Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.43-44

rago dveshas ca lobhas ca

soka-mohau bhayam madah

mano 'vamano 'suya ca

maya himsa ca matsarah

rajah pramadah kshun-nidra

satravas tv evam adayah

rajas-tamah-prakritayah

sattva-prakritayah kvacit

SYNONYMS

ragah -- attachment; dveshah -- hostility; ca -- also; lobhah -- greed; ca -- also; soka -- lamentation; mohau -- illusion; bhayam -- fear; madah -- madness; manah -- false prestige; avamanah -- insult; asuya -- finding fault with others; ca -- also; maya -- deception; himsa -- envy; ca -- also; matsarah -- intolerance; rajah -- passion; pramadah -- bewilderment; kshut -- hunger; nidra -- sleep; satravah -- enemies; tu -- indeed; evam adayah -- even other such conceptions of life; rajah-tamah -- because of the conception of passion and ignorance; prakritayah -- causes; sattva -- because of the conception of goodness; prakritayah -- causes; kvacit -- sometimes.

TRANSLATION

In the conditioned stage, one's conceptions of life are sometimes polluted by passion and ignorance, which are exhibited by attachment, hostility, greed, lamentation, illusion, fear, madness, false prestige, insults, fault-finding, deception, envy, intolerance, passion, bewilderment, hunger and sleep. All of these are enemies. Sometimes one's conceptions are also polluted by goodness.

PURPORT

The actual aim of life is to go back home, back to Godhead, but there are many hindrances created by the three modes of material nature -- sometimes by a combination of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, the modes of passion and ignorance, and sometimes by the mode of goodness. In the material world, even if one is a philanthropist, a nationalist and a good man according to materialistic estimations, these conceptions of life form a hindrance to spiritual advancement. How much more of a hindrance, then, are hostility, greed, illusion, lamentation and too much attachment to material enjoyment? To progress toward the target of Vishnu, which is our real self-interest, one must become very powerful in conquering these various hindrances or enemies. In other words, one should not be attached to being a good man or a bad man in this material world.

In this material world, so-called goodness and badness are the same because they consist of the three modes of material nature. One must transcend this material nature. Even the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies consist of the three modes of material nature. Therefore Krishna advised Arjuna:

traigunya-vishaya veda

nistraigunyo bhavarjuna

nirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho

niryoga-kshema atmavan

"The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the self." (Bg. 2.45) Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah: if one becomes a very good person -- in other words, if one is in the mode of goodness -- he may be elevated to the higher planetary systems. Similarly, if one is infected by rajo-guna and tamo-guna, he may remain in this world or go down to the animal kingdom. But all of these situations are hindrances on the path of spiritual salvation. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says:

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

guru-krishna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

If one is fortunate enough to transcend all this so-called goodness and badness and come to the platform of devotional service by the mercy of Krishna and the guru, his life becomes successful. In this regard, one must be very bold so that he can conquer these enemies of Krishna consciousness. Not caring for the good and bad of this material world, one must boldly propagate Krishna consciousness.

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Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness