mattasya tām avijñasya
sṛṣṭy-apyaya-karīṁ māyāṁ
velā-kūlānta-vegitām
mattasya tām avijñasya
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet
What is the use of insubstantial karmas performed by a helpless person who does not consider māyā, like a river which flows in one direction during creation and in the opposite direction during destruction, and flows quickly near the bank?
This verse explains the river flowing in both directions. Māyā causes creation and destruction. At the time of creation the elements flow out one after the other, and at the time of destruction they enter in reverse order. Velā means a bank or water. Thus vela-kūlānta means “near the bank.” The river flows quickly near the bank. For those who have fallen in saṁsāra, “the place to get out” refers to austerity and knowledge. But māyā flows quickly there with prominent anger and ego, to prevent the person from getting out. Kṛta-vegam and vegitām are the two versions. Mattasya means the person has no control because of the speed. What is the use of insubstantial karmas performed by a person who does not discern māyā? Giving up material position, you should strive to cross over māyā.
|| 6.5.17 ||
pañca-viṁśati-tattvānāṁ
puruṣo 'dbhuta-darpaṇaḥ
adhyātmam abudhasyeha
kim asat-karmabhir bhavet
The house made of twenty-five elements is the person controlling the twenty-five elements. He is an astonishing mirror. What is the use of karmas performed by a person who cannot discern the Lord situated in the ātmā as his object of worship?
This verse explains the house made of twenty-five elements. Viṣṇu is an astonishing mirror. The devotees offer to Viṣṇu the twenty-five elements such as citta.[78] Entering Viṣṇu, they become pure, spiritual and eternal. Giving up the nature of reflections, they take on the qualities of Viṣṇu, the mirror. That is the astonishing quality of the Viṣṇu as a mirror. Normal objects seen in a normal mirror are simply reflections of those objects, and do not take up the purity that is in the mirror. What is the use of karmas performed by a person who does not know Viṣṇu (adhyātmam), existing in the ātmā, as the object of worship? Therefore you should offer body and soul to the Supreme Lord.
|| 6.5.18 ||
|
