सच्चिदानन्दरूपानां जीवानां कृष्णमायया ।
अनाद्यविद्यया तत्त्वविस्मृत्या संसृतिर्भ्रमः ॥
sac-cid-ānanda-rūpānāṁ jīvānāṁ kṛṣṇa-māyayā |
anādy-avidyayā tattva-vismṛtyā saṁsṛtir bhramaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.187)
“The transmigration (saṁsṛti) [i.e., saṁsāra]—the delusion—of the jīvas, who are eternal being, consciousness, and bliss in constitution, occurs because of oblivion in regard to [their own] essential nature (tattva) because of beginningless ignorance (anādi-avidyā) by means of Kṛṣṇa’s māyā.”
Commentary
nanu yadi muktāv api bhedas tiṣṭhed eva, tarhi bahu-janma-kṛta-parama-prayāsena sādhyamānayā muktyā kiṁ kṛtam? tatrāhuḥ—sac-cid iti dvābhyām | kṛṣṇasya bhagavato māyayā yā anādir avidyā, tayā tattvasya para-brahmāṁśa-bhūta-nija-svarūpasya vismṛtir ananusandhānam, tayā saṁsṛtiḥ saṁsāritvaṁ, tad-rūpo bhramaḥ syāt | avidyayā yat saṁsāritvaṁ tad api kevalaṁ bhramātmakam evety arthaḥ | vicāreṇa teṣām api saṁsāritvāsambhavāt |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[An objection is raised:] ‘Well, if a distinction [between the jīva and Parabrahman] shall certainly remain even in mukti, then what is accomplished by mukti, which is pursued with great endeavor performed over the course of many births?’ In this regard, they speak with two [verses, beginning] sac-cid … [i.e., BB 2.2.187–188]. The transmigration (saṁsṛti), that is, [the state of] being a saṁsārī—the delusion the form of which is that—shall occur because of oblivion (vismṛti), that is, non-inquiry, [on the part of the jīvas] in regard to [their] essential nature (tattva), that is, in regard to their own constitution (svarūpa) existent as a part (aṁśa) of Parabrahman, because of beginningless ignorance (anādi-avidyā) by means of the māyā of Kṛṣṇa, that is, Bhagavān. Even that [state of] being a saṁsārī because of [beginningless] ignorance (avidyā) is entirely delusional is the meaning because of the impossibility, as a result of deliberation (vicāra), of even their [i.e. the jīvas’] being saṁsārīs [i.e., when a jīva deliberates on the nature and condition of the self in saṁsāra, it is understood that that experience of being a saṁsārī is ultimately just a delusion and that the jīva is not by nature a saṁsārī but rather only bound by circumstance in the delusional state of considering oneself a saṁsārī].”