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(7) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus by Uddhava being
asked who in his heart was most attached to Him, the Lord spoke
lovingly with an attractive smile, He who has the universe as His
plaything and by His own energies has assumed the three different
personal forms of the Controllers [the guna-avatâras]. (8)
The Supreme Lord said: 'Right here I will now explain to you the dharma
in relation to Me that is most auspicious and by which a mortal being,
executing with faith, conquers death so unconquerable. (9) Having offered one's mind and intelligence
to Me, one should for My purpose stepwise [learn to] perform all work
and thereto remember, by the grace of one's own loving spirit, the
example of My respect of duty. (10)
One should take shelter of the holy places frequented by My saintly
devotees and [follow the example of] the activities of My devotees
operating among the godly, the demoniac and the human beings. (11) Either alone or in assembly one should with
respect for the position of the moon, at special occasions and at
festivals engage in singing, dancing and such and be generous with
contributions. (12) One should
with a pure heart see Me within oneself as the Supreme Soul that alike
the unlimited sky is present inside and outside of all living beings
[see also B.G. 13: 16 and 1.7: 10]. (13-14) O
brightest spirit, when one with My love thus is of respect for all
living beings, one has with such an approach taken shelter of purely
spiritual knowledge. When one this way regards the brahmin and the
outcast, the thief and the man faithful to the brahminical culture, the
sun and the spark, the gentle one and the cruel one equally, one may
call oneself a wise person [see B.G. 5:
18]. (15) Of the person who constantly is meditating
upon My presence in all men will quickly the rivalry, envy, disdain and
false ego disappear. (16) Ignoring the
laughter of one's friends and without being embarrassed about outer
appearances one should throw oneself like a rod to the ground and offer
obeisances to [all,] even [to] dogs, outcasts, cows and asses [see also
S'rî S'rî S'ikshâshthaka-3]. (17)
As long as one has not developed the vision of Me being present in all
living beings, one has to be of worship this way with what one says,
thinks and does with one's body [see also tridanda]. (18)
For the one who by knowledge and realization sees the Supreme Soul
everywhere is everything based upon the Absolute Truth. Thus being
freed from doubt there is for such a person the duty of retiring from
worldly activities. (19) This with the
functions of one's mind, words and body going for the truth of Me
within all living beings I consider the most appropriate of all
processes. (20) My dear, because this by Me perfectly
established method is free from the modes and has no ulterior motives
there is, when one thus tries to be of service unto Me Uddhava, as a
consequence not even the slightest loss [see also B.G. 2:
40]. (21) O best of the pious, of whatever
worldy exertion will the fear and all of that be futile, when it in
being dedicated to Me, the Supreme, is religious in leaning towards
activities that are performed without an ulterior motive, o pious
Uddhava! [see also B.G. 18:
6]. (22) This in one's life achieving of Me, the
immortal, by means of the false and mortal, constitutes the cleverness
of the clever and intelligence of the intelligent. (23) With this has both in brief and in detail
the complete survey of the Absolute Truth been described to you which
constitutes a science that even for the gods is difficult to access. (24) Having properly understood this knowledge
that repeatedly was explained to you with clear, logical arguments, a
person will see his doubts destroyed and be liberated. (25) He who but concentrates on this question of
yours that was properly cleared up by Me, attains to the eternal secret
of the Vedas, the Supreme Absolute of the Truth. (26) I will automatically lend him My authority
who without any reservation disseminates this Supreme Spiritual Truth
as the tradition for My devotees. (27)
He who loudly recites this Supreme of Me that is so sanctifying and
clear, will, because he with the lamp of knowledge forms My presence,
day after day find purification. (28)
The person who attentively and with faith regularly listens to this is
of transcendental devotional service unto Me [is a bhakta] and will not
get entangled in karmic reactions [see also B.G. 3:
9]. (29) Uddhava, o friend, do you have a clear
understanding of the spiritual now and has this lamentation and
illusion that arose in your mind been removed [see 11.6:
42-49 and also B.G. 18:
72]? (30) Do not share this with a hypocrite, an atheist or a
cheat, nor with someone not willing to listen or an obstinate
non-devotee [compare to B.G. 18:
67]. (31) Share it with the person free from these bad
qualities, the one saintly and pure, someone kindly disposed in
dedication to the welfare of the brahmins, as well as with laborers and
women if they are of bhakti [compare B.G. 9:
32]. (32) For the inquisitive one fully understanding
this there is nothing left to imbibe; what would there be left to
imbibe once one has drunk the most palatable nectarean beverage there
is? (33) Whatever people who are of success with the
four goals of life [catuh-vidah] may find in spiritual knowledge, in
fruitive labor, in mystic yoga, in ordinary activities or in political
ruling, you can equally find in Me. (34)
When a mortal offers himself to Me and gives up all his fruitive labor
in his desire for the special quality of Me, he qualifies in that
process of attaining immortality at that time for the opulence
associated with Me.'(35) S'rî S'uka said: 'After he had heard the words of Uttamas'loka and thus was shown the path of yoga, Uddhava with folded hands said nothing because his throat was choked up with love and his eyes overflowed with tears. (36) Completely agitated with love restraining himself to steady his mind, o King, he, feeling grateful, spoke with his hands folded to the Great Yadu Hero and touched therewith His lotus feet with his head. (37) S'rî Uddhava said: 'The great darkness of the delusion I fell into, has in the presence of the Sun that You are, been dispelled. What cold, darkness and fear could hold sway over the one who approached You, o Unborn Primeval One? (38) By You who are so merciful in Your goodness was in return to me, Your servant, offered the torchlight consisting of Your wisdom. Who being grateful is able to abandon the base of Your feet and seek another shelter? (39) The because of Your mâyâ firmly binding rope of my affection for the creation [of the family] of the Dâs'ârhas, Vrishnis, Andhakas and Sâtvatas expanding to Your will, was severed by the sword of the correct knowledge about the soul. (40) Let there be my obeisances unto You, o Greatest of Mystics, please tell me how I may find stability with the transcendental attraction at Your lotus feet.'
(41-44) The Supreme Lord said: 'Please, o Uddhava, accept My advice to head for My hermitage called Badârika. At the riverbanks there be purified by the touching of and bathing in the water emanating from My feet [see 5.17]. Be, with your eyes fixed upon the Alakanandâ [a tributary of the Ganges] cleansed of all impurities, wear bark My dear, eat from the forest and be happy free from desire. Exercise with your intelligence, spiritual knowledge and wisdom forbearance with all dualities, keep saintly to your principles, restrict your senses and live in peace and absorption. Believe in and meditate upon that what you from Me have learned to discriminate. When you with your words and mind absorbed in Me are devoted to realize My virtue you will, thus established crossing beyond the three destinations [the gunas], thereupon reach Me.'
(45) S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus having been addressed by the Lord of Understanding, Uddhava circumambulated Him keeping Him to the right and even though he at the time of his departure was free from the influence of material opposites, he drenched with a breaking heart with his head bowed down His feet with his teardrops. (46) Finding it most difficult to leave he was incapable of abandoning Him so that he overwhelmed by the separation in great pain besides himself took leave, again and again offering his obeisances and placing the slippers of his Maintainer on his head [*]. (47) Then installing Him in his heart the great devotee went to the illustrious place of pilgrimage [that as such is also called Vis'âlâ] the only Friend in the Universe had mentioned. There he attained, having properly executed the austerities, the Lord His destination [Vaikunthha]. (48) Whoever in this world with honest belief accepts the service of this ocean of ecstacy, this nectarean sea of knowledge that by Krishna, He whose feet are served by the masters of Yoga, was collected for His devotee, will be liberated. (49) I am bowed down to the Greatest and First Personality named Krishna, who makes His many devotees drink the nectar from the ocean consisting of de essence of the Vedas, the essence of the spiritual knowledge and wisdom that He, as the author of the Vedas, like a bee delivers in order to take away the fear of material existence.'
