श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं प्रवक्ष्याम्यनसूयवे ।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानसहितं यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥१॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ
pravakṣyāmy anasūyave
jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ
yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ‘śubhāt

śrīplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsri

and opulence; beautiful; beauty; fortune; Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; named śrī; opulence or beauty; opulences; the affluent; the goddess of fortune; the goddess of fortune, or a beautiful calf; the treasury houses; transcendental; with opulence. bhagavanplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhagavan

my dear Lord; my lord; O exalted sage; O godly personality; O great brāhmaṇa; O great sage (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); O great sage; O great saint; O great soul; O Lord; O Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead; O most powerful; O most powerful devotee; O most powerful sage; O my Lord; O my lord, O great one; O Personality of Godhead; O possessor of all opulences; O powerful one; O Supreme; O Supreme Lord; O Supreme Lord, O Personality of Godhead; O Supreme Personality of Godhead; O supremely powerful one; O worshipful sage; O Your Lordship; the Personality of Godhead. uvācaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biguvāca

answered; described; explained; he recited; he said; inquired; prayed; replied; said; she said; she spoke; spoke; talked with them.—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; idamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigidam

all of this cosmic manifestation; all these; all these manifestations; all these phenomena; all these planets; all these things; all this; as it is; here; in their own measurement; in this material world; in this way; in this world; is this; like this; on this (as follows); on this (path); the cosmic manifestation is produced; the following; the following words; the universe rests; the whole; the whole universe; these; these words; this (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); this (all the land given to them); this (body); this (cosmic manifestation); this (creation); this (life); this (material body); this (material world); this (news); this (the body and senses); this (universe); this (world); this; this body; this body of Brahmā; this cosmic manifestation; this cosmic manifestation is created and maintained; this creation; this description of the characteristics of Vāmanadeva; this entire cosmic manifestation; this entire universe; this glorification; this incident; this lamentation; this manifestation; this material attachment; this material world; this phenomenal world; this philosophy of life; this prayer; this present form; this ultimate abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; this universe; this Vedic literature (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); this whole material world; this whole universe; this world; thus; whatever we can see; which we see.—this; tuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtu

again; also; and; as to; as well as; but (because of misfortune); but; certainly; due to; expletive; however; in fact; indeed; moreover; must; of course; on the contrary; only; that; then; yet.—but; teplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigte

all; all of them (the demigods and demons); all of them (the demigods and the demons); all of them; all of those; all the gopas; all the asuric ministers; all the demigods; all the demigods and demons; all the demons; all the great sages; all the Pracetās; all the sons; all the sons of Jamadagni; all the watchmen; all those; all those persons who arrived; also from you; as desired by you; by him; by them; by You; for you; for your; from you; in your possession; Lord Paraśurāma's mother and brothers; of the two divisions; of them; of you (mother Ganges); of You (O dear Lord); of you; of Your good self; of Your Lordship; of yourself; speaking to you; such; such as you; such austerity and knowledge; such household life; such persons; such pure devotees are fully satisfied; that; that is; the gopīs and gopas; the hotā, brahmā and other priests; the cowherd men and ladies; the demigods; the demons (Yakṣas and Rākṣasas); the demons; the Gandharvas; the great sages (the Kumāras); the husbands; the men of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Pracetās; the Pāṇḍavas; the sages; the sons of Kārtavīryārjuna; the Yakṣas; their; therefore; these; these sons (the Savalāśvas); they; they are; to you; unto you; with you; You; your; Your Lordship; your request; Your service; yours; yourself.—unto you; guhyatamamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigguhyatamam

most confidential; the most confidential.—most confidential; pravakṣyāmiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpravakṣyāmi

I am speaking; I shall describe; I shall explain; I shall now explain; I shall speak; now I shall narrate.—I am speaking; anasūyaveplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biganasūyave

nonenvious; to the nonenvious.—to the nonenvious; jñānamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjnanam

knowledge.—knowledge; vijñānaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvijñāna

and application; and of practical application; and practical application of that knowledge in life; by practical application of knowledge; deliberation; of full knowledge; of the practical application of the knowledge; of the total universe; perfect knowledge; practical application of that knowledge; practical knowledge; purified identity; realization; realized knowledge; science; scientific knowledge in transcendence; scientific knowledge of the pure soul; scientific spiritual knowledge; scientifically.—realized knowledge; sahitamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsahitam

with.—with; yatplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyat

which; about whom; all these; all those; although; and as; and whichever; anything; as; as a matter of fact; as it is; as its; as much as; as they are; because; because of; because of which; because of whom; by the result of which; by the Supreme Lord; by which; by which way; by whom (the Supreme Lord); by whom; by whose; by whose merciful; even though; everything that was required; fixed under Your direction; for; for which; from both of whom; from him; from which; from whom; from whose; from Yuyudha; he whose; his; His eternal form which; his son; if; in which; in whom; inasmuch as; Kṛṣṇa; now further; of him (Somāpi); of him; of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune; of the fire-gods; of the Lord; of the Supreme Lord; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of which (the intermediate space); of which; of whom (of the Supreme Lord); who; who is; whom; whose; whose form; Your.—which; jñātvāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjnatva

(the sage) could understand; after understanding; and deciding what to do; and knowing; by knowing; by knowing it; could understand; having known; having understood; knowing; knowing it well; knowing perfectly well; knowing well; thus knowing; understanding; when he learned.—knowing; mokṣyaseplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmokṣyase

be liberated; be released; free; you will be liberated.—be released; aśubhātplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigaśubhāt

from ill fortune; from this miserable material existence.—from this miserable material existence. ¶

The Supreme Lord said: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence. ¶

As a devotee hears more and more about the Supreme Lord, he becomes enlightened. This hearing process is recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: “The messages of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are full of potencies, and these potencies can be realized if topics regarding the Supreme Godhead are discussed amongst devotees. This cannot be achieved by the association of mental speculators or academic scholars, for it is realized knowledge.” ¶

The devotees are constantly engaged in the Supreme Lord’s service. The Lord understands the mentality and sincerity of a particular living entity who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gives him the intelligence to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa in the association of the devotees. Discussion of Kṛṣṇa is very potent, and if a fortunate person has such association and tries to assimilate the knowledge, then he will surely make advancement toward spiritual realization. Lord Kṛṣṇa, in order to encourage Arjuna to higher and higher elevation in His potent service, describes in this Ninth Chapter matters more confidential than any He has already disclosed. ¶

The very beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, the First Chapter, is more or less an introduction to the rest of the book; and in the Second and Third Chapters, the spiritual knowledge described is called confidential. Topics discussed in the Seventh and Eighth Chapters are specifically related to devotional service, and because they bring enlightenment in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are called more confidential. But the matters which are described in the Ninth Chapter deal with unalloyed, pure devotion. Therefore this is called the most confidential. One who is situated in the most confidential knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is naturally transcendental; he therefore has no material pangs, although he is in the material world. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu it is said that although one who has a sincere desire to render loving service to the Supreme Lord is situated in the conditional state of material existence, he is to be considered liberated. Similarly, we shall find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Tenth Chapter, that anyone who is engaged in that way is a liberated person. ¶

Now this first verse has specific significance. Knowledge (idaṁ jñānam) refers to pure devotional service, which consists of nine different activities: hearing, chanting, remembering, serving, worshiping, praying, obeying, maintaining friendship and surrendering everything. By the practice of these nine elements of devotional service one is elevated to spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At the time when one’s heart is cleared of the material contamination, one can understand this science of Kṛṣṇa. Simply to understand that a living entity is not material is not sufficient. That may be the beginning of spiritual realization, but one should recognize the difference between activities of the body and spiritual activities by which one understands that he is not the body. ¶

In the Seventh Chapter we have already discussed the opulent potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His different energies, the inferior and superior natures, and all this material manifestation. Now in Chapters Nine and Ten the glories of the Lord will be delineated. ¶

The Sanskrit word anasūyave in this verse is also very significant. Generally the commentators, even if they are highly scholarly, are all envious of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even the most erudite scholars write on Bhagavad-gītā very inaccurately. Because they are envious of Kṛṣṇa, their commentaries are useless. The commentaries given by devotees of the Lord are bona fide. No one can explain Bhagavad-gītā, or give perfect knowledge of Kṛṣṇa if he is envious. One who criticizes the character of Kṛṣṇa without knowing Him is a fool. So such commentaries should be very carefully avoided. For one who understands that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the pure and transcendental Personality, these chapters will be very beneficial. ¶

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥२९॥

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

bhoktāramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhoktāram

beneficiary.—beneficiary; yajñaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigyajna

asoma sacrifices; in the form of animal sacrifices; Lord Viṣṇu; of sacrifice; of the sacrifice; performance of sacrifices; sacrifice; sacrifices; sacrificial; such a sacrifice; the avatāra named Yajña; the sacrifice; Viṣṇu; Yajña.—sacrifices; tapasāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtapasām

of penances and austerities; penances.—of penances and austerities; sarvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarva

all; all around; all kinds; all kinds of; all over; everyone; everything; for all; for everyone; in all; in all respects; of all; of all demigods; of all kinds; of everyone; of everything.-lokaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigloka

the region of the Siddhas.—all planets and the demigods thereof; maheśvaramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmaheśvaram

supreme master; supreme proprietor; the Supreme Lord.—the Supreme Lord; suhṛdamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsuhrdam

always a well-wisher; benefactor; friends; the greatest friend.—benefactor; sarvaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarva

all; all around; all kinds; all kinds of; all over; everyone; everything; for all; for everyone; in all; in all respects; of all; of all demigods; of all kinds; of everyone; of everything.—all; bhūtānāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhūtānām

all living entities; all those who are born; and of all other living entities; living entities; of all living beings; of all living entities; of all the living entities; of all the physical elements; of living beings; of living entities; of the general mass of people; of the infinite living entities; of the living being; of the living beings; of the living entities; of the material elements; of those who have taken material bodies (the conditioned souls); of those who take birth in the material world; the living beings; to all living entities; to ordinary living entities; to some living entities; toward all living entities.—of the living entities; jñātvāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjnatva

(the sage) could understand; after understanding; and deciding what to do; and knowing; by knowing; by knowing it; could understand; having known; having understood; knowing; knowing it well; knowing perfectly well; knowing well; thus knowing; understanding; when he learned.—thus knowing; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); śāntimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigśāntim

cessation; peace; perfect peace; relief from material pangs; youthfulness for sense gratification; Śānti.—relief from material pangs; ṛcchatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigṛcchati

accepts; achieves; attains; crosses; enjoy; obtain; obtains.—achieves. ¶

The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries. ¶

The conditioned souls within the clutches of illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace, which is explained in this part of the Bhagavad-gītā. The greatest peace formula is simply this: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the beneficiary in all human activities. Men should offer everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon. No one is greater than He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is described as tam īśvarāṇāṁ paramaṁ maheśvaram. Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the master of material nature, and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of material nature. Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively. This is the sense of Kssna consciousness: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the supreme predominator, and all living entities, including the great demigods, are His subordinates. One can attain perfect peace only in complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ¶

This Fifth Chapter is a practical explanation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, generally known as karma-yoga. The question of mental speculation as to how karma-yoga can give liberation is answered herewith. To work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to work with the complete knowledge of the Lord as the predominator. Such work is not different from transcendental knowledge. Direct Kṛṣṇa consciousness is bhakti-yoga, and jñāna-yoga is a path leading to bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to work in full knowledge of one’s relationship with the Supreme Absolute, and the perfection of this consciousness is full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A pure soul is the eternal servant of God as His fragmental part and parcel. He comes into contact with māyā (illusion) due to the desire to lord it over māyā, and that is the cause of his many sufferings. As long as he is in contact with matter, he has to execute work in terms of material necessities. Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, brings one into spiritual life even while one is within the jurisdiction of matter, for it is an arousing of spiritual existence by practice in the material world. The more one is advanced, the more he is freed from the clutches of matter. The Lord is not partial toward anyone. Everything depends on one’s practical performance of duties in an effort to control the senses and conquer the influence of desire and anger. And, attaining Kṛṣṇa consciousness by controlling the above-mentioned passions, one remains factually in the transcendental stage, or brahman-nirvāṇa. The eightfold yoga mysticism is automatically practiced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because the ultimate purpose is served. There is gradual process of elevation in the practice of yama, niyama, āsana, pratyāhāra, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, and samādhi. But these only preface perfection by devotional service, which alone can award peace to the human being. It is the highest perfection of life. ¶

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Fifth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of Karma-yoga, or Action in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. ¶

राजविद्या राजगुह्यं पवित्रमिदमुत्तमम् ।
प्रत्यक्षावगमं धर्म्यं सुसुखं कर्तुमव्ययम् ॥२॥

rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ
pavitram idam uttamam
pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ
su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam

rājaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigraja

from the government; king; of a king; of the King; the King.-vidyāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvidyā

by education; devotional service; education; factual knowledge; in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; knowledge; learning; of all education; of education; the knowledge derived from Vedic scripture.—the king of education; rājaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigraja

from the government; king; of a king; of the King; the King.-guhyamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigguhyam

confidential; confidential duty; confidential topics; from His confidential knowledge; mysterious; secret; the most confidential; very confidential (because ordinary men cannot understand the activities of Kṛṣṇa); very confidential.—the king of confidential knowledge; pavitramplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpavitram

perfectly pure; pure; purest; purified; sacred; sanctified; that which purifies; the purest; very pure; very sanctified.—the purest; idamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigidam

all of this cosmic manifestation; all these; all these manifestations; all these phenomena; all these planets; all these things; all this; as it is; here; in their own measurement; in this material world; in this way; in this world; is this; like this; on this (as follows); on this (path); the cosmic manifestation is produced; the following; the following words; the universe rests; the whole; the whole universe; these; these words; this (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); this (all the land given to them); this (body); this (cosmic manifestation); this (creation); this (life); this (material body); this (material world); this (news); this (the body and senses); this (universe); this (world); this; this body; this body of Brahmā; this cosmic manifestation; this cosmic manifestation is created and maintained; this creation; this description of the characteristics of Vāmanadeva; this entire cosmic manifestation; this entire universe; this glorification; this incident; this lamentation; this manifestation; this material attachment; this material world; this phenomenal world; this philosophy of life; this prayer; this present form; this ultimate abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; this universe; this Vedic literature (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); this whole material world; this whole universe; this world; thus; whatever we can see; which we see.—this; uttamamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biguttamam

first class; most highly elevated; most powerful and opulent; the best; the highest; the supreme; topmost; transcendental; Uttama; very nice.—transcendental; pratyakṣaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpratyakṣa

by direct experience; directly experienced; vivid.—directly experienced; avagamamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavagamam

understood.—understood; dharmyamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdharmyam

in accordance with the principles of religion; religious duty; the principle of religion.—the principle of religion; susukhamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsusukham

very happy.—very happy; kartumplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkartum

for doing it; to act; to bestow; to create; to do; to do it; to execute; to make; to manifest; to perform; to prove.—to execute; avyayamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigavyayam

being unchangeable; eternal; everlasting; immutable; imperishable; indestructible; inexhaustible; irreproachable; never ending; spiritual; the inexhaustible; the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inexhaustible; who is the supreme eternal; without diminution; without loss of energy.—everlasting. ¶

This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed. ¶

This chapter of Bhagavad-gītā is called the king of education because it is the essence of all doctrines and philosophies explained before. There are seven principal philosophers in India: Gautama, Kaṇāda, Kapila, Yājñavalkya, Śāṇḍilya, Vaiśvānara, and, finally, Vyāsadeva, the author of the Vedānta-sūtra. So there is no dearth of knowledge in the field of philosophy or transcendental knowledge. Now the Lord says that this Ninth Chapter is the king of all such knowledge, the essence of all knowledge that can be derived from the study of the Vedas and different kinds of philosophy. It is the most confidential because confidential or transcendental knowledge involves understanding the difference between the soul and the body. And the king of all confidential knowledge culminates in devotional service. ¶

Generally, people are not educated in this confidential knowledge; they are educated in external knowledge. As far as ordinary education is concerned, people are involved with so many departments: politics, sociology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, etc. There are so many departments of knowledge all over the world and many huge universities, but there is, unfortunately, no university or educational institution where the science of the spirit soul is instructed. Yet the soul is the most important part of this body; without the presence of the soul, the body has no value. Still people are placing great stress on the bodily necessities of life, not caring for the vital soul. ¶

The Bhagavad-gītā, especially from the Second Chapter on, stresses the importance of the soul. In the very beginning, the Lord says that this body is perishable and that the soul is not perishable. That is a confidential part of knowledge: simply knowing that spirit soul is different from this body and that its nature is immutable, indestructible and eternal. But that gives no positive information about the soul. Sometimes people are under the impression that the soul is different from the body and that when the body is finished, or one is liberated from the body, the soul remains in a void and becomes impersonal. But actually that is not the fact. How can the soul, which is so active within this body, be inactive after being liberated from the body? It is always active. If it is eternal, then it is eternally active, and its activities in the spiritual kingdom are the most confidential part of spiritual knowledge. These activities of the spirit soul are therefore indicated here as constituting the king of all knowledge, the most confidential part of all knowledge. ¶

This knowledge is the purest form of all activities, as is explained in Vedic literature. In the Padma Purāṇa, man’s sinful activities have been analyzed and are shown to be the results of sin after sin. Those who are engaged in fruitive activities are entangled in different stages and forms of sinful reactions. For instance, when the seed of a particular tree is sown, the tree does not appear immediately to grow; it takes some time. It is first a small, sprouting plant, then it assumes the form of a tree, then it flowers, bears fruit, and, when it is complete, the flowers and fruits are enjoyed by persons who have sown the seed of the tree. Similarly, a man performs a sinful act, and like a seed it takes time to fructify. There are different stages. The sinful action may have already stopped within the individual, but the results or the fruit of that sinful action are still enjoyed. There are sins which are still in the form of a seed, and there are others which are already fructified and are giving us fruit, which we are enjoying as distress and pain, as explained in the twentieth verse of the Seventh Chapter. ¶

A person who has completely ended the reactions of all sinful activities and who is fully engaged in pious activities, being freed from the duality of this material world, becomes engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. In other words, those who are actually engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord are already freed from all reactions. For those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all sinful reactions, whether fructified, in the stock, or in the form of a seed, gradually vanish. Therefore the purifying potency of devotional service is very strong, and it is called pavitram uttamam, the purest. Uttamam means transcendental. Tamas means this material world or darkness, and uttamam means that which is transcendental to material activities. Devotional activities are never to be considered material, although sometimes it appears that devotees are engaged just like ordinary men. One who can see and is familiar with devotional service, however, will know that they are not material activities. They are all spiritual and devotional, uncontaminated by the material modes of nature. ¶

It is said that the execution of devotional service is so perfect that one can perceive the results directly. This direct result is actually perceived, and we have practical experience that any person who is chanting the holy names of Kṛṣṇa (Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare) in course of time feels some transcendental pleasure and very quickly becomes purified of all material contamination. This is actually seen. Furthermore, if one engages not only in hearing but in trying to broadcast the message of devotional activities as well, or if he engages himself in helping the missionary activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gradually feels spiritual progress. This advancement in spiritual life does not depend on any kind of previous education or qualification. The method itself is so pure that by simply engaging in it one becomes pure. ¶

In the Vedānta-sūtra this is also described in the following words: prakāśaś ca karmaṇy abhyāsāt. “Devotional service is so potent that simply by engaging in the activities of devotional service, one becomes enlightened without a doubt.” Nārada, who happened to be the son of a maidservant, had no education, nor was he born into a high family. But when his mother was engaged in serving great devotees, Nārada also became engaged, and sometimes, in the absence of his mother, he would serve the great devotees himself. Nārada personally says, “Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me.” (Bhāg. 1.5.25)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.5.25

Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me. Nārada tells his disciple Vyāsadeva that in a previous life he was engaged as a boy servant of purified devotees during four months of their stay and that he was intimately associating with them. Sometimes those sages left remnants of food on their dishes, and the boy, who would wash their dishes, wanted to taste the remnants. So he asked the great devotees whether he could eat them, and they gave their permission. Nārada then ate those remnants and consequently became freed from all sinful reactions. As he went on eating, he gradually became as purehearted as the sages, and he gradually developed the same taste. The great devotees relished the taste of unceasing devotional service of the Lord, hearing, chanting, etc., and by developing the same taste, Nārada wanted also to hear and chant the glories of the Lord. Thus by associating with the sages, he developed a great desire for devotional service. Therefore he quotes from the Vedānta-sūtra (prakāśaś ca karmaṇy abhyāsāt): If one is engaged simply in the acts of devotional service, everything is revealed to him automatically, and he can understand. This is called prakāśaḥ, directly perceived. ¶

Nārada was actually a son of a maidservant. He had no opportunity to go to school. He was simply assisting his mother, and fortunately his mother rendered some service to the devotees. The child Nārada also got the opportunity and simply by association achieved the highest goal of all religions, devotional service. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that religious people generally do not know that the highest perfection of religion is the attainment of the stage of devotional service. Generally Vedic knowledge is required for the understanding of the path of self-realization. But here, although he was not educated in the Vedic principle, Nārada acquired the highest results of Vedic study. This process is so potent that even without performing the religious process regularly, one can be raised to the highest perfection. How is this possible? This is also confirmed in Vedic literature: ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is in association with great ācāryas, even if he is not educated or has not studied the Vedas, can become familiar with all the knowledge necessary for realization. ¶

The process of devotional service is a very happy one. Why? Devotional service consists of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, so one can simply hear the chanting of the glories of the Lord or can attend philosophical lectures on transcendental knowledge given by authorized ācāryas. Simply by sitting, one can learn; then one can eat the remnants of the food offered to God, nice palatable dishes. In every state devotional service is joyful. One can execute devotional service even in the most poverty-stricken condition. The Lord says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam: He is ready to accept from the devotee any kind of offering, never mind what. Even a leaf, a flower, a bit of fruit, or a little water, which are all available in every part of the world, can be offered by any person, regardless of social position, and will be accepted if offered with love. There are many instances in history. Simply by tasting the tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, great sages like Sanatkumāra became great devotees. Therefore the devotional process is very nice, and it can be executed in a happy mood. God accepts only the love with which things are offered to Him. ¶

It is said here that this devotional service is eternally existing. It is not as the Māyāvādī philosophers claim. They sometimes take to so-called devotional service, and as long as they are not liberated they continue their devotional service, but at the end, when they become liberated, they “become one with God.” Such temporary time-serving devotional service is not accepted as pure devotional service. Actual devotional service continues even after liberation. When the devotee goes to the spiritual planet in the kingdom of God, he is also engaged there in serving the Supreme Lord. He does not try to become one with the Supreme Lord. ¶

As it will be seen, actual devotional service begins after liberation. So in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, brahma-bhūta. After being liberated, or being situated in the Brahman position, one’s devotional service begins. By executing devotional service, one can understand the Supreme Lord. No one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by executing karma-yoga, jñāna, or aṣṭāṅga-yoga or any other yoga independently. Without coming to the stage of devotional service, one cannot understand what is the Personality of Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also confirmed that when one becomes purified by executing the process of devotional service, especially by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā from realized souls, then he can understand the science of Kṛṣṇa or the science of God. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. When one’s heart is cleared of all nonsense, then one can understand what God is. Thus the process of devotional service, of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the king of all education and the king of all confidential knowledge. It is the purest form of religion, and it can be executed joyfully without difficulty. Therefore one should adopt it. ¶

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते ।
वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ॥१९॥

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

bahūnāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbahūnām

many; of many.—many; janmanāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjanmanām

births; born in that way; of births; of those to be born.—births; anteplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigante

after; after death; at the end; at the end of; at the end of life; at the end of many births; at the time of death; at the ultimate end; in the end.—after; jñānavānplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigjñānavān

he possessing knowledge; the learned.—he possessing knowledge; māmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmām

about Me; at me; attains me; from me; Me (Kṛṣṇa); Me (Lord Kṛṣṇa); me (the earth); Me (the Supreme Lord); me (Vasiṣṭha); me; Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; My direction; Myself; of myself; to Me; unto me; upon me.—unto Me; prapadyateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprapadyate

achieves; attains; he enters; is experienced; reaches; surrenders; takes to; transacts.—surrenders; vāsudevaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvasudevah

Vasudeva (the father of Kṛṣṇa); Vasudeva; Vasudeva, the father of Kṛṣṇa; who appeared as Vasudeva; Śrī Vasudeva, the father of Kṛṣṇa; Śrīla Vasudeva; Śrīla Vasudeva, the father of Kṛṣṇa.—cause of all causes; sarvamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarvam

all; all and everything; all of the body; all of them; all such sinful actions; all that be; all that is inquired; all these; all this; completely; each and every one of them; everything (he had obtained); everything; everything in detail; everything material; everywhere; fully; the sum total; the whole kingdom; the whole world; whole.—all; itiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigiti

thus; all these; also; and so on; as; as such; considering all these things; considering in that way; here; in this way (after giving everything to the brāhmaṇas); in this way; it is thus; known by these names; like that; like this; so it is; such; taking it as; that; therefore; they; this; thus (Hariścandra said); thus (saying out of contempt); thus (thinking in the above-mentioned way); thus (thinking); thus; thus accepted; thus accepting the words of Lord Brahmā; thus deciding; thus stated; thus thinking; thus vituperating.—thus; saḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsaḥ

mahat-tattva; a person (Kaṁsa); a son; Aghāsura; all; anyone; Bharata Mahārāja; Brahmā; child Parīkṣit; Dakṣa; Dhruva; Dhruva Mahārāja; Dhṛtarāṣṭra; Durvāsā Muni; he (Agastya); he (Aghāsura); he (Ajāmila); he (Ambarīṣa Mahārāja); he (Aṅgirā Ṛṣi); He (Baladeva); he (Bali Mahārāja); he (Brahmā); he (Brahmājī); he (Budha); he (Citraketu); he (Dakṣa); he (Devāpi); he (Dhruva Mahārāja); he (Dhruva); he (Droṇa); he (Durvāsā); he (Emperor Manu); he (Gajendra); he (Garuḍa); he (Hiraṇyakaśipu); he (Hiraṇyakaśipu, the King of the Daityas); he (Indra); he (Jamadagni); he (Janamejaya); he (Jaḍa Bharata); he (Kardama); he (Kaṁsa); he (King Citraketu); he (King Hūhū); he (King Indra); he (King Kaṁsa); he (King Nīpa); he (King Pṛthu); he (King Rantideva); he (King Āgnīdhra); he (Kārtavīryārjuna); He (Kṛṣṇa); He (Lakṣmaṇa, the brother of Lord Rāmacandra); he (Lord Brahmā); He (Lord Kṛṣṇa); He (Lord Rāmacandra); He (Lord Viṣṇu); he (Lord Śiva); he (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); he (Mahārāja Bharata); he (Mahārāja Priyavrata); he (Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa); he (Maitreya Muni); he (Manu); he (my father); he (Nahuṣa); he (Nābhāga); he (one who is not self-controlled); he (Prahlāda Mahārāja); he (Purūravā); he (Rantideva); he (Sarvatejā); He (Satyasena); he (Soma, the moon-god); he (Svāyambhuva Manu); he (that hunter); he (that uncivilized Kaṁsa); he (the muni); he (the conditioned soul); he (the devotee); he (the great man); he (the individual soul); he (the King); he (the leader of the elephants); He (the Lord); He (the Personality of Godhead); he (the serpent); he (the sun-god); He (the Supreme Lord); He (the Supreme Person); He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); he (Vasudeva); he (Vasudeva, also known as Ānakadundubhi); he (Venus); he (Vidura); he (Viśvarūpa); He (Vāmanadeva); he (Vāsudeva); he (Vīrabhadra); he (Vṛtra); he (Vṛtrāsura); he (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); he (Śukrācārya); he (Śūra); he (Ṛcīka); he (Ṛṣyaśṛṅga); he; He alone; he is; he, Durvāsā Muni; he, Hariścandra; he, Jamadagni; he, King Purūravā; he, Kārtavīryārjuna; he, Lord Paraśurāma; He, Lord Rāmacandra; he, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa; he, Mahārāja Sagara; he, Prahlāda Mahārāja; he, Purañjaya; he, Purūravā; he, Rohita; he, Rāvaṇa; he, Saubhari Muni; he, Saubhari Ṛṣi; he, so celebrated; he, Soma; he, the brāhmaṇa; he, the King; He, the Lord; he, Varuṇa; he, Vasiṣṭha; he, Vidura; He, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Hiraṇyakaśipu; Hiraṇyākṣa; His Lordship; His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead; his son Utkala; I am the same powerful person; is he; it; Jambhāsura; Kardama Muni; Kaśyapa; Kaśyapa Muni; King Dakṣa; King Indra; King Malayadhvaja; King Purañjana; King Pṛthu; King Vena; King Yayāti; Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa Himself; Lord Brahmā; Lord Kṛṣṇa; Lord Śiva; Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; Mahārāja Bharata; Mahārāja Ikṣvāku; Mahārāja Yayāti; Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; myself; one such as your good self; one who does so; Prahlāda Mahārāja; Prajāpati Dakṣa; Revata; so myself; someone; such; such a devotee; such a person; such a person as I am; such a personality; Sudyumna; Svāyambhuva Manu; that (great demon Maya Dānava); that (having the above symptoms); that (Supreme Personality of Godhead); that (Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa); that brāhmaṇa; that yoga system; that; that Ajāmila; that arrow; that banyan tree; that boy of the name Vena; whether that person; which; You; Your Lordship; yourself.—such; mahātmāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmahātmā

great soul; the virāṭ-puruṣa; the great one; the great soul; the Lord in the form of the great sage Paraśurāma; the Supersoul.—great soul; sudurlabhaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsudurlabhaḥ

very rare.—very rare. ¶

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. ¶

The living entity, while executing devotional service or transcendental rituals after many, many births, may actually become situated in transcendental pure knowledge that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of spiritual realization. In the beginning of spiritual realization, while one is trying to give up one’s attachment to materialism, there is some leaning towards impersonalism, but when one is further advanced he can understand that there are activities in the spiritual life and that these activities constitute devotional service. Realizing this, he becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrenders to Him. At such a time one can understand that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy is everything, that He is the cause of all causes and that this material manifestation is not independant from Him. He realizes the material world to be a perverted reflection of spiritual variegatedness and realizes that in everything there is a relationship with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus he thinks of everything in relation to Vāsudeva, or Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Such a universal vision of Vāsudeva precipitates one’s full surrender to the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the highest goal. Such surrendered great souls are very rare. ¶

This verse is very nicely explained in the Third Chapter of Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad: “In this body there are powers of speaking, of seeing, of hearing, of mental activities, etc. But these are not important if not related to the Supreme Lord. And because Vāsudeva is all-pervading and everything is Vāsudeva, the devotee surrenders in full knowledge.” (Cf. Bhagavad-gītā 7.17plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 7.17

Of these, the wise one who is in full knowledge in union with Me through pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me. and 11.40plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigBhagavad-gītā As It Is 11.40

Obeisances from the front, from behind and from all sides! O unbounded power, You are the master of limitless, might! You are all-pervading, and thus You are everything!) ¶

नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ॥४०॥

nehābhikrama-nāśo ‘sti
pratyavāyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
trāyate mahato bhayāt

naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—there is not; ihaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigiha

as a matter of fact; at the present moment; at this place; by this; during this span of life; here (in this body); here (in this life); here (in this universe); here (on this water); here; here in Jagannātha Purī; here in the spiritual world; here in this world; here in Vṛndāvana; here, in this arena of sacrifice; herein; herewith; in material sense gratification; in the foolish species of life; in the material world; in the matter of this offense; in the sacrifice; in the universe; in this (material world); in this (the holy name); in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; in this; in this battle; in this body; in this case; in this connection; in this existence; in this human society; in this land of Bhārata-varṣa; in this life; in this material world (especially in this pious land of Bhārata-varṣa, India); in this material world; in this matter of creation; in this millennium; in this narration; in this place; in this place, in this spot; in this situation; in this universe; in this very life; in this water; in this world; in this world of mortality; in this world or in this life; in Vaikuṇṭha; in which house; it; now; on this planet; on this subject; this; within the universe; within this life; within this material world; within this world.—in this world; abhikramaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigabhikrama

endeavoring.—endeavoring; nāśaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bignasah

His nose.—loss; astiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasti

has; is; is there; there are; there is; there may be; there must be.—there is; pratyavāyaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigpratyavāyaḥ

diminution.—diminution; naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—never; vidyateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigvidyate

exist; exists; takes to; there is.—there is; svalpamplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsvalpam

little.—little; apiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigapi

also; api; a still more secluded place; again; alas; also (confirms); also (the human beings); also; although (I am in such a position); although; although apparently different; although he is; although He is so; although it is so; although not exposed to common eyes; although one; although there is; although there was; and also; as also; as He is; as well as; as you have stated; at the same time; better than that; certainly; definitely; despite; either; else; especially; even; even if; even if the body is so exalted; even though; even though it is so; even though new calves were present; even though there is; even with; exactly; for the sake of; I am wondering; if; if also; if so; in due course; in spite of; in spite of this situation; including; indeed; it may be; just now; may be; moreover; of the word api; or; others; over and above; so; still; surely; the word api; then; though; thus; verily; virtually; whether.—although; asyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigasya

(the taking away) of this Ajāmila; about Him; by Him; for all these acts; for him; for such a person; his; his son; its; King Pṛthu; of a living entity; of a person; of Caṇḍavega; of Dakṣa; of Dhruva; of Dhruva Mahārāja; of her son; of him (Bali Mahārāja); of him (Bharata); of him (Brahmā); of Him (the Lord); of Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); of him (Tribhānu); of him; of His (Lord Kṛṣṇa's); of His; of Indra; of it; of Kṛti; of Kṛśāśva; of Kṛṣṇa; of Lord Brahmā; of Lord Kṛṣṇa; of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva; of Mahārāja Hariścandra; of Marutta; of Pṛthu; of Rambha; of such offenders; of that; of the virāṭ-puruṣa; of the advancing devotee; of the body of my husband; of the conditioned soul; of the cosmic manifestation; of the creation; of the devotee; of the entire cosmic manifestation; of the gigantic form; of the human beings; of the King; of the living being; of the living entities who have accepted material bodies; of the living entity; of the Lord; of the Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; of the lust; of the manifested universes; of the material world; of the people in general; of the person; of the Personality of Godhead; of the possessor; of the serpent (Kāliya); of the Supreme Lord; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the universal form; of the universal form of the Lord; of the universe; of the world; of this (Ajāmila); of this (material world); of this (Rādhā-kuṇḍa); of this (the universe); of this brahmacārī Vāmana; of this; of this body; of this child; of this cosmic manifestation; of this creation; of this earth; of this King; of this man; of this manifested cosmos or of anything material or visible; of this material world; of this one; of this person; of this tree; of this universe; of this Vāmanadeva; of this world; of your son; of your son Kṛṣṇa; one's; this; to him (the dead boy); to the living entity; unto Prahlāda; upon him.—of this; dharmasyaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigdharmasya

occupational; occupational engagement; of all principles of religion; of Dharma (the controller of religious principles); of Dharma; of religion; of religiosity; of religious principles; of religious principles, or of Yamarāja; of the constitutional position; of the demigod in charge of religion; of the execution of duties; of the personification of all religion; of the principles of religion; of the religious principles; of this occupation; of this process of religion.—of this occupation; trāyateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigtrāyate

delivers; releases.—releases; mahataḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmahataḥ

from the mahat-tattva; of the mahat-tattva; of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; of the total emanation from the Lord; of very great.—of very great; bhayātplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhayāt

because of fear; by fear; fearful conditions; fearful situation; from all kinds of fear; from danger; from fear; from the fear of; on account of feeling danger because Kṛṣṇa had entered the mouth of the demon; out of; out of fear.—from danger. ¶

In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear. ¶

Activity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or acting for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa without expectation of sense gratification, is the highest transcendental quality of work. Even a small beginning of such activity finds no impediment, nor can that small beginning be lost at any stage. Any work begun on the material plane has to be completed, otherwise the whole attempt becomes a failure. But any work begun in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has a permanent effect, even though not finished. The performer of such work is therefore not at a loss even if his work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is incomplete. One percent done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness bears permanent results, so that the next beginning is from the point of two percent; whereas, in material activity, without a hundred percent success, there is no profit. Ajāmila performed his duty in some percentage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but the result he enjoyed at the end was a hundred percent, by the grace of the Lord. There is a nice verse in this connection in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: ¶

tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer
bhajan na pakko ‘tha patet tato yadi
yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ
ko vārtha āpto ‘bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ

“If someone gives up self-gratificatory pursuits and works in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and then falls down on account of not completing his work, what loss is there on his part? And, what can one gain if one performs his material activities perfectly?” (Bhāg. 1.5.17)plugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigŚrīmad Bhāgavatam 1.5.17

One who has forsaken his material occupations to engage in the devotional service of the Lord may sometimes fall down while in an immature stage, yet there is no danger of his being unsuccessful. On the other hand, a nondevotee, though fully engaged in occupational duties, does not gain anything. Or, as the Christians say, “What profiteth a man if he gain the whole world yet suffers the loss of his eternal soul?” ¶

Material activities and their results end with the body. But work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness carries the person again to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even after the loss of the body. At least one is sure to have a chance in the next life of being born again as a human being, either in the family of a great cultured brāhmaṇa or in a rich aristocratic family that will give one a further chance for elevation. That is the unique quality of work done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ¶

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति ।
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ॥५४॥

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

brahmaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbrahma

brahma; brāhmaṇas; mantras beginning with oṁ (such as oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ); Veda; Vedas; absolute; Absolute Truth; all my brahminical qualifications; all the Vedas; all the Vedas with their different branches of knowledge; all the Vedas; all transcendental literatures; and brahma; Being; brahma; Brahmaloka; Brahman; brahminical civilization; brahminical culture; by Lord Brahmā; called by the name Brahman; from the activities of Brahman realization or austerity; Gāyatrī hymns; impersonal Brahman; impersonal Brahman realization; is the brāhmaṇas; knowledge of Brahman; Kṛṣṇa; Lord Brahmā; of a brāhmaṇa; of impersonal Brahman; of impersonal Brahman, or the Absolute Truth; of Lord Brahmā; of the brāhmaṇas; of the impersonal effulgence; spirit; spiritual; spiritual kingdom; spiritual knowledge; spiritual nature; spiritual power; Supreme; the brāhmaṇas; the Vedas; the Absolute; the Absolute Truth; the all-pervading Absolute Truth; the brahminical culture; the greatest; the Gāyatrī mantra; the impersonal Brahman (which is an emanation from Kṛṣṇa); the impersonal Brahman; the impersonal Brahman effulgence; the impersonal feature; the Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa; the personified Vedas; the Supreme; the Supreme Absolute Truth; the Supreme Brahman; the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme spirit; the supreme truth, the Absolute Truth, Brahman; the Vedic knowledge; the Vedic literatures; the Vedic wisdom; Transcendence; transcendental; truth; unlimited; Vedic; Vedic knowledge; Vedic sound; without change; You are known as Brahman.-bhūtaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhutah

who exists.—being one with the Absolute; prasannaplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigprasanna

being pleased; cheerful; enlivened; expresses happiness; joyful; jubilant; pleasing; satisfaction; satisfied; smiling; very cheerful; very much pleased; very pleased.-ātmāplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigatma

and of the soul; and of the Supersoul (Paramātmā); and the mind; body; by a manifestation of Yourself; by the body and mind; by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; by themselves; by Yourself; heart; Himself; his; in Himself; in the body; in the living entities; into the self; living being; mind; of all living entities; of Himself; of one's self; of spiritual knowledge; of the mind; of the mind and senses; of the soul; of the Supreme; one's own; own; personal; self; self-realized; soul; spirit; Supersoul; the body and mind; the devotees are the Lord's heart and soul; the mind; the mind and body; the self; the spirit; the Supersoul; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the Supreme Self; the tree of work; to the body; upon the Supersoul; within; Yourself; ātmā.—fully joyful; naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—never; śocatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsocati

he was also lamenting; lamenting; laments.—laments; naplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigna

never; not; are not; but not; cannot; certainly not; could not; did not; do not; does it not; does not; is not; it is not; it is not so; may not; neither; never; never does; never to be; no; no one; none; nor; not; not like that; not preceded by oṁ; not suitable; nothing; or not; shall not; should never; there is none; there is not; there should not be; was not; whether; without.—never; kāṅkṣatiplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigkāṅkṣati

desires.—desires; samaḥplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsamah

equal; equally disposed; equally good; equally situated; equipoised; equiposed; like; Sama; steady; the same.—equally disposed; sarveṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigsarveṣu

all; all of them; all the air within the body; all varieties; always; everyone present there; everywhere; in all; to all.—all; bhūteṣuplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhūteṣu

among all living entities; among living entities; among the living beings; among the living entities; among the living entities and elements; among things generated (with and without symptoms of life); in all beings; in all living beings; in all living entities; in all manifestations; in every living being; in every living entity; in other living entities; in the five gross elements of material nature; in the living beings; in the living entities; into the material elements; living beings; living entities; living entity; manifestation; to all living entities; to living entities; to other living entities; to the living entities; towards all living entities; towards living entities; unto all living beings; unto living entities; unto the living beings; unto the living entities; unto the ordinary living beings; with all living beings.—living entity; matplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigmat

by me; for Me; from Me; having; Me; Mine; My; myself; of Me; possessing; than me; than Myself; to me; to Myself; under My; unto Me (Kṛṣṇa); unto Me.-bhaktimplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigbhaktim

devotion; devotional service; love and faith in devotional service; service unto the Lord.—My devotional service; labhateplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_biglabhate

achieves; can achieve; gains; gets; he obtains; obtains; regains.—gains; parāmplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigparam

above; absolute; after; after the initiation; afterwards; and afterward; another; as long as that of Lord Brahmā; as the ultimate goal of life; best; better means; beyond; beyond material nature; beyond that; but; but afterwards; distant; elevation to the heavenly planets or becoming one by merging into Brahman; enemies; far superior things; final; further supreme; Godhead; great; greater; greatest; heavy; higher; highest; liberation; merely; more supreme; most glorious; only; only or ultimately; only this earth; other; other thing; others; perfect; perfectly; sublime; superior; superior life; supreme; supreme, transcendental; that much only; the actual transcendental position; the best; the foremost; the goal of life; the greatest; the highest; the most exalted; the only means; the supreme; the supreme abode; the supreme knowledge (by which one can attain devotional service); the Supreme Lord; the Supreme Person; the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the supreme whole; the transcendental world; the ultimate goal; to the transcendental spiritual kingdom; to the transcendental world; topmost; transcendence; transcendental; transcendental knowledge; transcendental to, beyond; transcendental world; ultimate; uncommon; under control; very great; very much; who are transcendental, beyond this material world; who is transcendental.—transcendental. ¶

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me. ¶

To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhūta stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in a state of liberation, called brahma-bhūta, oneness with the Absolute. Without being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, one cannot render service unto Him. In the absolute conception, there is no difference between the served and the servitor; yet the distinction is there, in a higher spiritual sense. ¶

In the material concept of life, when one works for sense gratification, there is misery, but in the absolute world, when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no misery. The devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing to lament or desire. Since God is full, a living entity who is engaged in God’s service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes also full in himself. He is just like a river cleansed of all dirty water. Because a pure devotee has no thought other than Kṛṣṇa, he is naturally always joyful. He does not lament for any material loss or gain because he is full in service of the Lord. He has no desire for material enjoyment because he knows that every living entity is the fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore eternally a servant. He does not see, in the material world, someone as higher and someone as lower; higher and lower positions are ephemeral, and a devotee has nothing to do with ephemeral appearances or disappearances. For him stone and gold are of equal value. This is the brahma-bhūta stage, and this stage is attained very easily by the pure devotee. In that stage of existence, the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Brahman and annihilating one’s individuality becomes hellish, and the idea of attaining the heavenly kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like broken serpents’ teeth. As there is no fear of a serpent with broken teeth, so there is no fear from the senses when they are automatically controlled. The world is miserable for the materially infected person, but for a devotee the entire world is as good as Vaikuṇṭha, or the spiritual sky. The highest personality in this material universe is no more significant than an ant for a devotee. Such a stage can be achieved by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, who preached pure devotional service in this age. ¶