Shloka 28
Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion
धर्मार्थकामः किं तस्य मुक्तिस्तस्य करे स्थिता / समस्तजगतां मूलं यस्य भक्तिः स्थिरा हरौ
dharmārthakāmaḥ kiṃ tasya muktistasya kare sthitā / samastajagatāṃ mūlaṃ yasya bhaktiḥ sthirā harau
Für den, dessen standhafte Hingabe in Hari ruht, wozu braucht er noch Dharma, Artha und Kāma? Die Befreiung selbst liegt in seiner Handfläche, denn solche Bhakti ist die Wurzel aller Welten.
Lord Vishnu
Concept: Steady devotion to Hari renders the pursuit of dharma, artha, kāma secondary; mokṣa becomes readily attainable because bhakti is the cosmic root.
Vedantic Theme: Purushārtha hierarchy with mokṣa as paramapuruṣārtha; bhakti as direct means and as the sustaining principle of the cosmos (adhiṣṭhāna).
Application: Reorder life goals: keep livelihood and duties, but anchor identity in steady devotion; practice daily remembrance so that liberation-oriented discernment grows naturally.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: bhakti praised as superior to ritual and worldly aims; mokṣa through Vishnu-smaraṇa (various sections)
FAQs
This verse presents steady devotion to Hari as the supreme principle: it supersedes ordinary aims like dharma, wealth, and pleasure because it directly leads to liberation.
It emphasizes that unwavering devotion to Vishnu is a direct means to moksha, implying release from the cycle of rebirth rather than continued movement through post-death realms.
Prioritize consistent devotional practice—remembrance, worship, ethical living aligned with Vishnu’s virtues—so that life’s goals are integrated under a liberation-oriented focus.