Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 2.5.16
Āśraya· The supreme shelterNārāyaṇa Is the Ultimate Spiritual Destination
“All different types of meditation or mysticism are means for realizing Nārāyaṇa. All austerities are aimed at achieving Nārāyaṇa. Culture of transcendental knowledge is for getting a glimpse of Nārāyaṇa, and ultimately salvation is entering the kingdom of Nārāyaṇa.”
What the purport teaches
- Meditation, austerity and transcendental knowledge are meant for realizing Nārāyaṇa. Spiritual practice finds its purpose in reaching the Personality of Godhead.
- Aṣṭāṅga-yoga concentrates the mind, while sāṅkhya-yoga distinguishes truth from temporary things. Impersonal Brahman realization is only partial realization of Nārāyaṇa.
- Oneness with the impersonal brahmajyoti is not ultimate liberation. Superior to it is association with the Personality of Godhead in the spiritual planets of Vaikuṇṭha.
Try this today
Before a moment of meditation today, consciously set your aim on realizing Nārāyaṇa.
Ask yourself
Do I see spiritual practice as a means to reach the Lord, or merely as an end in itself?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.