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| Reservations | Contents |
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29. Bhakti-yogaUddhava said: Dear Acyuta, I fear that the method of yoga described by you is very difficult for one who cannot control his mind. Therefore please explain to me in simple terms how someone can more easily execute it. (29.1) Lotus-eyed Lord, generally those yogis who try to steady the mind experience frustration because of their inability to perfect the state of trance. Thus they weary in their attempt to bring the mind under control. (29.2) Therefore, lotus-eyed Lord of the universe, swanlike men happily take shelter of your lotus feet, the source of all transcendental ecstasy. But those who take pride in their accomplishments in yoga and karma fail to take shelter of you and are defeated by your illusory energy. (29.3) Dear infallible Lord, it is not very astonishing that you intimately approach your servants who have taken exclusive shelter of you. After all, during your appearance as Ramacandra, even while great gods like Brahma were vying to place the effulgent tips of their helmets on the cushion where your lotus feet rested, you displayed special affection for monkeys such as Hanuman because they had taken exclusive shelter of you. (29.4) Who, then, could dare reject you, the very Soul, the most dear object of worship, and the Supreme Lord of all – you who give all possible perfections to the devotees who take shelter of you? Who could be so ungrateful, knowing the benefits you bestow? Who would reject you and accept something for the sake of material enjoyment, which simply leads to forgetfulness of you? And what lack is there for us who are engaged in the service of the dust of your lotus feet? (29.5) Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to you, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma, for you appear in two features – externally as the acarya and internally as the Supersoul – to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to you. (29.6) Sukadeva said: Thus questioned by the most affectionate Uddhava, Krishna, the supreme controller of all controllers, who takes the entire universe as his plaything and assumes the three forms of Brahma, Visnu and Shiva, began to reply, lovingly displaying his all-attractive smile. (29.7) The Lord said: Yes, I shall describe to you the principles of devotion to me, by executing which a mortal human being will conquer unconquerable death. (29.8) Always remembering me, one should perform all his duties for me without becoming impetuous. With mind and intelligence offered to me, one should fix his mind in attraction to my devotional service. (29.9) One should take shelter of holy places where my saintly devotees reside, and one should be guided by the exemplary activities of my devotees, who appear among the gods, demons and human beings. (29.10) Either alone or in public gatherings, with singing, dancing and other exhibitions of royal opulence, one should arrange to celebrate those holy days, ceremonies and festivals set aside specially for my worship. (29.11) With a pure heart one should see me, the Supreme Soul within all beings and also within oneself, to be both unblemished by anything material and also present everywhere, both externally and internally, just like the omnipresent sky. (29.12) Brilliant Uddhava, one who thus views all living entities with the idea that I am present within each of them, and who by taking shelter of this divine knowledge offers due respect to everyone, is considered actually wise. Such a man sees equally the Brahmin and the outcaste, the thief and the charitable promoter of brahminical culture, the sun and the tiny sparks of fire, the gentle and the cruel. (29.13-14) For him who constantly meditates on my presence within all persons, the bad tendencies of rivalry, envy and abusiveness, along with false ego, are very quickly destroyed. (29.15) Disregarding the ridicule of one's companions, one should give up the bodily conception and its accompanying embarrassment. One should offer obeisances before all – even the dogs, outcastes, cows and asses – falling flat on the ground like a rod. (29.16) Until one has fully developed the ability to see me within all living beings, one must continue to worship me by this process with the activities of his speech, mind and body. (29.17)
By such transcendental knowledge of the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, one is able to see
the Absolute Truth everywhere. Freed thus from all doubts, one gives up fruitive activities. (29.18]
Indeed, I consider this process – using one's mind, words and bodily functions for realizing me
within all living beings – to be the best possible method of spiritual enlightenment. (29.19]
Dear Uddhava, because I have personally established it, this process of devotional service unto me
is transcendental and free from any material motivation. Certainly a devotee never suffers even the
slightest loss by adopting this process. (29.20)
Uddhava, greatest of saints, in a dangerous situation an ordinary person cries, becomes fearful and
laments, although such useless emotions do not change the situation. But activities offered to me
without personal motivation, even if they are externally useless, amount to the actual process of
religion. (29.21)
This process is the supreme intelligence of the intelligent and the cleverness of the most clever, for
by following it one can in this very life make use of the temporary and unreal to achieve me, the
eternal reality. (29.22)
Thus have I related to you – both in brief and in detail – a complete survey of the
science of the Absolute Truth. Even for the gods, this science is very difficult to comprehend.
(29.23)
I have repeatedly spoken this knowledge to you with clear reasoning. Anyone who properly
understands it will become free from all doubts and attain liberation. (29.24)
Anyone who fixes his attention on these clear answers to your questions will attain to the eternal,
confidential goal of the Vedas – the Supreme Absolute Truth. (29.25)
One who liberally disseminates this knowledge among my devotees is the bestower of the Absolute
Truth, and to him I give my very own self. (29.26)
He who loudly recites this supreme knowledge, which is the most lucid and purifying, becomes
purified day by day, for he reveals me to others with the lamp of transcendental knowledge.
(29.27)
Anyone who regularly listens to this knowledge with faith and attention, all the while engaging in my
pure devotional service, will never become bound by the reactions of material work. (29.28)
Dear friend Uddhava, have you now completely understood this transcendental knowledge? Are the
confusion and lamentation that arose in your mind now dispelled? (29.29)
You should not share this instruction with anyone who is hypocritical, atheistic or dishonest, or with
anyone who will not listen faithfully, who is not a devotee, or who is simply not humble. (29.30)
This knowledge should be taught to one who is free from these bad qualities, who is dedicated to
the welfare of the Brahmins, and who is kindly disposed, saintly and pure. And if common workers
and women are found to have devotion for the Supreme Lord, they are also to be accepted as
qualified hearers. (29.31)
When an inquisitive person comes to understand this knowledge, he has nothing further to know.
After all, one who has drunk the most palatable nectar cannot remain thirsty. (29.32)
Through analytic knowledge, ritualistic work, mystic yoga, mundane business and political rule,
people seek to advance in religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation. But
because you are my devotee, whatever men can accomplish in these multifarious ways you will very
easily find within me. (29.33)
A person who gives up all fruitive activities and offers himself entirely unto me, eagerly desiring to
render service unto me, achieves liberation from birth and death and is promoted to the status of
sharing my own opulences. (29.34)
Sukadeva said: Hearing these words spoken by Krishna, and having thus been shown the entire path
of yoga, Uddhava folded his hands to offer obeisances. But his throat choked up with love and his
eyes overflowed with tears; so he could say nothing. (29.35)
Steadying his mind, which had become overwhelmed with love, Uddhava felt extremely grateful to
Krishna, the greatest hero of the Yadu dynasty. Dear King Pariksit, Uddhava bowed down to touch
the Lord's lotus feet with his head and then spoke with folded hands. (29.36)
Uddhava said: Unborn, primeval Lord, although I had fallen into the great darkness of illusion, my
ignorance has now been dispelled by your merciful association. Indeed, how can cold, darkness and
fear exert their power over one who has approached the brilliant sun? (29.37)
In return for my insignificant surrender, you have mercifully bestowed on me, your servant, the
torchlight of transcendental knowledge. Therefore, what devotee of yours who has any gratitude
could ever give up your lotus feet and take shelter of another master? (29.38)
The firmly binding rope of my affection for the families of the Dasarhas, Vrsnis, Andhakas and
Satvatas – a rope you originally cast over me by your illusory energy for the purpose of
developing your creation – is now cut off by the weapon of transcendental knowledge of the
self. (29.39)
Obeisances to you, greatest of yogis. Please instruct me, who am surrendered unto you, how I
may have undeviating attachment to your lotus feet. (29.40)
The Lord said: Dear Uddhava, take my order and go to my asrama called Badarika. Purify yourself by
both touching and also bathing in the holy waters there, which have emanated from my lotus feet.
Rid yourself of all sinful reactions with the sight of the sacred Alakananda River. Dress yourself in
bark and eat whatever is naturally available in the forest. Thus you should remain content and free
from desire, tolerant of all dualities, good-natured, self-controlled, peaceful and endowed with
transcendental knowledge and realization. With fixed attention, meditate constantly on these
instructions I have imparted to you and assimilate their essence. Fix your words and thoughts on
me, and always endeavour to increase your realization of my transcendental qualities. In this way
you will cross beyond the destinations of the three modes of nature and finally come back to me.
(29.41-44)
Sukadeva said: Thus addressed by Krishna, whose intelligence destroys all the suffering of material
life, Uddhava circumambulated the Lord and then fell down, placing his head on the Lord's feet.
Although Uddhava was free from the influence of all material dualities, his heart was breaking, and
at this time of departure he drenched the Lord's lotus feet with his tears. (29.45)
Greatly fearing separation from him for whom he felt such indestructible affection, Uddhava was
distraught, and he could not give up the Lord's company. Finally, feeling great pain, he bowed down
to the Lord again and again, placed the slippers of his master on his head, and departed. (29.46]
Thereupon, placing the Lord deeply within his heart, the great devotee Uddhava went to
Badarikasrama. By engaging there in austerities, he attained to the Lord's personal abode, which
had been described to him by the only friend of the universe, Krishna Himself. (29.47)
Thus Krishna, whose lotus feet are served by all great yoga masters, spoke to his devotee this
nectarean knowledge, which comprises the entire ocean of spiritual bliss. Anyone within this
universe who receives this narration with great faith is assured of liberation. (29.48)
I offer my obeisances to that Lord, the original and greatest of all beings, Krishna. He is the author
of the Vedas, and just to destroy his devotees' fear of material existence, like a bee he has collected
this nectarean essence of all knowledge and self-realization. Thus he has awarded to his many
devotees this nectar from the ocean of bliss, and by his mercy they have drunk it. (29.49)
Uddhava left for Badarikashrama, and Krishna advised his clan, the Yadavas, to abandon
Dvaraka and go the Prabhasa on the bank of the Sarasvati river and engage in counteracting bad
fortune. They took his advice, but when they came to Prabhasa, they became absorbed in festivity
and got intoxicated. In such states they quarreled among themselves and began killing one another,
till not one man was left alive.
Then Bala, Krishna's brother, gave up his body by yoga. Seeing it, Krishna sat down
silently. Right then a hunter named Jara, mistook the sole of his left foot for a deer, and shot it with
an arrow. Krishna told the repentent hunter that what he had done was actually according to his
own desire.
Krishna's charioteer came to where Krishna was sitting and began to lament. Krishna told
him to go to Dvaraka and tell the residents that the Yadu dynasty was annihilated, and advise them
all to leave Dvaraka for Indraprastha. And the charioteer did as he was told.
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