FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.2.21

तस्माद् भ्रुवोरन्तरमुन्नयेत निरुद्धसप्तायतनोऽनपेक्ष: । स्थित्वा मुहूर्तार्धमकुण्ठद‍ृष्टि- र्निर्भिद्य मूर्धन् विसृजेत्परं गत: ॥ २१ ॥
tasmād bhruvor antaram unnayeta
[tasmaad bhruvor antaram unnayeta]
niruddha-saptāyatano ’napekṣaḥ
[niruddha-saptaayatano ’napekshah]
sthitvā muhūrtārdham akuṇṭha-dṛṣṭir
[sthitvaa muhoortaardham akuntha-drishtir]
nirbhidya mūrdhan visṛjet paraṁ gataḥ
[nirbhidya moordhan visrijet param gatah]
tasmāt — from there bhruvoḥ — of the eyebrows antaram — in between unnayeta — should be brought in niruddha — by blocking sapta — seven āyatanaḥ — outlets of the life air anapekṣaḥ — independent of all material enjoyment sthitvā — by keeping muhūrta — of a moment ardham — half akuṇṭha — back home, back to Godhead dṛṣṭiḥ — one whose aim is targeted like that nirbhidya — punching mūrdhan — the cerebral hole visṛjet — should give up his body param — the Supreme gataḥ — having gone to.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmād bhruvor antaram unnayeta
tasmāt
from there
bhruvoḥ
of the eyebrows
antaram
in between
unnayeta
should be brought in
niruddha-saptāyatano ’napekṣaḥ
niruddha
by blocking
sapta
seven
āyatanaḥ
outlets of the life air
sthitvā muhūrtārdham akuṇṭha-dṛṣṭir
nirbhidya mūrdhan visṛjet paraṁ gataḥ
anapekṣaḥ
independent of all material enjoyment
sthitvā
by keeping
muhūrta
of a moment
ardham
half
akuṇṭha
back home, back to Godhead
dṛṣṭiḥ
one whose aim is targeted like that
nirbhidya
punching
mūrdhan
the cerebral hole
visṛjet
should give up his body
param
the Supreme
gataḥ
having gone to.
Thereafter the bhakti-yogī should push the life air up between the eyebrows, and then, blocking the seven outlets of the life air, he should maintain his aim for going back home, back to Godhead. If he is completely free from all desires for material enjoyment, he should then reach the cerebral hole and give up his material connections, having gone to the Supreme.

The process of giving up all material connections and returning home, back to Godhead, the Supreme, is recommended herein. The condition is that one should be completely freed from desire for material enjoyment. There are different grades of material enjoyments in respect to duration of life and sensual gratification. The highest plane of sensual enjoyment for the longest period of life is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.20) . All are but material enjoyments, and one should be thoroughly convinced that he has no need of such a long duration of life, even in the Brahmaloka planet. He must return home, back to Godhead, and must not be attracted by any amount of material facilities. In the Bhagavad-gītā (2.59) it is said that this sort of material detachment is possible to attain when one is acquainted with the supreme association of life. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. One cannot be freed from material attraction unless he has complete understanding of the nature of spiritual life. The propaganda by a certain class of impersonalists that spiritual life is void of all varieties is dangerous propaganda to mislead the living beings into becoming more and more attracted by material enjoyments. As such, persons with a poor fund of knowledge cannot have any conception of the param, the Supreme; they try to stick to the varieties of material enjoyments, although they may flatter themselves as being Brahman-realized souls. Such less intelligent persons cannot have any conception of the param, as mentioned in this verse, and therefore they cannot reach the Supreme. The devotees have full knowledge of the spiritual world, the Personality of Godhead and His transcendental association in unlimited spiritual planets called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. Herein akuṇṭha-dṛṣṭiḥ is mentioned. Akuṇṭha and vaikuṇṭha convey the same import, and only one who has his aim fixed upon that spiritual world and personal association with the Godhead can give up his material connections even while living in the material world. This param and the paraṁ dhāma mentioned in several places in the Bhagavad-gītā are one and the same thing. One who goes to the paraṁ dhāma does not return to the material world. This freedom is not possible even by reaching the topmost loka of the material world.

The life air passes through seven openings, namely two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and one mouth. Generally it passes through the mouth at the time of an ordinary man’s death. But the yogī, as above mentioned, who controls the life air in his own way, generally releases the life air by puncturing the cerebral hole in the head. The yogī therefore blocks up all the above-mentioned seven openings so that the life air will naturally burst forth through the cerebral hole. This is the sure sign of a great devotee’s leaving the material connection.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
He leads the air to the point between the brows (ājñā-cakra) and blocks the seven pathways. Situated there for a moment, unattached, with clear vision, absorbed in the Brahman, he then pierces the brahma-randhra and gives up the senses and body.
Commentary

Then he leads the air to the ājñā-cakra between the eyebrows. He blocks the seven roads: the two ears, two eyes, two nostrils and mouth. These are the paths by which the prāṇa can exit. Being unattached, not being interested in experiencing the enjoyments of Brahma-loka, as the krama-muktas are, he pierces the brahma-randhra and gives up the body (gross) and senses (subtle body).

Final liberation depends on being completely free from material desires — then the life-air reaches the cerebral hole and goes to the Supreme. Half-cooked detachment leaves us in the cycle; total surrender ends it.
Reflection Questions
  • What desire would I be most reluctant to relinquish at the moment of death?
  • What practice today could loosen that desire's grip before it has to be pried away?
📝 My note

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