FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.21.22

विषयाभिनिवेशेन नात्मानं वेद नापरम् । वृक्षजीविकया जीवन् व्यर्थं भस्त्र‍ोव य: श्वसन् ॥ २२ ॥
viṣayābhiniveśena
[vishayaabhiniveshena]
nātmānaṁ veda nāparam
[naatmaanam veda naaparam]
vṛkṣa jīvikayā jīvan
[vriksha jeevikayaa jeevan]
vyarthaṁ bhastreva yaḥ śvasan
[vyartham bhastreva yah shvasan]
viṣaya — in sense gratification abhiniveśena — by overabsorption na — not ātmānam — himself veda — knows na — nor aparam — another vṛkṣa — of a tree jīvakayā — by the lifestyle jīvan — living vyartham — in vain bhastrā iva — just like a bellows yaḥ — who śvasan — is breathing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
viṣayābhiniveśena
viṣaya
in sense gratification
abhiniveśena
by overabsorption
nātmānaṁ veda nāparam
na
not
ātmānam
himself
veda
knows
na
nor
aparam
another
vṛkṣa jīvikayā jīvan
vṛkṣa
of a tree
jīvakayā
by the lifestyle
jīvan
living
vyarthaṁ bhastreva yaḥ śvasan
vyartham
in vain
bhastrā iva
just like a bellows
yaḥ
who
śvasan
is breathing.
Because of absorption in sense gratification, one cannot recognize himself or others. Living uselessly in ignorance like a tree, one is merely breathing just like a bellows.

Just as trees, having no means of defending themselves, are always being cut down, similarly, the conditioned souls are constantly being cut down by the cruel laws of nature, which impose innumerable miseries culminating in sudden death. Although foolish people think they are helping themselves and others, they actually do not know their own identity, nor the identities of their so-called friends and relatives. Absorbed in gratifying the senses of the external body, they spend their lives uselessly, without spiritual profit. This useless lifestyle can be transformed into a perfect life simply by chanting the holy names of God in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Because of absorption in sense gratification, one cannot recognize himself or others. He maintains his life senselessly like a tree, breathing just like a bellows. He maintains his life like a tree, which takes only water. In this way he is like a person who has fainted. He breathes like a bellows. In this way he is similar to a dead man.
Absorbed in sense gratification, one cannot recognize self or others, living like a tree, breathing like a bellows. The teaching describes complete spiritual unconsciousness.
Reflection Questions
  • What part of my life resembles 'breathing like a bellows'?
  • What would waking up there involve?
📝 My note

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