Shloka 34
The Prayers of the Personified Vedas (Śruti-stuti) and the Indescribable Absolute
स्वजनसुतात्मदारधनधामधरासुरथै- स्त्वयि सति किं नृणां श्रयत आत्मनि सर्वरसे । इति सदजानतां मिथुनतो रतये चरतां सुखयति को न्विह स्वविहते स्वनिरस्तभगे ॥ ३४ ॥
svajana-sutātma-dāra-dhana-dhāma-dharāsu-rathais tvayi sati kiṁ nṛṇām śrayata ātmani sarva-rase iti sad ajānatāṁ mithunato rataye caratāṁ sukhayati ko nv iha sva-vihate sva-nirasta-bhage
To those who take shelter in You, You reveal Yourself as the Paramātmā, the very embodiment of all transcendental relish. What further need have such devotees for servants, children or even their own bodies, for wives, wealth and homes, for land, health or conveyances? And for those who do not know the truth of You and keep chasing sexual pleasure, what in this world—doomed by nature to destruction and stripped of lasting meaning—could ever grant real happiness?
Devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu is considered pure when one’s sole desire is to please the Lord. Situated in that perfect consciousness, a Vaiṣṇava has no further interest in wordly gains and is thus excused from any obligation to perform ritual sacrifices and follow austere practices of yoga. As the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.2.12) states:
FAQs
This verse says that when the Lord is present as the Self and the essence of all bliss, reliance on relatives, children, body, spouse, wealth, and other supports is secondary; without knowing the Lord within, people chase pleasure but remain unsatisfied.
They point out that ignorance of the indwelling Lord leads people to seek happiness mainly through dualistic, sense-based enjoyment, which cannot fulfill the soul and instead becomes self-defeating.
Keep duties to family and society, but shift your primary shelter to devotion—remembering the Lord within, regulating sense pleasure, and grounding decisions in spiritual purpose rather than temporary security.