Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 54
Sāṅkhya Enumeration of Tattvas, Distinction of Puruṣa–Prakṛti, and the Mechanics of Birth and Death
यथाम्भसा प्रचलता तरवोऽपि चला इव । चक्षुषा भ्राम्यमाणेन दृश्यते भ्रमतीव भू: ॥ ५४ ॥ यथा मनोरथधियो विषयानुभवो मृषा । स्वप्नदृष्टाश्च दाशार्ह तथा संसार आत्मन: ॥ ५५ ॥
yathāmbhasā pracalatā taravo ’pi calā iva cakṣuṣā bhrāmyamāṇena dṛśyate bhramatīva bhūḥ
Wie Bäume, die sich in bewegtem Wasser spiegeln, zu zittern scheinen, und wie die Erde zu kreisen scheint, wenn man die Augen kreisen lässt, so ist auch, o Nachkomme Daśārhas, die Erfahrung sinnlicher Genüsse, die aus den Hirngespinsten des Geistes entsteht, unwahr; wie Traumbilder, so ist der saṁsāra der Seele.
Trees appear to be swaying when reflected in agitated water, and similarly, when one is sitting on a moving boat the trees on the shore appear to be moving. When the wind whips up the water, creating waves, the water appears to have movement of its own, although it is actually being moved by the wind. The conditioned soul in material life does not perform any activities, but rather the material body, with the consent of the illusioned living entity, is being moved by the modes of nature. One imposes this external movement upon oneself, considering oneself to be dancing, singing, running, dying, conquering and so on, although these are merely interactions of the external body with the modes of nature.
FAQs
This verse explains that apparent movement or change in the world can be a projection of distorted perception—like trees seeming to move when water flows, or the earth seeming to spin when the eyes are dizzy.
Kṛṣṇa instructs Uddhava in discriminating knowledge: to recognize how the mind and senses can misread reality, and thereby loosen attachment to appearances and turn toward the self and the Lord.
When emotions, stress, or sensory overload distort judgment, pause and reassess—many “problems” are intensified by perception. Cultivate steadiness through sādhana (japa, hearing, prayer) before reacting.