SB 07.09.32 nyasyedam atmani jagad vilayambu-madhye... cited

Expressions researched:
"nyasyedam atmani jagad vilayambu-madhye" |"sesetmana nija-sukhanubhavo nirihah" |"turye sthito na tu tamo na gunams ca yunkse" |"yogena milita-drg-atma-nipita-nidras"

SB Canto 7

SB 7.9.32, Translation and Purport:

O my Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, after the annihilation the creative energy is kept in You, who appear to sleep with half-closed eyes. Actually, however, You do not sleep like an ordinary human being, for You are always in a transcendental stage, beyond the creation of the material world, and You always feel transcendental bliss. As Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, You thus remain in Your transcendental status, not touching material objects. Although You appear to sleep, this sleeping is distinct from sleeping in ignorance.

As explained very clearly in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.47):

yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-

nidrām ananta-jagad-aṇḍa-sa-roma-kūpaḥ

ādhāra-śaktim avalambya parāṁ sva-mūrtiṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

"I worship the primeval Lord Govinda, who lies down in the Causal Ocean in His plenary portion as Mahā-viṣṇu, with all the universes generating from the pores of hair on His transcendental body, and who accepts the mystic slumber of eternity." The ādi-puruṣa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead—Kṛṣṇa, Govinda—expands Himself as Mahā-viṣṇu. After the annihilation of this cosmic manifestation, He keeps Himself in transcendental bliss. The word yoga-nidrām is used in reference to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should understand that this nidrā, or sleep, is not like our nidrā in the mode of ignorance. The Lord is always situated in transcendence. He is sac-cid-ānanda (Bs. 5.1)—eternally in bliss—and thus He is not disturbed by sleep like ordinary human beings. It should be understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in transcendental bliss in all stages. Śrīla Madhvācārya concisely states that the Lord is turya-sthitaḥ, always situated in transcendence. In transcendence there is no such thing as jāgaraṇa-nidrā-suṣupti—wakefulness, sleep and deep sleep.

The practice of yoga is similar to the yoga-nidrā of Mahā-viṣṇu. Yogīs are advised to keep their eyes half closed, but this state is not at all one of sleep, although imitation yogīs, especially in the modern age, manifest their so-called yoga by sleeping. In the śāstra, yoga is described as dhyānāvasthita, a state of full meditation, but this is meditation upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā: the mind should always be situated at the lotus feet of the Lord. Yoga practice does not mean sleeping. The mind should always be actively fixed at the lotus feet of the Lord. Then one's practice of yoga will be successful.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "O my Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, after annihilation, the creative energy is kept in Yourself, but the energy being put within Yourself, it appears that You are sleeping with half-closed eyes. Actually, there is no sleeping like an ordinary human being. You are always in the transcendental stage, beyond the creation of the material world, and You always feel in transcendental bliss. In this way, You, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, remain in Your transcendental status, but although it appears that Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is sleeping, it is not that; (it is) sleeping distinct from sleeping in ignorance."

Prabhupāda:

nyasyedam ātmani jagad vilayāmbu-madhye

śeṣetmanā nija-sukhānubhavo nirīhaḥ

yogena mīlita-dṛg-ātma-nipīta-nidras

turye sthito na tu tamo na guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe

(SB 7.9.32)

This is the position, transcendentally. How we use this word transcendental, that is explained here, what is transcendental. Turya. Turya, the fourth dimension. Here, in this material world, there are three dimensions: length, breadth and height. And spiritual world, beyond that, not within the measurement of length, breadth and height, that is called turya. (aside:) Child...

So we have already discussed that without spiritual touch there is no material creation. That is not possible. So modern scientists, they're missing this point, all big, big scientists. It is very simple thing, but they cannot understand. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Although they're advertised to be very advanced in knowledge, but actually they have no knowledge. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. They cannot find out that within the matter there must be spirit. Otherwise there is no creation. There must be. We have used this example often, that matter... A dead child means matter. This body is lump of matter, but on account of presence of the spirit soul we have got working arrangement of this body. There is hand, there is leg, there is head, there is ear—everything is being utilized. But when the spirit soul is not there, what is the value of this head, leg or hand? Anyone can see to it.

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

So this is God's creation, everything wonderful. But still, He's above, turya. He's not within this creation. He's creating, but he's not within it. Etad īśanam iṣasya. This is called godly power. He is within everything and He is without still. So that is understood here. Nyasyedam ātmani jagat vilayāmba-madhye. Amba-madhye... Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidram ananta (Bs. 5.47). He appears to be sleeping. Ananta-kāle. Again creation and, what is called, annihilation is going on. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ, viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā (Bs. 5.48). This creation and annihilation is going on continually. And what is the time difference? Niśvasita-kālam. Just like we exhale and inhale, a second, similarly, this creation—annihilation is a second for Mahā-Viṣṇu. So millions and millions of years stays... Everything is created, and it stays for some time. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti pralaya, three stages. So between the sṛṣṭi, creation, and pralaya, annihilation, there is one period which is called sthiti. That sthiti means the life of Brahmā. When the life of Brahmā is finished, then there is no more sthiti; it is now annihilated. Now you can calculate what is the life of Brahmā. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Our one thousand years and multiplied by the years of yuga... The yuga year means forty-three hundred thousand of years, and, multiplied by one thousand, that period is Brahmā's twelve hours, day. Now you can imagine. It is beyond your mathematical calculation, but still, there is calculation in the śāstra, and that is, such hundreds years, is the duration of sthiti. But that sthiti, before Kāraṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, is the moment, just like we exhale and inhale. So sṛṣṭi-sthiti. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya (Bs. 5.48). They take only that much time which is between exhaling and inhaling. That Mahā-Viṣṇu. That Mahā-Viṣṇu has placed Himself in this material energy, maha-tattva, and by His niśvasa, by His inhaling and exhaling, the material energy is agitated. Then the three guṇas are there. Then, by interaction, counteraction, the whole creation takes place.

Nyasyedam ātmani jagad vilayāmbu-madhye śeṣe. Śeṣe: "Lying down on the Śeṣa-mūrti." Ātmanā nija-sukhānubhavo... "He is not obliged, as we are placed in certain condition of life, being obliged." Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). I have got this body; you have got this body. It is not sukhānubhavaḥ. Here it is said that nija-sukhānubhavaḥ. This is called pastime. He is not obliged, but he takes pleasure. Just like sometimes we take pleasure in a swimming pool, lie down and closing our eyes. Who expert swimmer, they're lying down. Why it is not possible for the Supreme Lord? What is the difficulty? Sukhānubhavaḥ. We take that pastime for pleasure, for pleasure, lying down on the water, closing eyes. So when we speak, "The Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu lying down in the Causal Ocean," these rascals, fools, they sometimes criticize, "And how it is possible?" How it is not possible? If a ordinary man can take pleasure lying down on the water, closing and lying for hours—we have seen it—so what is the difficulty for the Supreme Lord? You have got this tendency to lie down on water, half on the water, and close your eyes. So where your tendency has come? Your tendency has come because the same tendency is there in the Supreme Lord. This is the explanation. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jayante. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is the Vedic... Everything, whatever you see, that is there in the Supreme Being. Why we make love affairs with young girls or young boys? Because the same propensity is there. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Kṛṣṇa is enjoying in Goloka Vṛndāvana with so many young girls. That tendency to enjoy the company of young girls or young boys is there. Otherwise wherefrom it has come? That is the explanation. Everything, whatever you see, everything—janmādy asya yataḥ—that is there.