Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 19 Verses 20-24

Canto 11: General History | Chapter 19: The Perfection of Spiritual Knowledge

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.19.20-24

śraddhāmṛta-kathāyāḿ me

śaśvan mad-anukīrtanam

pariniṣṭhā ca pūjāyāḿ

stutibhiḥ stavanaḿ mama

ādaraḥ paricaryāyāḿ

sarvāńgair abhivandanam

mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā

sarva-bhūteṣu man-matiḥ

mad-artheṣv ańga-ceṣṭā ca

vacasā mad-guṇeraṇam

mayy arpaṇaḿ ca manasaḥ

sarva-kāma-vivarjanam

mad-arthe 'rtha-parityāgo

bhogasya ca sukhasya ca

iṣṭaḿ dattaḿ hutaḿ japtaḿ

mad-arthaḿ yad vrataḿ tapaḥ

evaḿ dharmair manuṣyāṇām

uddhavātma-nivedinām

mayi sañjāyate bhaktiḥ

ko 'nyo 'rtho 'syāvaśiṣyate

SYNONYMS

śraddhā — faith; amṛta — in the nectar; kathāyām — of narrations; me — about Me; śaśvat — always; mat — of Me; anukīrtanam — chanting the glories; pariniṣṭhā — fixed in attachment; ca — also; pūjāyām — in worshiping Me; stutibhiḥ — with beautiful hymns; stavanam — formal prayers; mama — in relation to Me; ādaraḥ — great respect; paricaryāyām — for My devotional service; sarva-ańgaiḥ — with all the limbs of the body; abhivandanam — offering obeisances; mat — My; bhakta — of the devotees; pūjā — worship; abhyadhikā — preeminent; sarva-bhūteṣu — in all living entities; mat — of Me; matiḥ — consciousness; mat-artheṣu — for the sake of serving Me; ańga-ceṣṭā — ordinary, bodily activities; ca — also; vacasā — with words; mat-guṇa — My transcendental qualities; īraṇam — declaring; mayi — in Me; arpaṇam — placing; ca — also; manasaḥ — of the mind; sarva-kāma — of all material desires; vivarjanam — rejection; mat-arthe — for My sake; artha — of wealth; parityāgaḥ — the giving up; bhogasya — of sense gratification; ca — also; sukhasya — of material happiness; ca — also; iṣṭam — desirable activities; dattam — charity; hutam — offering of sacrifice; japtam — chanting the holy names of the Lord; mat-artham — for the sake of achieving Me; yat — which; vratam — vows, such as fasting on Ekādaśī; tapaḥ — austerities; evam — thus; dharmaiḥ — by such religious principles; manuṣyānām — of human beings; uddhava — Mv dear Uddhava; ātma-nivedinām — who are surrendered souls; mayi — to Me; sañjāyate — arises; bhaktiḥ — loving devotion; kaḥ — what; anyaḥ — other; arthaḥ — purpose; asya — of My devotee; avaśiṣyate — remains.

TRANSLATION

Firm faith in the blissful narration of My pastimes, constant chanting of My glories, unwavering attachment to ceremonial worship of Me, praising Me through beautiful hymns, great respect for My devotional service, offering obeisances with the entire body, performing first-class worship of My devotees, consciousness of Me in all living entities, offering of ordinary, bodily activities in My devotional service, use of words to describe My qualities, offering the mind to Me, rejection of all material desires, giving up wealth for My devotional service, renouncing material sense gratification and happiness, and performing all desirable activities such as charity, sacrifice, chanting, vows and austerities with the purpose of achieving Me — these constitute actual religious principles, by which those human beings who have actually surrendered themselves to Me automatically develop love for Me. What other purpose or goal could remain for My devotee?

PURPORT

The words mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā are significant in this verse. Abhyadhikā indicates "superior quality." The Lord is extremely satisfied with those who offer worship to His pure devotees, and He rewards them accordingly. Because of the Lord's generous appraisal of His pure devotees, worship of the pure devotees is described as superior to worship of the Lord Himself. The words mad-artheṣv ańga-ceṣṭā state that ordinary, bodily activities such as brushing the teeth, taking bath, eating, etc., should all be offered to the Supreme Lord as devotional service. The words vacasā mad-guṇeraṇam indicate that whether one speaks in ordinary, crude language or with learned poetic eloquence, one should describe the glories of the Personality of Godhead. The words mad-arthe 'rtha-parityāgaḥ indicate that one should spend one's money for festivals glorifying the Personality of Godhead, such as Ratha-yātrā, Janmāṣṭamī and Gaura-pūrṇimā. Also, one is herein instructed to spend money to assist the mission of one's spiritual master and other Vaiṣṇavas. Wealth that cannot be used properly in the Lord's service and is thus an impediment to one's clear consciousness should be given up entirely. The word bhogasya refers to sense gratification, headed by sex enjoyment, and sukhasya refers to sentimental material happiness, such as excessive family attachment. The words dattaḿ hutam indicate that one should offer to brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas first-class foods cooked in ghee. One should offer the vibration svāhā to Lord Viṣṇu in an authorized sacrificial fire along with grains and ghee. The word japtam indicates that one should constantly chant the holy names of the Lord.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari