To realize the Absolute Truth, one must elevate from ignorance and passion to the platform of goodness through gradual spiritual evolution.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.24 — August 27, 1972, Los Angeles 720827SB-LOS ANGELES [58:28 Minutes] SB-01.02.24_720827SB-LOS ANGELES [Govindam prayers playing; Prabhupāda singing along]
Prabhupāda: [sings Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava] [prema-dhvani] Thank you very much.
Devotees: All glories to Śrī Guru and Gauranga. [devotees offer obeisances] Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.
First Canto, Chapter Two, text 24. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ tamasas tu rajas tasmāt sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam [SB 1.2.24] [Prabhupāda corrects some pronunciation]
Prabhupāda: Ladies. [ladies chant] All right. Word meaning. Pradyumna: [leads chanting of synonyms] pārthivāt—from earth; dāruṇaḥ—firewood; dhūmaḥ—smoke; tasmāt—from that; agniḥ—fire; trayīmayaḥ—Vedic sacrifices; tamasaḥ—in the mode of ignorance; tu—but; rajaḥ—the mode of passion; tasmāt—from that; sattvam—the mode of goodness; yat—which; brahma—the Absolute Truth; darśanam—realization. [11:42] Translation: "The firewood is the transformation of the earth, and smoke is better than the raw wood, and fire is still better, because by fire we can derive so many benefits by superior knowledge, or Vedas.
Similarly, rajas quality of matter is better than tamas quality, but sattva quality is the superior quality, by which one can realize the Absolute Truth." Prabhupāda: [aside:] Here the translation is different. Hm. So the example is given here, that... The translation is given... Anyway, pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmaḥ.
Pārthivāt. Suppose you want fire. So there are so many stages: earth, then there is wood. Wood is produced from earth.