SB 1.7.5 (1962)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 5
Yaya sanmohita jiva atmanam trigunatmakam
Para api manute anartham tat kritancha abhipadyate.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Yaya—by whom, Sanmohita—illusioned, Jiva—the living entities, Atmanam—self, Trigunatmakam—conditioned by the three modes of nature or a product of matter, Para—transcendental, Api—inspite of, Manute—takes it for granted, Anartham—things not wanted, Tat—by that, Kritancha—reaction, Abhipadyate—undergoes thereof.
TRANSLATION
By whom the living entity, although transcendental to the three modes of material nature, thinks of himself as one of material products and thus undergoes the reaction of material miseries.
PURPORT
The root cause of suffering by the materialistic living beings is pointed out herewith with remedial measures which are to be undertaken by the suffering living beings as also the ultimate perfection gained thereof,—all are mentioned in this particular statement. The living being is by constitution transcendental to material encagement but he is now imprisoned by the external energy and therefore he thinks himself as one of the material products due to such unholy contact. And due to this unholy contact of the pure spiritual entity, he suffers all material miseries under the modes of material nature. Here is a suggestion that the living entity misunderstands himself as material product. This means that the present perverted way of thinking, feeling and willing of the living being under material conditions is not natural for him but he has his normal way of thinking feeling and willing as much as there is difference between a normal healthy man and the diseased man. The living being in his original state is not without any thinking willing and feeling power. This is also confirmed in the Bhagwat Geeta that actual knowledge of the conditioned soul is now covered by nescience. As such the theory that a living being is simply designated Absolute impersonal Brahman is refuted herein. This cannot be because the living entity has his own way of natural thinking in his original unconditional state also. The present conditional state is due to the influence of the external energy which means that the illusory energy takes the initiative while the Supreme Lord is aloof from such undesirable acts. The Lord does not desire that a living being should be illusioned by the external energy. The external energy is aware of this fact but still she accepted a thankless task of keeping the forgotten soul under illusion of fearfulness by her bewildering influence. The Lord also does not interfere with the task of the illusory energy because such performances of the illusory energy is also necessary for reformation of the conditioned soul. An affectionate father does not like that his children should be chastised by another agent still he puts his disobedient children under the custody of a severe man just to bring them in order. But the all-affectionate Almighty Father desires at the same time relief of the conditioned soul relief from the clutches of the illusory energy. The king puts the disobedient citizens within the walls of the jail but sometimes the king desiring the prisoner's relief personally goes there and pleads for reformation of habit and on doing so the prisioners are set free. Similarly the Supreme Lord descends from His Kingdom upon the kingdom of illusory energy and personally gives them relief in the form of the Bhagwat Geeta wherein He personally suggests that the ways of the illusory energy is very much stiff to be overcome but one who surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord is set free by the order of the Supreme. This surrendering process is the remedial measures for getting relief from the bewildering ways of the illusory energy. The surrendering process is completed by the influence of association. The Lord has therefore suggested that by the influence of the speeches of saintly persons who have actually realised the Supreme they are engaged in His transcendental loving service. The conditioned soul gets a taste for hearing about the Lord and by such hearing process only such a conditioned soul is gradually elevated on the platform of respect, devotion and attachment for the Lord. The whole thing is completed by the surrendering process. Herein also the same suggestion is made by the Lord in His incarnation of Vysadeva. This means that the conditioned souls are being reclaimed by the Lord both ways namely by the process of punishment by the external energy of the Lord as well as by Himself as the spiritual master within and without. Within the heart of every living being the Lord Himself as the Super Soul Paramatma becomes the spiritual master and from without He becomes the same spiritual master in the shape of scriptures, saints and initiator spiritual master. This remedial measure is still more explicitely explained in the next sloka.
Personal superintendence of the illusory energy is confirmed in the Vedas like the Kena Upanishad in the matter of the demigod's controlling power. Herein also it is clearly stated that the living entity is controlled by the exernal energy in personal capacity. The living being thus subject to the control of External energy is differently situated. It is clear, however, from the present statement of Bhagwat that the same External Energy is situated in the inferior complex before the Personality of Godhead or the Perfect Being. The Perfect Being or the Lord cannot be even approached by the illusory energy. She can only work on the living entities. As such it is sheer imagination that the Supreme Lord is illusioned by the illusory energy and thus become a living being. If the living being and the Lord would have been in the same category then it was quite possible for Vyasdeva to see it and there would have been no question of material distress on the part of the illusioned being because the Supreme Being is fully cognisant. So there are so many unscrupulous imaginations on the part of the monists to endeavour to put in the same category both the Lord and the living being. Had it been so then Srila Sukadeva Goswami would not have taken the trouble of describing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord if they were all a manifestation of the illusory energy.
Srimad Bhagwatam is the summum bonum remedy for the suffering humanity in the clutches of Maya. Srila Vyasadeva therefore first of all diagnosed the actual disease of the conditioned souls i.e. to say their being illusioned by the external energy. He also saw the perfect Supreme Being from whom illusory energy is far off situated, though He saw both the diseased conditioned souls and also the cause of the disease. And the remedial measures are suggested in the next. Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living beings are undoubtedly qualitatively one but the Lord is the controller of the illusory energy while the living entity is controlled by the illusory energy. As thus the Lord and the living beings are simultaneously one and different from the Lord. Another point is distinct herein that eternal relation between the Lord and the living being is of transcendental affection otherwise the Lord would not have taken the trouble of reclaiming the conditioned souls from the clutches of Maya. In the same way the living entity is also required to revive his natural love and affection for the Lord and that is the highest perfection of the living entity. Srimad Bhagwatam will treat the conditioned soul with an aim to that goal of life.