Lord Kṛṣṇa Explains the Yoga System to Śrī Uddhava

In order to clearly establish the exalted position of bhakti-yoga, or pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Śrī Uddhava requests Lord Kṛṣṇa to identify the supreme among all processes of self-realization. Not all Vedic processes lead directly to the ultimate goal, pure love of God; some only gradually elevate the consciousness of the living entity. For the purpose of giving a general outline of the process of self-realization, sages may discuss the various methods of elevation. But when the time comes to ascertain the most perfect process, the secondary methods must be cleared from the path.

It is now clearly established that pure devotional service is the supreme process for fixing the mind in the Supreme Truth, Lord Kṛṣṇa. The next point to be clarified is this: Can everyone practice this process, or is it limited to an elite class of transcendentalists? In discussing the relative advantages of different spiritual processes, one must immediately ascertain the goal of spiritual life and then isolate the process that actually awards this goal. Processes must be defined in terms of primary and secondary functions. A method that gives one the highest perfection is primary, whereas processes that merely assist or enhance the primary function are considered secondary. The mind is most flickering and unsteady; therefore by clear intelligence one must fix oneself in a progressive mode of life, and thus one can achieve the Absolute Truth in this lifetime. This is the sober purpose of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s conversation with Śrī Uddhava.

Lord Kṛṣṇa explains to Uddhava that although many processes and concepts of spiritual realization are described in the Vedas, the Vedas ultimately recommend devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure, and His devotees directly enter into the Lord’s hlādinī, or pleasure-giving, potency. Somehow or other one must fix one’s mind in Lord Kṛṣṇa, and that is not possible without devotional service. One who has not developed his attraction to Lord Kṛṣṇa cannot restrain the senses from inferior engagements. Since other Vedic processes do not actually award Lord Kṛṣṇa to the practitioner, they cannot offer the highest benefit in life. The transcendental sound of the Vedas is itself the highest evidence, but one whose senses and mind are entangled in sense gratification and mental speculation, and whose heart is therefore covered by material dust, cannot directly receive the transcendental Vedic message. Thus one cannot appreciate the exalted position of devotional service to the Lord.

Everyone engages in a certain way of life based on one’s own nature and propensities. Bhakti-yoga is the natural activity of one whose nature is completely purified by association with the Supreme Lord. Other processes are meant for those whose nature is still affected by the material modes, and thus such processes, along with their results, are themselves also materially contaminated. Devotional service to the Lord, however, is a pure spiritual process, and by executing it with a pure consciousness one comes directly in touch with the Personality of Godhead, who describes Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (9.2) as pavitram idam uttamam, the supreme pure. The system of paramparā, or disciplic succession, is illustrated in this and the previous verse. The spiritual masters in Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement are part of such a disciplic succession, and through them the same Vedic knowledge spoken by Brahmā to Manu is still available.

If one is curious why Vedic literatures recommend so many different methods of worship and advancement, the answer is given here. Bhṛgu, Marīci, Atri, Aṅgirā, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu are the seven great brāhmaṇa sages and forefathers of this universe. The Kindevas are a race of human beings who are, like the demigods, completely free from fatigue, sweat and body odor. Seeing them, one may thus ask, kiṁ devāḥ: “Are they demigods?” Actually, they are human beings living on another planet within the universe. The Kinnaras are so called because they are kiñcin narāḥ, or “a little like human beings.” The Kinnaras have either a human head or human body (but not both) combined with a nonhuman form. The Kimpuruṣas are so called because they resemble human beings and thus prompt the question kiṁ puruṣāḥ: “Are these human beings?” Actually, they are a race of monkeys who are almost like human beings.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains that this verse describes the varieties of forgetfulness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The different Vedic mantras and rituals are especially meant for the different species of intelligent beings throughout the universe; but this proliferation of Vedic formulas indicates only the variety of material illusion and not a variety of ultimate purpose. The ultimate purpose of the many Vedic injunctions is one — to know and love the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord Himself is emphatically explaining this to Śrī Uddhava.

The word keṣāñcit refers to those persons in various parts of the world who are ignorant of the Vedic conclusion and thus concoct many unauthorized and ultimately fruitless philosophies of life. Pāṣaṇḍa-matayaḥ refers to those who directly oppose the Vedic conclusion. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has given a most interesting example, as follows. The water of the Ganges is always pure and very sweet. On the banks of that great river, however, there are several types of poisonous trees whose roots drink up the Ganges water from the soil and use it to produce poisonous fruits. Similarly, those who are atheistic or demoniac utilize their association with Vedic knowledge to produce the poisonous fruits of atheistic or materialistic philosophy.

Unlike the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the individual living entity is not omniscient, therefore his activities and pleasures do not represent the whole truth. According to one’s individual way of doing things (yathā-karma) and one’s personal preference (yathā-ruci), one speaks to others about what is good for them. Everyone thinks, “What is good for me is good for everyone.” Actually, the best thing for everyone is to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and thus realize one’s eternal nature of bliss and knowledge. Without knowledge of the Absolute Truth, many so-called learned people are whimsically advising other whimsical people who also lack perfect knowledge of the actual goal of life.

Dharmam eke refers to those atheistic philosophers called karma-mīmāṁsakas, who state that one should not waste time worrying about a kingdom of God that no one has ever seen and from which no one has ever returned; rather, one should expertly utilize the laws of karma, performing fruitive activities in such a way that one will always be well situated. Concerning fame, it is said that as long as the fame of a human being is sung in the pious planets, he may live for thousands of years in material heaven. Kāmam refers to Vedic texts like the Kāma-sūtra as well as millions of modern books that advise one about sex pleasure. Some people state that the highest virtue in life is honesty; others say it is self-control, peace of mind and so on. Each viewpoint has proponents and “scriptures.” Others say that law, order and morality are the highest good, whereas still others propose political influence as the real self-interest of human beings. Some state that one should give away one’s material possessions to the needy; others state that one should try to enjoy this life as far as possible; and others recommend daily rituals, disciplinary vows, penances, and so on.

Those who have grasped temporary material things, mistaking them to be ultimate reality, are not considered very intelligent by anyone except themselves. Such foolish persons are always in anxiety because by the laws of nature the very fruits of their work are constantly being transformed in ways neither desired nor expected. The performer of Vedic rituals can elevate himself to heavenly planets, whereas one who is atheistic has the privilege of transferring himself to hell. The entire panorama of material existence is actually uninteresting and dull (mandāḥ). One can make no real progress within the material world; therefore one should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and prepare oneself to go back home, back to Godhead.

The actual purport of Vedic knowledge is explained in this verse. The word viṣayātmanām includes those who are cultivating material peace of mind, self-control and speculative philosophy. But even if such persons rise to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, they do not attain perfection, because sattva-guṇa, being material, is also part and parcel of māyā, or illusion. As stated by Śrī Nārada Muni:

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not inclined to award Himself even to one who executes the yoga system, speculative philosophy, the renounced order of life or Vedic studies. Indeed, no so-called materially auspicious process can induce the Lord to reveal Himself.” (Bhāg. 4.31.12) According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, one enjoys the happiness spoken of in this verse while associating, in one’s own spiritual body, with the supreme transcendental form of the Lord. The Lord’s transcendental form is filled with infinite, wonderful qualities, and the happiness of being with the Lord is unlimited. Unfortunately, materialistic people cannot possibly imagine such happiness, since they are not at all inclined to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

A devotee who is always meditating upon Lord Kṛṣṇa experiences transcendental sound, touch, form, flavor and aroma in the pastimes of the Lord. These sublime perceptions are certainly due to the causeless mercy of Lord Kṛṣṇa upon one whose mind and senses are completely satisfied in Him. Such a person finds only happiness wherever he goes. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives the example that when a very wealthy man travels all over the world, at every place he stays he always enjoys the same luxurious standard of comfort. Similarly, one who has developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness is never separated from happiness, because Lord Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. The word kiñcana indicates the so-called enjoyable things of this world. One who is akiñcana has correctly understood that material sense gratification is simply the glare of illusion, and therefore such a person is dāntasya, or self-controlled, śāntasya, or peaceful, and mayā santuṣṭa-manasaḥ, or completely satisfied with his transcendental experience of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The position of the akiñcana pure devotee is described in this verse. Śrī Priyavrata Mahārāja is an example of a great devotee who was not interested in universal sovereignty because his love was completely absorbed in the lotus feet of the Lord. Even the greatest material enjoyment appears most insignificant and useless to a pure devotee of the Lord.

The Lord has described in the previous verses the unalloyed love of His pure devotees for Him, and now the Lord describes His love for His devotees. Ātma-yoni means Lord Brahmā, who is born directly from the Lord’s body. Lord Śiva always gives great pleasure to Lord Kṛṣṇa by his constant meditation upon Him, and Saṅkarṣaṇa, or Balarāma, is the Lord’s brother in kṛṣṇa-līlā. The goddess of fortune is the Lord’s wife, and the word ātmā here indicates the Lord’s own self as the Deity. None of these personalities — even the Lord’s own self — are as dear to Him as His pure devotee Uddhava, an akiñcana devotee of the Lord. Śrīla Madhvācārya cites from Vedic literature the example that a gentleman sometimes neglects his own interest and that of his children to give charity to a poor beggar. Similarly, the Lord gives preference to a helpless devotee who depends completely on His mercy. The only way to obtain the Lord’s mercy is through His causeless love, and the Lord is most lovingly inclined toward those devotees who are most dependent on Him, just as ordinary mothers and fathers worry more about their helpless children than about those who are self-sufficient. Thus even if one lacks any material qualification, one should simply depend upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without any other interest, and surely one will achieve the highest perfection of life.

Just as the devotees always follow the footsteps of Lord Kṛṣṇa, similarly Lord Kṛṣṇa, being a devotee of His devotees, follows the footsteps of His devotees. A pure servitor of the Lord is always meditating on the pastimes of the Lord and considering how to assist the Lord in His mission. All the material universes are situated in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s body, as demonstrated to Arjuna, mother Yaśodā and others. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore there is no question of impurity in the Lord. Still, the Lord desires to purify the universes situated within Him by taking the dust of the lotus feet of His pure devotees. Without the dust of the lotus feet of the devotees, it is not possible to engage in pure devotional service, without which one cannot directly experience transcendental bliss. Lord Kṛṣṇa thought, “I have established this strict rule that one can enjoy My transcendental bliss only through devotional service obtained from the dust of the lotus feet of My devotees. Since I also desire to experience My own bliss, I will observe the standard procedure and accept the dust of My devotees’ feet.” Śrīla Madhvācārya points out that Lord Kṛṣṇa follows the footsteps of His devotees in order to purify them. As the Lord walks along behind His pure devotees, the wind blows the dust of the Lord’s feet in the front of His devotees, who then become purified by contact with such transcendental dust. One should not foolishly look for material logic in these transcendental pastimes of the Lord. It is simply a question of love between the Lord and His devotees.

The pure devotees always experience transcendental bliss in their service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of pleasure; thus they are completely detached from material pleasure and do not desire even liberation. Since all others have some personal desire, they cannot experience such happiness. Pure devotees always desire to give Kṛṣṇa conscious happiness to all others, and therefore they are called mahāntaḥ, or great souls. In the course of a devotee’s service, many opportunities for sense gratification arise, but a pure devotee is not tempted or attracted and does not fall down from his exalted transcendental position.

Abhibhūyate indicates falling down into the material world and being defeated by māyā. But even though one’s senses are not fully conquered, one who has unflinching devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa does not run the risk of being separated from Him. The words pragalbhayā bhaktyā indicate a person who has great devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa, and not one who desires to commit sinful activities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa to avoid the reaction. Because of previous bad habits and immaturity, even a sincere devotee may be harassed by lingering attraction to the bodily concept of life; but his unflinching devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa will act. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives the following two examples. A great warrior may be struck by the weapon of his enemy, but because of his courage and strength he is not killed or defeated. He accepts the blow and goes on to victory. Similarly, one may contract a serious disease, but if he takes the proper medicine he is quickly cured.

If those who follow the impersonal system of speculation and austerity deviate even slightly from their path, they fall down. A devotee, however, even though immature, never falls from the path of devotional service. Even if he displays occasional weakness, he is still considered a devotee if his devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa is very strong. As the Lord states in Bhagavad-gītā (9.30):

“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.”

One should carefully note that the Lord refers to devotion that is like a blazing fire. To commit sinful activity on the strength of chanting the holy name is the greatest offense, and the devotion of one who commits this offense cannot be compared to a blazing fire of love for Kṛṣṇa. As stated in the previous verse, a sincere loving devotee, because of immaturity or previous bad habits, may be disturbed by his senses even though he has accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as the only goal in his life. But if even by chance the devotee accidentally falls down without premeditation or indifference, the Lord immediately burns to ashes his sinful reactions, just as a blazing fire immediately consumes an insignificant piece of wood. Lord Kṛṣṇa is glorious, and one who takes exclusive shelter of the Lord receives the unique benefits of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

One may make Kṛṣṇa the goal of mystic yoga, Sāṅkhya philosophy, etc.; yet such activities do not please the Lord as much as direct loving service, which one practices by hearing and chanting about the Lord and executing His mission. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī states, jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam: a devotee should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa and should not unnecessarily complicate his loving service with tendencies toward fruitive work or mental speculation. The residents of Vṛndāvana simply depend on Lord Kṛṣṇa. When the great serpent Aghāsura appeared in the precincts of Vraja, the cowherd boys, completely confident in their friendship with Lord Kṛṣṇa, fearlessly marched into the serpent’s gigantic mouth. Such pure love for Kṛṣṇa brings the Lord under the control of the devotee.

Sambhavāt indicates jāti-doṣāt, or the pollution of low birth. Jāti-doṣa does not refer to mundane social, economic or professional status, but rather to one’s degree of spiritual enlightenment. All around the world, many people are born into rich and powerful families, but they often acquire abominable habits that are part of their so-called family tradition. However, even unfortunate persons who are taught from birth to engage in sinful activities can at once be purified by the potency of pure devotional service. Such service must have Lord Kṛṣṇa as the only goal (man-niṣṭhā), must be rendered with full faith (śraddhayā), and must be unalloyed, or without any selfish motivation (ekayā).

Although pious religious work, truthfulness, mercy, penances and knowledge partially purify one’s existence, they do not take out the root of material desires. Thus the same desires will reappear at a later time. After an extensive program of material gratification, one becomes eager to perform austerities, acquire knowledge, perform selfless work and in general purify one’s existence. After sufficient piety and purification, however, one again becomes eager for material enjoyment. When clearing an agricultural field one must uproot the unwanted plants, otherwise with the coming of rain everything will grow back as it was. Pure devotional service to the Lord uproots one’s material desires, so that there is no danger of relapsing into a degraded life of material gratification. In the eternal kingdom of God, loving reciprocation between the Lord and His devotees is manifest. One who has not come to this stage of enlightenment must remain on the material platform, which is always full of discrepancies and contradictions. Thus everything is incomplete and imperfect without loving service to the Lord.

Loving service to the Lord is the only process that can completely purify one’s consciousness; such service produces waves of ecstatic love that completely cleanse the soul. As mentioned earlier by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Śrī Uddhava, other processes such as self-control, pious activities, mystic yoga, penances, etc., certainly purify the mind, as stated in many authorized literatures. Such processes, however, do not completely remove the desire to perform forbidden activities. But pure devotional service rendered in love of Godhead is so powerful that it burns to ashes any obstacle encountered on the path of progress. The Lord has stated in this chapter that loving service to Him is a blazing fire that burns to ashes all impediments. In contrast, the small fires of mental speculation or mystic yoga can be extinguished by sinful desires at any moment. Thus, by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one should ignite the blazing fire of loving service to the Lord and burn to ashes the network of material illusion.

Vāg gadgadā refers to a highly emotional state in which the throat is choked up and one cannot express oneself. Vilajjaḥ indicates that a devotee sometimes feels embarrassment due to bodily functions and memories of past sinful activities. In this condition, a devotee loudly cries out the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and sometimes dances in ecstasy. As stated here, such a devotee purifies the three worlds.

By melting of the heart, one becomes very steady in spiritual life. Normally, one whose heart easily melts is thought to be unsteady; but because Lord Kṛṣṇa is the stable foundation of all existence, one whose heart melts in love of Kṛṣṇa becomes most stable and cannot be disturbed by opposing arguments, bodily suffering, mental problems, supernatural disasters or the interference of envious persons. Because such a devotee is fixed in loving service to the Lord, he becomes the very heart of the Personality of Godhead.

According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, this verse indicates that the devotee goes back home, back to Godhead, and there worships Lord Kṛṣṇa in his original spiritual body, which is compared to the original pure form of smelted gold. Gold alloyed with inferior metals cannot be purified by water and soap; similarly, the heart’s impurities cannot be removed by superficial processes. Only the fire of love of Godhead can cleanse one’s soul and send one back home, back to Godhead, to engage in eternal loving service to the Lord.

The Lord is called sūkṣmam because He is pure spiritual consciousness, without any tinge of material energy. If one chants and hears the holy name and glories of Kṛṣṇa with great sincerity, there is immediately a transcendental effect. We can immediately see the spiritual world and pastimes of the Lord if we fully surrender to the process mentioned here. A blind person feels perpetual gratitude to a doctor who restores his sight. Similarly, we sing cakṣu-dāna dila yei, janme janme prabhu sei: the bona fide spiritual master, the representative of Lord Kṛṣṇa, restores our spiritual sight, and thus he is our eternal lord and master.

One should not think that one can attain complete transcendental knowledge of Kṛṣṇa by mechanically engaging in worship of the Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa states here that one must endeavor constantly to keep the Lord within one’s mind. Anusmarataḥ, or constant remembrance, is possible for one who always chants and hears the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa. It is therefore stated, śravaṇam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam: the process of devotional service begins with hearing (śravaṇam) and chanting (kīrtanam), from which remembrance (smaraṇam) develops. One who constantly thinks of the objects of material gratification becomes attached to them; similarly, one who constantly keeps Lord Kṛṣṇa within his mind becomes absorbed in the Lord’s transcendental nature and thus becomes qualified to render personal service to the Lord in His own abode.

The word bhāvitam means “caused to be.” As explained in Bhagavad-gītā, material existence is an unstable platform subject to the constant disturbances of creation and annihilation. One who absorbs his consciousness in Kṛṣṇa, however, attains to Kṛṣṇa’s nature and is therefore described as mad-bhāva-bhāvitam, or one situated in real existence because of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Lord here concludes His analysis of different processes of human perfection.

One who has intimate contact with women and becomes attached to them will gradually lose his determination to go back home, back to Godhead. Association with lusty men gives exactly the same result. Therefore, one is advised to be fearless and to sit down in a solitary place, or a place where there are no lusty men and women committing spiritual suicide. Without fear of failure or of unhappiness in life, one should remain with sincere devotees of the Lord. Atandrita means that one should not compromise this principle but should be rigid and cautious. All this is possible only for one who is ātmavān, or fixed in practical understanding of the eternal soul.

One should make a great endeavor to give up intimate contact with women and those fond of women. A learned gentleman will automatically be on guard if placed in intimate contact with lusty women. In the company of lusty men, however, the same man may engage in all kinds of social dealings and thus be contaminated by their polluted mentality. Association with lusty men is often more dangerous than association with women and should be avoided by all means. There are innumerable verses in the Bhāgavatam describing the intoxication of material lust. Suffice it to say that a lusty man becomes exactly like a dancing dog and, by the influence of Cupid, loses all gravity, intelligence and direction in life. The Lord warns here that one who surrenders to the illusory form of a woman suffers unbearably in this life and the next.

It has already been elaborately explained by the Supreme Lord that without loving devotional service rendered to Him in the association of devotees, no other process of self-realization will work. Therefore it may be asked why Uddhava is again referring to the system of meditation, dhyāna. The ācāryas explain that one cannot fully appreciate the beauty and perfection of bhakti-yoga unless one sees its superiority to all other processes. Through comparative analysis, the devotees become fully ecstatic in their appreciation of bhakti-yoga. It should also be understood that although Uddhava asks about those who aspire for liberation, he is not actually a mumukṣu, or salvationist; rather, he is asking questions for the benefit of those who are not on the platform of love of Godhead. Uddhava wants to hear this knowledge for his personal appreciation and so that those who pursue salvation, or liberation, can be protected and redirected to the path of pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord.

According to this procedure, the hands are to be placed palms upward, one on top of the other. Thus, one may practice prāṇāyāma through mechanical breath control in order to achieve steadiness of the mind. As stated in the yoga-śāstra, antar-lakṣyo bahir-dṛṣṭiḥ sthira-cittaḥ susaṅgataḥ: “The eyes, which generally see externally, must be turned inward, and thus the mind is steadied and fully controlled.”

It appears that the yoga system is somewhat technical and difficult to perform. Anusvāra refers to a nasal vibration pronounced after the fifteen Sanskrit vowels. The complete explanation of this process is extremely complicated and obviously unsuitable for this age. From this description we can appreciate the sophisticated achievements of those who in former ages practiced mystic meditation. Despite such appreciation, however, we should stick firmly to the simple, foolproof method of meditation prescribed for the present age, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lord Kṛṣṇa here answers Uddhava’s question concerning the correct procedure, nature and object of meditation for those desiring liberation.

As one becomes established in pure consciousness, the duality of “I am meditating and this is the object of my meditation” vanishes, and one comes to the stage of spontaneous relationship with the Personality of Godhead. Every living entity is originally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and when that forgotten eternal relationship is revived one experiences remembrance of the Absolute Truth. In that stage, described here as mad-ārohaḥ, one no longer sees oneself as a meditator nor the Lord as a mere object of meditation, but rather one enters the spiritual sky for an eternal life of bliss and knowledge in direct loving relationship with the Lord.

Uddhava originally inquired about the procedure of meditation for those desiring liberation. The word labdha-padam indicates that when one fixes the mind upon the Lord’s face, one achieves full liberation. In the postliberation phase one then proceeds to render service to the original Personality of Godhead. By giving up the concept of being a meditator, one casts off the last small remnant of illusory energy and sees the Lord as He actually is.

In the spiritual world everything is naturally effulgent because that is the nature of spirit. Thus when one sees the individual soul as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, the experience can be compared to seeing the sun’s rays emanating from the sun. The Supreme Lord is within the living entity, and simultaneously the living entity is within the Lord. But in both cases the Supreme Lord, and not the living entity, is the maintainer and controller. How happy everyone could be by taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and finding the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, within everything and everything within Kṛṣṇa. Liberated life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so pleasurable that the greatest misfortune is to be without such consciousness. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is kindly explaining in many different ways the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and fortunate persons will understand the sincere message of the Lord.

Because of false material identification, we accept our own body and mind, the bodies and minds of others, and supernatural material control to be ultimate realities. Supernatural control refers to the bodies and minds of the demigods, who ultimately are humble servitors of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the mighty sun, which displays immense potencies, obediently treads its universal path by the order of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

It is clearly seen in this chapter that haṭha-yoga, karma-yoga, rāja-yoga, etc., are part and parcel of bhakti-yoga and do not actually exist separately. The goal of life is Lord Kṛṣṇa, and one must eventually come to the stage of pure devotion if one desires to perfect one’s meditation or yoga practice. In the mature stage of devotion, as described in this chapter, one becomes free from the artificial duality of meditator and object of meditation, and one spontaneously engages in hearing about and glorifying the Supreme Absolute Truth. Such activities of bhakti-yoga are natural because they spring from spontaneous love. When one revives one’s original nature as the loving servitor of Lord Kṛṣṇa, other yoga processes cease to be interesting. Uddhava was a pure devotee even before the Lord began His instruction; therefore it was not expected that Uddhava would give up the supreme platform of being a personal associate of the Lord to take up the mechanical exercises of the yoga system. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is so elevated that even in the beginning stages of practice one is considered liberated, because all of one’s activities are executed under proper guidance for the pleasure of the Lord. In the haṭha-yoga system one is concerned with bodily control, and in jñāna-yoga one is concerned with speculative knowledge. In both systems one endeavors selfishly, desiring to become a great yogī or a philosopher. Such egoistic activity is described in this verse as kriyā. One must give up the illusory designations of dravya, jñāna and kriyā and come to the prideless stage of loving service to the Lord.