8 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 1

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is always transcen-
dental to material qualities, and therefore He is called nirguna, or
without qualities. Because He is unborn, He does not have a ma-
terial body to be subjected to attachment and hatred. Although the
Lord is always above material existence, through His spiritual
potency He appeared and acted like an ordinary human being, ac-
cepting duties and obligations, apparently like a conditioned soul.

PURPORT

So-called attachment, detachment and obligations pertain to the ma-
terial nature, which is an emanation from the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, but whenever the Lord descends and acts in this material
world, He does so in His spiritual position. Although His activities ma-
terially appear different, spiritually they are absolute and nondifferent.
Thus it is an imposition upon the Supreme Lord to say that He is envious
of anyone or friendly to anyone.

In Bhagavad-gita (9.11) the Lord clearly says, avajénanti mam
midhé mdnusim tanum Gsritam: “Fools deride Me when I descend in a
human form.” Krsna appears on this earth or within this universe with-
out any change in His spiritual body or spiritual qualities. Indeed, He is
never influenced by the material qualities. He is always free from such
qualities, but He appears to act under material influence. This under-
standing is dropita, or an imposition. Therefore Krsna says, janma
karma ca me divyam: whatever He does, being always transcendental,
has nothing to do with material qualities. Evam yo vetti tattvatah: only
devotees can understand the truth of how He acts. The fact is that Krsna
is never partial to anyone. He is always equal to everyone, but because of
imperfect vision, influenced by material qualities, one imposes material
qualities upon Krsna, and when one does so he becomes a miidha, a fool.
When one can properly understand the truth, one becomes devoted and
nirguna, free from material qualities. Simply by understanding the ac-
tivities of Krsna one can become transcendental, and as soon as one is
transcendental he is fit to be transferred to the transcendental world.
Tyaktva dehar punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna: one who under-
