A popular shloka is often quoted from devotional scriptures regarding kiirtana. It is said:
Náhaḿ vasámi Vaekuńt́he yogiináḿ hrdaye na ca
Madbhaktá yatra gáyante tatra tiśt́hámi Nárada.
Náráyańa says where He remains and where He does not. Náráyańa is all-pervasive (sarvánusruta). In scriptures the all-pervasive entity is known as Viśńu.
Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat.
Viśńupuráńa –Trans.
“Náhaḿ vasámi Vaekuńt́he” – I don’t remain in Vaekuńt́ha. What is Vaekuńt́ha? “Kuńt́há” means “contraction.” Why does this contraction enter the mind? When a person commits sin and is guided by baser instincts, the mind gets contracted. And in a contracted mind, the átman does not get scope of expansion. For the sake of expression of the soul, the contraction has to be removed. When does this contraction leave the mind? It happens when the mind moves away from sin. When the contraction has left the mind, the sin is removed, and the person attaining this will have Vaekuńt́ha in the heart. “Náhaḿ vasámi vaekuńt́he” – Náráyańa says that He does not remain in Vaekuńt́ha.
“Yogiináḿ hrdaye na ca” – He does not remain in the hearts of yogiis, either. If He does not remain in the hearts of yogiis, where does He remain? But if Náráyańa says it, what should I say? We have to got to accept it.
Who is a yogii?
Saḿyoga yoga ityuktá jiivátmá Paramátmanah
When jiivátmá (unit consciousness) and Paramátmá (Cosmic Consciousness) become one, that is yoga. The word yoga originates from the Saḿskrta root word “yuiṋj” plus “ghaiṋ.” It means “addition.” If two plus two becomes four, the components can manage to keep their separate existences. Two mangoes plus two mangoes are four mangoes; but these four mangoes can be of four different types, though these two have become four. In this case, they have not become one; their separate existences are not united. This kind of addition is not real yoga. Real yoga is there where there is unification (samarasa), i.e., that kind of addition in which separate entities do not exist at all. All become one. This alone is the real meaning of yoga. One who has become perfected in this kind of yoga is a yogii. The second meaning of yoga is “yogascittavrtti nirodhah.” When different propensities in human beings are suspended, that state is known as “yoga,” and one who has done this is a yogii.
So, Náráyańa says that He does not remain in the hearts of yogiis either. How strange it is! Náráyańa is all pervasive. Is the heart of a yogii beyond sarva (all)? But there is an answer.
“Madbhaktá yatra gáyante tatra tiśt́hámi nárada.” – Where devotees sing my name, there alone I remain. O Nárada, I transfer my nucleus to that place. What is the meaning of “Nárada?” There are three meanings of the word “nára” in Saḿskrta. One meaning of “nára” is “niira,” water. The second meaning is “Paramá Prakrti” (Supreme Creative Principle), from which the word Náráyańa has come. The third meaning of the word nára is “devotion.” “Nára” plus “da”. The word ́dá has come from the root word, “da”, which means “giver.” One who distributes devotion is Nárada. So it is said, to Nárada, “I transfer my nucleus to the place where my devotees sing my name.” Why? Because in devotees there is upsurge (Ucchavása) and emotion (Ávega). With the help of that emotion, I radiate vibrations in the universe.
How can vibrations emanate from the heart of a yogii who has closed all the ten doors of his person by suspending his propensities? Even if Náráyańa shifts His nucleus there, His radiation cannot unfold therefrom.
But if He seats Himself in the midst of devotees, the entire universe is vibrated with that vibration. The object of Náráyańa will be served in this very thing. Hence, it is wise on the part of Náráyańa to remain the heart of devotees. It is true that Náráyańa is everywhere, but the origin (sphurańa), radiation (viksurańa) and sensation (spandana) of His vibration will not be everywhere. He is everywhere, but that vibration originates from that place where His nucleus is. He seats that nucleus at that place where devotees sing His name. What can be a better place than that?
Hence, that utterance of Náráyańa is a fact.
Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, 20 August 1978, Patna