Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 18 Verse 28

Canto 11: General History | Chapter 18: Description of Varṇāśrama-dharma

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.18.28

jñāna-niṣṭho virakto vā

mad-bhakto vānapekṣakaḥ

sa-lińgān āśramāḿs tyaktvā

cared avidhi-gocaraḥ

SYNONYMS

jñāna — to philosophical knowledge; niṣṭhaḥ — dedicated; viraktaḥ — detached from external manifestations; va — either; mat-bhaktaḥ — My devotee; vā — or; anapekṣakaḥ — not desiring even liberation; sa-lińgān — with their rituals and external regulations; āśramān — the duties pertaining to particular statuses of life; tyaktvā — giving up; caret — one should conduct oneself; avidhi-gocaraḥ — beyond the range of rules and regulations.

TRANSLATION

A learned transcendentalist dedicated to the cultivation of knowledge and thus detached from external objects, or My devotee who is detached even from desire for liberation — both neglect those duties based on external rituals or paraphernalia. Thus their conduct is beyond the range of rules and regulations.

PURPORT

This verse describes the paramahaḿsa stage of life, in which there is no further need for rituals, external paraphernalia or rules and regulations. A completely realized jñāna-yogī pursuing liberation, or beyond that, a perfect devotee of the Lord who does not desire even liberation, has no further desire for material engagement. When one completely purifies the mind, there is no possibility of sinful behavior. Rules and regulations are meant for guiding those who have a tendency to act in ignorance or for personal gratification, but one who is perfect in spiritual consciousness can move freely, as described here by the Lord. One who tends to drive a car recklessly or who is unfamiliar with the local road conditions certainly needs the discipline of elaborate road signs and police enforcement of traffic laws. A perfectly safe driver, however, is thoroughly familiar with the local road conditions. He has no real need for the enforcement officials or the speed limits and caution signs meant for those unfamiliar with the road. A pure devotee of the Lord desires nothing except service to the Lord; he automatically fulfills the purport of all negative and positive injunctions, which is to always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him. One should not, however, artificially imitate the exalted position of a paramahaḿsa devotee, for such imitation will quickly ruin one's spiritual career.

In the previous verses the Lord has elaborately described various rituals, paraphernalia and disciplines for the various spiritual orders of life. The sannyāsī, for example, carries a tri-daṇḍa and a waterpot and eats and lives in a particular way. A paramahaḿsa devotee, having completely given up all attachment and interest in the material world, is no longer attracted by such external features of renunciation.

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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