Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 26
Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species
अर्वाक्स्रोतस्तु नवम: क्षत्तरेकविधो नृणाम् । रजोऽधिका: कर्मपरा दु:खे च सुखमानिन: ॥ २६ ॥
arvāk-srotas tu navamaḥ kṣattar eka-vidho nṛṇām rajo ’dhikāḥ karma-parā duḥkhe ca sukha-māninaḥ
हे क्षत्त! पोटात अन्न साठवणारे मनुष्यांची सृष्टी नववी असून ते एकाच प्रकारचे आहेत। मानवांत रजोगुण अधिक असतो; ते कर्मात गुंतलेले राहतात आणि दुःखातही स्वतःला सुखी मानतात।
The human being is more passionate than the animals, and thus the sex life of the human being is more irregular. The animals have their due time for sexual intercourse, but the human being has no regular time for such activities. The human being is endowed with a higher, advanced stage of consciousness for getting relief from the existence of material miseries, but due to his ignorance he thinks that his higher consciousness is meant for advancing in the material comforts of life. Thus his intelligence is misused in the animal propensities — eating, sleeping, defending and mating — instead of spiritual realization. By advancing in material comforts the human being puts himself into a more miserable condition, but, illusioned by the material energy, he always thinks himself happy, even while in the midst of misery. Such misery of human life is distinct from the natural comfortable life enjoyed even by the animals.
FAQs
This verse describes humans (arvāksrotas) as predominantly rajasic—driven by desires and activity—therefore strongly inclined toward fruitive work (karma) and easily confused about what is truly happiness.
Vidura inquired about creation and its divisions; Maitreya answers by listing categories of beings and their psychological tendencies, identifying humans as the ninth group and explaining their rajasic, work-centered disposition.
Recognize the rajasic push toward constant doing and chasing outcomes; reduce fruitive obsession, cultivate sattva through discipline and devotion, and seek lasting happiness through bhakti rather than mistaking temporary relief amid suffering for true joy.