Shloka 46
Kardama Muni’s Penance, Viṣṇu’s Darśana, and the Arrangement of Devahūti’s Marriage
प्रविश्य तत्तीर्थवरमादिराज: सहात्मज: । ददर्श मुनिमासीनं तस्मिन् हुतहुताशनम् ॥ ४५ ॥ विद्योतमानं वपुषा तपस्युग्रयुजा चिरम् । नातिक्षामं भगवत: स्निग्धापाङ्गावलोकनात् । त द्वयहृतामृतकलापीयूषश्रवणेन च ॥ ४६ ॥ प्रांशुं पद्मपलाशाक्षं जटिलं चीरवाससम् । उपसंश्रित्य मलिनं यथार्हणमसंस्कृतम् ॥ ४७ ॥
praviśya tat tīrtha-varam ādi-rājaḥ sahātmajaḥ dadarśa munim āsīnaṁ tasmin huta-hutāśanam
ಆ ಮುನಿ ದೇಹಕಾಂತಿಯಿಂದ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದನು; ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲ ಉಗ್ರ ತಪಸ್ಸು ಮಾಡಿದರೂ ಅತಿಯಾಗಿ ಕ್ಷೀಣನಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಏಕೆಂದರೆ ಭಗವಂತನ ಸ್ನಿಗ್ಧ ಕಟಾಕ್ಷ ಅವನ ಮೇಲೆ ಇತ್ತು ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಭುವಿನ ಚಂದ್ರಸಮಾನ ವಚನಾಮೃತವನ್ನು ಅವನು ಶ್ರವಣಮಾಡಿದ್ದನು.
Here are some descriptions of a brahmacārī-yogī. In the morning, the first duty of a brahmacārī seeking spiritual elevation is huta-hutāśana, to offer sacrificial oblations to the Supreme Lord. Those engaged in brahmacarya cannot sleep until seven or nine o’clock in the morning. They must rise early in the morning, at least one and a half hours before the sun rises, and offer oblations, or in this age, they must chant the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa. As referred to by Lord Caitanya, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, in this age, to chanting the holy name of the Lord. The brahmacārī must rise early in the morning and, after placing himself, should chant the holy name of the Lord. From the very features of the sage, it appeared that he had undergone great austerities; that is the sign of one observing brahmacarya, the vow of celibacy. If one lives otherwise, it will be manifest in the lust visible in his face and body. The word vidyotamānam indicates that the brahmacārī feature showed in his body. That is the certificate that one has undergone great austerity in yoga. A drunkard or smoker or sex-monger can never be eligible to practice yoga. Generally yogīs look very skinny because of their not being comfortably situated, but Kardama Muni was not emaciated, for he had seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Here the word snigdhāpāṅgāvalokanāt means that he was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Lord face to face. He looked healthy because he had directly received the nectarean sound vibrations from the lotus lips of the Personality of Godhead. Similarly, one who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacārīs and gṛhasthas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. It is essential that a brahmacārī engaged in spiritual advancement look very healthy and lustrous. The comparison of the sage to an unpolished gem is very appropriate. Even if a gem just taken from a mine looks unpolished, the luster of the gem cannot be stopped. Similarly, although Kardama was not properly dressed and his body was not properly cleansed, his overall appearance was gemlike.
FAQs
This verse shows Manu approaching a sacred tīrtha to meet a realized sage—indicating that tīrthas are meant to facilitate contact with saintly persons and dharmic practices like yajña.
In this chapter’s narrative, Manu approaches Kardama Muni to request his help in the divine plan—specifically regarding Manu’s daughter Devahūti and Kardama’s role as a great yogī and householder-sage.
Even without elaborate rituals, one can adopt the principle of yajña by offering daily actions to God—through prayer, service, and disciplined living guided by saintly association.