Shloka 3
Pṛthu Mahārāja Milks the Earth (Bhūmi-dugdha) and Organizes Human Settlement
अस्मिँल्लोकेऽथवामुष्मिन्मुनिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभि: । दृष्टा योगा: प्रयुक्ताश्च पुंसां श्रेय:प्रसिद्धये ॥ ३ ॥
asmil loke ’thavāmuṣmin munibhis tattva-darśibhiḥ dṛṣṭā yogāḥ prayuktāś ca puṁsāṁ śreyaḥ-prasiddhaye
For the welfare of human society, in this world and the next, the sages who behold the truth have perceived and prescribed various paths of yoga, to establish the highest good for all people.
Vedic civilization takes advantage of the perfect knowledge presented in the Vedas and presented by great sages and brāhmaṇas for the benefit of human society. Vedic injunctions are known as śruti, and the additional supplementary presentations of these principles, as given by the great sages, are known as smṛti. They follow the principles of Vedic instruction. Human society should take advantage of the instructions from both śruti and smṛti. If one wants to advance in spiritual life, he must take these instructions and follow the principles. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that if one poses himself as advanced in spiritual life but does not refer to the śrutis and smṛtis he is simply a disturbance in society. One should follow the principles laid down in śrutis and smṛtis not only in one’s spiritual life but in material life as well. As far as human society is concerned, it should follow the Manu-smṛti as well, for these laws are given by Manu, the father of mankind.
FAQs
This verse states that realized sages have recognized and practiced yogic processes with one aim—to establish śreyaḥ, the highest welfare of the soul, in this life and the next.
He emphasizes that authentic yogic paths are validated by truth-seeing sages and are meant to elevate human beings toward lasting spiritual good, not merely temporary material results.
Choose a genuine, scripture-aligned spiritual discipline that increases inner purity and God-centered living, aiming for long-term spiritual welfare rather than short-term gains.