244 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 5

TRANSLATION

These three modes of material nature, being further manifested as
matter, knowledge and activities, put the eternally transcendental living
entity under conditions of cause and effect and make him responsible for
such activities.

PURPORT

Because they are between the internal and external potencies, the
eternally transcendental living entities are called the marginal potency of
the Lord. Factually, the living entities are not meant to be so conditioned
by material energy, but duc to their being affected by the false sense of
lording over the material energy they come under the influence of such
potency and thus become conditioned by the three modes of material
nature. This external energy of the Lord covers up pure knowledge of the
living entity’s eternally existing with Him, but the covering is so constant
that it appears that the conditioned soul is eternally ignorant. Such is the
wonderful action of maya, or external energy manifested as if materially
produced. By the covering power of the material energy, the material
scientist cannot look beyond the material causes, but factually, behind
the material manifestations, there are adhibhitta, adhydtma and adhidaiva
actions, which the conditioned soul in the mode of ignorance cannot see.
The adhibhitta manifestation entails repetitions of births and deaths with
old age and diseases, the adhydtma manifestation conditions the spirit
soul, and the adhidaiva manifestation is the controlling system. These are
the material manifestations of cause and effect and the sense of responsi-
bility of the conditioned actors. They are, after all, manifestations of the
conditioned state, and freedom from such a conditioned state by the
human being is the highest perfectional attainment.

TEXT 20

@ UY wMligataracaa: |
aafranfaayq att wa WaT NRoll

sa esa bhagaval liigais
tribhir etair adhoksajah

svalaksita-gatir brahman
sarvesam mama cesvarah
