Canto 5: The Creative ImpetusChapter 6: The Activities of Lord Rishabhadeva

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.6.15

ko nv asya kāshthām aparo 'nugacchen

mano-rathenāpy abhavasya yogī

yo yoga-māyāh sprihayaty udastā

hy asattayā yena krita-prayatnāh

SYNONYMS

kah — who; nu — indeed; asya — of Lord Rishabhadeva; kāshthām — the example; aparah — else; anugacchet — can follow; manah-rathena — by the mind; api — even; abhavasya — of the unborn; yogī — the mystic; yah — who; yoga-māyāh — the mystic perfections of yoga; sprihayati — desires; udastāh — rejected by Rishabhadeva; hi — certainly; asattayā — by the quality of being insubstantial; yena — by whom, Rishabhadeva; krita-prayatnāh — although eager to serve.

TRANSLATION

"Who is that mystic yogī who can follow the examples of Lord Rishabhadeva even with his mind? Lord Rishabhadeva rejected all kinds of yogic perfection, which other yogīs hanker to attain. Who is that yogī who can compare to Lord Rishabhadeva?"

PURPORT

Generally yogīs desire the yogic perfections of animā, laghimā, mahimā, prākāmya, prāpti, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā. Lord Rishabhadeva, however, never aspired for all these material things. Such siddhis (perfections) are presented by the illusory energy of the Lord. The real purpose of the yoga system is to achieve the favor and shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but this purpose is covered by the illusory energy of yogamāyā. So-called yogīs are therefore allured by the superficial material perfections of animā, laghimā, prāpti and so forth. Consequently ordinary yogīs cannot compare to Lord Rishabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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