Sukadeva serenely took the seat he had been offered, and Parikshit went to
offer him his homage with folded hands. "O brahmana," Parikshit said, "you
know Brahman and you live and act as Brahman. Your presence sanctifies
this place and our lives, and we consider your arrival as a special blessing
from Lord Krishna, who is very dear to the sons of Pandu. I pray you,
teach me the path of perfection for the human being, and especially for one
who is about to die. Tell me about what is to be listened to, recited,
remembered and worshiped, and also what should not be done."
The young saint, only sixteen years old, had already overcome all
attachments and identifications with the material body, and his awareness
was firmly established on the spiritual level. All the people present were
extremely interested in listening to hi explanations.
"My dear king," said Sukadeva, "your question is glorious, because it is
beneficial for everyone, whatever is their level of evolution. Nobody knows
when the time of death will come for them, and too often people waste the
valuable time of human life in activities that do not give any real benefit, in
mere survival at the animal level, such as sleeping, mating, finding food and
shelter, and maintaining one's family.
The really important thing is to achieve the perfection of human life, that
consists in spiritual realization, the knowledge of God. Even one single
moment of divine consciousness is worth more than one entire life wasted
in ordinary occupations that do not give any lasting benefit - a benefit we
will be able to take with us even after death.
We should not fear death. In fact, we should prepare with the utmost care
for the last moment of life, leaving one's home and living in a pure and
solitary place, controlling the mind and focusing it on meditation on Lord
Vishnu."
Thrilled by the perfect answers of the great sage, Parikshit was very eager to
apply the instructions he had just received. "I beg you," he said, "please
explain to me in details what I should do, how I must focus my mind in
order to purify it."
Then Sukadeva explained him the practice of astanga yoga: "One should
control the posture of one's body and breathing. This will help to control
the mind, senses and intelligence, in order to apply them to the
contemplation of the universal form of the Lord, the cosmic manifestation
called Virat rupa, in the following way.
The lowest planets, Patala, are the soles of the feet of the universal form,
while the heels and toes are the Rasatala planets, the ankles are the Mahatala
planets and the shins are the Talatala planets. His knees are the Sutala
planets, the thighs are the Vitala and Atala planets, the hips are Mahitala
and the outer space is the navel. The chest of the Universal Form consists
of the luminaries, the neck is the Mahar planets, the mouth is the Janas
planets, the forehead the Tapas planets. The highest planetary system,
known as Satyaloka, is the head. His arms are the celestial beings led by
Indra, the ten directions (the 8 cardinal points, plus above and below) are
the ears, and the sound is hearing. His nostrils are the Asvini kumaras, and
scent is his sense of smell. His mouth is blazing fire.
