Text 27] Understanding Material Nature 1167

PURPORT

Lord Kapila says that mayi manasam, a devotee whose mind is always
fixed upon the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is
called atmarama or vidita-tattva. Atmarama means “one who rejoices
in the self,” or “one who enjoys in the spiritual atmosphere.” Atma, in
the material sense, means the body or the mind, but when referring to
one whose mind is fixed on the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, atmarama
means “‘one who is fixed in spiritual activities in relationship with the
Supreme Soul.” The Supreme Soul is the Personality of Godhead, and the
individual soul is the living entity. When they engage in reciprocation of
service and benediction, that is called the atmarama position. This atma-
rdma position can be attained by one who knows the truth as it is. The
truth is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the enjoyer and that
the living entities are meant for His service and enjoyment. One who
knows this truth, and who tries to engage all resources in the service of
the Lord, escapes all material reactions and influences of the modes of
material nature.

An example may be cited in this connection. Just as a materialist
engages in constructing a big skyscraper, similarly, a devotee engages in
constructing a big temple to Visnu. Superficially the skyscraper constructor
and temple constructor are on the same level, for both are collecting wood,
stone, iron and other building materials. But the person who constructs a
skyscraper is a materialist, and the person who constructs a temple of
Visnu is atmarama. The materialist tries to satisfy himself in relation to
his body by constructing a skyscraper, but the devotee tries to satisfy
the Superself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by constructing the
temple. Although both are engaged in the association of material activities,
the devotee is liberated, and the materialist is conditioned. This is because
the devotee, who is constructing the temple, has fixed his mind upon the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the nondevotee, who is constructing
the skyscraper, has his mind fixed in sense gratification. If, while per-
forming any activity, even in material existence, one’s mind is fixed upon
the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, he will not be entangled or
conditioned. The worker in devotional service, in full Krsna conscious-
ness, is always independent of the influence of material nature.

TEXT 27
TAMA: «BISA AGHA |
TAT MATT AM AMAA: |i
