Introduction a Introduction
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TEXT 6 é[q>aGavaNauvac YaaeGaańYaaeMaYaaPa[ae˘-aNa› jaNa&k-MaRc>ai˘-ęNaaePaaYaae_NYaae_iSTaku-}aicTa( ))6)) Although all the processes that are recommended in the scriptures lead one to Kĺńëa consciousness, it should be understood that people accept varieties of paths due
to their particular inclinations and propensities. Here, Lord Kĺńëa describes the three paths of spiritual advancement, just to show that the ultimate goal is one. The three
methods for advancement have been described in the karma-käëňa, jďäna-käëňa, and upon the mercy of the Lord. Indeed, no progress in any endeavor can be made without the sanction of the Lord. It should be noted that the other Vedic prescriptions, such as
the performance of austerity and the giving of charity, are contained within these three general processes. By the word traya, the Lord emphasizes that the fruitive activities of
the karmés and the mental speculation of the jďänés are inferior to the surrender of the pure devotees who are engaged in bhakti-yoga.
The processes of karma, jďäna, and bhakti, have been described in the Vedic literature for the ultimate benefit of all human beings. Apart from engagement in these
processes, there is no other way for a human being to achieve auspiciousness. iNaivR< TaeZviNaivR< Here is a description of the various propensities that cause a person to accept a particular path of elevation. Those who have become thoroughly disgusted with the
animal propensities of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, and thus are not even interested in enjoying these things in heaven, take to the cultivation of transcendental
knowledge. Those who are still very eager to enjoy a materialistic life, centered around friends and family, and who are attached to the flowery words of the Vedas that
recommend promotion to the heavenly planets for superior sense gratification, are not fit to take to the arduous path of philosophical speculation. Materialistic men are
advised to remain in family life and offer the fruits of their labor to the Supreme Lord. In this way, they can gradually attain perfection, which is dependent upon knowledge
and detachment. enjoyment, and karma-yoga has been recommended for those who are attached to the fruits of their work, being driven by the spirit of enjoyment.
Yad*C^YaaMaTk-QaadaEJaaTaé[ÖSTauYa>PauMaaNa( ) NaiNaivR< The word yadĺcchayä has been explained in the First Canto of the Çrémad- of advanced devotees. This is the main criterion for developing faith in the nectarean glories of the Lord. By continuously hearing discussions of the Lord’s transcendental
name, fame, qualities, and pastimes, a faithful person gradually advances on the path of devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Only a faithful person is qualified to engage
in bhakti-yoga. This faith is the actual distinction between the devotees and the karmés or jďänés. The word pumäna, which is used here, is singular and thus stresses that a
devotee is very rarely found. A devotee is not overly attached to his material body, wife, and household, nor is he excessively detached. Those who are thoroughly indifferent to
material life are eligible for cultivating jďäna, and those who are thoroughly attached to the materialistic way of life are eligible for engaging in karma. Those who are neither
overly attached nor detached are eligible for executing bhakti. This is the difference between those who are suitable candidates for the three processes—karma, jďäna, and
In the Eleventh Canto of the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.2) this verse is spoken by Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé:
Lord can become qualified to engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Those who are fond of cultivating materialistic knowledge generally are devoid of faith in the descriptions of the Supreme Lord’s glories. Expert linguists who study
various languages and dialects, such as brähmé, kharauńöi, and sänki, are sometimes seen to be fully absorbed in materialistic life, and sometimes seen to exhibit symptoms
of extreme detachment. Neither excessive attachment nor excessive detachment can give satisfaction to the soul and so when one’s faith in these practices diminishes, he
can develop faith in the narrations of the Supreme Lord’s pastimes. When such faith becomes firm, one can understand that devotional service alone is the ultimate goal of
life.
service is only meant for those who are incapable of practicing renunciation. They say that karma is recommended for those who are expert at performing activities aiming
at material enjoyment, and jďäna is recommended for those who have the strength to renounce such material enjoyment. Such false arguments are of no value, however.
In conditional life, one is sometimes absorbed in excessive material attachment, and sometimes absorbed in trying to detach himself from material association. This
is something like the movements of the planets, which sometimes move forward and sometimes move in a retrograde manner. In any case, such materialists and ascetics are
unable to understand the transcendental nature of devotional service. The Supreme Lord and His eternal associates exist in a realm that is distinct from the auspicious
and inauspicious situations of this material world. Only those who have fallen from engagement in the service of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
become absorbed in such positive and negative mundane considerations and thus are indifferent to the path of genuine spiritual life. In this way, they cause their own
ruination. Some such persons aspire to attain the heavenly planets, where greater facilities for sense gratification are found, and some desire to enter the darkest region of
nescience by merging into the existence of Brahman. When the modes of passion and ignorance predominate so that the mode of goodness appears lost, one rejects the shelter
of the Lord’s lotus feet, thinking himself to be the lord of material nature. One becomes spontaneously attracted to the devotional service of the Lord simply by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord, or His devotee. Persons who are bewildered
by false ego and so are unable to place their faith in the words of the Supreme Lord and His devotees become covered by the lower modes of nature and thus take to a non-
devotional path of either excessive attachment or extreme detachment. TaavTk-MaaRi MaTk-Qaaé[v Those who are overly attached to a materialistic way of life are naturally suited for following the path of fruitive activities, or karma. How long such persons will continue
on this path, and what will prompt them to accept the paths of jďäna and bhakti is being described in this verse. One should continue to execute the Vedic injunctions with
regards to the performance of one’s occupational duties as long as one is not disgusted with the materialistic life. Gradually, by the performance of karma-yoga, one’s heart
will be cleansed of the desire to enjoy the fruit of one’s labor. When detachment arises within the heart, one becomes eligible for accepting the path of jďäna-yoga.
In whatever condition of life one finds himself in, if one becomes spontaneously attracted to hearing about the Supreme Lord as a result of receiving the mercy of a
pure devotee, he can accept the path of devotional service, knowing that all kinds of responsibilities and debts are liquidated, as promised by the Lord Himself. Such a
person has firm faith that simply by hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, the perfection of life can be achieved, and not by any other process. Such a firm conviction
can be attained only by the association of pure devotees of the Lord. The çruti and smĺti consists of the orders of the Lord. Therefore, anyone who transgresses these orders must
be considered to be envious of the Supreme Lord, even though he may claim to be a devotee. However, for the service of the Lord, a devotee may sometimes transgress the
Vedic injunctions, and for this, there is no fault. It is the opinion of some commentators that one who has not received the mercy of a pure devotee, and who has not developed firm faith in the discussions of the Lord’s
glories, can also engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, giving up all engagement in fruitive activities, by following the example of another Vaińëava. The
injunctions of the scriptures ultimately guide one to the platform of devotional service to the Lord, transcending the rules and regulations governing varëäçrama-dharma. It
is for this reason that the Lord has ordered: Give up all varieties of religion and simply surrender unto Me. If someone thinks, “I am a pure devotee and so there is no need
for Me to follow any of the rules and regulations of the scriptures,” and thus does not observe the vow of Ekädaçé, offers yogurt and milk to the Lord in a copper pot, offers
coconut water in a bell metal cup, or eats food that was not first offered to the Lord—he transgresses the Lord’s orders propounded in the scriptures and thus commits offenses.
There are many unalloyed devotees who appear to perform fruitive activities by the request of materialistic persons. However, such activities are performed without any
attachment and thus do not produce any fruitive result. The Supreme Lord has stated in the Bhagavad-gétä 17.28:
Those who are determined to enjoy sense gratification at all costs are incapable of disassociating themselves from the desire to enjoy the fruit of their karma. Such persons
generally show very little interest in hearing the topics of the Supreme Lord. After a great deal of material enjoyment, if one becomes disgusted and thus assumes a mood
of indifference, and is fortunate enough to hear the topics of the Supreme Lord from a pure devotee, his desire for sense gratification can be curbed as they engage in the
devotional service of the Lord. Without developing a spontaneous attraction for hearing the topics of the Supreme Lord, one’s desire for enjoying the fruit of his activities, or
liberation from such entanglement, can never diminish. The only means for becoming detached from all material desires is to develop the inclination for engagement in the
service of the Supreme Lord. SvDaMaRSQaaeYaJaNa(YajErNaaXaq>k-aMa oÖv ) NaYaaiTaSvGaRNark-aEYaŰNYaNNaSaMaacreTa( ))10))
Materialists who are attached to the fruits of their work attain either heaven or hell as a result of their fruitive activities. However, one who has no desire to enjoy the fruits
of his karma while executing his occupational duties according to the Vedic injunctions, and does not engage in prohibited activities, will neither go to the heavenly planets to
enjoy celestial sense gratification, nor go to hellish planets for punishment. The living entities go to hell as a result of being under the control of material desires, which force them to engage in illicit activities. The thirst for performing pious
activities, such as fire sacrifices, to enjoy the results, will carry the living entities to heaven. However, those who have no desire to enjoy the fruits of their karma will not
enjoy heavenly life nor suffer hellish conditions. AiSMaml/aeke-vTaRMaaNa>SvDaMaRSQaae_Naga>Xauic> ) jaNa&ivXauÖMaaPanaeiTaMaŮi˘&-vaYad*C^Yaa ))11))
consequence of performing activities without the desire to enjoy the result, one’s heart becomes purified in this very lifetime, so that he can imbibe transcendental knowledge.
If he somehow or other gets the association of a pure devotee, he can come to the platform of pure devotional service, which includes liberation from material existence.
One who engages in devotional service mixed with karma or jďäna can attain the platform of çänta-rati, but not the higher relationships in love of God.
Those who are fortunate are not prone to engage in sinful activities, being in a state of purified consciousness. When one factually understands his relationship with the
Supreme Lord, he becomes fixed in his constitutional position of eternally engaging in the service of the Lord.
SviGaR SaaDak&-jaNa>ai˘->YaaMau>aYa&TadSaaDak-Ma( ))12))
In the next six verses, the Lord glorifies the human form of life, which can award one liberation, as well as loving devotional service. It is not possible for the inhabitants
of hell and heaven to cultivate spiritual knowledge or execute devotional service because of their absorption in material pleasure and pain.
The conditioned souls become so much absorbed in the happiness of material enjoyment in heaven that they get no opportunity to learn anything about devotional
service, which is the only way to achieve supreme auspiciousness. The conditioned souls also do not get any opportunity to perform devotional service in the hellish condition because of being put into excessive pains. That is why the demigods in the heaven and
the suffering living entities in hell pray to receive the human form of life on the earth planet. One can awaken one’s constitutional position only in the human form of life,
and he can also realize the essential characteristics of devotional service, which is his constitutional propensity. There is no possibility of cultivating sädhana bhakti either
in heaven or in hell. Therefore, the bodies of the inhabitants of heaven and hell make them unfit for the cultivation of devotional service.
NaNar>SvGaRiTa&k-ażeNNaark-I&vaivc+a ) NaeMa&l/aek&-ck-ażeTadehaveXaaTPa[MaaŰiTa ))13))
One who is actually wise, after receiving the rare human form of life, should not engage in either pious or sinful activities that will ultimately lead him to heavenly or
hellish conditions of life. One should also not desire to remain comfortable on this earth. After all, if one is too attached to his material body, it will be very difficult for
him to remain fixed in devotional service. An intelligent devotee desires neither heavenly pleasure nor hellish suffering. Even though he may enact the pastime of possessing a gross and subtle body and travel to
various planets, he is not contaminated by material desires. WTaiÜÜaNPauraMa*TYaaer>avaYaga$e=TaSa> ) APa[Mata wd&jaTvaMaTYaRMaPYaQaRiSaiÖdMa( ))14))
The human body is a great asset because it can award one the ultimate goal of life. Knowing this perfectly well, one who is learned should relentlessly try to liberate himself
from material existence before the end of life. Although the human form of body can award one the ultimate perfection of life, it is perishable just like any other body.
Because the human form of body helps one attain the supreme destination, an intelligent person invites his own auspiciousness by renouncing the spirit of material
enjoyment before reaching the end of life. |