FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.21.7

तत: समाधियुक्तेन क्रियायोगेन कर्दम: । सम्प्रपेदे हरिं भक्त्या प्रपन्नवरदाशुषम् ॥ ७ ॥
tataḥ samādhi-yuktena
[tatah samaadhi-yuktena]
kriyā-yogena kardamaḥ
[kriyaa-yogena kardamah]
samprapede hariṁ bhaktyā
[samprapede harim bhaktyaa]
prapanna-varadāśuṣam
[prapanna-varadaashusham]
tataḥ — then, in that penance samādhi-yuktena — in trance kriyā-yogena — by bhakti-yoga worship kardamaḥ — the sage Kardama samprapede — served harim — the Personality of Godhead bhaktyā — in devotional service prapanna — to the surrendered souls varadāśuṣam — the bestower of all blessings.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tataḥ samādhi-yuktena
tataḥ
then, in that penance
samādhi-yuktena
in trance
kriyā-yogena kardamaḥ
kriyā-yogena
by bhakti-yoga worship
kardamaḥ
the sage Kardama
samprapede hariṁ bhaktyā
samprapede
served
harim
the Personality of Godhead
bhaktyā
in devotional service
prapanna-varadāśuṣam
prapanna
to the surrendered souls
varadāśuṣam
the bestower of all blessings.
During that period of penance, the sage Kardama, by worship through devotional service in trance, propitiated the Personality of Godhead, who is the quick bestower of all blessings upon those who flee to Him for protection.

The significance of meditation is described here. Kardama Muni practiced mystic yoga meditation for ten thousand years just to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari. Therefore, whether one practices yoga or speculates and does research to find God, one’s efforts must be mixed with the process of devotion. Without devotion, nothing can be perfect. The target of perfection and realization is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said that one who constantly engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yogī. The Personality of Godhead, Hari, also fulfills the desires of His surrendered devotee. One has to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, in order to achieve real success. Devotional service, or engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the direct method, and all other methods, although recommended, are indirect. In this Age of Kali the direct method is especially more feasible than the indirect because people are short-living, their intelligence is poor, and they are poverty-stricken and embarrassed by so many miserable disturbances. Lord Caitanya, therefore, has given the greatest boon: in this age one simply has to chant the holy name of God to attain perfection in spiritual life.

The words samprapede harim mean that in various ways Kardama Muni satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, by his devotional service. Devotional service is also expressed by the word kriyā-yogena. Kardama Muni not only meditated but also engaged in devotional service; to attain perfection in yoga practice or meditation, one must act in devotional service by hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. Remembering is meditation also. But who is to be remembered? One should remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not only must one remember the Supreme Person; one must hear about the activities of the Lord and chant His glories. This information is in the authoritative scriptures. After engaging himself for ten thousand years in performing different types of devotional service, Kardama Muni attained the perfection of meditation, but that is not possible in this Age of Kali, wherein it is very difficult to live for as much as one hundred years. At the present moment, who will be successful in the rigid performance of the many yoga rules and regulations? Moreover, perfection is attained only by those who are surrendered souls. Where there is no mention of the Personality of Godhead, where is there surrender? And where there is no meditation upon the Personality of Godhead, where is the yoga practice? Unfortunately, people in this age, especially persons who are of a demoniac nature, want to be cheated. Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead sends great cheaters who mislead them in the name of yoga and render their lives useless and doomed. In Bhagavad-gītā it is therefore clearly stated (in the Sixteenth Chapter, verse 17) that rascals of self-made authority, being puffed up by illegally collected money, perform yoga without following the authoritative books. They are very proud of the money they have plundered from innocent persons who wanted to be cheated.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Then, through his austerities, using methods of worship with concentrated mind, Kardama with devotion worshipped the Supreme Lord, giver of benedictions to the surrendered. After his austerities (tataḥ), by that austerity, with mind concentrated (samādhi-yuktena) in methods of worship (kriya-yogena) he saw the Lord, who is the giver (āśuṣam) of benedictions to the devotees who are surrendered to him
The verse defines life's success by surrender, not by accumulation. What looks like 'giving up' from outside is, from inside, finally arriving at one's natural position. Its centre of gravity is Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is your devotional life mostly verbal, and where is it actually costing you something?
  • What would steady, unglamorous service look like for you this month?
📝 My note

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