43 verses
The Lord said: One cannot actually say that there is bondage or liberation due to the guṇas controlled by me. Because the relationship with the gūnas arises only by avidyā or ignorance, there is no real bondage, and consequently no liberation. That is my opinion.
Just as a dream is merely a creation of ones intelligence but has no actual substance, similarly, material lamentation, illusion, happiness, distress and the acceptance of another material body take place by avidyā, and are not based on reality.
He explains how bondage is illusory. Dehāpattiḥ means acceptance of another body after giving up a body, or death of the body. Acceptance of a body takes place by avidyā (māyayā), by a relationship with a conditioning produced by māyā. This conditioning arises only from identification of the jīva with his subtle body or antaḥkaraṇa. Because of this identification one accepts the qualities of the subtle bodylamentation, illusion, happiness and distressas ones own qualities. Thus saṁsāra, consisting of identity with lamentation and illusion, is not based on reality. Though lamentation and illusion actually exist as the creations of māyā, their relation with the jīva is false, produced by avidyā. This is like the transformation (khyātiḥ) of ones intelligence to produce a dream, which is false.
O Uddhava! Understand that vidyā and avidyā are my śaktis. They are created by my māyā, are without beginning, and create liberation and bondage for the living beings.
What is this avidyā, by which the jīva develops a false relationship with the guṇas? Both vidyā and avidyā are my śaktis (tanū), by which liberation and bondage are produced. Vidyā produces liberation and avidyā produces bondage for the embodied beings. These are created by my great śakti, māyā. Moreover, because they are aspects of māyā, metaphorically, they are said to be created by māyā. But they are without beginning (ādye).
na tasya kālāvayavaiḥ pariṇāmādayo guṇāḥ
anādy anantam avyaktaṁ nityaṁ kāraṇam avyayam
Prakṛti is not subject to the six kinds of transformation caused by the influence of time. Rather, it has no birth, no death, no existence, no increase, no change, and no decrease. It is the cause of the universe. SB 12.4.19
Medical scriptures also say puṁso sti prakṛtir nityā: the prakṛti of the Lord is eternal. Like māyā, her modes, vidyā and avidyā, are eternal. Māyā thus has three modes: pradhāna, avidyā and vidyā. Pradhāna creates the coverings (upadhisubtle and gross bodies), which are real. Avidyā creates the imposition of the body (adhyāsa), which is false. Vidyā destroys the false identity. These are the three products of the three aspects of māyā.
O intelligent Uddhava! The bondage of the jīva, who is my one part or taṭastha-śakti, by avidyā, is without beginning. By vidyā, he achieves liberation which has a beginning.
Bondage and liberation of my śakti, the jīva, which are apparent only, is caused by my avidyā-śakti, which produces the imposition of the body, and liberation is produced by my vidyā-śakti which removes the imposition of the body. This is brought about under the influence of my śakti which functions for the pastime of creation and destruction of the universe. That is explained in this verse. Though the jīva is my part or aṁśa, it should be understood to be different from me (vibhinnāṁśa).1 I have said:
apareyam itas tv anyāṁ prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām |
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat ||
This is my inferior energy. Understand my superior energy which is different from this inferior energy. It is the jīvas, by whom the inferior energy is employed for their enjoyment. BG 7.5
Though the jīva is my śakti, its nature as aṁśa should be understood from this statement:
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ |
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati ||
This eternal jīva, one of my parts, drags with it the senses and the sixth sense called the mind, which are situated in the bewildering prakṛti. BG 15.7
You have mentioned the many living beings in the previous verse. Śruti also says there are many jīvas. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānam eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān: the Lord is the chief eternal conscious entity among many eternal jīvas, and he alone maintains the many jīvas. ( (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) Why do you call the jīva one in this verse?
The jīva-śakti or taṭastha-śakti is one, but from its many expansions appear many jīvas. Similarly, the one external energy called māyā-śakti has two aspects avidyā and vidyā, which affect many jīvas by expansion into many functions. Just as all the expansions of māyā are simply called māyā, so all the expansions of the jīva-śakti are called jīva. The many expansions of the jīva-śakti and māyā-śakti should be understood to be eternal.
The jīva is eternal, but by vidyā the jīva becomes liberated. It is said that when avidyā is destroyed the jīva attains liberation. But destruction simply means that avidyā ceases its influence on a particular jīva (since avidyā is eternal). Liberation or nirvāṇa means the jīva merges in Brahman. The jīva is not destroyed. Sāyujya means joining with Brahman. In that condition, the jīvas svarūpa is not destroyed.
viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetra-jñākhyā tathā parā
avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir
The Lord has a superior energy, another energy called the jīva and a third energy, the material energy, called avidyā-karma. Viṣṇu Purāṇa. 6.7.61
yayā kṣetra-śaktiḥ . ṣa tāratemyena vartate ||2
The jīva-śakti exists in various conditions in various bodies by the māyā-śakti.
From the statement of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, it is understood that the jīva-śakti is generally controlled by māyā-śakti for accomplishing the pastime of creation of the universe. That is stated in the verse. The jīva is bound by avidyā. Avidyā is beginningless because karma is beginningless. When liberation takes place, avidyā has an end for that particular jīva. Liberation, because it is produced, has a beginning. But because it is indestructible, it has no end.
Hear about the difference between the jīva and Paramātmā, who display opposite qualities, though situated in one body.
Uddhava asked about the qualities of the liberated jīva (SB 11.10.36). W e hear statements like This jīva is in bondage and that jīva is liberated, The jīva is in bondage and Paramātmā is liberated, or That ātmā is without sin. First hear about the difference between jīva and Paramātmā. This is explained in one and half verses. Two possessors of qualities with opposite natures (viruddha-dharmiṇoḥ)lamentation and bliss-- are situated in one body as the controlled and the controller.
By chance, two birds of similar nature, who are friends, have made a nest in the same tree. One of them, however, is eating the fruits of the tree, whereas the other, superior in strength, does not eat the fruits.
As birds are different from the tree, the jīva and Paramātmā are different from the body. They are similar because both are conscious entities. They are friends because they work together. There is no reason for them being together in the tree since one is attached to making a nest and eating the fruit, while the other is not attached to making a nest or eating the fruit. Vṛkṣa or tree means that which is cut (vṛśyate) by māyā. It refers to the body, which is destroyed by māyā. Śruti says ūrdhva-mūlam avāk-śākhaḥ vṛkṣaḥ yo veda samprati: one who knows this tree with its roots upward and branches downward becomes liberated. (Katha Upaniṣad 2.3.1) Smṛti also says ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam: they say this world is an indestructible pippala tree with root upward and branches downward. (BG 15.1) In this tree (body), a nest or house (the heart) has been made out of attachment and detachment. Of the two, the jīva enjoys the fruits of karma produced by the body. Paramātmā however does not eat, but is satisfied in his own bliss by the strength of his jñāna-śakti. Śruti says:
dvā suparṇā sayujā sakhāyā samānaṁ vṛkṣaṁ pariṣasvajāte
tayor anyaḥ pippalaṁ svādv atty anaśnann anyo bhicākaśīti
Two birds who are friends embrace each other in the same tree. One bird eats the sweet fruit and the other bird remains without eating. Mundaka Upaniṣad 3.1.1
Paramātmā, who does not eat the fruit, knows himself and the jīva. The jīva does not know himself or Paramātmā. The jīva, endowed with avidyā, is eternally bound. The Lord, who is endowed with cit-śakti, is eternally liberated.
Paramātmā knows himself and the jīva (anyam) and does not eat the fruits of karma. The jīva, eater of the fruits of karma, does not know himself or Paramātmā. Endowed with avidyā, the jīva is eternally bound up. Paramātmā filled with the cit-śakti, is eternally liberated. Vidyā-mayaḥ refers to the cit-śakti, not to the vidyā belonging to māyā-śakti.
Dvā suparṇau bhavato brāhmaṇo ṁśa-bhūtas tathetaro bhoktā bhavati | anyo hi sākṣī bhavatīti | vṛkṣa-dharme tau tiṣṭhataḥ | ...yatra vidyāvidye na viòamo vidyāvidābhyāṁ bhinnaḥ | vidyāmayo hi yaḥ sa kathaṁ visayī bhavati
There are two birds. One is a portion of Brahman and enjoys the fruitm and the other is the witness. They remain in the tree. In him we do not perceive vidyā and avidyā. He is different from vidyā and avidyā. How can he who is vidyāmaya be material? Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad
Smṛti says chāyātapau yatra na gṛdhra-pakṣau: in the Lord there is no vidyā or avidyā, no hate or favoritism. (SB 8.5.27)
The liberated jīva, though living in the body, is not situated there, just as person on waking from a dream is not situated in the dream body. The bound jīva however, though not his body, identifies with it like a person who identifies with his body in a dream.
The difference between the bound and liberated jīva is now explained in ten verses. Three verses answer the questions How does the liberated person exist in the body? The liberated person (vidvān) is not situated in the body under the control of previous impressions. Arising from a dream, though situated in the dream by remembrance, the person is not situated there. This is similar to the supposed condition of bādhitānuvṛtti.3 In that condition, he is not moved by the happiness and distress in the dream, since he is fixed in waking consciousness. Therefore he is not actually situated in the body. The bound jīva however is situated in his body and experiences happiness and distress. This is like an ignorant person who, seeing a dream, participates in the dream with his dream body.
When the sense objects are received by the senses, the liberated person, who has no transformations arising from ahaḍkāra, does not think I am experiencing this, since it is only material guṇas received by other material guṇas.
When the sense objects are received by the senses, the liberated person does not think I am experiencing this, since it is only material guṇas received by other material guṇas. This sign of the person without ahaḍkāra is that he is devoid of transformations arising from ahaḍkāra. But a person who undergoes transformations and still says I am doing nothing at all is a fraud, deeply bound up in māyā.
The bound jīva, situated in his body produced by previous karma, thinking, I am the doer is bound to the body by actions arising from his senses.
The fool situated in his body which is dependent on previous karmas is bound by actions produced by the senses (guṇa-bhāvyena). Why? By ahaḍkāra he thinks, I am the doer. It is said:
prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ |
ahaḍkāra-vimūòhātmā kartāham iti manyate ||
The person bewildered by pride thinks that he is the doer of actions which are being done completely by the senses made of prakṛti. BG 3.27
An enlightened person fixed in detachment engages his body in lying down, sitting, walking, bathing, seeing, touching, smelling, eating, hearing and so on, but is never bound by such activities. Situated as a witness to all these actions, he merely engages his bodily senses with their sense objects.
Uddhava asked how does he enjoy, how does he sleep and eat? (SB 11.10.36) This is answered in three verses. The bound jīva is bound by joy and sorrow arising from his actions for attaining sleep, sitting or eating, out of attachment. But the liberated person is not bound while doing these activities even though he may experience a little joy or sorrow as in bādhitānuvṛtti. This is because he is detached. Though he engages his senses in sense objects he remains as the witness and does not personally involve himself.
Though situated in prakṛti, the liberated person is unattached, just as ether, the sun and air are unaffected by everything they pervade. Having cut all doubts by sharp detachment and discerning vision, he renounces all material bodies as if fully awakened from a dream.
Why is he not affected? Just as ether is situated everywhere but is not attached to anything, just as the sun distributes its rays everywhere but is not affected, just as air spreads everywhere without being affected, after having destroyed all doubts such as his fitness for liberation by sharp detachment (asaḍgena), he renounces varieties of bodies (nānātvāt) in this world.
A person is considered to be completely liberated from the qualities of the body when all the functions of his prāṇa, senses, mind and intelligence are performed without material desire.
How does the liberated person roam about? Freed from qualities of the body like lamentation and illusion, he roams about with the functions of prāṇa, senses, mind and intelligence free of desire.
The liberated person, when attacked by violent creatures or when worshipped for some reason, is not affected by that.
How is the liberated person to be recognized? Three verses give easily recognized qualities. The liberated person whose body is attacked by the wicked, by shoes or fists, or, without reason is worshipped with garland and sandalwood, is not disturbed. He does not become angry at the violent person or happy with the gentleman. Yājñavalkya has said:
yaḥ kaṇṭakair vitudati candanaiś ca vilimpati |
akruddhoparituṣṭaś ca samas tasya ca tasya ca ||
The wise man, on being beaten with thorns or anointed with sandalwood, remains indifferent, not becoming either angry or joyful. Yājñavalkya Smṛti 3.54
The sage seeing with equal vision is not affected by that which is materially good or bad. He does not praise or criticize persons who perform good or bad work or speak properly or improperly.
He does not praise or condemn those who act or speak properly or improperly.
A liberated sage should not act, speak or contemplate in terms of material good or bad. Rather, taking pleasure in the self, he should wander about with this nature, appearing like a retarded person.
With this nature, he appears to be a bound up person, not liberated.
If one is skilful in knowing Vedic scriptures and Brahman, but not skilful in devotion to the Supreme Lord, the result of ones efforts is nullified. He is like a person desiring milk who maintains a cow which does not bear calves.
He should perform bhakti, thinking of the Lord with an eternal form of knowledge and bliss. Doing this, the liberated person reaches perfection. Otherwise he falls. If he is expert in knowledge of the Vedic scriptures and the impersonal Brahman, which are praised in the scriptures, but does not become expert in bhakti to the Supreme Lord (pare), who is superior to the scriptures and Brahman, his efforts are useless. The word niṣṇaṭa means skilful. Skillfulness in relation to the Lord is thinking of the Lord with bhakti. Without bhakti, the results of his efforts in sādhana are useless. His efforts do not result in the highest goal, just as it is useless to maintain a cow which has not given birth for a long time though one desires milk.
O Uddhava! That man is certainly most miserable who takes care of a barren cow, an unchaste wife, a body totally dependent on others, useless children or wealth not utilized for the right purpose. Similarly, one who studies Vedic knowledge devoid of my glories is also most miserable.
Expert service to me means accepting things seen and heard which are related to me and rejecting things which are without relation to me. To illustrate this, the Lord uses many examples to show how one sense, the voice, should be used to glorify the Lord. This of course represents all the senses. One receives a free cow from someone, but that cow has been milked of its milk and cannot give any more milk. The person who thinks that by feeding the cow plenty of grass it will again give milk is greedy for milk. Suffering daily because of expecting milk from the cow his has obtained, he eventually gives up hope and in disappointment curses the donor. Thus he suffers further in the next life (duḥkha-duḥkhī). A man thinking that his unchaste wife will become chaste by instructions on morality from righteous persons, continues to maintain her with the desire of having children. A foolish person also maintains unworthy children with the same mentality. Asat-prajām means sons who have no pious credits in this and next life. A body dependent on others is the cause of distress at every moment. If one does not give wealth to a qualified person who comes, it causes infamy and sin. O Uddhava! The person who maintains these persons suffers misery after misery.
O Uddhava! The wise do not accept useless scriptures in which there are no descriptions of how I create, maintain and destroy the universe, and in which there are no descriptions of my auspicious birth as Kṛṣṇa among all the līlāvatāras.
What does it mean when the scriptures should speak about you? Do you mean the scriptures indicating that jīva and Brahman are one in statements like tattvam asi? Or do you mean something else? Please explain this clearly to me. In those scriptures there should be descriptions of my activities--the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. Considering what is the superior, the Lord speaks again. The scriptures should describe, among the līlāvatāras, my birth which is most auspicious for the universe (īpsita). This indicates not only Kṛṣṇas birth but all his childhood pastimes. If the scriptures do not contain these descriptions, they are useless. The wise person will not accept such scriptures. Foolish persons will.
Rejecting the misconception of variety concerning ātmā by deliberation, fixing the mind devoid of māyā upon me, who pervade everywhere, a person will attain sāyujya.
Coming to the conclusion of all knowledge, one should give up the false conception of material variety that one imposes upon the soul and thus cease ones material existence. The mind should be fixed on me, since I am all-pervading.
The Lord summarizes the path of jñāna. Discarding false concepts of variety concerning the selfthe gross and subtle bodies, bodies of devatā and human by deliberation (jijñāsayā) as described above, fixing the mind devoid of contamination of māyā (virajam) in me by bhakti, one attains sāyujya with me (upārameta) by vijñāna arising from that bhakti. It is said:
bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya aham evaṁ-vidho rjuna |
jñātuṁ draṣṭuṁ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṁ ca paraḍtapa ||
Only by ananyā bhakti it is possible to know me, see me, or even merge with me, O Arjuna. BG 11.54
If you are not able to free your mind from all material disturbances and cannot absorb it completely in Brahman, then perform all your activities as an offering to me, without enjoying the fruits.
The antaḥkaraṇa becomes purified by niṣkāma-karma offered to me. With a pure antaḥkaraṇa one can practice jñāna with a mixture of bhakti: one can concentrate with fixed mind on Brahman. With the destruction of vidyā, one attains bhakti, which surpasses vidyā.
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāḍkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ||
Having attained the state of Brahman, being a pure soul, he does not lament at the loss of what he has attained nor does he desire what he has not attained, and looks upon all beings as equal. He then manifests pure bhakti. BG 18.54
By that bhakti, one then meditates on me with a mind free of contamination. By the pure knowledge arising from that bhakti one then attains sāyujya-mukti. This is the sequence. If someone cannot ascend to the fourth stage of concentrating on Brahman with fixed mind, inferring impurity in the antaḥkaraṇa, one should again perform niṣkāma-karma offered to me for purification.4 He speaks to Uddhava. One should offer all karmasdaily, periodic and those for renounced personsto me.
mad-arthe dharma-kāmārthān ācaran mad-apāśrayaḥ labhate niścalāṁ bhaktiṁ mayy uddhava sanātane
A person with natural faith should constantly hear topics about me, should sing and remember my topics which purify the world, and enact my exploits and birth. He should perform dharma, kāma and artha as service to me. Having taken shelter of me, he will attain permanent bhakti to me, whose form is permanent.
Having described jñāna-yoga in four and half verses, Kṛṣṇa now describes bhakti-yoga until SB 11.12.15. The ending on śraddhāluḥ indicates a natural faith. This excludes mixture of jñāna or karma. Placing this word at the beginning indicates that such natural faith is the qualification for bhakti. It will be said:
yadṛcchayā mat-kathādau jāta-śraddhas tu yaḥ pumān
na nirviṇṇo nāti-sakto bhakti-yogo sya siddhi-daḥ
If by unexpected association with devotees one develops faith in my topics, such a person, being neither very disgusted with nor attached to material life, he is qualified for bhakti and will achieve perfection.
tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā
mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate
As long as one does not become detached from daily and periodic duties or has not awakened his faith in hearing topics about me, one must perform ones prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. SB 11.20.8-9
Thus the qualification for bhakti is different from qualification for jñāna or karma.
One should sing most auspicious topics concerning my stealing yogurt, milk, women, as well as the song of the flute and the rāsa dance. One should remember repeatedly those songs, and this will become spontaneous. One should enact my exploits like taming Kāliya and my birth, with the celebration performed by Nanda. The word ca indicates one should sing and remember the activities and birth as well as enact them.
For serving me, one should perform dharmagiving cloth and food to bṛahmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas on my birthday or on days for worshipping guru who is also my svarūpa. 0ne should perform kāma, acts for oneself, in the form of obtaining prasādam, garlands, sandalwood, betel nut and cloth from the assembly of Vaiṣṇavas. One should perform artha, collecting items for service to Viṣṇu and the devotees. One attains steady bhakti fixed (niścalām) in the stages of sādhana and sādhya (perfection). Since my form, the object of worship, is permanent (sanatane), bhakti to me is also permanent or steady.
One who has obtained pure devotional service by association with my devotees always worships me. Thus he easily goes to my abode, which is revealed by my devotees.
Who instigates this type of bhakti? He worships me by steady bhakti obtained from association with devotees. He quickly attains my lotus feet or my abode, revealed by the devotees, ascending through the stages of ruci, āsakti, rati and prema.
etan me puruṣādhyakṣa lokādhyakṣa jagat-prabho praṇatāyānuraktāya prapannāya ca kathyatām
Uddhava said: O master, worthy of praise! What type of person do you consider to be a true devotee, and what type of devotional service, approved by great devotees, should be offered to you? Ruler of the devatās! O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha! O Lord of the universe! Since I am surrendered to you, am attached to you and am offering respects to you, please explain this to me.
Having heard of the devotee who develops bhakti, Uddhava asks about the qualities of such a devotee. Which devotee is approved by you? What type of bhakti, authorized by the devotees, should be performed?
As the Absolute Truth, you are unattached like the sky, since you are superior to material nature. Still, by the desire of your devotees, you produce many forms of devotees to spread bhakti.
Those devotees who teach bhakti are different from your svarūpa, but arise from your svarūpa. You are the supreme Brahman, without material association like the sky, since you are superior to prakṛti. Yet, you appear by your mercy in this world to deliver the jīvas. You manifest many forms according to the desires of your devotees. This means that you give forms which arise from your svarūpa to your devotees so that bhakti can be spread. Nārada has said:
prayujyamāne mayi tāṁ śuddhāṁ bhāgavatīṁ tanum
ārabdha-karma-nirvāṇo nyapatat pāñca-bhautikaḥ
Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Lord, I quit the body made of five material elements, and thus all acquired fruitive results of work stopped. SB 1.6.29
Thus people meditate upon guru, your devotee, as your svarūpa. Another meaning is You appear in this world in order to spread your bhakti, even though you are indifferent to the world since you enjoy in yourself. By your will, you give rise to many forms like Kapila, Dattātreya and Nārada. It is said:
anye ca saṁskṛtātmāno vidhinābhihitena te
yajanti tvan-mayās tvāṁ vai bahu-mūrty-eka-mūrtikam
And yet othersthose whose intelligence is purefollow the injunctions of Vaiṣṇava scriptures promulgated by you. Absorbing their minds in you, they worship you as the one Supreme Lord manifesting in multiple forms. SB 10.40.7
kāmair ahata-dhīr dānto mṛduḥ śucir akiñcanaḥ anīho mita-bhuk śāntaḥ sthiro mac-charaṇo muniḥ
apramatto gabhīrātmā
dhṛtimāñ jita-ṣaò-guṇaḥ
amānī māna-daḥ kalyo
maitraḥ kāruṇikaḥ kaviḥ
ājñāyaivaṁ guṇān doṣān
mayādiṣṭān api svakān
dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān
māṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ
The Supreme Lord said: O Uddhava, a saintly person is merciful and never injures others. He is tolerant toward all living entities. He is strong in truth. He is free from all envy and jealousy, and his mind is equal in material happiness and distress. He dedicates his time to work for the welfare of all others. His intelligence is never bewildered by material desires, and he has controlled his senses. His behavior is always pleasing and exemplary, and he is free from possessiveness. He never endeavors in worldly activities, and he controls his eating. He has śānti-rati and performs his duties until completion. A saintly person is contemplative and accepts me as his only shelter. Such a person is alert and inscrutable, and not subject to changes. He has conquered over the six material qualitiesnamely hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and death. He is free from all desire for prestige and offers honor to others. He is expert in understanding others and is free from cheating. He is compassionate and understands bondage and liberation.
A person who, understanding good and bad aspects of dharma as taught by me, gives up all his duties and simply worships me is the best of all.
There are two types of bhaktibhakti mixed with karma or jñāna and pure bhakti. Thus there are two types of devotees. First the mixed devotees are described in three verses. Kṛpāluḥ means he cannot tolerate the suffering of others in saṁśara. Akṛta-drohaḥ means he does not become violent with persons who inflict violence on himself. He is tolerant of the offenses of persons who disrespect him. He has strength in being truthful. He has no faults like envy (anavadyātmā). He remains calm (samaḥ) in happiness and distress, respect and disrespect. He acts for the benefit of all beings. His mind is not agitated by desires. He controls his external senses (dāntaḥ). He has a soft heart. He has proper conduct (śuciḥ). He does not accumulate possessions. He does not perform material activities. He eats pure food in moderation. He has śanti-rati. He is steady in performing his prescribed duties till completion (sthiraḥ). He surrenders to me. He contemplates (muniḥ). He is alert (apramattaḥ). He cannot be understood by others (gabhīrātmā). He is without change (dhṛtimān). He is devoid of hunger, thirst, and others disturbances. He does not hanker for respect. He gives respect to others. He is expert at understanding others. He does not cheat others. He acts with compassion. He understands bondage and liberation (kaviḥ). He who possesses these twenty-eight qualities is the best.
The person who is śānta and has conquered the six urges is a perfect devotee, devoid of the desire for impersonal liberation. He may be called a devotee who is ātmārāma or a śānta-bhakta. Previously he was a jñāna-miśra-bhakta, and previous to that he was a karma-miśra-bhakta. When he attains perfection with bhakti as the main element, and without a covering of karma or jñāna, he is called a pure bhakta. The karma-miśra-bhakta is good, the jñāna-miśra-bhakta is better and the pure bhakta is the best (sattamaḥ).
A person desires to make his associates like himself, first teaches them karma-mīśra-bhakti. The taught persons become niṣkāma, and perform karma-miśra-bhakti without material desires. Na karmāṇi tyajed yogī karmabhis tyajyate hi saḥ: the yogī should not give up his work, but he is abandoned by the work. 5
Thus, when he reaches the state of becoming disinterested in karma, he will give up karma in a natural way, and practice jñāna-miśra-bhakti. When bhakti becomes strong in that stages maturity, and one gives up jñāna because of disinterest, one becomes what is called an ātmārāma-bhakta or śānta-bhakta. Such a person has no interest in jñāna, as described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu:
asmin sukha-ghana-mūrtau param-
ātmani vṛṣṇi-pattane sphurati
ātmārāmatayā me vṛthā
gato bata ciraṁ kālaḥ ||
Though Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā, the form of concentrated bliss, resides in Dvārakā, I am so unfortunate! Thinking myself an ātmārāma, I have wasted so much time. BRS 3.1.34
It is also said:
harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ
adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ
Śukadeva Gosvāmī, son of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, was not only transcendentally powerful. He was also very dear to the devotees of the Lord. Thus he underwent the study of this great narration Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. SB 1.7.11
In this state, though there is some jñāna, it is restricted by bhakti, and thus does not obstruct bhakti. Thus it can be included in pure bhakti, which is defined as follows:
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam |
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā ||
The highest bhakti is defined as continuous service or emotions directed towards Kṛṣṇa, His expansion forms or others related to him, with a pleasing attitude towards Kṛṣṇa. It should be devoid of desires other than the desire to please the Lord, and unobstructed by impersonal jñāna, the materialistic rituals of karma or other unfavorable acts. BRS 1.1.11
Verse 32 describes the devotee practicing pure bhakti. It has been said that one who does not give up dharma is the best. But he who gives up all dharmas completely because of faith in bhakti to me is the best. But does he give up dharma because of ignorance or atheism? No. Understanding the good points in performing dharma such as purification of existence, and also understanding the bad points, with firm faith that all things are perfected by bhakti to me, he gives up those dharmas. That is the meaning given by Śrīdhara Svāmī. A person of lower qualification will worship the Lord without giving up dharma. But the best devotee however worships the Lord while giving up all dharmas. The person who develops all the qualities starting with compassion as mentioned above is considered the best (sattamaḥ). But the last sentence, which indicates the best devotee, does not include the qualities previously mentioned. How could a person without those qualities be considered the best? One should not worry that the person who performs only bhakti does not possess those qualities, for it is said:
bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir
anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus
tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo 'nu-ghāsam
Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from other thingsthese three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, in the same way that pleasure, fullness of the stomach and relief from hunger are experienced simultaneously, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. SB11.2.42
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
The devatās constantly dwell with all good qualities in that person who has pure bhakti for the Lord. There are no good qualities in the non-devotee who chases after temporary material objects with desire for material pleasure. SB 5.18.12
He who reaches the highest stage is the best, since he becomes endowed with all good qualities while destroying all bad qualities. But even without reaching the perfect stage (not have all good qualities), the devotee at the state of sādhana should also be considered the best. He is better than the previously mentioned devotees because from the beginning he has accepted pure bhakti.
Those who may or may not know the extent of my powers, my forms and my nature, but who worship me with great possessiveness, I consider to be the best of devotees.
This verse describes the exalted position of the devotees in the state of perfection. The words knowing or not knowing should be repeated with each phrase. Bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ: I am to be known only by bhakti. This means that according to the degree of bhakti one will experience various degrees of sweetness at every moment. Though (yāvat) I am actually undivided by time and space, under the control of the devotee, I become divided by time and space. Who am I (yaḥ)? I am parabrahman, Śyāmasundara, and the son of Vasudeva. What is my nature (yādṛśaḥ)? Though I am ātmārāma and āptakāma, I do not enjoy by myself and am not fully satisfied because I am helplessly under control of my devotees prema. Those who worship me with purity, or with great possessiveness (ananya-bhāvena), I consider to be the best devotees. He utters this with great respect. These devotees I call the best. This sentence refers to the persons mentioned in the previous verse. I consider those persons to be my best devotees.
One should see, touch, worship serve, praise offer respects, and glorify the qualities and activities of my deity form and my devotees.
You have asked how to perform bhakti (verse 26). I am giving the answer now. The first line should modify all the following words: One should see, touch, worship serve, praise offer respects and glorify the qualities and activities of my deity form and my devotees. Mal-liḍga-mad-bhakta-jana should properly be in the genitive case. Prahva means offering respects.
O Uddhava! One should have faith in hearing topics about me. One should meditate upon me. One should offer treasured objects. One should offer oneself since one is a servant.
Thinking This object has appeared on its own to serve the Lord one should offer all objects of attachment to the Lord. One should offer ones body and the jīva (ātmā) to the Lord since one is in the position of a servant.
One should discuss about my birth and activities. One should celebrate my special festivals in the temple with groups of devotees singing, dancing and playing instruments.
Verse 34 mentioned anukīrtana. The difference is that anukīrtana is accompanied by raga, svāra and tāla (melodies and rhythm) and kathana is not. One should celebrate my festival days like Janmāṣṭamī. One should hold festivals in my temple with singing, dancing and instrumental music.
One should celebrate yearly festivals in which special offerings are made. One should perform initiation according to Vedic and Pañcarātrika methods. One should observe Vaiṣṇava vows.
One should celebrate annual festivals such as the swing festival on Phālguna full moon. In those festivals there should be offerings of various cloths, ornaments, sweets, garlands, sandalwood and flowers. One should observe vows like Ekādaśī.
One should have faith in establishing deities. One should engage in special projects, such as gardens, groves, playgrounds, houses and temples, constructing them personally, or engaging others.
One should make efforts to make gardens if possible. If one cannot do it oneself, one should have others make them. Ākrīòa means playgrounds. Pura means a house topped with a cakra.
One should sincerely serve my temple by cleaning, anointing, sprinkling with flowers, and drawing designs on the floor, just as a servant takes care of the house of a king.
One should first clean my temple, then apply cow dung, then when the place is dry, sprinkle it with flowers. Then one should draw sarvatobhadra-maṇòalas on the floor. By these one serves me abode. One should serve the temple as a servant serves the kings house.
One should not have pride or make a false show of bhakti. One should not glorify ones accomplishments. One should not accept articles offered to the Lord, until they are first offered to other devotees.
One should not have pride. One should not make a false show of bhakti. One should not use offered articles like lamp or food just for oneself, but after offering them to all the devotees, one should partake of them oneself. It is said:
ṣaòbhir māsopavāsaiś ca yat phalaṁ parikīrtitam |
viṣṇu-naivedya-sikthena puṇyaṁ tad bhuñjatāṁ kalau ||
hṛdi rūpaṁ mukhe nāma naivedyam udare hareḥ |
pādodakaṁ ca nirmālyaṁ mastake yasya socyutaḥ ||
The results of fasting for six months are attained by accepting a mouthful of food offered to Viṣṇu in Kali-yuga. One should meditate on the Lord in the heart, put his offered food in ones belly, and put his foot water and garlands one ones head.
If one offers to me what is considered best by the scriptures, by the people, and by oneself as well, one becomes qualified for eternal life.
One should offer to me what is considered the best in the scriptures and by the people. Scripture says that kuśa buds are wonderful, but because they are not esteemed by the common people they are not to be offered to the Lord. As well, what is very dear to oneself should particularly be offered to the Lord.
O saintly Uddhava! Please know that you may worship me in the sun, fire, brāhmaṇas, cows, Vaiṣṇavas, sky, wind, water, earth, the individual soul and all living entities.
Where should I worship you? Eleven places of worship are given.
One worships me in the sun by reciting verses and performing specific Vedic rituals. One worships me in the fire by offering oblations. One worships me in the brāhmana by giving him proper reception. One worships me in the cow by feeding her grass and tickling her.
How does one worship the Lord in these places? Three verses explain this. One should worship the sun by Vedic verses, approaching with respect (upasthāna),6 and offering respects. One worships the Lord in the cow by offering grass and tickling the cow.
One worships the Lord in the devotees by respecting them as great friends. One worships the Lord in ether by meditating on the space of the heart. One worships the Lord in air by thinking that air is the chief prāṇa. One worships the Lord in water by offering items starting with water.
One should respect the Vaiṣṇava with attachment as a friend. Hṛdi khe means in the space of the heart. One worships the Lord in the sky by meditation on the space of the heart. One worships the Lord in air by thinking Air is the chief prāṇa. One worships the Lord in water by offering water, flowers and tulasī.
One worships me in earth by uttering secret mantras on purified ground. One worships me in the ātmā by offering food to the ātmā in the body. One worships me in all beings by understanding that I am the antaryāmī of all beings.
One worships me in purified earth by secret mantras. One worships me in the ātmā by offering items without greed to the ātmā in the body, thinking This ātmā is the residence of my Lord. One worships me in all beings by understanding that I am the antaryāmī of all beings.
Thus, in the previously mentioned places of worship and by the described methods, one should meditate on my peaceful, transcendental form with four arms holding a conch, disc, club and lotus flower, and then worship me with fixed attention.
In the ways described, in those places, you should meditate on my form with four hands. This is a general statement. Actually worshippers of Rāma would use Rāma mantra and mediate on Rāmas form in these places.
He who worships me with attention by sacrifices, constructing gardens and other things mentioned above obtains prema-bhakti. I remember him because of his great service.
He who worship me by oblations in fire (iṣṭa), representing other types of worship mentioned above as well, and works like building gardens (pūrtena), attains the highest (sat) bhakti, prema. He is remembered by me (mat-smṛtiḥ) because of his good service. I remember that person who serves with intense sādhana.
O Uddhava! I am directly the best shelter for the devotees. If one does not engage in bhakti, which arises usually by associating with my devotees, there is no means of escaping from material existence.
Kṛṣṇa has explained the paths of jñāna and bhakti. Actually bhakti is the only method which can deliver one from saṁsāra. That is explained in this verse. The word prāyena means by reasoning according to Jīva Gosvāmī. Or prāyena can mean there is no method other than bhakti which generally arises from association with devotees. It should be explained that there are two types of bhakti which arise by devotee association: mixed bhakti (bhakti with a little jñāna or karma) and pure bhakti. However jñāna mixed with a little bhakti for attaining liberation is called secondary bhakti. This occurs even without devotee association. Thus the word generally is used since in this case jñāna itself is the cause of that secondary bhakti.
Even without jñāna, bhaki gives all results, and without bhakti, jñāna and other processes give no results such as liberation. It was explained in the First Canto (SB 1.2.8 commentary) that the farmer worships the king by giving taxes and gifts. This is the cause of his farming. If he does not do this his efforts will be useless. This is stated by the Lord:
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat
yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate ñjasā
svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati
Everything that can be achieved by fruitive activities, penance, knowledge, detachment, mystic yoga, charity, religious duties and all other means of perfecting life is easily achieved by my devotee through loving service unto me. If somehow or other my devotee desires promotion to heaven, liberation, or residence in my abode, he easily achieves such benedictions. SB 11.20.32-33
In the other processes, the actual giver of their results is bhakti alone. Some say that other methods are like nipples on the goats neckuseless. The Lords statements are the proof. Uddhava says the same:
āpa-trayeṇābhihitasya ghore
santapyamānasya bhavādhvanīha
paśyāmi nānyac charaṇaṁ tavāḍghri-
dvandvātapatrād amṛtābhivarṣāt
For one who is being cruelly burned in the blazing fire of material miseries, having fallen into the network of material existence, I do not see any other possible shelter besides your two lotus feet, which are a shower of nectar extinguishing the fire of suffering. SB 11.19.9
Śukadeva also states the same:
saṁsāra-sindhum ati-dustaram uttitīrṣor
nānyaḥ plavo bhagavataḥ puruṣottamasya
līlā-kathā-rasa-niṣevaṇam antareṇa
puṁso bhaved vividha-duḥkha-davārditasya
For a person who is suffering in the fire of countless miseries and who desires to cross the insurmountable ocean of material existence, there is no suitable boat except cultivating the nectar of the narrations of the Supreme Lord's pastimes. SB 12.4.40
Nārada says:
kiṁ vā yogena sāḍkhyena
nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api
kiṁ vā śreyobhir anyaiś ca
na yatrātma-prado hariḥ
What is the use of yoga, sāḍkhya, sannyāsa, study of the Vedas, other auspicious acts, in which the Lord does not give realization of himself? SB 4.31.12
Samyak prāyaṇaṁ means directly the best shelter.
O beloved of the Yadu dynasty! Because you are my servant, well-wisher and friend, I shall now speak to you who listen well the supreme secret.
I will speak to you something not revealed to others. It is said:
ettha tvaṁ saumya tat sarvaṁ tattvatas tad-anugrahāt
brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta
Because you are submissive, by the mercy of the gurus, you know all matters in truth. The gurus should speak the secret to the disciple who has affection for the gurus. SB 1.1.8
Śrīdhara Svāmī says that Lord will explain that methods like Sāḍkhya and yoga depend on other practices and are unpredictable in results. Association with devotees is independent, powerful and gives results without fail.
Thus ends the commentary on Eleventh Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
In the Eleventh Chapter the Lord explains the difference between the liberated and conditioned jīvas, the qualities of the devotee and the aḍgas of bhakti. At the end of the last chapter Uddhava inquired about the liberated and conditioned jīvas. Now the Lord explains that the question does not arise. It is impossible to say that a jīva is bound by the guṇas which are dependent on me, or that the jīva is liberated from them. Why? It arises by the inconceivable energy called avidyā, related to the guṇas. Thus it is only an appearance of a relationship with the guṇas, body and senses, a relationship difficult to accomplish. This is my opinion. There is no bondage, and therefore there is no liberation, since there is no bondage from which to be liberated.