Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.82.46
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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ātmā ātmanā tataḥ
—
the self pervasive in its own identity
Phrase: ātmā (self) + ātmanā (by/as itself, instrumental) + tataḥ (pervasive). The spirit soul retains its own identity even as it pervades. Gauḍīyas note: ātmā here means the jīva-ātmā, distinct from paramātmā — pluralism is preserved within pervasion.
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akṣare
—
within the imperishable Supreme
Compound: akṣare (imperishable, locative) + pare (Supreme, locative). Kṛṣṇa names Himself as akṣara — the imperishable substrate. Gauḍīyas distinguish kṣara (perishable beings), akṣara (the impersonal eternal), and puruṣottama (the Supreme Person above both, BG 15.18) — Kṛṣṇa here speaks as puruṣottama.
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paśyata ābhātam
—
you should see (it) manifested
Phrase: paśyata (you should see, imperative plural) + ābhātam (manifested, shining forth). The instruction is to see Him as the manifest substrate of both matter and soul. Bhakti-jñāna, not impersonal advaita.
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mayi
—
within Me
Locative of asmad (I). The personal locus — 'in Me.' Gauḍīyas: not 'in being' or 'in the Absolute' but 'in Me,' Kṛṣṇa, the Person. Personalism even in tattva-instruction.
One should properly understand the relationships among the material objects of this world, the elements comprising their basic substance, the individual spirit souls and the one Supreme Soul. The various objects of material enjoyment, such as pots, rivers and mountains, are manufactured from the basic material elements — earth, water, fire and so on. These elements pervade material things as their cause, while the spirit souls pervade them in their special role as their enjoyer ( svātmanā ). And ultimately, the material elements, their products and the living entities are all manifested within and pervaded by the imperishable, perfectly complete Supreme Soul, Kṛṣṇa. A jñānī with realization of these facts should feel no separation from the Lord in any situation, but the gopīs of Vraja are much more elevated in their Kṛṣṇa consciousness than ordinary jñānīs. Because of their intense love for Kṛṣṇa in His most humanlike, all-attractive aspect as a young cowherd boy, Kṛṣṇa’s internal potency, Yoga-māyā, covered their knowledge of His majestic aspects, such as His all-pervasiveness. Thus the gopīs were able to relish the intense ecstasy caused by their love in separation from Him. Only in jest is Śrī Kṛṣṇa ascribing to them a lack of spiritual discrimination.
In this way (evam hi) the material elements such as ether (etani bhutani) exist in all bodies (bhutesu), and the soul (atma) pervades the body by his very nature (atmana). You should see both the body and soul as appearing in me, the eternal (aksare) paramatma (pare), the pervader of all and the support of all. Thus all your bodies and souls exist in me at all times. Therefore where is the suffering in separation from me? It is caused by your lock of discrimination."
Certainly in the way mentioned (my being the beginning and of all things), the five gross elements exist in the body. The ātmā spreads by its śakti in the bodies (tataḥ) by itself (ātmanā) and exists in them. Both the body and the ātmā exist in me since I am the Supreme Lord (pare), since I am the sole support for the universe. Therefore realize that the body and ātmā both exist (ābhāntam) in me, the Supreme Lord, who exists always and everywhere. One may object that this statement is completely different from the bhāva of the gopīs. Thus another meaning can be given, just as in Uddhava’s message to the gopīs previously. Verse 45 can be explained as follows. Ahaṅkāra (aham) is the beginning and end of all elements. The elements are all included in ahaṅkāra. Verse 46 means the following. The objects realized in the prakaṭa pastimes (etani bhūtāni), the objects of your possessiveness, purely spiritual objects such as Vṛndāvana, exist in the spiritual objects of the aprakaṭa pastimes (bhūteṣu). Eko viṣṇur mahad bhūtam pṛthat bhūtāny anekaśaḥ: Viṣṇu is the original cause of all causes: he is the chief living entity, eternally an individual different from all other living entities.(Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma-stotra 140) Your identity in the prakāta pastimes (ātmā) is spread with your identity in the aprakaṭa pastimes. Realize the identity of objects and self in the prakaṭa and aprakaṭa pastimes (ubhayam) to be existing in me, the shelter of all things, with whom you associate eternally (akṣare), playing in Vṛndāvana, though I appear as part of this manifested world (pare).
Moreover your bodies and ātmās exist in me alone. In the manner just stated (evam hi), the five elements exist in the bodies (bhuteṣu). The ātmā also spreads in the bodies by itself (ātmanā). Both the body and ātmā are in me. Why? I am the supreme Lord (pare). I am the sole cause of the universe. I am fixed (akṣare) in playing and herding cows in Vṛndāvana. Understand (paśyata) that both your bodies and ātmās, always shining beautifully with rasa pastimes (abhātam), exist in me, fixed in Vrnḍavana. Or experience this after this time (paśyata). There will never be separation again.
- Where does my picture collapse layers — confusing the body with the soul, or the soul with the Lord?
- What discrimination would clarify how I see?
Beads on a thread are visible; the thread is invisible, yet without it no garland holds. Material things rest in the elements; the elements and the spirit souls both rest in Kṛṣṇa, the imperishable thread on which the whole necklace hangs.
My note
Source: vedabase.io