Verse Text
tatra pratibimbaḥ—
aśramābhīṣṭa-nirvāhī rati-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitaḥ |
bhogāpavarga-saukhyāṁśa-vyaṣjakaḥ pratibimbakaḥ ||46||
Translation
Pratibimba or reflection is described as follows: When there are apparent qualities of rati, accompanied by desires for enjoyment and liberation, it is called the pratibimba (reflection) raty-ābhāsa. This pratibimba raty-ābhāsa awards the goals of enjoyment and liberation to those persons without their having to exert effort.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Rati-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitaḥ means the person has the symptoms of rati. From the presence of one or two symptoms such as tears, the condition has the appearance of bhāva but it is actually raty-ābhāsa, a resemblance to rati. If this raty-ābhāsa has desires for the happiness of material enjoyment or liberation, then it is called pratibimba-raty-ābhāsa. This condition easily bestows the desired goals of liberation, without having to control the senses and mind, and without other practices necessary to achieve liberation. Awarding those goals of enjoyment and liberation without the sādhaka’s exertion shows the powers of pratibimba raty-ābhāsa.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Rati without motivations for material enjoyment or liberation yields the main form of rati, whereas having attachments produces a semblance of rati. This semblance arises through secondary conditions. According to the conditions, there are two types of semblance. The first type is described here. The qualities of rati appear (rati-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitaḥ) in the form of a few tears or other symptoms. Though this seems to indicate a touch of rati, when the symptoms appear along with desires for enjoyment or liberation, it is called pratibimba. The type of rati for the Lord which is contaminated by desires for enjoyment or liberation is called pratibimba-raty-ābhāsa. This pratibimba awards liberation without extreme efforts because of two qualities existing in the Lord—His power to bestow material enjoyment and His power to bestow liberation. This is the extraordinary power of pratibimba-raty-ābhāsa.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
If someone, without undergoing the regulative principles of devotional service or without being guided by a bona fide spiritual master, shows such imitative attachment, this is called shadow attachment.