SB 3.21.16

प्रजापतेस्ते वचसाधीश तन्त्या लोकः किलायं कामहतोऽनुबद्धः ।
अहं च लोकानुगतो वहामि बलिं च शुक्लानिमिषाय तुभ्यम् ॥१६॥

prajāpates te vacasādhīśa tantyā
lokaḥ kilāyaṁ kāma-hato ‘nubaddhaḥ
ahaṁ ca lokānugato vahāmi
baliṁ ca śuklānimiṣāya tubhyam

prajāpateḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprajāpateḥ

another prajāpati; because of Prajāpati Dakṣa; of Brahmā; of Dakṣa; of Kardama; of Kaśyapa Muni, the Prajāpati; of King Aṅga; of Lord Brahmā; of Mahārāja Dakṣa; of one of the prajāpatis entrusted with increasing population; of Prajāpati (Lord Brahmā); of Prajāpati; of Prajāpati Dakṣa; of the creator; of the father of the living entities; of the lord of created beings; of the lord of the living entities; of the Prajāpati; who are the master of all living entities.—who are the master of all living entities; teplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigte

all; all of them (the demigods and demons); all of them (the demigods and the demons); all of them; all of those; all the gopas; all the asuric ministers; all the demigods; all the demigods and demons; all the demons; all the great sages; all the Pracetās; all the sons; all the sons of Jamadagni; all the watchmen; all those; all those persons who arrived; also from you; as desired by you; by him; by them; by You; for you; for your; from you; in your possession; Lord Paraśurāma's mother and brothers; of the two divisions; of them; of you (mother Ganges); of You (O dear Lord); of you; of Your good self; of Your Lordship; of yourself; speaking to you; such; such as you; such austerity and knowledge; such household life; such persons; such pure devotees are fully satisfied; that; that is; the gopīs and gopas; the hotā, brahmā and other priests; the cowherd men and ladies; the demigods; the demons (Yakṣas and Rākṣasas); the demons; the Gandharvas; the great sages (the Kumāras); the husbands; the men of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Pracetās; the Pāṇḍavas; the sages; the sons of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Yakṣas; their; therefore; these; these sons (the Savalāśvas); they; they are; to you; unto you; with you; You; your; Your Lordship; your request; Your service; yours; yourself.—of You; vacasāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvacasā

by jugglery of words; by the words; by words; under the direction; with words.—under the direction; adhīśaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigadhīśa

O Lord; O my Lord; O supreme controller.—O my Lord; tantyāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtantyā

by a rope; by the ropes.—by a rope; lokaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biglokah

all living entities; all the planets; all the universes; all the world; and the universe; any person; conditioned souls; everyone; everyone in every planet; in this world; materialistic people in general; people; people in general; persons; planet; promotion to higher planets; such less intelligent persons; the conditioned souls; the general mass of people; the general public; the people; the people in general; the people of the world; the planet; the planetary system; the planets; the whole creation; the world; this material world (where one desires all kinds of impermanent things); this world; universe; world.—conditioned souls; kilaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkila

as if; certainly; definitely; for the teaching of others; indeed; namely; of course; verily; what; what to speak of; what to speak of others; whether.—indeed; ayamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigayam

a person; all these (common men); all these; extraordinary it is; he (Śiva); He; Him; His; I am; in this; Kṛṣṇa; Lord Rāmacandra; of this; one; people in general; such a poor man; that; that is; the Lord; the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; the same; these; this (Caitanya-caritāmṛta); this (as measured by Brahmā's duration of life); this (child within the womb); this (child); this (Kṛṣṇa); this (Lord Śiva); this (rascal); this (what has been described); this brāhmaṇa; this; this action taken by you; this animal; this Bali Mahārāja; this child; this demon; this form; this incarnation of Kapila; this is; this King; this King Pṛthu; this Kṛṣṇa; this living entity; this Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; this man; this one (the Supreme Lord); this one; this period; this person (Ajāmila); this person (known as Ajāmila); this person; this Personality of Godhead; this process of creation and annihilation; this soul; this Vedic knowledge; Vasudeva; Śrī Kṛṣṇa; Śukadeva Gosvāmī.—these; kāmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkama

a desire; all desires; amorous love; as Cupid; business; by lusty desires; Cupid; desire; desire for sense gratification; desires; desires for sense satisfaction; desiring; due to lusty desire; execution of the duty; from lust; fulfillment of desires; full of lust; lust; lust and desire; material desire; material desires; necessities; of lusty desires; of lusty desires or Cupid; of sense enjoyment; of sexual desire; passion; satisfaction of the senses; sense gratification; sexual pleasure; the desire; to sensual pleasures.-hataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bighatah

being killed; being spoiled; curbed; destroyed; has been killed; killed; slain; struck; was killed; wounded by.—conquered by lusty desires; anubaddhaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganubaddhaḥ

are bound.—are bound; ahamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigaham

as far as I am concerned; as I am; egotism; false ego; false identification (in the bodily concept of life); false identity; I ("I am this body"); I (am); I (Kṛṣṇa); I (Lord Brahmā); I (Lord Śiva); I (Prahlāda Mahārāja); I (the person desiring release from material life); I (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); I; I am; I am everything; I am independent; I am the material body; I myself; I, Lord Kṛṣṇa; I, the Personality of Godhead; I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; I, Yamarāja; me; my existence ("I am something"); my humble self; myself (Brahmājī); Myself; the word aham; the wrong mental conception.—I; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—and; lokaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigloka

the region of the Siddhas.-anugataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganugatah

followed as servants; following; following the she-goat; while following.—following the conditioned souls; vahāmiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvahāmi

carry; offer.—offer; balimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbalim

a presentation or taxation; a small presentation of taxes; Bali; Bali Mahārāja; contribution; different paraphernalia of worship; ingredients of offerings; King Bali; Mahārāja Bali; means of worship; oblations; offerings; orders; orders to please Him; paraphernalia for worship; presentation; presentation s; presentation, ingredients for worship; presentations; strength; taxes; worshiping paraphernalia.—oblations; caplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigca

ca; all these; also; also other bodily forms; also that I have not been able to ask; and (the five gross material elements and the ten acting and knowledge-gathering senses); and; and also; and Devahūti; and for all; and the paraphernalia; as also; as much as; as well; as well as; but; certainly; either; however; indeed; only; or; over and above; respectively; the word ca; this word ca; thus; totally; unlimitedly; verily.—and; śuklaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsukla

by Lord Viṣṇu; light; O embodiment of religion; of the bright fortnight; of the mode of goodness; white; whitish.—O embodiment of religion; animiṣāyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganimiṣāya

by the eternal time; existing as eternal time.—existing as eternal time; tubhyamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtubhyam

for you; of you; of You, my Lord; of yours; to You; unto You; unto You, my Lord; unto Your Lordship; your.—to You. ¶

O my Lord, You are the master and leader of all living entities. Under Your direction, all conditioned souls, as if bound by rope, are constantly engaged in satisfying their desires. Following them, O embodiment of religion, I also bear oblations for You, who are eternal time. ¶

In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad it is stated that the Supreme Lord is the leader of all living entities. He is their sustainer and the awarder of all their necessities and desires. No living entity is independent; all are dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Therefore the Vedic instruction is that one should enjoy life under the direction of the supreme leader, the Personality of Godhead. Vedic literatures like Īśopaniṣad direct that since everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should not encroach upon another’s property, but should enjoy one’s individual allotment. The best program for every living entity is to take direction from the Supreme Lord and enjoy material or spiritual life. ¶

A question may be raised: Since Kardama Muni was advanced in spiritual life, why then did he not ask the Lord for liberation? Why did he want to enjoy material life in spite of his personally seeing and experiencing the Supreme Lord? The answer is that not everyone is competent to be liberated from material bondage. It is everyone’s duty, therefore, to enjoy according to his present position, but under the direction of the Lord or the Vedas. The Vedas are considered to be the direct words of the Lord. The Lord gives us the opportunity to enjoy material life as we want, and at the same time He gives directions for the modes and processes of abiding by the Vedas so that gradually one may be elevated to liberation from material bondage. The conditioned souls who have come to the material world to fulfill their desires to lord it over material nature are bound by the laws of nature. The best course is to abide by the Vedic rules; that will help one to be gradually elevated to liberation. ¶

Kardama Muni addresses the Lord as śuka, which means “the leader of religion.” One who is pious should follow the rules of religion, for such rules are prescribed by the Lord Himself. No one can manufacture or concoct a religion; “religion” refers to the injunctions or laws of the Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that religion means to surrender unto Him. Therefore one should follow the Vedic regulations and surrender unto the Supreme Lord because that is the ultimate goal of perfection in human life. One should live a life of piety, follow the religious rules and regulations, marry and live peacefully for elevation to the higher status of spiritual realization. ¶