Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Chapter Six
The Activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva
SB5.6Summary
This chapter tells how Lord Ṛṣabhadeva left His body. He was not attached to His body even when it was being burned up in a forest fire. When the seed of fruitive activity is burned by the fire of knowledge, the spiritual properties and mystic powers are automatically manifest, yet bhakti-yoga is not affected by these mystic powers. An ordinary yogī is captivated by mystic powers and his progress checked; therefore a perfect yogī does not welcome them. Because the mind is restless and undependable, it must remain always under control. Even the mind of the advanced yogī Saubhari created such a disturbance that he lost his yogic mystic powers. Due to a restless mind, even a very advanced yogī can fall down. The mind is so restless that it induces even a perfect yogī to be controlled by the senses. Therefore Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, for the instruction of all yogīs, showed the process of quitting the body. While traveling in South India, through the provinces of Karṇāṭa, Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva arrived in the neighborhood of Kuṭakācala. Suddenly there was a forest fire that burned the forest and Lord Ṛṣabhadeva’s body to ashes. The pastimes of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva as a liberated soul were known by the King of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka. This King’s name was Arhat. He later became captivated by the illusory energy, and in this condition he set forth the basic principles of Jainism. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva set forth the principles of religion that can free one from material bondage, and He put an end to all kinds of atheistic activities. On this earth, the place known as Bhārata-varṣa was a very pious land because the Supreme Lord appeared there when He wanted to incarnate. SB5.6.1 TEXT 1 rājovāca na nūnaṁ bhagava ātmārāmāṇāṁ yoga-samīrita-jñānāvabharjita-karma-bījānām aiśvaryāṇi punaḥ kleśadāni bhavitum arhanti yadṛc-chayopagatāni. SYNONYMS rājā uvāca—King Parīkṣit inquired; na—not; nūnam—indeed; bhagavaḥ—O most powerful Śukadeva Gosvāmī; ātmārāmāṇām—of pure devotees simply engaged in devotional service; yoga-samīrita—achieved by practice of yoga; jñāna—by knowledge; avabharjita—burned; karma-bījānām—of those whose seeds of fruitive activities; aiśvaryāṇi—the mystic powers; punaḥ—again; kleśadāni—sources of distress; bhavitum—to become; arhanti—are able; yadṛcchayā—automatically; upagatāni—achieved.
TRANSLATION King Parīkṣit asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear Lord, for those who are completely pure in heart, knowledge is attained by the practice of bhakti-yoga, and attachment for fruitive activity is completely burned to ashes. For such people, the powers of mystic yoga automatically arise. They do not cause distress. Why, then, did Ṛṣabhadeva neglect them? PURPORT A pure devotee is constantly engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever is necessary for the discharge of devotional service is automatically attained, though it may appear to be the result of mystic yoga power. Sometimes a yogī displays a little yogic power by manufacturing gold. A little quantity of gold captivates foolish people, and thus the yogī gets many followers, who are willing to accept such a tiny person as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a yogī may also advertise himself as Bhagavān. However, a devotee does not have to exhibit such magical wonders. Without practicing the mystic yogic process, he achieves even greater opulence all over the world. Under the circumstances, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva refused to manifest mystic yogic perfections, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked why He did not accept them, since, for a devotee, they are not at all disturbing. A devotee is never distressed or satisfied by material opulence. His concern is how to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If, by the grace of the Supreme Lord, a devotee achieves extraordinary opulence, he utilizes the opportunity for the Lord’s service. He is not disturbed by the opulence.
SB5.6.2 TEXT 2 ṛṣir uvāca satyam uktaṁ kintv iha vā eke na manaso ’ddhā viśrambham anavasthānasya śaṭha-kirāta iva saṅgacchante. SYNONYMS ṛṣiḥ uvāca—Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; satyam—the correct thing; uktam—have said; kintu—but; iha—in this material world; vā—either; eke—some; na—not; manasaḥ—of the mind; addhā—directly; viśrambham—faithful; anavasthānasya—being unsteady; śaṭha—very cunning; kirātaḥ—a hunter; iva—like; saṅgacchante—become.
TRANSLATION Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: My dear King, you have spoken correctly. However, after capturing animals, a cunning hunter does not put faith in them, for they might run away. Similarly, those who are advanced in spiritual life do not put faith in the mind. Indeed, they always remain vigilant and watch the mind’s action. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gītā (18.5) Lord Kṛṣṇa says:
yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma “Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up but should be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls.”
Even one who has renounced the world and has taken sannyāsa should not renounce chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Renunciation does not mean that one has to renounce saṅkīrtana-yajña. Similarly, one should not renounce charity or tapasya. The yoga system for control of the mind and senses must be strictly followed. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva showed how severe types of tapasya could be performed, and He set an example for all others.
SB5.6.3 TEXT 3 tathā coktam—— na kuryāt karhicit sakhyaṁ manasi hy anavasthite yad-viśrambhāc cirāc cīrṇaṁ caskanda tapa aiśvaram SYNONYMS tathā—so; ca—and; uktam—it is said; na—never; kuryāt—should do; karhicit—at any time or with anyone; sakhyam—friendship; manasi—in the mind; hi—certainly; anavasthite—which is very restless; yat—in which; viśrambhāt—from placing too much faith; cirāt—for a long time; cīrṇam—practiced; caskanda—became disturbed; tapaḥ—the austerity; aiśvaram—of great personalities like Lord Śiva and the great sage Saubhari.
TRANSLATION All the learned scholars have given their opinion. The mind is by nature very restless, and one should not make friends with it. If we place full confidence in the mind, it may cheat us at any moment. Even Lord Śiva became agitated upon seeing the Mohinī form of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Saubhari Muni also fell down from the mature stage of yogic perfection. PURPORT The first business of one trying to advance in spiritual life is to control the mind and senses. As Śrī Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.7):
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke Although the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and are therefore in a transcendental position, they are still suffering in this material world and struggling for existence due to the mind and the senses. To get out of this false struggle for existence and become happy in the material world, one has to control the mind and senses and be detached from material conditions. One should never neglect austerities and penances; one should always perform them. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva personally showed us how to do this. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (9.19.17) it is specifically stated:
mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā A gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī and brahmacārī should be very careful when associating with women. One is forbidden to sit down in a solitary place even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement it has been very difficult to disassociate ourselves from women in our society, especially in Western countries. We are therefore sometimes criticized, but nonetheless we are trying to give everyone a chance to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and thus advance spiritually. If we stick to the principle of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly, then, by the grace of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura, we may be saved from the allurement of women. However, if we are not very strict in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, we may at any time fall victim to women.
SB5.6.4 TEXT 4 nityaṁ dadāti kāmasya cchidraṁ tam anu ye ’rayaḥ yoginaḥ kṛta-maitrasya patyur jāyeva puṁścalī SYNONYMS nityam—always; dadāti—gives; kāmasya—of lust; chidram—facility; tam—that (lust); anu—following; ye—those; arayaḥ—enemies; yoginaḥ—of the yogīs or persons trying to advance in spiritual life; kṛta-maitrasya—having put faith in the mind; patyuḥ—of the husband; jāyā iva—like the wife; puṁścalī—who is unchaste or easily carried away by other men.
TRANSLATION An unchaste woman is very easily carried away by paramours, and it sometimes happens that her husband is violently killed by her paramours. If the yogī gives his mind a chance and does not restrain it, his mind will give facility to enemies like lust, anger and greed, and they will doubtlessly kill the yogī. PURPORT In this verse the word puṁścalī refers to a woman who is easily carried away by men. Such a woman is never to be trusted. Unfortunately, in the present age, women are never controlled. According to the directions of the śāstras, women are never to be given freedom. When a child, a woman must be strictly controlled by her father. When she is young, she must be strictly controlled by her husband, and when she is old, she must be controlled by her elderly sons. If she is given independence and allowed to mingle unrestrictedly with men, she will be spoiled. A spoiled woman, being manipulated by paramours, might even kill her husband. This example is given here because a yogī desiring to get free from material conditions must always keep his mind under control. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to say that in the morning our first business should be to beat the mind with shoes a hundred times. and, before going to bed, to beat the mind a hundred times with a broomstick. In this way one’s mind can be kept under control. An uncontrolled mind and an unchaste wife are the same. An unchaste wife can kill her husband at any time, and an uncontrolled mind, followed by lust, anger, greed, madness, envy and illusion, can certainly kill the yogī. When the yogī is controlled by the mind, he falls down into the material condition. One should be very careful of the mind, just as a husband should be careful of an unchaste wife.
SB5.6.5 TEXT 5 kāmo manyur mado lobhaḥ śoka-moha-bhayādayaḥ karma-bandhaś ca yan-mūlaḥ svīkuryāt ko nu tad budhaḥ SYNONYMS kāmaḥ—lust; manyuḥ—anger; madaḥ—pride; lobhaḥ—greed; śoka—lamentation; moha—illusion; bhaya—fear; ādayaḥ—all these together; karma-bandhaḥ—bondage to fruitive activities; ca—and; yat-mūlaḥ—the origin of which; svīkuryāt—would accept; kaḥ—who; nu—indeed; tat—that mind; budhaḥ—if one is learned.
TRANSLATION The mind is the root cause of lust, anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear. Combined, these constitute bondage to fruitive activity. What learned man would put faith in the mind? PURPORT The mind is the original cause of material bondage. It is followed by many enemies, such as anger, pride, greed, lamentation, illusion and fear. The best way to control the mind is to engage it always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness (sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ). Since the followers of the mind bring about material bondage, we should be very careful not to trust the mind.
SB5.6.6 TEXT 6 athaivam akhila-loka-pāla-lalāmo ’pi vilakṣaṇair jaḍavad avadhūta-veṣa-bhāṣā-caritair avilakṣita-bhagavat-prabhāvo yogināṁ sāmparāya-vidhim anuśikṣayan sva-kalevaraṁ jihāsur ātmany ātmānam asaṁvyavahitam anarthāntara-bhāvenānvīkṣamāṇa uparatānuvṛttir upararāma. SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; evam—in this way; akhila-loka-pāla-lalāmaḥ—the head of all kings and monarchs of the universe; api—although; vilakṣaṇaiḥ—various; jaḍa-vat—as if stupid; avadhūta-veṣa-bhāṣā-caritaiḥ—by the dress, language and characteristics of an avadhūta; avilakṣita-bhagavat-prabhāvaḥ—hiding the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (keeping Himself like an ordinary human being); yoginām—of the yogīs; sāmparāya-vidhim—the method of giving up this material body; anuśikṣayan—teaching; sva-kalevaram—His own personal body, which is not at all material; jihāsuḥ—desiring to give up like an ordinary human being; ātmani—unto Vāsudeva, the original person; ātmānam—Himself, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, being an āveśa-avatāra of Lord Viṣṇu; asaṁvyavahitam—without intervention by the illusory energy; anartha-antara-bhāvena—Himself in the status of Viṣṇu; anvīkṣamāṇaḥ—always seeing; uparata-anuvṛttiḥ—who was acting as if giving up His material body; upararāma—ceased His pastimes as the King of this planet.
TRANSLATION Lord Ṛṣabhadeva was the head of all kings and emperors within this universe, but assuming the dress and language of an avadhūta, He acted as if dull and materially bound. Consequently no one could observe His divine opulence. He adopted this behavior just to teach yogīs how to give up the body. Nonetheless, He maintained His original position as a plenary expansion of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Remaining always in that state, He gave up His pastimes as Lord Ṛṣabhadeva within the material world. If, following in the footsteps of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, one can give up his subtle body, there is no chance that one will accept a material body again. PURPORT As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam “One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.”
This is possible simply by keeping oneself an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord. One must understand his constitutional position and the constitutional position of the Supreme Lord as well. Both have the same spiritual identity. Maintaining oneself as a servant of the Supreme Lord, one should avoid rebirth in this material world. If one keeps himself spiritually fit and thinks of himself as an eternal servant of the Supreme Lord, he will be successful at the time he has to give up the material body.
SB5.6.7 TEXT 7 tasya ha vā evaṁ mukta-liṅgasya bhagavata ṛṣabhasya yogamāyā-vāsanayā deha imāṁ jagatīm abhimānābhāsena saṅkramamāṇaḥ koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakān dakṣiṇa-karṇāṭakān deśān yadṛcchayopagataḥ kuṭakācalopavana āsya kṛtāśma-kavala unmāda iva mukta-mūrdhajo ’saṁvīta eva vicacāra. SYNONYMS tasya—of Him (Lord Ṛṣabhadeva); ha vā—as it were; evam—thus; mukta-liṅgasya—who had no identification with the gross and subtle body; bhagavataḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ṛṣabhasya—of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva; yoga-māyā-vāsanayā—by the accomplishment of yogamāyā for the purpose of the Lord’s pastimes; dehaḥ—body; imām—this; jagatīm—earth; abhimāna-ābhāsena—with the apparent conception of having a body of material elements; saṅkramamāṇaḥ—traveling; koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakān—Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka; dakṣiṇa—in South India; karṇāṭakān—in the province of Karṇāṭa; deśān—all the countries; yadṛcchayā—of His own accord; upagataḥ—reached; kuṭakācala-upavane—a forest near Kuṭakācala; āsya—within the mouth; kṛta-aśma-kavalaḥ—having put a mouthful of stone; unmādaḥ iva—just like a madman; mukta-mūrdhajaḥ—having scattered hair; asaṁvītaḥ—naked; eva—just; vicacāra—traveled.
TRANSLATION Actually Lord Ṛṣabhadeva had no material body, but due to yogamāyā, He considered His body material, and therefore, because He played like an ordinary human being, He gave up the mentality of identifying with it. Following this principle, He began to wander all over the world. While traveling, He came to the province of Karṇāṭa in South India and passed through Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka. He had no plan to travel this way, but He arrived near Kuṭakācala and entered a forest there. He placed stones within His mouth and began to wander through the forest, naked and with His hair disheveled like a madman. SB5.6.8 TEXT 8 atha samīra-vega-vidhūta-veṇu-vikarṣaṇa-jātogra-dāvānalas tad vanam ālelihānaḥ saha tena dadāha. SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; samīra-vega—by the force of the wind; vidhūta—tossed about; veṇu—of bamboos; vikarṣaṇa—by the rubbing; jāta—produced; ugra—fierce; dāva-analaḥ—a forest fire; tat—that; vanam—forest near Kuṭakācala; ālelihānaḥ—devouring all around; saha—with; tena—that body; dadāha—burned to ashes.
TRANSLATION While He was wandering about, a wild forest fire began. This fire was caused by the friction of bamboos, which were being blown by the wind. In that fire, the entire forest near Kuṭakācala and the body of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva were burnt to ashes. PURPORT Such a forest fire can burn the external bodies of animals, but Lord Ṛṣabhadeva was not burned, although He apparently seemed so. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva is the Supersoul of all living entities within the forest, and His soul is never burned by fire. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, adāhyo ’yam—the soul is never burned by fire. Due to Lord Ṛṣabhadeva’s presence, all the animals in the forest were also liberated from material encagement.
SB5.6.9 TEXT 9 yasya kilānucaritam upākarṇya koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakānāṁ rājārhan-nāmopaśikṣya kalāv adharma utkṛṣyamāṇe bhavitavyena vimohitaḥ sva-dharma-patham akuto-bhayam apahāya kupatha-pākhaṇḍam asamañjasaṁ nija-manīṣayā mandaḥ sampravartayiṣyate. SYNONYMS yasya—of whom (Lord Ṛṣabhadeva); kila anucaritam—pastimes as a paramahaṁsa, above all regulative varṇāśrama principles; upākarṇya—hearing; koṅka-veṅka-kuṭakānām—of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka; rājā—the King; arhat-nāma—whose name was Arhat (now known as the Jain); upaśikṣya—imitating the activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva in His paramahaṁsa feature; kalau—in this age of Kali; adharme utkṛṣyamāṇe—because of increasing irreligious life; bhavitavyena—by that which was about to happen; vimohitaḥ—bewildered; sva-dharma-patham—the path of religion; akutaḥ-bhayam—which is free from all kinds of fearful danger; apahāya—giving up (such practices as cleanliness, truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, simplicity, the principles of religion, and practical application of knowledge); ku-patha-pākhaṇḍam—the wrong path of atheism; asamañjasam—improper or against the Vedic literature; nija-manīṣayā—by his own fertile brain; mandaḥ—most foolish; sampravartayiṣyate—will introduce.
TRANSLATION Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued speaking to Mahārāja Parīkṣit: My dear King, the King of Koṅka, Veṅka and Kuṭaka whose name was Arhat, heard of the activities of Ṛṣabhadeva and, imitating Ṛṣabhadeva’s principles, introduced a new system of religion. Taking advantage of Kali-yuga, the age of sinful activity, King Arhat, being bewildered, gave up the Vedic principles, which are free from risk, and concocted a new system of religion opposed to the Vedas. That was the beginning of the Jain dharma. Many other so-called religions followed this atheistic system. PURPORT When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, a person named Pauṇḍraka imitated the four-handed Nārāyaṇa and declared himself the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He desired to compete with Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, during the time of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, the King of Koṅka and Veṅka acted like a paramahaṁsa and imitated Lord Ṛṣabhadeva. He introduced a system of religion and took advantage of the fallen condition of the people in this age of Kali. It is said in Vedic literatures that people in this age will be more inclined to accept anyone as the Supreme Lord and accept any religious system opposed to Vedic principles. The people in this age are described as mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Generally they have no spiritual culture, and therefore they are very fallen. Due to this, they will accept any religious system. Due to their misfortune. they forget the Vedic principles. Following non-Vedic principles in this age, they think themselves the Supreme Lord and thus spread the cult of atheism all over the world.
SB5.6.10 TEXT 10 yena ha vāva kalau manujāpasadā deva-māyā-mohitāḥ sva-vidhi-niyoga-śauca-cāritra-vihīnā deva-helanāny apavratāni nija-nijecchayā gṛhṇānā asnānānācamanāśauca-keśolluñcanādīni kalinādharma-bahulenopahata-dhiyo brahma-brāhmaṇa-yajña-puruṣa-loka-vidūṣakāḥ prāyeṇa bhaviṣyanti. SYNONYMS yena—by which pseudo religious system; ha vāva—certainly; kalau—in this age of Kali; manuja-apasadāḥ—the most condemned men; deva-māyā-mohitāḥ—bewildered by the external energy, or illusory energy, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sva-vidhi-niyoga-śauca-cāritra-vihīnāḥ—without character, cleanliness, and the rules and regulations given according to one’s own duty in life; deva-helanāni—negligent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; apavratāni—impious vows; nija-nija-icchayā—by their own desires; gṛhṇānāḥ—accepting; asnāna-anācamana-aśauca-keśa-ulluñcana-ādīni—concocted religious principles such as no bathing, no washing of the mouth, being unclean and plucking out the hair; kalinā—by the age of Kali; adharma-bahulena—with an abundance of irreligion; upahata-dhiyaḥ—whose pure consciousness is destroyed; brahma-brāhmaṇa-yajña-puruṣa-loka-vidūṣakāḥ—blasphemous toward the Vedas, the strict brāhmaṇas, ritualistic ceremonies such as sacrifice, and toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees; prāyeṇa—almost entirely; bhaviṣyanti—will become.
TRANSLATION People who are lowest among men and bewildered by the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord will give up the original varṇāśrama-dharma and its rules and regulations. They will abandon bathing three times daily and worshiping the Lord. Abandoning cleanliness and neglecting the Supreme Lord, they will accept nonsensical principles. Not regularly bathing or washing their mouths regularly, they will always remain unclean, and they will pluck out their hair. Following a concocted religion, they will flourish. During this age of Kali, people are more inclined to irreligious systems. Consequently these people will naturally deride Vedic authority, the followers of Vedic authority, the brāhmaṇas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the devotees. PURPORT Presently the hippies in the Western countries fit this description. They are irresponsible and unregulated. They do not bathe, and they deride standard Vedic knowledge. They concoct new life-styles and religions. There are many hippie groups at the present moment, but they all originated from King Arhat, who imitated the activities of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, who was situated on the paramahaṁsa stage. King Arhat did not care for the fact that although Lord Ṛṣabhadeva acted like a madman, His stool and urine were nonetheless aromatic, so much so that they nicely scented the countryside for miles around. The followers of King Arhat went under the name Jains, and they were later followed by many others, particularly by the hippies, who are more or less offshoots of Māyāvāda philosophy because they think themselves the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such people do not respect the real followers of Vedic principles, the ideal brāhmaṇas. Nor do they have respect for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Brahman. Due to the influence of this age of Kali, they are apt to concoct false religious systems.
SB5.6.11 TEXT 11 te ca hy arvāktanayā nija-loka-yātrayāndha-paramparayāśvastās tamasy andhe svayam eva prapatiṣyanti. SYNONYMS te—those people not following the Vedic principles; ca—and; hi—certainly; arvāktanayā—deviating from the eternal principles of Vedic religion; nija-loka-yātrayā—by a practice arrived at by their own mental concoction; andha-paramparayā—by a disciplic succession of blind. ignorant people; āśvastāḥ—being encouraged; tamasi—into the darkness of ignorance; andhe—blindness; svayam eva—themselves; prapatiṣyanti—will fall down.
TRANSLATION Low-class people, due to their gross ignorance, introduce a system of religion that deviates from the Vedic principles. Following their own mental concoctions, they automatically fall down into the darkest regions of existence. PURPORT In this connection, one may see Bhagavad-gītā, Chapter Sixteen. where there is a description of the downfall of the asuras (16.16 and 16.23).
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Lord Ṛṣabhadeva neglected all the mystic powers for which the so-called yogīs hanker. Because of the beauty of devotional service, devotees are not at all interested in so-called mystic power. The master of all yogic power, Lord Kṛṣṇa, can exhibit all powers on behalf of His devotee. Devotional service is more valuable than yogic mystic powers. Devotees who are sometimes misled aspire for liberation and mystic powers. The Supreme Lord gives these devotees whatever they desire, but they cannot attain the most important function of devotional service. Devotional service to the Lord is guaranteed for those who do not desire liberation and mystic power.
na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat
yajño dānaṁ tapaś caiva
pāvanāni manīṣiṇām
jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ
manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
prakṛti-sthāni karṣati
nāviviktāsano bhavet
balavān indriya-grāmo
vidvāṁsam api karṣati
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna