Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 11 Chapter 28:1-7

Book 11: Chapter 28

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 28: Verses 1-7

The glorious Lord began again: Visualizing the universe-though brought about by (the co-operation of) Prakrti (Matter) and Purusa (the Spirit)-as one in substance (as a manifestation of Brahma or the Absolute), one should neither praise nor condemn the (tranquil, vehement or torpid) nature and (corresponding) actions of others. He who eulogizes or denounces the natural bent of mind and actions of others quickly strays from his (real) purpose (of Self-Knowledge) on account of his clinging to duality (which is unreal). On the senses (evolved from the Rajasika ego) being overpowered with sleep the soul imprisoned in the body enters the realm of Maya (illusion in the shape of the dream state in the event of the mind continuing to function) and having lost its consciousness (of the body and its surroundings later on when the mind too becomes torpid) reaches the state of deep sleep (which has been likened to death). So does the man perceiving many things (instead of the one real substance) experience distraction on coming in contact with the pleasures of sense and later on finds himself sunk into the depths of ignorance). In the midst of duality, which is unreal (the question does not arise) what is good (praiseworthy) and what is evil (deprecable) and to what extent a (particular) thing is good or bad; (for) whatever is expressed through word (i.e., whatever is grasped through the senses) as well as whatever is contemplated with the mind is false. A reflection, an echo and an illusory object (such as a mother of pearl presenting the appearance of silver), though unreal, react on us (as though they were real). So do the body and other entities (continue to) inspire fear till they disappear (into their one substratum, viz., Brahma). Therefore, this universe is (no other than) the (Supreme) Spirit, inasmuch as It is capable of assuming all forms and almighty (capable of evolving everything). It is that (Universal) Spirit (alone) which creates and is created, protects and is protected, destroys and is destroyed. (It is both the subject and the object). Therefore, no entity other than the Self existing apart from that which is created and so on has been posited (by the Vedas).This threefold appearance (in the shape of creation, continuance and destruction of the universe) in the Self has been declared (by the wise) as baseless. Know the threefold existence (in the shape of the perceiver, the perceived and the act of perception), being a product of the three Gunas, as brought about by Maya (My deluding potency) .

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