Category:Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 03 Chapter 28 Purports - Kapila's Instructions on the Execution of Devotional Service
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 03 Chapter 28 Purports - Kapila's Instructions on the Execution of Devotional Service"
The following 360 pages are in this category, out of 360 total.
A
- A brahmacari practices celibacy, controlling his sex life. One cannot enjoy unrestricted sex life and practice yoga; this is rascaldom
- A clear conception of the complete whole is given herewith - in SB 3.28.41
- A concrete description of the eternal form of the Lord is given here (in SB 3.28.1). The Lord's sole is depicted with distinctive lines resembling a thunderbolt, a flag, a lotus flower and a goad
- A less advanced person has to go to the temple, and as long as he does not go to the temple he is unable to see the form of the Lord
- A less intelligent person accepts the smoke as fire, although fire and smoke are completely different. The heat and light of the fire are separate, although one cannot differentiate fire from heat and light
- A lotus flower on the water is very beautiful when surrounded by humming bees and fish. The Lord's face is self-sufficient and complete. His beauty defies the natural beauty of a lotus
- A person who is freed from material designations can see the same quality of spirit present everywhere or in every manifested living entity
- A person whose mind is completely dovetailed with the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and who engages one hundred percent in the service of the Lord, forgets his material bodily demands
- A yogi is recommended to meditate upon the Lord's neck. The Lord's transcendental form can either be meditated upon in the mind or placed in a temple in the form of a statue and decorated in such a way that everyone can contemplate it
- According to Ayur-vedic medical science the three items kapha, pitta and vayu (phlegm, bile and air) maintain the physiological condition of the body
- According to spiritual communism, one cannot possess more than he needs for his personal maintenance. That is the law of nature
- Actually I know that the son and the money are separate from me. It is the same with the body; I am separate from my body. It is a question of understanding, and the proper understanding is called pratibuddha
- Actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme master of everyone
- After Brahman realization, one can engage in activities of Brahman. As long as one is not self-realized, he engages in activities based on false identification with body. When one is situated in his real self, then activities of Brahman realization begin
- After hearing Bhagavad-gita from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Arjuna dovetailed his mind with Krsna's desire. This is called oneness. This oneness, however, did not cause Arjuna and Krsna to lose their individualities
- All departments of law and order emanate from the arms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The law and order of the universe is directed by different demigods, and it is here (in SB 3.28.27) said to emanate from the Lord's arms
- All four principles of Vaisnava philosophy are based on the thesis of Srimad-Bhagavatam explained in these two verses - SB 3.28.40-41
- All glories are given to the chanting of the holy names of Krsna because as soon as one begins this process of chanting, the mind becomes purified
- All the different forms of the Lord are one, but some devotees want to see Him in the form of Radha and Krsna, others prefer Him as Sita and Ramacandra, others would see Him as Laksmi-Narayana, and others want to see Him as four-handed Narayana, Vasudeva
- Although a liberated soul appears to be acting just like an ordinary man, his actions are to be accepted as the continuation of past activities
- Although a liberated soul has the by-products of the body - children, wife, house, etc. - he does not identify himself with those bodily expansions. He knows that they are all products of the material dream
- Although the blazing firewood, the sparks, the smoke and the flame cannot stay apart because each of them is part and parcel of the fire, still they are different from one another
- Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His eternal form is beautiful and pleasing to the heart of the devotee, He does not attract impersonalists, who want to meditate on His impersonal aspect. Such impersonal meditation is simply fruitless labor
- Anandamayo 'bhyasat: the Lord is by nature full of transcendental happiness
- Another significant word in this verse (SB 3.28.18) is punya-sloka-yasaskaram. The devotee is called punya-sloka. As one becomes purified by chanting the holy name of the Lord, so one can become purified simply by chanting the name of a holy devotee
- Any creative function in the universe always has a direct connecting link with the Lord
- Anyone who accumulates more money or more possessions than he needs is called a thief, and one who simply accumulates wealth without spending for sacrifice or for worship of the Personality of Godhead is a great thief
- Anyone who is eternally associated with the Lord is glorified with the Lord. The conclusion is that a perfect yogi should always be accustomed to seeing the form of the Lord, and unless the mind is fixed in that way, he should continue practicing yoga
- Arjuna, Prahlada, Janaka Maharaja, Bali Maharaja and many other devotees were not even in the renounced order of life, but were householders. Some of them, such as Prahlada Maharaja and Bali Maharaja, were born of demoniac families
- As already discussed, there are eight kinds of representations of the original form of the Lord. These representations can be produced by the use of clay, stone, wood, paint, sand, etc., depending upon the resources of the devotees
- As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah (BG 15.7)). The small living entities are eternally part and parcel, and therefore it is not possible for them to be quantitatively as great as the Supersoul
- As described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the Lord appears and disappears according to His relationships with different devotees
- As fire distributes its light and heat from one place, the Supreme Personality of Godhead distributes His different energies all over His creation
- As long as mind is in material consciousness, it must be forcibly trained to accept meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but when one is actually elevated to loving the Supreme Lord, the mind is automatically absorbed in thought of the Lord
- As long as one acts on his own account, he is subject to all the material perceptions of so-called happiness and distress. Actually there is no happiness
- As long as one is in conditional life, in the material body, it is natural that he will suffer from anxieties and agonies. One cannot avoid the influence of material energy, even when one is on the transcendental plane
- As long as one remains in the bodily concept of life, he may act according to the duties of social convention, but if one is elevated to the spiritual platform, he must simply serve the Supreme Lord; that is the real execution of sva-dharma
- As mentioned in the previous verses (SB 3.28.12) (purusarcanam), this purusa is represented as the Paramatma, or Supersoul. A description of the Supersoul, upon whom one must meditate, will be given in the following verses
- As mud is kneaded with water and earth, so the earthly bodies of the enemies of the Lord, or the atheists, are smashed by the club of the Lord, which becomes muddied with the blood of such demons
- As one who is awake has no connection with the activities of the body in a dream, an awakened, liberated soul has no connection with the activities of the present body
- As people generally say, God is all-powerful. That prowess is represented by Mahā-Lakṣmī, the reservoir of all energies, who is situated on the bosom of the transcendental form of the Lord
- As stated here (in SB 3.28.30), the yogi must meditate upon the form of the Lord which is experienced by devotees. Devotees never imagine a form of the Lord. They are not satisfied by something imaginary
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita, all the different species of living entities are sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are, however, two classes of living entities, who act in two different ways
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita, although He acts equally to everyone because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and because all living entities are His sons, He is especially inclined to those engaged in devotional service
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita, one's mind is his enemy, and one's mind is also his friend; its position varies according to the different dealings of the living entity
- As stated in the Brahma-samhita, not only does the Supreme Soul enter each and every universe, but He enters even the atoms
- Astanga-yoga is part of Vaisnava practice because its ultimate goal is realization of Visnu
- At this stage of spiritual realization (of fully developed love of God) it is not necessary to engage the mind artificially - in meditation
- Ayur-vedic treatment concerns itself with the cause of these three elements, which are mentioned in many places in the Bhagavatam as the basic conditions of the body
B
- Because he (the liberated soul) is acquainted with his constitutional position, he never accepts the bodily concept of life
- Because of great affection for money, we accept some amount of wealth in the bank as ours. In the same way, we claim that the body is ours because of affection for it
- Because the dirt (in the mind) has accumulated like a solid mountain, one must meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for quite a long time. For one who is accustomed to thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord constantly, however, it is a different matter
- Bhagavad-gita also confirms that one should concentrate his mind on the Personality of Godhead
- Bhagavad-gita states in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter that the greatest yogi is he who constantly thinks of Krsna within himself, or he who is Krsna conscious
- Bhagavad-gita states that meditation on the impersonal or void features is very troublesome to the meditator
- Bhagavatah is specifically mentioned (in SB 3.28.22). Bhagavatah means "of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu," and no one else. Another significant phrase in this verse is sivah sivo 'bhut
- Bhagavatah refers to Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Godhead is Krsna; from Him comes the first expansion, Baladeva, and from Baladeva come Sankarsana, Aniruddha and many other forms, followed by the purusa-avataras
- Bhakti-yoga is a feasible process that begins with chanting and hearing. Bhakti-yoga and other yogas have as their ultimate goal the same Personality of Godhead, but one is practical, and the others are difficult
- Bhava means "one who accepts a material body," and abhava means "one who does not accept a material body but descends in the original, spiritual body"
- Brahma is described here (in SB 3.28.23) as the son of the goddess of fortune, but actually he was not born of her womb
- Brahma is the appointed lord of the universe. Because his father is Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, is automatically his mother. Laksmiji is worshiped by all demigods and by the inhabitants of other planets as well
- Brahma takes his birth from the abdomen of the Lord Himself. A lotus flower grows from the abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and Brahma is born there
- Brahmacaryam means that one leads his life simply in relationship with Brahman, or in full Krsna consciousness. Those who are too addicted to sex life cannot observe the regulations which will lead them to Krsna consciousness
- By all these stages of practice (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi) one must realize Lord Visnu, who is the target of all yoga
- By concentrating the mind one can become free from sinful activities, and by withdrawing the senses one can free himself from material association
- By fermentation in the laboratory many germs are born, but this is due to the presence of the soul. The material scientist thinks that eggs are lifeless, but that is not a fact
- By his constitutional position, Lord Siva is always great and auspicious, but since he has accepted on his head the Ganges water, which emanated from the lotus feet of the Lord, he has become even more auspicious and important
- By obtaining knowledge in devotional service, or Krsna consciousness, one can become a liberated soul
- By practicing the different sitting postures and controlling the vital air, one can control and restrain the senses from unrestricted sense enjoyment
- By the yoga system of puraka, kumbhaka and recaka or by directly fixing the mind on the sound vibration of Krsna or on the form of Krsna, the same purpose is achieved
E
- Either by hearing, seeing or meditating, the objective is the transcendental form of the Lord; there is no question of voidness or impersonalism
- Especially in this age, the mind becomes disturbed, and due to so much agitation, the process of seeing the Lord within the mind is interrupted. When there is sound vibrated praising the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, however, one is forced to hear
- Even a child can hear and derive the benefit of meditating on the pastimes of the Lord simply by listening to a reading from the Bhagavatam that describes the Lord as He is going to the pasturing ground with His cows and friends
- Even after being switched off, an electric fan moves for some time. That movement is not due to the electric current, but is a continuation of the last movement
- Everything in the spiritual sky retains its originality and does not fade. The fragrance of the flowers picked from the trees and made into garlands does not fade, for both the trees and the flowers are spiritual
F
- First one must be able to sit properly, and then the mind and attention will become steady enough for practicing yoga. Gradually, one must control circulation of vital air, and with such control he will be able to withdraw the senses from sense objects
- For them (who are averse to understanding God's pastimes), the Lord appears with His hand clutching the terrible mace, which is always smeared with bloodstains from His killing of demons. Demons are also sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- For those who engage in devotional service there is no spell of maya, and their situation is all-perfect. The duty of living entity, as a part and parcel of the whole, is to render devotional service to the whole. That is the ultimate perfection of life
- Forgetfulness of one's relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a product of ignorance. By yoga practice one can eradicate this ignorance of thinking oneself independent of the Supreme Lord
- Forgetfulness of that sweet relationship (with God) is called ignorance, and in ignorance one is impelled by the three material modes of nature to think himself the enjoyer
- From Vedic scripture we can understand that living entities in different forms are generated under different conditions. Birds evolve from eggs, and beasts and human beings are born from the embryo
G
- Generally people execute religious practices for economic development or sense gratification, but that is not recommended for one who wants to advance in yoga
- Generally, the lower part of the body of the statue of the Lord is covered with yellow silk. That is the Vaikuntha dress, or the dress the Lord wears in the spiritual sky. This cloth extends down to the Lord's ankles
- Goddess of fortune, Laksmi, who engages in massaging the legs, ankles and thighs of the Lord, is called the mother of Brahma, but actually Brahma is born from the abdomen of the Lord, not from the abdomen of his mother
H
- He (God) does not have to come Himself to destroy demons, for He has many agents; even the external energy, maya, has sufficient strength to kill them. But when He comes to show compassion to His devotees, He kills the nondevotees as a matter of course
- Hearing and fixing the mind on the pastimes of the Lord is easier than visualizing the form of the Lord within one's heart because as soon as one begins to think of the Lord, especially in this age, the mind becomes disturbed, and due to so much agitation
- Hearing includes applying the mind. In this age of Kali-yuga, Lord Caitanya has recommended that one should always engage in chanting and hearing Bhagavad-gita
- Here (in SB 3.28.11) it is recommended that by practicing the breathing process of pranayama one can be released from contamination created by the principal physiological elements
- Here (in SB 3.28.2) it is recommended that one should seek out a bona fide spiritual master and surrender unto him (arcanam), for by inquiring from and worshiping him one can learn spiritual activities
- Here (in SB 3.28.34) it is clearly mentioned that meditation, which is an action of the mind, is not the perfect stage of samadhi, or absorption
- Here (in SB 3.28.44) it is stated that the daivi prakrti, or the external energy of the Supreme Lord, is durvibhavya, very difficult to understand and very difficult to conquer
- His abdomen is the foundation of all the planetary systems. Brahma holds the post of the creator of all planetary systems, but his engineering energy is generated from the abdomen of the Lord
- His neck is beautifully decorated with jewels and pearls. The Lord is full in six opulences, one of which is wealth. He is very richly dressed with valuable jewels which are not visible within this material world
- Human beings are eager to receive favor from the goddess of fortune
I
- I say that it is "my" body. I then extend that possessive concept and say, "It is my hand, my leg," and further, "It is my bank balance, my son, my daughter
- If a man in a diseased condition is very active, how can one imagine that when he is free from the disease he will be inactive? Naturally the conclusion is that when one is free from all disease his activities are pure
- If a yogi looks upon the marks of the Lord's sole and on the blazing brilliance of His nails, then he can be freed from the darkness of ignorance in material existence
- If a yogi wants to shatter the mountain of dirt (in the form of desires to lord it over material nature) in his mind, he should concentrate on the lotus feet of the Lord and not imagine something void or impersonal
- If anyone wants to be aloof from sex attraction, he must see the charming smile and fascinating eyebrows of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- If one can accept the subtle body of a dream as false and not identify oneself with that body, then certainly an awake person need not identify with the gross body
- If one eats in this manner (eating half of what desired and filling the rest with water), he will avoid indigestion and disease. The yogi should eat in this way, as recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and all other standard scriptures
- If one is fortunate enough to transcend the designation of birth in a particular society or community by being elevated to the standard of spiritual identity, then his sva-dharma, or duty, is solely that of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- If one is so hungry that he could devour one pound of foodstuffs, then instead he should consume only half a pound and supplement this with four ounces of water; one fourth of the stomach should be left empty for passage of air in the stomach
- If the soul is so active in its abnormal condition, existing under the covering of matter, how can one deny its activity when free?
- If the yogi is able to place the beautiful face of the Lord in the core of his heart, he will be completely satisfied. In other words, when one is absorbed in seeing the beauty of the Lord within himself, the material attraction can no longer disturb him
- If we divert our mind to thoughts of material enjoyment, then our mind becomes an enemy, and if we concentrate our mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, then our mind is a friend
- Imagination is always imagination and results only in further imagination
- In a dream one may see himself expanded through many bodies, but when awake he can understand that those bodies were all false
- In Bhagavad-gita it is said that one must practice the breathing exercise (abhyasa-yoga-yuktena). By virtue of these processes of control, the mind cannot wander to external thoughts (cetasa nanya-gamina)
- In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that oṁkāra is the letter form of the Lord. Similarly, there are statue forms and painting forms of the Lord
- In liberated stage, oneness with Supreme Lord means that one has no realization other than happiness. But the individual still exists, otherwise this word upalabdha, indicating individual realization of transcendental happiness, would not have been used
- In order to convince the yogi that the Absolute Truth, or Supreme Personality of Godhead, is never impersonal at any time, the following verses prescribe observing the Lord in His personal form, limb after limb
- In such a position (of loving God) a yogi has no other thought than to serve the Lord. This dovetailing of the mind with the desires of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called nirvana, or making the mind one with the Supreme Lord
- In the beginning the mind is employed in attracting the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in the higher stages there is no question of using the mind. A devotee becomes accustomed to serving the Supreme Lord by purification of his senses
- In the Brahma-samhita (5.33) it is also stated: advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca. The original person is one without a second, yet He never appears old; He always appears as ever fresh as a blooming youth
- In the Brahma-samhita also, the color of Krsna's body is compared to that of a bluish cloud. The color of the Lord is not poetical imagination
- In the Caitanya-caritamrta (CC Adi 5.142) it is said, ekale isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya: the Supreme Lord is Krsna, and everyone else, including Lord Siva and Lord Brahma - not to mention other demigods - is a servant of Krsna
- In the conditioned state the mind is always engaged in activity impelled by the three modes of the material world, but in the transcendental stage, the material modes cannot disturb the mind of the devotee
- In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, by Sanatana Gosvami, it is said that anyone who puts the Supreme Lord and the demigods, including Lord Siva and Lord Brahma, on the same level, at once becomes a pasandi, or atheist
- In the material world the activities of the mind are acceptance and rejection
- In the material world we want to see beauty, but the desire is never satisfied. Because of material contamination, all the propensities we feel in the material world are ever unsatisfied
- In the previous chapter (SB 3.27) it has been clearly stated that the desired result of yoga is not to achieve some wonderful mystic power
- In the previous verse (in SB 3.28.4) it is stated that one must observe celibacy. The most important aspect of sense control is controlling sex life. That is called brahmacarya
- In the Upanisads it is said that the various energies of the Lord are working to create, destroy and maintain. These inconceivable varieties of energy are stored in the bosom of the Lord
- In this verse (SB 3.28.12) it is clearly stated that one must meditate by fixing the vision on the tip of the nose and concentrating one's mind on the kala, or the plenary expansion, of Visnu
- In this verse (SB 3.28.2) there are many important words which could be very elaborately explained, but we shall briefly discuss the important aspects of each
- In this verse (SB 3.28.22) the position of Lord Siva is specifically mentioned. The impersonalist suggests that the Absolute Truth has no form and that one can therefore equally imagine the form of Visnu or Lord Siva or goddess Durga or their son Ganesa
- In yoga practice one not only must concentrate his mind on the person of Krsna, but must also worship the form or Deity of Krsna daily
- It is advised here (in SB 3.28.23) that the yogi always keep this picture in his heart. The devotee always thinks of this relationship between Laksmi and Narayana; therefore he does not meditate on the mental plane as impersonalists and voidists do
- It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita that one who engages himself in unalloyed devotional service at once becomes transcendental to the three modes of material nature and immediately realizes his identification with Brahman
- It is also stated here (in SB 3.28.44), svarupenavatisthate. Svarupa means that one has to know that he is not the Supreme Soul, but rather, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul; that is self-realization
- It is clearly mentioned here (in SB 3.28.12) that one has to meditate upon the expansion of Visnu. The word kastham refers to Paramatma, the expansion of the expansion of Visnu. Bhagavatah refers to Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- It is clearly stated, vaikuntha-lila. Lila means "pastimes." Unless the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, has transcendental activities, where is the scope for thinking of these pastimes
- It is definitely recommended here (in SB 3.28.13) that one concentrate his mind upon the form of Visnu. There are twelve different forms of Visnu, which are described in Teachings of Lord Caitanya
- It is explained in the Brahma-samhita that each limb of the Lord has the potency of every other limb; because everything is spiritual, His parts are not conditioned
- It is not imagination. Meditation on the actual form of the Lord may be manifested in different manners, but one should not conclude that one has to imagine a form
- It is not that one who meditates on the form within the mind sees differently from one who worships the form in the temple. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is absolute, and there is therefore no difference between the two
- It is recommended here (in SB 3.28.3) that religious practice for economic development or the satisfaction of sense desires should be avoided. Religious practices should be executed only to gain freedom from the clutches of material nature
- It is recommended here (in SB 3.28.44) that one remain in that position of actual self-realization. In Bhagavad-gita this understanding is defined as Brahman realization
- It is recommended that the yogi visualize the laughter of the Lord after studying His smile very carefully
- It is specifically mentioned here (in SB 3.28.22), bhagavatas caranaravindam: one has to think of the lotus feet of the Lord
- It is stated here (in SB 3.28.1) that by following the system of yoga one can become joyful
- It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that the spell of māyā, which covers the knowledge of the living entity, is insurmountable
- It is stated in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam that the topmost religious practice is that by which one can attain to the transcendental devotional service of the Lord, without reason or cause
- It is stated in this verse (SB 3.28.32) that the charming eyebrows of the Lord are so fascinating that they cause one to forget the charms of sense attraction
- It is through the processes of devotional service, chanting and hearing of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that one can achieve this concentration - on God
- It is to be understood that the body is designated. Prakṛti is an interaction by the three modes of material nature, and according to these modes, someone has a small body, and someone has a very large body
- It may be said that the activities of Brahman realization are different from those of conditional life, but that does not stop activity. This is indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 18.54): after one realizes oneself to be Brahman, devotional service begins
J
- Just as a child is connected to his mother by the umbilical cord, so the first-born living creature, Brahma, by the supreme will of the Lord, is connected to the Lord by a lotus stem
- Just as the devotees are always eager to render service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord is also very eager to bestow benediction upon the pure devotees
- Just as there is no happiness in any of the activities of a madman, so in material activities the mental concoctions of happiness and distress are false. Actually everything is distress
L
- Laksmi is always engaged in massaging the legs and thighs of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Narayana, who is lying on the ocean of Garbha within the universe
- Laksmiji's massaging of the thighs of the Lord should not be taken as the behavior of an ordinary wife. The Lord is transcendental to the behavior of the ordinary male and female
- Less intelligent men think that plants and grass grow out of the earth automatically, but one who is actually intelligent and has realized the self can see that this growth is not automatic
- Living entities are compared to the sparks of fire. As stated in the previous verse (SB 3.28.40) fire, flame, smoke and firewood are combined together. Here the living entity, material elements and the Supreme Personality of Godhead are combined together
- Lord Caitanya was irritated by the criticism (He chanted the names of Gopis), and so there was some misunderstanding between Him and His students. He wanted to chastise them for desiring to instruct Him on the transcendental process of chanting
- Lord Caitanya was once chanting the holy names of the gopis when His students criticized Him: "Why are You chanting the names of the gopis? Why not 'Krsna'?"
- Lord Kapila, the Personality of Godhead, who is the highest authority on yoga, here explains the yoga system known as astanga-yoga, which comprises eight different practices, namely yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi
- Lord Narayana is not born of anything material. Matter is generated from matter, but He is not born of matter. Brahma is born after the creation, but since the Lord existed before the creation, the Lord has no material body
- Lord Siva is important because he is holding on his head the holy Ganges water, which has its origin in the foot-wash of Lord Visnu
M
- Mad-bhaktim labhate param: (BG 18.54) after Brahman realization, one can engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore devotional service of the Lord is activity in Brahman realization
- Mandara Hill is mentioned here (in SB 3.28.27) because when the ocean was churned by the demons on one side and the demigods on the other, Mandara Hill was taken as the churning rod
- Manomayam is a carving of the form of the Lord within the mind. This is included as one of the eight different carvings of the form of the Lord
- Meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord acts like a thunderbolt on the mountain of dirt (in the form of desires to lord it over material nature) in the mind of the yogi
- Modern medical science does not accept this physiological analysis as valid, but the ancient Ayur-vedic process of treatment is based upon these items
- Move The Mayavadis imagine that one can think of the lotus feet of Lord Siva or Lord Brahma or the goddess Durga to achieve liberation, but this is not so
N
- Narottama dasa Thakura, a great devotee and acarya in the Gaudiya Vaisnava-sampradaya, says that all spiritual activities should be understood from three sources, namely saintly persons, standard scriptures and the spiritual master
- Nivrttya means that the living entity keeps his individuality; oneness means that he realizes happiness in the happiness of the Supreme Lord. In the Supreme Lord there is nothing but happiness
O
- Om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah: the form of Visnu is the highest individuality and is always visible to sages and saintly persons
- One becomes so habituated (to meditating on God) that he automatically engages in the personal service of the Lord
- One can purify the mind either by the breathing process or by the chanting process, just as one can purify gold by putting it in a fire and fanning it with a bellows
- One cannot concentrate his mind on anything void or impersonal; the mind should be fixed on the personal form of the Lord, whose attitude is cheerful
- One has to fix his mind and the circulation of the vital air and thus think of the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Lord. It is never mentioned that one should concentrate on the impersonal or void
- One has to fix his mind first on the lotus feet of the Lord if he wants to be freed from the darkness of ignorance in material existence
- One has to fix his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead constantly. When one is accustomed to thinking of one of the innumerable forms of the Lord - Krsna, Visnu, Rama, Narayana, etc. - he has reached the perfection of yoga
- One has to purify his physiological condition by concentration and by restraint of the senses; then he can fix his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called samadhi
- One important statement here (in SB 3.28.30) is dhyayen manomayam. Manomayam is not imagination. Impersonalists think that the yogi can imagine any form he likes
- One need only concentrate his mind on one such narration (of God and His devotees) and become always absorbed in its thought. Then he will be in samadhi
- One should always chant the holy name of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, because Krsna is the most suitable name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- One should begin (thinking of God) from the lotus feet and gradually rise to the upper limbs of the transcendental body of the Lord
- One should engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita. The stage of premanjana-cchurita can be attained by developing complete love
- One should not accept another's duty. If one is born in a particular society or community, he should perform the prescribed duties for that particular division
- One should not be at all attracted by such mystic power, but should attain progressive realization on the path of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita
- One who is actually intelligent and has realized the self can see that this growth is not automatic; the cause is the soul, and the forms come out in material bodies under different conditions
- One who surrenders unto Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can conquer this seemingly insurmountable spell of maya
- One's actual relationship is eternally that of love. The living entity is meant to render transcendental loving service to the Lord
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- People always ask why Krsna is blue. The color of the Lord has not been imagined by an artist. It is described in authoritative scripture
- Practicing the yoga system of exercise and breath control is very difficult for a person in this age, and therefore Lord Caitanya recommended (CC Adi 17.31) , kirtaniyah sada harih
- Prahlada Maharaja and Bali Maharaja, were born of demoniac families. Prahlada Maharaja's father was a demon, and Bali Maharaja was the grandson of Prahlada Maharaja, but still they have become famous because of their association with the Lord
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- Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate (BG 14.26). For every item in the yoga system there is a parallel activity in bhakti-yoga, but practice of bhakti-yoga is easier for this age. What was introduced by Lord Caitanya is not a new interpretation
- Samadhi is not an artificial bodily state; it is the state achieved when the mind is virtually absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Sex life should be restricted to persons who are married. A person whose sex life is restricted in marriage is also called a brahmacari
- Since the meditation recommended in the lower stages is a means to come to platform of devotional service, those already engaged in transcendental loving service of the Lord are above such meditation. This stage of perfection is called Krsna consciousness
- Since the yogi has so many transcendental objectives on which to meditate, there is no reason for his meditating on something imaginary, as is the practice of the so-called yogis whose objective is impersonal
- Since transcendental behavior is different from mundane behavior, it should not be taken that the Lord receives service from His wife just as a demigod or human being might receive service from his wife
- Sitting in an easy posture is called svasti samasinah. It is recommended in the yoga scripture that one should put the soles of the feet between the two thighs and ankles and sit straight; that posture will help one to concentrate his mind on the Supreme
- So-called yoga practices of voidism and impersonalism are not recommended in any standard yoga-sastra. The real yogi is the devotee because his mind is always concentrated on pastimes of Lord Krsna. Therefore Krsna consciousness is the topmost yoga system
- So-called yogis advertise that one can go on enjoying as one likes and simultaneously become a yogi, but this is totally unauthorized. It is very clearly explained here (in SB 3.28.4) that one must observe celibacy
- Sometimes disturbances come, but the agonies and anxieties of the devotees are at once mitigated when they think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His beautiful form or the smiling face of the Lord
- Success in yoga is not acquisition of mystic power, which is condemned in the previous chapter, but, rather, freedom from all material designations and situation in one's constitutional position. That is the ultimate achievement in yoga practice
- Such religious practice is never hampered by any impediments, and by its performance one actually becomes satisfied. This is recommended as moksa-dharma, religious practice for salvation, or transcendence of the clutches of material contamination
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- Temple worship is meant for persons who are not so advanced that they can meditate upon the form of the Lord. There is no difference between constantly visiting the temple and directly seeing the transcendental form of the Lord; they are of equal value
- The actual duty of one who is advanced in Krsna consciousness is to serve the Lord
- The actual yogis, with half-closed eyes, fix on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not upon anything void or impersonal
- The advantageous position of the yogi is that he can sit anywhere in a solitary place and meditate upon the form of the Lord
- The beauty of the Lord is that the devotees who are connected with His activities are also glorified. Arjuna, Prahlada, Janaka Maharaja, Bali Maharaja and many other devotees were not even in the renounced order of life, but were householders
- The beauty of the neck of the Lord enhances the beauty of the Kaustubha gem rather than vice versa. The gem itself becomes more beautiful because it is situated on the neck of the Lord
- The bees hum around flowers, and their sweet sound is enjoyed by the Lord. The Lord's bangles, necklace, crown and anklets are all bedecked with invaluable jewels. Since the jewels and pearls are spiritual, there is no material calculation of their value
- The bereavement of material existence immediately subsides when one sees the charming smile of the Lord
- The best example of nirvana is cited in Bhagavad-gita. In the beginning the mind of Arjuna deviated from Krsna's. Krsna wanted Arjuna to fight, but Arjuna did not want to, so there was disagreement
- The charming brows of the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect the sages and devotees from being charmed by material lust and sex attraction
- The club of the Lord is very dear to Him because He uses this instrument to smash the bodies of the demons and mix their blood
- The color of the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is described here (in SB 3.28.13) as nilotpala-dala, meaning that it is like that of a lotus flower with petals tinted blue and white
- The conditioned souls are shackled to material existence because they are captivated by the charms of sense gratification, especially sex life. The sex-god is called Makara-dhvaja
- The cosmic manifestation created by the Supreme Lord by His material energy is simultaneously different and nondifferent from Him
- The description of the transcendental form of the Lord is exactly represented in the arcā-vigraha, the statue in the temples
- The desire to lord it over material nature is the cause of ignorance, and when that desire is completely extinguished and the desires are dovetailed with those of the Supreme Lord, one has reached the perfectional stage
- The devotee has no other concern than to satisfy the desires of the Lord. That is the highest stage of perfection, called nirvana or nirvana-mukti. At this stage the mind becomes completely free from material desire
- The devotees are so fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord that they do not think of anything else
- The devotees especially see the Lord in the beautiful blackish form of Śyāmasundara. That is the perfection of yoga. This yoga system should be continued until the mind does not vacillate for a moment
- The entire universe is full of miseries, and therefore the inhabitants of this material universe are always shedding tears out of intense grief
- The essential point is that the mind, which is contaminated by material attraction, has to be bridled and concentrated on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It cannot be fixed on something void or impersonal
- The exact color of the garment of the Supreme Lord is described as saffron-yellow, just like the pollen of a lotus flower. The Kaustubha gem hanging on His chest is also described
- The exact position of the living entities is just like that of the sparks of a fire; they are part and parcel. The material energy is compared to the smoke. The fire is also part and parcel of the Supreme Lord
- The exceptional beauty of the laughter of Lord Visnu is that when He smiles His small teeth, which resemble the buds of jasmine flowers, at once become reddish, reflecting His rosy lips
- The final statement is ātmavic-caraṇārcanam. Ātma-vit means a self-realized soul or bona fide spiritual master. Unless one is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, he cannot be a bona fide spiritual master.
- The fire in a big piece of wood appears very big, and in a stick the fire appears small
- The first recommendation is sva-dharmacaranam. As long as we have this material body there are various duties prescribed for us. Such duties are divided by a system of four social orders: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra
- The flower garland of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is fresh. Actually, in Vaikuntha, or the spiritual sky, there is nothing but freshness. Even the flowers picked from the trees and plants remain fresh
- The following questions may be posed. As long as the liberated soul is in contact with the body, why don't the bodily activities affect him? Doesn't he actually become contaminated by the action and reaction of material activities
- The four principles of the Vaisnava philosophic doctrine are suddha-advaita (purified oneness), dvaita-advaita (simultaneous oneness and difference), visista-advaita and dvaita
- The general yoga process entails observing the rules and regulations, practicing the different sitting postures, concentrating the mind on the vital circulation of the air and then thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Vaikuntha pastimes
- The gross body is made of the gross elements of matter, and the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence, ego and contaminated consciousness
- The hatha-yoga system, or breathing system, is especially recommended for those who are very absorbed in the concept of bodily existence, but one who can perform the simple process of chanting Hare Krsna can fix the mind more easily
- The impersonalists, who desire to disregard the eternal form of the Lord, imagine some round figure. They especially prefer the omkara, which also has form
- The individual liberated soul has no other activity (without inspiration to fulfill the desire of the Lord). pratinivrtta-guna-pravahah
- The individual living entity is one with and different from the Supreme Lord. This "simultaneously one and different" philosophy is the perfect conclusion of the Bhagavata school, as confirmed here (in SB 3.28.41) by Kapiladeva
- The living entity is different from the material elements, and the supreme living entity, the Personality of Godhead, who is the creator of the material elements, is also different from the individual living entity
- The Lord also says that the mahatmas, or great souls, always engage in the process of chanting the glories of the Lord, and just by hearing, others derive the same benefit
- The Lord appears in the particular form loved by a particular type of devotee. There are millions of forms of the Lord, but they are one Absolute. As stated in the Brahma-samhita, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam - BS 5.33
- The Lord bestows innumerable favors upon His devotee, and the greatest manifestation of His grace is His smiling face, which is full of compassion for His pure devotees
- The Lord can bestow the blessings of transcendental pleasure upon either the visitor of the temple, the meditator-yogi or one who hears about the Lord's transcendental form from scriptures like the Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita
- The Lord can see with His ears. The material ear can hear but cannot see, but we understand from the Brahma-saṁhitā that the Lord can also see with His ears and hear with His eyes. Any organ of His transcendental body can function as any other organ
- The Lord descends to the material world out of His deep compassion for His devotees. There are two reasons for the Lord's appearance or incarnation in the material world
- The Lord has different eternal forms; each devotee likes a particular form and thus engages himself in the service of the Lord by worshiping that form. The Lord's form is depicted in different ways according to scriptures
- The Lord has innumerable forms, and He appears in a particular form as preferred by a particular type of devotee. A yogi is advised to meditate upon the forms that are approved by devotees. A yogi cannot imagine a form for meditation
- The Lord in His tortoise incarnation became the pivot for the churning rod, and thus His ornaments were polished by the turning of Mandara Hill
- The Lord is transcendental to the behavior of the ordinary male and female. The word abhavasya is very significant, for it indicates that He could produce Brahma without the assistance of the goddess of fortune
- The Lord's appearance is described here (in SB 3.28.13) as padma-garbharuneksanam. His eyes resemble the inside of a lotus flower, and in His four hands He holds the four symbols: conchshell, discus, mace and lotus
- The Lord's facial expression always indicates that He is ready to show favor and benediction to the devotees; for the nondevotees, however, He is silent
- The luster of His (God's) toenails, which are brilliantly prominent, resembles the light of the moon
- The material energy is nondifferent from the Supreme Lord, but at the same time, because that energy is acting in a different way, it is different from Him
- The Mayavadi philosophers cannot understand this. They think that oneness necessitates loss of individuality. Actually, however, we find in Bhagavad-gita that individuality is not lost
- The Mayavadi philosophers say that after Brahman realization, all activities stop, but that is not actually so
- The Mayavadi philosophers' conception of cessation of the functions of the mind is explained here (in SB 3.28.35): cessation of the mental functions means cessation of activities conducted under the influence of the three modes of material nature
- The Mayavadi says that because one is unable to fix his mind on the impersonal existence of the Absolute Truth, one can imagine any form he likes and fix his mind on that imaginary form; but such a process is not recommended here
- The mind is used to purify the senses, but when the senses are purified by meditation, there is no need to sit in a particular place and try to meditate upon the form of the Lord
- The mind of the conditioned soul, on account of its association with the material energy contains heaps of dirt in the form of desires to lord it over material nature. This dirt is like a mountain, but a mountain can be shattered when hit by a thunderbolt
- The name Krsna and the Supreme Person Krsna are nondifferent. Therefore, if one concentrates his mind on hearing and chanting Hare Krsna, the same result is achieved as by breathing exercises
- The necklace of pearls which decorates the upper portion of the Lord's body is also spiritual, and therefore the yogi is advised to gaze at the whitish luster of the pearls decorating His chest
- The nerves through which inhalation and exhalation are conducted are technically called ida and pingala. The ultimate purpose of clearing the ida and pingala passages is to divert the mind from material enjoyment
- The next important phrase is mita-medhyadanam, which means that one should eat very frugally. It is recommended in the Vedic literatures that a yogi eat only half what he desires according to his hunger
- The ornaments on the arms of the Lord are as brilliant and lustrous as if they had been polished very recently
- The perfect vision of the yogi or devotee is that he sees the presence of the living entity everywhere
- The Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all strength, and His strength rests on the thighs of His transcendental body. His whole body is full of opulences: all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation
- The process of Krsna consciousness is to chant Hare Krsna and to hear the sound attentively so that the mind is fixed upon the transcendental vibration of Krsna's name, which is nondifferent from Krsna the personality
- The process of meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within oneself and the process of chanting the glories and pastimes of the Lord are the same
- The pure devotee of the Lord and the Lord Himself are nondifferent. It is sometimes feasible to chant the name of a holy devotee. This is a very sanctified process
- The quality of fire is the same everywhere, but the manifestation of material nature is such that according to the fuel, the fire appears bigger and smaller
- The real purpose of controlling the mind by the prescribed method of clearing the passage of the life air is achieved immediately if one fixes his mind directly on the lotus feet of Krsna
- The same fact is confirmed here (in SB 3.28.17): He (God) is always anxious to show favor to the devotees
- The same principle (everyone is a servant of Krsna) is described here - in SB 3.28.21
- The same purpose (always seeing God within the heart) is served when a devotee worships the form of the Lord in the temple
- The significance of spirituality is that everything is eternal and inexhaustible. Everything taken from everything remains everything, or, as has been stated, in the spiritual world one minus one equals one, and one plus one equals one
- The small particles of soul are just like sparks of the larger soul. The greatest soul is the Supersoul, but the Supersoul is quantitatively different from the small soul
- The smallness or greatness of different souls is described in the Varaha Purana as svamsa-vibhinnamsa. The svamsa soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the vibhinnamsa souls, or small particles, are eternally small particles
- The soul in the universal body, although of the same quality, is different from the soul in the smaller body
- The spiritual master prescribes standard literature for the prosecution of the yoga of devotional service, and he himself speaks only from scriptural reference
- The status of real knowledge is explained in this verse (SB 3.28.29). There are many children, but we accept some children as our sons and daughters because of our affection for them, although we know very well that these children are different from us
- The stress is on the lotus feet of the Lord. A relationship with the lotus feet of the Lord can even enhance the importance of Lord Śiva, what to speak of other, ordinary living entities
- The Supersoul is described in Vedic literature as the supplier of all necessities of the smaller soul (nityo nityanam). One who understands this distinction between the Supersoul and the individual soul is above lamentation and is in a peaceful position
- The Supreme Lord is very beautiful. The word sasvat is significant. It is not that He appears beautiful to the devotees but is ultimately impersonal. Sasvat means "ever existing." That beauty is not temporary. It is ever existing - He is always youthful
- The Supreme Lord keeps on His neck those living entities who are pure, as one protects the jewels and pearls on the bosom and neck of one's body. Those living entities in pure Krsna consciousness are symbolized by the pearls on His neck
- The Supreme Soul is present everywhere in the dormant stage, and when one can see the presence of the Supreme Soul everywhere, one is liberated from material designations
- The system of meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead begins from His feet
- The Vedic literatures contain many narrations of the Lord's pastimes, including the Battle of Kuruksetra and historical facts relating to the life and precepts of devotees like Prahlada Maharaja, Dhruva Maharaja and Ambarisa Maharaja
- The wheel in the hand of the Lord, called the Sudarsana cakra, has one thousand spokes. The yogi is advised to meditate upon each of the spokes. He should meditate upon each and every one of the component parts of the transcendental form of the Lord
- The word asteyam is also very important for a yogi. Asteyam means "to refrain from theft." In the broader sense, everyone who accumulates more than he needs is a thief
- The word darsaniyatamam, which is used in this verse (SB 3.28.16), means that the Lord is so beautiful that the devotee-yogi does not wish to see anything else. His desire to see beautiful objects is completely satisfied by the sight of the Lord
- The word muni is very significant. Muni means one who is very expert in mental speculation or in thinking, feeling and willing. He is not mentioned here (in SB 3.28.20) as a devotee or yogi
- The word purusarcanam in this verse (SB 3.28.4) means worshiping Supreme Personality of Godhead, especially the form of Lord Krsna. In Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed by Arjuna that Krsna is the original purusa, or Personality of Godhead, purusam sasvatam
- The word sarva-bhutesu is to be understood as follows. There are four different divisions of species-living entities which sprout from the earth, living entities born of fermentation or germination
- The word sarva-loka-namaskrtam means that He (God) is worshipable by everyone on every planet
- The yoga principles of meditation are required as long as one is not situated in pure devotional service
- The yoga process explained by Lord Kapiladeva in this chapter (SB 3.28) is authorized and standard, and therefore these instructions should be followed very carefully
- The yogi is advised to meditate upon the transcendental form of the Lord, beginning from the soles of the feet and then gradually rising to the knees, to the thighs, and finally arriving at the face
- The yogi must contemplate the different parts of the transcendental body of the Lord. Here (in SB 3.28.28) it is stated that the constitutional position of the living entities should be understood
- The yogi should live in a secluded place, where his yoga practice will not be disturbed
- The yogi who can meditate perfectly on that spot (the bosom) on the transcendental form of the Lord can derive many material powers, which comprise the eight perfections of the yoga system
- The yogic practices in general and hatha-yoga in particular are not ends in themselves; they are means to the end of attaining steadiness
- The yogī is advised next to meditate upon the navel of the Lord, which is the foundation of all material creation
- There are authoritative descriptions in the Brahma-samhita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita and many of the puranas of the Lord's body, His weapons and all other paraphernalia
- There are eight kinds of (God's) forms recommended for the devotees to see. The forms may be made out of sand, clay, wood or stone, they may be contemplated within the mind or made of jewels, metal or painted colors, but all forms are of the same value
- There are four different divisions of species: living entities which come from eggs and living entities which come from the embryo. These four divisions of living entities are expanded in 8,400,000 species of life
- There are innumerable planets in the material world and innumerable planets in the spiritual world as well. On each planet there are innumerable inhabitants who worship the Lord, for the Lord is worshipable by all but the impersonalists
- There are nine processes for executing devotional service, of which smaranam, or meditation, is one. Yogis take advantage of the process of smaranam, whereas bhakti-yogis take special advantage of the process of hearing and chanting
- There are six circles of vital air circulation within the body. The first circle is within the belly, the second circle is in the area of the heart, the third is in the area of the lungs
- There are six circles of vital air circulation within the body. The fourth is on the palate, the fifth is between the eyebrows, and the highest, the sixth circle, is above the brain
- There are so-called yoga practices in which one concentrates the mind on voidness or on the impersonal, but this is not approved by the authorized yoga system as explained by Kapiladeva. Even Patanjali explains that the target of all yoga is Visnu
- There are two comparisons in this verse (SB 3.28.30): first the Lord's face is compared to a lotus, and then His black hair is compared to humming bees swarming around the lotus, and His two eyes are compared to two fish swimming about
- There are two kinds of living entities mentioned here (in SB 3.28.28). One is called the arati. They are averse to understanding the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- There is a great ocean of water made from such tears (of inhabitants of material universe) but for one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ocean of tears is at once dried up. One need only see the charming smile of the Supreme Lord
- There is no difference between devotional service in the temple and meditation on the form of the Lord, since the form of the Lord is the same whether He appears within the mind or in some concrete element
- There is no other activity (other than meditating on God's smile) that can completely cleanse the heart of the devotee
- These are inconceivable conceptions of the Lord (Brahma was born of God's abdomen), and one should not think materially: How can the father give birth to a child
- These breathing exercises are performed to control the mind and fix it on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh: (SB 9.4.18) the devotee Ambarisa Maharaja fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Krsna twenty-four hours a day
- These particular descriptions of meditation on the smile, laughter, face, lips and teeth all indicate conclusively that God is not impersonal. It is described here (in SB 3.28.33) that one should meditate on the laughter or smiling of Visnu
- These particular duties are mentioned in the sastra, and particularly in Bhagavad-gita. Sva-dharmacaranam means that one must discharge the prescribed duties of his particular division of society faithfully and to the best of his ability
- These recommended processes (inhaling the breath, sustaining it, and finally exhaling) can also be performed in the reverse order. After exhaling, one can keep the air outside for some time and then inhale
- These three guides (saintly persons, standard scriptures and the spiritual master) are very important for progress in spiritual life
- This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita: a person who has developed pure love for the Lord, and whose eyes are smeared with the ointment of transcendental loving exchange, always sees within his heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- This liberation (from the darkness of ignorance in material existence) is not achieved by mental speculation, but by seeing the light emanating from the lustrous toenails of the Lord
- This philosophy is propounded by Lord Caitanya as acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. Everything is simultaneously one with and different from everything else
- This process of purifying the mind is also recommended by Lord Caitanya; He says that one should chant Hare Krsna. He says further, param vijayate: "All glories to Sri Krsna sankirtana"
- This same concentration (on God) can be achieved by other recommended processes (other than the yoga process), and therefore anyais ca, other methods, also can be applied
- This stage of life (when the mind is completely dovetailed with the desire of the Supreme) is explained by Rupa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
- This verse (SB 3.28.38) explains that the material body of a liberated soul is taken charge of by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is not acting due to the living force of the living entity; it is simply acting as a reaction to past activities
- This very process (sitting in an easy posture) is also recommended in Bhagavad-gita, Sixth Chapter. It is further suggested that one sit in a secluded, sanctified spot. The seat should consist of deerskin and kusa grass, topped with cotton
- Those so-called yogis who manufacture a circle or target are engaged in nonsense. Actually, a yogi must meditate upon the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that has been experienced by the Lord's pure devotees. Yogi means devotee
- Those who are attached to the impersonal or void features of meditation have to undergo a difficult process because we are not accustomed to concentrating our minds upon anything impersonal. Actually such concentration is not even possible
- Those who are demons and are inimical towards the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are punished by His mace, which is always smeared with the blood of such fallen living entities
- Those who practice the yoga system must meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time after following the regulative principles and thereby controlling the senses
- Those who try to meditate on the form of the Lord are called munis, or less intelligent, whereas those who render actual service to the Lord are called bhakti-yogis. The thought process described below (in SB 3.28) is for the education of the muni
- Three different activities are recommended for clearing the passage of breath: puraka, kumbhaka and recaka. Inhaling the breath is called puraka, sustaining it within is called kumbhaka, and finally exhaling it is called recaka
- Thus one can fix his mind constantly on the Supreme Personality of Godhead (by breathing excercises) and can attain (yati) Him
- To begin, the Lord says that by yoga practice one can make progress towards understanding the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- To think falsely that one is the Supreme Soul and that one is all-pervading is not svarūpa. This is not realization of his actual position. The real position is that one is part and parcel
- To think of the Lord as a whole may sometimes be impersonal; therefore, it is recommended here (in SB 3.28.20) that one first think of His lotus feet, then His ankles, then the thighs, then the waist, then the chest, then the neck, then the face and so on
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- Ultimately, one has to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to be elevated to the transcendental position where he is no longer affected by the three modes of material nature
- Upalabdha-paratma-kasthah. Upalabdha means "realization." Realization necessarily indicates individuality. In the perfectional, liberated stage, there is actual realization
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- We should never consider that the Supreme Lord Visnu and the demigods are on an equal footing
- When He (God) appears, His main purpose is to give solace to His devotees
- When he (the yogi) is constantly thinking of the Lord, that is called sabija-yoga, or living yoga. One has to be promoted to the platform of living yoga
- When one's love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service is fully developed, one always sees the Lord, even without artificially meditating on His form. His vision is divine because he has no other engagement
- When our desires to see, hear, touch, etc., are dovetailed for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are on the level of the topmost perfection
- When the devotee's mind is purified and he understands that his mind has to be dovetailed with desires of Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has attained the perfectional, transcendental stage, which is beyond perception of material distress and happiness
- When the flower is taken from the tree, it remains same; it does not lose aroma. The bees are equally attracted to flowers whether they are on the garland or on the trees. The significance of spirituality is that everything is eternal and inexhaustible
- When the mind forcibly is engaged upon the form of the Lord, this is called nirbija-yoga, or lifeless yoga, for the yogi does not automatically engage in the personal service of the Lord
- When the mind is completely purified in love of Godhead, the mind becomes the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mind at that time does not act separately, nor does it act without inspiration to fulfill the desire of the Lord
- When the mind is dovetailed to act according to the desire of the Lord, one has attained the transcendental stage
- When the mind stops functioning on the material platform, it is conserved in the activities of the Supreme Lord
- When the smaller soul thinks himself quantitatively as big as the larger soul, he is under the spell of maya, for that is not his constitutional position. No one can become the greater soul simply by mental speculation
- When there is sound vibrated praising the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, one is forced to hear. That hearing process enters into the mind, and the practice of yoga is automatically performed
- Whenever there is a discrepancy in the discharge of religious principles and there is prominence of irreligion, the Lord descends for the protection of the devotees and the destruction of the nondevotees
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- Yamunacarya, a great acarya, said that ever since he had seen the charming pastimes of the Lord, the charms of sex life had become abominable for him, and the mere thought of sex enjoyment would cause him to spit and turn his face
- Yatharcih. Arcih means "flame." When a lamp is broken or the oil is finished, we see that the flame of the lamp goes out. But according to scientific understanding, the flame is not extinguished; it is conserved. This is conservation of energy
- Yoga necessitates meditation on the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, whether He is standing, moving, lying down, etc
- Yogis who are not actually pure devotees should follow in the footsteps of devotees. It is especially mentioned here (in SB 3.28.29) that the yogi should meditate upon the form which is thus approved; he cannot manufacture a form of the Lord