FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.24.2

आसीज्ज्ञानमथो अर्थ एकमेवाविकल्पितम् । यदा विवेकनिपुणा आदौ कृतयुगेऽयुगे ॥ २ ॥
āsīj jñānam atho artha
[aaseej jnaanam atho artha]
ekam evāvikalpitam
[ekam evaavikalpitam]
yadā viveka-nipuṇā
[yadaa viveka-nipunaa]
ādau kṛta-yuge ’yuge
[aadau krita-yuge ’yuge]
āsīt — there existed jñānam — the seer atha u — thus arthaḥ — the seen ekam — one eva — simply avikalpitam — undifferentiated yadā — when viveka — in discrimination nipuṇāḥ — persons who were expert ādau — in the beginning kṛta-yuge — in the age of purity ayuge — and before that, during the time of annihilation.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
āsīj jñānam atho artha
āsīt
there existed
jñānam
the seer
atha u
thus
arthaḥ
the seen
ekam evāvikalpitam
ekam
one
eva
simply
avikalpitam
undifferentiated
yadā viveka-nipuṇā
yadā
when
viveka
in discrimination
nipuṇāḥ
persons who were expert
ādau kṛta-yuge ’yuge
ādau
in the beginning
kṛta-yuge
in the age of purity
ayuge
and before that, during the time of annihilation.
Originally, during the Kṛta-yuga, when all men were very expert in spiritual discrimination, and also previous to that, during the period of annihilation, the seer existed alone, nondifferent from the seen object.

Kṛta-yuga is the first age, also known as Satya-yuga, in which knowledge, being perfect, is not different from its object. In modern society, knowledge is highly speculative and constantly changing. There is often a vast difference between people’s theoretical ideas and actual reality. In Satya-yuga, however, people are viveka-nipuṇāḥ, or expert in intelligent discrimination, and thus there is no difference between their vision and reality. In Satya-yuga, the population in general is self-realized. Seeing everything as the potency of the Supreme Lord, they do not artificially create duality between themselves and other living entities. This is a further aspect of the oneness of Satya-yuga. At the time of annihilation, everything merges to rest within the Lord, and at that time also there is no difference between the Lord, who becomes the only seer, and the objects of knowledge, which are contained within the Lord. The liberated living entities in the eternal spiritual world are never subject to such merging but remain forever undisturbed in their spiritual forms. Because they are voluntarily one with the Lord in love, their abode is never annihilated.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Originally, during Satya-yuga, when all men were expert in spiritual discrimination, and also during the period of annihilation, the Lord was complete, one alone, without difference. Jñāna means Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān according to Śukadeva’s statement in SB 1.2.11. This jñāna or Brahman was full (arthaḥ) and devoid of difference during the period of devastation (ayuge), in Satya-yuga and also when there were wise persons skilled in discrimination, with no difference opinions among them.
In Kṛta-yuga and before, when men were spiritually expert, and at annihilation, the seer existed alone, non-different from the seen. Origin and end share a single oneness.
Reflection Questions
  • What does it teach me that both beginning and end are non-dual?
  • Where am I living as if duality were the deepest reality?
📝 My note

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