Devanagari
तस्मादुद्धव मा भुङ्क्ष्व विषयानसदिन्द्रियै: ।
आत्माग्रहणनिर्भातं पश्य वैकल्पिकं भ्रमम् ॥ ५७ ॥
Verse text
tasmād uddhava mā bhuṅkṣva
viṣayān asad-indriyaiḥ
ātmāgrahaṇa-nirbhātaṁ
paśya vaikalpikaṁ bhramam
Synonyms
tasmāt
—
therefore
;
uddhava
—
My dear Uddhava
;
mā bhuṅkṣva
—
do not enjoy
;
viṣayān
—
the objects of sense gratification
;
asat
—
impure
;
indriyaiḥ
—
with senses
;
ātma
—
of the self
;
agrahaṇa
—
inability to realize
;
nirbhātam
—
in which is manifest
;
paśya
—
see it
;
vaikalpikam
—
based on material duality
;
bhramam
—
the illusion .
Translation
Therefore, O Uddhava, do not try to enjoy sense gratification with the material senses. See how illusion based on material dualities prevents one from realizing the self.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Therefore, O Uddhava, do not try to enjoy sense objects with the material senses. Recognize that ignorance based on false identity with the body, which produces non-attainment of the self.
Since meditating on objects with the aim of enjoying them is a cause of saṁsāra, you should reject such meditation. See that ignorance (bhramam) which arises from false identification with a body (vaikalpikam), which produces non-attainment or ignorance of the jīva.
Purport
Everything that exists is the potency and property of the Supreme Lord, meant to be used in His loving service. Seeing material objects as separate from the Lord and thus meant to be possessed and enjoyed by oneself is called
vaikalpikaṁ bhramam,
the illusion of material duality. When selecting one’s personal object of enjoyment, such as food, clothing, residence or vehicle, one considers the relative quality of the object to be acquired. Consequently, in material life one is in constant anxiety, trying to acquire the most excellent sense gratification for one’s personal pleasure. If one realizes everything as the property of the Lord, however, he will see everything as meant for the Lord’s pleasure. He will feel no personal anxiety, because he is satisfied simply to be engaged in the Lord’s loving service. It is not possible to exploit the property of the Lord and at the same time advance in self-realization.