Shloka 35
Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Homecoming, Sacrificial Assembly, and Instruction on Devotional Kingship
प्रधानकालाशयधर्मसङ्ग्रहे शरीर एष प्रतिपद्य चेतनाम् । क्रियाफलत्वेन विभुर्विभाव्यते यथानलो दारुषु तद्गुणात्मक: ॥ ३५ ॥
pradhāna-kālāśaya-dharma-saṅgrahe śarīra eṣa pratipadya cetanām kriyā-phalatvena vibhur vibhāvyate yathānalo dāruṣu tad-guṇātmakaḥ
Though all-pervading, the Supreme Lord appears as consciousness within the many bodies born from the combination of material nature (pradhāna), time, desires, and duty. He is perceived according to action and its result, just as one fire, ever the same, blazes differently according to the shape and size of the firewood.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly lives with the individual soul as Paramātmā. The individual soul has awareness in accord with his material body, which he attains by virtue of prakṛti, or material nature. The material ingredients are activated by the force of time, and thus the three material modes of nature are manifested. According to his association with the three modes of nature, the living entity develops a particular type of body. In animal life, the material mode of ignorance is so prominent that there is very little chance of realizing the Paramātmā, who is also present within the heart of the animal; but in the human form of life, because of developed consciousness ( cetanām ), one can be transferred from ignorance and passion to goodness by the results of his activities ( kriyā-phalatvena ). A human being is therefore advised to associate with spiritually advanced personalities. The Vedas ( Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12) give the direction tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: in order to reach the perfection of life or to understand the real constitutional position of the living entity, one must approach the spiritual master. Gurum evābhigacchet — one must; it is not optional. It is imperative that one approach the spiritual master, for by such association one proportionately develops his consciousness toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The highest perfection of such consciousness is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. According to the body given by prakṛti, or nature, one’s consciousness is present; according to the development of consciousness, one’s activities are performed; and according to the purity of such activities, one realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present in everyone’s heart. The example given herein is very appropriate: fire is always the same, but according to the size of the fuel or burning wood, the fire appears to be straight, curved, small, big, etc.
FAQs
This verse says the Supreme Lord is inferred by observing the ordered results of action—His presence becomes evident through how karma produces its fruits, just as fire is known by its effects when it manifests.
He was instructing them in spiritual discernment: the body is a product of material factors, yet consciousness and the governance of karma point to the Supreme Lord’s presence beyond matter.
Train yourself to recognize the unseen cause by its consistent effects: look beyond surface events to the inner law of karma and cultivate God-conscious living rather than identifying only with the body and mental impressions.