Vyasadev
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 9
Chapter 9
The Dynasty of Ams'umân
This chapter describes the history of the dynasty of Aḿśumān, up to Khaṭvāńga, and it also describes how Bhagīratha brought the water of the Ganges to this earth.
The son of Mahārāja Aḿśumān was Dilīpa, who tried to bring the Ganges to this world but who died without success. Bhagīratha, the son of Dilīpa, was determined to bring the Ganges to the material world, and for this purpose he underwent severe austerities. Mother Ganges, being fully satisfied by his austerities, made herself visible to him, wanting to give him a benediction. Bhagīratha then asked her to deliver his forefathers. Although mother Ganges agreed to come down to earth, she made two conditions: first, she wanted some suitable male to be able to control her waves; second, although all sinful men would be freed from sinful reactions by bathing in the Ganges, mother Ganges did not want to keep all these sinful reactions. These two conditions were subject matters for consideration. Bhagīratha replied to mother Ganges, "The Personality of Godhead Lord Śiva will be completely able to control the waves of your water, and when pure devotees bathe in your water, the sinful reactions left by sinful men will be counteracted." Bhagīratha then performed austerities to satisfy Lord Śiva, who is called Āśutoṣa because he is naturally satisfied very easily. Lord Śiva agreed to Bhagīratha's proposal to check the force of the Ganges. In this way, simply by the touch of the Ganges, Bhagīratha's forefathers were delivered and allowed to go to the heavenly planets.
The son of Bhagīratha was Śruta, the son of Śruta was Nābha, and Nābha's son was Sindhudvīpa. The son of Sindhudvīpa was Ayutāyu, and the son of Ayutāyu was Ṛtūparṇa, who was a friend of Nala. Ṛtūparṇa gave Nala the art of gambling and learned from him the art of aśva-vidyā. The son of Ṛtūparṇa was known as Sarvakāma, the son of Sarvakāma was Sudāsa, and his son was Saudāsa. The wife of Saudāsa was named Damayantī or Madayantī, and Saudāsa was also known as Kalmāṣapāda. Because of some defect in his fruitive activities, Saudāsa was cursed by Vasiṣṭha to become a Rākṣasa. While walking through the forest, he saw a brāhmaṇa engaged in sex with his wife, and because he had become a Rākṣasa he wanted to devour the brāhmaṇa. Although the brāhmaṇa's wife pleaded with him in many ways, Saudāsa devoured the brāhmaṇa, and the wife therefore cursed him, saying, "As soon as you engage in sex you will die." After twelve years, therefore, even though Saudāsa was released from the curse of Vasiṣṭha Muni, he remained sonless. At that time, with Saudāsa's permission, Vasiṣṭha impregnated Saudāsa's wife, Madayantī. Because Madayantī bore the child for many years but still could not give birth, Vasiṣṭha struck her abdomen with a stone, and thus a son was born. The son was named Aśmaka.
The son of Aśmaka was known as Bālika. He was protected from the curse of Paraśurāma because of being surrounded by many women, and therefore he is also known as Nārīkavaca. When the entire world was devoid of kṣatriyas, he became the original father of more kṣatriyas. He is therefore sometimes called Mūlaka. From Bālika, Daśaratha was born, from Daśaratha came Aiḍaviḍi, and from Aiḍaviḍi came Viśvasaha. The son of Viśvasaha was Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga. Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga joined the demigods in fighting the demons and was victorious, and the demigods therefore wanted to give him a benediction. But when the King inquired how long he would live and understood that his life would last only a few seconds more, he immediately left the heavenly planets and returned to his own abode by airplane. He could understand that everything in this material world is insignificant, and thus he fully engaged in worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari.
9.9.1
gańgānayana-kāmyayā
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Ams'umân for a long time doing penance with a desire to bring the Ganges down was unsuccessful and then died in due course of time.
9.9.2
dilīpas tat-sutas tadvad
bhagīrathas tasya sutas
(2) His son Dilîpa, like his father, couldn't do so either and also died a victim of time. Next was his son Bhagîratha in his penance of the greatest austerity.
9.9.3
śaśaḿsāvanato nṛpaḥ
(3) Unto him the goddess [of mother Gangâ] appeared who said: 'Very pleased as I am will I answer your prayers', and thus addressed seeing his wishes granted [that the Ganges would wash away the ashes, see 9.8: 28] bowed that ruler of man respectfully.
9.9.4
(4) [Mother Gangâ said:] 'Who is able to sustain the force of the waves with me falling down upon this earth? Unsustained I'd split open its surface, o master of men, and head for the lower worlds!
9.9.5
rājaḿs tatra vicintyatām
(5) Another reason for me not to head for the earth is, and please take this into account o King, that I of the people cleansing themselves with my water will have to wash away the sinfulness.'
The Supreme Personality of Godhead says:
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (Bg. 18.66) The Supreme Personality of Godhead can accept the reactions of anyone's sinful deeds and neutralize them because He is pavitra, pure, like the sun, which is never contaminated by any worldly infection. Tejīyasāḿ na doṣāya vahneḥ sama-bhujo yathā (Bhāg. 10.33.29). One who is very powerful is not affected by any sinful activity. But here we see that mother Ganges fears being burdened with the sins of the people in general who would bathe in her waters. This indicates that no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is able to neutralize the reactions of sinful deeds, whether one's own or those of others. Sometimes the spiritual master, after accepting a disciple, must take charge of that disciple's past sinful activities and, being overloaded, must sometimes suffer — if not fully, then partially — for the sinful acts of the disciple. Every disciple, therefore, must be very careful not to commit sinful activities after initiation. The poor spiritual master is kind and merciful enough to accept a disciple and partially suffer for that disciple's sinful activities, but Kṛṣṇa, being merciful to His servant, neutralizes the reactions of sinful deeds for the servant who engages in preaching His glories. Even mother Ganges feared the sinful reactions of the people in general and was anxious about how she would counteract the burden of these sins.
9.9.6
(6) S'rî Bhagîratha said: 'The saintly forsakers of the world who peaceful and expert to the rules deliver all, will take the sinfulness you thus accumulate away, because they bathing in your water carry within them the Defeat of all Sin, the Lord [see also 1.13: 10 and 6.1: 15].
Mother Ganges is available to everyone for bathing. Therefore, not only will sinful persons bathe in the Ganges water, but in Hardwar and other holy places where the Ganges flows, saintly persons and devotees will also bathe in the waters of the Ganges. Devotees and saintly persons advanced in the renounced order can deliver even the Ganges. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā (Bhāg. 1.13.10). Because saintly devotees always keep the Lord within the core of their hearts, they can perfectly cleanse the holy places of all sinful reactions. Therefore, people in general must always respectfully honor saintly persons. It is ordered that as soon as one sees a Vaiṣṇava, or even a sannyāsī, one should immediately offer respects to such a holy man. If one forgets to show respect in this way, one must observe a fast for that day. This is a Vedic injunction. One must be extremely careful to refrain from committing offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee or saintly person.
There are methods of prāyaścitta, or atonement, but they are inadequate to cleanse one of sinful reactions. One can be cleansed of sinful reactions only by devotional service, as stated in regard to the history of Ajāmila:
"Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive. He can do this simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays." (Bhāg. 6.1.15) If one is under the protection of a devotee and sincerely renders service unto him, by this process of bhakti-yoga one is certainly able to counteract all sinful reactions.
9.9.7
rudras tv ātmā śarīriṇām
(7) The god of destruction, Rudra, will sustain your force, for he is of the embodied beings the Supersoul in whom all the universe long and wide is situated as threads in cloth [*].'
The water of the Ganges is supposed to rest on the head of Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who sustains the entire universe by different potencies. Lord Śiva is described in the Brahma-saḿhitā (5.45):
"Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, but actually yogurt is constitutionally nothing but milk. Similarly, Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord Śiva for the special purpose of material transactions. I offer my obeisances at Lord Govinda's lotus feet." Lord Śiva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the same sense that yogurt is also milk although at the same time it is not milk. For the maintenance of the material world there are three incarnations — Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara (Lord Śiva). Lord Śiva is Viṣṇu in an incarnation for the mode of ignorance. The material world exists predominantly in the mode of ignorance. Therefore Lord Śiva is compared here to the longitude and latitude of the entire universe, which resembles a cloth woven of threads extending for both its length and breadth.
9.9.8
tapasātoṣayac chivam
kālenālpīyasā rājaḿs
tasyeśaś cāśv atuṣyata
(8) After this was said was he, the ruler, of penance with Lord S'iva; not wasting any time propitiated he the All-auspicious One so that the lordship indeed soon was satisfied, o King [**].
he words āśv atuṣyata indicate that Lord Śiva was satisfied very soon. Therefore another name for Lord Śiva is Āśutoṣa. Materialistic persons become attached to Lord Śiva because Lord Śiva bestows benedictions upon anyone and everyone very quickly, not caring to know how his devotees prosper or suffer. Although materialistic persons know that material happiness is nothing but another side of suffering, they want it, and to get it very quickly they worship Lord Śiva. We find that materialists are generally devotees of many demigods, especially Lord Śiva and mother Durgā. They do not actually want spiritual happiness, for it is almost unknown to them. But if one is serious about being happy spiritually, he must take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu, as the Lord personally demands:
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (Bg. 18.66)
9.9.9
tatheti rājñābhihitaḿ
dadhārāvahito gańgāḿ
(9) 'So be it', said Lord S'iva ever auspicious to all, after having been addressed by the king, and with great attention sustained he the Ganges that was pure of washing from Vishnu's toes [see also 5.17].
9.9.10
bhagīrathaḥ sa rājarṣir
(10) He Bhagîratha, the saintly king, brought her who could deliver the entire universe to the place where the ashes were of the bodies of his forefathers.
9.9.11
āsiñcat sagarātmajān
(11) Leading the way, driving a chariot at the speed of the wind, was he followed by her while she blessed all the countries with her holiness until she flowed over the burnt sons of Sagara.
9.9.12
(12) Even though the sons of Sagara were condemned for offending a brahmin, could the simple touch of her water with their remains only, make them reach the divine.
Mother Ganges is worshiped by the water of the Ganges: a devotee takes a little water from the Ganges and offers it back to the Ganges. When the devotee takes the water, mother Ganges does not lose anything, and when the water is offered back, mother Ganges does not increase, but in this way the worshiper of the Ganges is benefited. Similarly, a devotee of the Lord offers the Lord patraḿ puṣpaḿ phalaḿ toyam — a leaf, flower, fruit or water — in great devotion, but everything, including the leaf, flower, fruit and water, belongs to the Lord, and therefore there is nothing to renounce or to accept. One must simply take advantage of the bhakti process because by following this process one does not lose anything but one gains the favor of the Supreme Person.
9.9.13
bhasmībhūtāńga-sańgena
svar yātāḥ sagarātmajāḥ
(13) If Sagara's sons whose bodies burned to ashes went to heaven after contacting [the Ganges], then what would her effect be with those determined in vows who with faith and devotion worship the goddess?
9.9.14
svardhunyā yad ihoditam
ananta-caraṇāmbhoja-
(14) This miracle of her water now described is not such a supreme wonder at all, to cut the bondage is her natural ability because she emanates from the Lotus feet of the Eternal One.
It has actually been seen that anyone who regularly worships mother Ganges simply by bathing in her water keeps very good health and gradually becomes a devotee of the Lord. This is the effect of bathing in the water of the Ganges. Bathing in the Ganges is recommended in all Vedic śāstras, and one who takes to this path will certainly be completely freed from all sinful reactions. The practical example of this is that the sons of Mahārāja Sagara went to the heavenly planets when water from the Ganges merely touched the ashes of their burnt bodies.
9.9.15
chraddhayā munayo 'malāḥ
(15) Saintly people who in faith with their minds are of full attention, are purified despite of the difficulty to give it up with the three modes of nature; by them is the spiritual quality of the Supreme immediately achieved.
9.9.16-17
śruto bhagīrathāj jajñe
sindhudvīpas tatas tasmād
ayutāyus tato 'bhavat
ṛtūparṇo nala-sakho
dattvākṣa-hṛdayaḿ cāsmai
(16-17) From Bhagîratha was a son born named S'ruta, of him there was Nâbha - different from the one I before described [see 5.3] - and from Nâbha was born Sindhudvîpa of whom thereafter Ayutâyu was born. His son Ritûparna was a friend of Nala. From Nala he received the art of training horses in exchange for secrets of gambling. Ritûparna had a son named Sarvakâma.
Gambling is also an art. Kṣatriyas are allowed to exhibit talent in this art of gambling. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, the Pāṇḍavas lost everything by gambling and were deprived of their kingdom, wife, family and home because they were not expert in the gambling art. In other words, a devotee may not be expert in materialistic activities. It is therefore advised in the śāstra that materialistic activities are not at all suitable for the living entities, especially the devotees. A devotee should therefore be satisfied to eat whatever is sent as prasāda by the Supreme Lord. A devotee remains pure because he does not take to sinful activities such as gambling, intoxication, meat-eating and illicit sex.
9.9.18
vasiṣṭha-śāpād rakṣo 'bhūd
(18) From him there was Sudâsa whose son [Saudâsa] as the husband of Damayantî ascended the throne and also was known, so one says, as Mitrasaha and Kalmâshapâda. He, because of sin without a son, once got cursed by Vasishthha to become a man-eater [a Râkshasa].
9.9.19
śrī-rājovāca
(19) The king said: 'Please tell me, if it is not a secret, what the reason was for the curse of the spiritual master against Saudâsa, this great soul? That I would like to know.'
9.9.20-21
saudāso mṛgayāḿ kiñcic
mumoca bhrātaraḿ so 'tha
(20-21) S'rî S'uka said: 'Saudâsa sometimes went out to hunt and had in the past killed a Râkshasa, but the brother whom he let go, thereafter pursued him in revenge. With evil intentions he posed as the king's cook and presented his spiritual master who came to dine at his home, the flesh of a human being he had cooked.
9.9.22
vilokyābhakṣyam añjasā
rakṣo hy evaḿ bhaviṣyasi
(22) Checking his food found the mighty master it from his inner sense unfit for consumption and cursed he the king very angry with: 'For this you'll become a man-eater indeed!'
9.9.23-24
so 'py apo-'ñjalim ādāya
vārito madayantyāpo
(23-24) Finding out that the Râkshasa was to blame performed he, to atone, for twelve years a penance. Saudâsa though had taken a palmful of water in order to curse his guru, but his wife Madayantî forbade it. He spilled the water potent of the [s'apa-]mantra over his legs after which that lord of man in all directions in the sky everywhere could see the surface of the earth teeming with life.
9.9.25
(25) He acquired the propensities of a wild man and acquired a black spot on his leg [for which he was known as Kalmâshapâda]. Living in the forest saw he [once] a brahmin couple the moment they had sexual intercourse.
9.9.26-27
tat-patny āhākṛtārthavat
madayantyāḥ patir vīra
(26-27) Suffering from hunger caught he the brahmin but his wife said: 'You must be very unhappy, poor and hungry, but a Râkshasa you're not; in fact you're a great warrior from the Ikshvâku-dynasty, the husband of Madayantî, o hero, it is nothing for you to act against the dharma. Please release my husband, this twice-born soul whose desire to get a son has not yet been fulfilled.
9.9.28
puruṣasyākhilārthadaḥ
(28) O King, this human body does good to the Complete of the Living Being and so would, so to say, the killing of him, o hero, be the killing of all good chances!
The body of a human being is extremely valuable because in this body one can understand the instructions of Kṛṣṇa and attain the ultimate destination of the living entity. The living entity is within the material world to fulfill the mission of going back home, back to Godhead. In the material world, one hankers for happiness, but because one does not know the ultimate destination, one changes bodies one after another. However, if one gets the opportunity to possess a human form of body, in this body he can fulfill the four principles of dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, and if one is properly regulated he makes further progress, after liberation, to engage in the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. This is the success of life: to stop the process of repeated birth and death and go back home, back to Godhead (mām eti), to be engaged in the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, taking a human body is meant for completing one's progress in life. Throughout human society, killing of a human being is taken very seriously. Hundreds and thousands of animals are killed in slaughterhouses, and no one cares about them, but the killing of even one human being is taken very seriously. Why? Because the human form of body is extremely important in executing the mission of life.
9.9.29
ārirādhayiṣur brahma
bhūteṣv antarhitaḿ guṇaiḥ
(29) He here is a brâhmana well-versed in the Veda, who austere, of good behavior and endowed with all good qualities is determined to honor the Brahmân, the Supreme Personality known as the Living Soul of all beings in the beyond of whom He's the quality.
The wife of the brāhmaṇa did not regard her husband as a superficial brāhmaṇa who was called a brāhmaṇa merely because he was born of a brāhmaṇa family. Rather, this brāhmaṇa was actually qualified with the brahminical symptoms. Yasya yal lakṣaṇaḿ proktam (Bhāg. 7.11.35). The symptoms of a brāhmaṇa are stated in the śāstra:
"Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness — these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṇas work." (Bg. 18.42) Not only must a brāhmaṇa be qualified, but he must also engage in actual brahminical activities. Simply to be qualified is not enough; one must engage in a brāhmaṇa's duties. The duty of a brāhmaṇa is to know the paraḿ brahma, Kṛṣṇa (paraḿ brahma paraḿ dhāma pavitraḿ paramaḿ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]). Because this brāhmaṇa was actually qualified and was also engaged in brahminical activities (brahma-karma), killing him would be a greatly sinful act, and the brāhmaṇa's wife requested that he not be killed.
9.9.30
vadhaḿ pitur ivātmajaḥ
(30) He, this brahmin and best of all sages, how can he, like it is with a son with his father, from you the best of all saintly kings, with your awareness of the religion o power of the state, deserve it to be killed?
The word rājarṣi refers to a king who behaves like a ṛṣi, or sage. Such a king is also called naradeva because he is considered a representative of the Supreme Lord. Because his duty is to rule the kingdom to maintain brahminical culture, he never desires to kill a brāhmaṇa. Generally, a brāhmaṇa, woman, child, old man or cow is never regarded as punishable. Thus the wife of the brāhmaṇa requested the King to refrain from this sinful act.
9.9.31
(31) He's a saint free from sin, a speaker of Absolute Truth; how can you of your good self appreciated in the highest circles, think of killing him: that would be like killing an embryo or a cow!
As stated in the Amara-kośa dictionary, bhrūṇo'rbhake bāla-garbhe: the word bhrūṇa refers either to the cow or to the living entity in embryo. According to Vedic culture, destroying the undeveloped embryo of the soul in the womb is as sinful as killing a cow or a brāhmaṇa. In the embryo, the living entity is present in an undeveloped stage. The modern scientific theory that life is a combination of chemicals is nonsense; scientists cannot manufacture living beings, even like those born from eggs. The idea that scientists can develop a chemical situation resembling that of an egg and bring life from it is nonsensical. Their theory that a chemical combination can have life may be accepted, but these rascals cannot create such a combination. This verse refers to bhrūṇasya vadham — the killing of a bhrūṇa or destruction of the embryo. Here is a challenge from the Vedic literature. The crude, atheistic understanding that the living entity is a combination of matter belongs to the grossest ignorance.
9.9.32
(32) Without him I can't live for even a moment and am I as a dead body; if you want to eat him, then eat me instead.'
In the Vedic culture there is a system known as satī or saha-maraṇa, in which a woman dies with her husband. According to this system, if the husband dies, the wife will voluntarily die by falling in the blazing funeral pyre of her husband. Here, in this verse, the feelings inherent in this culture are expressed by the wife of the brāhmaṇa. A woman without a husband is like a dead body. Therefore according to Vedic culture a girl must be married. This is the responsibility of her father. A girl may be given in charity, and a husband may have more than one wife, but a girl must be married. This is Vedic culture. A woman is supposed to be always dependent — in her childhood she is dependent on her father, in youth on her husband, and in old age on her elderly sons. According to Manu-saḿhitā, she is never independent. Independence for a woman means miserable life. In this age, so many girls are unmarried and falsely imagining themselves free, but their life is miserable. Here is an instance in which a woman felt that without her husband she was nothing but a dead body.
9.9.33
vilapantyā anāthavat
(33) With the wife, this way pleading so pitiably and lamenting as a woman bereft of her man, devoured he, Saudâsa, condemned by the curse, him like a tiger does with its prey.
This is an example of destiny. King Saudāsa was condemned by the curse of Vasiṣṭha, and therefore even though he was well qualified he could not restrain himself from becoming a tigerlike Rākṣasa, for this was his destiny. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham (Bhāg. 1.5.18). As one is put into distress by destiny, destiny can also put one in a happy situation. Destiny is extremely strong, but one can change destiny if one comes to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Brahma-saḿhitā 5.54).
9.9.34
puruṣādena bhakṣitam
(34) The brâhmana wife, the chaste woman, upon seeing how the man, who was about to impregnate her, by the Râkshasa was eaten, cried loudly from her deepest being and pronounced angered a curse against the king.
9.9.35
yasmān me bhakṣitaḥ pāpa
kāmārtāyāḥ patis tvayā
tavāpi mṛtyur ādhānād
(35) 'Because you've devoured the husband of a woman in pain for intercourse will you, o sinner, suffer the curse of also finding death when you try to discharge semen, o traitor of civilization!'
9.9.36
(36) After this way cursing Mitrasaha ['indulgent toward friends' or Saudâsa] found she, inclined to stay with him, her destination stepping into the fire ablaze with the bones of her husband.
9.9.37
viśāpo dvādaśābdānte
(37) When after twelve years Saudâsa was released [from the curse of Vasishthha] and tried to have sex with his wife was he checked by the queen who reminded him of the curse of the brâhmanî.
9.9.38
vasiṣṭhas tad-anujñāto
(38) Thus had he henceforward to forsake it to be happy with his wife and remained he by destiny sonless. Vasishthha then was permitted to beget a child in Madayantî, his wife.
9.9.39
(39) She verily bore the child for seven years in her womb not delivering, but with her abdomen struck by a stone was there a son from her who therefore was called As'maka ['of us'].
9.9.40
aśmakād bāliko jajñe
nārī-kavaca ity ukto
niḥkṣatre mūlako 'bhavat
(40) From As'maka was Bâlika born. This child was protected by a human shield consisting of women and named thereafter [as 'Nârîkavaca']. When there were no rulers around anymore [as Lord Paras'urâma had killed them all] became he Mûlaka ['springing from'], the progenitor of the kshatriyas.
9.9.41
tato daśarathas tasmāt
khaṭvāńgaś cakravarty abhūt
(41) From Bâlika there was a son named Das'aratha, his son was Aidavidi and from him was there the famous king Vis'vasaha who for his son had Khathvânga who became emperor.
9.9.42
yo devair arthito daityān
muhūrtam āyur jñātvaitya
King Khaṭvāńga was unconquerable in any fight. Requested by the demigods to join them in fighting the demons, he won victory, and the demigods, being very pleased, wanted to give him a benediction. The King inquired from them about the duration of his life and was informed that he had only one moment more. Thus he immediately left his palace and went to his own residence, where he engaged his mind fully on the lotus feet of the Lord.
The example of Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga in performing devotional service is brilliant. Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga engaged himself for only a moment in devotional service to the Lord, but he was promoted back to Godhead. Therefore, if one practices devotional service from the beginning of his life, surely he will return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt (asaḿśaya).
In Bhagavad-gītā the word asaḿśaya is used to describe the devotee. There the Lord Himself gives this instruction:
"Now hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt." (Bg. 7.1)
The Lord also instructs:
"One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." (Bg. 4.9)
Therefore, from the very beginning of one's life one should practice bhakti-yoga, which increases one's attachment for Kṛṣṇa. If one daily sees the Deity in the temple, makes offerings by worshiping the Deity, chants the holy name of the Personality of Godhead, and preaches about the glorious activities of the Lord as much as possible, he thus becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa. This attachment is called āsakti. When one's mind is attached to Kṛṣṇa (mayy āsakta-manāḥ), one can fulfill the mission of life in one human birth. If one misses this opportunity, one does not know where he is going, how long he will remain in the cycle of birth and death, and when he will again achieve the human form of life and the chance to return home, back to Godhead. The most intelligent person, therefore, uses every moment of his life to render loving service to the Lord.
9.9.43
na dārāś cātivallabhāḥ
(43( Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga thought: Not even my life is dearer to me than the brahminical culture and the brāhmaṇas, who are worshiped by my family. What then is to be said of my kingdom, land, wife, children and opulence? Nothing is dearer to me than the brāhmaṇas.
Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga, being in favor of the brahminical culture, wanted to utilize one moment's time by fully surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is worshiped with this prayer:
jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya
"I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, who is the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas as well as the living entities in general. I offer my repeated obeisances to Govinda, who is the pleasure reservoir for all the senses." A devotee of Kṛṣṇa is very much attached to brahminical culture. Indeed, an expert personality who knows who Kṛṣṇa is and what He wants is a real brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is the Parabrahman, and therefore all Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, or devotees of Kṛṣṇa, are exalted brāhmaṇas. Khaṭvāńga Mahārāja regarded the devotees of Kṛṣṇa as the real brāhmaṇas and the real light for human society. One who desires to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and spiritual understanding must give the utmost importance to brahminical culture and must understand Kṛṣṇa (kṛṣṇāya govindāya). Then his life will be successful.
9.9.44
nāpaśyam uttamaślokād
(44) Not even as a child was I attracted or enjoying the irreligious, nor did I at any time see anything else but the Lord Hailed in the Scriptures, Uttamas'loka, as something substantial.
Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga provides a typical example of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not see anything to be important but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor does he accept anything within this material world as being unconnected to the Supreme Lord. As stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 8.274):
"The mahā-bhāgavata, the advanced devotee, certainly sees everything mobile and immobile, but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord." Although a devotee is within the material world, he has no connection with it. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. He accepts this material world in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee may be engaged in earning money, but he uses that money for propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by constructing large temples and establishing worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Khaṭvāńga Mahārāja, therefore, was not a materialist. A materialist is always attached to wife, children, home, property and many other things for sense gratification, but, as stated above, Khaṭvāńga Mahārāja was not attached to such things, nor could he think of anything existing without the purpose of the Supreme Lord. Īśāvāsyam idaḿ sarvam: everything is related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Of course, this consciousness is not for the ordinary person, but if one takes to the path of devotional service, as prescribed in The Nectar of Devotion, he can be trained in this consciousness and attain perfect understanding. For a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, nothing is palatable without a relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
9.9.45
(45) By the godly I was granted the boon to have whatever I wanted but that claim over the three worlds I could not accept; all that I desire in this world is to be fully absorbed in the Supreme Lord [compare B.G. 9: 34].
A devotee is always transcendentally situated. paraḿ dṛṣṭvā nivartate: one who has seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead is no longer interested in material sense enjoyment. Even such an exalted devotee as Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest for the sake of material benefit, but when he actually saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he refused to accept any material benediction. He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaḿ na yāce: "My dear Lord, I am fully satisfied with whatever You have given me or not given me. I have nothing to ask from You, for I am fully satisfied to be engaged in Your service." This is the mentality of a pure devotee, who does not want anything, material or spiritual, from the Personality of Godhead. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore called kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta-sańgha, the association of persons who are simply satisfied in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. Being absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa is neither expensive nor troublesome. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māḿ namaskuru: "Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me." (Bg. 9.34) Anyone can always think of Kṛṣṇa, without difficulties or obstacles. This is called kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta. One who is absorbed in kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta has no material benefits to ask from Kṛṣṇa. Instead, such a person prays to the Lord for the benediction of being able to spread His glories all over the world. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not even want to stop his cycle of birth and death. He simply prays, "I may take birth as You like, but my only prayer is that I may be engaged in Your service."
9.9.46
ye vikṣiptendriya-dhiyo
(46) If even they, the godly, in their senses and minds always are distraught not knowing the Dearmost Eternal One of the Soul residing in their hearts, what then to expect of others [see B.G. 18: 55]?
It is a fact that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always situated in everyone's heart (īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāḿ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]). But because of our material anxieties, which are inevitable in this material world, we cannot understand the Supreme Lord, although He is situated so near to us. For those always agitated by material conditions, the yogic process is recommended so that one may concentrate his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaḿ yoginaḥ [SB 12.13.1]. Because in material conditions the mind and senses are always agitated, by the yogic procedures like dhāraṇā, āsana and dhyāna one must quiet the mind and concentrate it upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, the yogic process is a material attempt to realize the Lord, whereas bhakti, devotional service, is the spiritual process by which to realize Him. Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga accepted the spiritual path, and therefore he was no longer interested in anything material. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: "Only by devotional service can I be understood." One can understand Kṛṣṇa, the Parabrahman, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only through devotional service. The Lord never says that one can understand Him by performing mystic yoga or by philosophically speculating. Bhakti is above all such material attempts. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaḿ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]. Bhakti is uncontaminated, being unalloyed even by jñāna or pious activities.
9.9.47
(47) Let me therefore in loving service give up the attachment to the modes of nature, the so powerful material control of mâyâ in manmade things which are like castles in the sky, and surrender myself unto Him, the One Soul who created the complete of the universe.'
When passing through a mountainous region in an airplane, one may sometimes see a city in the sky with towers and palaces, or one may see similar things in a big forest. This is called a gandharva-pura, a phantasmagoria. This entire world resembles such a phantasmagoria, and every materially situated person has attachment for it. But Khaṭvāńga Mahārāja, because of his advanced Kṛṣṇa consciousness, was not interested in such things. Even though a devotee may engage in apparently materialistic activities, he knows his position very well. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaḿ vairāgyam ucyate. If one engages all material things in relation with the loving service of the Lord, one is situated in yukta-vairāgya, proper renunciation. In this material world, nothing should be accepted for one's sense gratification: everything should be accepted for the service of the Lord. This is the mentality of the spiritual world. Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga advises that one give up material attachments and surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one achieves success in life. This is pure bhakti-yoga, which involves vairāgya-vidyā — renunciation and knowledge.
[Cc. Madya 6.254]
"Let me surrender unto the Personality of Godhead who has appeared now as Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is the ocean of all mercy and has come down to teach us material detachment, learning and devotional service to Himself." (Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka 6.74) Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu inaugurated this movement of vairāgya-vidyā, by which one detaches himself from material existence and engages in loving devotional service. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement of devotional service is the only process by which to counteract our false prestige in this material world.
9.9.48
(48) Thus intelligently with a firm resolve fully in the grip of Nârâyana, gave he up on all other concerns which are but ignorance and found he thereafter himself situated in his original position of loving service.
9.9.49
bhagavān vāsudeveti
(49) That which as such is known as the Supreme Brahmân defying all description is not something impersonal or empty as one might think; it is the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva of whom the truthloving people are singing [see also 1.2: 11].'
brahmeti paramātmeti
The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases — as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the origin of everything. Brahman is a partial representation of Bhagavān, and Vāsudeva, the Supersoul living everywhere and in everyone's heart, is also an advanced realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But when one comes to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead (vāsudevaḥ samam iti), when one realizes that Vāsudeva is both Paramātmā and the impersonal Brahman, he is then in perfect knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is therefore described by Arjuna as paraḿ brahma paraḿ dhāma pavitraḿ paramaḿ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]. The words paraḿ brahma refer to the shelter of the impersonal Brahman and also of the all-pervading Supersoul. When Kṛṣṇa says tyaktvā dehaḿ punar janma naiti mām eti [Bg. 4.9], this means that the perfect devotee, after perfect realization, returns home, back to Godhead. Mahārāja Khaṭvāńga accepted the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because of his full surrender he achieved perfection.
: Lord S'iva is described in the Brahmâ-samhitâ (5.45):
ks'îram yathâ dadhi vikâra-visesa-yogât
sanjâyate na hi tatah prithag asti hetoh
yah S'ambhutâm api tathâ samupaiti kâryâd
govindam âdi-purusham tam aham bhajâmi
"Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, but actually yogurt is constitutionally nothing but milk. Similarly, Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord S'iva for the special purpose of material transactions. I offer my obeisances at Lord Govinda's lotus feet."
ks'îram yathâ dadhi vikâra-visesa-yogât
sanjâyate na hi tatah prithag asti hetoh
yah S'ambhutâm api tathâ samupaiti kâryâd
govindam âdi-purusham tam aham bhajâmi
"Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, but actually yogurt is constitutionally nothing but milk. Similarly, Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord S'iva for the special purpose of material transactions. I offer my obeisances at Lord Govinda's lotus feet."
**: Lord S'iva is also called Âs'utosha: quickly pleased.
***: The vaishnava daily expresses his respects for the brahminical in his offerings worshiping the Lord with this prayer
namo brâhmanya-devâya
go brâhmana-hitâya ca
jagad-dhitâya krishnâya
govindâya namo namah
"I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krishna, who is the well-wisher of the cows and the brâhmanas as well as the living entities in general. I offer my repeated obeisances to Govinda, who is the pleasure reservoir for all the senses."
namo brâhmanya-devâya
go brâhmana-hitâya ca
jagad-dhitâya krishnâya
govindâya namo namah
"I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krishna, who is the well-wisher of the cows and the brâhmanas as well as the living entities in general. I offer my repeated obeisances to Govinda, who is the pleasure reservoir for all the senses."
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)
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