TEXT 32
matira vikara ghate pani bhari' ani
mati-pinde dhari yabe, sosi' yaya pani"
SYNONYMS
matiraof the dirt; vikaratransformation; ghatein the waterpot; paniwater; bhari'-filling; aniI can bring; matiof dirt; pindeon the lump; dhariI hold; yabewhen; sosi'-soaking; yayagoes; panithe water.
TRANSLATION
"In a waterpot, which is a transformation of dirt, I can bring water very easily. But if I poured water on a lump of dirt, the lump would soak up the water, and my labor would be useless."
PURPORT
This simple philosophy propounded by Sacimata, even though she is a woman, can defeat the Mayavadi philosophers who speculate on oneness. The defect of Mayavada philosophy is that it does not accept the variety that is useful for practical purposes. Sacimata gave the example that although both the lump of dirt and the earthen pot are basically one, for practical purposes the waterpot is useful whereas the lump of dirt is useless. Sometimes scientists argue that matter and spirit are one, with no difference between them. Factually, in a higher sense, there is no difference between matter and spirit, but one should have practical knowledge that matter, being an inferior state, is useless for our spiritual, blissful life, whereas spirit, being a finer state of existence, is full of bliss. In this connection the Bhagavatam gives the example that dirt and fire are practically one and the same. From the earth grow trees, and from their wood come fire and smoke. Nevertheless, for heat we can utilize the fire but not the earth, smoke or wood. Therefore, for the ultimate realization of the goal of life, we are concerned with the fire of the spirit, but not the dull wood or earth of matter.

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