Text 59] _—_ Instructions for Civilized Human Beings 269

manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.”’ In this regard,
Srila Madhvacdrya gives this note: durghatatvad arthatvena
parameSvarenaiva kalpitam. The background of everything is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa
mahatma sudurlabhah. This can be understood by a mahatmé who is
perfect in knowledge. Such a mahatmé is rarely seen.

TEXT 59

figerctararatat ara a aerate fe
adore Farasts a rs Aaa TAMI4S II

ksity-adindm iharthanam
chaya na katamapi hi
na sanghato vikaro "pi

na prthan nanvito mrsa

ksiti-ddindm—of the five elements, beginning with the earth; iha—in
this world; arthanadm—of those five elements; chaya—shadow; na—
neither; katamé —which of them; api—indeed; hi—certainly; na—nor;
sarnghatah—combination; vikdrah—transformation; api—although; na
prthak—nor separated; na anvitah—nor inherent in; mrsd—all these
theories are without substance.

TRANSLATION

In this world there are five elements—namely earth, water, fire,
air and ether—but the body is not a reflection of them, nor a com-
bination or transformation of them. Because the body and its in-
gredients are neither distinct nor amalgamated, all such theories
are insubstantial.

PURPORT

A forest is certainly a transformation of the earth, but one tree does
not depend on another tree; if one is cut down, this does not mean that
the others are cut down. Therefore, the forest is neither a combination
nor a transformation of the trees. The best explanation is given by Krsna

Himself:
