174 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 3

yatra—whenever; ime—in all these; sat-asat—gross and subtle; riipe—in
the forms of; pratisiddhe—on being nullified; sva-sarmvida—by self-
realization; avidyaya—by ignorance; atmani—in the self; krte—having been
imposed; iti—thus; tat—that is; brahma-darsanam—the process of seeing
the Absolute.

TRANSLATION

Whenever a person experiences, by self-realization, that both the gross
and subtle bodies have nothing to do with the pure self, at that time he
sees himself as well as the Lord.

PURPORT

The difference between self-realization and material illusion is to know
that the temporary or illusory impositions of material energy in the shape
of gross and subtle bodies are superficial coverings of the self. The cover-
ings take place due to ignorance. Such coverings are never effective in the
person of the Personality of Godhead. Knowing this convincingly is called
liberation, or seeing the Absolute. This means that perfect self-realization
is made possible by adoption of godly or spiritual life. Self-realization
means to become indifferent to the needs of the gross and subtle bodies
and to become serious about the activities of the self. The impetus for
activities is generated from the self, but such activities become illusory
due to ignorance of the real position of the self. By ignorance, self-interest
is calculated in terms of the gross and subtle bodies, and therefore a whole
set of activities is spoiled life after life. When, however, one meets the self
by proper culture, the activities of the self begin. Therefore a man who is
engaged in the activities of the self is called jivanmukta, or a liberated
person even in the conditional existence.

This perfect stage of self-realization is not attained by artificial means,
but under the lotus feet of the Lord, who is always transcendental. In the
Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that He is present in everyone’s heart, and
from Him only all knowledge, remembrance or forgetfulness take place.
When the living being desires to be an enjoyer of material energy (illusory
phenomena), the Lord covers the living being in the mystery of forgetful-
ness, and thus the living being misinterprets the gross body and subtle
mind to be his own self. And by culture of transcendental knowledge,
when the living being prays to the Lord for deliverance from the clutches
of forgetfulness, the Lord, by His causeless mercy, removes the living
being’s illusory curtain, and thus he realizes his own self. He then engages
