"Pure Devotional Service: The Change of Heart"

Skandham-2.

 

 

Chapter-3. 

 

Slokam- 1 to 25. 

 

 

Pure Devotional Service: The Change in Heart

 

 

(1) S'rî S'ukadeva said: 'For the intelligent among men, I have given you all the answers in response to the inquiring of your good self about the human being on the threshold of death. (2-7) The ones who desire for the luster of the absolute worship the master of the Vedas; Indra, the King of Heaven is for the ones desiring strength of the senses [sex] and the Prajâpatis [the strong progenitors] are for those who desire offspring. The goddess [Durgâ] is for those desiring after the beauty of the material world, the firegod for the ones desiring power, for wealth there are the Vasus [a type of demigod] and the incarnations of Rudra [Lord S'iva] are for those wishing for strength and heroism. For a good harvest the mother of the demigods Aditi is worshiped, desiring heaven one worships her sons, for those desiring royal riches there are the Vis'vadeva demigods and for a commercial success there are the Sâdhya gods. The As'vinîs [two brother demigods] are for the desire for longevity, for a strong body the earth is worshiped and those who want to maintain their position and be renown respect their environment up to the horizon. Aspiring beauty there are the heavenly Gandharvas, those who want a good wife seek the girls of the heavenly society [the Apsaras and Urvas'îs] and everybody who wants to dominate over others is bound to the worship of Brahmâ, the head of the Universe. Yajña, the Lord of Sacrifice is worshiped for tangible fame and for a good bank balance Varuna the treasurer is sought. But those who desire to learn worship S'iva himself while for a good marriage his chaste wife Umâ is honored.

 

 

 

(8) Thus for spiritual progress the supreme truth [Lord Vishnu and His devotees] is worshiped, for offspring and their protection one seeks the ancestral [the residents of Pitriloka], pious persons are sought by those seeking protection while the demigods in general are for the less common desires. (9) The godly Manus [the fathers of mankind] are for those desiring a kingdom, but the demons are sought for defeating enemies. The ones desiring sense gratification are bound to the moon [Candra], while those who are free from desire worship the Supreme Personality beyond. (10) Whether free from desire, full of it or desiring liberation, the person with a broader intelligence should with all his heart worship in devotional service [bhakti-yoga] the Original Personality of God, the Supreme Whole. (11) All these types of worshipers surely develop, worshiping the highest benediction in this life, unflinching spontaneous attraction to the Supreme Lord through the association with His pure devotees. (12) The knowledge leading to the limit of the complete withdrawal from the whirlpool of the material modes, gives the satisfaction of the soul, which to the transcendence in detachment of these modes, carries the blessings of the path of bhakti yoga. Who, absorbed in the narrations about the Lord would not act on this attraction?"

 

 

 

(13) S'aunaka said: "What did the king, the ruler of Bharata, after hearing all this, want to know more from the son of Vyâsadeva, the poetic wise? (14) O learned Sûta, explain to us, who are eager to hear about it, these topics that lead to the narrations about the Lord that certainly are welcome in the assembly of the devotees. (15) He, the king, was no doubt a great devotee, that grandson of the Pândavas; a great fighter who playing with dolls as a child enacted the activities of Lord Krishna. (16) And so was it also bound to be with the son of Vyâsadeva, there in the presence of the devotees, because of his great qualities in his attachment to the Supreme Lord Vâsudeva who is glorified by the philosophers. (17) The rising and setting of the sun is sure to decrease [in vain] the duration of people's lives, except with the one who spends his time on the topics about the One of the Supreme Scriptural Truth. (18) Aren't the trees alive, do the blacksmith's bellows not breathe and do the beasts all around not eat and procreate? (19) A person is, just like a dog, a hog, an ass or a camel, as good as an animal if the holy name of the deliverer of all evils never reached his ear. (20) The ears of a man who never heard of Vishnu, the One of giant progress, are like those of snakes and the tongues also of those who never sung aloud the songs of worth are just as useless as those of frogs. (21) Even carrying a heavy silk turban, is the upper part of the body just a burden, never bowing down to Mukunda [Krishna granting liberation]; just like hands that are not engaged in the worship of the Lord are as those of a dead body, even though decorated with glittering golden bangles. (22) Like the eyes on the plumes of a peacock are the eyes of those men who do not look upon the forms of Vishnu and like the roots of trees are the feet of those human beings who never went for the holy places of the Lord. (23) Dead alive are the mortals who never in particular received the dust of the feet of pure devotees and, while breathing, is a descendant of Manu [a man] but a dead body when he has never experienced the wealth of the aroma of tulsî-leaves of Lord Vishnu's lotus feet. (24) Certainly is that heart steel-framed which, in spite of being absorbed in chanting the name of the Lord, does not change is not transformed with the emotional of having tears in the eyes and hairs standing on end therewith. (25) Therefore please explain, 0 Sûta Gosvâmî, as you are speaking words favorable to the pure devotee, what transcendental knowledge the expertly leading S'ukadeva Gosvâmî being questioned conveyed to the truth seeking king."