Text 32
yāvat syād guṇa-vaiṣamyaṁ
tāvan nānātvam ātmanaḥ
nānātvam ātmano yāvat
pāratantryaṁ tadaiva hi
yāvat — as long as; syāt — there is; guṇa — of the modes of material nature; vaiṣamyam — separate existences; tāvat — then there will be; nānātvam — different states of existence; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; nānātvam — different states of existence; ātmanaḥ — of the soul; yāvat — as long as there are; pāratantryam — dependence; tadā — then there will be; eva — certainly; hi — indeed.
As long as the living entity thinks that the modes of material nature have separate existences, he will be obliged to take birth in many different forms and will experience varieties of material existence. Therefore, the living entity remains completely dependent on fruitive activities under the modes of nature.
The word guṇa-vaiṣamyam indicates forgetfulness of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which causes one to see material varieties as separate states of existence. The living entity, being attracted to material varieties and having faith in them, is forced to experience these varieties in different material bodies, such as those of demigods, pigs, businessmen, insects, and so on. According to the karma-mīmāṁsā philosophers, there is no transcendental living entity who is the background of all existence. They accept material variety as the final reality. However, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is the actual basis of everything. Everything is within Him, and He is within everything. A pure devotee of the Lord sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere and sees all of the variegated modes of nature as the potency of Lord Kṛṣṇa. One who does not see Lord Kṛṣṇa will certainly see material variegatedness as the supreme reality. Such vision is called māyā, or gross illusion, and is similar to the vision of an animal. Pāratantryam means one will remain caught in the web of fruitive activities unless one gives up this superficial, separatist vision.