The Bhagavata Purana

by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 780,972 words | ISBN-10: 8120838203 | ISBN-13: 9788120838208

This page describes Liberation by the Yogic Path: Instantaneous and Gradual Liberation which is chapter 2 of the English translation of the Bhagavata Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas containing roughly 18,000 metrical verses. Topics include ancient Indian history, religion, philosophy, geography, mythology, etc. The text has been interpreted by various schools of philosophy. This is the second chapter of the Second Skandha of the Bhagavatapurana.

Chapter 2 - Liberation by the Yogic Path: Instantaneous and Gradual Liberation

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. By the grace of Hari who was pleased with the contemplation (dhāraṇā) as described in the previous Chapter, god Brahmā (the self-born)[1] regained his memory[2] which was lost at the time of the deluge[3] (pralaya). Determined to create[4] (the world again), he (god Brahmā), with unerring insight, created the world again as (it was) before the deluge.

2[5]. Such is the path of verbal Brahman (the Vedas) that (as a result of the fruits of karmas promised therein) the mind (wishfully) contemplates over the unmeaningful words (lit. names like heaven—svarga—etc.). Like a person who sees (empty) dreams (of pleasure) due to the impressions (left in the sub-conscience or deep mind), he, believing that there is happiness in the path of Māyā (Illusion), wanders (in various Iokas—heavens etc. without getting real happiness) but does not realize his objectives, viz. unalloyed bliss (of Liberation).

3. [He explains away the doubt or difficulty that the absolute renunciation of the fruits of karmas would lead to instantaneous death].

Hence a thoughtful person[6] should accept that much quantity of objects of enjoyment as is essential for his purpose (of sustaining his life). He should not be attached (even to those objects so accepted) and be convinced (that there is no real happiness in them). When his object is otherwise achieved, he should see (understand) the (wasteful) labour (for attaining them) and should not make attempt for them.

4. When the earth is there, what is the propriety of efforts for bed? There is no necessity of pillows when (one is naturally) equipped with arms. When the hollow of folded hands is available, various kinds of vessels for food are superfluous. The silken cloths are unnecessary when the directions (cardinal points), bark-garments etc. are there.

5. Are there no tattered cloths(lying) on the way? Do not trees which support others (with their fruits etc.) give alms? Are the rivers dried up (devoid of water)? Are caves (in mountains) closed? Doesnot the unconquered Lord (Hari) protect those who seek his refuge? Why should the wise serve persons blinded with the pride of their wealth?

6.[7] In this way, having fully realized the truth, and become full of bliss, one should meditate on the Soul (ātman) who is automatically existent in the heart, and who (being one’s own) is lovable and real and who is the eternal (deathless) glorious Lord. Herein lies the end of nescience which is the cause of the transmigration of the Soul (saṃsāra) and (leads to blissful liberation.)

7. When one sees people fallen in the river Vaitaraṇī[8] (of saṃsāra—worldly existence) and undergoing different types of sufferings as consequences of their past deeds, who else but the beast (the most dullard person) will neglect concentration on the Supreme Soul and indulge in evil concentration of worldly objects.

8. After concentration, some meditate upon the (Supreme) Man, spanful in height, dwelling in the inner space of the heart in the interior of their own body, and who has four arms holding (in each) a lotus, a disc, a conch and a mace.

9. As long as the mind remains steady in concentration, one should gaze fixedly on this Supreme Lord who manifests himself in meditation.

10. The Lord of gracious looks[9], whose eyes are large like a lotus, whose garments are tawnish like the filaments of the kadamba flowers, who wears gold bracelets shining with precious jewels and whose diadem and ear-rings are set with radiant precious stones.

11. The Lord whose sprout-like (tender) feet are installed by great yogins in the receptacle, at the centre of the fullblown lotus in the form of their heart[10], who bears the special mark of the Goddess of Wealth (called Śrīvatsa, on his left breast) and who wears the jewel called Kaustubha in his neck and who is beautified by garland of forest flowers (vanamālā) of unfading charm.

12. (The Lord) who is adorned with very costly anklets, bracelets, girdle, rings and such other ornaments (studded with precious jewels and whose countenance is lovely on account of glossy, clean bluish ringlets of hair, is beaming with captivating smile.

13. (The Lord) who suggests his unlimited grace (to his devotees) by the free, sportive smile, and by the movement of his eyebrows in casting glances askance.[11]

14. Step by step one should concentrate by his decisive intellect, the parts of the body of Lord Kṛṣṇa (lit. the wielder of the mace), from his feet to his smiling countenance. As one’s intellect gets purified, he should proceed from the part of his body realized in meditation (lit. conquered), and concentrate on the part of His body above it, the previous part.

15. So long as intense devotion (characterised by love for the Lord) is not generated in the Lord of the Universe, to whom gods are inferior, one should devoutly concentrate on the huge form of the han, after the completion of his daily religious routine.

16. Oh beloved king, when the recluse (i.e. the follower of the Path of Bhakti) desires to leave this world, he should adopt steady, comfortable posture and having controlled his breath (vital airs) he should not be attached, (i.e. take into account) time or period (such as summer solstice Uttarāyaṇa) or place (e.g. a holy place on the bank of the Ganges etc.).

17. Having controlled one’s mind by purified intellect, one should absorb it into kṣetrajña and merge it (kṣetrajña) into the Soul and having merged one’s Soul into the Supreme Soul or Brahman, the wise person should cease from all activity, and should stay in tranquillity or peace.

18. For, Time, which dominates gods, is powerless there (in the highest stage), much less are gods who control the world, are dominant there. There is absence of the attributes, viz. sattva, rajas and tamas (from which the world is created). There is neither self-sense (ahaṃkāra) nor the principal called mahat nor prakṛti (the primordial substance).

19.[12] They, who, realizing that whatever is different from it (Supreme Soul), is not really existent, are desirous of abandoning it, and who, avoiding the misconcept of the identification of the Soul with the body etc., hug closely every moment to the feet of venerable Lord, by their heart, and their affection to nobody else but to him, regard that the abode of Viṣṇu is the ultimate one (to be achieved).

20. The meditative sage who is convinced (of his complete identity with Brahman) and who has burnt up all his attachments, by the power of the insight derived from the knowledge of Śāstras, passes away thus. He should press his anus and lift up his vital air from that to the six places (cakras) described in Yoga-Śāstra, and rise above fatigue.

21. He should carry up the vital air residing in the navel (the maṇipūra cakra indicated thereby) and take it to the heart (i.e. the anāhata cakra). Then by the course of udāna (the vital air which rises up the throat and enters into the head), he should take it to the viśuddha cakra (located a little below the throat). The mind controlling yogin, with great concentration and restraint, should slowly take it (vital air) to the root of his palate.

22. From that place (cakra), he should lift up the vital air to the ājñā cakra located between the two eyebrows, and with the seven outlets of the breath (viz. 2 ears, 2 eyes, 2 nostrils and mouth) closed down, and being free from all desires, he should stay for half of a muhūrta (about 24 minutes) or so. With a fixed gaze, he should penetrate through the crown of the head (called brahma-randhra) and give up the body and merge with Brahman.

23. Oh king! If he desires to go to the place of god Brahmā, or to the sporting grounds or places of enjoyment of the heavenly beings, or for the mastery of the eight superhuman faculties[13], or anywhere in the universe, he should go along with his mind and subtle organs of senses.[14]

24. They say that the masters of yoga who have placed their subtle body (liṅga-śarīra) into vāyu (or mind), possess the power of going anywhere inside and outside the three worlds. Persons (who follow the path of karma) do not attain by their karmas to that power which is attained by those who are engaged in devotion, penance, yoga and meditation.

25. By passing through the sky, he first goes to the place of the divine fire (vaiśvānara).[15] By the path of suṣumṇā [this tubular path is extended beyond human body, according to Bhāvāratha Dīpikā], he goes by the shining path of Brahman and becomes completely free from impurity or attachment. Above that is the asterial cakra pertaining to Hari. Oh king! the yogin then proceeds to that cakra called śaiśumāra [which will be described in detail in the V Skandha].

25. Having crossed the place of Visṇu called śaiśumāra cakra which is like the navel of the universe (supporting stars etc.), he proceeds alone with very pure atomic body (subtle liṅga-śarīra) to a place where persons who know Brahman stay, and where having the longevity of one kalpa, these wise men enjoy themselves.

26. Then (at the end of the kalpa), seeing the universe being burnt down by the fire proceeding out of the mouth of the serpent Śeṣa, he (i.e. yogin) proceeds to the abode of parameṣṭhin where the great siddhas stay in their celestial vehicles for a period of two parārdhas[16].

27. There is neither sorrow nor old age nor death nor affliction or fear except their mental trouble, out of compassion, at the sight of the endless series of births and unending misery of those who do not know this (path of devotion).

28.[17] Then fearlessly the yogin steadily unites his liṅga-śarīra with the elements—the subtle pṛthvī, and then the subtle element of water, and assuming the resplendent form of fire, without any haste, he reaches Vāyu and assumes the Vāyu form; then he becomes one with Ākāśa, the prominent symbol of the Perfect Soul.

29. Having reached smell by the sense of smell, taste by the sense of taste, colour by the visual organ, and touch by the sense of touch, sound, the special property of the sky, by the sense of hearing, the yogin reaches the activities of sense organs by means of the vital air (called prāṇa).

30. At first, having reached the self-sense (ahaṃkāra)—called vikārya, because its functions are different, he thus reaches- where the subtle elements (bhūtas) and (subtle) organs of senses- are withdrawn, and which is the cause of the mental (rājasa- manomaya) effects as well as of the presiding deities of the organs of senses—the sāttvic self-sense (ahaṃkāra), the Yogi proceeds to the principle called mahat (or vijñāna) along with ahaṃkāra and to pradhāna or prakṛti (primordial matter) into which all the three attributes are merged.

31. Oh beloved King! Ultimately the yogin who is serene, in perfect bliss and free from (limiting) conditions, reaches the changeless Paramātman who is bliss incarnate. He who has achieved this glorious divine goal, does not have any attachment to the world again.

32. Oh King! These two paths (viz. of instantaneous Liberation and gradual Liberation) which are described in the Vedas and about which you enquired, are eternal. These were taught by the venerable Lord Viṣṇu to god Brahmā when, in. ancient days, he worshipped and delighted the Lord, and asked him about those paths.

33. To the entrant in the worldly existence (saṃsāra), there is no other blessed path than this, by practising which, intense devotion unto the Supreme Lord Vāsudeva is created.

34. Lord Brahmā, having thrice studied the entire Veda with concentration, conclusively decided the course whereby intense love to the soul (Hari) is (definitely) generated.

35. In all beings (or the creation consisting of elements) the Lord Hari is seen (as the inner dweller—controller—antaryāmin) by intellect and other organs of senses (which by themselves are inert and cannot function without the light of the self-luminous soul or Hari), and which are merely characteristics or useful, as tools of inference.

36. Hence, Oh King, in all places and at all times, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the only object worthy of being studied, sung and remembered by men, with all their heart.

37. Those who drink this nectar, i. e. the account of glorious Hari, the Lord of the pious people, with vessels, in the form of ears, get their minds purified of the contamination of the worldly objects, and attain to his lotus-like feet.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ātma-yoni [yoniḥ]—One born from the Supreme Soul—Kramasandarbha.

[2]:

Bhāgavata Candrikā raises the objection that the occupant of the post of Brahmā is changed after the period of a Kalpa. The word ‘memory’ (smṛti) should be interpreted here as ‘the knowledge of the procedure of creation (sarga-viṣayaka-jñānamātra-paraḥ). Bhāgavata Candrikā endorses this interpretation. Bhāgavata Candrikā explains that god Brahmā, by his penance, could see things in their formative stage and could thus create them again, in this world.

[3]:

purā: (i) At the time of the previous deluge—Bhāgavata Candrikā

(ii) At the time of initial creation—Padaratnāvalī

(iii) After the periodic deluge—Subodhinī

[4]:

vyavasāya-buddhi [buddhiḥ]—

(1) Possessing resolute (conclusive) understanding—SR.

(11) Having the knowledge of the nature of the definite object of memory—Bhāgavata Candrikā

[5]:

Other commentators agree in general about the substance of this verse. They, however, interpret some words differently. For example, Siddhāntapradīpa:

“The intellect or mind of the follower of karma-path longingly broods over names and forms (viz.wife. children etc.) unconnected with (liberation, the highest) goal of life, wanders in this ordinary world of Māyā and gets his objects in life (pleasures of the world according to his karmas) but not the yogic attainment (Liberation).”

The substance of Padaratnāvalī’s explanation is as follows:

The main subject of voluminously worded Veda is (the description etc.) of Hari. The individual Soul who, due to the result of his acts (karmas), wanders through this transmigration of births and deaths (in this saṃsāra which is the creation of God’s will), contemplates in mind on unmeaningful words like Indra. These names are meaningless as they do not have the unlimited power etc. connoted by them. Hence one does not get the objects coveted in life by adoring them. Due to the study etc. (of the karma-kāṇḍa in the Vedas) the mind is filled with empty names like heaven (svarga) etc. But sucḥ a person is attached to the world which is created by Māyā and does not achieve the real Puruṣārtha, i.e. mokṣa or liberation.

[6]:

Kaviḥ [Kavi] (i) Omniscient—Padaratnāvalī

(ii) One who judges what is to be accepted or rejected—Siddhāntapradīpa, Bālaprabodhini

[7]:

Padaratnāvalī’s interpretation:

When (by means of the previously described Path) the mind becomes controlled and quiet by the grace of Hari, the self-dependent Lord, one (the devotee) should realize that the Supreme Soul is far more lovable than one’s own body, kinsmen and other things and should resort to him so intensely that one’s hair would stand on their ends. This leads not only to the end of Nescience, the cause of Saṃsāra but also to the blissful stage of mokṣa (liberation).

[8]:

Vaitaraṇī: The river of hell which must be crossed before entering the infernal regions. It is supposed to be full of blood and all kinds of filth and to run with great impetuosity—DHM. 332.

[9]:

prasanna-vaktra [vaktraṃ]: Ever ready to favour the devotee with grace—Bhāgavata Candrikā,Subodhinī

[10]:

Probably the yogic anāhata cakra in the cardiac plexus. This is specially useful for meditation in the case of the followers of bhakti Path—Pātañjala Yoga Pradīpa (Pātañjala Yoga Pradīpa), Gita Press, p.252, 5th Edition.

[11]:

The and line is translated at the beginning of this group.

[12]:

According to Siddhāntapradīpa: One should cease from all activity, embracing closely by heart the feet, i.e. the form of the venerable Viṣṇu every moment, and set aside the myth of one’s independent existence apart from Brahman. For the Vedāntas, (i.e. the Upaniṣads) which deal with nothing else but Brahman, and which exhort that whatever is not Brahman is unreal, and should be abandoned, regard the form of Viṣṇu as the most sublime.

According to Padaratnāvalī: That excel lent world is the most exalted place of Viṣṇu on whom devotees seeking liberation from the worldly existence, (i.e. the cycle of births and deaths) meditate and know him to be different from the elements (e.g. the earth, the ether) etc., or the subtle causes of these elements or their presiding deities. Thus they free themselves from worldly miseries and are fixed in firm devotion unto him. They embrace Lord Viṣṇu in their heart every moment and finally attain to him.

[13]:

These superhuman faculties are eight in number. They are enumerated as follows: atomization (yogin becoming atomsized); levitation becoming light); magnification, extension (the yogin can touch the moon with his finger), efficacy (non-obstruction of desire of the yogin); mastery over the elements; sovereignty over the working of the elements and their products; capacity of determining things according to desire—Vide for details The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali iii.45, pp. 278-280.

[14]:

Padaratnāvalī states that he goes to satya-loka as well. He increases his knowledge and attains the eight powers.

[15]:

This form of fire is supposed to cover in a way the universe. It is present in living beings in the form of digestion. In the universe, it gives heat and light, and thirdly he is the medium whereby the sages go to the abodes of gods, manes and Brahman.

It is supposed that the sage who leaves this mortal body by the piṅgalā passage in the right side of the body goes to heaven and the Path is called devayāna. Those who depart through the iḍā passage in the left side of the body, goto the abode of the manes, and the yogins who give up the body by the suṣumṇā passage, reach the Brahman. (Abridged from Padaratnāvalī)

[16]:

Parārdha= 100,000,000,000,000,000.

[17]:

According to Bhāvāratha Dīpikā, this verse describes what is technically known as the procedure of ‘breaking through the Universe or Brahmāṇḍa’. The creation of the universe has taken place as follows: God—>prakṛti—>mahat—>ahaṃkāra—the subtle form of the sound—>the element ether—>the tanmātrās (subtle elements) of touch—>Vāyu element—>subtle ‘form’—>the element fire—>the subtle taste—>the element water—>subtle smell—>the element earth. This is the virāṭ body. This is enveloped by seven ‘covers’: the covers of the five elements (e.g. earth, water etc.) and that of ahaṃkāra and mahat. So the process of breaking these envelopes is the reverse of creation, viz. the earth—the water etc. up to mahat.

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