(a) Conditioned souls are called Nitya-baddha, because

    • Material energy, like spiritual energy, is an eternal divine energy
    • No one can trace out the history of being conditioned

    (b) Difficult to overcome – because controlled by Supreme will

    (c) “Divine Nature” – Material energy is called so because of divine connection and movement by divine will (Ref. Vedas “nayam…”)

    (d) Analogy of ‘Guna as rope’: Only a liberated person can rescue one who is bound

    • Only Krishna or His bona-fide representative can rescue one
    • Devotional service can help one gain release
    • Causeless mercy on surrendered soul – Krishna, out of paternal affection for the living entity, can order His energies to release the conditioned soul

    (e) “Mam-eva” indicates surrender to only Krishna and not Brahma / Shiva (Because they are also under material energy) etc. Only Vishnu is the master of maya

    • Ref. Vedas: One can transcend the modes only by understanding Krishna
    • Ref. Lord Shiva says: “Vishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone”

    (f) Why Brahma / Shiva cannot help

    • They are almost on the level of Vishnu but they are incarnations of Rajo-guna and Tamoguna
    • Brahma and Shiva are also under the influence of maya, only Vishnu is the master of Maya

    (a) “Deluded by modes” – It means to identify oneself with a particular type of body and its type of psychological and biological activities – Example: To identify oneself based on Varna, Nation or Community etc.

    (b) “Result of delusion”

    (c) How mode of goodness also deludes – It limits the understanding of the ‘Absolute’ to the impersonal Brahman conception

    (d) Who is actually liberated

    LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 7.14 & 7.15: If surrender is the solution to cross material laws, then why educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators and all leaders don’t surrender unto the lotus feet.

    Text 7.14

    THEME : Explains how to get free of modes and how to understand Krishna

    • Difficult by own endeavour
    • Easy by surrender to Krishna
    Learnings from Purport 7.14

    (a) Conditioned souls are called Nitya-baddha, because

    • Material energy, like spiritual energy, is an eternal divine energy
    • No one can trace out the history of being conditioned

    (b) Difficult to overcome – because controlled by Supreme will

    (c) “Divine Nature” – Material energy is called so because of divine connection and movement by divine will (Ref. Vedas “nayam…”)

    (d) Analogy of ‘Guna as rope’: Only a liberated person can rescue one who is bound

    • Only Krishna or His bona-fide representative can rescue one
    • Devotional service can help one gain release
    • Causeless mercy on surrendered soul – Krishna, out of paternal affection for the living entity, can order His energies to release the conditioned soul

    (e) “Mam-eva” indicates surrender to only Krishna and not Brahma / Shiva (Because they are also under material energy) etc. Only Vishnu is the master of maya

    • Ref. Vedas: One can transcend the modes only by understanding Krishna
    • Ref. Lord Shiva says: “Vishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone”

    (f) Why Brahma / Shiva cannot help

    • They are almost on the level of Vishnu but they are incarnations of Rajo-guna and Tamoguna
    • Brahma and Shiva are also under the influence of maya, only Vishnu is the master of Maya

      (a) “Deluded by modes” – It means to identify oneself with a particular type of body and its type of psychological and biological activities – Example: To identify oneself based on Varna, Nation or Community etc.

      (b) “Result of delusion”

      (c) How mode of goodness also deludes – It limits the understanding of the ‘Absolute’ to the impersonal Brahman conception

      (d) Who is actually liberated

      LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 7.14 & 7.15: If surrender is the solution to cross material laws, then why educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators and all leaders don’t surrender unto the lotus feet.

      Text 7.14

      THEME : Explains how to get free of modes and how to understand Krishna

      • Difficult by own endeavour
      • Easy by surrender to Krishna
      Learnings from Purport 7.14

      (a) Conditioned souls are called Nitya-baddha, because

      • Material energy, like spiritual energy, is an eternal divine energy
      • No one can trace out the history of being conditioned

      (b) Difficult to overcome – because controlled by Supreme will

      (c) “Divine Nature” – Material energy is called so because of divine connection and movement by divine will (Ref. Vedas “nayam…”)

      (d) Analogy of ‘Guna as rope’: Only a liberated person can rescue one who is bound

      • Only Krishna or His bona-fide representative can rescue one
      • Devotional service can help one gain release
      • Causeless mercy on surrendered soul – Krishna, out of paternal affection for the living entity, can order His energies to release the conditioned soul

      (e) “Mam-eva” indicates surrender to only Krishna and not Brahma / Shiva (Because they are also under material energy) etc. Only Vishnu is the master of maya

      • Ref. Vedas: One can transcend the modes only by understanding Krishna
      • Ref. Lord Shiva says: “Vishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone”

      (f) Why Brahma / Shiva cannot help

      • They are almost on the level of Vishnu but they are incarnations of Rajo-guna and Tamoguna
      • Brahma and Shiva are also under the influence of maya, only Vishnu is the master of Maya

      KRISHNA CONTROLS THE MODES: SO SURRENDER (7.13– 7.14)

      PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SECTION III

      • The three modes are Krishna’s potency, which keeps the conditioned souls in illusion
      • To be free from their influence, therefore, one must take shelter of Him
      • Freedom from modes depends on proportion of surrender

      LINK WITH PREVIOUS SECTION : We have now understood that Krishna is both the cause and the essence of everything. In Text 7.12 Krishna summarizes, adding that everything is under His control, including the three modes of material nature, which in turn control this world.
      This verse ends Krishna ‘s discussion of His para (spiritual) and apara (material) energies. At this point, one may wonder why we are prevented from seeing, knowing and surrendering to Krishna if He is, in one way or another, everywhere. Krishna answers this question in the next two verses

      Text 7.13

      THEME : Explains “Why people do not know and realize Him as the essence of all, if He is everywhere?”

      • Because they are bewildered by three modes
      • On the contrary, they think – Krishna is also under modes like me
      • Real position of Krishna – “Above modes” and “inexhaustible
      Learnings from Purport 7.13

      (a) “Deluded by modes” – It means to identify oneself with a particular type of body and its type of psychological and biological activities – Example: To identify oneself based on Varna, Nation or Community etc.

      (b) “Result of delusion”

      • One forgets Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the modes
      • They do not understand that behind material nature is Supreme Personality of Godhead

      (c) How mode of goodness also deludes – It limits the understanding of the ‘Absolute’ to the impersonal Brahman conception

      • It conditions one by happiness and knowledge

      (d) Who is actually liberated

      • Only one truly established in Krishna consciousness
      • Krishna Consciousness is transcendental to three modes

      LINK BETWEEN TEXTS 7.14 & 7.15: If surrender is the solution to cross material laws, then why educated philosophers, scientists, businessmen, administrators and all leaders don’t surrender unto the lotus feet.

      Text 7.14

      THEME : Explains how to get free of modes and how to understand Krishna

      • Difficult by own endeavour
      • Easy by surrender to Krishna
      Learnings from Purport 7.14

      (a) Conditioned souls are called Nitya-baddha, because

      • Material energy, like spiritual energy, is an eternal divine energy
      • No one can trace out the history of being conditioned

      (b) Difficult to overcome – because controlled by Supreme will

      (c) “Divine Nature” – Material energy is called so because of divine connection and movement by divine will (Ref. Vedas “nayam…”)

      (d) Analogy of ‘Guna as rope’: Only a liberated person can rescue one who is bound

      • Only Krishna or His bona-fide representative can rescue one
      • Devotional service can help one gain release
      • Causeless mercy on surrendered soul – Krishna, out of paternal affection for the living entity, can order His energies to release the conditioned soul

      (e) “Mam-eva” indicates surrender to only Krishna and not Brahma / Shiva (Because they are also under material energy) etc. Only Vishnu is the master of maya

      • Ref. Vedas: One can transcend the modes only by understanding Krishna
      • Ref. Lord Shiva says: “Vishnu is the deliverer of liberation for everyone”

      (f) Why Brahma / Shiva cannot help

      • They are almost on the level of Vishnu but they are incarnations of Rajo-guna and Tamoguna
      • Brahma and Shiva are also under the influence of maya, only Vishnu is the master of Maya
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