Shloka 54
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
Seperti orang dalam tidur lena melihat gunung, sungai, bahkan seluruh alam semesta di dalam dirinya, lalu ketika terjaga melihat dirinya terbaring di satu tempat. Demikian juga keadaan jaga, mimpi dan tidur lena hanyalah māyā; ingatlah selalu Tuhan Yang Maha Tinggi, Sang Saksi atas semuanya.
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
It teaches that these states and the jīva’s changing conditions are māyā’s manifestations; the devotee should remember the Supreme Lord as the transcendental Witness of all states.
To show that the soul’s experience of different states is not ultimate reality, and to direct the listener toward bhakti—remembering the Supreme Seer beyond māyā.
Observe changing moods, identities, and situations like passing states; instead of being absorbed in them, cultivate steady remembrance of the Lord through nāma-japa, hearing, and mindful witnessing.