Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 30
Kapila Describes Bhakti-Saturated Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga and Meditation on the Lord’s Form
यच्छ्रीनिकेतमलिभि: परिसेव्यमानं भूत्या स्वया कुटिलकुन्तलवृन्दजुष्टम् । मीनद्वयाश्रयमधिक्षिपदब्जनेत्रं ध्यायेन्मनोमयमतन्द्रित उल्लसद्भ्रु ॥ ३० ॥
yac chrī-niketam alibhiḥ parisevyamānaṁ bhūtyā svayā kuṭila-kuntala-vṛnda-juṣṭam mīna-dvayāśrayam adhikṣipad abja-netraṁ dhyāyen manomayam atandrita ullasad-bhru
Затем йог созерцает прекрасный лик Господа — обитель Шри, словно окружённый служащими ему пчёлами и украшенный вьющимися локонами; лотосные глаза и играющие брови сияют так, что даже лотос, облепленный пчёлами, и пара рыб, плывущих в нём, меркнут перед этой красотой.
One important statement here is dhyāyen manomayam. Manomayam is not imagination. Impersonalists think that the yogī can imagine any form he likes, but, as stated here, the yogī must meditate upon the form of the Lord which is experienced by devotees. Devotees never imagine a form of the Lord. They are not satisfied by something imaginary. The Lord has different eternal forms; each devotee likes a particular form and thus engages himself in the service of the Lord by worshiping that form. The Lord’s form is depicted in different ways according to scriptures. As already discussed, there are eight kinds of representations of the original form of the Lord. These representations can be produced by the use of clay, stone, wood, paint, sand, etc., depending upon the resources of the devotee.
FAQs
This verse instructs focused, non-lazy meditation on the Lord’s beautiful personal features—His lotus face, lotus eyes, shining brows, and divine adornment—showing that contemplation of Bhagavān’s form is a direct limb of bhakti.
Kapila is guiding Devahuti in dhyāna as a practical method of bhakti: vivid, affectionate visualization of the Lord’s features steadies the mind and draws it toward loving remembrance instead of distraction.
Set aside a short daily time to calmly visualize the Lord’s lotus face and eyes (or gaze at a deity/painting), and keep the mind attentive (atandrita) by returning gently to the form whenever it wanders.