Shloka 10
Bhagavān’s Avatāras, Their Protections (Poṣaṇa), and the Limits of Knowing Him
नाभेरसावृषभ आस सुदेविसूनु- र्यो वै चचार समदृग् जडयोगचर्याम् । यत्पारमहंस्यमृषय: पदमामनन्ति स्वस्थ: प्रशान्तकरण: परिमुक्तसङ्ग: ॥ १० ॥
nābher asāv ṛṣabha āsa sudevi-sūnur yo vai cacāra sama-dṛg jaḍa-yoga-caryām yat pāramahaṁsyam ṛṣayaḥ padam āmananti svasthaḥ praśānta-karaṇaḥ parimukta-saṅgaḥ
രാജാ നാഭിയുടെ ഭാര്യ സുദേവിയുടെ പുത്രനായി ഭഗവാൻ ഋഷഭദേവൻ അവതരിച്ചു. സമദൃഷ്ടിയോടെ ജഡയോഗാചരണം നടത്തി മനസ്സിനെ സമത്വത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിച്ചു. ഋഷികൾ പരമഹംസപദമെന്ന് അംഗീകരിക്കുന്ന—സ്വസ്ഥത, ശാന്തമായ കരണങ്ങൾ, സംഗമുക്തി—എന്ന പരമസിദ്ധി അദ്ദേഹം വെളിപ്പെടുത്തി।
Out of many types of mystic performances for self-realization, the process of jaḍa-yoga is also one accepted by authorities. This jaḍa-yoga involves practicing becoming like a dumb stone and not being affected by material reactions. Just as a stone is indifferent to all kinds of attacks and reattacks of external situations, similarly one practices jaḍa-yoga by tolerating voluntary infliction of pain upon the material body. Such yogīs, out of many self-infliction methods, practice plucking out the hairs on their heads, without shaving and without any instrumental help. But the real purpose of such jaḍa-yoga practice is to get free from all material affection and to be completely situated in the self. At the last stage of his life, Emperor Ṛṣabhadeva wandered like a dumb madman, unaffected by all kinds of bodily mistreatment. Seeing him like a madman, wandering naked with long hair and a long beard, less intelligent children and men in the street used to spit on him and urinate on his body. He used to lie in his own stool and never move. But the stool of his body was fragrant like the smell of fragrant flowers, and a saintly person would recognize him as a paramahaṁsa, one in the highest state of human perfection. One who is not able to make his stool fragrant should not, however, imitate Emperor Ṛṣabhadeva. The practice of jaḍa-yoga was possible for Ṛṣabhadeva and others on the same level of perfection, but such an uncommon practice is impossible for an ordinary man.
FAQs
This verse says Ṛṣabhadeva attained the pāramahaṁsya-padam—described by sages—as a state of inner steadiness, pacified senses, equal vision, and complete freedom from attachment.
He adopted the outward conduct of seeming indifference or dullness to remain unattached and undisturbed, demonstrating the life of a fully liberated renunciant with equal vision toward all.
Cultivate equal respect for all, reduce identity-based cravings, and practice steady inner discipline so the senses become calm—using devotion and self-control to act without clinging to outcomes.