Chapter 13 · Class prep
A printable handout for teaching this chapter. For each verse with Personal Guidance, you'll see Prabhupāda's translation, the essence, two or three practical applications, and a discussion prompt. Press ⌘P / Ctrl P to print as a handout.
BG 13.1
Śrī Nārada Muni said: A person able to cultivate spiritual knowledge should renounce all material connections, and merely keeping the body inhabitable, he should travel from one place to another, passing only one night in each village. In this way, without dependence in regard to the needs of the body, the sannyāsī should travel all over the world.
Essence. A person developing spiritual knowledge should renounce material connections and travel, spending only one night per village. Place-attachment is subtle bondage; mobility prevents new entanglements. Even when not literally wandering, cultivate the inner freedom of not setting roots that would have to be torn up.
BG 13.2
A person in the renounced order of life may try to avoid even a dress to cover himself. If he wears anything at all, it should be only a loincloth, and when there is no necessity, a sannyāsī should not even accept a daṇḍa. A sannyāsī should avoid carrying anything but a daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu.
Essence. A sannyāsī may even avoid clothing beyond a loincloth and carry nothing but a staff and water pot. Renunciation is concrete and uncluttered. Possessions accumulate not just outside but inside; what we own we tend.
BG 13.3
The sannyāsī, completely satisfied in the self, should live on alms begged from door to door. Not being dependent on any person or any place, he should always be a friendly well-wisher to all living beings and be a peaceful, unalloyed devotee of Nārāyaṇa. In this way he should move from one place to another.
Essence. The renunciate lives on alms begged from door to door, satisfied in the self, friendly to all beings, peacefully devoted to Nārāyaṇa. Real renunciation is not bitter; it is friendly. Wandering and warmth combine because the inner shelter is steady.
BG 13.4
The sannyāsī should always try to see the Supreme pervading everything and see everything, including this universe, resting on the Supreme.
Essence. The sannyāsī should always see the Supreme pervading everything and everything resting on Him. The practice is not occasional remembrance but constant vision. Train the eye so that no perception arrives without the Lord embedded in it.
BG 13.5
During unconsciousness and consciousness, and between the two, he should try to understand the self and be fully situated in the self. In this way, he should realize that the conditional and liberated stages of life are only illusory and not actually factual. With such a higher understanding, he should see only the Absolute Truth pervading everything.
Essence. Through waking, sleeping, and the state between, recognize that conditioned and liberated stages are illusory. The eternal self is the constant. The states pass; you do not pass with them.
BG 13.6
Since the material body is sure to be vanquished and the duration of one’s life is not fixed, neither death nor life is to be praised. Rather, one should observe the eternal time factor, in which the living entity manifests himself and disappears.
Essence. Neither death nor life is to be praised — both are equally bound by the eternal time factor. Stop the futile project of either lamenting death or clinging to life. Observe the time within which both appear and disappear.
BG 13.7
Literature that is a useless waste of time — in other words, literature without spiritual benefit — should be rejected. One should not become a professional teacher as a means of earning one’s livelihood, nor should one indulge in arguments and counterarguments. Nor should one take shelter of any cause or faction.
Essence. Reject literature without spiritual benefit, do not teach for livelihood, avoid argument, and do not take sides in disputes. Mental nutrition matters as much as physical. What you read writes you.
BG 13.8
A sannyāsī must not present allurements of material benefits to gather many disciples, nor should he unnecessarily read many books or give discourses as a means of livelihood. He must never attempt to increase material opulences unnecessarily.
Essence. A sannyāsī must not attract disciples by promising material benefit, nor multiply books or discourses to earn a living, nor try to increase opulence. Spiritual teaching is not a business; its dignity depends on freedom from these motives.
BG 13.9
A peaceful, equipoised person who is factually advanced in spiritual consciousness does not need to accept the symbols of a sannyāsī, such as the tridaṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu. According to necessity, he may sometimes accept those symbols and sometimes reject them.
Essence. An advanced sannyāsī — a paramahaṁsa — does not need outer symbols like daṇḍa and kamaṇḍalu; he accepts or rejects them as needed. Inner realization makes outer markers optional. Symbols serve realization; they do not produce it.
BG 13.10
Although a saintly person may not expose himself to the vision of human society, by his behavior his purpose is disclosed. To human society he should present himself like a restless child, and although he is the greatest thoughtful orator, he should present himself like a dumb man.
Essence. A saintly person, though the greatest orator, may live like a restless child or a dumb man — covering himself so that society does not see what he is. Hidden saints are common; the visible ones are not always the deepest. Look past appearance.
BG 13.11
As a historical example of this, learned sages recite the story of an ancient discussion between Prahlāda Mahārāja and a great saintly person who was feeding himself like a python.
Essence. Sages cite the example of Prahlāda's meeting with a great saint living like a python — eating only what came to him by chance. The 'python's discipline' is a famous practice: deep trust in providence, no chasing of livelihood. The story sets up the lesson.
BG 13.12-13
Prahlāda Mahārāja, the most dear servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, once went out touring the universe with some of his confidential associates just to study the nature of saintly persons. Thus he arrived at the bank of the Kāverī, where there was a mountain known as Sahya. There he found a great saintly person who was lying on the ground, covered with dirt and dust, but who was deeply spiritually advanced.
Essence. Prahlāda, the dear servant of the Lord, toured the universe with associates to study the nature of saintly persons. Even great devotees actively study saintly examples. Modeling on saints is itself a practice, not a side activity.
BG 13.14
Neither by that saintly person’s activities, by his bodily features, by his words nor by the symptoms of his varṇāśrama status could people understand whether he was the same person they had known.
Essence. Neither the saint's activity, body, words, nor āśrama-marks revealed his identity to the locals. Vaiṣṇavera kriyā mudrā vijñe nā bhujhaya — the conduct of a Vaiṣṇava is not understandable by the worldly-wise. Real saintliness operates incognito.
BG 13.15
The advanced devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja duly worshiped and offered obeisances to the saintly person who had adopted a python’s means of livelihood. After thus worshiping the saintly person and touching his own head to the saint’s lotus feet, Prahlāda Mahārāja, in order to understand him, inquired very submissively as follows.
Essence. Prahlāda duly worshiped the python-lifestyle saint and touched his head to his feet. Prahlāda's example: when meeting a sincere seeker, regardless of style, offer respect. Greatness recognizes greatness across surface differences.
BG 13.16-17
Seeing the saintly person to be quite fat, Prahlāda Mahārāja said: My dear sir, you undergo no endeavor to earn your livelihood, but you have a stout body, exactly like that of a materialistic enjoyer. I know that if one is very rich and has nothing to do, he becomes extremely fat by eating and sleeping and performing no work.
Essence. Prahlāda is surprised: the saint, doing no work, is nonetheless quite fat. Bhaktisiddhānta did not like fat disciples either — he saw it as a warning sign. Bodily comfort can sneak into renunciate life; honest inquiry is welcome.
BG 13.18
O brāhmaṇa, fully in knowledge of transcendence, you have nothing to do, and therefore you are lying down. It is also understood that you have no money for sense enjoyment. How then has your body become so fat? Under the circumstances, if you do not consider my question impudent, kindly explain how this has happened.
Essence. Prahlāda persists: you have no work, no money for indulgence, yet you are fat — please explain. Honest spiritual inquiry is bold but respectful. Ask questions that the polite refuse to ask if the answer is what you need.
BG 13.19
Your Honor appears learned, expert and intelligent in every way. You can speak very well, saying things that are pleasing to the heart. You see that people in general are engaged in fruitive activities, yet you are lying here inactive.
Essence. Prahlāda observed: you appear learned and intelligent, speak pleasingly, see everyone laboring — yet you lie still. The mystery of the inactive sage is real. Some forms of progress look like idleness from outside.
BG 13.20
Nārada Muni continued: When the saintly person was thus questioned by Prahlāda Mahārāja, the King of the Daityas, he was captivated by this shower of nectarean words, and he replied to the inquisitiveness of Prahlāda Mahārāja with a smiling face.
Essence. The saint was captivated by Prahlāda's nectarean words and answered with a smiling face. Even a renunciate saint takes joy in the sincere inquiry of a devotee. The right questioner draws out the right teaching.
BG 13.21
The saintly brāhmaṇa said: O best of the asuras, Prahlāda Mahārāja, who are recognized by advanced and civilized men, you are aware of the different stages of life because of your inherent transcendental eyes, with which you can see a man’s character and thus know clearly the results of acceptance and rejection of things as they are.
Essence. The saint says: O Prahlāda, you have transcendental eyes that read character — you can study minds without difficulty. A pure devotee perceives clearly through devotional vision. Devotion sharpens, not dulls, the eye.
BG 13.22
Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of all opulences, is predominant within the core of your heart because of your being a pure devotee. He always drives away all the darkness of ignorance, as the sun drives away the darkness of the universe.
Essence. Nārāyaṇa, full of all opulences, lives in your heart as a pure devotee, dispelling ignorance like the sun. Simply by bhakti, one becomes full of all knowledge. Devotion is not anti-intellectual; it is the surest path to clear knowing.
BG 13.23
My dear King, although you know everything, you have posed some questions, which I shall try to answer according to what I have learned by hearing from authorities. I cannot remain silent in this regard, for a personality like you is just fit to be spoken to by one who desires self-purification.
Essence. Although you already know everything, you have asked — and one fit to be addressed must be addressed. A saint speaks not to anyone, but to those prepared to hear. Recognize when you are being honored by serious teaching.
BG 13.24
Because of insatiable material desires, I was being carried away by the waves of material nature’s laws, and thus I was engaging in different activities, struggling for existence in various forms of life.
Essence. Because of insatiable material desires, the saint was carried by nature's waves, struggling through different forms of life. The autobiography of every soul: tossed by the river of saṁsāra until something breaks the cycle.
BG 13.25
In the course of the evolutionary process, which is caused by fruitive activities due to undesirable material sense gratification, I have received this human form of life, which can lead to the heavenly planets, to liberation, to the lower species, or to rebirth among human beings.
Essence. Through the evolutionary process, the saint received human life — the doorway to heaven, liberation, or rebirth. Human birth is the rare hinge. Either move toward liberation or risk slipping back into the lower forms.
BG 13.26
In this human form of life, men and women unite for the sensual pleasure of sex, but by actual experience we have observed that none of them are happy. Therefore, seeing the contrary results, I have stopped taking part in materialistic activities.
Essence. Men and women unite for sexual pleasure, but actual experience shows none of them are happy. Marriage's promise of lasting satisfaction is contradicted by widespread separation and dissatisfaction. The data is in; revise the strategy.
BG 13.27
The actual form of life for the living entities is one of spiritual happiness, which is real happiness. This happiness can be achieved only when one stops all materialistic activities. Material sense enjoyment is simply an imagination. Therefore, considering this subject matter, I have ceased from all material activities and am lying down here.
Essence. The actual form of life is spiritual happiness, achievable only when materialistic activity stops. Material sense enjoyment is imagination, not reality. Acknowledging this changes everything about how one spends a day.
BG 13.28
In this way the conditioned soul living within the body forgets his self-interest because he identifies himself with the body. Because the body is material, his natural tendency is to be attracted by the varieties of the material world. Thus the living entity suffers the miseries of material existence.
Essence. The conditioned soul forgets its own interest because it identifies with the body. Attracted by material variety, it suffers. Misidentification is the root error; everything else cascades from it.
BG 13.29
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.
Essence. 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.
BG 13.30
The living entity tries to achieve happiness and rid himself of the causes of distress, but because the various bodies of the living entities are under the full control of material nature, all his plans in different bodies, one after another, are ultimately baffled.
Essence. The living entity tries plan after plan in body after body, but all plans are baffled by the laws of material nature. Persistence in the wrong direction does not eventually pay off. Change direction, not just effort.
BG 13.31
Materialistic activities are always mixed with three kinds of miserable conditions — adhyātmika, adhidaivika and adhibautika. Therefore, even if one achieves some success by performing such activities, what is the benefit of this success? One is still subjected to birth, death, old age, disease and the reactions of his fruitive activities.
Essence. Materialistic activity is always mixed with the threefold miseries — adhyātmika, adhidaivika, adhibautika. Even success leaves these intact. Stop measuring success by outcomes that do not address the actual problem.
BG 13.32
The brāhmaṇa continued: I am actually seeing how a rich man, who is a victim of his senses, is very greedy to accumulate wealth, and therefore suffers from insomnia due to fear from all sides, despite his wealth and opulence.
Essence. The brāhmaṇa sees a rich man, sleepless from fear on all sides despite his wealth. Greed produces possessions and possessions produce anxiety. Sleep is a fair test of wealth's actual benefit.
BG 13.33
Those who are considered materially powerful and rich are always full of anxieties because of governmental laws, thieves and rogues, enemies, family members, animals, birds, persons seeking charity, the inevitable time factor and even their own selves. Thus they are invariably afraid.
Essence. The rich are afraid of government, thieves, enemies, family, beggars, time — even of themselves. Material security is a phantom. Real shelter must rest somewhere money cannot reach.
BG 13.34
Those in human society who are intelligent should give up the original cause of lamentation, illusion, fear, anger, attachment, poverty and unnecessary labor. The original cause of all of these is the desire for unnecessary prestige and money.
Essence. Intelligent people should give up the original cause of lamentation, illusion, fear, anger, attachment, poverty, and labor: the desire for unnecessary prestige and money. Address the root, not the symptoms.
BG 13.35
The bee and the python are two excellent spiritual masters who give us exemplary instructions regarding how to be satisfied by collecting only a little and how to stay in one place and not move.
Essence. The bee and the python are two excellent spiritual masters — one teaches collecting little, the other teaches staying put and waiting. Nature provides curriculum if we attend to it. Look around for teachers.
BG 13.36
From the bumblebee I have learned to be unattached to accumulating money, for although money is as good as honey, anyone can kill its owner and take it away.
Essence. From the bee one learns not to accumulate money — the bee's hoarded honey is taken by force; the owner may be killed. Wealth signals to the wrong people. Quiet sufficiency is safer than visible abundance.
BG 13.37
I do not endeavor to get anything, but am satisfied with whatever is achieved in its own way. If I do not get anything, I am patient and unagitated like a python and lie down in this way for many days.
Essence. I do not endeavor; I am satisfied with what comes; if nothing comes I lie patiently like a python. This is radical non-effort, anchored in trust. Most of our 'work' is anxiety dressed up as duty.
BG 13.38
Sometimes I eat a very small quantity and sometimes a great quantity. Sometimes the food is very palatable, and sometimes it is stale. Sometimes prasāda is offered with great respect, and sometimes food is given neglectfully. Sometimes I eat during the day and sometimes at night. Thus I eat what is easily available.
Essence. Sometimes I eat little, sometimes much, sometimes tasty, sometimes stale, sometimes respectfully offered, sometimes neglectfully — and sometimes during the day, sometimes at night. Equanimity with what arrives is the practice. The mouth does not dictate the heart.
BG 13.39
To cover my body I use whatever is available, whether it be linen, silk, cotton, bark or deerskin, according to my destiny, and I am fully satisfied and unagitated.
Essence. I wear linen, silk, cotton, bark, or deerskin — whatever destiny brings — and remain satisfied and unagitated. Identity is not what one wears. Equal regard for fine and rough clothing is its own discipline.
BG 13.40
Sometimes I lie on the surface of the earth, sometimes on leaves, grass or stone, sometimes on a pile of ashes, or sometimes, by the will of others, in a palace on a first-class bed with pillows.
Essence. Sometimes I lie on bare earth, sometimes on leaves, ashes, or stone — sometimes by others' arrangement in a palace. The same equanimity holds across rebirths. What changes is the seat; what does not change is the seater.
BG 13.41
O my lord, sometimes I bathe myself very nicely, smear sandalwood pulp all over my body, put on a flower garland, and dress in fine garments and ornaments. Then I travel like a king on the back of an elephant or on a chariot or horse. Sometimes, however, I travel naked, like a person haunted by a ghost.
Essence. Sometimes I bathe, anoint, garland, and dress in ornaments and ride an elephant; sometimes I travel naked like a ghost. The saint embodies equal vision across opulent and disgraced conditions. External fortune does not touch his core.
BG 13.42
Different people are of different mentalities. Therefore it is not my business either to praise them or to blaspheme them. I only desire their welfare, hoping that they will agree to become one with the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
Essence. People have different mentalities; I neither praise nor blaspheme. I wish only that they become one with Kṛṣṇa, the Supersoul. Engagement with people happens through wishing their highest welfare, not through judgment.
BG 13.43
The mental concoction of discrimination between good and bad should be accepted as one unit and then invested in the mind, which should then be invested in the false ego. The false ego should be invested in the total material energy. This is the process of fighting false discrimination.
Essence. Merge good-bad discrimination into the mind, mind into false ego, false ego into total material energy — fight false discrimination at each level. Progress is not just about right opinions but dissolving the basis on which opinions are formed.
BG 13.44
A learned, thoughtful person must realize that material existence is illusion. This is possible only by self-realization. A self-realized person, who has actually seen the truth, should retire from all material activities, being situated in self-realization.
Essence. A thoughtful person must realize that material existence is illusion. Self-realized, having seen the truth, one retires from material activities. Realization is followed by visible reorganization of life, not just inner shift.
BG 13.45
Prahlāda Mahārāja, you are certainly a self-realized soul and a devotee of the Supreme Lord. You do not care for public opinion or so-called scriptures. For this reason I have described to you without hesitation the history of my self-realization.
Essence. Prahlāda, you are self-realized, you do not care for public opinion or so-called scriptures — so I have spoken freely. A real devotee gives free counsel only to those who can hear without filtering through public opinion.
BG 13.46
Nārada Muni continued: After Prahlāda Mahārāja, the King of the demons, heard these instructions from the saint, he understood the occupational duties of a perfect person [paramahaṁsa]. Thus he duly worshiped the saint, took his permission and then left for his own home.
Essence. After hearing these instructions, Prahlāda understood the duties of a paramahaṁsa, worshiped the saint, took his permission, and returned home. Even a king-ruler receives instruction humbly, then resumes his post with deeper understanding.