&:YaaNa&ParMaa

NaTaQaaMaeiv>aUTaqNaa&Sa*JaTaae_<@aiNak-aei$=Xa> ))39))

saěkhyänaŕ paramäëünäŕ kälena kriyate mayä

na tathä me vibhüténäŕ sĺjato ‘ëňäni koöiçaů

319

Although it might be possible for Me to count all the atoms within the universe, I

could never count all the opulences that I manifest within the innumerable universes.
COMMENTARY

In this verse, the Supreme Lord gives a hint of the extent of His opulence. The

Supreme Lord said, “It is certainly possible for Me to count the number of atoms in the

universe, but it is impossible for anyone to estimate the extent of My opulence. When

there is no estimate of the innumerable universes that I have created, how can the

opulence that is present within those innumerable universes be estimated?”

TEXT 40

TaeJa>é[q>k-IiTaRrEěYa|h]qSTYaaGa>SaaE>aGa&>aGa> )

vqYa|iTaiTa+aaivjaNa&Ya}aYa}aSaMae&_Xak-> ))40))

tejaů çréů kértir aiçvaryaŕ hrés tyägaů saubhagaŕ bhagaů

véryaŕ titikńä vijďänaŕ yatra yatra sa me ‘ŕçakaů
Whatever prowess, beauty, fame, opulence, modesty, renunciation, good fortune,

mental and sensual pleasure, strength, forgiveness, and knowledge of the self one finds in

existence are but manifestations of a portion of My splendor.

COMMENTARY

The word teja in this verse means “influence,” and the word çré means “opulence.”

The word saubhagam refers to that which is pleasing to the mind and the senses. The

word bhaga means “good fortune,” the word vérya means “strength,” and the word

aŕçaka means “portion of.”

TEXT 41

WTaaSTaek-IiTaRTaa>SavaR>SażePaeaUTaYa> )

MaNaaeivk-araWvETaeYaQaavacai>aDaqYaTae ))41))

320

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

etäs te kértitäů sarväů saěkńepeëa vibhütayaů

mano-vikärä evaite yathä väcäbhidhéyate

I have thus briefly described to you My manifestation of opulences, as well as some of

the characteristics of the material creation that can be perceived by the conditioned souls

and thus defined in various ways.
COMMENTARY

The Lord’s external opulences are herein referred to as mano-vikäräů, which means

that they are perceived in various ways, according to a conditioned soul’s mentality.

The word väcäbhidhéyate indicates the same thing—that conditioned souls describe the

nature of the universe according to their capacity, or mentality. It is for this reason that

the external opulence of the Lord is considered inferior and not the direct manifestation

of the Lord. The same person can evoke opposing conceptions within the mind of the

conditioned soul. In a favorable state of mind, one designates someone as “my son,” “my

father,” “my husband,” “my friend,” and so on, forgetting that everyone is an eternal part

and parcel of the Lord. Similarly, in a negative state of mind, one may thinks, “This

person is my enemy,” and so on, forgetting that everyone is the Lord’s eternal servant.

The example can be given of the demigod Indra, who is a manifestation of the Lord’s

material opulence, and is thus considered in various ways. Indra’s wife, mother, son, and

guru naturally think of him in favorable terms, whereas the demons think of him as

their enemy. It is for this reason that the Lord’s material opulences are referred to here

as mano-vikära. Such relative perceptions are certainly material because they fail to

express the truth, that all living entities are the Lord’s eternal parts and parcels. When

a devotee sees Lord Kĺńëa as the origin and proprietor of all kinds of opulence, and

therefore renounces the desire to enjoy or possess them, these opulences are considered

spiritual. In such consciousness, although one remains within the material world, one

sees the opulences of the Lord as they are.

PURPORT

Opulence herein refers to the visible objects as perceived according to the

transformations of the mind. Such mundane perception of opulence cannot give a clear

understanding of the supremacy of the Lord’s actual position. One should not wrongly

assume that such insignificant material opulences occupy the same status as the Lord’s

plenary features in His position as the Personality of Godhead, which are qualitatively

and quantitatively equal to the Lord.

The Lord’s Opulence


TEXT 42

vac&YaC^MaNaaeYaC^Pa[a

AaTMaaNaMaaTMaNaaYaC^Na>aUYa>k-LPaSae_ßNae ))42))

väcaŕ yaccha mano yaccha präëän yacchedriyäëi ca

ätmänam ätmanä yaccha na bhüyaů kalpase ‘dhvane

321

Therefore, control your speech, subdue the mind, conquer the life air, and regulate the

senses, and bring your rational faculties under control by means of purified intelligence.

By doing so, you will never again fall down to the path of material existence.
COMMENTARY

The Supreme Lord said, “Because everything is a manifestation of My opulence, you

should respect all things by means of your body, mind, and speech. You should never

chastise or blaspheme anyone out of envy.”

It is stated in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (12.6.35):

ativädäŕs titikńeta nävamanyeta kaďcana

na cemaŕ deham äçritya vairaŕ kurvéta kenacit
One should tolerate all the insults of others, and never fail to show proper

respect to everyone. Avoiding identification with the material body, one should

not create enmity with anyone.
PURPORT

If we carefully control the activities of our speech, mind, and senses, then we will

never come under the sway of the illusory energy of the Lord, thinking of ourselves as

the enjoyer. In that condition of self-control, one resides in the spiritual kingdom, which

is situated beyond this material realm of anxiety.
TEXT 43

YaaevEvax(MaNaSaqSa&YaGaSa&YaC^iNDaYaaYaiTa> )

TaSYav]Ta&TaPaaedaNa&óvTYaaMaga$=aMbuvTa( ))43))

yo vai väě-manasé saŕyag asaŕyacchan dhiyä yatiů

tasya vrataŕ tapo dänaŕ sravaty äma-ghaöämbu-vat

322

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

A transcendentalist who does not completely control his speech and mind by superior

intelligence will find his vows, austerities, and charity, lost just as water flows out of an

unbaked clay pot.

COMMENTARY

Despite accepting the renounced order of life, if one does not carefully control his

speech and mind, then his spiritual practices, such as the execution of vows, performance

of austerities, and the charity of leading others to spiritual life will be lost, just as water

kept in an unbaked clay pot leaks out and is lost.

PURPORT

If a liquid is kept in a baked clay pitcher, it will not leak out, but if it is kept in

an unbaked clay vessel, it will gradually flow out of the container. Similarly, for those

who cannot follow the principles of the tridaëňés, there is no possibility of achieving

perfection.

TEXT 44

TaSMaaÜcaeMaNa>Pa[a )

MaŮi˘-Yau˘-YaabuÖyaTaTa>PairSaMaaPYaTae ))44))

tasmäd vaco manaů präëän niyacchen mat-paräyaëaů

mad-bhakti-yuktayä buddhyä tataů parisamäpyate
A devotee who is surrendered to Me should carefully control his mind, speech, and

life air. By engaging his intelligence in My loving devotional service, the devotee attains

the perfection of life.

PURPORT

In this verse, it is stressed that one’s intelligence should be saturated with feelings of

loving devotion for the Lord. This can be developed by regularly chanting the Gäyatré

mantra, which is awarded by the spiritual master. By means of clear intelligence,

one naturally becomes disinclined to perform fruitive activities, or engage in mental

speculation, and one naturally becomes inclined to take shelter of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead.

Thus ends the translation of the tenth chapter of the Uddhava-géta, entitled “The

Lord’s Opulence” with the commentaries of Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura and

the chapter summary and purports of Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura.

CHAPTER 11
LORD KĹŃËA’S DESCRIPTION OF THE VARËÄÇRAMA SYSTEM

CHAPTER SUMMARY
Previously, Supreme Lord Çré Kĺńëa, had assumed the form of Haŕsa and explained

to Lord Brahmä and other sages the duties of the brahmacäré and gĺhastha orders. In

this chapter, the Lord further describes these matters to Uddhava.

After Uddhava inquires from Çré Kĺńëa about the principles of the varëa and

äçrama orders of society, the Lord replies that in the first age, Satya-yuga, there was only

one varëa, called haŕsa. In that age, people were automatically dedicated to unalloyed

devotional service right from their very birth, and since everyone was perfect in all

respects, the age was called Kĺta-yuga. In that age, the Vedas were manifest in the form

of the sacred syllable oŕ. The Supreme Lord was the object of everyone’s meditation,

and all the limbs of religion were fully manifested. There were no formal performances

of Vedic sacrifices. People were naturally pious and inclined to perform austerities, and

they simply engaged in meditation on the personal form the Supreme Lord.

In the following age, Tretä-yuga, the three Vedas became manifest from the heart

of the Supreme Lord, and from them, the three forms of sacrificial fire. At that time,

the system of four varëas and four äçramas, which prescribes material and spiritual

duties for the different members of society, manifested from the limbs of the Supreme

Lord. According to how these divisions appeared from the higher and lower bodily limbs

of the Supreme Lord, they were endowed with higher and lower qualities. After this

description, the Supreme Lord, Çré Kĺńëa, explains the nature of those in each of the

four varëas, as well as those who are outside the limits of the four varëas. The Lord also

describes those qualities that pertain to humanity in general.

323



324

UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

Members of the higher social orders are qualified to take second birth. After receiving

the sacred thread initiation, they should go to live in the gurukula, the home of the

spiritual master, as brahmacärés. There, the student should practice self-control and

absorb himself in the study of the Vedas. He should keep matted hair and is forbidden

to wash his teeth, prepare a nice seat for himself, talk while bathing or evacuating, cut

his hair and nails, or at any time pass semen. He must regularly perform worship at the

three junctures of the day and must render devotional service to his spiritual master in

a spirit free from envy. A brahmacäré must offer to the guru whatever food and other

things he collects by begging. He gladly accepts for his maintenance whatever remnants

of the Lord he is granted. He should render menial service to the spiritual master by

massaging his feet and worship him, and he should avoid all sense gratification and

strictly maintain the vow of celibacy. He should surrender himself completely to the

Supreme Lord, and engage in worshiping Him in the form of Paramätmä, according

to the rules and regulations prescribed for him. For brahmacärés, seeing or touching

women, and conversations or sports in the company of women, are absolutely disallowed.

Maintaining cleanliness and performing äcamana for purification are recommended for

members of all the äçramas. Everyone is advised to remember that the Supreme Lord as

the Supersoul is residing within all living entities.

After studying all the different aspects of the Vedas, a brähmaëa who has material

desires may, with the permission of his spiritual master, enter household life. Otherwise,

if he has no material desires, he may enter the vänaprastha or sannyäsa äçrama. The

proper order of succession should be followed in changing from one spiritual order to the

next. One who desires to enter household life should accept a wife who is of the same

varëa as himself, who is not condemnable, and who is younger than he.

The obligatory duties of the brähmaëas, kńatriyas, and vaiçyas are worship of the

Supreme Lord, study of the Vedas, and giving charity. Only brähmaëas have the privilege

of accepting charity, teaching the Vedic scriptures to others, and conducting sacrifices.

If a brähmaëa finds some fault in these three occupations, he may maintain himself by

collecting grains from the agricultural fields. If a brähmaëa is extremely poverty-stricken

and thus in dire need of money, he may accept the profession of a kńatriyas or vaiçya, but

he should never accept the occupation of a çüdra. In a similar situation, a kńatriya may

accept the occupation of a vaiçya, and a vaiçya that of a çüdra. When such an emergency

has passed so that there is no more imminent danger, one should not continue to earn

his livelihood by means of a lower occupation. A brähmaëa who remains fixed in

performing his occupational duties while giving up insignificant material desires always

remains under the protection of the Supreme Lord. The householder should study the

Vedas daily, and maintain his family members with the wealth he has honestly earned

by engaging in his occupation, and he should worship the Supreme Lord according to

Lord Kĺńëa’s Description of the Varëäçrama System