Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 35

Karma, Jñāna, and Bhakti: Vedic Dharma, Piety and Sin, and the Boat of Human Life

Devanagari script

नैरपेक्ष्यं परं प्राहुर्नि:श्रेयसमनल्पकम् । तस्मान्निराशिषो भक्तिर्निरपेक्षस्य मे भवेत् ॥ ३५ ॥

Transliteration

nairapekṣyaṁ paraṁ prāhur niḥśreyasam analpakam tasmān nirāśiṣo bhaktir nirapekṣasya me bhavet

Translation

กล่าวกันว่า ความไม่ยึดติดโดยสิ้นเชิงคือขั้นสูงสุดแห่งความหลุดพ้นอันประเสริฐ ดังนั้นผู้ไร้ความปรารถนาและไม่หวังผล จงมีภักติรักต่อเรา

Synonyms

• नैरपेक्ष्यम्: non-dependence, independence
• नैरपेक्ष्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरपेक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; निर्+अपेक्ष्-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; abstract noun (भाववाचक)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of नैरपेक्ष्यम्

• प्राहुः: they declare/say
• प्राहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नि:श्रेयसम्: highest good, ultimate welfare
• नि:श्रेयसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि:श्रेयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनल्पकम्: not small, immense
• अनल्पकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-नल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of नि:श्रेयसम्

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक-निपात (ablatival particle) = 'therefore/from that'

• निराशिषः: of one without desires/expectations
• निराशिषः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्+आशिष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; विशेषण of निरपेक्षस्य (genitive)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• निरपेक्षस्य: of the independent (Lord)
• निरपेक्षस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्+अपेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of the independent one'

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun

• भवेत्: should be / may arise
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Purport

As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.10) :

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Uddhava

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about desireless devotion (niṣkāma bhakti)?

This verse teaches that the highest welfare comes from being free of material expectations, and therefore one should worship Krishna with bhakti that seeks no reward—devotion offered simply for His pleasure.

Why did Krishna say this to Uddhava in the Uddhava Gita?

Krishna was instructing Uddhava on the pure path that leads to ultimate good: renunciation of dependence on outcomes and cultivating bhakti to the self-sufficient Lord, free from selfish motives.

How can I practice nairapekshya (freedom from expectations) in modern life?

Offer your duties and prayers to Krishna without bargaining for results, reduce attachment to recognition and gain, and make devotion (hearing, chanting, service) the goal rather than a tool for material success.