Text 6] Further Inquiries by Vidura 267

TEXT 6

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AI Diet T SM T BAA: Far tl & UI

bhagavan eka evaisa
sarva-ksetresv avasthitah

amusya durbhagatvam va
kleso va karmabhih kutah

bhagavan— the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ekah—alone; eva-esah—
all these; sarva—all; ksetresu—in the living entities; avasthitah—situated;
amusya—of the living entities; durbhagatvam—misfortune; va—either;
klesah— miseries; va—or; karmabhih—by activities; kutah—what for.

TRANSLATION

The Lord, as the Supersoul, is situated in every living being’s heart. Why
then do the living entities’ activities result in misfortune and misery?

PURPORT

The next question put forward by Vidura to Maitreya is, “Why are the
living entities subjected oso many miseries and misfortunes in spite of the
Lord’s presence in their hearts as the Supersoul?”” The body is considered
a fruitful tree, and the living entity and the Lord as Supersoul are like two
birds seated in that tree. The individual soul is eating the fruit of the tree,
but the Supersoul, the Lord, is witnessing the activities of the other bird,
A cilizen of the state may be in miseries for want of sufficient supervision
by the state authority, but how can it be possible that a citizen suffers
from other citizens while the chief of the state is personally present? From
another point of view, it is understood that the jiva living entity is
qualitatively one with the Lord, and thus his knowledge in the pure state
of life cannot be covered by nescience, especially in the presence of the
Supreme Lord. How then does the living entity become subjected to igno-
rance and covered by the influence of maya? The Lord is the father and
protector of every living entity, and He is known as the bhuta-bhrt, or the
maintainer of the living entities. Why then should the living entity be
subjected to so many sufferings and misfortunes? It should not be so,
but actually we see that it happens every where. This question is therefore
put forward by Vidura for solution.
