Ātmani means with the soul, with the Supersoul, the relation between the soul and the Supersoul. That is called ātmā. That is called rāsa dance. You have heard about Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance. That is happiness. In the field of spiritual platform that happiness is realized.
So, sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute. Akṣayam means that does not pass away; not flickering. Not flickering. Here in the material world all happiness, the so-called happiness, they are all flickering. They come and go. Therefore one who is transcendentally situated, he does not care for happiness or distress, because he knows, "Either this happiness or this distress, it has appeared and it will go.
It will go. So why I shall be disturbed with distress also?" Because this nature of this world . . . just like snowfall in your country. Snowfall . . . now we are expecting snowfall. Last year there was snowfall. It has gone away. Again they are coming. So anything of this world, they come and go. They come and go. So we shall not be disturbed. And in Bhagavad-gītā also, Lord Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna that:
- mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
- śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
- āgamāpāyino 'nityās
- tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata
- (BG 2.14)
Even there are distress in this material world, we should learn to tolerate, because these are ephemeral. They are not neither real distress, neither real ha . . . we should be callous either of this happiness or distress. So one who is like that, he . . . sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam. Akṣayam means "which does not deteriorate." That sort of happiness he enjoys. Ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te (BG 5.22).
And one who is attached with the touchstone, I mean to say, sense touch, he must know that he is inviting miseries of life. He's inviting miseries of life. Ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogāḥ. Any enjoyment which is derived out of the touch of the senses, we should know that is meant for our miserable life. Ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te. Duḥkha-yonayaḥ means that in future I'll have to suffer for that.
Therefore sense control is very essential in the material advance, er, in the spiritual advancement of life. Saṁsparśajāḥ. The happiness derived, material happiness derived out of the touch of senses, oh, it is clearly stated here that duḥkha-yonayaḥ: "They are the mother of all miseries. Mother of all miseries." There are so many instances. In the Bhāgavata also, we have got a very nice śloka, verse. It was spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ, kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham (SB 7.9.45).
He says that, "In this material world the people are thinking that they are happy. Why? Now, because they have that sex happiness." Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. And what is that sex happiness? It is kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. Suppose you have got some itches in your hand, and you itch it very . . . according to your satisfaction.
Then, after the effect, the effect of such itching is very horrible. Oh. So similarly, this is a kind of itching sensation. So kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ. So one who wants to cure these itches, he should be a little tolerant. Tolerant. And then he'll be cured of this itching. Itching, if you stop itching, then it automatically cures.
Similarly, the sparśajā sukham, the happiness which is enjoyed by sense touch, that is duḥkha-yonayaḥ. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that is, I mean to say, generating, generating distress only. Generating distress only. Duḥkha-yonaya eva te, ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ (BG 5.22).
"Oh, no," somebody may say, "no, this is very good happiness." But Kṛṣṇa says, "That is distress in the beginning, and that is distress at the end, Kaunteya." Na teṣu ramate budhaḥ: "Therefore those who are intelligent, they refrain from such happiness." Refrain from such happiness. Ādy-a . . . ādau antavantaḥ. In the beginning also, for arrangement of sex life, there is so many distress, and at the end also, there is so many distress.
So sense gratification, they should be so . . . so long we are in this material world, there is need, but that should be regulated. That should not be extravagant or unrestricted. Then we call for distress. That is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa.