Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.2.204, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 2.2.204 contained in Chapter 2—Jnana (knowledge)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.204:

स कर्म-ज्ञान-वैराग्यापेक्षकस्य न सिध्यति ।
परं श्री-कृष्ण-कृपया तन्-मात्रापेक्षकस्य हि ॥ २०४ ॥

sa karma-jñāna-vairāgyāpekṣakasya na sidhyati |
paraṃ śrī-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā tan-mātrāpekṣakasya hi || 204 ||

–she (bhakti); karma–fruitive work; jñāna–knowledge; vairāgya–renunciation; apekṣakasya–one who desires; na–not; sidhyati–is perfected; param–only; śrī-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā–by the mercy of glorious Śrī Kṛṣṇa; tat–that (devotional service); mātra–exclusively; apekṣakasya–one who desires; hi–indeed.

That devotion to the Lord does not depend on processes such as fruitive work, knowledge, and renunciation, and therefore, those who desire those things cannot perfect their bhakti. Only those who exclusively desire the loving service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa obtain bhakti on the strength of the Lord’s mercy.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Śrī Gopa-kumāra might ask, “How does one obtain that bhakti?”

The personified bhakti-śāstras reply, “Those who desire karma (fruitive action), jñāna (knowledge), vairāgya (renunciation), etc. can never attain bhakti.” Here, karma indicates activities such as the execution of one’s religious principles or prescribed occupational duties (dharma). Jñāna indicates the ability to perceive the truth of the soul (ātma) and that which is not spirit (anātma). Vairāgya refers to being devoid of desire for sense objects. Only those who give up all these desires and exclusively desire pure loving service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa obtain that bhakti by the strength of the mercy of the Lord.

Gopa-kumāra might then question, “Since the very nature of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is to be supremely merciful, why doesn’t everyone’s devotion become perfected by His mercy?”

The bhakti-śāstras answer, “Although Śrī Kṛṣṇa is most merciful, He does not give the fruit of bhakti to everyone. Those who are particularly eligible give up processes related to karma and jñāna as well as the results of those processes, such as the attainment of heaven and liberation. They pray only for pure loving devotion, and without a doubt Śrī Kṛṣṇa gives them the gift of service to Himself.

In the words of Śrī Brahmā (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.8):

तत् ते’नुकम्पां सुसमीक्षमाणो भुञ्जान एवात्म-कृतं विपाकम्
हृद्-वाग्-वपुर्भिर् विदधन् नमस् ते जीवेत यो मुक्ति-पदे स दाय-भाक्

tat te’nukampāṃ susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṃ vipākam
hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

Those who, knowing well the power of Your mercy, earnestly await it, all the while experiencing the results of activities that they themselves have performed in the past, and at the same time live in such a way that with body, mind, and speech they continuously offer obeisances to Your lotus feet, those alone are qualified to attain liberation.

“This means that just as one who is not alive cannot be eligible to receive the inheritance of his ancestors, similarly, unless one practices a life of bhakti, he cannot in any other way attain liberation (mukti). Here, mukti indicates the opulence of paramount bliss. The pada, or place, it can be found is either the abode of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha or the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān, both of whose natures are comprised of that bliss.

“Another reading is that mukti-pada (pada here means ‘topmost result’) indicates bhakti, which is the fruit of liberation. Additionally, mukti indicates the path of devotional service, or bhakti-mārga, that is situated above liberation or which mocks liberation (pada here means ‘feet,’ ‘liberation is at its feet’). Yet another meaning is the conventional definition of mukti, which is apavarga, or freedom.

“In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.19.19-20), it is stated, ‘…apavargaś ca bhavati yo’sau bhagavati sarva-bhūtātmany anātmye’nirukte’nilayane paramātmani vāsudeve’nanya-nimitta-bhakti-yoga-lakṣaṇa–He who is the soul (ātmā) of all living beings, who is free from defects such as desire and attachment, who is indescribable, and who is not dependent on anything, is the Supersoul, Bhagavān Vāsudeva. Unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him is known as apavarga (liberation) or mokṣapada (ultimate salvation). When the knot of ignorance in the heart, which manifests varied destinations for the living beings, is cut, and one receives intimate association with those whose love for the Lord is pure (premī-bhaktas), then and only then can one attain the yoga of unalloyed devotion, bhakti-yoga.’ Therefore, the word apavarga, or liberation, indicates bhakti, or loving devotion.

“This is also stated by Śrī Bhagavān in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.35):

नैरपेक्ष्यं परं प्राहुर् निःश्रेयसम् अनल्पकम्
तस्मान् निराशिषो भक्तिर् निरपेक्षस्य मे भवेत्

nairapekṣyaṃ paraṃ prāhur niḥśreyasam analpakam
tasmān nirāśiṣo bhaktir nirapekṣasya me bhavet

(In this verse, the word param means ‘exclusive,’ or ‘the ultimate goal,’ and nairapekṣyam means ‘being devoid of any desire to enjoy sense objects.’) The topmost object of achievement for those who are nirapekṣa, or who are devoid of any desire to enjoy sense objects, is liberation, which is an extraordinary achievement. Therefore, those who do not desire even such liberation–or in other words, those who are disinterested in pursuing the means of obtaining liberation such as knowledge and renunciation–are qualified to receive My bhakti.

“In Śrī Viṣṇu Purāṇa (3.8.9), Urva Muni tells Mahārāja Sagara:

वर्णाश्रमाचार-वता पुरुषेण परः पुमान्
विष्णुर् आराध्यते पन्था नान्यत् तत्-तोष-कारणम्

varṇāśramācāra-vatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

The Supreme Personality Śrī Viṣṇu is worshiped by those who follow the rules and regulations of the four social and four spiritual orders of life (varṇāśrama). Factually, other than the execution of varṇāśrama, there is no way to please Śrī Viṣṇu.

“The prime duty of a person executing varṇāśrama is to worship Śrī Viṣṇu. Giving up all other processes, one should become successful by practicing varṇāśrama-dharma, which is based on the worship of Viṣṇu. Then only can one obtain the full result of varṇāśramadharma, which is worship of Viṣṇu. Following prescribed religious or occupational duties and the path of philosophical inquiry–the processes of karma and jñāna–within varṇāśrama-dharma in a manner that excludes worship of Śrī Viṣṇu will not satisfy the Lord.

Factually, the fruit or desired consequence of varṇāśrama-dharma is only worship of Śrī Viṣṇu. Without that, varṇāśrama is without value.

“In this way, it can be seen that those who have not developed strong faith in bhakti are unqualified to engage in it.

For the benefit of such people, Śrī Bhagavān instructs:

श्रुति-स्मृती ममैवाज्ञे यस् ते उल्लङ्घ्य वर्तते
आज्ञा-च्छेदी मम द्रोही मद्-भक्तो’पि न वैष्णवः

śruti-smṛtī mamaivājñe yas te ullaṅghya vartate
ājñā-cchedī mama drohī mad-bhakto’pi na vaiṣṇavaḥ

The Śrutis and Smṛtis are My orders. Those who transgress the injunctions in these scriptures are inimical to Me, and even though they might engage in devotional practices, they are not Vaiṣṇavas.

“The purport of this statement of the Lord is that to help those persons who are devoted to the varṇāśrama system enter the path of bhakti, He has in various places given instructions in relation to neophyte stages of bhakti (guṇī-bhūtā bhakti, meaning ‘bhakti that is predominated by the modes of material nature’). Thus, in the beginning stage, the Lord has advised that one not completely give up the prescribed duties of the varṇāśrama system. It may also be understood that the Lord employs such edicts for the protection of the Vedic path known as pravṛtti-mārga, the path of regulated material development and sense enjoyment. Alternatively, as faith is required for executing bhakti, it should be understood that such instructions are given for those who lack faith.

“It is well known that the scope of karma is limited. Therefore, if those who are devoted to bhakti abandon prescribed religious duties and other activities that constitute karma, they are not to be considered fallen.

This is corroborated in the Padma Purāṇa, where Śrī Bhagavān states:

मत्-कर्म कुर्वतां पुंसां क्रिया-लोपो भवेद् यदि
तेषां कर्माणि कुर्वन्ति तिस्रं कोट्यो महर्षयः

mat-karma kurvatāṃ puṃsāṃ kriyā-lopo bhaved yadi
teṣāṃ karmāṇi kurvanti tisraṃ koṭyo maharṣayaḥ

If one who is acting on My behalf or who is performing My devotional service is unable to execute any prescribed duty, three hundred million great sages who are expert in the Vedas are appointed to complete that karma.

“Also in the Padma Purāṇa, it is stated in the prayers by Devadyuti:

यस्मिन् ज्ञाते न कुर्वन्ति कर्म चैव श्रुतीरितम्
निरेषणा जगन्-मित्राः शुद्धं ब्रह्म नमामि तम्

yasmin jñāte na kurvanti karma caiva śrutīritam
nireṣaṇā jagan-mitrāḥ śuddhaṃ brahma namāmi tam

Those who realize that Parabrahman do not need to perform material duties. Giving up all desires and maintaining a mood of friendship towards all the living beings of this world, they worship the Lord. I offer obeisances to that Supreme Brahman.

“If this is the result of realizing Him, what can be said of taking shelter of Him and rendering service unto Him?

In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.20.9), Śrī Bhagavān states:

तावत् कर्माणि कुर्वीत न निर्विद्येत यावता
मत्-कथा-श्रवणादौ वा श्रद्धा यावन् न जायते

tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate

‘Until one actually develops detachment in his heart from sense objects, or until he develops faith in hearing narrations of My pastimes, he should continue to perform all prescribed religious and occupational duties (karma).’ Here the word karma indicates all prescribed religious and occupational duties, both nitya (regular) and naimittika (occasional), mentioned in scriptures. The word , meaning ‘or,’ indicates that one should become detached from performing all other obligatory duties. This signifies the particular importance of rejecting karma, jñāna, and so on.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.2–3) also states:

महान्तस् ते सम-चित्ताः प्रशान्ता विमन्यवः सुहृदः साधवो ये
ये वा मयीशे कृत-सौहृदार्था…

mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye
ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā…

Great personalities are well-wishers of all living beings. They are peaceful and free from anger, their conduct is virtuous, and they look upon everyone with equal vision. Those who love Me as the Supreme Lord and who understand that I am the ultimate goal of human life are truly great souls.

The meaning of the word śraddhā in the above context is ‘faith.’

“In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.36), Śrī Bhagavān states:

न मय्य् एकान्त-भक्तानां गुण-दोषोद्भवा गुणाः
साधूनां सम-चित्तानां बुद्धेः परम् उपेयुषाम्

na mayy ekānta-bhaktānāṃ guṇa-doṣodbhavā guṇāḥ
sādhūnāṃ sama-cittānāṃ buddheḥ param upeyuṣām

My unalloyed devotees, saintly persons who see all living beings as equal, are free from the sin and piety that accrue from observing or not observing rules and regulations. This is because, as I am transcendental to illusion and they are absorbed in My qualities and pastimes, they are situated in the stage that is beyond intelligence.

“Śrī Śiva also says:

स्मर्तव्यः सततं विष्णुर् विस्मर्तव्यो न जातुचित्
सर्वे विधि-निषेधाः स्युर् एतयोर् एव किङ्कराः

smartavyaḥ satataṃ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit
sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

Always remember Śrī Viṣṇu. Never forget Him. All rules and regulations are subservient to these two injunctions.”

The bhakti-śāstras conclude by saying, “Therefore, all the rules and regulations mentioned in the scriptures are subservient to these. It is true that one automatically follows all rules by remembering Viṣṇu, because simply by that remembrance, one receives the benefit of following all rules. Moreover, by forgetting Śrī Viṣṇu, one incurs all types of sins that are described in the scriptures. Therefore, always carefully remember Viṣṇu and do not do anything else other than this.”

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: