Verse 5.21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 5.21:

बाह्य-स्पर्शेष्व् असक्तात्मा विन्दत्य् आत्मनि यत् सुखम् ।
स ब्रह्म-योग-युक्तात्मा सुखम् अक्षयम् अश्नुते ॥ २१ ॥

bāhya-sparśeṣv asaktātmā vindaty ātmani yat sukham |
sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute || 21 ||

bāhya-sparśeṣu–to external sense pleasures; asakta-ātmā–a person unattached; vindati–finds; ātmani–within the self; yat–whatever; sukham–happiness; saḥ–that; brahma-yoga–transcendental communion with Absolute Spirit; yukta-ātmā–soul united; sukham–happiness; akṣayam–limitless; aśnute–attains.

He who is not attached to external sense pleasure finds happiness within the self. Being united with the Supreme Lord through yoga, he attains unending happiness.

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Ṭīkā

(By Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura; the innermost intention of the commentary named ‘the shower of essential meanings’)

The bliss attained by a living entity who has achieved Paramātmā is unending, so the mind of such a living entity, who has united with that Absolute Spirit (brahma) through yoga, is not at all attached to sense pleasure. Only they can experience this. Why would a person who continuously tastes nectar be interested in eating mud?

Commentary: Sārārtha-Varṣiṇī Prakāśikā-vṛtti

(By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja; the explanation that illuminates the commentary named Sārārtha-varṣiṇī)

External sense objects such as sound and touch are only experienced with the help of the corporeal senses, which are not the direct faculties of the ātmā proper. Those who remain detached from external sense objects dwell in the bliss within derived from the experience of Paramātmā. They do not even think of sense objects, what to speak of enjoy them. According to the verse paraṃ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (Gītā 2.59), since they remain absorbed in the superior taste, or rasa, which is the bliss of serving Bhagavān, they remain completely indifferent to mundane enjoyment, which comes from material sense objects.