The Lord in the Heart
VERSE 2.2.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
evaṁ purā dhāraṇayātma-yonir
naṣṭāṁ smṛtiṁ pratyavarudhya tuṣṭāt
tathā sasarjedam amogha-dṛṣṭir
yathāpyayāt prāg vyavasāya-buddhiḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — just in the same way; purā — prior to the manifestation of the cosmos; dhāraṇayā — by such a conception; ātma-yoniḥ — of Brahmājī; naṣṭām — lost; smṛtim — remembrance; pratyavarudhya — by regaining consciousness; tuṣṭāt — because of appeasing the Lord; tathā — thereafter; sasarja — created; idam — this material world; amogha-dṛṣṭiḥ — one who has attained clear vision; yathā — as; apyayāt — created; prāk — as formerly; vyavasāya — ascertained; buddhiḥ — intelligence.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Formerly, prior to the manifestation of the cosmos, Lord Brahmā, by meditating on the virāṭ-rūpa, regained his lost consciousness by appeasing the Lord. Thus he was able to rebuild the creation as it was before.
VERSE 2.2.2
śābdasya hi brahmaṇa eṣa panthā
yan nāmabhir dhyāyati dhīr apārthaiḥ
paribhramaṁs tatra na vindate ’rthān
māyāmaye vāsanayā śayānaḥ
SYNONYMS
śābdasya — of the Vedic sound; hi — certainly; brahmaṇaḥ — of the Vedas; eṣaḥ — these; panthāḥ — the way; yat — what is; nāmabhiḥ — by different names; dhyāyati — ponders; dhīḥ — intelligence; apārthaiḥ — by meaningless ideas; paribhraman — wandering; tatra — there; na — never; vindate — enjoys; arthān — realities; māyā-maye — in illusory things; vāsanayā — by different desires; śayānaḥ — as if dreaming in sleep.
TRANSLATION
The way of presentation of the Vedic sounds is so bewildering that it directs the intelligence of the people to meaningless things like the heavenly kingdoms. The conditioned souls hover in dreams of such heavenly illusory pleasures, but actually they do not relish any tangible happiness in such places.
VERSE 2.2.3
ataḥ kavir nāmasu yāvad arthaḥ
syād apramatto vyavasāya-buddhiḥ
siddhe ’nyathārthe na yateta tatra
pariśramaṁ tatra samīkṣamāṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
ataḥ — for this reason; kaviḥ — the enlightened person; nāmasu — in names only; yāvat — minimum; arthaḥ — necessity; syāt — must be; apramattaḥ — without being mad after them; vyavasāya-buddhiḥ — intelligently fixed; siddhe — for success; anyathā — otherwise; arthe — in the interest of; na — should never; yateta — endeavor for; tatra — there; pariśramam — laboring hard; tatra — there; samīkṣamāṇaḥ — one who sees practically.
TRANSLATION
For this reason the enlightened person should endeavor only for the minimum necessities of life while in the world of names. He should be intelligently fixed and never endeavor for unwanted things, being competent to perceive practically that all such endeavors are merely hard labor for nothing.
VERSE 2.2.4
satyāṁ kṣitau kiṁ kaśipoḥ prayāsair
bāhau svasiddhe hy upabarhaṇaiḥ kim
saty añjalau kiṁ purudhānna-pātryā
dig-valkalādau sati kiṁ dukūlaiḥ
SYNONYMS
satyām — being in possession; kṣitau — earthly flats; kim — where is the necessity; kaśipoḥ — of beds and cots; prayāsaiḥ — endeavoring for; bāhau — the arms; sva-siddhe — being self-sufficient; hi — certainly; upabarhaṇaiḥ — bed and bedstead; kim — what is the use; sati — being present; añjalau — the palms of the hands; kim — what is the use; purudhā — varieties of; anna — eatables; pātryā — by the utensils; dik — open space; valkala-ādau — skins of trees; sati — being existent; kim — what is the use of; dukūlaiḥ — clothes.
TRANSLATION
When there are ample earthly flats to lie on, what is the necessity of cots and beds? When one can use his own arms, what is the necessity of a pillow? When one can use the palms of his hands, what is the necessity of varieties of utensils? When there is ample covering, or the skins of trees, what is the necessity of clothing?
VERSE 2.2.5
cīrāṇi kiṁ pathi na santi diśanti bhikṣāṁ
naivāṅghripāḥ para-bhṛtaḥ sarito ’py aśuṣyan
ruddhā guhāḥ kim ajito ’vati nopasannān
kasmād bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadāndhān
SYNONYMS
cīrāṇi — torn clothes; kim — whether; pathi — on the road; na — not; santi — there is; diśanti — give in charity; bhikṣām — alms; na — not; eva — also; aṅghripāḥ — the trees; para-bhṛtaḥ — one who maintains others; saritaḥ — the rivers; api — also; aśuṣyan — have dried up; ruddhāḥ — closed; guhāḥ — caves; kim — whether; ajitaḥ — the Almighty Lord; avati — give protection; na — not; upasannān — the surrendered soul; kasmāt — what for, then; bhajanti — flatters; kavayaḥ — the learned; dhana — wealth; durmada-andhān — too intoxicated by.
TRANSLATION
Are there no torn clothes lying on the common road? Do the trees, which exist for maintaining others, no longer give alms in charity? Do the rivers, being dried up, no longer supply water to the thirsty? Are the caves of the mountains now closed? Or above all, does the Almighty Lord not protect the fully surrendered souls? Why then do the learned sages go to flatter those who are intoxicated by hard-earned wealth?
VERSE 2.2.6
evaṁ sva-citte svata eva siddha
ātmā priyo ’rtho bhagavān anantaḥ
taṁ nirvṛto niyatārtho bhajeta
saṁsāra-hetūparamaś ca yatra
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; sva-citte — in one’s own heart; svataḥ — by His omnipotency; eva — certainly; siddhaḥ — fully represented; ātmā — the Supersoul; priyaḥ — very dear; arthaḥ — substance; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anantaḥ — the eternal unlimited; tam — unto Him; nirvṛtaḥ — being detached from the world; niyata — permanent; arthaḥ — the supreme gain; bhajeta — one must worship; saṁsāra-hetu — the cause of the conditioned state of existence; uparamaḥ — cessation; ca — certainly; yatra — in which.
TRANSLATION
Thus being fixed, one must render service unto the Supersoul situated in one’s own heart by His omnipotency. Because He is the Almighty Personality of Godhead, eternal and unlimited, He is the ultimate goal of life, and by worshiping Him one can end the cause of the conditioned state of existence.
VERSE 2.2.7
kas tāṁ tv anādṛtya parānucintām
ṛte paśūn asatīṁ nāma kuryāt
paśyañ janaṁ patitaṁ vaitaraṇyāṁ
sva-karmajān paritāpāñ juṣāṇam
SYNONYMS
kaḥ — who else; tām — that; tu — but; anādṛtya — by neglecting; para-anucintām — transcendental thoughts; ṛte — without; paśūn — the materialists; asatīm — in the nonpermanent; nāma — name; kuryāt — will adopt; paśyan — seeing definitely; janam — the general mass of people; patitam — fallen; vaitaraṇyām — in Vaitaraṇī, the river of suffering; sva-karma-jān — produced from one’s own work; paritāpān — suffering; juṣāṇam — being overtaken by.
TRANSLATION
Who else but the gross materialists will neglect such transcendental thought and take to the nonpermanent names only, seeing the mass of people fallen in the river of suffering as the consequence of accruing the result of their own work?
VERSE 2.2.8
kecit sva-dehāntar-hṛdayāvakāśe
prādeśa-mātraṁ puruṣaṁ vasantam
catur-bhujaṁ kañja-rathāṅga-śaṅkha-
gadā-dharaṁ dhāraṇayā smaranti
SYNONYMS
kecit — others; sva-deha-antaḥ — within the body; hṛdaya-avakāśe — in the region of the heart; prādeśa-mātram — measuring only eight inches; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; vasantam — residing; catuḥ-bhujam — with four hands; kañja — lotus; ratha-aṅga — the wheel of a chariot; śaṅkha — conchshell; gadā-dharam — and with a club in the hand; dhāraṇayā — conceiving in that way; smaranti — do meditate upon Him.
TRANSLATION
Others conceive of the Personality of Godhead residing within the body in the region of the heart and measuring only eight inches, with four hands carrying a lotus, a wheel of a chariot, a conchshell and a club respectively.
VERSE 2.2.9
prasanna-vaktraṁ nalināyatekṣaṇaṁ
kadamba-kiñjalka-piśaṅga-vāsasam
lasan-mahā-ratna-hiraṇmayāṅgadaṁ
sphuran-mahā-ratna-kirīṭa-kuṇḍalam
SYNONYMS
prasanna — expresses happiness; vaktram — mouth; nalina-āyata — spread like the petals of a lotus; īkṣaṇam — eyes; kadamba — kadamba flower; kiñjalka — saffron; piśaṅga — yellow; vāsasam — garments; lasat — hanging; mahā-ratna — valuable jewels; hiraṇmaya — made of gold; aṅgadam — ornament; sphurat — glowing; mahā-ratna — valuable jewels; kirīṭa — head-dress; kuṇḍalam — earrings.
TRANSLATION
His mouth expresses His happiness. His eyes spread like the petals of a lotus, and His garments, yellowish like the saffron of a kadamba flower, are bedecked with valuable jewels. His ornaments are all made of gold, set with jewels, and He wears a glowing headdress and earrings.
VERSE 2.2.10
unnidra-hṛt-paṅkaja-karṇikālaye
yogeśvarāsthāpita-pāda-pallavam
śrī-lakṣaṇaṁ kaustubha-ratna-kandharam
amlāna-lakṣmyā vana-mālayācitam
SYNONYMS
unnidra — blooming; hṛt — heart; paṅkaja — lotus flower; karṇikā-ālaye — on the surface of the whorl; yoga-īśvara — the great mystics; āsthāpita — placed; pāda-pallavam — lotus feet; śrī — the goddess of fortune, or a beautiful calf; lakṣaṇam — marked in that way; kaustubha — the Kaustubha jewel; ratna — other jewels; kandharam — on the shoulder; amlāna — quite fresh; lakṣmyā — beauty; vana-mālayā — by a flower garland; ācitam — spread over.
TRANSLATION
His lotus feet are placed over the whorls of the lotuslike hearts of great mystics. On His chest is the Kaustubha jewel, engraved with a beautiful calf, and there are other jewels on His shoulders. His complete torso is garlanded with fresh flowers.
VERSE 2.2.11
vibhūṣitaṁ mekhalayāṅgulīyakair
mahā-dhanair nūpura-kaṅkaṇādibhiḥ
snigdhāmalākuñcita-nīla-kuntalair
virocamānānana-hāsa-peśalam
SYNONYMS
vibhūṣitam — well decorated; mekhalayā — with an ornamental wreath about the waist; aṅgulīyakaiḥ — by finger rings; mahā-dhanaiḥ — all highly valuable; nūpura — ringing leglets; kaṅkaṇa-ādibhiḥ — also by bangles; snigdha — slick; amala — spotless; ākuñcita — curling; nīla — bluish; kuntalaiḥ — hair; virocamāna — very pleasing; ānana — face; hāsa — smile; peśalam — beautiful.
TRANSLATION
He is well decorated with an ornamental wreath about His waist and rings studded with valuable jewels on His fingers. His leglets, His bangles, His oiled hair, curling with a bluish tint, and His beautiful smiling face are all very pleasing.
VERSE 2.2.12
adīna-līlā-hasitekṣaṇollasad-
bhrū-bhaṅga-saṁsūcita-bhūry-anugraham
īkṣeta cintāmayam enam īśvaraṁ
yāvan mano dhāraṇayāvatiṣṭhate
SYNONYMS
adīna — very magnanimous; līlā — pastimes; hasita — smiling; īkṣaṇa — by glancing over; ullasat — glowing; bhrū-bhaṅga — signals of the eyebrow; saṁsūcita — indicated; bhūri — extensive; anugraham — benediction; īkṣeta — one must concentrate on; cintāmayam — transcendental; enam — this particular; īśvaram — the Supreme Lord; yāvat — as long as; manaḥ — the mind; dhāraṇayā — by meditation; avatiṣṭhate — can be fixed.
TRANSLATION
The Lord’s magnanimous pastimes and the glowing glancing of His smiling face are all indications of His extensive benedictions. One must therefore concentrate on this transcendental form of the Lord, as long as the mind can be fixed on Him by meditation.
VERSE 2.2.13
ekaikaśo ’ṅgāni dhiyānubhāvayet
pādādi yāvad dhasitaṁ gadābhṛtaḥ
jitaṁ jitaṁ sthānam apohya dhārayet
paraṁ paraṁ śuddhyati dhīr yathā yathā
SYNONYMS
eka-ekaśaḥ — one to one, or one after another; aṅgāni — limbs; dhiyā — by attention; anubhāvayet — meditate upon; pāda-ādi — legs, etc; yāvat — until; hasitam — smiling; gadā-bhṛtaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; jitam jitam — gradually controlling the mind; sthānam — place; apohya — leaving; dhārayet — meditate upon; param param — higher and higher; śuddhyati — purified; dhīḥ — intelligence; yathā yathā — as much as.
TRANSLATION
The process of meditation should begin from the lotus feet of the Lord and progress to His smiling face. The meditation should be concentrated upon the lotus feet, then the calves, then the thighs, and in this way higher and higher. The more the mind becomes fixed upon the different parts of the limbs, one after another, the more the intelligence becomes purified.
VERSE 2.2.14
yāvan na jāyeta parāvare ’smin
viśveśvare draṣṭari bhakti-yogaḥ
tāvat sthavīyaḥ puruṣasya rūpaṁ
kriyāvasāne prayataḥ smareta
SYNONYMS
yāvat — as long as; na — does not; jāyeta — develop; para — transcendental; avare — mundane; asmin — in this form of; viśva-īśvare — the Lord of all worlds; draṣṭari — unto the seer; bhakti-yogaḥ — devotional service; tāvat — so long; sthavīyaḥ — the gross materialist; puruṣasya — of the virāṭ-puruṣa; rūpam — universal form; kriyā-avasāne — at the end of one’s prescribed duties; prayataḥ — with proper attention; smareta — one should remember.
TRANSLATION
Unless the gross materialist develops a sense of loving service unto the Supreme Lord, the seer of both the transcendental and material worlds, he should remember or meditate upon the universal form of the Lord at the end of his prescribed duties.
VERSE 2.2.15
sthiraṁ sukhaṁ cāsanam āsthito yatir
yadā jihāsur imam aṅga lokam
kāle ca deśe ca mano na sajjayet
prāṇān niyacchen manasā jitāsuḥ
SYNONYMS
sthiram — without being disturbed; sukham — comfortable; ca — also; āsanam — sitting accommodation; āsthitaḥ — being situated; yatiḥ — the sage; yadā — whenever; jihāsuḥ — desires to give up; imam — this; aṅga — O King; lokam — this body; kāle — in time; ca — and; deśe — in a proper place; ca — also; manaḥ — the mind; na — not; sajjayet — may not be perplexed; prāṇān — the senses; niyacchet — must control; manasā — by the mind; jita-asuḥ — conquering the life air.
TRANSLATION
O King, whenever the yogī desires to leave this planet of human beings, he should not be perplexed about the proper time or place, but should comfortably sit without being disturbed and, regulating the life air, should control the senses by the mind.
VERSE 2.2.16
manaḥ sva-buddhyāmalayā niyamya
kṣetra-jña etāṁ ninayet tam ātmani
ātmānam ātmany avarudhya dhīro
labdhopaśāntir virameta kṛtyāt
SYNONYMS
manaḥ — the mind; sva-buddhyā — by his own intelligence; amalayā — unalloyed; niyamya — by regulating; kṣetra-jñe — unto the living entity; etām — all of them; ninayet — merge; tam — that; ātmani — the self; ātmānam — the self; ātmani — in the Superself; avarudhya — being locked up; dhīraḥ — the fully satisfied; labdha-upaśāntiḥ — one who has attained full bliss; virameta — ceases from; kṛtyāt — all other activities.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, the yogī should merge his mind, by his unalloyed intelligence, into the living entity, and then merge the living entity into the Superself. And by doing this, the fully satisfied living entity becomes situated in the supreme stage of satisfaction, so that he ceases from all other activities.
VERSE 2.2.17
na yatra kālo ’nimiṣāṁ paraḥ prabhuḥ
kuto nu devā jagatāṁ ya īśire
na yatra sattvaṁ na rajas tamaś ca
na vai vikāro na mahān pradhānam
SYNONYMS
na — not; yatra — wherein; kālaḥ — destructive time; animiṣām — of the heavenly demigods; paraḥ — superior; prabhuḥ — controller; kutaḥ — where is there; nu — certainly; devāḥ — the demigods; jagatām — the mundane creatures; ye — those; īśire — rules; na — not; yatra — therein; sattvam — mundane goodness; na — nor; rajaḥ — mundane passion; tamaḥ — mundane ignorance; ca — also; na — nor; vai — certainly; vikāraḥ — transformation; na — nor; mahān — the material Causal Ocean; pradhānam — material nature.
TRANSLATION
In that transcendental state of labdhopaśānti, there is no supremacy of devastating time, which controls even the celestial demigods who are empowered to rule over mundane creatures. (And what to speak of the demigods themselves?) Nor is there the mode of material goodness, nor passion, nor ignorance, nor even the false ego, nor the material Causal Ocean, nor the material nature.
VERSE 2.2.18
paraṁ padaṁ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tad
yan neti netīty atad utsisṛkṣavaḥ
visṛjya daurātmyam ananya-sauhṛdā
hṛdopaguhyārha-padaṁ pade pade
SYNONYMS
param — the supreme; padam — situation; vaiṣṇavam — in relation with the Personality of Godhead; āmananti — do they know; tat — that; yat — which; na iti — not this; na iti — not this; iti — thus; atat — godless; utsisṛkṣavaḥ — those who desire to avoid; visṛjya — giving it up completely; daurātmyam — perplexities; ananya — absolutely; sauhṛdāḥ — in good will; hṛdā upaguhya — taking them into his heart; arha — that which is only worshipable; padam — lotus feet; pade pade — at every moment.
TRANSLATION
The transcendentalists desire to avoid everything godless, for they know that supreme situation in which everything is related with the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore a pure devotee who is in absolute harmony with the Lord does not create perplexities, but worships the lotus feet of the Lord at every moment, taking them into his heart.
VERSE 2.2.19
itthaṁ munis tūparamed vyavasthito
vijñāna-dṛg-vīrya-surandhitāśayaḥ
sva-pārṣṇināpīḍya gudaṁ tato ’nilaṁ
sthāneṣu ṣaṭsūnnamayej jita-klamaḥ
SYNONYMS
ittham — thus, by Brahman realization; muniḥ — the philosopher; tu — but; uparamet — should retire; vyavasthitaḥ — well situated; vijñāna-dṛk — by scientific knowledge; vīrya — strength; su-randhita — well regulated; āśayaḥ — aim of life; sva-pārṣṇinā — with the heel of one’s foot; āpīḍya — by blocking; gudam — the air hole; tataḥ — thereafter; anilam — life air; sthāneṣu — in the places; ṣaṭsu — six primary; unnamayet — must be lifted; jita-klamaḥ — by extinguishing material desires.
TRANSLATION
By the strength of scientific knowledge, one should be well situated in absolute realization and thus be able to extinguish all material desires. One should then give up the material body by blocking the air hole [through which stool is evacuated] with the heel of one’s foot and by lifting the life air from one place to another in the six primary places.
VERSE 2.2.20
nābhyāṁ sthitaṁ hṛdy adhiropya tasmād
udāna-gatyorasi taṁ nayen muniḥ
tato ’nusandhāya dhiyā manasvī
sva-tālu-mūlaṁ śanakair nayeta
SYNONYMS
nābhyām — on the navel; sthitam — situated; hṛdi — in the heart; adhiropya — by placing; tasmāt — from there; udāna — soaring; gatya — force; urasi — on the chest; tam — thereafter; nayet — should draw; muniḥ — the meditative devotee; tataḥ — them; anusandhāya — just to search out; dhiyā — by intelligence; manasvī — the meditative; sva-tālu-mūlam — at the root of the palate; śanakaiḥ — slowly; nayeta — may be brought in.
TRANSLATION
The meditative devotee should slowly push up the life air from the navel to the heart, from there to the chest, and from there to the root of the palate. He should search out the proper places with intelligence.
VERSE 2.2.21
tasmād bhruvor antaram unnayeta
niruddha-saptāyatano ’napekṣaḥ
sthitvā muhūrtārdham akuṇṭha-dṛṣṭir
nirbhidya mūrdhan visṛjet paraṁ gataḥ
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — from there; bhruvoḥ — of the eyebrows; antaram — in between; unnayeta — should be brought in; niruddha — by blocking; sapta — seven; āyatanaḥ — outlets of the life air; anapekṣaḥ — independent of all material enjoyment; sthitvā — by keeping; muhūrta — of a moment; ardham — half; akuṇṭha — back home, back to Godhead; dṛṣṭiḥ — one whose aim is targeted like that; nirbhidya — punching; mūrdhan — the cerebral hole; visṛjet — should give up his body; param — the Supreme; gataḥ — having gone to.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter the bhakti-yogī should push the life air up between the eyebrows, and then, blocking the seven outlets of the life air, he should maintain his aim for going back home, back to Godhead. If he is completely free from all desires for material enjoyment, he should then reach the cerebral hole and give up his material connections, having gone to the Supreme.
VERSE 2.2.22
yadi prayāsyan nṛpa pārameṣṭhyaṁ
vaihāyasānām uta yad vihāram
aṣṭādhipatyaṁ guṇa-sannivāye
sahaiva gacchen manasendriyaiś ca
SYNONYMS
yadi — however; prayāsyan — maintaining a desire; nṛpa — O King; pārameṣṭhyam — the governing planet of the material world; vaihāyasānām — of the beings known as the Vaihāyasas; uta — it is said; yat — what is; vihāram — place of enjoyment; aṣṭa-ādhipatyam — lording it over with eightfold achievements; guṇa-sannivāye — in the world of three modes of nature; saha — along with; eva — certainly; gacchet — should go; manasā — accompanied by the mind; indriyaiḥ — and the senses; ca — also.
TRANSLATION
However, O King, if a yogī maintains a desire for improved material enjoyments, like transference to the topmost planet, Brahmaloka, or the achievement of the eightfold perfections, travel in outer space with the Vaihāyasas, or a situation in one of the millions of planets, then he has to take away with him the materially molded mind and senses.
VERSE 2.2.23
yogeśvarāṇāṁ gatim āhur antar-
bahis-tri-lokyāḥ pavanāntar-ātmanām
na karmabhis tāṁ gatim āpnuvanti
vidyā-tapo-yoga-samādhi-bhājām
SYNONYMS
yoga-īśvarāṇām — of the great saints and devotees; gatim — destination; āhuḥ — it is said; antaḥ — within; bahiḥ — without; tri-lokyāḥ — of the three planetary systems; pavana-antaḥ — within the air; ātmanām — of the subtle body; na — never; karmabhiḥ — by fruitive activities; tām — that; gatim — speed; āpnuvanti — achieve; vidyā — devotional service; tapaḥ — austerities; yoga — mystic power; samādhi — knowledge; bhājām — of those who entertain.
TRANSLATION
The transcendentalists are concerned with the spiritual body. As such, by the strength of their devotional service, austerities, mystic power and transcendental knowledge, their movements are unrestricted, within and beyond the material worlds. The fruitive workers, or the gross materialists, can never move in such an unrestricted manner.
VERSE 2.2.24
vaiśvānaraṁ yāti vihāyasā gataḥ
suṣumṇayā brahma-pathena śociṣā
vidhūta-kalko ’tha harer udastāt
prayāti cakraṁ nṛpa śaiśumāram
SYNONYMS
vaiśvānaram — the controlling deity of fire; yāti — goes; vihāyasā — by the path in the sky (the Milky Way); gataḥ — by passing over; suṣumṇayā — by the Suṣumṇā; brahma — Brahmaloka; pathena — on the way to; śociṣā — illuminating; vidhūta — being washed off; kalkaḥ — dirt; atha — thereafter; hareḥ — of Lord Hari; udastāt — upwards; prayāti — does reach; cakram — circle; nṛpa — O King; śaiśumāram — named Śiśumāra.
TRANSLATION
O King, when such a mystic passes over the Milky Way by the illuminating Suṣumṇā to reach the highest planet, Brahmaloka, he goes first to Vaiśvānara, the planet of the deity of fire, wherein he becomes completely cleansed of all contaminations, and thereafter he still goes higher, to the circle of Śiśumāra, to relate with Lord Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
VERSE 2.2.25
tad viśva-nābhiṁ tv ativartya viṣṇor
aṇīyasā virajenātmanaikaḥ
namaskṛtaṁ brahma-vidām upaiti
kalpāyuṣo yad vibudhā ramante
SYNONYMS
tat — that; viśva-nābhim — navel of the universal Personality of Godhead; tu — but; ativartya — crossing over; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead; aṇīyasā — due to mystic perfection; virajena — by the purified; ātmanā — by the living entity; ekaḥ — alone; namaskṛtam — worshipable; brahma-vidām — by those who are transcendentally situated; upaiti — reaches; kalpa-āyuṣaḥ — a period of 4,300,000,000 solar years; yat — the place; vibudhāḥ — self-realized souls; ramante — do enjoy.
TRANSLATION
This Śiśumāra is the pivot for the turning of the complete universe, and it is called the navel of Viṣṇu [Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu]. The yogī alone goes beyond this circle of Śiśumāra and attains the planet [Maharloka] where purified saints like Bhṛgu enjoy a duration of life of 4,300,000,000 solar years. This planet is worshipable even for saints who are transcendentally situated.
VERSE 2.2.26
atho anantasya mukhānalena
dandahyamānaṁ sa nirīkṣya viśvam
niryāti siddheśvara-yuṣṭa-dhiṣṇyaṁ
yad dvai-parārdhyaṁ tad u pārameṣṭhyam
SYNONYMS
atho — thereupon; anantasya — of Ananta, the resting incarnation of Godhead; mukha-analena — by the fire emanating from His mouth; dandahyamānam — burning to ashes; saḥ — he; nirīkṣya — by seeing this; viśvam — the universe; niryāti — goes out; siddheśvara-yuṣṭa-dhiṣṇyam — airplanes used by the great purified souls; yat — the place; dvai-parārdhyam — 15,480,000,000,000 solar years; tat — that; u — the exalted; pārameṣṭhyam — Satyaloka, where Brahmā resides.
TRANSLATION
At the time of the final devastation of the complete universe [the end of the duration of Brahmā’s life], a flame of fire emanates from the mouth of Ananta [from the bottom of the universe]. The yogī sees all the planets of the universe burning to ashes, and thus he leaves for Satyaloka by airplanes used by the great purified souls. The duration of life in Satyaloka is calculated to be 15,480,000,000,000 years.
VERSE 2.2.27
na yatra śoko na jarā na mṛtyur
nārtir na codvega ṛte kutaścit
yac cit tato ’daḥ kṛpayānidaṁ-vidāṁ
duranta-duḥkha-prabhavānudarśanāt
SYNONYMS
na — never; yatra — there are; śokaḥ — bereavement; na — nor; jarā — old age; na — nor; mṛtyuḥ — death; na — nor; artiḥ — pains; na — nor; ca — also; udvegaḥ — anxieties; ṛte — save and except; kutaścit — sometimes; yat — because of; cit — consciousness; tataḥ — therefore; adaḥ — compassion; kṛpayā — out of heartfelt sympathy; an-idam-vidām — of those who are ignorant of the process of devotional service; duranta — unsurpassable; duḥkha — misery; prabhava — repeated birth and death; anudarśanāt — by successive experience.
TRANSLATION
In that planet of Satyaloka, there is neither bereavement, nor old age nor death. There is no pain of any kind, and therefore there are no anxieties, save that sometimes, due to consciousness, there is a feeling of compassion for those unaware of the process of devotional service, who are subjected to unsurpassable miseries in the material world.
VERSE 2.2.28
tato viśeṣaṁ pratipadya nirbhayas
tenātmanāpo ’nala-mūrtir atvaran
jyotirmayo vāyum upetya kāle
vāyv-ātmanā khaṁ bṛhad ātma-liṅgam
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; viśeṣam — particularly; pratipadya — by obtaining; nirbhayaḥ — without any doubt; tena — by that; ātmanā — pure self; āpaḥ — water; anala — fire; mūrtiḥ — forms; atvaran — by surpassing; jyotiḥ-mayaḥ — effulgent; vāyum — atmosphere; upetya — having reached there; kāle — in due course of time; vāyu — air; ātmanā — by the self; kham — ethereal; bṛhat — great; ātma-liṅgam — the real form of the self.
TRANSLATION
After reaching Satyaloka, the devotee is specifically able to be incorporated fearlessly by the subtle body in an identity similar to that of the gross body, and one after another he gradually attains stages of existence from earthly to watery, fiery, glowing and airy, until he reaches the ethereal stage.
VERSE 2.2.29
ghrāṇena gandhaṁ rasanena vai rasaṁ
rūpaṁ ca dṛṣṭyā śvasanaṁ tvacaiva
śrotreṇa copetya nabho-guṇatvaṁ
prāṇena cākūtim upaiti yogī
SYNONYMS
ghrāṇena — by smelling; gandham — aroma; rasanena — by taste; vai — exactly; rasam — palate; rūpam — forms; ca — also; dṛṣṭyā — by vision; śvasanam — contact; tvacā — touch; eva — as it were; śrotreṇa — by vibration of the ear; ca — also; upetya — by achieving; nabhaḥ-guṇatvam — identification of ether; prāṇena — by sense organs; ca — also; ākūtim — material activities; upaiti — attains; yogī — the devotee.
TRANSLATION
The devotee thus surpasses the subtle objects of different senses like aroma by smelling, the palate by tasting, vision by seeing forms, touch by contacting, the vibrations of the ear by ethereal identification, and the sense organs by material activities.
VERSE 2.2.30
sa bhūta-sūkṣmendriya-sannikarṣaṁ
manomayaṁ devamayaṁ vikāryam
saṁsādya gatyā saha tena yāti
vijñāna-tattvaṁ guṇa-sannirodham
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he (the devotee); bhūta — the gross; sūkṣma — and the subtle; indriya — senses; sannikarṣam — the point of neutralization; manaḥ-mayam — the mental plane; deva-mayam — in the mode of goodness; vikāryam — egoism; saṁsādya — surpassing; gatyā — by the progress; saha — along with; tena — them; yāti — goes; vijñāna — perfect knowledge; tattvam — truth; guṇa — the material modes; sannirodham — completely suspended.
TRANSLATION
The devotee, thus surpassing the gross and the subtle forms of coverings, enters the plane of egoism. And in that status he merges the material modes of nature [ignorance and passion] in this point of neutralization and thus reaches egoism in goodness. After this, all egoism is merged in the mahat-tattva, and he comes to the point of pure self-realization.
VERSE 2.2.31
tenātmanātmānam upaiti śāntam
ānandam ānandamayo ’vasāne
etāṁ gatiṁ bhāgavatīṁ gato yaḥ
sa vai punar neha viṣajjate ’ṅga
SYNONYMS
tena — by that purified; ātmanā — by the self; ātmānam — the Supersoul; upaiti — attains; śāntam — rest; ānandam — satisfaction; ānanda-mayaḥ — naturally so being; avasāne — being freed from all material contamination; etām — such; gatim — destination; bhāgavatīm — devotional; gataḥ — attained by; yaḥ — the person; saḥ — he; vai — certainly; punaḥ — again; na — never; iha — in this material world; viṣajjate — becomes attracted; aṅga — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
TRANSLATION
Only the purified soul can attain the perfection of associating with the Personality of Godhead in complete bliss and satisfaction in his constitutional state. Whoever is able to renovate such devotional perfection is never again attracted by this material world, and he never returns.
VERSE 2.2.32
ete sṛtī te nṛpa veda-gīte
tvayābhipṛṣṭe ca sanātane ca
ye vai purā brahmaṇa āha tuṣṭa
ārādhito bhagavān vāsudevaḥ
SYNONYMS
ete — all that is described; sṛtī — way; te — unto you; nṛpa — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; veda-gīte — according to the version of the Vedas; tvayā — by Your Majesty; abhipṛṣṭe — being properly inquired; ca — also; sanātane — in the matter of eternal truth; ca — verily; ye — which; vai — certainly; purā — before; brahmaṇe — unto Lord Brahmā; āha — said; tuṣṭaḥ — being satisfied; ārādhitaḥ — being worshiped; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; vāsudevaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
Your Majesty Mahārāja Parīkṣit, know that all that I have described in reply to your proper inquiry is just according to the version of the Vedas, and it is eternal truth. This was described personally by Lord Kṛṣṇa unto Brahmā, with whom the Lord was satisfied upon being properly worshiped.
VERSE 2.2.33
na hy ato ’nyaḥ śivaḥ panthā
viśataḥ saṁsṛtāv iha
vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogo yato bhavet
SYNONYMS
na — never; hi — certainly; ataḥ — beyond this; anyaḥ — any other; śivaḥ — auspicious; panthāḥ — means; viśataḥ — wandering; saṁsṛtau — in the material world; iha — in this life; vāsudeve — unto Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; bhakti-yogaḥ — direct devotional service; yataḥ — wherein; bhavet — may result in.
TRANSLATION
For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 2.2.34
bhagavān brahma kārtsnyena
trir anvīkṣya manīṣayā
tad adhyavasyat kūṭa-stho
ratir ātman yato bhavet
SYNONYMS
bhagavān — the great personality Brahmā; brahma — the Vedas; kārtsnyena — by summarization; triḥ — three times; anvīkṣya — scrutinizingly examined; manīṣayā — with scholarly attention; tat — that; adhyavasyat — ascertained it; kūṭa-sthaḥ — with concentration of the mind; ratiḥ — attraction; ātman (ātmani) — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa; yataḥ — by which; bhavet — it so happens.
TRANSLATION
The great personality Brahmā, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them, he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the highest perfection of religion.
VERSE 2.2.35
bhagavān sarva-bhūteṣu
lakṣitaḥ svātmanā hariḥ
dṛśyair buddhy-ādibhir draṣṭā
lakṣaṇair anumāpakaiḥ
SYNONYMS
bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; sarva — all; bhūteṣu — in the living entities; lakṣitaḥ — is visible; sva-ātmanā — along with the self; hariḥ — the Lord; dṛśyaiḥ — by what is seen; buddhi-ādibhiḥ — by intelligence; draṣṭā — one who sees; lakṣaṇaiḥ — by different signs; anumāpakaiḥ — by hypothesis.
TRANSLATION
The Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is in every living being along with the individual soul. And this fact is perceived and hypothesized in our acts of seeing and taking help from the intelligence.
VERSE 2.2.36
tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan
hariḥ sarvatra sarvadā
śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca
smartavyo bhagavān nṛṇām
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; sarva — all; ātmanā — soul; rājan — O King; hariḥ — the Lord; sarvatra — everywhere; sarvadā — always; śrotavyaḥ — must be heard; kīrtitavyaḥ — glorified; ca — also; smartavyaḥ — be remembered; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; nṛṇām — by the human being.
TRANSLATION
O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere.
VERSE 2.2.37
pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ satāṁ
kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇa-puṭeṣu sambhṛtam
punanti te viṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṁ
vrajanti tac-caraṇa-saroruhāntikam
SYNONYMS
pibanti — who drink; ye — those; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; ātmanaḥ — of the most dear; satām — of devotees; kathā-amṛtam — the nectar of the messages; śravaṇa-puṭeṣu — within the earholes; sambhṛtam — fully filled; punanti — purify; te — their; viṣaya — material enjoyment; vidūṣita-āśayam — polluted aim of life; vrajanti — do go back; tat — the Lord’s; caraṇa — feet; saroruha-antikam — near the lotus.
TRANSLATION
Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet of Him [the Personality of Godhead].