Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 3 Chapter 28

Kapila’s Instructions on the Execution of Devotional Service

VERSE 3.28.1

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

yogasya lakṣaṇaṁ vakṣye
sabījasya nṛpātmaje
mano yenaiva vidhinā
prasannaṁ yāti sat-patham

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Personality of Godhead said; yogasya — of the yoga system; lakṣaṇam — description; vakṣye — I shall explain; sabījasya — authorized; nṛpa-ātma-je — O daughter of the King; manaḥ — the mind; yena — by which; eva — certainly; vidhinā — by practice; prasannam — joyful; yāti — attains; sat-patham — the path of the Absolute Truth.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead said: My dear mother, O daughter of the King, now I shall explain to you the system of yoga, the object of which is to concentrate the mind. By practicing this system one can become joyful and progressively advance towards the path of the Absolute Truth.

VERSE 3.28.2

sva-dharmācaraṇaṁ śaktyā
vidharmāc ca nivartanam
daivāl labdhena santoṣa
ātmavic-caraṇārcanam

SYNONYMS

sva-dharma-ācaraṇam — executing one’s prescribed duties; śaktyā — to the best of one’s ability; vidharmāt — unauthorized duties; ca — and; nivartanam — avoiding; daivāt — by the grace of the Lord; labdhena — with what is achieved; santoṣaḥ — satisfied; ātma-vit — of the self-realized soul; caraṇa — the feet; arcanam — worshiping.

TRANSLATION

One should execute his prescribed duties to the best of his ability and avoid performing duties not allotted to him. One should be satisfied with as much gain as he achieves by the grace of the Lord, and one should worship the lotus feet of a spiritual master.

VERSE 3.28.3

grāmya-dharma-nivṛttiś ca
mokṣa-dharma-ratis tathā
mita-medhyādanaṁ śaśvad
vivikta-kṣema-sevanam

SYNONYMS

grāmya — conventional; dharma — religious practice; nivṛttiḥ — ceasing; ca — and; mokṣa — for salvation; dharma — religious practice; ratiḥ — being attracted to; tathā — in that way; mita — little; medhya — pure; adanam — eating; śaśvat — always; vivikta — secluded; kṣema — peaceful; sevanam — dwelling.

TRANSLATION

One should cease performing conventional religious practices and should be attracted to those which lead to salvation. One should eat very frugally and should always remain secluded so that he can achieve the highest perfection of life.

VERSE 3.28.4

ahiṁsā satyam asteyaṁ
yāvad-artha-parigrahaḥ
brahmacaryaṁ tapaḥ śaucaṁ
svādhyāyaḥ puruṣārcanam

SYNONYMS

ahiṁsā — nonviolence; satyam — truthfulness; asteyam — refraining from theft; yāvat-artha — as much as necessary; parigrahaḥ — possessing; brahmacaryam — celibacy; tapaḥ — austerity; śaucam — cleanliness; sva-adhyāyaḥ — study of the Vedas; puruṣa-arcanam — worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

One should practice nonviolence and truthfulness, should avoid thieving and be satisfied with possessing as much as he needs for his maintenance. He should abstain from sex life, perform austerity, be clean, study the Vedas and worship the supreme form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.28.5

maunaṁ sad-āsana-jayaḥ
sthairyaṁ prāṇa-jayaḥ śanaiḥ
pratyāhāraś cendriyāṇāṁ
viṣayān manasā hṛdi

SYNONYMS

maunam — silence; sat — good; āsana — yogic postures; jayaḥ — controlling; sthairyam — steadiness; prāṇa-jayaḥ — controlling the vital air; śanaiḥ — gradually; pratyāhāraḥ — withdrawal; ca — and; indriyāṇām — of the senses; viṣayāt — from the sense objects; manasā — with the mind; hṛdi — on the heart.

TRANSLATION

One must observe silence, acquire steadiness by practicing different yogic postures, control the breathing of the vital air, withdraw the senses from sense objects and thus concentrate the mind on the heart.

VERSE 3.28.6

sva-dhiṣṇyānām eka-deśe
manasā prāṇa-dhāraṇam
vaikuṇṭha-līlābhidhyānaṁ
samādhānaṁ tathātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

sva-dhiṣṇyānām — within the vital air circles; eka-deśe — in one spot; manasā — with the mind; prāṇa — the vital air; dhāraṇam — fixing; vaikuṇṭha-līlā — on the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; abhidhyānam — concentration; samādhānam — samādhi; tathā — thus; ātmanaḥ — of the mind.

TRANSLATION

Fixing the vital air and the mind in one of the six circles of vital air circulation within the body, thus concentrating one’s mind on the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is called samādhi, or samādhāna, of the mind.

VERSE 3.28.7

etair anyaiś ca pathibhir
mano duṣṭam asat-patham
buddhyā yuñjīta śanakair
jita-prāṇo hy atandritaḥ

SYNONYMS

etaiḥ — by these; anyaiḥ — by other; ca — and; pathibhiḥ — processes; manaḥ — the mind; duṣṭam — contaminated; asat-patham — on the path of material enjoyment; buddhyā — by the intelligence; yuñjīta — one must control; śanakaiḥ — gradually; jita-prāṇaḥ — the life air being fixed; hi — indeed; atandritaḥ — alert.

TRANSLATION

By these processes, or any other true process, one must control the contaminated, unbridled mind, which is always attracted by material enjoyment, and thus fix himself in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.28.8

śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya
vijitāsana āsanam
tasmin svasti samāsīna
ṛju-kāyaḥ samabhyaset

SYNONYMS

śucau deśe — in a sanctified place; pratiṣṭhāpya — after placing; vijita-āsanaḥ — controlling the sitting postures; āsanam — a seat; tasmin — in that place; svasti samāsīnaḥ — sitting in an easy posture; ṛju-kāyaḥ — keeping the body erect; samabhyaset — one should practice.

TRANSLATION

After controlling one’s mind and sitting postures, one should spread a seat in a secluded and sanctified place, sit there in an easy posture, keeping the body erect, and practice breath control.

VERSE 3.28.9

prāṇasya śodhayen mārgaṁ
pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥ
pratikūlena vā cittaṁ
yathā sthiram acañcalam

SYNONYMS

prāṇasya — of vital air; śodhayet — one should clear; mārgam — the passage; pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥ — by inhaling, retaining and exhaling; pratikūlena — by reversing; — or; cittam — the mind; yathā — so that; sthiram — steady; acañcalam — free from disturbances.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should clear the passage of vital air by breathing in the following manner: first he should inhale very deeply, then hold the breath in, and finally exhale. Or, reversing the process, the yogi can first exhale, then hold the breath outside, and finally inhale. This is done so that the mind may become steady and free from external disturbances.

VERSE 3.28.10

mano ’cirāt syād virajaṁ
jita-śvāsasya yoginaḥ
vāyv-agnibhyāṁ yathā lohaṁ
dhmātaṁ tyajati vai malam

SYNONYMS

manaḥ — the mind; acirāt — soon; syāt — can be; virajam — free from disturbances; jita-śvāsasya — whose breathing is controlled; yoginaḥ — of the yogī; vāyu-agnibhyām — by air and fire; yathā — just as; loham — gold; dhmātam — fanned; tyajati — becomes freed from; vai — certainly; malam — impurity.

TRANSLATION

The yogīs who practice such breathing exercises are very soon freed from all mental disturbances, just as gold, when put into fire and fanned with air, becomes free from all impurities.

VERSE 3.28.11

prāṇāyāmair dahed doṣān
dhāraṇābhiś ca kilbiṣān
pratyāhāreṇa saṁsargān
dhyānenānīśvarān guṇān

SYNONYMS

prāṇāyāmaiḥ — by practice of prāṇāyāma; dahet — one can eradicate; doṣān — contaminations; dhāraṇābhiḥ — by concentrating the mind; ca — and; kilbiṣān — sinful activities; pratyāhāreṇa — by restraining the senses; saṁsargān — material association; dhyānena — by meditating; anīśvarān guṇān — the modes of material nature.

TRANSLATION

By practicing the process of prāṇāyāma, one can eradicate the contamination of his physiological condition, and by concentrating the mind one can become free from all sinful activities. By restraining the senses one can free himself from material association, and by meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead one can become free from the three modes of material attachment.

VERSE 3.28.12

yadā manaḥ svaṁ virajaṁ
yogena susamāhitam
kāṣṭhāṁ bhagavato dhyāyet
sva-nāsāgrāvalokanaḥ

SYNONYMS

yadā — when; manaḥ — the mind; svam — own; virajam — purified; yogena — by yoga practice; su-samāhitam — controlled; kāṣṭhām — the plenary expansion; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; dhyāyet — one should meditate upon; sva-nāsā-agra — the tip of one’s nose; avalokanaḥ — looking at.

TRANSLATION

When the mind is perfectly purified by this practice of yoga, one should concentrate on the tip of the nose with half-closed eyes and see the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

VERSE 3.28.13

prasanna-vadanāmbhojaṁ
padma-garbhāruṇekṣaṇam
nīlotpala-dala-śyāmaṁ
śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharam

SYNONYMS

prasanna — cheerful; vadana — countenance; ambhojam — lotuslike; padma-garbha — the interior of a lotus; aruṇa — ruddy; īkṣaṇam — with eyes; nīla-utpala — blue lotus; dala — petals; śyāmam — swarthy; śaṅkha — conch; cakra — discus; gadā — club; dharam — bearing.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has a cheerful, lotuslike countenance with ruddy eyes like the interior of a lotus, and a swarthy body like the petals of a blue lotus. He bears a conch, discus and mace in three of His hands.

VERSE 3.28.14

lasat-paṅkaja-kiñjalka-
pīta-kauśeya-vāsasam
śrīvatsa-vakṣasaṁ bhrājat
kaustubhāmukta-kandharam

SYNONYMS

lasat — shining; paṅkaja — of a lotus; kiñjalka — filaments; pīta — yellow; kauśeya — silk cloth; vāsasam — whose garment; śrīvatsa — bearing the mark of Śrīvatsa; vakṣasam — breast; bhrājat — brilliant; kaustubha — Kaustubha gem; āmukta — put on; kandharam — His neck.

TRANSLATION

His loins are covered by a shining cloth, yellowish like the filaments of a lotus. On His breast He bears the mark of Śrīvatsa, a curl of white hair. The brilliant Kaustubha gem is suspended from His neck.

VERSE 3.28.15

matta-dvirepha-kalayā
parītaṁ vana-mālayā
parārdhya-hāra-valaya-
kirīṭāṅgada-nūpuram

SYNONYMS

matta — intoxicated; dvi-repha — with bees; kalayā — humming; parītam — garlanded; vana-mālayā — with a garland of forest flowers; parārdhya — priceless; hāra — pearl necklace; valaya — bracelets; kirīṭa — a crown; aṅgada — armlets; nūpuram — anklets.

TRANSLATION

He also wears around His neck a garland of attractive sylvan flowers, and a swarm of bees, intoxicated by its delicious fragrance, hums about the garland. He is further superbly adorned with a pearl necklace, a crown and pairs of armlets, bracelets and anklets.

VERSE 3.28.16

kāñcī-guṇollasac-chroṇiṁ
hṛdayāmbhoja-viṣṭaram
darśanīyatamaṁ śāntaṁ
mano-nayana-vardhanam

SYNONYMS

kāñcī — girdle; guṇa — quality; ullasat — brilliant; śroṇim — His loins and hips; hṛdaya — heart; ambhoja — lotus; viṣṭaram — whose seat; darśanīya-tamam — most charming to look at; śāntam — serene; manaḥ — minds, hearts; nayana — eyes; vardhanam — gladdening.

TRANSLATION

His loins and hips encircled by a girdle, He stands on the lotus of His devotee’s heart. He is most charming to look at, and His serene aspect gladdens the eyes and souls of the devotees who behold Him.

VERSE 3.28.17

apīcya-darśanaṁ śaśvat
sarva-loka-namaskṛtam
santaṁ vayasi kaiśore
bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram

SYNONYMS

apīcya-darśanam — very beautiful to see; śaśvat — eternal; sarva-loka — by all the inhabitants of every planet; namaḥ-kṛtam — worshipable; santam — situated; vayasi — in youth; kaiśore — in boyhood; bhṛtya — upon His devotee; anugraha — to bestow blessings; kātaram — eager.

TRANSLATION

The Lord is eternally very beautiful, and He is worshipable by all the inhabitants of every planet. He is ever youthful and always eager to bestow His blessing upon His devotees.

VERSE 3.28.18

kīrtanya-tīrtha-yaśasaṁ
puṇya-śloka-yaśaskaram
dhyāyed devaṁ samagrāṅgaṁ
yāvan na cyavate manaḥ

SYNONYMS

kīrtanya — worth singing; tīrtha-yaśasam — the glories of the Lord; puṇya-śloka — of the devotees; yaśaḥ-karam — enhancing the glory; dhyāyet — one should meditate; devam — upon the Lord; samagra-aṅgam — all the limbs; yāvat — as much as; na — not; cyavate — deviates; manaḥ — the mind.

TRANSLATION

The glory of the Lord is always worth singing, for His glories enhance the glories of His devotees. One should therefore meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead and upon His devotees. One should meditate on the eternal form of the Lord until the mind becomes fixed.

VERSE 3.28.19

sthitaṁ vrajantam āsīnaṁ
śayānaṁ vā guhāśayam
prekṣaṇīyehitaṁ dhyāyec
chuddha-bhāvena cetasā

SYNONYMS

sthitam — standing; vrajantam — moving; āsīnam — sitting; śayānam — lying down; — or; guhā-āśayam — the Lord dwelling in the heart; prekṣaṇīya — beautiful; īhitam — pastimes; dhyāyet — he should visualize; śuddha-bhāvena — pure; cetasā — by the mind.

TRANSLATION

Thus always merged in devotional service, the yogī visualizes the Lord standing, moving, lying down or sitting within him, for the pastimes of the Supreme Lord are always beautiful and attractive.

VERSE 3.28.20

tasmiḻ labdha-padaṁ cittaṁ
sarvāvayava-saṁsthitam
vilakṣyaikatra saṁyujyād
aṅge bhagavato muniḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmin — on the form of the Lord; labdha-padam — fixed; cittam — the mind; sarva — all; avayava — limbs; saṁsthitam — fixed upon; vilakṣya — having distinguished; ekatra — in one place; saṁyujyāt — should fix the mind; aṅge — on each limb; bhagavataḥ — of the Lord; muniḥ — the sage.

TRANSLATION

In fixing his mind on the eternal form of the Lord, the yogī should not take a collective view of all His limbs, but should fix the mind on each individual limb of the Lord.

VERSE 3.28.21

sañcintayed bhagavataś caraṇāravindaṁ
vajrāṅkuśa-dhvaja-saroruha-lāñchanāḍhyam
uttuṅga-rakta-vilasan-nakha-cakravāla-
jyotsnābhir āhata-mahad-dhṛdayāndhakāram

SYNONYMS

sañcintayet — he should concentrate; bhagavataḥ — of the Lord; caraṇa-aravindam — on the lotus feet; vajra — thunderbolt; aṅkuśa — goad (rod for driving elephants); dhvaja — banner; saroruha — lotus; lāñchana — marks; āḍhyam — adorned with; uttuṅga — prominent; rakta — red; vilasat — brilliant; nakha — nails; cakravāla — the circle of the moon; jyotsnābhiḥ — with splendor; āhata — dispelled; mahat — thick; hṛdaya — of the heart; andhakāram — darkness.

TRANSLATION

The devotee should first concentrate his mind on the Lord’s lotus feet, which are adorned with the marks of a thunderbolt, a goad, a banner and a lotus. The splendor of their beautiful ruby nails resembles the orb of the moon and dispels the thick gloom of one’s heart.

VERSE 3.28.22

yac-chauca-niḥsṛta-sarit-pravarodakena
tīrthena mūrdhny adhikṛtena śivaḥ śivo ’bhūt
dhyātur manaḥ-śamala-śaila-nisṛṣṭa-vajraṁ
dhyāyec ciraṁ bhagavataś caraṇāravindam

SYNONYMS

yat — the Lord’s lotus feet; śauca — washing; niḥsṛta — gone forth; sarit-pravara — of the Ganges; udakena — by the water; tīrthena — holy; mūrdhni — on his head; adhikṛtena — borne; śivaḥ — Lord Śiva; śivaḥ — auspicious; abhūt — became; dhyātuḥ — of the meditator; manaḥ — in the mind; śamala-śaila — the mountain of sin; nisṛṣṭa — hurled; vajram — thunderbolt; dhyāyet — one should meditate; ciram — for a long time; bhagavataḥ — of the Lord; caraṇa-aravindam — on the lotus feet.

TRANSLATION

The blessed Lord Śiva becomes all the more blessed by bearing on his head the holy waters of the Ganges, which has its source in the water that washed the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord’s feet act like thunderbolts hurled to shatter the mountain of sin stored in the mind of the meditating devotee. One should therefore meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time.

VERSE 3.28.23

jānu-dvayaṁ jalaja-locanayā jananyā
lakṣmyākhilasya sura-vanditayā vidhātuḥ
ūrvor nidhāya kara-pallava-rociṣā yat
saṁlālitaṁ hṛdi vibhor abhavasya kuryāt

SYNONYMS

jānu-dvayam — up to the knees; jalaja-locanayā — lotus-eyed; jananyā — mother; lakṣmyā — by Lakṣmī; akhilasya — of the entire universe; sura-vanditayā — worshiped by the demigods; vidhātuḥ — of Brahmā; ūrvoḥ — at the thighs; nidhāya — having placed; kara-pallava-rociṣā — with her lustrous fingers; yat — which; saṁlālitam — massaged; hṛdi — in the heart; vibhoḥ — of the Lord; abhavasya — transcendental to material existence; kuryāt — one should meditate.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should fix in his heart the activities of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, who is worshiped by all demigods and is the mother of the supreme person, Brahmā. She can always be found massaging the legs and thighs of the transcendental Lord, very carefully serving Him in this way.

VERSE 3.28.24

ūrū suparṇa-bhujayor adhi śobhamānāv
ojo-nidhī atasikā-kusumāvabhāsau
vyālambi-pīta-vara-vāsasi vartamāna-
kāñcī-kalāpa-parirambhi nitamba-bimbam

SYNONYMS

ūrū — the two thighs; suparṇa — of Garuḍa; bhujayoḥ — the two shoulders; adhi — on; śobhamānau — beautiful; ojaḥ-nidhī — the storehouse of all energy; atasikā-kusuma — of the linseed flower; avabhāsau — like the luster; vyālambi — extending down; pīta — yellow; vara — exquisite; vāsasi — on the cloth; vartamāna — being; kāñcī-kalāpa — by a girdle; parirambhi — encircled; nitamba-bimbam — His rounded hips.

TRANSLATION

Next, the yogi should fix his mind in meditation on the Personality of Godhead’s thighs, the storehouse of all energy. The Lord’s thighs are whitish blue, like the luster of the linseed flower, and appear most graceful when the Lord is carried on the shoulders of Garuḍa. Also the yogī should contemplate His rounded hips, which are encircled by a girdle that rests on the exquisite yellow silk cloth that extends down to His ankles.

VERSE 3.28.25

nābhi-hradaṁ bhuvana-kośa-guhodara-sthaṁ
yatrātma-yoni-dhiṣaṇākhila-loka-padmam
vyūḍhaṁ harin-maṇi-vṛṣa-stanayor amuṣya
dhyāyed dvayaṁ viśada-hāra-mayūkha-gauram

SYNONYMS

nābhi-hradam — the navel lake; bhuvana-kośa — of all the worlds; guhā — the foundation; udara — on the abdomen; stham — situated; yatra — where; ātma-yoni — of Brahmā; dhiṣaṇa — residence; akhila-loka — containing all planetary systems; padmam — lotus; vyūḍham — sprang up; harit-maṇi — like emeralds; vṛṣa — most exquisite; stanayoḥ — of nipples; amuṣya — of the Lord; dhyāyet — he should meditate on; dvayam — the pair; viśada — white; hāra — of pearl necklaces; mayūkha — from the light; gauram — whitish.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should then meditate on His moonlike navel in the center of His abdomen. From His navel, which is the foundation of the entire universe, sprang the lotus stem containing all the different planetary systems. The lotus is the residence of Brahmā, the first created being. In the same way, the yogī should concentrate his mind on the Lord’s nipples, which resemble a pair of most exquisite emeralds and which appear whitish because of the rays of the milk-white pearl necklaces adorning His chest.

VERSE 3.28.26

vakṣo ’dhivāsam ṛṣabhasya mahā-vibhūteḥ
puṁsāṁ mano-nayana-nirvṛtim ādadhānam
kaṇṭhaṁ ca kaustubha-maṇer adhibhūṣaṇārthaṁ
kuryān manasy akhila-loka-namaskṛtasya

SYNONYMS

vakṣaḥ — the chest; adhivāsam — the abode; ṛṣabhasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahā-vibhūteḥ — of Mahā-Lakṣmī; puṁsām — of persons; manaḥ — to the mind; nayana — to the eyes; nirvṛtim — transcendental pleasure; ādadhānam — bestowing; kaṇṭham — the neck; ca — also; kaustubha-maṇeḥ — of the Kaustubha gem; adhibhūṣaṇa-artham — which enhances the beauty; kuryāt — he should meditate on; manasi — in the mind; akhila-loka — by the entire universe; namaskṛtasya — who is adored.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should then meditate on the chest of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the abode of goddess Mahā-Lakṣmī. The Lord’s chest is the source of all transcendental pleasure for the mind and full satisfaction for the eyes. The yogī should then imprint on his mind the neck of the Personality of Godhead, who is adored by the entire universe. The neck of the Lord serves to enhance the beauty of the Kaustubha gem, which hangs on His chest.

VERSE 3.28.27

bāhūṁś ca mandara-gireḥ parivartanena
nirṇikta-bāhu-valayān adhiloka-pālān
sañcintayed daśa-śatāram asahya-tejaḥ
śaṅkhaṁ ca tat-kara-saroruha-rāja-haṁsam

SYNONYMS

bāhūn — the arms; ca — and; mandara-gireḥ — of Mount Mandara; parivartanena — by the revolving; nirṇikta — polished; bāhu-valayān — the arm ornaments; adhiloka-pālān — the source of the controllers of the universe; sañcintayet — one should meditate on; daśa-śata-aram — the Sudarśana disc (ten hundred spokes); asahya-tejaḥ — dazzling luster; śaṅkham — the conch; ca — also; tat-kara — in the hand of the Lord; saroruha — lotuslike; rāja-haṁsam — like a swan.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should further meditate upon the Lord’s four arms, which are the source of all the powers of the demigods who control the various functions of material nature. Then the yogi should concentrate on the polished ornaments, which were burnished by Mount Mandara as it revolved. He should also duly contemplate the Lord’s discus, the Sudarśana cakra, which contains one thousand spokes and a dazzling luster, as well as the conch, which looks like a swan in His lotuslike palm.

VERSE 3.28.28

kaumodakīṁ bhagavato dayitāṁ smareta
digdhām arāti-bhaṭa-śoṇita-kardamena
mālāṁ madhuvrata-varūtha-giropaghuṣṭāṁ
caityasya tattvam amalaṁ maṇim asya kaṇṭhe

SYNONYMS

kaumodakīm — the club named Kaumodakī; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; dayitām — very dear; smareta — one should remember; digdhām — smeared; arāti — of the enemies; bhaṭa — soldiers; śoṇita-kardamena — with the bloodstains; mālām — the garland; madhuvrata — of bumblebees; varūtha — of a swarm; girā — with the sound; upaghuṣṭām — surrounded; caityasya — of the living entity; tattvam — principle, truth; amalam — pure; maṇim — the pearl necklace; asya — of the Lord; kaṇṭhe — on the neck.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should meditate upon His club, which is named Kaumodakī and is very dear to Him. This club smashes the demons, who are always inimical soldiers, and is smeared with their blood. One should also concentrate on the nice garland on the neck of the Lord, which is always surrounded by bumblebees, with their nice buzzing sound, and one should meditate upon the pearl necklace on the Lord’s neck, which is considered to represent the pure living entities who are always engaged in His service.

VERSE 3.28.29

bhṛtyānukampita-dhiyeha gṛhīta-mūrteḥ
sañcintayed bhagavato vadanāravindam
yad visphuran-makara-kuṇḍala-valgitena
vidyotitāmala-kapolam udāra-nāsam

SYNONYMS

bhṛtya — for the devotees; anukampita-dhiyā — out of compassion; iha — in this world; gṛhīta-mūrteḥ — who presents different forms; sañcintayet — one should meditate on; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; vadana — countenance; aravindam — lotuslike; yat — which; visphuran — glittering; makara — alligator-shaped; kuṇḍala — of His earrings; valgitena — by the oscillation; vidyotita — illuminated; amala — crystal clear; kapolam — His cheeks; udāra — prominent; nāsam — His nose.

TRANSLATION

The yogī should then meditate on the lotuslike countenance of the Lord, who presents His different forms in this world out of compassion for the anxious devotees. His nose is prominent, and His crystal-clear cheeks are illuminated by the oscillation of His glittering alligator-shaped earrings.

VERSE 3.28.30

yac chrī-niketam alibhiḥ parisevyamānaṁ
bhūtyā svayā kuṭila-kuntala-vṛnda-juṣṭam
mīna-dvayāśrayam adhikṣipad abja-netraṁ
dhyāyen manomayam atandrita ullasad-bhru

SYNONYMS

yat — which face of the Lord; śrī-niketam — a lotus; alibhiḥ — by bees; parisevyamānam — surrounded; bhūtyā — by elegance; svayā — its; kuṭila — curly; kuntala — of hair; vṛnda — by a multitude; juṣṭam — adorned; mīna — of fish; dvaya — a pair; āśrayam — dwelling; adhikṣipat — putting to shame; abja — a lotus; netram — having eyes; dhyāyet — one should meditate on; manaḥ-mayam — formed in the mind; atandritaḥ — attentive; ullasat — dancing; bhru — having eyebrows.

TRANSLATION

The yogi then meditates upon the beautiful face of the Lord, which is adorned with curly hair and decorated by lotuslike eyes and dancing eyebrows. A lotus surrounded by swarming bees and a pair of swimming fish would be put to shame by its elegance.

VERSE 3.28.31

tasyāvalokam adhikaṁ kṛpayātighora-
tāpa-trayopaśamanāya nisṛṣṭam akṣṇoḥ
snigdha-smitānuguṇitaṁ vipula-prasādaṁ
dhyāyec ciraṁ vipula-bhāvanayā guhāyām

SYNONYMS

tasya — of the Personality of Godhead; avalokam — glances; adhikam — frequent; kṛpayā — with compassion; atighora — most fearful; tāpa-traya — threefold agonies; upaśamanāya — soothing; nisṛṣṭam — cast; akṣṇoḥ — from His eyes; snigdha — loving; smita — smiles; anuguṇitam — accompanied by; vipula — abundant; prasādam — full of grace; dhyāyet — he should contemplate; ciram — for a long time; vipula — full; bhāvanayā — with devotion; guhāyām — in the heart.

TRANSLATION

The yogīs should contemplate with full devotion the compassionate glances frequently cast by the Lord’s eyes, for they soothe the most fearful threefold agonies of His devotees. His glances, accompanied by loving smiles, are full of abundant grace.

VERSE 3.28.32

hāsaṁ harer avanatākhila-loka-tīvra-
śokāśru-sāgara-viśoṣaṇam atyudāram
sammohanāya racitaṁ nija-māyayāsya
bhrū-maṇḍalaṁ muni-kṛte makara-dhvajasya

SYNONYMS

hāsam — the smile; hareḥ — of Lord Śrī Hari; avanata — bowed; akhila — all; loka — for persons; tīvra-śoka — caused by intense grief; aśru-sāgara — the ocean of tears; viśoṣaṇam — drying up; ati-udāram — most benevolent; sammohanāya — for charming; racitam — manifested; nija-māyayā — by His internal potency; asya — His; bhrū-maṇḍalam — arched eyebrows; muni-kṛte — for the good of the sages; makara-dhvajasya — of the sex-god.

TRANSLATION

A yogī should similarly meditate on the most benevolent smile of Lord Śrī Hari, a smile which, for all those who bow to Him, dries away the ocean of tears caused by intense grief. The yogī should also meditate on the Lord’s arched eyebrows, which are manifested by His internal potency in order to charm the sex-god for the good of the sages.

VERSE 3.28.33

dhyānāyanaṁ prahasitaṁ bahulādharoṣṭha-
bhāsāruṇāyita-tanu-dvija-kunda-paṅkti
dhyāyet svadeha-kuhare ’vasitasya viṣṇor
bhaktyārdrayārpita-manā na pṛthag didṛkṣet

SYNONYMS

dhyāna-ayanam — easily meditated upon; prahasitam — the laughter; bahula — abundant; adhara-oṣṭha — of His lips; bhāsa — by the splendor; aruṇāyita — rendered rosy; tanu — small; dvija — teeth; kunda-paṅkti — like a row of jasmine buds; dhyāyet — he should meditate upon; sva-deha-kuhare — in the core of his heart; avasitasya — who resides; viṣṇoḥ — of Viṣṇu; bhaktyā — with devotion; ārdrayā — steeped in love; arpita-manāḥ — his mind being fixed; na — not; pṛthak — anything else; didṛkṣet — he should desire to see.

TRANSLATION

With devotion steeped in love and affection, the yogī should meditate within the core of his heart upon the laughter of Lord Viṣṇu. The laughter of Viṣṇu is so captivating that it can be easily meditated upon. When the Supreme Lord is laughing, one can see His small teeth, which resemble jasmine buds rendered rosy by the splendor of His lips. Once devoting his mind to this, the yogī should no longer desire to see anything else.

VERSE 3.28.34

evaṁ harau bhagavati pratilabdha-bhāvo
bhaktyā dravad-dhṛdaya utpulakaḥ pramodāt
autkaṇṭhya-bāṣpa-kalayā muhur ardyamānas
tac cāpi citta-baḍiśaṁ śanakair viyuṅkte

SYNONYMS

evam — thus; harau — towards Lord Hari; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; pratilabdha — developed; bhāvaḥ — pure love; bhaktyā — by devotional service; dravat — melting; hṛdayaḥ — his heart; utpulakaḥ — experiencing standing of the hairs of the body; pramodāt — from excessive joy; autkaṇṭhya — occasioned by intense love; bāṣpa-kalayā — by a stream of tears; muhuḥ — constantly; ardyamānaḥ — being afflicted; tat — that; ca — and; api — even; citta — the mind; baḍiśam — hook; śanakaiḥ — gradually; viyuṅkte — withdraws.

TRANSLATION

By following this course, the yogī gradually develops pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. In the course of his progress in devotional service, the hairs on his body stand erect through excessive joy, and he is constantly bathed in a stream of tears occasioned by intense love. Gradually, even the mind, which he used as a means to attract the Lord, as one attracts a fish to a hook, withdraws from material activity.

VERSE 3.28.35

muktāśrayaṁ yarhi nirviṣayaṁ viraktaṁ
nirvāṇam ṛcchati manaḥ sahasā yathārciḥ
ātmānam atra puruṣo ’vyavadhānam ekam
anvīkṣate pratinivṛtta-guṇa-pravāhaḥ

SYNONYMS

mukta-āśrayam — situated in liberation; yarhi — at which time; nirviṣayam — detached from sense objects; viraktam — indifferent; nirvāṇam — extinction; ṛcchati — obtains; manaḥ — the mind; sahasā — immediately; yathā — like; arciḥ — the flame; ātmānam — the mind; atra — at this time; puruṣaḥ — a person; avyavadhānam — without separation; ekam — one; anvīkṣate — experiences; pratinivṛtta — freed; guṇa-pravāhaḥ — from the flow of material qualities.

TRANSLATION

When the mind is thus completely freed from all material contamination and detached from material objectives, it is just like the flame of a lamp. At that time the mind is actually dovetailed with that of the Supreme Lord and is experienced as one with Him because it is freed from the interactive flow of the material qualities.

VERSE 3.28.36

so ’py etayā caramayā manaso nivṛttyā
tasmin mahimny avasitaḥ sukha-duḥkha-bāhye
hetutvam apy asati kartari duḥkhayor yat
svātman vidhatta upalabdha-parātma-kāṣṭhaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — the yogī; api — moreover; etayā — by this; caramayā — ultimate; manasaḥ — of the mind; nivṛttyā — by cessation of material reaction; tasmin — in his; mahimni — ultimate glory; avasitaḥ — situated; sukha-duḥkha-bāhye — outside of happiness and distress; hetutvam — the cause; api — indeed; asati — a product of ignorance; kartari — in the false ego; duḥkhayoḥ — of pleasure and pain; yat — which; sva-ātman — to his own self; vidhatte — he attributes; upalabdha — realized; para-ātma — of the Personality of Godhead; kāṣṭhaḥ — the highest truth.

TRANSLATION

Thus situated in the highest transcendental stage, the mind ceases from all material reaction and becomes situated in its own glory, transcendental to all material conceptions of happiness and distress. At that time the yogī realizes the truth of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He discovers that pleasure and pain as well as their interactions, which he attributed to his own self, are actually due to the false ego, which is a product of ignorance.

VERSE 3.28.37

dehaṁ ca taṁ na caramaḥ sthitam utthitaṁ vā
siddho vipaśyati yato ’dhyagamat svarūpam
daivād upetam atha daiva-vaśād apetaṁ
vāso yathā parikṛtaṁ madirā-madāndhaḥ

SYNONYMS

deham — material body; ca — and; tam — that; na — not; caramaḥ — last; sthitam — sitting; utthitam — rising; — or; siddhaḥ — the realized soul; vipaśyati — can conceive; yataḥ — because; adhyagamat — he has achieved; sva-rūpam — his real identity; daivāt — according to destiny; upetam — arrived; atha — moreover; daiva-vaśāt — according to destiny; apetam — departed; vāsaḥ — clothing; yathā — as; parikṛtam — put on; madirā-mada-andhaḥ — one who is blinded by intoxication.

TRANSLATION

Because he has achieved his real identity, the perfectly realized soul has no conception of how the material body is moving or acting, just as an intoxicated person cannot understand whether or not he has clothing on his body.

VERSE 3.28.38

deho ’pi daiva-vaśagaḥ khalu karma yāvat
svārambhakaṁ pratisamīkṣata eva sāsuḥ
taṁ sa-prapañcam adhirūḍha-samādhi-yogaḥ
svāpnaṁ punar na bhajate pratibuddha-vastuḥ

SYNONYMS

dehaḥ — the body; api — moreover; daiva-vaśa-gaḥ — under the control of the Personality of Godhead; khalu — indeed; karma — activities; yāvat — as much as; sva-ārambhakam — begun by himself; pratisamīkṣate — continues to function; eva — certainly; sa-asuḥ — along with the senses; tam — the body; sa-prapañcam — with its expansions; adhirūḍha-samādhi-yogaḥ — being situated in samādhi by yoga practice; svāpnam — born in a dream; punaḥ — again; na — not; bhajate — he does accept as his own; pratibuddha — awake; vastuḥ — to his constitutional position.

TRANSLATION

The body of such a liberated yogī, along with the senses, is taken charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it functions until its destined activities are finished. The liberated devotee, being awake to his constitutional position and thus situated in samādhi, the highest perfectional stage of yoga, does not accept the by-products of the material body as his own. Thus he considers his bodily activities to be like the activities of a body in a dream.

VERSE 3.28.39

yathā putrāc ca vittāc ca
pṛthaṅ martyaḥ pratīyate
apy ātmatvenābhimatād
dehādeḥ puruṣas tathā

SYNONYMS

yathā — as; putrāt — from a son; ca — and; vittāt — from wealth; ca — also; pṛthak — differently; martyaḥ — a mortal man; pratīyate — is understood; api — even; ātmatvena — by nature; abhimatāt — for which one has affection; deha-ādeḥ — from his material body, senses and mind; puruṣaḥ — the liberated soul; tathā — similarly.

TRANSLATION

Because of great affection for family and wealth, one accepts a son and some money as his own, and due to affection for the material body, one thinks that it is his. But actually, as one can understand that his family and wealth are different from him, the liberated soul can understand that he and his body are not the same.

VERSE 3.28.40

yatholmukād visphuliṅgād
dhūmād vāpi sva-sambhavāt
apy ātmatvenābhimatād
yathāgniḥ pṛthag ulmukāt

SYNONYMS

yathā — as; ulmukāt — from the flames; visphuliṅgāt — from the sparks; dhūmāt — from the smoke; — or; api — even; sva-sambhavāt — produced from itself; api — although; ātmatvena — by nature; abhimatāt — intimately connected; yathā — as; agniḥ — the fire; pṛthak — different; ulmukāt — from the flames.

TRANSLATION

The blazing fire is different from the flames, from the sparks and from the smoke, although all are intimately connected because they are born from the same blazing wood.

VERSE 3.28.41

bhūtendriyāntaḥ-karaṇāt
pradhānāj jīva-saṁjñitāt
ātmā tathā pṛthag draṣṭā
bhagavān brahma-saṁjñitaḥ

SYNONYMS

bhūta — the five elements; indriya — the senses; antaḥ-karaṇāt — from the mind; pradhānāt — from the pradhāna; jīva-saṁjñitāt — from the jīva soul; ātmā — the Paramātmā; tathā — so; pṛthak — different; draṣṭā — the seer; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; brahma-saṁjñitaḥ — called Brahman.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Parambrahma, is the seer. He is different from the jīva soul, or individual living entity, who is combined with the senses, the five elements and consciousness.

VERSE 3.28.42

sarva-bhūteṣu cātmānaṁ
sarva-bhūtāni cātmani
īkṣetānanya-bhāvena
bhūteṣv iva tad-ātmatām

SYNONYMS

sarva-bhūteṣu — in all manifestations; ca — and; ātmānam — the soul; sarva-bhūtāni — all manifestations; ca — also; ātmani — in the Supreme Spirit; īkṣeta — he should see; ananya-bhāvena — with equal vision; bhūteṣu — in all manifestations; iva — as; tat-ātmatām — the nature of itself.

TRANSLATION

A yogi should see the same soul in all manifestations, for all that exists is a manifestation of different energies of the Supreme. In this way the devotee should see all living entities without distinction. That is realization of the Supreme Soul.

VERSE 3.28.43

sva-yoniṣu yathā jyotir
ekaṁ nānā pratīyate
yonīnāṁ guṇa-vaiṣamyāt
tathātmā prakṛtau sthitaḥ

SYNONYMS

sva-yoniṣu — in forms of wood; yathā — as; jyotiḥ — fire; ekam — one; nānā — differently; pratīyate — is exhibited; yonīnām — of different wombs; guṇa-vaiṣamyāt — from the different conditions of the modes; tathā — so; ātmā — the spirit soul; prakṛtau — in the material nature; sthitaḥ — situated.

TRANSLATION

As fire is exhibited in different forms of wood, so, under different conditions of the modes of material nature, the pure spirit soul manifests itself in different bodies.

VERSE 3.28.44

tasmād imāṁ svāṁ prakṛtiṁ
daivīṁ sad-asad-ātmikām
durvibhāvyāṁ parābhāvya
svarūpeṇāvatiṣṭhate

SYNONYMS

tasmāt — thus; imām — this; svām — own; prakṛtim — material energy; daivīm — divine; sat-asat-ātmikām — consisting of cause and effect; durvibhāvyām — difficult to understand; parābhāvya — after conquering; sva-rūpeṇa — in the self-realized position; avatiṣṭhate — he remains.

TRANSLATION

Thus the yogī can be in the self-realized position after conquering the insurmountable spell of māyā, who presents herself as both the cause and effect of this material manifestation and is therefore very difficult to understand.