TEXTS 89
atmanam brahma nirvanam
pratyastamita-vigraham
avabodha-rasaikatmyam
anandam anusantatam
avyavacchinna-yogagni-
dagdha-karma-malasayah
svarupam avarundhano
natmano nyam tadaiksata
SYNONYMS
atmanamself; brahmaspirit; nirvanamextinction of material existence; pratyastamitaceased; vigrahamseparation; avabodha-rasaby the mellow of knowledge; eka-atmyamoneness; anandambliss; anusantatamexpanded; avyavacchinnacontinuous; yogaby practice of yoga; agniby the fire; dagdhaburned; karmafruitive desires; maladirty; asayahin his mind; svarupamconstitutional position; avarundhanahrealizing; nanot; atmanahthan the Supreme Soul; anyamanything else; tadathen; aiksatasaw.
TRANSLATION
By expansion of his knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, he had already attained liberation from the bondage of the body. This liberation is known as nirvana. He was situated in transcendental bliss, and he continued always in that blissful existence, which expanded more and more. This was possible for him by continual practice of bhakti-yoga, which is compared to fire because it burns away all dirty, material things. He was always situated in his constitutional position of self-realization, and he could not see anything else but the Supreme Lord and himself engaged in discharging devotional service.
PURPORT
One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything. He is equally disposed towards every living entity. In that state he achieves pure devotional service unto Me. This is also explained by Lord Caitanya in His Siksastaka in the beginning of the first verse:
The bhakti-yoga system is the topmost yoga system, and in this system the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is the foremost performance of devotional service. By chanting the holy name one can attain the perfection of nirvana, or liberation from material existence, and so increase ones blissful life of spiritual existence as described by Lord Caitanya (anandambudhi-vardhanam). When one is situated in that position, he no longer has any interest in material opulence or even a royal throne and sovereignty over the whole planet. This situation is called viraktir anyatra syat. It is the result of devotional service.
The more one makes advancement in devotional service, the more one becomes detached from material opulence and material activity. This is the spiritual nature, full of bliss. This is also described in Bhagavad-gita (2.59). Param drstva nivartate: one ceases to take part in material enjoyment upon tasting superior, blissful life in spiritual existence. By advancement in spiritual knowledge, which is considered to be like blazing fire, all material desires are burned to ashes. The perfection of mystic yoga is possible when one is continuously in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by discharging devotional service. A devotee is always thinking of the Supreme Person at every step of his life. Every conditioned soul is full of the reactions of his past life, but all dirty things are immediately burned to ashes if one simply executes devotional service. This is described in the Narada-pancaratra: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170].
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