Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 32
Karma, Jñāna, and Bhakti: Vedic Dharma, Piety and Sin, and the Boat of Human Life
यत् कर्मभिर्यत्तपसा ज्ञानवैराग्यतश्च यत् । योगेन दानधर्मेण श्रेयोभिरितरैरपि ॥ ३२ ॥ सर्वं मद्भक्तियोगेन मद्भक्तो लभतेऽञ्जसा । स्वर्गापवर्गं मद्धाम कथञ्चिद् यदि वाञ्छति ॥ ३३ ॥
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api
Tout ce qui peut être obtenu par les actes, l’austérité, le savoir et le détachement, le yoga mystique, la charité, les devoirs religieux et d’autres moyens, Mon dévot l’acquiert aisément par le bhakti-yoga envers Moi.
Lord Kṛṣṇa here reveals the transcendental glories of devotional service to the Lord. Although pure devotees are desireless, desiring only the Lord’s service, sometimes a great devotee may desire the Lord’s benediction to facilitate his loving service. In the Sixth Canto of the Bhāgavatam we find that Śrī Citraketu, a great devotee of the Lord, desired promotion to heaven so that accompanied by the most attractive ladies of the Vidyādhara planet he could beautifully chant the glories of the Lord. Similarly, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the great narrator of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, desiring to avoid entanglement in the illusory potency of the Lord, would not come out of his mother’s womb. In other words, Śukadeva Gosvāmī desired apavargam, or liberation from māyā, so that his devotional service would not be disturbed. Lord Kṛṣṇa personally sent the illusory energy far away so that Śukadeva Gosvāmī would come out of his mother’s womb. Because of intense loving desire to serve the lotus feet of the Lord, a devotee may also desire promotion to the spiritual world.
FAQs
This verse introduces that the best results sought through karma, tapas, jñāna-vairāgya, yoga, charity, and dharma are ultimately encompassed and fulfilled through devotion to the Lord.
In the Uddhava Gita, Krishna summarizes spiritual paths for Uddhava and establishes bhakti as the complete and decisive means that includes the fruits of other disciplines.
Instead of treating spirituality as many separate techniques, center daily duties, self-discipline, learning, and service around loving devotion to Krishna.