Shloka 53
Citraketu’s Detachment, Nārada’s Mantra, and the Darśana of Anantadeva
यथा सुषुप्त: पुरुषो विश्वं पश्यति चात्मनि । आत्मानमेकदेशस्थं मन्यते स्वप्न उत्थित: ॥ ५३ ॥ एवं जागरणादीनि जीवस्थानानि चात्मन: । मायामात्राणि विज्ञाय तद् द्रष्टारं परं स्मरेत् ॥ ५४ ॥
yathā suṣuptaḥ puruṣo viśvaṁ paśyati cātmani ātmānam eka-deśa-sthaṁ manyate svapna utthitaḥ
Wie der Mensch im tiefen Schlaf in sich Berge, Flüsse, ja das ganze Universum sieht und nach dem Erwachen sich an einem Ort im Bett liegen sieht, so sind Wachen, Träumen und Tiefschlaf nur māyā. Gedenke stets des höchsten Herrn, des Schauenden und Urhebers dieser Zustände, der von ihnen unberührt bleibt.
None of these conditions of the living entities — namely, deep sleep, dreaming and wakefulness — is substantial. They are simply displays of various phases of conditional life. There may be many mountains, rivers, trees, bees, tigers and snakes that are situated far away, but in a dream one may imagine them to be nearby. Similarly, as one has subtle dreams at night, when the living entity is awake he lives in gross dreams of nation, community, society, possessions, skyscrapers, bank balance, position and honor. Under the circumstances, one should know that his position is due to his contact with the material world. One is situated in different positions in various forms of life that are all but creations of the illusory energy, which works under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the ultimate actor, and the conditioned living entity should simply remember this original actor, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As living entities, we are being carried away by the waves of prakṛti, or nature, which works under the Lord’s direction ( mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram ). Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, (miche) māyāra vaśe, yāccha bhese’, khāccha hābuḍubu, bhāi: “Why are you being carried away by the waves of the illusory energy in various phases of dreaming and wakefulness? These are all creations of māyā. ” Our only duty is to remember the supreme director of this illusory energy — Kṛṣṇa. For us to do this, the śāstra advises us, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam: one should constantly chant the holy name of the Lord — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. The Supreme Lord is realized in three different phases, as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, but Bhagavān is the ultimate realization. One who realizes Bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa — is the most perfect mahātmā ( vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ). In the human form of life, one should understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for then one will understand everything else. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati ( Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). According to this Vedic injunction, simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa one understands Brahman, Paramātmā, prakṛti, the illusory energy, the spiritual energy and everything else. Everything will be revealed. Prakṛti, the material nature, is working under the direction of the Supreme Lord, and we living entities are being carried away by various phases of prakṛti. For self-realization, one should always remember Kṛṣṇa. As stated in Padma Purāṇa, smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇuḥ: we should always remember Lord Viṣṇu. Vismartavyo na jātucit: we should never forget the Lord. This is the perfection of life.
FAQs
This verse compares worldly perception to dream-experience—what seems real is seen within consciousness, and after ‘waking’ one falsely limits the self to a location, showing how māyā shapes identity.
To show that the soul’s sense of being confined to the body and place is a mistaken projection, like the shifting realities experienced in sleep and dream.
Notice how identity and anxiety change with mental states; practice detachment and remembrance of the true self as distinct from passing perceptions.