लीयते हि सुषुप्ते तन्निगृहीतं न लीयते ।
तदेव निर्भयं ब्रह्म ज्ञानलोकं समन्ततः ॥ ३५ ॥līyate hi suṣupte tannigṛhītaṃ na līyate |
tadeva nirbhayaṃ brahma jñānalokaṃ samantataḥ || 35 ||35. As the mind is withdrawn at the time of deep sleep and not so in the case of the (Vedāntic) discipline, (therefore there is a difference between the condition of the mind of a sleeper and that of a Jñāni). That (mind of a Jñāni) becomes identical with fearless Brahman whose all-round illumination is conciousness alone.
Shankara Bhashya (commentary)
Now is stated the reason for the distinction between the behaviour (of the mind of a sleeper and that of a Jñāni). The mind in deep sleep, with the desires which are the cause of all experiences during the state of ignorance, goes1 back to the seed-like condition of potentiality characterised by the undifferentiated2 feature of darkness; but the3 mind (of a Jñāni) which is disciplined by discrimination is not so withdrawn, that is to say, does not go back to the seed-like state of darkness. Therefore is made the distinction between the behaviour of the mind in deep sleep and that of a Jñāni whose mind is under control. When the mind becomes free from all ideas of the perceiver and the perceived—the dual evils caused by ignorance—it verily becomes one with the Supreme and the non-dual Brahman. Therefore the mind becomes free from all fear; for, in that state, the perception of duality, which is the cause of fear, is absent. Brahman is peace and fearlessness. Having realised Brahman, the Jñāni is not afraid of anything. This is thus further amplified: Jñānam means the essence of Knowledge, i.e., the consciousness which is the very nature of Ātman or the Self. Brahman is that whose expression is the Knowledge thus described. In other words, Brahman is the one mass of sentiency. The word, “all-round” in the text, implies that this knowledge of Brahman is without4 break and all-pervading like the ether.
Anandagiri Tika (glossary)
It is implied in the previous text of the Kārikā that there is a difference between the mind of a Jñāni and that of a deep sleeper. The reason for this difference is stated in this Kārikā.
1 Goes back, etc.—For, an ignorant man, when he wakes up from deep sleep, again experiences these desires. Therefore the desires are said to remain in a potential state in deep sleep.
2 Undifferentiated, etc.—It is because the experience of deep sleep is characterised by the absence of all that is known. The man describing the condition of deep sleep says, “I know nothing during that state.”
3 The mind, etc.—But the case of a Jñāni is quite different. By the practice of discrimination, he can distinguish reality from unreality. All objects of cognition, being changeable and negatable, are known to the Jñāni as unreal. Therefore the knowledge of Brahman does not denote a state in which the desires remain in potential condition. For, the desires of a Jñāni are destroyed for ever by the knowledge of the non-dual Brahman. Hence, a man having attained to the knowledge of Brahman does not experience any desire, which implies cogniser and cognised. The Jñāni knows the activities of his mind as identical with the non-dual Brahman.
4 Without break, etc.—That is to say, the Jñāni may be engaged in any activity, but in everything he realises Brahman alone. The experiences of a Jñāni have thus been described in the Gita (4. 24): “Brahman is the offering, Brahman is the oblation poured into the fire of Brahman. Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always sees Brahman in action.”