Verse Text
duṣkaratvena virale dve sakhyātma-nivedane |
keṣāṁcid eva dhīrāṇāṁ labhate sādhanārhatām ||198||
Translation
Friendship and offering the self and body are rare because of the difficulty of execution during the state of sādhana. However, some wise men have considered that these two qualify as part of sādhana.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Ātma-nivedanam in its pure form is rare because of the difficulty in execution, not because of having an elevated status, since it may be executed even without bhāva. Sakhya is rare because of the difficulty in execution and its extremely elevated status, since sakhya in its pure form possesses the most elevated bhāva. However, if ātma-nivedanam becomes mixed with emotional relationships, it will become rare because of its elevated status as well. Pure ātma-nivedanam is seen in Bali Mahārāja when he gave himself to the Lord. Śaraṇāpatti is acceptance of the Lord as one’s protector (as the predominant factor) but ātma-nivedanam is making oneself the possession of the Lord. That is the distinction between the two.
Ātma-nivedanam mixed with the emotions of dāsya is seen in Ambarīṣa. This is stated in Bhāgavatam starting with sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ and ending with kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā. (SB 9.4.18-20) This mixed ātma-nivedana is also stated later in the Eleventh Canto with dāsyenātma-nivedanam: one should give oneself to Me as a servant. (SB 11.11.35) The bhāva of a dear lover mixed with ātma-nivedanam is seen in Rukmiṇī:
tan me bhavān khalu vṛtaḥ patir aṅgajāyām ātmārpitaś ca bhavato ’tra vibho vidhehi
Therefore, my dear Lord, I have chosen You as my husband, and I surrender myself to You (ātmārpitaḥ). Please come swiftly, O almighty one, and make me Your wife. SB 10.52.39
In addition, it should be understood that sakhya and other rasas could also mix with ātma-nivedana.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that devotional service in friendship and devotional service in self-surrender are two difficult processes. Therefore such relationships with the Lord can very rarely be seen. Only for the advanced devotees are these two processes easily executed. The purport is that it is very rare to see surrender which is mixed with sincere ecstatic devotion. One must give himself completely to the will of the Lord.