Bhagavatapurana 5.14.1

5.14.1

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/0 sa hovāca
sa eṣa dehātma-mānināṃ sattvādi-guṇa-viśeṣa-vikalpita-kuśalāku-śala-samavahāra-vinirmita-vividha-dehāvalibhir viyoga-saṃyogādy-anādi-saṃsārānubhavasya dvāra-bhūtena ṣaḍ-indriya-vargeṇa tasmin durgādhvavad asugame 'dhvany āpatita īśvarasya bhagavato viṣṇor vaśa-vartinyā māyayā jīva-loko 'yaṃ yathā vaṇik-sārtho 'rtha-paraḥ sva-deha-niṣpādita-karmānubhavaḥ śmaśānavad aśivatamāyāṃ saṃsārāṭavyāṃ gato nādyāpi viphala-bahu-pratiyogehas tat-tāpopaśamanīṃ hari-guru-caraṇāravinda-madhukarānupadavīm avarundhe //

He (Bharata) said:—

1. All the Jivas have got into a way hard to foot like a mountain path, by (the force of) the six senses, that bring in the experiences of the beginningless Samsara which consists in entering into, and departing from, various kinds of bodies created by the good or bad actions induced by the particular gunas, Satva, Rajas or Tamas, in the case of those that mistake the body for Atman. Having been started on that road by Maya under the direction of the glorious Vishnu, Ruler of Rulers, Jivas like a company of merchants bent upon making a fortune enjoy the fruits of Karma, wrought by means of their own body, and find themselves in the wilderness of Samsara like unto the burning ground, all their activities being impeded by numerous obstacles and rendered ineffectual; still they do not find their way to association with the bees (devotees) that have made their resort to the lotus-like feet of the Guru who is no other than Hari—the only resort that promises relief from all afflictions of Samsara; for in that forest of Samsara robbers indeed are they who are called the ‘Six senses.’