FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.46

नोचेत्प्रमत्तमसदिन्द्रियवाजिसूता नीत्वोत्पथं विषयदस्युषु निक्षिपन्ति । ते दस्यव: सहयसूतममुं तमोऽन्धे संसारकूप उरुमृत्युभये क्षिपन्ति ॥ ४६ ॥
nocet pramattam asad-indriya-vāji-sūtā
[nochet pramattam asad-indriya-vaaji-sootaa]
nītvotpathaṁ viṣaya-dasyuṣu nikṣipanti
[neetvotpatham vishaya-dasyushu nikshipanti]
te dasyavaḥ sahaya-sūtam amuṁ tamo ’ndhe
[te dasyavah sahaya-sootam amum tamo ’ndhe]
saṁsāra-kūpa uru-mṛtyu-bhaye kṣipanti
[samsaara-koopa uru-mrityu-bhaye kshipanti]
nocet — if we do not follow the instructions of Acyuta, Kṛṣṇa, and do not take shelter of Balarāma pramattam — careless, inattentive asat — which are always prone to material consciousness indriya — the senses vāji — acting as the horses sūtāḥ — the chariot driver (intelligence) nītvā — bringing utpatham — to the roadway of material desire viṣaya — the sense objects dasyuṣu — in the hands of the plunderers nikṣipanti — throw te — those dasyavaḥ — plunderers sa — with haya-sūtam — the horses and chariot driver amum — all of them tamaḥ — dark andhe — blind saṁsāra-kūpe — into the well of material existence uru — great mṛtyu-bhaye — fear of death kṣipanti — throw.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nocet pramattam asad-indriya-vāji-sūtā
nocet
if we do not follow the instructions of Acyuta, Kṛṣṇa, and do not take shelter of Balarāma
pramattam
careless, inattentive
asat
which are always prone to material consciousness
indriya
the senses
vāji
acting as the horses
sūtāḥ
the chariot driver (intelligence)
nītvotpathaṁ viṣaya-dasyuṣu nikṣipanti
nītvā
bringing
te dasyavaḥ sahaya-sūtam amuṁ tamo ’ndhe
utpatham
to the roadway of material desire
viṣaya
the sense objects
dasyuṣu
in the hands of the plunderers
nikṣipanti
throw
te
those
dasyavaḥ
plunderers
saṁsāra-kūpa uru-mṛtyu-bhaye kṣipanti
sa
with
haya-sūtam
the horses and chariot driver
amum
all of them
tamaḥ
dark
andhe
blind
saṁsāra-kūpe
into the well of material existence
uru
great
mṛtyu-bhaye
fear of death
kṣipanti
throw.
Otherwise, if one does not take shelter of Acyuta and Baladeva, then the senses, acting as the horses, and the intelligence, acting as the driver, both being prone to material contamination, inattentively bring the body, which acts as the chariot, to the path of sense gratification. When one is thus attracted again by the rogues of viṣaya — eating, sleeping and mating — the horses and chariot driver are thrown into the blinding dark well of material existence, and one is again put into a dangerous and extremely fearful situation of repeated birth and death.

Without the protection of Gaura-Nitāi — Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma — one cannot get out of the dark well of ignorance in material existence. This is indicated here by the word nocet, which means that one will always remain in the dark well of material existence. The living entity must get strength from Nitāi-Gaura, or Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. Without the mercy of Nitāi-Gaura, there is no way to come out of this dark well of ignorance. As stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Ādi 1.2) :

vande śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya- nityānandau sahoditau gauḍodaye puṣpavantau citrau śandau tamo-nudau

“I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda, who are like the sun and moon. They have arisen simultaneously on the horizon of Gauḍa to dissipate the darkness of ignorance and thus wonderfully bestow benediction upon all.” This material world is a dark well of ignorance. The fallen soul in this dark well must take shelter of the lotus feet of Gaura-Nitāi, for thus he can easily emerge from material existence. Without Their strength, simply attempting to get out of the clutches of matter by speculative knowledge will be insufficient.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
If a person does not have the strength of the Lord, the horses of the material senses and the driver lead the chariot and inattentive passenger, the jīva, on the wrong road, and throw them to the plunderers--attraction and repulsion. The sense objects, plunderers, throw the jīva in the dark hole of saṁsāra, with great fear of death, along with the horses and driver. In the absence of the strength of the Lord, one cannot achieve the goal. Rather, one falls. If the passenger of the chariot has no strength, if the jīva has no bhakti, then the senses and intelligence take control. Though not having strength of the Lord or bhakti, the jīva boards the chariot in order to take aim, but is inattentive (pramattam). This means that without bhakti, he desires only liberation. The plunderers are attraction, hatred and other qualities.
Without taking shelter of Acyuta and Baladeva, the horses of the senses and the driver of intelligence — both contaminated — drag the chariot into sense gratification. Without Gaura-Nitāi's mercy there is no exit from material life.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in your life are senses and intelligence both compromised, and where can you turn for shelter?
  • What practice keeps Nitāi-Gaura's mercy actively flowing in your day?
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