FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.13.8-9

आत्मानं ब्रह्म निर्वाणं प्रत्यस्तमितविग्रहम् । अवबोधरसैकात्म्यमानन्दमनुसन्ततम् ॥ ८ ॥ अव्यवच्छिन्नयोगाग्निदग्धकर्ममलाशय: । स्वरूपमवरुन्धानो नात्मनोऽन्यं तदैक्षत ॥ ९ ॥
ātmānaṁ brahma-nirvāṇaṁ
[aatmaanam brahma-nirvaanam]
pratyastamita-vigraham
[pratyastamita-vigraham]
avabodha-rasaikātmyam
[avabodha-rasaikaatmyam]
ānandam anusantatam
[aanandam anusantatam]
avyavacchinna-yogāgni-
[avyavachchinna-yogaagni-]
dagdha-karma-malāśayaḥ
[dagdha-karma-malaashayah]
svarūpam avarundhāno
[svaroopam avarundhaano]
nātmano ’nyaṁ tadaikṣata
[naatmano ’nyam tadaikshata]
ātmānam — self brahma — spirit nirvāṇam — extinction of material existence pratyastamita — ceased vigraham — separation avabodha-rasa — by the mellow of knowledge eka-ātmyam — oneness ānandam — bliss anusantatam — expanded avyavacchinna — continuous yoga — by practice of yoga agni — by the fire dagdha — burned karma — fruitive desires mala — dirty āśayaḥ — in his mind svarūpam — constitutional position avarundhānaḥ — realizing na — not ātmanaḥ — than the Supreme Soul anyam — anything else tadā — then aikṣata — saw.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ātmānaṁ brahma-nirvāṇaṁ
ātmānam
self
brahma
spirit
nirvāṇam
extinction of material existence
pratyastamita-vigraham
pratyastamita
ceased
vigraham
separation
avabodha-rasaikātmyam
avabodha-rasa
by the mellow of knowledge
eka-ātmyam
oneness
ānandam anusantatam
ānandam
bliss
anusantatam
expanded
avyavacchinna-yogāgni-
avyavacchinna
continuous
yoga
by practice of yoga
agni
by the fire
dagdha-karma-malāśayaḥ
dagdha
burned
karma
fruitive desires
mala
dirty
āśayaḥ
in his mind
svarūpam avarundhāno
svarūpam
constitutional position
avarundhānaḥ
realizing
nātmano ’nyaṁ tadaikṣata
na
not
ātmanaḥ
than the Supreme Soul
anyam
anything else
tadā
then
aikṣata
saw.
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 nirvāṇa. 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.

These two verses explain the verse in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.54) :

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

“One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or 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 Śikṣāṣṭaka in the beginning of the first verse:

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam

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 nirvāṇa, or liberation from material existence, and so increase one’s blissful life of spiritual existence as described by Lord Caitanya ( ānandāmbudhi-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 syāt. 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-gītā (2.59) . Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā 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 Nārada-pañcarātra: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Realizing the jīva as Brahman, which was peaceful, devoid of argument, pure knowledge, bliss, and all-pervading, and having burned up all contamination of karma in his heart by the continuous fire of yoga, Utkala saw nothing except the pure jīva. He knew the svarūpa of the jīva as Brahman, tranquillity (nirvāṇam), devoid of argument. What was that ātmā? It was completely one with the essence of knowledge; it was pure knowledge (avabodha-rasaikatmyam). Utkala’s heart had burned all contamination of karma by the continuous fire of yoga. He saw nothing except the pure jīva (ātmanaḥ).
Already liberated through Brahman-knowledge, Utkala lived in expanding transcendental bliss through bhakti-yoga. Liberation isn't a future event; some souls walk around already free, recognizable by their joy.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom in my circle might already be more free than I realize?
  • Where am I measuring liberation by ascetic show instead of by quiet, expanding joy?
📝 My note

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