FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.13.29

जलं तदुद्भ‍वैश्छन्नं हित्वाज्ञो जलकाम्यया । मृगतृष्णामुपाधावेत्तथान्यत्रार्थद‍ृक् स्वत: ॥ २९ ॥
jalaṁ tad-udbhavaiś channaṁ
[jalam tad-udbhavaish channam]
hitvājño jala-kāmyayā
[hitvaajno jala-kaamyayaa]
mṛgatṛṣṇām upādhāvet
[mrigatrishnaam upaadhaavet]
tathānyatrārtha-dṛk svataḥ
[tathaanyatraartha-drik svatah]
jalam — water tat-udbhavaiḥ — by grass grown from that water channam — covered hitvā — giving up ajñaḥ — a foolish animal jala-kāmyayā — desiring to drink water mṛgatṛṣṇām — a mirage upādhāvet — runs after tathā — similarly anyatra — somewhere else artha-dṛk — self-interested svataḥ — in himself.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jalaṁ tad-udbhavaiś channaṁ
jalam
water
tat-udbhavaiḥ
by grass grown from that water
channam
covered
hitvājño jala-kāmyayā
hitvā
giving up
ajñaḥ
a foolish animal
jala-kāmyayā
desiring to drink water
mṛgatṛṣṇām upādhāvet
mṛgatṛṣṇām
a mirage
upādhāvet
runs after
tathānyatrārtha-dṛk svataḥ
tathā
similarly
anyatra
somewhere else
artha-dṛk
self-interested
svataḥ
in himself.
Just as a deer, because of ignorance, cannot see the water within a well covered by grass, but runs after water elsewhere, the living entity covered by the material body does not see the happiness within himself, but runs after happiness in the material world.

This is an accurate example depicting how the living entity, because of lack of knowledge, runs after happiness outside his own self. When one understands his real identity as a spiritual being, he can understand the supreme spiritual being, Kṛṣṇa, and the real happiness exchanged between Kṛṣṇa and one’s self. It is very interesting to note how this verse points to the body’s growth from the spirit soul. The modern materialistic scientist thinks that life grows from matter, but actually the fact is that matter grows from life. The life, or the spiritual soul, is compared herein to water, from which clumps of matter grow in the form of grass. One who is ignorant of scientific knowledge of the spirit soul does not look inside the body to find happiness in the soul; instead, he goes outside to search for happiness, just as a deer without knowledge of the water beneath the grass goes out to the desert to find water. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to remove the ignorance of misled human beings who are trying to find water outside the jurisdiction of life. Raso vai saḥ. Raso ’ham apsu kaunteya. The taste of water is Kṛṣṇa. To quench one’s thirst, one must taste water by association with Kṛṣṇa. This is the Vedic injunction.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Just as a deer, thirsty for water, gives up real water, covered by overgrown grass, and chases a mirage, the jīva, giving up the happiness of ātmā, searches for happiness elsewhere. An example is given to make this clear. Water is covered by grass growing over the water, not caused by the water. Similarly the happiness of ātmā is covered by the grass of māyā covering it. Giving up that happiness one looks elsewhere, other than himself, for happiness.
Like a deer chasing distant water while standing on a covered well, the soul runs after outer happiness while the real well lies within. The desperate search is futile not because happiness is absent but because the seeker is looking the wrong way.
Reflection Questions
  • Where are you running outside for what is already available inside?
  • What practice helps you uncover the well of inner happiness?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 13