Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Sixteen
Executing the Payo-vrata Process of Worship
SB8.16Summary
As described in this chapter, because Aditi, the mother of the demigods, was very afflicted, her husband, Kasyapa Muni, told her how to observe vows in austerities for the benefit of her sons.
Since the demigods were not visible in the heavenly kingdom, their mother, Aditi, because of separation from them, was very much aggrieved. One day after many, many years, the great sage Kasyapa emerged from a trance of meditation and returned to his asrama. He saw that the asrama was no longer beautiful and that his wife was very morose. Everywhere in the asrama, he saw signs of lamentation. The great sage therefore inquired from his wife about the well-being of the asrama and asked her why she looked so morose. After Aditi informed Kasyapa Muni about the asrama’s well-being, she told him that she was lamenting for the absence of her sons. She then requested him to tell her how her sons could return and reoccupy their positions. She wanted all good fortune for her sons. Moved by Aditi’s request, Kasyapa Muni instructed her in the philosophy of self-realization, the difference between matter and spirit, and how to be unaffected by material loss. But when he saw that Aditi was not satisfied even after he had given these instructions, he advised her to worship Vasudeva, Janardana. He assured her that only Lord Vasudeva could satisfy her and fulfill all her desires. When Aditi then expressed her desire to worship Lord Vasudeva, Prajapati Kasyapa told her about a process of worship known as payo-vrata, which is executed in twelve days. Lord Brahma had instructed him how to satisfy Lord Krsna by this process, and thus he advised his wife to observe this vow and its regulative principles. SB8.16.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca evam putresu nastesu deva-mataditis tada hrte tri-vistape daityaih paryatapyad anathavat SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam—in this way; putresu—when her sons; nastesu—disappearing from their position; deva-mata—the mother of the demigods; aditih—Aditi; tada—at that time; hrte—because of being lost; tri-vistape—the kingdom of heaven; daityaih—by the influence of the demons; paryatapyat—began to lament; anatha-vat—as if she had no protector. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King, when Aditi’s sons, the demigods, had thus disappeared from heaven and the demons had occupied their places, Aditi began lamenting, as if she had no protector. SB8.16.2 TEXT 2 ekada kasyapas tasya asramam bhagavan agat nirutsavam niranandam samadher viratas cirat SYNONYMS ekada—one day; kasyapah—the great sage Kasyapa Muni; tasyah—of Aditi; asramam—to the shelter; bhagavan—greatly powerful; agat—went; nirutsavam—without enthusiasm; niranandam—without jubilation; samadheh—his trance; viratah—stopping; cirat—after a long time. TRANSLATION After many, many days, the great powerful sage Kasyapa Muni arose from a trance of meditation and returned home to see the asrama of Aditi neither jubilant nor festive. SB8.16.3 TEXT 3 sa patnim dina-vadanam krtasana-parigrahah sabhajito yatha-nyayam idam aha kurudvaha SYNONYMS sah—Kasyapa Muni; patnim—unto his wife; dina-vadanam—having a dry face; krta-asana-parigrahah—after accepting a sitting place; sabhajitah—being honored by Aditi; yatha-nyayam—according to time and place; idam aha—spoke as follows; kuru-udvaha—O Maharaja Pariksit, the best of the Kurus. TRANSLATION O best of the Kurus, when Kasyapa Muni had been properly received and welcomed, he took his seat and then spoke as follows to his wife, Aditi, who was very morose. SB8.16.4 TEXT 4 apy abhadram na vipranam bhadre loke ’dhunagatam na dharmasya na lokasya mrtyos chandanuvartinah SYNONYMS api—whether; abhadram—ill fortune; na—not; vipranam—of the brahmanas; bhadre—O most gentle Aditi; loke—in this world; adhuna—at the present moment; agatam—has come; na—not; dharmasya—of religious principles; na—not; lokasya—of the people in general; mrtyoh—death; chanda-anuvartinah—who are followers of the whims of death. TRANSLATION O most gentle one, I wonder whether anything inauspicious has now taken place in regard to religious principles, the brahmanas or the people in general, who are subject to the whims of death. PURPORT There are prescribed duties for all the inhabitants of this material world, especially for the brahmanas but also for the people in general, who are subject to the whims of death. Kasyapa Muni wondered whether the regulative principles, which are meant for the well-being of everyone, had been disobeyed. He accordingly continued his inquiries for seven verses. SB8.16.5 TEXT 5 api vakusalam kincid grhesu grha-medhini dharmasyarthasya kamasya yatra yogo hy ayoginam SYNONYMS api—I am wondering; va—either; akusalam—inauspiciousness; kincit—some; grhesu—at home; grha-medhini—O my wife, who are attached to household life; dharmasya—of the principles of religion; arthasya—of the economic condition; kamasya—of satisfaction of desires; yatra—at home; yogah—the result of meditation; hi—indeed; ayoginam—even of those who are not transcendentalists. TRANSLATION O my wife, who are very much attached to household life, if the principles of religion, economic development and satisfaction of the senses are properly followed in household life, one’s activities are as good as those of a transcendentalist. I wonder whether there have been any discrepancies in following these principles. PURPORT In this verse, Aditi has been addressed by her husband, Kasyapa Muni, as grha-medhini, which means “one who is satisfied in household life for sense gratification.” Generally, those who are in household life pursue sense gratification in the field of activities performed for material results. Such grhamedhis have only one aim in life—sense gratification. Therefore it is said, yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham: [SB 7.9.45] the householder’s life is based on sense gratification, and therefore the happiness derived from it is very meager. Nonetheless, the Vedic process is so comprehensive that even in householder life one can adjust his activities according to the regulative principles of dharma, artha, kama and moksa. One’s aim should be to achieve liberation, but because one cannot at once give up sense gratification, in the sastras there are injunctions prescribing how to follow the principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification. As explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.9), dharmasya hy apavargyasya nartho ’rthayopakalpate: “All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation. They should never be performed for material gain.” Those who are in household life should not think that religion is meant to improve the process of the householder’s sense gratification. Household life is also meant for advancement in spiritual understanding, by which one can ultimately gain liberation from the material clutches. One should remain in household life with the aim of understanding the ultimate goal of life (tattva jijnasa). Then household life is as good as the life of a yogi. Kasyapa Muni therefore inquired from his wife whether the principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification were being properly followed in terms of the sastric injunctions. As soon as one deviates from the injunctions of the sastra, the purpose of household life is immediately lost in confusion. SB8.16.6 TEXT 6 api vatithayo ’bhyetya kutumbasaktaya tvaya grhad apujita yatah pratyutthanena va kvacit SYNONYMS api—whether; va—either; atithayah—guests who come without an invitation; abhyetya—coming to the home; kutumba-asaktaya—who were too attached to the family members; tvaya—by you; grhat—from the house; apujitah—without being properly welcomed; yatah—went away; pratyutthanena—by standing up; va—either; kvacit—sometimes. TRANSLATION I wonder whether because of being too attached to the members of your family, you failed to properly receive uninvited guests, who therefore were not welcomed and went away. PURPORT It is the duty of a householder to receive guests, even if a guest be an enemy. When a guest comes to one’s home, one should properly receive him by standing up and offering him a seat. It is enjoined, grhe satrum api praptam visvastam akutobhayam: if even an enemy comes to one’s home, one should receive him in such a way that the guest will forget that his host is an enemy. According to one’s position, one should properly receive anyone who comes to one’s home. At least a seat and a glass of water should be offered, so that the guest will not be displeased. Kasyapa Muni inquired from Aditi whether disrespect had been shown to such guests, or atithis. The word atithi refers to one who comes without an invitation. SB8.16.7 TEXT 7 grhesu yesv atithayo narcitah salilair api yadi niryanti te nunam pheruraja-grhopamah SYNONYMS grhesu—at home; yesu—which; atithayah—uninvited guests; na—not; arcitah—welcomed; salilaih api—even by offering a glass of water; yadi—if; niryanti—they go away; te—such household life; nunam—indeed; pheru-raja—of jackals; grha—the homes; upamah—like. TRANSLATION Homes from which guests go away without having been received even with an offering of a little water are like those holes in the field which are the homes of jackals. PURPORT In a field there may be holes made by snakes and mice, but when there are very big holes, it may be supposed that jackals live there. Certainly no one goes to take shelter in such homes. Thus the homes of human beings where atithis, uninvited guests, are not properly received are like the homes of jackals. SB8.16.8 TEXT 8 apy agnayas tu velayam na huta havisa sati tvayodvigna-dhiya bhadre prosite mayi karhicit SYNONYMS api—whether; agnayah—fires; tu—indeed; velayam—in the fire sacrifice; na—not; hutah—offered; havisa—by ghee; sati—O chaste woman; tvaya—by you; udvigna-dhiya—because of some anxiety; bhadre—O auspicious woman; prosite—was away from home; mayi—when I; karhicit—sometimes. TRANSLATION O chaste and auspicious woman, when I left home for other places, were you in so much anxiety that you did not offer oblations of ghee into the fire? SB8.16.9 TEXT 9 yat-pujaya kama-dughan yati lokan grhanvitah brahmano ’gnis ca vai visnoh sarva-devatmano mukham SYNONYMS yat-pujaya—by worshiping the fire and brahmanas; kama-dughan—which fulfill one’s desires; yati—one goes; lokan—to the destination of the higher planetary system; grha-anvitah—a person attached to household life; brahmanah—the brahmanas; agnih ca—and the fire; vai—indeed; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; sarva-deva-atmanah—the soul of all the demigods; mukham—the mouth. TRANSLATION By worshiping the fire and the brahmanas, a householder can achieve the desired goal of residing in the higher planets, for the sacrificial fire and the brahmanas are to be considered the mouth of Lord Visnu, who is the Supersoul of all the demigods. PURPORT According to the Vedic system, a fire sacrifice is held in order to offer oblations of ghee, grains, fruits, flowers and so on, so that Lord Visnu may eat and be satisfied. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.26): patram puspam phalam toyam “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” Therefore, all these items may be offered in the sacrificial fire, and Lord Visnu will be satisfied. Similarly, brahmana-bhojana, feeding of the brahmanas, is also recommended, for when the brahmanas eat sumptuous remnants of food after yajna, this is another way that Lord Visnu Himself eats. Therefore the Vedic principles recommend that in every festival or ceremony one offer oblations to the fire and give sumptuous food for the brahmanas to eat. By such activities, a householder may be elevated to the heavenly planets and similar places in the higher planetary systems. SB8.16.10 TEXT 10 api sarve kusalinas tava putra manasvini laksaye ’svastham atmanam bhavatya laksanair aham SYNONYMS api—whether; sarve—all; kusalinah—in full auspiciousness; tava—your; putrah—sons; manasvini—O great-minded lady; laksaye—I see; asvastham—not in tranquillity; atmanam—the mind; bhavatyah—of you; laksanaih—by symptoms; aham—I. TRANSLATION O great-minded lady, are all your sons faring well? Seeing your withered face, I can perceive that your mind is not tranquil. How is this so? SB8.16.11 TEXT 11 sri-aditir uvaca bhadram dvija-gavam brahman dharmasyasya janasya ca tri-vargasya param ksetram grhamedhin grha ime SYNONYMS sri-aditih uvaca—Srimati Aditi said; bhadram—all auspiciousness; dvija-gavam—of the brahmanas and the cows; brahman—O brahmana; dharmasya asya—of the religious principles mentioned in sastra; janasya—of the people in general; ca—and; tri-vargasya—of the three processes of elevation (dharma, artha and kama); param—the supreme; ksetram—field; grhamedhin—O my husband, who are attached to household life; grhah—your home; ime—all these things. TRANSLATION Aditi said: O my respected brahmana husband, all is well with the brahmanas, the cows, religion and the welfare of other people. O master of the house, the three principles of dharma, artha and kama flourish in household life, which is consequently full of good fortune. PURPORT In household life one can develop the three principles of religion, economic development and sense gratification according to the regulations given in the sastras, but to attain liberation one must give up household life and place himself in the transcendental renounced order. Kasyapa Muni was not in the renounced order of life. Therefore he is addressed here once as brahman and another time as grhamedhin. Aditi, his wife, assured him that as far as household life was concerned, everything was going nicely, and the brahmanas and cows were being honored and protected. In other words, there were no disturbances; household life was duly progressing. SB8.16.12 TEXT 12 agnayo ’tithayo bhrtya bhiksavo ye ca lipsavah sarvam bhagavato brahmann anudhyanan na risyati SYNONYMS agnayah—worshiping the fires; atithayah—receiving the guests; bhrtyah—satisfying the servants; bhiksavah—pleasing the beggars; ye—all of them who; ca—and; lipsavah—as they desire (are taken care of); sarvam—all of them; bhagavatah—of you, my lord; brahman—O brahmana; anudhyanat—from always thinking; na risyati—nothing is missed (everything is properly done). TRANSLATION O beloved husband, the fires, guests, servants and beggars are all being properly cared for by me. Because I always think of you, there is no possibility that any of the religious principles will be neglected. SB8.16.13 TEXT 13 ko nu me bhagavan kamo na sampadyeta manasah yasya bhavan prajadhyaksa evam dharman prabhasate SYNONYMS kah—what; nu—indeed; me—my; bhagavan—O lord; kamah—desire; na—not; sampadyeta—can be fulfilled; manasah—within my mind; yasyah—of me; bhavan—your good self; praja-adhyaksah—Prajapati; evam—thus; dharman—religious principles; prabhasate—talks. TRANSLATION O my lord, since you are a Prajapati and are personally my instructor in the principles of religion, where is the possibility that all my desires will not be fulfilled? SB8.16.14 TEXT 14 tavaiva marica manah-sarirajah praja imah sattva-rajas-tamo-jusah samo bhavams tasv asuradisu prabho tathapi bhaktam bhajate mahesvarah SYNONYMS tava—your; eva—indeed; marica—O son of Marici; manah-sarira-jah—born either of your body or of your mind (all the demons and demigods); prajah—born of you; imah—all of them; sattva-rajah-tamah-jusah—infected with sattva-guna, rajo-guna or tamo-guna; samah—equal; bhavan—your good self; tasu—to every one of them; asura-adisu—beginning with the asuras; prabho—O my lord; tatha api—still; bhaktam—unto the devotees; bhajate—takes care of; maha-isvarah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller. TRANSLATION O son of Marici, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and demigods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities—sattva-guna, rajo-guna or tamo-guna. But although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gita (9.29) the Lord says: samo ’ham sarva-bhutesu Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equal toward everyone, He is especially inclined toward those who engage in His devotional service. The Lord says, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: “My dear son of Kunti, please declare that My devotee will never be vanquished.” Elsewhere, Krsna also says: ye yatha mam prapadyante (Bg. 4.11) Actually, everyone is trying to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead in various ways, but according to their methods of approach, the Supreme Lord endows them with different benedictions. Thus Aditi appealed to her husband by saying that since even the supreme controller favors His devotees and since Indra, Kasyapa’s devoted son, was in difficulty, Kasyapa should bestow his favor upon Indra. SB8.16.15 TEXT 15 tasmad isa bhajantya me sreyas cintaya suvrata hrta-sriyo hrta-sthanan sapatnaih pahi nah prabho SYNONYMS tasmat—therefore; isa—O powerful controller; bhajantyah—of your servitor; me—me; sreyah—auspiciousness; cintaya—just consider; su-vrata—O most gentle one; hrta-sriyah—bereft of all opulence; hrta-sthanan—bereft of a residence; sapatnaih—by the competitors; pahi—please protect; nah—us; prabho—O my lord. TRANSLATION Therefore, most gentle lord, kindly favor your maidservant. We have now been deprived of our opulence and residence by our competitors, the demons. Kindly give us protection. PURPORT Aditi, the mother of the demigods, appealed to Kasyapa Muni to give the demigods protection. When we speak of the demigods, this also includes their mother. SB8.16.16 TEXT 16 parair vivasita saham magna vyasana-sagare aisvaryam srir yasah sthanam hrtani prabalair mama SYNONYMS paraih—by our enemies; vivasita—taken away from our residential quarters; sa—the same; aham—I; magna—drowned; vyasana-sagare—in an ocean of trouble; aisvaryam—opulence; srih—beauty; yasah—reputation; sthanam—place; hrtani—all taken away; prabalaih—very powerful; mama—my. TRANSLATION The demons, our formidably powerful enemies, have taken away our opulence, our beauty, our fame and even our residence. Indeed, we have now been exiled, and we are drowning in an ocean of trouble. SB8.16.17 TEXT 17 yatha tani punah sadho prapadyeran mamatmajah tatha vidhehi kalyanam dhiya kalyana-krttama SYNONYMS yatha—as; tani—all of our lost things; punah—again; sadho—O great saintly person; prapadyeran—can regain; mama—my; atmajah—offspring (sons); tatha—so; vidhehi—kindly do; kalyanam—auspiciousness; dhiya—by consideration; kalyana-krt-tama—O you who are the best person to act for our welfare. TRANSLATION O best of sages, best of all those who grant auspicious benedictions, please consider our situation and bestow upon my sons the benedictions by which they can regain what they have lost. SB8.16.18 TEXT 18 sri-suka uvaca evam abhyarthito ’ditya kas tam aha smayann iva aho maya-balam visnoh sneha-baddham idam jagat SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; evam—in this way; abhyarthitah—being requested; aditya—by Aditi; kah—Kasyapa Muni; tam—unto her; aha—said; smayan—smiling; iva—just like; aho—alas; maya-balam—the influence of the illusory energy; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; sneha-baddham—influenced by this affection; idam—this; jagat—whole world. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami continued: When Kasyapa Muni was thus requested by Aditi, he slightly smiled. “Alas,” he said, “how powerful is the illusory energy of Lord Visnu, by which the entire world is bound by affection for children!” PURPORT Kasyapa Muni was surely sympathetic to his wife’s affliction, yet he was surprised at how the whole world is influenced by affection. SB8.16.19 TEXT 19 kva deho bhautiko ’natma kva catma prakrteh parah kasya ke pati-putradya moha eva hi karanam SYNONYMS kva—where is; dehah—this material body; bhautikah—made of five elements; anatma—not the spirit soul; kva—where is; ca—also; atma—the spirit soul; prakrteh—to the material world; parah—transcendental; kasya—of whom; ke—who is; pati—husband; putra-adyah—or son and so on; mohah—illusion; eva—indeed; hi—certainly; karanam—cause. TRANSLATION Kasyapa Muni continued: What is this material body, made of five elements? It is different from the spirit soul. Indeed, the spirit soul is completely different from the material elements from which the body is made. But because of bodily attachment, one is regarded as a husband or son. These illusory relationships are caused by misunderstanding. PURPORT The spirit soul (atma or jiva) is certainly different from the body, which is a combination of five material elements. This is a simple fact, but it is not understood unless one is spiritually educated. Kasyapa Muni met his wife, Aditi, in the heavenly planets, but the same misconception extends throughout the entire universe and is also here on earth. There are different grades of living entities, but all of them are more or less under the impression of the bodily conception of life. In other words, all living entities in this material world are more or less devoid of spiritual education. The Vedic civilization, however, is based on spiritual education, and spiritual education is the special basis on which Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Arjuna. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, Krsna instructed Arjuna to understand that the spirit soul is different from the body. dehino ’smin yatha dehe “As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Bg. 2.13) Unfortunately, this spiritual education is completely absent from modern human civilization. No one understands his real self-interest, which lies with the spirit soul, not with the material body. Education means spiritual education. To work hard in the bodily conception of life, without spiritual education, is to live like an animal. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye (Bhag. 5.5.1). People are working so hard simply for bodily comforts, without education regarding the spirit soul. Thus they are living in a very risky civilization, for it is a fact that the spirit soul has to transmigrate from one body to another (tatha dehantara-praptih). Without spiritual education, people are kept in dark ignorance and do not know what will happen to them after the annihilation of the present body. They are working blindly, and blind leaders are directing them. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanas te ’pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah (Bhag. 7.5.31). A foolish person does not know that he is completely under the bondage of material nature and that after death material nature will impose upon him a certain type of body, which he will have to accept. He does not know that although in his present body he may be a very important man, he may next get the body of an animal or tree because of his ignorant activities in the modes of material nature. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is trying to give the true light of spiritual existence to all living entities. This movement is not very difficult to understand, and people must take advantage of it, for it will save them from the risky life of irresponsibility. SB8.16.20 TEXT 20 upatisthasva purusam bhagavantam janardanam sarva-bhuta-guha-vasam vasudevam jagad-gurum SYNONYMS upatisthasva—just try to worship; purusam—the Supreme Person; bhagavantam—the Personality of Godhead; janardanam—who can kill all the enemies; sarva-bhuta-guha-vasam—living within the core of the heart of everyone; vasudevam—Vasudeva, Krsna, who is all-pervading and is the son of Vasudeva; jagat-gurum—the spiritual master and teacher of the whole world. TRANSLATION My dear Aditi, engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of everything, who can subdue everyone’s enemies, and who sits within everyone’s heart. Only that Supreme Person—Krsna, or Vasudeva—can bestow all auspicious benedictions upon everyone, for He is the spiritual master of the universe. PURPORT With these words, Kasyapa Muni tried to pacify his wife. Aditi made her appeal to her material husband. Of course, that is nice, but actually a material relative cannot do anything good for anyone. If anything good can be done, it is done by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Therefore, Kasyapa Muni advised his wife, Aditi, to begin worshiping Lord Vasudeva, who is situated in everyone’s heart. He is the friend of everyone and is known as Janardana because He can kill all enemies. There are three modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—and above material nature, transcendental to material nature, is another existence, which is called suddha-sattva. In the material world, the mode of goodness is considered the best, but because of material contamination, even the mode of goodness is sometimes overpowered by the modes of passion and ignorance. But when one transcends the competition between these modes and engages himself in devotional service, he rises above the three modes of material nature. In that transcendental position, one is situated in pure consciousness. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam (Bhag. 4.3.23). Above material nature is the position called vasudeva, or freedom from material contamination. Only in that position can one perceive the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Thus the vasudeva condition fulfills a spiritual necessity. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. When one realizes Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes most exalted. Paramatma (Vasudeva) is situated in everyone’s heart, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita. The Lord says: tesam satata-yuktanam “To those who are constantly devoted and who worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Bg. 10.10) isvarah sarva-bhutanam “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.” (Bg. 18.61) bhoktaram yajna-tapasam “The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.” (Bg. 5.29) Whenever one is perplexed, let him take shelter of the lotus feet of Vasudeva, Krsna, who will give the devotee intelligence to help him surpass all difficulties and return home, back to Godhead. Kasyapa Muni advised his wife to seek shelter at the lotus feet of Vasudeva, Krsna, so that all her problems would be very easily solved. Thus Kasyapa Muni was an ideal spiritual master. He was not so foolish that he would present himself as an exalted personality, as good as God. He was actually a bona fide guru because he advised his wife to seek shelter at the lotus feet of Vasudeva. One who trains his subordinate or disciple to worship Vasudeva is the truly bona fide spiritual master. The word jagad-gurum is very important in this regard. Kasyapa Muni did not falsely declare himself to be jagad-guru, although he actually was jagad-guru because he advocated the cause of Vasudeva. Actually, Vasudeva is jagad-guru, as clearly stated here (vasudevam jagad-gurum). One who teaches the instructions of Vasudeva, Bhagavad-gita, is as good as vasudevam jagad-gurum. But when one who does not teach this instruction—as it is—declares himself jagad-guru, he simply cheats the public. Krsna is jagad-guru, and one who teaches the instruction of Krsna as it is, on behalf of Krsna, may be accepted as jagad-guru. One who manufactures his own theories cannot be accepted; he becomes jagad-guru falsely.
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah
na me dvesyo ’sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati