FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.11.7

तावानयं व्यवहार: सदावि:क्षेत्रज्ञसाक्ष्यो भवति स्थूलसूक्ष्म: तस्मान्मनो लिङ्गमदो वदन्तिगुणागुणत्वस्य परावरस्य ॥ ७ ॥
tāvān ayaṁ vyavahāraḥ sadāviḥ
[taavaan ayam vyavahaarah sadaavih]
kṣetrajña-sākṣyo bhavati sthūla-sūkṣmaḥ
[kshetrajna-saakshyo bhavati sthoola-sookshmah]
tasmān mano liṅgam ado vadanti
[tasmaan mano lingam ado vadanti]
guṇāguṇatvasya parāvarasya
[gunaagunatvasya paraavarasya]
tāvān — until that time ayam — this vyavahāraḥ — the artificial designations (being fat or skinny, or belonging to the demigods or human beings) sadā — always āviḥ — manifesting kṣetra-jña — of the living entity sākṣyaḥ — testimony bhavati — is sthūla-sūkṣmaḥ — fat and skinny tasmāt — therefore manaḥ — the mind liṅgam — the cause adaḥ — this vadanti — they say guṇa-aguṇatvasya — of being absorbed in material qualities or devoid of material qualities para-avarasya — and of lower and higher conditions of life.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tāvān ayaṁ vyavahāraḥ sadāviḥ
tāvān
until that time
ayam
this
vyavahāraḥ
the artificial designations (being fat or skinny, or belonging to the demigods or human beings)
sadā
always
āviḥ
manifesting
kṣetrajña-sākṣyo bhavati sthūla-sūkṣmaḥ
kṣetra-jña
of the living entity
sākṣyaḥ
testimony
bhavati
is
sthūla-sūkṣmaḥ
fat and skinny
tasmān mano liṅgam ado vadanti
tasmāt
therefore
manaḥ
the mind
liṅgam
the cause
adaḥ
this
vadanti
they say
guṇāguṇatvasya parāvarasya
guṇa-aguṇatvasya
of being absorbed in material qualities or devoid of material qualities
para-avarasya
and of lower and higher conditions of life.
The mind makes the living entity within this material world wander through different species of life, and thus the living entity experiences mundane affairs in different forms as a human being, demigod, fat person, skinny person and so forth. Learned scholars say that bodily appearance, bondage and liberation are caused by the mind.

Just as the mind is the cause of bondage, it can also be the cause of liberation. The mind is described here as para-avara, para means transcendental, and avara means material. When the mind is engaged in the Lord’s service ( sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ ), it is called para, transcendental. When the mind is engaged in material sense gratification, it is called avara, or material. At the present moment, in our conditioned state, our mind is fully absorbed in material sense gratification, but it can be purified and brought to its original Kṛṣṇa consciousness by the process of devotional service. We have often given the example of Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. The mind must be controlled in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The tongue can be utilized to spread the message of Kṛṣṇa and glorify the Lord or take prasāda, the remnants of food offered to Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: when one utilizes the tongue in the service of the Lord, the other senses can become purified. As stated in the Nārada-pañcarātra, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam: when the mind and senses are purified, one’s total existence is purified, and one’s designations are also purified. One no longer considers himself a human being, a demigod, cat, dog, Hindu, Muslim and so forth. When the senses and mind are purified and one is fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa’s service, one can be liberated and return home, back to Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Saṁsāra, created by the mind, manifested as the practical, material world, with waking and dream states, constantly witnessed by the knower of the field. They say that the mind is the cause of bondage and liberation, which are known as the inferior and superior states of existence. Saṁsāra caused by the mind is called the practical material world. In this way the material world makes its appearance (āviḥ), always seen by the knower of the field, in waking and dreaming states (sthūla-sūkṣmaḥ). The happiness of the self, which is called truth, is caused by the mind. Therefore that mind alone is the cause (liṅgam) of saṁsāra (guṇa) and liberation (aguṇatvasya), which are low (avarasya) and high (para) conditions for the jīva. The order of the two words para and avara should be reversed to correspond to guṇa and aguṇatvasya.
Bodily appearance, bondage and liberation are all caused by the mind. The same instrument that traps us can free us. Treat the mind as the actual variable, not the body or circumstances; that is where the leverage really is.
Reflection Questions
  • Where are you trying to fix circumstances that are downstream of an unfixed mind?
  • What would change in your strategy if you put more energy into mind-training than situation-management?
📝 My note

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