Priti Sandarbha 9: Jīvan-mukti in Relation to Bhagavān




Anuccheda 9: Jīvan-mukti in Relation to Bhagavān

अथैतस्यां भगवत्साक्षात्कारलक्षणायां मुक्तौ जीवदवस्थायामाह (भा. ११.१४.१३) —

The description of mukti characterized with realization of Bhagavān while still living in the material body is given by Bhagavān in the following verse:

अकिञ्चनस्य दान्तस्य शान्तस्य समचेतसः
मया सन्तुष्टमनसः सर्वाः सुखमया दिशः ॥

All directions are blissful for a person who has no possession [other than Me], is fully satisfied with Me in his mind, has control over his mind, is peaceful and equipoised towards all. (SB 11.14.13)

भगवन्तं विना किञ्चनान्यदुपादेयत्वेन नास्तीत्यकिञ्चनस्य। तत्र हेतुः—मयेति। अकिञ्चनत्वेनैव हेतुना विशेषणत्रयं दान्तस्येति। अन्यत्र हेयोपादेयतारोहित्यात् समचेतसः। सर्वत्र तस्यैव साक्षात्कारात् सर्वा इत्युक्तम् ॥

The words "one who has no possession" (akiñcanasya) means one who possesses nothing of value [to himself] other than Bhagavān. The reason he is so is that he is fully satisfied with Bhagavān. The three further descriptors – having control over the mind (dāntasya), peaceful (śāntasya) and being equipoised towards all (sama-cetasah) -- are the result of his being akiñcana. He is equipoised (sama-cetasah) because there is nothing with or without value for him other than Bhagavān. It is because he sees Bhagavān everywhere that it is said that all direction are blissful for him (sarvāḥ sukha-mayā diśaḥ).

 Commentary by SND

 Earlier (in Anuccheda 3) it was said that one can attain mukti while still living the present body (jīvan-mukti) as well as after giving it up (utkrānta-mukti). One can be liberated as a result of either brahma-sākṣātkāra or bhagavat-sākṣātkāra. The two kinds of mukti in relation to brahma-sākṣātkāra were explained in Anucchedas 3 and 4, respectively. Now Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī describes them in relation to Bhagavān in this and the next anuccheda.



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