292 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 4
nayam atmé tathaitesu
viparyeti yathaiva bhiih

bhuvi—on the surface of the world; bhaumdni—all material products
from earth, such as pots; bhitani—which are produced; yathd—as;
yanti—appear (in form); apaydnti—disappear (broken or mixed with
the earth); ca—and; na—not; ayam dtmé—the soul or spiritual iden-
tity; tathd—similarly; etesu—among all these (products of material ele-
ments); viparyeti—is changed or broken; yatha—as; eva—certainly;
bhih—the earth.

TRANSLATION

In this world, we can see that pots, dolls and other products of
the earth appear, break and then disappear, mixing with the earth.
Similarly, the bodies of all conditioned living entities are annihi-
lated, but the living entities, like the earth itself, are unchanging
and never annihilated [na hanyate hanyamane Sarire].

PURPORT

Although Kamsa is described as a demon, he had good knowledge of
the affairs of dtma-tattva, the truth of the self. Five thousand years ago,
there were kings like Karnsa, who is described as an asura, but he was
better than modern politicians and diplomats, who have no knowledge
about dtma-tattva. As stated in the Vedas, asarigo hy ayam purusah: the
spirit soul has no connection with the changes of the material body. The
body undergoes six changes—birth, growth, sustenance, by-products,
dwindling and then annihilation—but the soul undergoes no such
changes. Even after the annihilation of a particular bodily form, the
original source of the bodily elements does not change. The living entity
enjoys the material body, which appears and disappears, but the five ele-
ments earth, water, fire, air and ether remain the same. The example
given here is that pots and dolls are produced from the earth, and when
broken or destroyed they mingle with their original ingredients. In any
case, the source of supply remains the same.

As already discussed, the body is made according to the desires of the
soul. The soul desires, and thus the body is formed. Krsna therefore says
in Bhagavad-gita (18.61):
