58 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 7
Sri-sampradaya, and Kuméara-sampradaya. Sampradaya-vihinad ye
mantras te nisphala matah. The knowledge of the Supreme received
from such a sampradaya, or disciplic succession, can give one enlighten-
ment. If one does not take to the path of disciplic succession, it is not
possible for one to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If
one understands the Supreme Lord through devotional service with faith
in the disciplic succession and then advances further, he awakens his
natural love for God, and then his success in life is assured.
TEXT 18
HTM: TSH AAT TE SEA AAA: |
porter TWA Hover lll!
Janmadyah sad ime bhava
drsta dehasya nétmanah
phalanam iva urksasya
kalenesvara-mirtina
Jjanma-Gdyah—beginning with birth; sat—the six (birth, existence,
growth, transformation, dwindling and at last death); ime—all these;
bhavah—different conditions of the body; drstah—seen; dehasya—of
the body; na—not; dtmanah—of the soul; phalanaém—of the fruits;
iva—like; urksasya—of a tree; ka@lena—in due course of time; iSvara-
miurtina—whose form is the ability to transform or control the bodily ac-
tivities.
TRANSLATION
Just as the fruits and flowers of a tree in due course of time un-
dergo six changes—birth, existence, growth, transformation,
dwindling and then death—the material body, which is obtained
by the spirit soul under different circumstances, undergoes simi-
lar changes. However, there are no such changes for the spirit
soul.
PURPORT
This is a very important verse in understanding the difference be-
tween the spiritual soul and the material body. The soul is eternal, as
stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.20):
