FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.5.19

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे द्रव्यज्ञानक्रियाश्रया: । बध्नन्ति नित्यदा मुक्तं मायिनं पुरुषं गुणा: ॥ १९ ॥
kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve
[kaarya-kaarana-kartritve]
dravya-jñāna-kriyāśrayāḥ
[dravya-jnaana-kriyaashrayaah]
badhnanti nityadā muktaṁ
[badhnanti nityadaa muktam]
māyinaṁ puruṣaṁ guṇāḥ
[maayinam purusham gunaah]
kārya — effect kāraṇa — cause kartṛtve — in activities dravya — material jñāna — knowledge kriyā-āśrayāḥ — manifested by such symptoms badhnanti — conditions nityadā — eternally muktam — transcendental māyinam — affected by material energy puruṣam — the living entity guṇāḥ — the material modes.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve
kārya
effect
kāraṇa
cause
kartṛtve
in activities
dravya-jñāna-kriyāśrayāḥ
dravya
material
jñāna
knowledge
kriyā-āśrayāḥ
manifested by such symptoms
badhnanti nityadā muktaṁ
badhnanti
conditions
nityadā
eternally
muktam
transcendental
māyinaṁ puruṣaṁ guṇāḥ
māyinam
affected by material energy
puruṣam
the living entity
guṇāḥ
the material modes.
These three modes of material nature, being further manifested as matter, knowledge and activities, put the eternally transcendental living entity under conditions of cause and effect and make him responsible for such activities.

Because they are between the internal and external potencies, the eternally transcendental living entities are called the marginal potency of the Lord. Factually, the living entities are not meant to be so conditioned by material energy, but due to their being affected by the false sense of lording it over the material energy, they come under the influence of such potency and thus become conditioned by the three modes of material nature. This external energy of the Lord covers up the pure knowledge of the living entity’s eternally existing with Him, but the covering is so constant that it appears that the conditioned soul is eternally ignorant. Such is the wonderful action of māyā, or external energy manifested as if materially produced. By the covering power of the material energy, the material scientist cannot look beyond the material causes, but factually, behind the material manifestations, there are adhibhūta, adhyātma and adhidaiva actions, which the conditioned soul in the mode of ignorance cannot see. The adhibhūta manifestation entails repetitions of births and deaths with old age and diseases, the adhyātma manifestation conditions the spirit soul, and the adhidaiva manifestation is the controlling system. These are the material manifestations of cause and effect and the sense of responsibility of the conditioned actors. They are, after all, manifestations of the conditioned state, and the human being’s freedom from such a conditioned state is the highest perfectional attainment.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The guṇas -- the cause of matter, senses and the sense devatās -- binds the jīva who is associated with māyā, but who is actually composed of knowledge, with false identities of body, senses and mind.
Commentary

These guṇas bind the jīva (puruṣam), a function of the Lord’s taṭastha-śakti, who associates with māyā (māyinam). By the logic of the previous statement, it is possible for the jīvas who are situated behind the Lord to be influenced independently by māyā who is also situated behind the Lord. The jīva is called eternally liberated because he has beginningless knowledge just as he has beginningless ignorance. This will be made clear at the end of the seventh chapter. How does he get bound? The states of the guṇas are present as adhibhūta (kārya), adhyātmā (kāraṇa) and adhidaiva (kartṛtve). The guṇas are the shelter or causes of matter (dravya), the senses (kriyā) and the devatās (jñāna). The guṇas bind the jīva by these identities. The order of jñāna and kriya in the text should be reversed for proper understanding.

Wanting to be the lord of matter is exactly what binds us to matter. The modes condition us not because we are weak but because we mistake ourselves for the controller. Letting go of the lording wish is the first untangling.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I trying hardest to lord it over circumstances, and what is it costing me?
  • What would 'not the controller, but a servant' look like in my next decision?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 5