Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 11 Chapter 22:55-60

Book 11: Chapter 22

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 22: Verses 55-60

Even though pleasurable and painful experiences do not belong to the soul, (suffering entailed by) metempsychosis does not cease for him who dwells on the pleasures of sense (as something enjoyed by the Self), any more than calamities (which are anything but real) cease to befall a dreaming man (till he is fully awake). Therefore. Uddhava, do not enjoy (any more) the pleasures of sense with your vile senses (which are so difficult to gratify and are sure to lead you to perdition if indulged without restraint). Look upon the varied experiences (both of the pleasurable and painful type) as illusory and as reflected in the soul (only) because of our ignorance about its true nature (as the ground of all experiences). Whether reproached or insulted, ridiculed or belittled, beaten or tightly bound (with ropes) etc., or deprived of one's means of livelihood, literally spat or urinatedupon by the wicked and thus shaken in many ways from one's fixity in the Self by the ignorant, and even when reduced to straits, a seeker of blessedness should (try to) redeem oneself by recourse to reason. Uddhava submitted : (Pray,) tell us (all seekers of blessedness), 0 Jewel among speakers, how I should get enlightened thus (so as to be able to put up with all such outrages). I regard such outrage to oneself by the wicked as most difficult to bear even for the knowing, except (of course) those who are engaged in duties pleasing to You (such as chanting and hearing Your names and glories) and have found shelter in Your feet and whose passions have (accordingly) been stilled; for nature (in the form of tendency to revolt against ill-treatment) is (indeed) very powerful (and therefore hard to conquer), 0 Soul of the universe !

Thus ends the twenty-second discourse in Book Eleven of the great

and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.

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