FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.3.11

त्वय्येतदाश्चर्यमजात्ममायया विनिर्मितं भाति गुणत्रयात्मकम् । तथाप्यहं योषिदतत्त्वविच्च ते दीना दिद‍ृक्षे भव मे भवक्षितिम् ॥ ११ ॥
tvayy etad āścaryam ajātma-māyayā
[tvayy etad aashcharyam ajaatma-maayayaa]
vinirmitaṁ bhāti guṇa-trayātmakam
[vinirmitam bhaati guna-trayaatmakam]
tathāpy ahaṁ yoṣid atattva-vic ca te
[tathaapy aham yoshid atattva-vich cha te]
dīnā didṛkṣe bhava me bhava-kṣitim
[deenaa didrikshe bhava me bhava-kshitim]
tvayi — in you etat — this āścaryam — wonderful aja — O Lord Śiva ātma-māyayā — by the external energy of the Supreme Lord vinirmitam — created bhāti — appears guṇa-traya-ātmakam — being an interaction of the three modes of material nature tathā api — even so aham — I yoṣit — woman atattva-vit — not conversant with the truth ca — and te — your dīnā — poor didṛkṣe — I wish to see bhava — O Lord Śiva me — my bhava-kṣitim — place of birth.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tvayy etad āścaryam ajātma-māyayā
tvayi
in you
etat
this
āścaryam
wonderful
aja
O Lord Śiva
ātma-māyayā
by the external energy of the Supreme Lord
vinirmitaṁ bhāti guṇa-trayātmakam
vinirmitam
created
bhāti
appears
guṇa-traya-ātmakam
being an interaction of the three modes of material nature
tathāpy ahaṁ yoṣid atattva-vic ca te
tathā api
even so
aham
I
yoṣit
woman
atattva-vit
not conversant with the truth
ca
and
te
your
dīnā didṛkṣe bhava me bhava-kṣitim
dīnā
poor
didṛkṣe
I wish to see
bhava
O Lord Śiva
me
my
bhava-kṣitim
place of birth.
This manifested cosmos is a wonderful creation of the interaction of the three material modes, or the external energy of the Supreme Lord. This truth is fully known to you. Yet I am but a poor woman, and, as you know, I am not conversant with the truth. Therefore I wish to see my birthplace once more.

Dākṣāyaṇī, Satī, knew very well that her husband, Lord Śiva, was not very much interested in the glaring manifestation of the material world, which is caused by the interaction of the three modes of nature. Therefore she addressed her husband as aja, which refers to one who has transcended the bondage of birth and death, or one who has realized his eternal position. She stated, “The illusion of accepting the perverted reflection, the material or cosmic manifestation, to be real is not present in you, because you are self-realized. For you the attraction of social life and the consideration that someone is father, someone is mother and someone is sister, which are illusory relationships, is already over; but because I am a poor woman, I am not so advanced in transcendental realization. Therefore naturally these appear to me as real.” Only less intelligent persons accept this perverted reflection of the spiritual world to be real. Those who are under the spell of the external energy accept this manifestation to be fact, whereas those who are advanced in spiritual realization know that it is illusion. Actual reality is elsewhere, in the spiritual world. “But as far as I am concerned,” Satī said, “I do not have much knowledge about self-realization. I am poor because I do not know the actual facts. I am attracted by my birthplace, and I want to see it.” One who has attraction for his birthplace, for his body and for other such items mentioned in the Bhāgavatam is considered to be like an ass or a cow. Satī might have heard all this many times from her husband, Lord Śiva, but because she was a woman, yoṣit, she still hankered after the same material objects of affection. The word yoṣit means “one who is enjoyed.” Therefore woman is called yoṣit. In spiritual advancement, association with yoṣit is always restricted because if one is like a play doll in the hands of yoṣit, then all his spiritual advancement is at once stopped. It is said, “Those who are just like playthings in the hands of a woman ( yoṣit-krīḍā-mṛgeṣu ) cannot make any advancement in spiritual realization.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O Śiva! Such attachment would be astonishing to see in you. But the whole universe, composed of the three guṇas, is made by the Lord’s māyā. Moreover I am a woman, and furthermore do not know the truth about you. O Śiva! Being so unfortunate, I desire to see my birth place. It is astonishing that there would be such illusion for relatives in you, like that of common people. O Śiva! Such bewilderment would be astonishing to see in you, since you are self-satisfied! But it is a natural quality. Because the whole universe is made of the three guṇas by the Lord’s māyā, one becomes bewildered. Moreover, in this universe, I am a woman. And moreover, I am ignorant of the truth: I do not know the truth about you. Therefore, being so unfortunate, I desire to see my birth place, O Śiva (bhava)!
Satī acknowledges she's 'a poor woman not conversant with truth' — even great souls feel the pull of birthplace and seek their husband's permission to act on it. Knowing the truth doesn't always neutralize the heart's longing.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I know better but feel pulled anyway?
  • How do I want to be guided when my knowing and my longing disagree?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 3