2.3.17
अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये सन्निविष्टः। तं स्वात् शरीरात् प्रवृहेत् मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण। तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति ॥१७॥
aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo'ntarātmā sadā janānāṃ hṛdaye sanniviṣṭaḥ। taṃ svāt śarīrāt pravṛhet muñjādiveṣīkāṃ dhairyeṇa। taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtaṃ taṃ vidyācchukramamṛtamiti ॥17॥
[अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः (aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ) - of the size of a thumb; पुरुषः (puruṣaḥ) - the person; अन्तरात्मा (antarātmā) - inner ātmān; सदा (sadā) - always; जनानाम् (janānām) - of people; हृदये (hṛdaye) - in the heart; सन्निविष्टः (sanniviṣṭaḥ) - situated; तम् (tam) - him; स्वात् (svāt) - from one's own; शरीरात् (śarīrāt) - body; प्रवृहेत् (pravṛhet) - should extract; मुञ्जात् (muñjāt) - from the muñja grass; इव (iva) - like; इषीकाम् (iṣīkām) - the stalk; धैर्येण (dhairyeṇa) - with steadfastness; तम् (tam) - him; विद्यात् (vidyāt) - should know; शुक्रम् (śukram) - pure; अमृतम् (amṛtam) - immortal; तम् (tam) - him; विद्यात् (vidyāt) - should know; शुक्रम् (śukram) - pure; अमृतम् (amṛtam) - immortal; इति (iti) - thus;]
The person, the inner-ātman, of the size of a thumb, is always situated in the hearts of the people. With steadfastness, one should extract it from one's own body, like the stalk from the muñja grass. One should know him as pure and immortal, know Him to be pure and immortal.
Muñja Grass: A type of grass known for its tough outer layers and the tender stalk or reed at its core. Stalk Extraction: The process of carefully removing the fine reed from within the coarse outer layers requires precision and care.
Bhāṣya 2.3.17
By stating "in the heart of the people", it is established that Lord Hari is distinct from the individual being. The concept of non-difference of the individual being with the worldly body is not accepted by any philosopher, nor is it recognized generally in the world. Generally differences are observed among people. Also, the individual being is not considered to be thumb-sized. Therefore, what is stated is the distinction between Lord Vishnu and individual being.
"शरीरभूतो विष्णोस्तु जीवस्तद्वशगो यतः। अधिष्ठितश्च तेनैव विजानीयात् पृथक् ततः॥ स्वाख्यात् शरीरात् जीवात्तु प्रवृहेद् विष्णुमव्ययम्॥"
"śarīrabhūto viṣṇostu jīvastadvaśago yataḥ। adhiṣṭhitaśca tenaiva vijānīyāt pṛthak tataḥ॥ svākhyāt śarīrāt jīvāttu pravṛhed viṣṇumavyayam॥"
[शरीरभूतः (śarīrabhūtaḥ) - embodied; विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Vishnu; तु (tu) - but; जीवः (jīvaḥ) - the being; तद्वशगः (tadvaśagaḥ) - under His control; यतः (yataḥ) - because; अधिष्ठितः (adhiṣṭhitaḥ) - situated; च (ca) - and; तेन (tena) - by Him; एव (eva) - indeed; विजानीयात् (vijānīyāt) - should know; पृथक् (pṛthak) - separately; ततः (tataḥ) - from that; स्वाख्यात् (svākhyāt) - from one's own body; शरीरात् (śarīrāt) - from the body; जीवात् (jīvāt) - from the being; तु (tu) - but; प्रवृहेत् (pravṛhet) - should separate; विष्णुम् (viṣṇum) - Vishnu; अव्ययम् (avyayam) - imperishable;]
"The being is embodied and under the control of Lord Vishnu; because it is situated by Him, (the being) should be known separately from that (Lord Vishnu). One should discern the imperishable Vishnu from one's own body and the being."
इति च॥
iti ca॥
[इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and / as well;]
- stated thus as well.
यस्यात्मा शरीरम् य आत्मानमन्तरो यमयति इति च।
yasyātmā śarīram ya ātmānamantaro yamayati iti ca।
[यस्य (yasya) - whose; आत्मा (ātmā) - self; शरीरम् (śarīram) - body; य (ya) - who; आत्मानम् (ātmānam) - self; अन्तरः (antaraḥ) - inner; यमयति (yamayati) - controls; इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and / as well;]
'The one whose ātmā is the body', 'who controls the inner-ātmān', - is thus described as well.
"जनानां हृदये" - इत्युक्तत्वाच्च जीवात् पृथग् हरिरिति सिद्धम्।
"janānāṃ hṛdaye" - ityuktatvācca jīvāt pṛthag haririti siddham।
[जनानां (janānāṃ) - of people; हृदये (hṛdaye) - in the heart; इति (iti) - thus; उक्तत्वात् (uktatvāt) - due to being said; च (ca) - and; जीवात् (jīvāt) - from the soul; पृथक् (pṛthak) - separate; हरिः (hariḥ) - Hari; इति (iti) - thus; सिद्धम् (siddham) - established;]
By stating "in the heart of the people", it is established that Hari is distinct from the individual being.
देहाङ्गुष्ठमितो देहे जीवाङ्गुष्ठमितो हृदि। जीवस्य स तु विज्ञेयो जीवात् भेदेन मुक्तये॥
dehāṅguṣṭhamito dehe jīvāṅguṣṭhamito hṛdi। jīvasya sa tu vijñeyo jīvāt bhedena muktaye॥
[देहाङ्गुष्ठमितः (dehāṅguṣṭhamitaḥ) - measured by the thumb in the body; देहे (dehe) - in the body; जीवाङ्गुष्ठमितः (jīvāṅguṣṭhamitaḥ) - measured by the thumb in the heart; हृदि (hṛdi) - in the heart; जीवस्य (jīvasya) - of the soul; सः (saḥ) - he; तु (tu) - but; विज्ञेयः (vijñeyaḥ) - to be known; जीवात् (jīvāt) - from the soul; भेदेन (bhedena) - by distinction; मुक्तये (muktaye) - for liberation;]
"Is measured by the thumb in the body of the being and is measured by the thumb in the heart. Hence, he is to be known as distinct from the individual being for liberation."
इति च॥
iti ca॥
[इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and;]
- stated thus as well.
संसारिशरीरेणाभेदो वादिना केनापि नाङ्गीकृतः। न च लोकसिद्धः। जनानामिति भेदात्। न जीवोऽङ्गुष्ठमात्रः। अतो विष्णोः जीवाद्भेद उक्तः ॥१७॥
saṁsāriśarīreṇābhedo vādinā kenāpi nāṅgīkṛtaḥ। na ca lokasiddhaḥ। janānāmiti bhedāt। na jīvo'ṅguṣṭhamātraḥ। ato viṣṇoḥ jīvādbheda uktaḥ ॥17॥
[संसारि (saṁsāri) - worldly; शरीरेण (śarīreṇa) - by body; अभेदः (abhedaḥ) - non-difference; वादिना (vādinā) - by proponent; केनापि (kenāpi) - by anyone; न (na) - not; अङ्गीकृतः (aṅgīkṛtaḥ) - accepted; न (na) - not; च (ca) - and; लोकसिद्धः (lokasiddhaḥ) - worldly established; जनानाम् (janānām) - of people; इति (iti) - thus; भेदात् (bhedāt) - due to difference; न (na) - not; जीवः (jīvaḥ) - soul; अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः (aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ) - thumb-sized; अतः (ataḥ) - therefore; विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Vishnu; जीवात् (jīvāt) - from soul; भेदः (bhedaḥ) - difference; उक्तः (uktaḥ) - is said;]
(The non-difference with the worldly body is not accepted by any proponent. Nor is it established in the world. Due to the difference among people, the soul is not thumb-sized. Therefore, the difference from the soul of Vishnu is said.)
The concept of non-difference with the worldly body is not accepted by any philosopher, nor is it recognized generally in the world. Generally differences are observed among people. Also, the individual being is not considered to be thumb-sized. Therefore, what is stated is the distinction between Lord Vishnu and individual being.
