Chapter Twenty-five

                  The Glories of Devotional Service

 

                                TEXT 1

 

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                            saunaka uvaca

                       kapilas tattva-sankhyata

                         bhagavan atma-mayaya

                       jatah svayam ajah saksad

                        atma-prajnaptaye nrnam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   saunakah uvaca--Sri Saunaka said; kapilah--Lord Kapila; tattva--of the truth; sankhyata--the expounder; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; atma-mayaya--by His internal potency; jatah--took birth; svayam--Himself; ajah--unborn; saksat--in person; atma-prajnaptaye--to disseminate transcendental knowledge; nrnam--for the human race.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Saunaka said: Although He is unborn, the Supreme Personality of Godhead took birth as Kapila Muni by His internal potency. He descended to disseminate transcendental knowledge for the benefit of the whole human race.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word atma-prajnaptaye indicates that the Lord descends for the benefit of the human race to give transcendental knowledge. Material necessities are quite sufficiently provided for in the Vedic knowledge, which offers a program for good living conditions and gradual elevation to the platform of goodness. In the mode of goodness one's knowledge expands. On the platform of passion there is no knowledge, for passion is simply an impetus to enjoy material benefits. On the platform of ignorance there is no knowledge and no enjoyment, but simply life almost like that of animals.

   The Vedas are meant to elevate one from the mode of ignorance to the platform of goodness. When one is situated in the mode of goodness he is able to understand knowledge of the self, or transcendental knowledge. This knowledge cannot be appreciated by any ordinary man. Therefore, since a disciplic succession is required, this knowledge is expounded either by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself or by His bona fide devotee. Saunaka Muni also states here that Kapila, the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, took birth, or appeared, simply to appreciate and disseminate transcendental knowledge. Simply to understand that one is not matter but spirit soul (aham brahmasmi: "I am by nature Brahman") is not sufficient knowledge for understanding the self and his activities. One must be situated in the activities of Brahman. Knowledge of those activities is explained by the Supreme personality of Godhead Himself. Such transcendental knowledge can be appreciated in human society but not in animal society, as clearly indicated here by the word nrnam, "for the human beings." Human beings are meant for regulated life. By nature, there is regulation in animal life also, but that is not like the regulative life as described in the scriptures or by the authorities. Human life is regulated life, not animal life. In regulated life only can one understand transcendental knowledge.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                     na hy asya varsmanah pumsam

                        varimnah sarva-yoginam

                        visrutau sruta-devasya

                       bhuri trpyanti me 'savah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--not; hi--indeed; asya--about Him; varsmanah--the greatest; pumsam--among men; varimnah--the foremost; sarva--all; yoginam--of yogis; visrutau--in hearing; sruta-devasya--the master of the Vedas; bhuri--repeatedly; trpyanti--are sated; me--my; asavah--senses.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Saunaka continued: There is no one who knows more than the Lord Himself. No one is more worshipable or more mature a yogi than He. He is therefore the master of the Vedas, and to hear about Him always is the actual pleasure of the senses.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that no one can be equal to or greater than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is confirmed in the Vedas also: eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is the supreme living entity and is supplying the necessities of all other living entities. Thus all other living entities, both visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva, are subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The same concept is confirmed here. Na hy asya varsmanah pumsam: amongst the living entities, no one can surpass the Supreme Person because no one is richer, more famous, stronger, more beautiful, wiser or more renounced than He. These qualifications make Him the Supreme Godhead, the cause of all causes. Yogis are very proud of performing wonderful feats, but no one can compare to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

   Anyone who is associated with the Supreme Lord is accepted as a first-class yogi. Devotees may not be as powerful as the Supreme Lord, but by constant association with the Lord they become as good as the Lord Himself. Sometimes the devotees act more powerfully than the Lord. Of course, that is the Lord's concession.

   Also used here is the word varimnah, meaning "the most worshipful of all yogis." To hear from Krsna is the real pleasure of the senses; therefore He is known as Govinda, for by His words, by His teachings, by His instruction--by everything connected with Him--He enlivens the senses. Whatever He instructs is from the transcendental platform, and His instructions, being absolute, are nondifferent from Him. Hearing from Krsna or His expansion or plenary expansion like Kapila is very pleasing to the senses. Bhagavad-gita can be read or heard many times, but because it gives great pleasure, the more one reads Bhagavad-gita the more he gets the appetite to read and understand it, and each time he gets new enlightenment. That is the nature of the transcendental message. Similarly, we find that transcendental happiness in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The more we hear and chant the glories of the Lord, the more we become happy.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

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                      yad yad vidhatte bhagavan

                       svacchandatmatma-mayaya

                        tani me sraddadhanasya

                        kirtanyany anukirtaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yat yat--whatever; vidhatte--He performs; bhagavan--the personality of Godhead; sva-chanda-atma--full of self-desire; atma-mayaya--by His internal potency; tani--all of them; me--to me; sraddadhanasya--faithful; kirtanyani--worthy of praise; anukirtaya--please describe.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Therefore please precisely describe all the activities and pastimes of the Personality of Godhead, who is full of self-desire and who assumes all these activities by His internal potency.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The word anukirtaya is very significant. Anukirtaya means to follow the description--not to create a concocted mental description, but to follow. Saunaka Rsi requested Suta Gosvami to describe what he had actually heard from his spiritual master, Sukadeva Gosvami, about the transcendental pastimes the Lord manifested by His internal energy. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no material body, but He can assume any kind of body by His supreme will. That is made possible by His internal energy.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

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                              suta uvaca

                      dvaipayana-sakhas tv evam

                       maitreyo bhagavams tatha

                        prahedam viduram prita

                        anviksikyam pracoditah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sutah uvaca--Suta Gosvami said; dvaipayana-sakhah--friend of Vyasadeva; tu--then; evam--thus; maitreyah--Maitreya; bhagavan--worshipful; tatha--in that way; praha--spoke; idam--this; viduram--to Vidura; pritah--being pleased; anviksikyam--about transcendental knowledge; pracoditah--being asked.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Suta Gosvami said: The most powerful sage Maitreya was a friend of Vyasadeva. Being encouraged and pleased by Vidura's inquiry about transcendental knowledge, Maitreya spoke as follows.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Questions and answers are very satisfactorily dealt with when the inquirer is bona fide and the speaker is also authorized. Here Maitreya is considered a powerful sage, and therefore he is also described as bhagavan. This word can be used not only for the Supreme Personality of Godhead but for anyone who is almost as powerful as the Supreme Lord. Maitreya is addressed as bhagavan because he was spiritually far advanced. He was a personal friend of Dvaipayana Vyasadeva, a literary incarnation of the Lord. Maitreya was very pleased with the inquiries of Vidura because they were the inquiries of a bona fide, advanced devotee. Thus Maitreya was encouraged to answer. When there are discourses on transcendental topics between devotees of equal mentality, the questions and answers are very fruitful and encouraging.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

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                            maitreya uvaca

                       pitari prasthite 'ranyam

                        matuh priya-cikirsaya

                       tasmin bindusare 'vatsid

                        bhagavan kapilah kila

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; pitari--when the father; prasthite--left; aranyam--for the forest; matuh--His mother; priya-cikirsaya--with a desire to please; tasmin--on that; bindusare--Lake Bindu-sarovara; avatsit--He stayed; bhagavan--the Lord; kapilah--Kapila; kila--indeed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maitreya said: When Kardama left for the forest, Lord Kapila stayed on the strand of the Bindu-sarovara to please His mother, Devahuti.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the absence of the father it is the duty of the grown son to take charge of his mother and serve her to the best of his ability so that she will not feel separation from her husband, and it is the duty of the husband to leave home as soon as there is a grown son to take charge of his wife and family affairs. That is the Vedic system of household life. One should not remain continually implicated in household affairs up to the time of death. He must leave. Family affairs and the wife may be taken charge of by a grown son.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

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                         tam asinam akarmanam

                       tattva-margagra-darsanam

                        sva-sutam devahuty aha

                       dhatuh samsmarati vacah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--to Him (Kapila); asinam--seated; akarmanam--at leisure; tattva--of the Absolute Truth; marga-agra--the ultimate goal; darsanam--who could show; sva-sutam--her son; devahutih--Devahuti; aha--said; dhatuh--of Brahma; samsmarati--remembering; vacah--the words.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When Kapila, who could show her the ultimate goal of the Absolute Truth, was sitting leisurely before her, Devahuti remembered the words Brahma had spoken to her, and she therefore began to question Kapila as follows.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

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                           devahutir uvaca

                       nirvinna nitaram bhumann

                        asad-indriya-tarsanat

                         yena sambhavyamanena

                      prapannandham tamah prabho

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devahutih uvaca--Devahuti said; nirvinna--disgusted; nitaram--very; bhuman--O my Lord; asat--impermanent; indriya--of the senses; tarsanat--from agitation; yena--by which; sambhavyamanena--being prevalent; prapanna--I have fallen; andham tamah--into the abyss of ignorance; prabho--O my Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Devahuti said: I am very sick of the disturbance caused by my material senses, for because of this sense disturbance, my Lord, I have fallen into the abyss of ignorance.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here the word asad-indriya-tarsanat is significant. Asat means "impermanent," "temporary," and indriya means "senses." Thus asad-indriya-tarsanat means "from being agitated by the temporarily manifest senses of the material body." We are evolving through different statuses of material bodily existence--sometimes in a human body, sometimes in an animal body--and therefore the engagements of our material senses are also changing. Anything which changes is called temporary, or asat. We should know that beyond these temporary senses are our permanent senses, which are now covered by the material body. The permanent senses, being contaminated by matter, are not acting properly. Devotional service, therefore, involves freeing the senses from this contamination. When the contamination is completely removed and the senses act in the purity of unalloyed Krsna consciousness, we have reached sad-indriya, or eternal sensory activities. Eternal sensory activities are called devotional service, whereas temporary sensory activities are called sense gratification. Unless one becomes tired of material sense gratification, there is no opportunity to hear transcendental messages from a person like Kapila. Devahuti expressed that she was tired. Now that her husband had left home, she wanted to get relief by hearing the instructions of Lord Kapila.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

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                      tasya tvam tamaso 'ndhasya

                        dusparasyadya paragam

                       sac-caksur janmanam ante

                      labdham me tvad-anugrahat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tasya--that; tvam--You; tamasah--ignorance; andhasya--darkness; dusparasya--difficult to cross; adya--now; para-gam--crossing over; sat--transcendental; caksuh--eye; janmanam--of births; ante--at the end; labdham--attained; me--my; tvat-anugrahat--by Your mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Your Lordship is my only means of getting out of this darkest region of ignorance because You are my transcendental eye, which, by Your mercy only, I have attained after many, many births.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   This verse is very instructive, since it indicates the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple. The disciple or conditioned soul is put into this darkest region of ignorance and therefore is entangled in the material existence of sense gratification. It is very difficult to get out of this entanglement and attain freedom, but if one is fortunate enough to get the association of a spiritual master like Kapila Muni or His representative, then by his grace one can be delivered from the mire of ignorance. The spiritual master is therefore worshiped as one who delivers the disciple from the mire of ignorance with the light of the torch of knowledge. The word paragam is very significant. paragam refers to one who can take the disciple to the other side. This side is conditioned life; the other side is the life of freedom. The spiritual master takes the disciple to the other side by opening his eyes with knowledge. We are suffering simply because of ignorance. By the instruction of the spiritual master, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and thus the disciple is enabled to go to the side of freedom. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that after many, many births one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, after many, many births, one is able to find a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to such a bona fide representative of Krsna, one can be taken to the side of light.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

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                       ya adyo bhagavan pumsam

                        isvaro vai bhavan kila

                        lokasya tamasandhasya

                        caksuh surya ivoditah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--He who; adyah--the origin; bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pumsam--of all living entities; isvarah--the Lord; vai--in fact; bhavan--You; kila--indeed; lokasya--of the universe; tamasa--by the darkness of ignorance; andhasya--blinded; caksuh--eye; suryah--the sun; iva--like; uditah--risen.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin and Supreme Lord of all living entities. You have arisen to disseminate the rays of the sun in order to dissipate the darkness of the ignorance of the universe.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Kapila Muni is accepted as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Here the word adyah means "the origin of all living entities," and pumsam isvarah means "the Lord (isvara) of the living entities" (isvarah paramah krsnah). Kapila Muni is the direct expansion of Krsna, who is the sun of spiritual knowledge. As the sun dissipates the darkness of the universe, so when the light of the Supreme personality of Godhead comes down, it at once dissipates the darkness of maya. We have our eyes, but without the light of the sun our eyes are of no value. Similarly, without the light of the Supreme Lord, or without the divine grace of the spiritual master, one cannot see things as they are.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        atha me deva sammoham

                        apakrastum tvam arhasi

                      yo 'vagraho 'ham mametity

                        etasmin yojitas tvaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atha--now; me--my; deva--O Lord; sammoham--delusion; apakrastum--to dispel; tvam--You; arhasi--be pleased; yah--which; avagrahah--misconception; aham--I; mama--mine; iti--thus; iti--thus; etasmin--in this; yojitah--engaged; tvaya--by You.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Now be pleased, my Lord, to dispel my great delusion. Due to my feeling of false ego, I have been engaged by Your maya and have identified myself with the body and consequent bodily relations.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The false ego of identifying one's body as one's self and of claiming things possessed in relationship with this body is called maya. In Bhagavad-gita, Fifteenth Chapter, the Lord says, "I am sitting in everyone's heart, and from Me come everyone's remembrance and forgetfulness." Devahuti has stated that false identification of the body with the self and attachment for possessions in relation to the body are also under the direction of the Lord. Does this mean that the Lord discriminates by engaging one in His devotional service and another in sense gratification? If that were true, it would be an incongruity on the part of the Supreme Lord, but that is not the actual fact. As soon as the living entity forgets his real, constitutional position of eternal servitorship to the Lord and wants instead to enjoy himself by sense gratification, he is captured by maya. This capture by maya is the consciousness of false identification with the body and attachment for the possessions of the body. These are the activities of maya, and since maya is also an agent of the Lord, it is indirectly the action of the Lord. The Lord is merciful; if anyone wants to forget Him and enjoy this material world, He gives him full facility, not directly but through the agency of His material potency. Therefore, since the material potency is the Lord's energy, indirectly it is the Lord who gives the facility to forget Him. Devahuti therefore said, "My engagement in sense gratification was also due to You. Now kindly get me free from this entanglement."

   By the grace of the Lord one is allowed to enjoy this material world, but when one is disgusted with material enjoyment and is frustrated, and when one sincerely surrenders unto the lotus feet of the Lord, then the Lord is so kind that He frees one from entanglement. Krsna says, therefore, in Bhagavad-gita, "First of all surrender, and then I will take charge of you and free you from all reactions of sinful activities." Sinful activities are those activities performed in forgetfulness of our relationship with the Lord. In this material world, activities for material enjoyment which are considered to be pious are also sinful. For example, one sometimes gives something in charity to a needy person with a view to getting back the money four times increased. Giving with the purpose of gaining something is called charity in the mode of passion. Everything done here is done in the modes of material nature, and therefore all activities but service to the Lord are sinful. Because of sinful activities we become attracted by the illusion of material attachment, and we think, "I am this body." I think of the body as myself and of bodily possessions as "mine." Devahuti requested Lord Kapila to free her from that entanglement of false identification and false possession.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

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                   tam tva gataham saranam saranyam

                  sva-bhrtya-samsara-taroh kutharam

                   jijnasayaham prakrteh purusasya

                  namami sad-dharma-vidam varistham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam--that person; tva--unto You; gata--have gone; aham--I; saranam--shelter; saranyam--worth taking shelter of; sva-bhrtya--for Your dependents; samsara--of material existence; taroh--of the tree; kutharam--the ax; jijnasaya--with the desire to know; aham--I; prakrteh--of matter (woman); purusasya--of spirit (man); namami--I offer obeisances; sat-dharma--of the eternal occupation; vidam--of the knowers; varistham--unto the greatest.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Devahuti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Sankhya philosophy, as is well known, deals with prakrti and purusa. Purusa is the Supreme personality of Godhead or anyone who imitates the Supreme Personality of Godhead as an enjoyer, and prakrti means "nature." In this material world, material nature is being exploited by the purusas, or the living entities. The intricacies in the material world of the relationship of the prakrti and purusa, or the enjoyed and the enjoyer, is called samsara, or material entanglement. Devahuti wanted to cut the tree of material entanglement, and she found the suitable weapon in Kapila Muni. The tree of material existence is explained in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita as an asvattha tree whose root is upwards and whose branches are downwards. It is recommended there that one has to cut the root of this material existential tree with the ax of detachment. What is the attachment? The attachment involves prakrti and purusa. The living entities are trying to lord it over material nature. Since the conditioned soul takes material nature to be the object of his enjoyment and he takes the position of the enjoyer, he is therefore called purusa.

   Devahuti questioned Kapila Muni, for she knew that only He could cut her attachment to this material world. The living entities, in the guises of men and women, are trying to enjoy the material energy; therefore in one sense everyone is purusa because purusa means "enjoyer" and prakrti means "enjoyed." In this material world both the so-called man and so-called woman are imitating the real purusa; the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the enjoyer in the transcendental sense, whereas all others are prakrti. The living entities are considered prakrti. In Bhagavad-gita, matter is analyzed as apara, or inferior nature, whereas beyond this inferior nature there is another, superior nature--the living entities. Living entities are also prakrti, or enjoyed, but under the spell of maya, the living entities are falsely trying to take the position of enjoyers. That is the cause of samsara-bandha, or conditional life. Devahuti wanted to get out of conditional life and place herself in full surrender. The Lord is saranya, which means "the only worthy personality to whom one can fully surrender," because He is full of all opulences. If anyone actually wants relief, the best course is to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is also described here as sad-dharma-vidam varistham. This indicates that of all transcendental occupations the best occupation is eternal loving service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma is sometimes translated as "religion," but that is not exactly the meaning. Dharma actually means "that which one cannot give up," "that which is inseparable from oneself." The warmth of fire is inseparable from fire; therefore warmth is called the dharma, or nature, of fire. Similarly, sad-dharma means "eternal occupation." That eternal occupation is engagement in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The purpose of Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy is to propagate pure, uncontaminated devotional service, and therefore He is addressed here as the most important personality amongst those who know the transcendental occupation of the living entity.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

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                            maitreya uvaca

                   iti sva-matur niravadyam ipsitam

                  nisamya pumsam apavarga-vardhanam

                  dhiyabhinandyatmavatam satam gatir

                   babhasa isat-smita-sobhitananah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; iti--thus; sva-matuh--of His mother; niravadyam--uncontaminated; ipsitam--desire; nisamya--after hearing; pumsam--of people; apavarga--cessation of bodily existence; vardhanam--increasing; dhiya--mentally; abhinandya--having thanked; atma-vatam--interested in self-realization; satam--of the transcendentalists; gatih--the path; babhase--He explained; isat--slightly; smita--smiling; sobhita--beautiful; ananah--His face.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Maitreya said: After hearing of His mother's uncontaminated desire for transcendental realization, the Lord thanked her within Himself for her questions, and thus, His face smiling, He explained the path of the transcendentalists, who are interested in self-realization.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Devahuti has surrendered her confession of material entanglement and her desire to gain release. Her questions to Lord Kapila are very interesting for persons who are actually trying to get liberation from material entanglement and attain the perfectional stage of human life. Unless one is interested in understanding his spiritual life, or his constitutional position, and unless he also feels inconvenience in material existence, his human form of life is spoiled. One who does not care for these transcendental necessities of life and simply engages like an animal in eating, sleeping, fearing and mating has spoiled his life. Lord Kapila was very much satisfied by His mother's questions because the answers stimulate one's desire for liberation from the conditional life of material existence. Such questions are called apavarga-vardhanam. Those who have actual spiritual interest are called sat, or devotees. Satam prasangat. Sat means "that which eternally exists," and asat means "that which is not eternal." Unless one is situated on the spiritual platform, he is not sat; he is asat. The asat stands on a platform which will not exist, but anyone who stands on the spiritual platform will exist eternally. As spirit soul, everyone exists eternally, but the asat has accepted the material world as his shelter, and therefore he is full of anxiety. Asad-grahan, the incompatible situation of the spirit soul who has the false idea of enjoying matter, is the cause of the soul's being asat. Actually, the spirit soul is not asat. As soon as one is conscious of this fact and takes to Krsna consciousness, he becomes sat. Satam gatih, the path of the eternal, is very interesting to persons who are after liberation, and His Lordship Kapila began to speak about that path.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

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                          sri-bhagavan uvaca

                       yoga adhyatmikah pumsam

                         mato nihsreyasaya me

                         atyantoparatir yatra

                       duhkhasya ca sukhasya ca

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said; yogah--the yoga system; adhyatmikah--relating to the soul; pumsam--of living entities; matah--is approved; nihsreyasaya--for the ultimate benefit; me--by Me; atyanta--complete; uparatih--detachment; yatra--where; duhkhasya--from distress; ca--and; sukhasya--from happiness; ca--and.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Personality of Godhead answered: The yoga system which relates to the Lord and the individual soul, which is meant for the ultimate benefit of the living entity, and which causes detachment from all happiness and distress in the material world, is the highest yoga system.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the material world, everyone is trying to get some material happiness, but as soon as we get some material happiness, there is also material distress. In the material world one cannot have unadulterated happiness. Any kind of happiness one has is contaminated by distress also. For example, if we want to drink milk then we have to bother to maintain a cow and keep her fit to supply milk. Drinking milk is very nice; it is also pleasure. But for the sake of drinking milk one has to accept so much trouble. The yoga system, as here stated by the Lord, is meant to end all material happiness and material distress. The best yoga, as taught in Bhagavad-gita by Krsna, is bhakti-yoga. It is also mentioned in the Gita that one should try to be tolerant and not be disturbed by material happiness or distress. Of course, one may say that he is not disturbed by material happiness, but he does not know that just after one enjoys so-called material happiness, material distress will follow. This is the law of the material world. Lord Kapila states that the yoga system is the science of the spirit. One practices yoga in order to attain perfection on the spiritual platform. There is no question of material happiness or distress. It is transcendental. Lord Kapila will eventually explain how it is transcendental, but the preliminary introduction is given here.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

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                       tam imam te pravaksyami

                         yam avocam puranaghe

                         rsinam srotu-kamanam

                       yogam sarvanga-naipunam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tam imam--that very; te--to you; pravaksyami--I shall explain; yam--which; avocam--I explained; pura--formerly; anaghe--O pious mother; rsinam--to the sages; srotu-kamanam--eager to hear; yogam--yoga system; sarva-anga--in all respects; naipunam--serviceable and practical.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O most pious mother, I shall now explain unto you the ancient yoga system, which I explained formerly to the great sages. It is serviceable and practical in every way.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord does not manufacture a new system of yoga. Sometimes it is claimed that someone has become an incarnation of God and is expounding a new theological aspect of the Absolute Truth. But here we find that although Kapila Muni is the Lord Himself and is capable of manufacturing a new doctrine for His mother, He nevertheless says, "I shall just explain the ancient system which I once explained to the great sages because they were also anxious to hear about it." When we have a superexcellent process already present in Vedic scriptures, there is no need to concoct a new system, to mislead the innocent public. At present it has become a fashion to reject the standard system and present something bogus in the name of a newly invented process of yoga.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      cetah khalv asya bandhaya

                        muktaye catmano matam

                        gunesu saktam bandhaya

                        ratam va pumsi muktaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   cetah--consciousness; khalu--indeed; asya--of him; bandhaya--for bondage; muktaye--for liberation; ca--and; atmanah--of the living entity; matam--is considered; gunesu--in the three modes of nature; saktam--attracted; bandhaya--for conditional life; ratam--attached; va--or; pumsi--in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; muktaye--for liberation.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The stage in which the consciousness of the living entity is attracted by the three modes of material nature is called conditional life. But when that same consciousness is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in the consciousness of liberation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There is a distinction here between Krsna consciousness and maya consciousness. Gunesu, or maya consciousness, involves attachment to the three material modes of nature, under which one works sometimes in goodness and knowledge, sometimes in passion and sometimes in ignorance. These different qualitative activities, with the central attachment for material enjoyment, are the cause of one's conditional life. When the same cetah, or consciousness, is transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or when one becomes Krsna conscious, he is on the path of liberation.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        aham mamabhimanotthaih

                       kama-lobhadibhir malaih

                       vitam yada manah suddham

                        aduhkham asukham samam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aham--I; mama--mine; abhimana--from the misconception; utthaih--produced; kama--lust; lobha--greed; adibhih--and so on; malaih--from the impurities; vitam--freed; yada--when; manah--the mind; suddham--pure; aduhkham--without distress; asukham--without happiness; samam--equipoised.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from the false identification of the body as "I" and bodily possessions as "mine," one's mind becomes purified. In that pure state he transcends the stage of so-called material happiness and distress.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Kama and lobha are the symptoms of material existence. Everyone always desires to possess something. It is said here that desire and greed are the products of false identification of oneself with the body. When one becomes free from this contamination, then his mind and consciousness also become freed and attain their original state. Mind, consciousness and the living entity exist. Whenever we speak of the living entity, this includes the mind and consciousness. The difference between conditional life and liberated life occurs when we purify the mind and the consciousness. When they are purified, one becomes transcendental to material happiness and distress.

   In the beginning Lord Kapila has said that perfect yoga enables one to transcend the platform of material distress and happiness. How this can be done is explained here: one has to purify his mind and consciousness. This can be done by the bhakti-yoga system. As explained in the Narada-pancaratra, one's mind and senses should be purified (tat-paratvena nirmalam). One's senses must be engaged in devotional service to the Lord. That is the process. The mind must have some engagement. One cannot make the mind vacant. Of course there are some foolish attempts to try to make the mind vacant or void, but that is not possible. The only process that will purify the mind is to engage it in Krsna. The mind must be engaged. If we engage our mind in Krsna, naturally the consciousness becomes fully purified, and there is no chance of the entrance of material desire and greed.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         tada purusa atmanam

                        kevalam prakrteh param

                       nirantaram svayam-jyotir

                         animanam akhanditam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tada--then; purusah--the individual soul; atmanam--himself; kevalam--pure; prakrteh param--transcendental to material existence; nirantaram--nondifferent; svayam-jyotih--self-effulgent; animanam--infinitesimal; akhanditam--not fragmented.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   At that time the soul can see himself to be transcendental to material existence and always self-effulgent, never fragmented, although very minute in size.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the state of pure consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, one can see himself as a minute particle nondifferent from the Supreme Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, the jiva, or the individual soul, is eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Just as the sun's rays are minute particles of the brilliant constitution of the sun, so a living entity is a minute particle of the Supreme Spirit. The individual soul and the Supreme Lord are not separated as in material differentiation. The individual soul is a particle from the very beginning. One should not think that because the individual soul is a particle, it is fragmented from the whole spirit. Mayavada philosophy enunciates that the whole spirit exists, but a part of it, which is called the jiva, is entrapped by illusion. This philosophy, however, is unacceptable because spirit cannot be divided like a fragment of matter. That part, the jiva, is eternally a part. As long as the Supreme Spirit exists, His part and parcel also exists. As long as the sun exists, the molecules of the sun's rays also exist.

   The jiva particle is estimated in the Vedic literature to be one ten-thousandth the size of the upper portion of a hair. It is therefore infinitesimal. The Supreme Spirit is infinite, but the living entity, or the individual soul, is infinitesimal, although it is not different in quality from the Supreme Spirit. Two words in this verse are to be particularly noted. One is nirantaram, which means "nondifferent," or "of the same quality." The individual soul is also expressed here as animanam. Animanam means "infinitesimal." The Supreme Spirit is all-pervading, but the very small spirit is the individual soul. Akhanditam means not exactly "fragmented" but "constitutionally always infinitesimal." No one can separate the molecular parts of the sunshine from the sun, but at the same time the molecular part of the sunshine is not as expansive as the sun itself. Similarly, the living entity, by his constitutional position, is qualitatively the same as the Supreme Spirit, but he is infinitesimal.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        jnana-vairagya-yuktena

                        bhakti-yuktena catmana

                         paripasyaty udasinam

                        prakrtim ca hataujasam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jnana--knowledge; vairagya--renunciation; yuktena--equipped with; bhakti--devotional service; yuktena--equipped with; ca--and; atmana--by the mind; paripasyati--one sees; udasinam--indifferent; prakrtim--material existence; ca--and; hata-ojasam--reduced in strength.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As the contamination of the germs of a particular disease can influence a weaker person, similarly the influence of material nature, or illusory energy, can act on the weaker, or conditioned, soul but not on the liberated soul. Self-realization is the position of the liberated state. One understands his constitutional position by knowledge and vairagya, renunciation. Without knowledge, one cannot have realization. The realization that one is the infinitesimal part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit makes him unattached to material, conditional life. That is the beginning of devotional service. Unless one is liberated from material contamination, one cannot engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord. In this verse, therefore, it is stated, jnana-vairagya-yuktena: when one is in full knowledge of one's constitutional position and is in the renounced order of life, detached from material attraction, then, by pure devotional service, bhakti-yuktena, he can engage himself as a loving servant of the Lord. paripasyati means that he can see everything in its right perspective. Then the influence of material nature becomes almost nil. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma: when one is self-realized he becomes happy and free from the influence of material nature, and at that time he is freed from lamentation and hankering. The Lord states that position as mad-bhaktim labhate param, the real state of beginning devotional service. Similarly, it is confirmed in the Narada-pancaratra that when the senses are purified they can then be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. One who is attached to material contamination cannot be a devotee.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        na yujyamanaya bhaktya

                        bhagavaty akhilatmani

                       sadrso 'sti sivah pantha

                       yoginam brahma-siddhaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--not; yujyamanaya--being performed; bhaktya--devotional service; bhagavati--towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akhila-atmani--the Supersoul; sadrsah--like; asti--there is; sivah--auspicious; panthah--path; yoginam--of the yogis; brahma-siddhaye--for perfection in self-realization.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Perfection in self-realization cannot be attained by any kind of yogi unless he engages in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for that is the only auspicious path.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   That knowledge and renunciation are never perfect unless joined by devotional service is explicitly explained here. Na yujyamanaya means "without being dovetailed." When there is devotional service, then the question is where to offer that service. Devotional service is to be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul of everything, for that is the only reliable path of self-realization, or Brahman realization. The word brahma-siddhaye means to understand oneself to be different from matter, to understand oneself to be Brahman. The Vedic words are aham brahmasmi. Brahma-siddhi means that one should know that he is not matter; he is pure soul. There are different kinds of yogis, but every yogi is supposed to engage in self-realization, or Brahman realization. It is clearly stated here that unless one is fully engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead one cannot have easy approach to the path of brahma-siddhi.

   In the beginning of the Second Chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is stated that when one engages himself in the devotional service of Vasudeva, spiritual knowledge and renunciation of the material world automatically become manifest. Thus a devotee does not have to try separately for renunciation or knowledge. Devotional service itself is so powerful that by one's service attitude, everything is revealed. It is stated here, sivah panthah: this is the only auspicious path for self-realization. The path of devotional service is the most confidential means for attaining Brahman realization. That perfection in Brahman realization is attained through the auspicious path of devotional service indicates that the so-called Brahman realization, or realization of the brahmajyoti effulgence, is not brahma-siddhi. Beyond that brahmajyoti there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Upanisads a devotee prays to the Lord to kindly put aside the effulgence, brahmajyoti, so that the devotee may see within the brahmajyoti the actual, eternal form of the Lord. Unless one attains realization of the transcendental form of the Lord, there is no question of bhakti. Bhakti necessitates the existence of the recipient of devotional service and the devotee who renders devotional service. Brahma-siddhi through devotional service is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The understanding of the effulgent rays of the body of the Supreme Godhead is not the perfect stage of brahma-siddhi, or Brahman realization. Nor is the realization of the Paramatma feature of the Supreme Person perfect, for Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is akhilatma--He is the Supersoul. One who realizes the Supreme Personality realizes the other features, namely the Paramatma feature and the Brahman feature, and that total realization is brahma-siddhi.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        prasangam ajaram pasam

                         atmanah kavayo viduh

                         sa eva sadhusu krto

                        moksa-dvaram apavrtam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   prasangam--attachment; ajaram--strong; pasam--entanglement; atmanah--of the soul; kavayah--learned men; viduh--know; sah eva--that same; sadhusu--to the devotees; krtah--applied; moksa-dvaram--the door of liberation; apavrtam--opened.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here it is clearly stated that attachment for one thing is the cause of bondage in conditioned life, and the same attachment, when applied to something else, opens the door of liberation. Attachment cannot be killed; it has simply to be transferred. Attachment for material things is called material consciousness, and attachment for Krsna or His devotee is called Krsna consciousness. Consciousness, therefore, is the platform of attachment. It is clearly stated here that when we simply purify the consciousness from material consciousness to Krsna consciousness, we attain liberation. Despite the statement that one should give up attachment, desirelessness is not possible for a living entity. A living entity, by constitution, has the propensity to be attached to something. We see that if someone has no object of attachment, if he has no children, then he transfers his attachment to cats and dogs. This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attachment for material things perpetuates our conditional state, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, is the source of liberation.

   Here it is recommended that attachment should be transferred to the self-realized devotees, the sadhus. And who is a sadhu? A sadhu is not just an ordinary man with a saffron robe or long beard. A sadhu is described in Bhagavad-gita as one who unflinchingly engages in devotional service. Even though one is found not to be following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service, if one simply has unflinching faith in Krsna, the Supreme Person, he is understood to be a sadhu. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah. A sadhu is a strict follower of devotional service. It is recommended here that if one at all wants to realize Brahman, or spiritual perfection, his attachment should be transferred to the sadhu, or devotee. Lord Caitanya also confirmed this. Lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya: simply by a moment's association with a sadhu, one can attain perfection.

   Mahatma is a synonym of sadhu. It is said that service to a mahatma, or elevated devotee of the Lord, is dvaram ahur vimukteh, the royal road of liberation. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam (Bhag. 5.5.2). Rendering service to the materialists has the opposite effect. If anyone offers service to a gross materialist, or a person engaged only in sense enjoyment, then by association with such a person the door to hell is opened. The same principle is confirmed here. Attachment to a devotee is attachment to the service of the Lord because if one associates with a sadhu, the result will be that the sadhu will teach him how to become a devotee, a worshiper and a sincere servitor of the Lord. These are the gifts of a sadhu. If we want to associate with a sadhu, we cannot expect him to give us instructions on how to improve our material condition, but he will give us instructions on how to cut the knot of the contamination of material attraction and how to elevate ourselves in devotional service. That is the result of associating with a sadhu. Kapila Muni first of all instructs that the path of liberation begins with such association.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         titiksavah karunikah

                        suhrdah sarva-dehinam

                        ajata-satravah santah

                       sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   titiksavah--tolerant; karunikah--merciful; suhrdah--friendly; sarva-dehinam--to all living entities; ajata-satravah--inimical to none; santah--peaceful; sadhavah--abiding by scriptures; sadhu-bhusanah--adorned with sublime characteristics.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A sadhu, as described above, is a devotee of the Lord. His concern, therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service to the Lord. That is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service to the Lord, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching, "Be Krsna conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Krsna. Don't spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Krsna consciousness." These are the preachings of a sadhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality towards all the fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is karunika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching work, he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the sadhu, or devotee of the Lord, has to be very tolerant. Someone may ill-treat him because the conditioned souls are not prepared to receive the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. They do not like it; that is their disease. The sadhu has the thankless task of impressing upon them the importance of devotional service. Sometimes devotees are personally attacked with violence. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridasa Thakura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal assistant, Nityananda, was violently attacked by Jagai and Madhai. But still they were tolerant because their mission was to deliver the fallen souls. One of the qualifications of a sadhu is that he is very tolerant and is merciful to all fallen souls. He is merciful because he is the well-wisher of all living entities. He is not only a well-wisher of human society, but a well-wisher of animal society as well. It is said here, sarva-dehinam, which indicates all living entities who have accepted material bodies. Not only does the human being have a material body, but other living entities, such as cats and dogs, also have material bodies. The devotee of the Lord is merciful to everyone--the cats, dogs, trees, etc. He treats all living entities in such a way that they can ultimately get salvation from this material entanglement. Sivananda Sena, one of the disciples of Lord Caitanya, gave liberation to a dog by treating the dog transcendentally. There are many instances where a dog got salvation by association with a sadhu, because a sadhu engages in the highest philanthropic activities for the benediction of all living entities. Yet although a sadhu is not inimical towards anyone, the world is so ungrateful that even a sadhu has many enemies.

   What is the difference between an enemy and a friend? It is a difference in behavior. A sadhu behaves with all conditioned souls for their ultimate relief from material entanglement. Therefore, no one can be more friendly than a sadhu in relieving a conditioned soul. A sadhu is calm, and he quietly and peacefully follows the principles of scripture. A sadhu means one who follows the principles of scripture and at the same time is a devotee of the Lord. One who actually follows the principles of scripture must be a devotee of God because all the sastras instruct us to obey the orders of the Personality of Godhead. Sadhu, therefore, means a follower of the scriptural injunctions and a devotee of the Lord. All these characteristics are prominent in a devotee. A devotee develops all the good qualities of the demigods, whereas a nondevotee, even though academically qualified, has no actual good qualifications or good characteristics according to the standard of transcendental realization.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        mayy ananyena bhavena

                      bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham

                       mat-krte tyakta-karmanas

                       tyakta-svajana-bandhavah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mayi--unto Me; ananyena bhavena--with undeviated mind; bhaktim--devotional service; kurvanti--perform; ye--those who; drdham--staunch; mat-krte--for My sake; tyakta--renounced; karmanah--activities; tyakta--renounced; sva-jana--family relationships; bandhavah--friendly acquaintances.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Such a sadhu engages in staunch devotional service to the Lord without deviation. For the sake of the Lord he renounces all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly acquaintances within the world.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A person in the renounced order of life, a sannyasi, is also called a sadhu because he renounces everything--his home, his comfort, his friends, his relatives, and his duties to friends and to family. He renounces everything for the sake of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A sannyasi is generally in the renounced order of life, but his renunciation will be successful only when his energy is employed in the service of the Lord with great austerity. It is said here, therefore, bhaktim kurvanti ye drdham. A person who seriously engages in the service of the Lord and is in the renounced order of life is a sadhu. A sadhu is one who has given up all responsibility to society, family, and worldly humanitarianism, simply for the service of the Lord. As soon as he takes his birth in the world, a person has so many responsibilities and obligations--to the public, to the demigods, to the great sages, to the general living beings, to his parents, to the family forefathers and to many others. When he gives up all such obligations for the sake of the service of the Supreme Lord, he is not punished for such renunciation of obligation. But if for sense gratification a person renounces all such obligations, he is punished by the law of nature.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       mad-asrayah katha mrstah

                        srnvanti kathayanti ca

                        tapanti vividhas tapa

                       naitan mad-gata-cetasah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mat-asrayah--about Me; kathah--stories; mrstah--delightful; srnvanti--they hear; kathayanti--they chant; ca--and; tapanti--inflict suffering; vividhah--various; tapah--the material miseries; na--do not; etan--unto them; mat-gata--fixed on Me; cetasah--their thoughts.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sadhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are multifarious miseries in material existence--those pertaining to the body and the mind, those imposed by other living entities and those imposed by natural disturbances. But a sadhu is not disturbed by such miserable conditions because his mind is always filled with Krsna consciousness, and thus he does not like to talk about anything but the activities of the Lord. Maharaja Ambarisa did not speak of anything but the pastimes of the Lord. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane (Bhag. 9.4.18). He engaged his words only in glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sadhus are always interested in hearing about the activities of the Lord or His devotees. Since they are filled with Krsna consciousness, they are forgetful of the material miseries. Ordinary conditioned souls, being forgetful of the activities of the Lord, are always full of anxieties and material tribulations. On the other hand, since the devotees always engage in the topics of the Lord, they are forgetful of the miseries of material existence.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ta ete sadhavah sadhvi

                        sarva-sanga-vivarjitah

                    sangas tesv atha te prarthyah

                        sanga-dosa-hara hi te

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   te ete--those very; sadhavah--devotees; sadhvi--virtuous lady; sarva--all; sanga--attachments; vivarjitah--freed from; sangah--attachment; tesu--unto them; atha--hence; te--by you; prarthyah--must be sought; sanga-dosa--the pernicious effects of material attachment; harah--counteracters of; hi--indeed; te--they.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O My mother, O virtuous lady, these are the qualities of great devotees who are free from all attachment. You must seek attachment to such holy men, for this counteracts the pernicious effects of material attachment.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Kapila Muni herein advises His mother, Devahuti, that if she wants to be free from material attachment, she should increase her attachment for the sadhus, or devotees who are completely freed from all material attachment. In Bhagavad-gita, Fifteenth Chapter, verse 5, it is stated who is qualified to enter into the kingdom of Godhead. It is said there, nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosah. This refers to one who is completely freed from the puffed-up condition of material possessiveness. A person may be materially very rich, opulent or respectable, but if he at all wants to transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, back home, back to Godhead, then he has to be freed from the puffed-up condition of material possessiveness, because that is a false position.

   The word moha used here means the false understanding that one is rich or poor. In this material world, the conception that one is very rich or very poor--or any such consciousness in connection with material existence--is false, because this body itself is false, or temporary. A pure soul who is prepared to be freed from this material entanglement must first of all be free from the association of the three modes of nature. Our consciousness at the present moment is polluted because of association with the three modes of nature; therefore in Bhagavad-gita the same principle is stated. It is advised, jita-sanga-dosah: one should be freed from the contaminated association of the three modes of material nature. Here also, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, this is confirmed: a pure devotee, who is preparing to transfer himself to the spiritual kingdom, is also freed from the association of the three modes of material nature. We have to seek the association of such devotees. For this reason we have begun the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. There are many mercantile, scientific and other associations in human society to develop a particular type of education or consciousness, but there is no association which helps one to get free from all material association. If anyone has reached the stage where he must become free from this material contamination, then he has to seek the association of devotees, wherein Krsna consciousness is exclusively cultured. One can thereby become freed from all material association.

   Because a devotee is freed from all contaminated material association, he is not affected by the miseries of material existence. Even though he appears to be in the material world, he is not affected by the miseries of the material world. How is it possible? There is a very good example in the activities of the cat. The cat carries her kittens in her mouth, and when she kills a rat she also carries the booty in her mouth. Thus both are carried in the mouth of the cat, but they are in different conditions. The kitten feels comfort in the mouth of the mother, whereas when the rat is carried in the mouth of the cat, the rat feels the blows of death. Similarly, those who are sadhavah, or devotees engaged in Krsna consciousness in the transcendental service of the Lord, do not feel the contamination of material miseries, whereas those who are not devotees in Krsna consciousness actually feel the miseries of material existence. One should therefore give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of persons engaged in Krsna consciousness, and by such association he will benefit in spiritual advancement. By their words and instructions, he will be able to cut off his attachment to material existence.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  satam prasangan mama virya-samvido

                 bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah

                  taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani

                 sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   satam--of pure devotees; prasangat--through the association; mama--My; virya--wonderful activities; samvidah--by discussion of; bhavanti--become; hrt--to the heart; karna--to the ear; rasa-ayanah--pleasing; kathah--the stories; tat--of that; josanat--by cultivation; asu--quickly; apavarga--of liberation; vartmani--on the path; sraddha--firm faith; ratih--attraction; bhaktih--devotion; anukramisyati--will follow in order.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The process of advancing in Krsna consciousness and devotional service is described here. The first point is that one must seek the association of persons who are Krsna conscious and who engage in devotional service. Without such association one cannot make advancement. Simply by theoretical knowledge or study one cannot make any appreciable advancement. One must give up the association of materialistic persons and seek the association of devotees because without the association of devotees one cannot understand the activities of the Lord. Generally, people are convinced of the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. Because they do not associate with devotees, they cannot understand that the Absolute Truth can be a person and have personal activities. This is a very difficult subject matter, and unless one has personal understanding of the Absolute Truth, there is no meaning to devotion. Service or devotion cannot be offered to anything impersonal. Service must be offered to a person. Nondevotees cannot appreciate Krsna consciousness by reading the Srimad-Bhagavatam or any other Vedic literature wherein the activities of the Lord are described; they think that these activities are fictional, manufactured stories because spiritual life is not explained to them in the proper mood. To understand the personal activities of the Lord, one has to seek the association of devotees, and by such association, when one contemplates and tries to understand the transcendental activities of the Lord, the path to liberation is open, and he is freed. One who has firm faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes fixed, and his attraction for association with the Lord and the devotees increases. Association with devotees means association with the Lord. The devotee who makes this association develops the consciousness for rendering service to the Lord, and then, being situated in the transcendental position of devotional service, he gradually becomes perfect.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 bhaktya puman jata-viraga aindriyad

                   drsta-srutan mad-racananucintaya

                  cittasya yatto grahane yoga-yukto

                    yatisyate rjubhir yoga-margaih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhaktya--by devotional service; puman--a person; jata-viragah--having developed distaste; aindriyat--for sense gratification; drsta--seen (in this world); srutat--heard (in the next world); mat-racana--My activities of creation and so on; anucintaya--by constantly thinking about; cittasya--of the mind; yattah--engaged; grahane--in the control; yoga-yuktah--situated in devotional service; yatisyate--will endeavor; rjubhih--easy; yoga-margaih--by the processes of mystic power.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus consciously engaged in devotional service in the association of devotees, a person gains distaste for sense gratification, both in this world and in the next, by constantly thinking about the activities of the Lord. This process of Krsna consciousness is the easiest process of mystic power; when one is actually situated on that path of devotional service, he is able to control the mind.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In all scriptures people are encouraged to act in a pious way so that they can enjoy sense gratification not only in this life but also in the next. For example, one is promised promotion to the heavenly kingdom of higher planets by pious fruitive activities. But a devotee in the association of devotees prefers to contemplate the activities of the Lord--how He has created this universe, how He is maintaining it, how the creation dissolves, and how in the spiritual kingdom the Lord's pastimes are going on. There are full literatures describing these activities of the Lord, especially Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-samhita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. The sincere devotee who associates with devotees gets the opportunity to hear and contemplate this subject of the pastimes of the Lord, and the result is that he feels distaste for so-called happiness in this or that world, in heaven or on other planets. The devotees are simply interested in being transferred to the personal association of the Lord; they have no more attraction for temporary so-called happiness. That is the position of one who is yoga-yukta. One who is fixed in mystic power is not disturbed by the allurement of this world or that world; he is interested in the matters of spiritual understanding or the spiritual situation. This sublime situation is very easily attained by the easiest process, bhakti-yoga. Rjubhir yoga-margaih. A very suitable word used here is rjubhih, or "very easy." There are different processes of yoga-marga, attaining yoga perfection, but this process, devotional service to the Lord, is the easiest. Not only is it the easiest process, but the result is sublime. Everyone, therefore, should try to take this process of Krsna consciousness and reach the highest perfection of life.

 

                               TEXT 27

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     asevayayam prakrter gunanam

                    jnanena vairagya-vijrmbhitena

                   yogena mayy arpitaya ca bhaktya

                   mam pratyag-atmanam ihavarundhe

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   asevaya--by not engaging in the service; ayam--this person; prakrteh gunanam--of the modes of material nature; jnanena--by Knowledge; vairagya--with renunciation; vijrmbhitena--developed; yogena--by practicing yoga; mayi--unto Me; arpitaya--fixed; ca--and; bhaktya--with devotion; mam--unto Me; pratyak-atmanam--the Absolute Truth; iha--in this very life; avarundhe--one attains.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus by not engaging in the service of the modes of material nature but by developing Krsna consciousness, knowledge in renunciation, and by practicing yoga, in which the mind is always fixed in devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life, for I am the Supreme Personality, the Absolute Truth.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When one engages in devotional service to the Lord in the nine different kinds of bhakti-yoga, as enunciated in authoritative scriptures, such as hearing (sravanam), chanting (kirtanam), remembering, offering worship, praying and offering personal service--either in one of them, or two or three or all of them--he naturally has no opportunity to engage in the service of the three modes of material nature. Unless one has good engagements in spiritual service, it is not possible to get out of the attachment to material service. Those who are not devotees, therefore, are interested in so-called humanitarian or philanthropic work, such as opening a hospital or charitable institution. These are undoubtedly good works in the sense that they are pious activities, and their result is that the performer may get some opportunities for sense gratification, either in this life or in the next. Devotional service, however, is beyond the boundary of sense gratification. It is completely spiritual activity. When one engages in the spiritual activities of devotional service, naturally he does not get any opportunity to engage in sense gratificatory activities. Krsna conscious activities are performed not blindly but with perfect understanding of knowledge and renunciation. This kind of yoga practice, in which the mind is always fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotion, results in liberation in this very life. The person who performs such acts gets in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya, therefore, approved the process of hearing from realized devotees about the pastimes of the Lord. It does not matter to what category of this world the audience belongs. If one meekly and submissively hears about the activities of the Lord from a realized soul, he will be able to conquer the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unconquerable by any other process. Hearing or associating with devotees is the most important function for self-realization.

 

                               TEXT 28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                           devahutir uvaca

                      kacit tvayy ucita bhaktih

                          kidrsi mama gocara

                        yaya padam te nirvanam

                         anjasanvasnava aham

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   devahutih uvaca--Devahuti said; kacit--what; tvayi--unto You; ucita--proper; bhaktih--devotional service; kidrsi--what kind; mama--by me; go-cara--fit to be practiced; yaya--by which; padam--feet; te--Your; nirvanam--liberation; anjasa--immediately; anvasnavai--shall attain; aham--I.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   On hearing this statement of the Lord, Devahuti inquired: What kind of devotional service is worth developing and practicing to help me easily and immediately attain the service of Your lotus feet?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that no one is barred from rendering service to the Lord. Whether one is a woman or a laborer or a merchant, if he engages himself in the devotional service of the Lord he is promoted to the highest perfectional state and goes back home, back to Godhead. The devotional service most suitable for different types of devotees is determined and fixed by the mercy of the spiritual master.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        yo yogo bhagavad-bano

                       nirvanatmams tvayoditah

                         kidrsah kati cangani

                        yatas tattvavabodhanam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--which; yogah--mystic yoga process; bhagavat-banah--aiming at the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nirvana-atman--O embodiment of nirvana; tvaya--by You; uditah--explained; kidrsah--of what nature; kati--how many; ca--and; angani--branches; yatah--by which; tattva--of the truth; avabodhanam--understanding.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The mystic yoga system, as You have explained, aims at the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is meant for completely ending material existence. Please let me know the nature of that yoga system. How many ways are there by which one can understand in truth that sublime yoga?

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are different kinds of mystic yoga systems aiming for different phases of the Absolute Truth. The jnana-yoga system aims at the impersonal Brahman effulgence, and the hatha-yoga system aims at the localized personal aspect, the Paramatma feature of the Absolute Truth, whereas bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, which is executed in nine different ways, headed by hearing and chanting, aims at complete realization of the Supreme Lord. There are different methods of self-realization. But here Devahuti especially refers to the bhakti-yoga system, which has already been primarily explained by the Lord. The different parts of the bhakti-yoga system are hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping the Lord in the temple, accepting service to Him, carrying out His orders, making friendship with Him and ultimately surrendering everything for the service of the Lord. The word nirvanatman is very significant in this verse. Unless one accepts the process of devotional service, one cannot end the continuation of material existence. As far as jnanis are concerned, they are interested in jnana-yoga, but even if one elevates oneself, after a great performance of austerity, to the Brahman effulgence, there is a chance of falling down again to the material world. Therefore, jnana-yoga does not actually end material existence. Similarly, regarding the hatha-yoga system, which aims at the localized aspect of the Lord, Paramatma, it has been experienced that many yogis, such as Visvamitra, fall down. But bhakti-yogis, once approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never come back to this material world, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita. Yad gatva na nivartante: upon going, one never comes back. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: after giving up this body, he never comes back again to accept a material body. Nirvana does not finish the existence of the soul. The soul is ever existing. Therefore nirvana means to end one's material existence, and to end material existence means to go back home, back to Godhead.

   Sometimes it is asked how the living entity falls down from the spiritual world to the material world. Here is the answer. Unless one is elevated to the Vaikuntha planets, directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is prone to fall down, either from the impersonal Brahman realization or from an ecstatic trance of meditation. Another word in this verse, bhagavad-banah, is very significant. Banah means "arrow." The bhakti-yoga system is just like an arrow aiming up to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The bhakti-yoga system never urges one towards the impersonal Brahman effulgence or to the point of Paramatma realization. This banah, or arrow, is so sharp and swift that it goes directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, penetrating the regions of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramatma.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         tad etan me vijanihi

                       yathaham manda-dhir hare

                      sukham buddhyeya durbodham

                        yosa bhavad-anugrahat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tat etat--that same; me--to me; vijanihi--please explain; yatha--so that; aham--I; manda--slow; dhih--whose intelligence; hare--O my Lord; sukham--easily; buddhyeya--may understand; durbodham--very difficult to understand; yosa--a woman; bhavat-anugrahat--by Your grace.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My dear son, Kapila, after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Knowledge of the Absolute Truth is not very easily understood by ordinary, less intelligent men; but if the spiritual master is kind enough to the disciple, however unintelligent the disciple may be, then by the divine grace of the spiritual master everything is revealed. Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura therefore says, yasya prasadad, by the mercy of the spiritual master, the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavat-prasadah, is revealed. Devahuti requested her great son to be merciful towards her because she was a less intelligent woman and also His mother. By the grace of Kapiladeva it was quite possible for her to understand the Absolute Truth, even though the subject matter is very difficult for ordinary persons, especially women.

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                   viditvartham kapilo matur ittham

                    jata-sneho yatra tanvabhijatah

                 tattvamnayam yat pravadanti sankhyam

                   provaca vai bhakti-vitana-yogam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--Maitreya said; viditva--having known; artham--purpose; kapilah--Lord Kapila; matuh--of His mother; ittham--thus; jata-snehah--became compassionate; yatra--upon her; tanva--from her body; abhijatah--born; tattva-amnayam--truths received by disciplic succession; yat--which; pravadanti--they call; sankhyam--Sankhya philosophy; provaca--He described; vai--in fact; bhakti--devotional service; vitana--spreading; yogam--mystic yoga.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Sri Maitreya said: After hearing the statement of His mother, Kapila could understand her purpose, and He became compassionate towards her because of being born of her body. He described the Sankhya system of philosophy, which is a combination of devotional service and mystic realization, as received by disciplic succession.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sri-bhagavan uvaca

                        devanam guna-linganam

                         anusravika-karmanam

                         sattva evaika-manaso

                       vrttih svabhaviki tu ya

                          animitta bhagavati

                       bhaktih siddher gariyasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; devanam--of the senses or of the presiding deities of the senses; guna-linganam--which detect sense objects; anusravika--according to scripture; karmanam--which work; sattve--unto the mind or unto the Lord; eva--only; eka-manasah--of a man of undivided mind; vrttih--inclination; svabhaviki--natural; tu--in fact; ya--which; animitta--without motive; bhagavati--to the Personality of Godhead; bhaktih--devotional service; siddheh--than salvation; gariyasi--better.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Kapila said: The senses are symbolic representations of the demigods, and their natural inclination is to work under the direction of the Vedic injunctions. As the senses are representatives of the demigods, so the mind is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind's natural duty is to serve. When that service spirit is engaged in devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, without any motive, that is far better even than salvation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The senses of the living entity are always engaged in some occupation, either in activities prescribed in the injunctions of the Vedas or in material activities. The natural inclination of the senses is to work for something, and the mind is the center of the senses. The mind is actually the leader of the senses; therefore it is called sattva. Similarly, the leader of all the demigods who are engaged in the activities of this material world--the sun-god, moon-god, Indra and others--is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

   It is stated in the Vedic literature that the demigods are different limbs of the universal body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our senses are also controlled by different demigods; our senses are representations of various demigods, and the mind is the representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The senses, led by the mind, act under the influence of the demigods. When the service is ultimately aimed at the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the senses are in their natural position. The Lord is called Hrsikesa, for He is actually the proprietor and ultimate master of the senses. The senses and the mind are naturally inclined to work, but when they are materially contaminated they work for some material benefit or for the service of the demigods, although actually they are meant to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The senses are called hrsika, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called Hrsikesa. Indirectly, all the senses are naturally inclined to serve the Supreme Lord. That is called bhakti.

   Kapiladeva said that when the senses, without desire for material profit or other selfish motives, are engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is situated in devotional service. That spirit of service is far better than siddhi, salvation. Bhakti, the inclination to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is in a transcendental position far better than mukti, or liberation. Thus bhakti is the stage after liberation. Unless one is liberated one cannot engage the senses in the service of the Lord. When the senses are engaged either in material activities of sense gratification or in the activities of the Vedic injunctions, there is some motive, but when the same senses are engaged in the service of the Lord and there is no motive, that is called animitta and is the natural inclination of the mind. The conclusion is that when the mind, without being deviated either by Vedic injunctions or by material activities, is fully engaged in Krsna consciousness, or devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is far better than the most aspired-for liberation from material entanglement.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        jarayaty asu ya kosam

                         nigirnam analo yatha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jarayati--dissolves; asu--quickly; ya--which; kosam--the subtle body; nigirnam--things eaten; analah--fire; yatha--as.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Bhakti is in a far higher position than mukti because a person's endeavor to get liberation from the material encagement is automatically served in devotional service. The example is given here that the fire in the stomach can digest whatever we eat. If the digestive power is sufficient, then whatever we can eat will be digested by the fire in the stomach. Similarly, a devotee does not have to try separately to attain liberation. That very service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the process of his liberation because to engage oneself in the service of the Lord is to liberate oneself from material entanglement. Sri Bilvamangala Thakura explained this position very nicely. He said, "If I have unflinching devotion unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, then mukti, or liberation, serves me as my maidservant. Mukti, the maidservant, is always ready to do whatever I ask."

   For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. Liberation takes place without separate endeavor. Bhakti, therefore, is far better then mukti or the impersonalist position. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting, and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of Godhead. As soon as the tongue is controlled, naturally all other senses are controlled automatically. Sense control is the perfection of the yoga principle, and one's liberation begins immediately as soon as he engages himself in the service of the Lord. It is confirmed by Kapiladeva that bhakti, or devotional service, is gariyasi, more glorious than siddhi, liberation.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   naikatmatam me sprhayanti kecin

                    mat-pada-sevabhirata mad-ihah

                   ye 'nyonyato bhagavatah prasajya

                     sabhajayante mama paurusani

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--never; eka-atmatam--merging into oneness; me--My; sprhayanti--they desire; kecit--any; mat-pada-seva--the service of My lotus feet; abhiratah--engaged in; mat-ihah--endeavoring to attain Me; ye--those who; anyonyatah--mutually; bhagavatah--pure devotees; prasajya--assembling; sabhajayante--glorify; mama--My; paurusani--glorious activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   A pure devotee, who is attached to the activities of devotional service and who always engages in the service of My lotus feet, never desires to become one with Me. Such a devotee, who is unflinchingly engaged, always glorifies My pastimes and activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are five kinds of liberation stated in the scriptures. One is to become one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or to forsake one's individuality and merge into the Supreme Spirit. This is called ekatmatam. A devotee never accepts this kind of liberation. The other four liberations are: to be promoted to the same planet as God (Vaikuntha), to associate personally with the Supreme Lord, to achieve the same opulence as the Lord and to attain the same bodily features as the Supreme Lord. A pure devotee, as will be explained by Kapila Muni, does not aspire for any of the five liberations. He especially despises as hellish the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya, said, kaivalyam narakayate: "The happiness of becoming one with the Supreme Lord, which is aspired for by the Mayavadis, is considered hellish." That oneness is not for pure devotees.

   There are many so-called devotees who think that in the conditioned state we may worship the Personality of Godhead but that ultimately there is no personality; they say that since the Absolute Truth is impersonal, one can imagine a personal form of the impersonal Absolute Truth for the time being, but as soon as one becomes liberated the worship stops. That is the theory put forward by the Mayavada philosophy. Actually the impersonalists do not merge into the existence of the Supreme Person but into His personal bodily luster, which is called the brahmajyoti. Although that brahmajyoti is not different from His personal body, that sort of oneness (merging into the bodily luster of the Personality of Godhead) is not accepted by a pure devotee because the devotees engage in greater pleasure than the so-called pleasure of merging into His existence. The greatest pleasure is to serve the Lord. Devotees are always thinking about how to serve Him; they are always designing ways and means to serve the Supreme Lord, even in the midst of the greatest obstacles of material existence.

   The Mayavadis accept the description of the pastimes of the Lord as stories, but actually they are not stories; they are historical facts. Pure devotees accept the narrations of the pastimes of the Lord not as stories but as Absolute Truth. The words mama paurusani are significant. Devotees are very much attached to glorifying the activities of the Lord, whereas the Mayavadis cannot even think of these activities. According to them the Absolute Truth is impersonal. Without personal existence, how can there be activity? The impersonalists take the activities mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures as fictitious stories, and therefore they interpret them most mischievously. The have no idea of the Personality of Godhead. They unnecessarily poke their noses into the scripture and interpret it in a deceptive way in order to mislead the innocent public. The activities of Mayavada philosophy are very dangerous to the public, and therefore Lord Caitanya warned us never to hear from any Mayavadi about any scripture. They will spoil the entire process, and the person hearing them will never be able to come to the path of devotional service to attain the highest perfection, or will be able to do so only after a very long time.

   It is clearly stated by Kapila Muni that bhakti activities, or activities in devotional service, are transcendental to mukti. This is called pancama-purusartha. Generally, people engage in the activities of religion, economic development and sense gratification, and ultimately they work with an idea that they are going to become one with the Supreme Lord (mukti). But bhakti is transcendental to all these activities. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, therefore, begins by stating that all kinds of pretentious religiosity is completely eradicated from the Bhagavatam. Ritualistic activities for economic development and sense gratification and, after frustration in sense gratification, the desire to become one with the Supreme Lord, are all completely rejected in the Bhagavatam. The Bhagavatam is especially meant for the pure devotees, who always engage in Krsna consciousness, in the activities of the Lord, and always glorify these transcendental activities. Pure devotees worship the transcendental activities of the Lord in Vrndavana, Dvaraka and Mathura as they are narrated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other puranas. The Mayavadi philosophers completely reject them as stories, but actually they are great and worshipable subject matters and thus are relishable only for devotees. That is the difference between a Mayavadi and a pure devotee.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 pasyanti te me rucirany amba santah

                     prasanna-vaktraruna-locanani

                     rupani divyani vara-pradani

                    sakam vacam sprhaniyam vadanti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pasyanti--see; te--they; me--My; rucirani--beautiful; amba--O mother; santah--devotees; prasanna--smiling; vaktra--face; aruna--like the morning sun; locanani--eyes; rupani--forms; divyani--transcendental; vara-pradani--benevolent; sakam--with Me; vacam--words; sprhaniyam--favorable; vadanti--they speak.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O My mother, My devotees always see the smiling face of My form, with eyes like the rising morning sun. They like to see My various transcendental forms, which are all benevolent, and they also talk favorably with Me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Mayavadis and atheists accept the forms of the Deities in the temple of the Lord as idols, but devotees do not worship idols. They directly worship the Personality of Godhead in His arca incarnation. Arca refers to the form which we can worship in our present condition. Actually, in our present state it is not possible to see God in His spiritual form because our material eyes and senses cannot conceive of a spiritual form. We cannot even see the spiritual form of the individual soul. When a man dies we cannot see how the spiritual form leaves the body. That is the defect of our material senses. In order to be seen by our material senses, the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts a favorable form which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha, sometimes called the arca incarnation, is not different from Him. Just as the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts various incarnations, He takes on forms made out of matter--clay, wood, metal and jewels.

   There are many sastric injunctions which give instructions for carving forms of the Lord. These forms are not material. If God is all-pervading, then He is also in the material elements. There is no doubt about it. But the atheists think otherwise. Although they preach that everything is God, when they go to the temple and see the form of the Lord, they deny that He is God. According to their own theory, everything is God. Then why is the Deity not God? Actually, they have no conception of God. The devotees' vision, however, is different; their vision is smeared with love of God. As soon as they see the Lord in His different forms, the devotees become saturated with love, for they do not find any difference between the Lord and His form in the temple, as do the atheists. The smiling face of the Deity in the temple is beheld by the devotees as transcendental and spiritual, and the decoration of the body of the Lord is very much appreciated by the devotees. It is the duty of the spiritual master to teach how to decorate the Deity in the temple, how to cleanse the temple and how to worship the Deity. There are different procedures and rules and regulations which are followed in temples of Visnu, and devotees go there and see the Deity, the vigraha, and spiritually enjoy the form because all of the Deities are benevolent. The devotees express their minds before the Deity, and in many instances the Deity also gives answers. But one must be a very elevated devotee in order to be able to speak with the Supreme Lord. Sometimes the Lord informs the devotee through dreams. These exchanges of feelings between the Deity and the devotee are not understandable by atheists, but actually the devotee enjoys them. Kapila Muni is explaining how the devotees see the decorated body and face of the Deity and how they speak with Him in devotional service.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                    tair darsaniyavayavair udara-

                    vilasa-haseksita-vama-suktaih

                  hrtatmano hrta-pranams ca bhaktir

                  anicchato me gatim anvim prayunkte

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   taih--by those forms; darsaniya--charming; avayavaih--whose limbs; udara--exalted; vilasa--pastimes; hasa--smiling; iksita--glances; vama--pleasing; suktaih--whose delightful words; hrta--captivated; atmanah--their minds; hrta--captivated; pranan--their senses; ca--and; bhaktih--devotional service; anicchatah--unwilling; me--My; gatim--abode; anvim--subtle; prayunkte--secures.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Upon seeing the charming forms of the Lord, smiling and attractive, and hearing His very pleasing words, the pure devotee almost loses all other consciousness. His senses are freed from all other engagements, and he becomes absorbed in devotional service. Thus in spite of his unwillingness, he attains liberation without separate endeavor.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are three divisions of devotees--first-class, second-class and third-class. Even the third-class devotees are liberated souls. It is explained in this verse that although they do not have knowledge, simply by seeing the beautiful decoration of the Deity in the temple, the devotee is absorbed in thought of Him and loses all other consciousness. Simply by fixing oneself in Krsna consciousness, engaging the senses in the service of the Lord, one is imperceptibly liberated. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. Simply by discharging uncontaminated devotional service as prescribed in the scriptures, one becomes equal to Brahman. In Bhagavad-gita it is said, brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. This means that the living entity in his original state is Brahman because he is part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. But simply because of his forgetfulness of his real nature as an eternal servitor of the Lord, he is overwhelmed and captured by maya. His forgetfulness of his real constitutional position is maya. Otherwise he is eternally Brahman.

   When one is trained to become conscious of his position, he understands that he is the servitor of the Lord. "Brahman" refers to a state of self-realization. Even the third-class devotee--who is not advanced in knowledge of the Absolute Truth but simply offers obeisances with great devotion, thinks of the Lord, sees the Lord in the temple and brings forth flowers and fruits to offer to the Deity--becomes imperceptibly liberated. Sraddhayanvitah: with great devotion the devotees offer worshipful respects and paraphernalia to the Deity. The Deities of Radha and Krsna, Laksmi and Narayana, and Rama and Sita are very attractive to devotees, so much so that when they see the statue decorated in the temple of the Lord they become fully absorbed in thought of the Lord. That is the state of liberation. In other words, it is confirmed herewith that even a third-class devotee is in the transcendental position, above those who are trying for liberation by speculation or by other methods. Even great impersonalists like Sukadeva Gosvami and the four Kumaras were attracted by the beauty of the Deities in the temple, by the decorations and by the aroma of tulasi offered to the Lord, and they became devotees. Even though they were in the liberated state, instead of remaining impersonalists they were attracted by the beauty of the Lord and became devotees.

   Here the word vilasa is very important. Vilasa refers to the activities or pastimes of the Lord. It is a prescribed duty in temple worship that not only should one visit the temple to see the Deity nicely decorated, but at the same time he should hear the recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita or some similar literature, which is regularly recited in the temple. It is the system in Vrndavana that in every temple there is recitation of the sastras. Even third-class devotees who have no literary knowledge or no time to read Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita get the opportunity to hear about the pastimes of the Lord. In this way their minds may remain always absorbed in the thought of the Lord--His form, His activities and His transcendental nature. This state of Krsna consciousness is a liberated stage. Lord Caitanya, therefore, recommended five important processes in the discharge of devotional service: (1) to chant the holy names of the Lord, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, (2) to associate with devotees and serve them as far as possible, (3) to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam, (4) to see the decorated temple and the Deity and, if possible, (5) to live in a place like Vrndavana or Mathura. These five items alone can help a devotee achieve the highest perfectional stage. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita and here in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. That third-class devotees can also imperceptibly achieve liberation is accepted in all Vedic literatures.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   atho vibhutim mama mayavinas tam

                   aisvaryam astangam anupravrttam

                sriyam bhagavatim vasprhayanti bhadram

                    parasya me te 'snuvate tu loke

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atho--then; vibhutim--opulence; mama--of Me; mayavinah--of the Lord of maya; tam--that; aisvaryam--mystic perfection; asta-angam--consisting of eight parts; anupravrttam--following; sriyam--splendor; bhagavatim--of the kingdom of God; va--or; asprhayanti--they do not desire; bhadram--blissful; parasya--of the Supreme Lord; me--of Me; te--those devotees; asnuvate--enjoy; tu--but; loke--in this life.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus because he is completely absorbed in thought of Me, the devotee does not desire even the highest benediction obtainable in the upper planetary systems, including Satyaloka. He does not desire the eight material perfections obtained from mystic yoga, nor does he desire to be elevated to the kingdom of God. Yet even without desiring them, the devotee enjoys, even in this life, all the offered benedictions.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The vibhuti, or opulences, offered by maya are of many varieties. We have experience of different varieties of material enjoyment even on this planet, but if one is able to promote himself to higher planets like Candraloka, the sun or, still higher, Maharloka, Janaloka and Tapoloka, or even ultimately the highest planet, which is inhabited by Brahma and is called Satyaloka, there are immense possibilities for material enjoyment. For example, the duration of life on higher planets is far, far greater than on this planet. It is said that on the moon the duration of life is such that our six months are equal to one day. We cannot even imagine the duration of life on the highest planet. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that Brahma's twelve hours are inconceivable even to our mathematicians. These are all descriptions of the external energy of the Lord, or maya. Besides these, there are other opulences which the yogis can achieve by their mystic power. They are also material. A devotee does not aspire for all these material pleasures, although they are available to him simply by wishing. By the grace of the Lord, a devotee can achieve wonderful success simply by willing, but a real devotee does not like that. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught that one should not desire material opulence or material reputation, nor should one try to enjoy material beauty; one should simply aspire to be absorbed in the devotional service of the Lord, even if one does not get liberation but has to continue the process of birth and death unlimitedly. Actually, however, to one who engages in Krsna consciousness, liberation is already guaranteed. Devotees enjoy all the benefits of the higher planets and the Vaikuntha planets also. It is especially mentioned here, bhagavatim bhadram. In the Vaikuntha planets everything is eternally peaceful, yet a pure devotee does not even aspire to be promoted there. But still he gets that advantage; he enjoys all the facilities of the material and spiritual worlds, even during the present life-span.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                   na karhicin mat-parah santa-rupe

                 nanksyanti no me 'nimiso ledhi hetih

                    yesam aham priya atma sutas ca

                   sakha guruh suhrdo daivam istam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--not; karhicit--ever; mat-parah--My devotees; santa-rupe--O mother; nanksyanti--will lose; no--not; me--My; animisah--time; ledhi--destroys; hetih--weapon; yesam--of whom; aham--I; priyah--dear; atma--self; sutah--son; ca--and; sakha--friend; guruh--preceptor; suhrdah--benefactor; daivam--Deity; istam--chosen.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord continued: My dear mother, devotees who receive such transcendental opulences are never bereft of them; neither weapons nor the change of time can destroy such opulences. Because the devotees accept Me as their friend, their relative, their son, preceptor, benefactor and Supreme Deity, they cannot be deprived of their possessions at any time.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that one may elevate himself to the higher planetary systems, even up to Brahmaloka, by dint of pious activities, but when the effects of such pious activities are finished, one again comes back to this earth to begin a new life of activities. Thus even though one is promoted to the higher planetary system for enjoyment and a long duration of life, still that is not a permanent settlement. But as far as the devotees are concerned, their assets--the achievement of devotional service and the consequent opulence of Vaikuntha, even on this planet--are never destroyed. In this verse Kapiladeva addresses His mother as santa-rupa, indicating that the opulences of devotees are fixed because devotees are eternally fixed in the Vaikuntha atmosphere, which is called santa-rupa because it is in the mode of pure goodness, undisturbed by the modes of passion and ignorance. Once one is fixed in the devotional service of the Lord, his position of transcendental service cannot be destroyed, and the pleasure and service simply increase unlimitedly. For the devotees engaged in Krsna consciousness, in the Vaikuntha atmosphere, there is no influence of time. In the material world the influence of time destroys everything, but in the Vaikuntha atmosphere there is no influence of time or of the demigods because there are no demigods in the Vaikuntha planets. Here our activities are controlled by different demigods; even if we move our hand and leg, the action is controlled by the demigods. But in the Vaikuntha atmosphere there is no influence of the demigods or of time; therefore there is no question of destruction. When the time element is present, there is the certainty of destruction, but when there is no time element--past, present or future--then everything is eternal. Therefore this verse uses the words na nanksyanti, indicating that the transcendental opulences will never be destroyed.

   The reason for freedom from destruction is also described. The devotees accept the Supreme Lord as the most dear personality and reciprocate with Him in different relationships. They accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the dearmost friend, the dearmost relative, the dearmost son, the dearmost preceptor, the dearmost well-wisher or the dearmost Deity. The Lord is eternal; therefore any relationship in which we accept Him is also eternal. It is clearly confirmed herein that the relationships cannot be destroyed, and therefore the opulences of those relationships are never destroyed. Every living entity has the propensity to love someone. We can see that if someone has no object of love, he generally directs his love to a pet animal like a cat or a dog. Thus the eternal propensity for love in all living entities is always searching for a place to reside. From this verse we can learn that we can love the Supreme Personality of Godhead as our dearmost object--as a friend, as a son, as a preceptor or as a well-wisher--and there will be no cheating and no end to such love. We shall eternally enjoy the relationship with the Supreme Lord in different aspects. A special feature of this verse is the acceptance of the Supreme Lord as the supreme preceptor. Bhagavad-gita was spoken directly by the Supreme Lord, and Arjuna accepted Krsna as guru, or spiritual master. Similarly, we should accept only Krsna as the supreme spiritual master.

   Krsna, of course, means Krsna and His confidential devotees; Krsna is not alone. When we speak of Krsna, "Krsna" means Krsna in His name, in His form, in His qualities, in His abode and in His associates. Krsna is never alone, for the devotees of Krsna are not impersonalists. For example, a king is always associated with his secretary, his commander, his servant and so much paraphernalia. As soon as we accept Krsna and His associates as our preceptors, no ill effects can destroy our knowledge. In the material world the knowledge which we acquire may change because of the influence of time, but nevertheless the conclusions received from Bhagavad-gita, directly from the speeches of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, can never change. There is no use interpreting Bhagavad-gita; it is eternal.

   Krsna, the Supreme Lord, should be accepted as one's best friend. He will never cheat. He will always give His friendly advice and friendly protection to the devotee. If Krsna is accepted as a son, He will never die. Here we have a very loving son or child, but the father and mother, or those who are affectionate towards him, always hope, "May my son not die." But Krsna actually never will die. Therefore those who accept Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, as their son will never be bereft of their son. In many instances devotees have accepted the Deity as a son. In Bengal there are many such instances, and even after the death of the devotee, the Deity performs the sraddha ceremony for the father. The relationship is never destroyed. People are accustomed to worship different forms of demigods, but in Bhagavad-gita such a mentality is condemned; therefore one should be intelligent enough to worship only the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His different forms such as Laksmi-Narayana, Sita-Rama and Radha-Krsna. Thus one will never be cheated. By worshiping the demigods one may elevate himself to the higher planets, but during the dissolution of the material world, the deity and the abode of the deity will be destroyed. But one who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead is promoted to the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no influence of time, destruction or annihilation. The conclusion is that the time influence cannot act upon devotees who have accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as everything.

 

                             TEXTS 39-40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        imam lokam tathaivamum

                         atmanam ubhayayinam

                         atmanam anu ye ceha

                        ye rayah pasavo grhah

 

                       visrjya sarvan anyams ca

                       mam evam visvato-mukham

                      bhajanty ananyaya bhaktya

                         tan mrtyor atiparaye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   imam--this; lokam--world; tatha--accordingly; eva--certainly; amum--that world; atmanam--the subtle body; ubhaya--in both; ayinam--traveling; atmanam--the body; anu--in relationship with; ye--those who; ca--also; iha--in this world; ye--that which; rayah--wealth; pasavah--cattle; grhah--houses; visrjya--having given up; sarvan--all; anyan--other; ca--and; mam--Me; evam--thus; visvatah-mukham--the all-pervading Lord of the universe; bhajanti--they worship; ananyaya--unflinching; bhaktya--by devotional service; tan--them; mrtyoh--of death; atiparaye--I take to the other side.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Thus the devotee who worships Me, the all-pervading Lord of the universe, in unflinching devotional service, gives up all aspirations to be promoted to heavenly planets or to become happy in this world with wealth, children, cattle, home or anything in relationship with the body. I take him to the other side of birth and death.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Unflinching devotional service, as described in these two verses, means engaging oneself in full Krsna consciousness, or devotional service, accepting the Supreme Lord as all in all. Since the Supreme Lord is all-inclusive, if anyone worships Him with unflinching faith, he has automatically achieved all other opulences and performed all other duties. The Lord promises herein that He takes His devotee to the other side of birth and death. Lord Caitanya, therefore, recommended that one who aspires to go beyond birth and death should have no material possessions. This means that one should not try to be happy in this world or to be promoted to the heavenly world, nor should he try for material wealth, children, houses or cattle.

   How liberation is imperceptibly achieved by a pure devotee and what the symptoms are have been explained. For the conditioned soul there are two statuses of living. One status is in this present life, and the other is our preparation for the next life. If I am in the mode of goodness then I may be preparing for promotion to the higher planets, if I am in the mode of passion then I shall remain here in a society where activity is very prominent, and if I am in the mode of ignorance I may be degraded to animal life or a lower grade of human life. But for a devotee there is no concern for this life or the next life because in any life he does not desire elevation in material prosperity or a high-grade or low-grade life. He prays to the Lord, "My dear Lord, it does not matter where I am born, but let me be born, even as an ant, in the house of a devotee." A pure devotee does not pray to the Lord for liberation from this material bondage. Actually, the pure devotee never thinks that he is fit for liberation. Considering his past life and his mischievous activities, he thinks that he is fit to be sent to the lowest region of hell. If in this life I am trying to become a devotee, this does not mean that in my many past lives I was one-hundred-percent pious. That is not possible. A devotee, therefore, is always conscious of his real position. Only by his full surrender to the Lord, by the Lord's grace, are his sufferings made shorter. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, "Surrender unto Me, and I will give you protection from all kinds of sinful reaction." That is His mercy. But this does not mean that one who has surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord has committed no misdeeds in his past life. A devotee always prays, "For my misdeeds, may I be born again and again, but my only prayer is that I may not forget Your service." The devotee has that much mental strength, and he prays to the Lord: "May I be born again and again, but let me be born in the home of Your pure devotee so that I may again get a chance to develop myself."

   A pure devotee is not anxious to elevate himself in his next birth. He has already given up that sort of hope. In any life in which one is born, as a householder, or even as an animal, one must have some children, some resources or some possessions, but a devotee is not anxious to possess anything. He is satisfied with whatever is obtainable by God's grace. He is not at all attached to improving his social status or improving the status of education of his children. He is not neglectful--he is dutiful--but he does not spend too much time on the upliftment of temporary household or social life. He fully engages in the service of the Lord, and for other affairs he simply spares as much time as absolutely necessary (yatharham upayunjatah). Such a pure devotee does not care for what is going to happen in the next life or in this life; he does not care even for family, children or society. He fully engages in the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita that without the knowledge of the devotee, the Lord arranges for His devotee to be immediately transferred to His transcendental abode just after leaving his body. After quitting his body he does not go into the womb of another mother. The ordinary common living entity, after death, is transferred to the womb of another mother, according to his karma, or activities, to take another type of body. But as far as the devotee is concerned, he is at once transferred to the spiritual world in the association of the Lord. That is the Lord's special mercy. How it is possible is explained in the following verses. Because He is all-powerful, the Lord can do anything and everything. He can excuse all sinful reactions. He can immediately transfer a person to Vaikunthaloka. That is the inconceivable power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is favorably disposed to the pure devotees.

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       nanyatra mad bhagavatah

                        pradhana-purusesvarat

                        atmanah sarva-bhutanam

                       bhayam tivram nivartate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--not; anyatra--otherwise; mat--than Myself; bhagavatah--the Supreme personality of Godhead; pradhana-purusa-isvarat--the Lord of both prakrti and purusa; atmanah--the soul; sarva-bhutanam--of all living beings; bhayam--fear; tivram--terrible; nivartate--is forsaken.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The terrible fear of birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is indicated herein that the cycle of birth and death cannot be stopped unless one is a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord. It is said, harim vina na srtim taranti. One cannot surpass the cycle of birth and death unless one is favored by the Supreme personality of Godhead. The same concept is confirmed herewith: one may take to the system of understanding the Absolute Truth by one's own imperfect sensory speculation, or one may try to realize the self by the mystic yoga process; but whatever one may do, unless he comes to the point of surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no process can give him liberation. One may ask if this means that those who are undergoing so much penance and austerity by strictly following the rules and regulations are endeavoring in vain. The answer is given by Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.2.32): ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah. Lord Brahma and other demigods prayed to the Lord when Krsna was in the womb of Devaki: "My dear lotus-eyed Lord, there are persons who are puffed up with the thought that they have become liberated or one with God or have become God, but in spite of thinking in such a puffed-up way, their intelligence is not laudable. They are less intelligent." It is stated that their intelligence, whether high or low, is not even purified. In purified intelligence a living entity cannot think otherwise than to surrender. Bhagavad-gita, therefore, confirms that purified intelligence arises in the person of a very wise man. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. After many, many births, one who is actually advanced in intelligence surrenders unto the Supreme Lord.

   Without the surrendering process, one cannot achieve liberation. The Bhagavatam says, "Those who are simply puffed up, thinking themselves liberated by some nondevotional process, are not polished or clear in intelligence, for they have not yet surrendered unto You. In spite of executing all kinds of austerities and penances or even arriving at the brink of spiritual realization in Brahman realization, they think that they are in the effulgence of Brahman, but actually, because they have no transcendental activities, they fall down to material activities." One should not be satisfied simply with knowing that one is Brahman. He must engage himself in the service of the Supreme Brahman; that is bhakti. The engagement of Brahman should be the service of Parabrahman. It is said that unless one becomes Brahman one cannot serve Brahman. The Supreme Brahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the living entity is also Brahman. Without realization that he is Brahman, spirit soul, an eternal servitor of the Lord, if one simply thinks that he is Brahman, his realization is only theoretical. He has to realize and at the same time engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord; then he can exist in the Brahman status. Otherwise he falls down.

   The Bhagavatam says that because nondevotees neglect the transcendental loving service of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, their intelligence is not sufficient, and therefore these persons fall down. The living entity must have some activity. If he does not engage in the activity of transcendental service, he must fall down to material activity. As soon as one falls down to material activity, there is no rescue from the cycle of birth and death. It is stated here by Lord Kapila, "Without My mercy" (nanyatra mad bhagavatah). The Lord is stated here to be Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, indicating that He is full of all opulences and is therefore perfectly competent to deliver one from the cycle of birth and death. He is also called pradhana because He is the Supreme. He is equal to everyone, but to one who surrenders to Him He is especially favorable. It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that the Lord is equal to everyone; no one is His enemy and no one is His friend. But to one who surrenders unto Him, He is especially inclined. By the grace of the Lord, simply by surrendering unto Him one can get out of this cycle of birth and death. Otherwise, one may go on in many, many lives and may many times attempt other processes for liberation.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      mad-bhayad vati vato 'yam

                       suryas tapati mad-bhayat

                       varsatindro dahaty agnir

                       mrtyus carati mad-bhayat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   mat-bhayat--out of fear of Me; vati--blows; vatah--wind; ayam--this; suryah--the sun; tapati--shines; mat-bhayat--out of fear of Me; varsati--showers rain; indrah--Indra; dahati--burns; agnih--fire; mrtyuh--death; carati--goes; mat-bhayat--out of fear of Me.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, says in Bhagavad-gita that the natural laws being enacted are correct in all activities because of His superintendence. No one should think that nature is working automatically, without superintendence. The Vedic literature says that the clouds are controlled by the demigod Indra, heat is distributed by the sun-god, the soothing moonlight is distributed by Candra, and the air is blowing under the arrangement of the demigod Vayu. But above all these demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the chief living entity. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. The demigods are also ordinary living entities, but due to their faithfulness--their devotional service attitude--they have been promoted to such posts. These different demigods, or directors, such as Candra, Varuna and Vayu, are called adhikari-devata. The demigods are departmental heads. The government of the Supreme Lord consists not only of one planet or two or three; there are millions of planets and millions of universes. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has a huge government, and He requires assistants. The demigods are considered His bodily limbs. These are the descriptions of Vedic literature. Under these circumstances, the sun-god, the moon-god, the fire-god and the air-god are working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram. The natural laws are being conducted under His superintendence. Because He is in the background, everything is being performed punctually and regularly.

   One who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely protected from all other influences. He no longer serves or is obliged to anyone else. Of course he is not disobedient to anyone, but his full power of thought is absorbed in the service of the Lord. The statements by the Supreme personality of Godhead Kapila that under His direction the air is blowing, the fire is burning and the sun is giving heat are not sentimental. The impersonalist may say that the Bhagavatam devotees create and imagine someone as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and assign qualifications to Him; but actually it is neither imagination nor an imposition of artificial power in the name of Godhead. In the Vedas it is said, bhisasmad vatah pavate. bhisodeti suryah: "By fear of the Supreme Lord the wind-god and the sun-god are acting." Bhisasmad agnis candras ca. mrtyur dhavati pancamah: "Agni, Indra and Mrtyu are also acting under His direction." These are the statements of the Vedas.

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        jnana-vairagya-yuktena

                        bhakti-yogena yoginah

                        ksemaya pada-mulam me

                       pravisanty akuto-bhayam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jnana--with knowledge; vairagya--and renunciation; yuktena--equipped; bhakti-yogena--by devotional service; yoginah--the yogis; ksemaya--for eternal benefit; pada-mulam--feet; me--My; pravisanti--take shelter of; akutah-bhayam--without fear.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The yogis, equipped with transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   One who actually wants to be liberated from the entanglement of this material world and go back home, back to Godhead, is actually a mystic yogi. The words explicitly used here are yuktena bhakti-yogena. Those yogis, or mystics, who engage in devotional service are the first-class yogis. The first-class yogis, as described in Bhagavad-gita, are those who are constantly thinking of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. These yogis are not without knowledge and renunciation. To become a bhakti-yogi means to automatically attain knowledge and renunciation. That is the consequent result of bhakti-yoga. In the Bhagavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, it is also confirmed that one who engages in the devotional service of Vasudeva, Krsna, has complete transcendental knowledge and renunciation, and there is no explanation for these attainments. Ahaituki--without reason, they come. Even if a person is completely illiterate, the transcendental knowledge of the scriptures is revealed unto him simply because of his engagement in devotional service. That is also stated in the Vedic literature. To anyone who has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master, all the import of the Vedic literatures is revealed. He does not have to seek separately; the yogis who engage in devotional service are full in knowledge and renunciation. If there is a lack of knowledge and renunciation, it is to be understood that one is not in full devotional service. The conclusion is that one cannot be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm--in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuntha planets within that Brahman effulgence--unless he is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. The surrendered souls are called akuto-bhaya. They are doubtless and fearless, and their entrance into the spiritual kingdom is guaranteed.

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        etavan eva loke 'smin

                        pumsam nihsreyasodayah

                        tivrena bhakti-yogena

                      mano mayy arpitam sthiram

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   etavan eva--only so far; loke asmin--in this world; pumsam--of men; nihsreyasa--final perfection of life; udayah--the attainment of; tivrena--intense; bhakti-yogena--by practice of devotional service; manah--mind; mayi--in Me; arpitam--fixed; sthiram--steady.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Therefore persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Here the words mano mayy arpitam, which mean "the mind being fixed on Me," are significant. One should fix his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna or His incarnation. To be fixed steadily in that freedom is the way of liberation. Ambarisa Maharaja is an example. He fixed his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord, he spoke only on the pastimes of the Lord, he smelled only the flowers and tulasi offered to the Lord, he walked only to the temple of the Lord, he engaged his hands in cleansing the temple, he engaged his tongue in tasting the foodstuff offered to the Lord, and he engaged his ears for hearing the great pastimes of the Lord. In that way all his senses were engaged. First of all, the mind should be engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord, very steadily and naturally. Because the mind is the master of the senses, when the mind is engaged, all the senses become engaged. That is bhakti-yoga. Yoga means controlling the senses. The senses cannot be controlled in the proper sense of the term; they are always agitated. This is true also with a child--how long can he be forced to sit down silently? It is not possible. Even Arjuna said, cancalam hi manah krsna: "The mind is always agitated." The best course is to fix the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. Mano mayy arpitam sthiram. If one seriously engages in Krsna consciousness, that is the highest perfectional stage. All Krsna conscious activities are on the highest perfectional level of human life.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "The Glories of Devotional Service."