Introduction a Introduction
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455 käëňa sections of the Vedas prescribe rules and regulations for their guidance and purification. Fruitive workers are attached to their homes and material bodies and thus have performed countless sinful activities, beginning from their birth. For this reason, the Vedas instruct fruitive workers to continue acting with material attachment, but in a way that will gradually elevate them to the mode of goodness. This will be more elaborately described in the next chapter. PURPORT The living entity must execute his duties according to his position under the three modes of material nature. When one engages in a occupation other than that which is prescribed for him, this creates a discrepancy. The performance of prescribed duties and the avoidance of forbidden acts enables attached materialists to gradually become detached from the spirit of enjoying the fruit of their labor. As soon as one performs forbidden, or sinful, acts distressful conditions are created. Just to free the conditioned soul from his distressful condition of life, the scriptures prescribe rules and regulations to guide his behavior. As long as one fails to awaken his loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord, he will continue to desire the four objectives of human life, placing him under the control of the Vedic rules and regulations. When one is fully engaged in a process of transcendental realization, however, the mundane conceptions of good and bad no longer apply.
JaaTaé[ÖaeMaTk-QaaSauiNaivR<SavRk-MaRSau ) veddu>%aTMak-aNk-aMaaNairTYaaGae_PYaNaqěr> ))27)) TaTaae>aJaeTaMaa&Pa[qTa>é[Öalu/d*R!iNaęYa> ) JauzMaa 456 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ sometimes engaged in material enjoyment, My devotee knows that such activity simply leads to a miserable result, and so he sincerely repents such activities. COMMENTARY Here, the Lord describes the primary characteristic of devotional service. A devotee naturally becomes indifferent to worldly activities and Vedic prescriptions because he knows that these will ultimately award him distress. He knows that material desires are sources of all miseries. If a devotee, despite understanding this, is unable to completely renounce activities of sense gratification, he should still engage in the service of the Supreme Lord with firm determination. He should not become depressed, thinking that his devotional serviced is inadequate. A devotee thinks, “Even if I meet with so many impediments and even though I am full of offenses, I will never for a moment give up the service of the Lord. Fruitive activities and mental speculation are useless and so I will never accept these as my paths. I am still very attached to the objects of this world and I know that this will only bring me misery. I must go on in this way and simply hope for that day when the Lord will become merciful towards me.” Even if, due to material sentiment, a devotee associates with his wife and children and thus indulges in sense gratification, he thinks, “Alas! This material enjoyment creates many anarthas because it is opposed to my advancement in the Lord’s devotional service. Although I had promised many times to give up this material enjoyment, I still indulge in sense gratification from time to time.” PURPORT By hearing discussions of the Supreme Lord’s glories, one is liberated from the desire to enjoy the fruits of karma. Only those who are faithfully engaged in hearing and chanting the holy names of the Supreme Lord can understand that desires for material enjoyment are the causes of distress. When, even after trying to give up such distressful activities, devotees fail to completely do so, they should faithfully go on serving the Supreme Lord with determination. Devotees condemn the miserable condition that arises from material activities and while trying to give up such bad association, they engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord with determination. There is actually nothing inauspicious in the devotional service of the Lord. Occasional difficulties experienced by a devotee are due to his previous material activities. On the other hand, the endeavor for sense gratification is completely inauspicious. Thus sense gratification and devotional service are directly opposed to each other. In all circumstances one should therefore remain the Lord’s sincere servant, always believing in His mercy. Then one will certainly go back home, back to Godhead.
Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment TEXT 29 Pa[ae˘e-Na>ai˘-YaaeGaeNa>aJaTaaeMaaSak*-Na(MauNae> ) k-aMaaôdYYaaNaXYaiNTaSaveRMaiYaôidiSQaTae ))29))
When one constantly engages in My service as described by Me, his heart becomes firmly fixed in Me so that all material desires that may have been present in his heart are vanquished without separate endeavor. COMMENTARY One may question: “Do not the devotees of the Lord suffer material miseries just like other people?” The answer is given in this verse—definitely not. The material desires that are present within the heart of a devotee are gradually destroyed as they go on faithfully hearing the glories of the Lord and engaging in His devotional service. A devotee of the Lord situates Çré Kĺńëa on a beautiful throne within his heart and there offers the Lord constant service. Just as the rising sun gradually eliminates all trace of darkness, the Lord’s presence within the heart causes all material desires there to weaken and eventually disappear.
The senses are continuously engaged according to the proclivities of the mind, so that material desires enter the mind, one after another. Those who are devotees twenty-four hours a day engaged in the service of the Lord by hearing and chanting His glories with transcendental faith will find that such material desires gradually diminish. Instead of trying to enjoy independently, the devotees are convinced that the Lord is the supreme enjoyer and all others are meant to partake in His enjoyment.
i>aŰTaeôdYaGa]iNQaiX^ŰNTaeSavRSa&XaYaa> ) +aqYaNTaecaSYak-MaaRi 458 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ The knot in the heart is cut asunder, all misgivings are slashed to pieces, and the chain of action and reaction is stopped when I am understood to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead. COMMENTARY The knot created when one’s heart is bound to illusion by false identification with the material body is cut to pieces when one attains the stages of nińöhä or rucé, without separate endeavor. Engagement in devotional service quickly eliminates all material desires within the heart, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat. The word
regard, the Gopäla-täpané Upanińad states: bhaktir asya bhajanaŕ tad ihämutropädhi- nairäsyenämuńmin manaů-kalpanam, etad eva naińkarmyam: “Bhakti means devotional service to the Lord that is free from desire for material profit, either in this life or in the next. Being devoid of such inclinations, one should fully absorb the mind in the Supreme Lord. This is the actual purpose of naińkarmya. PURPORT When one understands the Supreme Absolute Truth to be the ultimate shelter of everyone, one’s desire for enjoying the fruits of karma will gradually diminish. By full engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord, the knot of false ego within the heart is destroyed and all doubts are removed. The Supreme Lord is the shelter of all kinds of rasa. Indeed, He is the personification of all transcendental mellows. By remaining satisfied by the pleasure of engaging in devotional service, one can give up the desire for mundane enjoyment and mental speculation. TEXT 31 TaSMaaNMaŮi˘-Yau˘-SYaYaaeiGaNaaevEMadaTMaNa> ) NajaNa&NacvEraGYa&Pa[aYa>é[eYaae>aveidh ))31))
Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment COMMENTARY 459 Devotional service has the potency to destroy the knots of false ego within the heart without one’s taking help from any other process. Therefore, the devotees of the Lord are not interested in cultivating knowledge or practicing renunciation outside the purview of devotional service. Devotional service is the only all-auspicious path, whereas the cultivation of knowledge and dry renunciation are of no value without connection to devotional service. By chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord, a devotee automatically realizes all knowledge, and as the devotee’s attachment to the Lord increases, he automatically gives up attachment for the inferior material nature. Knowledge and renunciation are products of the mode of goodness, whereas devotional service is transcendental to the three modes of material nature. If one engages in devotional service, then it is a fault to separately cultivate knowledge and practice renunciation. Just as attachment and envy are byproducts of ignorance, knowledge and renunciation are naturally attained for one who is engaged in devotional service. Because knowledge of the Absolute Truth and renunciation of material enjoyment are concomitant factors of devotional service, devotees become knowledgeable and detached without separate endeavor. This is confirmed elsewhere in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (11.2.42):
By the use of the word präyaů (generally) in this verse, it appears that in some cases, in the primary state of sänta bhakti, it is not inauspicious to accept the processes of cultivation of knowledge and renunciation. Still, devotional service ensures liberation without any impediment. This is the opinion of Bhakti-rasämĺta-sindhu.
One can never achieve real benefit simply by the cultivation of knowledge while remaining indifferent to the service of the Supreme Lord. When one is fully devoted to the Supreme Lord, he is on the platform of complete auspiciousness. There is no possibility for attaining factual benefit as long as the impersonal conception of the
460 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ Absolute Truth remains prominent. Simply by the execution of pure devotional service, genuine knowledge and proper renunciation are obtained. The constitutional duty of the spirit soul is to engage in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Transcendental knowledge and factual renunciation are fully manifest in those who are continuously engaged in the service of the Lord. TEXTS 32-33 YaTk-MaRi>aYaRtaPaSaajaNavEraGYaTaęYaTa( ) YaaeGaeNadaNaDaMaeR Sav|MaŮi˘-YaaeGaeNaMa٢-ael/>aTae_ĹSaa ) SvGaaRPavGa|MaÖaMak-QaiÄŰidvaH^iTa ))33))
A question may be raised: “If a devotee who is faithfully engaged in the Lord’s devotional service and thus has no interest in performing karma or jďäna, and yet desires to go to heaven or attain liberation from material existence, what will he achieve?” The reply is given in these two verses. By following other auspicious paths, such as traveling to holy places of pilgrimage, one can attain sälokya mukti, or residence in the eternal abode of the Supreme Lord. Whatever can be gained by the various paths of perfection is easily achieved by the devotees by means of their execution of devotional service. If a devotee so desires, he can easily attain worldly happiness, purification of the heart, liberation, and even residence in the abode of the Supreme Lord, on the strength of his devotional service.
Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment PURPORT 461 Whatever can be obtained as a result of performing fruitive activities, performing severe austerities, cultivating knowledge, renunciation of the objects of the senses, giving in charity, performing pious activities, and controlling the senses, are effortlessly obtained by the devotees of the Supreme Lord due to the strength of their devotional service. The devotees of the Lord can easily attain the heavenly planets, relief from material distress, the five kinds of liberation, such as särńöi, and residence in Vaikuëöha. TEXT 34 Naik-iÄTSaaDavaeDaqra>a˘-aůek-aiNTaNaaeMaMa ) vaH^NTYaiPaMaYaadta&kE-vLYaMaPauNa>aRvMa( ))34))
Here, the word kathaďcit (somehow or other) of the previous verse is being explained.
In this verse, the words ekäntino mama indicate that those who are pure devotees of the Lord are cent percent engaged in the devotional service of the Lord with no separate interest. Even if the Lord offers liberation to such devotees, they do not accept it. The pure devotee is assured of going back home, back to Godhead, to reside with the Lord eternally, and so for him, mere liberation without devotional service is not at all appealing. One who engages in the devotional service of the Lord while maintaining a desire for liberation or heavenly enjoyment cannot be considered a pure devotee. The constitutional position of the living entity is that he is the eternal servant of the Lord, and that is being described herein. TEXT 35 NaErPae+Ya&Par&Pa[ahuiNaR>é[eYaSaMaNaLPak-Ma( ) TaSMaaiNNaraiXazae>ai˘-iNaRrPae+aSYaMae>aveTa( ))35))
462 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ nairapekńyaŕ paraŕ prähur niůçreyasam analpakam tasmän niräçińo bhaktir nirapekńasya me bhavet The perfection of liberation is achieved when one is completely detached from matter. A devotee who has no personal ambition is eligible for engaging in My loving devotional service. COMMENTARY The word nairapekńyaŕ means “not desiring any other process of perfection and its results.” The word niräçińa means “one who does not seek personal gain.” The word
Those who are completely devoid of desires for personal sense enjoyment are the devotees of the Lord, and not those who take no interest in the Lord’s devotional service, such as the impersonalists. Only those fortunate souls who have no material desires are able to achieve the platform of unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Undoubtedly, in this age of Kali, people are generally very fallen and polluted by material lust, greed, anger, lamentation, and so forth. In this age, most people are sarva-
of Lord Kĺńëa we will achieve everything in life. The living entity should not engage in any process except the loving service of the Lord.
NaMaYYaek-aNTa>a˘-aNaa&Gau SaaDaUNaa&SaMaictaaNaa&buÖe>ParMauPaeYauzaMa( ))36))
Pure Devotional Service Surpasses Knowledge and Detachment COMMENTARY 463 It was previously said that the mentality of finding faults and good qualities is itself faulty, and to rise above such a mentality is praiseworthy. This principle is being explained in this verse. Unalloyed devotees of the Lord are not subject to the influence of the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, which give birth to all good qualities and faults. The pure devotees possess transcendental qualities. Because their intelligence is purified, they only aspire to attain the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. It will be explained later on that the mind and senses of the devotees of the Lord are fully transcendental and so devotees are not under the jurisdiction of Vedic rules and regulations. Devotees do not acquire piety by their proper conduct, nor do they incur sin by indulging in prohibited activities. While narrating the story of King Citraketu, Lord Mahädeva described the devotees’ equal vision in this verse (Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.17.28):
Lord as mundane, or as a fault. Even if some sinful activities are seen in the life of devotee, one should not see this as a fault. This has been ordered by the Supreme Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gétä (9.30): api cet su-duräcäro bhajate mäm ananya-bhäk sädhur eva sa mantavyaů samyag vyavasito hi saů Even if one commits the most abominable action, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated in his determination. PURPORT One should not find faults or discrepancies in the character of an unalloyed devotee of the Supreme Lord. The devotees of the Lord are equal to everyone and are to be
464 UDDHAVA-GÉTÄ considered saintly. Because they are engaged in the service of the sac-cid-änanda Lord, who is situated beyond the reach of material intelligence, they are not subject to the piety and impiety that are born from the good and evil of this world. Worldly conceptions create illusion and distinctions in the minds of the living entities, and place them in the position of enjoyers. On the other hand, pure devotees who are fully engaged in the Lord’s devotional service are not confined to desires for material enjoyment. Yüklə 8,84 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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