Verse 2.3.13-14

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.13-14:

कार्योपाधिम् अतिक्रान्तैः प्राप्त-व्यक्तम् अमुक्तिकैः ।
लिङ्गाख्यं कारणोपाधिम् अतिक्रमितुम् आत्मभिः ॥ १३ ॥
प्रविश्य तत्-तद्-रूपेण भुज्यमानानि कामतः ।
तत्-तद्-उद्भव-निःशेष-सुख-सार-मयानि हि ॥ १४ ॥

kāryopādhim atikrāntaiḥ prāpta-vyaktam amuktikaiḥ |
liṅgākhyaṃ kāraṇopādhim atikramitum ātmabhiḥ || 13 ||
praviśya tat-tad-rūpeṇa bhujyamānāni kāmataḥ |
tat-tad-udbhava-niḥśeṣa-sukha-sāra-mayāni hi || 14 ||

kārya–of gross material elements; upādhim–designation; ati-krāntaiḥ–surpassing; prāptavya–attainable; krama-muktikaiḥ–with gradual, systematic liberations; liṅga–subtle; ākhyam–named; kāraṇa–of causes; upādhim–designation; ati-kramitum–to surpass; ātmabhiḥ–by the souls; praviśya–having entered; tat-tad-rūpeṇa–with their respective bodies; bhujyamānāni–enjoyed; kāmataḥ–at will; tat-tat udbhava–the respective manifestations; niḥśeṣa–complete; sukhasāra-mayāni–imbued with the very essence of happiness; hi–certainly.

Those who attain gradual, systematic liberation first transcend the active, or gross, designation (the body made of five cosmic elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether). Then they reach these coverings of the universe, where they transcend the subtle designations (mind, intelligence, and false ego). Entering each covering in succession, they obtain bodies suitable for that stratum, where they enjoy at will immense pleasures greater than those generated by the fundamental elements (tattvas), such as earth. Since cause (kāraṇa) is superior to effect, or action (kārya, gross material elements), it follows that happiness generated by the cause is vastly superior to happiness coming from its effect.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Now, in two verses, beginning here with kārya, Śrī Gopa-kumāra shows the superiority of the causal layer (kāraṇarūpa āvaraṇa) over the gross, or active, layer (kārya-rūpa āvaraṇa).

He says, “To obtain liberation in a gradual manner, the aspirants first abandon the active designation (kārya-upādhi), or the gross body (sthūla-deha). Then, entering into the coverings of the universe, such as earth, they receive appropriate bodies for each layer, thus ensuring their bodies will not be subject to rotting, burning, etc. in those coverings. There, according to their desire, they enjoy a multitude of concentrated pleasures that arise from the fundamental elements (in their subtle form), such as earth. While enjoying, they transcend the finer designation (sukṣma-upādhi) known as the subtle body (liṅgaśarīra) and enter the abode of liberation. However, those whose coverings of the soul are not destroyed are never able to attain liberation. The coverings of the soul take the form of the active designation, which is the gross body; and the causal designation, which is the subtle, astral body. In the process of gradually crossing every covering, the living beings enjoy the happiness of each stratum, and eventually, after giving up the subtle body, enter the abode of liberation. However, those who obtain immediate liberation do not have to experience the happiness of those layers.

“The reason every layer is blissful is that unlimited happiness is generated by the fundamental element, or tattva, of that stratum. In other words, the very essence of happiness arises from the ingredients of that stratum. Since cause (kāraṇa) is superior to effect (kārya, gross material elements), it follows that the happiness arising from the cause will be superior to the happiness coming from the effect. All types of happiness and the means to enjoy them are present in every layer, but still, the happiness enjoyed from the principal element in each layer is progressively higher. In comparison to Brahmaloka (Satyaloka), each layer has progressively greater happiness, and also the opulence of each subsequent layer is ten times greater than the previous one.”