# SB 2.3.12 > ज्ञानं यदाप्रतिनिवृत्तगुणोर्मिचक्रम् > आत्मप्रसाद उत यत्र गुणेष्वसङ्गः । > कैवल्यसम्मतपथस्त्वथ भक्तियोगः > को निर्वृतो हरिकथासु रतिं न कुर्यात् ॥१२॥ ## Text > jñānaṁ yad āpratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram > ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ > kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogaḥ > ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt ## Synonyms *jñānam*—knowledge; *yat*—that which; *ā*—up to the limit of; *pratinivṛtta*—completely withdrawn; *guṇa-ūrmi*—the waves of the material modes; *cakram*—whirlpool; *ātma-prasādaḥ*—self-satisfaction; *uta*—moreover; *yatra*—where there is; *guṇeṣu*—in the modes of nature; *asaṅgaḥ*—no attachment; *kaivalya*—transcendental; *sammata*—approved; *pathaḥ*—path; *tu*—but; *atha*—therefore; *bhakti-yogaḥ*—devotional service; *kaḥ*—who; *nirvṛtaḥ*—absorbed in; *hari-kathāsu*—in the transcendental topics of the Lord; *ratim*—attraction; *na*—shall not; *kuryāt*—do. ## Translation **Transcendental knowledge in relation with the Supreme Lord Hari is knowledge resulting in the complete suspension of the waves and whirlpools of the material modes. Such knowledge is self-satisfying due to its being free from material attachment, and being transcendental it is approved by authorities. Who could fail to be attracted?** ## Purport According to *Bhagavad-gītā* [[bg/10/9|(Bg. 10.9)]] the characteristics of pure devotees are wonderful. The complete functional activities of a pure devotee are always engaged in the service of the Lord, and thus the pure devotees exchange feelings of ecstasy between themselves and relish transcendental bliss. ==This transcendental bliss is experienced even in the stage of devotional practice (*sādhana-avasthā*), if properly undertaken under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master.==[^1] And in the mature stage the developed transcendental feeling culminates in realization of the particular relationship with the Lord by which a living entity is originally constituted (up to the relationship of conjugal love with the Lord, which is estimated to be the highest transcendental bliss). Thus *bhakti-yoga,* being the only means of God realization, is called *kaivalya.* Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī quotes the Vedic version (*eko nārāyaṇo devaḥ, parāvarāṇāṁ parama āste kaivalya-saṁjñitaḥ*) in this connection and establishes that Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is known as *kaivalya,* and the means which enables one to approach the Lord is called the *kaivalya-panthā,* or the only means of attainment of Godhead. ==This *kaivalya-panthā* begins from *śravaṇa,* or hearing those topics that relate to the Personality of Godhead, and the natural consequence of hearing such *hari-kathā* is attainment of transcendental knowledge, which causes detachment from all mundane topics, for which a devotee has no taste at all.== For a devotee, all mundane activities, social and political, become unattractive, and in the mature state such a devotee becomes uninterested even in his own body, and what to speak of bodily relatives. In such a state of affairs one is not agitated by the waves of the material modes. There are different modes of material nature, and all mundane functions in which a common man is very much interested or in which he takes part become unattractive for the devotee. This state of affairs is described herein as *pratinivṛtta-guṇormi,* and it is possible by *ātma-prasāda,* or complete self-satisfaction without any material connection. The first-class devotee of the Lord attains this stage by devotional service, but despite his loftiness, for the Lord's satisfaction he may play the voluntary part of a preacher of the Lord's glory and dovetail all into devotional service, even mundane interest, just to give the neophytes a chance to transform mundane interest into transcendental bliss. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described this action of a pure devotee as *nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate.* Even mundane activities dovetailed with service to the Lord are also calculated to be transcendental or approved *kaivalya* affairs. [^1]: This is my footnote comment.