SB 11.28.13 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.28.13

अर्थे ह्यविद्यमानेऽपि संसृतिर्न निवर्तते । ध्यायतो विषयानस्य स्वप्नेऽनर्थागमो यथा ॥ १३ ॥

arthe hy avidyamāne ’pi

[arthe hy avidyamaane ’pi]

saṁsṛtir na nivartate

[samsritir na nivartate]

dhyāyato viṣayān asya

[dhyaayato vishayaan asya]

svapne ’narthāgamo yathā

[svapne ’narthaagamo yathaa]

Word-for-word

arthe — real cause hi — certainly avidyamāne — not existing api — although saṁsṛtiḥ — the material existential condition na — not nivartate — does cease dhyāyataḥ — contemplating viṣayān — objects of the senses asya — of the living entity svapne — in a dream anartha — of disadvantages āgamaḥ — arrival yathā — like.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

arthe hy avidyamāne ’pi

arthe

real cause

certainly

avidyamāne

not existing

saṁsṛtir na nivartate

dhyāyato viṣayān asya

svapne ’narthāgamo yathā

api

although

saṁsṛtiḥ

the material existential condition

not

nivartate

does cease

dhyāyataḥ

contemplating

viṣayān

objects of the senses

asya

of the living entity

svapne

in a dream

anartha

of disadvantages

āgamaḥ

arrival

yathā

like.

Actually, the living entity is transcendental to material existence. But because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material existential condition does not cease, and, just as in a dream, he is affected by all sorts of disadvantages.

Purport

This same verse and other very similar verses occur elsewhere in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Third Canto, Chapter Twenty-seven, verse 4; Fourth Canto, Chapter Twenty-nine, verses 35 and 73; and Eleventh Canto, Chapter Twenty-two, verse 56. In fact, this verse completely explains the essence of illusion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Though objects are unreal (or temporary), saṁsāra does not cease, just as a person absorbed in unreal dream objects experiences fear. “Since the body and senses are all temporary or false, why does the jīva have a relation with them, from which saṁsāra arises?” Though objects are temporary or unreal, saṁsāra will result. In a dream which is actually illusory, a person, absorbed in those contents, experiences fear of a snake or tiger (anarthāgamah).

Personal Guidance

The soul is transcendental but due to lordship-mentality the material condition does not cease — as in a dream, all disadvantages are felt. The dream metaphor is precise.

Reflection Questions

Where is my lordship-mentality active even subtly?
What does noticing it in the moment do?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io