Adhyaya 32

Verse 1

कपिल उवाच अथ यो गृहमेधीयान्धर्मानेवावसन्गृहे । काममर्थं च धर्मान्स्वान्दोग्धि भूय: पिपर्ति तान् ॥ १ ॥

The Personality of Godhead said: The person who lives in the center of household life derives material benefits by performing religious rituals, and thereby he fulfills his desire for economic development and sense gratification. Again and again he acts the same way.

Verse 2

स चापि भगवद्धर्मात्काममूढ: पराङ्‍मुख: । यजते क्रतुभिर्देवान्पितृंश्च श्रद्धयान्वित: ॥ २ ॥

Such persons are ever bereft of devotional service due to being too attached to sense gratification, and therefore, although they perform various kinds of sacrifices and take great vows to satisfy the demigods and forefathers, they are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service.

Verse 3

तच्छ्रद्धयाक्रान्तमति: पितृदेवव्रत: पुमान् । गत्वा चान्द्रमसं लोकं सोमपा: पुनरेष्यति ॥ ३ ॥

Such materialistic persons, attracted by sense gratification and devoted to the forefathers and demigods, can be elevated to the moon, where they drink an extract of the soma plant. They again return to this planet.

Verse 4

यदा चाहीन्द्रशय्यायां शेतेऽनन्तासनो हरि: । तदा लोका लयं यान्ति त एते गृहमेधिनाम् ॥ ४ ॥

All the planets of the materialistic persons, including all the heavenly planets, such as the moon, are vanquished when the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, goes to His bed of serpents, which is known as Ananta Śeṣa.

Verse 5

ये स्वधर्मान्न दुह्यन्ति धीरा: कामार्थहेतवे । नि:सङ्गा न्यस्तकर्माण: प्रशान्ता: शुद्धचेतस: ॥ ५ ॥

Those who are intelligent and are of purified consciousness are completely satisfied in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Freed from the modes of material nature, they do not act for sense gratification; rather, since they are situated in their own occupational duties, they act as one is expected to act.

Verse 6

निवृत्तिधर्मनिरता निर्ममा निरहङ्कृता: । स्वधर्माप्तेन सत्त्वेन परिशुद्धेन चेतसा ॥ ६ ॥

By executing one’s occupational duties, acting with detachment and without a sense of proprietorship or false egoism, one is posted in one’s constitutional position by dint of complete purification of consciousness, and by thus executing so-called material duties he can easily enter into the kingdom of God.

Verse 7

सूर्यद्वारेण ते यान्ति पुरुषं विश्वतोमुखम् । परावरेशं प्रकृतिमस्योत्पत्त्यन्तभावनम् ॥ ७ ॥

Through the path of illumination, such liberated persons approach the complete Personality of Godhead, who is the proprietor of the material and spiritual worlds and is the supreme cause of their manifestation and dissolution.

Verse 8

द्विपरार्धावसाने य: प्रलयो ब्रह्मणस्तु ते । तावदध्यासते लोकं परस्य परचिन्तका: ॥ ८ ॥

Worshipers of the Hiraṇyagarbha expansion of the Personality of Godhead remain within this material world until the end of two parārdhas, when Lord Brahmā also dies.

Verse 9

क्ष्माम्भोऽनलानिलवियन्मनइन्द्रियार्थ- भूतादिभि: परिवृतं प्रतिसञ्जिहीर्षु: । अव्याकृतं विशति यर्हि गुणत्रयात्मा कालं पराख्यमनुभूय पर: स्वयम्भू: ॥ ९ ॥

After experiencing the inhabitable time of the three modes of material nature, known as two parārdhas, Lord Brahmā closes the material universe, which is covered by layers of earth, water, air, fire, ether, mind, ego, etc., and goes back to Godhead.

Verse 10

एवं परेत्य भगवन्तमनुप्रविष्टा ये योगिनो जितमरुन्मनसो विरागा: । तेनैव साकममृतं पुरुषं पुराणं ब्रह्म प्रधानमुपयान्त्यगताभिमाना: ॥ १० ॥

The yogīs who become detached from the material world by practice of breathing exercises and control of the mind reach the planet of Brahmā, which is far, far away. After giving up their bodies, they enter into the body of Lord Brahmā, and therefore when Brahmā is liberated and goes to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supreme Brahman, such yogīs can also enter into the kingdom of God.

Verse 11

अथ तं सर्वभूतानां हृत्पद्मेषु कृतालयम् । श्रुतानुभावं शरणं व्रज भावेन भामिनि ॥ ११ ॥

Therefore, My dear mother, by devotional service take direct shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is seated in everyone’s heart.

Verse 12

आद्य: स्थिरचराणां यो वेदगर्भ: सहर्षिभि: । योगेश्वरै: कुमाराद्यै: सिद्धैर्योगप्रवर्तकै: ॥ १२ ॥ भेदद‍ृष्टय‍ाभिमानेन नि:सङ्गेनापि कर्मणा । कर्तृत्वात्सगुणं ब्रह्म पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ १३ ॥ स संसृत्य पुन: काले कालेनेश्वरमूर्तिना । जाते गुणव्यतिकरे यथापूर्वं प्रजायते ॥ १४ ॥ ऐश्वर्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं च तेऽपि धर्मविनिर्मितम् । निषेव्य पुनरायान्ति गुणव्यतिकरे सति ॥ १५ ॥

My dear mother, someone may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a special self-interest, but even demigods such as Lord Brahmā, great sages such as Sanat-kumāra and great munis such as Marīci have to come back to the material world again at the time of creation. When the interaction of the three modes of material nature begins, Brahmā, who is the creator of this cosmic manifestation and who is full of Vedic knowledge, and the great sages, who are the authors of the spiritual path and the yoga system, come back under the influence of the time factor. They are liberated by their nonfruitive activities and attain the first incarnation of the puruṣa, but at the time of creation they come back in exactly the same forms and positions they previously had.

Verse 13

आद्य: स्थिरचराणां यो वेदगर्भ: सहर्षिभि: । योगेश्वरै: कुमाराद्यै: सिद्धैर्योगप्रवर्तकै: ॥ १२ ॥ भेदद‍ृष्टय‍ाभिमानेन नि:सङ्गेनापि कर्मणा । कर्तृत्वात्सगुणं ब्रह्म पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ १३ ॥ स संसृत्य पुन: काले कालेनेश्वरमूर्तिना । जाते गुणव्यतिकरे यथापूर्वं प्रजायते ॥ १४ ॥ ऐश्वर्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं च तेऽपि धर्मविनिर्मितम् । निषेव्य पुनरायान्ति गुणव्यतिकरे सति ॥ १५ ॥

My dear mother, someone may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a special self-interest, but even demigods such as Lord Brahmā, great sages such as Sanat-kumāra and great munis such as Marīci have to come back to the material world again at the time of creation. When the interaction of the three modes of material nature begins, Brahmā, who is the creator of this cosmic manifestation and who is full of Vedic knowledge, and the great sages, who are the authors of the spiritual path and the yoga system, come back under the influence of the time factor. They are liberated by their nonfruitive activities and attain the first incarnation of the puruṣa, but at the time of creation they come back in exactly the same forms and positions they previously had.

Verse 14

आद्य: स्थिरचराणां यो वेदगर्भ: सहर्षिभि: । योगेश्वरै: कुमाराद्यै: सिद्धैर्योगप्रवर्तकै: ॥ १२ ॥ भेदद‍ृष्टय‍ाभिमानेन नि:सङ्गेनापि कर्मणा । कर्तृत्वात्सगुणं ब्रह्म पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ १३ ॥ स संसृत्य पुन: काले कालेनेश्वरमूर्तिना । जाते गुणव्यतिकरे यथापूर्वं प्रजायते ॥ १४ ॥ ऐश्वर्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं च तेऽपि धर्मविनिर्मितम् । निषेव्य पुनरायान्ति गुणव्यतिकरे सति ॥ १५ ॥

My dear mother, someone may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a special self-interest, but even demigods such as Lord Brahmā, great sages such as Sanat-kumāra and great munis such as Marīci have to come back to the material world again at the time of creation. When the interaction of the three modes of material nature begins, Brahmā, who is the creator of this cosmic manifestation and who is full of Vedic knowledge, and the great sages, who are the authors of the spiritual path and the yoga system, come back under the influence of the time factor. They are liberated by their nonfruitive activities and attain the first incarnation of the puruṣa, but at the time of creation they come back in exactly the same forms and positions they previously had.

Verse 15

आद्य: स्थिरचराणां यो वेदगर्भ: सहर्षिभि: । योगेश्वरै: कुमाराद्यै: सिद्धैर्योगप्रवर्तकै: ॥ १२ ॥ भेदद‍ृष्टय‍ाभिमानेन नि:सङ्गेनापि कर्मणा । कर्तृत्वात्सगुणं ब्रह्म पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ १३ ॥ स संसृत्य पुन: काले कालेनेश्वरमूर्तिना । जाते गुणव्यतिकरे यथापूर्वं प्रजायते ॥ १४ ॥ ऐश्वर्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं च तेऽपि धर्मविनिर्मितम् । निषेव्य पुनरायान्ति गुणव्यतिकरे सति ॥ १५ ॥

My dear mother, someone may worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead with a special self-interest, but even demigods such as Lord Brahmā, great sages such as Sanat-kumāra and great munis such as Marīci have to come back to the material world again at the time of creation. When the interaction of the three modes of material nature begins, Brahmā, who is the creator of this cosmic manifestation and who is full of Vedic knowledge, and the great sages, who are the authors of the spiritual path and the yoga system, come back under the influence of the time factor. They are liberated by their nonfruitive activities and attain the first incarnation of the puruṣa, but at the time of creation they come back in exactly the same forms and positions they previously had.

Verse 16

ये त्विहासक्तमनस: कर्मसु श्रद्धयान्विता: । कुर्वन्त्यप्रतिषिद्धानि नित्यान्यपि च कृत्स्‍नश: ॥ १६ ॥

Persons who are too addicted to this material world execute their prescribed duties very nicely and with great faith. They daily perform all such prescribed duties with attachment to the fruitive result.

Verse 17

रजसा कुण्ठमनस: कामात्मानोऽजितेन्द्रिया: । पितृन् यजन्त्यनुदिनं गृहेष्वभिरताशया: ॥ १७ ॥

Such persons, impelled by the mode of passion, are full of anxieties and always aspire for sense gratification due to uncontrolled senses. They worship the forefathers and are busy day and night improving the economic condition of their family, social or national life.

Verse 18

त्रैवर्गिकास्ते पुरुषा विमुखा हरिमेधस: । कथायां कथनीयोरुविक्रमस्य मधुद्विष: ॥ १८ ॥

Such persons are called trai-vargika because they are interested in the three elevating processes. They are averse to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can give relief to the conditioned soul. They are not interested in the Supreme Personality’s pastimes, which are worth hearing because of His transcendental prowess.

Verse 19

नूनं दैवेन विहता ये चाच्युतकथासुधाम् । हित्वा श‍ृण्वन्त्यसद्गाथा: पुरीषमिव विड्भुज: ॥ १९ ॥

Such persons are condemned by the supreme order of the Lord. Because they are averse to the nectar of the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are compared to stool-eating hogs. They give up hearing the transcendental activities of the Lord and indulge in hearing of the abominable activities of materialistic persons.

Verse 20

दक्षिणेन पथार्यम्ण: पितृलोकं व्रजन्ति ते । प्रजामनु प्रजायन्ते श्मशानान्तक्रियाकृत: ॥ २० ॥

Such materialistic persons are allowed to go to the planet called Pitṛloka by the southern course of the sun, but they again come back to this planet and take birth in their own families, beginning again the same fruitive activities from birth to the end of life.

Verse 21

ततस्ते क्षीणसुकृता: पुनर्लोकमिमं सति । पतन्ति विवशा देवै: सद्यो विभ्रंशितोदया: ॥ २१ ॥

When the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they fall down by higher arrangement and again come back to this planet, just as any person raised to a high position sometimes all of a sudden falls.

Verse 22

तस्मात्त्वं सर्वभावेन भजस्व परमेष्ठिनम् । तद्गुणाश्रयया भक्त्या भजनीयपदाम्बुजम् ॥ २२ ॥

My dear mother, I therefore advise that you take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for His lotus feet are worth worshiping. Accept this with all devotion and love, for thus you can be situated in transcendental devotional service.

Verse 23

वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तियोग: प्रयोजित: । जनयत्याशु वैराग्यं ज्ञानं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ २३ ॥

Engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and application of devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa make it possible to advance in knowledge and detachment, as well as in self-realization.

Verse 24

यदास्य चित्तमर्थेषु समेष्विन्द्रियवृत्तिभि: । न विगृह्णाति वैषम्यं प्रियमप्रियमित्युत ॥ २४ ॥

The exalted devotee’s mind becomes equipoised in sensory activities, and he is transcendental to that which is agreeable and not agreeable.

Verse 25

स तदैवात्मनात्मानं नि:सङ्गं समदर्शनम् । हेयोपादेयरहितमारूढं पदमीक्षते ॥ २५ ॥

Because of his transcendental intelligence, the pure devotee is equipoised in his vision and sees himself to be uncontaminated by matter. He does not see anything as superior or inferior, and he feels himself elevated to the transcendental platform of being equal in qualities with the Supreme Person.

Verse 26

ज्ञानमात्रं परं ब्रह्म परमात्मेश्वर: पुमान् । द‍ृश्यादिभि: पृथग्भावैर्भगवानेक ईयते ॥ २६ ॥

The Supreme Personality of Godhead alone is complete transcendental knowledge, but according to the different processes of understanding He appears differently, either as impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead or as the puruṣa-avatāra.

Verse 27

एतावानेव योगेन समग्रेणेह योगिन: । युज्यतेऽभिमतो ह्यर्थो यदसङ्गस्तु कृत्स्‍नश: ॥ २७ ॥

The greatest common understanding for all yogīs is complete detachment from matter, which can be achieved by different kinds of yoga.

Verse 28

ज्ञानमेकं पराचीनैरिन्द्रियैर्ब्रह्म निर्गुणम् । अवभात्यर्थरूपेण भ्रान्त्या शब्दादिधर्मिणा ॥ २८ ॥

Those who are averse to the Transcendence realize the Supreme Absolute Truth differently through speculative sense perception, and therefore, because of mistaken speculation, everything appears to them to be relative.

Verse 29

यथा महानहंरूपस्त्रिवृत्पञ्चविध: स्वराट् । एकादशविधस्तस्य वपुरण्डं जगद्यत: ॥ २९ ॥

From the total energy, the mahat-tattva, I have manifested the false ego, the three modes of material nature, the five material elements, the individual consciousness, the eleven senses and the material body. Similarly, the entire universe has come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Verse 30

एतद्वै श्रद्धया भक्त्या योगाभ्यासेन नित्यश: । समाहितात्मा नि:सङ्गो विरक्त्या परिपश्यति ॥ ३० ॥

This perfect knowledge can be achieved by a person who is already engaged in devotional service with faith, steadiness and full detachment, and who is always absorbed in thought of the Supreme. He is aloof from material association.

Verse 31

इत्येतत्कथितं गुर्वि ज्ञानं तद्ब्रह्म-दर्शनम् । येनानुबुद्ध्यते तत्त्वं प्रकृते: पुरुषस्य च ॥ ३१ ॥

My dear respectful mother, I have already described the path of understanding the Absolute Truth, by which one can come to understand the real truth of matter and spirit and their relationship.

Verse 32

ज्ञानयोगश्च मन्निष्ठो नैर्गुण्यो भक्तिलक्षण: । द्वयोरप्येक एवार्थो भगवच्छब्दलक्षण: ॥ ३२ ॥

Philosophical research culminates in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After achieving this understanding, when one becomes free from the material modes of nature, he attains the stage of devotional service. Either by devotional service directly or by philosophical research, one has to find the same destination, which is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Verse 33

यथेन्द्रियै: पृथग्द्वारैरर्थो बहुगुणाश्रय: । एको नानेयते तद्वद्भगवान्शास्त्रवर्त्मभि: ॥ ३३ ॥

A single object is appreciated differently by different senses due to its having different qualities. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, but according to different scriptural injunctions He appears to be different.

Verse 34

क्रियया क्रतुभिर्दानैस्तप:स्वाध्यायमर्शनै: । आत्मेन्द्रियजयेनापि संन्यासेन च कर्मणाम् ॥ ३४ ॥ योगेन विविधाङ्गेन भक्तियोगेन चैव हि । धर्मेणोभयचिह्नेन य: प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिमान् ॥ ३५ ॥ आत्मतत्त्वावबोधेन वैराग्येण द‍ृढेन च । ईयते भगवानेभि: सगुणो निर्गुण: स्वद‍ृक् ॥ ३६ ॥

By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of life, by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order, by performing the different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service, by exhibiting the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and detachment, by understanding the science of self-realization, and by developing a strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented in the material world as well as in transcendence.

Verse 35

क्रियया क्रतुभिर्दानैस्तप:स्वाध्यायमर्शनै: । आत्मेन्द्रियजयेनापि संन्यासेन च कर्मणाम् ॥ ३४ ॥ योगेन विविधाङ्गेन भक्तियोगेन चैव हि । धर्मेणोभयचिह्नेन य: प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिमान् ॥ ३५ ॥ आत्मतत्त्वावबोधेन वैराग्येण द‍ृढेन च । ईयते भगवानेभि: सगुणो निर्गुण: स्वद‍ृक् ॥ ३६ ॥

By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of life, by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order, by performing the different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service, by exhibiting the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and detachment, by understanding the science of self-realization, and by developing a strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented in the material world as well as in transcendence.

Verse 36

क्रियया क्रतुभिर्दानैस्तप:स्वाध्यायमर्शनै: । आत्मेन्द्रियजयेनापि संन्यासेन च कर्मणाम् ॥ ३४ ॥ योगेन विविधाङ्गेन भक्तियोगेन चैव हि । धर्मेणोभयचिह्नेन य: प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिमान् ॥ ३५ ॥ आत्मतत्त्वावबोधेन वैराग्येण द‍ृढेन च । ईयते भगवानेभि: सगुणो निर्गुण: स्वद‍ृक् ॥ ३६ ॥

By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of life, by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order, by performing the different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service, by exhibiting the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and detachment, by understanding the science of self-realization, and by developing a strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented in the material world as well as in transcendence.

Verse 37

प्रावोचं भक्तियोगस्य स्वरूपं ते चतुर्विधम् । कालस्य चाव्यक्तगतेर्योऽन्तर्धावति जन्तुषु ॥ ३७ ॥

My dear mother, I have explained to you the process of devotional service and its identity in four different social divisions. I have explained to you as well how eternal time is chasing the living entities, although it is imperceptible to them.

Verse 38

जीवस्य संसृतीर्बह्वीरविद्याकर्मनिर्मिता: । यास्वङ्ग प्रविशन्नात्मा न वेद गतिमात्मन: ॥ ३८ ॥

There are varieties of material existence for the living entity according to the work he performs in ignorance or forgetfulness of his real identity. My dear mother, if anyone enters into that forgetfulness, he is unable to understand where his movements will end.

Verse 39

नैतत्खलायोपदिशेन्नाविनीताय कर्हिचित् । न स्तब्धाय न भिन्नाय नैव धर्मध्वजाय च ॥ ३९ ॥

Lord Kapila continued: This instruction is not meant for the envious, for the agnostics or for persons who are unclean in their behavior. Nor is it for hypocrites or for persons who are proud of material possessions.

Verse 40

न लोलुपायोपदिशेन्न गृहारूढचेतसे । नाभक्ताय च मे जातु न मद्भक्तद्विषामपि ॥ ४० ॥

It is not to be instructed to persons who are too greedy and too attached to family life, nor to persons who are nondevotees and who are envious of the devotees and of the Personality of Godhead.

Verse 41

श्रद्दधानाय भक्ताय विनीतायानसूयवे । भूतेषु कृतमैत्राय शुश्रूषाभिरताय च ॥ ४१ ॥

Instruction should be given to the faithful devotee who is respectful to the spiritual master, nonenvious, friendly to all kinds of living entities and eager to render service with faith and sincerity.

Verse 42

बहिर्जातविरागाय शान्तचित्ताय दीयताम् । निर्मत्सराय शुचये यस्याहं प्रेयसां प्रिय: ॥ ४२ ॥

This instruction should be imparted by the spiritual master to persons who have taken the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be more dear than anything, who are not envious of anyone, who are perfectly cleansed and who have developed detachment for that which is outside the purview of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Verse 43

य इदं श‍ृणुयादम्ब श्रद्धया पुरुष: सकृत् । यो वाभिधत्ते मच्चित्त: स ह्येति पदवीं च मे ॥ ४३ ॥

Anyone who once meditates upon Me with faith and affection, who hears and chants about Me, surely goes back home, back to Godhead.