Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 - Chapter 3

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 16 Sanskrit: एषा माया भगवत: सर्गस्थित्यन्तकारिणी ।त्रिवर्णा वर्णितास्माभि: किं भूय: श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ १६ ॥ ITRANS: eṣā māyā bhagavataḥsarga-sthity-anta-kāriṇītri-varṇā varṇitāsmābhiḥkiṁ bhūyaḥ śrotum icchasi Translation: I have now described māyā, the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This illusory potency, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is empowered by the Lord for the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material universe....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 17 Sanskrit: श्रीराजोवाचयथैतामैश्वरीं मायां दुस्तरामकृतात्मभि: ।तरन्त्यञ्ज: स्थूलधियो महर्ष इदमुच्यताम् ॥ १७ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-rājovācayathaitām aiśvarīṁ māyāṁdustarām akṛtātmabhiḥtaranty añjaḥ sthūla-dhiyomaharṣa idam ucyatām Translation: King Nimi said: O great sage, please explain how even a foolish materialist can easily cross over the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord, which is always insurmountable for those who are not self-controlled. Purport: According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, sthūla-dhiyaḥ indicates those who ignorantly identify themselves with the gross material body and who are therefore unable to analyze the subtle laws of nature by which the soul transmigrates in illusion....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 18 Sanskrit: श्रीप्रबुद्ध उवाचकर्माण्यारभमाणानां दु:खहत्यै सुखाय च ।पश्येत् पाकविपर्यासं मिथुनीचारिणां नृणाम् ॥ १८ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-prabuddha uvācakarmāṇy ārabhamāṇānāṁduḥkha-hatyai sukhāya capaśyet pāka-viparyāsaṁmithunī-cāriṇāṁ nṛṇām Translation: Śrī Prabuddha said: Accepting the roles of male and female in human society, the conditioned souls unite in sexual relationships. Thus they constantly make material endeavors to eliminate their unhappiness and unlimitedly increase their pleasure. But one should see that they inevitably achieve exactly the opposite result....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 19 Sanskrit: नित्यार्तिदेन वित्तेन दुर्लभेनात्ममृत्युना ।गृहापत्याप्तपशुभि: का प्रीति: साधितैश्चलै: ॥ १९ ॥ ITRANS: nityārtidena vittenadurlabhenātma-mṛtyunāgṛhāpatyāpta-paśubhiḥkā prītiḥ sādhitaiś calaiḥ Translation: Wealth is a perpetual source of distress, it is most difficult to acquire, and it is virtual death for the soul. What satisfaction does one actually gain from his wealth? Similarly, how can one gain ultimate or permanent happiness from one’s so-called home, children, relatives and domestic animals, which are all maintained by one’s hard-earned money?...

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 20 Sanskrit: एवं लोकं परं विद्यान्नश्वरं कर्मनिर्मितम् ।सतुल्यातिशयध्वंसं यथा मण्डलवर्तिनाम् ॥ २० ॥ ITRANS: evaṁ lokaṁ paraṁ vidyānnaśvaraṁ karma-nirmitamsa-tulyātiśaya-dhvaṁsaṁyathā maṇḍala-vartinām Translation: One cannot find permanent happiness even on the heavenly planets, which one can attain in the next life by ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices. Even in material heaven the living entity is disturbed by rivalry with his equals and envy of those superior to him....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 21 Sanskrit: तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासु: श्रेय उत्तमम् ।शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्युपशमाश्रयम् ॥ २१ ॥ ITRANS: tasmād guruṁ prapadyetajijñāsuḥ śreya uttamamśābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁbrahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam Translation: Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 22 Sanskrit: तत्र भागवतान् धर्मान् शिक्षेद् गुर्वात्मदैवत: ।अमाययानुवृत्त्या यैस्तुष्येदात्मात्मदोहरि: ॥ २२ ॥ ITRANS: tatra bhāgavatān dharmānśikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥamāyayānuvṛttyā yaistuṣyed ātmātma-do hariḥ Translation: Accepting the bona fide spiritual master as one’s life and soul and worshipable deity, the disciple should learn from him the process of pure devotional service. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the soul of all souls, is inclined to give Himself to His pure devotees....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 23 Sanskrit: सर्वतो मनसोऽसङ्गमादौ सङ्गं च साधुषु ।दयां मैत्रीं प्रश्रयं च भूतेष्वद्धा यथोचितम् ॥ २३ ॥ ITRANS: sarvato manaso ’saṅgamādau saṅgaṁ ca sādhuṣudayāṁ maitrīṁ praśrayaṁ cabhūteṣv addhā yathocitam Translation: A sincere disciple should learn to dissociate the mind from everything material and positively cultivate association with his spiritual master and other saintly devotees. He should be merciful to those in an inferior position to him, cultivate friendship with those on an equal level and meekly serve those in a higher spiritual position....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 24 Sanskrit: शौचं तपस्तितिक्षां च मौनं स्वाध्यायमार्जवम् ।ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसां च समत्वं द्वन्द्वसंज्ञयो: ॥ २४ ॥ ITRANS: śaucaṁ tapas titikṣāṁ camaunaṁ svādhyāyam ārjavambrahmacaryam ahiṁsāṁ casamatvaṁ dvandva-saṁjñayoḥ Translation: To serve the spiritual master the disciple should learn cleanliness, austerity, tolerance, silence, study of Vedic knowledge, simplicity, celibacy, nonviolence, and equanimity in the face of material dualities such as heat and cold, happiness and distress. Purport: Śaucam, or “cleanliness,” refers to both internal and external purity....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 25 Sanskrit: सर्वत्रात्मेश्वरान्वीक्षां कैवल्यमनिकेतताम् ।विविक्तचीरवसनं सन्तोषं येन केनचित् ॥ २५ ॥ ITRANS: sarvatrātmeśvarānvīkṣāṁkaivalyam aniketatāmvivikta-cīra-vasanaṁsantoṣaṁ yena kenacit Translation: One should practice meditation by constantly seeing oneself to be an eternal cognizant spirit soul and seeing the Lord to be the absolute controller of everything. To increase one’s meditation, one should live in a secluded place and give up false attachment to one’s home and household paraphernalia....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 26 Sanskrit: श्रद्धां भागवते शास्त्रेऽनिन्दामन्यत्र चापि हि ।मनोवाक्कर्मदण्डं च सत्यं शमदमावपि ॥ २६ ॥ ITRANS: śraddhāṁ bhāgavate śāstre’nindām anyatra cāpi himano-vāk-karma-daṇḍaṁ casatyaṁ śama-damāv api Translation: One should have firm faith that he will achieve all success in life by following those scriptures that describe the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. At the same time, one should avoid blaspheming other scriptures....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 27-28 Sanskrit: श्रवणं कीर्तनं ध्यानं हरेरद्भ‍ुतकर्मण: ।जन्मकर्मगुणानां च तदर्थेऽखिलचेष्टितम् ॥ २७ ॥इष्टं दत्तं तपो जप्तं वृत्तं यच्चात्मन: प्रियम् ।दारान् सुतान् गृहान् प्राणान् यत्परस्मै निवेदनम् ॥ २८ ॥ ITRANS: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ dhyānaṁharer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥjanma-karma-guṇānāṁ catad-arthe ’khila-ceṣṭitam Translation: One should hear, glorify and meditate upon the wonderful transcendental activities of the Lord. One should specifically become absorbed in the appearance, activities, qualities and holy names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 29 Sanskrit: एवं कृष्णात्मनाथेषु मनुष्येषु च सौहृदम् ।परिचर्यां चोभयत्र महत्सु नृषु साधुषु ॥ २९ ॥ ITRANS: evaṁ kṛṣṇātma-nātheṣumanuṣyeṣu ca sauhṛdamparicaryāṁ cobhayatramahatsu nṛṣu sādhuṣu Translation: One who desires his ultimate self-interest should cultivate friendship with those persons who have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Lord of their life. One should further develop an attitude of service toward all living beings. One should especially try to help those in the human form of life and, among them, especially those who accept the principles of religious behavior....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 30 Sanskrit: परस्परानुकथनं पावनं भगवद्यश: ।मिथो रतिर्मिथस्तुष्टिर्निवृत्तिर्मिथ आत्मन: ॥ ३० ॥ ITRANS: parasparānukathanaṁpāvanaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥmitho ratir mithas tuṣṭirnivṛttir mitha ātmanaḥ Translation: One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 11 - Chapter 1 - Verse 31 Sanskrit: स्मरन्त: स्मारयन्तश्च मिथोऽघौघहरं हरिम् ।भक्त्या सञ्जातया भक्त्या बिभ्रत्युत्पुलकां तनुम् ॥ ३१ ॥ ITRANS: smarantaḥ smārayantaś camitho ’ghaugha-haraṁ harimbhaktyā sañjātayā bhaktyābibhraty utpulakāṁ tanum Translation: The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss the glories of the Personality of Godhead among themselves. Thus they constantly remember the Lord and remind one another of His qualities and pastimes. In this way, by their devotion to the principles of bhakti-yoga, the devotees please the Personality of Godhead, who takes away from them everything inauspicious....