SB 8.3.20-21
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXTS 20-21
ekāntino yasya na kañcanārthaṁ
vāñchanti ye vai bhagavat-prapannāḥ
aty-adbhutaṁ tac-caritaṁ sumaṅgalaṁ
gāyanta ānanda-samudra-magnāḥ
tam akṣaraṁ brahma paraṁ pareśam
avyaktam ādhyātmika-yoga-gamyam
atīndriyaṁ sūkṣmam ivātidūram
anantam ādyaṁ paripūrṇam īḍe
SYNONYMS
ekāntinaḥ—unalloyed devotees (who have no desire other than Kṛṣṇa consciousness); yasya—the Lord, of whom; na—not; kañcana—some; artham—benediction; vāñchanti—desire; ye—those devotees who; vai—indeed; bhagavat-prapannāḥ—fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord; ati-adbhutam—which are wonderful; tat-caritam—the activities of the Lord; su-maṅgalam—and very auspicious (to hear); gāyantaḥ—by chanting and hearing; ānanda—of transcendental bliss; samudra—in the ocean; magnāḥ—who are immersed; tam—unto Him; akṣaram—eternally existing; brahma—the Supreme; param—transcendental; para-īśam—the Lord of the supreme personalities; avyaktam—invisible or not able to be realized by the mind and senses; ādhyātmika—transcendental; yoga—by bhakti-yoga, devotional service; gamyam—obtainable (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti); ati-indriyam—beyond the perception of material senses; sūkṣmam—minute; iva—like; ati-dūram—very far away; anantam—unlimited; ādyam—the original cause of everything; paripūrṇam—completely full; īḍe—I offer my obeisances.
TRANSLATION
Unalloyed devotees, who have no desire other than to serve the Lord, worship Him in full surrender and always hear and chant about His activities, which are most wonderful and auspicious. Thus they always merge in an ocean of transcendental bliss. Such devotees never ask the Lord for any benediction. I, however, am in danger. Thus I pray to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is eternally existing, who is invisible, who is the Lord of all great personalities, such as Brahmā, and who is available only by transcendental bhakti-yoga. Being extremely subtle, He is beyond the reach of my senses and transcendental to all external realization. He is unlimited, He is the original cause, and He is completely full in everything. I offer my obeisances unto Him.
PURPORT
- anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
- jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
- ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
(BRS 1.1.11) "One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service." Unalloyed devotees have nothing to ask from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Gajendra, the King of the elephants, was circumstantially asking for an immediate benediction because he had no other way to be rescued. Sometimes, when there is no alternative, a pure devotee, being fully dependent on the mercy of the Supreme Lord, prays for some benediction. But in such a prayer there is also regret. One who always hears and chants about the transcendental pastimes of the Lord is always situated on a platform on which he has nothing to ask in terms of material benefits. Unless one is a completely pure devotee, one cannot enjoy the transcendental bliss derived from chanting and dancing in the ecstasy of the saṅkīrtana movement. Such ecstasy is not possible for an ordinary devotee. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed us how one can enjoy transcendental bliss simply by chanting, hearing and dancing in ecstasy. This is bhakti-yoga. Therefore the King of the elephants, Gajendra, said, ādhyātmika-yoga-gamyam, indicating that unless one is situated on this transcendental platform, one cannot approach the Supreme Lord. The benediction of being able to approach the Lord can be achieved after many, many births, yet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has awarded this benediction to everyone, even to the fallen souls who have no heritage of anything in spiritual life. That is actually being seen in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore the path of bhakti-yoga is the spotless process by which to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ: only through devotional service can one approach the Supreme Lord. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 7.1):
- mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
- yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
- asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
- yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
"Now hear, O son of Pṛthā [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt." Simply by being attached to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and by thinking of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa constantly, one can fully understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without a doubt.