114 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 2
embracing a young woman in a dream; for some time it may be pleasing,
but actually the basic principle is false. The mental concoctions of happi-
ness and distress in this material world are compared to dreams because
of their falseness. All thoughts of obtaining happiness by using the ma-
terial senses have a false background and therefore have no meaning.

TEXT 49
ory freratrei a1 te atafed atec: |
ATM TET Fe AAA: ATTLAT [18
atha nityam anityarn va
neha Socanti tad-vidah
nanyatha sakyate karturh
sva-bhavah Socatam iti
atha—therefore; nityam—the eternal spirit soul; anityam—the tem-
porary material body; va—or; na—not; iha—in this world; Socanti—
they lament for; tat-vidah —those who are advanced in knowledge of the
body and soul; na—not; anyatha—otherwise; Sakyate—is able; kar-
tum—to do; sva-bhavah—the nature; socatam—of those prone to lam-
entation; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
Those who have full knowledge of self-realization, who know
very well that the spirit soul is eternal whereas the body is perisha-
ble, are not overwhelmed by lamentation. But persons who lack
knowledge of self-realization certainly lament. Therefore it is dif-
ficult to educate a person in illusion.
PURPORT
According to the mimamsa philosophers, everything is eternal, nitya,
and according to the Sankhya philosophers everything is mithya, or
anitya—impermanent. Nonetheless, without real knowledge of atma,
the soul, such philosophers must be bewildered and must continue to
lament as Siidras. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami therefore said to Pariksit
Maharaja:
