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Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

by Śī Śīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosmī ѲᲹ | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.2.204, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 2.2.204 contained in Chapter 2—Jnana (knowledge)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.204:

� कर्म-ज्ञा�-वैराग्यापेक्षकस्� � सिध्यत� �
पर� श्री-कृष्�-कृपय� तन�-मात्रापेक्षकस्� हि � २०� �

sa karma-ñԲ-vairāgyāpekṣakasya na sidhyati |
para� śī-ṛṣṇa-ṛp tan-mātrāpekṣakasya hi || 204 ||

–she (bhakti); karma–fruitive work; ñԲ–kԴǷɱ岵; 岵ⲹ–rԳܲԳپDz; ṣa첹ⲹ–one who desires; na–ndz; sidhyati–is perfected; param–oԱ; śī-ṛṣṇa-ṛp–by the mercy of glorious Śī Kṛṣṇa; tat–that (devotional service); ٰ–e泦ܲ; ṣa첹ⲹ–one who desires; hi–iԻ.

That devotion to the Lord does not depend on processes such as fruitive work, knowledge, and renunciation, and therefore, those who desire those things cannot perfect their bhakti. Only those who exclusively desire the loving service of Śī Kṛṣṇa obtain bhakti on the strength of the Lord’s mercy.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhānuda

(By Śīla Sanātana Gosmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Śī Gopa-ܳ might ask, “How does one obtain that bhakti?�

The personified 󲹰پ-śٰ reply, “Those who desire karma (fruitive action), ñԲ (knowledge), 岵ⲹ (renunciation), etc. can never attain bhakti.� Here, karma indicates activities such as the execution of one’s religious principles or prescribed occupational duties (dharma). ñԲ indicates the ability to perceive the truth of the soul (ٳ) and that which is not spirit (anٳ). ղ岵ⲹ refers to being devoid of desire for sense objects. Only those who give up all these desires and exclusively desire pure loving service to Śī Kṛṣṇa obtain that bhakti by the strength of the mercy of the Lord.

Gopa-ܳ might then question, “Since the very nature of Śī Kṛṣṇa is to be supremely merciful, why doesn’t everyone’s devotion become perfected by His mercy?�

The bhakti-śٰ answer, “Although Śī Kṛṣṇa is most merciful, He does not give the fruit of bhakti to everyone. Those who are particularly eligible give up processes related to karma and ñԲ as well as the results of those processes, such as the attainment of heaven and liberation. They pray only for pure loving devotion, and without a doubt Śī Kṛṣṇa gives them the gift of service to Himself.

In the words of Śī (Śīmad-岵ٲ 10.14.8):

तत� ते’नुकम्पा� सुसमीक्षमाण� भुञ्जा� एवात्म-कृतं विपाकम�
हृद्-वाग्-वपुर्भिर� विदधन् नमस् ते जीवे� यो मुक्ति-पद� � दा�-भाक्

tat te’nukampā� susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evٳ-kṛta� vipākam
hṛd-g-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk

Those who, knowing well the power of Your mercy, earnestly await it, all the while experiencing the results of activities that they themselves have performed in the past, and at the same time live in such a way that with body, mind, and speech they continuously offer obeisances to Your lotus feet, those alone are qualified to attain liberation.

“This means that just as one who is not alive cannot be eligible to receive the inheritance of his ancestors, similarly, unless one practices a life of bhakti, he cannot in any other way attain liberation (mukti). Here, mukti indicates the opulence of paramount bliss. The pada, or place, it can be found is either the abode of Śī Vaikuṇṭha or the lotus feet of Śī 󲹲, both of whose natures are comprised of that bliss.

“Another reading is that mukti-pada (pada here means ‘topmost result�) indicates bhakti, which is the fruit of liberation. Additionally, mukti indicates the path of devotional service, or 󲹰پ-, that is situated above liberation or which mocks liberation (pada here means ‘feet,� ‘liberation is at its feet�). Yet another meaning is the conventional definition of mukti, which is apavarga, or freedom.

Śīmad-岵ٲ (5.19.19-20), it is stated, �…apavargaś ca bhavati yo’sau bhagavati sarva-bhūtٳny anātmye’nirukte’nilayane paramٳni sudeve’nanya-nimitta-bhakti-yoga-ṣaṇa–He who is the soul (ٳ) of all living beings, who is free from defects such as desire and attachment, who is indescribable, and who is not dependent on anything, is the Supersoul, 󲹲 ܻ𱹲. Unflinching, unalloyed devotion to Him is known as apavarga (liberation) or ǰṣa貹岹 (ultimate salvation). When the knot of ignorance in the heart, which manifests varied destinations for the living beings, is cut, and one receives intimate association with those whose love for the Lord is pure (ī-󲹰ٲ), then and only then can one attain the yoga of unalloyed devotion, bhakti-yoga.� Therefore, the word apavarga, or liberation, indicates bhakti, or loving devotion.

“This is also stated by Śī 󲹲 in Śīmad-岵ٲ (11.20.35):

नैरपेक्ष्य� पर� प्राहुर् निःश्रेयसम� अनल्पकम्
तस्मान� निराशिषो भक्तिर� निरपेक्षस्� मे भवेत�

nairapekṣya� para� prāhur niḥśreyasam analpakam
tasmān nirāśiṣo bhaktir Ծṣasya me bhavet

(In this verse, the word param means ‘exclusive,� or ‘the ultimate goal,� and Բṣy means ‘being devoid of any desire to enjoy sense objects.�) The topmost object of achievement for those who are Ծṣa, or who are devoid of any desire to enjoy sense objects, is liberation, which is an extraordinary achievement. Therefore, those who do not desire even such liberation–or in other words, those who are disinterested in pursuing the means of obtaining liberation such as knowledge and renunciation–are qualified to receive My bhakti.

Śī վṣṇ ʳܰṇa (3.8.9), Urva Muni tells ѲᲹ Sagara:

वर्णाश्रमाचा�-वत� पुरुषे� पर� पुमान्
विष्णुर् आराध्यते पन्थ� नान्यत� तत�-तो�-कारणम्

varṇāśramācāra-vatā puruṣeṇa para� pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

The Supreme Personality Śī վṣṇ is worshiped by those who follow the rules and regulations of the four social and four spiritual orders of life (ṇāſ). Factually, other than the execution of ṇāſ, there is no way to please Śī վṣṇ.

“The prime duty of a person executing ṇāſ is to worship Śī վṣṇ. Giving up all other processes, one should become successful by practicing ṇāſ-dharma, which is based on the worship of վṣṇ. Then only can one obtain the full result of ṇāſdharma, which is worship of վṣṇ. Following prescribed religious or occupational duties and the path of philosophical inquiry–the processes of karma and ñԲ–wٳ󾱲 ṇāſ-dharma in a manner that excludes worship of Śī վṣṇ will not satisfy the Lord.

Factually, the fruit or desired consequence of ṇāſ-dharma is only worship of Śī վṣṇ. Without that, ṇāſ is without value.

this way, it can be seen that those who have not developed strong faith in bhakti are unqualified to engage in it.

For the benefit of such people, Śī 󲹲 instructs:

श्रुति-स्मृती ममैवाज्ञ� यस� ते उल्लङ्घ्� वर्तते
आज्ञ�-च्छेदी मम द्रोही मद�-भक्तो’प� � वैष्णव�

śruti-smṛtī mamaijñe yas te ullaṅghya vartate
ājñā-cchedī mama drohī mad-bhakto’pi na vaiṣṇava�

The Śܳپ and ṛt are My orders. Those who transgress the injunctions in these scriptures are inimical to Me, and even though they might engage in devotional practices, they are not ղṣṇ.

“The purport of this statement of the Lord is that to help those persons who are devoted to the ṇāſ system enter the path of bhakti, He has in various places given instructions in relation to neophyte stages of bhakti (ṇ�-ū bhakti, meaning �bhakti that is predominated by the modes of material nature�). Thus, in the beginning stage, the Lord has advised that one not completely give up the prescribed duties of the ṇāſ system. It may also be understood that the Lord employs such edicts for the protection of the Vedic path known as ṛtپ-, the path of regulated material development and sense enjoyment. Alternatively, as faith is required for executing bhakti, it should be understood that such instructions are given for those who lack faith.

“It is well known that the scope of karma is limited. Therefore, if those who are devoted to bhakti abandon prescribed religious duties and other activities that constitute karma, they are not to be considered fallen.

This is corroborated in the Padma ʳܰṇa, where Śī 󲹲 states:

मत�-कर्म कुर्वतां पुंसां क्रिया-लोपो भवेद� यद�
तेषा� कर्माण� कुर्वन्त� तिस्रं कोट्यो महर्षय�

mat-karma kurvatā� puṃṃ kriyā-lopo bhaved yadi
teṣāṃ karmāṇi kurvanti tisra� koṭyo maharṣaya�

If one who is acting on My behalf or who is performing My devotional service is unable to execute any prescribed duty, three hundred million great sages who are expert in the Vedas are appointed to complete that karma.

“Also in the Padma ʳܰṇa, it is stated in the prayers by Devadyuti:

यस्मिन� ज्ञाते � कुर्वन्त� कर्म चै� श्रुतीरितम�
निरेषण� जगन्-मित्रा� शुद्धं ब्रह्म नमाम� तम�

yasmin jñāte na kurvanti karma caiva śrutīritam
nireṣaṇ� jagan-mitrā� śuddha� brahma namāmi tam

Those who realize that Parabrahman do not need to perform material duties. Giving up all desires and maintaining a mood of friendship towards all the living beings of this world, they worship the Lord. I offer obeisances to that Supreme Brahman.

“If this is the result of realizing Him, what can be said of taking shelter of Him and rendering service unto Him?

In Śīmad 岵ٲ (11.20.9), Śī 󲹲 states:

तावत� कर्माण� कुर्वी� � निर्विद्ये� यावत�
मत�-कथ�-श्रवणादौ वा श्रद्ध� यावन� � जायत�

tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau ś yāvan na jāyate

‘Until one actually develops detachment in his heart from sense objects, or until he develops faith in hearing narrations of My pastimes, he should continue to perform all prescribed religious and occupational duties (karma).� Here the word karma indicates all prescribed religious and occupational duties, both nitya (regular) and naimittika (occasional), mentioned in scriptures. The word , meaning ‘or,� indicates that one should become detached from performing all other obligatory duties. This signifies the particular importance of rejecting karma, ñԲ, and so on.

Śīmad-岵ٲ (5.5.2�3) also states:

महान्तस् ते सम-चित्ता� प्रशान्त� विमन्यवः सुहृदः साधव� ये
ये वा मयीशे कृ�-सौहृदार्था�

mahāntas te sama-cittā� praśāntā vimanyava� suhṛda� dhavo ye
ye mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā�

Great personalities are well-wishers of all living beings. They are peaceful and free from anger, their conduct is virtuous, and they look upon everyone with equal vision. Those who love Me as the Supreme Lord and who understand that I am the ultimate goal of human life are truly great souls.

The meaning of the word ś in the above context is ‘faith.�

Śīmad-岵ٲ (11.20.36), Śī 󲹲 states:

� मय्य� एकान्त-भक्तानां गु�-दोषोद्भव� गुणा�
साधूना� सम-चित्ताना� बुद्धे� परम् उपेयुषाम�

na mayy ekānta-bhaktānā� guṇa-doṣodbha guṇāḥ
dhūnā� sama-cittānā� buddhe� param upeyuṣām

My unalloyed devotees, saintly persons who see all living beings as equal, are free from the sin and piety that accrue from observing or not observing rules and regulations. This is because, as I am transcendental to illusion and they are absorbed in My qualities and pastimes, they are situated in the stage that is beyond intelligence.

“Ś� Ś also says:

स्मर्तव्यः सततं विष्णुर् विस्मर्तव्यो � जातुचित्
सर्व� विधि-निषेधा� स्युर् एतयोर् एव किङ्कराः

smartavya� satata� viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit
sarve vidhi-niṣedhā� syur etayor eva kiṅkarā�

Always remember Śī վṣṇ. Never forget Him. All rules and regulations are subservient to these two injunctions.�

The 󲹰پ-śٰ conclude by saying, “Therefore, all the rules and regulations mentioned in the scriptures are subservient to these. It is true that one automatically follows all rules by remembering վṣṇ, because simply by that remembrance, one receives the benefit of following all rules. Moreover, by forgetting Śī վṣṇ, one incurs all types of sins that are described in the scriptures. Therefore, always carefully remember վṣṇ and do not do anything else other than this.�

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