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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 11: Chapter 19: Verses 12-23
Having heard the exposition of many righteous courses-when the (internecine) war between the Bharatas had come to an end-Yudhisthira, distressed over the death of his kinsmen, subsequently asked Bhisma about the courses of conduct conducive to emancipation. I shall reproduce to you the exposition of those righteous courses which was heard (by Me) from the lips of Bhisma (of heavenly vows), and which is full of precepts on spiritual enlightenment, dispassion, intuition, faith and Devotion. Maria (spiritual enlightenment) has been concluded by Me to be that by which one is enabled to perceive the nine (viz., Prakrti or primordial Matter, Purusa or the Spirit, Mahat-tattva or the principle of cosmic intelligence, Ahankara or the cosmic Ego and the five Tanmatras or subtle elements), the eleven (viz., the five senses of perception, the five organs of action and the mind), the five (viz., the gross elements), and the three categories (namely, the three Gunas or modes of Prakrti, viz., Sattva or the principle of harmony, Rajas or the principle of activity and Tamasor the principle of ignorance and inertia) as permeating (all) created beings (from Brahma, the earliest and foremost of all, down to the merest blade of grass) and further perceives the one (intelligent principle, viz., the Supreme Spirit) running through them. When (however) a man no longer perceives as he did before the many (phenomena) as
permeated by the one (reality, viz., Brahma) but sees that one reality only, that alone is Vijnana to be sure. (In order to perceive this one reality (alone), he should ponder the coming into existence, continuance and dissolution (i.e., the transitoriness and hence unreality) of (the many) existences constituted of the three Gunas. That alone should be concluded to be real, which abides at the beginning as well as at the end (of creation) and follows from one evolute to another in the middle, and again which remains (as the residue) in the process of their involution (return to original state). Of the (many) Pramanas (means of cognition) Sruti texts (negating plurality), direct perception (of an effect being invariably produced by a cause), tradition and inference-these four are the most authoritative. Plurality of substances not finding support in the light of these; a discerning man (realizes the spiritual substance permeating all phenomena to be the only reality and) recoils from diversity (in the form of this world of matter). Since (all) ritual acts (which are rewarded with heaven) are transient, a wise man should look upon even the invisible world, including the realm of Brahma (the creator), as full of misery and perishable like the visible. The path of Devotion has already been delineated by Me. I shall, however, tell you once more the royal road to Devotion, since you have developed a liking for it, 0 sinless one ! Keenness to hear My nectar-like stories, repeated exposition of My stories when they have been (duly) heard, intense devotion to (My) worship, and glorifying Me with songs of praise, enthusiasm in doing service to Me (in the form of sweeping My temple and so on), saluting Me with all the eight limbs (viz., the head, breast, hands, knees and feet), offering much more devoted worship to My devotees and looking upon all created beings as Myself; directing (all) the movements of one's body to pursuits intended to propitiate Me (e.g., plucking basil leaves and flowers etc., for My worship), to utter My praises (alone) with one's speech, resigning the mind to Me, and giving up all (one's) desires; spurning for My sake (in order to be able to carry on My adoration uninterruptedly) wealth as well as the means of enjoyment (luxuries) and self-gratification, (all of which generally interfere with Devotion) and undertaking sacrificial performances, practising charity, offering oblations into the sacred fire, muttering prayers, observing fasts and other sacred vows and (other) austerities (in the form of undergoing hardships sanctioned by the Sastras) done for My sake-all these are stepping-stones to Devotion.
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