SB 12.5.7 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

स्‍नेहाधिष्ठानवर्त्यग्निसंयोगो यावदीयते । तावद्दीपस्य दीपत्वमेवं देहकृतो भव: । रज:सत्त्वतमोवृत्त्या जायतेऽथ विनश्यति ॥ ७ ॥

Verse text

snehādhiṣṭhāna-varty-agni- saṁyogo yāvad īyate tāvad dīpasya dīpatvam evaṁ deha-kṛto bhavaḥ rajaḥ-sattva-tamo-vṛttyā jāyate ’tha vinaśyati

Synonyms

sneha — of the oil ; adhiṣṭhāna — the vessel ; varti — the wick ; agni — and the fire ; saṁyogaḥ — the combination ; yāvat — to which extent ; īyate — is seen ; tāvat — to that extent ; dīpasya — of the lamp ; dīpatvam — the status of functioning as a lamp ; evam — similarly ; deha — kṛtaḥ — due to the material body ; bhavaḥ — material existence ; rajaḥ — sattva — tamaḥ — of the modes of passion, goodness and ignorance ; vṛttyā — by the action ; jāyate — arises ; atha — and ; vinaśyati — is destroyed .

Translation

A lamp functions as such only by the combination of its fuel, vessel, wick and fire. Similarly, material life, based on the soul’s identification with the body, is developed and destroyed by the workings of material goodness, passion and ignorance, which are the constituent elements of the body.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

A flame functions as such only by the combination of its fuel, the vessel, the wick and the fire. Similarly, saṁsāra is composed of karma, the mind, the body and consciousness. Saṁsāra related to accepting the body appears and disappears by the actions of rajas, sattva and tamas. An example is given. The transformation of light into a flame takes place by oil, a vessel, a wick and application of fire. Oil represents karma. The vessel represents the mind. The wick represents the body. Fire represents the imposition of consciousness. The lamp represents saṁsāra. Saṁsāra (bhavaḥ) related to accepting a body (deha-kṛtaḥ) arises and disappears by the actions of the guṇas.