11.13 · The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā

Goodness in the material world never exists in a pure form. Therefore, it is common knowledge that on the material platform no one is working without personal motivation. In the material world goodness is always mixed with some amount of passion and ignorance, whereas spiritual, or purified, goodness ( viśuddha-sattva ) represents the liberated platform of perfection. Materially, one is proud to be an honest, compassionate man, but unless one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious one will speak truths that are not ultimately significant, and one will give mercy that is ultimately useless. Because the onward march of material time removes all situations and persons from the material stage, our so-called mercy and truth apply to situations that shortly will not exist. Real truth is eternal, and real mercy means to situate people in eternal truth. Still, for an ordinary person, cultivation of material goodness may be a preliminary stage on the road to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For example, it is stated in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that one who is addicted to meat-eating cannot understand the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. By cultivation of the material mode of goodness, however, one may become a vegetarian and perhaps come to appreciate the sublime process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Since it is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā that the material modes of nature constantly rotate, one must take advantage of an elevated position in material goodness to step onto the transcendental platform. Otherwise, as the wheel of time turns one will again go into the darkness of material ignorance.

Since the three modes of material nature are constantly in conflict, vying for supremacy, how is it possible that the mode of goodness can subdue the modes of passion and ignorance? Lord Kṛṣṇa here explains how one can be strongly fixed in the mode of goodness, which automatically gives rise to religious principles. In the Fourteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa elaborately explains the things that are in goodness, passion and ignorance. Thus, by choosing food, attitudes, work, recreation, etc., strictly in the mode of goodness, one will become situated in that mode. The usefulness of sattva-guṇa, or the mode of goodness, is that it produces religious principles aimed at and characterized by devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. Without such devotional service to the Lord, the mode of goodness is considered useless and merely another aspect of material illusion. The word vṛddhāt, or “strengthened, increased,” indicates clearly that one should come to the platform of viśuddha-sattva, or purified goodness. The word vṛddhāt indicates growth, and growth should not be stopped until full maturity is reached. The full maturity of goodness is called viśuddha-sattva, or the transcendental platform on which there is no trace of any other quality. In pure goodness all knowledge automatically manifests, and one can easily understand one’s eternal loving relationship with Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the actual meaning and purpose of dharma, or religious principles.

Śrīla Madhvācārya points out in this regard that an increase in the mode of goodness strengthens religious principles and the invigorated execution of religious principles strengthens the mode of goodness. In that way, one can advance higher and higher in the mode of spiritual happiness.

The ten items mentioned above possess superior and inferior qualities and are thus identified as being in goodness, passion or ignorance. One can increase the mode of goodness by selecting religious scriptures in goodness, pure water, friendship with other persons in goodness, and so on. One should scrupulously avoid any of these ten items that may be polluted by an inferior mode of nature.

One who desires to cultivate the mode of goodness must consider the following points. One should study religious scriptures that teach detachment from mental speculation and material sense gratification, not scriptures that provide rituals and mantras to increase material ignorance. Such materialistic scriptures do not give attention to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus are basically atheistic. One should accept pure water for quenching thirst and cleaning the body. There is no need for a devotee to use colognes, perfume, whiskey, beer, etc., which are all polluted manifestations of water. One should associate with persons who are cultivating detachment from the material world and not with those who are materially attached or sinful in their behavior. One should live in a solitary place where devotional service is practiced and discussed among Vaiṣṇavas. One should not be spontaneously attracted to busy highways, shopping centers, sports stadiums, and so on. Concerning time, one should rise by four o’clock in the morning and utilize the auspicious brāhma-muhūrta to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Similarly, one should avoid the sinful influence of hours such as midnight, when ghosts and demons are encouraged to become active. Concerning work, one should execute one’s prescribed duties, follow the regulative principles of spiritual life and utilize all of one’s energy for pious purposes. Time should not be wasted in frivolous or materialistic activities, of which there are now literally millions in modern society. One can cultivate birth in the mode of goodness by accepting the second birth of initiation from a bona fide spiritual master and learning to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. One should not accept initiation or so-called spiritual birth in unauthorized mystical or religious cults in the modes of passion and ignorance. One should meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the enjoyer of all sacrifices, and similarly, one should meditate on the lives of great devotees and saintly persons. One should not meditate on lusty women and envious men. Concerning mantras, one should follow the example of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and not other songs, verses, poetry or mantras that glorify the kingdom of illusion. Purificatory rituals should be performed to purify the spirit soul and not to bring down material blessings on one’s material household.

One who increases the mode of goodness will certainly become fixed in religious principles, and automatically knowledge will arise. As knowledge increases one is able to understand the eternal spirit soul and the Supreme Soul, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus the soul becomes free from the artificial imposition of the gross and subtle material bodies caused by the modes of material nature. Spiritual knowledge burns to ashes the material designations that cover the living entity, and one’s real, eternal life begins.

The word guṇa-vyatyaya-jaḥ is significant in this verse. Vyatyaya indicates change or inversion in the normal order of things. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has described the concept of vyatyaya by giving the Sanskrit synonym vaiṣamya, which indicates inequality or disproportionate diversity. Thus, it is understood by the term guṇa-vyatyaya-jaḥ that the body is generated by the unstable relationships of the three modes of material nature, which exist everywhere in constantly changing proportions. There is constant strife among the modes of nature. A good person is sometimes torn by passion, and a passionate person sometimes wants to give up everything and rest. An ignorant person may sometimes become disgusted with his depraved life, and a passionate person may sometimes indulge in bad habits in the mode of ignorance. Due to the interactive conflict of the modes of nature, one wanders throughout material nature creating one body after another by one’s own work, karma. As it is said, variety is the mother of enjoyment, and the variety of material modes gives hope to the conditioned souls that by changing their material situation their unhappiness and frustration can be turned into happiness and satisfaction. But even if one acquires relative material happiness, that will soon be disturbed by the inevitable flux of the material modes.

The standard methods of enjoyment in the material world are sex, money and false prestige, all of which are obtained with great suffering and eventually lost. One engaged in material life suffers in the present and has only a very bleak future to look forward to in the continuing cycle of birth and death. Thus, how can human beings who have seen these things and know them very well continue to enjoy life like dogs, asses and goats? Often a dog will approach a bitch for sex, but the lady dog may not be attracted and will show her teeth, snarl and threaten the poor dog with serious injury. Still he goes about his business trying to get a little sex pleasure. Similarly, many times a dog risks being beaten or shot while stealing some food in a place where he knows he should not go. The ass is very attracted to the she-ass, but the lady ass often kicks him in the legs. Similarly, the ass’s master gives the ass a handful of grass, which the poor ass could get anywhere, and then burdens him with great loads. The goat is generally raised for slaughter, and even when the goat is brought into the slaughterhouse he shamelessly goes after the lady goat to get sex pleasure. In this way, even at the risk of being shot, bitten, beaten and slaughtered, animals persist in their foolish sense gratification. How can an educated human being commit himself to such a condemned way of life, wherein the result is practically the same as that of the animals? If by cultivating the mode of goodness one’s life is filled with happiness, enlightenment and future rewards, why would anyone cultivate the modes of passion and ignorance? This is Uddhava’s question.

Those who are trying to enjoy material sense gratification are not actually intelligent, although they consider themselves most intelligent. Although such foolish persons themselves criticize the miseries of material life in innumerable books, songs, newspapers, television programs, civic committees, etc., they cannot desist from material life for a single moment. The process by which one is helplessly bound in illusion is clearly described here.

A materialistic person is always thinking, “Oh, what a beautiful house. I wish we could buy it” or “What a beautiful woman. I wish I could touch her” or “What a powerful position. I wish I could occupy it” and so on. The words saṅkalpaḥ sa-vikalpakaḥ indicate that a materialist is always making new plans or modifying his old plans to increase his material enjoyment, although in his saner moments he admits that material life is full of suffering. The mind is created from the mode of goodness, as described in Sāṅkhya philosophy, and the natural, peaceful situation of the mind is pure love of Kṛṣṇa, in which there is no mental disturbance, disappointment or confusion. Artificially, the mind is dragged down to a lower platform in passion or ignorance, and thus one is never satisfied.

The word yathā (“accordingly” or “properly”) indicates that like Uddhava one should hear directly from Lord Kṛṣṇa or His bona fide representative and directly ( addhā ) fix the mind in Lord Kṛṣṇa.

As described above, as long as one is a conditioned soul the modes of material nature, manifested in the form of sense objects, constantly disturb the mind, and by their harassment one is deprived of the actual perfection of life.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has quoted three verses from the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as follows. In the Ninth Chapter, verse 32, Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed Brahmā with realized knowledge of the Lord’s actual form, qualities and activities. In the Ninth Chapter, verse 37, the Lord ordered Brahmā to rigidly carry out the Lord’s injunctions and affirmed that Brahmā would thus never be bewildered in his cosmic decision-making. In the Sixth Chapter, verse 34, Lord Brahmā assured his son Nārada, “O Nārada, because I have caught hold of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, with great zeal, whatever I say has never proved to have been false, nor is the progress of my mind ever deterred, nor are my senses ever degraded by temporary attachment to matter.”

In the present verse in this Thirteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto, Lord Kṛṣṇa states that Brahmā unfortunately did become bewildered by his creative functions, thus providing a grave lesson to all of the Lord’s empowered representatives. Although one may be elevated to an exalted position in the Lord’s transcendental service, at any moment there is danger of false pride polluting one’s devotional mentality.

Haṁsa means “swan,” and the specific ability of the swan is to separate a mixture of milk and water, extracting the rich, milky portion. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as Haṁsa, or the swan, in order to separate the pure consciousness of Lord Brahmā from the modes of material nature.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments, “When Brahmā was unable to answer the question placed by the sages, he fixed his mind in thought of the Supreme Lord. The Lord then assumed the form of Haṁsa and appeared before Lord Brahmā and the sages, who proceeded to inquire about the specific identity of the Lord.”

Āśraya means “the resting place” or “shelter.” Lord Kṛṣṇa’s question “What is our actual resting place or shelter?” means “What is our ultimate nature or constitutional position?” This is because no one can come to rest or be satisfied unless one is in one’s natural position. The example is given that one may travel all over the world, but ultimately one becomes satisfied by returning to one’s own home. Similarly, a crying child is satisfied when embraced by its own mother. By inquiring about the shelter or resting place of Himself and the brāhmaṇas, the Lord is indicating the eternal, constitutional position of every living entity.

If Lord Kṛṣṇa were also in the jīva category, and if all living entities including Him were thus equal, there would be no deep purpose in one living entity inquiring and another answering. Only one who is in a superior position can meaningfully answer important questions. It may be argued that the bona fide spiritual master answers all the questions of the disciple, and yet the guru is in the jīva category. The answer is that the bona fide spiritual master speaks not on his own behalf but as a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is in the Viṣṇu category. A so-called guru speaking on his own behalf as a jīva soul is useless and is unable to meaningfully answer serious questions. Thus, the sages’ question ko bhavān (“Who are You?”) indicates that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally an individual person. And because the sages headed by Lord Brahmā offered obeisances and worshiped the Lord, it is understood that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahmā, as the first created being in this universe, could not accept any other living entity except the Lord as worshipable.

Lord Kṛṣṇa’s actual purpose is to explain the ultimate perfection of yoga, which the sages were desiring to know. If one becomes fixed in transcendental knowledge, the mutual attraction between the material mind and the material sense objects automatically ceases. The spiritual mind is not attracted to material objects of gratification, and thus by spiritualizing the mind, material existence automatically slackens. By questioning the propriety of the sages’ question, the Lord is assuming the position of the spiritual master and preparing to give valuable instructions. One should never be envious of a bona fide spiritual master, especially if, as in the case of Lord Haṁsa speaking to the sages headed by Brahmā and Sanaka-kumāra, the guru is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains this verse as follows. “In the previous verse Lord Kṛṣṇa demonstrated that if the sages accepted the impersonal philosophy that all living beings are ultimately one in all respects, their question ‘Who are You?’ was meaningless, since there would be no philosophical basis to distinguish one manifestation of spirit soul from another. In this verse the Lord refutes the false identification with the material body composed of five elements. If the sages accepted the body as the self, then their question was meaningless, since they would have to ask, ‘Who are you five?’ If the sages replied that although the body is composed basically of five elements and these elements can be considered a single substance in the form of the whole body, then the Lord has already replied by the words samāneṣu ca vastutaḥ. The bodies of human beings, demigods, animals, etc., are all composed of the same five elements and are essentially the same. Therefore the question ‘Who are You?’ is ultimately meaningless. Thus, if one accepts either the theory that all living entities are ultimately the same or the theory that all living entities are ultimately nondifferent from their material bodies, in both cases the question of the sages is meaningless.

“The sages might argue that even among learned persons it is common practice to ask questions and give answers on many subjects as a part of normal life. The sages could point out that Lord Kṛṣṇa also distinguished among them, by His saying viprāḥ, ‘O brāhmaṇas, ’ and vaḥ, or ‘your [question],’ as expressed in this verse. In this way it is seen that the Lord also accepts the ordinary customs of questions and answers. To answer this argument, Lord Kṛṣṇa states, vācārambho hy anarthakaḥ. The Lord states, ‘My addressing you as brāhmaṇas is merely an exhibition of words if we are ultimately not different. I merely reciprocated with your approach to Me. Therefore, if we are ultimately one, neither My statement nor your question has any real meaning. I can conclude therefore by your question to Me that you are all not actually very intelligent. Therefore, why are you inquiring after ultimate knowledge? Aren’t you all embarrassed?’”

Śrīla Madhvācārya points out in this regard that the question of the sages was not appropriate, since they had already seen their father, Lord Brahmā, worshiping the lotus feet of Lord Haṁsa. Since their spiritual master and father was worshiping Lord Haṁsa, they should have immediately understood the Lord’s position, and their question is thus meaningless.

Lord Kṛṣṇa has already explained that if the sages consider all living entities to be the same, or if they consider the living entity to be the same as his body, then their question “Who are You?” is inappropriate. Now the Lord refutes the conception that He is a Supreme God far beyond and different from everything within this world. Modern agnostic philosophers preach that God created the world and then retired or went away. According to them, God has no tangible connection with this world, nor does He interfere in human affairs. Ultimately, they claim, God is so great that He cannot be known; therefore no one should waste time trying to understand God. To refute such foolish ideas, the Lord here explains that since everything is the expansion of His potency, He is not different from anything. Nothing can exist separately from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus everything shares in the Lord’s nature, although some manifestations are superior and others inferior. The Lord is testing the intelligence of the sages by pointing out various contradictions in their questions. Even if the Lord is supreme, He is not different from His creation; therefore, what is the meaning of the question “Who are You?” We can clearly see that the Lord is paving the way for a deep discussion of spiritual knowledge.

Lord Kṛṣṇa in the form of Haṁsa-avatāra, on the pretext of finding contradictions in the simple inquiry of the sons of Brahmā (“Who are You?”), is actually preparing to teach the sages perfect spiritual knowledge, but only after first rejecting two false concepts of life, namely that all living entities are the same in all respects and that the living entity is identical with his outward or subtle body. Lord Kṛṣṇa now answers the difficult question that puzzled even Lord Brahmā. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the sons of Lord Brahmā were thinking as follows. “Our dear Lord, if it is indeed true that we are unintelligent, still Your Lordship has stated that You are actually everything because everything is the expansion of Your potency. Therefore, You are also the mind and the sense objects, which are the subject matter of our question. The material sense objects always enter into the functions of the mind, and similarly, the mind always enters into the material sense objects. Thus, it is proper that we inquire from Your Lordship about the process by which the sense objects will no longer enter the mind and the mind will no longer enter the sense objects. Please be merciful and give us the answer.” The Lord answers as follows. “My dear sons, it is a fact that the mind enters into the material sense objects and the sense objects into the mind. Thus, although the living entity is actually part and parcel of Me, being, as I am also, eternally conscious, and although the eternal form of the living entity is spiritual, in conditioned life the living entity artificially imposes upon himself the mind and sense objects, which act as covering designations of the eternal soul. Since it is the natural function of the material mind and sense objects to mutually interact, how can you possibly endeavor to prevent such a mutual attraction? Since both the material mind and sense objects are useless, they both should be completely given up, and thus automatically you will be free from all material duality.”

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī points out that the symptom of the material mind is the tendency to consider oneself to be the ultimate doer and enjoyer. Naturally, one with such a puffed-up mentality is helplessly attracted by the sense objects. One who considers himself to be the doer and enjoyer will be irresistibly attracted to the means for attaining sense gratification and false prestige, namely, exploitation of material objects. Above the material mind, however, is intelligence, which can perceive the existence of the eternal spirit soul. It is not possible to separate the material mind from the sense objects, because they naturally exist together. Therefore, by intelligence, one must realize one’s eternal form as spirit soul, part and parcel of the Lord, and completely reject the bogus material mentality. One who revives his original spiritual mentality becomes automatically detached from material attraction. Therefore, one should cultivate knowledge of the falsity of sense gratification. When the mind or senses are attracted to material enjoyment, the superior intelligence must immediately detect such illusion. In this way, one should purify one’s mentality. By devotional service to the Lord, such detachment and intelligence automatically awaken, and by full understanding of one’s original spiritual form, one is properly situated in eternal consciousness.

The Lord again states here that it is most difficult to separate the material mind from its objects because the material mind by definition considers itself to be the doer and enjoyer of everything. It must be understood that giving up the material mind does not mean giving up all mental activities, but instead means purifying the mind and engaging one’s enlightened mentality in the devotional service of the Lord. Since time immemorial the material mind and senses have been in contact with the sense objects; therefore, how is it possible for the material mind to give up its objects, which are the basis of its existence? And not only does the mind reach out to material objects, but also, because of the mind’s desires, the material objects cannot remain out of the mind, helplessly entering at every moment. Thus, separation between the mind and sense objects is not actually feasible, nor does it serve any purpose. If one retains a material mentality, considering oneself to be supreme, one may renounce sense gratification, considering it to be ultimately the cause of unhappiness, but one will not be able to remain on such an artificial platform, nor will such renunciation serve any real purpose. Without surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord, mere renunciation cannot take one out of this material world.

Just as the sun’s rays are part of the sun, the living entities are part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the living entity is completely absorbed in his identity as the part and parcel of the Personality of Godhead, he becomes actually wise and easily gives up the material mind and sense objects. The word mad-rūpaḥ in this verse indicates absorption of the mind in the form, qualities, pastimes and associates of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Immersed in such ecstatic meditation, one should render devotional service to the Lord, and this will automatically drive away the influence of sense gratification. By himself, the living entity does not have the potency to give up his false identification with the material mind and sense objects, but by worshiping the Lord in the mood of being His eternal part-and-parcel servant, one is infused with the Lord’s potency, which easily drives away the darkness of ignorance.

The spirit soul actually has nothing to do with the material world, having no permanent or natural relationship with it. Real renunciation means to give up the illusory identification with matter in its subtle and gross forms. Suṣuptam, or deep sleep, indicates sleeping without any dreams or conscious activity. These three states are described by Lord Kṛṣṇa as follows:

sattvāj jāgaraṇaṁ vidyād rajasā svapnam ādiśet prasvāpaṁ tamasā jantos turīyaṁ triṣu santatam

“One should know that wakefulness is born of the mode of goodness, dreams from the mode of passion, and deep dreamless sleep from the mode of ignorance. The fourth element, pure consciousness, is different from these three and pervades them.” ( Bhāg. 11.25.20 ) Real freedom means sākṣitvena, or to exist as a witness to the functions of illusion. Such an advantageous position is achieved by development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lord Kṛṣṇa now specifically answers the questions that the sages originally placed before Lord Brahmā. Ultimately, the spirit soul has nothing to do with the material sense objects and modes of nature. But because of one’s false identification with the material body, the modes of nature are empowered to engage one in illusory occupations. By destroying this false identification with matter, the soul gives up the illusory occupations awarded by the modes of nature. It is clearly stated in this verse that the living entity is not empowered to independently free himself from illusion, but must situate himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in full awareness of the Supreme Lord.

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī comments as follows. “How does material existence cause the bondage of the living entity, and how can such bondage be given up? The Lord explains this here by the word ahaṅkāra-kṛtam. Because of false ego, one is bound up in the network of illusion. Artha-viparyayam indicates that although the living entity desires blissful life, eternity and knowledge, he adopts procedures that actually cover over his eternal, blissful nature and give him exactly the opposite result. The living entity does not want death and suffering, but these are actually the results of material existence, which is therefore useless for all practical purposes. An intelligent person should contemplate the unhappiness of material life and thus become situated in the transcendental Lord. The word saṁsāra-cintām can be understood as follows. Saṁsāra, or material existence, indicates material intelligence, because material existence only occurs because of the living entity’s false intellectual identification with the material world. Because of this misidentification, one becomes overwhelmed with saṁsāra-cintām, anxiety to enjoy the material world. One should become situated in the Lord and give up such useless anxiety.”

One who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious cannot understand that everything is resting within Lord Kṛṣṇa, and thus it is impossible for him to retire from material sense gratification. One may adopt a particular process of salvation and consider oneself to be “saved”; nevertheless, his material conditioning will remain and thus he will maintain his attachment to the material world. While one is dreaming he sometimes imagines that he has awakened from a dream and is experiencing normal consciousness. Similarly, one may consider oneself to be saved, but if he remains absorbed in making material value judgements between good and bad, without reference to devotional service to the Supreme Lord, he is understood to be a conditioned soul covered by the illusory identification with matter.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments as follows: “Although Lord Kṛṣṇa in His form of Haṁsa-avatāra has condemned the intelligence that sees duality and separate values within the material world, the Vedas themselves institute the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, by which the entire human society is divided into different castes, occupations and spiritual statuses. Therefore, how can the Lord recommend that one give up one’s faith in this Vedic system? The answer is given in this verse as follows. The words anyeṣāṁ bhāvānām, or ‘of other states of existence,’ refer to the innumerable divisions of false identification with the material body, mind, occupation, and so on. Such identification is illusion, and the material divisions of the varṇāśrama system are certainly based on this illusion. The Vedic literatures promise heavenly rewards such as residence in upper planetary systems and prescribe the means to acquire such rewards. However, both the rewards and the means for achieving them are ultimately illusion. Since this world is the Lord’s creation, one cannot deny that its existence is also real; yet the living entity who identifies the creations of this world as belonging to himself is certainly in illusion. The example may be given that horns are real and rabbits are real, but if one imagines a rabbit’s horns, that is certainly illusion, though a rabbit’s horns may occur in a dream. Similarly, the living entity dreams of a permanent relationship within the material world. One may dream that one is feasting on sumptuous sweet rice prepared with milk and sugar, but there is no actual nutritional value in the dream of royal feasting.”

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this regard that just as one soon forgets the experience of a dream after awakening, similarly, a liberated soul in Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not see anything substantial in even the most exalted rewards offered by the Vedas, such as promotion to the heavenly planets. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā to remain fixed in self-realization, without being deviated by fruitive rituals performed in the name of religion.

In verse 30 of this chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa stated that one must retire from material duality by the proper means, which the Lord now explains. One may first consider the three phases of consciousness mentioned above and then understand one’s own transcendental position as spirit soul. One experiences childhood, boyhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age and old age, and throughout these phases one is experiencing things while awake and while dreaming. Similarly, one may, by careful intelligence, understand one’s lack of consciousness during deep sleep, and thus through intelligence one may have experience of lack of consciousness.

One may argue that it is actually the senses that experience during wakefulness and that it is the mind that experiences during dreams. However, the Lord here states, indriyeśaḥ: the living entity is actually the lord of the senses and mind, although temporarily he has become a victim of their influence. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness one may resume one’s rightful position as master of the mental and sensory faculties. Also, since the living entity can remember his experiences in these three stages of consciousness, he is ultimately the experiencing agent or the seer of all phases of consciousness. He remembers, “I saw so many things in my dream, and then my dream ended and I didn’t see anything. Now I’m waking up.” This universal experience can be understood by everyone, and thus everyone can understand that one’s actual identity is separate from the material body and mind.

One who has obtained transcendental knowledge is no longer dependent on the three stages of ordinary consciousness, namely waking, dreaming and dreamless sleep. One thus rids one’s material mind of the tendency to become the enjoyer of the inferior energy of the Lord, and one sees everything as part and parcel of the Lord’s potency, meant only for the enjoyment of the Lord Himself. In such a state of consciousness, one naturally surrenders fully to the Lord’s devotional service, which Lord Haṁsa here advises the sons of Lord Brahmā to take up.

The Lord now describes an additional process for transcending the illusory interaction of the material mind and material sense objects. Lāsa means “jumping” or “dancing,” and thus manaso vilāsam here indicates that the material mind is jumping superficially from one conception of life to another. Our original consciousness, however, is one ( vijñānam ekam ). Therefore, one should carefully study the flickering “here today, gone tomorrow” nature of the material world and detach oneself from the illusory variety of māyā.

To maintain the material body one cannot avoid eating and sleeping. In these and other ways, one will sometimes be forced to deal with the material world and the physical aspects of one’s own body. At such times one should remember that the material world is not actual reality and that therefore one has given it up to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. By such constant remembrance, by enjoying spiritual bliss within oneself and by retiring from any material activities of the mind, speech or body, one will not fall into material illusion.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura comments as follows. “The living entity, while living in the external energy of the Lord, should give up any anxiety for sense gratification and should not act for his personal enjoyment. Rather, one should search out spiritual bliss through devotional service to the Supreme Lord. By reviving one’s relationship with Lord Kṛṣṇa, one will understand that if one accepts any material object for one’s personal enjoyment, attachment will inevitably develop, and thus one will be bewildered by illusion. By gradually developing one’s spiritual body, one will no longer desire to enjoy anything within the material world.”

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person who has achieved his spiritual identity does not accept sense gratification in the material world as the goal of his life. He is constantly engaged in the service of the Lord and knows that the temporary body and flickering mind are material. By superior intelligence in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he remains engaged in the Lord’s service. The example of a drunken man in this verse is very nice. It is common knowledge that at mundane social gatherings men become drunk and lose all awareness of their external situation. Similarly, a liberated soul has already achieved his spiritual body and therefore knows that his continued existence does not depend on the material body. A liberated soul does not, however, inflict punishment on the body but rather remains neutral, naturally accepting his destiny as the will of the Supreme.

Although Lord Kṛṣṇa recommended in the previous verse that a self-realized soul not give attention to the body, it is clear from the Lord’s statement here that one should not foolishly starve or injure the body, but should patiently wait until the chain of one’s previous fruitive work has completely exhausted itself. At that time the body will automatically die according to destiny. The following doubt may then arise: If a Kṛṣṇa conscious person pays proper attention to the maintenance of the body, is there danger of again becoming attached to it? Lord Kṛṣṇa here states that one who is highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, having understood Lord Kṛṣṇa to be the actual vastu, or reality, never again surrenders to the illusory identification with the material body, which is just like the body seen in a dream.

To increase the faith of Lord Brahmā’s sons and establish the prestige of His teachings, Lord Kṛṣṇa now formally identifies Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. As stated in Vedic literature, yajño vai viṣṇuḥ. After explaining the sāṅkhya- and aṣṭāṅga-yoga systems, the Lord clearly answers the original question of the sages, “Who are You, sir?” Thus, Lord Brahmā and his sons were enlightened by Lord Haṁsa.

According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the synonymous words satyasya and ṛtasya refer to, respectively, the proper or virtuous execution of religious principles and a convincing presentation of religion. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura points out that the sons of Brahmā were struck with wonder at the presentation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and were thinking, “What wonderful knowledge we have just heard.” The Lord, recognizing their astonishment, spoke this verse to confirm their understanding of Him.

Because in the previous verse Lord Kṛṣṇa explained His exalted nature, the sons of Brahmā might have slightly doubted the Lord’s position, thinking that they had detected some pride within the Lord’s mind. Therefore, they may have doubted the instructions they had just received from Lord Haṁsa. Anticipating any such reluctance, the Lord immediately clarifies the situation in the present verse. The Lord explains that, unlike ordinary living entities even up to the standard of Brahmā, the Lord’s transcendental body is not different from His eternal Self and has no material qualities such as false egotism. The Lord’s transcendental form is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss, and is thus nirguṇam, beyond the modes of nature. Because the Lord completely ignores the so-called enjoyment offered by the illusory energy, He is called nirapekṣakam, and being the best well-wisher of His devotees, He is called suhṛdam. Priyam indicates that the Lord is the supreme lovable object and that He establishes wonderful affectionate relationships with His devotees. Sāmya indicates that the Lord is neutral and detached in all material situations. These and other exalted qualities find their shelter and worshipable object in the Lord, who does not take material designations into consideration but awards His mercy to anyone who takes shelter of Him. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.16.26-30) mother Bhūmi, the predominating deity of the earth, gives a list of some of the Lord’s transcendental qualities, and even more are found in The Nectar of Devotion. Actually, the Lord’s qualities are unlimited, but a small sample is given here simply to establish the Lord’s transcendental position.

Śrīla Madhvācārya has quoted from the Kāla-saṁhitā as follows. “The demigods are not actually perfectly endowed with transcendental qualities. Indeed, their opulences are limited, and therefore they worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, who is simultaneously free of all material qualities and completely endowed with all transcendental qualities, which exist in His personal body.”

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Eleventh Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Haṁsa-avatāra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmā.”