Skandham-5. Chapter-2. Slokam-4 & 5.:

Slokam-4.


The Apsara sent by Lord Brahma began strolling in a beautiful park near the
place where the King was meditating and worshiping. The park was beautiful
because of its dense green foliage and golden creepers. There were pairs of
varied birds such as peacocks, and in a lake there were ducks and swans, all
vibrating very sweet sounds. Thus the park was magnificently beautiful because
of the foliage, the clear water, the lotus flowers and the sweet singing of various
kinds of birds.


Slokam-5


As Purvacitti passed by on the road in a very beautiful style and mood of her
own, the pleasing ornaments on her ankles tinkled with her every step.
Although Prince Agnidhra was controlling his senses, practicing yoga with
half-open eyes, he could see her with his lotuslike eyes, and when he heard the
sweet tinkling of her bangles, he opened his eyes slightly more and could see
that she was just nearby.



It is said that yogés always think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
within their hearts. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa paçyanti yam yoginah
(SB 12.13.1). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always observed by yogés
who practice controlling the venomous senses. As recommended in
Bhagavad-geeta, yogis should practice samprekshya nasikagram, keeping their eyes
half-open. If the eyes are closed completely, there will be a tendency to sleep.
So-called yogis sometimes practice a fashionable form of yoga by closing their
eyes and meditating, but we have actually seen such so-called yogis sleeping
and snoring while meditating. This is not the practice of yoga. To actually
practice yoga, one should keep his eyes half-open and gaze at the tip of his
nose.



Although Agnidhra, the son of Priyavrata, was practicing mystic yoga and
trying to control his senses, the tinkling sound of Purvacitti's ankle bells ( cilanga)
disturbed his practice. Yoga indriya-samyamah: actual yoga practice means
controlling the senses. One must practice mystic yoga, to control the senses,
but the sense control of a devotee who fully engages in the service of the Lord
with his purified senses (hrushikena- hrushikesa-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]) can
never be disturbed. Sri Prabodhananda Sarasvati therefore stated,
durdantendriya-kala-sarpa-patali protkhata-damstra-yate (Caitanya-candramrta 5). 

The practice of yoga is undoubtedly good because it controls the senses,
which are like venomous serpents. When one engages in devotional service,
however, completely employing all the activities of the senses in the service of
the Lord, the venomous quality of the senses is completely nullified. It is
explained that a serpent is to be feared because of its poison fangs, but if those
fangs are broken. the serpent, although it seems fearsome, is not at all
dangerous. Devotees, therefore, may see hundreds and thousands of beautiful
women with fascinating bodily movements and gestures but not be allured,
whereas such women would make ordinary yogis fall. Even the advanced yogi
Visvamitra broke his mystic practice to unite with Menaka and beget a child
known as Sakuntala. The practice of mystic yoga, therefore, is not sufficiently
strong to control the senses. Another example is Prince Agnidhra, whose
attention was drawn to the movements of Pürvacitti, the Apsara, simply
because he heard the tinkling of her ankle bells. In the same way that
Visvamitra Muni was attracted by the tinkling bangles of Menaka, Prince
Agnidhra, upon hearing the tinkling bangles of Purvacitti, immediately
opened his eyes to see her beautiful movements as she walked. The prince was
also very handsome. As described herein, his eyes were just like the buds of
lotus flowers. As he opened his lotuslike eyes, he could immediately see that
the Apsara was present by his side.

Continues...