Text 34] Fundamental Principles of Material Nature 1101
bhittanam chidra-datrtvam
bahir antaram eva ca
pranendriyatma-dhisn yatvam
nabhaso vrtti-laksanam

bhiitardm-—of all living entities; chidra-datrtvam—the accommodation of
room; bahir—external; antaram—internal; eva—also; ca—and; prana—of the
vital air; indriya—the senses; atma—and the mind;dhisnyatvam—being the
field of activities; nabhasah—of the ethereal element; vrtti—activities;
laksanam—characteristics.

TRANSLATION

The activities and characteristics of the ethereal element can be ob-
served as accommodation for the room for the external and internal
existences of all living entities, namely the field of activities of the vital
air, the senses and the mind.

PURPORT

The mind, the senses and the vital force, or living entity, have forms,
although they are not visible to the naked eye. Form rests in subtle
existence in the sky, and internally it is perceived as the veins within the
body and the circulation of the vital air. Externally there are invisible
forms of sense objects. The production of the invisible sense objects is the
external activity of the ethereal element, and the circulation of vital air
and biood is its internal activity. That subtle forms exist in the ether has
been proven by modern science by transmission of television, by which
forms or photographs of one place are transmitted to another place by the
action of the ethereal element. That is very nicely explained here. This
verse is the potential basis of great scientific research work, for it explains
how subtle forms are generated from the ethereal element, what their
characteristics and actions are, and how the tangible elements, namely air,
fire, water and earth, are manifested from the subtle form. Mental
activities or psychological actions of thinking, feeling and willing are
also activities on the platform of ethereal existence. The statement in
Bhagavad-gita that the mental situation at the time of death is the basis of
the next birth is also corroborated in this verse. Mental existence trans-
forms into tangible form as soon as there is an opportunity due to
contamination or development of the gross elements from subtle form.
