Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 40
Nimi Questions the Yogendras: Māyā, Cosmic Dissolution, Guru-Śaraṇāgati, Bhakti, and Deity Worship
यर्ह्यब्जनाभचरणैषणयोरुभक्त्या चेतोमलानि विधमेद् गुणकर्मजानि । तस्मिन् विशुद्ध उपलभ्यत आत्मतत्त्वं साक्षाद् यथामलदृशो: सवितृप्रकाश: ॥ ४० ॥
yarhy abja-nābha-caraṇaiṣaṇayoru-bhaktyā ceto-malāni vidhamed guṇa-karma-jāni tasmin viśuddha upalabhyata ātma-tattvaṁ śākṣād yathāmala-dṛśoḥ savitṛ-prakāśaḥ
当人以郑重之心投入奉爱服务，将莲脐者（Padmanābha）圣奎师那的莲足安置于心，视为人生唯一归趣时，由三德与业行所生的心垢与无数不净欲望便迅速被荡涤。心既清净，便能直接体证至上主与自我之真性，犹如目明之人亲见日光。
In the previous verse it was explained that one can have a preliminary glimpse of the eternal, unchanging soul by remembering one’s experience of peacefully sleeping even while the mind and senses were totally inactive. One may ask, If in deep sleep there is a preliminary experience of the soul, why upon waking does one return to illusory material existence? It may be answered that because of material desires lodged within the heart the conditioned soul is addicted to the nescience of material sense gratification. A prisoner may glimpse through the bars the free light outside the prison window but still remain captive behind the bars. Similarly, although a conditioned soul may have a glimpse of the spirit soul, he remains captured within the bondage of material desires. Therefore, although one may have a preliminary understanding of the eternal soul that exists within the temporary body, or even of the Supersoul that accompanies the individual soul within the heart, a specific process is still required to eliminate the cause of material existence, namely material desire.
FAQs
This verse says that intense devotion focused on the Lord’s lotus feet removes mental impurities created by the gunas and karma, and that purified consciousness then reveals direct knowledge of the Self.
Because, as explained here, the mind is clouded by guna- and karma-born contamination; when that is washed away by bhakti, reality is perceived directly—like the sun seen clearly by healthy eyes.
Regularly center your desires on devotion (hearing, chanting, remembering the Lord) and reduce karma-driven agitation; as the mind becomes cleaner, clarity, detachment, and steady spiritual insight naturally arise.