Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.6.7
सास्वतन्त्रा न कल्पासीद्योगक्षेमं ममेच्छती ।
ईशस्य हि वशे लोको योषा दारुमयी यथा ॥ ७ ॥
sāsvatantrā na kalpāsīd
[saasvatantraa na kalpaaseed]
yoga-kṣemaṁ mamecchatī
[yoga-kshemam mamechchatee]
īśasya hi vaśe loko
[eeshasya hi vashe loko]
yoṣā dārumayī yathā
[yoshaa daarumayee yathaa]
Word-for-word
sā
—
she
asvatantrā
—
was dependent
na
—
not
kalpā
—
able
āsīt
—
was
yoga-kṣemam
—
maintenance
mama
—
my
icchatī
—
although desirous
īśasya
—
of providence
hi
—
for
vaśe
—
under the control of
lokaḥ
—
everyone
yoṣā
—
doll
dāru-mayī
—
made of wood
yathā
—
as much as.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sāsvatantrā na kalpāsīd
sā
she
asvatantrā
was dependent
na
not
kalpā
able
āsīt
was
yoga-kṣemaṁ mamecchatī
yoga-kṣemam
maintenance
mama
my
icchatī
although desirous
īśasya hi vaśe loko
īśasya
of providence
hi
for
vaśe
under the control of
lokaḥ
everyone
yoṣā dārumayī yathā
yoṣā
doll
dāru-mayī
made of wood
yathā
as much as.
She wanted to look after my maintenance properly, but because she was not independent, she was not able to do anything for me. The world is under the full control of the Supreme Lord; therefore everyone is like a wooden doll in the hands of a puppet master.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Because she was dependent, though she wanted to protect me she could not do so. Just as a puppet master controls a female puppet, the Lord controls all people.
Commentary
Because she was dependent on others, she could not (na kalpā) protect me.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
His mother wanted to provide but could not — the world is run by the Supreme, and even loving caregivers are like wooden dolls in a puppet master's hands. Recognizing this loosens our grip on the illusion of control.
Reflection Questions
- Where am I trying to control outcomes that are not really mine to control?
- How does seeing myself as an instrument, not the puppeteer, change how I act today?
My note
Source: vedabase.io