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Shloka 5

Paramahaṁsa-Dharma: The Avadhūta-like Sannyāsī and Prahlāda’s Dialogue with the ‘Python’ Saint

सुप्तिप्रबोधयो: सन्धावात्मनो गतिमात्मद‍ृक् । पश्यन्बन्धं च मोक्षं च मायामात्रं न वस्तुत: ॥ ५ ॥

supti-prabodhayoḥ sandhāv ātmano gatim ātma-dṛk paśyan bandhaṁ ca mokṣaṁ ca māyā-mātraṁ na vastutaḥ

ໃນຊ່ວງຮອຍຕໍ່ລະຫວ່າງຫຼັບແລະຕື່ນ ຜູ້ເຫັນອາຕະມັນຄວນພິຈາລະນາການເຄື່ອນໄຫວຂອງອາຕະມັນ. ເຂົາຄວນຮູ້ວ່າສະພາບຜູກມັດແລະຫຼຸດພົ້ນເປັນພຽງມາຍາ ບໍ່ແມ່ນຄວາມຈິງ; ດ້ວຍປັນຍາສູງນັ້ນ ໃຫ້ເຫັນແຕ່ສັດຈະສູງສຸດທີ່ແຜ່ຊາຍທົ່ວທຸກແຫ່ງ.

सुप्ति-प्रबोधयोःof sleep and waking
सुप्ति-प्रबोधयोः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootसुप्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रबोध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वन्द्व-समासः (‘sleep and waking’); पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समाहारार्थे; षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), द्विवचनम्
सन्धौin the junction/transition
सन्धौ:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootसन्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचनम्
आत्मनःof the self
आत्मनः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचनम्
गतिम्movement/state/course
गतिम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootगति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचनम्
आत्म-दृक्the self-seer, one who sees the Self
आत्म-दृक्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + दृश् (धातु) → दृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘seer of the self’); पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्
पश्यन्seeing, while observing
पश्यन्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootपश् (धातु) → पश्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formवर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (present active participle/शतृ), पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while seeing)
बन्धम्bondage
बन्धम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)
मोक्षम्liberation
मोक्षम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)
माया-मात्रम्mere illusion
माया-मात्रम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमाया (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुषः (‘mere māyā’); नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्
not
:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्ययम् (negation)
वस्तुतःin reality, truly
वस्तुतः:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवस्तुतस् (अव्यय)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) = ‘in reality’

The unconscious state is nothing but ignorance, darkness or material existence, and in the conscious state one is awake. The marginal state, between consciousness and unconsciousness, has no permanent existence. Therefore one who is advanced in understanding the self should understand that unconsciousness and consciousness are but illusions, for they fundamentally do not exist. Only the Supreme Absolute Truth exists. As confirmed by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) :

P
Prahlāda Mahārāja

FAQs

This verse teaches that to one who truly sees the Self, both bondage and liberation are perceived as māyā-produced appearances, not the soul’s ultimate reality.

He uses the transition between sleep and waking to illustrate how states and identities shift, helping the listener discern the soul’s constancy beyond māyā’s changing conditions.

Practice stepping back from changing mental states—success, failure, fear, pride—and remember the steady witness (ātmā); this reduces attachment and strengthens devotional, self-aware living.