Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 Chapter 17 Verses 1-2

Canto 11: General History | Chapter 17: Lord Kṛṣṇa's Description of the Varṇāśrama System

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.17.1-2

śrī-uddhava uvāca

yas tvayābhihitaḥ pūrvaḿ

dharmas tvad-bhakti-lakṣaṇaḥ

varṇāśamācāravatāḿ

sarveṣāḿ dvi-padām api

yathānuṣṭhīyamānena

tvayi bhaktir nṛṇāḿ bhavet

sva-dharmeṇāravindākṣa

tan mamākhyātum arhasi

SYNONYMS

śrī-uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said; yaḥ — which; tvayā — by You; abhihitaḥ — described; pūrvam — previously; dharmaḥ — religious principles; tvat-bhakti-lakṣaṇaḥ — characterized by devotional service to Your Lordship; varṇa-āśrama — of the varṇāśrama system; ācāravatām — of the faithful followers; sarveṣām — of all; dvi-padām — of ordinary human beings (who do not follow the varṇāśrama system); api — even; yathā — according to; anuṣṭhīyamānena — the process being executed; tvayi — in You; bhaktiḥ — loving service; nṛṇām — of human beings; bhavet — may be; sva-dharmeṇa — by one's own occupational duty; aravinda-akṣa — O lotus-eyed one; tat — that; mama — to me; ākhyātum — to explain; arhasi — You ought.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Uddhava said: My dear Lord, previously You described the principles of devotional service that are to be practiced by followers of the varṇāśrama system and even ordinary, unregulated human beings. My dear lotus-eyed Lord, now please explain to me how all human beings can achieve loving service unto You by the execution of their prescribed duties.

PURPORT

Lord Kṛṣṇa has already elaborately explained the process of jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga and aṣṭāńga-yoga. Now Uddhava inquires how those inclined toward karma-yoga can achieve the perfection of life, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.13) Lord Kṛṣṇa describes that He is personally the creator of the varṇāśrama system. Cātur-varṇyaḿ mayā sṛṣṭaḿ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Therefore the ultimate goal of the varṇāśrama system is to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, one should become a devotee of the Lord and learn the process of pure devotional service. The easiest method of achieving pure devotional service is by the association of pure devotees of the Lord. If one submissively and faithfully associates with pure devotees, one can immediately achieve the perfection of life. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not required to execute all the formalities of the varṇāśrama system, because a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, absorbed in love of Godhead, automatically gives up all sense gratification and mental speculation. Those human beings who do not follow the varṇāśrama system are here referred to as dvi-padām, or two-legged. In other words, one who does not follow the religious path of life is known to be human only by the possession of two legs. Even ordinary animals and insects are eagerly engaged in eating, sleeping, mating and defending; the human being, however, is distinguished from such lower forms of life by his capacity to become religious and, ultimately, to love God in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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