Srimad Bhagavatam 3.27.4
arthe hy avidyamane 'pi
samsritir na nivartate
dhyayato vishayan asya
svapne 'narthagamo yatha
TRANSLATION
Actually a living entity is transcendental to material existence, but because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material existential condition does not cease, and just as in a dream, he is affected by all sorts of disadvantages.
PURPORT
The example of a dream is very appropriate. Due to different mental conditions, in dreams we are put into advantageous and disadvantageous positions. Similarly, the spirit soul has nothing to do with this material nature, but because of his mentality of lording it over, he is put into the position of conditional existence.
Conditional existence is described here as dhyayato vishayan asya. Vishaya means "an object of enjoyment." As long as one continues to think that he can enjoy material advantages, he is in conditioned life, but as soon as he comes to his senses, he develops the knowledge that he is not the enjoyer, for the only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (5.29), He is the beneficiary for all the results of sacrifices and penances (bhoktaram yajna-tapasam), and He is the proprietor of all the three worlds (sarva-loka-mahesvaram). He is the actual friend of all living entities. But instead of leaving proprietorship, enjoyment and the actual position as the friend of all living entities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we claim that we are the proprietors, the enjoyers and the friends. We perform philanthropic work, thinking that we are the friends of human society. Someone may proclaim himself to be a very good national worker, the best friend of the people and of the country, but actually he cannot be the greatest friend of everyone. The only friend is Krishna. One should try to raise the consciousness of the conditioned soul to the platform of understanding that Krishna is his actual friend. If one makes friendship with Krishna, one will never be cheated, and he will get all help needed. Arousing this consciousness of the conditioned soul is the greatest service, not posing oneself as a great friend of another living entity. The power of friendship is limited. Although one claims to be a friend, he cannot be a friend unlimitedly. There are an unlimited number of living entities, and our resources are limited; therefore we cannot be of any real benefit to the people in general. The best service to the people in general is to awaken them to Krishna consciousness so that they may know that the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor and the supreme friend is Krishna. Then this illusory dream of lording it over material nature will vanish.
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.27.5
ata eva sanais cittam
prasaktam asatam pathi
bhakti-yogena tivrena
viraktya ca nayed vasam
TRANSLATION
It is the duty of every conditioned soul to engage his polluted consciousness, which is now attached to material enjoyment, in very serious devotional service with detachment. Thus his mind and consciousness will be under full control.
PURPORT
The process of liberation is very nicely explained in this verse. The cause of one's becoming conditioned by material nature is his thinking himself the enjoyer, the proprietor or the friend of all living entities. This false thinking is a result of contemplation on sense enjoyment. When one thinks that he is the best friend to his countrymen, to society or to humanity and he engages in various nationalistic, philanthropic and altruistic activities, all that is just so much concentration on sense gratification. The so-called national leader or humanist does not serve everyone; he serves his senses only. That is a fact. But the conditioned soul cannot understand this because he is bewildered by the spell of material nature. It is therefore recommended in this verse that one engage very seriously in the devotional service of the Lord. This means that one should not think that he is the proprietor, benefactor, friend or enjoyer. He should always be cognizant that the real enjoyer is Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; that is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. One must be firmly convinced of these three principles: one should always think that Krishna is the proprietor, Krishna is the enjoyer and Krishna is the friend. Not only should he understand these principles himself, but he should try to convince others and propagate Krishna consciousness.
As soon as one engages in such serious devotional service of the Lord, naturally the propensity to falsely claim lordship over material nature disappears. That detachment is called vairagya. Instead of being absorbed in so-called material lordship, one engages in Krishna consciousness; that is control of consciousness. The yoga process necessitates controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-samyamah. Since the senses are always active, their activities should be engaged in devotional service -- one cannot stop their activities. If one wants to artificially stop the activities of the senses, his attempt will be a failure. Even the great yogi Visvamitra, who was trying to control his senses by the yoga process, fell victim to the beauty of Menaka. There are many such instances. Unless one's mind and consciousness are fully engaged in devotional service, there is always the opportunity for the mind to become occupied with desires for sense gratification.
One particular point mentioned in this verse is very significant. It is said here, prasaktam asatam pathi: the mind is always attracted by asat, the temporary, material existence. Because we have been associated with material nature since time immemorial, we have become accustomed to our attachment to this temporary material nature. The mind has to be fixed at the eternal lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. Sa vai manah krishna-padaravindayoh. One has to fix the mind at the lotus feet of Krishna; then everything will be very nice. Thus the seriousness of bhakti-yoga is stressed in this verse.
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