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Canto 6
1. Detail the modus operandi of both the paths.
Maharaja Pariksit said: O my lord, O Sukadeva Gosvami, you have
already described [in the Second Canto] the path of liberation [nivrttimarga]. By following that path, one is certainly elevated gradually to the
highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, from which one is promoted to
the spiritual world along with Lord Brahma. Thus one's repetition of
birth and death in the material world ceases. O great sage Sukadeva
Gosvami, unless the living entity is freed from the infection of the
material modes of nature, he receives different types of bodies in which
to enjoy or suffer, and according to the body, he is understood to have
various inclinations. By following these inclinations he traverses the
pathcalled pravrtti-marga, by which one may be elevated to the
heavenly planets, as you have already described [in the Third Canto].
2. Pictorially represent it.
My dear lord, you have described the dynasties and characteristics of
King Priyavrata and King Uttanapada. The Supreme Personality of
Godhead created this material world with various universes, planetary
systems, planets and stars, with varied lands, seas, oceans,
mountains, rivers, gardens and trees, all with different characteristics.
These are divided among this planet earth, the luminaries in the sky
and the lower planetary systems. You have very clearly described
these planets and the living entities who live on them.
3. How to undergo atonement while still in
human body.
Sukadeva Gosvami replied: My dear King, if before one's next death
whatever impious acts one has performed in this life with his mind,
words and body are not counteracted through proper atonement
according to the description of the Manu-samhita and other dharma-
sastras, one will certainly enter the hellish planets after death and
undergo terrible suffering, as I have previously described to you.
4. When should shaktipath be taken.
Maharaja Pariksit said: One may know that sinful activity is injurious for
him because he actually sees that a criminal is punished by the
government and rebuked by people in general and because he hears
from scriptures and learned scholars that one is thrown into hellish
conditions in the next life for committing sinful acts. Nevertheless, in
spite of such knowledge, one is forced to commit sins again and again,
even after performing acts of atonement. Therefore, what is the value
of such atonement?
5. What is real v/s false atonement. Which is the
root cause tat should be targeted.
Sukadeva Gosvami, the son of Vedavyasa, answered: My dear King,
since acts meant to neutralize impious actions are also fruitive, they will
not release one from the tendency to act fruitively. Persons who subject
themselves to the rules and regulations of atonement are not at all
intelligent. Indeed, they are in the mode of darkness. Unless one is
freed from the mode of ignorance, trying to counteract one action
through another is useless because this will not uproot one's desires.
Thus even though one may superficially seem pious, he will
undoubtedly be prone to act impiously. Therefore real atonement is
enlightenment in perfect knowledge, Vedanta, by which one
understands the Supreme Absolute Truth.
6. What are the qulaities required to execute
devotional service.
My dear King, if a diseased person eats the pure, uncontaminated food
prescribed by a physician, he is gradually cured, and the infection of
disease can no longer touch him. Similarly, if one follows the regulative
principles of knowledge, he gradually progresses toward liberation from
material contamination.
13-14. To concentrate the mind, one must observe a life of celibacy and
not fall down. One must undergo the austerity of voluntarily giving up
sense enjoyment. One must then control the mind and senses, give
charity, be truthful, clean and nonviolent, follow the regulative principles
and regularly chant the holy name of the Lord. Thus a sober and
faithful person who knows the religious principles is temporarily purified
of all sins performed with his body, words and mind. These sins are like
the dried leaves of creepers beneath a bamboo tree, which may be
burned by fire although their roots remain to grow again at the first
opportunity.
15. Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed
devotional service to Krsna can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with
no possibility that they will revive. He can do this simply by discharging
devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its
rays.16. My dear King, if a sinful person engages in the service of a
bona fide devotee of the Lord and thus learns how to dedicate his life
unto the lotus feet of Krsna, he can be completely purified. One cannot
be purified merely by undergoing austerity, penance, brahmacarya and
the other methods of atonement I have previously described.
7. What makes this path fearless.
The path followed by pure devotees, who are well behaved and fully
endowed with the best qualifications, is certainly the most auspicious
path in this material world. It is free from fear, and it is authorized by the
sastras.
8.What
of God.
Although not having fully realized Krsna, persons who have even once
surrendered completely unto His lotus feet and who have become
attracted to His name, form, qualities and pastimes are completely
freed of all sinful reactions, for they have thus accepted the true
method of atonement. Even in dreams, such surrendered souls do not
see Yamaraja or his order carriers, who are equipped with ropes to
bind the sinful.
The subtle body is endowed with sixteen parts--the five knowledgeacquiring senses, the five working senses, the five objects of sense
gratification, and the mind. This subtle body is an effect of the three
modes of material nature. It is composed of insurmountably strong
desires, and therefore it causes the living entity to transmigrate from
one body to another in human life, animal life and life as a demigod.
When the living entity gets the body of a demigod, he is certainly very
jubilant, when he gets a human body he is always in lamentation, and
when he gets the body of an animal, he is always afraid. In all
conditions, however, he is actually miserable. His miserable condition is
The foolish embodied living entity, inept at controlling his senses and
mind, is forced to act according to the influence of the modes of
material nature, against his desires. He is like a silkworm that uses its
own saliva to create a cocoon and then becomes trapped in it, with no
possibility of getting out. The living entity traps himself in a network of
his own fruitive activities and then can find no way to release himself.
Thus he is always bewildered, and repeatedly he dies.
14.Observeonesownnaturaltendencyandidentifythegapsascomparedtodearest
toGod.
Not a single living entity can remain unengaged even for a moment.
One must act by his natural tendency according to the three modes of
material nature because this natural tendency forcibly makes him work
in a particular way.
15.Ineverymovementofthoughtorothersenseorgans,beawareofwhyofthat
particularaction.Analyzeitwhetheritisforpleasureofmind,egoorGod.Reduce
theratioofdissipationbynotingdownallactivitiesinanhourlytodailybasis.
Once this brahmana Ajamila, following the order of his father, went to
the forest to collect fruit, flowers and two kinds of grass, called samit
and kusa. On the way home, he came upon a sudra, a very lusty,
fourth-class man, who was shamelessly embracing and kissing a
prostitute. The sudra was smiling, singing and enjoying as if this were
proper behavior. Both the sudra and the prostitute were drunk. The
prostitute's eyes were rolling in intoxication, and her dress had become
loose. Such was the condition in which Ajamila saw them.
17.Whattypeofpracticeisimportanttoovercomesuchforceslikethatofcupid,
Indra,apsaras,etc.
As
In the same way that the sun and moon are eclipsed by a low planet,
the brahmana lost all his good sense. Taking advantage of this
situation, he always thought of the prostitute, and within a short time he
took her as a servant in his house and abandoned all the regulative
principles of a brahmana.
19.Whereshouldresourceslikemoney,energy,etc.bedirectedorgivenascharity
towards.
This man Ajamila did not undergo atonement. Therefore because of his
sinful life, we must take him into the presence of Yamaraja for
punishment. There, according to the extent of his sinful acts, he will be
punished and thus purified.
22.WhatmakesfollowersofVishnudifferentfromotherdemigodsandKrihsna,
rama,etc.
Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, the servants of Lord Visnu are
The chanting of the holy name of Lord Visnu is the best process of
atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one
who betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brahmana, or for
one who indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior. It
is also the best method of atonement for one who murders women, the
king or his father, for one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful
men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Visnu, such sinful
persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore
considers, "Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to
give him protection."
26.Stateyourownrealizationsofchantingtheholyname.
I am such a sinful person, but since I have now gotten this opportunity,
I must completely control my mind, life and senses and always engage
in devotional service so that I may not fall again into the deep darkness
and ignorance of material life.
33.Whatshouldoneidentifyhimselfwith.Howtoovercomehabitualbodily
demandsandmentalsamskaras.
The supreme judge must be one, not many. It was our understanding
that you are that supreme judge and that you have jurisdiction even
over the demigods. Our impression was that you are the master of all
living entities, the supreme authority who discriminates between the
pious and impious activities of all human beings.
37.HowtobeinunalloyedgoodnessmodeandhowtoincreaseloveofGodhead.
38.WhatistheprocessofseeingtheexpansionofGodsituatedwithinheartsofall
beingsassupersoul.Compareandcontrastitwiththeprocessofseeingtheoriginal
GodinfullpieceapartofwhichwasseenbyBrahmaforfewmomentsandthefull
partofwhomisseenbyHisconsortscontinuously.
As the different limbs of the body cannot see the eyes, the living
entities cannot see the Supreme Lord, who is situated as the Supersoul
in everyone's heart. Not by the senses, by the mind, by the life air, by
thoughts within the heart, or by the vibration of words can the living
entities ascertain the real situation of the Supreme Lord.
39.Solvethedifficultyasstatedinthisverse.Compareintricatelythesimilarities
anddifferencesamongthementionedpersonalities.WhatmakesSrisampradaystand
apart.
Lord Brahma, Bhagavan Narada, Lord Siva, the four Kumaras, Lord
Kapila [the son of Devahuti], Svayambhuva Manu, Prahlada Maharaja,
Janaka Maharaja, Grandfather Bhisma, Bali Maharaja, Sukadeva
Gosvami and I myself know the real religious principle. My dear
servants, this transcendental religious principle, which is known as
bhagavata-dharma, or surrender unto the Supreme Lord and love for
Him, is uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. It is very
confidential and difficult for ordinary human beings to understand, but if
by chance one fortunately understands it, he is immediately liberated,
and thus he returns home, back to Godhead.
40.HowwillasoulchantGodsname,qualitiesandpastimes.
path to hell.
45.HowtolickGodsface.Whatdeedsorqualificationsormentalityorsoulshipor
chakrashipisneeded.
Devotees who always lick the honey from the lotus feet of Lord Krsna
do not care at all for material activities, which are performed under the
three modes of material nature and which bring only misery. Indeed,
devotees never give up the lotus feet of Krsna to return to material
activities. Others, however, who are addicted to Vedic rituals because
they have neglected the service of the Lord's lotus feet and are
enchanted by lusty desires, sometimes perform acts of atonement.
Nevertheless, being incompletely purified, they return to sinful activities
again and again.
46.Howisstoolandurineuseful.
The path of goodness traversed by your father, grandfather and greatgrandfathers is that of maintaining the subjects [prajas], including the
men, animals and trees. That is the path you should follow.
Unnecessary anger is contrary to your duty. Therefore I request you to
control your anger.
48.WhatotherthingsarerequiredtosatisfyandthentopleaseandthentoloveGod.
49.Howtorespondtosucheventsofsuddenupsurgeandchakraopeningthen
kundalinirising.
One who inquires into self-realization and thus subdues his powerful
anger--which awakens suddenly in the body as if falling from the sky-transcends the influence of the modes of material nature.
50.WhatwasthejobassignedtoPrajapati.Iskundalini/chakrasaexternalmaterial
entityorsomethingtranscendental.Whereisamorenearerplenaryexpansionof
Godsituatedinthebody.
As the sense objects [form, taste, touch, smell and sound] cannot
understand how the sensesperceive them, so the conditioned soul,
although residing in his body along with the Supersoul, cannot
understand how the supreme spiritual person, the master of the
material creation, directs his senses. Let me offer my respectful
obeisances unto that Supreme Person, who is the supreme controller.
52.Mapthe3modestoelementsmentionedhere.
Because they are only matter, the body, the life airs, the external and
internal senses, the five gross elements and the subtle sense objects
[form, taste, smell, sound and touch] cannot know their own nature, the
nature of the other senses or the nature of their controllers. But the
living being, because of his spiritual nature, can know his body, the life
airs, the senses, the elements and the sense objects, and he can also
know the three qualities that form their roots. Nevertheless, although
the living being is completely aware of them, he is unable to see the
Supreme Being, who is omniscient and unlimited. I therefore offer my
respectful obeisances unto Him.
53.Describethestageprocessofattainingalongwiththerelatedemotionsand
experiences.
55.WhatisHisrealnature.
There are two parties--namely, the theists and the atheists. The theist,
who accepts the Supersoul, finds the spiritual cause through mystic
yoga. The Sankhyite, however, who merely analyzes the material
elements, comes to a conclusion of impersonalism and does not accept
a supreme cause-- whether Bhagavan, Paramatma or even Brahman.
Instead, he is preoccupied with the superfluous, external activities of
material nature. Ultimately, however, both parties demonstrate the
Absolute Truth because although they offer opposing statements, their
object is the same ultimate cause. They are both approaching the
same Supreme Brahman, to whom I offer my respectful obeisances.
58.Elaborateonthewordoriginal.
In that holy place, the Haryasvas began regularly touching the lake's
waters and bathing in them. Gradually becoming very much purified,
they became inclined toward the activities of paramahamsas.
Nevertheless, because their father had ordered them to increase the
population, they performed severe austerities to fulfill his desires. One
day, when the great sage Narada saw those boys performing such fine
austerities to increase the population, Narada approached them.
63.FamilylifeandGodrealizationdonotgohandinhand.Comment.
Prajapati Daksa said: Alas, Narada Muni, you wear the dress of a
saintly person, but you are not actually a saint. Indeed, although I am
now in grhastha life, I am a saintly person. By showing my sons the
path of renunciation, you have done me an abominable injustice.
64.HowdoesGodtakecareofvarioustypesofdebts.
Prajapati Daksa said: My sons were not at all freed from their three
debts. Indeed, they did not properly consider their obligations. O
Narada Muni, O personality of sinful action, you have obstructed their
progress toward good fortune in this world and the next because they
are still indebted to the saintly persons, the demigods and their father.
65.Apartfromnaradamunisapparentoffence,inrealtywhoisdearerandmore
closertoGod.
75.HowtodedicateoneslifeandbreathtoGod.Apartfromlazinesswhatareother
doshasasperPattanjali.WhathasGodrecommendedtoovercomeweaknesses.
The opulence of the demons, who are generally known as the enemies
of the demigods, was protected by the talents and tactics of
Sukracarya, but Visvarupa, who was most powerful, composed a
protective prayer known as the Narayana-kavaca. By this intelligent
mantra, he took away the opulence of the demons and gave it to
Mahendra, the King of heaven.
77.Whatotherprotectionshieldscanbedeployedbysublevelentitiesagainst
equallyproficientbutbadintentioneddemons.
<Canto6chapter8>
78.Whatdosoma,wineandfoodsignify.
In return for King Indra's benediction that ditches in the earth would be
filled automatically, the land accepted one fourth of the sinful reactions
for killing a brahmana. Because of those sinful reactions, we find many
84.WhatsagesinhigherHimalayasareconstantlyprayingfor.
The great sage Dadhici said: Just to hear from you about religious
principles, I refused to offer my body at your request. Now, although my
body is extremely dear to me, I must give it up for your better purposes
since I know that it will leave me today or tomorrow.8. O demigods, one
who has no compassion for humanity in its suffering and does not
sacrifice his impermanent body for the higher causes of religious
principles or eternal glory is certainly pitied even by the immovable
beings.
85.Stateothersampleresponses.
If one is unhappy to see the distress of other living beings and happy to
see their happiness, his religious principles are appreciated as
imperishable by exalted persons who are considered pious and
benevolent.
86.Whatisselflessservice.
This body, which is eatable by jackals and dogs after death, does not
actually do any good for me, the spirit soul. It is usable only for a short
time and may perish at any moment. The body and its possessions, its
riches and relatives, must all be engaged for the benefit of others, or
else they will be sources of tribulation and misery.
87.Executethis.
Dadhici Muni controlled his senses, life force, mind and intelligence and
became absorbed in trance. Thus he cut all his material bonds. He
could not perceive how his material body became separated from his
self.
88.WhatdoesittaketobeaKrsnasdevotee.
The asuras, who are never devotees of Lord Krsna, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, lost their pride in fighting when they found all
their endeavors futile. Leaving aside their leader even in the very
beginning of the fight, they decided to flee because all their prowess
had been taken away by the enemy.
89.Whatshouldbethelastmindthoughtbeforepranaceases.
There are two ways to meet a glorious death, and both are very rare.
One is to die after performing mystic yoga, especially bhakti-yoga, by
which one can control the mind and living force and die absorbed in
thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The second is to die
on the battlefield, leading the army and never showing one's back.
These two kinds of death are recommended in the sastra as glorious.
90.Stateotherreligiousprinciplesinartofwar.
O King, when the great hero Vrtrasura saw Indra, his enemy, the killer
of his brother, standing before him with a thunderbolt in his hand,
desiring to fight, Vrtrasura remembered how Indra had cruelly killed his
brother. Thinking of Indra's sinful activities, he became mad with
lamentation and forgetfulness. Laughing sarcastically, he spoke as
follows.
93.Narratehowhanumanhadbehavedinlankainasimilarmanner.
and shall give up this body and this world of material desires. Fixing my
mind upon the lotus feet of Lord Sankarsana, I shall attain the
destination of such great sages as Narada Muni, just as Lord
Sankarsana has said.
95.Whatotherdrawbacksdemigodshave.
O lotus-eyed Lord, as baby birds that have not yet developed their
wings always look for their mother to return and feed them, as small
calves tied with ropes await anxiously the time of milking, when they
will be allowed to drink the milk of their mothers, or as a morose wife
whose husband is away from home always longs for him to return and
satisfy her in all respects, I always yearn for the opportunity to render
direct service unto You.
97.Idealattitudeofexistence.
me. I have already been defeated, for my weapon and arm have been
cut to pieces. You have already overwhelmed me, but nonetheless,
with a desire to kill you, I am trying my best to fight. I am not at all
morose, even under such adverse conditions. Therefore you should
give up your moroseness and continue fighting.
98.Inthisdual,whowasactuallyvictorious.
As long as King Indra lived in the water, wrapped in the stem of the
lotus, Nahusa was equipped with the ability to rule the heavenly
kingdom, due to his knowledge, austerity and mystic power. Nahusa,
however, blinded and maddened by power and opulence, made
undesirable proposals to Indra's wife with a desire to enjoy her. Thus
Nahusa was cursed by a brahmana and later became a snake.
102.WhatisthedifferencebetweenwaysofworshippingGodbetweenShivand
Indra.WhyisShivmostdearVaisnava.
Lord Visnu's wife, who resides in the lotus clusters of Manasasarovara Lake, Indra's sins could not affect him. Indra was ultimately
relieved of all the reactions of his sinful deeds by strictly worshiping
Lord Visnu. Then he was called back to the heavenly planets by the
brahmanas and reinstated in his position.
103.Whatisliberation.
O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in
knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Narayana, or
Krsna. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.
105.Whatmakesgopisbetterthanothers.
Once upon a time, when the powerful sage named Angira was traveling
all over the universe without engagement, by his sweet will he came to
the palace of King Citraketu.
106.Whataretheadverseeffectsofaskingforthingsoneisnotdestinesfor.
Thereafter, the great sage told the King, "O great King, now you will
have a son who will be the cause of both jubilation and lamentation."
The sage then left, without waiting for Citraketu's response.
107.WhyisGodimpartiallyequalandsupremelymercifultoall.
creation, for during the lifetime of a father You have caused the death
of his son, thus acting in opposition to Your creative laws. If You are
determined to contradict these laws, You are certainly the enemy of
living entities and are never merciful.
109.Howtoavoidmoh.
O King, what relationship does the dead body for which you lament
have with you, and what relationship do you have with him? You may
say that you are now related as father and son, but do you think this
relationship existed before? Does it truly exist now? Will it continue in
the future?3. O King, as small particles of sand sometimes come
together and are sometimes separated due to the force of the waves,
the living entities who have accepted material bodies sometimes come
together and are sometimes separated by the force of time.4. When
seeds are sown in the ground, they sometimes grow into plants and
sometimes do not. Sometimes the ground is not fertile, and the sowing
of seeds is unproductive. Similarly, sometimes a prospective father,
being impelled by the potency of the Supreme Lord, can beget a child,
but sometimes conception does not take place. Therefore one should
not lament over the artificial relationship of parenthood, which is
ultimately controlled by the Supreme Lord.
110.Statethestepsofbecominganavadhota.
King Citraketu said: You have both come here dressed like avadhutas,
liberated persons, just to cover your identities, but I see that of all men,
you are the most elevated in awareness. You know everything as it is.
Therefore you are the greatest of all great personalities.
111.Whatisneedofdhramarthakaammoksaandfourvarnaashramas.
When I first came to your home, I could have given you the supreme
transcendental knowledge, but when I saw that your mind was
absorbed in material things, I gave you only a son, who caused you
jubilation and lamentation.
112.Elaborateonchewingthechewed.
These visible objects like wife, children and property are like dreams
and mental concoctions. Actually what we see has no permanent
By the mystic power of Narada Muni, the living entity reentered his
dead body for a short time and spoke in reply to Narada Muni's
request. He said: According to the results of my fruitive activities, I, the
living being, transmigrate from one body to another, sometimes going
to the species of the demigods, sometimes to the species of lower
animals, sometimes among the vegetables, and sometimes to the
human species. Therefore, in which birth were these my mother and
father? No one is actually my mother and father. How can I accept
these two people as my parents?
115.Otherrealizedtraitsofsoulsupersoulpair.
One should understand that the activities of persons who are proud of
their material experience bring only results contradictory to those such
persons conceive while awake, sleeping and deeply sleeping. One
should further understand that the spirit soul, although very difficult for
the materialist to perceive, is above all these conditions, and by the
strength of one's discrimination, one should give up the desire for
fruitive results in the present life and in the next. Thus becoming
experienced in transcendental knowledge, one should become My
devotee.
117.Elaboratehowmindisbetterthansenses.
Persons who try to reach the ultimate goal of life must expertly observe
the Supreme Absolute Person and the living entity, who are one in
quality in their relationship as part and whole. This is the ultimate
understanding of life. There is no better truth than this.
118.HowcursespromoteHisleelas.
This woman, my wife, has adopted a means that follows her nature,
and therefore she is not to be blamed. But I am a man. Therefore, all
condemnation upon me! I am not at all conversant with what is good for
me, since I could not control my senses.41. A woman's face is as
Maharaja Pariksit said: My dear lord, you have already spoken about
the pumsavana vow. Now I want to hear about it in detail, for I
understand that by observing this vow one can please the Supreme
Lord, Visnu.2-3. Sukadeva Gosvami said: On the first day of the bright
fortnight of the month of Agrahayana [November-December], following
the instructions of her husband, a woman should begin this regulative
devotional service with a vow of penance, for it can fulfill all one's
desires. Before beginning the worship of Lord Visnu, the woman should
hear the story of how the Maruts were born. Under the instructions of
qualified brahmanas, in the morning she should wash her teeth, bathe,
and dress herself with white cloth and ornaments, and before taking
breakfast she should worship Lord Visnu and Laksmi.