Srimad Bhagavatam – day 72
1000 Maha-yugas constitute a period of Kalpa. Two such Kalpas constitute 1 day of Brahma. Brahma has a lifespan of 100 years. Each half of this lifespan is known as Parārtham.
The ordinary humans who are not acquainted with this process of meditation (dhyāna prakriya) explained until now, and who do not undertake any sadhana, are born as birds and animals and suffer endless grief. We should not seek to experience this grief and pain.
Residents of these higher planes do not experience old-age, death, physical disorders or mental discomforts of any kind. The accomplished being, who has thus travelled to these planes, fearlessly through his subtle body attains the earth element (prithvi tattva). Merging that into the water element, he becomes the form of water. Merging this water element into fire element he becomes a form of fire. After staying in this form for a certain period of time without disturbances of any kind, he merges this form of fire into the air element. Thereafter he merges this air form into the space element, which brings to light the infinite nature of the Supreme Lord.
The accomplished Yogi merges the subtle sense of smell (ghrānendriya) into the subtle earth element (sookṣma prthvi), subtle sense of taste into the subtle water element, subtle power of seeing into the subtle fire, subtle sense of touch into the subtle air element and the subtle sense of hearing into the subtle space element (ākasa tanmatra). He also merges the various organs of actions (karmendriya) into their respective actions.
He now dissolves these gross and subtle elements (pancha bhootas and tanmatras) into the tamasic egoism (ahamkara), the senses (indriyas) into the rajasic egoism and the presiding deities of mind as well as senses into the Satvik egoism. As these are the different activities of egoism, a Yogi follows this process.
In the similar manner, the Yogi dissolves this egoism into the Mahat tattva (cosmic intelligence). He now dissolves the Mahat tattva into the Māya shakti (power of illusion), which is the root for all the 3 modes of nature (trigunas).
After the Yogi, who is an embodiment of bliss, dissolves this subtle body into the illusory power (māya shakti), the necessity to take on another body permanently ceases. This is the state of liberation.
Then together with Prakriti (nature), he merges completely into that Paramatma, who is devoid of any transformations and who is a personification of bliss”.
This is liberation. Do you now understand? Listen to this 10 times. Only then you will understand the true meaning of the term liberation. You will understand what merging into Paramatma actually means. You will understand the meaning of Pranayama and yoga.
Do not be afraid. A spiritual aspirant is never afraid. He will be truly happy that so many secrets have come to light only because of Bhagawatam. After all it is Maharishi Śuka who is teaching all this to us. In the form of a parrot he is preaching this knowledge to Parikshit. To be frank, he is not teaching Parikshit. The teaching is meant for us. Aha, O dear Parrot! O Maharishi Śuka! Any number of times I offer obeisance to You is inadequate.
The Yogi who merges into Supreme Parabrahma as explained in this method does not have a re-birth. He will be free from all associations. He reaches that state of ultimate liberation from where the fear of re-birth does not at all exist.
There are many levels in liberation. In all those levels of liberation, the prospect of re-birth exists. Here the Yogi reaches that level of liberation from where the question of re-birth does not arise. One in many crores attains this level of liberation.
A person has to go through this elaborate process in order to reach that state. At least begin the attempts in this birth. We are in an urgency to attain that liberation. Somehow or the other we want to attain it by next year.
After attending two classes we demand liberation. Did you think liberation was something so easy to obtain? On the one hand speaking about liberation and on the other indulging in sinful deeds and sinful thoughts, how can you ever obtain liberation?
“O Emperor Parikshit! I have now explained to you about sadyomukti (instantaneous liberation) and krama mukti (progressive liberation), the two methods of liberation, which are eternal and which are explained in the Vedas.”
Narayana! Narayana!