FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.19.25

प्राप्ता नृजातिं त्विह ये च जन्तवो ज्ञानक्रियाद्रव्यकलापसम्भृताम् । न वै यतेरन्नपुनर्भवाय ते भूयो वनौका इव यान्ति बन्धनम् ॥ २५ ॥
prāptā nṛ-jātiṁ tv iha ye ca jantavo
[praaptaa nri-jaatim tv iha ye cha jantavo]
jñāna-kriyā-dravya-kalāpa-sambhṛtām
[jnaana-kriyaa-dravya-kalaapa-sambhritaam]
na vai yaterann apunar-bhavāya te
[na vai yaterann apunar-bhavaaya te]
bhūyo vanaukā iva yānti bandhanam
[bhooyo vanaukaa iva yaanti bandhanam]
prāptāḥ — who have obtained nṛ-jātim — a birth in human society tu — certainly iha — in this land of Bhārata-varṣa ye — those who ca — also jantavaḥ — the living beings jñāna — with knowledge kriyā — with activities dravya — of ingredients kalāpa — with a collection sambhṛtām — full na — not vai — certainly yateran — endeavor apunaḥ-bhavāya — for the position of immortality te — such persons bhūyaḥ — again vanaukāḥ — birds iva — like yānti — go bandhanam — to bondage.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
prāptā nṛ-jātiṁ tv iha ye ca jantavo
prāptāḥ
who have obtained
nṛ-jātim
a birth in human society
tu
certainly
iha
in this land of Bhārata-varṣa
ye
those who
ca
also
jantavaḥ
the living beings
jñāna-kriyā-dravya-kalāpa-sambhṛtām
jñāna
with knowledge
kriyā
with activities
dravya
of ingredients
kalāpa
with a collection
sambhṛtām
full
na vai yaterann apunar-bhavāya te
na
not
vai
certainly
yateran
endeavor
apunaḥ-bhavāya
for the position of immortality
te
such persons
bhūyo vanaukā iva yānti bandhanam
bhūyaḥ
again
vanaukāḥ
birds
iva
like
yānti
go
bandhanam
to bondage.
Bhārata-varṣa offers the proper land and circumstances in which to execute devotional service, which can free one from the results of jñāna and karma. If one obtains a human body in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, with clear sensory organs with which to execute the saṅkīrtana-yajña, but in spite of this opportunity he does not take to devotional service, he is certainly like liberated forest animals and birds that are careless and are therefore again bound by a hunter.

In the land of Bhārata-varṣa one can very easily perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña, which consists of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, or one can perform other methods of devotional service, such as smaraṇaṁ vandanaṁ arcanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam and ātma-nivedanam. In Bhārata-varṣa one has the opportunity to visit many holy places, especially Lord Caitanya’s birthsite and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s birthsite — Navadvīpa and Vṛndāvana — where there are many pure devotees who have no desire other than to execute devotional service ( anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ), and one may thus become free from the bondage of material conditions. Other paths, such as the path of jñāna and the path of karma, are not very profitable. Pious activities can elevate one to the higher planetary systems, and by speculative knowledge one can merge into the Brahman existence, but that is not real profit, for one has to come down again even from the liberated condition of being merged in Brahman, and certainly one must come down from the heavenly kingdom. One should endeavor to go back home, back to Godhead ( yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām ). Otherwise there is no difference between human life and the lives of jungle animals and birds. Animals and birds also have freedom, but because of their lower birth, they cannot use it. Taking advantage of all the facilities offered him, a human being who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa should become a fully enlightened devotee and go back home, back to Godhead. This is the subject matter of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The inhabitants of places other than Bhārata-varṣa have facilities for material enjoyment, but they do not have the same facility to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised that one who has taken birth as a human being in Bhārata-varṣa must first realize himself as a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and after taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he must distribute this knowledge all over the world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Those who attain birth as humans in Bhārata, who are fully endowed with proper sense devatās, senses, and sense objects, but who do not endeavor for bhakti-yoga are again bound up, like birds trapped by a hunter. Those who attain this Bhārata, and do not utilize it properly, are most lamentable, like a farmer, who, on attaining a cintāmaṇi stone, continues to farm. Human life in Bhārata is fully endowed with (sambhṛtām) adhidaiva (jñāna), adhyātma (kriyā) and adhibhūta (dravya). [Note: This means sense devatās, senses and sense objects. ] This means the human is endowed with all the senses, so that it is possible to hear and chant the holy name. Apunar-bhāvaya means bhakti-yogāya. Those who do not strive for bhakti-yoga are like birds. Though the birds are freed by the hunter, if they are again inattentive in the tree and play about, they get caught again.
Having the body, the land, the clear senses, and the opportunity for saṅkīrtana yet not engaging in devotional service is like a freed bird that wanders back into the trap. Freedom unused is freedom lost. Use the opening while you have it.
Reflection Questions
  • What freedom or opening has come into my life that I have not used for devotion?
  • Where am I drifting back into the hunter's trap after having been released?
📝 My note

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