Devanagari
यावत् स्याद् गुणवैषम्यं तावन्नानात्वमात्मन: ।
नानात्वमात्मनो यावत् पारतन्त्र्यं तदैव हि ॥ ३२ ॥
Verse text
yāvat syād guṇa-vaiṣamyaṁ
tāvan nānātvam ātmanaḥ
nānātvam ātmano yāvat
pāratantryaṁ tadaiva hi
Synonyms
yāvat
—
as long as
;
syāt
—
there is
;
guṇa
—
of the modes of material nature
;
vaiṣamyam
—
separate existences
;
tāvat
—
then there will be
;
nānātvam
—
different states of existence
;
ātmanaḥ
—
of the soul
;
nānātvam
—
different states of existence
;
ātmanaḥ
—
of the soul
;
yāvat
—
as long as there are
;
pāratantryam
—
dependence
;
tadā
—
then there will be
;
eva
—
certainly
;
hi
—
indeed .
Translation
As long as the living entity thinks that the modes of material nature have separate existences, he will be obliged to take birth in many different forms and will experience varieties of material existence. Therefore, the living entity remains completely dependent on fruitive activities under the modes of nature.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
As long as the jīva acts through his senses and creates various destinations, he will attain a variety of bodies. As long as such bodies exist, he will remain dependent on karma.
As long as the jīva acts with his senses and produces diversity in high or low destinations, he will attain variety of devatā or animal bodies. As long as that variety exists, the jīva remains dependent on karma.
Purport
The word
guṇa-vaiṣamyam
indicates forgetfulness of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which causes one to see material varieties as separate states of existence. The living entity, being attracted to material varieties and having faith in them, is forced to experience these varieties in different material bodies, such as those of demigods, pigs, businessmen, insects, and so on. According to the
karma-mīmāṁsā
philosophers, there is no transcendental living entity who is the background of all existence. They accept material variety as the final reality. However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is the actual basis of everything. Everything is within Him, and He is within everything. A pure devotee of the Lord sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere and sees all of the variegated modes of nature as the potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One who does not see Lord Kṛṣṇa will certainly see material variegatedness as the supreme reality. Such vision is called
māyā,
or gross illusion, and is similar to the vision of an animal.
Pāratantryam
means one will remain caught in the web of fruitive activities unless one gives up this superficial, separatist vision.