SB 03.25.01 kapilas tattva-sankhyata... cited

Expressions researched:
"atma-prajnaptaye nrnam" |"bhagavan atma-mayaya" |"jatah svayam ajah saksad" |"kapilas tattva-sankhyata"

SB Canto 3

SB 3.25.1, Translation and Purport:

Śrī Śaunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole human race.

Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti, Verse 1

The word ātma-prajñaptaye indicates that the Lord descends for the benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the Vedic knowledge, which offers a program for good living conditions and gradual elevation to the platform of goodness. In the mode of goodness one's knowledge expands. On the platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is simply an impetus to enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is no knowledge and no enjoyment, but simply life almost like that of animals.

The Vedas are meant to elevate one from the mode of ignorance to the platform of goodness. When one is situated in the mode of goodness he is able to understand knowledge of the self, or transcendental knowledge. This knowledge cannot be appreciated by any ordinary man. Therefore, since a disciplic succession is required, this knowledge is expounded either by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or by His bona fide devotee. Śaunaka Muni also states here that Kapila, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, took birth, or appeared, simply to appreciate and disseminate transcendental knowledge. Simply to understand that one is not matter but spirit soul (ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am by nature Brahman") is not sufficient knowledge for understanding the self and his activities. One must be situated in the activities of Brahman. Knowledge of those activities is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Such transcendental knowledge can be appreciated in human society but not in animal society, as clearly indicated here by the word nṛṇām, "for the human beings." Human beings are meant for regulated life. By nature, there is regulation in animal life also, but that is not like the regulative life as described in the scriptures or by the authorities. Human life is regulated life, not animal life. In regulated life only can one understand transcendental knowledge.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

Prabhupāda:

kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā

bhagavān ātma-māyayā

jātaḥ svayam ajaḥ sākṣād

ātma-prajñaptaye nṛṇām

(SB 3.25.1)

So we are reciting from our latest edition of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is Third Canto, Part Four. We have finished Third Canto, publishing. This is very important subject matter. The Kapila, the expounder of Sāṅkhya philosophy, he instructed to His mother, Devahūti. There are two Kapilas. Real Kapiladeva is Kapila. He expounded Sāṅkhya philosophy to instruct His mother. But later on, some imitation Kapiladeva also appeared—atheistic Sāṅkhya philosophy. He has simply dealt with the twenty-four different elements without information of God. Therefore there are two Kapilas. One Kapila is called the devahūti-putra Kapila; another is atheist Kapila.

So about Kapiladeva it is said, Śaunaka Ṛṣ..., that kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā: "Kapila, the Supreme Person," tattva-saṅkhyātā, "He can explain what is Absolute Truth." Kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā bhagavān. Without Bhagavān, nobody knows what is the actual position of the Ultimate Truth. Nobody can know it. Therefore Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa or His incarnation occasionally visit to give you information about what is the aim of life. Tattva-saṅkhyātā. Saṅkhyātā means expounder, and tattva means the Absolute Truth. So Absolute Truth is Bhagavān Himself, Kṛṣṇa Himself. So we cannot understand the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Person by mental speculation. That is not possible, especially when we are under the influence of the three modes of material nature because material nature is divided into three status: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, and tamo-guṇa. Those who are in the sattva-guṇa, they are fit for understanding the Absolute Truth. Sattva-guṇa means the brahminical qualification. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). They can understand. Therefore, in our Vedic conception of human society there must be a class of men, actually brāhmaṇa. Then they will be able to expound the real truth of life. If everyone becomes śūdra, then the Absolute Truth cannot be understood.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā bhagavān. Kapila is Bhagavān. Nowadays Bhagavān is so cheap. They misuses of the word. But here you will find that Bhagavān is not an ordinary man. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Because Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa appeared as human being, so the mūḍhas, rascals and fools, they think of Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being, mūḍha. Mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam, tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ, mohitam (BG 7.13). So still there are devotees who can understand. Just like Arjuna understood that "Kṛṣṇa, although He's my friend, playing the part of my friend, but He is Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna for our benefit... Arjuna is in perfect knowledge, but aiming at Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction for all human society, and he admitted. After knowing Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the Paraṁbrahma." Paraṁbrahman. Every one of us, Brahman. Brahman means spirit soul. We are not this body. Bhāgavata... This is realization, self-realization. That is Vedic culture. One must understand what he is. We should not keep ourself in ignorance like cats and dogs, thinking that "I am this body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," or so many designations. That is bodily designation. So when one comes to the spiritual understanding, that is called Brahman realization. Bhāgavata...

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So when things are mismanaged and people forget the aim of life, at that time the Supreme Lord comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). So dharmasya glāniḥ means the human society, when missing the aim of life, at that time, when things are very much mismanaged, then out of compassion... Because God is more anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead, than we are, because we are in ignorance. We do not know what is the kingdom of God, how to go back there, how to become happy. We have all forgotten. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes at interval. He sends His representative, the devotee. That is going on. So sometimes He comes personally; sometimes He sends His incarnation. The Kapiladeva is an incarnation of the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is stated here, kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā bhagavān. Incarnation of Bhagavān is also Bhagavān. Bhagavān ātma-māyayā. Ātma-māyayā means... Māyā means illusion, māyā means affection, and māyā means energy. When Kṛṣṇa comes, or Kṛṣṇa's energy, or Kṛṣṇa's incarnation comes, that is not by force. Just like we. We are forced to come. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We have to accept a certain type of body by force, not ātma-māyayā. Suppose I have got this human form of body. I cannot demand that "Next life I will have like this." No. That is not possible. Next life you will get according to your karma. Just like you are being educated. You cannot say that "Make me the high-court judge." That is not possible. If you are qualified, then you become. Similarly, karmaṇā... You have to qualify yourself. So there are 8,400,000's of different forms of life. So by your karma, next life you can become a devatā, a demigod. Even if you like, you can become Indra, Candra. Or you can become cats and dogs. That depends... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). So this will depend on my karma.