Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 7 Chapter 2:44-52

Book 7: Chapter 2

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 7: Chapter 2: Verses 44-52 Hiranyakasipu rids his mother (Diti) of her grief (caused by the death of his younger brother, Hiranyaksa) Indeed, O fools, here lies (the body called) Suyajna, that you lament. He (however) who was the hearer and the speaker in this body could never be seen even before. Nor is the great vital principle---(which inspires all the Indriyas and) which is (therefore said to be) the foremost-the hearer or the speaker. As for the soul, which (while remaining) in a body is endowed with the senses (perceives the various sense-objects through the different senses), is (altogether) different from the (said) vital principle as well as from the body (both of which are devoid of consciousness). The (aforementioned) all-pervading spirit, that is different from the body, accepts (as identical with it) bodies (of various kinds)-(both) high and low and characterized by the (five subtle) elements, the lndriyas (the five senses of perception and the five organs of action) and the mind-and (in the long run) even actually gives up such identification by force of its own discrimination. Action proves to be a source of bondage only so long as the soul stands identified with a subtle body. From such identification follow the perversion of the (all-blissful) Soul and (the attendant) misery, which are (however both) conceived in illusion (and not real). To look upon the (three) Gunas (their products in the shape of pleasure and pain arising from the contact of the senses with their objects) or speak of them as real-this is a false prepossession. Like a fanciful conception or a dream every sensuous pleasure is unreal. Hence the knowers of Truth grieve neither for that which is abiding nor for that which is transient in this world. Nor can the nature of those who are given to grieving be changed. A certain fowler, who had been created (by God) as a (veritable) death (as it were) for birds, spread his net in a forest and employing (all sorts of) allurements, caught them wherever he could. A pair of fork-tailed shrikes was seen moving about there. Of them the female bird was precipitately allured by the fowler. Subject to the control of Time, the said female bird got entangled in the meshes of the net. Sore afflicted to see her thus involved in (mortal) danger, yet incapable (of doing anything), the helpless male bird bewailed (the lot of) his miserable mate out of affection (as follows):-