PURPORT

As long as one is too much absorbed in the bodily conception of life, he becomes interested in many different processes of self-realization, such as the mystic yoga system or the system utilizing the speculative empiric methods. However, when one understands that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Krsna, he realizes Krsna within everyone's heart and therefore helps everyone who is interested in Krsna consciousness. Actually the perfection of life depends on one's inclination to hear about Krsna. It is therefore mentioned in this verse: yavad gadagraja-kathasu ratim na kuryat. Unless one becomes interested in Krsna, in His pastimes and activities, there is no question of liberation by means of yoga practice or speculative knowledge.

Having attained to the stage of devotion, Maharaja Prthu became uninterested in the practices of jnana and yoga and abandoned them. This is the stage of pure devotional life as described by Rupa Gosvami: anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam/ anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. Real jnana means understanding that the living entity is the eternal servant of the Lord. This knowledge is attained after many, many births, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate (Bg. 7.19). In the paramahamsa stage of life, one fully realizes Krsna as everything: vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. When one understands fully that Krsna is everything and that Krsna consciousness is the highest perfection of life, he becomes a paramahamsa, or mahatma. Such a mahatma or paramahamsa is very rare to find. A paramahamsa or pure devotee is never attracted by hatha-yoga or speculative knowledge. He is simply interested in the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. Sometimes one who is formerly addicted to these processes tries to perform devotional service and the jnana and yoga practices at the same time, but as soon as one comes to the unalloyed stage of devotional service, he is able to give up all other methods of self-realization. In other words, when one firmly realizes Krsna as the supreme goal, he is no longer attracted by mystic yoga practice or the speculative empirical methods of knowledge.