FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.22.53

नृत्यतो गायत: पश्यन् यथैवानुकरोति तान् । एवं बुद्धिगुणान् पश्यन्ननीहोऽप्यनुकार्यते ॥ ५३ ॥
nṛtyato gāyataḥ paśyan
[nrityato gaayatah pashyan]
yathaivānukaroti tān
[yathaivaanukaroti taan]
evaṁ buddhi-guṇān paśyann
[evam buddhi-gunaan pashyann]
anīho ’py anukāryate
[aneeho ’py anukaaryate]
nṛtyataḥ — persons who are dancing gāyataḥ — and singing paśyan — observing yathā — just as eva — indeed anukaroti — imitates tān — them evam — thus buddhi — of the material intelligence guṇān — the acquired qualities paśyan — seeing anīhaḥ — although not himself engaged in activity api — nevertheless anukāryate — is made to imitate.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nṛtyato gāyataḥ paśyan
nṛtyataḥ
persons who are dancing
gāyataḥ
and singing
paśyan
observing
yathaivānukaroti tān
yathā
just as
evaṁ buddhi-guṇān paśyann
eva
indeed
anukaroti
imitates
tān
them
evam
thus
buddhi
of the material intelligence
guṇān
the acquired qualities
paśyan
seeing
anīho ’py anukāryate
anīhaḥ
although not himself engaged in activity
api
nevertheless
anukāryate
is made to imitate.
Just as one may imitate persons whom one sees dancing and singing, similarly the soul, although never the doer of material activities, becomes captivated by material intelligence and is thus forced to imitate its qualities.

Sometimes people are captivated by professional singers and dancers and imitate within their minds the musical rhythms and melodies of the performers along with their romantic, humorous or heroic emotions. People sing songs heard on the radio and imitate dances and dramatic performances seen on television or in movies and theaters, entering into the emotions and art of the performer. The conditioned soul is similarly captivated by the concoctions of the material mind and intelligence, which convince him that he can become the enjoyer of the material world. Although different from the material body and never the actual performer of its activities, the conditioned soul is induced to engage his body in material activities, which entangle him in the cycle of birth and death. One should not accept the illicit propositions of material intelligence, but rather should engage himself fully in the service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Just as one may imitate persons whom one sees dancing and singing, similarly the soul, although never the doer of material activities, is thus forced to imitate the qualities of the intelligence. Though the jīva is different from what he sees, he accepts the qualities of what he sees. An example is given. Just as a child follows in his mind the tunes, beat and the rasas depicted by a dancer or singer on seeing them, the jīva is made to imitate the qualities of the intelligence by the force of the guṇas.
As one imitates singers and dancers, the soul, captivated by material intelligence, is forced to imitate its qualities — though never the doer. We mimic what we attend to.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom or what am I imitating without choosing to?
  • What would deliberate non-imitation cost or open?
📝 My note

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