Devanagari
भूतसूक्ष्मेन्द्रियमनोबुद्ध्यादिष्विह निद्रया ।
लीनेष्वसति यस्तत्र विनिद्रो निरहंक्रिय: ॥ १४ ॥
Verse text
bhūta-sūkṣmendriya-mano-
buddhy-ādiṣv iha nidrayā
līneṣv asati yas tatra
vinidro nirahaṅkriyaḥ
Synonyms
bhūta
—
the material elements
;
sūkṣma
—
the objects of enjoyment
;
indriya
—
the material senses
;
manaḥ
—
mind
;
buddhi
—
intelligence
;
ādiṣu
—
and so on
;
iha
—
here
;
nidrayā
—
by sleep
;
līneṣu
—
merged
;
asati
—
in the unmanifest
;
yaḥ
—
who
;
tatra
—
there
;
vinidraḥ
—
awake
;
nirahaṅkriyaḥ
—
freed from false ego .
Translation
Although a devotee appears to be merged in the five material elements, the objects of material enjoyment, the material senses and material mind and intelligence, he is understood to be awake and to be freed from the false ego.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The jīva who remains alert without ego when merging the sense objects, senses, mind and intelligence in prakṛti by sleeping, but who, though indestructible, with the destruction of ahaṅkāra, falsely thinks that he also has been destroyed, becomes distressed like a person who has lost his wealth. However, after careful reflection on these matters, he attains understanding of the existence of the ātmā, who is the shelter of the ahaṅkāra and the body, and is the Lord’s object of favour.
“As the sun is perceived by the eye (which is a form of the sun), Paramātmā is realized by the ātmā, who is a jṣānī endowed with some bhakti. That we know well. But show me the jīva separate from the three-fold ahaṅkāra directly, just as I can see the eye and ear.” The answer is given in three verses. He who is without ahaṅkāra in the body, mind and senses when merged by sleep in pradhāna (asati), so called because it is unmanifested, realizes the jīva.”
“Well! Though one achieves destruction the mind, intelligence and senses by yoga practice, it is amazing that sleep alone can bring about this result of realizing ātmā!”
When ahaṅkāra and the results of ahaṅkāra-- the sense objects, senses, mind and intelligence-- are destroyed by merging them into prakṛti, the jīva (draṣṭā), thinking that these things have been destroyed since he cannot see them, falsely thinks that he also has been destroyed. The ignorant sleeping jīva is then compared to a person who has lost his wealth. However, the person does not lose his attachment to lost wealth, (and therefore he grieves.)
The meaning is this. With absolute destruction of the elements which create covering on the jīva by yoga practice, the jīva becomes blissful in his own form. This is not like the temporary condition of deep sleep or universal devastation. When a treasure is lost, there can be no bliss in such poverty, but there can be happiness if the person loses his attraction for wealth. Similarly, even though one may destroy material coverings by deep sleep or universal destruction, without the jīva’s detachment from enjoyment, one cannot attain one’s svarūpa, and without bhakti and jṣāna, one cannot attain detachment. Thus because of the presence of material impressions and ignorance even during deep sleep, the realization of ātmā is insignificant.
“But in deep sleep one is not aware of anything at all.” That is not so. One may say “I slept happily. I was not aware of anything.” However, without knowledge of particulars, without recollection of one’s ātmā, that statement could not even be uttered. That is expressed in verse 16. Moreover, the jīva is the shelter (avasthānam) of the body, a combination elements and senses with ahaṅkāra. After taking shelter of the jīva, the ahaṅkāra, body, senses, mind and intelligence begin to enjoy the sense objects. The jīva is favored (anugrahaḥ) by the Lord because he is given the quality of being an enjoyer like the Lord.
Purport
The explanation by Rūpa Gosvāmī in the
Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu
of how a person can be liberated even in this body is more elaborately explained in this verse. The living entity who has become
satya-dṛk,
who realizes his position in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, may remain apparently merged in the five elements of matter, the five material sense objects, the ten senses and the mind and intelligence, but still he is considered to be awake and to be freed from the reaction of false ego. Here the word
līna
is very significant. The Māyāvādī philosophers recommend merging in the impersonal effulgence of Brahman; that is their ultimate goal, or destination. That merging is also mentioned here. But in spite of merging, one can keep his individuality. The example given by Jīva Gosvāmī is that a green bird that enters a green tree appears to merge in the color of greenness, but actually the bird does not lose its individuality. Similarly, a living entity merged either in the material nature or in the spiritual nature does not give up his individuality. Real individuality is to understand oneself to be the eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord. This information is received from the mouth of Lord Caitanya. He said clearly, upon the inquiry of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that
a living entity is the servitor of Kṛṣṇa eternally.
Kṛṣṇa also confirms in
Bhagavad-gītā
that the living entity is eternally His part and parcel. The part and parcel is meant to serve the whole. This is individuality. It is so even in this material existence, when the living entity apparently merges in matter. His gross body is made up of five elements, his subtle body is made of mind, intelligence, false ego and contaminated consciousness, and he has five active senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses. In this way he merges in matter. But even while merged in the twenty-four elements of matter, he can keep his individuality as the eternal servitor of the Lord. Either in the spiritual nature or in the material nature, such a servitor is to be considered a liberated soul. That is the explanation of the authorities, and it is confirmed in this verse.