Devanagari
अनीह आत्मा मनसा समीहता
हिरण्मयो मत्सख उद्विचष्टे ।
मन: स्वलिङ्गं परिगृह्य कामान्
जुषन् निबद्धो गुणसङ्गतोऽसौ ॥ ४४ ॥
Verse text
anīha ātmā manasā samīhatā
hiraṇ-mayo mat-sakha udvicaṣṭe
manaḥ sva-liṅgaṁ parigṛhya kāmān
juṣan nibaddho guṇa-saṅgato ’sau
Synonyms
anīhaḥ
—
not endeavoring
;
ātmā
—
the Supreme Soul
;
manasā
—
along with the mind
;
samīhatā
—
which is struggling
;
hiraṇ
—
mayaḥ — exhibiting transcendental enlightenment
;
mat
—
sakhaḥ — my friend
;
udvicaṣṭe
—
looks down from above
;
manaḥ
—
the mind
;
sva
—
liṅgam — which projects the image of the material world upon him (the soul)
;
parigṛhya
—
embracing
;
kāmān
—
objects of desire
;
juṣan
—
engaging with
;
nibaddhaḥ
—
becomes bound
;
guṇa
—
saṅgataḥ — because of association with the modes of nature
;
asau
—
that infinitesimal spirit soul .
Translation
Although present along with the struggling mind within the material body, the Supersoul is not endeavoring, because He is already endowed with transcendental enlightenment. Acting as my friend, He simply witnesses from His transcendental position. I, the infinitesimal spirit soul, on the other hand, have embraced this mind, which is the mirror reflecting the image of the material world. Thus I have become engaged in enjoying objects of desire and am entangled due to contact with the modes of nature.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Paramātmā, my friend, who has no material desire, though present with the jivā’s mind which is full of desires, is devoid of material actions and simply observes. The jīva however accepts the mind, known as the subtle body, and, engaging in enjoyment because of association with actions created by the qualities in the mind, becomes bound.
“So saṁsāra belongs to the mind, not the ātmā.” That is not true. There are two ātmās in the body. One is Paramātmā, not contaminated by the mind at all. The other is the jīva, which is contaminated by the mind. First hear about Paramātmā. Paramātmā is present with the desiring mind as its controller, but is not connected with its actions because it is an independent conscious entity (hiraṇyamaḥ). As my friend, he observes from a level of superior knowledge (udvicaṣṭe) without being affected. The second ātmā is the jīva. Accepting the mind, the subtle body, as itself, the jīva becomes bound up, engaging in desires, because of the jīvas’ association with actions produced by the qualities in the mind. Saṁsāra for the jīva arises from this imposition of the mind. Since the mind itself cannot experience happiness and suffering because it is unconscious, no one really experiences heaven or hell.