Shvetashvatara Upanishad 1.8Famous
intermediate
संयुक्तमेतत्क्षरमक्षरं च व्यक्ताव्यक्तं भरते विश्वमीशः। अनीशश्चात्मा बध्यते भोक्तृभावात् ज्ञात्वा देवं मुच्यते सर्वपाशैः॥
saṃyuktametat kṣaramakṣaraṃ ca vyaktāvyaktaṃ bharate viśvamīśaḥ | anīśaścātmā badhyate bhoktṛbhāvāt jñātvā devaṃ mucyate sarvapāśaiḥ ||
"The Lord bears the universe - the perishable and imperishable, the manifest and unmanifest, combined. The self, being powerless, is bound through the attitude of being an enjoyer. By knowing God, one is freed from all bonds."
What This Means:
The Lord sustains everything: what changes and what does not. The individual soul, thinking itself the enjoyer, becomes bound. By knowing God, all bonds are released.
Going Deeper:
The cause of bondage is bhoktri-bhava (the attitude of being an enjoyer). Liberation comes through knowing the Deva (God) who alone is the true enjoyer and sustainer.
How To Apply This:
Give up the attitude of being the enjoyer. Know God as the true Lord of all experience.
#Ishvara#bondage#enjoyer#liberation#perishable-imperishable