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tam—Him (Nara-Narayana); bhagavan—the most powerful saintly person; naradah—the great sage Narada; varna-asrama-vatibhih—by followers of the institution of the four varnas and four asramas; bharatibhih—of the land known as Bharata-varsa (India); prajabhih—who are the inhabitants; bhagavat-proktabhyam—which was stated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sankhya—by the sankhya-yoga system (the analytical study of material conditions); yogabhyam—by practice of the yoga system; bhagavat-anubhava-upavarnanam—which describes the process of God realization; savarneh—unto Savarni Manu; upadeksyamanah—instructing; parama-bhakti-bhavena—in greatly ecstatic loving service to the Lord; upasarati—serves the Lord; idam—this; ca—and; abhigrnati—chants.

In his own book, known as Narada Pancaratra, Bhagavan Narada has very vividly described how to work to achieve the ultimate goal of life—devotion—through knowledge and through execution of the mystic yoga system. He has also described the glories of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The great sage Narada instructed the tenets of this transcendental literature to Savarni Manu in order to teach those inhabitants of Bharata-varsa who strictly follow the principles of varnasrama-dharma how to achieve the devotional service of the Lord. Thus Narada Muni, along with the other inhabitants of Bharata-varsa, always engages in the service of Nara-Narayana, and he chants as follows.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has clearly declared:

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara

[Cc. Adi 9.41]

The real success or fulfillment of the mission of human life can be achieved in India, Bharata-varsa, because in Bharata-varsa the purpose of life and the method for achieving success are evident. People should take advantage of the opportunity afforded by Bharata-varsa, and this is especially so for those who are following the principles of varnasrama-dharma. If we do not take to the principles of varnasrama-dharma by accepting the four social orders (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and the four orders of spiritual life (brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa), there can be no question of success in life. Unfortunately, because of the influence of Kali-yuga, everything is now being lost. The inhabitants of Bharata-varsa are gradually becoming degraded mlecchas and yavanas. How then will they teach others? Therefore, this Krsna consciousness movement has been started not only for the inhabitants of Bharata-varsa but for all the people of the world, as announced by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There is still time, and if the inhabitants of Bharata-varsa take this movement of Krsna consciousness seriously, the entire world will be saved from gliding down to a hellish condition. The Krsna consciousness movement follows the process of pancaratrika-vidhi and that of bhagavata-vidhi simultaneously, so that people can take advantage of the movement and make their lives successful.

SB5.19.11

TEXT 11

om namo bhagavate upasama-silayoparatanatmyaya namo ’kincana-vittaya rsi-rsabhaya nara-narayanaya paramahamsa-parama-gurave atmaramadhipataye namo nama iti.

om—O Supreme Lord; namah—my respectful obeisances; bhagavate—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; upasama-silaya—who has mastered the senses; uparata-anatmyaya—having no attachment for this material world; namah—my respectful obeisances; akincana-vittaya—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the only asset of persons who have no material possessions; rsi-rsabhaya—the most exalted of saintly persons; nara-narayanaya—Nara-Narayana; paramahamsa-parama-gurave—the most exalted spiritual master of all paramahamsas, liberated persons; atmarama-adhipataye—the best of self-realized persons; namah namah—my respectful obeisances again and again; iti—thus.

Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Nara-Narayana, the best of all saintly persons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the most self-controlled and self-realized, He is free from false prestige, and He is the asset of persons who have no material possessions. He is the spiritual master of all paramahamsas, who are the most exalted human beings, and He is the master of the self-realized. Let me offer my repeated obeisances at His lotus feet.

SB5.19.12

TEXT 12

gayati cedam——

kartasya sargadisu yo na badhyate

na hanyate deha-gato ’pi daihikaih

drastur na drg yasya gunair vidusyate

tasmai namo ’sakta-vivikta-saksine

SYNONYMS

gayati—he sings; ca—and; idam—this; karta—the executor; asya—of this cosmic manifestation; sarga-adisu—of the creation, maintenance and destruction; yah—one who; na badhyate—is not attached as the creator, master or proprietor; na—not; hanyate—is victimized; deha-gatah api—although appearing as a human being; daihikaih—by bodily tribulations such as hunger, thirst and fatigue; drastuh—of Him who is the seer of everything; na—not; drk—the power of vision; yasya—of whom; gunaih—by the material qualities; vidusyate—is polluted; tasmai—unto Him; namah—my respectful obeisances; asakta—unto the Supreme person, who is unattached; vivikta—without affection; saksine—the witness of everything.

TRANSLATION

Narada, the most powerful saintly sage, also worships Nara-Narayana by chanting the following mantra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the master of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this visible cosmic manifestation, yet He is completely free from false prestige. Although to the foolish He appears to have accepted a material body like us, He is unaffected by bodily tribulations like hunger, thirst and fatigue. Although He is the witness who sees everything, His senses are unpolluted by the objects He sees. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto that unattached, pure witness of the world, the Supreme Soul, the Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is described as sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], the body of eternity, transcendental bliss and full knowledge. Now in this verse He is more fully described. Krsna is the creator of the entire cosmic manifestation, yet He is unattached to it. If we were to construct a very tall skyscraper, we would be very attached to it, but Krsna is so renounced that although He has created everything, He is not attached to anything (na badhyate). Furthermore, although Krsna has His transcendental form, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], He is not disturbed by the bodily necessities of life, which are called daihika; for example, He is never hungry, thirsty or fatigued (na hanyate deha-gato ’pi daihikaih). Then again, since everything is Krsna’s property, He sees everything and is present everywhere, but because His body is transcendental, He is above vision, the objects of vision and the process of vision. When we see someone beautiful, we are attracted. The sight of a beautiful woman immediately attracts a man, and the sight of a man naturally attracts a woman. Krsna, however, is transcendental to all these faults. Although He is the seer of everything, He is not afflicted with faulty vision (na drg yasya gunair vidusyate). Therefore, although He is the witness and seer, He is aloof from all affection for the activities He sees. He is always unattached and separate; He is only a witness.

SB5.19.13

TEXT 13

idam hi yogesvara yoga-naipunam

hiranyagarbho bhagavan jagada yat

yad anta-kale tvayi nirgune mano

bhaktya dadhitojjhita-duskalevarah

idam—this; hi—certainly; yoga-isvara—O my Lord, master of all mystic power; yoga-naipunam—the expert process of executing yogic principles; hiranya-garbhah—Lord Brahma; bhagavan—the most powerful; jagada—spoke; yat—which; yat—which; anta-kale—at the time of death; tvayi—in You; nirgune—the transcendence; manah—the mind; bhaktya—with a devotional attitude; dadhita—one should place; ujjhita-duskalevarah—having given up his identification with the material body.

O my Lord, master of all mystic yoga, this is the explanation of the yogic process spoken of by Lord Brahma [Hiranyagarbha], who is self-realized. At the time of death, all yogis give up the material body with full detachment simply by placing their minds at Your lotus feet. That is the perfection of yoga.

yasya samyag bhagavati
jnanam bhaktis tathaiva ca
niscintas tasya moksah syat
sarva-papa-krto ’pi tu

Srila Madhvacarya says:

“For one who very seriously practices devotional service during his lifetime in order to understand the constitutional position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, liberation from this material world is guaranteed, even if he has previously been addicted to sinful habits.” This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita:

api cet su-duracaro
bhajate mam ananya-bhak
sadhur eva sa mantavyah
samyag vyavasito hi sah

“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.” (Bg. 9.30) The only purpose of life is to be fully absorbed in thoughts of Krsna and His form, pastimes, activities and qualities. If one is able to think of Krsna in this way, twenty-four hours a day, he is already liberated (svarupena vyavasthitih). Whereas materialists are absorbed in material thoughts and activities, devotees, on the contrary, are always absorbed in thoughts of Krsna and Krsna’s activities. Therefore they are already on the platform of liberation. One has to think of Krsna with full absorption at the time of death. Then he will certainly return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt.

SB5.19.14

TEXT 14

yathaihikamusmika-kama-lampatah

sutesu daresu dhanesu cintayan

sanketa vidvan kukalevaratyayad

yas tasya yatnah srama eva kevalam

yatha—as; aihika—in the present life; amusmika—in the expected future life; kama-lampatah—a person who is very attached to lusty desires for bodily enjoyment; sutesu—children; daresu—wife; dhanesu—wealth; cintayan—thinking about; sanketa—is afraid; vidvan—a person advanced in spiritual knowledge; ku-kalevara—of this body, which is full of stool and urine; atyayat—because of loss; yah—anyone; tasya—his; yatnah—endeavors; sramah—a waste of time and energy; eva—certainly; kevalam—only.

Materialists are generally very attached to their present bodily comforts and to the bodily comforts they expect in the future. Therefore they are always absorbed in thoughts of their wives, children and wealth and are afraid of giving up their bodies, which are full of stool and urine. If a person engaged in Krsna consciousness, however, is also afraid of giving up his body, what is the use of his having labored to study the sastras? It was simply a waste of time.

At the time of death a materialist thinks of his wife and children. He is absorbed in thinking of how they will live and who will take care of them after he leaves. Consequently he is never prepared to give up his body; rather, he wants to continue to live in his body to serve his society, family, friends and so on. Therefore by practicing the mystic yoga system one must become detached from bodily relationships. If despite practicing bhakti-yoga and studying all the Vedic literature, one is afraid of giving up his bad body, which is the cause of all his suffering, what is the use of his attempts to advance in spiritual life? The secret of success in practicing yoga is to become free from bodily attachments. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura says, deha-smrti nahi yara, samsara-bandhana kahan tara: one whose practice has freed him from the anxieties of bodily needs is no longer in conditional life. Such a person is freed from conditional bondage. A person in Krsna consciousness must fully discharge his devotional duties without material attachment. Then his liberation is guaranteed.

SB5.19.15

TEXT 15

tan nah prabho tvam kukalevararpitam

tvan-mayayaham-mamatam adhoksaja

bhindyama yenasu vayam sudurbhidam

vidhehi yogam tvayi nah svabhavam iti

tat—therefore; nah—our; prabho—O my Lord; tvam—You; ku-kalevara-arpitam—invested in this bad body full of stool and urine; tvat-mayaya—by Your illusory energy; aham-mamatam—the conception of “I and my”; adhoksaja—O Transcendence; bhindyama—may give up; yena—by which; asu—very soon; vayam—we; sudurbhidam—which is very difficult to give up; vidhehi—please give; yogam—the mystic process; tvayi—unto You; nah—our; svabhavam—which is symptomized by a steady mind; iti—thus.

Therefore, O Lord, O Transcendence, kindly help us by giving us the power to execute bhakti-yoga so that we can control our restless minds and fix them upon You. We are all infected by Your illusory energy; therefore we are very attached to the body, which is full of stool and urine, and to anything related with the body. Except for devotional service, there is no way to give up this attachment. Therefore kindly bestow upon us this benediction.

bharate ’py asmin varse saric-chailah santi bahavo malayo mangala-prastho mainakas trikuta rsabhah kutakah kollakah sahyo devagirir rsyamukah sri-sailo venkato mahendro varidharo vindhyah suktiman rksagirih pariyatro dronas citrakuto govardhano raivatakah kakubho nilo gokamukha indrakilah kamagirir iti canye ca sata-sahasrasah sailas tesam nitamba-prabhava nada nadyas ca santy asankhyatah.

The Lord advises in Bhagavad-gita: man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. The perfect yoga system consists of always thinking of Krsna, always engaging in devotional service, always worshiping Krsna and always offering obeisances unto Him. Unless we practice this yoga system, our illusory attachment for this bad body, which is full of stool and urine, is impossible to give up. The perfection of yoga consists of giving up attachment for this body and bodily relationships and transferring that attachment to Krsna. We are very attached to material enjoyment, but when we transfer that same attachment to Krsna, we traverse the path of liberation. One has to practice this yoga system and none other.

SB5.19.16

TEXT 16

bharate—in the land of Bharata-varsa; api—also; asmin—in this; varse—tract of land; sarit—rivers; sailah—mountains; santi—there are; bahavah—many; malayah—Malaya; mangala-prasthah—Mangala-prastha; mainakah—Mainaka; tri-kutah—Trikuta; rsabhah—Rsabha; kutakah—Kutaka; kollakah—Kollaka; sahyah—Sahya; devagirih—Devagiri; rsya-mukah—Rsyamuka; sri-sailah—Sri-saila; venkatah—Venkata; mahendrah—Mahendra; vari-dharah—Varidhara; vindhyah—Vindhya; suktiman—Suktiman; rksa-girih—Rksagiri; pariyatrah—Pariyatra; dronah—Drona; citra-kutah—Citrakuta; govardhanah—Govardhana; raivatakah—Raivataka; kakubhah—Kakubha; nilah—Nila; gokamukhah—Gokamukha; indrakilah—Indrakila; kama-girih—Kamagiri; iti—thus; ca—and; anye—others; ca—also; sata-sahasrasah—many hundreds and thousands; sailah—mountains; tesam—of them; nitamba-prabhavah—born of the slopes; nadah—big rivers; nadyah—small rivers; ca—and; santi—there are; asankhyatah—innumerable.

In the tract of land known as Bharata-varsa, as in Ilavrta-varsa, there are many mountains and rivers. Some of the mountains are known as Malaya, Mangala-prastha, Mainaka, Trikuta, Rsabha, Kutaka, Kollaka, Sahya, Devagiri, Rsyamuka, Sri-saila, Venkata, Mahendra, Varidhara, Vindhya, Suktiman, Rksagiri, Pariyatra, Drona, Citrakuta, Govardhana, Raivataka, Kakubha, Nila, Gokamukha, Indrakila and Kamagiri. Besides these, there are many other hills, with many large and small rivers flowing from their slopes.

SB5.19.17-18

TEXTS 17–18

etasam apo bharatyah praja namabhir eva punantinam atmana copasprsanti; candravasa tamraparni avatoda krtamala vaihayasi kaveri veni payasvini sarkaravarta tungabhadra krsnavenya bhimarathi godavari nirvindhya payosni tapi reva surasa narmada carmanvati sindhur andhah sonas ca nadau mahanadi vedasmrtir rsikulya trisama kausiki mandakini yamuna sarasvati drsadvati gomati sarayu rodhasvati saptavati susoma satadrus candrabhaga marudvrdha vitasta asikni visveti maha-nadyah.

SYNONYMS

etasam—of all these; apah—water; bharatyah—of Bharata-varsa (India); prajah—the residents; namabhih—by the names; eva—only; punantinam—are purifying; atmana—by the mind; ca—also; upasprsanti—touch; candra-vasa—Candravasa; tamra-parni—Tamraparni; avatoda—Avatoda; krta-mala—Krtamala; vaihayasi—Vaihayasi; kaveri—Kaveri; veni—Veni; payasvini—Payasvini; sarkaravarta—Sarkaravarta; tunga-bhadra—Tungabhadra; krsna-venya—Krsnavenya; bhima-rathi—Bhimarathi; godavari—Godavari; nirvindhya—Nirvindhya; payosni—Payosni; tapi—Tapi; reva—Reva; surasa—Surasa; narmada—Narmada; carmanvati—Carmanvati; sindhuh—Sindhu; andhah—Andha; sonah—Sona; ca—and; nadau—two rivers; maha-nadi—Mahanadi; veda-smrtih—Vedasmrti; rsi-kulya—Rsikulya; tri-sama—Trisama; kausiki—Kausiki; mandakini—Mandakini; yamuna—Yamuna; sarasvati—Sarasvati; drsadvati—Drsadvati; gomati—Gomati; sarayu—Sarayu; rodhasvati—Rodhasvati; saptavati—Saptavati; susoma—Susoma; sata-druh—Satadru; candrabhaga—Candrabhaga; marudvrdha—Marudvrdha; vitasta—Vitasta; asikni—Asikni; visva—Visva; iti—thus; maha-nadyah—big rivers.

TRANSLATION

Two of the rivers—the Brahmaputra and the Sona—are called nadas, or main rivers. These are other great rivers that are very prominent: Candravasa, Tamraparni, Avatoda, Krtamala, Vaihayasi, Kaveri, Veni, Payasvini, Sarkaravarta, Tungabhadra, Krsnavenya, Bhimarathi, Godavari, Nirvindhya, Payosni, Tapi, Reva, Surasa, Narmada, Carmanvati, Mahanadi, Vedasmrti, Rsikulya, Trisama, Kausiki, Mandakini, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Drsadvati, Gomati, Sarayu, Rodhasvati, Saptavati, Susoma, Satadru, Candrabhaga, Marudvrdha, Vitasta, Asikni and Visva. The inhabitants of Bharata-varsa are purified because they always remember these rivers. Sometimes they chant the names of these rivers as mantras, and sometimes they go directly to the rivers to touch them and bathe in them. Thus the inhabitants of Bharata-varsa become purified.

PURPORT

All these rivers are transcendental. Therefore one can be purified by remembering them, touching them or bathing in them. This practice is still going on.

SB5.19.19

TEXT 19

asminn eva varse purusair labdha-janmabhih sukla-lohita-krsna-varnena svarabdhena karmana divya-manusa-naraka-gatayo bahvya atmana anupurvyena sarva hy eva sarvesam vidhiyante yatha-varna-vidhanam apavargas capi bhavati.

asmin eva varse—in this tract of land (Bharata-varsa); purusaih—by the people; labdha-janmabhih—who have taken birth; sukla—of the mode of goodness; lohita—of the mode of passion; krsna—of the mode of ignorance; varnena—according to the division; sva—by himself; arabdhena—begun; karmana—by activities; divya—divine; manusa—human; naraka—hellish; gatayah—goals; bahvyah—many; atmanah—of his own; anupurvyena—according to acts performed previously; sarvah—all; hi—certainly; eva—indeed; sarvesam—of all of them; vidhiyante—are allotted; yatha-varna-vidhanam—in terms of different castes; apavargah—the path of liberation; ca—and; api—also; bhavati—is possible.

The people who take birth in this tract of land are divided according to the qualities of material nature—the modes of goodness [sattva-guna], passion [rajo-guna], and ignorance [tamo-guna]. Some of them are born as exalted personalities, some are ordinary human beings, and some are extremely abominable, for in Bharata-varsa one takes birth exactly according to one’s past karma. If one’s position is ascertained by a bona fide spiritual master and one is properly trained to engage in the service of Lord Visnu according to the four social divisions [brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra] and the four spiritual divisions [brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa], one’s life becomes perfect.

For further information, one should refer to Bhagavad-gita (14.18 and 18.42–45). Srila Ramanujacarya writes in his book Vedanta-sangraha:

evam-vidha-parabhakti-svarupa-jnana-visesasyotpadakah purvoktaharahar upaciyamana-jnana-purvaka-karmanugrhita-bhakti-yoga eva; yathoktam bhagavata parasarena——varnasrameti. nikhila-jagad-uddharanayavanitale ’vatirnam para-brahma-bhutah purusottamah svayam etad uktavan——“svakarma-niratah siddhim yatha vindati tac chrnu” “yatah pravrttir bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam / svakarmana tam abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah”

Quoting from the Visnu Purana (389), the great sage Parasara Muni has recommended:

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Lord.” In the land of Bharata-varsa, the institution of varnasrama-dharma may be easily adopted. At the present moment, certain demoniac sections of the population of Bharatavarsa are disregarding the system of varnasrama-dharma. Because there is no institution to teach people how to become brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras or brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis, these demons want a classless society. This is resulting in chaotic conditions. In the name of secular government, unqualified people are taking the supreme governmental posts. No one is being trained to act according to the principles of varnasrama-dharma, and thus people are becoming increasingly degraded and are heading in the direction of animal life. The real aim of life is liberation, but unfortunately the opportunity for liberation is being denied to people in general, and therefore their human lives are being spoiled. The Krsna consciousness movement, however, is being propagated all over the world to reestablish the varnasrama-dharma system and thus save human society from gliding down to hellish life.

SB5.19.20

TEXT 20

yo ’sau bhagavati sarva-bhutatmany anatmye ’nirukte ’nilayane paramatmani vasudeve ’nanya-nimitta-bhakti-yoga-laksano nana-gati-nimittavidya-granthi-randhana-dvarena yada hi maha-purusa-purusa-prasangah.

yah—anyone who; asau—that; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarva-bhuta-atmani—the Supersoul of all living entities; anatmye—having no attachment; anirukte—who is beyond the mind and speech; anilayane—not dependent on anything else; parama-atmani—unto the Supreme Soul; vasudeve—Lord Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva; ananya—without any other; nimitta—cause; bhakti-yoga-laksanah—having symptoms of pure devotional service; nana-gati—of varied destinations; nimitta—the cause; avidya-granthi—the bondage of ignorance; randhana—of cutting; dvarena—by means; yada—when; hi—indeed; maha-purusa—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; purusa—with the devotee; prasangah—an intimate relationship.

After many, many births, when the results of one’s pious activities mature, one gets an opportunity to associate with pure devotees. Then one is able to cut the knot of bondage to ignorance, which bound him because of varied fruitive activities. As a result of associating with devotees, one gradually renders service to Lord Vasudeva, who is transcendental, free from attachment to the material world, beyond the mind and words, and independent of everything else. That bhakti-yoga, devotional service to Lord Vasudeva, is the real path of liberation.