FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.8

य एवं सन्तमात्मानमात्मस्थं वेद पूरुष: । नाज्यते प्रकृतिस्थोऽपि तद्गुणै: स मयि स्थित: ॥ ८ ॥
ya evaṁ santam ātmānam
[ya evam santam aatmaanam]
ātma-sthaṁ veda pūruṣaḥ
[aatma-stham veda poorushah]
nājyate prakṛti-stho ’pi
[naajyate prakriti-stho ’pi]
tad-guṇaiḥ sa mayi sthitaḥ
[tad-gunaih sa mayi sthitah]
Word-for-word
yaḥ — anyone who evam — thus santam — existing ātmānam — the individual ātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramātmā ātma-stham — situated within his body veda — knows pūruṣaḥ — person na — never ajyate — is affected prakṛti — in material nature sthaḥ — situated api — although tat-guṇaiḥ — by the material modes of nature saḥ — such a person mayi — in Me sthitaḥ — situated.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ya evaṁ santam ātmānam
yaḥ
anyone who
evam
thus
santam
existing
ātmānam
the individual ātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramātmā
ātma-sthaṁ veda pūruṣaḥ
ātma-stham
situated within his body
veda
knows
pūruṣaḥ
person
nājyate prakṛti-stho ’pi
na
never
ajyate
is affected
prakṛti
in material nature
sthaḥ
situated
api
although
tad-guṇaiḥ sa mayi sthitaḥ
tat-guṇaiḥ
by the material modes of nature
saḥ
such a person
mayi
in Me
sthitaḥ
situated.
Although within the material nature, one who is thus situated in full knowledge of the Paramātmā and ātmā is never affected by the modes of material nature, for he is always situated in My transcendental loving service.
Purport

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in this material world, He is not affected by the modes of material nature. Similarly, those who are always connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though they be within the material body or the material world, are not affected by the material qualities. That is explained very nicely in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26) :

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

“One who is unflinchingly engaged in the devotional service of the Lord surpasses the material qualities and attains Brahman realization.” In this connection Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that if a person is always engaged in the service of the Lord with his body, words and mind, he is to be considered liberated although living in the material world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The person who knows the Paramātmā situated in the self, though situated in the body, is not affected by guṇas of the body, since he is situated in me. Though he is situated in the body (prakṛti-sthaḥ) he is not affected by the guṇas of the body. He is not situated in the body at all.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
One who knows ātmā and Paramātmā and is engaged in loving service is untouched by modes even while in material nature. The protection isn't escape from the field; it's right relation within it.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I imagine I must leave the field when the answer is to be rightly related inside it?
  • What aspect of loving service would protect me where I currently feel most exposed?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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