FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.11.8

गुणानुरक्तं व्यसनाय जन्तो: क्षेमाय नैर्गुण्यमथो मन: स्यात् । यथा प्रदीपो घृतवर्तिमश्नन् शिखा: सधूमा भजति ह्यन्यदा स्वम् । पदं तथा गुणकर्मानुबद्धं वृत्तीर्मन: श्रयतेऽन्यत्र तत्त्वम् ॥ ८ ॥
guṇānuraktaṁ vyasanāya jantoḥ
[gunaanuraktam vyasanaaya jantoh]
kṣemāya nairguṇyam atho manaḥ syāt
[kshemaaya nairgunyam atho manah syaat]
yathā pradīpo ghṛta-vartim aśnan
[yathaa pradeepo ghrita-vartim ashnan]
śikhāḥ sadhūmā bhajati hy anyadā svam
[shikhaah sadhoomaa bhajati hy anyadaa svam]
padaṁ tathā guṇa-karmānubaddhaṁ
[padam tathaa guna-karmaanubaddham]
vṛttīr manaḥ śrayate ’nyatra tattvam
[vritteer manah shrayate ’nyatra tattvam]
Word-for-word
guṇa-anuraktam — being attached to the material modes of nature vyasanāya — for the conditioning in material existence jantoḥ — of the living entity kṣemāya — for the ultimate welfare nairguṇyam — being unaffected by the material modes of nature atho — thus manaḥ — the mind syāt — becomes yathā — as much as pradīpaḥ — a lamp ghṛta-vartim — a wick within clarified butter aśnan — burning śikhāḥ — the flame sadhūmāḥ — with smoke bhajati — enjoys hi — certainly anyadā — otherwise svam — its own original padam — position tathā — so guṇa-karma-anubaddham — bound by the modes of nature and the reactions of material activities vṛttīḥ — various engagements manaḥ — the mind śrayate — takes shelter of anyatra — otherwise tattvam — its original condition.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
guṇānuraktaṁ vyasanāya jantoḥ
guṇa-anuraktam
being attached to the material modes of nature
vyasanāya
for the conditioning in material existence
jantoḥ
of the living entity
kṣemāya nairguṇyam atho manaḥ syāt
kṣemāya
for the ultimate welfare
nairguṇyam
being unaffected by the material modes of nature
atho
thus
manaḥ
the mind
syāt
becomes
yathā pradīpo ghṛta-vartim aśnan
yathā
as much as
pradīpaḥ
a lamp
ghṛta-vartim
a wick within clarified butter
aśnan
burning
śikhāḥ sadhūmā bhajati hy anyadā svam
śikhāḥ
the flame
sadhūmāḥ
with smoke
bhajati
enjoys
hi
certainly
anyadā
otherwise
svam
its own original
padaṁ tathā guṇa-karmānubaddhaṁ
padam
position
tathā
so
guṇa-karma-anubaddham
bound by the modes of nature and the reactions of material activities
vṛttīr manaḥ śrayate ’nyatra tattvam
vṛttīḥ
various engagements
manaḥ
the mind
śrayate
takes shelter of
anyatra
otherwise
tattvam
its original condition.
When the living entity’s mind becomes absorbed in the sense gratification of the material world, it brings about his conditioned life and suffering within the material situation. However, when the mind becomes unattached to material enjoyment, it becomes the cause of liberation. When the flame in a lamp burns the wick improperly, the lamp is blackened, but when the lamp is filled with ghee and is burning properly, there is bright illumination. Similarly, when the mind is absorbed in material sense gratification, it causes suffering, and when detached from material sense gratification it brings about the original brightness of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Purport

It is therefore concluded that the mind is the cause of material existence and liberation also. Everyone is suffering in this material world because of the mind; it is therefore proper to train the mind or to cleanse the mind from material attachment and engage it fully in the Lord’s service. This is called spiritual engagement. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26) :

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.”

We should engage the mind fully in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. Then it will be the cause of our liberation, for our returning home, back to Godhead. However, if we keep the mind engaged in material activities for sense gratification, it will cause continuous bondage and will make us remain in this material world in different bodies, suffering the consequences of our different actions.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When the mind is attached to the guṇas it is the cause of the jīva’s suffering and when the mind is detached from the guṇas it is the cause of liberation. Just as the lamp with a charred wick displays a smoky flame and with a fresh wick displays a bright flame, the mind bound by the guṇas takes shelter of many conditions, and at another time, enjoys the taste of the Lord’s sweetness. How can the one mind be the cause of differing conditions--bondage and liberation? Nairguṇyam means nirguṇam. A lamp with a burned up ghee wick, burns with a smoky flame, and at another time, gets extinguished and merges with the elements (svapadam). Or a lamp with a burned up ghee wick burns with a smoky flame but when fed on golden ghee, it burns without smoke in its brilliant form (svapadam). Similarly the mind, bound by the guṇas, takes shelter of many functions (vṛrtīḥ), but at another time, obtains a taste of the Lord’s sweetness (tattvam).
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Like a lamp wick burning improperly, an untrained mind blackens everything it touches; trained in ghee, it gives clean light. The mind itself is neutral; what fuels it determines whether it darkens or illuminates.
Reflection Questions
  • What fuel is your mind currently burning, and what kind of light is it giving?
  • What 'cleaner fuel' — service, scripture, kīrtana — could you switch to this week?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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