Canto 11: General HistoryChapter 22: Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.22.57

tasmād uddhava mā bhuńkṣva

viṣayān asad-indriyaiḥ

ātmāgrahaṇa-nirbhātaḿ

paśya vaikalpikaḿ bhramam

SYNONYMS

tasmāt — therefore; uddhava — My dear Uddhava; bhuńkṣvado not enjoy; viṣayān — the objects of sense gratification; asat — impure; indriyaiḥ — with senses; ātma — of the self; agrahaṇa — inability to realize; nirbhātamin which is manifest; paśya — see it; vaikalpikam — based on material duality; bhramam — the illusion.

TRANSLATION

Therefore, O Uddhava, do not try to enjoy sense gratification with the material senses. See how illusion based on material dualities prevents one from realizing the self.

PURPORT

Everything that exists is the potency and property of the Supreme Lord, meant to be used in His loving service. Seeing material objects as separate from the Lord and thus meant to be possessed and enjoyed by oneself is called vaikalpikaḿ bhramam, the illusion of material duality. When selecting one's personal object of enjoyment, such as food, clothing, residence or vehicle, one considers the relative quality of the object to be acquired. Consequently, in material life one is in constant anxiety, trying to acquire the most excellent sense gratification for one's personal pleasure. If one realizes everything as the property of the Lord, however, he will see everything as meant for the Lord's pleasure. He will feel no personal anxiety, because he is satisfied simply to be engaged in the Lord's loving service. It is not possible to exploit the property of the Lord and at the same time advance in self-realization.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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