Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 32
Guṇa-viveka, Haṁsa-gītā, and the Yoga that Cuts False Ego
यो जागरे बहिरनुक्षणधर्मिणोऽर्थान् भुङ्क्ते समस्तकरणैर्हृदि तत्सदृक्षान् । स्वप्ने सुषुप्त उपसंहरते स एक: स्मृत्यन्वयात्त्रिगुणवृत्तिदृगिन्द्रियेश: ॥ ३२ ॥
yo jāgare bahir anukṣaṇa-dharmiṇo ’rthān bhuṅkte samasta-karaṇair hṛdi tat-sadṛkṣān svapne suṣupta upasaṁharate sa ekaḥ smṛty-anvayāt tri-guṇa-vṛtti-dṛg indriyeśaḥ
Im Wachzustand genießt das Lebewesen mit allen Sinnen die flüchtigen Merkmale von Körper und Geist; im Traum genießt es ähnliche Erfahrungen im Innern des Geistes; und im traumlosen Tiefschlaf ziehen sich alle Erfahrungen in Unwissenheit zusammen. Indem es die Abfolge von Wachen, Träumen und Tiefschlaf erinnert und betrachtet, erkennt es, dass es durch alle drei Zustände hindurch ein und dasselbe ist und transzendental bleibt; so wird es zum Herrn der Sinne.
In verse 30 of this chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa stated that one must retire from material duality by the proper means, which the Lord now explains. One may first consider the three phases of consciousness mentioned above and then understand one’s own transcendental position as spirit soul. One experiences childhood, boyhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age and old age, and throughout these phases one is experiencing things while awake and while dreaming. Similarly, one may, by careful intelligence, understand one’s lack of consciousness during deep sleep, and thus through intelligence one may have experience of lack of consciousness.
FAQs
This verse teaches that one Supreme Self remains the single witness through waking, dream, and deep sleep—experiencing, then withdrawing, all perceptions—while observing the changing activities of the three guṇas.
In the Uddhava-gītā teachings, Krishna guides Uddhava toward self-realization by showing that consciousness is distinct from the mind and senses; the changing states prove the Self is the steady seer and controller beyond material modes.
Practice observing thoughts, emotions, and sensory urges as changing guṇa-driven movements, while remembering the steady Self; this reduces reactivity, strengthens discrimination, and supports devotion and inner steadiness.