Shloka 19
Yoga-māyā Appears as Durgā; Kaṁsa’s Repentance and the Demonic Policy of Persecuting Vaiṣṇavas
भुवि भौमानि भूतानि यथा यान्त्यपयान्ति च । नायमात्मा तथैतेषु विपर्येति यथैव भू: ॥ १९ ॥
bhuvi bhaumāni bhūtāni yathā yānty apayānti ca nāyam ātmā tathaiteṣu viparyeti yathaiva bhūḥ
Seperti periuk, patung dan benda dari tanah yang muncul, pecah lalu kembali menyatu dengan tanah, demikianlah tubuh binasa; namun ātman laksana bumi, tetap dan tidak pernah musnah.
Although Kaṁsa is described as a demon, he had good knowledge of the affairs of ātma-tattva, the truth of the self. Five thousand years ago, there were kings like Kaṁsa, who is described as an asura, but he was better than modern politicians and diplomats, who have no knowledge about ātma-tattva. As stated in the Vedas, asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ: the spirit soul has no connection with the changes of the material body. The body undergoes six changes — birth, growth, sustenance, by-products, dwindling and then annihilation — but the soul undergoes no such changes. Even after the annihilation of a particular bodily form, the original source of the bodily elements does not change. The living entity enjoys the material body, which appears and disappears, but the five elements earth, water, fire, air and ether remain the same. The example given here is that pots and dolls are produced from the earth, and when broken or destroyed they mingle with their original ingredients. In any case, the source of supply remains the same.
FAQs
This verse states that while material beings and objects in the world come and go, the ātmā does not undergo that kind of change—remaining steady, like the earth beneath changing events.
Vasudeva spoke to calm and instruct Kaṁsa, pointing out that killing bodies out of fear is misguided because the true self is not destroyed or made to ‘come and go’ with bodily changes.
Remembering that the self is distinct from temporary changes helps reduce fear and grief, encouraging steadiness, ethical action, and devotion rather than panic-driven decisions.