Bhakti · Sanskrit §23 · English §25
Source[२३] श्री-भागवतादिर् भाव-कारणे श्री-नारद-व्यास-संवादेऽपि -- नैष्कर्म्यम् अप्य् अच्युत-भाव-वर्जितं न शोभते ज्ञानम् अलं निरञ्जनम् कुतः पुनः शश्वद् अभद्रम् ईश्वरे न चार्पितं कर्म यद् अप्य् अकारणम् ॥ [भ्प् १.५.१२] इत्य्-आद्य् उदाहृतम् । टीका च - निष्कर्म ब्रह्म तद्-एकाकारत्वान् निष्कर्मता- रूपं नैष्कर्म्यम् । अज्यते अनेनेत्य् अञ्जनम् उपाधिस् तन् निवर्तकं निरञ्जनम् एवम्भूतम् अपि ज्ञानम् उच्यते भावो भक्तिस् तद्-वर्जितं चेद् अलम् अत्यर्थं न शोभते सम्यग् अपरोक्षाय न कल्पते इत्य् अर्थः । तदा शश्वत् साधन-काले फल-काले च अभद्रं दुःख-रूपं यत् काम्यं कर्म यद् अप्य् अकारणम् अकाम्यं तच् चेति चकारस्यान्वयः । तद् अपि कर्म ईश्वरे नार्पितं चेत् कुतः पुनः शोभते, बहिर्-मुखत्वेन सत्त्व- शोधकत्वाभावाद् इत्य् एषा । तद् एवं ज्ञानस्य भक्ति-संसर्गं विना कर्मणश् तद्-उपपादकत्वं विना व्यर्थत्वं व्यक्तम् । (पगे १०) किं च - जुगुप्सितं धर्म-कृतेऽनुशासतः स्वभाव-रक्तस्य महान् व्यतिक्रमः ॥ [भ्प् १.५.१५] इत्य्-आदिकम् उक्त्वाह - त्यक्त्वा स्व-धर्मं चरणाम्बुजं हरेर् भजन्न् अपक्वोऽथ पतेत् ततो यदि । यत्र क्व वाभद्रम् अभूद् अमुष्य किं को वार्थ आप्तोऽभजतां स्व-धर्मतः ॥ [भ्प् १.५.१७] टीका च - इदानीं तु नित्य-नैमित्तिक-स्वधर्म-निष्ठाम् अप्य् अनादृत्य केवलं हरि-भक्तिर् एवोपदेष्टव्या इत्य् आशयेनाह त्यक्त्वेति । ननु स्वधर्म-त्यागेन भजन् भक्ति-परिपाकेन यदि कृतार्थो भवेत् तदा न काचिच् चिन्ता । यदि पुनर् अपक्व एव म्रियेत भ्रश्येद् वा तदा तु स्वधर्म- त्याग-निमित्तोऽनर्थः स्याद् इत्य् आशङ्क्याह, ततो भजनात् पतेत् कथञ्चिद् भ्रश्येन् म्रियेत वा यदि तदापि भक्ति-रसिकस्य कर्मानधिकारान् नानर्थ-शङ्का । अङ्गीकृत्याप्य् आह, वा-शब्दः कटाक्षे, यत्र क्व वा नीचयोनाव् अपि अमुष्य भक्ति-रसिकस्य अभद्रम् अभूत् किम्? नाभूद् एवेत्य् अर्थः । भक्ति-वासना-सद्-भावाद् इति भावः । अभजताम् अभजद्भिस् तु केवलं स्वधर्मतः को वार्थ आप्तः । अभजताम् इति षष्ठी सम्बद्न- मात्र-विवक्षयेत्य् एषा । ॥ १.५ ॥ श्री-नारदः श्री-व्यासम् ॥२३॥
[23] śrī-bhāgavatādir bhāva-kāraṇe śrī-nārada-vyāsa-saṃvāde'pi -- naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṃ na śobhate jñānam alaṃ nirañjanam kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare na cārpitaṃ karma yad apy akāraṇam || [BhP 1.5.12] ity-ādy udāhṛtam | ṭīkā ca - niṣkarma brahma tad-ekākāratvān niṣkarmatā- rūpaṃ naiṣkarmyam | ajyate anenety añjanam upādhis tan nivartakaṃ nirañjanam evambhūtam api jñānam ucyate bhāvo bhaktis tad-varjitaṃ ced alam atyarthaṃ na śobhate samyag aparokṣāya na kalpate ity arthaḥ | tadā śaśvat sādhana-kāle phala-kāle ca abhadraṃ duḥkha-rūpaṃ yat kāmyaṃ karma yad apy akāraṇam akāmyaṃ tac ceti cakārasyānvayaḥ | tad api karma īśvare nārpitaṃ cet kutaḥ punaḥ śobhate, bahir-mukhatvena sattva- śodhakatvābhāvād ity eṣā | tad evaṃ jñānasya bhakti-saṃsargaṃ vinā karmaṇaś tad-upapādakatvaṃ vinā vyarthatvaṃ vyaktam | (page 10) kiṃ ca - jugupsitaṃ dharma-kṛte'nuśāsataḥ svabhāva-raktasya mahān vyatikramaḥ || [BhP 1.5.15] ity-ādikam uktvāha - tyaktvā sva-dharmaṃ caraṇāmbujaṃ harer bhajann apakvo'tha patet tato yadi | yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṃ ko vārtha āpto'bhajatāṃ sva-dharmataḥ || [BhP 1.5.17] ṭīkā ca - idānīṃ tu nitya-naimittika-svadharma-niṣṭhām apy anādṛtya kevalaṃ hari-bhaktir evopadeṣṭavyā ity āśayenāha tyaktveti | nanu svadharma-tyāgena bhajan bhakti-paripākena yadi kṛtārtho bhavet tadā na kācic cintā | yadi punar apakva eva mriyeta bhraśyed vā tadā tu svadharma- tyāga-nimitto'narthaḥ syād ity āśaṅkyāha, tato bhajanāt patet kathañcid bhraśyen mriyeta vā yadi tadāpi bhakti-rasikasya karmānadhikārān nānartha-śaṅkā | aṅgīkṛtyāpy āha, vā-śabdaḥ kaṭākṣe, yatra kva vā nīcayonāv api amuṣya bhakti-rasikasya abhadram abhūt kim? nābhūd evety arthaḥ | bhakti-vāsanā-sad-bhāvād iti bhāvaḥ | abhajatām abhajadbhis tu kevalaṃ svadharmataḥ ko vārtha āptaḥ | abhajatām iti ṣaṣṭhī sambadna- mātra-vivakṣayety eṣā | || 1.5 || śrī-nāradaḥ śrī-vyāsam ||23||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 25
Anuccheda 25
1 He explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.1.5): "O descendent of King Bharata. one who desires to be free from all miseries must hear about, glorify, and also remember the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul, the controller, and the saviour from all miseries."* 2 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "By using the word 'sarvatma' here the speaker says that the Lord is most dear to everyone. By the word 'isvara' he says that the Lord's will cannot be thwarted. By the word 'harih' he says that the Lord removes the bondage (of repeated material existence). The phrase 'abhayam icchata' here means 'they who desire liberation'." Liberation means attaining the Lord and thus becoming free of all miseries.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §24 · English §26
Source[२४] तद् एवं भक्तिर् एवाभिधेयं वस् त्व् इत्य् उक्तम् । तथैव श्री-शुक-परीक्षित्- संवादोपक्रमेऽपि - श्रोतव्यादीनि राजेन्द्र नृणां सन्ति सहस्रशः । अपश्यताम् आत्म-तत्त्वं गृहेषु गृह-मेधिनाम् ॥ [भ्प् २.१.२] इत्य्-आदि । गृहेष्व् इत्य्-आदिकम् उपलक्षणं बहिर्मुखानाम् । आत्म-तत्त्वं भगवत्- तत्त्वं, तथा निगमयिष्यमानत्वात् ।
[24] tad evaṃ bhaktir evābhidheyaṃ vas tv ity uktam | tathaiva śrī-śuka-parīkṣit- saṃvādopakrame'pi - śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṃ santi sahasraśaḥ | apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṃ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām || [BhP 2.1.2] ity-ādi | gṛheṣv ity-ādikam upalakṣaṇaṃ bahirmukhānām | ātma-tattvaṃ bhagavat- tattvaṃ, tathā nigamayiṣyamānatvāt |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 26
Anuccheda 26
1 After this he describes meditation on the universal form of the Lord, and then, speaking against that meditation, he describes devotional service (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.39): 2 "One should concentrate his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who alone distributes Himself in so many manifestations just as ordinary persons create thousands of manifestations in dreams. One must concentrate the mind on Him, the only all-blissful Absolute Truth. Otherwise one will be misled and will cause his own degradation."* 3 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "This verse means that one should concentrate his mind on the Lord (tam eva satyam bhajeta) who alone distributes Himself in so many manifestations (sa ekah sarva-dhi-vrtty-anubhuta-sarvah). One should not be attached to anyone or anything else (na anyatra sajjet) because from that attachment (yatah) one falls (atma-patah) into the material world of repeated birth and death. The Lord alone experiences everything (anubhuta-sarvah) with His senses. The example is given here of what is seen (iksita) by sleeping persons (svapna-jananam). Sometimes in a dream an ordinary living entity creates many different bodies and is able to see them all with his senses. In the same way the Supreme Lord sees everything with His senses. Because He is the master of the potencies of transcendental knowledge, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never bound or limited (in His knowledge)." 4 Because with the activities of His mind the Lord sees everything, He is described with the words "sarva-dhi-vrtty-anubhuta-sarvah". The Sruti-sastra (Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.2.5) explains that before the creation of the material mind and senses "The Supreme Personality of Godhead could see." As a sleeping person can create anything he wishes in his dream, so the Supreme Lord, simply by His wish, can create anything. that is what is said here. 5 Because the Lord is thus aware of everything, He is called "Satyam" (the Supreme Truth), and because He is the creator of everything He should be worshipped (bhajeta). That is the meaning. A yogi perfect in meditation on the Lord's universal form, all his knowledge-acquiring senses fixed on the universal form, sees everything in the universal form. In this way he worships (bhajeta) Lord Narayana, who is the Supreme Truth (satyam), an ocean of bliss (ananda-nidhim), the universal form, and the Supersoul present in everyone's heart. One should not (na) become attached (sajjet) to any benefits (anyatra) obtained by meditating on the universal form, for that attachment (yatah) will make one fall (atma-patah) into the cycle of repeated birth and death. An example is given here to show the Lord's being aware of everything. As an ordinary living entity may see everything in a dream so the Supreme Personality of Godhead sees everything. This is described in the Vedic scriptures: "(Before the creation) the Supreme Personality of Godhead saw (everything)." -Brhad-aranyaka panisad 1.2.5 "The Supreme Personality of Godhead has all knowledge and power." -Svetasvatara Upanisad 6.8 In this way the Sruti-sastra proves that the Supreme Lord has transcendental potencies, beginning with the potency of knowing everything. Sri Vedanta-sutra explains: "The scriptures say that the Lord created the material worlds as if in a dream." 3.2.1 "Because it is not manifested by the Lord's spiritual potency, the material world is manifested by His illusory potency (maya). 3.2.3 In these quotes from the Nyaya-sastra it is shown that the Lord's creation of everything in a dream is completely different from the wakefulness, dreaming and dreamless sleep experienced by conditioned souls in the material world. By the two words "satyam" and "ananda-nidhim" it should be understood that the person described here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This verse was spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §25 · English §27
Source[२५] निगमयति - तस्माद् भारत सर्वात्मा भगवान् ईश्वरो हरिः । श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश् च स्मर्तव्यश् चेच्छताभयम् ॥ [भ्प् २.१.५] टीका च - सर्वात्मेति प्रेष्ठत्वम् आह, भगवान् इति सौन्दर्यम् । ईश्वर इत्य् आवश्यकत्वं हरिर् इति बन्ध-हारित्वम् अभयं मोक्षम् इच्छतेत्य् एषा । मोक्षस् तु सर्व-क्लेश-शान्ति-पूर्वक-भगवत्-प्राप्तिर् एवेति ज्ञेयम् ।
[25] nigamayati - tasmād bhārata sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ | śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca smartavyaś cecchatābhayam || [BhP 2.1.5] ṭīkā ca - sarvātmeti preṣṭhatvam āha, bhagavān iti saundaryam | īśvara ity āvaśyakatvaṃ harir iti bandha-hāritvam abhayaṃ mokṣam icchatety eṣā | mokṣas tu sarva-kleśa-śānti-pūrvaka-bhagavat-prāptir eveti jñeyam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 27
Anuccheda 27
1 In the next chapter (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.14) he says: "Unless the gross materialist develops a sense of loving service unto the Supreme Lord, the seer of both the transcendental and material worlds, he should remember or meditate upon the universal form of the Lord at the end of his prescribed duties."* 2 After the word "para" the word "avara" means "the places of the living entities headed by Brahma." Who is there? The Supreme Lord (visvesvare) who sees (drastari) everything, but who, because He is perfectly spiritual remains invisible to the conditioned souls. Devotional service (bhakti-yogah) is described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.8): "Others conceive of the Personality of Godhead residing within the body in the region of the heart and measuring only eight inches, with four hands carrying a lotus, a wheel of a chariot, a conchshell and a club respectively."* In this way the way to make spiritual advancement is described. The word "kriyavasane" means "at the end of one's prescribed duties". One should do this until he develops a sense of loving devotional service to the Lord (bhakti-yogah).
Bhakti · Sanskrit §26 · English §28–29
Source[२६] एतद्-अनन्तरं विराड्-धारणाम् उक्त्वा तद्-अपवादेनापि भक्तिं ताम् आह - स सर्व-धी-वृत्त्य्-अनुभूत-सर्व आत्मा यथा स्वप्न-जनेक्षितैकः । तं सत्यम् आनन्द-निधिं भजेत नान्यत्र सज्जेद् यत आत्म-पातः ॥ [भ्प् २.१.३९] टीका च -सर्वेषां श्री-वृत्तिभिर् अनुभूतं सर्वं येन स एक एव सर्वान्तरात्मा । तम् एव सत्यं भजेत । अन्यत्रोपलक्षणे न सज्जेत । यत आसङ्गाद् आत्मनः पातः संसारो भवति । एकस्य तत्-तद्-इन्द्रियैः सर्वानुभूतौ दृष्टान्तः स्वप्न-जनानाम् ईक्षिता यथेति । स्वप्नेऽपि कदाचिद् बहून् देहान् प्रकल्प्य जीवस् तत्-तद्-इन्द्रियैः सर्वं पश्यति तद्वद् ईश्वरस्य तु विद्या-शक्तित्वान् न बन्ध इत्य् एषा । अत्र स्वधी-वृत्तिभिः पश्यन्न् एव सर्वेषां धी-वृत्तिभिर् अपि सर्वं पश्यतीत्य् एवं तथोक्तम् । स ऐक्षत इत्य् अत्र सर्व-धी-वृत्ति-सृष्टेः पूर्वम् अपि तच्- छ्रवणात् । तथा स्वप्न-देहानाम् ईश्वर-कर्तृकत्वेऽपि जीव-कर्तृक- प्रकल्पन-कथनं तत्-सङ्कल्प-द्वारैवेश्वरः करोतीत्य् अपेक्षायाम् उक्तम् । यः सर्व-धीत्य् अनुक्तत्वात् सत्यं भजेतेति योजयितव्यस्य कर्तुर् विद्यमानत्वाद् अयम् एवार्थः । स तथाभूतो दृष्टान्तः आत्मा स्वप्न- द्रष्टा जीवो यथा स्वप्न-गतानां सर्वेषां जनानां तद्-उपलक्षितानां वस्तूनां च एक एव ईक्षिता भवतीति तद्वत् । अत्र तम् इत्य् अनेन स ऐक्षतेति [ऐतु १.१.२] स्वाभाविकी ज्ञान-बल-क्रिया च इति [श्वेतु ६.८], श्रुति-प्रसिद्ध- परानपेक्ष-ज्ञानादि-सिद्धेस् तथा सन्ध्ये सृष्टिर् आह हि [व्स् ३.२.१], मायामात्रं तु कार्त्स्न्येनानभिव्यक्त-स्वरूपत्वाद् [व्स् ३.२.३] इति न्याय- प्राप्तेन स्वप्नस्यापि कर्तृत्वेन जाग्रद्-आदिमय-जगत्-कर्तृत्वस्य पूर्णत्व- प्राप्ते वैलक्षण्यं दर्शितं सत्यादि-द्वयेन परम-पुरुषार्थत्वं चेति ज्ञेयम् । ॥२.१॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ २४-२६ ॥
[26] etad-anantaraṃ virāḍ-dhāraṇām uktvā tad-apavādenāpi bhaktiṃ tām āha - sa sarva-dhī-vṛtty-anubhūta-sarva ātmā yathā svapna-janekṣitaikaḥ | taṃ satyam ānanda-nidhiṃ bhajeta nānyatra sajjed yata ātma-pātaḥ || [BhP 2.1.39] ṭīkā ca -sarveṣāṃ śrī-vṛttibhir anubhūtaṃ sarvaṃ yena sa eka eva sarvāntarātmā | tam eva satyaṃ bhajeta | anyatropalakṣaṇe na sajjeta | yata āsaṅgād ātmanaḥ pātaḥ saṃsāro bhavati | ekasya tat-tad-indriyaiḥ sarvānubhūtau dṛṣṭāntaḥ svapna-janānām īkṣitā yatheti | svapne'pi kadācid bahūn dehān prakalpya jīvas tat-tad-indriyaiḥ sarvaṃ paśyati tadvad īśvarasya tu vidyā-śaktitvān na bandha ity eṣā | atra svadhī-vṛttibhiḥ paśyann eva sarveṣāṃ dhī-vṛttibhir api sarvaṃ paśyatīty evaṃ tathoktam | sa aikṣata ity atra sarva-dhī-vṛtti-sṛṣṭeḥ pūrvam api tac- chravaṇāt | tathā svapna-dehānām īśvara-kartṛkatve'pi jīva-kartṛka- prakalpana-kathanaṃ tat-saṅkalpa-dvāraiveśvaraḥ karotīty apekṣāyām uktam | yaḥ sarva-dhīty anuktatvāt satyaṃ bhajeteti yojayitavyasya kartur vidyamānatvād ayam evārthaḥ | sa tathābhūto dṛṣṭāntaḥ ātmā svapna- draṣṭā jīvo yathā svapna-gatānāṃ sarveṣāṃ janānāṃ tad-upalakṣitānāṃ vastūnāṃ ca eka eva īkṣitā bhavatīti tadvat | atra tam ity anena sa aikṣateti [AitU 1.1.2] svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca iti [ŚvetU 6.8], śruti-prasiddha- parānapekṣa-jñānādi-siddhes tathā sandhye sṛṣṭir āha hi [Vs 3.2.1], māyāmātraṃ tu kārtsnyenānabhivyakta-svarūpatvād [Vs 3.2.3] iti nyāya- prāptena svapnasyāpi kartṛtvena jāgrad-ādimaya-jagat-kartṛtvasya pūrṇatva- prāpte vailakṣaṇyaṃ darśitaṃ satyādi-dvayena parama-puruṣārthatvaṃ ceti jñeyam | ||2.1|| śrī-śukaḥ || 24-26 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 28–29
Anuccheda 28
1 After describing in Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.15-21 and 2.2.22-32 the method of knowledge and the method of yoga, by both of which one quickly or gradually attains liberation, and after explaining the superiority of the form of devotional service where one offers the fruits of his work to the Lord, (the speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam) declares, "How much greater is direct devotional service?" He says (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.33): 2 "For those who are wandering in the material universe, there is no more auspicious means of deliverance than what is aimed at in the direct devotional service of Lord Krsna."* 3 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "In the material world there are many persons seeking the path of liberation by performing austerities, yoga, and other spiritual activities, but they are not the right path. That is confirmed in this verse by the word "na hi" (certainly not). Than devotional service (yato bhakti-yogah) no (na) other (anyah) path is (bhavet) that is auspicious (sivah), that is to say happy and free from obstacles." 4 The activities that please the Lord are described in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.6): "The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service to the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self."*
Anuccheda 29
1 That devotional service is the conclusion of all the Vedas is explained in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.34): 2 "The great personality Brahma, with great attention and concentration of the mind, studied the Vedas three times, and after scrutinizingly examining them, he ascertained that attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna is the highest perfection of religion."* 3 Here the word "bhagavan" means "the demigod Brahma", and "kutasthah" means "with great attention and concentration of the mind". That is the meaning. "trih" means "three times", "karstnyena" means "thoroughly", "brahma" means "the Vedas", and "anviksya" means "examining". In this way he ascertained (manisaya adhyavasyat) that attraction (ratih) for the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna (atmani), an attraction that is also called devotional service, (is the highest perfection of religion). The word "atmani" refers to Lord Hari. This is described in the Tantras: "Because He is all-pervading (at) and because He is the supreme mother (ma), the Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, is called atma." The word "bhagavan" here shows that the demigod Brahma, who is the master of the universe, has all-knowledge and a host of virtues. For this reason his studying the Vedas three times is only a pastime. He merely imitated the actions of other students of the Vedas. Seeing that they contained the limitless glories of Vaikuntha and were studied by numberless Brahmas, the demigod Brahma studied the Vedas. The word "kutasthah" means that while he was studying he manifested only one form. The Lord Himself explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.21.42): 4 "What is the direction of all Vedic literatures? On whom do they set focus? Who is the purpose of all speculation? Outside of Me no one knows these things."* 5 Srila Sukadeva Gosvami also explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.29.49): "I offer my obeisances to Lord Krsna, the Supreme Person, who like a bumblebee collected the honey of the essence of Vedic knowledge and, to destroy their fear of repeated birth and death, made His servants drink it."
Bhakti · Sanskrit §27 · English §30
Source[२७] एतद्-अनन्तराध्यायेऽपि तथैवाह - यावन् न जायेत परावरेऽस्मिन् विश्वेश्वरे द्रष्टरि भक्ति-योगः । तावत् स्थवीयः पुरुषस्य रूपं क्रियावसाने प्रयतः स्मरेत ॥ [भ्प् २.२.१४] परे ब्रह्मादयोऽवरे यस्मात् । विश्वेश्वरे द्रष्टरि न तु दृश्ये चैतन्य- घनत्वात् । भक्ति-योगः केचित् स्वदेहान्तर्-हृदयावकाशे प्रादेश-मात्रं पुरुषं वसन्तं चतुर्भुजम् इत्य्-आदि नोक्त्-साधन-लक्षणाभिनिवेशः । क्रियावसाने आवश्यक-कर्मानुष्ठानानन्तरम् । अनेन कर्मापि भक्ति- योग-पर्यन्तम् इत्य् उक्तम् ।
[27] etad-anantarādhyāye'pi tathaivāha - yāvan na jāyeta parāvare'smin viśveśvare draṣṭari bhakti-yogaḥ | tāvat sthavīyaḥ puruṣasya rūpaṃ kriyāvasāne prayataḥ smareta || [BhP 2.2.14] pare brahmādayo'vare yasmāt | viśveśvare draṣṭari na tu dṛśye caitanya- ghanatvāt | bhakti-yogaḥ kecit svadehāntar-hṛdayāvakāśe prādeśa-mātraṃ puruṣaṃ vasantaṃ caturbhujam ity-ādi nokt-sādhana-lakṣaṇābhiniveśaḥ | kriyāvasāne āvaśyaka-karmānuṣṭhānānantaram | anena karmāpi bhakti- yoga-paryantam ity uktam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 30
Anuccheda 30
1 How does attraction for the Supreme Personality of Godhead develop? That is explained in the following question and answer (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.38): "Please let me know what a man should hear, chant, remember and worship, and also what he should not do. Please explain all this to me."* The answer to this question is given in these words (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.36): 2 "O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere."* 3 Here the word "ca" (and) hints at a host of devotional activities, beginning with serving the Lord's feet. The result obtained by engaging with devotional activities, beginning with hearing about the Lord, is described in these words (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.2.37): 4 "Those who drink through aural reception, fully filled with the nectarean message of Lord Krsna, the beloved of the devotees, purify the polluted aim of life known as material enjoyment and thus go back to Godhead, to the lotus feet of Him (the Personality of Godhead)."* 5 The word "punanti" (purify) here shows that the previously described path of meditating on the Lord's universal form should be rejected. Because devotional service itself brings great purification, one should engage only in devotional service. This verse was spoken by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §28 · English §31
Source[२८] अनन्तरं च स्थिरं सुखं चासनम् आस्थितो यतिर् यदा जिहासुर् [भ्प् २.२.१५] इत्य्-आदिना, यदि प्रयास्यन् नृप पारमेष्ठ्यं वैहायसानाम् उत यद् विहारम् इत्य् [भ्प् २.२.२२] आदिना च, क्रमेण सद्योमुक्ति-क्रम-मुक्त्य्-उपायौ ज्ञान-योगाव् उक्त्वा ततोऽपि श्रेष्ठत्वं भक्ति-योग-हेतु-भगवद्-अर्पित- कर्मणः एवोक्त्वा साक्षाद् भक्ति-योगस्य कैमुत्यम् एवानीतम् । यथा -- न ह्य् अतोऽन्यः शिवः पन्था विशतः संसृताव् इह । वासुदेवे भगवति भक्ति-योगो यतो भवेत् ॥ [भ्प् २.२.३३] टीका च - सन्ति संसरतः पुंसो बहवो मोक-मार्गास् तपो-योगादयः । समीचीनस् त्व् अयम् एवेत्य् आह न हीति । यतोऽनुष्ठिताद् भक्ति-योगो भवेद् अतोऽन्यः शिवः सुख-रूपो निर्विघ्नश् च नास्त्य् एव इत्य् एषा । यच्-छब्देनात्र भगवत्-सन्तोषार्थकं कर्मोच्यते स वै पुंसां परो धर्म इत्य् उक्तेः ।
[28] anantaraṃ ca sthiraṃ sukhaṃ cāsanam āsthito yatir yadā jihāsur [BhP 2.2.15] ity-ādinā, yadi prayāsyan nṛpa pārameṣṭhyaṃ vaihāyasānām uta yad vihāram ity [BhP 2.2.22] ādinā ca, krameṇa sadyomukti-krama-mukty-upāyau jñāna-yogāv uktvā tato'pi śreṣṭhatvaṃ bhakti-yoga-hetu-bhagavad-arpita- karmaṇaḥ evoktvā sākṣād bhakti-yogasya kaimutyam evānītam | yathā -- na hy ato'nyaḥ śivaḥ panthā viśataḥ saṃsṛtāv iha | vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogo yato bhavet || [BhP 2.2.33] ṭīkā ca - santi saṃsarataḥ puṃso bahavo moka-mārgās tapo-yogādayaḥ | samīcīnas tv ayam evety āha na hīti | yato'nuṣṭhitād bhakti-yogo bhaved ato'nyaḥ śivaḥ sukha-rūpo nirvighnaś ca nāsty eva ity eṣā | yac-chabdenātra bhagavat-santoṣārthakaṃ karmocyate sa vai puṃsāṃ paro dharma ity ukteḥ |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 31
Anuccheda 31
1 After, in the previous two chapters (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto One, Chapters One and Two), explaining that devotional service is better than fruitive work, yoga, and impersonal speculation, in the next chapter (Canto One, Chapter Three) he explains that devotional service to the Lord is better than the worship of the demigods. First he says (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.2.3-9): "One who desires to be absorbed in the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence should worship the master of the Vedas (Lord Brahma or Brhaspati, the learned priest), one who desires powerful sex should worship the heavenly king, Indra, and one who desires good progeny should worship the great progenitors called the prajapatis. One who desires good fortune should worship Durga-devi, the superintendent of the material world. One desiring to be very powerful should worship fire, and one who aspires only after money should worship the Vasus. One should worship the Rudra incarnations of Lord Siva if he want to be a great hero. One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires to attain the heavenly planets should worship the sons of Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Visvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sadhya demigod. One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods knows as the Asvini-kumaras, and a person desiring a strongly built body should worship the earth. One who desires stability in his post should worship the horizon and the earth combined. One who desires to become beautiful should worship the beautiful residents of the Gandharva planet, and one who desires a good wife should worship the apsaras and the urvasi society girls of the heavenly kingdom. One who desires domination over others should worship Lord Brahma, the head of the universe. One who desires tangible fame should worship the Personality of Godhead, and one who desires a good bank balance should worship the demigod Varuna. If one desires to be a greatly learned man he should worship Lord Siva, and if one desires a good marital relation he should worship the chaste goddess Uma, wife of Lord Siva."* 2 Then he says (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.2.10): "A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead."* 3 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "Here the word 'akamah' means 'pure devotee', 'sarva-kamah' means 'one who has all desires, whether those mentioned before or other desires', and 'purusam param' means 'the perfect and limitless Supreme Person'." "Tivrena" means "firmly", "naturally" and "easily". The devotee's desires are automatically fulfilled. This is explained in Mahabharata: 4 "The devotees enjoy a great festival of service to Lord Visnu. They serve Him and meditate on Him, give charity to Him and offer the food in their homes to Him. In this way they attain a result even the demigods headed by Indra cannot attain." 5 The Supreme Lord Himself said to Sri Kardama Muni (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.21.24): "My dear rsi, O leader of the living entities, for those who serve Me in devotion by worshipping Me, especially persona like you who have given up everything unto Me, there is never any question of frustration."* 6 Therefore whatever desires one may have, one should earnestly (tivrena) worship (yajeta) the Lord. That worship will eventually lead to pure devotional service. That is elaborately taught here. Who are higher: the pure devotees, or one who yearns for impersonal liberation? The answer is given in the words "A person full of all material desires (sarva-karma) should still worship the Personality of Godhead." That is the final conclusion.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §29 · English §32
Source[२९] स च भक्ति-योगः सर्व-वेद-सिद्ध इत्य् आह -- भगवान् ब्रह्म कार्त्स्न्येन त्रिर् अन्वीक्ष्य मनीषया । तद् अध्यवस्यत् कूट-स्थो रतिर् आत्मन्य् अतो भवेत् ॥ [भ्प् २.२.३४] भगवान् ब्रह्मा । कूटस्थः निर्विकार एकाग्र-चित्तः सन्न् इत्य् अर्थः । त्रिस् त्रीन् वारान् कार्त्स्न्येन साकल्येन ब्रह्म वेदम् अन्वीक्ष्य विचार्य यत आत्मनि हरौ रतिर् भवेत् तद् एव भक्ति-योगाख्यं वस्तु मनीषयाध्यवस्यत् निश्चितवान् । अत्राप्य् उपसंहारानुरोधेन आत्म- शब्दस्य हरि-वाचकता । निरुक्तं च - आतत्वाच् च मातृत्वाद् आत्मा हि परमो हरिर् इति । अथवा भगवान् स्व-प्रकाश-सार्वज्ञ्यादि-गुणः परमेश्वरोऽपि सर्ववेदाभिधेय-साराकर्षण-लीलार्थम् अन्वीक्ष्य तत्र शास्त्र- विदन्तराणाम् ईक्षणम् अनुकृत्य अनन्त-वैकुण्ठ-वैभवादिमयानाम् अनन्त-विरिञ्च-पाठ्य-भेदानां वेदानां तथेक्षणं च तेनैव सम्भवतीत्य् आह कूटस्थ एक-रूपतयैव कालव्यापीति । अतएवोक्तं स्वयम् एव किं विधत्ते किम् आचष्टे किम् अनूद्य विकल्पयेत् । इत्य् अस्या हृदयं लोके नान्यो मद् वेद कश्चन ॥ [भ्प् ११.२१.४२] इति ।
[29] sa ca bhakti-yogaḥ sarva-veda-siddha ity āha -- bhagavān brahma kārtsnyena trir anvīkṣya manīṣayā | tad adhyavasyat kūṭa-stho ratir ātmany ato bhavet || [BhP 2.2.34] bhagavān brahmā | kūṭasthaḥ nirvikāra ekāgra-cittaḥ sann ity arthaḥ | tris trīn vārān kārtsnyena sākalyena brahma vedam anvīkṣya vicārya yata ātmani harau ratir bhavet tad eva bhakti-yogākhyaṃ vastu manīṣayādhyavasyat niścitavān | atrāpy upasaṃhārānurodhena ātma- śabdasya hari-vācakatā | niruktaṃ ca - ātatvāc ca mātṛtvād ātmā hi paramo harir iti | athavā bhagavān sva-prakāśa-sārvajñyādi-guṇaḥ parameśvaro'pi sarvavedābhidheya-sārākarṣaṇa-līlārtham anvīkṣya tatra śāstra- vidantarāṇām īkṣaṇam anukṛtya ananta-vaikuṇṭha-vaibhavādimayānām ananta-viriñca-pāṭhya-bhedānāṃ vedānāṃ tathekṣaṇaṃ ca tenaiva sambhavatīty āha kūṭastha eka-rūpatayaiva kālavyāpīti | ataevoktaṃ svayam eva kiṃ vidhatte kim ācaṣṭe kim anūdya vikalpayet | ity asyā hṛdayaṃ loke nānyo mad veda kaścana || [BhP 11.21.42] iti |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 32
Anuccheda 32
1 It is also said (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.11): "All the different kinds of worshippers of multidemigods can attain the highest perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure devotee of the Lord."* 2 Srila Sridhara Svami comments: "Here he explains how the previously described worshippers of the many demigods can attain devotional service. The worshippers (yajatam) of Indra and the other demigods, by, in the course of their demigod-worship (iha), associating with (sangatah) devotees of the Lord (bhagavata), attain unflinching (acalah) devotion (bhavah) for the Lord (bhagavati). In this way they attain (udayah) the supreme goal of life (nihsreyasa). All other things are insignificant in comparison to what they attain." 3 In Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.2-9 many results, beginning with expertise in enjoying the senses, were described. Later the devotion to the Lord that is attained by association with a devotee is also described. In this way the worshippers of the demigods attain a result much greater than what is attained by making offerings on a yupa of khadira wood.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §30 · English §33
Source[३०] तथैव यच् छ्रोतव्यम् [भ्प् १.१९.३८] इत्य्-आदिना प्रश्नस्योत्तरत्वेनोपसंहरति तस्मात् सर्वात्मना राजन् हरिः सर्वत्र सर्वदा । श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश् च स्मर्तव्यो भगवान् नृणाम् ॥ [भ्प् २.२.३६] च-कारात् पाद-सेवादयोऽपि गृह्यन्ते । अनन्तरं च श्रवणादि-फलं यद् दर्शितं तत् तूदाहृतम् - पिबन्ति ये भगवत आत्मनः सतां कथामृतं श्रवण-पुटेषु सम्भृतम् पुनन्ति ते विषय-विदूषिताशयं व्रजन्ति तच्-चरण-सरोरुहान्तिकम् ॥ [भ्प् २.२.३७] इति । अत्र पूनन्तीय् अनेन पूर्वोक्तः स्थूल-धारण-मार्गः परिहृतः । भक्ति- योगस्यैव स्वतः पावनत्वाद् अलं तत्-प्रयासेनेति ॥ ॥ २.२ ॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ २८-३० ॥
[30] tathaiva yac chrotavyam [BhP 1.19.38] ity-ādinā praśnasyottaratvenopasaṃharati tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan hariḥ sarvatra sarvadā | śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca smartavyo bhagavān nṛṇām || [BhP 2.2.36] ca-kārāt pāda-sevādayo'pi gṛhyante | anantaraṃ ca śravaṇādi-phalaṃ yad darśitaṃ tat tūdāhṛtam - pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ satāṃ kathāmṛtaṃ śravaṇa-puṭeṣu sambhṛtam punanti te viṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṃ vrajanti tac-caraṇa-saroruhāntikam || [BhP 2.2.37] iti | atra pūnantīy anena pūrvoktaḥ sthūla-dhāraṇa-mārgaḥ parihṛtaḥ | bhakti- yogasyaiva svataḥ pāvanatvād alaṃ tat-prayāseneti || || 2.2 || śrī-śukaḥ || 28-30 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 33
Anuccheda 33
1 Later, Sri Saunaka Rsi confirmed the importance of devotional service. He said (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.17): 2 "Both by rising and by setting, the sun decreases the duration of life of everyone, except one who utilises the time by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead."* 3 In this verse "asau" means "the sun", "udyan" means rising, "astam" means "setting", and "harati" means "forcibly destroys, because it makes it useless." This happens to the life (ayuh) of all except (rte) one who utilises the time )ksano nitah) by discussing topics of the all-good Personality of Godhead (uttama-sloka-vartaya). This is so because (the latter persons, the devotees), attain all success. That is the meaning.
Bhakti · Sanskrit §31 · English §34
Source[३१] एवं प्राक्तनाध्यायाभ्यां कर्म-योग-ज्ञानेभ्यः श्रेष्ठत्वम् उक्त्वा तद्- उत्तराध्यायेऽपि सर्व-देवतोपासनेभ्यः श्रेष्ठत्व-प्रवचनेन भगवद्- भक्ति-योगस्यैवाभिधेयत्वम् आह ब्रह्म-वर्चस-कामस् तु यजेत ब्रह्मणः पतिम् [भ्प् २.३.२] इत्य्-आद्य्-अनन्तरम् -- अकामः सर्व-कामो वा मोक्ष-काम उदार-धीः । तीव्रेण भक्ति-योगेन यजेत पुरुषं परम् ॥ [भ्प् २.३.१०] टीका च - अकाम एकान्त-भक्तः उक्तानुक्त-कामो वा सर्व-कामो वा । पुरुषं पूर्णं निरुपाधिम् इत्य् एषा । तीव्रेण दृढेन स्वभावत एव अनुपघात्येनेति विघ्नानवकाशतोक्ता । कामना तु यथा कथञ्चित् कृतेनापि स्यात् । यथोक्तं भारते - भक्त-क्षणः क्षणो विष्टोः स्मृतिः सेवा स्व-वेश्मनि । स्व-भोग्यस्यार्पणं दानं फलम् इन्द्रादि-दुर्लभम् ॥[*एन्द्नोते #१] (पगे १३) तद् उक्तं श्री-कपिलेन श्री-कर्दमं प्रति । न वै जातु मृषैव स्यात् प्रजाध्यक्ष मद्-अर्हणम् इति [भ्प् ६.२१.२४] । अथवा यत् तत्-कामस् तीव्रेणैव यजेत ततश् च शुद्ध-भक्ति- सम्पादनायैवान्ते पर्यवसिष्यतीत्य् अभिप्रायेण सविशेषणम् उपदिष्टम् । तद् अनेन एकान्त-भक्तेषु मुमुक्षौ वा तद्-भक्ति-योगस्यैवाभिधेयत्वं किं वक्तव्यम् अपि तु सर्व-कामेष्व् अपीति तद् एव सर्वथापि निर्णीतम् ।
[31] evaṃ prāktanādhyāyābhyāṃ karma-yoga-jñānebhyaḥ śreṣṭhatvam uktvā tad- uttarādhyāye'pi sarva-devatopāsanebhyaḥ śreṣṭhatva-pravacanena bhagavad- bhakti-yogasyaivābhidheyatvam āha brahma-varcasa-kāmas tu yajeta brahmaṇaḥ patim [BhP 2.3.2] ity-ādy-anantaram -- akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ | tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṃ param || [BhP 2.3.10] ṭīkā ca - akāma ekānta-bhaktaḥ uktānukta-kāmo vā sarva-kāmo vā | puruṣaṃ pūrṇaṃ nirupādhim ity eṣā | tīvreṇa dṛḍhena svabhāvata eva anupaghātyeneti vighnānavakāśatoktā | kāmanā tu yathā kathañcit kṛtenāpi syāt | yathoktaṃ bhārate - bhakta-kṣaṇaḥ kṣaṇo viṣṭoḥ smṛtiḥ sevā sva-veśmani | sva-bhogyasyārpaṇaṃ dānaṃ phalam indrādi-durlabham ||[*ENDNOTE #1] (page 13) tad uktaṃ śrī-kapilena śrī-kardamaṃ prati | na vai jātu mṛṣaiva syāt prajādhyakṣa mad-arhaṇam iti [BhP 6.21.24] | athavā yat tat-kāmas tīvreṇaiva yajeta tataś ca śuddha-bhakti- sampādanāyaivānte paryavasiṣyatīty abhiprāyeṇa saviśeṣaṇam upadiṣṭam | tad anena ekānta-bhakteṣu mumukṣau vā tad-bhakti-yogasyaivābhidheyatvaṃ kiṃ vaktavyam api tu sarva-kāmeṣv apīti tad eva sarvathāpi nirṇītam |
English translation
English witness · section(s) 34
Anuccheda 34
1 Here someone may object: "Is it not so that this also happens to the life of the (devotees)? To answer this, he says (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.18): 2 "Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith not breathe? All around us, do the beasts not eat and discharge semen?"* 3 "Na mehanti" means "Do they not enjoy sex?" Thinking the materialistic human beings to be actually animals, he refers to them with the word "apare" (other animals).
Bhakti · Sanskrit §32 · English §35–36
Source[३२] किं च -- एतावान् एव यजताम् इह निःश्रेयसोदयः । भगवत्य् अचलो भावो यद् भागवत-सङ्गतः ॥ [भ्प् २.३.११] टीका च - पूर्वोक्त-नानादेवता-यजनस्यापि संह्योग-पृथक्त्वेन भक्तियोग-फलत्वम् आह एतावान् इति । इन्द्रादीन् अपि यजताम् इह तत्-तद्-यजने भागवतानां सङ्गतो भावो भक्तिर् भवतीति यद् एतावान् एव निःश्रेयसस्य परम-पुरुषार्थसोदयः लाभः अन्यत् तु सर्वं तुच्छम् इत्य् अर्थम् इत्य् एषा । अत्र इन्द्रम् इन्द्रिय-कामस् त्व् इत्य्-आद्य् उक्तम् । इन्द्रिय-पाटवादिकं पृथक्त्वेन फलम् । भागवतेन संयोगे तु भावः फलं खादिरयूपसंयोगे यागस्य फल-वैशिष्ट्यवद् इति ज्ञेयम् ॥ ॥२.३॥ श्री-शुकः ॥ ३१-३२ ॥
[32] kiṃ ca -- etāvān eva yajatām iha niḥśreyasodayaḥ | bhagavaty acalo bhāvo yad bhāgavata-saṅgataḥ || [BhP 2.3.11] ṭīkā ca - pūrvokta-nānādevatā-yajanasyāpi saṃhyoga-pṛthaktvena bhaktiyoga-phalatvam āha etāvān iti | indrādīn api yajatām iha tat-tad-yajane bhāgavatānāṃ saṅgato bhāvo bhaktir bhavatīti yad etāvān eva niḥśreyasasya parama-puruṣārthasodayaḥ lābhaḥ anyat tu sarvaṃ tuccham ity artham ity eṣā | atra indram indriya-kāmas tv ity-ādy uktam | indriya-pāṭavādikaṃ pṛthaktvena phalam | bhāgavatena saṃyoge tu bhāvaḥ phalaṃ khādirayūpasaṃyoge yāgasya phala-vaiśiṣṭyavad iti jñeyam || ||2.3|| śrī-śukaḥ || 31-32 ||
English translation
English witness · section(s) 35–36
Anuccheda 35
1 Then he says (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.19): "Men who are like gods, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna, the deliverer from evils."* 2 Here he describes an animal like human being (purusah pausuh) who is praised by his followers, who are like dogs (sva) or other animals. If among these persons someone is very great or powerful he is still only a big animal. That is the meaning.
Anuccheda 36
1 In the next five verses he explains that the parts of such a person's body are all useless. He says (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.20): 2 "One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and marvellous acts of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or chanted loudly the worthy songs about the Lord is to be considered to possess earholes like the holes of snakes and a tongue like the tongue of a frog."* 3 "Na srnvatah" means "not hearing". Of such a person the ears are like useless holes. "Dusta" here means "wicked".