Srimad Bhagavatam – day 148
Achyutāya namah
We are truly fortunate to be listening to this preaching given by Maharishi Kapila to his mother Devahuti.
Kapila Maharishi continues, “Good character is the ornament of noble saints! Pure mind and steadfast devotion are their distinguishing characteristics. Having giving up all forms of differentiation, they focus upon Me with single-pointed unflinching devotion.
Irrespective of the time, place and situation such persons chant holy names. Regardless of whether they are travelling or are amidst a large congregation of people or are trapped in enormous difficulties, their focus does not shift from Me. They relentlessly chant Krishna, Govinda, Hari.
In order to obtain Me, they give up all their family and friends. They also give up frutitive actions in entirety (karma sanyasa). They let go off their desires also. In fact they renounce everything in this world so as to reach
Me.
Mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛuṇvanti kathayanti ca
Tapanti vividhās tāpāh naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ
Saints surrender completely to Me and are always engaged in listening to My divine glories. Listening to divine stories is their only pastime. Again and again they listen to the same story without getting tired. Not satisfied with this, they keep talking about My glories at all times.
As they fix their mind totally upon Me, they are free from sorrows. Even during sorrows their mind is unaffected.
O chaste woman! Only those who have developed absolute detachment towards these worldly attachments are sadhus (saints)! A person does not become a saint merely by wearing ochre robes. His mind should be totally detached from every object.
Association with supreme saints frees the person from the defect known as ‘attachment to this world’. Therefore it is imperative to develop friendship with holy saints. Through this association attachment towards the world begins to weaken. Gradually he will learn to disassociate totally and shred all bondages.
Due to this holy friendship with saints, the opportunity to listen to My stories arises. My stories explain My glories which bring calmness to the mind and heart.
People whose mind is filled with impurity and grief can never understand nor relish divine stories. At all times their mind travels only towards unnecessary topics. They cling to that which should be given up. How can they relish divine stories? It is impossible.
To those who at every opportunity speak only about God and of His glories and who are completely immersed in it, the path of liberation opens up quickly. For this reason one should associate with saints.
When in Guru’s vicinity, do not focus upon worldly matters. If even in His presence attention is only upon worldly difficulties and problems, then such persons can never attain liberation. Perhaps they will solve some trivial problems. Real bliss will be obtained only when, with pure devotion and dedication, one totally renounces these worldly bondages. Due to satsang devotion reaches supreme heights.
By contemplating upon this creation of Mine the person’s devotion towards Me intensifies. Observe this creation in detail. Try to figure out how each object was created, how each organism is sustaining. What is the force that keeps the object fixed to the earth? What is meant by gravitational force? How are these planets and star constellations retained in their orbits? As you ponder deeply about these wonders within the creation, your devotion will increase.
Thinking about the secrets contained in the creation is equivalent of thinking about Me! Due to this, inclination towards the comforts of this world and the next will be reduced. The person will distance himself from sense gratification. Then, with absolute dedication he will step into Yogic path.
Dedication and devotion are important pre-requisites in this aspect. Casual or careless attitude does not bestow the required result.
Assume a scientist gets a new thought. He should think- from where did this thought come to him? Who caused this thought in him? If you believe it was a sudden flash, then understand – that ‘flash’ is Paramatma. If he says that it was a result of study and research, then this ‘study’ is Paramatma. Now think- wherefrom did this study originate in the first place? In this way without ridiculing the subject dig deeper and deeper step by step. When this is done, secrets begin to unfold in the mind causing deep astonishment!
In the path of devotion, through simple tools, one should control the mind. A yogi tries to fix his mind on Paramatma. In reality nothing exists. He fixes himself into that nothingness and merges into it. This itself is liberation!
Every person should develop disinterest towards these worldly comforts which arise out of Nature and its 3 components of sattva, rajas and tamas. What is meant by comforts that arise out of Nature? Assume you pick a flower. You appreciate it colour, its fragrance and thus enjoy it through your senses. By doing so, you are trapped in the worldly comforts that arise out of Nature. In other words, you have slipped. Instead, look at the flower and admire the Lord’s creation. Do not enjoy its fragrance and beauty through the senses organs.
For this reason, Mahatmas simply mix the different dishes when eating. They do not seek to enjoy any particular taste. Relishing the tastes of food items is not right. In saints, such taste would have died completely. It is not limited to this! In such saints, the enjoyment through hearing, through seeing, through smelling would have died. They still continue to eat, hear, see, smell objects but with zero attachment towards them.
Thus, in objects pertaining to Nature, attachment should be given up completely! This is a very important point. Again and again we should ponder upon this point.
Achyutaya namah