Shloka 53
Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् । कार्यते ह्यवश: कर्म गुणै: स्वाभाविकैर्बलात् ॥ ५३ ॥
na hi kaścit kṣaṇam api jātu tiṣṭhaty akarma-kṛt kāryate hy avaśaḥ karma guṇaiḥ svābhāvikair balāt
ഒരു ജീവിയും ഒരു ക്ഷണവും കർമ്മമില്ലാതെ നില്ക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ല. സ്വാഭാവിക ഗുണങ്ങളുടെ ബലത്തിൽ അവൻ അവശനായി കർമ്മത്തിലേക്ക് തള്ളപ്പെടുന്നു.
The svābhāvika, or one’s natural tendency, is the most important factor in action. One’s natural tendency is to serve because a living entity is an eternal servant of God. The living entity wants to serve, but because of his forgetfulness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord, he serves under the modes of material nature and manufactures various modes of service, such as socialism, humanitarianism and altruism. However, one should be enlightened in the tenets of Bhagavad-gītā and accept the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that one give up all natural tendencies for material service under different names and take to the service of the Lord. One’s original natural tendency is to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because one’s real nature is spiritual. The duty of a human being is to understand that since he is essentially spirit, he must abide by the spiritual tendency and not be carried away by material tendencies. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has therefore sung:
FAQs
This verse states that no one can remain even for a moment without action; the natural modes of material nature (guṇas) compel the living being to act.
In the Ajāmila narrative, this principle clarifies how conditioned souls are driven by material tendencies, setting the stage for understanding how bhakti and the Lord’s mercy can free one from karmic bondage.
Recognize that habits and impulses are shaped by the guṇas, then consciously redirect unavoidable activity into sādhana—hearing, chanting, and serving—so action becomes purifying rather than binding.