Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth Order | Chapter 24: Chanting the Song Sung by Lord Śiva |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.24.71
yogādeśam upāsādya
etad abhyasatādritāh
SYNONYMS
yoga-ādeśam — this instruction of bhakti-yoga; upāsādya — constantly reading; dhārayantah — and taking within the heart; muni-vratāh — just take the vow of the great sages, the vow of silence; samāhita — always fixed in the mind; dhiyah — with intelligence; sarve — all of you; etat — this; abhyasata — practice; ādritāh — with great reverence.
TRANSLATION
My dear princes, in the form of a prayer I have delineated the yoga system of chanting the holy name. All of you should take this important stotra within your minds and promise to keep it in order to become great sages. By acting silently like a great sage and by giving attention and reverence, you should practice this method.
PURPORT
In the hatha-yoga system one has to practice bodily exercises, dhyāna, dhāranā, āsana, meditation, etc. One also has to sit in one place in a particular posture and concentrate his gaze on the tip of the nose. There are so many rules and regulations for the hatha-yoga system that it is practically impossible to perform it in this age. The alternative system of bhakti-yoga is very easy not only in this age but in others as well, for this yoga system was advocated long ago by Lord Śiva when he advised the princes, the sons of Mahārāja Prācīnabarhishat. The bhakti-yoga system is not newly introduced, for even five thousand years ago Lord Krishna recommended this bhakti-yoga as the topmost yoga. As Krishna tells Arjuna in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47):
mad-gatenāntarātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām
"Of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."
The topmost yogī is he who constantly thinks of Krishna within himself and chants the glories of the Lord. In other words, this system of bhakti-yoga has been existing from time immemorial and is now continuing in this Krishna consciousness movement.
The word muni-vratāh is significant in this regard because those who are interested in advancing in spiritual life must be silent. Silence means talking only of krishna-kathā. This is the silence of Mahārāja Ambarīsha:
sa vai manah krishna-padāravindayor
vacāmsi vaikuntha-gunānuvarnane
"King Ambarīsha always fixed his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord and talked of Him only." (Bhāg. 9.4.19) We should also take this opportunity in life to become as good as a great saint simply by not talking unnecessarily with unwanted persons. We should either talk of Krishna or chant Hare Krishna undeviatingly. This is called muni-vrata. The intelligence must be very sharp (samāhita-dhiyah) and should always be acting in Krishna consciousness. The words etad abhyasatādritāh indicate that if one takes these instructions from a spiritual master with great reverence (ādrita) and practices them accordingly, he will find this bhakti-yoga process to be very, very easy.
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness