Text 25

One who is qualified to chant the holy name gives up all fruitive activities. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.41) says:

देवर्षि-भूताप्त-नृणां पितृणां न किङ्करो नायम् ऋणी च राजन्
सर्वात्मना यः शरणं शरण्यं गतो मुकुन्दं परिहृत्य कर्तम्

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṃ pitṛṇāṃ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṃ śaraṇyaṃ gato mukundaṃ parihṛtya kartam

One who has taken complete shelter of Bhagavān Mukunda, who is affectionate towards the surrendered, is not indebted to the demigods, to his forefathers, to ordinary living entities, or to relatives and guests. He is not subordinate to anyone other than Śrī Mukunda, nor is he their servant.

एकान्त हैया नामे ये लय शरण
देवादिर ऋण तार नहे कदाचन

ekānta haiyā nāme ye laya śaraṇa
devādira ṛṇa tāra nahe kadācana

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

The performance of the śrāddha ceremony and other material activities meant to absolve one’s debts to the forefathers, as presented in the karma-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas, is not for devotees surrendered to the Supreme Lord. The only injunction for these devotees is to worship Śrī Bhagavān, offer bhagavat-prasāda to the forefathers and accept bhagavat-prasāda with friends and relatives. The ultimate purport of the entire Bhagavadgītā is that the Supreme Lord will liberate from all sins those who have surrendered unto Him and given up their reliance on all other dharmas.

When a person acquires the qualification for exclusive devotion, he is not obliged to follow the injunctions of scriptures dealing with empiric knowledge and fruitive activity, for he will attain all perfection simply by cultivating bhakti. Therefore, one should understand that Bhagavān’s promise in Bhagavad-gītā (9.31), “na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati–My devotee never perishes”, is placed above all.