Brahma vidya and narada achieving perfection

If one hears from a bona fide spiritual master the conclusions of the all Vedic scriptures, which
begin with Vedanta sutra, he will understand that one absolutely must render devotional service
to the Lord. This is described in the following words (ShrimadBhagavatam !.!."#$%
# &The great personality Brahma, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied
the Vedas three times, and after scrutini'ingly e(amining them, he ascertained that attraction for
Supreme )ersonality of *odhead Shri +rishna is the highest perfection of religion.&,
- If he renounces what is opposed to devotional service, and instead engages in meditation
on the Lord and becomes attached to the Lord, then, by worshipping the Lord, a faithful person
will attain devotional service. This is confirmed in the Srutisastra, which e(plains (Brhad
aranya.a /panisad #.-.0.$%
&The Supreme )ersonality of *odhead should be seen, heard of, meditated on, and
worshipped.&
1ere the word &nididhyasitavyah& means &worshipped&. That the Lord should be seen
means that 1e will directly appear before one2s vision.

Bha.ti yoga and .arma yoga being part of it is e(plained in %

3nuccheda !4
5 In the ne(t chapter (Shrimad Bhagavatam !.!.5#$ he says%
&/nless the gross materialist develops a sense of loving service unto the Supreme Lord,
the seer of both the transcendental and material worlds, he should remember or meditate upon
the universal form of the Lord at the end of his prescribed duties.&,
! 3fter the word &para& the word &avara& means &the places of the living entities headed by
Brahma.& 6ho is there7 The Supreme Lord (visvesvare$ who sees (drastari$ everything, but
who, because 1e is perfectly spiritual remains invisible to the conditioned souls. 8evotional
service (bha.tiyogah$ is described in these words (Shrimad Bhagavatam !.!.9$%
&:thers conceive of the )ersonality of *odhead residing within the body in the region of the
heart and measuring only eight inches, with four hands carrying a lotus, a wheel of a chariot, a
conchshell and a club respectively.&,
In this way the way to ma.e spiritual advancement is described. The word &.riyavasane&
means &at the end of one2s prescribed duties&. :ne should do this until he develops a sense of
loving devotional service to the Lord (bha.tiyogah$.

Bha.ti is characterised by Sravananam .irtanama :; varnashrama

3nuccheda 0<
5 Shrimad Bhagavatam (55.!."0$ e(plains%
&In accordance with the particular nature one has ac=uired in conditioned life, whatever one
does with body, words, mind, senses, intelligence or purified consciousness one should offer to
the Supreme, thin.ing &This is for the pleasure of Lord >arayana.&,,,
?rom this it is understood that even ordinary wor. becomes devotional service when
offered to the Lord. This path, the path of always wor.ing for the Lord, seems to be opposed to
the path of always performing the devotional activities that begin with hearing and chanting the
Lord2s glories. 3ctually, either of these paths may be followed with steady conviction. This
steadiness is described in these words (Shrimad Bhagavatam 55.!."9$%

@editationsA
3nuccheda 55#
5 It may also be said that devotional service has si( different aspects. :ne of these aspects
is meditation on the Lord, which is described in Shrimad Bhagavatam from beginning to end. ?or
e(ample, the first verse of Shrimad Bhagavatam (5.5.5$ describes meditation on the Lord in these
words%
&I meditate upon Lord Shri +rishna because 1e is the 3bsolute Truth and the primeval
cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. 1e
is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and 1e is independent because there is
no other cause beyond 1im. It is 1e only who first imparted the Vedic .nowledge unto the heart
of BrahmaBi, the original living being. By 1im even the great sages and demigods are placed into
illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on
water. :nly because of 1im do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of
the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon
1im, Lord Shri +rishna, who is eternally e(istent in the transcendental abode, which is forever
free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon 1im, for 1e is the
3bsolute Truth.&,
! Two different .inds of meditation are described in the following passage of Bhagavadgita
(5!.5!$%
&3rBuna in=uired% 6hich are considered to be more perfect, those who are always properly
engaged in Cour devotional service or those who worship the impersonal Brahma, the
unmanifested7,
The Supreme )ersonality of *odhead said% 1e whose mind is fi(ed on @y personal form,
always engaged in worshipping @e with great and transcendental faith is considered by @e to be
the most perfect.&,
@editation on the Supreme )ersonality of *odhead is more easily performed and is also
the best .ind of meditation.
The Supreme )ersonality of *odhead and not the impersonal Brahman is the proper obBect
of meditation and worship. This is confirmed by the Lord 1imself in these words (Bhagavadgita
4.4. and 5#.!4$%