FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.26-27

यदात्मानमविज्ञाय भगवन्तं परं गुरुम् । पुरुषस्तु विषज्जेत गुणेषु प्रकृते: स्वद‍ृक् ॥ २६ ॥ गुणाभिमानी स तदा कर्माणि कुरुतेऽवश: । शुक्लं कृष्णं लोहितं वा यथाकर्माभिजायते ॥ २७ ॥
yadātmānam avijñāya
[yadaatmaanam avijnaaya]
bhagavantaṁ paraṁ gurum
[bhagavantam param gurum]
puruṣas tu viṣajjeta
[purushas tu vishajjeta]
guṇeṣu prakṛteḥ sva-dṛk
[guneshu prakriteh sva-drik]
guṇābhimānī sa tadā
[gunaabhimaanee sa tadaa]
karmāṇi kurute ’vaśaḥ
[karmaani kurute ’vashah]
śuklaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ lohitaṁ vā
[shuklam krishnam lohitam vaa]
yathā-karmābhijāyate
[yathaa-karmaabhijaayate]
yadā — when ātmānam — the Supreme Soul avijñāya — forgetting bhagavantam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead param — supreme gurum — the instructor puruṣaḥ — the living entity tu — then viṣajjeta — gives himself up guṇeṣu — to the modes prakṛteḥ — of material nature sva-dṛk — one who can see his own welfare guṇa-abhimānī — identified with the modes of nature saḥ — he tadā — at that time karmāṇi — fruitive activities kurute — performs avaśaḥ — spontaneously śuklam — white kṛṣṇam — black lohitam — red vā — or yathā — according to karma — work abhijāyate — takes birth.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yadātmānam avijñāya
yadā
when
ātmānam
the Supreme Soul
avijñāya
forgetting
bhagavantaṁ paraṁ gurum
bhagavantam
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
param
supreme
gurum
the instructor
puruṣas tu viṣajjeta
puruṣaḥ
the living entity
tu
then
viṣajjeta
gives himself up
guṇeṣu prakṛteḥ sva-dṛk
guṇeṣu
to the modes
prakṛteḥ
of material nature
sva-dṛk
one who can see his own welfare
guṇābhimānī sa tadā
guṇa-abhimānī
identified with the modes of nature
saḥ
he
tadā
at that time
karmāṇi kurute ’vaśaḥ
karmāṇi
fruitive activities
kurute
performs
avaśaḥ
spontaneously
śuklaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ lohitaṁ vā
śuklam
white
kṛṣṇam
black
lohitam
red
vā
or
yathā-karmābhijāyate
yathā
according to
karma
work
abhijāyate
takes birth.
The living entity by nature has minute independence to choose his own good or bad fortune, but when he forgets his supreme master, the Personality of Godhead, he gives himself up unto the modes of material nature. Being influenced by the modes of material nature, he identifies himself with the body and, for the interest of the body, becomes attached to various activities. Sometimes he is under the influence of the mode of ignorance, sometimes the mode of passion and sometimes the mode of goodness. The living entity thus gets different types of bodies under the modes of material nature.

These different types of bodies are explained in Bhagavad-gītā (13.22) :

puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijān guṇān kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo ’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

“The living entity in material nature follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.”

Because of associating with the modes of nature, the living entity gets a variety of bodies from the 8,400,000 forms. It is clearly explained herein that the living entity has a little independence, indicated by the word sva-dṛk, meaning “one who can see his own welfare.” The living entity’s constitutional position is very minute, and he can be misled in his choice. He may choose to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A servant may desire to start his own business and imitate his master, and when he chooses to do so, he may leave the protection of his master. Sometimes he is a failure, and sometimes he is successful. Similarly, the living entity, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, starts his own business to compete with the Lord. There are many competitors out to attain the Lord’s position, but to become like the Lord is not at all possible. Thus there is a great struggle for existence with the material world as different parties try to imitate the Lord. Material bondage is caused by deviation from the service of the Lord and attempts to imitate Him. The Lord is imitated by Māyāvādī philosophers, who try to become one with the Lord in an artificial way. When the Māyāvādī philosophers think of themselves as liberated, they are under the delusion of mental concoction. No one can become one with or equal to God. To imagine this is to continue one’s bondage in material existence.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When the jīva, self seer, forgetting the Supreme Lord, the supreme guru, identifies with the guṇas and becomes attached to the guṇas, he helplessly performs actions in sattva, rajas or tamas, and takes birth according to his actions. Ātamānam means Paramātmā. Śukla means sattva. Kṛṣṇa means tamas and lohita means rajas.
The soul has minute independence to choose good or bad; forgetting the Master, he surrenders to modes and identifies with the body. Free will exists, but only in choosing direction; once chosen, the modes do the rest.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I treating my latest direction-choice as a one-time event when the modes are now running with it?
  • What re-choice today would interrupt a mode-momentum?
📝 My note

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