Verse 3.9.113

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 3.9.113:

ভক্তি-যোগ থাকে, তবে সকল কুশল ভক্তি বিনা রাজা হৈলে ও অমঙ্গল ॥ ১১৩ ॥

भक्ति-योग थाके, तबे सकल कुशल भक्ति विना राजा हैले ओ अमङ्गल ॥ ११३ ॥

bhakti-yoga thāke, tabe sakala kuśala bhakti vinā rājā haile o amaṅgala || 113 ||

bhakti-yoga thake, tabe sakala kusala bhakti vina raja haile o amangala (113)

English translation:

(113) If someone has devotion, then everything is well, but without devotion, even the position of a king is inauspicious.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

Among all types of auspiciousness, the presence of devotional service to the Lord in one’s heart is the topmost. Even kings adorned with various signs of worldly auspiciousness cannot attain auspiciousness like that of the devotees. Worldly supremacy is most insignificant in comparison to devotional service to the Lord.

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (12.12.55) it is stated:

avismṛtiḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ kṣiṇoty abhadrāṇi ca śaṃ tanoti sattvasya śuddhiṃ paramātma-bhaktiṃ jñānaṃ ca vijñāna-virāga-yuktam

“Remembrance of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet destroys everything

inauspicious and awards the greatest good fortune. It purifies the heart and bestows devotion for the Supreme Soul, along with knowledge enriched with realization and renunciation.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (12.3.15) it is stated:

yas tūttamaḥ-śloka-guṇānuvādaḥ saṅgīyate ‘bhīkṣṇam amaṅgala-ghnaḥ tam eva nityaṃśṛṇuyād abhīkṣṇaṃ kṛṣṇe ‘malāṃ bhaktim abhīpsamānaḥ

“The person who desires pure devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa should hear the narrations of Lord Uttamaḥ śloka’s glorious qualities, the constant chanting of which destroys everything inauspicious. The devotee should engage in such listening in regular daily assemblies and should also continue his hearing throughout the day.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.83.3) Lord Kṛṣṇa’s relatives speak as follows:

kuto ‘śivaṃ tvac-caraṇāmbujāsavaṃ mahan-manasto mukha-niḥsṛtaṃ kvacit pibanti ye karṇa-puṭair alaṃ prabho dehaṃ-bhṛtāṃ deha-kṛd-asmṛti-cchidam

“O master, how can misfortune arise for those who have even once freely drunk the nectar coming from Your lotus feet? This intoxicating liquor pours into the drinking cups of their ears, having flowed from the minds of great devotees through their mouths. It destroys the embodied souls’ forgetfulness of the creator of their bodily existence.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (3.30.31) it is stated:

ekaḥ prapadyate dhvāntaṃ hitvedaṃ sva-kalevaram kuśaletara-pātheyo bhūta-droheṇa yad bhṛtam

“He goes alone to the darkest regions of hell after quitting the present body, and the money he acquired by envying other living entities is the passage money with which he leaves this world.”

In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.73.10) it is stated:

rājyaiśvarya-madonnaddho na śreyo vindate nṛpaḥ tvan-māyā-mohito ‘nityā manyate sampado ‘calāḥ

“Infatuated with his opulence and ruling power, a king loses all self- restraint and cannot obtain his true welfare. Thus bewildered by Your illusory energy, he imagines his temporary assets to be permanent.” Also see Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.7.11-23).