Text 57
tasmād uddhava mā bhuṅkṣva
viṣayān asad-indriyaiḥ
ātmāgrahaṇa-nirbhātaṁ
paśya vaikalpikaṁ bhramam
tasmāt — therefore; uddhava — My dear Uddhava; mā bhuṅkṣva — do not enjoy; viṣayān — the objects of sense gratification; asat — impure; indriyaiḥ — with senses; ātma — of the self; agrahaṇa — inability to realize; nirbhātam — in which is manifest; paśya — see it; vaikalpikam — based on material duality; bhramam — the illusion.
Therefore, O Uddhava, do not try to enjoy sense gratification with the material senses. See how illusion based on material dualities prevents one from realizing the self.
Everything that exists is the potency and property of the Supreme Lord, meant to be used in His loving service. Seeing material objects as separate from the Lord and thus meant to be possessed and enjoyed by oneself is called vaikalpikaṁ bhramam, the illusion of material duality. When selecting one’s personal object of enjoyment, such as food, clothing, residence or vehicle, one considers the relative quality of the object to be acquired. Consequently, in material life one is in constant anxiety, trying to acquire the most excellent sense gratification for one’s personal pleasure. If one realizes everything as the property of the Lord, however, he will see everything as meant for the Lord’s pleasure. He will feel no personal anxiety, because he is satisfied simply to be engaged in the Lord’s loving service. It is not possible to exploit the property of the Lord and at the same time advance in self-realization.