Verse 2.2.211

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.211:

भक्तिं विनापि तत्-सिद्धाव् असन्तोषो भवेन् न तत् ।
श्रीमद्-भागवतेन्द्राणां मते स हि गुणो महान् ॥ २११ ॥

bhaktiṃ vināpi tat-siddhāv asantoṣo bhaven na tat |
śrīmad-bhāgavatendrāṇāṃ mate sa hi guṇo mahān || 211 ||

bhaktim–devotional service; vinā–without; api–even; tat-siddhau–in achieving perfection in that; asantoṣaḥ–dissatisfied; bhavet na–one should not be; tat–that; śrīmad-bhāgavata–of the glorious devotees of Śrī Bhagavān; indrāṇām–of the best; mate–in the opinion; saḥ–that; hi–indeed; guṇaḥ–good quality; mahān–great.

The principle that one can attain the state of self-satisfaction even without performing bhakti should not disturb anyone because, in the opinion of those devotees who are great connoisseurs of the mellows of bhakti, this is actually one great quality of bhakti.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

The bhakti-śāstras say, “One should not feel any dissatisfaction with the philosophic principle: ‘one can perfect the extremely worthless state of self-satisfaction (ātmā-rāmatā) even without performing bhakti, devotional service to the Supreme Lord,’ because this statement does not indicate any shortcoming in bhakti whatsoever. Rather, understand this to be a great quality of bhakti, as indeed, it has been so described by the topmost devotees of Bhagavān–the best of the Vaiṣṇavas.”

[To validate this, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has given the following argument:]

An objection may be raised, “How can an insignificant and vile state like self-satisfaction be attained independently without bhakti?”

In response, it is said, “What fault will befall bhakti if self-satisfaction is attained independently? It is like saying, ‘How can an insignificant particle of chaff be obtained independently without an invaluably great jewel?’ Such illogical statements are never accepted by the learned.

“Furthermore, bhakti unto the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān is like a magnificent touchstone, or cintāmaṇi jewel. In the presence of such devotion for the Lord, the most base, vile, and tormenting state of self-satisfaction, which is sought after by ignorant, injudicious people, and which is like hellish suffering, can never be equal to or worthy of honor like the great cintāmaṇi of bhakti. Therefore, that such a state of self-satisfaction [which is like hellish suffering] is attained without the help of bhakti indeed demonstrates a great quality of bhakti. [In other words, it is indeed a great quality of bhakti that it has no place for such insignificant things.]

“Therefore, understand the principle that one can attain the state of self-satisfaction without performing bhakti is one way of establishing the special greatness of bhakti, and it is approved by those who know the truth (tattva) of the glory of bhakti.”