Verse 1.2.70

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.2.70:

যেবা সব—বিরক্ত-তপস্বী-অভিমানী তাঙ্-সবার মুখেহ নাহিক হরি-দ্বনি ॥ ৭০ ॥

येबा सब—विरक्त-तपस्वी-अभिमानी ताङ्-सबार मुखेह नाहिक हरि-द्वनि ॥ ७० ॥

yebā saba—virakta-tapasvī-abhimānī tāṅ-sabāra mukheha nāhika hari-dvani || 70 ||

yeba saba—virakta-tapasvi-abhimani tan-sabara mukheha nahika hari-dvani (70)

English translation:

(70) All the so-called renunciates and ascetics never chanted the names of Hari.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

The word virakta is expained as follows: The mixed feelings born from form, taste, smell, sound, and touch create obstacles in the living entities’ sense gratification from time to time. One who desires and tries to isolate and free oneself from such feelings is called virakta.

The word tapasvī refers to a living entity who tries to gain strength to deliver himself from the danger of being afflicted by the threefold miseries.

Although renunciation and austerity are employed as means of getting relief from the miseries of this world, if they are not engaged in the service of Adhokṣaja, they fail to produce the desired results. All kinds of renunciation and austerity are subsidiary eternal assets of devotees who chant the names of the Supreme Lord. The endeavors of those who give up chanting the holy names and separately engage in renunciation and austerity are all useless. The communities of renunciates and ascetics aim for material enjoyment and are thus deprived of the wealth of devotional service to the lotus feet of Śrī Hari. Such people cannot expect any success from their laborious practices. Before the advent of Mahāprabhu, the renunciates and ascetics were bereft of devotional service to Hari. It is stated in the Nārada Pañcarātra:

ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṃ nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim antar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṃ nāntar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim

“If one is worshiping Lord Hari, what is the use of severe penances? And if one is not worshiping Lord Hari, what is the use of severe penances? If one can understand that Lord Hari is all-pervading, what is the use of severe penances? And if one cannot understand that Lord Hari is all-

pervading, what is the use of severe penances?” In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (11.20.8 and 31) Lord Kṛṣṇa tells Uddhava: “Being neither very disgusted with nor attached to material life, one should achieve perfection through the path of loving devotion to Me.” And, “The cultivation of knowledge and renunciation is generally not the means of achieving the highest perfection within this world.”