कृत्वोचितानि निवसन्नात्मनः कल्पितासनः ॥४३॥
snÄtvÄnusavanaá¹ tasmin
kÄlindyÄḥ salile Å›ive
ká¹›tvocitÄni nivasann
Ätmanaḥ kalpitÄsanaḥ
snÄtvÄ - after taking bath; anusavanam - three times; tasmin - in that; kÄlindyÄḥ - in the River KÄlindÄ« (the YamunÄ); salile - in the water; Å›ive - which is very auspicious; ká¹›tvÄ - performing; ucitÄni - suitable; nivasan - sitting; Ätmanaḥ - of the self; kalpita-Äsanaḥ - having prepared a sitting place.
NÄrada Muni instructed: My dear boy, in the waters of the YamunÄ River, which is known as KÄlindÄ«, you should take three baths daily because the water is very auspicious, sacred and clear. After bathing, you should perform the necessary regulative principles for aá¹£á¹Äá¹…ga-yoga and then sit down on your Äsana [sitting place] in a calm and quiet position.
It appears from this statement that Dhruva MahÄrÄja had already been instructed how to practice the eightfold yoga system, which is known as aá¹£á¹Äá¹…ga-yoga. This system is explained in our Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ As It Is, in the chapter entitled “DhyÄna-yoga.†It is understood that in aá¹£á¹Äá¹…ga-yoga one practices settling the mind and then concentrating it on the form of Lord Viṣṇu, as will be described in the following verses. It is clearly stated here that aá¹£á¹Äá¹…ga-yoga is not a bodily gymnastic exercise, but a practice to concentrate the mind on the form of Viṣṇu. Before sitting on his Äsana, which is also described in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ, one has to cleanse himself very nicely in clear or sacred water thrice daily. The water of the YamunÄ is naturally very clear and pure, and thus if anyone bathes there three times, undoubtedly he will be very greatly purified externally. NÄrada Muni, therefore, instructed Dhruva MahÄrÄja to go to the bank of the YamunÄ and thus become externally purified. This is part of the gradual process of practicing mystic yoga.
