Adhyaya 28

Verse 1

श्रीभगवानुवाच परस्वभावकर्माणि न प्रशंसेन्न गर्हयेत् । विश्वमेकात्मकं पश्यन् प्रकृत्या पुरुषेण च ॥ १ ॥

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One should neither praise nor criticize the conditioned nature and activities of other persons. Rather, one should see this world as simply the combination of material nature and the enjoying souls, all based on the one Absolute Truth.

Verse 2

परस्वभावकर्माणि य: प्रशंसति निन्दति । स आशु भ्रश्यते स्वार्थादसत्यभिनिवेशत: ॥ २ ॥

Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his entanglement in illusory dualities.

Verse 3

तैजसे निद्रयापन्ने पिण्डस्थो नष्टचेतन: । मायां प्राप्नोति मृत्युं वा तद्वन्नानार्थद‍ृक् पुमान् ॥ ३ ॥

Just as the embodied spirit soul loses external consciousness when his senses are overcome by the illusion of dreaming or the deathlike state of deep sleep, so a person experiencing material duality must encounter illusion and death.

Verse 4

किं भद्रं किमभद्रं वा द्वैतस्यावस्तुन: कियत् । वाचोदितं तदनृतं मनसा ध्यातमेव च ॥ ४ ॥

That which is expressed by material words or meditated upon by the material mind is not ultimate truth. What, therefore, is actually good or bad within this insubstantial world of duality, and how can the extent of such good and bad be measured?

Verse 5

छायाप्रत्याह्वयाभासा ह्यसन्तोऽप्यर्थकारिण: । एवं देहादयो भावा यच्छन्त्यामृत्युतो भयम् ॥ ५ ॥

Although shadows, echoes and mirages are only illusory reflections of real things, such reflections do cause a semblance of meaningful or comprehensible perception. In the same way, although the identification of the conditioned soul with the material body, mind and ego is illusory, this identification generates fear within him even up to the moment of death.

Verse 6

आत्मैव तदिदं विश्वं सृज्यते सृजति प्रभु: । त्रायते त्राति विश्वात्मा ह्रियते हरतीश्वर: ॥ ६ ॥ तस्मान्न ह्यात्मनोऽन्यस्मादन्यो भावो निरूपित: । निरूपितेऽयं त्रिविधा निर्मूला भातिरात्मनि । इदं गुणमयं विद्धि त्रिविधं मायया कृतम् ॥ ७ ॥

The Supersoul alone is the ultimate controller and creator of this world, and thus He alone is also the created. Similarly, the Soul of all existence Himself both maintains and is maintained, withdraws and is withdrawn. No other entity can be properly ascertained as separate from Him, the Supreme Soul, who nonetheless is distinct from everything and everyone else. The appearance of the threefold material nature, which is perceived within Him, has no actual basis. Rather, you should understand that this material nature, composed of the three modes, is simply the product of His illusory potency.

Verse 7

आत्मैव तदिदं विश्वं सृज्यते सृजति प्रभु: । त्रायते त्राति विश्वात्मा ह्रियते हरतीश्वर: ॥ ६ ॥ तस्मान्न ह्यात्मनोऽन्यस्मादन्यो भावो निरूपित: । निरूपितेऽयं त्रिविधा निर्मूला भातिरात्मनि । इदं गुणमयं विद्धि त्रिविधं मायया कृतम् ॥ ७ ॥

The Supersoul alone is the ultimate controller and creator of this world, and thus He alone is also the created. Similarly, the Soul of all existence Himself both maintains and is maintained, withdraws and is withdrawn. No other entity can be properly ascertained as separate from Him, the Supreme Soul, who nonetheless is distinct from everything and everyone else. The appearance of the threefold material nature, which is perceived within Him, has no actual basis. Rather, you should understand that this material nature, composed of the three modes, is simply the product of His illusory potency.

Verse 8

एतद् विद्वान् मदुदितं ज्ञानविज्ञाननैपुणम् । न निन्दति न च स्तौति लोके चरति सूर्यवत् ॥ ८ ॥

One who has properly understood the process of becoming firmly fixed in theoretical and realized knowledge, as described herein by Me, does not indulge in material criticism or praise. Like the sun, he wanders freely throughout this world.

Verse 9

प्रत्यक्षेणानुमानेन निगमेनात्मसंविदा । आद्यन्तवदसज्ज्ञात्वा नि:सङ्गो विचरेदिह ॥ ९ ॥

By direct perception, logical deduction, scriptural testimony and personal realization, one should know that this world has a beginning and an end and so is not the ultimate reality. Thus one should live in this world without attachment.

Verse 10

श्रीउद्धव उवाच नैवात्मनो न देहस्य संसृतिर्द्रष्टृद‍ृश्ययो: । अनात्मस्वद‍ृशोरीश कस्य स्यादुपलभ्यते ॥ १० ॥

Śrī Uddhava said: My dear Lord, it is not possible for this material existence to be the experience of either the soul, who is the seer, or of the body, which is the seen object. On the one hand, the spirit soul is innately endowed with perfect knowledge, and on the other hand, the material body is not a conscious, living entity. To whom, then, does this experience of material existence pertain?

Verse 11

आत्माव्ययोऽगुण: शुद्ध: स्वयंज्योतिरनावृत: । अग्निवद्दारुवदचिद्देह: कस्येह संसृति: ॥ ११ ॥

The spirit soul is inexhaustible, transcendental, pure, self-luminous and never covered by anything material. It is like fire. But the nonliving material body, like firewood, is dull and unaware. So in this world, who is it that actually undergoes the experience of material life?

Verse 12

श्रीभगवानुवाच यावद् देहेन्द्रियप्राणैरात्मन: सन्निकर्षणम् । संसार: फलवांस्तावदपार्थोऽप्यविवेकिन: ॥ १२ ॥

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: As long as the foolish spirit soul remains attracted to the material body, senses and vital force, his material existence continues to flourish, although it is ultimately meaningless.

Verse 13

अर्थे ह्यविद्यमानेऽपि संसृतिर्न निवर्तते । ध्यायतो विषयानस्य स्वप्नेऽनर्थागमो यथा ॥ १३ ॥

Actually, the living entity is transcendental to material existence. But because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material existential condition does not cease, and, just as in a dream, he is affected by all sorts of disadvantages.

Verse 14

यथा ह्यप्रतिबुद्धस्य प्रस्वापो बह्वनर्थभृत् । स एव प्रतिबुद्धस्य न वै मोहाय कल्पते ॥ १४ ॥

Although while dreaming a person experiences many undesirable things, upon awakening he is no longer confused by the dream experiences.

Verse 15

शोकहर्षभयक्रोधलोभमोहस्पृहादय: । अहङ्कारस्य द‍ृश्यन्ते जन्म मृत्युश्च नात्मन: ॥ १५ ॥

Lamentation, elation, fear, anger, greed, confusion and hankering, as well as birth and death, are experiences of the false ego and not of the pure soul.

Verse 16

देहेन्द्रियप्राणमनोऽभिमानो जीवोऽन्तरात्मा गुणकर्ममूर्ति: । सूत्रं महानित्युरुधेव गीत: संसार आधावति कालतन्त्र: ॥ १६ ॥

The living entity who falsely identifies with his body, senses, life air and mind, and who dwells within these coverings, assumes the form of his own materially conditioned qualities and work. He is designated variously in relation to the total material energy, and thus, under the strict control of supreme time, he is forced to run here and there within material existence.

Verse 17

अमूलमेतद् बहुरूपरूपितं मनोवच:प्राणशरीरकर्म । ज्ञानासिनोपासनया शितेन- च्छित्त्वा मुनिर्गां विचरत्यतृष्ण: ॥ १७ ॥

Although the false ego has no factual basis, it is perceived in many forms — as the functions of the mind, speech, life air and bodily faculties. But with the sword of transcendental knowledge, sharpened by worship of a bona fide spiritual master, a sober sage will cut off this false identification and live in this world free from all material attachment.

Verse 18

ज्ञानं विवेको निगमस्तपश्च प्रत्यक्षमैतिह्यमथानुमानम् । आद्यन्तयोरस्य यदेव केवलं कालश्च हेतुश्च तदेव मध्ये ॥ १८ ॥

Real spiritual knowledge is based on the discrimination of spirit from matter, and it is cultivated by scriptural evidence, austerity, direct perception, reception of the Purāṇas’ historical narrations, and logical inference. The Absolute Truth, which alone was present before the creation of the universe and which alone will remain after its destruction, is also the time factor and the ultimate cause. Even in the middle stage of this creation’s existence, the Absolute Truth alone is the actual reality.

Verse 19

यथा हिरण्यं स्वकृतं पुरस्तात् पश्चाच्च सर्वस्य हिरण्मयस्य । तदेव मध्ये व्यवहार्यमाणं नानापदेशैरहमस्य तद्वत् ॥ १९ ॥

Gold alone is present before its manufacture into gold products, the gold alone remains after the products’ destruction, and the gold alone is the essential reality while it is being utilized under various designations. Similarly, I alone exist before the creation of this universe, after its destruction and during its maintenance.

Verse 20

विज्ञानमेतत्‍त्रियवस्थमङ्ग गुणत्रयं कारणकार्यकर्तृ । समन्वयेन व्यतिरेकतश्च येनैव तुर्येण तदेव सत्यम् ॥ २० ॥

The material mind manifests in three phases of consciousness — wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep — which are products of the three modes of nature. The mind further appears in three different roles — the perceiver, the perceived and the regulator of perception. Thus the mind is manifested variously throughout these threefold designations. But it is the fourth factor, existing separately from all this, that alone constitutes the Absolute Truth.

Verse 21

न यत् पुरस्तादुत यन्न पश्चा- न्मध्ये च तन्न व्यपदेशमात्रम् । भूतं प्रसिद्धं च परेण यद् यत् तदेव तत् स्यादिति मे मनीषा ॥ २१ ॥

That which did not exist in the past and will not exist in the future also has no existence of its own for the period of its duration, but is only a superficial designation. In My opinion, whatever is created and revealed by something else is ultimately only that other thing.

Verse 22

अविद्यमानोऽप्यवभासते यो वैकारिको राजससर्ग एष: । ब्रह्म स्वयंज्योतिरतो विभाति ब्रह्मेन्द्रियार्थात्मविकारचित्रम् ॥ २२ ॥

Although thus not existing in reality, this manifestation of transformations created from the mode of passion appears real because the self-manifested, self-luminous Absolute Truth exhibits Himself in the form of the material variety of the senses, the sense objects, the mind and the elements of physical nature.

Verse 23

एवं स्फुटं ब्रह्मविवेकहेतुभि: परापवादेन विशारदेन । छित्त्वात्मसन्देहमुपारमेत स्वानन्दतुष्टोऽखिलकामुकेभ्य: ॥ २३ ॥

Thus clearly understanding by discriminating logic the unique position of the Absolute Truth, one should expertly refute one’s misidentification with matter and cut to pieces all doubts about the identity of the self. Becoming satisfied in the soul’s natural ecstasy, one should desist from all lusty engagements of the material senses.

Verse 24

नात्मा वपु: पार्थिवमिन्द्रियाणि देवा ह्यसुर्वायुर्जलम् हुताश: । मनोऽन्नमात्रं धिषणा च सत्त्व- महङ्कृति: खं क्षितिरर्थसाम्यम् ॥ २४ ॥

The material body made of earth is not the true self; nor are the senses, their presiding demigods or the air of life; nor is the external air, water or fire or one’s mind. All these are simply matter. Similarly, neither one’s intelligence, material consciousness nor ego, nor the elements of ether or earth, nor the objects of sense perception, nor even the primeval state of material equilibrium can be considered the actual identity of the soul.

Verse 25

समाहितै: क: करणैर्गुणात्मभि-र्गुणो भवेन्मत्सुविविक्तधाम्न: । विक्षिप्यमाणैरुत किं नु दूषणंघनैरुपेतैर्विगतै रवे: किम् ॥ २५ ॥

For one who has properly realized My personal identity as the Supreme Godhead, what credit is there if his senses — mere products of the material modes — are perfectly concentrated in meditation? And on the other hand, what blame is incurred if his senses happen to become agitated? Indeed, what does it mean to the sun if the clouds come and go?

Verse 26

यथा नभो वाय्वनलाम्बुभूगुणै- र्गतागतैर्वर्तुगुणैर्न सज्जते । तथाक्षरं सत्त्वरजस्तमोमलै- रहंमते: संसृतिहेतुभि: परम् ॥ २६ ॥

The sky may display 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. Yet the sky is never entangled with any of these qualities. Similarly, the Supreme Absolute Truth is never entangled with the contaminations of goodness, passion and ignorance, which cause the material transformations of the false ego.

Verse 27

तथापि सङ्ग: परिवर्जनीयो गुणेषु मायारचितेषु तावत् । मद्भ‍‍क्तियोगेन द‍ृढेन यावद् रजो निरस्येत मन:कषाय: ॥ २७ ॥

Nevertheless, until by firmly practicing devotional service to Me one has completely eliminated from his mind all contamination of material passion, one must very carefully avoid associating with the material modes, which are produced by My illusory energy.

Verse 28

यथामयोऽसाधुचिकित्सितो नृणां पुन: पुन: सन्तुदति प्ररोहन् । एवं मनोऽपक्व‍कषायकर्म कुयोगिनं विध्यति सर्वसङ्गम् ॥ २८ ॥

Just as an improperly treated disease recurs and gives repeated distress to the patient, the mind that is not completely purified of its perverted tendencies will remain attached to material things and repeatedly torment the imperfect yogī.

Verse 29

कुयोगिनो ये विहितान्तरायै- र्मनुष्यभूतैस्‍त्रिदशोपसृष्टै: । ते प्राक्तनाभ्यासबलेन भूयो युञ्जन्ति योगं न तु कर्मतन्त्रम् ॥ २९ ॥

Sometimes the progress of imperfect transcendentalists is checked by attachment to family members, disciples or others, who are sent by envious demigods for that purpose. But on the strength of their accumulated advancement, such imperfect transcendentalists will resume their practice of yoga in the next life. They will never again be trapped in the network of fruitive work.

Verse 30

करोति कर्म क्रियते च जन्तु: केनाप्यसौ चोदित आनिपातात् । न तत्र विद्वान् प्रकृतौ स्थितोऽपि निवृत्ततृष्ण: स्वसुखानुभूत्या ॥ ३० ॥

An ordinary living entity performs material work and is transformed by the reaction to such work. Thus he is driven by various desires to continue working fruitively up to the very moment of his death. A wise person, however, having experienced his own constitutional bliss, gives up all material desires and does not engage in fruitive work.

Verse 31

तिष्ठन्तमासीनमुत व्रजन्तं शयानमुक्षन्तमदन्तमन्नम् । स्वभावमन्यत् किमपीहमान- मात्मानमात्मस्थमतिर्न वेद ॥ ३१ ॥

The wise man, whose consciousness is fixed in the self, does not even notice his own bodily activities. While standing, sitting, walking, lying down, urinating, eating or performing other bodily functions, he understands that the body is acting according to its own nature.

Verse 32

यदि स्म पश्यत्यसदिन्द्रियार्थं नानानुमानेन विरुद्धमन्यत् । न मन्यते वस्तुतया मनीषी स्वाप्नं यथोत्थाय तिरोदधानम् ॥ ३२ ॥

Although a self-realized soul may sometimes see an impure object or activity, he does not accept it as real. By logically understanding impure sense objects to be based on illusory material duality, the intelligent person sees them to be contrary to and distinct from reality, in the same way that a man awakening from sleep views his fading dream.

Verse 33

पूर्वं गृहीतं गुणकर्मचित्र- मज्ञानमात्मन्यविविक्तमङ्ग । निवर्तते तत् पुनरीक्षयैव न गृह्यते नापि विसृज्य आत्मा ॥ ३३ ॥

Material nescience, which expands into many varieties by the activities of the modes of nature, is wrongly accepted by the conditioned soul to be identical with the self. But through the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, My dear Uddhava, this same nescience fades away at the time of liberation. The eternal self, on the other hand, is never assumed and never abandoned.

Verse 34

यथा हि भानोरुदयो नृचक्षुषां तमो निहन्यान्न तु सद् विधत्ते । एवं समीक्षा निपुणा सती मे हन्यात्तमिस्रं पुरुषस्य बुद्धे: ॥ ३४ ॥

When the sun rises it destroys the darkness covering men’s eyes, but it does not create the objects they then see before them, which in fact were existing all along. Similarly, potent and factual realization of Me will destroy the darkness covering a person’s true consciousness.

Verse 35

एष स्वयंज्योतिरजोऽप्रमेयो महानुभूति: सकलानुभूति: । एकोऽद्वितीयो वचसां विरामे येनेषिता वागसवश्चरन्ति ॥ ३५ ॥

The Supreme Lord is self-luminous, unborn and immeasurable. He is pure transcendental consciousness and perceives everything. 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.

Verse 36

एतावानात्मसम्मोहो यद् विकल्पस्तु केवले । आत्मनृते स्वमात्मानमवलम्बो न यस्य हि ॥ ३६ ॥

Whatever apparent duality is perceived in the self is simply the confusion of the mind. Indeed, such supposed duality has no basis to rest upon apart from one’s own soul.

Verse 37

यन्नामाकृतिभिर्ग्राह्यं पञ्चवर्णमबाधितम् । व्यर्थेनाप्यर्थवादोऽयं द्वयं पण्डितमानिनाम् ॥ ३७ ॥

The duality of the five material elements is perceived only in terms of names and forms. Those who say this duality is real are pseudoscholars vainly proposing fanciful theories without basis in fact.

Verse 38

योगिनोऽपक्व‍योगस्य युञ्जत: काय उत्थितै: । उपसर्गैर्विहन्येत तत्रायं विहितो विधि: ॥ ३८ ॥

The physical body of the endeavoring yogī who is not yet mature in his practice may sometimes be overcome by various disturbances. Therefore the following process is recommended.

Verse 39

योगधारणया कांश्चिदासनैर्धारणान्वितै: । तपोमन्त्रौषधै: कांश्चिदुपसर्गान् विनिर्दहेत् ॥ ३९ ॥

Some of these obstructions may be counteracted by yogic meditation or by sitting postures, practiced together with concentration on controlled breathing, and others may be counteracted by special austerities, mantras or medicinal herbs.

Verse 40

कांश्चिन्ममानुध्यानेन नामसङ्कीर्तनादिभि: । योगेश्वरानुवृत्त्या वा हन्यादशुभदान् शनै: ॥ ४० ॥

These inauspicious disturbances can be gradually removed by constant remembrance of Me, by congregational hearing and chanting of My holy names, or by following in the footsteps of the great masters of yoga.

Verse 41

केचिद् देहमिमं धीरा: सुकल्पं वयसि स्थिरम् । विधाय विविधोपायैरथ युञ्जन्ति सिद्धये ॥ ४१ ॥

By various methods, some yogīs free the body from disease and old age and keep it perpetually youthful. Thus they engage in yoga for the purpose of achieving material mystic perfections.

Verse 42

न हि तत् कुशलाद‍ृत्यं तदायासो ह्यपार्थक: । अन्तवत्त्वाच्छरीरस्य फलस्येव वनस्पते: ॥ ४२ ॥

This mystic bodily perfection is not valued very highly by those expert in transcendental knowledge. Indeed, they consider endeavor for such perfection useless, since the soul, like a tree, is permanent, but the body, like a tree’s fruit, is subject to destruction.

Verse 43

योगं निषेवतो नित्यं कायश्चेत् कल्पतामियात् । तच्छ्रद्दध्यान्न मतिमान्योगमुत्सृज्य मत्पर: ॥ ४३ ॥

Although the physical body may be improved by various processes of yoga, an intelligent person who has dedicated his life to Me does not place his faith in the prospect of perfecting his physical body through yoga, and in fact he gives up such procedures.

Verse 44

योगचर्यामिमां योगी विचरन् मदपाश्रय: । नान्तरायैर्विहन्येत नि:स्पृह: स्वसुखानुभू: ॥ ४४ ॥

The yogī who has taken shelter of Me remains free from hankering because he experiences the happiness of the soul within. Thus while executing this process of yoga, he is never defeated by obstacles.