Text 7]
Mahārāja Pṛthu's Going Back Home
979
titikṣur yata-vāg dānta ūrdhva-retā jitānilaḥ ārirādhayiṣuḥ kṛṣṇam acarat tapa uttamam
titikṣuḥ—tolerating; yata—controlling; vāk—words; dāntaḥ—controlling the senses; ūrdhva-retāḥ—without discharge of semen; jita-anilaḥ—controlling the life air; ārirādhayiṣuḥ—simply desiring; kṛṣṇam—Lord Kṛṣṇa; acarat—practice; tapaḥ—austerities; uttamam—the best.
TRANSLATION
Mahārāja Pṛthu underwent all these severe austerities in order to control his words and his senses, to refrain from discharging his semina and to control the life air within his body. All this he did for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. He had no other purpose.
PURPORT
In Kali-yuga the following is recommended:
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. (Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa)
In order to be recognized by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one should chant the holy name of the Lord continuously, twenty-four hours a day. Unfortunate persons who cannot accept this formula prefer to execute some type of pseudo-meditation without accepting the other processes of austerity. The fact is, however, that one must accept either the severe method of austerity described above to become purified or take to the process of devotional service recommended for pleasing the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. The person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious is most intelligent because in Kali-yuga it is not at all possible to undergo such severe austerities. We need only follow great personalities like Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In His Śikṣāṣṭaka, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu wrote,  param vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam:  all glories to the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which from the very beginning purify the heart and immediately liberate one.  Bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpanam.  If the real purpose of all  yoga  is to please Lord Kṛṣṇa, then this simple  bhakti-yoga  system recommended for this age is sufficient. It is necessary, however, to engage constantly in the service of the Lord. Although Pṛthu Mahārāja executed his austerities long before the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa on this planet, his purpose was still to please Kṛṣṇa.