FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.4.24

दीपश्चक्षुश्च रूपं च ज्योतिषो न पृथग् भवेत् । एवं धी: खानि मात्राश्च न स्युरन्यतमाद‍ृतात् ॥ २४ ॥
dīpaś cakṣuś ca rūpaṁ ca
[deepash chakshush cha roopam cha]
jyotiṣo na pṛthag bhavet
[jyotisho na prithag bhavet]
evaṁ dhīḥ khāni mātrāś ca
[evam dheeh khaani maatraash cha]
na syur anyatamād ṛtāt
[na syur anyatamaad ritaat]
dīpaḥ — a lamp cakṣuḥ — a perceiving eye ca — and rūpam — a perceived form ca — and jyotiṣaḥ — from the original element fire na — not pṛthak — distinct bhavet — are evam — in the same way dhīḥ — intelligence khāni — the senses mātrāḥ — the perceptions ca — and na syuḥ — they are not anyatamāt — which is itself completely distinct ṛtāt — from the reality.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dīpaś cakṣuś ca rūpaṁ ca
dīpaḥ
a lamp
cakṣuḥ
a perceiving eye
ca
and
rūpam
a perceived form
ca
and
jyotiṣo na pṛthag bhavet
jyotiṣaḥ
from the original element fire
na
not
pṛthak
distinct
bhavet
are
evaṁ dhīḥ khāni mātrāś ca
evam
in the same way
dhīḥ
intelligence
khāni
the senses
mātrāḥ
the perceptions
ca
and
na syur anyatamād ṛtāt
na syuḥ
they are not
anyatamāt
which is itself completely distinct
ṛtāt
from the reality.
A lamp, the eye that views by the light of that lamp, and the visible form that is viewed are all basically nondifferent from the element fire. In the same way, intelligence, the senses and sense perceptions have no existence separate from the supreme reality, although that Absolute Truth remains totally distinct from them.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
A lamp, the eye that views by the light of that lamp, and the visible form that is viewed are non-different from the element light. In the same way, intelligence, the senses and sense perceptions have no existence separate from the supreme reality, although that Absolute Truth remains totally distinct from them. An example is given. Just as a lamp, the eye and form are aspects of light element, and are not different from light, which is their cause, so intelligence, senses and sense objects are not different from Brahman. Just as the lamp, eye and form—the effects--are said to be fire or light, so intelligence, senses and sense objects—the effects of Brahman--are said to be Brahman. “But if cause and effect are one, and the effect is unreal, then the cause is unreal since the effect is simply a transformation of the cause.” But Brahman is completely different from their effects, and even from prakṛti, the cause of those effects.
Lamp, eye, and visible form are all really fire. Likewise intelligence, senses, and perceptions are not separate from supreme reality — yet the Absolute Truth remains distinct from them. Unity and distinction live together; we don't have to collapse one into the other.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I oversimplify by either separating from or merging with everything around me?
  • Can I rest in a more mature both/and — connected yet distinct?
📝 My note

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