Hare Krsna,
To understand Devahuti’s later life, it is important to revisit Lord Kapila’s key instructions. I would like to highlight a few verses that summarize His teachings.
SB 3.25.20: “Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation.”
SB 3.25.40: “Therefore persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life.”
SB 3.27.21-20: One can get liberation by seriously discharging devotional service unto Me and thereby hearing for a long time about Me or from Me. By thus executing one’s prescribed duties, there will be no reaction, and one will be freed from the contamination of matter. This devotional service has to be performed strongly in perfect knowledge and with transcendental vision. One must be strongly renounced and must engage in austerity and perform mystic yoga in order to be firmly fixed in self-absorption.”
SB 3.31.48: Endowed with right vision and strengthened by devotional service and a pessimistic attitude towards material identity, one should relegate his body to this illusory world through his reason. Thus one can be unconcerned with this material world.
In essence, Lord Kapiladeva recommends detachment and attachment. Detachment from material things and activities and intense attachment to the Supreme Lord through the process of devotional service (namely hearing, chanting and remembering).
In this chapter, we see that Devahuti accomplished all. She performed austerity, detachment, and attachment. Among the eight limbs of astanga-yoga taught by her son Lord Kapila, the stage of samadhi is the highest. This is the state where the mind is completely attached to the Lord. She practices samadhi in the opulent house of Kardama Muni. Due to intense austerity performed by her, her body gradually became thin, and she wore old garments.
She was also totally unattached to material comforts. The opulence of the house of Kardama Muni is unparalleled in this material world. It is mentioned that Kardama Muni’s household affairs were envied even by persons who travel in outer space refers to the denizens of heaven. Devahuti, being the daughter of Svayambhuva Manu, grew up in material opulence. Later her husband Kardama Muni built her an opulent palatial house by dint of his mystic yogic perfection and austerity. But she was completely detached from such material comforts. Material opulence meant nothing to her because of the intense separation she felt – first for her husband, and now for her illustrious son Lord Kapila. We also see in our lives that when we are in distress, material surroundings are not able to cheer us up. Devahuti was not at all sorry at giving up her material comforts, but she was very much aggrieved at the separation of her son. This shows that Devahuti got detached from material comforts and became attached to her son who was none other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
“One can give up material attachment, therefore, only when one has attachment for the Supreme Person. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Only when one actually has some taste for spiritual existence can he be reluctant to follow the materialistic way of life.” (SB 3.33.20 P)
This is a great lesson for us. Attachment for a material relation obliges one to remain in material existence, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme Lord, brings one elevation to the spiritual world in the association of the Lord (SB 3.33.21 P). Because Devahūti was always absorbed in thought of Him, she was always Kṛṣṇa conscious. Her constant situation in Kṛṣṇa consciousness enabled her to be detached from hearth and home.
Similarly, unless we are able to transfer our attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no possibility of becoming freed from material attachment. All the empiric philosophical speculation, mystic yoga or astanga-yoga are useless if they do not lead to attachment to the Supreme Lord. Mere knowledge of matter and spirit is not enough. One must have right knowledge about the Supreme Lord, our relationship with Him (sambandha), our duties towards Him (abhideya), and the ultimate goal of life (prayojana). Therefore, both jnana and vairagya are equally important. Simply by performing bhakti-yoga, we can attain knowledge and detachment.
“The devotees adopt the devotional process: hearing about the Supreme Lord’s pastimes and glorifying His activities and thereby always remembering His beautiful eternal form. By rendering service, becoming His friend or His servant and offering Him everything that one possesses, one is able to enter into the kingdom of God. As it is said in Bhagavad-gītā, tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā: after discharging pure devotional service, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in fact, and thus one becomes eligible to enter into His association in one of the spiritual planets.” (SB 3.33.22 P)
Therefore, we need to perform intense bhakti for a long time, without desire for fruitive results, and nourished by hearing, chanting, and remembering about the Lord.
SB 3.27.28-29: My devotee actually becomes self-realized by My unlimited causeless mercy, and thus, when freed from all doubts, he steadily progresses towards his destined abode, which is directly under the protection of My spiritual energy of unadulterated bliss. That is the ultimate perfectional goal of the living entity. After giving up the present material body, the mystic devotee goes to that transcendental abode and never comes back.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 