132 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 8
Godhead. Here we see that mother Yasoda is on the highest stage of
necessity, for she is completely absorbed in love for Krsna.

In the beginning, the Vedic purpose is pursued in three ways (trayi) —
by karma-kanda, jndna-kanda and updsand-kdnda. When one reaches
the complete, perfect stage of updsand-kdnda, one comes to worship
Narayana, or Lord Visnu. When Parvati asked Lord Mahadeva, Lord
Siva, what is the best method of updsand, or worship, Lord Siva
answered, Grddhandnam sarvesém visnor draddhanam param. Visni-
pasand, or visnv-dradhana, worship of Lord Visnu, is the highest stage
of perfection, as realized by Devaki. But here mother Yasoda performs
no updsand, for she has developed transcendental ecstatic love for Krsna.
Therefore her position is better than that of Devaki. In order to show
this, Srila Vyasadeva enunciates this verse, trayya copanisadbhih ete.

When a human being enters into the study of the Vedas to obtain
vidya, knowledge, he begins to take part in human civilization. Then he
advances further to study the Upanisads and gain brahma-jndna, imper-
sonal realization of the Absolute Truth, and then he advances still
further, to sarikhya-yoga, in order to understand the supreme controller,
who is indicated in Bhagavad-gita (param brahma param dhama
pavitrarh paramam bhavan/ purusarh s4svatam). When one understands
that purusa, the supreme controller, to be Paramatma, one is engaged in
the method of yoga (dhydndvasthita-tad-gatena manasd pasyanti yam
yoginah). But mother Yaéoda has surpassed all these stages. She has come
to the platform of loving Krsna as her beloved child, and therefore she is
accepted to be on the highest stage of spiritual realization. The Absolute
Truth is realized in three features (brahmeti paramétmeti bhagavan iti
Sabdyate), but she is in such ecstasy that she does not care to understand
what is Brahman, what is Paramatma or what is Bhagavan. Bhagavan has
personally descended to become her beloved child. Therefore there is no
comparison to mother Yasoda’s good fortune, as declared by Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu (ramyé kdcid updsana vrajavadhi-vargena ya kalpitd).
The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, may be
realized in different stages. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.11):

ye yathé mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
