Shloka 20
Aditi’s Lament and Kaśyapa’s Instruction of the Payo-vrata (Milk Vow) to Please Keśava
उपतिष्ठस्व पुरुषं भगवन्तं जनार्दनम् । सर्वभूतगुहावासं वासुदेवं जगद्गुरुम् ॥ २० ॥
upatiṣṭhasva puruṣaṁ bhagavantaṁ janārdanam sarva-bhūta-guhā-vāsaṁ vāsudevaṁ jagad-gurum
O Aditi, render devotional service to Bhagavān Janārdana, the Supreme Person—master of all, subduer of enemies, dwelling in the heart-cave of every being. Only Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the guru of the universe, can bestow all auspicious blessings.
With these words, Kaśyapa Muni tried to pacify his wife. Aditi made her appeal to her material husband. Of course, that is nice, but actually a material relative cannot do anything good for anyone. If anything good can be done, it is done by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. Therefore, Kaśyapa Muni advised his wife, Aditi, to begin worshiping Lord Vāsudeva, who is situated in everyone’s heart. He is the friend of everyone and is known as Janārdana because He can kill all enemies. There are three modes of material nature — goodness, passion and ignorance — and above material nature, transcendental to material nature, is another existence, which is called śuddha-sattva. In the material world, the mode of goodness is considered the best, but because of material contamination, even the mode of goodness is sometimes overpowered by the modes of passion and ignorance. But when one transcends the competition between these modes and engages himself in devotional service, he rises above the three modes of material nature. In that transcendental position, one is situated in pure consciousness. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam ( Bhāg. 4.3.23 ). Above material nature is the position called vasudeva, or freedom from material contamination. Only in that position can one perceive the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. Thus the vasudeva condition fulfills a spiritual necessity. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. When one realizes Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes most exalted.
FAQs
This verse describes the Lord as sarva-bhūta-guhā-vāsa—present within the heart of every living being—so worship of Vāsudeva includes recognizing His indwelling presence.
Aditi urges Kaśyapa to take shelter of Vāsudeva, the universal guru, as the divine means to restore the devas’ welfare—leading into the Lord’s appearance as Vāmana.
See all beings with reverence, practice humility and non-violence, and center daily life on devotion to Vāsudeva through prayer, service, and remembrance.