By this knowledge I understood the influence of the spiritual and material energies of the creator Lord Vāsudeva. By this understanding the devotees attain the Lord’s abode.

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TRANSLATION

You are also the Lord The Lord is also you since You are an avatāra of the Lord. Certainly you know all secrets, because you worship the original person, the lord of cause and effect, who, remaining unaffected, creates, maintains and destroys the universe along with the guṇas by his will alone.

COMMENTARY

You have described me as the son of Parāśara, with a great lineage, with knowledge of the four Vedas and realization of brahman. But you are the son of Brahmā, omniscient (agādha-bodham), and worshipper of the Supreme Lord. In all ways you thus surpass me! That is understood when Vyāsa says “You worship the Supreme Lord (purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ upāsitaḥ).” The words starting with parāvareśaḥ (lord of cause and effect) further describe that Supreme Lord. That Lord (saḥ) is certainly (vai) you (bhavān), since you, Nārada, are an avatāra of the Lord. Therefore you know the whole secret and the secret behind all things (samasta-guhyam).

|| 1.5.7 ||

tvaṁ paryaṭann arka iva tri-lokīm

antaś-caro vāyur ivātma-sākṣī |

parāvare brahmaṇi dharmato vrataiḥ

snātasya me nyūnam alaṁ vicakṣva ||

TRANSLATION

You wander like the sun throughout the three worlds seeing everything and wander like the life air throughout the body as the witness of everyone’s intelligence. Though I have become very proficient in the Vedas and have realized the brahman by proper methods, it is not enough. Please consider this.

COMMENTARY

The original person, the supreme lord, has descended as you to give benefit to the world. Today, please help me. You wander throughout the three worlds like the sun, which sees everything and like the life air which moves within, knowing the actions of the intellect (ātma-sākṣī). I am well versed by proper means method (dharmataḥ) in the supreme brahman (para brahmaṇi), and in the statements of the Veda (avare brahmaṇi) by rules of study (vrataiḥ). Dharma refers to “method” in this verse because Yājñavalkya says:

ijyācāra-damāhiṁsā-dāna-svādhyāya-karmaṇām |

ayaṁ tu paramo dharmo yad-yogenātma-darśanam || (1.8) iti |

The supreme dharma by which method one can realize ātma consists of worship, proper conduct, control of the senses, non-violence, charity, and study. Yājñavalkya-smṛti 1.8

This is sufficient (alam), but it is still insufficient (nyūnam)! Please consider all this.

|| 1.5.8 ||

śrī-nārada uvāca—

bhavatānudita-prāyaṁ yaśo bhagavato ’malam |

yenaivāsau na tuṣyeta manye tad darśanaṁ khilam ||

TRANSLATION

Nārada said:

You have not sufficiently described the glories of the spotless Lord Kṛṣṇa. Because your mind could never be satisfied with this, I think that writing the Vedānta-sūtras is insufficient.

COMMENTARY

You have not described much at all (anudita-prāyam) about the spotless glories of the Lord—the superior position of bhagavān’s forms above all other forms, and the supreme attractiveness of his pastimes and bhakti. 

“But I have produced the brahma-mīmāṁsa scripture, the vedānta-darṣana.”

“I consider that darśana scripture to be deficient (khilam). You are the writer of Vedānta and if your mind is dissatisfied with this, then how will those who continually study this darśana be satisfied? You are the proof that this darśana is insufficient.”

|| 1.5.9 ||

yathā dharmādayaś cārthā muni-varyānukīrtitāḥ |

na tathā vāsudevasya mahimā hy anuvarṇitaḥ ||

TRANSLATION

O venerable sage! You have not repeatedly described the glories of Vāsudeva Kṛṣṇa to the extent that you have glorified dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa.

COMMENTARY

“But I have described the wonderful qualities and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in the Padma Purāṇa and others as well.”

The word ca here means “though.” You have not described the glories of Vāsudeva as much as you have described artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa as the goals of human life (arthā) even though they are much inferior to the glories of Vāsudeva. Though Vāsudeva is the crest jewel of human goals, you have not described him as the goal of human endeavor. Though you have described the glories of Kṛṣṇa abundantly in many places, they have been described only as a means of getting mokṣa. How can you mind be satisfied when there is a lack of regard for that which should have been given the most regard?

“But I have described bhakti to be higher than liberation in many places in other scriptures. 

anyatra puṇya-tīrtheṣu muktir eva mahā-phalam |

muktaiḥ prārthyā harer bhaktir mathurāyāṁ ca labhyata

Liberation is the highest goal in visiting other holy places, but devotion to the Lord, prayed for by the liberated souls, can be obtained at Mathurā. Padma Purāṇa

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati |

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ||

One who attains brahman, equal to all living entities, does not lament or desire. He then attains pure devotion to me. BG 18.54”

“But you have not done so repeatedly (na anuvarṇitaḥ). You must do so, because it is said that the meaning of scriptures is revealed by repetition as in ānandamayo ’bhyāsāt: the ānandamaya-puruṣa is the supreme lord because of repetition of words to indicate this (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.13). Your mind will be satisfied only when you describe very clearly with repetition the glories of the Lord, since those glories alone are finally the most excellent.”  

|| 1.5.10 ||

na yad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo

jagat-pavitraṁ pragṛṇīta karhicit |

tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasā

na yatra haṁsā niramanty uśik-kṣayāḥ ||

TRANSLATION

Works whose attractive verses do not glorify at all the glories of the Lord, which purify not only the author but the whole world, are considered by the devotees who have captured the mind of the Lord to be the place for crows, where swans, living in pleasant lakes, take no enjoyment at all.

COMMENTARY

Even poetic works should be condemned if they are devoid of glorification of the Vāsudeva.  

A work whose verses do not proclaim the glories of the Lord — which purify even the whole world composed of speakers and listeners, what to speak of the author — is actually like a dead body. It is very impure without describing the glories of the Lord which are like life itself, even though it may be endowed with qualities and poetic ornaments ((citra-padam) and is also a cause for surprise or dismay (another meaning of citra).

It is considered to be (uśanti) a place for crows, a hole filled with various left-over foods, which is desired by persons filled with lust, who are like crows. It is a place where the swans of Mānasa-sarovara (mānasā haṁsā) or the devotees situated in the mind of the Lord absolutely (ni for nitarām) never enjoy (ramanti).

sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham

mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api

Saints are My heart, and only I am their hearts. They do not know anyone but Me, and therefore I do not recognize anyone besides them as Mine. SB 9.4.68

Or mānasāḥ can mean “those who destroy (sā) respect (māna) for those words since they find no pleasure in them. Or mānasāḥ can mean the mental sons of Brahmā such as the Kumāras. The Kumāras proclaim (mānasāḥ uśanti) this. Uśik means pleasant and kśaya means lake in the case of reference to the swans, or it can mean abode. Thus uśik-kṣayāḥ means those possessing the abode of the Lord. This would refer to the Kumāras who were free to enter the Lord’s abode.

The word vacaḥ means statements, what is spoken. Therefore statements like the following would appear to make Bhāgavatam a place for the crows.

nābhāgo nabhagāpatyaṁ yaṁ tataṁ bhrātaraḥ kavim

yaviṣṭhaṁ vyabhajan dāyaṁ brahmacāriṇam āgatam

The son of Nabhaga named Nābhāga lived for a long time at the place of his spiritual master. Therefore, his brothers thought that he was not going to become a gṛhastha and would not return. Consequently, without providing a share for him, they divided the property of their father among themselves. When Nābhāga returned from the place of his spiritual master, they gave him their father as his share. SB 9.4.1

And it may be argued that none of the Purāṇas written by Vyāsa should be considered as a place of crows, since nothing there is completely devoid of the glories of the Lord. To this however it can be said:

kali-mala-saṁhati-kālano ’khileśo

harir itaratra na gīyate hy abhīkṣṇam

iha tu punar bhagavān aśeṣa-mūrtiḥ

paripaṭhito ’nu-padaṁ kathā-prasaṅgaiḥ

Lord Hari, the supreme controller of all beings, annihilates the accumulated sins of the Kali age, yet other literatures do not constantly glorify Him. But that Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing in His innumerable personal expansions, is abundantly and constantly described throughout the various narrations of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. SB 12.12.66

Taking this verse and the next verse in the Bhāgavatam into consideration, the word vacaḥ should mean the general import of the discussion, rather than each sentence. That being the case, the chapters and stories of Bhāgavatam are all ornaments to the glories of the Lord. In other Purāṇas, however many of the stories are devoid of the glories of the lord and are therefore the place of the crows. Thus there is no contradiction.

|| 1.5.11 ||

tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo

yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api |

nāmāny anantasya yaśo ’ṅkitāni yac

chṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ ||

TRANSLATION

The use of words in which, though not perfectly composed, there are the names of the Lord and descriptions of his glories which devotes hear, sing, and again receive, destroys the sins of all people.

COMMENTARY

Having expressed the negative side, now the positive is expressed. The production and use of words or stories (tad-vāg-visargaḥ) which destroy the sins of all people, which are sometimes clear and sometimes generally coherent, but with sparse ornaments in the verses (prati-śÿokam abaddhavati), contain names and descriptions of the Lord’s glories. The devotees hear, and having heard, sing, and having sung, again they hear, since they are not fully satiated.

Or if a speaker is present, they hear the glories. If a hearer is present they speak the glories (gṛhanti). And, otherwise, they spontaneously sing the glories. Śridhara Svāmī explains that abaddhavati can also mean ungrammatical language.  

|| 1.5.12 ||

naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ

na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam |

kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare

na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam ||

TRANSLATION

Even the stage of jñāna without the bondage of karma is not glorious if it is devoid of bhakti to the Supreme Lord. What is the use of having destroyed ignorance? What then to speak of sakāma-karma which causes suffering, both, during practice and at the stage perfection, and niṣkāma-karma, when not offered to the Lord?

COMMENTARY

Not only are the words important. If there is no bhakti, the work is useless. The realization coming from the words of the Vedas is useless without bhakti, what to speak of mere scriptural knowledge, and what to speak of niṣkāma-karma. And so much more, sakāma-karma is useless without bhakti. Even knowledge devoid of fruitive intentions does not appear wonderful without bhakti, in which one thinks of the Lord who has a form of knowledge and bliss (acyuta-bhāva). Even if bhakti is present in jñāna and one thinks that the Lord and bhakti are mixed with māyā, then that does not produce liberation. Though devoid of ignorance (nirañjanam), though one has realized knowledge, what is the use of that knowledge (alam)? What then to speak of unrealized scriptural knowledge! One should not say that you can achieve liberation just by destroying ignorance. By the inconceivable energy of the Lord, the destroyed ignorance again arises. The Pariśiṣtā-vacanam of the Vāsanā-bhāṣya says:

jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ |

yady acintya-mahā-śaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ |

Even the liberated persons again get bound by karma if they commit offense against the Lord, possessor of great, inconceivable powers.

There it also says:

jīvan-muktā prapadyante kvacit saṁsāra-vāsanām |

yogino na vilipyante karmabhir bhagavat-parāḥ ||

Liberated souls sometimes are subjected to birth and death, but the yogīs who surrender to the Lord are not touched by karma.

Thus the effect of jñāna is destruction of karma. jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasmasāt kurute ’rjuna: O Arjuna, by the fire of knowledge all karmas are burned to ashes. (BG 4.33) But that is not so wonderful because it is also said concerning rathayātrā in Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya of another Purāṇa it is said:

nānuvrajati yo mohād vrajantaṁ jagad-īśvaram |

jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāpi sa bhaved brahma-rākṣasaḥ ||

He who does not follow the Lord in his chariot when he moves becomes a brahma-rakṣasa even though he has destroyed all karmas with the fire of knowledge.

It will also be said later āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: after reaching the height of liberation with great difficutly, again they fall down because they do not worship the lotus feet of the Lord. (SB 10.2.32)  

Since jñāna is devoid of real bhakti to the Lord, the offense caused by thinking that the Lord is material is unavoidable. If such jñāna devoid of bhakti is useless, what then to speak of karma which is filled with desires for enjoyment and which causes suffering (abhadram) at all times (śaśvat)--during practice and at the time of receiving the result. And even if the karma is without the goal of enjoyment (akāraṇam), because it is not offered to the Lord it is not successful.

|| 1.5.13 ||

atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk

śuci-śravāḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vrataḥ |

urukramasyākhila-bandha-muktaye

samādhinānusmara tad-viceṣṭitam ||

TRANSLATION

Fortunate one! Therefore, since you have useful knowledge, spotless character, dedication to truth and determined vows, remember with attention the pastimes of the Lord which bring about liberation from all bondage. 

COMMENTARY

Love for the Lord Acyuta is most cherished by you since it is topmost. That is attained by chanting and hearing his name, pastimes, etc. The names of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are famous. How are his pastimes attractive to you? Please teach the world about those pastimes. Your knowledge is useful (amogha-dṛk). Your character is pure (śuci-sravāḥ). You are devoted to truth (satya-rataḥ) and determined in your vows (dhṛta-vrataḥ). Remember with fixed attention (samādhinā) the various pastimes of the Lord which give liberation for all people or give liberation from all bondage. The word “remember” is used because the pastimes appear spontaneously in the pure mind filled with devotion, since they are all self-revealing, infinite, most confidential, and impossible to speak or receive by any other means. After recollecting the pastimes, please recite them to us. One must also have productive knowledge and pure character. It cannot be otherwise. Because you are a person with pure eyes (amogha-dṛk) and with pure ears (śuci-sravāḥ), you have seen some pastimes with your eyes and heard some with your ears. And by attached mind (satya-rataḥ) and determined intelligence (dhṛta-vrataḥ), you should remember with concentrated attention at this moment some very confidential pastimes which cannot be seen or heard but which you have observed. After remembering them, please tell them to us. Anusmara is in the second person instead of saying “one should remember” because of the distinctiveness of the statement.

|| 1.5.14 ||

tato ’nyathā kiñcana yad vivakṣataḥ

pṛthag dṛśas tat-kṛta-rūpa-nāmabhiḥ |

na karhicit kvāpi ca duḥsthitā matir

labheta vātāhata-naur ivāspadam ||

TRANSLATION

The intelligence of people desiring to speak on other subjects, who develop another vision, becoming disturbed by the words describing these other objects, can never attain its proper object. It is like a boat attacked by the wind.

COMMENTARY

The positive statement having been made, the negative version is now expressed. Some people desire to speak about topics other than the pastimes of the Lord. Having desired, they speak, and having spoken someone hears from them. And this causes a different type of vision. For persons having a vision of objects other than the lord’s pastimes resulting from desire to speak about other things, the intelligence, disturbed by words (nāmabhiḥ) describing other objects (rūpa) produced by the different vision, at no time and at no place can attain its destination. It is like a boat beaten by the wind. Being turned about by the wind and going in various directions, struck by the wind, it sinks. Similarly the intelligence is destroyed because of skilful words, poetry, karma and jñāna.  

|| 1.5.15 ||

jugupsitaṁ dharma-kṛte ’nuśāsataḥ

svabhāva-raktasya mahān vyatikramaḥ |

yad-vākyato dharma itītaraḥ sthito

na manyate tasya nivāraṇaṁ janaḥ ||

TRANSLATION

You have created a great disturbance by teaching what is condemned to people attached to material enjoyment in order to make them accept dharma. Thinking that what you have taught is real dharma, they do not consider giving it up.

COMMENTARY

“I wrote the Mahābhārata and other works so that people could hear the glories of the Lord, but I have first presented material happiness in these works in order to promote scriptures to materialistic persons who do not want bhakti. But that is not my real intention. The proof is Vidura’s words:

munir vivakṣur bhagavad-guṇānāṁ sakhāpi te bhāratam āha kṛṣṇaḥ |

yasminn nṛṇāṁ grāmya-sukhānuvādair matir gṛhītān hareḥ kathāyām ||

Your friend the great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa has already described the transcendental qualities of the Lord in his great work the Mahābhārata. But the whole idea is to draw the attention of the mass of people to kṛṣṇa-kathā [Bhagavad-gītā] through their strong affinity for hearing mundane topics. SB 3.5.12”

That is true. As Vidura said, in order to make people accept worship of the Lord (dharma-kṛte) you have taught what is condemned, karma (jugupsitam). A great disturbance has come about for materialistic people who are attached to enjoy from impressions arising for sense objects (svabhāva-raktasya) because you have taught material dharma. But though your intention was to help them, you have actually injured them. How? Because materially minded men (prākṛtaḥ) ascertaining what you explained to be the correct path (dharma iti)—thinking that it is not a fault to offer meat to the devatās and pitṛs, do not consider giving up that path, and do not consider what is actually to be done: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam vraja. They think that this statement is not part of the path you have outlined for enjoyment. Bhaṭṭa has said the following in relation to a different topic:

tatraivaṁ śakyate vaktuṁ ye’nye paṅgv-ādayo narāḥ |

gṛhasthatvaṁ na śakyante kartuṁ teṣām ayaṁ vidhiḥ ||

naiṣṭhika-brahmacaryaṁ vā parivrājakatāthavā |

tair avaśyaṁ gṛhītavyā tenādāv etad ucyate ||

It should be said that this instruction is for those who cannot follow household life such as disabled persons. Such persons only must take vows of permanent brahmacarya or sannyāsa. Thus this is explained in the beginning.

|| 1.5.16 ||

vicakṣaṇo ’syārhati vedituṁ vibhor

ananta-pārasya nivṛttitaḥ sukham |

pravartamānasya guṇair anātmanas

tato bhavān darśaya ceṣṭitaṁ vibhoḥ ||

TRANSLATION

The wise person, giving up material happiness, can realize the happiness of the Lord who is beyond measure and then take to bhakti, setting an example for others. Describe the pastimes of the Lord for those materialists who are pushed by the guṇas of matter.

COMMENTARY

Please condemn other paths and describe the glories of the Lord only!

It was said in the previous verse that the people devoid of proper discrimination (itaraḥ janaḥ) were certain that you recommended the material path. Now, those people who have discernment (vicakṣaṇaḥ) can understand the happiness of the Lord, giving up material pleasure (nivṛttitaḥ), since the Lord is beyond time (ananta-pārasya) and measurement whereas material pleasure is very limited. Understanding that the happiness of the Lord is unlimited, he will perform bhakti for attaining that happiness. By seeing the preference of the discerning person for bhakti the undiscerning person will also take up the process. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: whatever actions the superior person performs others will follow. (BG 3.21) For this reason (tataḥ) describe those pastimes of the Lord. Show the pastimes of the Lord in order to liberate those who are devoid of discrimination (anātmanaḥ), pushed by the guṇas of material nature. O Lord! This address to the Lord implies: “This is possible because that even such a person, giving up all else and performing pure bhakti will attain your bliss.”

Or the verse has another meaning. “But if the people do not think of giving up their path, even now if I follow your instruction and preach bhakti with rejection of all else, they will reject this scripture.” No, it is not so. In this world not all people are undiscerning. Discerning people do exist (vicakṣaṇaḥ) and they can understand the happiness of the Lord who is devoid of an end in time (ananta-pārasya) -- who is even now existing (pra + vartamānasya). Things which are temporary can be measured. He has a body without material guṇas (guṇaiḥ anātmanaḥ), a body of eternity, knowledge and bliss — which is not possible to measure.

|| 1.5.17 ||

tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer

bhajann apakvo ’tha patet tato yadi |

yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ

ko vārtha āpto ’bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ ||

TRANSLATION

If a person having given up his duties in varṇāśrama, begins the worship of the Lord’s lotus feet, and happens to deviate or not reach perfection, there is no misfortune for him at all in the future. But what does the person who follows all duties of varṇāśrama but does not worship the Lord gain?

COMMENTARY

“But Bhagavad-gītā says:

na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām |

yojayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācaran ||

The wise man should not disturb the intelligence of the ignorant attached to results of work. Engaging in all work himself with detachment, he should engage them in activity. BG 3.26

Thus it is forbidden to give up karma.”

That is true. This instruction is given to one who is teaching jñāna to another person. Practicing jñāna depends on inner purification, and that purification depends on niṣkāma-karma. This is not an instruction for one teaching another person about bhakti, for bhakti is independently powerful, not depending on prior inner purification. Lord Ajita says:

svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān na vakty ajñāya karma hi |

na rāti rogiṇo ’pathyaṁ vāñchato ’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ ||

A pure devotee who is fully accomplished in the science of devotional service will never instruct a foolish person to engage in fruitive activities for material enjoyment, not to speak of helping him in such activities. Such a devotee is like an experienced physician, who never encourages a patient to eat food injurious to his health, even if the patient desires it. SB 6.9.50

Therefore the Lord says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66) and as well:

dharmān santyajya yaḥ sarvān māṁ bhajeta sa tu sattamaḥ

Having taken complete shelter at My lotus feet, however, a saintly person ultimately renounces such ordinary religious duties and worships Me alone. He is thus considered to be the best among all living entities. SB 11.11.32

From the strength of these statements one should teach only bhakti to the Lord, while giving up attachment to daily and periodic duties in varṇāśrama. With this intention the verse is spoken.

Even in the beginning stage of bhakti, practice of karma is forbidden. Having given up ones dharma (tyaktvā svadharmān) even at the beginning stages of bhakti, a person who worships the lotus feet of the Lord will incur no sin by giving up that dharma. This is understood also from the following:

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

Anyone who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers. SB 11.5.41

And if the person dies without being qualified to attain the Lord, or (vā), if while alive falls down because of sinful acts, being attached to material pleasures, even then, there is no misfortune incurred by having given up karmas, because the impressions created by bhakti are indestructible, and remain in subtle form. In such a state one should not revert to performance of karma. Is there any misfortune somewhere (yatra kva), in his next life? No there is no misfortune at all. Vā indicates a remote possibility of falling. It is stated as a concession to the opponent (tuṣyatu durjana nyāya). His falling after leaving the present body is actually not a fall—one does not take a low body because of omitting karmas. This is shown by the following statement of the Lord:

na hy aṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api

mayā vyavasitaḥ samyaṅ nirguṇatvād anāśiṣaḥ

My dear Uddhava, because I have personally established it, this process of devotional service unto Me is transcendental and free from any material motivation. Certainly a devotee never suffers even the slightest loss by adopting this process. SB 11.29.20

This is because certainly the sprout of bhakti, being productive, will eventually bear leaves, flowers and fruit. Instead of the verb, present or future past tense is used (abhūt). This implies a criticism of all those who object (by showing that the fact is already proven). And what is gained from performing all of one’s karmas (sva-dharmataḥ) by persons who do not worship the Lord (abhajatām).

|| 1.5.18 ||

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ |

tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ

kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā ||

TRANSLATION

The wise man strives for that happiness which is not attained by jīvas wandering from Brahma-loka to the lowest species. Material happiness is attained in all cases without endeavor, by the law of karma, just like distress, through the force of fast moving time.

COMMENTARY

“But the śrutis say karmaṇā pitṛ-loka: by karma one goes to Pitṛ-loka (Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.5); and apām somam amṛtā abhūma: we drank soma and became immortal. (Ṛg Veda 8.48.3) These encourage people to seek happiness of Svarga in the next life. The mercantile people encourage others to seek happiness in this life. How can one promote bhakti for people by rejecting one’s dharma and consequently the happiness in this and next life?

True, but the wise are not deluded by this at all. That is expressed in this verse. A person with discrimination (kovidaḥ) should endeavor for that cause which is not attained by the jīvas wandering up to Brahma-loka or down to non-moving bodies. But there material happiness is attained without endeavor (anyataḥ), due to ancient karmas, even being as pigs or in hell, just as distress is also attained without endeavor (duḥkhavat). It is said:

aprārthitāni duḥkhāni yathaivāyānti dehinām |

sukhāny api tathā manye dainyam atrātiricyate ||

Just as one does not pray for misery, and it nevertheless comes to all creatures, in the same way happiness predominates over suffering.

|| 1.5.19 ||

na vai jano jātu kathañcanāvrajen

mukunda-sevy anyavad aṅga saṁsṛtim |

smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punar

vihātum icchen na rasa-graho janaḥ ||

TRANSLATION

Oh! The person who serves Mukunda will never under any condition return to the material world, unlike practitioners of other processes. Remembering the embrace of the Lord’s lotus feet, eager for that taste he has experienced, he will not desire to give up those feet again.

COMMENTARY

This verse elaborates the point that there is no misfortune for the devotee. Even if overcome because of poor determination, the person who serves Mukunda never, by no means (na jātu), returns to saṁsāra, the place for enjoying the results of karma, whereas those practicing karma (anyavat) return. That is because he does not experience happiness and distress from karmas, since he experiences only the fruit of happiness and distress directly given by the Lord. (From this it appears that those sufferings are directly arranged by the Lord. This would be an advanced state like bhava. Of course, if he still has karmas those will be experienced.)

tvad avagamī na vetti bhavad-uttha-śubhāśubhayor

When a person realizes You, he no longer cares about his good and bad fortune arising from past pious and sinful acts, since it is You alone who control this good and bad fortune. SB 10.87.40

Na karma-bandhanam janma vaiṣṇavānām ca vidyate

The Vaiṣṇavas do not have rebirth caused by karma. Padma Purāṇa

Remembering from previous practice alone the mental embrace (upagūhanam) of the Lord’s lotus feet, he has no desire to give that up. The verse does not say “remembering his lotus feet” but rather “remembering the embrace of his lotus feet.” And the word “again” is used. The implication of these two words is that even though he may give up by his own choice the worship, once, twice or three times because of poor determination, after some time, by remembering his previous state of bliss from remembering the Lord and also remembering his present state of distress from not remembering the Lord, he repents. “Oh! Oh! What have I foolishly done? Let that be. I will not again abandon worship of Lord.” He again begins worshipping the Lord.

The verse also uses the phrase “does not desire to give up” instead of “does not give up.” This implies that he desires that he is devoid of pride in his practice. The accomplishment is in the hands of the Lord. The cause of not desiring to give up is then mentioned. Rasa-graha means one who is eager for tasting, or one who has a taste which is something like a ghost which cannot be given up, “haunted by rasa.” The meaning is then that worship after the stages of niṣthā, ruci and āsakti, becomes actual rasa at the stage of rati. However, even from the first day of worshipping the Lord, there is certainly a portion of tasting rasa in a very covered form. Thus 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 things—these three occur simultaneously for one who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the same way that pleasure, nourishment and relief from hunger come simultaneously and increasingly, with each bite, for a person engaged in eating. SB 11.2.42

|| 1.5.20 ||

idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro

yato jagat-sthāna-nirodha-sambhavāḥ |

tad dhi svayaṁ veda bhavāṁs tathāpi te

prādeśa-mātraṁ bhavataḥ pradarśitam ||

TRANSLATION

This universe is the Lord but the Lord is also different from the universe for from him arises the maintenance, destruction and creation of the universe. You know this naturally since you are an avatāra of the Lord. Thus I have shown to you a small portion of bhakti and knowledge concerning the Lord’s power.

COMMENTARY

Having taught about bhakti, now Nārada teaches about knowledge of the worshippable Lord which is necessary for the devotees. This universe is like the Lord: it exists, has life, and a form of bliss, but it is not the Lord’s form of eternity, knowledge and bliss. This is because the Lord’s qualities like existence are eternal, whereas the universes quality of existence is temporary, because the Lord is different from the universe (itaraḥ). How is the Lord like the universe and also different from it? From the Lord, who is the possessor of māyā-śakti, arises the maintenance, destruction and creation of the universe. The universe is described as a form of the Lord in small portion (like the Lord), because it is an effect of the Lord. Because the Lord is the cause, he is different. Because brahman is the cause, the universe is also designated as brahman in the śruti: sarvam khalv idam brahma: this universe is brahman. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1) You know all this spontaneously (svayam) because you are an avatāra of the Lord. Thus I have shown only a small portion, ten fingers (prādeśa-mātram) of bhakti and knowledge of the powers of the Lord who measures more than ten million times a hundred trillion, in order to fulfill the statement ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who has a teacher knows. (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2) Amara-kośa says prādeśa-tāla-gokarṇās tarjany-ādi-yute tate: prādeśa, tāla and gokarṇa mean a measure from the thumb to the end of the forefinger.

|| 1.5.21 ||

tvam ātmanātmānam avehy amogha-dṛk

parasya puṁsaḥ paramātmanaḥ kalām |

ajaṁ prajātaṁ jagataḥ śivāya tan

mahānubhāvābhyudayo ’dhigaṇyatām ||

TRANSLATION

You possess useful knowledge! Please understand spontaneously that you were born as a portion of the supreme person, the paramātmā, for the benefit of the world. Therefore please describe the glories of the all powerful Lord.

COMMENTARY

This verse explains how Vyāsa knows spontaneously. O person with useful knowledge (amogha-dṛk)! Therefore (tat) please describe (gaṇyatām) more fully (adhikam) the most auspicious glories (abhyudayaḥ) of the mighty Lord (mahānubhāva)

|| 1.5.22 ||

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā

sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ |

avicyuto ’rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito

yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam ||

TRANSLATION

The unfailing cause of perfection from men’s austerity, study of the Vedas, performance of sacrifices, chanting of mantras, practicing jñāna and giving charity is defined by the wise as glorifying the qualites of the Lord.

COMMENTARY

I have said that one becomes successful by bhakti, after giving up all dharmas. Now, if some devotee has some desire for some dharmas, those dharmas will be produced by bhakti. That is now explained. The unfailing cause (avicyutaḥ arthaḥ) of men’s austerity and the other items of dharma has been described to be narrating the qualities of the Lord. Medinī says:

artho viṣayānarthayor dhana-kāraṇa-vastuni |

abhidheye ca śabdānāṁ nivṛttau ca prayojane ||

Artha means an object of the senses, obstacle, wealth, cause, thing, meaning of a word, prevention and goal.

The results of austerity and other acts are achieved by bhakti according to the statement of the Lord and thus what is their necessity?

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

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit |

sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ ||

One should always remember Viṣṇu and never forget Him. All injunctions and prohibitions are dependent on these two principles. Padma Purāṇa

According to this, all dharmas are unnecessary. Or another meaning is because performance of bhakti to the Lord is the conclusion of all the scriptural statements recommending austerity, studying the Vedas etc., chanting the Lord’s name is the unmistakably mentioned process. And in his commentary on the Lord’s words dharmo yasyāṁ mad-ātmakaḥ (SB 11.14.3) Madhusūdana Sarasvatī says that the purport of all scriptural statements is the Supreme Lord.

|| 1.5.23 ||

ahaṁ purātīta-bhave ’bhavaṁ mune

dāsyās tu kasyāścana veda-vādinām |

nirūpito bālaka eva yogināṁ

śuśrūṣaṇe prāvṛṣi nirvivikṣatām ||

TRANSLATION

In another kalpa of Brahmā in a previous life, I was born as the son of a maidservant engaged by some persons studying the Vedas. Though a child, I was also engaged in serving them during the monsoon season when they decided to stay in one place.

COMMENTARY

There is no cause for pure bhakti other than the fortunate mercy of the devotees of the Lord. Austerity and other processes are not the cause. To illustrate this Nārada recounts a previous birth. In a previous kalpa (day of Brahmā) in a previous birth (atīta-bhave) I was born from a maid servant of some studiers of the Vedas, I was engaged (nirūpitaḥ) in serving those persons having bhakti-yoga and who desired to stay in one place (nirvivikṣatām) during the rainy season. That they also practiced bhakti-yoga is understood later from the following verse:

tatrānvahaṁ kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ pragāyatām anugraheṇāśṛṇavaṁ manoharāḥ

tāḥ śraddhayā me ’nupadaṁ viśṛṇvataḥ priyaśravasy aṅga mamābhavad ruciḥ

O Vyāsadeva, in that association and by the mercy of those great Vedāntists, I could hear them describe the attractive activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa And thus listening attentively, my taste for hearing of the Personality of Godhead increased at every step. SB 1.5.26

|| 1.5.24 ||

te mayy apetākhila-cāpale ’rbhake

dānte ’dhṛta-krīḍanake ’nuvartini |

cakruḥ kṛpāṁ yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ

śuśrūṣamāṇe munayo ’lpa-bhāṣiṇi |

TRANSLATION

Though the sages saw everything equally, they showed mercy to me, by which I, though a boy, developed sense control, gave up child’s play and all agitation, became obedient, served attentively, and spoke little.

COMMENTARY

Nārada had controlled senses (dānte), had given up childish play (adhṛta-kṛiḍanake). Those sages saw equally good-tempered and bad-tempered, those who are praiseworthy and those who are to be criticized, those who have good conduct and those who are sinful (tulya-darśanāḥ), and thus they should not show mercy to one and reject in disgust another. However, they showed mercy to me. Though great devotees such as Bharata and Prahlāda see equally, they also show some partiality concerning giving mercy. Their first show of mercy did not depend on Nārada’s good qualities and show of respect. He developed the good qualities by their mercy. Then those qualities became the cause of further mercy. It must be explained that the cause of their mercy was not due to seeing qualities. If one says that though they had equal vision, they showed mercy because he showed good qualities, then their equal vision would be contradicted by their seeing good and bad qualities. One should not explain in this way because then the first mercy would be prejudiced.

There are two types of mercy; affected by seeing material qualities and not affected by seeing material qualities. The first type of mercy is explained as follows. All persons in the material world have mercy caused by qualities. If they see qualities they show mercy, if the qualities are absent, they withdraw mercy. And if they see bad qualities, they show hatred. The second type of mercy is as follows. Those who are beyond the influence of material world show mercy without such causes, without dependence on seeing material qualities, since they see everything in the material world as the same.

Śukadeva has said:

girayo mumucus toyaṁ kvacin na mumucuḥ śivam

yathā jñānāmṛtaṁ kale jñānino dadate na vā

During this season the mountains sometimes released their pure water and sometimes did not, just as experts in transcendental science sometimes give the nectar of transcendental knowledge and sometimes do not. SB 10.20.36

In this manner sometimes these persons show mercy to some person. When hardness of the heart caused by guṇas is destroyed and becomes soft by devotion to the Lord, mercy will appear in the heart.

śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-bhāk |

rucibhiś citta-māsṛṇya-kṛd asau bhāva ucyate ||

That part of bhakti is called bhāva, whose essence is saṁvit and hlādinī śakti, which is one ray of the sun of prema which will soon rise in the heart, and which softens the heart with desires to meet, serve, and exchange love with the Lord.  Bhaki-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.3.1

The first four stages of bhakti are understood here: mercy of the devotees, service to devotees, faith, and taking shelter of guru.

|| 1.5.25 ||

ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ

sakṛt sma bhuñje tad-apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ |

evaṁ pravṛttasya viśuddha-cetasas

tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ prajāyate ||

TRANSLATION

One time only I happened to eat their food remnants with their permission. All obstacles to bhakti disappeared by that. Having developed an inclination for bhakti, being pure in mind, taste for devotional processes inevitably developed in my mind.

COMMENTARY

After getting permission from them to do so, I ate one time some rice stuck to one of their dishes. By that all obstacles to bhakti were destroyed (tad-apāsta-klibiṣaḥ). Having taken their food, I developed without effort bhakti in the form of hearing, chanting and remembering the Lord continually. Having developed a tendency for bhakti after eating the devotees’ food (evaṁ pravṛttasya), which applies to anyone else as well, I inevitably developed a taste (ruciḥ prajāyate) for hearing and chanting (tad-dharme) in the mind (ātma). By this verse five stages of bhakti should be understood: desire for worship (spṛhā), bhakti, anartha-nivṛtti, niṣṭhā and ruci.[20]

|| 1.5.26 ||

tatrānvahaṁ kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ pragāyatām

anugraheṇāśṛṇavaṁ manoharāḥ |

tāḥ śraddhayā me ’nupadaṁ viśṛṇvataḥ

priyaśravasy aṅga mamābhavad ruciḥ[21] ||

TRANSLATION

By the mercy of the sages who were chanting about the attractive pastimes of Kṛṣṇa daily, I heard about Kṛṣṇa in that place with āsakti. Hearing constantly, I then developed rati for Kṛṣṇa.

COMMENTARY

Śraddha here indicates the tenth stage āsakti. At every moment or at hearing every word, I developed rati (bhāva) for Kṛṣṇa, whose qualities are pleasing to hear (priya-śravasi). Ruci should here mean rati, the eleventh stage, since the stage of ruci has already been mentioned in the previous verse.  

|| 1.5.27 ||

tasmiṁs tadā labdha-rucer mahā-mate

priyaśravasy askhalitā matir mama |

yayāham etat sad-asat sva-māyayā

paśye mayi brahmaṇi kalpitaṁ pare||

TRANSLATION

Having attained an excellent taste for the Lord, my intelligence did not waver from the Lord. By my intelligence, I directly experienced that my gross and subtle bodies created by the Lord’s material energy were fixed only in the Supreme Lord.

COMMENTARY

Having attained an excellent taste, my intelligence became steadily fixed in the Lord. By that intelligence I saw the gross and subtle body (sad-asat) existing in me by the influence of the Lord’s material energy to be established in Kṛṣṇa (brahmaṇi). The gross body became fixed in offering respects, carrying the Lord’s water pot and other actions, not in material actions for oneself. The subtle body with senses such as ear, eye, mind and intelligence became fixed in tasting the sweetness of the lord’s qualities and form, not in material objects for one’s own pleasure. Previously the eye and mind were not fixed in the Lord even by exerting much effort. That is not the case now. With the development of rati, the mind and other senses, giving up the practice of fixing themselves on their material sense objects to which they had been long accustomed, became automatically fixed only on the Lord. Thus “I see” here means “directly experience.”  

|| 1.5.28 ||

itthaṁ śarat-prāvṛṣikāv ṛtū harer

viśṛṇvato me ’nusavaṁ yaśo ’malam |

saṅkīrtyamānaṁ munibhir mahātmabhir

bhaktiḥ pravṛttātma-rajas-tamopahā ||

TRANSLATION

In this way, for the two seasons of monsoon and autumn, I constantly heard the pure glories of the Lord chanted by the generous sages. I then developed prema, which destroys rajas and tamas in the jīvas.

COMMENTARY

Extending over two seasons (four months) I heard constantly (anusavam). Premā (bhaktiḥ) which destroys (apahā) rajas and tamas in all jīvas (ātma) then appeared. It is implied here that there was destruction of rajas and tamas in others as well who realized devotion to the Lord. This is the twelfth stage of bhakti. Direct vision of the Lord and the experience of sweetness will be explained in the next chapter.

|| 1.5.29-30 ||

tasyaivaṁ me ’nuraktasya praśritasya hatainasaḥ |

śraddadhānasya bālasya dāntasyānucarasya ca ||

jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat sākṣād bhagavatoditam |

anvavocan gamiṣyantaḥ kṛpayā dīna-vatsalāḥ ||

TRANSLATION

Though I was a boy, I had developed prema for the Lord. I was humble, sinless, filled with faith, sense-controlled, and was willing to serve. The sages, most affectionate to the fallen, as they were about to depart, taught me the most confidential knowledge of pure bhakti, which was taught by the Lord himself.

COMMENTARY

They gave knowledge to me who had developed prema-bhakti for the Lord (tasya evam anuraktasya). This knowledge was revealed directly by the Lord, son of Devakī (bhagavatoditam). Jñāna-śāstra has a prevalence of monistic jñāna. Confidential scripture (śāstra-guhyam) consists of a predominance of jñana mixed with some bhakti. More confidential scripture (śāstra-guhyataram) is that which predominantly bhakti with a little mixture of jñāna. Most confidential scripture (śāstra-guhyatamam) is pure bhakti, which was given to Uddhava and Brahmā in the Bhāgavatam and to Arjuna in the Gītā by the Lord. Contemplating that they would depart the next day (gamiṣyantaḥ), the sages taught (anvavocan) him the most confidential knowledge, pure bhakti.  

|| 1.5.31 ||

yenaivāhaṁ bhagavato vāsudevasya vedhasaḥ |

māyānubhāvam avidaṁ yena gacchanti tat-padam ||

TRANSLATION

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