Shloka 16
Priyavrata Accepts Kingship by Brahmā’s Instruction; Sapta-dvīpa Formation and Renunciation
मुक्तोऽपि तावद्बिभृयात्स्वदेह- मारब्धमश्नन्नभिमानशून्य: । यथानुभूतं प्रतियातनिद्र: किं त्वन्यदेहाय गुणान्न वृङ्क्ते ॥ १६ ॥
mukto ’pi tāvad bibhṛyāt sva-deham ārabdham aśnann abhimāna-śūnyaḥ yathānubhūtaṁ pratiyāta-nidraḥ kiṁ tv anya-dehāya guṇān na vṛṅkte
ముక్తుడైనా గతకర్మ ఫలంగా వచ్చిన దేహాన్ని అంతవరకు ధరిస్తాడు; కానీ అహంకారరహితుడై ఆ భోగదుఃఖాలను మేల్కొన్నవాడు చూసిన కలలాగా భావిస్తాడు. అతడు స్థిరంగా ఉండి, త్రిగుణాల వశమై మరో భౌతిక దేహం కోసం కర్మ చేయడు।
The difference between a liberated and conditioned soul is that the conditioned soul is under the concept of bodily life whereas a liberated person knows that he is not the body but a spirit, different from the body. Priyavrata might have thought that although a conditioned soul is forced to act according to the laws of nature, why should he, who was far advanced in spiritual understanding, accept the same kind of bondage and impediments to spiritual advancement? To answer this doubt, Lord Brahmā informed him that even those who are liberated do not resent accepting, in the present body, the results of their past activities. While sleeping, one dreams many unreal things, but when he awakens he disregards them and makes progress in factual life. Similarly, a liberated person — one who has completely understood that he is not the body but a spirit soul — disregards past activities performed in ignorance and performs his present activities in such a way that they produce no reactions. This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (3.9) . Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: if one performs activities for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality, the yajña-puruṣa, his work does not produce reactions, whereas karmīs, who act for themselves, are bound by the reactions of their work. A liberated person, therefore, does not think about whatever he has ignorantly done in the past; instead, he acts in such a way that he will not produce another body by fruitive activities. As clearly mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā:
FAQs
This verse says that even a liberated soul continues to carry the current body only as long as it lasts (due to already-begun karma), accepting necessities without false ego.
He uses an analogy: once reality is known, the liberated person does not re-enter material absorption; they do not again cultivate the guṇas that generate future embodiment.
Live simply, reduce ego-driven consumption, and act without attachment—so choices don’t reinforce material conditioning, but support devotion and inner freedom.