TEXT 42
yo devair arthito daityan
avadhid yudhi durjayah
muhurtam ayur jnatvaitya
sva-puram sandadhe manah
SYNONYMS
yahKing Khatvanga who; devaihby the demigods; arthitahbeing requested; daityanthe demons; avadhitkilled; yudhiin a fight; durjayahvery fierce; muhurtamfor a second only; ayuhduration of life; jnatvaknowing; etyaapproached; sva-puramhis own abode; sandadhefixed; manahthe mind.
TRANSLATION
King Khatvanga was unconquerable in any fight. Requested by the demigods to join them in fighting the demons, he won victory, and the demigods, being very pleased, wanted to give him a benediction. The King inquired from them about the duration of his life and was informed that he had only one moment more. Thus he immediately left his palace and went to his own residence, where he engaged his mind fully on the lotus feet of the Lord.
PURPORT
The example of Maharaja Khatvanga in performing devotional service is brilliant. Maharaja Khatvanga engaged himself for only a moment in devotional service to the Lord, but he was promoted back to Godhead. Therefore, if one practices devotional service from the beginning of his life, surely he will return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt (asamsaya).
In Bhagavad-gita the word asamsaya is used to describe the devotee. There the Lord Himself gives this instruction:
Now hear, O son of Prtha [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt. (Bg. 7.1)
The Lord also instructs:
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna. (Bg. 4.9)
Therefore, from the very beginning of ones life one should practice bhakti-yoga, which increases ones attachment for Krsna. If one daily sees the Deity in the temple, makes offerings by worshiping the Deity, chants the holy name of the Personality of Godhead, and preaches about the glorious activities of the Lord as much as possible, he thus becomes attached to Krsna. This attachment is called asakti. When ones mind is attached to Krsna (mayy asakta-manah), one can fulfill the mission of life in one human birth. If one misses this opportunity, one does not know where he is going, how long he will remain in the cycle of birth and death, and when he will again achieve the human form of life and the chance to return home, back to Godhead. The most intelligent person, therefore, uses every moment of his life to render loving service to the Lord.

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