Shloka 8
Nābhi’s Sacrifice and Lord Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as a Son (Ṛṣabhadeva’s Advent Prelude)
आत्मन एवानुसवनमञ्जसाव्यतिरेकेण बोभूयमानाशेषपुरुषार्थस्वरूपस्य किन्तु नाथाशिष आशासानानामेतदभिसंराधनमात्रं भवितुमर्हति ॥ ८ ॥
ātmana evānusavanam añjasāvyatirekeṇa bobhūyamānāśeṣa-puruṣārtha-svarūpasya kintu nāthāśiṣa āśāsānānām etad abhisaṁrādhana-mātraṁ bhavitum arhati.
ఓ నాథా! మీలోనే జీవన లక్ష్యాలన్నీ (పురుషార్థాలు) మరియు ఐశ్వర్యాలు ప్రతి క్షణం స్వయంగా, నిరంతరంగా, అపరిమితంగా వృద్ధి చెందుతాయి; మీరు స్వయంగా సత్-చిత్-ఆనంద స్వరూపమే. కానీ మేము భోగాశలను కోరుతూనే ఉంటాము. అందువల్ల ఈ యజ్ఞ ఏర్పాట్లు మీకు అవసరం కాదు; ఫలాపేక్ష కలిగిన మాకు మీ కృప ద్వారా ఆశీర్వాదం కలగాలని ఇవి మా కోసం మాత్రమే.
Being self-sufficient, the Supreme Lord does not need huge sacrifices. Fruitive activity for a more opulent life is for those who desire such material opulence for their interest. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: if we do not act to satisfy the Supreme Lord, we engage in māyā’s activities. We may construct a gorgeous temple and spend thousands of dollars, but such a temple is not required by the Lord. The Lord has many millions of temples for His residence, and He does not need our attempt. He does not require opulent activity at all. Such engagement is meant for our benefit. If we engage our money in constructing a gorgeous temple, we are freed from the reactions of our endeavors. This is for our benefit. In addition, if we attempt to do something nice for the Supreme Lord, He is pleased with us and gives us His benediction. In conclusion, the gorgeous arrangements are not for the Lord’s sake but for our own. If we somehow or other receive blessings and benedictions from the Lord, our consciousness can be purified and we can become eligible to return home, back to Godhead.
FAQs
This verse contrasts direct, unwavering worship—where the Lord Himself becomes the devotee’s ultimate goal—with worship done while desiring boons, which becomes mainly a means to obtain those favors.
In the context of Ṛṣabhadeva’s teachings, Śukadeva highlights that devotion’s highest fruit is Bhagavān Himself; if one approaches with material desires, the same practice is reduced to a result-seeking method.
Offer prayer and practice (japa, kīrtana, seva) with the intention to love and serve Bhagavān, while treating wishes and outcomes as secondary—so devotion remains steady even when results change.