Shloka 40
व्रजंस्तिष्ठन् पदैकेन यथैवैकेन गच्छति । यथा तृणजलौकैवं देही कर्मगतिं गत: ॥ ४० ॥
vrajaṁs tiṣṭhan padaikena yathaivaikena gacchati yathā tṛṇa-jalaukaivaṁ dehī karma-gatiṁ gataḥ
Seperti pengembara menjejak satu kaki lalu mengangkat yang lain, atau seperti ulat berpindah ke daun baharu lalu meninggalkan yang lama, demikianlah jiwa menurut gerak karma berlindung pada tubuh lain dan meninggalkan tubuh sebelumnya.
This is the process of the soul’s transmigration from one body to another. At the time of death, according to his mental condition, the living being is carried by the subtle body, consisting of mind, intelligence and ego, to another gross body. When higher authorities have decided what kind of gross body the living entity will have, he is forced to enter such a body, and thus he automatically gives up his previous body. Dull-minded persons who do not have the intelligence to understand this process of transmigration take for granted that when the gross body is finished, one’s life is finished forever. Such persons have no brains with which to understand the process of transmigration. At the present moment there is great opposition to the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, which is being called a “brainwashing” movement. But actually the so-called scientists, philosophers and other leaders in the Western countries have no brains at all. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is trying to elevate such foolish persons by enlightening their intelligence so that they will take advantage of the human body. Unfortunately, because of gross ignorance, they regard the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement as a brainwashing movement. They do not know that without God consciousness one is forced to continue transmigrating from one body to another. Because of their devilish brains, they will next be forced to accept an abominable life and practically never be able to liberate themselves from the conditional life of material existence. How this transmigration of the soul takes place is very clearly explained in this verse.
FAQs
This verse explains that the jīva (embodied soul) progresses along a path shaped by its own karma, step by step, just as movement continues whether one is ‘walking’ or ‘standing’ in place.
He illustrates how the soul transfers its situation by taking support from one karmic position and then drawing itself into the next—showing gradual, inevitable movement under the force of previous actions.
Recognize that habits and choices create your next “step”; cultivate sattvic actions and bhakti so the next movement of life is guided toward purification rather than deeper bondage.