Śrī Brahma-saṁhitā
by His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura
Chapter Five
Bs5.52
TEXT 52
yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ
rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ
yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
SYNONYMS
yat—of whom; cakṣuḥ—the eye; eṣaḥ—the; savitā—sun; sakala-grahāṇām—of all the planets; rājā—the king; samasta-sura—of all the demigods; mūrtiḥ—the image; aśeṣa-tejāḥ—full of infinite effulgence; yasya—of whom; ājñayā—by the order; bhramati—performs his journey; sambhṛta—complete; kāla-cakraḥ—the wheel of time; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.
TRANSLATION
The sun who is the king of all the planets, full of infinite effulgence, the image of the good soul, is as the eye of this world. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda in pursuance of whose order the sun performs his journey mounting the wheel of time.
PURPORT
Certain professors of the Vedic religion worship the sun as Brahman. The sun is one of the hierarchy of the five gods. Some people target in heat the source of this world and therefore designate the sun, the only location of heat, as the root cause of this world. Notwithstanding all that may be said to the contrary, the sun is after all only the presiding deity of a sphere of the sum total of all mundane heat and is hence a god exercising delegated authority. The sun performs his specific function of service certainly by the command of Govinda.
Bs5.53 TEXT 53 dharmo ’tha pāpa-nicayaḥ śrutayas tapāṁsi brahmādi-kīṭa-patagāvadhayaś ca jīvāḥ yad-datta-mātra-vibhava-prakaṭa-prabhāvā govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi SYNONYMS dharmaḥ—virtue; atha—also; pāpa-nicayaḥ—all vices; śrutayaḥ—the Vedas; tapāṁsi—penances; brahma-ādi—beginning from Lord Brahmā; kīṭa-pataga—insects; avadhayaḥ—down to; ca—and; jīvāḥ—jīvas; yat—by whom; datta—conferred; mātra—exclusively; vibhava—by the power; prakaṭa—manifested; prabhāvāḥ—potencies; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.
TRANSLATION I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, by whose conferred power are maintained the manifested potencies, that are found to exist, of all virtues, all vices, the Vedas, the penances and all jīvas, from Brahmā to the meanest insect. PURPORT By dharma is meant the allotted functions of varṇa and āśrama manifested by the twenty dharma-śāstras on the authority of the Vedas. Of these two divisions varṇa-dharma is that function which is the outcome of the distinctive natures of the four varṇas, viz., brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra and āśrama-dharma is that function which is appropriate to the respective āśramas or stations of those who belong to the four stages, viz., brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. All customary activities of mankind have been targeted in these twofold divisions. Sins mean nescience, the root of all sins and sinful desire, also the greatest iniquities and sins flowing from them and the ordinary sins, i.e., all sorts of unprincipled conduct. The category of the śrutis means Ṛg, Sāma, Yajur and Atharva and the Upaniṣads which form the crest jewels of the Veda. The tapas mean all regular practices that are learnt with the view of the attainment of the proper function of the self. In many cases, e.g., in the form known as pañca-tapas these practices are of a difficult character (yoga) with its eight constituents limbs and devotedness to the knowledge of the undifferentiated Brahman are included therein. All these are so many distinctive features within the revolving round of the fruitive activities of conditioned souls. The conditioned souls are embarked on a sojourn of successive births from 84 lakhs of varieties of generating organs. They are differentiated into different orders of beings as devas, dānavas, rākṣasas, mānavas, nāgas, kinnaras, and gandharvas. These jīvas, from Brahmā down to the small insect, are infinite in type. They make up the aggregate of the conditioned souls from the degree of Brahmā to that of the little fly and are the distinctive features within the revolving wheel of karma. Every one of them is endowed with distinctive powers as individuals and is powerful in a particular sphere. But these powers are by their nature not fully developed in them. The degree of power and nature of property vary according to the measure of manifestation of the possessions of the individual conferred upon him by Śrī Govinda.
Bs5.54 TEXT 54 yas tv indragopam athavendram aho sva-karma- bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam ātanoti karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājāṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi SYNONYMS yaḥ—He who (Govinda); tu—but; indra-gopam—to the small red insect called indragopa; atha vā—or even; indram—to Indra, king of heaven; aho—oh; sva-karma—of one’s own fruitive activities; bandha—bondage; anurūpa—according to; phala—of reactions; bhājanam—enjoying or suffering; ātanoti—bestows; karmāṇi—all fruitive activities and their reactions; nirdahati—destroys; kintu—but; ca—also; bhakti-bhājām—of persons engaged in devotional service; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam—Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.
TRANSLATION I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, who burns up to their roots all fruitive activities of those who are imbued with devotion and impartially ordains for each the due enjoyment of the fruits of one’s activities, of all those who walk in the path of work, in accordance with the chain of their previously performed works, no less in the case of the tiny insect that bears the name of indragopa than in that of Indra, king of the devas. PURPORT God impartially induces the fallen souls to act in the way that is consequent on the deeds of their previous births and to enjoy the fruition of their labors but, out of His great mercy to His devotees, He purges out, by the fire of ordeal, the root of all karma, viz., nescience and evil desires. Karma, though without beginning, is still perishable. The karma of those, who work with the hope of enjoying the fruits of their labors, becomes everlasting and endless and is never destroyed. The function of sannyāsa is also a sort of karma befitting an āśrama and is not pleasant to Kṛṣṇa when it aims at liberation, i.e., desire for emancipation. They also receive fruition of their karma and, even if it be disinterested, their karma ends in ātma-mamatā, i.e., self-pleasure; but those who are pure devotees always serve Kṛṣṇa by gratifying His senses forsaking all attempts of karma and jñāna, and being free from all desires save that of serving Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has fully destroyed the karma, its desires and nescience of those devotees. It is a great wonder that Kṛṣṇa, being impartial, is fully partial to His devotees.
Bs5.55 TEXT 55 yaṁ krodha-kāma-sahaja-praṇayādi-bhīti- vātsalya-moha-guru-gaurava-sevya-bhāvaiḥ sañcintya tasya sadṛśīṁ tanum āpur ete govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi SYNONYMS yam—upon whom; krodha—wrath; kāma—amorous passion; sahaja-praṇaya—natural friendly love; ādi—and so on; bhīti—fear; vātsalya—parental affection; moha—delusion; guru-gaurava—reverence; sevya-bhāvaiḥ—and with the attitude of willing service; sañcintya—meditating; tasya—of that; sadṛśīm—befitting; tanum—bodily form; āpuḥ—attained; ete—these persons; govindam—Govinda; ādi-puruṣam—the original person; tam— Him; aham—I; bhajāmi—worship.
TRANSLATION I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, the meditators of whom, by meditating upon Him under the sway of wrath, amorous passion, natural friendly love, fear, parental affection, delusion, reverence and willing service, attain to bodily forms befitting the nature of their contemplation. PURPORT Devotion is of two kinds, viz., (1) of the nature of deference to regulation and (2) constituted of natural feeling. Bhakti is roused by following with a tinge of faith in the rule of the śāstras and instruction of the preceptors. Such bhakti is of the nature of loyalty to the scriptural regulations. It continues to be operative as long as the corresponding natural feeling is not roused. If a person loves Kṛṣṇa out of natural tendency. there is the principle of rāga, which is no other than a strong desire to serve, which turns into bhāva or substantive feeling. When the substantive feeling is aroused the devotee becomes an object of mercy of Kṛṣṇa. It takes much time to attain this stage. Devotion which is of the nature of feeling is superior to that connected with scriptural regulation, soon attains to the realized state and is attractive to Kṛṣṇa. Its various aspects are described in this śloka. Śānta-bhāva, full of reverence to superior, dāsya-bhāva, full of service for carrying out the commands of the object of worship, sakhya-bhāva or natural friendly love, vātsalya-bhāva or parental affection and madhura-bhāva or amorous love, are all included in the category of devotion of the nature of instinctive attachment. But anger, fear and delusion, though they are of the nature of instinctive impulse, are not devotion in the strict sense of the term, because they are not friendly but hostile to the object. Anger is found in asuras like Śiśupāla, fear in Kaṁsa, and delusion in the paṇḍitas of the pantheistic school. They have the feelings of anger, fear and instinctive impulse marked by complete self-forgetful identification with the nondifferentiated Brahman. But as there is no friendly feeling towards the object of devotion there is no bhakti. Again among the feelings of śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhura—śānta, though indifferent and dormant in rāga, is still reckoned as bhakti on account of its being a little friendly. There is an immense volume of rāga in the other four varieties of emotion. By the promise of Gītā, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg. 4.11] (“I serve one according to his submission”), those, who allow themselves to be actuated by the sentiments of fear, anger and delusion, attain to sāyujya-mukti (merging in the Absolute). The śāntas obtain bodily forms with aptitude for addiction to Brahman and Paramātmā. The dāsya and sakhya classes of worshipers attain bodily forms characterized by masculine or feminine disposition according to their respective grades of eligibility. The vātsalya class of worshipers get bodily forms befitting fatherly and motherly sentiments. The amorous lovers of Kṛṣṇa attain the pure forms of gopīs (spiritual milkmaids of Vraja).
Bs5.56 TEXT 56 śriyaḥ kāntāḥ kāntaḥ parama-puruṣaḥ kalpa-taravo drumā bhūmiś cintāmaṇi-gaṇa-mayi toyam amṛtam kathā gānaṁ nāṭyaṁ gamanam api vaṁśī priya-sakhi cid-ānandaṁ jyotiḥ param api tad āsvādyam api ca sa yatra kṣīrābdhiḥ sravati surabhībhyaś ca su-mahān nimeṣārdhākhyo vā vrajati na hi yatrāpi samayaḥ bhaje śvetadvīpaṁ tam aham iha golokam iti yaṁ vidantas te santaḥ kṣiti-virala-cārāḥ katipaye SYNONYMS śriyaḥ—Lakṣmīs, goddesses of fortune; kāntāḥ—loving consorts; kāntaḥ—the enjoyer, lover; parama-puruṣaḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kalpa-taravaḥ—desire trees; drumāḥ—all the trees; bhūmiḥ—the land; cintāmaṇi-gaṇa-mayi—made of the transcendental touchstone jewels; toyam—the water; amṛtam—nectar; kathā—talking; gānam—song; nāṭyam—dancing; gamanam—walking; api—also; vaṁśī—the flute; priya-sakhī—constant companion; cit-ānandam—transcendental bliss; jyotiḥ—effulgence; param—the supreme; api—also; tat—that; āsvādyam—everywhere perceived; api ca—also; saḥ—that; yatra—where; kṣīra-abdhiḥ—ocean of milk; sravati—flows; surabhībhyaḥ—from surabhi cows; ca—and; su-mahān—very great; nimeṣa-ardha—half a moment; ākhyaḥ—called; vā—or; vrajati—passes away; na—not; hi—certainly; yatra—where; api—even; samayaḥ—time; bhaje—I worship; śveta-dvīpam—Śvetadvīpa; tam—that; aham—I; iha—here; golokam—Goloka; iti—thus; yam—which; vidantaḥ—know; te—they; santaḥ—self-realized souls; kṣiti—in this world; virala—seldom; cārāḥ—going; katipaye—few.
TRANSLATION I worship that transcendental seat, known as Śvetadvīpa where as loving consorts the Lakṣmīs in their unalloyed spiritual essence practice the amorous service of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa as their only lover; where every tree is a transcendental purpose tree; where the soil is the purpose gem, all water is nectar, every word is a song, every gait is a dance, the flute is the favorite attendant, effulgence is full of transcendental bliss and the supreme spiritual entities are all enjoyable and tasty, where numberless milk cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk; where there is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realized souls in this world. PURPORT That region which jīvas attain by the best performance of their rasa-bhajana, though purely transcendental, is by no means devoid of variegatedness. The nondifferentiated region is attained by indulging in anger, fear and delusion. The devotees attain Goloka, the transcendental region above Vaikuṇṭha, according to the quality of rasa of the respective services. In reality that region is no other than Śvetadvīpa or “the White Island,” being exceedingly pure. Those, who attain the highest rasa in the shape of the realization of pure devotion in this world, viewing the reality of Śvetadvīpa in Gokula, Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa within this mundane world, designate the same as “Goloka.” In that transcendental region of Goloka there are always visible, in their supreme beauty. all the distinctive entities that are incorporated in the pure cognitive principle, viz., the lover and His beloved ones, trees and creepers, mountains, rivers and forests, water, speech, movement, music of the flute, the sun and the moon, tasted and taste (i.e., the unthinkable wonders of the 64 aesthetic arts), milk cows yielding nectarean flow of milk and transcendental ever-existing time.
Descriptions that supply the clue to Goloka are found in various places in the Vedas and the other śāstras such as the Purāṇas, tantras etc. The Chāndogya says: brūyād yāvan vā ayam ākāśas tāvan eṣa antar hṛda ākāśaḥ ubhe asmin dyāvā-pṛthivī antar eva samāhite. ubhāv agniś ca vāyuś ca sūrya—candramasāv ubhau vidyun nakṣatrāṇi yac cāsyehāsti yac ca nāsti sarvaṁ tad asmin samāhitam iti.
The sum and substance of it is that all the variegatedness of this mundane world and much more variety over and above the mundane, are to be found in Goloka. The variety in the transcendental world is fully centralized whereas in the mundane world it is not so and hence productive of weal and woe. The centralized variety of Goloka is unalloyed and full of transcendental cognitive joy. The Vedas and sādhus practicing devotion revealed by the Vedas, by availing the support of their individual cognitional aptitude actuated by devotion, may have a sight of divine realm and by the power of the grace of Kṛṣṇa their tiny cognitive faculty attaining the quality of infinitude they are enabled to be on the level of the plane of enjoyments of Kṛṣṇa.
There is a hidden meaning of the proposition “even the Supreme that is also nevertheless the object of enjoyment” (param api tad āsvādyam api ca). The word param api indicates that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the only Truth Absolute in all the transcendental blissful principles and tad āsvādyam api means His object of enjoyment. The glory of Rādhā’s love for Kṛṣṇa, tasty quality (rasa) of Kṛṣṇa that is realized by Rādhā and the bliss of which Rādhā is conscious in the process of such realization, all these threefold bhāvas (emotional entities) becoming available for enjoyment by Kṛṣṇa He attains His personality of Śrī Gaurasundara. It is also this that constitutes the transcendental bliss of the delicious loving (rasa) service manifested by Śrī Gaurasundara. This also eternally exists only in the selfsame Śvetadvīpa.
Bs5.57 TEXT 57 athovāca mahā-viṣṇur bhagavantaṁ prajāpatim brahman mahattva-vijñāne prajā-sarge ca cen matiḥ pañca-ślokīm imāṁ vidyāṁ vatsa dattāṁ nibodha me SYNONYMS atha—then; uvāca—said; mahā-viṣṇuḥ—the Supreme Lord; bhagavantam—unto the glorious; prajāpatim—Lord Brahmā; brahman—O Brahmā; mahattva—of the glory (of Godhead); vijñāne—in real knowledge; prajā-sarge—in creating offspring; ca—and; cet—if; matiḥ—the inclination; pañca-ślokīm—five ślokas; imām—this; vidyām—science; vatsa—O beloved; dattām—given; nibodha—hear; me—from Me.
TRANSLATION On hearing these hymns containing the essence of the truth, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa said to Brahmā, “Brahmā, if you experience the inclination to create offspring by being endowed with the real knowledge of the glory of Godhead, listen, My beloved, from Me to this science set forth in the following five ślokas. PURPORT The Supreme Lord became propitious when Brahmā with great eagerness chanted the names, “Kṛṣṇa” and “Govinda” expressive of the form, attribute and pastimes. Brahmā was actuated by the desire for mundane creation. Kṛṣṇa then said to Brahmā how pure unalloyed devotion can be practiced by souls engaged in worldly occupations by combining the same with the desire for carrying out the behest of the Supreme Lord. “The knowledge absolute is knowledge of the glory of Godhead; if you want to procreate offspring being endowed with such knowledge, listen attentively to the science of devotion that is contained in the following five ślokas.”
(How bhakti is practiced by performing worldly duties in the form of carrying out the commands of the Supreme Lord, is being described).
Bs5.58 TEXT 58 prabuddhe jñāna-bhaktibhyām ātmany ānanda-cin-mayī udety anuttamā bhaktir bhagavat-prema-lakṣaṇā SYNONYMS prabuddhe—when excited; jñāna—by cognition or knowledge; bhaktibhyām—and by devotional service; ātmani—in the pure spirit soul; ānanda-cit-mayi—full of knowledge and bliss; udeti—is awakened; anuttamā—superexcellent; bhaktiḥ—devotion; bhagavat—for Kṛṣṇa; prema—by love; lakṣaṇā—characterized.
TRANSLATION When the pure spiritual experience is excited by means of cognition and service [bhakti], superexcellent unalloyed devotion characterized by love for Godhead is awakened towards Kṛṣṇa, the beloved of all souls. PURPORT Real knowledge is nothing but knowledge of one’s relationship to the Absolute. Real knowledge is identical with the knowledge of subjective natures of cit (animate), acit (inanimate) and Kṛṣṇa and of their mutual relationship. Here mental speculation is not alluded to, since that is antagonistic to service (bhakti). The knowledge that embraces only the first seven of the ten basic principles (daśa-mūla) is the knowledge of relationship. The substantive nature of the spiritual function (abhidheya) inculcated by the science of devotion hearing, chanting, meditation, tending His holy feet, worshiping by rituals, making prostrations, doing menial service, practicing friendship and surrendering oneself are identical with practicing the search for Kṛṣṇa. It is specifically described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Devotion (bhakti) characterized by love for Godhead makes her appearance by being awakened by such knowledge and practice. Such devotion is superexcellent bhakti and is no other than the final object of attainment of all spiritual endeavor of the individual soul (jīva).
Bs5.59 TEXT 59 pramāṇais tat-sad-ācārais tad-abhyāsair nirantaram bodhayan ātmanātmānaṁ bhaktim apy uttamāṁ labhet SYNONYMS pramāṇaiḥ—by scriptural evidence; tat—of them; sat-ācāraiḥ—by theistic conduct; tat—of them; abhyāsaiḥ—by practice; nirantaram—constantly; bodhayan—awakening; ātmanā—by one’s own intelligence; ātmānam—the self; bhaktim—devotion; api—certainly; uttamām—the highest; labhet—one can attain.
TRANSLATION The highest devotion is attained by slow degrees by the method of constant endeavor for self-realization with the help of scriptural evidence, theistic conduct and perseverance in practice. PURPORT Evidence—the devotional scriptures, e.g., Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Vedas, the Purāṇas, the Gītā, etc. Theistic conduct—the conduct of pious persons (sādhus) who are pure devotees and the conduct of those pious persons who practice devotion to Godhead actuated by spontaneous love. Practice—to learn about the ten basic principles (daśa-mūla) from the śāstras and on receiving the name of Hari as laid down in the same, embodying the name, form, quality and activity of the Divinity. to practice the chanting of the name by serving Him night and day. By this are meant study of the śāstras and association with the sādhus. The tenfold offense to holy name ceases by serving the name of Hari and simultaneously practicing pious conduct. “Practice” is no other than following the mode of service of the name practiced by the sādhus without offense. By perseverance in such practice and devotion characterized by love which is the fruit of spiritual endeavor makes her appearance in the pure essence of the soul.
Bs5.60 TEXT 60 yasyāḥ śreyas-karaṁ nāsti yayā nirvṛtim āpnuyāt yā sādhayati mām eva bhaktiṁ tām eva sādhayet SYNONYMS yasyāḥ—than which; śreyaḥ-karam—superior well-being; na—not; asti—there is; yayā—by which; nirvṛtim—supreme bliss; āpnuyāt—one can attain; yā—who; sādhayati—leads; mām—to Me; eva—certainly; bhaktim—loving devotion; tām—that; eva—indeed; sādhayet—one should perform.
TRANSLATION These preliminary practices of devotion [sādhana-bhakti] are conducive to the realization of loving devotion. [Loving devotion]—than whom there is no superior well-being, who goes hand in hand with the attainment of the exclusive state of supreme bliss and who can lead to Myself. PURPORT The jīva-soul has no better well-being than loving devotion. In this is realized the final beatitude of jīvas. The lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa are attainable only by loving devotion. He who cultivates the preliminary devotional activities anxiously keeping in view that realized state of devotion can alone attain to that object of all endeavor. None else can have the same.
Bs5.61 TEXT 61 dharmān anyān parityajya mām ekaṁ bhaja viśvasan yādṛśī yādṛśī śraddhā siddhir bhavati tādṛśī kurvan nirantaraṁ karma loko ’yam anuvartate tenaiva karmaṇā dhyāyan māṁ parāṁ bhaktim icchati SYNONYMS dharmān—meritorious performances; anyān—other; parityajya—abandoning; mām— Me; ekam—alone; bhaja—serve; viśvasan—having faith; yādṛśī yādṛśī—just as; śraddhā—faith; siddhiḥ—realization; bhavati—arises; tādṛśī—corresponding; kurvan—performing; nirantaram—ceaselessly; karma—activities; lokaḥ ayam—the people of this world; anuvartate—pursue; tena—by those; eva—indeed; karmaṇā—deeds; dhyāyan—meditating; mām—upon Me; parām—supreme; bhaktim—devotion; icchati—one obtains.
TRANSLATION Abandoning all meritorious performances serve Me with faith. The realization will correspond to the nature of one’s faith. The people of the world act ceaselessly in pursuance of some ideal. By meditating on Me by means of those deeds one will obtain devotion characterized by love in the shape of the supreme service. PURPORT The function characterized by unalloyed devotion is the real function of all individual souls (jīvas). All other varieties of function are activities of the external cases. These exoteric and esoteric dharmas (functions) are manifold, e.g., nondifferential knowledge of the Brahman aiming at extinction of individuality. the aṣṭāṅga-yoga-dharma having as its goal attainment of the state of exclusive existence (kaivalya), atheistical fruitive ritualism aiming at material enjoyment, jñāna-yoga-dharma seeking to combine knowledge with fruitive activity and the practice of the function of barren asceticism. Getting rid of all these, serve Me by pure devotion rooted in faith. Exclusive faith in Me is trust. Faith in the form of trust by the process of gradual purification tends to become a constant engagement (niṣṭhā), an object of liking (ruci), of attachment (āsakti) and a real sentiment (bhāva). The more transparent the faith, the greater the degree of realization. If you ask—How will the preservation and conduct of worldly affairs be feasible if one is continuously engaged in the endeavor for the realization of bhakti? What also will be the nature of the endeavor for the realization of bhakti when the body will perish consequent on the cessation of the function of the body and of society?
In order to strike at the root of this misgiving the Supreme Lord says, “This world subsists by the constant performance of certain activities. Fill all these activities with meditation of Me. This will destroy the quality that makes those activities appear as acts done by you. They will then be of the nature of My service (bhakti).
“Mankind live by the threefold activities of body. mind and society. Eating, seating, walking, resting, sleeping, cleansing the body. covering the body. etc., are the various bodily activities; thinking, recollecting, retaining an impression, becoming aware of an entity. feeling pleasure and pain, etc., are the mental feats; marrying, practicing reciprocal relationship between the king and subject, practicing brotherhood, attending at sacrificial meetings, offering oblations, digging wells, tanks, etc., for the benefit of the people, maintaining one’s relations, practicing hospitality. observing proper civic conduct, showing due respect to others are the various social activities. When these acts are performed for one’s selfish enjoyment, they are called karma-kāṇḍa; when the desire for attainment of freedom from activity by knowledge underlies these actions, they are termed jñāna-yoga or karma-yoga. And when these activities are managed to be performed in this way that is conducive to our endeavor for attainment of bhakti they are called jñāna-bhakta-yoga, i.e., the subsidiary devotional practices. But only those activities that are characterized by the principle of pure worship are called bhakti proper. My meditation is practiced in every act when bhakti proper is practiced in due time while performing the subsidiary devotional activities in one’s intercourse with the ungodly people of this world. In such position, a jīva does not become apathetic to Godhead even by performing those worldly activities. This constitutes the practice of looking inwards, i.e., turning towards one’s real self, vide Īśopaniṣad—
īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ The commentator says in regards to this, tena īśa-tyaktena visṛṣṭena. The real significance being that if whatever is accepted be received as favor vouchsafed by the Supreme Lord, the worldly activity will cease to be such and will turn into service of Godhead (bhakti). So Īśāvāsya says kurvann eveha karmāṇi… karma lipyate nare.
If the worldly acts are performed in the above manner one does not get entangled in karma even in hundreds of years of worldly life. The meaning of these two mantras from the jñāna point of view is renouncement of the fruits of one’s worldly actions; but from the bhakti point of view they mean the attainment of Kṛṣṇa’s favor (prasādam) by their transfer to His account. In this method, which is the path of arcana, you should do your duties of the world by the meditation of worshiping Godhead thereby. Brahmā cherishes the desire for creation in his heart. If that creative desire is practiced by conjoining the same with the meditation of obeying therein the command of the Supreme Lord, then it will be a subsidiary spiritual function (gauṇa-dharma) being helpful for the growth of the disposition for the service of the Divinity by reason of its characteristic of seeking the protection of Godhead. It was certainly proper to instruct Brahmā in this manner. There is no occasion for such instruction in the case of a jīva in whom the spontaneous aversion for entities other than Kṛṣṇa manifests itself on his attainment of the substantive entity of spiritual devotion (bhāva).
Bs5.62 TEXT 62 ahaṁ hi viśvasya carācarasya bījaṁ pradhānaṁ prakṛtiḥ pumāṁś ca mayāhitaṁ teja idaṁ bibharṣi vidhe vidhehi tvam atho jaganti SYNONYMS aham—I; hi—certainly; viśvasya—of the world; cara-acarasya—of animate and inanimate objects; bījam—the seed; pradhānam—the substance of matter; prakṛtiḥ—the material cause; pumān—the puruṣa; ca—and; mayā—by Me; āhitam—conferred; tejaḥ—fiery energy; idam—this; bibharṣi—you bear; vidhe—O Brahmā; vidhehi—regulate; tvam—you; atha u—now; jaganti—the worlds.
TRANSLATION “Listen, O Vidhi, I am the seed, i.e., the fundamental principle, of this world of animate and inanimate objects. I am pradhāna [the substance of matter], I am prakṛti [material cause] and I am puruṣa [efficient cause]. This fiery energy that belongs specially to the Brahman, that inheres in you, has also been conferred by Me. It is by bearing this fiery energy that you regulate this phenomenal world of animate and inanimate objects.” PURPORT Certain thinkers conclude that the nondifferentiated Brahman is the ultimate entity and by undergoing self-delusion (vivarta) exhibits the consciousness of differentiation; or, the limiting principle itself (Māyā), when it is limited, is the phenomenal world and is itself the Brahman, in its unlimited position; or, the Brahman is the substance and this phenomenal world is the reflection; or, everything is an illusion of the jīva. Some think that Godhead is evidently a separate entity. Jīva is another different entity. and the phenomenal world, although it is a singular principle, exists separately as an eternally independent entity; or, Godhead, is the substantive entity and all other entities, as cit and a-cit attributes, are one in principle. Some suppose that by the force of inconceivable potency sometimes the monistic and sometimes the dualistic principle is realized as the truth. Some again arrive at the conclusion that the theory of the nondual minus all potency is meaningless; whence the Brahman is the one eternally unalloyed entity vested with the pure potency.
These speculations have originated from Veda relying on the support of the Vedānta-sutra. In these speculations although there is no truth that holds good in all positions, there is yet a certain measure of truth. Not to speak of the anti-Vedic speculations Sāṅkhya, Patañjala, Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika, nor even of Pūrva-mīmāṁsā which is fond of exclusive fruitive activity in conformity with the teaching of one portion of the Veda, the bodies of opinions detailed above have also come into existence by relying outwardly on the Vedānta itself. By discarding all these speculations, you and your bona fide community should adopt the ultimate principle identical with the doctrine of acintya-bhedābheda (inconceivable simultaneous distinction and nondifference). This will make you eligible for being a true devotee. The basic principle is that this animate world is made up of jīvas and the inanimate world is constituted of matter. Of these all the jīvas have been manifested by My supreme (parā) potency and this phenomenal world has been manifested by My secondary (aparā) potency. I am the cause of all causes. In other words, I regulate all of them by the power of My will although I am not a different entity from the marginal and material (taṭasthā and acit) potencies. By the transformation of those distinct potencies pradhāna (substantive material principle), prakṛti (material cause) and puruṣa (efficient cause) have been produced. Hence although as regards the subjective nature of all potency I am pradhāna, prakṛti and puruṣa, yet as the possessor of power I am eternally distinct from all those potencies. This simultaneous distinction and nondifference has also sprung from My inconceivable power. So let the attainment of love for Kṛṣṇa by the practice of pure devotion through the knowledge of their mutual true relationship that subsists between the jīva, the jaḍa (matter) and Kṛṣṇa based on the principle of inconceivable simultaneous distinction and non-difference, be My instruction for being handed down in the order of spiritual preceptional succession in your community (Śrī Brahma-sampradāya).
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yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat
tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā
mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam