Verse Text
atha anubhāvāḥ –
nāsāgra-nyasta-netratvam avadhūta-viceṣṭitam |
yuga-mātrekṣita-gatir jṣāna-mudrā-pradarśanam ||24||
harer dviṣy api na dveṣo nātibhaktiḥ priyeṣv api |
siddhatāyās tathā jīvan-mukteś ca bahu-mānitā ||25||
nairapekṣyaṁ nirmamatā nirahaṅkāritā kathā |
maunam ity ādayaḥ śītāḥ syur asādhāraṇāḥ kriyāḥ ||26||
Translation
Anubhāvas: Staring at the tip of the nose, behaving like a renunciate, walking while looking four meters in front on the ground, showing the jṣāna-mudrā (joining the thumb and forefinger together), absence of hatred even towards the enemies of the Lord, lack of intense attachment to the devotees of the Lord, showing great regard for the final destruction of material bondage (siddhatā) and for living without the influence of the gross and subtle bodies, indifference, non-possessiveness, lack of false ego, and silence are some of the special anubhāvas of a person with sānta-rasa.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Yuga (neuter noun) means a yoke, part of a plough, indicating a length of four hastas or two meters. The śānta-bhakta glances only two meters in front of him as he walks (he does not glance everywhere). The jṣāna-mudrā is holding the thumb and forefinger together. Siddhatā means “absolute destruction of material bondage.” Jīvanmuktiḥ means “to be situated without the obstruction of the gross and subtle bodies.” It is understood here that the persons performing austerities with some tinge of bhakti have great regard (bahu-mānitā) for siddhatā and jīvanmukti.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
There are certain symptoms of great sages who are situated in śānta-rasa devotional service, and these symptoms are exhibited as follows. They concentrate their eyesight on the tip of the nose, and they behave just like an avadhūta. Avadhūta means a highly elevated mystic who does not care for any social, religious or Vedic conventions. Another symptom is that such persons are very careful to step forward when giving speeches. When they speak, they join together the forefinger and thumb. (This is called the jṣāna-mudrā position.) They are not against the atheists, nor are they particularly inclined to the devotees. Such persons give stress to liberation and detachment from the materialistic way of life. They are always neutral and have no affection for nor misidentification with anything material. They are always grave, but fully absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These uncommon features develop in devotees who are situated in śānta-rasa.