Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad

Chapter 3

TRANSLATION AND PURPORT BY
Mahāmaṇḍaleśwar Mahant Śrī Kṛṣṇa Balarām Swāmījī

Text 20

aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān
ātmā guhāyāṁ nihito'sya jantoḥ
tam akratuṁ paśyati vīta-śoko
dhātuḥ prasādān mahimānam īśam

Translation

The Supersoul who is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest is concealed inside the heart of every soul.  One who becomes free from material attachments and lamentation and obtains the mercy of the Supreme Creator, understands the glories of that Lord and thus becomes free from all miseries of life.

Purport

The soul is the smallest of the small because it cannot be seen through any category of material instrument.  The Supersoul is smaller than the smallest because He sits inside the soul and makes the soul feel conscientious about its actions.  If something wrong is performed the Supersoul dictates from within 'you have done wrong, you should not have done it' etc.  If something good is performed then the Supersoul will dictate from within saying 'wonderful! You should always do such things' etc.  Such dictations come to the soul from the Supersoul but the soul contaminated by material sense gratification it cannot always hear or follow such commands.  That is why there is so much chaos seen in the world today.  If such contaminated souls become serious about their future life then the same Supersoul manifests as a scripturally authentic Spiritual Master before the seeker and guides that soul towards liberation.  On such a stage this sincere soul starts following the commands of the Supersoul and gradually becomes free from hankering, lamentation, and miseries of life.  All this happens only by the mercy of the Lord.  As it is stated by the Nītīi Śāstra:

buddhiṁ sa sārathiṁ kṛtvā manaḥ pragrahavān pumān
prayāti paramaṁ-pāraṁ viṣṇvākhyaṁ padam avyayam

"Until one reaches an elevated platform one should use their intelligence as a guide to control their mind's demands and engage in devotional service to please the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, to reach the kingdom of God located beyond this material world."