Source
Texts:
Mahârâja
Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
Text
1
S'rî
S'uka said: 'Greatly eager to be of worship for Krishna, o best
of the Kurus, dwelled Nârada frequently in
Dvârakâ the capital protected by the arms of
Govinda [see also 6.5:
43 &
10.69].
S'rî
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Eager to engage in the
worship of Lord Krishna, O best of the Kurus, Nârada
Muni stayed for some time in Dvârakâ, which was
always protected by the arms of Govinda.
Text
2
Who
indeed possessing senses being faced with death on all sides, o
King, wouldn't be of worship for the lotus feet of Mukunda
worshipable to the best of the immortals?
My
dear King, in the material world the conditioned souls are
confronted by death at every step of life. Therefore, who
among the conditioned souls would not render service to the
lotus feet of Lord Mukunda, who is worshipable even for the
greatest of liberated souls?
Text
3
One
day said Vasudeva the following to the deva-rishi, who had
arrived at his house and was respectfully greeted, worshiped
with paraphernalia and comfortably seated.
One
day the sage among the demigods, Nârada, came to the
house of Vasudeva. After worshiping Nârada with
suitable paraphernalia, seating him comfortably and
respectfully bowing down to him, Vasudeva spoke as
follows.
Text
4
S'rî
Vasudeva said: 'O great lord, the coming of your good self is,
as of all those on the path of Uttamas'loka
present for the most wretched, as the coming of a good father
being there to the benefit of all embodied
souls.
S'rî
Vasudeva said - My lord, your visit, like that of a father
to his children, is for the benefit of all living beings.
You especially help the most wretched among them, as well as
those who are advanced on the path toward the Supreme Lord,
Uttamas'loka.
Text
5
What the gods
do, results in as well the misery as the happiness of the
living beings, but what saints like you do who accepted the
Infallible One as their very soul, results in happiness only
[see also 1.2:
25-26,
3.25:
21].
The
activities of demigods lead to both misery and happiness for
living beings, but the activities of great saints like you,
who have accepted the infallible Lord as their very soul,
result only in the happiness of all beings.
Text
6
The
way one worships the demigods will the gods the same way be of
respect in return; like with a shadow are they the attendants
of karma, whereas the saints are the ones taking care of the
fallen [see
also B.G. 3:
12,
4:
12,
7.20-23].
Those
who worship the demigods receive reciprocation from the
demigods in a way just corresponding to the offering. The
demigods are attendants of karma, like a person's shadow,
but sâdhus are actually merciful to the fallen.
Text
7
O brahmin,
nevertheless I inquire with you about the dharma of relating to
the Supreme Lord, hearing of which with faith the one destined
to die is freed from all fear [compare 10.2:
30-33].
O
brâhmana, although I am satisfied simply by seeing
you, I still wish to inquire about those duties which give
pleasure to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Any mortal
who faithfully hears about them is freed from all kinds of
fear.
Text
8
I indeed a long
time ago on earth being bewildered by the Lord His
mâyâ, in want of a child and not going for
liberation, worshiped Ananta, the Lord Awarding Liberation
[see also 10.3:
32-45 and
4.1:
20].
In
a previous birth on this earth, I worshiped the Supreme
Lord, Ananta, who alone can award liberation, but because I
desired to have a child, I did not worship Him for
liberation. Thus I was bewildered by the Lord's illusory
energy.
Text
9
O
you true to the vow, please instruct us, so that because of you
we for sure and with ease even, may find liberation from this
world full of dangers frightening everywhere.'
My
dear lord, you are always true to your vow. Please instruct
me clearly, so that by your mercy I may easily free myself
from material existence, which is full of many dangers and
keeps us constantly bound in fear.
Text
10
S'rî
S'uka said: 'O king, thus questioned by the intelligent
Vasudeva spoke the deva-rishi, who by the qualities was
reminded of the Lord, pleased to him.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: O King, Devarshi Nârada was
pleased by the questions of the highly intelligent Vasudeva.
Because they suggested the transcendental qualities of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, they reminded Nârada
of Lord Krishna. Thus Nârada replied to Vasudeva as
follows.
Text
11
S'rî
Nârada said: 'This asking of you about the
bhâgavata-dharma
is the correct approach, o best of the Sâtvatas, since it
purifies the entire universe.
S'rî
Nârada said: O best of the Sâtvatas, you have
quite correctly asked about the eternal duty of the living
entity toward the Supreme Lord. Such devotional service to
the Lord is so potent that its performance can purify the
entire universe.
Text
12
Heard about,
chanted in response, meditated upon, accepted with faith or
praised when performed by others, purifies the pure devotional
service immediately even those averse to the gods and the
universe.
Pure
devotional service rendered to the Supreme Lord is
spiritually so potent that simply by hearing about such
transcendental service, by chanting its glories in response,
by meditating on it, by respectfully and faithfully
accepting it, or by praising the devotional service of
others, even persons who hate the demigods and all other
living beings can be immediately purified.
Text
13
Today
you brought to my mind the Supreme Lord, the Personality of
Godhead Nârâyana [see also 10.87:
5]
about whom chanting and hearing one becomes supremely blissful
and pious.
Today
you have made me remember my Lord, the supremely blissful
Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana. The Supreme
Lord is so auspicious that whoever hears and chants about
Him becomes completely pious.
Text
14
Concerning
this matter is as an example given this ancient history of a
conversation of the sons of Rishabha with the king of Videha
who was a broad-minded soul.
To
explain the devotional service of the Lord, sages have
related the ancient history of the conversation between the
great soul King Videha and the sons of Rishabha.
Text
15
The son of
Svâyambhuva Manu named Priyavrata had one named
Âgnîdhra; from him there was Nâbhi and his
son is remembered as Rishabhadeva [see also
5.1-5].
Svâyambhuva
Manu had a son named Mahârâja Priyavrata, and
among Priyavrata's sons was Âgnîdhra. From
Âgnîdhra was born Nâbhi, whose son was
known as Rishabhadeva.
Text
16
He
appearing in this world with the desire to teach the process of
attaining liberation, is considered a plenary expansion of
Vâsudeva; of Him there were one hundred sons who
perfectly observed the Vedas.
S'rî
Rishabhadeva is accepted as an expansion of the Supreme
Lord, Vâsudeva. He incarnated in this world to
propagate those religious principles that lead living
entities to ultimate liberation. He had one hundred sons,
all perfect in Vedic knowledge.
Text
17
Of
them was indeed [see 5.7]
the eldest one Bharata completely devoted to
Nârâyana; it is by his name that this wonderful
part of the earth is famed as Bhârata-varsha [or
India].
Of
the one hundred sons of Lord Rishabhadeva, the eldest,
Bharata, was completely devoted to Lord
Nârâyana. It is because of Bharata's fame that
this planet is now celebrated as the great
Bhârata-varsha.
Text
18
He
at the end of all pleasures rejecting this earthly existence
left home and achieved in worship of Lord Hari His destination
practicing austerities in three births.
King
Bharata rejected this material world, considering all types
of material pleasure temporary and useless. Leaving his
beautiful young wife and family, he worshiped Lord Hari by
severe austerities and attained the abode of the Lord after
three lifetimes.
Text
19
Nine of His
[Rishabha's] sons were the masters of complete
sovereignty over the nine separate areas
[nava-dvîpa] of this subcontinent while
eighty-one others were twice born brahmins to initiate the path
of [karma-kânda]
fruitive vedic sacrifices [see 5.2:
19-21].
Nine
of the remaining sons of Rishabhadeva became the rulers of
the nine islands of Bhârata-varsha, and they exercised
complete sovereignty over this planet. Eighty-one sons
became twice-born brâhmanas and helped initiate the
Vedic path of fruitive sacrifices
[karma-kânda].
Text
20-21
The nine
remaining sons, Kavi,
Havir, Antarîksha, Prabuddha, Pippalâyana,
Âvirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and Karabhâjana,
were sages indeed
engaged in explaining the Absolute Truth; learned in the
spiritual science thus of great effort wandered they dressed by
the wind [naked].
The
nine remaining sons of Rishabha were greatly fortunate sages
who worked vigorously to spread knowledge of the Absolute
Truth. They wandered about naked and were very well versed
in spiritual science. Their names were Kavi, Havir,
Antarîksha, Prabuddha, Pippalâyana,
Âvirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and
Karabhâjana.
Text
22
They
[called the nava-yogendras] wandering the earth saw the
entire universe, consisting of the gross and the subtle, as a
form of the Supreme Lord non-different from the Self [see
also 1.5:
20 and B.G.
13:
14 &
15:
7].
These
sages wandered the earth seeing the entire universe, with
all its gross and subtle objects, as a manifestation of the
Supreme Lord and as nondifferent from the self.
Text
23
Unimpeded
moving at will to the worlds of the godly, the perfected, the
ones ruled, the heavenly singers, the treasure keepers, the
[common] humans, the ones of superpower and the
serpentine, travel they freely whatever realm of the sages, the
angels, the ghostly followers of S'iva, the scientists, the
twice born ones or the cows they desire.
The
nine Yogendras are liberated souls who travel freely to the
planets of the demigods, the perfected mystics, the
Sâdhyas, the heavenly musicians, the Yakshas, the
human beings, and the minor demigods such as the Kinnaras
and the serpents. No mundane force can check their free
movement, and exactly as they wish they can travel as well
to the worlds of the sages, the angels, the ghostly
followers of Lord S'iva, the Vidyâdharas, the
brâhmanas and the cows.
Text
24
Once in
Ajanâbha [name of India before Bharata]
approached they the soma-sacrifice of the great soul of Nimi
[see also 9.13]
which was carried out to the wishes of the
seers.
Once
in Ajanâbha [the former name of the earth],
they came upon the sacrificial performance of the great soul
Mahârâja Nimi, which was being carried out under
the direction of elevated sages.
Text
25
Seeing those
pure devotees in their brilliance rivaling the sun, o King,
stood the performer of the sacrifice, the brahmins, everyone,
nay even the fires, in respect.
My
dear King, seeing those pure devotees of the Lord, who rival
the sun in brilliance, everyone present - the performer of
the sacrifice, the brâhmanas and even the sacrificial
fires - stood in respect.
Text
26
The ruler of
Videha [Nimi], recognizing them as devotees of
Nârâyana satisfied seated them and performed full
worship as they deserved.
King
Videha [Nimi] understood that the nine sages were
exalted devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore, overjoyed at their auspicious arrival, he offered
them suitable sitting places and worshiped them in a proper
way, just as one would worship the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Text
27
With
humility bowing down to the nine of them who just like the sons
of Brahmâ [see 4.22:
6]
glowed by their own effulgence, proceeded the king, all in
transcendental rapture, to question them.
Overwhelmed
by transcendental joy, the King humbly bowed his head and
then proceeded to question the nine sages. These nine great
souls glowed with their own effulgence and thus appeared
equal to the four Kumâras, the sons of Lord
Brahmâ.
Text
28
S'rî
Videha [Nimi] said: 'I consider you to be direct
associates of the Supreme Lord, the enemy of Madhu; indeed to
be servants of Vishnu that move about for the purification of
all the worlds.
King
Videha said - I think that you must be direct associates of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is famous as the
enemy of the demon Madhu. Indeed, the pure devotees of Lord
Vishnu wander throughout the universe not for their
personal, selfish interest, but to purify all the
conditioned souls.
Text
29
I
think that to achieve the association of those dear to the Lord
of Vaikunthha is even more difficult as it is for embodied
beings to achieve the human body that any moment can be lost
[see also B.G. 8:
16
& 16:
19-20].
For
the conditioned souls, the human body is most difficult to
achieve, and it can be lost at any moment. But I think that
even those who have achieved human life rarely gain the
association of pure devotees, who are dear to the Lord of
Vaikunthha.
Text
30
Therefore
I'm asking you, o sinless ones, what the supreme good is in
this material ocean where to have but a second the association
of the truthful is the greatest treasure for human
beings.
Therefore,
O completely sinless ones, I ask you to kindly tell me what
the supreme good is. After all, even half a moment's
association with pure devotees within this world of birth
and death is a priceless treasure for any man.
Text
31
Please
speak about the science of devotional service as far as we'd be
capable to follow; by it being satisfied will He, the Unborn
Lord, give even Himself to the one who took
shelter.'
Please
speak about how one engages in the devotional service of the
Supreme Lord, if you consider me capable of properly hearing
these topics. When a living entity offers loving service to
the Supreme Lord, the Lord is immediately satisfied, and in
return He will give even His own self to the surrendered
soul.
Text
32
S'rî
Nârada said: 'They, the greatest of the great, thus by
Nimi questioned, o Vasudeva, in return with reverence spoke
affectionately to the king in the company of the priests and
the members of the sacrificial assembly.
S'rî
Nârada said: O Vasudeva, when Mahârâja
Nimi had thus inquired from the nine Yogendras about
devotional service to the Lord, those best of saintly
persons sincerely thanked the King for his questions and
spoke to him with affection in the presence of the members
of the sacrificial assembly and the brâhmana
priests.
Text
33
S'rî
Kavi said: 'I consider that with one's intelligence being
constantly disturbed in this world in thinking the temporal
[body] to be the true self, the state of truly not
having to fear from any side is found with the worship of the
lotus feet of the Infallible One, as therein all fear ceases
[see 3.9:
6
and e.g. B.G. 2:
56,
2:
71,
4:
10,
12:
13-14].
S'rî
Kavi said: I consider that one whose intelligence is
constantly disturbed by his falsely identifying himself with
the temporary material world can achieve real freedom from
fear only by worshiping the lotus feet of the infallible
Supreme Lord. In such devotional service, all fear ceases
entirely.
Text
34
The
proper means are discussed by the Supreme Lord and known as the
bhâgavata
dharma
by which people wrestling with their intelligence easily may
realize the Supreme Soul.
Even
ignorant living entities can very easily come to know the
Supreme Lord if they adopt those means prescribed by the
Supreme Lord Himself. The process recommended by the Lord is
to be known as bhâgavata-dharma, or devotional service
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text
35
A
man accepting that, o King, is never bewildered and will, not
even closing his eyes while running, come to trip or fall in
this [see also the catuh-s'loki
of B.G. 10:
8-11
and verse 5:
17]
O
King, one who accepts this process of devotional service to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead will never blunder on his
path in this world. Even while running with eyes closed, he
will never trip or fall.
Text
36
Whatever
one does following one's own nature with the body, speech,
mind, senses, with the intelligence or the purified
consciousness, should one all offer to the Supreme thinking:
'This is for Nârâyana'
['nârâyanâya iti', compare
B.G.
3: 9
and 9:
27].
In
accordance with the particular nature one has acquired in
conditioned life, whatever one does with body, words, mind,
senses, intelligence or purified consciousness one should
offer to the Supreme, thinking, 'This is for the pleasure of
Lord Nârâyana.'
Text
37
For
the one who led by the illusory energy, forgetful of God,
turned away in misidentification will fear rise because of
being absorbed in things second to the Lord; for that reason
should an intelligent person, regarding his guru as his Lord
and Soul [see B.G. also 4:
34],
worship Him, the Lord fully with unalloyed devotion [see
also 1.5:
12
and B.G. 7:
14,
15:
7].
Fear
arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the
material body because of absorption in the external,
illusory energy of the Lord. When the living entity thus
turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also forgets his own
constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This
bewildering, fearful condition is effected by the potency
for illusion, called mâyâ. Therefore, an
intelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the
unalloyed devotional service of the Lord, under the guidance
of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he should accept as
his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul.
Text
38
By
the intelligence of the dual experience indeed as in a dream
seeing things manifest or perceiving desires that are not
present in the reality, should an intelligent person therefore
bring the mind under control that of the material activities is
committed with positive and negative desires, and thus be
fearless [see also B.G. 6:
35].
Although
the duality of the material world does not ultimately exist,
the conditioned soul experiences it as real under the
influence of his own conditioned intelligence. This
imaginary experience of a world separate from Krishna can be
compared to the acts of dreaming and desiring. When the
conditioned soul dreams at night of something desirable or
horrible, or when he daydreams of what he would like to have
or avoid, he creates a reality that has no existence beyond
his own imagination. The tendency of the mind is to accept
and reject various activities based on sense gratification.
Therefore an intelligent person should control the mind,
restricting it from the illusion of seeing things separate
from Krishna, and when the mind is thus controlled he will
experience actual fearlessness.
Text
39
Hearing
of the all-auspicious appearances and activities of Him with
the Wheel in His Hand [see 1.9:
37]
of which the relating names are chanted in this world, should
one, without the material association [of a wife, home and
children] singing, freely, unashamed move in all
directions.
An
intelligent person who has controlled his mind and conquered
fear should give up all attachment to material objects such
as wife, family and nation and should wander freely without
embarrassment, hearing and chanting the holy names of the
Lord, the bearer of the chariot wheel. The holy names of
Krishna are all-auspicious because they describe His
transcendental birth and activities, which He performs
within this world for the salvation of the conditioned
souls. Thus the holy names of the Lord are sung throughout
the world.
Text
40
Thus
vowed develops one by chanting His own, so very dear, holy
name, the attachment of a mind dissolved with laughing and
crying loudly and getting agitated like a madman in singing and
dancing without concerns about outsiders
[*].
By
chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the
stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his
vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually
becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with
ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts.
Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is
indifferent to public opinion.
Text
41
Ether,
air, fire, water, earth and the luminaries, all living beings,
the directions, the trees and other immovable beings, the
rivers and oceans and whatever that might exist in the Supreme
Lord's body of creation, one should bow to considering nothing
to be separate [**].
A
devotee should not see anything as being separate from the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Ether, fire, air,
water, earth, the sun and other luminaries, all living
beings, the directions, trees and other plants, the rivers
and oceans - whatever a devotee experiences he should
consider to be an expansion of Krishna. Thus seeing
everything that exists within creation as the body of the
Supreme Lord, Hari, the devotee should offer his sincere
respects to the entire expansion of the Lord's body.
Text
42
Devotion,
direct perception of the Supreme Lord and detachment from
everything else, are the three at the same time occurring for
the one in the process of taking shelter - the same way as for
the one engaged in eating, satisfaction occurs with the
nourishment and the reduction of hunger.
Devotion,
direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from
other things - these three occur simultaneously for one who
has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in
the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from
hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite,
for a person engaged in eating.
Text
43
For
the devotee who thus is worshiping the feet of Acyuta will
devotion, detachment and knowledge of the Supreme Lord
manifest, o king Nimi, whereupon
he then directly will attain the transcendental peace [see
also B.G. 2:
71 ].'
My
dear King, the devotee who worships the lotus feet of the
infallible Personality of Godhead with constant endeavor
thus achieves unflinching devotion, detachment and
experienced knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. In this
way the successful devotee of the Lord achieves supreme
spiritual peace.
Text
44
The
king said: 'Please tell me next about the devotee of the
Fortunate One; what are his duties, what is his nature, how
does he behave among men, what does he say and by which
symptoms is he dear to the Lord?'
Mahârâja
Nimi said - Now please tell me in greater detail about the
devotees of the Supreme Lord. What are the natural symptoms
by which I can distinguish between the most advanced
devotees, those on the middle level and those who are
neophytes? What are the typical religious activities of a
Vaishnava, and how does he speak? Specifically, please
describe those symptoms and characteristics by which
Vaishnavas become dear to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Text
45
S'rî
Havir said: 'He is the most advanced one of devotion to the
Lord [an uttama
adhikâri]
who sees this Soul, this basic principle of all existence, in
all objects [of matter and spirit] ànd is able
to be of devotional service to the Supreme Spirit Soul seeing
all beings [as existing with-]in the [gigantic
universal body of the] Supreme Lord [see also B.G.
6:
29 & 30].
S'rî
Havir said: The most advanced devotee sees within everything
the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
S'rî Krishna. Consequently he sees everything in
relation to the Supreme Lord and understands that everything
that exists is eternally situated within the Lord.
Text
46
He
second to that, on the middle platform [the madhyama],
is of love to the Supreme Lord, of friendship to the persons of
advancement, of mercy to the neophytes and of disregard to the
envious ones [see also 4.24:
57,
7.9:
43,
B.G. 4:
8
& 15:
7
and ***].
An
intermediate or second-class devotee, called
madhyama-adhikârî, offers his love to the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all
the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who
are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Text
47
He
who certain of worship to the Lord faithfully engages with the
deity [the
mûrti]
but
is not so towards the devotees nor towards the people in
general, is a materialistic devotee [a prâkrita or a
beginner, a kanishthha, see also B.G. 7:
20
and 3.29:
24-25
7.14:
40 ].
A
devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the Deity
in the temple but does not behave properly toward other
devotees or people in general is called a
prâkrita-bhakta, a materialistic devotee, and is
considered to be in the lowest position.
Text
48
Even
though he with his senses accepts the sense-objects is he who,
hating nor rejoicing, sees this universe as the deluding
material energy of Vishnu, indeed a first-class devotee
[see also B.G.
5: 3].
Even
while engaging his senses in contact with their objects, one
who sees this whole world as the energy of Lord Vishnu is
neither repelled nor elated. He is indeed the greatest among
devotees.
Text
49
He
who by the birth, decay, hunger, fear and thirst of the body,
the life air, the mind and the intelligence is not bewildered;
he who is not bewildered by the inescapable features of a
material life by keeping the Lord in mind [see also
6.2:
14],
is the foremost devotee [see also B.G. 2:
56-57].
Within
the material world, one's material body is always subject to
birth and decay. Similarly, the life air
[prâna] is harassed by hunger and thirst, the
mind is always anxious, the intelligence hankers for that
which cannot be obtained, and all of the senses are
ultimately exhausted by constant struggle in the material
nature. A person who is not bewildered by the inevitable
miseries of material existence, and who remains aloof from
them simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is to be considered
bhâgavata-pradhâna, the foremost devotee of the
Lord.
Text
50
In
the mind of the one who dwells in Vâsudeva only is there
no chance that the lust [see B.G. 3:
37-43]
or the karmic craving for results [see also B.G.
6:
4]
will develop; such a one verily is a first class
devotee.
One
who has taken exclusive shelter of the Supreme Lord,
Vâsudeva, becomes free from fruitive activities, which
are based on material lust. In fact, one who has taken
shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord is freed from even the
desire to enjoy material sense gratification. Plans for
enjoying sex life, social prestige and money cannot develop
within his mind. Thus he is considered bhâgavatottama,
a pure devotee of the Lord on the highest platform.
Text
51
He
is dear to the Lord who is not attached in the egotistical
sentiment of a bodily concept of being of a good birth, of
meritorious acts, a certain varnâs'râma
statusorientation or a certain faction or race [see B.G.
2:
71
& 12:
13].
Birth
in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and
pious activities certainly cause one to take pride in
himself. Similarly, if one enjoys a prestigious position
within society because his parents are highly respected
members of the varnâs'rama social system, one becomes
even more infatuated with himself. But if despite these
excellent material qualifications one does not feel even a
tinge of pride within himself, he is to be considered the
dearmost servitor of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead.
Text
52
With
whom there is not the dual thinking of 'mine' and 'thine' about
one's property or one's body; such a one, being equal and
peaceful with all living beings, is for true the best of
devotees [see B.G. 13:
28-31
& 14:
22-25].
When
a devotee gives up the selfish conception by which one
thinks 'This is my property, and that is his,' and when he
is no longer concerned with the pleasures of his own
material body or indifferent to the discomforts of others,
he becomes fully peaceful and satisfied. He considers
himself simply one among all the living beings who are
equally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Such a satisfied Vaishnava is considered to be at
the highest standard of devotional service.
Text
53
He
who not for the sake of the opulences of the three worlds, not
even for a moment, half a second or a split of a second, moves
away from the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, which are sought
by the godly and others of whom - undisturbed in their
remembrance - the Unconquerable One is their very soul, is the
topmost vaishnava
[see also 18:
66].
The
lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are sought
even by the greatest of demigods, such as Brahmâ and
S'iva, who have all accepted the Supreme Personality of
Godhead as their life and soul. A pure devotee of the Lord
can never forget those lotus feet in any circumstance. He
will not give up his shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord
for a single moment - indeed, not for half a moment - even
in exchange for the benediction of ruling and enjoying the
opulence of the entire universe. Such a devotee of the Lord
is to be considered the best of the Vaishnavas.
Text
54
How
can of the toes of the feet of the Supreme Lord that are so
great in their heroism, of the moonshine of the jewel-like
nails that takes away the pain in the hearts, again with those
who are of worship that pain be of any effect; just as the
burning heat of the sun can be of no effect when the moon has
risen [see also 10.14:
58].
How
can the fire of material suffering continue to burn the
hearts of those who worship the Supreme Lord? The Lord's
lotus feet have performed innumerable heroic deeds, and the
beautiful nails on His toes resemble valuable jewels. The
effulgence emanating from those nails resembles cooling
moonshine, for it instantly relieves the suffering within
the heart of the pure devotee, just as the appearance of the
moon's cooling light relieves the burning heat of the
sun.
Text
55
He
never leaves the heart of those, to be called the foremost
devotee, who but accidentally directly [by His names]
called for the Lord who, bound by the ropes of love, destroys
the sins however much they heaped up [see also B.G.
4:
36
and *4].'
The
Supreme Personality of Godhead is so kind to the conditioned
souls that if they call upon Him by speaking His holy name,
even unintentionally or unwillingly, the Lord is inclined to
destroy innumerable sinful reactions in their hearts.
Therefore, when a devotee who has taken shelter of the
Lord's lotus feet chants the holy name of Krishna with
genuine love, the Supreme Personality of Godhead can never
give up the heart of such a devotee. One who has thus
captured the Supreme Lord within his heart is to be known as
bhâgavata-pradhâna, the most exalted devotee of
the Lord.
*:
S'rî Caitanya Mahâprabhu also emphasized this by
quoting: 'harer
nâma harer nâma harer nâmaiva kevalam kalau
nâsty eva nâsty eva nâsty eva gatir
anyathâ [Adi 17.21]':
'In this
age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative,
there is no alternative for spiritual progress but the holy
name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.' Also
S'rîla Bhaktisiddhânta Sarasvatî
Thhâkura recommends to this that one studies the
following verse:
'parivadatu
jano yathâ tathâ vâ nanu mukharo na vayam
vicârayâmah
hari-rasa-madirâ-madâti-mattâ bhuvi
viluthhâmo nathâmo nirvis'âmah': 'Let the
garrulous populace say whatever they like; we shall pay them no
regard. Thoroughly maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating
beverage of love for Krishna, we shall enjoy life running
about, rolling on the ground and dancing in ecstasy.'
(Padyâvalî 73) This is what defines
Krishna-consiousness.
**:
S'rîla Bhaktisiddhânta Sarasvatî
Thhâkura has warned us that if we do not see everything
as a manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we
shall become victims of phalgu-vairâgya, or immature
renunciation.
***:
The Paramparâ adds here: 'S'rîla
Bhaktisiddhânta Sarasvatî Thhâkura has given
a nice explanation of the difference between arcana and
bhajana. Arcana refers to the platform of sâdhana-bhakti,
in which one serves the Lord to carry out the rules and
regulations of the process. One who has achieved the shelter of
the Lord's holy name and is totally engaged in the attempt to
serve the Lord should be considered to be on the platform of
bhajana, even though his external activities may sometimes be
less strict than those of the neophyte engaged in arcana. This
apparent lack of strictness, however, refers to laxity not in
the basic principles of sane behavior and renunciation of sense
gratification, but rather in the details of Vaishnava
ceremonies.'
*4:
Nimi, the King of Videha, asked, so helps us the
paramparâ, the following nine questions of the nine
Yogendras, the saintly sons of Rishabha. (1) What is the
highest good? (Chapter Two, verse 30); (2) What are the
religious principles (dharma), natural proclivities
(svabhâva), behavior (âcâra), speech
(vâkya) and outward symptoms (lakshana) of a
bhâgavata, a Vaishnava devotee of the Lord? (2.44); (3)
What is the external energy of Vishnu, the Supreme Lord? (3.1);
(4) How can one become dissociated from this mâyâ?
(3.17); (5) What is the true identity of Brahman? (3.34); (6)
What are the three types of karma, namely karma based on the
enjoyment of the fruits of work, karma offered to the Supreme
Lord, and naishkarmya? (3.41); (7) What are the various
pastimes of the various incarnations of God? (4.1); (8) What is
the aim or destination of one who is against the Supreme Lord
and devoid of bhakti (in other words, a nondevotee)? (5.1); and
(9) What are the respective colors, forms and names of the four
yugâvatâras, the four incarnations of the Supreme
Lord who appear in the four ages, and what is the process of
worshiping each of Them? (5.19).
The
transcendental answers to these inquiries were given by the
great devotees Kavi, Havir, Antarîksha, Prabuddha,
Pippalâyana, Âvirhotra, Drumila, Camasa and
Karabhâjana. These nine paramahamsas answered the nine
questions, each in turn, in the following verses - (1) 2.33-43;
(2)2.45-55; (3) 3.3-16; (4) 3.18-33; (5) 3.35-40; (6) 3.43-55;
(7) 4.2-23; (8) 5.2-18; and (9) 5.20-42.
