Nārada's Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva

In the Fifth chapter, showing the uselessness of jñāna and karma, Nārada teaches Vyāsa about bhakti with its chief component kīrtana.

Welcoming his guest, Vyāsa was worshipping (upāsīnam) him by offering āsana, arghya, pādya and other items. A slight smile appeared on Nārada’s lips, which shows that he, knowing everything, was internally pleased with Vyāsa. It was not possible for him to hide his smile by pretending something else, because of the interesting questions he would pose.

Śārīraḥ ātmā here means “identifying oneself with the body.” Is this self satisfied with the body (ātmanā)? Is your self identifying with the mind (mānasa ātmā) satisfied with the mind (ātmanā)? Kaccid means “or not.” Addressing Vyāsa as the most fortunate son of Parāśara, Nārada suggests that if Vyāsa possesses such powerful ancestry, how could he lament? Thus he implies disappointment in Vyāsa.

You cannot say that the source of your dissatisfaction is lack of scriptural knowledge, because you wrote the Mahābhārata.

Nor can you say that the reason for lamentation is lack of realized knowledge, because you have investigated and made conclusions in the Vedānta-sūtras about the eternal brahman that spreads everywhere in impersonal form. Not only did you inquire about brahman (jijñāsitam), but you have understood and realized (adhītam) that brahman. Śrīdhara Svāmī says adhītam means understood or attained.

I ask you the cause (tan-mūlam) which is hard to understand (me avyaktam). The particle he indicates that he does not know. I ask you because you were born (bhūtam) from the body (ātma) of Brahmā (ātma-bhava). The power derived from the lineage of your father is the cause of your having great unfathomable knowledge (agādha-bodham).

You have described me as the son of Parāśara, with a great lineage, with knowledge of the four Vedas and realization of brahman. But you are the son of Brahmā, omniscient (agādha-bodham), and worshipper of the Supreme Lord. In all ways you thus surpass me! That is understood when Vyāsa says “You worship the Supreme Lord (purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ upāsitaḥ).” The words starting with parāvareśaḥ (lord of cause and effect) further describe that Supreme Lord. That Lord (saḥ) is certainly (vai) you (bhavān), since you, Nārada, are an avatāra of the Lord. Therefore you know the whole secret and the secret behind all things (samasta-guhyam).

The original person, the supreme lord, has descended as you to give benefit to the world. Today, please help me. You wander throughout the three worlds like the sun, which sees everything and like the life air which moves within, knowing the actions of the intellect (ātma-sākṣī). I am well versed by proper method (dharmataḥ) in the supreme brahman (para brahmaṇi), and in the statements of the Veda (avare brahmaṇi) by rules of study (vrataiḥ). Dharma refers to “method” in this verse because Yājñavalkya says:

ijyācāra-damāhiṁsā-dāna-svādhyāya-karmaṇām |

ayaṁ tu paramo dharmo yad-yogenātma-darśanam ||

The supreme dharma by which method one can realize ātma consists of worship, proper conduct, control of the senses, non-violence, charity, and study. Yājñavalkya-smṛti 1.8

This is sufficient (alam), but it is still insufficient (nyūnam)! Please consider all this.

You have not described much at all (anudita-prāyam) about the spotless glories of the Lord—the superior position of bhagavān’s forms above all other forms, and the supreme attractiveness of his pastimes and bhakti.

“But I have produced the brahma-mīmāṁsa scripture, the vedānta-darṣana.”

“I consider that darśana scripture to be deficient (khilam). You are the writer of Vedānta and if your mind is dissatisfied with this, then how will those who continually study this darśana be satisfied? You are the proof that this darśana is insufficient.”

“But I have described the wonderful qualities and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in the Padma Purāṇa and others as well.”

The word ca here means “though.” You have not described the glories of Vāsudeva as much as you have described artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa as the goals of human life (arthā) even though they are much inferior to the glories of Vāsudeva. Though Vāsudeva is the crest jewel of human goals, you have not described him as the goal of human endeavor. Though you have described the glories of Kṛṣṇa abundantly in many places, they have been described only as a means of getting mokṣa. How can you mind be satisfied when there is a lack of regard for that which should have been given the most regard?

“But I have described bhakti to be higher than liberation in many places in other scriptures.

anyatra puṇya-tīrtheṣu muktir eva mahā-phalam |

muktaiḥ prārthyā harer bhaktir mathurāyāṁ ca labhyata

Liberation is the highest goal in visiting other holy places, but devotion to the Lord, prayed for by the liberated souls, can be obtained at Mathurā. Padma Purāṇa

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāḍkṣati |

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ||

One who attains brahman, equal to all living entities, does not lament or desire. He then attains pure devotion to me. BG 18.54”

“But you have not done so repeatedly (na anuvarṇitaḥ). You must do so, because it is said that the meaning of scriptures is revealed by repetition as in ānandamayo ’bhyāsāt: the ānandamaya-puruṣa is the supreme lord because of repetition of words to indicate this (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.13). Your mind will be satisfied only when you describe very clearly with repetition the glories of the Lord, since those glories alone are finally the most excellent.”

Even poetic works should be condemned if they are devoid of glorification of the Vāsudeva.

A work whose verses do not proclaim the glories of the Lord — which purify even the whole world composed of speakers and listeners, what to speak of the author — is actually like a dead body. It is very impure without describing the glories of the Lord which are like life itself, even though it may be endowed with qualities and poetic ornaments ((citra-padam) and is also a cause for surprise or dismay (another meaning of citra).

It is considered to be (uśanti) a place for crows, a hole filled with various left-over foods, which is desired by persons filled with lust, who are like crows. It is a place where the swans of Mānasa-sarovara (mānasā haṁsā) or the devotees situated in the mind of the Lord absolutely (ni for nitarām) never enjoy (ramanti).

sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham

mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api

Saints are my heart, and only I am their hearts. They do not know anyone but me, and therefore I do not recognize anyone besides them as mine. SB 9.4.68

Or mānasāḥ can mean “those who destroy (sā) respect (māna) for those words since they find no pleasure in them. Or mānasāḥ can mean the mental sons of Brahmā such as the Kumāras. The Kumāras proclaim (mānasāḥ uśanti) this. Uśik means pleasant and kśaya means lake in the case of reference to the swans, or it can mean abode. Thus uśik-kṣayāḥ means those possessing the abode of the Lord. This would refer to the Kumāras who were free to enter the Lord’s abode.

The word vacaḥ means statements, what is spoken. Therefore statements like the following would appear to make Bhāgavatam a place for the crows.

nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaṁ yaṁ tataṁ bhrātaraḥ kavim

yaviṣṭhaṁ vyabhajan dāyaṁ brahmacāriṇam āgatam

The brothers gave to their youngest learned brother Nābhāga their father Nabhaga as his share of the property when he returned from brahmacārī life. SB 9.4.1

And it may be argued that none of the Purāṇas written by Vyāsa should be considered as a place of crows, since nothing there is completely devoid of the glories of the Lord. To this however it can be said:

kali-mala-saṁhati-kālano ’khileśo

harir itaratra na gīyate hy abhīkṣṇam

iha tu punar bhagavān aśeṣa-mūrtiḥ

paripaṭhito ’nu-padaṁ kathā-prasaḍgaiḥ

Nārāyaṇa, the soul of the universal form, who annihilates the accumulated sins of the Kali age, is not glorified much in other works. But Bhagavān, with unlimited forms, is abundantly and constantly described throughout the various narrations of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. SB 12.12.66

Taking this verse and the next verse in the Bhāgavatam into consideration, the word vacaḥ should mean the general import of the discussion, rather than each sentence. That being the case, the chapters and stories of Bhāgavatam are all ornaments to the glories of the Lord. In other Purāṇas, however many of the stories are devoid of the glories of the lord and are therefore the place of the crows. Thus there is no contradiction.

Having expressed the negative side, now the positive is expressed. The production and use of words or stories (tad-vāg-visargaḥ) which destroy the sins of all people, which are sometimes composed strictly and sometimes carelessly, but with sparse ornaments in the verses (prati-śÿokam abaddhavati), contain names and descriptions of the Lord’s glories. The devotees hear, and having heard, sing, and having sung, again they hear, since they are not fully satiated.

Or if a speaker is present, they hear the glories. If a hearer is present they speak the glories (gṛhanti). And, otherwise, they spontaneously sing the glories. Śridhara Svāmī explains that abaddhavati can also mean ungrammatical language.

Not only are the words important. If there is no bhakti, the work is useless. The realization coming from the words of the Vedas is useless without bhakti, what to speak of mere scriptural knowledge, and what to speak of niṣkāma-karma. And so much more, sakāma-karma is useless without bhakti. Even knowledge devoid of fruitive intentions does not appear wonderful without bhakti, in which one thinks of the Lord who has a form of knowledge and bliss (acyuta-bhāva). Even if bhakti is present in jñāna and one thinks that the Lord and bhakti are mixed with māyā, then that does not produce liberation. Though devoid of ignorance (nirañjanam), though one has realized knowledge, what is the use of that knowledge (alam)? What then to speak of unrealized scriptural knowledge! One should not say that you can achieve liberation just by destroying ignorance. By the inconceivable energy of the Lord, the destroyed ignorance again arises. The Pariśiṣtā-vacanam of the Vāsanā-bhāṣya says:

jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ |

yady acintya-mahā-śaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ |

Even the liberated persons again get bound by karma if they commit offense against the Lord, possessor of great, inconceivable powers.

There it also says:

jīvan-muktā prapadyante kvacit saṁsāra-vāsanām |

yogino na vilipyante karmabhir bhagavat-parāḥ ||

Liberated souls sometimes are subjected to birth and death, but the yogīs who surrender to the Lord are not touched by karma.

Thus the effect of jñāna is destruction of karma. jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasmasāt kurute ’rjuna: O Arjuna, by the fire of knowledge all karmas are burned to ashes. (BG 4.33) But that is not so wonderful because it is also said concerning rathayātrā in Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya of another Purāṇa:

nānuvrajati yo mohād vrajantaṁ jagad-īśvaram |

jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāpi sa bhaved brahma-rākṣasaḥ ||

He who does not follow the Lord in his chariot when he moves becomes a brahma-rakṣasa even though he has destroyed all karmas with the fire of knowledge.

It will also be said later āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aḍghrayaḥ: after reaching the height of liberation with great difficulty, again they fall down because they do not worship the lotus feet of the Lord. (SB 10.2.32)

Since jñāna is devoid of real bhakti to the Lord, the offense caused by thinking that the Lord is material is unavoidable. If such jñāna devoid of bhakti is useless, what then to speak of karma which is filled with desires for enjoyment and which causes suffering (abhadram) at all times (śaśvat)--during practice and at the time of receiving the result. And even if the karma is without the goal of enjoyment (akāraṇam), because it is not offered to the Lord it is not successful.

Love for Acyuta is most cherished by you since it is topmost. That is attained by chanting and hearing his name, pastimes, etc. The names of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are famous. How are his pastimes attractive to you? Please teach the world about those pastimes. Your knowledge is useful (amogha-dṛk). Your character is pure (śuci-sravāḥ). You are devoted to truth (satya-rataḥ) and determined in your vows (dhṛta-vrataḥ). Remember with fixed attention (samādhinā) the various pastimes of the Lord which give liberation for all people or give liberation from all bondage. The word “remember” is used because the pastimes appear spontaneously in the pure mind filled with devotion, since they are all self-revealing, infinite, most confidential, and impossible to speak or receive by any other means. After recollecting the pastimes, please recite them to us. One must also have productive knowledge and pure character. It cannot be otherwise. Because you are a person with pure eyes (amogha-dṛk) and with pure ears (śuci-sravāḥ), you have seen some pastimes with your eyes and heard some with your ears. And by attached mind (satya-rataḥ) and determined intelligence (dhṛta-vrataḥ), you should remember with concentrated attention at this moment some very confidential pastimes which cannot be seen or heard but which you have observed. After remembering them, please tell them to us. Anusmara is in the second person instead of saying “one should remember” because of the distinctiveness of the statement.

The positive statement having been made, the negative version is now expressed. Some people desire to speak about topics other than the pastimes of the Lord. Having desired, they speak, and having spoken someone hears from them. And this causes a different type of vision. For persons having a vision of objects other than the lord’s pastimes resulting from desire to speak about other things, the intelligence, disturbed by words (nāmabhiḥ) describing other objects (rūpa) produced by the different vision, at no time and at no place can attain its destination. It is like a boat beaten by the wind. Being turned about by the wind and going in various directions, struck by the wind, it sinks. Similarly the intelligence is destroyed because of skilful words, poetry, karma and jñāna.

“I wrote the Mahābhārata and other works so that people could hear the glories of the Lord, but I have first presented material happiness in these works in order to promote scriptures to materialistic persons who do not want bhakti. But that is not my real intention. The proof is Vidura’s words:

munir vivakṣur bhagavad-guṇānāṁ sakhāpi te bhāratam āha kṛṣṇaḥ |

yasminn nṛṇāṁ grāmya-sukhānuvādair matir gṛhītān hareḥ kathāyām ||

O sage! Your friend Vedavyāsa desiring to describe the qualities of the Lord, wrote Mahābhārata. In that work he attracted men's attention to topics of the Lord through topics about material happiness. SB 3.5.12

That is true. As Vidura said, in order to make people accept worship of the Lord (dharma-kṛte) you have taught what is condemned, karma (jugupsitam). A great disturbance has come about for materialistic people who are attached to enjoy from impressions arising for sense objects (svabhāva-raktasya) because you have taught material dharma. But though your intention was to help them, you have actually injured them. How? Because materially minded men (prākṛtaḥ) ascertaining what you explained to be the correct path (dharma iti)—thinking that it is not a fault to offer meat to the devatās and pitṛs, do not consider giving up that path, and do not consider what is actually to be done: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja. They think that this statement is not part of the path you have outlined for enjoyment. Bhaṭṭa has said the following in relation to a different topic:

tatraivaṁ śakyate vaktuṁ ye’nye paḍgv-ādayo narāḥ |

gṛhasthatvaṁ na śakyante kartuṁ teṣām ayaṁ vidhiḥ ||

naiṣṭhika-brahmacaryaṁ vā parivrājakatāthavā |

tair avaśyaṁ gṛhītavyā tenādāv etad ucyate ||

It should be said that this instruction is for those who cannot follow household life such as disabled persons. Such persons only must take vows of permanent brahmacarya or sannyāsa. Thus this is explained in the beginning.

Please condemn other paths and describe the glories of the Lord only!

It was said in the previous verse that the people devoid of proper discrimination (itaraḥ janaḥ) were certain that you recommended the material path. Now, those people who have discernment (vicakṣaṇaḥ) can understand the happiness of the Lord, giving up material pleasure (nivṛttitaḥ), since the Lord is beyond time (ananta-pārasya) and measurement whereas material pleasure is very limited. Understanding that the happiness of the Lord is unlimited, he will perform bhakti for attaining that happiness. By seeing the preference of the discerning person for bhakti the undiscerning person will also take up the process. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: whatever actions the superior person performs others will follow. (BG 3.21) For this reason (tataḥ) describe those pastimes of the Lord. Show the pastimes of the Lord in order to liberate those who are devoid of discrimination (anātmanaḥ), pushed by the guṇas of material nature. O Lord! This address to the Lord implies: “This is possible because that even such a person, giving up all else and performing pure bhakti will attain your bliss.”

Or the verse has another meaning. “But if the people do not think of giving up their path, even now if I follow your instruction and preach bhakti with rejection of all else, they will reject this scripture.” No, it is not so. In this world not all people are undiscerning. Discerning people do exist (vicakṣaṇaḥ) and they can understand the happiness of the Lord who is devoid of an end by time (ananta-pārasya) -- who is even now existing (pra + vartamānasya). Things which are temporary can be measured. He has a body without material guṇas (guṇaiḥ anātmanaḥ), a body of eternity, knowledge and bliss — which is not possible to measure.

“But Bhagavad-gītā says:

na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saḍginām |

yojayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran ||

The wise man should not disturb the intelligence of the ignorant attached to results of work. Engaging in all work himself with detachment, he should engage them in activity. BG 3.26

Thus it is forbidden to give up karma.”

That is true. This instruction is given to one who is teaching jñāna to another person. Practicing jñāna depends on inner purification, and that purification depends on niṣkāma-karma. This is not an instruction for one teaching another person about bhakti, for bhakti is independently powerful, not depending on prior inner purification. Lord Ajita says:

svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān na vakty ajñāya karma hi |

na rāti rogiṇo ’pathyaṁ vāñchato ’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ ||

One who knows the highest good will never instruct a foolish person to engage in material enjoyment, just as an experienced physician gives his patient eat food injurious to his health, even if the patient desires it. SB 6.9.50

Therefore the Lord says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66) and as well:

dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ

Having taken complete shelter at My lotus feet, however, a saintly person ultimately renounces such ordinary religious duties and worships Me alone. He is thus considered to be the best among all living entities. SB 11.11.32

From the strength of these statements one should teach only bhakti to the Lord, while giving up attachment to daily and periodic duties in varṇāśrama. With this intention the verse is spoken.

Even in the beginning stage of bhakti, practice of karma is forbidden. Having given up ones dharma (tyaktvā svadharmān) even at the beginning stages of bhakti, a person who worships the lotus feet of the Lord will incur no sin by giving up that dharma. This is understood also from the following:

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitèṇāṁ na kiḍkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

Anyone who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers. SB 11.5.41

And if the person dies without being qualified to attain the Lord, or (vā), if while alive falls down because of sinful acts, being attached to material pleasures, even then, there is no misfortune incurred by having given up karmas, because the impressions created by bhakti are indestructible, and remain in subtle form. In such a state one should not revert to performance of karma. Is there any misfortune somewhere (yatra kva), in his next life? No there is no misfortune at all. Vā indicates a remote possibility of falling. It is stated as a concession to the opponent (tuṣyatu durjana nyāya). His falling after leaving the present body is actually not a fall—one does not take a low body because of omitting karmas. This is shown by the following statement of the Lord:

na hy aḍgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api

mayā vyavasitaḥ samyaḍ nirguṇatvād anāśiṣaḥ

O Uddhava! Because I have personally established it, this process of niṣkāma-bhakti is beyond the guṇas. Even by starting and not completing the process, there is no destruction of results. SB 11.29.20

This is because certainly the sprout of bhakti, being productive, will eventually bear leaves, flowers and fruit. Instead of the present or future verb, the past tense is used (abhūt). This implies a criticism of all those who object (by showing that the fact is already proven). And what is gained from performing all of one’s karmas (sva-dharmataḥ) by persons who do not worship the Lord (abhajatām).

“But the śrutis say karmaṇā pitṛ-loka: by karma one goes to Pitṛ-loka (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.5); and apām somam amṛtā abhūma: we drank soma and became immortal. (Ṛg Veda 8.48.3) These encourage people to seek happiness of Svarga in the next life. The mercantile people encourage others to seek happiness in this life. How can one promote bhakti for people by rejecting one’s dharma and consequently the happiness in this and next life?

True, but the wise are not deluded by this at all. That is expressed in this verse. A person with discrimination (kovidaḥ) should endeavor for that cause which is not attained by the jīvas wandering up to Brahma-loka or down to non-moving bodies. But there material happiness is attained without endeavor (anyataḥ), due to ancient karmas, even being born as pigs or being born in hell, just as distress is also attained without endeavor (duḥkhavat). It is said:

aprārthitāni duḥkhāni yathaivāyānti dehinām |

sukhāny api tathā manye dainyam atrātiricyate ||

Just as one does not pray for misery, and it nevertheless comes to all creatures, in the same way happiness predominates over suffering.

This verse elaborates the point that there is no misfortune for the devotee. Even if overcome because of poor determination, the person who serves Mukunda neverna jātu), returns to saṁsāra, the place for enjoying the results of karma, whereas those practicing karma (anyavat) return. That is because he does not experience happiness and distress from karmas, since he experiences only the fruit of happiness and distress directly given by the Lord.

tvad avagamī na vetti bhavad-uttha-śubhāśubhayor

When a person realizes You, he no longer cares about his good and bad fortune arising from past pious and sinful acts, since it is You alone who control this good and bad fortune. SB 10.87.40

Na karma-bandhanam janma vaiṣṇavānām ca vidyate

The Vaiṣṇavas do not have rebirth caused by karma. Padma Purāṇa

Remembering from previous practice alone the mental embrace (upagūhanam) of the Lord’s lotus feet, he has no desire to give that up. The verse does not say “remembering his lotus feet” but rather “remembering the embrace of his lotus feet.” And the word “again” is used. The implication of these two words is that even though he may give up by his own choice the worship, once, twice or three times because of poor determination, after some time, by remembering his previous state of bliss from remembering the Lord and also remembering his present state of distress from not remembering the Lord, he repents. “Oh! Oh! What have I foolishly done? Let that be. I will not again abandon worship of Lord.” He again begins worshipping the Lord.

The verse also uses the phrase “does not desire to give up” instead of “does not give up.” This implies that he desires that he be devoid of pride in his practice. The accomplishment is in the hands of the Lord. The cause of not desiring to give up is then mentioned. Rasa-graha means one who is eager for tasting, or one who has a taste which is something like a ghost which cannot be given up, “haunted by rasa.” The meaning is then that worship after the stages of niṣthā, ruci and āsakti, becomes actual rasa at the stage of rati. However, even from the first day of worshipping the Lord, there is certainly a portion of tasting rasa in a very covered form. Thus it is said:

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ

prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo ’nu-ghāsam

Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other things-these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, in the same way that pleasure, fullness of the stomach and relief from hunger are experienced simultaneously, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. SB 11.2.42

Having taught about bhakti, now Nārada teaches about knowledge of the worshippable Lord which is necessary for the devotees. This universe is like the Lord: it exists, has life, and a form of bliss, but it is not the Lord’s form of eternity, knowledge and bliss. This is because the Lord’s qualities like existence are eternal, whereas the universes quality of existence is temporary, because the Lord is different from the universe (itaraḥ). How is the Lord like the universe and also different from it? From the Lord, who is the possessor of māyā-śakti, arises the maintenance, destruction and creation of the universe. The universe is described as a form of the Lord in small portion (like the Lord), because it is an effect of the Lord. Because the Lord is the cause, he is different. Because brahman is the cause, the universe is also designated as brahman in the śruti: sarvam khalv idam brahma: this universe is brahman. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1) You know all this spontaneously (svayam) because you are an avatāra of the Lord. Thus I have shown only a small portion, ten fingers (prādeśa-mātram) of bhakti and knowledge of the powers of the Lord who measures more than ten million times a hundred trillion, in order to fulfill the statement ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who has a teacher knows. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2) Amara-kośa says prādeśa-tāla-gokarṇās tarjany-ādi-yute tate: prādeśa, tāla and gokarṇa mean a measure from the thumb to the end of the forefinger.

This verse explains how Vyāsa knows spontaneously. O person with useful knowledge (amogha-dṛk)! Therefore (tat) please describe (gaṇyatām) more fully (adhikam) the most auspicious glories (abhyudayaḥ) of the mighty Lord (mahānubhāva)

I have said that one becomes successful by bhakti, after giving up all dharmas. Now, if some devotee has some desire for some dharmas, those dharmas will be produced by bhakti. That is now explained. The unfailing cause (avicyutaḥ arthaḥ) of men’s austerity and the other items of dharma has been described to be narrating the qualities of the Lord. Medinī says:

artho viṣayānarthayor dhana-kāraṇa-vastuni |

abhidheye ca śabdānāṁ nivṛttau ca prayojane ||

Artha means an object of the senses, obstacle, wealth, cause, thing, meaning of a word, prevention and goal.

The results of austerity and other acts are achieved by bhakti according to the statement of the Lord and thus what is their necessity?

yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat

yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api

sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ’ñjasā

svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati

Everything that can be achieved by karma, penance, jñāna, vairāgya, mystic yoga, charity, dharma and all other auspicious means of perfecting life is easily achieved by my devotee through bhakti. If somehow or other my devotee desires Svarga, liberation, or residence in my abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 11.20.32-33

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit |

sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiḍkarāḥ ||

One should always remember Viṣṇu and never forget Him. All injunctions and prohibitions are dependent on these two principles. Padma Purāṇa

According to this, all dharmas are unnecessary. Or another meaning is because performance of bhakti to the Lord is the conclusion of all the scriptural statements recommending austerity, studying the Vedas etc., chanting the Lord’s name is the unmistakably mentioned process. And in his commentary on the Lord’s words dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ (SB 11.14.3) Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says that the purport of all scriptural statements is the Supreme Lord.

There is no cause for pure bhakti other than the fortunate mercy of the devotees of the Lord. Austerity and other processes are not the cause. To illustrate this Nārada recounts a previous birth. In a previous kalpa (day of Brahmā) in a previous birth (atīta-bhave) I was born from a maid servant of some studiers of the Vedas. I was engaged (nirūpitaḥ) in serving those persons having bhakti-yoga and who desired to stay in one place (nirvivikṣatām) during the rainy season. That they also practiced bhakti-yoga is understood later from the following verse:

tatrānvahaṁ kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ pragāyatām anugraheṇāśṛṇavaṁ manoharāḥ

tāḥ śraddhayā me ’nupadaṁ viśṛṇvataḥ priyaśravasy aḍga mamābhavad ruciḥ

O Vyāsadeva, in that association and by the mercy of those great Vedāntists, I could hear them describe the attractive activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa And thus listening attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at every step. SB 1.5.26

Nārada had controlled senses (dānte), had given up childish play (adhṛta-kṛiòanake). Those sages saw equally good-tempered and bad-tempered, those who are praiseworthy and those who are to be criticized, those who have good conduct and those who are sinful (tulya-darśanāḥ), and thus they should not show mercy to one and reject in disgust another. However, they showed mercy to me. Though great devotees such as Bharata and Prahlāda see equally, they also show some partiality concerning giving mercy. Their first show of mercy did not depend on Nārada’s good qualities and show of respect. He developed the good qualities by their mercy. Then those qualities became the cause of further mercy. It must be explained that the cause of their mercy was not due to seeing qualities. If one says that though they had equal vision, they showed mercy because he showed good qualities, then their equal vision would be contradicted by their seeing good and bad qualities. One should not explain in this way because then the first mercy would be prejudiced.

There are two types of mercy; affected by seeing material qualities and not affected by seeing material qualities. The first type of mercy is explained as follows. All persons in the material world have mercy caused by qualities. If they see qualities they show mercy, if the qualities are absent, they withdraw mercy. And if they see bad qualities, they show hatred. The second type of mercy is as follows. Those who are beyond the influence of material world show mercy without such causes, without dependence on seeing material qualities, since they see everything in the material world as the same.

Śukadeva has said:

girayo mumucus toyaṁ kvacin na mumucuḥ śivam

yathā jñānāmṛtaṁ kale jñānino dadate na vā

During this season the mountains sometimes released their pure water and sometimes did not, just as experts in transcendental science sometimes give the nectar of transcendental knowledge and sometimes do not. SB 10.20.36

In this manner sometimes these persons show mercy to some person. When hardness of the heart caused by guṇas is destroyed and becomes soft by devotion to the Lord, mercy will appear in the heart.

śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-bhāk |

rucibhiś citta-māsṛṇya-kṛd asau bhāva ucyate ||

That part of bhakti is called bhāva, whose essence is saṁvit and hlādinī śakti, which is one ray of the sun of prema which will soon rise in the heart, and which softens the heart with desires to meet, serve, and exchange love with the Lord. Bhaki-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.3.1

The first four stages of bhakti are understood here: mercy of the devotees, service to devotees, faith, and taking shelter of guru.

After getting permission from them to do so, I ate one time some rice stuck to one of their dishes. By that all obstacles to bhakti were destroyed (tad-apāsta-klibiṣaḥ). Having taken their food, I developed without effort bhakti in the form of hearing, chanting and remembering the Lord continually. Having developed a tendency for bhakti after eating the devotees’ food (evaṁ pravṛttasya), which applies to anyone else as well, I inevitably developed a taste (ruciḥ prajāyate) for hearing and chanting (tad-dharme) in the mind (ātma). By this verse five stages of bhakti should be understood: desire for worship (spṛhā), bhakti, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā and ruci.1

Śraddha here indicates the tenth stage āsakti. At every moment or at hearing every word, I developed rati (bhāva) for Kṛṣṇa, whose qualities are pleasing to hear (priya-śravasi). Ruci should here mean rati, the eleventh stage, since the stage of ruci has already been mentioned in the previous verse.

Having attained an excellent taste, my intelligence became steadily fixed in the Lord. By that intelligence I saw the gross and subtle body (sad-asat) existing in me by the influence of the Lord’s material energy to be established in Kṛṣṇa (brahmaṇi). The gross body became fixed in offering respects, carrying the Lord’s water pot and other actions, not in material actions for oneself. The subtle body with senses such as ear, eye, mind and intelligence became fixed in tasting the sweetness of the lord’s qualities and form, not in material objects for one’s own pleasure. Previously the eye and mind were not fixed in the Lord even by exerting much effort. That is not the case now. With the development of rati, the mind and other senses, giving up the practice of fixing themselves on their material sense objects to which they had been long accustomed, became automatically fixed only on the Lord. Thus “I see” here means “directly experience.”

Extending over two seasons (four months) I heard constantly (anusavam). Premā (bhaktiḥ) which destroys (apahā) rajas and tamas in all jīvas (ātma) then appeared. It is implied here that there was destruction of rajas and tamas in others as well who realized devotion to the Lord. This is the twelfth stage of bhakti. Direct vision of the Lord and the experience of sweetness will be explained in the next chapter.

They gave knowledge to me who had developed prema-bhakti for the Lord (tasya evam anuraktasya). This knowledge was revealed directly by the Lord, son of Devakī (bhagavatoditam). Jñāna-śāstra has a prevalence of monistic jñāna. Confidential scripture (śāstra-guhyam) consists of a predominance of jñana mixed with some bhakti. More confidential scripture (śāstra-guhyataram) is that which predominantly bhakti with a little mixture of jñāna. Most confidential scripture (śāstra-guhyatamam) is pure bhakti, which was given to Uddhava and Brahmā in the Bhāgavatam and to Arjuna in the Gītā by the Lord. Contemplating that they would depart the next day (gamiṣyantaḥ), the sages taught (anvavocan) him the most confidential knowledge, pure bhakti.

By this knowledge of Bhāgavatam, I understood the influence or effect of the Lord’s cit-śakti, the kṛpa-śakti, the acit-śakti of three guṇas, and the influence of the knowledge of the Lord’s powers and sweetness (māyānubhāvam).

triguṇātmikātha jñānaṁ ca viṣṇu-śaktis tathaiva ca |

māyā-śabdena bhaṇyate śabda-tattvārtha-vedibhir ||

Those who know the true meaning of words say that māyā means what is made of the three guṇas of matter, knowledge and the śakti of Viṣṇu. Śabda-mahodadhi

Nirghaṇṭu says māyā ca vayunaṁ jñānam: māyā means knowledge. Trikāṇòa-śeṣa of the Amara-koṣa says māyā syāc chambarī-buddhyor: māyā means a maidservant of Ṣambara and intelligence. Viśva-kośa says māyā dambhe kṛpāyāṁ ca: māyā means deceit and mercy. The Lord is endowed with his eternal śakti arising from his svarūpa, which is called māyā. In a commentary, Madhva quotes the following śruti text:

svarūpa-bhūtayā nitya-śaktyā māyākhyayā yutaḥ

ato māyā-mayaṁ viṣṇuṁ pravadanti sanātanam

They call the eternal Viṣṇu māyā-mayam, because he is endowed with his eternal śakti arising from his svarūpa, which is called māyā.

Later in the Bhāgavatam the word māyā may mean cit-śakti, acit-śakti, knowledge or mercy according to the context.

Having had me practice bhakti beyond the modes of nature, and experience prema, and taught the Bhāgavatam which was spoken by the Lord, who is the direct speaker of bhakti, they taught me the process of jñāna which gives rise to knowledge and the goal of liberation, even though I did not request it. Considering that the question of jñāna may arise when the boy grows older, they then taught me jñana indirectly for the purpose of developing indifference to the world. That is explained in this verse.

Since it was not my goal they spoke indirectly about it (saṁsūcitam). What did they speak about? They explained the remedy for, or destruction of, the three miseries in which actions are offered (bhāvitam) to the Paramātmā (īśvare), to Bhagavān with six opulences or to the impersonal brahman.

“How can karma, the cause of saṁsāra, destroy the three miseries?” In two verses, examples are given to show that by different combinations, the destruction can occur. That ghee or some other substance which causes disease (āmayaḥ) when infused (cikitsitam) with medicines (dravyam) does not protect the disease (na punāti), but destroys the disease. The word na punāti (it does not purify) here means “it does not protect.”

All the actions in karma-yoga (kriyā-yogāḥ) - daily duties, duties to fulfill specific desires, periodic duties, and desireless duties - when offered to the Supreme Lord become capable of destroying karma (ātma-vināśāya).

That karma which is offered to the Lord is a sādhana of jñāna, because it causes purification to the level of sattva-guṇa. That knowledge generated from (tad-adhīnam) karma which is without desire and which is pleasing to the Lord because of being offering to the Lord, is endowed with bhakti, since jñāna devoid of bhakti will not yield liberation. Such jñāna is condemned in many places:

naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ

na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam

Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. SB 1.5.12

It has just been said that by karma-yoga mixed with bhakti (bhakti-miśra-karma) one achieves jñāna mixed with bhakti, which aims at liberation. Now it is said that sometimes, some people, who practice niṣkāma-karma mixed with bhakti, can develop bhakti mixed with karma (karma-miśra-bhakti) by association with devotees having karma-miśra-bhakti.

When persons in karma-yoga perform actions according to the lord’s instructions, by unexpected association of devotees, some perform bhakti consisting of chanting and remembering. The instruction of the Lord is:

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat |

yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam ||

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform, offer it to Me, O son of Kuntī. BG 9.27

It is not befitting to explain this teaching of the Lord to be directed to the karma-yogī since this verse falls in the section on bhakti. The karma-yogī offers only Vedic karmas to the Lord in order that the results will come to him. The devotees however, understanding that their very selves belong only to the Lord, take Vedic, mundane, and daily duties, which are impelled by the Lord, and offer them all completely to the Lord. There is a great difference between these two persons. This is how the Gītā verse is explained by Śrī Rāmānujācārya. This is indicated by including the phrase “whatever you eat.” Because of the use of the present tense in the verb kurvāṇāḥ (while doing karmas according to the Lord’s instructions) and because the main verb (chanting and remembering) indicates that they simultaneously perform bhakti, the whole sentence refers to bhakti as the principle action mixed with karma. By karma-miśra-bhakti one achieves jñāna-miśra-bhakti. From that one achieves rati for the Lord along with liberation. This is called śānta-bhakti. This is understood from the following verse:

ātmārāmāś ca munayo nirgranthā apy urukrame

kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ

Some sages who are ātmārāmas, beyond the scriptures, false ego and rules, also practice unmotivated, pure bhakti to the master of pure bhakti, Kṛṣṇa, since he possesses qualities attractive to even them. SB 1.7.10

It has been explained that both jñāna and karma without bhakti are condemned completely (SB 1.5.12). It has also been said in three verses (SB 1.5.17-19) that pure bhakti beyond the guṇas is the supreme process. The whole process from the first appearance of pure bhakti to its increase up to prema has also been described in six verses (SB 1.5.23-28). Then according to qualification, bhakti-miśra-jñāna was permitted (SB 1.5.35), and karma-miśra-bhakti was mentioned as superior to that (SB 1.5.36). Now in two verses, desiring to teach his personal mantra received from the gurus, Nārada first creates faith in those mantras. This is according to the statement brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta: the gurus should speak the secret to the disciple who has affection for the gurus. (SB 1.1.8)

This mantra has thirty-three syllables. Its devatā is bhagavān, who consists of four forms. By placing the members out of order, one can understand that this is a listing of the members of Kṛṣna’s caturvyūha rather than the one in Vaikuṇṭha (Kṛsṇa, Balarāma and Kṛsṇa’s son and grandson), with his son Pradyumna and his grandson Aniruddha placed next to Vāsudeva (Krṣna) Or this the order of persons mentioned in the mantra can be taken as a statement of creation (Pradyumna), maintenance (Aniruddha) and destruction (Saḍkarṣaṇa). Let us meditate upon offering respects (namo dhīmahi). This means let us offer respects in the mind.

One worships using the four names indicating the four forms starting with Vāsudeva. One should worship the Lord, who is the subject of the dhyāna-mantra (mantra-mūrtim), with the sixteen items of worship while uttering vāsudevāya namaḥ etc. according to the rules of Pañcarātra. By chanting the mantra, the deity makes his appearance. Or mantra-mūrti can mean the deity whose body is the mantra. That Lord does not have a material form (amūrtikam). Amūrtikam can also mean that the Lord who is not hard, but rather soft with mercy. Amara-kosa says mūrtiḥ kāṭhinya-kāyayor: mūrti means hard and body. Yajña-puruṣam means “the Lord who should be worshipped.” He is pleasant to behold (samyag-darśanaḥ). This means that when others see that worshipper, they become successful. Or darśanaḥ can mean knowledge. One who worships the lord has complete knowledge. Or darśanaḥ can mean “by which something is seen.” That means scripture which denotes bhakti, such as the Pañcarātra, which is most wholesome (samyak), because it is satisfying to the soul. One who worships the Lord possesses the complete scriptural conclusion. This does not refer to scriptures devoid of bhakti, which are not wholesome but deficient.

bhavatānudita-prāyaṁ yaśo bhagavato ’malam |

yenaivāsau na tuṣyeta manye tad darśanaṁ khilam ||

You have not sufficiently described the glories of the spotless Lord Kṛṣṇa. Because your mind could never be satisfied with Vedānta, I think that writing the Vedānta-sūtras is insufficient. SB 1.5.8

This means “Though you wrote the Vedānta-darśana, your mind is not satisfied completely, but I became fully satisfied in mind by writing the Pañcarātra.”

Sva-nigamam (nigama—going within) means instructions given by the Lord, given in his own confidential version of the Vedas (Pañcarātra). First the Lord gave realization of Himself (jñānam). Then he gave powers, such as aṇima and other siddhis. Then knowing that I was unattached to those powers, the Lord gave me great prema for him (svasmin bhāvam adāt). The intelligent persons can understand that then Vyāsa prayed to Nārada, “Please teach me this mantra” and then learned this same mantra.

O knower of many scriptures (adabhra-śruta)! O omniscient one! Please relate the glories (viśrutam) of the Lord. By understanding them, the desire of the knowers who want to know will be satisfied. This means that those who become devoted solely to these confidential scriptures which have the sweet taste of the lord’s glories will not have a desire for jñāna. Those with intelligence do not consider that the calamity of the jīvas afflicted by suffering can be removed by any other means.