SB 12.4.33 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

घनो यदार्कप्रभवो विदीर्यते चक्षु: स्वरूपं रविमीक्षते तदा । यदा ह्यहङ्कार उपाधिरात्मनो जिज्ञासया नश्यति तर्ह्यनुस्मरेत् ॥ ३३ ॥

Verse text

ghano yadārka-prabhavo vidīryate cakṣuḥ svarūpaṁ ravim īkṣate tadā yadā hy ahaṅkāra upādhir ātmano jijṣāsayā naśyati tarhy anusmaret

Synonyms

ghanaḥ — the cloud ; yadā — when ; arka — prabhavaḥ — the product of the sun ; vidīryate — is torn apart ; cakṣuḥ — the eye ; svarūpam — in its real form ; ravim — the sun ; īkṣate — sees ; tadā — then ; yadā — when ; hi — indeed also ; ahaṅkāraḥ — false ego ; upādhiḥ — the superficial covering ; ātmanaḥ — of the spirit soul ; jijṣāsayā — by spiritual inquiry ; naśyati — is destroyed ; tarhi — at that time ; anusmaret — one gains his proper remembrance .

Translation

When the cloud originally produced from the sun is torn apart, the eye can see the actual form of the sun. Similarly, when the spirit soul destroys his material covering of false ego by inquiring into the transcendental science, he regains his original spiritual awareness.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

When the cloud produced from the sun is destroyed, the eye can see the actual form of the sun. Similarly, when the spirit soul destroys his material covering of false ego by inquiring into the transcendental science, he realizes Brahman. When the ahaṅkāra, a covering on the jīva, is destroyed, one realizes Brahman. This is explained through an example. When the cloud is destroyed, the eye sees the sun it its true form. The human eye and not the eye of the owl sees the sun. Similarly the eye of the jṣānī who has some bhakti sees Brahman, and not the person without bhakti. Bhakyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ: I am only achieved by bhakti. (SB 11.14.21) When ahaṅkāra is destroyed, one realizes Brahman.

Purport

Just as the sun can burn away the clouds that prevent one from seeing it, the Supreme Lord (and He alone) can remove the false ego that prevents one from seeing Him. There are some creatures, however, like owls, who are averse to seeing the sun. In the same way, those who are not interested in spiritual knowledge will never receive the privilege of seeing God.