Chapter Sixteen
Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship
As described in this chapter, because Aditi, the mother of the demigods, was very afflicted, her husband, Kasyapa Muni, told her how to observe vows in austerities for the benefit of her sons.
Since the demigods were not visible in the heavenly kingdom, their mother, Aditi, because of separation from them, was very much aggrieved. One day after many, many years, the great sage Kasyapa emerged from a trance of meditation and returned to his asrama. He saw that the asrama was no longer beautiful and that his wife was very morose. Everywhere in the asrama, he saw signs of lamentation. The great sage therefore inquired from his wife about the well-being of the asrama and asked her why she looked so morose. After Aditi informed Kasyapa Muni about the asrama's well-being, she told him that she was lamenting for the absence of her sons. She then requested him to tell her how her sons could return and reoccupy their positions. She wanted all good fortune for her sons. Moved by Aditi's request, Kasyapa Muni instructed her in the philosophy of self-realization, the difference between matter and spirit, and how to be unaffected by material loss. But when he saw that Aditi was not satisfied even after he had given these instructions, he advised her to worship Vasudeva, Janardana. He assured her that only Lord Vasudeva could satisfy her and fulfill all her desires. When Aditi then expressed her desire to worship Lord Vasudeva, Prajapati Kasyapa told her about a process of worship known as payo-vrata, which is executed in twelve days. Lord Brahma had instructed him how to satisfy Lord Krsna by this process, and thus he advised his wife to observe this vow and its regulative principles.
TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
evam putresu nastesu
deva-mataditis tada
hrte tri-vistape daityaih
paryatapyad anathavat
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam--in this way; putresu--when her sons; nastesu--disappearing from their position; deva-mata--the mother of the demigods; aditih--Aditi; tada--at that time; hrte--because of being lost; tri-vistape--the kingdom of heaven; daityaih--by the influence of the demons; paryatapyat--began to lament; anatha-vat--as if she had no protector.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, when Aditi's sons, the demigods, had thus disappeared from heaven and the demons had occupied their places, Aditi began lamenting, as if she had no protector.
TEXT 2
TEXT
ekada kasyapas tasya
asramam bhagavan agat
nirutsavam niranandam
samadher viratas cirat
SYNONYMS
ekada--one day; kasyapah--the great sage Kasyapa Muni; tasyah--of Aditi; asramam--to the shelter; bhagavan--greatly powerful; agat--went; nirutsavam--without enthusiasm; niranandam--without jubilation; samadheh--his trance; viratah--stopping; cirat--after a long time.
TRANSLATION
After many, many days, the great powerful sage Kasyapa Muni arose from a trance of meditation and returned home to see the asrama of Aditi neither jubilant nor festive.
TEXT 3
TEXT
sa patnim dina-vadanam
krtasana-parigrahah
sabhajito yatha-nyayam
idam aha kurudvaha
SYNONYMS
sah--Kasyapa Muni; patnim--unto his wife; dina-vadanam--having a dry face; krta-asana-parigrahah--after accepting a sitting place; sabhajitah--being honored by Aditi; yatha-nyayam--according to time and place; idam aha--spoke as follows; kuru-udvaha--O Maharaja Pariksit, the best of the Kurus.
TRANSLATION
O best of the Kurus, when Kasyapa Muni had been properly received and welcomed, he took his seat and then spoke as follows to his wife, Aditi, who was very morose.
TEXT 4
TEXT
apy abhadram na vipranam
bhadre loke 'dhunagatam
na dharmasya na lokasya
mrtyos chandanuvartinah
SYNONYMS
api--whether; abhadram--ill fortune; na--not; vipranam--of the brahmanas; bhadre--O most gentle Aditi; loke--in this world; adhuna--at the present moment; agatam--has come; na--not; dharmasya--of religious principles; na--not; lokasya--of the people in general; mrtyoh--death; chanda-anuvartinah--who are followers of the whims of death.
TRANSLATION
O most gentle one, I wonder whether anything inauspicious has now taken place in regard to religious principles, the brahmanas or the people in general, who are subject to the whims of death.
PURPORT
There are prescribed duties for all the inhabitants of this material world, especially for the brahmanas but also for the people in general, who are subject to the whims of death. Kasyapa Muni wondered whether the regulative principles, which are meant for the well-being of everyone, had been disobeyed. He accordingly continued his inquiries for seven verses.
TEXT 5
TEXT
api vakusalam kincid
grhesu grha-medhini
dharmasyarthasya kamasya
yatra yogo hy ayoginam
SYNONYMS
api--I am wondering; va--either; akusalam--inauspiciousness; kincit--some; grhesu--at home; grha-medhini--O my wife, who are attached to household life; dharmasya--of the principles of religion; arthasya--of the economic condition; kamasya--of satisfaction of desires; yatra--at home; yogah--the result of meditation; hi--indeed; ayoginam--even of those who are not transcendentalists.
TRANSLATION
O my wife, who are very much attached to household life, if the principles of religion, economic development and satisfaction of the senses are properly followed in household life, one's activities are as good as those of a transcendentalist. I wonder whether there have been any discrepancies in following these principles.
PURPORT
In this verse, Aditi has been addressed by her husband, Kasyapa Muni, as grha-medhini, which means "one who is satisfied in household life for sense gratification." Generally, those who are in household life pursue sense gratification in the field of activities performed for material results. Such grhamedhis have only one aim in life--sense gratification. Therefore it is said, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham: the householder's life is based on sense gratification, and therefore the happiness derived from it is very meager. Nonetheless, the Vedic process is so comprehensive that even in householder life one can adjust his activities according to the regulative principles of dharma, artha, kama and moksa. One's aim should be to achieve liberation, but because one cannot at once give up sense gratification, in the sastras there are injunctions prescribing how to follow the principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification. As explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.9), dharmasya hy apavargyasya nartho 'rthayopakalpate: "All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain." Those who are in household life should not think that religion is meant to improve the process of the householder's sense gratification. Household life is also meant for advancement in spiritual understanding, by which one can ultimately gain liberation from the material clutches. One should remain in household life with the aim of understanding the ultimate goal of life (tattva jijnasa). Then household life is as good as the life of a yogi. Kasyapa Muni therefore inquired from his wife whether the principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification were being properly followed in terms of the sastric injunctions. As soon as one deviates from the injunctions of the sastra, the purpose of household life is immediately lost in confusion.
TEXT 6
TEXT
api vatithayo 'bhyetya
kutumbasaktaya tvaya
grhad apujita yatah
pratyutthanena va kvacit
SYNONYMS
api--whether; va--either; atithayah--guests who come without an invitation; abhyetya--coming to the home; kutumba-asaktaya--who were too attached to the family members; tvaya--by you; grhat--from the house; apujitah--without being properly welcomed; yatah--went away; pratyutthanena--by standing up; va--either; kvacit--sometimes.
TRANSLATION
I wonder whether because of being too attached to the members of your family, you failed to properly receive uninvited guests, who therefore were not welcomed and went away.
PURPORT
It is the duty of a householder to receive guests, even if a guest be an enemy. When a guest comes to one's home, one should properly receive him by standing up and offering him a seat. It is enjoined, grhe satrum api praptam visvastam akutobhayam: if even an enemy comes to one's home, one should receive him in such a way that the guest will forget that his host is an enemy. According to one's position, one should properly receive anyone who comes to one's home. At least a seat and a glass of water should be offered, so that the guest will not be displeased. Kasyapa Muni inquired from Aditi whether disrespect had been shown to such guests, or atithis. The word atithi refers to one who comes without an invitation.
TEXT 7
TEXT
grhesu yesv atithayo
narcitah salilair api
yadi niryanti te nunam
pheruraja-grhopamah
SYNONYMS
grhesu--at home; yesu--which; atithayah--uninvited guests; na--not; arcitah--welcomed; salilaih api--even by offering a glass of water; yadi--if; niryanti--they go away; te--such household life; nunam--indeed; pheru-raja--of jackals; grha--the homes; upamah--like.
TRANSLATION
Homes from which guests go away without having been received even with an offering of a little water are like those holes in the field which are the homes of jackals.
PURPORT
In a field there may be holes made by snakes and mice, but when there are very big holes, it may be supposed that jackals live there. Certainly no one goes to take shelter in such homes. Thus the homes of human beings where atithis, uninvited guests, are not properly received are like the homes of jackals.
TEXT 8
TEXT
apy agnayas tu velayam
na huta havisa sati
tvayodvigna-dhiya bhadre
prosite mayi karhicit
SYNONYMS
api--whether; agnayah--fires; tu--indeed; velayam--in the fire sacrifice; na--not; hutah--offered; havisa--by ghee; sati--O chaste woman; tvaya--by you; udvigna-dhiya--because of some anxiety; bhadre--O auspicious woman; prosite--was away from home; mayi--when I; karhicit--sometimes.
TRANSLATION
O chaste and auspicious woman, when I left home for other places, were you in so much anxiety that you did not offer oblations of ghee into the fire?
TEXT 9
TEXT
yat-pujaya kama-dughan
yati lokan grhanvitah
brahmano 'gnis ca vai visnoh
sarva-devatmano mukham
SYNONYMS
yat-pujaya--by worshiping the fire and brahmanas; kama-dughan--which fulfill one's desires; yati--one goes; lokan--to the destination of the higher planetary system; grha-anvitah--a person attached to household life; brahmanah--the brahmanas; agnih ca--and the fire; vai--indeed; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; sarva-deva-atmanah--the soul of all the demigods; mukham--the mouth.
TRANSLATION
By worshiping the fire and the brahmanas, a householder can achieve the desired goal of residing in the higher planets, for the sacrificial fire and the brahmanas are to be considered the mouth of Lord Visnu, who is the Supersoul of all the demigods.
PURPORT
According to the Vedic system, a fire sacrifice is held in order to offer oblations of ghee, grains, fruits, flowers and so on, so that Lord Visnu may eat and be satisfied. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.26):
patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." Therefore, all these items may be offered in the sacrificial fire, and Lord Visnu will be satisfied. Similarly, brahmana-bhojana, feeding of the brahmanas, is also recommended, for when the brahmanas eat sumptuous remnants of food after yajna, this is another way that Lord Visnu Himself eats. Therefore the Vedic principles recommend that in every festival or ceremony one offer oblations to the fire and give sumptuous food for the brahmanas to eat. By such activities, a householder may be elevated to the heavenly planets and similar places in the higher planetary systems.
TEXT 10
TEXT
api sarve kusalinas
tava putra manasvini
laksaye 'svastham atmanam
bhavatya laksanair aham
SYNONYMS
api--whether; sarve--all; kusalinah--in full auspiciousness; tava--your; putrah--sons; manasvini--O great-minded lady; laksaye--I see; asvastham--not in tranquillity; atmanam--the mind; bhavatyah--of you; laksanaih--by symptoms; aham--I.
TRANSLATION
O great-minded lady, are all your sons faring well? Seeing your withered face, I can perceive that your mind is not tranquil. How is this so?
TEXT 11
TEXT
sri-aditir uvaca
bhadram dvija-gavam brahman
dharmasyasya janasya ca
tri-vargasya param ksetram
grhamedhin grha ime
SYNONYMS
sri-aditih uvaca--Srimati Aditi said; bhadram--all auspiciousness; dvija-gavam--of the brahmanas and the cows; brahman--O brahmana; dharmasya asya--of the religious principles mentioned in sastra; janasya--of the people in general; ca--and; tri-vargasya--of the three processes of elevation (dharma, artha and kama); param--the supreme; ksetram--field; grhamedhin--O my husband, who are attached to household life; grhah--your home; ime--all these things.
TRANSLATION
Aditi said: O my respected brahmana husband, all is well with the brahmanas, the cows, religion and the welfare of other people. O master of the house, the three principles of dharma, artha and kama flourish in household life, which is consequently full of good fortune.
PURPORT
In household life one can develop the three principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification according to the regulations given in the sastras, but to attain liberation one must give up household life and place himself in the transcendental renounced order. Kasyapa Muni was not in the renounced order of life. Therefore he is addressed here once as brahman and another time as grhamedhin. Aditi, his wife, assured him that as far as household life was concerned, everything was going nicely, and the brahmanas and cows were being honored and protected. In other words, there were no disturbances; household life was duly progressing.
TEXT 12
TEXT
agnayo 'tithayo bhrtya
bhiksavo ye ca lipsavah
sarvam bhagavato brahmann
anudhyanan na risyati
SYNONYMS
agnayah--worshiping the fires; atithayah--receiving the guests; bhrtyah--satisfying the servants; bhiksavah--pleasing the beggars; ye--all of them who; ca--and; lipsavah--as they desire (are taken care of); sarvam--all of them; bhagavatah--of you, my lord; brahman--O brahmana; anudhyanat--from always thinking; na risyati--nothing is missed (everything is properly done).
TRANSLATION
O beloved husband, the fires, guests, servants and beggars are all being properly cared for by me. Because I always think of you, there is no possibility that any of the religious principles will be neglected.
TEXT 13
TEXT
ko nu me bhagavan kamo
na sampadyeta manasah
yasya bhavan prajadhyaksa
evam dharman prabhasate
SYNONYMS
kah--what; nu--indeed; me--my; bhagavan--O lord; kamah--desire; na--not; sampadyeta--can be fulfilled; manasah--within my mind; yasyah--of me; bhavan--your good self; praja-adhyaksah--Prajapati; evam--thus; dharman--religious principles; prabhasate--talks.
TRANSLATION
O my lord, since you are a Prajapati and are personally my instructor in the principles of religion, where is the possibility that all my desires will not be fulfilled?
TEXT 14
TEXT
tavaiva marica manah-sarirajah
praja imah sattva-rajas-tamo-jusah
samo bhavams tasv asuradisu prabho
tathapi bhaktam bhajate mahesvarah
SYNONYMS
tava--your; eva--indeed; marica--O son of Marici; manah-sarira-jah--born either of your body or of your mind (all the demons and demigods); prajah--born of you; imah--all of them; sattva-rajah-tamah-jusah--infected with sattva-guna, rajo-guna or tamo-guna; samah--equal; bhavan--your good self; tasu--to every one of them; asura-adisu--beginning with the asuras; prabho--O my lord; tatha api--still; bhaktam--unto the devotees; bhajate--takes care of; maha-isvarah--the Supreme personality of Godhead, the supreme controller.
TRANSLATION
O son of Marici, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and demigods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities--sattva-guna, rajo-guna or tamo-guna. But although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees.
PURPORT
In Bhagavad-gita (9.29) the Lord says:
samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu
na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equal toward everyone, He is especially inclined toward those who engage in His devotional service. The Lord says, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: "My dear son of Kunti, please declare that My devotee will never be vanquished." Elsewhere, Krsna also says:
ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
(Bg. 4.11)
Actually, everyone is trying to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead in various ways, but according to their methods of approach, the Supreme Lord endows them with different benedictions. Thus Aditi appealed to her husband by saying that since even the supreme controller favors His devotees and since Indra, Kasyapa's devoted son, was in difficulty, Kasyapa should bestow his favor upon Indra.
TEXT 15
TEXT
tasmad isa bhajantya me
sreyas cintaya suvrata
hrta-sriyo hrta-sthanan
sapatnaih pahi nah prabho
SYNONYMS
tasmat--therefore; isa--O powerful controller; bhajantyah--of your servitor; me--me; sreyah--auspiciousness; cintaya--just consider; su-vrata--O most gentle one; hrta-sriyah--bereft of all opulence; hrta-sthanan--bereft of a residence; sapatnaih--by the competitors; pahi--please protect; nah--us; prabho--O my lord.
TRANSLATION
Therefore, most gentle lord, kindly favor your maidservant. We have now been deprived of our opulence and residence by our competitors, the demons. Kindly give us protection.
PURPORT
Aditi, the mother of the demigods, appealed to Kasyapa Muni to give the demigods protection. When we speak of the demigods, this also includes their mother.
TEXT 16
TEXT
parair vivasita saham
magna vyasana-sagare
aisvaryam srir yasah sthanam
hrtani prabalair mama
SYNONYMS
paraih--by our enemies; vivasita--taken away from our residential quarters; sa--the same; aham--I; magna--drowned; vyasana-sagare--in an ocean of trouble; aisvaryam--opulence; srih--beauty; yasah--reputation; sthanam--place; hrtani--all taken away; prabalaih--very powerful; mama--my.
TRANSLATION
The demons, our formidably powerful enemies, have taken away our opulence, our beauty, our fame and even our residence. Indeed, we have now been exiled, and we are drowning in an ocean of trouble.
TEXT 17
TEXT
yatha tani punah sadho
prapadyeran mamatmajah
tatha vidhehi kalyanam
dhiya kalyana-krttama
SYNONYMS
yatha--as; tani--all of our lost things; punah--again; sadho--O great saintly person; prapadyeran--can regain; mama--my; atmajah--offspring (sons); tatha--so; vidhehi--kindly do; kalyanam--auspiciousness; dhiya--by consideration; kalyana-krt-tama--O you who are the best person to act for our welfare.
TRANSLATION
O best of sages, best of all those who grant auspicious benedictions, please consider our situation and bestow upon my sons the benedictions by which they can regain what they have lost.
TEXT 18
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
evam abhyarthito 'ditya
kas tam aha smayann iva
aho maya-balam visnoh
sneha-baddham idam jagat
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam--in this way; abhyarthitah--being requested; aditya--by Aditi; kah--Kasyapa Muni; tam--unto her; aha--said; smayan--smiling; iva--just like; aho--alas; maya-balam--the influence of the illusory energy; visnoh--of Lord Visnu; sneha-baddham--influenced by this affection; idam--this; jagat--whole world.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When Kasyapa Muni was thus requested by Aditi, he slightly smiled. "Alas," he said, "how powerful is the illusory energy of Lord Visnu, by which the entire world is bound by affection for children!"
PURPORT
Kasyapa Muni was surely sympathetic to his wife's affliction, yet he was surprised at how the whole world is influenced by affection.
TEXT 19
TEXT
kva deho bhautiko 'natma
kva catma prakrteh parah
kasya ke pati-putradya
moha eva hi karanam
SYNONYMS
kva--where is; dehah--this material body; bhautikah--made of five elements; anatma--not the spirit soul; kva--where is; ca--also; atma--the spirit soul; prakrteh--to the material world; parah--transcendental; kasya--of whom; ke--who is; pati--husband; putra-adyah--or son and so on; mohah--illusion; eva--indeed; hi--certainly; karanam--cause.
TRANSLATION
Kasyapa Muni continued: What is this material body, made of five elements? It is different from the spirit soul. Indeed, the spirit soul is completely different from the material elements from which the body is made. But because of bodily attachment, one is regarded as a husband or son. These illusory relationships are caused by misunderstanding.
PURPORT
The spirit soul (atma or jiva) is certainly different from the body, which is a combination of five material elements. This is a simple fact, but it is not understood unless one is spiritually educated. Kasyapa Muni met his wife, Aditi, in the heavenly planets, but the same misconception extends throughout the entire universe and is also here on earth. There are different grades of living entities, but all of them are more or less under the impression of the bodily conception of life. In other words, all living entities in this material world are more or less devoid of spiritual education. The Vedic civilization, however, is based on spiritual education, and spiritual education is the special basis on which Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna instructed Arjuna to understand that the spirit soul is different from the body.
dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
"As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change." (Bg. 2.13) Unfortunately, this spiritual education is completely absent from modern human civilization. No one understands his real self-interest, which lies with the spirit soul, not with the material body. Education means spiritual education. To work hard in the bodily conception of life, without spiritual education, is to live like an animal. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye (Bhag. 5.5.1). People are working so hard simply for bodily comforts, without education regarding the spirit soul. Thus they are living in a very risky civilization, for it is a fact that the spirit soul has to transmigrate from one body to another (tatha dehantara-praptih). Without spiritual education, people are kept in dark ignorance and do not know what will happen to them after the annihilation of the present body. They are working blindly, and blind leaders are directing them. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah (Bhag. 7.5.31). A foolish person does not know that he is completely under the bondage of material nature and that after death material nature will impose upon him a certain type of body, which he will have to accept. He does not know that although in his present body he may be a very important man, he may next get the body of an animal or tree because of his ignorant activities in the modes of material nature. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is trying to give the true light of spiritual existence to all living entities. This movement is not very difficult to understand, and people must take advantage of it, for it will save them from the risky life of irresponsibility.
TEXT 20
TEXT
upatisthasva purusam
bhagavantam janardanam
sarva-bhuta-guha-vasam
vasudevam jagad-gurum
SYNONYMS
upatisthasva--just try to worship; purusam--the Supreme Person; bhagavantam--the Personality of Godhead; janardanam--who can kill all the enemies; sarva-bhuta-guha-vasam--living within the core of the heart of everyone; vasudevam--Vasudeva, Krsna, who is all-pervading and is the son of Vasudeva; jagat-gurum--the spiritual master and teacher of the whole world.
TRANSLATION
My dear Aditi, engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of everything, who can subdue everyone's enemies, and who sits within everyone's heart. Only that Supreme Person--Krsna, or Vasudeva--can bestow all auspicious benedictions upon everyone, for He is the spiritual master of the universe.
PURPORT
With these words, Kasyapa Muni tried to pacify his wife. Aditi made her appeal to her material husband. Of course, that is nice, but actually a material relative cannot do anything good for anyone. If anything good can be done, it is done by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Therefore, Kasyapa Muni advised his wife, Aditi, to begin worshiping Lord Vasudeva, who is situated in everyone's heart. He is the friend of everyone and is known as Janardana because He can kill all enemies. There are three modes of material nature--goodness, passion and ignorance--and above material nature, transcendental to material nature, is another existence, which is called suddha-sattva. In the material world, the mode of goodness is considered the best, but because of material contamination, even the mode of goodness is sometimes overpowered by the modes of passion and ignorance. But when one transcends the competition between these modes and engages himself in devotional service, he rises above the three modes of material nature. In that transcendental position, one is situated in pure consciousness. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam (Bhag. 4.3.23). Above material nature is the position called vasudeva, or freedom from material contamination. Only in that position can one perceive the Supreme personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Thus the vasudeva condition fulfills a spiritual necessity. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. When one realizes Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes most exalted.
Paramatma (Vasudeva) is situated in everyone's heart, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. The Lord says:
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
"To those who are constantly devoted and who worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." (Bg. 10.10)
isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna." (Bg. 18.61)
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
"The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries." (Bg. 5.29)
Whenever one is perplexed, let him take shelter of the lotus feet of Vasudeva, Krsna, who will give the devotee intelligence to help him surpass all difficulties and return home, back to Godhead. Kasyapa Muni advised his wife to seek shelter at the lotus feet of Vasudeva, Krsna, so that all her problems would be very easily solved. Thus Kasyapa Muni was an ideal spiritual master. He was not so foolish that he would present himself as an exalted personality, as good as God. He was actually a bona fide guru because he advised his wife to seek shelter at the lotus feet of Vasudeva. One who trains his subordinate or disciple to worship Vasudeva is the truly bona fide spiritual master. The word jagad-gurum is very important in this regard. Kasyapa Muni did not falsely declare himself to be jagad-guru, although he actually was jagad-guru because he advocated the cause of Vasudeva. Actually, Vasudeva is jagad-guru, as clearly stated here (vasudevam jagad-gurum). One who teaches the instructions of Vasudeva, Bhagavad-gita, is as good as vasudevam jagad-gurum. But when one who does not teach this instruction--as it is--declares himself jagad-guru, he simply cheats the public. Krsna is jagad-guru, and one who teaches the instruction of Krsna as it is, on behalf of Krsna, may be accepted as jagad-guru. One who manufactures his own theories cannot be accepted; he becomes jagad-guru falsely.
TEXT 21
TEXT
sa vidhasyati te kaman
harir dinanukampanah
amogha bhagavad-bhaktir
netareti matir mama
SYNONYMS
sah--he (Vasudeva); vidhasyati--will undoubtedly fulfill; te--your; kaman--desires; harih--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dina--unto the poor; anukampanah--very merciful; amogha--infallible; bhagavat-bhaktih--devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na--not; itara--anything but bhagavad-bhakti; iti--thus; matih--opinion; mama--my.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is very merciful to the poor, will fulfill all of your desires, for devotional service unto Him is infallible. Any method other than devotional service is useless. That is my opinion.
PURPORT
There are three kinds of men, who are called akama, moksa-kama and sarva-kama. One who tries to get liberation from this material world is called moksa-kama, one who wants to enjoy this material world to its fullest extent is called sarva-kama, and one who has fulfilled all his desires and has no further material desires is called akama. A bhakta has no desire. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. He is purified and free from material desires. The moksa-kami wants to achieve liberation by merging into the existence of the Supreme Brahman, and because of this desire to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is not yet pure. And since those who want liberation are impure, what to speak of the karmis, who have so many desires to fulfill? Nonetheless, the sastra says:
akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param
"Whether one desires everything or nothing or desires to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is intelligent only if he worships Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by rendering transcendental loving service." (Bhag. 2.3.10)
Kasyapa Muni saw that his wife, Aditi, had some material desires for the welfare of her sons, but still he advised her to render devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, everyone, regardless of whether he is a karmi, jnani, yogi or bhakta, should invariably take shelter of the lotus feet of Vasudeva and render transcendental loving service unto Him so that all his desires will be duly fulfilled. Krsna is dina-anukampana: He is very merciful to everyone. Therefore if one wants to fulfill his material desires, Krsna helps him. Of course, sometimes if a devotee is very sincere, the Lord, as a special favor to him, refuses to fulfill his material desires and directly blesses him with pure, unalloyed devotional service. It is said in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 22.38-39):
krsna kahe,----'ama bhaje, mage visaya-sukha
amrta chadi' visa mage,----ei bada murkha
ami----vijna, ei murkhe 'visaya' kene diba?
sva-caranamrta diya 'visaya' bhulaiba
"Krsna says, 'If one engages in My transcendental loving service but at the same time wants the opulence of material enjoyment, he is very, very foolish. Indeed, he is just like a person who gives up ambrosia to drink poison. Since I am very intelligent, why should I give this fool material prosperity? Instead I shall induce him to take the nectar of the shelter of My lotus feet and make him forget illusory material enjoyment.' " If a devotee maintains some material desire and at the same time very sincerely desires to engage at the lotus feet of Krsna, Krsna may directly give him unalloyed devotional service and take away all his material desires and possessions. This is the Lord's special favor to devotees. Otherwise, if one takes to Krsna's devotional service but still has material desires to fulfill, he may become free from all material desires, as Dhruva Maharaja did, but this may take some time. However, if a very sincere devotee wants only Krsna's lotus feet, Krsna directly gives him the position of suddha-bhakti, unalloyed devotional service.
TEXT 22
TEXT
sri-aditir uvaca
kenaham vidhina brahmann
upasthasye jagat-patim
yatha me satya-sankalpo
vidadhyat sa manoratham
SYNONYMS
sri-aditih uvaca--Srimati Aditi began to pray; kena--by which; aham--I; vidhina--by regulative principles; brahman--O brahmana; upasthasye--can please; jagat-patim--the Lord of the universe, Jagannatha; yatha--by which; me--my; satya-sankalpah--desire may actually be fulfilled; vidadhyat--may fulfill; sah--He (the Supreme Lord); manoratham--ambitions or desires.
TRANSLATION
Srimati Aditi said: O brahmana, tell me the regulative principles by which I may worship the supreme master of the world so that the Lord will be pleased with me and fulfill all my desires.
PURPORT
It is said, "Man proposes, God disposes." Thus a person may desire many things, but unless these desires are fulfilled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot be fulfilled. Fulfillment of desire is called satya-sankalpa. Here the word satya-sankalpa is very important. Aditi placed herself at the mercy of her husband so that he would give her directions by which to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that all her desires would be fulfilled. A disciple must first decide that he should worship the Supreme Lord, and then the spiritual master will give the disciple correct directions. One cannot dictate to the spiritual master, just as a patient cannot demand that his physician prescribe a certain type of medicine. Here is the beginning of worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.16):
catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukrtino 'rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha
"O best among the Bharatas, four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me--the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute." Aditi was arta, a person in distress. She was very much aggrieved because her sons, the demigods, were bereft of everything. Thus she wanted to take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead under the direction of her husband, Kasyapa Muni.
TEXT 23
TEXT
adisa tvam dvija-srestha
vidhim tad-upadhavanam
asu tusyati me devah
sidantyah saha putrakaih
SYNONYMS
adisa--just instruct me; tvam--O my husband; dvija-srestha--O best of the brahmanas; vidhim--the regulative principles; tat--the Lord; upadhavanam--the process of worshiping; asu--very soon; tusyati--becomes satisfied; me--unto me; devah--the Lord; sidantyah--now lamenting; saha--with; putrakaih--all my sons, the demigods.
TRANSLATION
O best of the brahmanas, kindly instruct me in the perfect method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service, by which the Lord may very soon be pleased with me and save me, along with my sons, from this most dangerous condition.
PURPORT
Sometimes less intelligent men ask whether one has to approach a guru to be instructed in devotional service for spiritual advancement. The answer is given here--indeed, not only here, but also in Bhagavad-gita, where Arjuna accepted Krsna as his guru (sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam). The Vedas also instruct, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: one must accept a guru for proper direction if one is seriously inclined toward advancement in spiritual life. The Lord says that one must worship the acarya, who is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (acaryam mam vijaniyat). One should definitely understand this. In Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that the guru is the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, according to all the evidence given by the sastra and by the practical behavior of devotees, one must accept a guru. Aditi accepted her husband as her guru, so that he would direct her how to advance in spiritual consciousness, devotional service, by worshiping the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 24
TEXT
sri-kasyapa uvaca
etan me bhagavan prstah
praja-kamasya padmajah
yad aha te pravaksyami
vratam kesava-tosanam
SYNONYMS
sri-kasyapah uvaca--Kasyapa Muni said; etat--this; me--by me; bhagavan--the most powerful; prstah--when he was requested; praja-kamasya--desiring offspring; padma-jah--Lord Brahma, who was born of a lotus flower; yat--whatever; aha--he said; te--unto you; pravaksyami--I shall explain; vratam--in the form of worship; kesava-tosanam--by which Kesava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is satisfied.
TRANSLATION
Sri Kasyapa Muni said: When I desired offspring, I placed inquiries before Lord Brahma, who is born from a lotus flower. Now I shall explain to you the same process Lord Brahma instructed me, by which Kesava, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is satisfied.
PURPORT
Here the process of devotional service is further explained. Kasyapa Muni wanted to instruct Aditi in the same process recommended to him by Brahma for satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is valuable. The guru does not manufacture a new process to instruct the disciple. The disciple receives from the guru an authorized process received by the guru from his guru. This is called the system of disciplic succession (evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh). This is the bona fide Vedic system of receiving the process of devotional service, by which the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased. Therefore, to approach a bona fide guru, or spiritual master, is essential. The bona fide spiritual master is he who has received the mercy of his guru, who in turn is bona fide because he has received the mercy of his guru. This is called the parampara system. Unless one follows this parampara system, the mantra one receives will be chanted for no purpose. Nowadays there are so many rascal gurus who manufacture their mantras as a process for material advancement, not spiritual advancement. Still, the mantra cannot be successful if it is manufactured. Mantras and the process of devotional service have special power, provided they are received from the authorized person.
TEXT 25
TEXT
phalgunasyamale pakse
dvadasaham payo-vratam
arcayed aravindaksam
bhaktya paramayanvitah
SYNONYMS
phalgunasya--of the month of Phalguna (February and March); amale--during the bright; pakse--fortnight; dvadasa-aham--for twelve days, ending with Dvadasi, the day after Ekadasi; payah-vratam--accepting the vow of taking only milk; arcayet--one should worship; aravinda-aksam--the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktya--with devotion; paramaya--unalloyed; anvitah--surcharged.
TRANSLATION
In the bright fortnight of the month of Phalguna [February and March], for twelve days ending with Dvadasi, one should observe the vow of subsisting only on milk and should worship the lotus-eyed Supreme Personality of Godhead with all devotion.
PURPORT
Worshiping the Supreme Lord Visnu with devotion means following arcana-marga.
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
One should install the Deity of Lord Visnu or Krsna and worship Him nicely by dressing Him, decorating Him with flower garlands, and offering Him all kinds of fruits, flowers and cooked food, nicely prepared with ghee, sugar and grains. One should also offer a flame, incense and so on, while ringing a bell, as prescribed. This is called worship of the Lord. Here it is recommended that one observe the vow of subsisting only by drinking milk. This is called payo-vrata. As we generally perform devotional service on Ekadasi by not eating grains, it is generally recommended that on Dvadasi one not consume anything but milk. payo-vrata and arcana devotional service to the Supreme Lord should be performed with a pure devotional attitude (bhaktya). Without bhakti, one cannot worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah. If one wants to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead and be directly connected with Him, knowing what He wants to eat and how He is satisfied, one must take to the process of bhakti. As recommended here also, bhaktya paramayanvitah: one should be surcharged with unalloyed devotional service.
TEXT 26
TEXT
sinivalyam mrdalipya
snayat kroda-vidirnaya
yadi labhyeta vai srotasy
etam mantram udirayet
SYNONYMS
sinivalyam--on the dark-moon day; mrda--with dirt; alipya--smearing the body; snayat--one should bathe; kroda-vidirnaya--dug up by the tusk of a boar; yadi--if; labhyeta--it is available; vai--indeed; srotasi--in a flowing river; etam mantram--this mantra; udirayet--one should chant.
TRANSLATION
If dirt dug up by a boar is available, on the day of the dark moon one should smear this dirt on his body and then bathe in a flowing river. While bathing, one should chant the following mantra.
TEXT 27
TEXT
tvam devy adi-varahena
rasayah sthanam icchata
uddhrtasi namas tubhyam
papmanam me pranasaya
SYNONYMS
tvam--you; devi--O mother earth; adi-varahena--by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of a boar; rasayah--from the bottom of the universe; sthanam--a place; icchata--desiring; uddhrta asi--you have been raised; namah tubhyam--I offer my respectful obeisances unto you; papmanam--all sinful activities and their reactions; me--of me; pranasaya--please undo.
TRANSLATION
O mother earth, you were raised by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of a boar because of your desiring to have a place to stay. I pray that you kindly vanquish all the reactions of my sinful life. I offer my respectful obeisances unto you.
TEXT 28
TEXT
nirvartitatma-niyamo
devam arcet samahitah
arcayam sthandile surye
jale vahnau gurav api
SYNONYMS
nirvartita--finished; atma-niyamah--the daily duties of washing, chanting other mantras and so on, according to one's practice; devam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; arcet--one should worship; samahitah--with full attention; arcayam--unto the Deities; sthandile--unto the altar; surye--unto the sun; jale--unto the water; vahnau--unto the fire; gurau--unto the spiritual master; api--indeed.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, one should perform his daily spiritual duties and then, with great attention, offer worship to the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and also to the altar, the sun, water, fire and the spiritual master.
TEXT 29
TEXT
namas tubhyam bhagavate
purusaya mahiyase
sarva-bhuta-nivasaya
vasudevaya saksine
SYNONYMS
namah tubhyam--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; bhagavate--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; purusaya--the Supreme Person; mahiyase--the best of all personalities; sarva-bhuta-nivasaya--the person who lives in everyone's heart; vasudevaya--the Lord who lives everywhere; saksine--the witness of everything.
TRANSLATION
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, greatest of all, who lives in everyone's heart and in whom everyone lives, O witness of everything, O Vasudeva, supreme and all-pervading person, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
TEXT 30
TEXT
namo 'vyaktaya suksmaya
pradhana-purusaya ca
catur-vimsad-guna-jnaya
guna-sankhyana-hetave
SYNONYMS
namah--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; avyaktaya--who are never seen by material eyes; suksmaya--transcendental; pradhana-purusaya--the Supreme Person; ca--also; catuh-vimsat--twenty-four; guna-jnaya--the knower of the elements; guna-sankhyana--of the sankhya-yoga system; hetave--the original cause.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Person. Being very subtle, You are never visible to material eyes. You are the knower of the twenty-four elements, and You are the inaugurator of the sankhya-yoga system.
PURPORT
Catur-vimsad-guna, the twenty-four elements, are the five gross elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), the three subtle elements (mind, intelligence and false ego), the ten senses (five for working and five for acquiring knowledge), the five sense objects, and contaminated consciousness. These are the subject matter of sankhya-yoga, which was inaugurated by Lord Kapiladeva. This sankhya-yoga was again propounded by another Kapila, but he was an atheist, and his system is not accepted as bona fide.
TEXT 31
TEXT
namo dvi-sirsne tri-pade
catuh-srngaya tantave
sapta-hastaya yajnaya
trayi-vidyatmane namah
SYNONYMS
namah--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; dvi-sirsne--who have two heads; tri-pade--who have three legs; catuh-srngaya--who have four horns; tantave--who expand; sapta-hastaya--who have seven hands; yajnaya--unto the yajna-purusa, the supreme enjoyer; trayi--the three modes of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies; vidya-atmane--the Personality of Godhead, the embodiment of all knowledge; namah--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who have two heads [prayaniya and udayaniya], three legs [savana-traya], four horns [the four Vedas] and seven hands [the seven chandas, such as Gayatri]. I offer my obeisances unto You, whose heart and soul are the three Vedic rituals [karma-kanda, jnana-kanda and upasana-kanda] and who expand these rituals in the form of sacrifice.
TEXT 32
TEXT
namah sivaya rudraya
namah sakti-dharaya ca
sarva-vidyadhipataye
bhutanam pataye namah
SYNONYMS
namah--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; sivaya--the incarnation named Lord Siva; rudraya--the expansion named Rudra; namah--obeisances; sakti-dharaya--the reservoir of all potencies; ca--and; sarva-vidya-adhipataye--the reservoir of all knowledge; bhutanam--of the living entities; pataye--the supreme master; namah--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, Lord Siva, or Rudra, who are the reservoir of all potencies, the reservoir of all knowledge, and the master of everyone.
PURPORT
It is the system for one to offer obeisances unto the expansion or incarnation of the Lord. Lord Siva is the incarnation of ignorance, one of the material modes of nature.
TEXT 33
TEXT
namo hiranyagarbhaya
pranaya jagad-atmane
yogaisvarya-sariraya
namas te yoga-hetave
SYNONYMS
namah--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; hiranyagarbhaya--situated as the four-headed Hiranyagarbha, Brahma; pranaya--the source of everyone's life; jagat-atmane--the Supersoul of the entire universe; yoga-aisvarya-sariraya--whose body is full of opulences and mystic power; namah te--I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; yoga-hetave--the original master of all mystic power.