FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.14.32

अथोपस्पृश्य सलिलं प्राणानायम्य वाग्यत: । ध्यायञ्जजाप विरजं ब्रह्म ज्योति: सनातनम् ॥ ३२ ॥
athopaspṛśya salilaṁ
[athopasprishya salilam]
prāṇān āyamya vāg-yataḥ
[praanaan aayamya vaag-yatah]
dhyāyaṣ jajāpa virajaṁ
[dhyaayash jajaapa virajam]
brahma jyotiḥ sanātanam
[brahma jyotih sanaatanam]
atha — thereafter upaspṛśya — touching or taking bath in water salilam — water prāṇān āyamya — practicing trance vāk-yataḥ — controlling speech dhyāyan — meditating jajāpa — chanted within the mouth virajam — pure brahma — Gāyatrī hymns jyotiḥ — effulgence sanātanam — eternal.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
athopaspṛśya salilaṁ
atha
thereafter
upaspṛśya
touching or taking bath in water
salilam
water
prāṇān āyamya vāg-yataḥ
prāṇān āyamya
practicing trance
vāk-yataḥ
controlling speech
dhyāyaṣ jajāpa virajaṁ
dhyāyan
meditating
jajāpa
chanted within the mouth
virajam
pure
brahma jyotiḥ sanātanam
brahma
Gāyatrī hymns
jyotiḥ
effulgence
sanātanam
eternal.
Thereafter the brāhmaṇa took his bath in the water and controlled his speech by practicing trance, meditating on the eternal effulgence and chanting the holy Gāyatrī hymns within his mouth.

As one has to take bath after using the toilet, so one has to wash himself with water after sexual intercourse, especially when at a forbidden time. Kaśyapa Muni meditated on the impersonal brahmajyoti by chanting the Gāyatrī mantra within his mouth. When a Vedic mantra is chanted within the mouth so that only the chanter can hear, the chanting is called japa. But when such mantras are chanted loudly, it is called kīrtana. The Vedic hymn Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare can be chanted both softly to oneself or loudly; therefore it is called the mahā-mantra, or the great hymn.

Kaśyapa Muni appears to be an impersonalist. Comparing his character with that of Ṭhākura Haridāsa as referred to above, it is clear that the personalist is stronger in sense control than the impersonalist. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā as paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate; i.e., one ceases to accept lower-grade things when one is situated in a superior condition. One is supposed to be purified after taking bath and chanting Gāyatrī, but the mahā-mantra is so powerful that one can chant loudly or softly, in any condition, and he is protected from all the evils of material existence.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After this, bathing and performing ācamana, controlling his breath and speech, and meditating, he chanted the pure, eternal gāyatrī mantra full of knowledge. After that, bathing and performing ācamana, he chanted oṁ or gāyatrī (brahma).
The senses and mind are not enemies but unguided servants. The verse points to gentle, consistent reining-in — not violence against the body, but honest direction of where attention goes. Its centre of gravity is material existence.
Reflection Questions
  • What is your mind feeding on most often, and how is that diet shaping your devotion?
  • Where could you offer the senses a better object instead of merely fighting them?
📝 My note

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