|
Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 87: Verses 21-25
Some, who have got over their fatigue (caused by revolving on the whirligig of births and deaths) by diving into the ocean of nectar-like stories relating to You--who have assumed personal forms for the purpose of revealing the truth about Your own Self, which is (so) difficult to realize-and who have renounced their home as a result of their fellowship with devotees revelling like swans in the lotus of Your feet, do not aspire even for emancipation, 0 Lord ! This human body (which is like a nest[1] for the soul, that has been compared to a bride flitting from one body to another in the course of its mundane existence), when it follows the track leading to You, behaves as our own self, benefactor and loved one. People (however) do not find as much delight in You--who are (ever) favourably inclined towards them and are their (true) well-wisher and loved one, nay, their very self-and kill their soul by pampering this body and those connected with it ( which are all unreal and) by cleaving to which they are thrown into wretched wombs (like those of dogs and swine) and revolve in this mundane existence, which is full of great fear.
Oh, what a pity! By thinking of You Your enemies too have realized the same truth which ascetics that have controlled their breath, mind and senses and rigidly practised Yoga contemplate in their heart. The women (cowherdesses of Vrindavana) who set their mind on Your (delicate, long and) stout arms resembling the body of Sesa (taking You to be a finite being), and even we, who look upon You as equally present everywhere and hold fast to Your lotus-feet, are equal in Your eyes. Alas! what individual of posterior birth and death can possibly know You, who are anterior to all and from whom came forth Brahma (the first sage), after whom appeared the two classes of gods (viz., those presiding over the Indriyas, mind etc., and those presiding over the heavenly regions). When, withdrawing everything (into Yourself at the end of creation), You repose (as now), there exist at that time neither the gross phenomena (ether etc.) nor the subtle (such as the Mahat-tattva and Ahankara) nor the product of both (viz., the psychophysical organism) nor the flux of time nor anything else nor the scriptural texts (by means of which You could be known). They who posit (as the Vaisesikas do) the coming into existence of that which did not exist before (viz., of this world as an evolute of Matter), or who affirm (as the Naiyayikas do) the cessation (known by the name of Liberation) of that which exists (viz., suffering of twenty-one kinds), as well as they who admit (as the Naiyayikas or Sankhyas do) of diversity in the soul or who declare (as the Mimamsakas do) the fruit of actions (in the shape of enjoyment here as well as hereafter) to be real inculcate all this on the ground of misconception (alone). Since the conception of diversity with regard to the soul based on texts such as "The soul is composed of the three Gunas (modes of Prakrti)" is caused by ignorance about You, the latter cannot exist in You, who are above such ignorance, Knowledge being Your (very) essence.
|
|
