Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 63
The Fall of Purañjana and the Supersoul as the Eternal Friend
Purañjana-Upākhyāna Culmination
यथा पुरुष आत्मानमेकमादर्शचक्षुषो: । द्विधाभूतमवेक्षेत तथैवान्तरमावयो: ॥ ६३ ॥
yathā puruṣa ātmānam ekam ādarśa-cakṣuṣoḥ dvidhābhūtam avekṣeta tathaivāntaram āvayoḥ
Как человек видит в зеркале отражение своего тела как единое с собой, хотя другие видят два тела, так и в материальном состоянии—где душа кажется затронутой, но по сути не затрагивается—проявляется различие между Богом и живым существом.
Being affected by the conditioning of matter, Māyāvādī philosophers cannot see the difference between the Supreme Lord and the living entity. When the sun is reflected in a pot of water, the sun knows that there is no difference between himself and the reflected sun in the water. Those in ignorance, however, perceive that there are many small suns reflected in each and every pot. As far as the brilliance is concerned, there is brilliance both in the original sun and in the reflections, but the reflections are small, whereas the original sun is very large. Vaiṣṇava philosophers conclude that the living entity is simply a small sample of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. Qualitatively, God and the living entities are one, but quantitatively the living entities are small fragments of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Lord is full, powerful and opulent. In the previous verse, the Lord says, “My dear friend, you and I are not different.” This nondifference refers to qualitative oneness, for it was not necessary for the Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality, to remind the conditioned soul that he is not one in quantity. The self-realized soul never thinks that he and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are one in every respect. Although he and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are one in quality, the living entity is prone to forget his spiritual identity, whereas the Supreme Personality never forgets. This is the difference between lipta and alipta. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally alipta, uncontaminated by the external energy. The conditioned soul, however, being in contact with material nature, forgets his real identity; therefore when he sees himself in the conditioned state, he identifies himself with the body. For the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, there is no difference between the body and the soul. He is completely soul; He has no material body. Although the Supersoul, Paramātmā, and the individual soul are both within the body, the Supersoul is devoid of designation, whereas the conditioned soul is designated by his particular type of body. The Supersoul is called antaryāmī, and He is extensive. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (13.3) . Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata: “O scion of Bharata, you should understand that I am also the knower in all bodies.”
FAQs
This verse says the self is one, yet appears as two—seer and reflection—due to perception; similarly, perceived inner difference is only apparent, not ultimate.
To show how duality can arise from viewpoint and reflection, illustrating that spiritual separation is often a product of misidentification rather than reality.
When conflict or ego-based division arises, remember identities are often “reflections” of conditioning; practice self-inquiry and devotion to see the deeper unity of the soul.