Devanagari
गुणेषु चाविशच्चित्तमभीक्ष्णं गुणसेवया ।
गुणाश्च चित्तप्रभवा मद्रूप उभयं त्यजेत् ॥ २६ ॥
Verse text
guṇeṣu cāviśac cittam
abhīkṣṇaṁ guṇa-sevayā
guṇāś ca citta-prabhavā
mad-rūpa ubhayaṁ tyajet
Synonyms
guṇeṣu
—
in the sense objects
;
ca
—
and
;
āviśat
—
entered
;
cittam
—
the mind
;
abhīkṣṇam
—
again and again
;
guṇa
—
sevayā — by sense gratification
;
guṇāḥ
—
and the material sense objects
;
ca
—
also
;
citta
—
within the mind
;
prabhavāḥ
—
existing prominently
;
mat
—
rūpaḥ — one who has realized that he is not different from Me, and who is thus absorbed in My form, pastimes, etc.
;
ubhayam
—
both (the mind and sense objects)
;
tyajet
—
should give up .
Translation
A person who has thus achieved Me by understanding that he is not different from Me realizes that the material mind is lodged within the sense objects because of constant sense gratification, and that the material objects are existing prominently within the material mind. Having understood My transcendental nature, he gives up both the material mind and its objects.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The consciousness remains forever in the sense objects by continual service to them. The sense objects remain strongly in the consciousness. One who absorbs himself in me can give up both.
Giving them both up is difficult. The consciousness remains in the sense objects by impressions, made firm by repeatedly serving the sense objects for time without a beginning. How will it be possible for you to give up the sense objects? The sense objects repeatedly remain in the consciousness by impressions. They remain there at all times. How is it possible to give up such consciousness? However it is not necessary for jṣānīs to endure such difficulty in giving up both. The jṣānī who absorbs himself in me gives up both. Because the devotees, fixed on service to me as the highest goal, become absorbed in my form, qualities, pastimes and rasa, the sense objects naturally withdraw from the consciousness. It is not difficult to give them both up. But jṣānīs do not desire to absorb their minds in me.
Purport
The Lord again states here that it is most difficult to separate the material mind from its objects because the material mind by definition considers itself to be the doer and enjoyer of everything. It must be understood that giving up the material mind does not mean giving up all mental activities, but instead means purifying the mind and engaging one’s enlightened mentality in the devotional service of the Lord. Since time immemorial the material mind and senses have been in contact with the sense objects; therefore, how is it possible for the material mind to give up its objects, which are the basis of its existence? And not only does the mind reach out to material objects, but also, because of the mind’s desires, the material objects cannot remain out of the mind, helplessly entering at every moment. Thus, separation between the mind and sense objects is not actually feasible, nor does it serve any purpose. If one retains a material mentality, considering oneself to be supreme, one may renounce sense gratification, considering it to be ultimately the cause of unhappiness, but one will not be able to remain on such an artificial platform, nor will such renunciation serve any real purpose. Without surrender to the lotus feet of the Lord, mere renunciation cannot take one out of this material world.
Just as the sun’s rays are part of the sun, the living entities are part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the living entity is completely absorbed in his identity as the part and parcel of the Personality of Godhead, he becomes actually wise and easily gives up the material mind and sense objects. The word
mad-rūpaḥ
in this verse indicates absorption of the mind in the form, qualities, pastimes and associates of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Immersed in such ecstatic meditation, one should render devotional service to the Lord, and this will automatically drive away the influence of sense gratification. By himself, the living entity does not have the potency to give up his false identification with the material mind and sense objects, but by worshiping the Lord in the mood of being His eternal part-and-parcel servant, one is infused with the Lord’s potency, which easily drives away the darkness of ignorance.