Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 17
The Prayers of the Personified Vedas (Śruti-stuti) and the Indescribable Absolute
दृतय इव श्वसन्त्यसुभृतो यदि तेऽनुविधा महदहमादयोऽण्डमसृजन् यदनुग्रहत: । पुरुषविधोऽन्वयोऽत्र चरमोऽन्नमयादिषु य: सदसत: परं त्वमथ यदेष्ववशेषमृतम् ॥ १७ ॥
dṛtaya iva śvasanty asu-bhṛto yadi te ’nuvidhā mahad-aham-ādayo ’ṇḍam asṛjan yad-anugrahataḥ puruṣa-vidho ’nvayo ’tra caramo ’nna-mayādiṣu yaḥ sad-asataḥ paraṁ tvam atha yad eṣv avaśeṣam ṛtam
唯有成为你忠诚的随从者，众生才算真正活着；否则其呼吸不过如风箱之气。唯凭你的慈恩，摩诃原质与我执等诸要素才造就此宇宙之卵。于食鞘等诸层覆盖中，你与个我同入其内，并随其所取之形而示现；超越粗与细的一切显现，你即是一切所依的真实本体。
Life is without purpose for one who remains ignorant of his most well-wishing benefactor and thus fails to worship Him. Such a person’s breathing is no better than the breathing of a blacksmith’s bellows. The gift of human life is a fortunate opportunity for the conditioned soul, but by turning away from his Lord, the living being commits spiritual suicide.
FAQs
It says the cosmic principles like mahat-tattva and ahaṅkāra can generate the universe only by following the Supreme Lord’s direction and by His grace; He is the ultimate cause beyond material cause-and-effect.
The personified Vedas (Śruti) are speaking, and they offer these prayers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Reality beyond all material coverings.
It teaches detachment from bodily identity and material layers, and encourages focusing devotion and awareness on the unchanging Truth—God—who remains present beyond all changing conditions.