TEXTS 4547
pravisya tat tirtha-varam
adi-rajah sahatmajah
dadarsa munim asinam
tasmin huta-hutasanam
vidyotamanam vapusa
tapasy ugra-yuja ciram
natiksamam bhagavatah
snigdhapangavalokanat
tad-vyahrtamrta-kala-
piyusa-sravanena ca
pramsum padma-palasaksam
jatilam cira-vasasam
upasamsritya malinam
yatharhanam asamskrtam
SYNONYMS
pravisyaentering; tatthat; tirtha-varambest of sacred places; adi-rajahthe first monarch (Svayambhuva Manu); saha-atmajahalong with his daughter; dadarsasaw; munimthe sage; asinamsitting; tasminin the hermitage; hutabeing offered oblations; huta-asanamthe sacred fire; vidyotamanamshining brilliantly; vapusaby his body; tapasiin penance; ugraterribly; yujaengaged in yoga; ciramfor a long time; nanot; atiksamamvery emaciated; bhagavatahof the Lord; snigdhaaffectionate; apangasidelong; avalokanatfrom the glance; tatof Him; vyahrtafrom the words; amrta-kalamoonlike; piyusathe nectar; sravanenaby hearing; caand; pramsumtall; padmalotus flower; palasapetal; aksameyes; jatilammatted locks; cira-vasasamhaving rags for clothes; upasamsrityahaving approached; malinamsoiled; yathalike; arhanamgem; asamskrtamunpolished.
TRANSLATION
Entering that most sacred spot with his daughter and going near the sage, the first monarch, Svayambhuva Manu, saw the sage sitting in his hermitage, having just propitiated the sacred fire by pouring oblations into it. His body shone most brilliantly; though he had engaged in austere penance for a long time, he was not emaciated, for the Lord had cast His affectionate sidelong glance upon him and he had also heard the nectar flowing from the moonlike words of the Lord. The sage was tall, his eyes were large, like the petals of a lotus, and he had matted locks on his head. He was clad in rags. Svayambhuva Manu approached and saw him to be somewhat soiled, like an unpolished gem.
PURPORT
Here are some descriptions of a brahmacari-yogi. In the morning, the first duty of a brahmacari seeking spiritual elevation is huta-hutasana, to offer sacrificial oblations to the Supreme Lord. Those engaged in brahmacarya cannot sleep until seven or nine oclock in the morning. They must rise early in the morning, at least one and a half hours before the sun rises, and offer oblations, or in this age, they must chant the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna. As referred to by Lord Caitanya, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, in this age, to chanting the holy name of the Lord. The brahmacari must rise early in the morning and, after placing himself, should chant the holy name of the Lord. From the very features of the sage, it appeared that he had undergone great austerities; that is the sign of one observing brahmacarya, the vow of celibacy. If one lives otherwise, it will be manifest in the lust visible in his face and body. The word vidyotamanam indicates that the brahmacari feature showed in his body. That is the certificate that one has undergone great austerity in yoga. A drunkard or smoker or sex-monger can never be eligible to practice yoga. Generally yogis look very skinny because of their not being comfortably situated, but Kardama Muni was not emaciated, for he had seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Here the word snigdhapangavalokanat means that he was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Lord face to face. He looked healthy because he had directly received the nectarean sound vibrations from the lotus lips of the Personality of Godhead. Similarly, one who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacaris and grhasthas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. It is essential that a brahmacari engaged in spiritual advancement look very healthy and lustrous. The comparison of the sage to an unpolished gem is very appropriate. Even if a gem just taken from a mine looks unpolished, the luster of the gem cannot be stopped. Similarly, although Kardama was not properly dressed and his body was not properly cleansed, his overall appearance was gemlike.

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