Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.49
तस्मात् सर्वात्मना राजन् हृदिस्थं कुरु केशवम् ।
म्रियमाणो ह्यवहितस्ततो यासि परां गतिम् ॥ ४९ ॥
tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan
[tasmaat sarvaatmanaa raajan]
hṛdi-sthaṁ kuru keśavam
[hridi-stham kuru keshavam]
mriyamāṇo hy avahitas
[mriyamaano hy avahitas]
tato yāsi parāṁ gatim
[tato yaasi paraam gatim]
Word-for-word
tasmāt
—
therefore
sarva-ātmanā
—
with all endeavor
rājan
—
O King
hṛdi-stham
—
within your heart
kuru
—
make
keśavam
—
Lord Keśava
mriyamāṇaḥ
—
dying
hi
—
indeed
avahitaḥ
—
concentrated
tataḥ
—
then
yāsi
—
you will go
parām
—
to the supreme
gatim
—
destination.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan
tasmāt
therefore
sarva-ātmanā
with all endeavor
rājan
O King
hṛdi-sthaṁ kuru keśavam
hṛdi-stham
within your heart
kuru
make
keśavam
Lord Keśava
mriyamāṇo hy avahitas
mriyamāṇaḥ
dying
hi
indeed
avahitaḥ
concentrated
tataḥ
then
tato yāsi parāṁ gatim
yāsi
you will go
parām
to the supreme
gatim
destination.
Therefore, O King, endeavor with all your might to fix the Supreme Lord Keśava within your heart. Maintain this concentration upon the Lord, and at the time of death you will certainly attain the supreme destination.
Purport
Although the Supreme Lord is always in the heart of every living being, the words hṛdi-sthaṁ kuru keśavam indicate that one should endeavor to realize the Lord’s presence there and maintain this awareness at every moment. Parīkṣit Mahārāja is about to give up this world and is receiving final instructions from his spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. In the context of the King’s imminent departure, this verse has special significance.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Therefore, O King, endeavor with all your might to fix the Supreme Lord Keśava within your heart. You will certainly attain the supreme destination by remembering the Lord with attention.
Since persons like Ajāmila remembered the Lord without being attentive, you will certainly attain the Lord from remembering him (tataḥ) with attention
Personal Guidance
Endeavor with all your might, Śukadeva tells Parīkṣit, to fix Keśava in your heart and hold the focus to the end. For someone about to die — and we all are, sooner or later — this is the central instruction.
Reflection Questions
- If I had a year to die, how would my sādhana change?
- What stops me from making that change today?
My note
Source: vedabase.io