Pearls of Wisdom - 55

Sankhya System Process (As explained by Lord Kapila): (Continued..)

Then with a heart filled with love and devotion, the devotee should think of the laughter of the Lord, which is extremely captivating. When the Lord laughs, His small teeth, which resemble jasmine buds, made rosy by the splendor of His lips, become visible. Once having devoted his mind to this vision, the devotee should no longer desire to see anything else.

(to be continued...)

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 54

Sankhya System Process (As explained by Lord Kapila): (Continued..)

The devotee should next meditate on the lotus-like face of the Lord. His nose is prominent, and the glittering of His alligator shaped earrings illuminates His crystal-clear cheeks. The Lord's beautiful face is adorned with curly black hair, and decorated by lotus petal eyes and dancing eyebrows.

Thereafter, the devotee should meditate, with full devotion, upon the compassionate glances that the Lord frequently casts, for they soothe the most fearful miseries of material life. Those glances,which are accompanied by smiles of love, are full of abundant mercy. The yogi should meditate upon the benevolent smile of the Lord for it dries up the ocean of tears that is caused by intense grief. He should also meditate upon the Lord's arched eyebrows, because they charm kamadeva, for the welfare of the sages.

(to be continued...)

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 53

Sankhya System Process (As explained by Lord Kapila): (Continued..)

The devotee should then contemplate Sudarshana Chakra, which has one thousand spokes and is dazzlingly effulgent. He can next concentrate his mind upon Lord's conch shell and the Kaumodaki club, which is smeared with the blood of demons. One should also meditate upon His garland, which is always surrounded by buzzing bumblebees, and the pearl necklace around His neck, which is considered to be the pure living entities that are always engaged in His service.

Srimad Bhagavatm - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 52

Sankhya System Process (As explained by Lord Kapila): (Continued..)

The devotee should thereafter meditate upon the Lord's moonlike navel, from which the entire universe has sprung. Next the yogi should concentrate his mind upon Lord's nipples, which resemble a pair of exquisite gems. Then he should concentrate upon the Lord's chest, which is abode of Mahalakshmi, and which is the source of all transcendental pleasure for the mind and eyes.

Thereafter, the devotee should fix his mind upon Lord's neck, which enhances the beauty of Kaustubha gem that hangs down to His chest. The yogi can then meditate upon the four arms of the Lord, which are the source for all the powers by which the devatas can control various functions of material nature. Next the yogi can contemplate the Lord's ornaments, which were polished by Mount mandara as it revolved during the churning of the milk ocean.

(to be continued...)

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 51

Sankhya System Process (As explained by Lord Kapila): (Continued..)
While fixing his mind upon the Lord's eternal form, the yogi should not see His body in entirety, but should view each limb separately. The devotee should first of all concentrate his mind upon the Lord's lotus feet, which are adorned with the marks of a thunderbolt, a goad, a banner and a lotus. The Lord's lotus feet with their splendorous ruby nails act like thunderbolts that shelter the mountain of sin stored in the mind of the meditating devotee. For this reason, one should concentrate his mind upon the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time.

The yogi should then meditate upon the activities of Lakshmidevi, the goddess of fortune, who is always very carefully massaging the Lord's legs. Next, the devotee should meditate upon Lord's thighs, which are the storehouse of all energies. Then, he should contemplate the Lord's rounded hips, which are enriched by a nice sash.

(To continue)

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 50

Sankhya system of philosophy (The Process as explained by Lord Kapila) : When the mind is perfectly purified by the practice of yoga, one should concentrate on the tip of his nose with half-closed eyes, and see the form of Supreme Personality of Godhead within. The Lord has a cheerful, lotus-like countenance, which is adorned with reddish eyes. He wears shining yellow cloth, on His chest is the curl of the white hair known as Srivatsa, and around His neck hangs the brilliant Kaustubha gem. Also around His neck is a garland of forest flowers, surrounded by humming bees, and He is further adorned with a pearl necklace, crown, and pair of armlets, bracelets and anklets. While standing upon the lotus of the devotee's heart, the Lord is most charming to look at, and His serene demeanor gladdens the eyes and souls of all those who are fortunate enough to behold Him. He is ever youthful, and always eager to bestow His blessings upon His devotees.

(To continue....)

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 49

Lord Kapila to mother Devahuti, "By association with pure devotees, one's ears and heart become completely satisfied while hearing krishna-katha. This higher taste enables one to gradually become attracted to Me in full faith and devotion. Due to this attraction, the devotee gains a distaste for mundane sense gratification, and by becoming fixed in devotional service, he can achieve My association in this very life."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 48

Lord Kapila to mother Devahuti, "Everyone knows that material attachment causes the greatest entanglement of the soul, but the same attachment, when applied to the pure devotees, opens the door to liberation. Such devotees are tolerant, merciful, and friendly toward all living entities.They have no enemies, they are peaceful, they abide by the regulations of shastra, and indeed, all of their characteristics are sublime."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 47

Lord Kapila to mother Devahuti, "O most pious mother, I shall now explain to you the ancient system of yoga that establishes the relationship between the individual soul and the Supreme Lord. When one's consciousness is attracted by the three modes of material nature, conditioned life begins. When that same consciousness becomes attached to the Supreme Lord, then one is liberated from the material entanglement. At this time, the soul can see himself to be transcendental to material existence, self-effulgent, and never fragmented, although very minute in size. By seeing everything in the right persepective, one becomes indifferent to material existence, and thus the influence of material nature acts less powerfully upon him.

This perfection of yoga can only be attained by the practice of devotional service to the Lord, and therefore, it is the only true auspicious path."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 46

Lord Vishnu to Kardama Muni, "My dear rishi, there is never a question of frustration for those persons who have given everything to serve Me with devotion."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 45

Kardama Muni to Lord Vishnu, "O most worshipful Lord, my power of vision has now served its purpose, for I am seeing You before me in Your eternal transcendental form. Your lotus feet are the true vessel by which one can cross over the ocean of mundane nescience and so only deluded persons will worship You for attaining momentary sense pleasure."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 44

Lord Vishnu to Kumaras, "For Me, the brahmanas are the most worshipable personalities, and so I am prepared to cut off My arm if its conduct proves to be hostile toward you. Because I am the servant of My devotees, My lotus feet have become so sacred that they immediately purify one of all sins. I do not enjoy the offerings that are made into the sacrificial fire with much relish as I enjoy the delicacies cooked in ghee that are offered to the mouths of the brahmanas who have dedicated their lives to Me."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Srimad Bhagavatam Analogy - 20

"Indeed, since these doorman are My servants, I consider Myself to be the one that has offended you and for this reason, I seek your forgiveness. Whatever wrong a servant commits causes people in general to blame the master, just as a single spot of white leprosy is considered to pollute the whole skin."

Lord Vishnu to Kumaras - Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 43

When the king of bees hums in a high pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, the cuckoos, cranes, chakravakas, swans, parrots and peacocks temporarily stop their singing to listen. Although flowers, such as the champaka, bakula, parijata and lotus are transcendentally fragrant, they are still conscious of tulasi's austerities, and of how the Lord prefers to garland Himself with her leaves. The ladies of Vaikuntha are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune, and yet they are sometimes seen cleaning the marble walls, just to receive the grace of the Supreme Lord, even though there is practically no dust.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 42

While flying in their airplanes, along with their consorts, the inhabitants of Vaikuntha eternally sing of the character and pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Although the consorts that crowd the airplanes have large hips and beautifully smiling faces, they cannot stimulate the passion of the residents of Vaikuntha. This means that there is the enjoyment of association with the opposite sex, but there is no sexual relationship, because everyone is fully absorbed in Krishna consciousness.

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 41

Kashyapa Muni to Diti, "O afflicted one, I shall soon gratify your desire. It is only due to having a good wife that a man like me can cross over the great ocean of material existence. Indeed, a wife is so helpful that she is called better half of a man's body. Just as a military commander can easily conquer invaders while remaining protected within a fort, so a man can easily conquer his senses by taking shelter of a good wife. For this reason, a man could never repay his wife for all the benefit that he derives from her, even if he were to try to do so during his entire lifetime, or even after death."

Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto - 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 40

Lord Brahma prays, "O object of my worship, I have been born from Your lotus navel for the purpose of creating the universe, by Your mercy. Therefore, please mercifully empower me with sufficient understanding so that I may properly fulfill my duty, for I am a soul surrendered to You. I also pray that while being engaged in Your service, I may not become materially affected by my work and thus fall prey to false ego, thinking myself to be the creator. During the course of my activities, I will certainly come in contact with many vicious living entities, and so I pray that I may not fall down from my position due to their association."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 39

Lord Brahma prays, "My Lord, persons who smell the aroma of Your lotus feet, carried by the air of Vedic sound through the holes of their ears, find that You are never separated from the lotus of their hearts. Your devotees can see You through the ears by the process of bonafide hearing, and thus their hearts become cleansed and You take Your seta there."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 38

Lord Brahma in his prayers to Lord Vishnu, "O my lord, after many many years of penance, I have come to know about You, who is the only knowable object, since there is nothing beyond You."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 37

Persons who are unaware of the value of transcendental topics are pitied by the pitiable. In other words, impersonalists who are pitied by the devotees, pity those who waste their valuable time in useless fruitive work.

Strimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

SB Analogy - 19

Uddhava to Vidura, "The sun of this world, Lord Krishna, has set and so what else can be said about welfare? The universe has been rendered unfortunate, and even more unfortunate were the Yadus, because they could not understand that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, any more than fish can identify the moon."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3

Pearls of Wisdom - 36

The Supreme Lord, "O Brahma, whatever appears to be of value, but has no connection with Me, should be understood as simply a manifestation of the illusory energy (maya), like a reflection that appears in darkness. Just as the material elements enter into every created entity, and yet exist beyond the cosmic manifestation - so I exist within everything, and yet, at the same time, I am outside of everything. A person who is searching for the truth must certainly go on inquiring unceasingly until he reaches this point of knowledge. Just follow this conclusion with fixed concentration, amd then pride will never be bale to disturb you."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 2

Pearls of Wisdom - 35

The Supreme Lord said, "O Brahma, knowledge of Me is very confidential and it is revealed only to one who is engaged in pure devotional service. Now, let the understanding of My transcendental form, qualities and pastimes awaken in your heart, by My mercy. It is only I who existed before the creation. All that is manifest is also I, and after the annihilation, only I, the Personality of Godhead will remain."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 2

Pearls of Wisdom - 34

Lord Vishnu, "O Brahma, I am very pleased by your long-accumulated penance, that was performed with the desire to create. I am the giver of benedictions , and so you may ask from Me whatever you desire. Still, you may know from Me, that the ultimate benediction is to see Me by dint of unalloyed devotional service."

Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 2

Pearls of Wisdom - 33

Lord Brahma, " O Narada, because I have caught hold of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, with great enthusiasm, whatever I say has never proved to be false. The progres of my mind has never been deterred, nor are my senses ever degradedby temperory attachment to matter."

SB Canto - 1

Pearls of Wisdom - 32

Narada inquires from Lord Brahma, "My dear father, whatever we see in this material manifestation appears to have come into being by your self-sufficient energies. Yet we are made to wonder about the existence of someone more powerful than yourself. because of seeing your great austerities and discipline."

Lord Brahma replied, "My dear son Narada, I create this cosmic manifestation after the Lord's creation by His personal effulgence, just as when the sun shines, then the moon, planets and twinkling stars also manifest their brightness. It is only due to ignorance about Lord Krishna that people consider me to be the spureme creator. It is only because of the inspiration of Lord Narayana that I am able to discover that which was already created by Him. In fact, I am also created by Him."

Canto - 1

Pearls of Wisdom - 31

Formula for success given by Shukadeva Goswami to Parikhsit Maharaja: A materialistic person could begin the spiritual life by meditating upon the universal form of the Lord. After becoming more elavted, one can meditate upon the Parmatma feature of the Lord, Who is situated within the heart. Then, ultimately, when the personal feature of the Lord is realized, one can begin to act on the platform of pure devotional service.

Canto - 1