Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava

In the Fourteenth Chapter, the excellence of bhakti and the process of meditation approved by those desiring liberation but who have some bhakti are described. Uddhava asks about grading the various sādhanas about which he has heard and will heard from Kṛṣṇa. The sages speak of many excellent sādhanas (śreyāṁsi). Which is superior? Is there one supreme sādhana?

According to you bhakti is the best. You have particularly pointed out niṣkāma-bhakti as the best. By this bhakti the mind becomes absorbed in you. Is bhakti the best among all processes? You should explain this.

O Uddhava! All philosophies arise from the Vedas alone. But the purport of the Vedas is bhakti-yoga. This dharma arises from my svarūpa (mad-ātmakaḥ) since bhakti is the essence of the hlādinī-śakti. Mad-ātmakaḥ can also mean “the process in which the mind concentrates on me.” This refers to bhakti since by bhakti alone one becomes absorbed in the Lord. I have said bhakyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ: I am realized only by bhakti. (SB 11.14.21) This means “I can be attained by the senses only by bhakti, and by no other method.” Other processes mentioned by the sages are not actually the best since they do not produce attainment of me. What is the use of asking about the principle or chief means among them?

yābhir bhūtāni bhidyante

bhūtānāṁ patayas tathā

yathā-prakṛti sarveṣāṁ

citrā vācaḥ sravanti hi

From the forefathers headed by Bhṛgu and other sons of Brahmā appeared many children and descendants, who assumed different forms as devatās, demons, human beings, Guhyakas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas, Kindevas, Kinnaras, Nāgas, Kimpuruṣas, and so on. All of the many species, along with their respective leaders, appeared with different desires generated from the three modes of material nature. Therefore, because of the different characteristics of the living entities within the universe, there are many explanations of the meaning of the Vedas.

“Then why did many opinions arise?” Eight and a half verses explain this. The seven Prajāpatis and great sages are Bhṛgu, Marīci, Atri, Aḍgirasā, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. Kindeva refers to humans on another island who do not have fatigue, lamentation or bad odor. The doubt arises whether they are human or devatā. Thus they are called kindeva. Kinnaras are somewhat like humans in face or body. Kimpuruṣas are apes who are similar to humans. These forms have many types of desires arising from rajas, sattva and tamas, by which they are divided into humans, devatās, demons and other forms. Because of the variety, there are many ways of explaining the meaning of the Vedas (citrāḥ vacaḥ).

There are ignorant, heretical teachings handed down in guru tradition. These are contrary to the Vedas since they are completely material. Though the water of the Gaḍgā is pure and sweet, when received by the roots of bitter or poisonous trees growing on its bank, it becomes distasteful sap in the trees. Similarly when the Vedas are come from the mouths of these faithless people, the meaning becomes distasteful and gives results which are opposite to the normal results.

These whimsical paths are described. Dharma here means the path of karma-mīmāṁakas. They say:

mokṣārthī na pravarteta tatra kāmya-niṣiddhayoḥ |

nitya-naimittike kuryāt pratyavāya-jihāsayā ||

A person desiring liberation must not perform forbidden acts or kāmya-karmas. He should perform daily and periodic duties with a desire for giving up sin.

Fame means fame sung in poetic works. It is said:

yāvat kīrtir manuṣyasya puṇya-lokeṣu gīyate |

tavad varṣa-sahasrāṇi svarga-loke mahīyate ||

A person will stay on Svarga for as many thousands of years as the years he is glorified on earth.

Kāma refers to the actions recommended by the author of Kāma-sūtras. Truthfulness, control of senses and control of the mind are recommended in scriptures advocating liberation. Others, proponents of practicality, who take support of morality and punishment (artha-śāstra), speak of wealth for one’s own use. For them the best process is sāma, dāna, bheda, and daṇòa. The Lokayatas (followers of Cārvāka) recommend renunciation and eating. The followers of the Vedas recommend sacrifice, niyama, yama, austerities and vows.

The results (lokāḥ) of these processes have a beginning and end. They end in bewilderment (tamo-niṣṭhāḥ).

Therefore bhakti is the essence of the Vedas. Being defined as the best process, it brings about attainment of me. The rest of the chapter answers Uddhava’s question. The devotees attain happiness because of me, the shelter of prema, the ocean of form and qualities. Those who are fixed in material objects like sense control, mind control and knowledge, and even the jñānīs, who are fixed in material sattva, do not attain even Brahman.

kiṁ vā yogena sāḍkhyena nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api

kiṁ vā śreyobhir anyaiś ca na yatrātma-prado hariḥ

What is the use of yoga, Sāḍkhya, sannyāsa, study of the Vedas, other auspicious acts, in which the Lord does not give realization of himself? SB 4.31.12

Two verses describe the happiness of bhakti and the realization of that happiness. The devotee’s mind and all his senses are satisfied by me, who possess great sweetness of astonishing sound, touch, form, taste, smell, pastimes and mercy, attained through meditation. Wherever he goes becomes full of happiness. When a person with great, indestructible wealth bound in his cloth goes to a place, that place becomes filled with happiness, wealth and enjoyment. He has nothing, because he has attained me, the great indestructible treasure. He has rejected enjoyment of temporary material wealth and followers represented by the word kiñcana, “something,” since the senses absorbed in external or internal objects give no taste. Thus he has control of the senses (dāntasya). His intelligence is fixed in me (śāntasya). This is the definition of sama given later. Śamo man-niṣṭhatā buddher: sama means having the intelligence fixed in me. (SB11.19.36) Thus he sees heaven, liberation and hell equally (sama-cetasaḥ).

The devotee is without desire for any object indicated by the word kiñcana. He does not desire the position of Brahmā or the happiness of merging in Brahman (apunar bhavam). He has offered his ātmā to me. Because of the rule yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: as they surrender to me, I respond (BG 4.11), I offer my ātmā to them as well. The devotee does not desire anything accept me, for I remain always perceivable by all his senses. For a person who has tasted continuous, sweet juice, mud is not attractive.

“How much is the devotee dear to you?” Śrīdhara Svāmī says “Even Brahmā my own son, Śiva, arising from my svarūpa, Saḍkarṣaṇa, my brother, Lakṣmī, my wife, and my own form, are not as dear to me as the devotee. However, out of great joy, he praises Uddhava specifically.” Though Brahmā and others are also devotees, their identity as son, amśa, brother or wife is more prominent than their devotee portion. According to the rule that things are designated by predominant qualities, they should be designated as son, aṁśa, brother and wife rather than as devotees. In persons like Nanda and Yaśodā, their bhakta portion is much greater than their identity as parents, because of the greatness of their prema. Thus they are called devotees rather than parents. They are dearest to Kṛṣṇa. Darśayaṁs tad-vidāṁ loka ātmano bhakta-vaśyatām: the Lord displays the attribute of coming under the control of his devotees. (SB 10.11.9) Thus they are called devotees, and they bring Kṛṣṇa under their control. The excellence of Yaśoòa is praised:

nemaṁ viriñco na bhavo na śrīr apy aḍga-saṁśrayā

prasādaṁ lebhire gopī yat tat prāpa vimuktidāt

Neither Lord Brahmā, nor Lord Śiva, nor even the goddess of fortune, who is always the better half of the Supreme Lord, can obtain from the Supreme Lord, the deliverer from this material world, such mercy as received by mother Yaśodā. SB 10.9.20

Another meaning is “Among all these devotees, you are the dearest. Hear this from my mouth.” Among all the devotees Uddhava is the best. The gopīs however are the best of all, since Uddhava prayed from the dust from their feet. This is the conclusion of the Vaiṣṇavas.

Moreover, just as the devotee follows me, I, being invisible to the devotee, follow the devotee. Śukadeva has described me as bhagavān bhakta-bhaktimān: the Lord who is devoted to his devotee. (SB 10.86.59) The devotee contemplates my form, qualities pastimes and associates (munim). Śrīdhara Svāmī explains the word puyeya as follows. The Lord thinks “Let me purify the universe which exists within me.” Jīva Gosvāmī says puyeya means “Let me become purified of the fault of not being able to repay the devotion of my followers.” Actually bhakti cannot exist without taking the dust from the feet of the devotees, and without bhakti, one cannot experience the sweetness of my rasa. I have established this rule. Therefore, I also should become absorbed in the full sweetness of my rasa like a devotee by bhakti.

Since the happiness of experiencing my form and qualities can be attained only by bhakti, no other process is recommended. The devotees are without material possessions. “But even jñānīs are like that.” Their minds are attached to me. They are affectionate to all jīvas because they want to give them bhakti-rasa. They are then considered great by the population (mahāntaḥ). Their intelligence is cut off from enjoyment even if it comes. The happiness that they relish in me they alone know, and not others. Why? This happiness arises only in those who have no expectation of liberation or material enjoyment.

Putting aside the topic of the devotee who has developed bhāva, the devotee at the beginning of bhakti is also successful. By bhakti which is generally strong, what to speak of bhakti which is very strong, the devotee cannot be overcome by material enjoyment. The words also suggest the following. Just as a jñānī who commits a sinful act will be criticized, his position as a jñānī is denied.

yas tv asaṁyata-ṣaò-vargaḥ pracaṇòendriya-sārathiḥ

jñāna-vairāgya-rahitas tri-daṇòam upajīvati

surān ātmānam ātma-sthaṁ nihnute māṁ ca dharma-hā

avipakva-kaṣāyo ’smād amuṣmāc ca vihīyate

One who has not controlled the six forms of illusion [lust, anger, greed, excitement, false pride and intoxication], whose intelligence, the leader of the senses, is extremely attached to material things, who is bereft of knowledge and detachment, who adopts the sannyāsa order of life to make a living, who denies the worshipable demigods, his own self and the Supreme Lord within himself, thus ruining all religious principles, and who is still infected by material contamination, is deviated and lost both in this life and the next. SB 11.19.40-41

But the devotee who commits sin is not criticized and his position as a devotee is not denied. It is said:

api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk |

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ ||

Even if the most sinful person worships me with no other desire than to please me, I consider that person to be my devotee, as he has fixed himself completely in me. BG 9.30

Though the devotee is distressed by sense objects, he is not overcome. Because both verbs are in the present tense, it implies that even while being harassed by sense objects, he is not really harassed since bhakti is present. A person who is attacked by the weapons of an enemy cannot be defeated because of the presence of his bravery. Or, on the day that a powerful medicine is taken to prevent fever, though the fever still causes suffering, it is not a real cause of suffering, since the fever is in a state of being destroyed and will be completely destroyed the next day.

Bhakti destroys the sins committed by the devotee who cannot control his senses. An example is given. Addressing Uddhava, he implies that Uddhava should be joyful (Uddhava means joyful) on hearing this.

“Just as bhakti is the means of attaining you, other processes like jñāna and yoga should be means to attain you, since they have a little portion of bhakti’s excellence.” Two verses answer. These processes are not means of attaining me. I am attained by strong (ūrjitā) bhakti--unmixed with karma or jñāna.

The word yathā in the previous verse may indicate to some people that other processes also lead to attainment of the Lord, though they are not as effective. This verse counters that idea. I am obtained by bhakti alone (ekayā), not by the other processes. Though it is heard that by jñāna one can attain Brahman, it should be understood that the secondary bhakti within jñāna gives the attainment of Brahman. Thus jñāna and karma cannot produce attainment of the Lord. They are useful only in destroying sin. But they are not even as powerful in destroying sin as bhakti is. This is expressed in the last two lines of the verse. Bhakti purifies a dog eater of his low birth (sambhavāt). This is the meaning given by Śrīdhara Svāmī. This means that bhakti destroys the prārabdha sins (effects of karma destined to be experienced in this life).

The power to purify in dharma and jñāna comes from practicing bhakti along with those actions. Without bhakti, very little purification takes place. Vidyā means jñāna.

Bhakti purifies the antaḥkaraṇa completely, whereas other processes do not. That bhakti is understood by the presence of symptoms like hair standing on end. The heart melts by bhakti. Without that melting of the heart caused by bhakti, how can one’s hairs stand on end and how can one have tears in the eyes, using some other process? Without hairs standing on end and tears in the eyes, how can the heart become purified? The Kali-yuga avatāra has said:

śrutam apy aupaniṣadaṁ dūre hari-kathāmṛtāt |

yan na santi dravac-citta-kampāśru-pulakādayaḥ ||

Though one has heard the Upaniṣads, if one has not heart the sweet topics of the Lord, melting of the heart, tears and hairs standing on end will not take place. Padyāvalī 39

Thus, niṣkāma-karma, yoga and other processes purify the heart to some degree according to many scriptural proofs. However, direct realization of the Lord will not occur with the presence of contamination remaining after those processes. Prema-bhakti burns up that contamination, but the fire of jñāna does not.

A person with prema-bhakti delivers himself. That is not astonishing for he also delivers the whole world. The person whose words are unclear, whose heart melts, causing him to weep continually since he suffers because of longing for the Lord, who sometimes laughs, sometimes becomes shy, sometimes sings loudly and sometimes dances---he purifies the whole world. He always has a melted heart.

By bhakti the ātmā is purified. No other process does this. An example is given. Just as gold heated by fire gives up its impurities, whereas washing it does not purify it, and partakes of its own form, so the jīva, purified of the contamination of impressions of karma (karma anuśayam), directly serves me in my planet.

Starting with the first service, in proportion to the purification of the ātmā by pure bhakti, and in proportion to the hearing, chanting and remembering, one attains various degrees of realization of my sweetness. In proportion to hearing and chanting my glories, one sees the real nature (vastu) of my form and pastimes with an experience of sweetness (sūkṣmam). Vastu sūkṣmam is a dvandva compound expressed in the singular number. Or it can mean “subtle truth” with the modifier places after the noun as poetic license. One eye is better than being blind. Better than that is having both eyes. Better than that is having the eyes anointed with special ointment so that one sees finer objects.

How does the mind of the devotees fixed in hearing, chanting and remembering become fixed in you? Just as the mind attached to thinking of sense objects becomes absorbed in the sweetness of sense objects, the mind attached to thinking of me becomes absorbed only in my sweetness.

Since other processes and results are just temporary desires like dream objects, one should give them up and concentrate your mind on me by pure bhakti. The topic is summarized in this verse. This is Śrīdhara Svāmī’s commentary. Absorb your mind, which is endowed with bhāva by thinking of me (mad-bhāva-bhāvitam), in me alone.

The path of kāma proclaimed by Vātsyāyana in Kāma-sūtra should be rejected particularly. Because one who has determination (ātmavān) will lose his determination in association with women, he should reside in a solitary place where there is no fear (kṣeme).

One should take great efforts to avoid association with women or those associated with women. By association with women, one’s shyness and position become destroyed. Association with persons associating with women does not generally destroy shyness and position, but such persons create attachment to women by their conversations, and this makes one give up shyness and position. But it is not like association with women. Thus it is mentioned after the mention of women.

The Lord has confirmed that without bhakti no process yields its results. But without knowledge of a method in all these processes, the goal sought by the path will not give happiness. Uddhava therefore asks the method of meditation in bhakti for those desiring liberation. The word yathā indicates “What type of method should be used?” Yādṛśam indicates “What are the details of the object of meditation?” Yad-ātmakam indicates “What is the form on which one meditates?”

Instead of dhyāyen mumukṣur etan me dhyānaṁ tvaṁ vaktum arhasi which is easier to understand, there is another version with dhyāyen mumukṣur etan me dhyanam me vaktum arhasi. The meaning is as follows. You should tell me how those desiring liberation meditate on you. ”What is the use of asking about meditation for persons desiring liberation, since you are a pure devotee? You should ask how you can meditate on me.” With folded hands Uddhava shows the Lord’s two feet. “This is my meditation (dhyanam me).”

The Supreme Lord said: Sitting on a level seat that is not too high or too low, keeping the body straight and erect yet comfortable, placing the two hands on one’s lap and focusing the eyes on the tip of one’s nose, one should purify the pathways of prāṇa by practicing the exercises of pūraka, kumbhaka and recaka. Having fully controlled the senses, then one should gradually alter the practice to recaka, pūraka, kumbhaka

One should glace at the tip of the nose for keeping the mind steady. The yoga scriptures say antar lakṣyo’bahir dṛṣṭiḥ sthira-cittaḥ susaṁyataḥ: when the vision is directed inward the mind becomes steady and controlled. Viparyayeana means performing recaka, pūraka and then kumbhaka.1

Starting from the mūladhāra-cakra, one should then lead the sound oṁ, having an uninterrupted sound of a bell, upwards by twelve fingers (nine inches) using the prāṇa, to the heart. This sound is fine as a fiber in the lotus stem. One should make the sound (svaram) steady there.

Māsād arvāk means “after a month.”

One should meditate on the lotus in the heart, which is the mind. This is situated within the body. This means that the senses should not wander externally. The stalk is upwards and the blossom is pointing down, like a banana flower. This means one should meditate on this image by inverting it, so that the stalk is at the bottom and the petals are above. Nyāset means “one should meditate.”

Placing my form within the fire, one should meditate upon that auspicious object of meditation. That form is has harmonious limbs, is gentle and cheerful. It possesses four beautiful long arms, a charming, beautiful neck, a handsome forehead, a pure smile and glowing, shark-shaped earrings suspended from two identical ears.

That form is the auspicious object of meditation (dhyāna-maḍgalam). Samam means the limbs are harmonious. Praśāntam means not ferocious.

The Lord’s outstanding marks are his constant residents, the Śrīvatas on the left side and Śrī on the right side of his chest.

Āyutam means “completely decorated.”

One should meditate on this charming, youthful form with a merciful smile and glance, all of whose limbs are beautiful. Concentrating the mind on all these limbs, withdrawing the senses from the sense objects by the mind, the wise person should lead the mind by the intelligence to me endowed with all my limbs.

For the purpose of deep mediation, the method of complete concentration is described. One should withdraw senses like the eye from the sense objects like form, using the mind. One should establish them in the mind. By intelligence one should pull the mind and establish it in me endowed with all my limbs (sarvataḥ).

Withdrawing the consciousness which is spread in all the limbs, one should concentrate on one limb—the face.

Having made the consciousness fixed (labdha-padam) without wandering elsewhere, by concentrating on the face, one should give up meditating on the face. Withdrawing the mind from the body and senses, but not from meditation with bhakti, one should concentrate on space. Then giving up the mind, ascending to me as Brahman, one should not think of anything. But the jīva, endowed with a particle of bhakti, realizes Brahman. Haṁsa has explained this method of giving up the guṇas and material consciousness (SB 11.13.33). One who gives up karma and jñāna must not desire to give up meditation using bhakti, according to Kapila:

dhyānāyanaṁ prahasitaṁ bahulādharoṣṭha-

bhāsāruṇāyita-tanu-dvija-kunda-paḍkti

dhyāyet svadeha-kuhare 'vasitasya viṣṇor

bhaktyārdrayārpita-manā na pṛthag didṛkṣet

One should meditate upon the Lord’s laughter, an easy object of meditation, which shows his teeth like a row of jasmine buds with his shining, full, red lips. One should not desire to see anything except the Viṣṇu who is present in one’s heart with a mind steeped in mature devotion. SB 3.28.33

This person becomes absorbed in meditation. Engaging his mind in samādhi, he sees me, Brahman, in the jīva. And sees the jīva joined in me. Light is joined with light. This refers to Brahman, the complete spiritual light of the Lord, and the jīva who is a particle of that light.

This verse describes the result of mediation culminating in samādhi. When the yogī has reached complete concentration through meditation, the illusion created by false identification with senses, sense devatās and sense objects is destroyed.

Thus ends the commentary on Fourteenth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.