Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 12
Pṛthu Mahārāja’s Renunciation, Austerities, Departure, and the Glory of Hearing His History
छिन्नान्यधीरधिगतात्मगतिर्निरीह- स्तत्तत्यजेऽच्छिनदिदं वयुनेन येन । तावन्न योगगतिभिर्यतिरप्रमत्तो यावद्गदाग्रजकथासु रतिं न कुर्यात् ॥ १२ ॥
chinnānya-dhīr adhigatātma-gatir nirīhas tat tatyaje ’cchinad idaṁ vayunena yena tāvan na yoga-gatibhir yatir apramatto yāvad gadāgraja-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt
Cuando quedó totalmente libre de la idea de vivir como cuerpo, el rey Pṛthu realizó a Śrī Kṛṣṇa, el Paramātmā sentado en el corazón de todos. Al recibir de Él, desde dentro, toda instrucción, abandonó otras prácticas de yoga y de jñāna; ni siquiera le interesaban sus perfecciones. Comprendió plenamente que el servicio devocional a Kṛṣṇa es la meta suprema de la vida, y que mientras los yoguis y los jñānis no se sientan atraídos por la kṛṣṇa-kathā, sus ilusiones sobre la existencia no podrán disiparse.
As long as one is too much absorbed in the bodily conception of life, he becomes interested in many different processes of self-realization, such as the mystic yoga system or the system utilizing the speculative empiric methods. However, when one understands that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Kṛṣṇa, he realizes Kṛṣṇa within everyone’s heart and therefore helps everyone who is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually the perfection of life depends on one’s inclination to hear about Kṛṣṇa. It is therefore mentioned in this verse, yāvad gadāgraja-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt: unless one becomes interested in Kṛṣṇa, in His pastimes and activities, there is no question of liberation by means of yoga practice or speculative knowledge.
FAQs
This verse teaches that even advanced yogic realization is incomplete until one develops genuine loving attraction (rati) for hearing and speaking the Lord’s narrations (Krishna-kathā).
Gadāgraja means “the elder brother of Gada” and refers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, indicating that attachment to Kṛṣṇa’s topics is the true perfection.
Alongside self-discipline and meditation, regularly hear/read Bhagavatam and discuss Kṛṣṇa’s teachings—because steady spiritual progress culminates in taste and love for divine narratives, not merely technique.