ŚB 12.4.33
Devanagari
घनो यदार्कप्रभवो विदीर्यते
चक्षु: स्वरूपं रविमीक्षते तदा ।
यदा ह्यहङ्कार उपाधिरात्मनो
जिज्ञासया नश्यति तर्ह्यनुस्मरेत् ॥ ३३ ॥
चक्षु: स्वरूपं रविमीक्षते तदा ।
यदा ह्यहङ्कार उपाधिरात्मनो
जिज्ञासया नश्यति तर्ह्यनुस्मरेत् ॥ ३३ ॥
Verse text
ghano yadārka-prabhavo vidīryate
cakṣuḥ svarūpaṁ ravim īkṣate tadā
yadā hy ahaṅkāra upādhir ātmano
jijñāsayā naśyati tarhy anusmaret
cakṣuḥ svarūpaṁ ravim īkṣate tadā
yadā hy ahaṅkāra upādhir ātmano
jijñāsayā naśyati tarhy anusmaret
Synonyms
ghanaḥ — the cloud; yadā — when; arka-prabhavaḥ — the product of the sun; vidīryate — is torn apart; cakṣuḥ — the eye; svarūpam — in its real form; ravim — the sun; īkṣate — sees; tadā — then; yadā — when; hi — indeed also; ahaṅkāraḥ — false ego; upādhiḥ — the superficial covering; ātmanaḥ — of the spirit soul; jijñāsayā — by spiritual inquiry; naśyati — is destroyed; tarhi — at that time; anusmaret — one gains his proper remembrance.
Translation
When the cloud originally produced from the sun is torn apart, the eye can see the actual form of the sun. Similarly, when the spirit soul destroys his material covering of false ego by inquiring into the transcendental science, he regains his original spiritual awareness.
Purport
Just as the sun can burn away the clouds that prevent one from seeing it, the Supreme Lord (and He alone) can remove the false ego that prevents one from seeing Him. There are some creatures, however, like owls, who are averse to seeing the sun. In the same way, those who are not interested in spiritual knowledge will never receive the privilege of seeing God.