VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 14
The Devotional Coherence of the Methods and the Meditation on Vishnu
(Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava)
In this chapter, Kṛṣṇa explains that devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the most excellent method of spiritual practice. He also speaks about the process of meditation.
Śrī Uddhava wanted to know which process of spiritual advancement is the best. He also desired to hear about the superexcellence of devotional service free from ulterior motives. The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied to him that the original process of religion revealed in the Vedas had become lost during the time of annihilation. At the beginning of the new creation, therefore, the Supreme Lord spoke it again to Brahmā. Brahmā repeated it to Manu, Manu spoke it to the sages headed by Bhṛgu Muni, and these sages in turn instructed this eternal religion to the demigods and demons. Because of the living entities' multitude of diverse desires, this system of religion was elaborately explained in different ways. Thus different philosophies arose, including various atheistic doctrines. Because the living entity, bewildered by illusion, is incapable of ascertaining his eternal benefit, he mistakenly identifies ordinary vows of penance, austerity, etc., to be the topmost spiritual practice. But the only true means of achieving happiness is to meditate on offering everything to the Supreme Lord. In this way one becomes free from all desires for selfish gratification through enjoyment of mundane sense objects, and he becomes released from all hankering for either enjoyment or liberation.
The Lord then proceeded to describe the superior process of devotional service, which destroys countless sinful reactions and produces many symptoms of spiritual happiness, such as the standing of the hairs on end. Pure devotion, having the power to purify the heart, enables one to achieve the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because the devotee is very dear to the Lord and is always close to Him, he is able in turn to purify the entire universe. By virtue of his unflinching devotion to the Lord, the devotee can never be completely diverted by the objects of sense enjoyment, even if he is not able to gain control over his senses in the beginning. One desiring to attain the perfection of life is advised to give up all material processes of elevation as well as the association of women. He should then merge his mind constantly in thought of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Finally, the Lord instructed Śrī Uddhava about the true object of meditation.
11.14.1
(1) S'rî Uddhava said: 'Krishna, are the many processes for spiritual advancement that the defenders of the Absolute Truth speak of, supreme in their combination or is else one of them the most important?
In order to clearly establish the exalted position of bhakti-yoga, or pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Śrī Uddhava requests Lord Kṛṣṇa to identify the supreme among all processes of self-realization. Not all Vedic processes lead directly to the ultimate goal, pure love of God; some only gradually elevate the consciousness of the living entity. For the purpose of giving a general outline of the process of self-realization, sages may discuss the various methods of elevation. But when the time comes to ascertain the most perfect process, the secondary methods must be cleared from the path.
11.14.2
bhavatodāhṛtaḥ svāmin
bhakti-yogo 'napekṣitaḥ
(2) By You has clearly been stated o Master, how bhakti-yoga, by which the mind gets fixed upon You, without cherishing desires to it in all respects removes the suffering of the [fear-arousing, temporary] material state.'
It is now clearly established that pure devotional service is the supreme process for fixing the mind in the Supreme Truth, Lord Kṛṣṇa. The next point to be clarified is this: Can everyone practice this process, or is it limited to an elite class of transcendentalists? In discussing the relative advantages of different spiritual processes, one must immediately ascertain the goal of spiritual life and then isolate the process that actually awards this goal. Processes must be defined in terms of primary and secondary functions. A method that gives one the highest perfection is primary, whereas processes that merely assist or enhance the primary function are considered secondary. The mind is most flickering and unsteady; therefore by clear intelligence one must fix oneself in a progressive mode of life, and thus one can achieve the Absolute Truth in this lifetime. This is the sober purpose of Lord Kṛṣṇa's conversation with Śrī Uddhava.
11.14.3
(3) The Supreme Lord said: 'This message consisting of the Vedas that by the influence of time was lost at the time of annihilation, was at the time of creation by Me spoken to Brahmâ. It contains the dharma of acting according to My will [see also 3.9: 29-43].
11.14.4
tato bhṛgv-ādayo 'gṛhṇan
(4) Brahmâ spoke this to his eldest son Manu. The seven great sages of spiritual knowing headed by Bhrigu accepted it on their turn from Manu [see 8.1 & 8.13 and B.G. 4: 1-3].
11.14.5-7
rakṣaḥ-kimpuruṣādayaḥ
bahvyas teṣāḿ prakṛtayo
(5-7) From the forefathers that they were, were there the descendants: the godly and the demoniac, the S'iva followers, the human beings, the perfected and the singers of heaven, the scientific and the venerable. From rajas, tamas and sattva [the gunas] generated the many different natures of the different humanoids [Kimdevas], the half-humans [Kinnaras], the snake-like [Nâgas], the wild men [the Râkshasas], and the ape-like [Kimpurushas]. From the living entities who by their propensities are divided in so many forms and as many leaders, flowed [like rivers from a mountain] the diversity of rituals and mantras.
11.14.8
pāṣaṇḍa-matayo 'pare
(8) Thus are due to the great variety of natures the philosophies of life among the human beings divided. In that constitute some of those philosophies traditions of disciplic succession while others are heretical [pâshanda].
this verse describes the varieties of forgetfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The different Vedic mantras and rituals are especially meant for the different species of intelligent beings throughout the universe; but this proliferation of Vedic formulas indicates only the variety of material illusion and not a variety of ultimate purpose. The ultimate purpose of the many Vedic injunctions is one — to know and love the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself is emphatically explaining this to Śrī Uddhava.
11.14.9
puruṣāḥ puruṣarṣabha
śreyo vadanty anekāntaḿ
(9) People whose intelligence is bewildered by My illusory power, o best of persons, express themselves in countless ways about what according to their own karma and taste would be better.
Unlike the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the individual living entity is not omniscient, therefore his activities and pleasures do not represent the whole truth. According to one's individual way of doing things (yathā-karma) and one's personal preference (yathā-ruci), one speaks to others about what is good for them. Everyone thinks, "What is good for me is good for everyone." Actually, the best thing for everyone is to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and thus realize one's eternal nature of bliss and knowledge. Without knowledge of the Absolute Truth, many so-called learned people are whimsically advising other whimsical people who also lack perfect knowledge of the actual goal of life.
v11.14.10
(10) Some speak in favor of pious activities while others speak of fame, sense-gratification, truthfulness, self-control and peacefulness. Some propound self-interest, political influence, renunciation or consumption while other people defend sacrifice, penance, charity, vows and arrangements of do's and don'ts [yama-niyama].
11.14.11
duḥkhodarkās tamo-niṣṭhāḥ
(11) With an inevitable beginning and an end to the meager ends gained with one's karma is there the prospect of misery as a consequence. Situated in ignorance is one wretched full of complaints.
Those who have grasped temporary material things, mistaking them to be ultimate reality, are not considered very intelligent by anyone except themselves. Such foolish persons are always in anxiety because by the laws of nature the very fruits of their work are constantly being transformed in ways neither desired nor expected. The performer of Vedic rituals can elevate himself to heavenly planets, whereas one who is atheistic has the privilege of transferring himself to hell. The entire panorama of material existence is actually uninteresting and dull (mandāḥ). One can make no real progress within the material world; therefore one should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and prepare oneself to go back home, back to Godhead.
11.14.12
mayy arpitātmanaḥ sabhya
kutaḥ syād viṣayātmanām
(12) Someone who has fixed his consciousness upon Me, o learned one, and in every respect is free from material desires, knows the happiness of My spiritual body. How can such a happiness ever be attained by those who are attached to sense-gratification [see 4.31: 12]?
The actual purport of Vedic knowledge is explained in this verse. The word viṣayātmanām includes those who are cultivating material peace of mind, self-control and speculative philosophy. But even if such persons rise to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, they do not attain perfection, because sattva-guṇa, being material, is also part and parcel of māyā, or illusion. As stated by Śrī Nārada Muni,
kiḿ vā yogena sāńkhyena
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not inclined to award Himself even to one who executes the yoga system, speculative philosophy, the renounced order of life or Vedic studies. Indeed, no so-called materially auspicious process can induce the Lord to reveal Himself." (Bhāg. 4.31.12) According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, one enjoys the happiness spoken of in this verse while associating, in one's own spiritual body, with the supreme transcendental form of the Lord. The Lord's transcendental form is filled with infinite, wonderful qualities, and the happiness of being with the Lord is unlimited. Unfortunately, materialistic people cannot possibly imagine such happiness, since they are not at all inclined to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
11.14.13
(13) The one who does not desire, who's of peace controlling his senses, whose consciousness is equal whatever the circumstances and who has a mind that is completely satisfied with Me, is filled with happiness wherever he goes.
11.14.14
na sārvabhaumaḿ na rasādhipatyam
mayy arpitātmecchati mad vinānyat
(14) Someone who has fixed his consciousness on Me, Me and nothing but Me, does not desire the position of Brahmâ, nor the position of Indra, neither he wants an empire on earth or a sovereign position in the lower worlds, nor he desires the perfections [the siddhis] of yoga or a second birth does he desire who has fixed his consciousness in Me, Me and nothing else [see e.g. 5.1: 6].
The position of the akiñcana pure devotee is described in this verse. Śrī Priyavrata Mahārāja is an example of a great devotee who was not interested in universal sovereignty because his love was completely absorbed in the lotus feet of the Lord. Even the greatest material enjoyment appears most insignificant and useless to a pure devotee of the Lord.
11.14.15
(15) Nor the one born from My body [Brahmâ], nor S'ankara [S'iva], nor Sankarshana [Balarâma], nor the goddess of fortune [S'rî], nor even My own Self is as dear to Me as you are [see also B.G. 12: 20].
The Lord has described in the previous verses the unalloyed love of His pure devotees for Him, and now the Lord describes His love for His devotees. Ātma-yoni means Lord Brahmā, who is born directly from the Lord's body. Lord Śiva always gives great pleasure to Lord Kṛṣṇa by his constant meditation upon Him, and Sańkarṣaṇa, or Balarāma, is the Lord's brother in kṛṣṇa-līlā. The goddess of fortune is the Lord's wife, and the word ātmā here indicates the Lord's own self as the Deity. None of these personalities — even the Lord's own self — are as dear to Him as His pure devotee Uddhava, an akiñcana devotee of the Lord. Śrīla Madhvācārya cites from Vedic literature the example that a gentleman sometimes neglects his own interest and that of his children to give charity to a poor beggar. Similarly, the Lord gives preference to a helpless devotee who depends completely on His mercy. The only way to obtain the Lord's mercy is through His causeless love, and the Lord is most lovingly inclined toward those devotees who are most dependent on Him, just as ordinary mothers and fathers worry more about their helpless children than about those who are self-sufficient. Thus even if one lacks any material qualification, one should simply depend upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without any other interest, and surely one will achieve the highest perfection of life.
11.14.16
pūyeyety ańghri-reṇubhiḥ
(16) The sage who without personal desire is of peace, not inimical to anyone and of an equal vision I always follow closely so that there is purification by the dust of the lotusfeet [see also 7.14: 17].
11.14.17
niṣkiñcanā mayy anurakta-cetasaḥ
(17) Not after sense-gratification being of a mind that is constantly attached to Me, experience the great souls who are of inner peace and care for all individual souls whose consciousness is not ruled by lusts, My happiness that can not be known but by complete detachment.
The pure devotees always experience transcendental bliss in their service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of pleasure; thus they are completely detached from material pleasure and do not desire even liberation. Since all others have some personal desire, they cannot experience such happiness. Pure devotees always desire to give Kṛṣṇa conscious happiness to all others, and therefore they are called mahāntaḥ, or great souls. In the course of a devotee's service, many opportunities for sense gratification arise, but a pure devotee is not tempted or attracted and does not fall down from his exalted transcendental position.
11.14.18
bādhyamāno 'pi mad-bhakto
viṣayair ajitendriyaḥ
viṣayair nābhibhūyate
(18) Even though being harassed by sensual desires is the devotee of Mine who did not conquer the senses - that as a rule are effective and strong - by dint of his devotion not defeated by that type of influence [see also 1.5: 17, 8.7: 44, 11.13: 12 and B.G. 9: 30, 2: 62-64].
11.14.19
yathāgniḥ su-samṛddhārciḥ
uddhavaināḿsi kṛtsnaśaḥ
(19) Just as firewood because of the blazing flames of a fire turns into ashes, devotion similarly with Me as the object burns the sins completely, o Uddhava.
11.14.20
yathā bhaktir mamorjitā
(20) The yoga system nor analytical philosophy, Uddhava, pious activities nor vedic study, austerity nor renunciation get a grip on Me as much as a strongly developed devotional service for My sake.
11.14.21
(21) My grace is obtained by single-minded devotion with faith in the Soul as the object of love. With Me [that Supreme Soul] as the only One will the bhakti of the truthful ones even purify those who eat dogs from the matters of their birth.
Sambhavāt indicates jāti-doṣāt, or the pollution of low birth. Jāti-doṣa does not refer to mundane social, economic or professional status, but rather to one's degree of spiritual enlightenment. All around the world, many people are born into rich and powerful families, but they often acquire abominable habits that are part of their so-called family tradition. However, even unfortunate persons who are taught from birth to engage in sinful activities can at once be purified by the potency of pure devotional service. Such service must have Lord Kṛṣṇa as the only goal (man-niṣṭhā), must be rendered with full faith (śraddhayā), and must be unalloyed, or without any selfish motivation (ekayā).
11.14.22
mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaḿ
(22) Sure enough neither dharma endowed with truthfulness and mercy, nor knowledge endowed with austerity will purify one's consciousness fully when [one is] bereft of devotional service unto Me.
Although pious religious work, truthfulness, mercy, penances and knowledge partially purify one's existence, they do not take out the root of material desires. Thus the same desires will reappear at a later time. After an extensive program of material gratification, one becomes eager to perform austerities, acquire knowledge, perform selfless work and in general purify one's existence. After sufficient piety and purification, however, one again becomes eager for material enjoyment. When clearing an agricultural field one must uproot the unwanted plants, otherwise with the coming of rain everything will grow back as it was. Pure devotional service to the Lord uproots one's material desires, so that there is no danger of relapsing into a degraded life of material gratification. In the eternal kingdom of God, loving reciprocation between the Lord and His devotees is manifest. One who has not come to this stage of enlightenment must remain on the material platform, which is always full of discrepancies and contradictions. Thus everything is incomplete and imperfect without loving service to the Lord.
11.14.23
vinānandāśru-kalayā
śudhyed bhaktyā vināśayaḥ
(23) How can without bhakti one's hair stand on end, without loving service the heart melt, without devotion the tears flow, the bliss be and one's consciousness be purified?
Loving service to the Lord is the only process that can completely purify one's consciousness; such service produces waves of ecstatic love that completely cleanse the soul. As mentioned earlier by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Śrī Uddhava, other processes such as self-control, pious activities, mystic yoga, penances, etc., certainly purify the mind, as stated in many authorized literatures. Such processes, however, do not completely remove the desire to perform forbidden activities. But pure devotional service rendered in love of Godhead is so powerful that it burns to ashes any obstacle encountered on the path of progress. The Lord has stated in this chapter that loving service to Him is a blazing fire that burns to ashes all impediments. In contrast, the small fires of mental speculation or mystic yoga can be extinguished by sinful desires at any moment. Thus, by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one should ignite the blazing fire of loving service to the Lord and burn to ashes the network of material illusion.
11.14.24
rudaty abhīkṣṇaḿ hasati kvacic ca
(24) By the one whose speech chokes up, the heart melts, there times and again are wet tears and of whom there sometimes is laughter, by the one of whom there is unashamed singing out aloud and there is dancing in the connectedness of My bhakti, is the universe purified [see also S'rî S'rî S'ikshâshthaka and 11.2: 40].
Vāg gadgadā refers to a highly emotional state in which the throat is choked up and one cannot express oneself. Vilajjaḥ indicates that a devotee sometimes feels embarrassment due to bodily functions and memories of past sinful activities. In this condition, a devotee loudly cries out the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and sometimes dances in ecstasy. As stated here, such a devotee purifies the three worlds.
By melting of the heart, one becomes very steady in spiritual life. Normally, one whose heart easily melts is thought to be unsteady; but because Lord Kṛṣṇa is the stable foundation of all existence, one whose heart melts in love of Kṛṣṇa becomes most stable and cannot be disturbed by opposing arguments, bodily suffering, mental problems, supernatural disasters or the interference of envious persons. Because such a devotee is fixed in loving service to the Lord, he becomes the very heart of the Personality of Godhead.
11.14.25
(25) Just like gold that smelted in fire gives up impurities and returns to its original state is also from the spirit soul the contamination of karma removed when one in My loving service is worshiping Me.
11.14.26
yathā yathātmā parimṛjyate 'sau
cakṣur yathaivāñjana-samprayuktam
(26) As much as the power to see restores once the eye is treated with ointment, the spirit soul that was cleansed by hearing and chanting the pious narrations about Me, the same way sees again the One Subtle Essence.
The Lord is called sūkṣmam because He is pure spiritual consciousness, without any tinge of material energy. If one chants and hears the holy name and glories of Kṛṣṇa with great sincerity, there is immediately a transcendental effect. We can immediately see the spiritual world and pastimes of the Lord if we fully surrender to the process mentioned here. A blind person feels perpetual gratitude to a doctor who restores his sight. Similarly, we sing cakṣu-dāna dila ye, janme janme prabhu sei: the bona fide spiritual master, the representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa, restores our spiritual sight, and thus he is our eternal lord and master.
11.14.27
mayy eva pravilīyate
(27) The consciousness of someone meditating the objects of the senses is entangled in the sense experience [see B.G. 2: 62-63]; even so is the mind systematically absorbed in Me when one keeps thinking of Me.
One should not think that one can attain complete transcendental knowledge of Kṛṣṇa by mechanically engaging in worship of the Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa states here that one must endeavor constantly to keep the Lord within one's mind. Anusmarataḥ, or constant remembrance, is possible for one who always chants and hears the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is therefore stated, śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam: the process of devotional service begins with hearing (śravaṇam) and chanting (kīrtanam), from which remembrance (smaraṇam) develops. One who constantly thinks of the objects of material gratification becomes attached to them; similarly, one who constantly keeps Lord Kṛṣṇa within his mind becomes absorbed in the Lord's transcendental nature and thus becomes qualified to render personal service to the Lord in His own abode.
11.14.28
tasmād asad-abhidhyānaḿ
(28) Therefore are the material preoccupations as figments a dream to be forsaken in Me, as completely absorbed in My love the mind is purified.
The word bhāvitam means "caused to be." As explained in Bhagavad-gītā, material existence is an unstable platform subject to the constant disturbances of creation and annihilation. One who absorbs his consciousness in Kṛṣṇa, however, attains to Kṛṣṇa's nature and is therefore described as mad-bhāva-bhāvitam, or one situated in real existence because of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Lord here concludes His analysis of different processes of human perfection.
11.14.29
cintayen mām atandritaḥ
(29) Giving up being intimate with women [to have intercourse with them, with others or otherwise] and keeping far from the company of womanizers should one, mastering the self, sit at ease in seclusion and with great care concentrate on Me [see also 11.8: 13-14 *].
One who has intimate contact with women and becomes attached to them will gradually lose his determination to go back home, back to Godhead. Association with lusty men gives exactly the same result. Therefore, one is advised to be fearless and to sit down in a solitary place, or a place where there are no lusty men and women committing spiritual suicide. Without fear of failure or of unhappiness in life, one should remain with sincere devotees of the Lord. Atandrita means that one should not compromise this principle but should be rigid and cautious. All this is possible only for one who is ātmavān, or fixed in practical understanding of the eternal soul.
11.14.30
bandhaś cānya-prasańgataḥ
(30) No other attachment brings a man as much suffering and bondage as the attachment to women and the association with those who are attached to women [see also 1.4: 25, 5.5: 2, 5.13: 16, 6.9: 9, 7.12: 9, 9.14: 36, 9.19: 17, 10.10: 8, 10.51: 51, 10.60: 44-45 & 48].'
11.14.31
dhyāyen mumukṣur etan me
(31) S'rî Uddhava said: 'O Lotus-eyed One, how, of what nature and of what form should one's meditation be when one desires liberation? Please, can You speak to me about meditation?'
It has already been elaborately explained by the Supreme Lord that without loving devotional service rendered to Him in the association of devotees, no other process of self-realization will work. Therefore it may be asked why Uddhava is again referring to the system of meditation, dhyāna. The ācāryas explain that one cannot fully appreciate the beauty and perfection of bhakti-yoga unless one sees its superiority to all other processes. Through comparative analysis, the devotees become fully ecstatic in their appreciation of bhakti-yoga. It should also be understood that although Uddhava asks about those who aspire for liberation, he is not actually a mumukṣu, or salvationist; rather, he is asking questions for the benefit of those who are not on the platform of love of Godhead. Uddhava wants to hear this knowledge for his personal appreciation and so that those who pursue salvation, or liberation, can be protected and redirected to the path of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord.
11.14.32-33
sva-nāsāgra-kṛtekṣaṇaḥ
viparyayeṇāpi śanair
abhyasen nirjitendriyaḥ
(32-33) The Supreme Lord said: 'Sitting straight, erect and comfortable on a level seat, one should focus one's eyes on the tip of one's nose while placing one's hands in one's lap. The purifying of the different ways of breathing - one's inhaling, retaining, exhaling and the other way around - one should practice step by step while controlling one's senses [see prânâyâma, and B.G. 4: 29].
According to this procedure, the hands are to be placed palms upward, one on top of the other. Thus, one may practice prāṇāyāma through mechanical breath control in order to achieve steadiness of the mind. As stated in the yoga-śāstra, antar-lakṣyo bahir-dṛṣṭiḥ sthira-cittaḥ susańgataḥ: "The eyes, which generally see externally, must be turned inward, and thus the mind is steadied and fully controlled."
11.14.34
hṛdy avicchinam oḿkāraḿ
prāṇenodīrya tatrātha
(34) With the help of one's life breath [prâna] manifesting within the mind the sound AUM, one should guide that sound upwards, like the fibre of a lotus stalk, to vibrate it loudly [in the nose] like a ringing bell so as to reunite the vibrations of recitation [anusvâra **]
11.14.35
daśa-kṛtvas tri-ṣavaṇaḿ
māsād arvāg jitānilaḥ
. (35) The breathing thus joined with the Pranava [see also 9.14: 46] should carefully be repeated ten times, at sunrise, noon and sunset, so that after one month one will be in control of one's breath [***].
11.14.36-42
somāgnīn uttarottaram
vanamālā-vibhūṣitam
kaṭi-sūtrāńgadāyutam
prasāda-sumukhekṣanam
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyo
(36-42) With one's eyes half closed and sitting straight one should, alert inside for the supreme of liberation, concentrate on the lotus within the heart that is directed upwards. Within the whorl of its eight petals one should one after the other picture the sun, the moon and the fire. Within the fire one should consider My harmonious form so auspicious for meditation, that gentle and cheerful as it is, is endowed with four beautiful arms. Charming of beauty are the neck and the forehead, the pure smile as also the ears with the glowing shark shaped earrings. One should meditate upon the golden dress, the complexion with the color of a rain cloud, the curl on the chest where the goddess resides, the conch and the disc, the club and the lotus as also the beauty of the forest flower garland. One should meditate upon all the beautiful and charming parts of My body: the feet with their shining bells, the richly glowing Kaustubha gem, the shining crown and bracelets, the girdle and armlets, the merciful smile and the delicate glance. This, one should do by turning the mind away from the senses. This way one should with intelligence lead the charioteer [the soul, the master of intelligence], sober and grave, [with love] in the direction of My completeness.
Lord Kṛṣṇa here answers Uddhava's question concerning the correct procedure, nature and object of meditation for those desiring liberation.
11.14.43
ākṛṣyaikatra dhārayet
nānyāni cintayed bhūyaḥ
(43) With this exercise covering all parts should one next pull back one's consciousness and, focussing on one spot with disregard for the rest, again with love meditate upon the wonderful smile of the face.
11.14.44
(44) Thus having withdrawn the mind being established in the sky, should one with this focus give up on that also and having ascended to Me, not think of anything else anymore.
As one becomes established in pure consciousness, the duality of "I am meditating and this is the object of my meditation" vanishes, and one comes to the stage of spontaneous relationship with the Personality of Godhead. Every living entity is originally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and when that forgotten eternal relationship is revived one experiences remembrance of the Absolute Truth. In that stage, described here as mad-ārohaḥ, one no longer sees oneself as a meditator nor the Lord as a mere object of meditation, but rather one enters the spiritual sky for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in direct loving relationship with the Lord.
Uddhava originally inquired about the procedure of meditation for those desiring liberation. The word labdha-padam indicates that when one fixes the mind upon the Lord's face, one achieves full liberation. In the postliberation phase one then proceeds to render service to the original Personality of Godhead. By giving up the concept of being a meditator, one casts off the last small remnant of illusory energy and sees the Lord as He actually is.
11.14.45
(45) Thus fully absorbed in the consciousness sees the individual soul Me within the self and all selves within Me, the same way the sun's rays are united in the sun [see also B.G. 9: 29].
11.14.46
yuñjato yogino manaḥ
saḿyāsyaty āśu nirvāṇaḿ
(46) Of the yogi who most concentrated practices the meditation as mentioned will very soon the complete of the deluded state of mind of him who considers himself the owner, the knower and the doer, find its dissolution [compare: 2.2: 8-14].'
It is clearly seen in this chapter that haṭha-yoga, karma-yoga, rāja-yoga, etc., are part and parcel of bhakti-yoga and do not actually exist separately. The goal of life is Lord Kṛṣṇa, and one must eventually come to the stage of pure devotion if one desires to perfect one's meditation or yoga practice. In the mature stage of devotion, as described in this chapter, one becomes free from the artificial duality of meditator and object of meditation, and one spontaneously engages in hearing about and glorifying the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such activities of bhakti-yoga are natural because they spring from spontaneous love. When one revives one's original nature as the loving servitor of Lord Kṛṣṇa, other yoga processes cease to be interesting. Uddhava was a pure devotee even before the Lord began His instruction; therefore it was not expected that Uddhava would give up the supreme platform of being a personal associate of the Lord to take up the mechanical exercises of the yoga system. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is so elevated that even in the beginning stages of practice one is considered liberated, because all of one's activities are executed under proper guidance for the pleasure of the Lord. In the haṭha-yoga system one is concerned with bodily control, and in jñāna-yoga one is concerned with speculative knowledge. In both systems one endeavors selfishly, desiring to become a great yogī or a philosopher. Such egoistic activity is described in this verse as kriyā. One must give up the illusory designations of dravya, jñāna and kriyā and come to the prideless stage of loving service to the Lord.
Thus end of the Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava."
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