What does sarvatma snapanam in Shikshashtakam mean?
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Transcript
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in the first verse. Actually, snapanam is bathing or cleansing. Sarvaatma snapanam Complete cleansing of the self.
Sarvaatma. Sarva can mean full. So, full cleansing of the self.
So, what does it mean? That actually, if you see, at the end of the Bhagavatam, the last verse is, one of the last verses is, nama sankirtanam yasya sarvapapapranashinam pranamo dukkha samanas tam namami harim param so that by the chanting of the holy names, sarvapapapranashinam, all sins will be destroyed. Actually, this is coming right at the end of the Bhagavatam. Now, we say that by chanting, the destruction of sinful reactions is just an incidental thing.
It will automatically happen. Chanting is primarily for developing love for Krishna. So, why is the Bhagavatam saying that by chanting, all sins will be destroyed? That is like a preliminary thing, isn’t it? Yes, it is.
But here, the emphasis is sarvapap. That means, from the absolute perspective, even the desire for liberation, it is considered to be a lower desire, almost like a sinful desire. It’s not sinful in the karmic sense, but it is considered sinful in the sense that it is still self-centered.
We are not really concerned about serving Krishna. So, sarvapap means all kinds of sinful desires. Even the desire for liberation, which from the transcendental perspective is a lower desire, like a selfish or sinful desire, even that is destroyed.
So, like that, similarly, sarvatma asnapanam. That means the soul is cleansed of all desires, including the desires for liberation. So, even that subtle contamination that is there, there is gross contamination where we want to enjoy this world, but subtle contamination will be where we want to be liberated.
So, that will be free from misery. Even that is cleansed. Means there is no selfish desire that remains.
That is complete cleansing of the self. Of all desires which are other than what is natural for the soul. That’s how sarvatma asnapanam happens.
Is it clear? Yes.