Introduction a Introduction

TEXT 25

SaMaaihTaE>k->k-raGauRaveNMaTSauiviv˘-DaaMNa> )

ivi+aPYaMaaik-Ma( ))25))

samähitaiů kaů karaëair guëätmabhir guëo bhaven mat-suvivikta-dhämnaů

vikńipyamäëair uta kiŕ nu düńaëaŕ ghanair upetair vigatai raveů kim
For one who has properly realized My personal identity as the Supreme Personality

of Godhead, what credit is there if his senses, which are products of the modes of nature,

are perfectly concentrated in meditation, and what blame is incurred if his senses happen

to become agitated? What does it mean to the sun when the clouds come and go in the

sky?

COMMENTARY

The pure devotees of the Lord are not to be criticized or praised simply on the basis

of a materialist’s perception of the activities of their senses. The senses of pure devotees

are fully engaged in the service of the Lord and their minds are absorbed in meditation

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UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

upon Him. Such exalted devotees never deviate from their Kĺńëa consciousness, even if

their senses are sometimes agitated.
PURPORT

When it is cloudy so that we cannot see the sun, it is not that the sun is covered—it is

our imperfect eyes that are covered. Similarly, it may appear to the vision of a materialistic

person that the activities of a liberated devotee of the Lord are performed under the

influence of the three modes of material nature, and thus faulty. However, the fact is

that the Supreme Lord, His dedicated servants, and the process of devotional service

cannot be hampered by material conditions because they are under the jurisdiction of

the Lord’s internal potency.

TEXT 26

YaQaaNa>aaevaYvNal/aMbu>aUGau

TaQaa+ar&SatvrJaSTaMaaeMalE/rh&MaTae>Sa&Sa*iTaheTaui>a>ParMa( ))26))

yathä nabho väyv-analämbu-bhü-guëair gatägatair vartu-guëair na sajjate

tathäkńaraŕ sattva-rajas-tamo-malair ahaŕ-mateů saŕsĺti-hetubhiů param
The sky is never affected by the various qualities of the air, fire, water, and earth

that pass through it, as well as such qualities as heat and cold, which continually come

and go with the seasons. Similarly, the Supreme Absolute Truth is never tinged by

the contaminations of the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, which cause the

transformations of false ego.

COMMENTARY

A liberated soul is not to be judged in terms of so-called material good qualities

or faults. The example of the sky is given in this regard. The sky never mixes with

anything. It is not dried by the air, burnt by fire, covered by dust, or influenced by the

seasons, such as the heat of the summer or the cold of winter. Similarly, the Supreme

Lord is never contaminated by the three material modes of nature.

PURPORT

The Absolute Truth is unchanging and unaffected by material conditions, as is the

liberated soul. Although the air blows everywhere and the elements of fire, earth, and

water contact the sky, it never mixes with any of them The unlimited Supreme Lord is

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715

the master of material nature, whereas the infinitesimal living entities are covered by

Maya.
TEXT 27

TaQaaiPaSa®>PairvJaRNaqYaaeGau

MaŮi˘-YaaeGaeNad*!eNaYaavd]JaaeiNarSYaeTaMaNa>k-zaYa> ))27))

tathäpi saěgaů parivarjanéyo guëeńu mäyä-raciteńu tävat

mad-bhakti-yogena dĺňhena yävad rajo nirasyeta manaů-kańäyaů
Still, until one has completely eliminated from his mind all material contamination, by

undivided engagement in My devotional service, one must very carefully avoid associating

with the modes of material nature, which are products of My illusory energy.
COMMENTARY

A neophyte jďäné should not whimsically try to imitate the behavior of a liberated

soul. This warning is given in this and the next verses. The word rajo means “attachment.”

The word guëeńu means “in material objects.”

PURPORT

Although the material nature is non-different from the Supreme Lord, one who

has yet to conquer material desire should not unrestrictedly associate with the objects

of the senses, declaring them to be non-different from the Lord. One who is aspiring to

be Kĺńëa conscious should not loosely associate with women, claiming them to be non-

different from the Personality of Godhead, for by such imitation of the most advanced

devotees, one will simply remain on the platform of material sense gratification. A

neophyte devotee who presumes himself to be liberated is impelled by the mode of passion

to become falsely proud of his position. As a result, he neglects the actual process of

devotional service to the Lord. The conclusion is that devotees should always carefully

avoid bad association. If one who is not firmly fixed in devotional service claims to be

a liberated soul, he should be considered a pseudo devotee who is driven by the mode

of passion. Pseudo devotees gradually become self-worshipers. This is the meaning of

sahajiya, or one who takes things very cheaply.

TEXT 28

YaQaaMaYaae_SaaDauicik-iTSaTaaeNa*PauNa>SaNTaudiTaPa[raehNa( )

Wv&MaNaae_PaKvk-zaYak-MaRku-YaaeiGaNa&ivDYaiTaSavRSa®Ma( ))28))

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UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

yathämayo ‘sädhu cikitsito nĺëäŕ punaů punaů santudati prarohan

evaŕ mano ‘pakva-kańäya-karma kuyoginaŕ vidhyati sarva-saěgam

Just as a disease that is not treated repeatedly recurs, causing one great distress, if the

mind is not purified of all material contamination, then it will remain attached to material

things and repeatedly torment the imperfect yogé.

COMMENTARY

The conditional state of material existence is considered to be diseased condition of

life which requires treatment by the expert physician, the bona fide spiritual master. The

disease of the heart is material attachment and as long as this condition remains, one

will continue to suffer the pangs of material existence. Even those who are supposedly

engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord, if they stubbornly remain attached to wife,

children, and so on, their material condition of life will continue.

PURPORT

Under the shelter of a pseudo spiritual master, non-devotees embrace mental

speculation and gross sense gratification under the influence of bad association. If one is

treated by a physician who is not experienced, although the symptom of the disease may

temporarily disappear, there is every possibility of a relapse. The conclusion is that it is

essential to completely give up the association of sense enjoyers and those making a show

of false renunciation. When one’s offense against the holy name of the Lord in the form

of maintaining the false egoistic conception of “I” and “mine” is very prominent, the

result is that one remains attached to his sons, wife, relatives, father, mother, wealth, and

country. The practice of pseudo devotional service cannot cure one’s material disease.

Even while serving Lord Hari, such a pseudo devotee will find that his attachment for

wife, children, and so on simply increases.

TEXT 29

ku-YaaeiGaNaaeYaeivihTaaNTaraYaEMaRNauZYa>aUTaEińdXaaePaSa*íE > )

TaePa[a˘-Naa>YaaSable/Na>aUYaaeYauĹiNTaYaaeGa&NaTauk-MaRTaN}aMa( ))29))

kuyogino ye vihitäntaräyair manuńya-bhütais tridaçopasĺńöaiů

te präktanäbhyäsa-balena bhüyo yuďjanti yogaŕ na tu karma-tantram
Sometimes the progress of a neophyte transcendentalist is impeded due to excessive

attachment to family members or others, who are sent by envious demigods. However, on

the strength of their spiritual advancement, such imperfect transcendentalists will resume

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717

their practice of yoga in the next life. They will never again be bound, like ordinary

materialists, in the network of karma.
COMMENTARY

Sometimes sannyäsés and others become bewildered by friends, well-wishers, or

flattering disciples that are sent by the demigods to embarrass them. Therefore, in the

Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.87.39) it has been stated:
yadi na samuddharanti yatayo hĺdi käma-jaöä
Members of the renounced order who fail to uproot the last traces of material

desire in their hearts remain impure.
It is to be understood that a sannyäsé’s position is completely distinct from that of

others who are engaged in devotional service. This is confirmed in the Vedas: yasmät

tadeńam na priyam yadetan manuńyä viduů: No human being is dear to a sannyäsé.
PURPORT

The conditioned souls, who work hard for the satisfaction of their senses, are tightly

bound by the network of fruitive activities. When such conditioned souls take to the

practice of yoga, the envious demigods may place obstacles on their path by sending

flattering disciples or bodily relations. Although an imperfect transcendentalist may

thus fall down from yoga practice, he will resume it in his next life, on the strength of

his accumulated merit.
TEXT 30

k-raeiTak-MaRi§-YaTaecJaNTau>ke-NaaPYaSaaEcaeidTa AaiNaPaTaaTa( )

NaTa}aivÜaNPa[k*-TaaEiSQaTaae_iPaiNav*taTa*ZSvSau%aNau>aUTYaa ))30))

karoti karma kriyate ca jantuů kenäpy asau codita ä-nipatät

na tatra vidvän prakĺtau sthito ‘pi nivĺtta-tĺńëaů sva-sukhänubhütyä
The conditioned living entity performs fruitive work and suffers and enjoys the

reactions to his karma. Thus, he continues to work fruitively right up to the very moment

of his death. One who is wise, however, after experiencing transcendental ecstasy, gives

up all material desires and refrains from engaging in fruitive work.

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UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

COMMENTARY

Unlike karmés, jďänés do not allow themselves to become entangled in the bondage

of fruitive work. This is being explained in this verse. All conditioned souls are working

hard in this world, under the direction of the three modes of material nature. By their

activities, they determine their future body, whether that of a demigod, human being,

dog, or hog. Although there is great risk of becoming degraded, fruitive workers go on

with their self-centered activities up until the point of death. However, those who are

actually wise renounce fruitive activities, even while living in the material world, and

thus they free themselves from the bondage of karma.

PURPORT

Materialistic persons engage in fruitive activities so that they can enjoy sense

gratification On the other hand, one who is on the platform of self-realization does

not regard himself as an enjoyer of the material world. Rather, he regards the entire

creation as an expansion of the Lord’s potency, and he sees himself as the Lord’s humble

servant.
TEXT 31

iTaďNTaMaaSaqNaMauTav]JaNTa&XaYaaNaMau+aNTaMadNTaMaŕMa( )

Sv>aavMaNYaiTk-MaPaqhMaaNaMaaTMaaNaMaaTMaSQaMaiTaNaRved ))31))

tińöhantam äsénam uta vrajantaŕ çayänam ukńantam adantam annam

svabhävam anyat kim apéhamänam ätmänam ätma-stha-matir na veda
One whose consciousness is absorbed in thought of the Lord does not even understand

how his body is acting. While walking, sitting, standing, lying down, passing urine, eating,

or doing anything else, he simply thinks that the body is acting according to its acquired

nature.

COMMENTARY

One who is wise remains aloof from the functions of the material body. This is what

is being explained in this verse. One who is fully absorbed in Kĺńëa consciousness would

hardly notice even if someone passed urine on his body. One whose intelligence is fixed

on the Supreme Lord hardly remembers that he has a material body.

PURPORT

A self-realized soul does not take part in the activities of material enjoyment or

artificial renunciation because all of his activities are dovetailed in the service of

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719

Lord Kĺńëa. Although he is detached from the functions of the material body, he

enthusiastically engages his material body in the service of the Lord.
TEXT 32

YaidSMaPaXYaTYaSaidiNd]YaaQa|NaaNaaNauMaaNaeNaivĺÖMaNYaTa( )

NaMaNYaTaevSTauTaYaaMaNaqzqSvaPan&YaQaaeTQaaYaiTaraedDaaNaMa( ))32))

yadi sma paçyaty asad-indriyärthaŕ nänänumänena viruddham anyat

na manyate vastutayä manéńé sväpnaŕ yathotthäya tirodadhänam
Although a self-realized soul encounters material objects and activities, which are

temporary, he does not accept them as reality, just as a man awakening from sleep views

his fading dream as an illusory manifestation of the mind.
COMMENTARY

Although a self-realized soul is absorbed in Kĺńëa consciousness, he must perform

routine duties in relation to the material body but he does not consider such activities as

factual, just as one has awakened from sleep does not consider his dreams to be reality.

PURPORT

While dreaming, one experiences various emotions but when one awakens, he can

understand that such feelings have no basis in reality. Similarly, one who is actually wise

understands that the objects he experiences while awake, and the activities he performs

for the maintenance of his material body, have no basis in ultimate reality, which exists

apart from this temporary material manifestation. Indeed, the pleasures and pains of

material existence are simply the result of being in the bodily concept of life, forgetting

one’s identity as pure spirit soul. For a self-realized soul, reality is his engagement in the

devotional service of the Supreme Lord, which is distinct from the day dreams and night

dreams of the conditioned souls.

TEXT 33

PaUv|Ga*hqTa&Gau

iNavTaRTaeTaTPauNarq+aYaEvNaGa*ůTaeNaaiPaivSa*YYa AaTMaa ))33))

pürvaŕ gĺhétaŕ guëa-karma-citram ajďänam ätmany aviviktam aěga

nivartate tat punar ékńayaiva na gĺhyate näpi visĺyya ätmä

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UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

My dear Uddhava, material nescience, which expands into many varieties by the

activities, is wrongly accepted by the conditioned soul to be the actual condition of the

self. But, through the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, this nescience fades away as one

proceeds towards liberation. The eternal self is never wrongly accepted nor rejected at any

stage, however.

COMMENTARY

Knowledge is the destroyer of ignorance. All activities performed under the influence

of the three modes of material nature during the conditional state of existence are born

of ignorance. Although illusory, such activities appear to be real to the conditioned soul.

One should try to vanquish his ignorance by the cultivation of spiritual knowledge.

Ignorance is only accepted due to lack of proper understanding, and so it is rejected

when one becomes enlightened with the knowledge of the self, which is changeless and

eternal.

PURPORT

The visible objects of this world are always subject to transformation. The knowledge

that is cultivated by a seer whose senses are imperfect is another side of ignorance. The

pure spirit soul, on the other hand, is unchanging and without the four defects that

are characteristic of conditional life. Whatever activities the conditioned soul performs

under the direction of false ego, which is the creation of the modes of nature, have

a foundation of ignorance. When spiritual knowledge is awakened, one regards his

previous experiences as inconsequential. This is the symptom of self-realization. One

should never mistakenly equate temporary material existence with liberated existence

in the spiritual realm. It is only by identification with the temporary material body

and subtle mind that one engages in the meaningless activities of sense gratification or

artificial renunciation.

TEXT 34

YaQaaih>aaNaaeĺdYaaeNa*c+auza&TaMaaeiNahNYaaNNaTauSaiÜDatae )

Wv&SaMaq+aaiNaPau ))34))

yathä hi bhänor udayo nĺ-cakńuńäŕ tamo nihanyän na tu sad vidhatte

evaŕ samékńä nipuëä saté me hanyät tamisraŕ puruńasya buddheů
Just as, when the sun rises, it destroys the darkness covering men’s eyes, but it does

not create the objects they perceive, so factual realization of Me destroys the ignorance

covering one’s pure consciousness.

Jďäna-yoga


COMMENTARY

721

One who is self-realized understands that the soul is not subject to material

transformation. It is changeless and eternal. Attributing material designations to the

spirit soul is simply a result of ignorance. When the sun rises, the darkness covering

one’s eyes is removed so that one can see things as they are. Similarly, realization of the

self dispels the darkness of ignorance, which covers his real knowledge.

PURPORT

The contamination of an object is a temporary imposition. When the contamination

is removed, the object displays its original purity. When one’s intelligence is fully engaged

in the service of the Supreme Lord, the propensities for material enjoyment and artificial

renunciation leave his association. When one’s contaminated material concept of life is

vanquished, he regains his natural and healthy state of serving the Supreme Lord. Just

as, when the sun rises, one can see things as they are, similarly when the darkness of

ignorance is dispelled by realization of the self, one can engage in his natural condition

as the eternal servant of the Supreme Lord.

TEXT 35

WzSvYa&JYaaeiTarJaae_Pa[MaeYaaeMahaNau>aUiTa>Sak-l/aNau>aUiTa> )

Wk-ae_iÜTaqYaaevcSaa&ivraMaeYaeNaeizTaavaGaSavęriNTa ))35))

eńa svayaŕ-jyotir ajo ‘prameyo mahänubhütiů sakalänubhütiů

eko ‘dvitéyo vacasäŕ viräme yeneńitä väg-asavaç caranti
The Supreme Lord is self-luminous, unborn, and immeasurable. He is pure

transcendental consciousness, all-pervading knowledge, and one without a second. He is

realized only after ordinary words cease. By Him the power of speech and the life airs are

set into motion.
COMMENTARY

The Supersoul is compared to the sun, whereas the individual souls are compared to

the rays of the sun. The distinction between the Supersoul and the innumerable spirit

souls is being described in this verse. The Supersoul is self-manifest and self-effulgent,

but the living entities are manifested by Him. The Lord is unborn, but the living entities

become subject to material designations. The Lord is immeasurable, or all pervading,

whereas the living entities are localized. The Supersoul is the supreme spirit whole, and

the living entities are His minute parts and parcels. He is omniscient, whereas the living

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UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ

entity is only aware of his limited experience. The Supreme Lord is one, whereas the

living entities are many. Any description of the Supreme Lord is beyond the power of

the words of the conditioned souls. It is said in the Vedas, yato väco nivartante apräpya

manasä saha: The descriptive power of speech fails in the realm of the Supreme Truth,

and the speculative power of the mind cannot achieve Him.

PURPORT

The Supreme Lord is unborn, beyond the range of the material senses, fully spiritual,

not bound by time, space, or circumstances, omniscient, and one without a second.

When the limit of one’s speech is attained within this world, the Supreme Lord remains

far beyond reach. Rather, by the influence of the Supreme Lord, the power of speech

comes to life. It is the Lord who awards the power of the senses to the conditioned souls

and when He desires, that power is withdrawn. The relationship of the independent

Lord with the minute living entities is technically called svajätéya-bheda. The living

entities’ relationship with the material nature is technically called vijätéya-bheda. The

Lord’s relationship with the spiritual nature is termed svagata-bheda. Being influenced

by the external energy of the Lord, there is confusion in the minds of the Mäyävädés

regarding svagata-bheda, svajätéya-bheda, and vijätéya-bheda. The enlightened view of

these words is that they establish the supremacy of the Lord, whereas the unenlightened

view misconstrues a meaning that there is an existence separate from the Supreme

Lord.