Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 5
Kṛṣṇa’s Daily Life in Dvārakā; the Captive Kings’ Appeal; Nārada Announces the Rājasūya
ब्राह्मे मुहूर्त उत्थाय वार्युपस्पृश्य माधव: । दध्यौ प्रसन्नकरण आत्मानं तमस: परम् ॥ ४ ॥ एकं स्वयंज्योतिरनन्यमव्ययंस्वसंस्थया नित्यनिरस्तकल्मषम् । ब्रह्माख्यमस्योद्भवनाशहेतुभि:स्वशक्तिभिर्लक्षितभावनिर्वृतिम् ॥ ५ ॥
brāhme muhūrta utthāya vāry upaspṛśya mādhavaḥ dadhyau prasanna-karaṇa ātmānaṁ tamasaḥ param
Lord Mādhava would rise during the brāhma-muhūrta period and touch water. With a clear mind He would then meditate upon Himself, the single, self-luminous, unequaled and infallible Supreme Truth, known as Brahman, who by His very nature ever dispels all contamination, and who through His personal energies, which cause the creation and destruction of this universe, manifests His own pure and blissful existence.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura points out that the word bhāva in this verse indicates the created beings. Thus the compound word lakṣita-bhāva-nirvṛtim means that Lord Kṛṣṇa gives pleasure to the created beings through His various energies. Of course, the soul is never created, but our material, conditioned existence is created by the interaction of the Lord’s energies.
FAQs
This verse shows Kṛṣṇa rising at brāhma-muhūrta, performing purification by touching water, and entering meditation—presenting pre-dawn hours as ideal for sādhana and inner clarity.
To reveal that the Supreme Person is also the nondual, self-effulgent Brahman; Kṛṣṇa’s ‘meditation’ is a līlā that teaches how the Absolute is realized as pure, taintless consciousness beyond ignorance.
Wake earlier when possible, begin the day with cleanliness and a brief centering practice (japa, prayer, or silent meditation), and remember the Self/Paramātmā as beyond mental darkness and agitation.