Verse 2.2.208

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.208:

स्वारामता त्व् अहङ्कर-त्याग-मात्रेण सिध्यति ।
सुकरोऽतीव तत्-त्यागो मतस् तत्-तत्त्व-वेदिभिः ॥ २०८ ॥

svārāmatā tv ahaṅkara-tyāga-mātreṇa sidhyati |
sukaro'tīva tat-tyāgo matas tat-tattva-vedibhiḥ || 208 ||

sva-ārāma-tā–the quality of delighting in the self; tu–indeed; ahaṅkāra–false ego; tyāga–giving up; mātreṇa–by merely; sidhyati–becomes perfect; su-karaḥ–easily attained; atīva–very; tat–of this; tyāgaḥ–renunciation; mataḥ–considered; tat-tattva–with the truth of that (false ego); vedibhiḥ–by they who are conversant.

If one just gives up his false ego, he attains self-satisfaction. This abandonment of the false ego is quite easy–this has been determined by knowers of the truth.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Voicing impersonalist arguments, Śrī Gopakumāra might posit, “Persons absorbed in bhakti are of the opinion that ‘Nothing can be obtained without devotion to the Lord. Without bhakti, how can one attain the state of self-satisfaction (ātmā-rāmatā), which is an even greater achievement than attaining Brahmaloka and such magnificent opulences? Only by engaging in bhakti is self-satisfaction achieved.’ But if that is so, then the statement that ‘those who are ātmā-rāma ought to become devotees and engage in bhakti,’ will be contradictory because they will have already been engaged in bhakti to reach that position.”

Alternatively, the same statement: “The state of self-satisfaction, which is the ultimate goal of human life, is attained by bhakti alone,” can be understood to mean that at the time of the great cosmic annihilation, the existence of the infinitesimal living beings (jīvasattā) is merged in Brahman. However, even during that state, the jīvas carry past impressions, or saṃskāras, of desire for sense objects, and when the time comes for a new creation, all their previous desires and impressions reawaken. Similarly, those who have achieved self-satisfaction continue to carry impressions of their past practices of bhakti. When that desire for bhakti is again awakened, its nature again manifests and induces those persons to describe the qualities, glories, and so on of Bhagavān.

This being the case, Gopa-kumāra might express the doubt, “If it is only because of the nature of their past desire that those who are self-satisfied again engage in bhakti, what need is there to glorify the greatness of the qualities of Bhagavān so extensively?”

In reply, the bhakti-śāstras say, “Ah, the state of self-satisfaction may be the supreme destination, but the mercy of Bhagavān makes even that seem insignificant. By the influence of the association of Vaiṣṇavas, that mercy of Bhagavān makes the ātmā-rāma sages realize the sweetness of His transcendental attributes and greatness, causing them to completely abandon their self-satisfaction and become engaged in devotion to the Lord’s lotus feet. In this manner, the process of the transformation of the ātmā-rāma sages reveals the greatness of the unlimitedly attractive qualities of Bhagavān.

“It is said, ‘The fruition of bhakti is self-satisfaction. In other words, this state is the culmination of bhakti,’ but this thought is completely absurd and against established truth, or siddhānta. In the opinion of Vaiṣṇavas, liberation is only the secondary result of bhakti. The principal result of bhakti is attaining the wealth of love for the lotus feet of the Lord.”

The bhakti-śāstras speak four verses (208 through 211), beginning here with svārāmatā, in which they dispel doubts about the state of self-satisfaction. They say, “Just by giving up false ego, one attains selfsatisfaction. There is no need for bhakti in that process.”

Gopa-kumāra may ask, “Without bhakti, how can one renounce false ego?”

The bhakti-śāstras say, “It is very easy to give up that false ego.”

“How has this been deduced?”

“Knowers of the truth, such as Śrī Vaśiṣṭha, have analyzed the process of abandoning false ego. It is said in the Yoga-vāśiṣṭha: ‘api puṣpāvadalanād api netra-nimīlanāt su-karo’haṅkṛti-tyāgo matas tattattva-vedibhiḥ–As utterly simple as it is to pick flowers or to close your eyes, it is just as easy to abandon false ego.’”

“But all action is performed because of ego. Without ego, how can one develop an inclination for the Lord’s service, of which the ego, or self-consciousness, is inherently a part?”

“In the same way that a special potency of Bhagavān enables devotees to obtain bodies comprised of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, another special potency of the Lord enables devotees to have the selfconception that they are sac-cid-ānanda servitors of the Lord. Bhakti is easily attained with this self-conception, or true ego.”