The Bhagavata purana advocates dhyana or meditation as the most efficacious spiritual sadana for all caught in the sorrows of samsara. The text begins with the entreaty to people to meditate on the Supreme Truth, ‘Satyam Param Dheemahi.’ Dhyana is shown to be inherent in the paths of karma, jnana and bhakti as well.
The text discusses the way of life or dharma practised by the realised souls who are steeped in constant meditation of the Lord. They are ever free of evil tendencies like jealousy etc, and have no attraction to false values of life. By imbibing the ideals of selfless dedication to the path of dharma that they exemplify, people in Kali Yuga are sure to gain peace of mind and practise the sadana of dhyana, pointed out Sri B. Sundarkumar in a discourse. It hails sravana bhakti for, by listening to the glories of the Supreme Lord, the Lord enters into the individual and resides permanently there. That is, the individual becomes very much aware of His presence within himself and this aids his dhyana practice.
Moreover, one achieves the purpose of Veda upasana which is bhakti through this text which is compared to a fruit that has grown and ripened in the Tree of the Vedas. There is no better way to imbibe Krishna bhakti than by savouring the delicious taste of Lord’s multifaceted auspicious qualities that permeate every aspect of it. Gradually, the devotee sheds any desire for either worldly gain or even moksha, though generally mukti is sought as a goal. The fruit of meditation now becomes ‘Bhagavat aradhana,’ or worship of Lord, for its sake alone. In keeping with the Guru-sishya tradition, Vyasa, the author had imparted it to his son Suka and through him the narrative has trickled down to gladden the hearts of all devotees seeking peace of mind.
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