Radha Krishna - Chapter 13: The Hamsa-avatâra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmâ

Chapter 13: The Hamsa-avatâra Answers the Questions of the Sons of Brahmâ (1) The Supreme Lord said: 'The goodness, passion and ignorance we know of the gunas are matters of the mind and not of the soul; with goodness the other two may be counteracted while goodness itself is controlled by character and good sense [*]. (2) Character strengthens the religious principles that form the lead of one's devotional service to Me. The mode of goodness will result in [bhâgavata-]dharma when one seriously cultivates inner strength. (3) Dharma puts with an increase of goodnesss an end to the passion and ignorance. Godlessness, their root, is quickly vanquished when those two are superseded by goodness. (4) The doctrine followed, the way one deals with water, the people one associates with, one's surroundings and the way one behaves with time, one's occupation, one's social background, as also the type of meditation, mantras and purificatory rites one respects are the ten factors determining the prominence of a particular mode. (5) Matters which in this by the classical sages are appreciated belong to goodness, matters they critizice belong to ignorance and matters they are indifferent about belong to the mode of passion. (6) Until there is the [guna] denying self-remembrance, a person should cultivate the things belonging to the mode of goodness so that character is developed from which there is the religiousness that brings spiritual knowing. (7) The same way as fire, that in a forest of bamboos was generated by friction of the stalks, pacifies after having burned [see also 1.10: 2, 3.1: 21] pacifies the fire of the material body that was generated by the interaction of the natural modes.'

(8) S'rî Uddhava said: 'Mortals generally known with the situation of sense-gratification as a source of trouble nevertheless revel in it, o Krishna. How can it be that they aware of this behave like dogs, asses and goats?'

(9-10) The Supreme Lord said: 'Obsessed with what belongs to him the foolish person does not consider the consequences of his sense enjoyment and thus arises in his mind the so terrible mode of passion. The wayward mind, that in the mode of passion imagines all kinds of things, is with all the plans made because of that sensual appetite fully determined by the modes and thus becomes intolerable. (11) With one's senses not under control engages one, bewildered by the force of passion and under the sway of desires, in fruitive activities, despite of being well aware of the resulting unhappiness. (12) Even though the intelligence of a learned person gets bewildered by passion and ignorance, rises no attachment in him because he, clearly seeing the contamination, carefuly puts his mind back on the right track. (13) Having conquered the breathing process and having mastered the sitting postures, one should attentively, step by step, without slackening gather one's mind by concentrating on Me at appointed times [to the positions of the sun and the moon, see B.G. 7: 8 and 5: 26-28]. (14) The yogasystem to this extent instructed by My pupils under the lead of Sanaka [the Kumâras] entails that the mind withdraws from everywhere and directly finds absorption in Me as should [with mantras, see also 8.3: 22-24].'

(15) S'rî Uddhava said: 'When, and in what form, dear Kes'ava, have You instructed Sanaka and the others in this yoga? That I'd like to know.'

(16) The Supreme Lord said: 'The sons headed by Sanaka who took their birth from the mind of the one who is of the inner gold [Hiranyagarbha or Brahmâ], inquired with their father about the so very subtle, supreme goal of the science of yoga. (17) Sanaka and the others said to him: 'The mind runs after the objects of the senses and the sense objects get thus imprinted on the mind. O Master, what is for someone who desires liberation, for someone who wishes to overcome the sense-gratification, the process of breaking away from that bondage [see also B.G. 2: 62-63]?'

(18) The Supreme Lord said: 'The great self-born godhead, the creator of all beings, thus questioned, seriously pondered over what was asked but could, with his mind bewildered because of his creative labor, not find the words to describe the essential truth [see also 2.6: 34, 2.9: 32-37 and 10: 13]. (19) With the desire to find closure he remembered the original God [he himself sprouted from, see 3.8], and at that time I became visible in My Hamsa form [the Swan]. (20) Seeing Me as they approached Me, they offered, with Brahmâ in front, their obeisances at the lotus feet and asked: 'Who are You?' (21) I was thus by the eager sages asked to disclose the ultimate truth. Please Uddhava, hear now what I told them at the time: (22) If you think that with the oneness of the self there wouldn't be a substantial difference between you and Me, how then would you be able to pose a question like that o sages, or how could I as a speaker then be of any authority [or constitute a refuge]? (23) Your question of 'Who are You' would be a meaningless use of words if you'd refer to the same five elements our bodies are composed of or when you'd refer to the essence we have in common. (24) That what by the mind, speech, sight and by the other senses as well is handled is what I all am. There is really nothing that exists outside of Me, that is what you have to understand clearly. (25) The mind adheres to the sense objects and the sense-objects occupy the mind dear men, but to the living entity whose Soul I am, are both the mind and the sense objects outer appearances. (26) With the mind time and again reverting to the objects of the senses enjoyed and with the sense objects [thus] giving rise to the mind must the one who is of My transcendental [Hamsa] form give up the mind as well as the objects [see also vritti and neti neti]. (27) Wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep are the functions of the intelligence following from the modes of nature. The individual soul is with characteristics different from them known to be the witness [see also 7.7: 25 and B.G. 7: 5]. (28) The materially motivated intelligence constitutes the bondage that keeps the soul occupied with the modes of nature, but when one situated in Me, the fourth state of consciousness [turîya], succeeds in breaking away from it has one at that moment forsaken the mind and the sense objects [see 11.3: 35]. (29) The bondage of the soul as a result of identifying oneself with the body constitutes the opposite purpose. The one who detached in samsâra knows about it should, being situated in the fourth state, give up the anxiety [about those ego-matters]. (30) As long as a person is convinced of many different purposes and cannot find his peace the appropriate way [as mentioned] will he, even though awake, be sleeping with his eyes open, just as unaware as someone who sees something in a dream [see also B.G. 2: 41]. (31) The states of existence apart from the Supreme Soul will, inessential as they are, because of the separation created by them, to the seer who is filled with motives and objectives be just as deluding as what one has in a dream. (32) While awake he enjoys the qualities of the external affair at the moment. In his dreams he experiences within his mind all the sensual a similar way. In deep sleep he looses his consciousness. But being one in his remembrance becomes he in his witnessing of the functioning of the successive three states of consciousness the lord and master over the senses [see also 4.29: 60-79 and B.G. 15: 7-8]. (33) When you situated in Me consider the three states of consciousness that originate from the modes of nature of My deluding potency, then be resolute about the purpose of worshiping Me as being present in the heart. Wield for that purpose the sword of discrimination that was sharpened by the logic and instructions concerning the true, to cut through the bonds with the [ahankâra] cause of all doubts. (34) Behold this delusional state of mind which, with images popping up today that are gone tomorrow, wavers as much as the glowing end of a moving firebrand. It is the One spiritual soul who deceptively appears in many divisions which manifest as an illusion of a threefold variegated way of dreaming that was created by the transformation of the modes of nature [see also B.G. 9: 15, 15: 16, linga and siddhânta]. (35) Looking away from that [deceptive material reality] one should, being silent with the material hankering ceased, arrive at the realization of one's actual happiness. That happiness comes about when one is free from materially motivated actions. And the times one is of the earth, one should, keeping that in mind as being insubstantial, abide by relinquishing the earthly in order not to err till the end of one's days. (36) Just as someone who blinded by liquor is not aware of the clothes he wears, takes the one who is of perfection, you see, no heed whether the perishable material body sits or stands, or whether he according to the will of God leaves this earth or obtains by fate determined [a new body], for he has achieved his original position [his svarûpa]. (37) As long as the body is there to the arrangement of destiny and there is still karma, will it self-propelled continue with its life-air and senses and its variety of manifestations. Situated highly though in the full absorption of yoga will the one who awakened to the essence no longer cultivate that dreaming. (38) O learned ones, now that I have explained to you this confidential analysis and yoga system, the science of uniting one's consciousness, please understand that I came as Yajña [Vishnu, the Lord of Sacrifice] in order to remind you of your actual duties. (39) O best of the twice-born, I am the Supreme Way of yoga, the analysis, the truth and the sacred law as also beauty, fame and self-control. (40) All qualities such as being free from the modes and expectations, being the Wellwisher, the Dearest, the True Self, the One Equal, the detachment and so on, do, because they have no affinity for the modes, find their shelter and service in Me.

(41) Thus I have put an end to the doubts of all the sages headed by Sanaka who fully of worship in transcendental loving devotional service with beautiful hymns chanted My glories. (42) Perfectly worshiped and glorified by the greatest of sages I then, before the eyes of Brahmâ, returned to My abode.'