SB 11.24.17 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.24.17

यस्तु यस्यादिरन्तश्च स वै मध्यं च तस्य सन् । विकारो व्यवहारार्थो यथा तैजसपार्थिवाः ॥ १७ ॥

yas tu yasyādir antaś ca

[yas tu yasyaadir antash cha]

sa vai madhyaṁ ca tasya san

[sa vai madhyam cha tasya san]

vikāro vyavahārārtho

[vikaaro vyavahaaraartho]

yathā taijasa-pārthivāḥ

[yathaa taijasa-paarthivaah]

Word-for-word

yaḥ — which (cause) tu — and yasya — of which (product) ādiḥ — the beginning antaḥ — the end ca — and saḥ — that vai — indeed madhyam — the middle ca — and tasya — of that product san — being (real) vikāraḥ — the transformation vyavahāra-arthaḥ — for ordinary purposes yathā — as taijasa — things produced from gold (which is itself derived from fire) pārthivāḥ — and things produced from earth.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

yas tu yasyādir antaś ca

yaḥ

which (cause)

and

yasya

of which (product)

ādiḥ

the beginning

antaḥ

the end

and

sa vai madhyaṁ ca tasya san

saḥ

that

vai

indeed

madhyam

the middle

and

tasya

of that product

san

being (real)

vikāro vyavahārārtho

vikāraḥ

the transformation

vyavahāra-arthaḥ

for ordinary purposes

yathā taijasa-pārthivāḥ

yathā

taijasa

things produced from gold (which is itself derived from fire)

pārthivāḥ

and things produced from earth.

Gold and earth are originally existing as ingredients. From gold one may fashion golden ornaments such as bracelets and earrings, and from earth one may fashion clay pots and saucers. The original ingredients gold and earth exist before the products made from them, and when the products are eventually destroyed, the original ingredients, gold and earth, will remain. Thus, since the ingredients are present in the beginning and at the end, they must also be present in the middle phase, taking the form of a particular product to which we assign for convenience a particular name, such as bracelet, earring, pot or saucer. We can therefore understand that since the ingredient cause exists before the creation of a product and after the product’s destruction, the same ingredient cause must be present during the manifest phase, supporting the product as the basis of its reality.

Purport

The Lord here explains that the original cause is certainly present in its effect, citing the example of gold and clay functioning as the causal ingredients of many different products in which gold and clay continue to be present. For our convenience, we assign different names to temporary products, although their essential nature continues to be that of the ingredient, and not of the temporary product.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

The cause of the effect which remains after destruction of the effect also exists in the middle period. The transformed object is real, just as golden earrings or earthen pots are real effects of gold and earth. How the effect is pervaded by the cause is illustrated. The cause (ādiḥ) of the effect, which remains after the destruction of the effect, remains in the middle period as well. Previously there existed the unmodified cause. Later, by change, an effect arose. The effect is not different from the cause. Though it seems that the effect is therefore false, and the falsity reflects on the cause, both the effect and the cause are actually real. Because it is real, the transformation, the effect, is an object that can be used. Thus it is a real object. Golden earrings and necklaces, arising as effects of gold, and dishes arising as effects of earth element, are real and used in daily life.

Personal Guidance

Gold and earth exist as ingredients before bracelets and pots are made; ingredients precede products. The Lord teaches metaphysical layering.

Reflection Questions

What 'ingredient' precedes the products of my life?
Have I confused product for ingredient?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io