SB 1.3.33 (1962)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 33
Yatra ime sadaasad rupe pratisiddhe swasamvida Avidyatmani krite iti tadbrahmadarshanam
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Yatra—whenever, Ime—in all these, Sadasad—gross and subtile, Rupe—in the forms of, Pratisiddhe—on being nullified, Sasamvida—by self realisation, Avidyaya—by ignorance, Atmani—in the self, Krite—having been imposed, Iti—thus, Tad—that is, Brahmadarshanam—the process of seeing the Absolute.
TRANSLATION
Whenever a person experiences by self realisation that both the gross and subtle bodies have nothing to do with the pure self, at that time such experienced person sees himself as well as the Lord.
PURPORT
The difference between self-realisation and being covered by material illusion is to know that the temporary or illusory imposition of material energy in the shape of gross and subtle bodies are superficial coverings of the self. The coverings take place on account of ignorance of the individual living entities while the same covering is never effective in the Person of the Personality of Godhead. Knowing this fact convincingly is called liberation or seeing the absolute. This means perfect self realisation is made possible by adoption of Godly or spiritual life. This self realisation means to become indifferent in the matter of the needs of the gross and subtle bodies and be serious in the matter of the activities of the self. The impetus of activities are generated from the bottom of the self but such activities become illusory on account of ignorance of the real position of the self. By ignorance self interest is calculated in terms of the gross and subtle bodies and therefore the whole set of activities in such illusion are spoiled life after life. When, however, one meets the self by proper culture, the activities of the self begins and therefore a man who is engaged in the activities of the self he is called the Jivan-mukta or the liberated person even in conditional existence.
This perfect stage of self realisation is attained not, by any other artificial means but under the lotus feet of the Lord Who is always in transcendental position. In the Bhagwat Geeta the Lord says that He is present in every one's heart and from Him only all knowledge remembrance or forgetfulness take place. When the Living being desires to be an enjoyer of the material energy (illusory phenomenon) the Lord covers the living being in the mystery of forgetfulness and thus the living being misappreciates the gross body and subtle mind in the place of his own self. And by culture of transcendental knowledge when the same living being prays to the Lord for deliverance form the clutches of forgetfulness, the Lord by His causeless mercy, removes the living being's illusory curtain and he realises his own self. He then engages himself in the service of the Lord in his eternal constitutional position becoming liberated from the conditioned life. All these are executed by the Lord through the agency of either His internal potency or directly by the internal potency.