॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ एकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः - २९ ॥
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Discourse XXIX
True meaning of devotion and the glory of Time (Preamble)
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देवहूतिरुवाच ।
लक्षणं महदादीनां प्रकृतेः पुरुषस्य च ।
स्वरूपं लक्ष्यतेऽमीषां येन तत्पारमार्थिकम् ॥ १॥
यथा साङ्ख्येषु कथितं यन्मूलं तत्प्रचक्षते ।
भक्तियोगस्य मे मार्गं ब्रूहि विस्तरशः प्रभो ॥ २॥
विरागो येन पुरुषो भगवन् सर्वतो भवेत् ।
आचक्ष्व जीवलोकस्य विविधा मम संसृतीः ॥ ३॥
कालस्येश्वररूपस्य परेषां च परस्य ते ।
स्वरूपं बत कुर्वन्ति यद्धेतोः कुशलं जनाः ॥ ४॥
लोकस्य मिथ्याभिमतेरचक्षुष-
श्चिरं प्रसुप्तस्य तमस्यनाश्रये ।
श्रान्तस्य कर्मस्वनुविद्धया धिया
त्वमाविरासीः किल योगभास्करः ॥ ५॥
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Devahūti said : You have told me, as described in works on the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy, the characteristics of Mahat-tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence) as well as of Prakṛti (Primordial Matter) and Puruṣa (the Spirit)—characteristics which reveal their true (and distinctive nature); now be pleased to reveal to me at length, O Lord, the path of Bhaktiyoga (the discipline of devotion), which is said to be the end of the above discussion. (1-2)
Pray, also tell me the various destinies (in the form of birth in different species as well as of death) attained by the Jivas, by hearing an account of which man may develop a distaste for everything (in this world as well as in the next), O almighty Lord ! (3)
Further let me know the essential character of the all-powerful Time, who is the Ruler even of Brahmā and others and identical with You, and for fear of whom people do that which is good. (4)
You have appeared as a sun to diffuse the light of Yoga for awakening men, who having lost the eye (of wisdom), have identified themselves with objects (such as the body) possessing no reality and who, feeling fatigued on account of their mind being attached to action, have long been lying asleep in the bottomless darkness of ignorance. (5) (1-5)
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मैत्रेय उवाच ।
इति मातुर्वचः श्लक्ष्णं प्रतिनन्द्य महामुनिः ।
आबभाषे कुरुश्रेष्ठ प्रीतस्तां करुणार्दितः ॥ ६॥
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Maitreya continued : The great sage (Kapila) greeted these charming words of His mother and overwhelmed with compassion and full of delight, O crest-jewel of the Kurus, replied to her (as follows). (6) (6)
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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
भक्तियोगो बहुविधो मार्गैर्भामिनि भाव्यते ।
स्वभावगुणमार्गेण पुंसां भावो विभिद्यते ॥ ७॥
अभिसन्धाय यो हिंसां दम्भं मात्सर्यमेव वा ।
संरम्भी भिन्नदृग्भावं मयि कुर्यात्स तामसः ॥ ८॥
विषयानभिसन्धाय यश ऐश्वर्यमेव वा ।
अर्चादावर्चयेद्यो मां पृथग्भावः स राजसः ॥ ९॥
कर्मनिर्हारमुद्दिश्य परस्मिन् वा तदर्पणम् ।
यजेद्यष्टव्यमिति वा पृथग्भावः स सात्त्विकः ॥ १०॥
मद्गुणश्रुतिमात्रेण मयि सर्वगुहाशये ।
मनोगतिरविच्छिन्ना यथा गङ्गाम्भसोऽम्बुधौ ॥ ११॥
लक्षणं भक्तियोगस्य निर्गुणस्य ह्युदाहृतम् ।
अहैतुक्यव्यवहिता या भक्तिः पुरुषोत्तमे ॥ १२॥
सालोक्यसार्ष्टिसामीप्यसारूप्यैकत्वमप्युत ।
दीयमानं न गृह्णन्ति विना मत्सेवनं जनाः ॥ १३॥
स एव भक्तियोगाख्य आत्यन्तिक उदाहृतः ।
येनातिव्रज्य त्रिगुणं मद्भावायोपपद्यते ॥ १४॥
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The Lord said : The discipline of devotion, O noble lady, is recognized as manifold according to our ways of approach (attitudes of mind with regard) to it; and men's attitude of mind varies according to the diversity of their natural characteristics. (7)
A man who is given up to anger and views Me as distinct from himself, and who practises devotion to Me with a mind full of violence, hypocrisy and jealousy, is a devotee of the Tāmasika type. (8)
He who worships Me through an image etc., as distinct from himself with a view to acquiring objects of senses, fame and power is a devotee of the Rājasika type. (9)
And he who adores Me as distinct from himself, aiming at the eradication of his sins or with the intention of offering his actions to the Supreme or again with the feeling that it is his duty to worship Me is a devotee of the Sāttvika type. (10)
The uninterrupted flow of the mind-stream towards Me, dwelling in the heart of all—like that of the waters of the Gaṅgā towards the ocean—at the mere mention of My virtues, combined with motiveless and unremitting love to Me, the Supreme Person, is spoken of as the distinguishing character of unqualified Bhaktiyoga. (11-12)
My devotees accept not, in exchange for My service (the five forms of final beatitude, viz.) Sālokya (residence in My divine realm), Sārṣṭi (enjoying My powers), Sāmīpya (living in My presence), Sārūpya (possessing a form similar to Mine) and Sāyujya (absorption into My Being), even when they are offered to him (by Me). (13)
The aforesaid Bhaktiyoga has been declared as the highest (final) goal; for transcending the realm of the three Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti) the devotee thereby becomes qualified for My state (without any effort). (14) (7-14)
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निषेवितेनानिमित्तेन स्वधर्मेण महीयसा ।
क्रियायोगेन शस्तेन नातिहिंस्रेण नित्यशः ॥ १५॥
मद्धिष्ण्यदर्शनस्पर्शपूजास्तुत्यभिवन्दनैः ।
भूतेषु मद्भावनया सत्त्वेनासङ्गमेन च ॥ १६॥
महतां बहुमानेन दीनानामनुकम्पया ।
मैत्र्या चैवात्मतुल्येषु यमेन नियमेन च ॥ १७॥
आध्यात्मिकानुश्रवणान्नामसङ्कीर्तनाच्च मे ।
आर्जवेनार्यसङ्गेन निरहङ्क्रियया तथा ॥ १८॥
मद्धर्मणो गुणैरेतैः परिसंशुद्ध आशयः ।
पुरुषस्याञ्जसाभ्येति श्रुतमात्रगुणं हि माम् ॥ १९॥
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By devoutly performing one's duties (both of an obligatory nature and those arising out of a special occasion) in a disinterested spirit; by following everyday a course of worship (enjoined by the Pāñcarātra and other sacred works) involving no destruction of life and actuated by no worldly desire; by beholding, touching, adoring, extolling and bowing to My images etc., by regarding all living beings as My own manifestations; by resorting to patience and dispassion; by showing great respect to exalted souls, commiserating with the afflicted and behaving in a friendly manner with one's equals; by practising the five Yamas (non-violence, truthfulness, non-thieving, abstaining from sexual commerce and possessing things not exceeding the bare necessaries of life) and the five Niyamas (viz., external and internal purity, contentment, undergoing penance, study of sacred texts and meditation on God); by hearing spiritual discourses and chanting the divine names; by unity of mind, speech and body, fellowship with holy men and absence of egotism, the mind of the man, engaged in activities intended to please Me gets thoroughly purified and conceives a liking for Me without any effort the moment My virtues enter his ears. (15-19) (15-19)
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यथा वातरथो घ्राणमावृङ्क्ते गन्ध आशयात् ।
एवं योगरतं चेत आत्मानमविकारि यत् ॥ २०॥
अहं सर्वेषु भूतेषु भूतात्मावस्थितः सदा ।
तमवज्ञाय मां मर्त्यः कुरुतेऽर्चाविडम्बनम् ॥ २१॥
यो मां सर्वेषु भूतेषु सन्तमात्मानमीश्वरम् ।
हित्वार्चां भजते मौढ्याद्भस्मन्येव जुहोति सः ॥ २२॥
द्विषतः परकाये मां मानिनो भिन्नदर्शिनः ।
भूतेषु बद्धवैरस्य न मनःशान्तिमृच्छति ॥ २३॥
अहमुच्चावचैर्द्रव्यैः क्रिययोत्पन्नयानघे ।
नैव तुष्येऽर्चितोऽर्चायां भूतग्रामावमानिनः ॥ २४॥
अर्चादावर्चयेत्तावदीश्वरं मां स्वकर्मकृत् ।
यावन्न वेद स्वहृदि सर्वभूतेष्ववस्थितम् ॥ २५॥
आत्मनश्च परस्यापि यः करोत्यन्तरोदरम् ।
तस्य भिन्नदृशो मृत्युर्विदधे भयमुल्बणम् ॥ २६॥
अथ मां सर्वभूतेषु भूतात्मानं कृतालयम् ।
अर्हयेद्दानमानाभ्यां मैत्र्याभिन्नेन चक्षुषा ॥ २७॥
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Just as odour wafted from its source through the vehicle of a breeze catches the olfactory sense, so an equipoised mind engaged in the pursuit of Yoga (Devotion) embraces Me. (20)
I am ever present in all living beings as their very Self (Inner Controller). A man (therefore) who worships Me through an idol, showing disrespect to Me (as abiding in all creatures), makes a travesty of worship. (21)
Ignoring Me, the Supreme Ruler, the Self present in all living beings, he who stupidly resorts to idol-worship alone throws oblations into the ashes. (22)
The mind of a man who, full of pride, hates Me, abiding in the body of another, views Me as distinct from himself and bears deep-rooted malice to living creatures can never find peace. (23)
I am not pleased, even though adored through an image by means of formal worship carried on with costly or cheap materials, O sinless mother, by a man slighting other creatures. (24)
Performing his (allotted) duties, a man should worship Me, the Supreme Ruler, through images etc., only so long as he does not realize Me as present in his own heart as well as in (the heart of) other living beings. (25)
Figuring as Death, I cause great fear to him who makes the least discrimination between himself and another because of his differential outlook. (26)
Therefore, through charitable gifts and attentions as well as through friendly behaviour and by viewing all alike, one should propitiate Me, abiding in all creatures as their very Self. (27) (20-27)
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जीवाः श्रेष्ठा ह्यजीवानां ततः प्राणभृतः शुभे ।
ततः सचित्ताः प्रवरास्ततश्चेन्द्रियवृत्तयः ॥ २८॥
तत्रापि स्पर्शवेदिभ्यः प्रवरा रसवेदिनः ।
तेभ्यो गन्धविदः श्रेष्ठास्ततः शब्दविदो वराः ॥ २९॥
रूपभेदविदस्तत्र ततश्चोभयतो दतः ।
तेषां बहुपदाः श्रेष्ठाश्चतुष्पादस्ततो द्विपात् ॥ ३०॥
ततो वर्णाश्च चत्वारस्तेषां ब्राह्मण उत्तमः ।
ब्राह्मणेष्वपि वेदज्ञो ह्यर्थज्ञोऽभ्यधिकस्ततः ॥ ३१॥
अर्थज्ञात्संशयच्छेत्ता ततः श्रेयान् स्वकर्मकृत् ।
मुक्तसङ्गस्ततो भूयानदोग्धा धर्ममात्मनः ॥ ३२॥
तस्मान्मय्यर्पिताशेषक्रियार्थात्मा निरन्तरः ।
मय्यर्पितात्मनः पुंसो मयि सन्न्यस्तकर्मणः ।
न पश्यामि परं भूतमकर्तुः समदर्शनात् ॥ ३३॥
मनसैतानि भूतानि प्रणमेद्बहुमानयन् ।
ईश्वरो जीवकलया प्रविष्टो भगवानिति ॥ ३४॥
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Living beings are superior to the inanimate creation, while animals are superior to (other) living beings, O blessed mother. Higher than the animals are beings gifted with consciousness and still higher than these are those endowed with sense-perception. (28)
Again, among the creatures endowed with sense-perception, those endowed with the sense of taste (such as fish) are superior to those having the sense of touch alone. Higher than those capable of perceiving taste are those endowed with the olfactory sense (bees etc.) and still higher are those capable of sensing sound (snakes etc.). (29)
Higher than these latter are those capable of perceiving the differences of colour (crows etc.) and still higher are those having teeth both in the upper and lower jaws. Of these latter, those endowed with a number of feet are superior to those having no feet; the quadrupeds are higher than those possessed of many feet; while a biped (human being) is superior to the quadrupeds. (30)
The members of the four castes are superior to other human beings; while the Brāhmaṇa ranks the foremost among the four castes. Of the Brāhmaṇas, again, the knower of Veda is the best; and higher still is the man who knows the meaning of the Vedas. (31)
Higher than the latter is he who can clear doubts (a master of the Mīmāṃsā system of philosophy) and higher still is the man who performs his own duty. Superior to him is he who is free from attachment and performs his duty in a disinterested spirit (expecting no reward for the same either here or hereafter). (32)
Higher than the latter is the man who has dedicated all his actions as well as their consequences, nay, his very self (his body) to Me and thus sees no difference between himself and Me. And I find no living being higher than the man who has given his mind and offered his actions to Me, who has no sense of doership and regards all with the same eye. (33)
Treating all living beings with great respect under the belief that it is the almighty Lord who has entered their body as the Inner Controller of the soul tenanting it, one should mentally bow to them. (34) (28-34)
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भक्तियोगश्च योगश्च मया मानव्युदीरितः ।
ययोरेकतरेणैव पुरुषः पुरुषं व्रजेत् ॥ ३५॥
एतद्भगवतो रूपं ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः ।
परं प्रधानं पुरुषं दैवं कर्मविचेष्टितम् ॥ ३६॥
रूपभेदास्पदं दिव्यं काल इत्यभिधीयते ।
भूतानां महदादीनां यतो भिन्नदृशां भयम् ॥ ३७॥
योऽन्तःप्रविश्य भूतानि भूतैरत्त्यखिलाश्रयः ।
स विष्ण्वाख्योऽधियज्ञोऽसौ कालः कलयतां प्रभुः ॥ ३८॥
न चास्य कश्चिद्दयितो न द्वेष्यो न च बान्धवः ।
आविशत्यप्रमत्तोऽसौ प्रमत्तं जनमन्तकृत् ॥ ३९॥
यद्भयाद्वाति वातोऽयं सूर्यस्तपति यद्भयात् ।
यद्भयाद्वर्षते देवो भगणो भाति यद्भयात् ॥ ४०॥
यद्वनस्पतयो भीता लताश्चौषधिभिः सह ।
स्वे स्वे कालेऽभिगृह्णन्ति पुष्पाणि च फलानि च ॥ ४१॥
स्रवन्ति सरितो भीता नोत्सर्पत्युदधिर्यतः ।
अग्निरिन्धे सगिरिभिर्भूर्न मज्जति यद्भयात् ॥ ४२॥
नभो ददाति श्वसतां पदं यन्नियमाददः ।
लोकं स्वदेहं तनुते महान्सप्तभिरावृतम् ॥ ४३॥
गुणाभिमानिनो देवाः सर्गादिष्वस्य यद्भयात् ।
वर्तन्तेऽनुयुगं येषां वश एतच्चराचरम् ॥ ४४॥
सोऽनन्तोऽन्तकरः कालोऽनादिरादिकृदव्ययः ।
जनं जनेन जनयन् मारयन् मृत्युनान्तकम् ॥ ४५॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
तृतीयस्कन्धे कापिलेयोपाख्याने एकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः ॥ २९॥
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The Yoga (discipline) of Devotion as well as the Yoga with eight limbs have (thus) been expounded by Me, O daughter of Swāyambhuva Manu! By following either of these two Yogas a man can attain to the Supreme Person.(35)
The aforesaid aspect of the Lord—who is the same as the Absolute (of the Vedānti) and the Supreme Spirit (of the Yogi), nay, who figures both as Prakṛti (Primordial Matter) and Puruṣa (the Spirit) and yet lies beyond the two—is also known by the name of Providence, who brings into play the activity of Karma (the destiny of the different Jivas in the shape of birth in the various species of life).(36)
It also bears the appellation of Kāla (Time), which brings about the transformation of things and is possessed of wonderful prowess, nay, which is a source of (constant) terror to those who regard themselves as a separate entity and have identified themselves with Mahat-tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence) and other products of Matter. (37)
Kāla (the Time-spirit), who is the Ruler of rulers (Brahmā and others) and who, being the support of all, enters the heart of all living beings (as their Inner Controller) and devours (destroys) them through other beings, is no other than the deity presiding over sacrifices and known by the name of Viṣṇu. (38)
Although there is none dear or hateful to Him nor anyone His Kinsman, He is ever on the alert and attacks and destroys the man who (having forgotten the Lord) wallows in the error of sensuality.(39)
For fear of Him blows the wind; for fear of Him the sun shines; for fear of Him the god of rain pours forth showers and for fear of Him the host of heavenly bodies shed their lustre. (40)
Afraid of Him, trees and creepers along with herbs or annual plants (that die the moment their fruit ripens) put forth blossoms and fructify each in its own season. (41)
Afraid of Him, rivers flow and the ocean never overflows. Nay, for fear of Him fire burns and the earth with its mountains sinks not (into the waters supporting it). (42)
Subject to His control the yonder sky allows room to living beings and Mahat-tattva (the principle of cosmic intelligence) expands its own (sprout-like) form into this (vast) universe enveloped by seven sheaths (in the shape of earth, water, fire, air, ether, the ego and Prakṛti). (43)
For fear of Him the deities presiding over the (three) Guṇas or modes of Prakṛti (viz., Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva), who hold sway over the entire creation consisting of animate and inanimate beings, remain engaged in their duties of creating, preserving and destroying it from time to time.(44)
That imperishable Time-Spirit, who, though beginningless, is the first maker (of the universe) and who, though endless, brings about the end of the phenomenal world, carries on the work of creation by bringing into existence one individual (a son) through another (his father) and likewise dissolves the universe by destroying even Yama (the lord of death) through Himself (the Destroyer even of Death). (45)
Thus ends the twenty-ninth discourse, forming part of the "Story of Lord Kapila," in Book Three of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (35-45)
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