354 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 7

TRANSLATION

The Lord appeared as the son of Sudevi, the wife of King Nabhi, and
was known as Rsabhadeva. He performed materialistic yoga to equibalance
the mind. This stage is also accepted as the highest perfectional situation of
liberation, wherein one is situated in one’s self and is completely satisfied.

PURPORT

Out of many types of mystic performances for self-realization, the
process of jada-yoga is also one accepted by authorities. This jada-yoga
involves practicing becoming like a dumb stone without being affected by
material reactions. Just as a stone is indifferent to all kinds of attacks and
reattacks of external situations, similarly one practices jada-yoga by
tolerating voluntary infliction of pain upon the material body. Such yogis,
out of many self-infliction methods, practice plucking out the hairs on
their head, without shaving and without any instrumental help. But the
real purpose of such jada-yoga practice is to get free from all material
affection and to be completely situated in the self. At the last stage of his
life, Emperor Rsabhadeva wandered like a dumb madman without being
affected by all kinds of bodily mistreatment. Seeing him like a madman,
wandering naked with long hair and a long beard, less intelligent children
and men in the street used to spit on him and urinate on his body. He used
to lie in his own stool and never move. But the stool of his body was
flavored like the smell of fragrant flowers, and a saintly person would
recognize him as a paramaharisa, one in the highest state of human
perfection. One who is not able to make his stool fragrant should not,
however, imitate Emperor Rsabhadeva. The practice of jada-yoga was
possible by Rsabhadeva and others on the same level of perfection, but
such an uncommon practice is impossible for an ordinary man.

The real purpose of jada-yoga, as mentioned here in this verse, is
prasdnta-karanah, or subduing the senses. The whole process of yoga,
under whatever heading it may be, is to control the unbridled material
senses and thus prepare oneself for self-realization. In this age specifically,
this jada-yoga cannot be of any practical value, but on the other hand the
practice of bhakti-yoga is feasible because it is just suitable for this age. The
simple method of hearing from the rightful source of Srimad-Bhagavatam
will lead one to the highest perfectional stage of yoga. Rsabhadeva was the
son of King Nabhi and the grandson of King Agnidhra, and he was the
