110 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 2

bhajaty utsrjati hy anyas
tac capi svena tejasa

bhiita—by the five material elements; indriya—the ten senses;
manah—and the mind; lirgan—characterized; dehan—gross material
bodies; ucca-avacdn —high class and low class; vibhuh—the individual
soul, which is the lord of the body and senses; bhajati—achieves; utsr-
jati—gives up; hi—indeed; anyah—being different; tat—that; ca—
also; api—indeed; svena—by his own; tejasa—power of advanced
knowledge.

TRANSLATION

The five material elements, the ten senses and the mind all com-
bine to form the various parts of the gross and subtle bodies. The
living entity comes in contact with his material bodies, whether
high or low, and later gives them up by his personal prowess. This
strength can be perceived in a living entity’s personal power to
possess different types of bodies.

PURPORT

The conditioned soul has knowledge, and if he wants to fully utilize
the gross and subtle bodies for his real advancement in life, he can do so.
It is therefore said here that by his high intelligence (svena tejasa), by
the superior power of superior knowledge achieved from the right
source —the spiritual master, or dcarya—he can give up his conditional
life in a material body and return home, back to Godhead. However, if he
wants to keep himself in the darkness of this material world, he can do

so. The Lord confirms this as follows in Bhagavad-gita (9.25):

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah

bhiitani yanti bhitejya
yanti mad-ydjino *pi mam

“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods;
those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings;
