SB 11.23.53 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

ग्रहानिमित्तं सुखदु:खयोश्चेत् किमात्मनोऽजस्य जनस्य ते वै । ग्रहैर्ग्रहस्यैववदन्तिपीडां क्रुध्येत कस्मैपुरुषस्ततोऽन्य: ॥ ५३ ॥

Verse text

grahā nimittaṁ sukha-duḥkhayoś cet kim ātmano ’jasya janasya te vai grahair grahasyaiva vadanti pīḍāṁ krudhyeta kasmai puruṣas tato ’nyaḥ

Synonyms

grahāḥ — the controlling planets ; nimittam — the immediate cause ; sukha — duḥkhayoḥ — of happiness and distress ; cet — if ; kim — what ; ātmanaḥ — for the soul ; ajasya — who is unborn ; janasya — of that which is born ; te — those planets ; vai — indeed ; grahaiḥ — by other planets ; grahasya — of a planet ; eva — only ; vadanti — (expert astrologers) say ; pīḍām — suffering ; krudhyeta — should become angry ; kasmai — at whom ; puruṣaḥ — the living entity ; tataḥ — from that material body ; anyaḥ — distinct .

Translation

And if we examine the hypothesis that the planets are the immediate cause of suffering and happiness, then also where is the relationship with the soul, who is eternal? After all, the effect of the planets applies only to things that have taken birth. Expert astrologers have moreover explained how the planets are only causing pain to each other. Therefore, since the living entity is distinct from these planets and from the material body, against whom should he vent his anger?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

And if the planets are the cause of suffering and happiness, then also where is the relationship with the eternal soul? The planets influence only the bodies that have taken birth. Expert astrologers have moreover explained that suffering is caused by the planets causing affliction to each other. Therefore, since the living entity is distinct from these planets and from the material body, against whom should he vent his anger? If you claim that planets are the cause of suffering, what role has the unborn jīva in this? The planets relate to bodies which are born. Depending on the ascendant at birth, the planets situated in the twelve zodiac signs become causes of suffering by placement in the eighth house for instance. The astrologers also say that the planets in the sky afflict each other by various aspects, and this is the cause of suffering. They do not afflict the person. The affliction from planets arises from the jīva’s identity with the body, which is born on the ascendant. With whom should the jīva, different from the body and the planets, become angry?