TEXT 4
tasyam sa vai maha-yogi
yuktayam yoga-laksanaih
sasarja katidha viryam
tan me susrusave vada
SYNONYMS
tasyamin her; sahKardama Muni; vaiin fact; maha-yogigreat mystic yogi; yuktayamendowed; yoga-laksanaihwith the eightfold symptoms of yogic perfection; sasarjapropagated; katidhahow many times; viryamoffspring; tatthat narration; meto me; susrusavewho am eager to hear; vadatell.
TRANSLATION
How many offspring did that great yogi beget through the princess, who was endowed with eightfold perfection in the yoga principles? Oh, pray tell me this, for I am eager to hear it.
PURPORT
Here Vidura inquired about Kardama Muni and his wife, Devahuti, and about their children. It is described here that Devahuti was very much advanced in the performance of eightfold yoga. The eight divisions of yoga performance are described as (1) control of the senses, (2) strict following of the rules and regulations, (3) practice of the different sitting postures, (4) control of the breath, (5) withdrawing the senses from sense objects, (6) concentration of the mind, (7) meditation and (8) self-realization. After self-realization there are eight further perfectional stages, which are called yoga-siddhis. The husband and wife, Kardama and Devahuti, were advanced in yoga practice; the husband was a maha-yogi, great mystic, and the wife was a yoga-laksana, or one advanced in yoga. They united and produced children. Formerly, after making their lives perfect, great sages and saintly persons used to beget children, otherwise they strictly observed the rules and regulations of celibacy. Brahmacarya (following the rules and regulations of celibacy) is required for perfection of self-realization and mystic power. There is no recommendation in the Vedic scriptures that one can go on enjoying material sense gratification at ones whims, as one likes, and at the same time become a great meditator by paying a rascal some money.

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