Uddhava-Gita
TEXT 17.56|| SB 11.23.56 ||
na kenacit kvapi kathancanasya dvandvoparagah paratah parasyayathahamah samsrti-rupinah syad evam prabuddho na bibheti bhutaih
The false ego, which manifests the visible material creation, is subjected to happiness and distress. The soul, however, who is transcendental to matter, can never actually be affected by material happiness and distress in any place, under any circumstance, or by the agency of any person. When one realizes this fact, he will no longer have any fear from any material condition.
COMMENTARY
The brahmana has countered various philosophies regarding the happiness and distress experienced by the conditioned souls. Here, he counters any other possible explanation. Due to false ego, the conditioned soul identifies with his gross and subtle coverings and thus dreams that he is suffering or enjoying that which has no real relationship with his self. Who then is the cause of one’s suffering? It is simply due to illusion that one suffers in material existence. False ego, which is one of the constituents of the subtle body, of which the mind is the leader, is the real cause of happiness and distress, and not anything else. The word yatha in this verse means “certainly.” The word samsrti refers to “the bondage of material existence.” Normally, one who is awake is not afraid of ghosts. In the same way, one who is awake to self-realization has nothing more to fear from material existence. By nature, the soul is pure and so time or karma cannot be the actual cause of his distress. It is because of illusion, or the misconception of accepting the material body as the self, that the eternal soul feels temporary manifestations of happiness and distress. This is all the action of the false ego, which is born of ignorance. This is the sum and substance of this chapter.
PURPORT
The conditioned soul imagines the existence of happiness and distress as a result of his aversion to the Lord’s service. However, when he wakes up from his sleep, he understands that the dream of happiness and distress does not belong to him. Under the influence of false ego, the living entities become absorbed in material existence and as a result, forget their actual identity. This condition of life is dissolved for one who is awake to the reality of Krsna consciousness. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of the awkward situations that arise from being absorbed on the bodily platform. The feelings of happiness, distress, and fear that are products of the material nature cannot overwhelm the self-realized souls, who are situated firmly in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord.
