Chapter Twelve

Association of Devotees

|| 11.12.1 ||
çré-bhagavän uväca
na rodhayati mäà yogo
na säìkhyaà dharma eva ca
na svädhyäyas tapas tyägo
neñöä-pürtaà na dakñiëä

vratäni yajïaç chandäàsi

térthäni niyamä yamäù
yathävarundhe sat-saìgaù
sarva-saìgäpaho hi mäm

The Supreme Lord said: O Uddhava! Only by associating with

my pure devotees one can destroy material attachment and
attain me. One cannot attain me by añöäìga-yoga, distinction
of ätmä from body, practice of nonviolence, study of the
Vedas, austerity, sannyäsa, sacrifices, charitable projects,
donations, vows, worship of devatäs, secret mantras, holy
places, or observing prohibitions and rules.

In the Twelfth Chapter, Kåñëa glorifies association with devotees and,

destroying all doubts, explains that the inhabitants of Vraja have the
most exalted prema. Yogaù means practice of äsana and präëäyäma.
Säìkhyam means distinction of ätmä from the body. Dharmaù means
non-violence. Svädhyäyaù means study of the Vedas. Tapaù means
austerities. Tyägaù means sannyäsa. Iñöäpürtam means sacrifice and
charitable works such as digging wells or making gardens. Dakñiëä
means giving donations to the public. Vratäni means cäturmäsya and
other vows. Yajïaù means worship of devatäs. Chamdäàsi means
secret mantras. The singular verb is used to indicate the verb
rodhayati is to be repeated with each item. Plural words like vratäni
should have the verb rodhayanti. The verb rudh means “to control.”
Yoga and other processes are not causes of controlling me. I am not
controlled by yoga and other processes. This means I am not attained
by these processes. The reasoning is as follows. It is said:

na sädhayati mäà yogo na säìkhyaà dharma uddhava

na svädhyäyas tapas tyägo yathä bhaktir mamorjitä

O Uddhava, the unalloyed devotional service rendered to me by my

devotees brings me under their control. I cannot be thus controlled by
those engaged in mystic yoga, Säìkhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic
study, austerity or renunciation. SB 11.14.20

The next statement is bhaktyäham ekayä grähyaù: only by executing

devotional service can I be attained. This reconfirms the previous
statement “If one does not engage in bhakti, which arises usually by
associating with my devotees, there is no means of escaping from
material existence.” (SB 11.11.48) I am not attained by these
methods but I am factually attained by association with devotees. The
present tense (instead of the future tense) indicates that even before
the appearance of bhakti, the Lord is controlled by the association of
devotees. Then what to speak of after bhakti has made its appearance!
Yathä in this verse does not mean “as much as” but rather “exactly.”
Taking the statement bhaktyäham ekayä grähyäù the word yathä in
this verse has the same meaning as ekayä, pure bhakti. Because yoga
and other processes are mixed with some bhakti, they also control the
Lord to a small degree. Then yathä can have the ordinary meaning:
those methods do not control me as much as association of devotees.
This is the meaning given by some authorities. This association
destroys all material attraction, because association controls the Lord.

|| 11.12.3-6 ||
sat-saìgena hi daiteyä
yätudhänä mågäù khagäù
gandharväpsaraso nägäù
siddhäç cäraëa-guhyakäù

vidyädharä manuñyeñu
vaiçyäù çüdräù striyo ’ntya-jäù
rajas-tamaù-prakåtayas
tasmiàs tasmin yuge yuge

bahavo mat-padaà präptäs

tväñöra-käyädhavädayaù
våñaparvä balir bäëo
mayaç cätha vibhéñaëaù

sugrévo hanumän åkño

gajo gådhro vaëikpathaù
vyädhaù kubjä vraje gopyo
yajïa-patnyas tathäpare

In every yuga many living entities entangled in the modes of

passion and ignorance gained the association of my devotees.
Thus, such living entities as the Daityas, Räkñasas, birds,
beasts, Gandharvas, Apsaräs, Nägas, Siddhas, Cäraëas,
Guhyakas and Vidyädharas, as well as such lower-class human
beings as the vaiçyas, çüdras, women and others, were able to
achieve my supreme abode. Våträsura, Prahläda Mahäräja and
others like them also achieved my abode by association with
my devotees, as did personalities such as Våñaparvä, Bali
Mahäräja, Bäëäsura, Maya, Vibhéñaëa, Sugréva, Hanumän,
Jämbavän, Gajendra, Jaöäyu, Tulädhära, Dharma-vyädha,
Kubjä, the gopés in Våndävana and the wives of the
brähmaëas who were performing sacrifice.

Four verses show that association with devotees brings the Lord under
control, either secondarily or significantly, giving examples like Bäëa
and the gopés. There are persons with mixed bhakti and pure bhakti.
By association with persons with mixed bhakti some persons brought
the Lord under control in a secondary way. By association with persons
with pure bhakti, some persons brought the Lord under control
significantly.

Yätudhänäù means Räkñasas. Tväñöraù means Våträsura.

Käyädhavaù is Prahläda. Before their birth Våtra and Prahläda had the
association of Närada. Våña-parvä is well known in the Puräëas as a
devotee of Viñëu who gave up his mother as soon as he was born and
was raised by sages. Bali had association of Prahläda. When Bäëa’s
arms were cut off, he got the association of compassionate Çiva.
Maya, in building the assembly hall, got the association of the
Päëòavas. Vibhéñaëa got the association of Hanumän. Sugréva,
Hanumän and Jambavän got the association of Lakñmaëa. Gajendra in
his previous life had the association of Närada. Jaöäyu had the
association of Garuòa and Daçartha. The merchant or tulädhära is
famous in Mahäbhärata. His association is unclear. Dharmavyädha
was a hunter. In his previous birth a brahma-rakñasa, he got the
association of a devotee king according to Varäha Puräëa. Hari-vaàça
tells how Kubja and others got the association of Närada in a previous
birth. The gopés who were previously sages of Daëòakäraëya forest
had plentiful association with devotees in that life. In their life as
gopés they got the association of nitya-siddha gopés. The wives of the
brähmaëas got the association of messengers of Kåñëa--the garland
makers and betel nut sellers who came from Vraja to Mathurä to sell
their products.

|| 11.12.7 ||
te nädhéta-çruti-gaëä
nopäsita-mahattamäù
avratätapta-tapasaù
mat-saìgän mäm upägatäù
The persons I have mentioned did not undergo serious studies
of the Vedic literature, nor did they worship great saintly
persons, nor did they execute severe vows or austerities.
Simply by association with me and my devotees, they achieved
me.

They attained me, not by other processes, but by mixed or pure bhakti,
which arose from association with devotees. They did not study the
Vedas, and they did not worship great sages who understood the
meaning of the Vedas, in order to get knowledge of the Vedas. They
did not have vows or perform austerities. But they attained me, by
association with me, caused by bhakti, caused by association with
devotees. Association with devotees is equivalent to association with
me.

|| 11.12.8 ||
kevalena hi bhävena
gopyo gävo nagä mågäù
ye ’nye müòha-dhiyo nägäù
siddhä mäm éyur aïjasä

The inhabitants of Våndävana, including the gopés, cows,

mountains, animals, living entities with stunted consciousness
such as bushes and thickets, and snakes such as Käliya, all
achieved the perfection of life by unalloyed love for me and
thus very easily achieved me.

The inhabitants of Vraja are most special. By bhävas without mixture

of karma or jïäna, without desires, by bhakti-yoga with mädhurya,
vätsalya, sakhya, and däsya bhävas, they attained me. The gopés
attained me with mädhurya-rasa. The cows attained me by väsatlya-
rasa. The mountains like Govardhana attained me with sakhya-rasa.
The animals, the trees and shrubs, though unintelligent, snakes like
Käliya attained me with däsya-rasa. The nitya-siddha devotees
attained me after expressing pürva-räga (attraction in separation
before meeting the Lord during earthly pastimes, though they have
associated with him in previous pastimes). Without beginning, the
nitya-siddha devotees are already in possession of the Lord with their
pure bhakti. Otherwise the word nitya-siddha would be meaningless.

|| 11.12.9 ||
yaà na yogena säìkhyena
däna-vrata-tapo-’dhvaraiù
vyäkhyä-svädhyäya-sannyäsaiù
präpnuyäd yatnavän api
But I cannot be attained by intense efforts of yoga, Säìkhya,
charity, vows, austerity, sacrifices, explaining the Vedas, study
of the Vedas, or sannyäsa.

The cause of pure bhakti is association with devotees, not other acts,
though they are pious. Though one may be completely absorbed
(yatnavän) in processes like yoga, one cannot attain me.

|| 11.12.10 ||
rämeëa särdhaà mathuräà praëéte
çväphalkinä mayy anurakta-cittäù
vigäòha-bhävena na me viyoga-
tévrädhayo ’nyaà dadåçuù sukhäya

The gopés were always completely attached to me with the

deepest love. Therefore, when my uncle Akrüra brought my
brother Balaräma and me to the city of Mathurä, the residents
of Våndävana, suffering extreme mental distress because of
separation from me, could not find any other source of
happiness.

The love of the gopés is the most outstanding of all. This is described
in four verses. When I was decisively taken to Mathurä by Akrüra, the
gopés did not see anyone other than me to give them happiness, since
their hearts were completely attached to me on the sixth level of
prema-- anuräga, very intense love.1 Entering the next stage of
mahäbhäva, containing rüòha-bhäva, they suffered intense pain
because of separation. The past tense is used: they did not see
anything except me for happiness. This suggests that their suffering
ended. After killing Dantavakra, I united with the gopés again and
remained in that state.

|| 11.12.11 ||
täs täù kñapäù preñöhatamena nétä
mayaiva våndävana-gocareëa
kñaëärdha-vat täù punar aìga täsäà
hénä mayä kalpa-samä babhüvuù

All of those nights that the gopés spent with me, their most
dearly beloved, in the land of Våndävana while I herded the
cows, seemed to them to pass in less than a moment. Bereft of
my association, however, the gopés felt that those same
nights were equal to a day of Brahmä.

1
After prema, comes praëaya, sneha, raga, mäna, anuräga and mahäbhäva.
This verse shows the outstanding quality of rüòha-bhäva which is a
type of mahä-bhäva. The seventh state of prema, mahä-bhäva is
defined as kalpasya kñaëatä yoge viyoge tad-viparyayaù: in meeting
the Lord a kalpa seems to be a moment, and in separation a moment
seems to be a kalpa. (Ujjvala-néla-maëi 14.168) The nights of the räsa
dance with me, which lasted for a night of Brahmä, while I was situated in
Våndävana (våndävana-gocareëa) or while I was tending cows in
Våndävana, passed like half a moment. Nights of four praharas (twelve hours)
became like many days of Brahmä because they could not tolerate that time in separation.

|| 11.12.12 ||
tä nävidan mayy anuñaìga-baddha-
dhiyaù svam ätmänam adas tathedam
yathä samädhau munayo ’bdhi-toye
nadyaù praviñöä iva näma-rüpe

Their minds bound by constant association with me, they were

not aware of their bodies, of this world or the next world, just
as sages in samädhi are not aware of the world, and just as
rivers, on entering the ocean, lose their names and forms.

Ujjvala-néla-maëi explains that when one experiences intense

emotions, one forgets everything even though one is not in a state of
illusion. That is shown in this verse. Their minds were bound to
constant association with me. By his amazing pastimes Kåñëa stunned
all the three worlds. By his constant association he bound up the
gopés with great strength. The functions of their intelligence became
like desire cows for fulfilling Kåñëa’s desires, bound up by constant
association. They did not know their own bodies. In going to the räsa
dance, they did not know where they were, where they had come.
They were not aware of this world or then next (adaù), though they
had transgressed dharma. They were like sages in samädhi. In that
state, experiencing Brahman, the sages remember nothing. However
the gopés experienced me, not the Brahman. Thus the example is
useful to show forgetfulness, but is not meant to show the attainment.
There is a great difference between the gopés’ attaining prema and
the sages attaining nirväëa since their feelings of possessiveness are
different.

Seeing a husband or sons even without good qualities gives more

happiness than seeing the moon, which gives great bliss and destroys
all suffering. The cause is the possessiveness. One is more possessive
of husband and sons than of the moon. Then what to speak of the bliss
if one is unlimitedly possessive of Kåñëa, the supreme Brahman, who
gives unlimited bliss by his very nature, and is decorated with all good
qualities! This possessiveness is the cause of the greatest bliss for the
devotees.

brahmänando bhaved eña cet parärddha-guëékåtaù |

naiti bhakti-sukhämbhodheù paramäëu-tuläm api ||

The bliss of Brahman realization accumulated by samädhi lasting for half of

Brahmä’s life cannot compare to one drop of the ocean of the happiness of
bhakti. BRS 1.1.38

Brahman is attached to the devotees and under their control, but Brahman is
not attached to the sages and not under their control. Just as rivers enter the
ocean and do not know their name and form, the gopés, in relishing rasa, did
not know their names and forms. The comparison does not illustrate absolute
non-difference of gopés from Brahman.

|| 11.12.13 ||
mat-kämä ramaëaà järam
asvarüpa-vido ’baläù
brahma mäà paramaà präpuù
saìgäc chata-sahasraçaù

All those hundreds of thousands of gopés, desiring me, the

supreme Brahman, not knowing my form of power, attained
me, a lover who gave them pleasure because of association.

Thus they attained me. Desiring me, they attained me, the supreme
Brahman, who gave pleasure to them (ramaëam). Çukadeva said:

bhagavän api tä rätåéù çäradotphulla-mallikäù

vékñya rantuà manaç cakre yoga-mäyäm upäçritaù

Kåñëa, seeing those autumn nights scented with blossoming jasmine

flowers, decided to give pleasure to the gopés, using his yoga-mäyä.
SB 10.29.1

They attained me, not as a husband, but as a lover (järam). They did
not know my svarüpa of power, since they experienced only my great
sweetness. Or the meaning of asvarüpa-vidaù can be “they did not
attain särüpya, forms similar to mine like other devotees.” If they had
attained forms similar to Kåñëa, Kåñëa could not perform räsa dance
with them. Another meaning of asvarüpa-vidaù is “they did not know
the beauty of their own forms, but experienced the beauty of my
form.” Or another meaning is “gopés whose svarüpas no one knew.”

|| 11.12.14-15 ||
 tasmät tvam uddhavotsåjya
codanäà praticodanäm
pravåttià ca nivåttià ca
çrotavyaà çrutam eva ca

mäm ekam eva çaraëam

ätmänaà sarva-dehinäm
yähi sarvätma-bhävena
mayä syä hy akuto-bhayaù

O Uddhava! Give up duties and forbidden acts, the path of

enjoyment and the path of renunciation, desire to hear more
about dharma, and what you have already heard about
dharma. Surrender to me alone, the soul of all beings, using
all methods, with bhäva in your mind. You will be fearless by
my mercy.

In reply to Uddhava’s question about the qualities of the devotee,

Kåñëa described three types of devotees.2 By their respective
association, one attains mixed or pure bhakti. In order to show that he
is controlled by bhakti, he stated that he is controlled by association of
devotees. After describing the devotees who associate with the saintly
devotees, Kåñëa praised pure bhakti-yoga, situated in the gopés and
others, as being very rare. The burning tears of love for the gopis
which were deeply suppressed in his heart suddenly burst forth with
his statement in verse 10, in which he indicated that the gopés had
reached the highest level as devotees. To inspire Uddhava with that
high level of pure bhakti, Kåñëa speaks this verse.

Give up rules and prohibitions. Give up prescribed acts and forbidden

acts. “Should I take sannyäsa?” No. Give up the dharma of the
sannyäsés, renunciation as well as the dharma of the householders,
enjoyment. Do not hanker to hear about dharma in the future, and
forget what you have heard already. By all methods, by all bhävas in
the mind, such as däsya and sakhya, taking support of me, surrender.
You will be fearless by my mercy. You are not qualified for karma or
jïäna. But if you identify with those processes and thus fear sin and
continued saàsära because of neglect of duties and jïäna, I am here, to
deliver you from those two fears.

|| 11.12.16 ||
çré-uddhava uväca
saàçayaù çåëvato väcaà
tava yogeçvareçvara
2
These are the karma-miçra-bhakta, the jïäna-miçra-bhakta and the kevala-bhakta.
 na nivartata ätma-stho
yena bhrämyati me manaù

Uddhava said: O Lord of all masters of mystic power, I have

heard your words, but the doubt in my heart does not go away.
Thus my mind is bewildered.

My doubt is not dispelled. You previously said that I was qualified for
karma by saying mayi sarväëi karmäëi nirapekñaù samäcara: with
disinterest, give all karmas to me. (SB 11.11.22) Previous to that you
said:

yad idaà manasä väcä cakñurbhyäà çravaëädibhiù

naçvaraà gåhyamäëaà ca viddhi mäyä-mano-mayam ||

The material universe that you perceive through your mind, speech,
eyes, ears and other senses is a temporary creation that is equivalent
to what is made of mäyä when you perceive in the waking and to what
is made of the mind when you perceive in the dream state. SB 11.7.7

tasmäd yuktendriya-grämo yukta-citta idam jagat

ätmanékñasva vitatam ätmänaà mayy adhéçvare

Therefore, bringing all your senses under control and thus subduing
the mind, you should see the entire world as the object of enjoyment
for the jévas, expanded everywhere, and you should also see the jévas
as controlled by me, Paramätmä.
SB 11.11.7 and 9

By these verses you have told me to practice jïäna. Now you give me
qualification for bhakti by saying “Surrender to me.” I do not
understand. And later you will give me qualification for karma again.
Uddhava uses crooked words arising from sakhya-rasa.

|| 11.12.17 ||
çré-bhagavän uväca
sa eña jévo vivara-prasütiù
präëena ghoñeëa guhäà praviñöaù
mano-mayaà sükñmam upetya rüpaà
mäträ svaro varëa iti sthaviñöhaù

The Supreme Lord said: I am the Supreme Lord who gives life
to every living being. Manifesting in the various cakras, I
enter the mulädhära-cakra of Bramä along with präëa phase of
subtle parä sound. I then rise to the maëipüra-cakra in the
mental phase as paçyanté and to (the anähata–cakra, the
intellectual phase) in subtle form as madhyamä.3 I then take
the gross form of short and longs sounds, different
intonations, and the syllables of the alphabet.

O my friend Uddhava! Do not think like this! In order to help all jévas,
I am depositing with you the gems of methods to attain me—bhakti,
jïäna, special qualities, yoga, austerity and dharma, which should be
understood by the best devotee. You do not have any shame in
identifying yourself with each item. O Uddhava! Though I teach all
jévas to practice jïäna, karma, bhakti, yoga and austerity, what I have
just spoken, what I am speaking now, and what I will speak is directed
to you alone. But have you become qualified for each process by such
commands? To me, you are who you are. At this time, you cannot do
all of these methods. I say all this to you in a joking, comforting way.
I, and no one else, know the meaning of the Vedas, from which one can
understand how one jéva becomes qualified for karma, jïäna or bhakti
according to his condition. I alone have appeared from the mouth of
four headed Brahmä as the Vedas. Kåñëa then speaks this verse.

I, the Supreme Lord, am called jéva since I give life. I am that person.
Pointing with his forefinger he touches his chest. I make my
appearance in the mulädhära and other cakras (vivareñu) on Brahmä’s
body. That appearance is further described. I enter the ädhära-cakra
(guhäm) along with präëa filled with subtle sound called parä or näda
(ghoñeëa). I attain the subtle, mental form (manomayam) called
paçyanté in the maëipüra-cakra (below the navel) and then madhyamä
(in the anähata-cakra in the heart) and finally in the viçuddhi-cakra (at
the throat) I become gross sound called vaikharé with short and long
sounds, high, low and medium pitches, and various syllables of the
alphabet. I then became the various branches of the Veda.

|| 11.12.18 ||
yathänalaù khe ’nila-bandhur uñmä
balena däruëy adhimathyamänaù
aëuù prajäto haviñä samedhate
tathaiva me vyaktir iyaà hi väëé

When sticks of kindling wood are vigorously rubbed together,

heat is first situated as heat in the wood, and then by
assistance of air, a spark of fire appears. Once the fire is
kindled, ghee is added and the fire blazes. Similarly, I
gradually become manifest as the sound of the Vedas.

3
Later in this chapter and In SB 11.21.36 commentary these are also explained. There seems to be a little
contradiction, so these have been consolidated to make something consistent.
The gradually manifestation of the Vedas is described with an
example. Fire resides as invisible warmth in the space within wood
when the wood is first rubbed. With more rubbing of the wood, fire
appears in small amount with the aid of air, as a spark. When it clearly
manifests as fire, it then increases with addition of oblations. Similarly
I appear gradually as the sound of the Vedas. Without me who will
understand the deep meaning of the Vedas? Having understood, who
will establish the methods of bhakti, jïäna and karma for delivering the
jéva from saàsära. By mercy, I am now giving these methods to you,
the most qualified person, equal to me. The sages in Badarikäçrama,
receiving this knowledge from you, will be successful.

|| 11.12.19 ||
evaà gadiù karma gatir visargo
ghräëo raso dåk sparçaù çrutiç ca
saìkalpa-vijïänam athäbhimänaù
sütraà rajaù-sattva-tamo-vikäraù

Similarly, speech, action, motion, excretion, smelling, tasting,

seeing, touching, hearing, deciding, discerning, identity,
mahat-tattva, and transformations of rajas, sattva and tamas
are my material manifestation.

Just as the Vedas which arise from my form appeared from the body of
Brahmä, material sound arises from the body of material persons in a
corrupted form. Gadiù refers to speech using the material voice. Çruti
says:

catväri väk parimitä padäni täni vidur brähmaëä ye

manéñiëaù |
guhä tréëi nihitä neìgayanti turéyaà väco manuñyä vadanti
||

Wise men know the four aspects of speech. They do not

reveal the three hidden in the body. Men speak the fourth
form. Åg-veda 1.164.22

The meaning is this. Speech is measured in four phases. Three are

called parä, situated in präëa at the base of the spine, paçyanté,
situated in the mind in the navel, and madhyamä situated in
intelligence in the heart. The sages do not reveal their forms. The
fourth, called vaikharé is speech in the vocal organ.

Just as speech is manifested from me, the actions of all the senses of
the total and individual jévas are manifested from prakåti. Action is
the function of thehands. Movement is the action of the feet. Excretion
is the function of the anus and genital. These are all action senses.
Smell is the function of the nose. Taste is the function of the tongue.
Seeing is the function of the eye. Touch is the function of the skin.
Hearing the function of the ears. These are knowledge senses. Decision
is the function of the mind. Discrimination is the funciton of intelligence
and citta. Identity is the function of ahaìkära. Sütra or mahat-tattva is
the function of pradhäna. The transformations of rajas, sattva and
tamas are adhyätma, adhidaiva and adhibhüta. All of these are
manifestations of matter. The statement is a continuation of the last
verse.

|| 11.12.20 ||
ayaà hi jévas tri-våd abja-yonir
avyakta eko vayasä sa ädyaù
viçliñöa-çaktir bahudheva bhäti
béjäni yonià pratipadya yadvat

The Lord becomes the Lord made of the three guëas. He is one
entity and invisible, but by time, possessing many energies,
he becomes many forms, just as a seed on attaining a womb
becomes many sprouts.

In order to say that the material world manifested from the Lord is not
different from the Lord, first the Lord is described. This Lord (jévaù) is
the cause of the worlds composed of the lotus of Brahmä, being the
form of mäyä made of three guëas. First of all, before the creation, he
was one, with no manifestation of the world. In time, he becomes the
Lord (ädyaù) who is composed of matter, many çaktis which are
divided, such as the voice, and manifest as many forms such as
devatäs and humans. An example of one object becoming many is
described. It is like seeds which obtain a suitable womb. From one
seed many sprouts grow.

|| 11.12.21 ||
yasminn idaà protam açeñam otaà
paöo yathä tantu-vitäna-saàsthaù
ya eña saàsära-taruù puräëaù
karmätmakaù puñpa-phale prasüte

In the Lord, this universe exists like a cloth with vertical and
horizontal threads. It is like a tree, with no beginning,
consisting of the force of mäyä, giving birth to the flowers and
fruits of happiness and distress.

This universe which takes shelter of the Lord is not different from him
since it is the pastime of his mäyä. This is explained with an example.
In the Lord, this universe is like a cloth which is spread out with vertical
and horizontal threads. As the source of saàsära it is called saàsära.
This is described as a tree. It is without beginning (puräëaù),
containing the current of karma (karmätmakaù). The flower is the first
manifestation of the fruit. The fruits are happiness and distress, results
of piety and sin.

|| 11.12.22 ||
dve asya béje çata-mülas tri-nälaù
païca-skandhaù païca-rasa-prasütiù
daçaika-çäkho dvi-suparëa-néòas
tri-valkalo dvi-phalo ’rkaà praviñöaù

The tree has two seeds, a hundred roots, three trunks, five
branches, five saps, eleven branches, and a nest with two
birds. It has three layers of bark, two fruits. It reaches as far
as the sun.

The metaphor is expanded. It has two seeds, piety and sin. It has a
hundred roots or unlimited desires. It has three trunks or three guëas.
It has five branches, the five gross elements. It produces five saps, the
five sense objects. It has eleven branches, the senses. In the tree is a
nest with two birds, jéva and Paramätmä. It has three layers of bark,
väta, pitta, and çleñmä. It has two fruits, happiness and distress. It
spread up to the sun. One who goes beyond the sun becomes free of
saàsära.

. || 11.12.23 ||
adanti caikaà phalam asya gådhrä
gräme-carä ekam araëya-väsäù
haàsä ya ekaà bahu-rüpam ijyair
mäyä-mayaà veda sa veda vedam

The vultures or householders eat one fruit of the tree and the
swans or sannyäsés eat another fruit of the tree. He who
knows the universe of many forms produced by mäyä by
accepting worshipable gurus, knows the meaning of the Vedas.

This verse describes the enjoyers of the fruits. The vultures (gådhräù),
those who desire enjoyment, are the householders (gräme caräù).
They eat the one fruit of the tree, suffering, made of avidyä. There is
only one fruit since both hell and heaven are forms of suffering
produced by avidyä. The sannyäsés (haàsäù) eat one fruit, happiness,
arising from vidyä, by discrimination, since things related to jïäna all
give happiness. He who knows about the many forms arising through
mäyä-çakti, through worshipping gurus, knows the real meaning of the
Vedas.

|| 11.12.24 ||
evaà gurüpäsanayaika-bhaktyä
vidyä-kuöhäreëa çitena dhéraù
vivåçcya jéväçayam apramattaù
sampadya cätmänam atha tyajästram

Thus, by worshipping guru, by the axe of jïäna made sharp by

bhakti even in a secondary role, by being steady, destroy the
subtle body, and with attention attain Paramätmä. Then give
up the weapon of jïäna.

Knowing this, having accomplished the purpose, give up all sädhana.

By the axe of jïäna sharpened by the main process of bhakti which has
taken a secondary role, cut the subtle body made of the three guëas.
On attaining Paramätmä, give up the practice of jïäna, the weapon. I
am directing all these instructions to you (though you are beyond
jïäna), just as I gave all types of instructions to Arjuna in the Gétä. You
should not fear that this is detrimental for you.

Thus ends the commentary on Twelfth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto

of the Bhägavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance
with the previous äcäryas.