74 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 15

three kinds of tribulations—adhibhautika, adhidaivika and
adhyatmika. Therefore this body is a source of all miseries.

PURPORT

In the Fifth Canto (5.5.4), while instructing his sons, Rsabhadeva said,
asann api klesada asa dehah: the body, although temporary, is the cause
of all the miseries of material existence. As already discussed in the pre-
vious verse. the entire material creation is based on mental concoction.
The mind sometimes induces us to think that if we purchase an
automobile we can enjoy the physical elements, such as earth, water, air
and fire, combined in forms of iron, plastic, petrol and so on. Working
with the five material elements (paiica-bhiitas), as well as with our five
knowledge-gathering senses like the eyes, ears and tongue and our five
active senses like the hands and legs, we become involved in the material
condition. Thus we are subjected to the tribulations known as adhyat-
mika, adhidaivika and adhibhautika. The mind is the center because the
mind creates all these things. As soon as the material object is struck,
however, the mind is affected, and we suffer. For example, with the ma-
terial elements, the working senses and the knowledge-gathering senses
we create a very nice car, and when the car is accidentally smashed in a
collision, the mind suffers, and through the mind the living entity
suffers.

The fact is that the living entity, while concocting with the mind, cre-
ates the material condition. Because matter is destructible, through the
material condition the living entity suffers. Otherwise, the living entity
is detached from all material conditions. When one comes to the Brah-
man platform, the platform of spiritual life, fully understanding that he
is a spiritual soul (aham brahmasmi), he is no longer affected by lamen-
tation or hankering. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (18.54):

brahma-bhitah prasannatma
na Socati na kanksati

“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme
Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have
anything.” Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita (15.7) the Lord says:
