Srimad Bhagavatam – 1.18.26 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | Nov 30, 2025
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine
jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 18 Verse 26.
ŚB 1.18.26
प्रतिरुद्धेन्द्रियप्राणमनोबुद्धिमुपारतम् ।
स्थानत्रयात्परं प्राप्तं ब्रह्मभूतमविक्रियम् ॥ २६ ॥
pratiruddhendriya-prāṇa-
mano-buddhim upāratam
sthāna-trayāt paraṁ prāptaṁ
brahma-bhūtam avikriyam
Synonyms
pratiruddha — restrained; indriya — the sense organs; prāṇa — air of respiration; manaḥ — the mind; buddhim — intelligence; upāratam — inactive; sthāna — places; trayāt — from the three; param — transcendental; prāptam — achieved; brahma-bhūtam — qualitatively equal with the Supreme Absolute; avikriyam — unaffected.
Translation
The muni’s sense organs, breath, mind and intelligence were all restrained from material activities, and he was situated in a trance apart from the three [wakefulness, dream and unconsciousness], having achieved a transcendental position qualitatively equal with the Supreme Absolute.
Purport
It appears that the muni, in whose hermitage the King entered, was in yogic trance. The transcendental position is attained by three processes, namely the process of jñāna, or theoretical knowledge of transcendence, the process of yoga, or factual realization of trance by manipulation of the physiological and psychological functions of the body, and the most approved process of bhakti-yoga, or the engagement of senses in the devotional service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also we have the information of the gradual development of perception from matter to a living entity. Our material mind and body develop from the living entity, the soul, and being influenced by the three qualities of matter, we forget our real identity. The jñāna process theoretically speculates about the reality of the soul. But bhakti-yoga factually engages the spirit soul in activities. The perception of matter is transcended to still subtler states of the senses. The senses are transcended to the subtler mind, and then to breathing activities and gradually to intelligence. Beyond the intelligence, the living soul is realized by the mechanical activities of the yoga system, or practice of meditation restraining the senses, regulating the breathing system and applying intelligence to rise to the transcendental position. This trance stops all material activities of the body. The King saw the muni in that position. He also saw the muni as follows.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
So this verse is describing the state of consciousness of this sage. And we see that he was in samadhi. We usually associate samadhi with the practice of yoga. In the Ashtanga Yoga process, samadhi is the eighth stage. So this is the stage at which all the functions of mind, intelligence, and pranas cease to function. So, if none of the mental functions are operating at all, then consciousness of the atma itself alone is active. So this is the stage of samadhi. So if we can maintain this state, it is called the stage of liberation. So this is the goal of the yogis and the jnanis.
And, as Prabhupad mentions in the purport, there is another process. This is the process of bhakti. Of course, generally, we don’t think of bhakti as being same as jnana or yoga. But we can use that same term, where the material senses, mind, ego etc cease to function. So all the material functions cease at that state. Consequently, we have spiritual consciousness. But that consciousness may be slightly different. So, according to the process, and then, we get different results. So we can call all these processes – jnana, ashtanga yoga, and bhakti – transcendental, because they lead us beyond material functioning to spiritual consciousness.
But there is also a difference between the consciousness reached by jnana and yoga, and that reached by bhakti. So, we can use the same term samadhi, but actually the state is quite different. From an external point of view, the persons, sages, and devotees may look the same. They are unaware of the external world. But internally, the experience is quite different. So, through jnana and ashtanga yoga, one achieves the state of Brahman. Through bhakti, one attains the realization of Bhagavan. So, what is the state of that Brahman? Of course, we are free from karma, free from ignorance, free from material identity, and material sense functions. There is a state of realizing Brahman. So, no material form, no qualities, no activities. Of course, there are various opinions about this. What is it? So, some say it is consciousness, but not consciousness of anything. If we are conscious of something else, that means there is no longer oneness, there is duality. So, what is achieved by bhakti is the realization of the Supreme Lord with form, qualities, and activities. So, the realization is quite different.
The experience also is quite different. So, what does one experience in Brahman? – Peace. The state is indescribable, because there is no form, qualities, activities. You can’t describe it in terms of qualities, because it doesn’t have any qualities [Laughs]. So, it is often described in negatives. No ignorance, no karma, no birth and death, no material body. So, this is the state of liberation. What does a person who experiences Bhagavan, what is his experience? So, he has experience of prema in bliss. So, this is quite different from the experience in Brahman. So, both are spiritual. And which is better? In one sense, we cannot say better or worse because as Bhagavatam says, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan are all one. But though they are one, the experience of the Jiva is different. So, of course, we can say which is better experience. Some people will say peace is better. Some will say bliss is better. And thus, these different sages will strive differently. Some will strive for liberation, some will strive for prema.
Of course, if we want to analyze in terms of bliss, we can say bliss is more in prema and it is minimal in Brahman. So, then the question becomes, do you want less bliss or more bliss? Most people say, we want more bliss. But still, there are some who say, no, we don’t want bliss at all, we want peace. So those persons stick to the process of jnana or yoga. However those who are devotees of the Lord and are striving for prema, consider that choice is very unfortunate. So, we have the example of Sukadev Goswami. So, he was atma-jnani, realizing Brahman. And he was so absorbed in that, he didn’t even want to get born.
However, on hearing Bhagavatam and hearing the wonderful qualities of Krishna, then he changed. He became attracted to Bhagavan, particularly to Krishna. He became attracted to Krishna because of his wonderful form, qualities and activities. However, the devotee performing bhakti not only realizes the form, qualities and activities of the Lord, he serves the Lord and experiences prema and bliss. So, this is one of the unique qualities of the Supreme Lord.
Even the atma-jnanis become attracted to the form of Bhagavan. Of course, if there is no opportunity, he may not become attracted. If Vyasadev’s disciples had not recited Bhagavatam to Sukadev, he wouldn’t become attracted. So, in other words, to change from being an atma jnani to a devotee in prema requires the mercy of devotees and the Supreme Lord. But of course, this also shows that a very fortunate and intelligent sage, he will choose Bhagavan over Brahman, as in the case of Sukadev Goswami.
So, in this way, the Bhagavatam establishes the superiority of the form of the Bhagavan over Brahman or Paramatma, and the process of bhakti has been superior. The paths of jnana and yoga cannot lead to the realization of Bhagavan. The path of bhakti gives realization of Bhagavan, but it also gives liberation, Brahman, Paramatma, and everything else. But the devotee does not strive for Brahman or Paramatma. In fact, he avoids them completely. And thus we say, in the process of pure bhakti, the devotee rejects even liberation. So, in many ways, in many places in the Bhagavatam, we will find that bhakti is considered to be the supreme process.
So, in that state, as long as one has a material body, and we are realizing Bhagavan, one is in a state of samadhi. Like the jnani or yogi, he is unaware of his material body. But his realization internally is quite different. So, not only does the devotee realize Bhagavan with form, qualities, and activities, he participates in the pastimes of the Supreme Lord. How does he do so? He manifests the spiritual body with spiritual senses. And in that spiritual body, he serves the Lord and then experiences the highest bliss. So, the jnani, in liberation, does not develop spiritual senses, spiritual body. So, he cannot serve the Lord, he cannot perceive the Lord, he cannot experience bliss. So, that is the great difference between the samadhi of the devotee and the samadhi of a jnani.
Hare Krsna !
Q & A:
1.) Maharaj, in the purport it is mentioned that ‘The perception of matter is transcended to still subtler states of the senses. The senses are transcended to the subtler mind.’ So, it looks like the senses are being referred to as the subtle senses. For example, in the Bhagavad Gita, when Krishna speaks about five factors of actions, he speaks about the body and also the senses. So, the senses are referring to the subtler states?
Generally, when the scriptures talk about the elements and the senses, they talk about the subtle senses, not the gross senses. We see in the story of Puranjana, when Puranjana leaves the city of the body, the senses go with him. Those are the subtle senses. Similarly in Bhagavad Gita, it says the senses go out of the body with the Atma when he departs.
So they are subtle, still they are material. And they have their gross counterparts in the form of these gross material senses [Laughs]. But these subtle senses allow the Jiva to have experiences when the gross senses are not working. So you can see in a dream even though your gross eye can’t see anything, because it’s dark [Laughs]. So generally we talk about the senses, actually it means the subtle sense.
2.) So Maharaj, this is a question regarding yesterday, where someone asked this question that when we are practicing devotional service, are we under the internal energy or under the external energy? So, you explained it in the stage of Prema, we are under the internal energy. But in the Preface to the Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, Prabhupada writes about the six symptoms of surrender and then he says that Krishna takes direct charge, not through the external energy. And you also mentioned about it is the mercy of Krishna, Krishna Karma or something like that yesterday. So how do we reconcile all of this?
Even in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that Bhakti is beyond the three gunas. So in nectar devotion, when Rupa Goswami describes Bhava, then he says, this actually is Samvit and Haladini Shaktis of the Lord, which is obviously completely spiritual [Laughs]. That’s in Bhava stage. And because it’s spiritual, it’s never created. It’s eternal and it simply manifests in the Jiva at Bhava stage. So, it’s eternally in the spiritual world.
But then, what about Sadhana Bhakti? Is that spiritual or material? But we can’t say it’s material, because something material cannot manifest Bhava, which is completely spiritual. How can that happen [Laughs]? So therefore, Bhakti itself is a spiritual part of the Svarupa Shakti, in any form. Just like we say holy name is pure, coming from the spiritual world, but then, when people chant it, it may be Nama-abhas [Laughs]. But then we can say, well, how can the name be covered over, if it’s spiritual? Similarly, in the third canto, Kapila Dev describes Bhakti in the mode of ignorance, Bhakti in the mode of passion, Bhakti in the mode of goodness. Then the question arises, well, how can Bhakti be in the modes if it’s transcendental?
So the answer is, Bhakti and the name are always transcendental, always spiritual. But we have individual Jivas with covering of material body, covering of gunas, covering of anarthas. So this is where the problem comes. So the Bhakti is always pure, but the more we’re covered over, then the less power manifests for the particular Jiva.
So, when we begin Sadhana Bhakti of pure Bhakti, and then we go to Bhava and Prema.. When we begin, we have that Bhakti is there, which is purely spiritual, but then we have anarthas, etc. So the power of that Bhakti does not manifest so much. But by the execution of Bhakti in Sadhana, using external senses, which means so-called material senses, gradually the anarthas gets smaller and smaller, and the Bhakti manifests more and more. So, in Bhava stage, the anarthas are minimal, and the body can manifest itself nicely as Haladini and samvit Shaktis.
Devotee: So, what is happening in a devotee’s life, Sadhana Bhakta’s life, is it given by Krishna or is it Karma? Whatever is happening in the life of a Sadhana Bhakta, is it given by Krishna or is it Karma? The events in the life of a Sadhana Bhakta, the different experiences… Suffering.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Oh, well, due to aparadhs in past lifetimes, when you do Bhakti, the destruction of Karmas can be slower, so therefore you can still have the influence of Karma. So, it’s also described in Madurya Kadambani that by the end of Asakthi, all the Karmas should be gone. But, in Bhava stage, the effect of previous aparadhs can still affect your Bhakti. And thus, Bharat, because of some aparadh in previous lifetime, got attracted to a deer [Laughs].
3.) Hare Krishna Maharaj. Maharaj, so these senses are used by the soul to perceive, but as either the Jnani or the Bhakta goes towards Samadhi, in that case, the soul directly begins to perceive, without the need of these subtle senses?
The Jnanis and the Yogis destroy their Karmas, gross body, and their subtle senses. Subtle body, so there’s no senses[Laughs]. So, they don’t perceive anything, because they don’t have a spiritual sense to perceive. So, that’s why the Jnanis say, the state is ‘Chinmatra’, just consciousness, consciousness and nothing else.
The devotees in Sadhana Bhakti use the material senses and the material mind, in the gross and subtle forms, to serve Krishna. So, the senses are not stopped, but they become active, along with our sense of Bhakti, or our devotion, that we’re offering everything to Krishna with pure love. So, instead of the senses creating more Karma for us, those senses destroy all the Karma [Laughs]. But then, through that activity, not only we destroy the subtle body and the gross body and the subtle senses, but we manifest spiritual senses and spiritual body. And thus, in Bhava’s stage, we have Haladini and Samvit manifesting, and Samvit means knowledge – how we can use our senses to be aware of the Supreme Lord, spiritual senses.
4.) Maharaj, I have two questions. One is, when Jnani gets liberation, or attain the Samadhi, this Samadhi is almost like, you know, when someone sleep, he’s not aware that he’s sleeping. He’s not aware that he’s sleeping, but he gets some peace after, once he gets up. So, that means that, you know, this Samadhi is almost like, you know, sleeping state, and also permanent?
So, the state of Samadhi, or the impersonal state, is called the fourth state. It’s beyond sleep. It’s called Turiya. And that is a state where your senses, mind, etc., completely cease. If we’re in a dream state in sleep, then your senses and subtle senses are working, your mind is still working. If we’re in a state of deep sleep, the senses and mind cease to function temporarily, but then you go out of that state, and you come back [Laughs], and you’ve still got your senses operating again.
Devotee: Experience of the peace, it’s almost like sleeping state ?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Yeah, It’s almost like that, but it’s permanent.
Devotee: That means that, you know, in the sleeping state, there’s a fear. Fear exists, but in the Samadhi state, fear does not exist ?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Yeah, of course, sleep is another type of ignorance. Even deep sleep is still ignorance [Laughs], where as in liberation state, at Samadhi, there is no ignorance.
5.) Maharaj, another question is, a Sadhaka he engages the material senses in the service of Krishna. The senses are material, but once he reaches the Bhava stage or Prema stage, he starts developing the spiritual senses. So, he has material senses and he has developed spiritual senses. So, these senses are same or there are different senses? That whatever senses he used in the beginning for serving Krishna, and once he attained the Bhava or Prema, there is also senses. There is two kinds of senses now, material senses and spiritual senses. How to understand both things?
So, when his spiritual senses and his spiritual body are operating and he perceives the Lord and does that service in his spiritual body, at that time, material senses cease to operate. So, you look like you’re dead almost. So, a person in Prema, then cannot maintain that state eternally. He has to come out of that state because he still has a material body. Then he operates with his material senses. But the material senses at that stage are operating simply to keep his body alive.
Devotee: Can you say that, you know, even though he developed his spiritual body, his spiritual senses, still, because of the material body, he experienced some kleshas, suffering, some kind of suffering, material suffering he experiences in the material body?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: So, because he has a material body in the material world, then there will be some interaction, whatever, but he’s completely detached from that. So, he’s indifferent to that so-called suffering. So, his real suffering is, he’s separated from Krishna.
6.) Hare Krsna Maharaj, Dandavat pranams. In Paramatma realization, Yogi knows very well the cit features and also seeing the form of Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna in his heart. Then, Yogi, why is he not attracted to the form of the Lord or activities of the Lord ?
So, Yogis can meditate on Paramatma, but generally their goal is simply liberation. So, they worship Paramatma and then through that, they respect Paramatma and then they get liberation because that’s their desire. So, instead of becoming attracted to that form, they merge into it [Laughs]. Of course, if they get association of devotees, then they can develop attraction to that form and then they can worship Bhagavan.
Devotee: When they meditate on Paramatma form, which is four-handed form, they think that this form is temporary and material ?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: They may not, but they still prefer liberation, so they’ll merge into the Paramatma.
Devotee: So, they use the Paramatma form to get the liberation ?
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj: Yeah
7.) Maharaj, once yogis identify the Paramatma, why the Paramatma in the form of Chaitya Guru, didn’t guide them to get Krishna?
Well, the Chaitya Guru or the Paramatma tries to make arrangements to fulfill your desires. If you actually desire to worship Bhagavan, then He’ll help you. If you desire liberation, He’ll help you in that direction.
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatam ki jai!!! HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj ki jai!!! Srila Prabhupada ki jai!!!