Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.21.21

tayā virahitaḥ sādho

jantuḥ śūnyāya kalpate

tato 'sya svārtha-vibhraḿśo

mūrcchitasya mṛtasya ca

SYNONYMS

tayā — of that intelligence; virahitaḥ — deprived; sādho — O saintly Uddhava; jantuḥ — a living creature; śūnyāya — practically void; kalpate — becomes; tataḥ — consequently; asya — his; sva-artha — from the goals of life; vibhraḿśaḥ — downfall; mūrcchitasya — of him who has become like dull matter; mṛtasya — virtually dead; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

O saintly Uddhava, a person bereft of real intelligence is considered to have lost everything. Deviated from the actual purpose of his life, he becomes dull, just like a dead person.

PURPORT

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so vital and essential that one who has deviated from this progressive path of self-realization is considered to be virtually unconscious, or like a dead person. Since every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, anyone who falsely identifies with the external body is actually unconscious of his real position. Thus it is stated, śūnyāya kalpate: pursuing that which has no factual existence, he is devoid of any tangible progress or benefit in life. One whose consciousness is absorbed in the nonexistent becomes himself practically nonexistent. In this way, the eternal living entities become fallen, lost in the ocean of material existence, and it is only by the special mercy of the pure devotees of the Lord that they can be rescued. The Lord's devotees therefore instruct the fallen people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. By this process our real consciousness and life can be quickly revived.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari