FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.12.8

लोका: सपाला यस्येमे श्वसन्ति विवशा वशे । द्विजा इव शिचा बद्धा: स काल इह कारणम् ॥ ८ ॥
lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme
[lokaah sapaalaa yasyeme]
śvasanti vivaśā vaśe
[shvasanti vivashaa vashe]
dvijā iva śicā baddhāḥ
[dvijaa iva shichaa baddhaah]
sa kāla iha kāraṇam
[sa kaala iha kaaranam]
Word-for-word
lokāḥ — the worlds sa-pālāḥ — with their chief deities or controllers yasya — of whom ime — all these śvasanti — live vivaśāḥ — fully dependent vaśe — under the control dvijāḥ — birds iva — like śicā — by a net baddhāḥ — bound saḥ — that kālaḥ — time factor iha — in this kāraṇam — the cause.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme
lokāḥ
the worlds
sa-pālāḥ
with their chief deities or controllers
yasya
of whom
ime
all these
śvasanti vivaśā vaśe
śvasanti
live
vivaśāḥ
fully dependent
vaśe
under the control
dvijā iva śicā baddhāḥ
dvijāḥ
birds
iva
like
śicā
by a net
baddhāḥ
bound
sa kāla iha kāraṇam
saḥ
that
kālaḥ
time factor
iha
in this
kāraṇam
the cause.
All living beings in all the planets of this universe, including the presiding deities of all the planets, are fully under the control of the Lord. They work like birds caught in a net, who cannot move independently.
Purport

The difference between the suras and the asuras is that the suras know that nothing can happen without the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the asuras cannot understand the supreme will of the Lord. In this fight, Vṛtrāsura is actually the sura, whereas Indra is the asura. No one can act independently; rather, everyone acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore victory and defeat come according to the results of one’s karma, and the judgment is given by the Supreme Lord ( karmaṇā-daiva-netreṇa ). Since we act under the control of the Supreme according to our karma, no one is independent, from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant. Whether we are defeated or victorious, the Supreme Lord is always victorious because everyone acts under His directions.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Time, under whose control all planets and their devatās operate helplessly, like birds caught in a net, is the cause of your victory or defeat. Time, operating according to good or bad karmas, is the cause of defeat or victory for you, who are dependent on karma. Time, under whose control all persons move, like birds caught in a net (śicā), is the cause.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
All beings in all planets, including presiding deities, are under His control, like birds in a net. The net is everywhere; only the Bird-master is outside it.
Reflection Questions
  • Which 'independent' parts of my life are actually birds in His net?
  • How does that recognition change my anxiety about them?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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