Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 14
Bhakti as the Supreme Process; Detachment and the Rudiments of Meditation
न पारमेष्ठ्यं न महेन्द्रधिष्ण्यं न सार्वभौमं न रसाधिपत्यम् । न योगसिद्धीरपुनर्भवं वा मय्यर्पितात्मेच्छति मद्विनान्यत् ॥ १४ ॥
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na mahendra-dhiṣṇyaṁ na sārvabhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā mayy arpitātmecchati mad vinānyat
જેણે પોતાનું ચિત્ત મને અર્પી સ્થિર કર્યું છે, તે ન બ્રહ્માનું પદ-ધામ ઇચ્છે, ન ઇન્દ્રનું આસન, ન પૃથ્વીનું સામ્રાજ્ય, ન પાતાળલોકનું અધિપત્ય, ન યોગસિદ્ધિઓ, ન જન્મમરણથી મુક્તિ—તેને મારા સિવાય બીજું કશું નથી જોઈએ.
The position of the akiñcana pure devotee is described in this verse. Śrī Priyavrata Mahārāja is an example of a great devotee who was not interested in universal sovereignty because his love was completely absorbed in the lotus feet of the Lord. Even the greatest material enjoyment appears most insignificant and useless to a pure devotee of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse states that a surrendered devotee wants only Krishna—neither heavenly posts, worldly dominion, mystic powers, nor even liberation from rebirth.
Krishna is teaching Uddhava the hallmark of uttamā-bhakti: exclusive devotion where love for the Lord eclipses all material rewards, yogic attainments, and even the goal of impersonal liberation.
Practice devotion with a motive-free heart—serve, chant, and remember Krishna without bargaining for outcomes like status, power, or even “spiritual achievements,” and make pleasing the Lord the primary goal.