178 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 5

beyond the creation. Therefore, not only does He control the conditioned
souls through His external energy, but He also controls the external en-
ergy itself. Bhagavad-gita clearly says that the strong material energy
controls everyone and that getting out of her control is extremely dif-
ficult. That controlling energy belongs to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and works under His control. The living entities, however,

being subdued by the material energy, have forgotten the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead.
TEXT 31

mM ad afr aca
aaa ae alecaaia: |
aft a axaraa «fae
PNSATA =—«- ALTA: 112. 2

ime vayam yat-priyayaiva tanva
sattvena srsta bahir-antar-dvih

gatirh na stiksmdm rsayas ca vidmahe
kuto ’surddyd itara-pradhanah

ime—these; vayam—we (the demigods); yat—to whom; priyaya—
appearing very near and dear; eva—certainly; tanva—the material
body; sattvena—by the mode of goodness; srstah—created; bahih-an-
tah-dvih—although fully aware, internally and externally; gatim—
destination; na—not; siiksmam—very subtle; rsayah—great saintly
persons; ca—also; vidmahe—understand; kutah—how; asura-ddyah—
the demons and atheists; itara—who are insignificant in their identities;
pradhanah—although they are leaders of their own societies.

TRANSLATION

Since our bodies are made of sattva-guna, we, the demigods, are
internally and externally situated in goodness. All the great saints
are also situated in that way. Therefore, if even we cannot under-
stand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is to be said of
those who are most insignificant in their bodily constitutions,
being situated in the modes of passion and ignorance? How can
