Śukadeva's Answer

Śukadeva begins his instructions to the dying King

Śukadeva Replies

Śukadeva said, “You have asked me about what one who is on the verge of death should hear and discuss. Most people have no time for a discussion of the truth about the soul or consciousness. But your question is worthy of the great truth-seekers. Everywhere men have conversations. And all consider their talks to have meaning. But most of these discussions are meaningless because they have nothing to do with the eternal nature of reality. 

Such men and women chatter endlessly, engrossed in material life. Their lives are filled with struggles over money, sex, and family. They have endless arguments about thousands of topics, but avoid talk about the meaning of life, or what to do at the time of death. They are unconcerned with ātma-tattva, the nature of soul and Supersoul. But even while they do not inquire into self-realization, death is inevitable for all.

Śukadeva said, “In the end, the best subject matter for discussion is the Godhead, the Supreme Person. Remembrance of Narayana, the Personal Godhead is the perfection of human life. Whether one practices yoga, mysticism, meditation, dharma, whatever one’s religious principle, jñāna, yoga, or karma, one must try to achieve this perfection which culminates in divine love.

“Advanced souls who have no need of commandments and religiosity delight in describing the Godhead. One such advanced soul was Vyāsa. Fully realized in the Vedas, he himself compiled the Vedic scriptures and even the Mahābhārata. 

He was my teacher. When the Dvāpara age came to a close, he taught me this great treatise, this glorification of the Godhead, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which I shall now reveal to you. This Bhāgavata is no less than the Vedas, and in fact may be considered the ripened fruit of the Vedic desire tree.”

“I myself, O King, was merged in transcendence. I felt myself fixed in spiritual enightenment at the highest level. And yet, upon hearing this divine message I myself was attracted to hear all about the different manifestations, avataras, and divine lila or pastimes of the Lord, Bhagavan Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Reality the Beautiful.

“What I heard from Vyāsa, I shall now recite before you, O King because I consider you a most sincere devotee of Krishna. Whoever listens carefully to this message, whoever gives a faithful, respectful hearing to this recital will attain Mukunda, who gives a gift that makes liberation pale by comparison.

एतन् निर्विद्यमानानाम् इच्छताम् अकुतो-भयम्

योगिनां नृप निर्णीतं हरेर् नामानुकीर्तनम्

etan nirvidyamānānām

icchatām akuto-bhayam

yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ

harer nāmānukīrtanam

“O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.”

~Srimad Bhagavatam 2.1.11 translated by A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Prabhupāda

“What value is there in living a long life wasted by getting and spending? Far better to have one moment of pure consciousness, one second of divine love, than a hundred years of life in ignorance. The saintly King Khaṭvāṅga, when he heard that he would only live for seconds, at once left aside his material life and took shelter of the Godhead. You yourself, O King have less than seven days to live, having been cursed to die of snake-bite. You have all the time you need to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Listen carefully.

“Remember that in the end, you must be brave. You must not fear death. Leave aside your attachment to the body, the mind, and all the desires you hold so dear. You know what must be done. You must leave home. You must practice self-control.

 Find a sacred place where you can bathe in holy waters. Sit there in a quiet place. There you can remember the sacred syllable Oṁ. 

ॐ

Oṁkara

“Remember Oṁ: the affirmation of the infinite. Yes. He does exist. It is the seed of transcendental sound that animates all the Vedic mantras. Control the breathing. Enter the divine trance.

Yogic trance

Śukadeva continued, “As one’s mind becomes merged in transcendence, it may be withdrawn from sensual experience. Sensation is controlled by intelligence. In this way the uncontrolled mind comes under the influence of the divine and becomes engaged in the service of the Godhead and full transcendental consciousness. 

This is the general procedure for entering into samādhi through pranayama, breath control. Breath control and samādhi will relieve the mind from sensual domination, but only through fixing one’s mind in the service of the Godhead will one achieve divine love.

“These are preliminary instructions. Your time is short; I am giving a summary beginning with advice for neophytes. Proper cleansing of the mind is through transcendental loving service to the Lord beginning with hearing. If practice is performed correctly, progress is assured.”

“Ultimately, at the time of death, one may meditate on the form of the Godhead, beginning with the lotus feet. One may begin with the vibration of Oṁkara, and proceed to concentrate on the name and glories of the Godhead, while meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord. In this way, at the time of death, the mind will become free from all sensual contact and become fixed in Him alone. 

A neophyte may begin with Oṁkara; more advanced meditation involves the divine name and form of the Lord. By this system of remembrance, by understanding the Personal conception of Godhead and by fixing oneself in meditation, O King a yogi can very soon achieve success in bhakti and enter into the world of service.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa: Reality the Beautiful

The King asked, “Can you please explain more about the mind, O saintly one. How can I apply my mind so that I can always see God? And what can I do to avoid negative thinking?”