60 verses
King Parīkṣit said: You have already described the path of liberation. By gradually progressing on that path properly, one ends material existence along with Brahmā.
O sage! The symptom of material enjoyment is taking repeated bodies in the material world with the object of receiving happiness of Svarga, for the person who is not freed from māyā.
You have described in the Third Canto the symptoms of material enjoyment. Traiguṇya-viṣayaḥ means having the goal of happiness on Svarga. There is repeated birth by the guṇas for the person who has not destroyed prakṛti, who is subject to saṁsāra.
ye tv ihāsakta-manasaḥ
karmasu śraddhayānvitāḥ
kurvanty apratiṣiddhāni
nityāny api ca kṛtsnaśaḥ
With minds attached to this world, with faith in prescribed duties, they perform kāmya-karmas and nitya-karmas to the fullest extent. SB 3.32.16
You have also described the varieties of hellish life that result from impious activities, and you have described [in the Fourth Canto the first Manvantara, which was supervised by Svāyambhuva Manu.
Yataḥ means in which.
dharā-maṇòala-saṁsthānaṁ bhāga-lakṣaṇa-mānataḥ jyotiṣāṁ vivarāṇāṁ ca yathedam asṛjad vibhuḥ
You have described the dynasties and characteristics of King Priyavrata and King Uttānapāda, as well as the islands, varṣas, oceans, mountains, rivers, gardens, trees, and the condition of the earth and the luminaries in the sky and the lower planets, with their divisions, characteristics and dimensions, just as the Lord created them.
You have explained the islands just as the Lord created them. You have explained the situation of Bhū-maṇòala and the luminaries such as the sun with divisions, characteristics and measurements, just as the Lord created them.
O greatly fortunate Śukadeva Gosvāmī! Now kindly tell me how human beings may be saved from the terrible pains of hellish.
Please explain how a person can avoid going to these hells which have terrible pain. Just as the means of attaining fortunate and unfortunate results should be known, the means of extinguishing the unfortunate results should be known.
If a person does not perform atonement for sins committed by his mind, words or actions, he will certainly attain those hells which inflict intense pain after death which were described by me.
Testing the proficiency of his student Parīkṣit to understand his opinion on the matter, Śukadeva first gives the process of atonement according to karma in two verses. If one does not perform atonement for sins committed by mind, words or actions, singly or together, one attains hell with terrible pain.
Therefore, in this world, before death, one should strive to destroy sinful reactions while the body is not afflicted, just as a doctor who knows the causes of disease, seeing the gravity or lightness of the disease, prescribes a cure.
Before death, quickly one should do this. Otherwise if there is much delay, one must perform double the atonement, because the condition will be twice as serious. One should do this while the body is unafflicted. When the body is diseased it is impossible to perform atonements. One should search out an expert in dharma-śāstra who can decide what should be done, just as one approaches a doctor, who can see the seriousness or insignificance of a disease.
The King said: Though the jīva knows that sinful acts are detrimental by seeing and hearing, he helplessly commits sin again. What is the use of atonement?
Parīkṣit criticizes atonement, saying it is unacceptable, in two verses. One sees a king punishing a criminal and hears about the punishment in hell and understands that sin is not beneficial. It is seen that a person commits that same sin again even after doing the atonement. How does atonement destroy sin? If the sin has been destroyed he will not commit sin again.
After withdrawing from sin one commits the sin again. I think atonement is useless, like an elephant bathing.
Sometimes in youth one refrains from sin, but again one commits the sin in old age. Therefore atonement is useless. The elephant after bathing dirties himself with dust.
Śukadeva said: Completely counteracting sin is not at all possible by performing atonement, for it is done out of ignorance. Real atonement is attaining jñāna.
By presenting a conclusion, Śukadeva again tests Parīkṣit who has passed the test. By atonement (karmanā) there cannot be complete (ātyantika) destruction of the sin (karma), but quick relief, because of the condition of the jīva who is qualified by ignorance. Sin appears repeatedly because of the presence of the seed of sin, ignorance. The chief atonement is jñāna (vimarśanam), since jñāna removes ignorance. By presenting the opinion of the jñānīs, Śukadeva again tests Parīkṣit.
Diseases do not afflict those who eat proper food. Similarly, one who follows rules gradually becomes qualified for jñāna.
But if one is sinful, then his heart is impure. How then can he practice jñāna? That is true, buy jñana will give relief from the sin (like atonement). An example is given. Just as sickness does not affect persons who eat proper food, a person who follows rules of jñāna can gradually destroy sins.
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
By avoiding enjoyments, by avoiding association with women, by controlling the mind as much as possible, by controlling the external senses, by giving in charity, by following yamas like non-violence and niyamas like japa, the wise men, knowers of dharma, filled with faith, destroy even great sin arising from the body, words and intelligence, just like fire destroys a clump of bamboos.
Two verses elaborate on this. Tapasā means absence of enjoyment. Brahmacaryeṇa means not associating with women. Śamena means by controlling the mind as much as possible. Damena means by controlling the external senses. Tyāgena means by charity. Yamena means by non-violence and other restrictions. Niyamena means by japa and other injunctions.
Some persons, who surrender to Kṛṣṇa, completely destroy sins only by pure bhakti, just as the sun destroys fog.
In the example of the fire destroying bamboo, it is possible that the bamboo can grow up again. Thus even after practicing jñana, sins can reappear. Seeing the dissatisfied Parīkṣit, Śukadeva then speaks about the solution according to the devotees. Some here indicates that those who surrender the Vāsudeva are very rare. Kevalayā bhaktyā indicates that this bhakti is not only devoid of karma and jñāna (devoid of expecting material benefits or liberation), but in no way depends on karma or jñāna as secondary elements. Completely (kārtsnyena) indicates that sin is completely uprooted only by bhakti and by no other process, just as only the sun can destroy the fog.
O King! A sinful person cannot become purified by austerities and other processes to the extent that the devotees who offer their lives to Kṛṣṇa become purified by service to the Lord.
Bhakti-devī should not be used for the insignificant action of pacifying sin. Śukadeva presents the opinion of the learned according to scriptures while criticizing other opinions. The devotees offer their very lives to the Lord. The Lord may or may not throw me into hell, for committing sin, in order to give me suitable teaching by punishment. The Lord is my goal, I am his. Offering himself to the Lord, the devotee thinks in this way. He does not perform atonements to avoid hell. He practices pure bhakti. How does completely surrender manifest? One performs service to the Lord.
The path followed by person who are friendly, virtuous, and surrendered to Nārāyaṇa is certain, auspicious, and without fear of obstacles.
One should not say that bhakti-yoga is for those who are not capable of practicing jñāna, yoga or austerities. Sadhrīcīnaḥ means certain, leading to the correct goal. This is the best process in all respects. There is no fear of any obstacle. On this path the practitioners are friendly. One need not fear that one will not have help as on the path of jñāna. One need not fear of people becoming envious as when practicing karma.
O King! Much atonement does not purify persons who are opposed to Nārāyaṇa, just as many rivers do not clean a liquor pot.
Positive and negative statements are used to show that bhakti destroys all sin whereas jñāna and karma do not. The plural number is used to indicate that all karma and jñāna processes do not purify the person without faith in Nārāyaṇa, even after hearing about the excellence of bhakti and the devotee. Bhakti however purifies even those without jñāna or karma, since that was stated in verse 15.
Persons who only once absorb their mind in Kṛṣṇas lotus feet, even in dreams, or even though the mind still has material attraction, do not see the servants of Yama since they have accomplished all atonement by that remembrance,.
This purification does not depend on a solid basis of bhakti. Even once remembering the Lord is sufficient, what to speak of many times. Even thinking with the mind is sufficient, what to speak of hearing or uttering the name of the Lord. The mind which is materially attracted (tad-guṇa-rāgi) is sufficient, what to speak of a mind without material attractions. Thinking even in dreams is sufficient what to speak of actual meditation. Such persons have accomplished all atonement (niśkṛtāḥ).
From this statement the following should also be understood. If a devotee practicing pure bhakti happens to commit sin again, it is like the bite of snake without fangs. Those sins have no significant effect. That condition should not be compared to the elephant taking bath-- the karmī who again commits sin. 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
Concerning this subject, the wise cite the ancient story of Ajāmila. Please here from me that story in which there is a conversation between the servants of Viṣṇu and Yama.
He narrates a story to show the meaning of his statement. Hear from me that story in which there is the conversation of the servants of Viṣṇu and Yama.
In the city known as Kānyakubja, there was a brāhmaṇa named Ajāmila who married a maidservant and lost all good conduct because of the association of that low-class woman.
That sinful brāhmaṇa maintained that wife and her children by taking up a condemned profession, by tying people up, gambling, cheating and stealing. He thus afflicted many living entities
Bandī means making someone a prisoner. Akṣaiḥ means by gambling. He made a living by cheating, gambling and imprisoning others. Thus he gave pain to other living entities.
O King! While he thus spent up his time in abominable, sinful activities to maintain his family of many sons, eighty-eight years of his life passed.
Time related to age passed. How much time? Eighty years (samāḥ) passed.
That old man Ajāmila had ten sons, of whom the youngest was named Nārāyaṇa> He was the object of affection of both his father and his mother.
Pravayasaḥ means old.
The old man, attached to the child who could not speak clearly, took great joy in seeing the childs actions.
Jarathaḥ means old man.
While eating, drinking and chewing, out of affection he would feed the child and make him drink. The foolish man did not know that death had arrived.
Khādan means chewing.
When death arrived, the foolish man thought of his son called Nārāyaṇa.
Śrīdhara Svāmī says it is suitable to conclude that by the power of chanting the name Nārāyaṇa while caring for his son he developed bhakti.
dūre krīòanakāsaktaṁ putraṁ nārāyaṇāhvayam plāvitena svareṇoccair ājuhāvākulendriyaḥ
Ajāmila then saw three terrifying persons with twisted faces and hairs standing erect on their bodies. With ropes in their hands, they had come to take him away. In great anxiety, with prolonged cries, he loudly called for his son named Nārāyaṇa who was playing in the distance.
Though he had committed unlimited sins, his sins could be classified in three types: bodily, verbal and mental. Thus three servants of Yama approached him. Because the name Nārāyaṇa has four syllables, four servants of Viṣṇu came. Plāvitena means prolonged.
O King! Hearing glorification of the Lord from the mouth of the dying man who uttered the name of their master, the associates of Viṣṇu arrived suddenly.
Hearing hari-kīrtana, the associates of Viṣṇu arrived. It came from the mouth of the dying man uttering Viṣṇus name.
The servants of Viṣṇu with loud voices obstructed the servants of Yama, who were dragging Ajāmila from his heart.
The servants of Viṣṇu forbad them saying, If you want to live, do not drag this Vaiṣṇava Ajāmila away. Do not take him away.
Being forbidden, the assistants of Yama said to the servants of Viṣṇu, Who are you, who oppose the rules of Yamarāja?
Puraḥsarāḥ means servants.
Whose servants are you? Where do you come from? Why are you preventing us from taking him away? Are you devatās, lesser devatās or the best of the siddhas?
Why do you forbid us (taking him away)? The sentence should be completed.
sarve ca nūtna-vayasaḥ sarve cāru-caturbhujāḥ dhanur-niṣaḍgāsi-gadā- śaḍkha-cakrāmbuja-śriyaḥ
diśo vitimirālokāḥ
kurvantaḥ svena tejasā
kim arthaṁ dharma-pālasya
kiḍkarān no niṣedhatha
Your eyes are like the petals of lotus flowers. Dressed in yellow silken garments, decorated with garlands of lotuses, and wearing very attractive helmets on your heads and earrings on your ears, you appear youthful. Your four long arms are decorated with bows and quivers of arrows and with swords, clubs, conchshells, discs and lotus flowers. Your effulgence has dissipated the darkness and defeats all other light. Why then are you obstructing the servants of Yama?
By your appearance you look most well behaved. By your effulgence you defeat the darkness and other light (vitimirālokāḥ). You appear proper, but why are you acting improperly?
Śukadeva said: When the servants of Yama had thus spoken, the servants of Viṣṇu replied to them while smiling, with voices like rumbling clouds.
They smiled. You do not know dharma. Because of fear of us, you say you are the servants of Yama, but you are merely a type of preta. Having come into our hands, how will you live now?
The servants of Viṣṇu said: If you are really servants of Yama, tell us the nature of dharma and the characteristics of adharma.
We are the servants of Yama. Who does not recognize us? The messengers of Viṣṇu then speak. Nirddeśaḥ and nirdeṣaḥ have the same meaning. Tell us the nature or essence (tattvam) of dharma and the measurement (lakṣaṇam) of dharma and the nature and measurement of adharma.
How is punishment administered? What is the reason for punishment? Who is punished? Is everyone punished including animals, or among men, are only some punished?
They ask about the method of punishment, the reasons for punishment, the persons who are punished, and the scope of punishment. Does punishment occur for animals or only for some among humans?
The Yamadūtas replied: Acts which are prescribed in the Vedas constitute dharma, and acts which are not prescribed by the Vedas are adharma. The Vedas are directly Nārāyaṇa and are born from him. This we have heard from Yamarāja.
Dharma is what is prescribed in the Vedas. What is in the Vedas is the nature of dharma (tattva) and the rules of the Vedas are the measurement of dharma. Because the servants of Viṣṇu asked about adharma, the servants of Yama describe the nature and measurement of adharma. This also covers the question about the reasons for punishment. What is forbidden in the Vedas is adharma. Doing what is forbidden in the Vedas is the measure of adharma. The Vedas are manifested from the Lord (svayambhūḥ): they arise from the breathing of Viṣṇu on their own. Śruti says asya mahato bhūtasya niśvasitam etad yad ṛgvedaḥ: the breathing of the Lord is the Ṛg-veda. (Bṛhad-ārāṇyaka Upaniṣad)
By Nārāyaṇa who is situated in his own abode, these living entities composed of rajas, sattva and tamas appear precisely with qualities, names and actions.
Who is Nārāyaṇa? Situated in Vaikuṇṭha, the living entities (bhāvāḥ) are created exactly by his will alone, with qualities like peacefulness, names like brāhmaṇa, actions like studying the Vedas and forms like varṇāśrama. Yathā-tatham means properly.
By Nārāyaṇa, the sun, fire, sky, air, devatās, moon, evening, day, night, the directions, water, land and Yamarājawho are the witnesses of the activities of the living entity-- appear.
One may think of doing sinful activity secretly when no one is looking, but there are witnesses. By Nārāyaṇa these witnesses appear. This is a continuation from the last verse. Day and night, water (kam) and earth (kuḥ) are all witnesses.
āditya-candrāv anilo nalaś ca
dyaur bhumir āpo hṛdayaṁ yamaśc a
ahaśca rātriś ca ubhe ca sandhye
dharmo pi jānāti narasya vṛttam
The sun, moon, air, fire, sky, earth, water, mind, Yama, day, night, dawn and twilight and the Lord know the actions of man. Viṣṇu-dharma 55.14
By these witnesses, acts of adharma can be understood, and the cause of punishment is determined. All performs of sin deserve punishment according to the act.
The reason for punishment and the victims of punishment are mentioned.
O sinless messengers! Pious and sinful acts arise for all persons who perform acts, because all humans are associated with the guṇas and cannot avoid action.
This verse explains the reason why everyone is subject to punishment. Viparītāni means sinful acts. All persons perform pious and sinful acts because all actors are associated with the guṇas. The guṇas are causes of pious or sinful acts. To say a person is has a whole life of dharma or adharma is a general designation. You say that the actions arise because of association with the guṇas. What if someone does not act at all? He should not be punished. All humans (dehavān) perform actions. Non-action of humans is contrary to perception.
In proportion to adharma or dharma in this life, one enjoys the corresponding results in the next life.
How is punishment administered? To the extent of adharma or dharma performed by whatever means, one receives the result as suffering of happiness in the appropriate amount, according to the decision of scripture.
O best of the devas! Just as beings in this world attain three types of people according to the variety of guṇas, so in next life as well one can infer such types.
Notice with your eyes the association with the guṇas. In this world, there are three types of humanspious, sinful and mixed. In the next world or in next human birth one can infer the person to be pious, sinful or mixed. This is according to scripture.
Just as the qualities of the present make known the qualities of the past and the future, the qualities of dharma and adharma in this birth indicate those qualities in past and future lives.
The present life gives understanding of the extent of dharma and adharma in the previous and next life. An example is given. The spring time of the present gives an understanding of the qualities of spring with its fruits and flowers--in the past and the spring in the future. Similarly this life shows the dharma and adharma of previous and past lives.
Yamarāja, living in his city, sees by his mind the previous condition of a living entity. Knowing everything like Brahmā, he then decides the present and future forms by his mind
This is the general method of knowing the adharma and dharma of others. Yamarāja however by his mind definitely sees everything. Situated in his city Saṁyamanī, Yama(devaḥ) sees the persons in his previous birth with his dharma and adharma. Afterwards he decides the present and the future forms. He decides what is suitable for each person. He is omniscient (bhagavān), equal to Brahmā.
Just as an animal accepts its present body by ignorance, the human, losing memory because of birth, is not aware of his past or future birth.
It is not surprising that the jīva has a tendency for sin, since he is not aware of his previous or next birth. Just as an animal, endowed with tamas, uses its present body and is happy with its type of food, so man, who loses his memory by being born, does not know about his previous or next birth.
By the five action senses, the jīva attains desired objects. By the five knowledge senses, the jīva knows the five sense objects. Using the sixteenth item known as the mind, the seventeen item known as the one jīva enjoys the objects of the knowledge senses, action senses and mind.
By the five action senses one attains ones desired objects. By the five knowledge senses one experiences the enjoyment of the five sense objects such as sound. With the sixteenth sense, the jīva, the seventeenth, enjoys the threethe objects of knowledge senses, action senses and the mind.
The subtle body of the jīva, the effect of the three guṇas, composed of the ten senses, five sense objects and the mind, produces repeated and unavoidable birth, which gives joy, sorrow, fear and pain to the jīva.
Tat means of the jīva. Liḍgam means the subtle body. Śakti-trayam means the effects of the three guṇas. This subtle body produces repeated birth, hard to avoid (mahat) for the jīva (puṁsi).
The ignorant jīva, unable to control his mind and senses, though not desiring to do so, is made to perform activities, and covering himself with actions, becomes bewildered and does not know how to get out, just as silkworm covers himself with a cocoon.
Though sometimes the jīva does not want to do activities, he is forced to do so by the subtle body. Then he becomes bewildered like a silkworm, and does not know how to get out of the tangle.
Not even for a moment can the jīva remain without performing actions. He is forced to act beyond his control by the three guṇas arising from previous impressions.
Svābhāvikaiḥ means arising from previous impressions.
The gross and subtle bodies, sometimes similar to the mother and sometimes similar to the father, appear with a particular nature according to the jīvas karmas.
Having attained the cause, his reactions of karma, the gross and subtle bodies appear, according to his karma. The body is sometimes similar to the mother and sometimes similar to the father, endowed with a particular nature such as violence or gentleness.
This contrary position of the jīvas has existed by association with prakṛti. That condition is quickly destroyed by association with the Lord.
By association with prakṛti one is in bondage, and by association with the Lord one becomes liberated.
gurv-agny-atithi-vṛddhānāṁ śuśrūṣur anahaḍkṛtaḥ sarva-bhūta-suhṛt sādhur mita-vāg anasūyakaḥ
Ajāmila was well versed in the Vedas. He was a reservoir of good character, good conduct and good qualities. Firmly established in executing all the Vedic injunctions, he was very mild and gentle, and he kept his mind and senses under control. Furthermore, he was always truthful, knew how to chant the Vedic mantras, and was also very pure. Ajāmila was respectful to his guru, the fire-god, guests, and the elderly members of his household. He was free from pride, was upright, benevolent to all living entities, well behaved, controlled in speech, and without hatred to anyone.
Having spoken of the natures of dharma and adharma, the servants of Yama now illustrate adharma by showing how Ajāmila is fit to be punished. In two verses they speak of his righteous nature in order to show how his sinful nature was not suitable. Śīla means good character, vṛtta means proper conduct and guṇa means good qualities like tolerance.
dadarśa kāminaṁ kañcic chūdraṁ saha bhujiṣyayā pītvā ca madhu maireyaṁ madāghūrṇita-netrayā
mattayā viślathan-nīvyā
vyapetaṁ nirapatrapam
krīòantam anugāyantaṁ
hasantam anayāntike
Once this brāhmaṇa Ajāmila, following the order of his father, went to the forest to collect fruit, flowers, wood and kuśa grass. On the way home, nearby, he saw a lusty śūdra with a maidservant. Having drunken liquor, without fear of others, the śūdra was smiling, singing and enjoying shamelessly with the woman whose eyes were rolling in intoxication, and whose dress had become loose.
Bhujiṣyayā means with a maid servant whom he was enjoying. Maitreyam is a liquor made from rice. Madhu means wine. Vyāpetam means without fear of others. He was enjoying with her (anayā).
Seeing the woman embraced by the śūdras arm decorated with turmeric powder, Ajāmila suddenly became bewildered and fell under the control of lust.
The śudra had his arm anointed with turmeric juice to incite lust.
Though trying to stop his mind by intelligence, as he had been instructed, using the steadiness in dharma and knowledge that he had, he was not able to control his mind, which was agitated by lust.
Ātmaṇam means mind. Sattvam means determination. Śrutam means knowledge.
Becoming possessed because of lust arising from seeing her and losing his memory, he began to meditate on her with his mind, and gave up his practice of dharma.
He could not protect himself from falling by jñāna and by his steadiness in dharma, but he attained Vaikuṇṭha after restoring himself by nāmābhāsa alone. This shows the inherent strengths of dharma, jñāna and bhakti.
He satisfied her by his fathers money as long as the wealth remained. He acted just to please her by offering attractive material objects that she desired.
As long as the money lasted he satisfied her. He acted in such a way to please her.
His intelligence pierced by the glance of the prostitute, the sinful man soon gave up his humble wife, a brāhmaṇas daughter of elevated family, given by her father.
Lambhitām means she was given by her fathers decision. The sandhi in svairiṇyāpāḍga is poetic license.
Bereft of intelligence, he obtained money by proper or improper means and maintained the womans family members
Transgressing the scriptures, acting irresponsibly, condemned for his behavior, leading a sinful life, and impure because of eating her remnants of food, he passed a long time.
His whole life was sin or he lived for sinning (aghāyuḥ). He was contaminated by eating her remnants (malāt).
Because of this, we shall take this sinner who has performed no atonement to Yamarāja, where he will be purified by punishment.
Akṛta-nirveśam means not having performed atonement. How can you prevent us, who are taking him for purification?
Thus ends the commentary on the First Chapter of the Sixth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
Offering respects to guru and Kṛṣṇa, the ocean of mercy, I take shelter of Śrī-śukadeva the eye of the universe, and master of the worlds. I offer myself and everything I possess to he who is the life of the gopīs, the controller, for service to his dear devotees
The Fifth Canto described sthāna,1 the maintenance of the inhabitants of the Bhūloka, Pātala and heavenly planets, who are situated there with their rules. The protection given to people who transgress the laws of dharma and the devotees is called poṣaṇa by the wise. Sinful Ajāmila is considered at devotee and Indra, even though he was offensive to guru, is also considered a devotee.
Giving protection to Ajāmila and Indra, as well as Citraketu, in the nineteen chapters of the Sixth Canto shows the Lords affection for his devotee. Three chapters tell the story of Ajāmila, six chapters describe Viśvarūpa, eight chapters describe the story of Vṛtrāsura, and two chapters describe the birth of the Maruts, in which Indra observes Diti as she performs vows.
The first chapter describes the words of the servants of Yama when the servants of Viṣṇu come to rescue Ajāmila.
Hearing of the suffering of men falling to hell, Parīkṣit became compassionate to them. He reveals that he has understood the meaning of what was previously explained in order to produce enthusiasm in Śukadeva so that he would answer his question about how to deliver those suffering people. Yathā means suitably. Śukadeva mentioned the path of liberation in the following verses:
vaiśvānaraṁ yāti vihāyasā gataḥ
suṣumṇayā brahma-pathena śociṣā
vidhūta-kalkotha harer udastāt
prayāti cakraṁ nṛpa śaiśumāram ||
O King! The yogī, having gone by the path of Brahma-loka, goes to Vaiśvānara by means of the ether, through the luminaries of the suṣumna-nāòī. Being free of all desires, he then approaches the Śiśumāra constellation above, which is related to the Lord. SB 2.2.24
ye sva-dharmān na duhyanti
dhīrāḥ kāmārtha-hetave
niḥsaḍgā nyasta-karmāṇaḥ
praśāntāḥ śuddha-cetasaḥ
Those intelligent people who do not desire the results of their prescribed actions for artha and kāma, having offered all results to the Lord, free from attachment, are peaceful and pure in consciousness.
nivṛtti-dharma-niratā
nirmamā nirahaḍkṛtāḥ
sva-dharmāptena sattvena
pariśuddhena cetasā
sūrya-dvāreṇa te yānti
puruṣaṁ viśvato-mukham
parāvareśaṁ prakṛtim
asyotpatty-anta-bhāvanam
Engrossed in actions of detachment, with no sense of possessiveness or ego, with consciousness purified completely, having attained sattva by performance of prescribed duties, by the path of the sun they attain the perfect Lord, controller of higher and lower beings, the material and efficient cause of the universe. SB 3.32.5-7
By this gradually path, the person attains liberation along with Brahmā. Śruti2 says:
brahmaṇā saha te sarve/ saṁprāpte pratisañcare
parasyānte kṛtātmānaḥ/ praviśasti paraṁ padam
Those who are on Brahma-loka with exalted status at the time of dissolution go directly to the supreme abode, along with Lord Brahmā. Kūrma Purāṇa 1.11.284