Shloka 13

Bhakti Yoga: The Three Modes of Devotion, Non-Envy, and Time as the Lord

Devanagari script

सालोक्यसार्ष्टिसामीप्यसारूप्यैकत्वमप्युत । दीयमानं न गृह्णन्ति विना मत्सेवनं जना: ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya- sārūpyaikatvam apy uta dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti vinā mat-sevanaṁ janāḥ

Translation

A pure devotee accepts no kind of liberation—sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, sārūpya, or even ekatva—even if offered, when it is devoid of loving service to Me.

Synonyms

• सालोक्य-सार्ष्टि-सामीप्य-सारूप्य-एकत्वम्: residence in my world, lordship, proximity, similarity, and oneness
• सालोक्य-सार्ष्टि-सामीप्य-सारूप्य-एकत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सालोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सार्ष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + सामीप्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सारूप्य (प्रातिपदिक) + एकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (समाहार) पञ्चानां पदानां समाहारः

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (also/even)

• उत: indeed/also
• उत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (and/also; emphatic)

• दीयमानम्: being offered
• दीयमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यमान (शानच्/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/आत्मनेपद-प्राय) ‘दीयमान’ = “being given”; विशेषणं ‘सालोक्य…एकत्वम्’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• गृह्णन्ति: they accept
• गृह्णन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग-निबद्ध-निपातः/पूर्वसर्गार्थक अव्यय (without)

• मत्-सेवनम्: service to me
• मत्-सेवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मत्-सेवनम् = मम सेवनम्)

• जनाः: people (devotees)
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

Purport

Lord Caitanya teaches us how to execute pure devotional service out of spontaneous love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Śikṣāṣṭaka, He prays to the Lord: “O Lord, I do not wish to gain from You any wealth, nor do I wish to have a beautiful wife, nor do I wish to have many followers. All I want from You is that in life after life I may remain a pure devotee at Your lotus feet.” There is a similarity between the prayers of Lord Caitanya and the statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Lord Caitanya prays, “in life after life,” indicating that a devotee does not even desire the cessation of birth and death. The yogīs and empiric philosophers desire cessation of the process of birth and death, but a devotee is satisfied even to remain in this material world and execute devotional service.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about devotees rejecting liberation?

This verse states that devotees do not accept even exalted forms of liberation—sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, sārūpya, or ekatva—if those boons are without loving service (mat-sevana) to the Lord.

Why did Lord Kapila say this teaching on sālokya and other liberations?

In Canto 3 Chapter 29, Lord Kapila explains pure bhakti, emphasizing that the devotee’s goal is service and love of God, not liberation as an end in itself.

Practical application of 'mat-sevana' (service to the Lord) in modern life?

Prioritize devotion over rewards: do daily remembrance, chanting, offering food, and selfless service, keeping the intention on pleasing the Lord rather than seeking status, powers, or even spiritual “achievements.”