Ghaisas Eknathi Bhagwat Ch-20

Chapter 20
OM! Salutations to the Lord Shri Ganesha.
OM! Salutations to the Lord Shri Krishna.
(1) I bow to you O Satguru! You are the ocean of spirit, and the pearls of Men in Freedom are
abundant with you. You offered those pearls to the fortunate and worthy persons by putting the
pearls in the shells made of knowledge and desirelessness.
(2) Your depth is limitless and you are full of the jewels of pure spiritual consciousness. As soon
as you see the moon of self-knowledge, there is high tide.
(3) There are rising up many waves upon waves of self-bliss, but you never transgress the limit, the
shore of obedience to the preceptor. The waves upon waves of Swanand (Self-bliss) are
continuously rising in you.
(4) Now, the wisdom of Brahman is a kind of big harbour and devotion is a big ship. You are the
captain of that ship and you adjust the sails.
(5) You take to the other shore, the passengers, who are saints, devotees, and men of self-
knowledge, with the result that their coming and going is over.
(6) You take hold of some favourite disciple and keep him with you, so that there is no fear of his
being drowned in this ocean of worldly life.
(7) You reach upto the reclining Vishnu some great devotees and you take some to such a high
undisturbed place, where even gods like Brahmadeva cannot shake them from that place.
(8) You are such an ocean, where not a single outsider gets scope to remain, because you are
undivided totality.
(9) When this ocean expands greatly at the time of final deluge the whole world is drowned
together with its name. This ocean goes beyond Vaikuntha and Kailasa and everywhere there is
only this ocean.
(10) In this ocean Eknath lost his identity as one person but as soon as he fell in that ocean
Janardana the Guru accepted him.
(11) It is this Janardana who wrote this commentary on Eleventh Skandha and inserting the name of
Eknath as the poet he made people listen to this great poetry.
(12) Janardana likes oneness and as I met him and my name is one or Eka he was united with me in
that oneness and gave me the enjoyment of the self.
(13) He tells the story of this joy and he himself becomes the listeners also and then becomes happy
by considering the exact meaning of the story.
(14) Thus Janardana elucidated this eleventh volume. This is not a vain talk of mine. Only those
who are wise will understand this.
(15) Now let us see what we have read upto now. At the end of the 19 th chapter the Lord told his
opinion about not looking for defects.
(16) He said that it is itself a default to be critical about the good and bad qualities of others and it
is itself a virtue to be oblivious to the faults.
(17) Listening to this statement Uddhava was surprised. He said – "Do you mean to say that people
have of their own accord started to consider what is wrong and what is right?
(18) It is you yourself who has in the Vedas described the defects and the correctness of actions.
How can people disregard the rules given by you in the scriptures?
(19) When we consider the rules regarding what is wrong and what is right, we find that it
originates in the Vedas. Then why the Lord says that one should not consider defects etc?
Uddhava is asking this question.
(20) In the 20th chapter the Lord will tell the responsibilities of the followers of devotion,
knowledge and karma, in order to clarify the whole matter of correctness or incorrectness of
every action.
(21) Uddhava said – O Lord we are following the rules laid down by you in the Vedas in which
You have discussed the nature of mistakes in the actions etc.
(22) The Vedas of which you are the originator have laid down clearly what is to be done and what
is not right to do. I will clarify for you what I understand about those rules in the Vedas.
उ व उवाच-िविध पितषे ध िनगमो ही र य ते अवे तेऽरिव दा गण

ु ं दोषं च
कमणाम्
Meaning of the Verse:
Uddhava said – “Your Veda, O Lotus eyed God, gives the defects and the merits of actions and
sanctions or prohibitions thereof”. (1)
(23) Uddhava said – “O Lotus eyed Shri Krishna, it is your own Veda, which shows the defects and
merits of actions, and prohibits or allows them.
(24) O the Reservoir of grace, the intellect of your Veda is caught in the thought of what is to be
done or not to be done.
वणाशमिवक पं च पितलोमानुलोमजम् द यदेशवय: कालान् वग नरकमेव च

The Veda further notes the distinctions of the Varnas and Ashramas. The merits and demerits of
those born of regular course and irregular course, the substance, place, age and the time
(proper or improper for a Yadnya) as well as the existence of heaven and hell. (2)
(25) Sir, your own directions in Vedas are nothing but a mine of defects and merits. It has
bifurcated the grades of caste and Ashramas as the best, the medium, and the lowest.
(26) It has indicated what is pure material, and what is impure. It has declared sacred places and
otherwise. It has also dictated the proper time and the improper time.
(27) In the childhood, the mind is pure. In youth, it has desires, and in old-age, the mind becomes
unsound. Similarly, your Veda has created the good and bad divisions.
(28) O Lord! Your Veda tells us that there is a place called heaven and another place called hell;
and advises useful actions for heaven and tells us what are the wrong actions leading to hell.
(29) Even in the caste system, it has given details of hybrid progeny.
(30) If the female belongs to higher Varna and her husband belongs to lower caste, their progeny is
called Pratilomaja. (Contrary to the evolution process)
(31) In that category, there are Soota, Vaideha, and Magadh.
(32) When the female is of lower caste and the husband is of the higher caste, their progeny is
called Anulomaja, which means that is conducive to evolution.
(33) Among these, there are Ambashta, Moordha, Vasikta, Parashava and Saatwat.
(34) All these divisions and rules about their proper actions and wrong actions are dictated by
Veda only. So, Veda which originated from you is the home of right and wrong concepts and
practices.
गण
ु दोषिभदा ि म तरे ण वच तव िन:शेयसं कथं न◌ॄणां िनषे धिविधल णम्
How can your word (Vedas) consisting as it does of injunctions and interdictions lead to final bliss,
without taking into consideration, the distinction of good and bad actions? (3)
(35) These divisions of good and bad actions create friction and enmity, but unfortunately, your
Veda is the cause of that.
(36) The dictates of Veda have created a great system of dividing the good and bad. So, I ask –
“How can following Vedas ever liberate the seeker?”
(37) Now, You are verbally telling me personally that one should not bother about the defects and
merits in others. But your own Vedas are according to you the ideal standards for performance
of duties. Thus, if they are standard, we have to find out, look for and discuss in detail the
defects or otherwise in every aspect of our life.
(38) So, one gets confused on both sides. One does not know whether we should follow Vedas or
not.
(39) If I believe you, I have not to bother. I believe Vedas; I have to examine every action. Both are
your statements.
(40) Your talk will confuse even the intellectuals, what of ordinary people?
(41) If you say that this advice which you are giving now, and the statements in Vedas are equally
standard, then why should there be the difference in this particular matter?
(42) You say that, if actions are not performed according to the directions of Vedas and if there is
no knowledge of the meaning of Vedas, no liberation is possible and that Vedas must be
followed.
(43) But I am asking, what is so much difficult in attaining freedom? If I give up all actions,
freedom will come at my door-step without so much as entreating it.
(44) Now, You may perhaps say that if the meaning of the Vedas is not understood by a man, he is
definitely not going to attain freedom, irrespective of whether he performs or does not perform
his duties.
(45) When one is deluded to see serpent, when there is only a rope, the serpent will not be killed by
mantras, it will not be disturbed by the sound of great war gongs nor will it move a bit by
patting it on its hood.
(46) But if only one carefully observes it in proper light, the serpent disappears. Similarly, when
one properly understands the meaning of the statements made in the Vedas, the fear of bondage
of this worldly life disappears.
(47) What is freedom? To get rid of the fear of this worldly life, is freedom and it will not be
possible without the understanding of Vedas.
(48) Suppose, a man gives up his duties without following the proper procedure of renouncing, he
will not be able to attain liberation, but he will only be branded as a heretic.
(49) So, Sanyasa should be taken by following the right method of renunciation as laid down in the
Vedas, but you will say that then Vedas will be meaningless and not applicable, but that is also
a wrong observation.
(50) Sanyasa is to be taken in order to listen to the advice, the Mahavakya from the Guru’s mouth,
and even that listening to that advice is regulated by certain procedure and the whole thing is
included in the necessity of understanding the meaning of Vedas.
(51) There is a doubt that if Yadnyas are performed to please the gods and the ancestors, they may
give freedom, but No! That is also a part of Veda.
(52) Because Gods are pleased by the word Swaha, and the ancestors are pleased by the word
Swadha. Thus without following the methods given in the Vedas, the gods and the ancestors
are not pleased.
िपतदृ ेवमनु याणां वेद ु तवे र शेय वनुपल धे ऽथ सा यसाधनयोरिप

O Lord, Veda is the eye for ancestors, gods and the men, by which they obtained the insight into the
unseen purpose of heavenly bliss as well as into the aim, and the means to attain that aim. (4)
(53) It is the Veda, which gives us the proper nature of this animate and inanimate world, which is
anyway a false appearance and gives us a clear idea about the gods, the human-beings and the
ancestors. Not only this, but Vedas have propounded their greatness and the way of their
worship.
(54) Even then it is the Veda only that classifies them as the best, the medium, and the lowest etc.
(55) Thus you yourself have at length described the various divisions, and the higher and lower as
well as the good and bad among them and you have certified that freedom can be attained
though them, and now, why do you deny all those things?
(56) Thus your contradictory statements themselves create the notion or concepts of something as
wrong and something as right, and thus it defeats its own purpose.
(57) When this world it itself false, you have created more confusion by bringing in it the concepts
of heaven and hell, freedom and bondage etc.
(58) It is only because of Vedas that the innocent human mind is confused, and started looking for
good and bad.
(59) In short, people are deceived by your statements and this has caused them to suffer in the hell.
ु दोषिभदा ि िनगमा े न िह वत: िनगमेनापवाद िभदाया इित ह भम:

गण
Knowledge of the distinction between good and evil is created by your command in the Veda, and
not by itself. Thus, it is by your word alone that again that distinction is negated. This
obviously causes confusion in my mind. Please, reconcile! (5)
(60) Your Veda created that attitude of finding fault or merit. Otherwise, human mind was not at all
conscious of these distinctions.
(61) As they are deep rooted in our mind because of our faith in the Vedas, even you now cannot
remove them from our minds.
(62) It is your great declaration that the statements in the Vedas must be taken as ideal. So, I cannot
accept your present directive that one should not look out for virtues and vices anywhere.
(63) What is the cause of originally showing, what is right and what is wrong, and now cancelling
the whole idea? I am confused, because that is not clear.
(64) So, O the kindness personified! Please, remove this confusion”. Upon this the Lord Shri
Krishna answered.
(65) He began to explain the establishment of the three Yogas, and how the Vedas can be
understood through them according to the capacity of the seekers.
शीभगनुवाच - योगा तयो मया पो ा नण

ृ ां शेयोिविध सया
ानं कम च भि नोपायोऽ योऽि त कुतिचत्
The Lord said I have pronounced three Paths of Yoga for the welfare of the people. They are Path
of Knowledge, Path of Action, and the Path of Devotion. There is no other way anywhere! (6)
(66) The Lord said in his usual deep voice like the thundering of clouds – Without my grace and
blessing, nobody can grasp the real meaning of the Vedas.
(67) Though some may be very erudite by learning the Vedas and the other scriptures, they will not
understand the meaning of my Vedas without my kind enlightenment.
(68) Though the Brahma recites Vedas by all his four mouths, he also does not know the real hidden
meaning of Vedas! What to say about others!
(69) Had Brahma understood the real meaning of Vedas, why could Shankhasura steal away the
Vedas? Had Brahma understood Vedas really, he would not have desire for Saraswati.
(70) Now I am going to tell you clearly what is the essential meaning and purpose of Vedas. Please
listen carefully. What the Vedas mean is thus –
(71) My Veda does not talk much needlessly. Veda has stipulated only knowledge, Devotion and
Action as its three Divisions.
(72) The speech of my Vedas is related only to these three Yogas. O Uddhava, know it clearly that
there is no other path to attain final freedom.
(73) What are these three Yogas? How are their functions and relative authenticities decided
separately? If you are interested I shall now tell you all these facts. Please pay attention.
िनिव णानां ानयोगो यािसनिमह कमसु ते विनिव णिच ानां कमयोग तु

कािमनाम्
For those who have become disinterested in worldly activities and have relinquished their duties I
have taught Dnyanayoga, and for those who have desires for objects in their minds, I have
taught Karmayoga. (7)
(74) There are some persons who are not at all interested in anything even up to the Region of
Brahma and renounce Karma properly following the procedure of initiation of Sanyasa.
(75) For these worthy persons, I have taught the path of knowledge or Dnyanayoga. By that self-
knowledge they can attain identity and unity with me which is called Saayujjyata.
(76) Then there are persons who are having desire for pleasure here and hereafter. They are not
ascetic. For them I have propounded the Path of Action or Karmayoga.
(77) Thus I have just now told you the two categories of people who are highly capable of Sanyasa
and those who are not so ready and therefore their capacities are lower. Now there are
persons who are beyond and higher than these two in their worthiness. Please listen to their
path.
य छया म कथादौ जातश तु य: पुमान् न िनिव णो नाितस ो भि योगोऽ य

िसि द:
There are persons who have by chance an interest in listening to stories related to me, they have
faith newly arisen in their heart, they are not disinterested totally nor totally attached as
regards worldly life. When there is such a person, the path of devotion or Bhaktiyoga is useful
for his highest aim of unity with Me. (8)
(78) Many may listen to My stories but there is no faith in Me in their hearts, but there is someone
who experiences a faith, a sense of devotion merely by listening to the stories of my
adventures etc.
(79) Please listen to the signs of his faith. Whatever he listens to, he continues thinking about it and
with eager expectation, he starts meditating upon Me and My adventures.
(80) He loves to hear my adventures so much that his heart is filled with great ecstasy and there is
as if a flag of self-bliss hoisted in his heart. So much is he in love with my stories and in
listening to them.
(81) Then he comes to realize that mainly women and money are detrimental to the spiritual life and
therefore he is always careful to control his tongue and his sexual organ.
(82) When the arrow is inside a wound it has to be taken out otherwise the wound cannot be healed.
Similarly dangers in enjoyment of objects cannot be removed through indulging in the
pleasures. They have to be thrown out from the mind.
(83) The real sincere seeker trembles when he is confronted with the possibility of coming into
contact with objects of pleasure just like a man trembles when he is about to die.
(84) So he is aware always about the dangers of sensual involvements but he has not yet
determination and the strength to be completely free of the desire which has upto now reigned.
(85) For example, suppose a king is kept captive but he is given anointment of sandal-wood and
provided with beautiful woman and other pleasurable objects of senses, he cannot be happy;
he is always dejected.
(86) While partaking of those things he is always looking for a time when he would escape from
that bondage. Similarly the seeker is all the time partially dejected and does not want to
continue.
(87) Thus this person is neither detached completely from the pleasures nor completely attached,
and thus he is in the middle stage. For such a person I have given advice, of the path of
devotion, in my Veda.
(88) When such persons tread the path of devotion, they develop love for and attraction for my
beautiful appearance and naturally they gradually become apathetic towards mundane things.
This path of devotion is capable of leading a man towards the final end.
(89) So these are the only three yogas given by me and the three divisions of action, knowledge and
devotional worship are postulated in it.
(90) In that, some look for good and bad qualities and some do not look at them but there is a
person who is in the middle stage. Please know from me what is his condition.
(91) The path of action is meant for the man who is normally attached to the worldly life and he
cannot escape considering the prohibitions and sanctions about actions (This is dealt with by
the Lord Shri Krishna in the next Chapter)
(92) Now one who is really desireless and worthy of the self-knowledge has nothing to do with this
attitude of finding right and wrong because he cannot see anywhere any defects.
(93) For the men of knowledge the whole world is totally one Brahman. How can there be good or
bad things? Naturally the men of knowledge never see anything defective.
(94) Those devotees of mine, who are not completely detached nor attached, look for faults etc in
the beginning but later they stop that when they become wiser.
(95) There are real faithful devotees who realize that in every Being I am living as Atman and they
never find any faults or any virtues.
(96) The important thing is that while laying down duties of various divisions of society etc I have
specified right and wrong actions which are to be observed in oneself and given up but I have
not told that people should worry about the defaults of others.
(97) While listening to the meaning of Vedas one has to learn from it the defects and if they are in
one’s own character, one has to drop them but one has not to look for them in others.
(98) He who looks for faults of others and worries about them becomes the participant of his sins.
He, who describes at length, the defaults of others, goes to hell with those defects.
(99) Eknath says – Now the Lord Shri Krishna is describing the authority of karma who has it, and
how far, which should be understood and then only actions should be performed.
तावत् कमािण कुव त न िनिव ेत यावता म कथाशवणादौ वा श ा याव न जायते

One should continue to perform duties as long as one is not desireless and so long as faith in the
listening of my stories has not been born in the heart. (9)
(100) The usual duties of our Varna and Ashrama should be done as long as one is not free of
desires but once the stage of that freedom from desire is attained, both these worldly
pleasures and heavenly enjoyments are totally worthless.
(101) Just as one does not even look at a vomited food, the mind should abhor all the sense-
enjoyments.
(102) Only at that stage all the thought about the path of action is left out of consideration; or there
should be a great liking to listen to the stories about me and there should be quite a lot of
enthusiasm about it.
(103) While listening to my story, the mind of this man is full of love for me and even he forgets
his family and house. In such a state of mind no defects in the particular actions affect the
spiritual progress of that person.
(104) Together with listening to my story, there is constant memory of Me in the heart. In such a
mind there is no problem regarding right and wrong. That though is simply banished.
(105) My story is so powerful that failures in innumerable duties are not accounted for the good of
karma.
(संमत ोक) स कम कुवतां पुंसां कमलोपो भवे िद त कम तेषां कुवि त ितस:

को यो महषय:
If there is any failure in case of any duty of the man, crores of sages will complete his worship etc
rituals. (adapted Verse No. 1)
(106) When my devotees are having great love and devotion for me, sometimes their routine
activities remain to be performed. In that case those actions are completed by 30 crores of
sages and monks.
(107) Such is the greatness of stories of my adventures. How can calamities come in the way of my
worship and songs? They have no strength to show their faces.
(108) In the case of man who is totally desireless and is very alert in the matter of offering me all
his devotion, his duties become his slaves.
(109) O Uddhava, when a person performs his duties as specified for his status and Ashrama he
attains Unity with me, I shall tell you how this happens.
वधम थो यजन् य रै नाशी: काम उ व न याित वगनरकौ य य न समाचरे त्

O Uddhava, a man adhering to his course of conduct and performing sacrifices but never hoping of
their fruit neither goes to heaven nor goes to hell unless he commits wrong actions. (10)
(110) O Uddhava, if a man follows the path of doing his own duty as a householder but does not
volunteer to do any other activities, he definitely attains a stage of desirelessness.
(111) What are other activities? IF you ask, I shall tell you that also.
(112) O Uddhava, the path towards hell is nothing else than to covet the money and woman of
others and to indulge in criticizing others.
(113) If a man hears something about the happiness of the Heaven world and his mind takes a
decision to attain it and acts exactly accordingly he definitely goes to the Heaven.
(114) But both these are other duties than the stipulated duties of a householder. But if his mind is
not disturbed by these desires and observes the sacrifices and performs his daily and
occasional duties, he develops automatically the quality of desirelessness.
(115) He has not to go through the Hell or the Heaven but becomes desireless here only.
अि मं लोके वतमान: वधम थोऽनघ: शुिच: ानं िवशु मा नोित म ि ं वा

य छया
The man, who is pure and blameless while observing his routine regular duties, attains either pure
self-knowledge or my devotion. (11)
(116) When the man in his life performs only the actions which are specified for him, in this
manner his merits and sins are both washed away and he remains pure.
(117) He is not aware of the worldly life; he gains my pure knowledge or the highest type of
devotion.
(118) Then I become the servant of such devotee and so the freedom as well as knowledge serves
his feet.
(119) Please listen to the effect of knowledge. It gives a definition of great sorrow to this life and
great happiness to the state of freedom, but my devotee does not give values like this.
(120) When he worships me he has no fear of the mundane life; then who will care for freedom?
My devotees are always in the devotional mood and
(121) For them the great sorrow is God and the great happiness is also God.
(122) So, he forgets both the pain and pleasure and does not see anything except me in all the three
worlds.
(123) But please remember that such devotion cannot be developed intentionally. It comes into
being when I am pleased.
(124) You may ask what makes me pleased. I shall tell you. This human body gives the opportunity
for pleasing me.
विगणोऽ ये तिम छि त लोकं िनरियण तथा साधकं ानभि यामुभयं

तदसाधकम्
In the same way, as the denizens of hell, heavenly beings also desire for taking birth in this world,
which is favourable for the attainment of wisdom and devotion, both; whereas both the hell
and heaven are not so helpful. (12)
(125) The Lord said – “Those who are really interested in the happiness of the heaven where the
flags of immortality are unfurled, and where the people are actually imprisoned in the
enjoyment of pleasures, also are eager to take birth on the earth.
(126) Similarly, those who have suffered great miseries in the hell also want to take the birth as
human-beings.
(127) Blessed is the human body, because in it is possible to have knowledge and attainment of
knowledge of Brahman.
(128) It is in this human body, that the chain of birth and death can be cut, the Jeeva gets
contentment and it itself becomes Shiv, the embodiment of all joy.
(129) This human body is famous, because in it, it is possible to dissipate the ignorance and to
reach the feet of God, Unity with God.
(130) It is obvious that all animals desire to rise to the level of human kingdom, but that is not so
important. The important factor is that even Brahmadeva desires human birth.
(131) So, the human body is important because wisdom and devotion can be had in it.
न नर: वगितं का नारक वा िवच ण: ने मं लोकं च का ेत देहावेशात्

पमा ित
The wise man should not desire heaven, nor hell, nor greatness in this world. By being proud of
his body, the man commits wrong actions. (13)
(132) After one gets human birth, he goes to hell by sinful actions and goes to heaven by
meritorious actions.
(133) Even after reaching heaven people have to be born again here and in the hell there is great
suffering. They therefore wish some fame in this world alone, and are attached to human
body.
(134) The liking of having human birth means that the concept that “I am body” is prevalent. There
both the Desire and Anger compel the man to commit mistakes.
(135) The seeker should give up desire about the hell, the heaven and also this world and try to
acquire the most valuable Self-knowledge and devotion to Me.
(136) To acquire self-knowledge, no hard work is necessary. If my worship is done with inner
faith and love, the self-knowledge comes of its own accord to the devotee and does not
leave his home even if he tries to turn it away.
(137) For example, suppose you have enough wheat in your home, then any kind of rich and
delicious food articles can be prepared from that wheat. Thus also, if there is devotion to
Me already in the heart, the self-knowledge, the wisdom, comes to the devotee, of its own
accord.
(138) Just as when we have enough money many articles can be brought; so, if there is devotion
towards Me, all the accomplishments, all the enjoyments as well as Freedom come to serve
him.
(139) It is said by many that on the path of devotion, many impediments and calamities harass the
man, but I come to protect my devotees, with My Sudarshan disc in my hand, throughout day
and night.
(140) Please remember how a harlot only uttered the name Raghav, calling her parrot, and taking
that utterance as merit to her credit, I emancipated the woman from the chain of births and
deaths. I simply crushed the teeth of all the calamities and freed her!
(141) So, Uddhava! Know that only he who being born in the human body becomes my devotee is
the really blessed one!
(142) When a man worships me with simple pure faith, I free him from the bondage, but I direct
the proud intellectuals to the God of Death.
(143) If a man treading the path of knowledge or devotion becomes proud of his knowledge, I
myself make him suffer from many sins!
(144) O Uddhava! You would ask why I send them to the God of Death. It is because He makes
them suffer so much that they drop their pride!
(145) Thus, right from ancient times, sages have become united with me, by worship and devotion,
only after they were free from pride about their body or their knowledge.
एतद् िव ान् पुरा म ृ योरभवाय घटेत स: अपम इदं ा वा म यम यथिसि दम्

Alive to this truth he should diligently strive for Liberation, before death; knowing this body to be
mortal though helpful to the attainment of his goal. (14)
(146) In a way, the body is very dirty because of the bones, skin, urine and excreta, but by its help,
realization of Brahman is possible. Such is the most sacred fruit gained by it.
(147) Understanding this great benefit gained due to this body, wise men of the past, dropped the
pride of this body and attained supreme bliss of Brahman.
(148) If the body is to be neglected because it is full of dirty water, we will lose the greatest
benefit and if we pamper it, it will definitely take us down to hell.
(149) So, we have to neither abhor it nor to pamper it. We should use it only to help us towards
spiritual life. O Uddhava, that is the tact. I am going to tell you though it is a secret.
(150) It is possible to be free from worldly life by the help of this body which otherwise binds us
to itself through sense of possession, if only we leave aside the pride about this body itself.
(151) The sages in the ancient days knew well how to be free from pride, and they remained
alertly aloof from it, thus actually enjoying the bliss of Brahman.
(152) You may say that, “if at all there is certainty of Realization of Brahman, you will firstly
enjoy the object of sensual pleasures and afterwards you will have that bliss of Brahman!”
(153) But alas! If you are postponing this, you must realize that as death is sure for the body, which
cannot be avoided even by the gods, you are sure to be deceived!
(154) You cannot tell when this unavoidable death is going to strike. So, make haste! Do not delay!
Be quickly awakened to achieve the ultimate aim!
(155) If one is much attached to his body, suddenly the time of death will be here! Your highest
goal will be lost! [The Lord Shri Krishna is further explaining how to be free]
िछ मानं यमैरेतै: कृतनीडं वन पितम् खग: वकेतमु स ृ य ेमं याित ल पट:

A bird which is unattached to his nest, becomes happy to abandon that nest if the tree is going to be
felled by people. (15)
(156) When a bird builds a nest high on a branch of a tree, suddenly men come to cut that tree at
the base,
(157) But the bird leaves the nest and flies away, without feeling sorry because it is unattached to
the nest and the tree. Had it remained there, it would have met its death.
(158) Similarly the body is bound to die. If the Jeeva is attached to it, he will have to suffer much!
अहोरातैि छ मानं बु वाऽऽयुभयवेपथु: मु स ग: परं बु वा िनरीह उपशा यित

Knowing that the life period is being shortened continuously day and night, he is very much afraid
and trembles! At the same time thinking that Parmatman, the Absolute Brahman is
imperishable, he remains aloof and unattached and then only he finds peace! (16)
(159) Day and night, Time is consuming his life, as if he has contracted a new kind of chronic
disease!
(160) He sees how time is slowly and surely turning his body into old age etc and finally death, he
becomes unattached to his body, his property and all his worldly possessions.
(161) Knowing the ephemeral nature of the body, the man should be very prompt and alert to drop
the pride of his body and to get interested in self-knowledge and devotion.
(162) He visualizes how he will suffer due to his pride and attachment and death will strike at any
time; he trembles by fear and becomes completely apathetic about all worldly things!
(163) When he develops desirelessness and devotion, there is recession of his pride etc, and the
knowledge of the Self emerges in him; then all the four kinds of liberations come to stay with
him as his maid-servants.
(164) This brings in his withdrawal from all worldly activities and even the process of
withdrawal is complete and there is no further necessity of that also. Thus there is complete
peace in his life.
(165) Many have thus benefited themselves through this human body and attained the highest Self-
bliss! Woe to them who have not done this!
नदृ ेहमा ं सुलभं सुदुलभं लवं सुक पं गु कणधारम्

मयानुकूलेन नभ वते रतं पुमान् भवाि धं न तरे त् स आ महा
When this human body as a boat, with the Guru, as the captain, is available, and it is sailing with
Me as helpful wind,He, who will not go to the other shore of this ocean of worldly life, will
be really committing suicide! (17)
(166) In the eighty four lakhs of the categories of beings, only the human being is capable of
attaining the knowledge of Brahman and no other category has that capacity.
(167) As My state can be attained in the human birth, that body or birth is called the highest body.
It is not easy to come to that level. By great good fortune only a human birth is possible.
(168) This body should be healthy and with all organs functioning properly and having all the
limbs properly fit. It should not be deaf, dumb, blind or lame.
(169) Even more fortunate is he who is born as human being in Bharat. There also the man must be
having common sense of what is good and what is bad, having power of discrimination. I,
the Parmatman become pleased with such a man.
(170) When Parmatman is pleased with this man, it is evident that others – the gods and human
beings are automatically helpful to him, but remember that this human birth is most difficult
to get!
(171) When sins and merits from all the past births are equal, then only human birth is available,
but nobody acts wisely and meticulously to ensure that the next birth will be a human only.
(172) If the merit is more, the soul goes to heaven, and if the sin is more the soul has to suffer much
pain in the hell.
(173) Such is complex arrangement and network of karma, and seldom by chance the soul attains
human birth, which is a very useful vessel to go beyond this ocean of worldly life.
(174) When the human body is healthy and without any major drawbacks and he is having
discrimination about what will help him to be free, he gets the guidance of a Guru who
skillfully directs him towards liberation.
(175) As the Guru softly gives the Mantra in the ear of the man, the word “Karnadhar” is used for
the Guru, where Karna means helm, the usual meaning of Karnadhar is – the man at the helm
of the boat. Guru saves the man and therefore his name is Karnadhar or captain of a ship.
(176) This human body is a boat on the surface of ocean of worldly life, Guru is the guide and I am
the wind which is helpful to take the boat to other shore.
(177) The Guru avoids the flow of water which is against the intended direction, avoids
whirlpools and discards the high waves of doubts in the mind of man, and navigates the boat
very speedily, taking help of the current of water which is helpful.
(178) By using the words of Viveka, water is pulled away and back, water here is the past karma.
The good wind in the sail helps gather speed.
(179) There is danger from big fish of Desire and Anger, lurching around but the Guru throws a net
of PEACE, and avoids that danger also.
(180) There are ports of Saroopya Liberation etc on the voyage and the voice of silence is very
much evident there.
(181) If the boat turns to the harbour of Salokata, the boat is possible to turn turtle and if it is
driven towards the harbour of Sameepata it will move either to the left or to the right.
(182) Therefore, it should be navigated in the port of Saroopata but seeing that there is lot of
crowd of many such boats in that port the Guru takes the boat to the harbour of Saayujya.
(183) There is a market place of real religion where there is no adulterated material and all goods
are pure and upto the standards, with a facility of wholesale purchase etc.
(184) So please understand that this boat of human body is very rare and the Guru at the helm is
none else than Myself. If anybody does not take the benefit of this human body to reach the
state of freedom which is the other shore, he should be considered to have committed
suicide.
(185) If this human body is used for indulgence in the objects of pleasure which is definitely
making sure of suffering in the Hell for infinite time, then that act will be like killing oneself
by our own hand by a dagger.
(186) As the final destination is to go to the other shore, such indulgence is like burning the boat
and cook some light food on that fire and eat it or like the foolish act of burning the body-
covers in cold weather to ward off the cold.
(187) In this way foolish people waste this good human body in fulfilling desires of pleasures but
there is tremendous sorrow, mountains of misery ahead.
(188) Actually in all the categories of life sexual desire is common but if the same is continued in
the human category also and no effort is made to go beyond it, it would mean eating dirt
instead of good food.
(189) O Uddhava, I again say that one who does not reach the other shore of liberation by the
benefit of this human body is committing suicide.
(190) There is purifactory ritual or performance of good actions to wash of the sins of killing a
cow or a Brahmin but there is no such facility to free the man who commits suicide.
(191) The man, who commits suicide, dies immediately and goes to Hell. Then who is there to
perform those rituals or to listen to the provisions of purificatory acts given in the
scriptures?
(192) In the case of the man who is so stupid to waste the human body in sensual pleasures, his
real welfare is denied to him and he is put to great trouble and sorrow. This is equal to
giving up nectar and accept ordinary soup in exchange!
(193) The Lord Shri Krishna thus told the plight of persons who are mad after physical pleasures.
(194) But let these things about foolish people be kept aside. Now please listen to the good destiny
of those who are very careful in following the instructions of Vedas in order to be fortunate
in getting their own welfare secured.
(195) The Lord is now going to tell what is the duty of persons who are really desireless and what
are the things which they should give up.
यदाऽऽर भेषु िनिव णो िवर : संयतेि दय: अ यासेना मनो योगी धारये दचलं मन:
The man, who is not interested in new undertakings in the worldly life and who has good self-
control should begin the study of Yoga and in that he should hold his mind still. (18)
(196) A seeker is already apathetic about new projects or activities and his mind does not touch
any hope for fruit, he even does not entertain any thought about getting for himself liberation;
(197) And he who does not allow his organs to even think about pleasurable objects and is very
strict in mind-control, does successfully concentrate on the real nature of Self.
(198) By listening and thinking about my real nature, he is always occupied with my meditation,
and does not allow his mind to move away at all.
(199) By the strength of mental hard-work, he keeps his mind still in the Reality of the Self without
moving and thus because of his self-knowledge, his mind really remains united in me.
(200) The Lord Shri Krishna is telling now the study, the method, by which the mind becomes thus
steady in the self.
धायमाणं मनो यिह भा यदा नवि थतम् अति दतोऽनुरोधे न मागणा मवशं नये त्
The mind being focused on the self soon begins to wander and becomes unsteady. At that time, one
should be on his alert and bring it back under his control by recourse to the method of giving
it a little freedom and again controlling it. (19)
(201) If the seeker finds that his mind, which is naturally not steady becomes disturbed, when he
tries to put it under control and tethered to the self;
(202) Perhaps he will become a bit lazy or perhaps he may remember enjoyments of objects
which he had earlier experienced. At that time, the mind runs away.
(203) In such a condition, the seeker should sit very steady. He should not physically move, turn
his mind with efforts towards the self by remembering the feet of his Guru.
(204) If the mind is totally denied the object of occupation, it becomes more turbulent. So, without
losing the awareness of the self, the mind should be allowed to be occupied in small trifling
matters such as repetition of name, doing some work by hand which does not require much
thought.
(205) There is a doubt that even if a serpent is given milk, it produces only poison. Similarly,
mind, if given any occupation, will definitely become more agitated.
(206) To avoid this, objects which should be offered to the mind should be such that by thinking
about them, the mind will with a secondary attention be concerned with the Self only. (The
Lord Shri Krishna tells this in the next Verse)
ृ ेि जतपाणो िजतेि दय:

मनोगितं न िवसज स वस प नया बु या मन आ मवशं
नये त्
When the mind is again brought under control, he should never allow the movement of the mind to
go unnoticed and he should control his breath, conquer his sense and reduce his mind to
subjection by means of his intellect by the force of the Sattwa-Guna. (20)
(207) What should he do to maintain the steadiness of mind? He has not to give up his attention to
the Reality of the self. He may give some occupation to mind such as drinking water, taking
his meals, eat something light or take a little sleep, in which the background of the mind
should be kept wedded to the Self.
(208) The seeker may successfully bring under control his breath and organs. He should not allow
his mind to move away, but he should by keen alertness keep it fixed in his self.
(209) A man, who blindly trusts his mind is deceived by desire and anger, he is looted by thinking
and doubting with a divided mind, and he is easily caught in the clutches of enticement and
illusion.
(210) The seeker should use heavy chain of constant awareness, and pull the mind tight, because
mind is very hard to control. When this is done, the seeker can keep his mind obedient.
(211) When mind is supported by Viveka, (the goading of the mind by discrimination) the intellect
becomes rich with Sattwa and it uproots the very objects and breaks the attachments of the
mind by sharp weapon of severe withdrawal.
(212) Wherever the mind runs away, the power of discrimination confronts it at that point, and it
breaks the so-called feet (the power of running) of the mind by that Sattwik intellect.
(213) When the naughty mind is thus subdued, it remains in the self like a ball of ice in water.
(214) Thus this Yoga is the highest in which the mind remains still in the Self and both the Jeeva
and Shiv enjoy peace.
(215) The highest Yoga consists in the Unity of Jeevatman and Parmatman. The Lord is going to
tell this clearly by giving an example of a horse and a horse-rider)
एष वै परमो योगो मनस: संगह: मत
ृ : दय वमि व छन् द य ये वावतो मुह:
Just as one who seeks to secure the obedience of a horse, that has yet to be broken, succeeds in
taming it only by following its will, the winning over the mind by conciliation as aforesaid,
has been declared to be a ladder to the highest Yoga. (21)
(216) The horse-rider tames a wild horse by whipping it at the back and holding tight the reins in
the front thus not allowing it to run to the right or left.
(217) For every step rightly put forward, the rider pats it as an appreciation, “O.K, O.K” he says
soothingly but the moment the horse takes a wrong step, the rider gives a whip.
(218) When the horse absolutely becomes adamant, the rider gives it little freedom to move, but he
neither binds it tight nor relaxes it totally. He tames the horse gradually by using tact.
(219) The horse understands the wish of the rider to control it, and the rider knows the mind of the
horse.
(220) When minds of both are on par, the horse needs no further punishments to behave properly. It
runs obediently.
(221) When the horse is completely under the control, it walks knowing the intention of the rider,
where the reins may be even of a thin thread! The mind should be brought under control by a
similar method.
(222) I have just now told you that the main job in doing Yoga is control of the mind.
(223) [In the verse Number 17, the Lord has told that desirelessness about any new karma is the
way to the Freedom and in this Verse, He is telling the further step of hard study to control
the mind as the next step]
(224) The Lord said – I am going to tell you the importance of the Yoga of Sankhyas for attainment
of liberation. The gist of that method comprises of the maxim that the awareness of the world
as “world” is false and awareness that everything is only Brahman is the true awareness!
(225) This is deeper to understand but I am going to teach it to you. “That” which “Lives” within
the three Gunas but is aloof from the functions of the Gunas.
(226) When Uddhava heard these words of the Lord, he concentrated his mind in order to hear
further.
(227) The Lord who was like the moon to a bird Chakora, or the ocean of Self-knowledge, saw the
eagerness of Uddhava and talked further.
सां ये न सवभावानां पितलोमानुलोमत: भवा ययावनु याये मनो यावत् पसीदित
In Saankhya philosophy a man is taught to see the coming into being of all things, their existence
and their dissolution, with such complete attention that the mind reaches a state of
contentment. (22)
(228) Brahman is existing before the creation comes into existence, and is aloof, and it is also
permeating, in the state of existence of that creation, throughout each and everything from the
Mahat Principle to physical bodies of Beings.
(229) It is the Brahman which illuminates clearly the functions of the three Gunas in the state of
existence and at last it envelops the functions, itself remaining as it is!
(230) When ornaments are made of gold, it is gold only and nothing short of fold, and if the
ornaments are broken or melted, it still is gold, which is not affected by anything.
(231) The sky is there before appearance of clouds, it is also in and out of the clouds, and when
the clouds are gone, the sky remains as it is, aloof and untouched.
(232) Similarly, Brahman is aloof, unbroken while the world is created, existent and dissolved. I
shall tell you further about this also.
(233) Every pot which a potter makes is nothing but earthen structure. Similarly whatever is
created, is Brahman, and occupied by Brahman.
(234) In every wave rising on the surface of the sea, there is only water; similarly, from the Mahat
principle to the ordinary body, the spirit, the Brahman actually exists.
(235) Each and every thing which is formed is permeated by Akasha, the space, similarly every
article which exists or principle which is conceived is occupied by Chaitanya or Brahman.
(236) So, when we see with a positive viewpoint, we do not see even a speck of dust which is
devoid of Brahman.
(237) If we see from negative point of view, we realize that all forms are dissolved in Brahman,
only, just as a ball of ice kept in water dissolves in the water itself.
(238) Though all things within the Creation (Prakruti) are born, grow, suffer transformation and get
destroyed, the only imperishable Brahman is absolutely untouched by all these happenings.
(239) In short, even if the world comes into being, exists for some time and gets dissolved,
Brahman is eternal, pure, the essence of intelligence and freedom. You should remember this
main premise!
(240) To conceive the existence of the world in this Parabrahman is nothing but a false accusation.
A person unnecessarily trembles with fear if he sees a serpent where there is only a rope;
but that is his illusion.
(241) This illusion is not such that one has to actually take away the serpent and purify the rope.
Here there is only extreme joy everywhere. The false concept of world in the Brahman is not
such that the world is to be removed and Brahman is to be objectively seen.
(242) In Brahman mind loses its nature as mind and by this sight the seeker also resumes his reality
which is Brahman.
(243) Now the Lord is introducing another method of making the mind still for those who cannot
do it by the process of giving it a little freedom and fixing it again just like a horse rider
taming the horse.
िनिव ण य िवर य पु ष यो वेिदन: मन यजित दौरा यं

िचि तत यानुिच तया
The mind of a man who is fed up with worldly activities and apathetic to the worldly pleasures as
well as heavenly joys gives up its evil elements like attachments etc by constantly thinking
upon what his preceptor has taught him. (23)
(244) By constantly undergoing great suffering in the chain of births and deaths the prospective
seeker gets irritated and disgusted with everything around him and feels that all the objects
of sense organs are like poisoned food.
(245) He finds every object to be like a good fruit spoilt by venom of a serpent.
(246) He becomes fearfully aware of involvement in anything and if he is a faithful disciple of a

Guru he constantly remembers the advice given by his Guru.
(247) In his heart he is already having the meaning of that advice established and he goes on
brooding upon it.
(248) When the mind thus meditates upon Atman in relation to the perishable world, his mind
gives up proposing and doubting any plans and projections. Thus, the seeker drops his pride
about his body and attains the absolute reality.
(249) Then his mind is dissolved in the reality. Please remember that this is one of the ways to
liberation. But if you find this also difficult, please listen to still another method.
यमािदिभय गपथैरा वीि या च िव या ममाच पासनािभवा ना यैय यं मरे मन:

(In this method) (1) the mind should dwell on the Supreme spirit through self control and yogic
practices, through right knowledge of enquiry into the Unity of the soul and the Supreme
spirit, or (2) through worship of my image or other adorable symbols of my real nature. He
should not follow any other method. (24)
(250) The seeker should leave aside his interest in sense-objects and follow the code of conduct
given in the primary steps of eightfold path of Yoga, viz control of mind and control of body.
He should sit on a flat steady seat and mentally concentrate on the root-chakra near the anus
and the Mooladhara posture should be successfully adopted.
(251) At that time the Apana raises upto Swadhishthana Chakara and Prana, because of breath
control, becomes held up and goes to the lower level from the heart region, near the navel.
(252) When Prana and Apana become equal, the vital breath cleanses the dirt from the inner body
and brings purity to the body.
(253) The said powerful breadth reduces the cough and the bile in the body and begins to cleanse
the various nerve-channels, washing or burning away the dirt of ages of ignorance, as well
as toxins in the body.
(254) The vital breath is very powerful. It cleans the body as well as the soul, the inner vehicles of
the Atman. This is the Greater Yoga.
(255) At this time however many calamities attack, many maladies become manifest in the body,
various doubts rise in the mind and some lower Siddhis take the seeker away from his
intended progress.
(256) O Uddhava, if the seeker has enough courage and keeps himself still and unaffected by these
calamities, then only the Prana and Apana work in the required balance.
(257) When they meet each other and there is equality in both, the hidden Kundalini power
awakens. It takes these two vital breaths with it and enters the central channel called
Sushumna.
(258) That tremendous primordial power begins to climb the western ladder (central chain of
backbone and the breath with its vitality already penetrates through the six vortices and
clears its path.
(259) When the Kundalini progresses on the upward path the diseases and the ailments are
prevented, their attacks are stopped, the crocked paths of doubt are dertroyed and great
calamites even do not disturb.
(260) When the place of Ulhata is overpowered by the Kundalini the gateway to Brahman which is
vary narrow, opens up and from the thousand-petalled lotus there oozes the nectar, like the
cool rays of the moon.
(261) The Kundalini drinks the nectar and puts out the remaining portion of that nectar by which
the body starts to shine with a strange luster and the sense that I am body ceases to prevail.
(262) The seeker experiences that his body is more and more purified and he looks as if he is the
living statue of the joy of Brahman or as if the bud of peace and happiness has bloomed.
(263) His organs appear as if the life-force is concentrated or as if the creeper of the Knowledge
of Reality is bearing a fruit or the spiritual energy has sprouted out.
(264) As his body can become extremely microscopic he can enter into the eyes of any being and
he can enter into the Jeeva of anybody and use that creature in order to do whatever he
wants.
(265) He, as if uses the step of air and at his sweet will travels through the space. This is called
khechari by the master.
(266) Even the brilliance of the Sun appears like the little twinkling light of the firefly. He is so
great that the Gods like Indra and Moon hope to get the sacred water touched by his feet, for
sipping.
(267) His consciousness penetrates through the inner complexities in the subtle body, which are
called Golhat, Bhramara – Gumpha, and the throne of Shiva, and himself becomes
Parmatman.
(268) This Yoga is very difficult. Seldom a Yogi becomes successful; the Lord himself has
declared this path as very hard.
(269) Had the Lord liked this path he would not have talked about any other way towards
liberation.
(270) To listen to the fanciful words describing this path is wonderful, but if one tries to actually
practise it, heart breaks. This path is not to be followed by force. Many great deities and
sages have failed.
(271) The Lord said – Put this difficult path aside. I will tell you quite a different process. This is
the art of investigation and search. We have to search what ‘You’, which is called ‘twam-
pada actually is.
(272) The ‘bundle’ of the Five elements viz the earth, the water, the fire, the air and the sky - is
different from “THAT” viz the Brahman! This bundle has by mis-concept been created
separate and in a limited scope, quite missing the all-pervading Brahman.
(273) By the force of the beginning-less Maya’s flow, being attached to the basic principles
(Tanmatras) of objects it has brought itself into a conceptual, false separateness, without any
role of the projection of the ‘mind’.
(274) As mind has itself thought of duality and variety the seeker has first to instruct and teach the
mind only. [The Lord is explaining the way of using discrimination for this]
(275) Our body, it is true, is made up of unified five elements, but the element of earth dissolves in
water and the quality of smell belonging to the earth gets absorbed in water. Here the
element of earth comes to an end.
(276) When the fire dries up the liquidity of the water, water is also finished by the fire-element,
being evaporated.
(277) The air or the Vayu, squeezes both the water and fire, and thus the quality of taste (of water)
and form of the fire are no more.
(278) The quality of touch, belonging to the Air then comes to end when the sky dissolves the air in
its space.
(279) When the sky is alone, there is no form and it enters into Aham principle losing all its
quality (Guna) and function in that Aham. Aham (the sense of I) enters in Maya and Maya is
dissolved into the God Almighty.
(280) When, for example, night is completely dark, billions of stars shine in their full brilliance.
(281) But when the Sun rises, the night is no more and its existence is not seen by us at all, together
with all the stars.
(282) Similarly Maya goes into oblivion in God Almighty with all its functions. As, in itself, Maya
is illusion, no trace of it remains in the God.
(283) The spirit’s reflection in the field of Maya is called soul or Jeeva, but when Maya is no
more, the Jeeva is also no more.
(284) Then Shiva is also not conceivable. The mind is gone with its qualities and powers etc.
Everywhere only the spirit reigns and the seeker rises to the highest state of happiness.
(285) When in this way the ‘You’ (Twam-Pada) is clearly eliminated, the Reality of “That”
(Brahman) becomes the realized fact for the seeker. This is the method of negative approach
in order to reach the Unmanifest. (Aanweekshiki Vidya) Only selected persons with sharp
insight and discrimination are able to sustain this deep enquiry!
(286) Now I shall tell you about another method where all this trouble and mental bard work is not
necessary.
(287) There is no hard work worth bothering about, but all the results of Yoga are easily at hand.
The enquiry about “You” becomes shy here.
(288) What is that? It is devotion to Me! If my images viz Rama or Krishna are worshipped with
faith and proper procedure, I am pleased.
(289) The stories of my adventures and my virtues should be sung, my name should be collectively
loudly repeated, meditation should be done on Me and my real nature, and thus totally I
should be the subject constantly in the minds of the devotees.
(290) There should be my meditation in the mind at all times, my name on the tongue, my praise by
the mouth, listening to my stories and my virtues, my ritualistic worship by hand, which
should be always done.
(291) By foot, he should walk around my image in a temple, or go for pilgrimage, he should bow
before my image by prostration, and thus he should be always merged in my one-pointed
devotion.
(292) I am as if sold out to them who are occupied with me and my devotion at all times, and there
is nobody so dear to me other than these, in all the three worlds.
(293) O Uddhava, if a man is devoted to me in this way he need not even think of Yogic path,
because I, Shri Krishna cannot be pleased by anything else than by devotion.
(294) (Now the Lord is telling that if at all a yogi commits a wrong action by oversight, it is not
necessary for him to perform purificatory rites etc.
यिद कुयात् पमादेन योगी कम िवगिहतम् योगेनवै दहे दंहो ना य त कदाचन

If a yogi commits wrong action by mistake, he should burn the sin by Yoga only, there is no other
purificatory action for him. (25)
(295) The devotee, having surrendered himself to me, does not do anything the responsibility of
which falls on him. He is protected by Me on all sides; but on the yogic path, some times a
wrong action is committed.
(296) The Yogi heavily repents for that mistake, and he is very much afraid because of that.
(297) Just as a lion shudders and tries to ward off an insect, a fly etc sitting on its body, here and
there, the yogi also tries to throw away such sin and to get himself free from it. He is having
great remorse!
(298) He should purify himself by Yogic power (such as Breath control) only.
(299) If, instead of his Yogic purification he tries to cleanse his body by clay and dung, he is a
fool. That will not wash away any sin.
(300) If he has no pinching of inner remorse about what mistake happened to be committed by him,
any outward actions will not cleanse his consciousness.
(301) If at all he really concentrates his mind totally on Me for half a second, all sins will be
burnt! What of minor errors?
(302) If anybody advises any other purificatory measures to such a devotee who is so advanced as
to meditate on Me, that advisor himself will be worth all the blame!
(303) So, the spiritual worthiness of the seeker is of highest importance in such matters! The Lord
says –
वे वेऽिधकारे या िन ा स गण
ु : प रक ितत: कमणां जा यशु ानामने न िनयम:
कृत:
गण
ु दोषिवधाने न स गानां याजने छया
Adherence to one’s own duties is considered as virtue. By doing such demarcation of virtue and
fault, restriction has been imposed on actions, which are impure, in order to enable one to
shake off attachment of the pleasures of senses. (26)
(304) Man does not need orders of Vedas and scriptures to commit wrong actions in order to have
pleasures of the senses. It is his natural tendency. My instructions and restrictions are to free
man from his bad deeds.
(305) Men are not able to drop their objects of seemingly good pleasures. Vedas show the dangers
and faults in actions and also show what is the virtue, so that men would desist from
committing sinful acts.
(306) Had not Veda restricted sexual intercourse and prohibited it with mother and sisters and
certain other respectable ladies, it is quite possible that men might have become involved in
unlimited affairs with any ladies.
(307) So long as there are men and women in the society, sexual attraction and acts are sure to take
place. So, had I not prohibited certain acts through rules of Vedas, there might have been
disastrous promiscuity and free sex!
(308) Thus it was so ordained that only a girl of eight years of age, and belonging to own caste
should be selected for marriage barring all other women of all castes.
(309) That marriage should also be accomplished by proper method laid down in the Vedas, in the
presence of sacred Fire and Brahmins selected for that ceremony. Vedas also lay down rules
to desist from all other women and have relationship only with that wife in due course of
time.
(310) Vedas have seen how every man and woman is desirous of sex , and restricted it only to be
enjoyed with one’s own wife, and created the virtue of faithfulness between them.
(311) Similarly, I have through Vedic rules, laid down the restrictions about receiving food from
particular people only and by regulated procedure only. Had it not been done, there would
have been chaos in the society.
(312) In order to avoid the undesirable mixture of races and castes and to avoid undesirable
marriages and sexual relations only, Vedas have created the framework of four Ashramas
and four classes in the society.
(313) O Uddhava, to indulge in objects of senses and pleasures, is called IGNORANCE (Avidya)
and to turn away from them is really the FREEDOM.
(314) Vedas have created the rules of performing actions, with a view to introduce gradual
withdrawal from worldly involvements and turning towards self-knowledge and Freedom.
The framework of Ashramas and Classes (castes) is also having the same intentions,
indirectly leading man towards liberation!
(315) Vedas have laid down rules as to the performance of daily duties and occasional obligatory
duties, according to the status and eligibility of the men – in order that slowly they should
develop an aspiration for Freedom.
(316) Purity of mind is only possible by doing one’s own duty without pride etc, and thus desire
decreases, the state of “not expecting anything” develops in Man’s character and the three
Gunas which cause actions are also curbed.
(317) Then pure Sattwa quality remains in the consciousness and the mind gets the habit of
devotion to the Guru and the Knowledge, as well as practical experience of the self, both get
adhered to the seeker.
(318) Please note that when total undivided devotion to the God is established in the character of
the man, then only he becomes eligible for devotion to the Guru. I cannot describe fully the
greatness of the devotion of Satguru! Even I obey him.
(319) I uplift and emancipate that person who is lucky to get the blessing of the Satguru. Even I
place him respectfully and with love on my head and bestow upon him all my glory.
(320) I, the God Almighty ruling the whole world become a servant of the man who believes that
Guru himself is Parmatman and the Supreme God.
(321) When thus I become his servant that devotee of the Guru gets in his home all the knowledge
and wisdom together with the highest trance. What of occult powers?
(322) You should consider that man who insults his Guru and worships me is giving me good food
which is poisoned.
(323) It is as if he has put a morsel in my mouth and hit me on the head. He is doomed and
becomes his own enemy.
(324) Please remember that the Guru has been given by the Vedas such a high position because it
is the intention of Vedas that people should give up their slavery to the objects of pleasure
and they should be liberated by their own achievement of all virtue.
(325) It is therefore imperative that everybody should meticulously perform his own duty without
the slightest mistake, which is the definite intention of Vedas in laying down rules.
(326) You may presume that action itself is sufficient to purify the character of man but, no! That is
not sufficient. Action performed without eligibility of the man to do so is surely extremely
dangerous.
(327) Suppose a sanyasi begins to perform the duties of a householder it becomes sinful and
suppose a householder begins to beg for alms on his palm that also becomes a sinful act.
(328) For example, if a good medicine is taken with good intention but the accompaniment of the
required material is wrong, the medicine becomes even a cause of death.
(329) It is therefore purposefully laid done by Vedas that everybody should do his proper duties,
knowing well that unauthorized performance of action proves to be detrimental to spiritual
life.
(330) The greatest virtue of man is to have faith in Karma according to his Varna and Ashrama. By
this the dirt of and the defects in Karma and Gunas are washed off and the man becomes dear
to the Lord Vishnu.
(331) So, one should abide by the orders of Vedas and avoid what is prohibited.
(332) This is the analysis of karma and as the meaning of this is known only by my grace, many
thinkers are confused.
(333) Veda advices renunciation of pleasures through the prohibitive directions and rescues man
from the entanglement in the objects. Understanding this properly the wise man follows the
cue and giving up every attachment becomes a great Yogi.
(334) O Uddhava I have told you the essence of Vedas, to know which all the great beings are
trying their best but in vain.
(335) I have told you this secret so that you should be clear about this karma. The key is not known
by anybody without my grace.
(336) This is the explanation of what I said about the mistake of finding faults of others.
(337) Veda has never told that you should search for defects in others. On the other hand Veda
intends that man should find his own faults and adopt virtue.
(338) O Uddhava, to adopt virtues of others by rejecting their faults is not easy to do except by my
guidance.
(339) You may ask how a man can attain Brahman without bothering about defaults of others.
(340) I shall now tell you about it. O Uddhava, my devotion is the home of all my grace.
जातश ो म कथासु िनिव ण: सवकमसु वेद दु:खा मकान् कामान्

प र यागेऽ यनी र:
A man is fed up with all the worldly actions, he has developed interest in the stories of my
adventures, he knows that desires are full of resultant sorrow, but he is not capable of totally
giving up the worldly life. (27)
(341) When a man listens to the sweet stories concerning me and my works, he finds his interest in
worldly life loosened and he has faith in this defect as also in Me.
(342) He has such a faith in my devotion that he thinks that if a person remembers the adventures of
Lord Hari in the moment of being drowned in water and dying, he will be free from the chain
of births and deaths.
(343) He naturally, due to this faith becomes disgusted with worldly affairs and he dislikes
beginning of any new activities and also dislikes objects of pleasures.
(344) Such a man does not like the things of family life which are anyway meaningless. He does
not like fame, but he has no courage to give up all this in one stroke.
(345) If this is the condition of any man, the best way for him is to continue signing in the praise of
me and loyally be busy with all kinds of my worship.
(Eknath says – “The Lord Shri Krishna is explaining the details of the psychological condition of
such a beginner)
ततो भजेत मां पीत: श ालु ढिन य: जष

ु माण तान् कामान् दु:खोदका गहयन्
Having faith and firm conviction, such a man should worship me with love, while he abhors all the
desires, which result in real pain and sorrow. (28)
(346) This person has no daring to cut suddenly all his family life and when he has before him a
time of enjoying normal physical or mental pleasures, his mind is so afraid that he feels that
he is adored and decorated before being executed and killed by impaling.
(347) Supposing a man who knows that shortly he is to be given capital punishment, is offered
sweetmeats or milk, sugar etc are forcefully put to his lips, he is tremendously afraid and
cannot relish that food.
(348) Similarly, this man has the vision of consequent suffering in hell, while pleasures are
confronting him, whom he cannot avoid and he utters a cry, calling me – “O Narayana! O
Madhusoodana! O Madhava! How have you forgotten me?”
(349) “O kindhearted Shri Krishna! I am jailed in the jail of objects of so called pleasure! Please
hasten here on the back of the eagle and save me!”
(350) “I have been caught by the crocodile of objects of senses! Please jump to save me just as
you had jumped to extricate the great elephant from the jaws of the crocodile!
(351) “O Govinda! Run! Run! Save me! Please remove my suffering caused by these objects! O
Mukunda! Come quickly wielding your mace! Please do not neglect me”.
(352) “O Govinda! You are the helper of those who are in difficulty and you are the protector of
your devotees; but I am sinking down in the dangerous ocean of these objects of senses!
Please be prompt and lift me up!”
(353) I am drowned in the sea of objects of senses, I am beaten hither and thither by the waves of
desire, Anger has virtually broken me to pieces and I am nearly swallowed by the crocodile
of pride!
(354) O Shri Hari! You are kind to the destitute! Please act upto your creeds! Hold me by your
hand of self Knowledge and save me!
(355) “This disease of indulgence is very hard to be cured. Why is not Shri Hari helping me?” –
He cries out calling Shri Hari!
(356) He says – “This tight hold of objects on me is not loosened! I am being crushed under the
teeth of Desire! This hold is not freed by any of my efforts! O Lord! O Shri Krishna! Come at
the quickest! Run fast to save me!”
(357) O Uddhava, such cries of my devotee cannot be withstood by me and my grace is possible
when real repentance of this type is evident.
(358) O Uddhava, where such real remorse is not evident, the seeker does not get my grace nor my
help. Please note that keen sense of repentance in the mind and body of my devotee is the
sign of my impending shower of blessing on him.
(359) And actually unless I bestow my blessings, nobody becomes my real devotee. Only he who
has received my grace can feel devotion to me.
(360) The sign of my grace is that even being physically in contact with objects of senses the
devotees do not experience and break in their continuous meditation on my real nature. This
denotes my complete grace!
(361) Such a devotee worships me with ever-increasing love and due to this extreme love for him,
he gives up even his property, money, wife, sons and all possessions.
(362) It is not surprising that he gives up all his possessions for me! Nothing is kept back by me!
Not even his life is held back while surrendering everything. Such is his devotion.
(363) He is mad for my worship. He never forgets me day and night; never forgets me! What
benefit does he get? The Lord is further describing it.
पो े न भि योगेन भजतो माऽसकृ मुने: कामा द या न यि त सव मिय िद

ि थते
When the seeker devotee thinks about me with love at all times and when I actually occupy his
heart, all the desires are destroyed from his heart. (29)
(364) These devotees continuously worship me with that supreme love about which I have earlier
told you.
(365) They become one with me by incessant onepointed worship of me, remembering me
constantly in their heart and with their Being with renewed liking every day.
(366) Every day their love for me goes on increasing and they have renewed interest by which they
again and again indulge in every way of doing my worship.
(367) By respecting all the actions of my worship, he is never tired! He is exhilarated in that
worship again and again.
(368) When I am thus the ruler of his heart, all mundane cravings fade away just as the fireflies are
not visible when the Sun rises.
(369) When the lion is seen by an elephant, the elephant runs away. Similarly when I the
Paramatman become manifest, all the worldly desires run away from the seeker’s heart.
(370) But to say that I become manifest will be a wrong statement because the entire world is
filled by me and there is no place remaining devoid of me. Then who will say that “I become
manifest’.
(371) O Uddhava! I am, all the time, dwelling in the heart and when the delusion of the devotee is
removed I am always manifest there.
(372) The devotees have removed their illusion and naturally I am evident in their heart.
(373) As soon as I am thus evident to them the devotees are highly benefited and the whole
calamity of the bondage of worldly life is gone! This, I am going to explain to you.
िभ ते दयगि धि छ ते सवसंशया: ीय ते चा य कमािण मिय ेऽिखला मिन
When a man sees me as the Atman of everything and everything in himself, all his karmas are
destroyed, his knot of ignorance in the heart is cut down and all his doubts are destroyed.
(30)
(374) O Uddhava, in the heart of such devotee, I meet him and I am not limited to his heart also,
but become manifest in all bodies because I am not limited!
(375) Then he does not see worldly life as merely worldly life, the trinity of divisions dissolves
with the Gunas, and the fear of bondage of this world ends itself immediately.
(376) As ghee melts by sun-rays, so, when I, Narayana is manifest, the inner causal body breaks
down by itself. You should note well this phenomenon.
(377) As fog is wiped away by fast wind, so, when I, self-luminant, become evident in the
devotee, Desire becomes extinct from its roots.
(378) When Desire is uprooted and gone, doubt dies with the sense of being a separate Jeeva and
Karma with its concomittant residual bondage also ends like darkness in the morning.
(379) Gunas with their functions also die, ignorance and Avidya come to an end, Jeeva and Shiva
– both disappear, and Ego goes away together with the proud knot of ignorance as well as of
knowledge from the consciousness.
(380) “Soham” goes into dormancy without so much as telling it to go, the birth and death are
afraid and are wiped out due to that and the worldly life is drowned suddenly.
(381) Devotees thus worship me by devotion and by this devotion only reach the state of peace!
(382) Thus I have explained you the qualities of devotional path, as well as the paths of
knowledge and Yoga. This is my main teaching and my opinion.
(383) Devotional is supreme in all the Paths, and it does not expect support from any other method,
nor does it become overruled by my other Path. It is independent and self-sufficient to reach
me and be united with Me.
(384) One thing is sure. If there is no devotion towards me, you cannot gain self-knowledge. If
action is not offered to me, it becomes negative action and that binds.
(385) The knowledge of Me as the self always depends on the rising of devotion in the heart of the
seeker. Karma has, alas! No place there worth consideration. It has no other work except to
engage itself in my devotion.
(386) In short, in the spiritual path, knowledge and karma reach their zenith through devotion only.
I shall tell you the real glory and importance of Devotion! Please listen further.
त मा म ि यु य योिगनो वै मदा मन: न ानं न च वैरा यं पाय: शेयो भवेिदह
For a devotee, who is having great faith in me, mere knowledge or desirelessness are not very
helpful in themselves. (31)
(387) A man may not know the proper procedure of how to act, or to perform rituals, and he may
not have a touch of knowledge and desireless set of mind, but he concentrates his attention
on Me and worships me.
(388) Then he has only the knowledge and proper action, but Desirelessness begs for a place at the
feet of Devotion.
(389) Then surrendering is not a very big thing! They actually are born as its son and daughter!
Then they embrace it, their mother, with tremendous love and demand from it the joy of the
Atman.
(390) In a nut shell I will say that Devotion – as a mother – rears up them in its lap, makes them
drink of the eternal joy and takes their care.
(391) When the devotion to the Lord is established in the seeker’s heart, the self-knowledge and
all the virtues become his servants. (The Lord is further describing the said subject further)
यत् कमिभय पसा ानवैरा यत यत् योगेन दानधमण शेयोिभ रतरै रिप
सव म ि योगेन म ो लभतेऽ जसा वगापवग म ाम कथि चद् यिद वा छित
Whatever is attainable by actions, penance, knowledge and by desirelessness, by Yoga, by charity

or by any other auspicious vows, that all is easily attained by my devotee through the Yoga
of Devotion, may that be the heaven or liberation, or anything if he really aspires for! (32,
33)
(392) Whatever is gained by following our own duty in the framework of family and society
whatever is gained by very hard penance, or what is understood as Absolute Reality by deep
thinking according to Saankhya system of thinking.
(393) Similarly whatever is gained by giving up of all objects and possessions, whatever is
achieved by eightfold yogic path, whatever is attained by restricting our diet to only leaves,
water or breath;
(394) Similarly whatever is available through reciting of Vedas, or speaking only truth, or any
other efforts, all that can be had only by my devotion.
(395) Without undergoing any great calamities in the various hard penances, without going into
many caves and mountains, if the seeker will only come to the path of Devotion, all these
goals come to his door of their own accord.
(396) O Uddhava, you will ask what kind of devotion I mean! I say that the man should conceive
with faith that his Guru is Brahman only, and should devote himself to devotion and service
to that Guru1 All this achievement is due to the great power of that devotion!
(397) The seekers have no other path than devotion to their Guru, I, the Almighty God also
worship my Guru by loyalty and devotion. Why take examples of others?
(398) Even I have attained this great position and power only through the devotion to my Guru.
What simile can be given to the greatness of the Guru?
(399) Those who worship Guru with one-pointed faith that Guru is the Absolute Brahman, not
imagining any duality, are also fortunate that if at all they wish to have anything, may it be
heaven, or liberation or Vaikuntha – I give it to them.
(400) I have told you very little about the greatness of such devotion! I am so pleased by their
devotion that I am present with them and protect them from all sides and in all respects!
(401) But these devotees have absolutely no desire for anything. They will never want anything! I
am also going to talk further about them with all the eagerness – So, please, be attentive!
न िकि चत् साधवो धीरा भ ा ेकाि तनो मम वा छ यिप मया द ं

कैव यमपुनभवम्
Even if I give complete liberation and avoidance of next births, my devotees who are pious,
courageous, patients, and totally devoted to Me, never demand anything at all! (34)
(402) He is so firm in the mind that he has no desire for anything! Such a sage, who has no
expectations at all, is dear to Me!
(403) The courage comes to such a sage and serves him, but he who has no patience, has not this
quality of not expecting anything at all!
(404) This knowledge can be had only after millions of lives. This state of mind which has no
expectation about anything is highest state. There is nothing equal to it.
(405) At that stage he develops great love for me and he attains the Fourth Devotion, which is
called in Vedas as Ekanta-Bhakti (one-pointed Devotion)
(406) Please listen about this Devotion. In that stage, the God and the devotee become me. The
devotee enters in the God and God enters in the devotee!
(407) This one-pointed devotion with Unity with me is called Ekanta-Bhakti – in it the devotee
does not see anyone or anything else than Me, in the world.
(408) I give such devotee, liberation together with achievement of all the four human goals in life
(Dharma, Artha, Kama and Freedom) – but he declines even to look at them! When this is
their state how can they ever touch these greatest things?
(409) My dear, if you think that my devotees may by chance express their wish by their own mouth
– but that is not possible even at the end of this world! My devotee never accepts Freedom
by giving up my devotion!
(410) What is the cause of this denial to enjoy liberation? This is beyond the scope of Vedas and
scriptures! He is going to tell this secret further!
नैरपे यं परं पाहिन:शेयसमन पकम् त माि नरािशषो भि िनरपे य मे भवेत्

Not expecting anything is said to be a great thing, which is the best state of mind. Therefore,
devotion to me where nothing is expected by him should be attained. (35)
(411) I worship the great person who is free from any desire or expectation. In this view,
Liberation as such is more trifle then chafe! Such desirelessness must be considered to be
blessed in all the three worlds.
(412) Such a man discards all the four human achievements as nothing and for him the most
unapproachable places like Vaikuntha or Kailasa are very near and can be gone to by a
single footway!
(413) Gods come to him, occult powers come to him, and God of death obeys them!
(414) The greatest God Mahadev, offers Himself to him as servant and I am also there with my
spouse to help and serve him!
(415) Such Devotee is equal, in all my powers to me – but this statement is also false because
there is duality here. He and Me are one!
(416) I am the embodiment of Bliss beyond measure and by devotion; this person is also bliss
Eternal like me. So both are one in self-joy and Atmik Bliss in ourselves. We are Sat-Chit
and Ananda.
(417) Such devotees do not look for faults or merits in others. (The Lord is now explaining this
further)
न म ये का तभ ानां गण
ु दोषो वा गण ू ां समिच ानां बु े: परमुपेयुषाम्
ु ा: साधन
In my devotes of utter undivided faith in me, who are of quiet and balanced mind, and aspire to go
beyond intellect, there is no habit of finding faults in other people. (36)
(418) The Lord said – He who does not see differences in any things, and he who has acquired
wisdom of self is only worthy of being called a real sage, a real saint and it is he who
experiences extraordinary bliss by devotion to me.
(419) As in his view I am the Paramatman pervading in all the Beings he does not perceive duality
anywhere. This is his mental state. This is called Ekanta-Bhakti (Devotion in Unity).
(420) Those who are of such one-pointed mind in my devotion go beyond the Prakruti and become
united with me.
(421) Those who are so devoted to me in full faith do not look at the faults or virtues in others.
This sign has already been told to you earlier.
(422) If sugar can be peeled off, if camphor can be cleaned for dust or if soot can be created by the
light of a jewel - if these impossible things can be possible then only my devotee will look
out for defects in the world.
(423) I am the defect in the defective and I am the virtue in the virtuous.
(424) From this point of view the great devotee looks at the creation as if I am there and therefore
he does not see any faults.
(425) (Not to look for faults is a very important means in the spiritual progress. The Lord is telling
it further.)
एवमेतान् मयाऽऽिद ाननुित ि त मे पथ: ेमं िव दि त म थानं यद् ब परमं

िवदु:
Those who follow my path as directed by me, attain peace and my abode which is also called the
Absolute Brahman. (37)
(426) O Uddhava, thus, I have, through my Vedas given advice to people to follow the path of
devotion, knowledge and the yoga of action.
(427) The secret of yoga of action is the tact to finish the bondage of action through right
performance of the actions and I can be attained by doing one’s own duty. This I have
already told you.
(428) I have also told you that the sign of the path of knowledge is to think about what is permanent
and what is impermanent and to discard that which is not permanent i.e. perishable.
(429) I have also clarified to you that by my devotion only it is possible to reach me easily as also
to gain all the fruits that are achieved by undergoing great trouble in following other paths.
(430) I have told you clearly that the three divisions in the Vedas lay down duties to various
people according to their capacities and that those paths are also equally useful for
liberation.
(431) He who performs actions according to the systems postulated in Vedas by me, will reach me
either in a form or image or in an abstract power as is his liking.
(432) But there is a mention about direct personal experiencing of God as a form, a living being.
This opinion is of the Pancharatra Agama. Those who embrace that opinion think that
Vaikuntha is the highest place.
(433) Now please note that in Vedanta the Lord has said that Vaikuntha was created by him
outside the seven covers or planes of Maya but within the field of Maya.
(434) There it is mentioned that Maya is a sport of the God and by that sport he has created
Vaikuntha and therefore Vaikuntha is not perishable.
(435) Where Purshottma whose colour is like that of a cloud resides in a body which is created by
his own will through his own Maya, there Guna Time Karma and Maya, being all only
illusions cannot remain.
(436) O Uddhava the opinion of Agama is that Vaikuntha is eternal and non-destructible and there
is no birth and death and those who reach that level of consciousness reside there in their
eternal freedom.
(437) O Uddhava, persons who have knowledge of Vedas are of the opinion that by reciting of
Mantras our favourite deity can be pleased. This was also told to you in the flow of my
narration.
(438) I have explained to you that real devotion with sincere feeling is the sign of cheerfulness.
(439) Vedanta however opines that at the time of total dissolution of the Universe, even Vaikuntha
and Kailasa are annihilated because they are also forms.
(440) At that time, only that which is beyond the Gunas remains as it is and it is the absolute
Brahman which is eternal and non-perishable.
(441) O Uddhava the state where, Time, Karma, Guan, Dharma, Maya are all not existing is really
the absolute Brahman.
(442) In Vaikuntha the Sayujjyata liberation which can be attained is with Gunas but the absolute
Brahman is the state where Maya is dissolved and that is complete Sayujjyata.
(443) What is the safest way for the seekers to attain the Absolute Reality? To worship me
according to the dictates of Vedas is the easy and best way.
(444) If the seeker goes by another path, there are problems of desire, anger, greed, etc and the
pride of having knowledge puts the seeker in a pit of difficulty. Further, the blame of having
left the righteous path sanctioned by Vedas is wont to be attributed to him.
(445) In the path of devotion, these difficulties do not appear. There are nine companions of nine –
fold infrastructure of devotional path and when the seeker has faith in me, in his way of
worship, the sense of peace and rest does not leave the seeker any time.
(446) The main key of avoiding troubles is never to bother about the good qualities or drawbacks,
the merits or the sins of others. Then only realisation of Brahman becomes possible.
(447) So, my devotees see only that Brahman, they realize only that state, where there is no fear
and no illusion, there is not day or night; there is no sense of I or the sense of You, and
where there is no difference between the Jeeva and Shiva.
(448) They reach that Brahman, where there is no form or name, there is no time or karma and
there is no birth or death.
(449) They attain that Brahman, where there is no goal, aim or meditation, there is no object of
knowledge or knowing or knower, where there is no separation between me and you.
(450) My devotees realize that Absolute Reality, where there is neither mother nor father, neither
God nor Goddess, which is neither one nor many.
(451) They reach that Brahman, where there is neither caste nor Ashrama, there is no process nor
action and there is no deception or illusion of Maya.
(452) My devotees embrace that Brahman, enter that state which is beyond the virtue or absence of
virtue, which is beyond the object of attention or signs of that object, and which is fully rich
with self-bliss.
(453) O Uddhava, I Myself, being the Almighty God, even cannot contain within Myself the high
tide of grace. Such is the 20th chapter of the 11 th Skandha of Bhagawata which I have given
to you.
(454) O Uddhava, this 20th chapter of the 11 th Skandha is given to you by me. Here, there is no
place for pride of body and there is no mutual affiliation of Jeeva and Shiva. (454)
(455) O Uddhava, this is the place of rest of 11 th division, where the sense of Aham is destroyed,
there is no balance in the account of Maya.
The word "wisava" means (one) 20th (2) rest. So, a pun is used here in Marathi by using the word
"Wisawa" having two meanings).
(456) O Uddhava, where the goals and the devotees become one, that is the 20th chapter of the 11 th
division of Bhagawata Purana.
(457) I have given you this rest, so called 20th chapter of the 11 th division, where the self-bliss is
easily enjoyed, which is otherwise reached after hard penance.
(458) O Uddhava, I have given you this 20th chapter of 11 th Skandha in which all types of
separations are swept away and the sense of unity prevails.
(459) Eknath says – “The Lord is giving to Uddhava the sense of faith, the juice of the juice of
devotion and the sweet kernel of the sweetness of devotion.
(460) In this way, the Lord Shri Krishna explained the blissful contents of the 20th chapter, Himself
being full of ecstasy.
(461) The Lord said – “O Uddhava, I will teach you the 21st chapter, which is the overflowing
spate of happiness of the self and the final resting place of the earlier 20th chapter. Please
listen to it.
(462) (Eknath says) – The subject of the next chapter is the classification of what is pure and what
is impure, as laid down by Vedas. Eka of Janardana is, therefore, requesting the listeners to
please give their undivided attention to him.
Here ends the Marathi commentary written by Saint Eknath on
the twentieth chapter of the 11th Skandha of Bhagawata Purana.
(This is given the name of Yoga of the triple division of Veda)
Dedicated to the Lord Shri Krishna.

***

Ghaisas Eknathi Bhagwat Ch-20

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Ghaisas Eknathi Bhagwat Ch-20

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Chapter 20

OM! Salutations to the Lord Shri Ganesha.

OM! Salutations to the Lord Shri Krishna.

उ व उवाच-िविध पितषे ध िनगमो ही र य ते अवे तेऽरिव दा गण

वणाशमिवक पं च पितलोमानुलोमजम् द यदेशवय: कालान् वग नरकमेव च

(31) In that category, there are Soota, Vaideha, and Magadh.

िपतदृ ेवमनु याणां वेद ु तवे र शेय वनुपल धे ऽथ सा यसाधनयोरिप

ु दोषिभदा ि िनगमा े न िह वत: िनगमेनापवाद िभदाया इित ह भम:

शीभगनुवाच - योगा तयो मया पो ा नण

िनिव णानां ानयोगो यािसनिमह कमसु ते विनिव णिच ानां कमयोग तु

य छया म कथादौ जातश तु य: पुमान् न िनिव णो नाितस ो भि योगोऽ य

तावत् कमािण कुव त न िनिव ेत यावता म कथाशवणादौ वा श ा याव न जायते

(संमत ोक) स कम कुवतां पुंसां कमलोपो भवे िद त कम तेषां कुवि त ितस:

वधम थो यजन् य रै नाशी: काम उ व न याित वगनरकौ य य न समाचरे त्

अि मं लोके वतमान: वधम थोऽनघ: शुिच: ानं िवशु मा नोित म ि ं वा

विगणोऽ ये तिम छि त लोकं िनरियण तथा साधकं ानभि यामुभयं

न नर: वगितं का नारक वा िवच ण: ने मं लोकं च का ेत देहावेशात्

एतद् िव ान् पुरा म ृ योरभवाय घटेत स: अपम इदं ा वा म यम यथिसि दम्

िछ मानं यमैरेतै: कृतनीडं वन पितम् खग: वकेतमु स ृ य ेमं याित ल पट:

अहोरातैि छ मानं बु वाऽऽयुभयवेपथु: मु स ग: परं बु वा िनरीह उपशा यित

नदृ ेहमा ं सुलभं सुदुलभं लवं सुक पं गु कणधारम्

Meaning of the Verse:

ृ ेि जतपाणो िजतेि दय:

िनिव ण य िवर य पु ष यो वेिदन: मन यजित दौरा यं

(246) He becomes fearfully aware of involvement in anything and if he is a faithful disciple of a

यमािदिभय गपथैरा वीि या च िव या ममाच पासनािभवा ना यैय यं मरे मन:

यिद कुयात् पमादेन योगी कम िवगिहतम् योगेनवै दहे दंहो ना य त कदाचन

जातश ो म कथासु िनिव ण: सवकमसु वेद दु:खा मकान् कामान्

ततो भजेत मां पीत: श ालु ढिन य: जष

Meaning of the Verse:

पो े न भि योगेन भजतो माऽसकृ मुने: कामा द या न यि त सव मिय िद

िभ ते दयगि धि छ ते सवसंशया: ीय ते चा य कमािण मिय ेऽिखला मिन

Meaning of the Verse:

त मा म ि यु य योिगनो वै मदा मन: न ानं न च वैरा यं पाय: शेयो भवेिदह

Meaning of the Verse:

Whatever is attainable by actions, penance, knowledge and by desirelessness, by Yoga, by charity

न िकि चत् साधवो धीरा भ ा ेकाि तनो मम वा छ यिप मया द ं

नैरपे यं परं पाहिन:शेयसमन पकम् त माि नरािशषो भि िनरपे य मे भवेत्

एवमेतान् मयाऽऽिद ाननुित ि त मे पथ: ेमं िव दि त म थानं यद् ब परमं

Here ends the Marathi commentary written by Saint Eknath on

the twentieth chapter of the 11th Skandha of Bhagawata Purana.

(This is given the name of Yoga of the triple division of Veda)

Dedicated to the Lord Shri Krishna.

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