Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 10
Bhakti as the Supreme Process; Detachment and the Rudiments of Meditation
धर्ममेके यशश्चान्ये कामं सत्यं दमं शमम् । अन्ये वदन्ति स्वार्थं वा ऐश्वर्यं त्यागभोजनम् । केचिद् यज्ञं तपो दानं व्रतानि नियमान् यमान् ॥ १० ॥
dharmam eke yaśaś cānye kāmaṁ satyaṁ damaṁ śamam anye vadanti svārthaṁ vā aiśvaryaṁ tyāga-bhojanam kecid yajñaṁ tapo dānaṁ vratāni niyamān yamān
Les uns disent que le bonheur vient de la pratique du dharma; d’autres exaltent la renommée, la jouissance, la vérité, la maîtrise de soi et la paix. D’autres encore parlent de l’intérêt personnel, du pouvoir et de l’opulence, du renoncement ou de la consommation; et certains louent le yajña, l’austérité, la charité, les vœux, les observances—yama et niyama—: chaque voie a ses partisans.
Dharmam eke refers to those atheistic philosophers called karma-mīmāṁsakas, who state that one should not waste time worrying about a kingdom of God that no one has ever seen and from which no one has ever returned; rather, one should expertly utilize the laws of karma, performing fruitive activities in such a way that one will always be well situated. Concerning fame, it is said that as long as the fame of a human being is sung in the pious planets, he may live for thousands of years in material heaven. Kāmam refers to Vedic texts like the Kāma-sūtra as well as millions of modern books that advise one about sex pleasure. Some people state that the highest virtue in life is honesty; others say it is self-control, peace of mind and so on. Each viewpoint has proponents and “scriptures.” Others say that law, order and morality are the highest good, whereas still others propose political influence as the real self-interest of human beings. Some state that one should give away one’s material possessions to the needy; others state that one should try to enjoy this life as far as possible; and others recommend daily rituals, disciplinary vows, penances, and so on.
FAQs
This verse notes that people proclaim many different ‘highest’ goals—dharma, fame, pleasure, truth, self-control, power, renunciation, sacrifice, austerity, charity, vows, and ethical disciplines—showing the diversity of human conclusions and the need for clear guidance toward the ultimate good.
Kṛṣṇa is framing how varied and conflicting worldly and religious opinions can be, preparing Uddhava to understand the Lord’s own conclusive teaching about true welfare and the essence of spiritual life.
Recognize that society promotes many ‘ultimate’ goals; evaluate them carefully, cultivate truthfulness and self-control, and align your practices (discipline, charity, restraint, devotion) with the highest purpose rather than chasing shifting social ideals.