Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 6
धर्मस्य दक्षदुहितर्यजनिष्ट मूर्त्यां नारायणो नर ऋषिप्रवर: प्रशान्त: । नैष्कर्म्यलक्षणमुवाच चचार कर्म योऽद्यापि चास्त ऋषिवर्यनिषेविताङ्घ्रि: ॥ ६ ॥
dharmasya dakṣa-duhitary ajaniṣṭa mūrtyāṁ nārāyaṇo nara ṛṣi-pravaraḥ praśāntaḥ naiṣkarmya-lakṣaṇam uvāca cacāra karma yo ’dyāpi cāsta ṛṣi-varya-niṣevitāṅghriḥ
至为安寂、诸仙之最的那罗-那罗延仙人，生于法神与其妻穆尔蒂（达克沙之女）。祂宣说对主的奉爱（bhakti），由此物质业作止息；祂自身亦圆满实践。祂至今仍住世，伟大圣贤常侍奉祂的莲足。
It is understood that Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi spoke transcendental knowledge to great saintly persons such as Nārada Muni. On the basis of these teachings, Nārada was able to describe naiṣkarmyam, or the devotional service of the Lord, which eradicates material work, as mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.8) : tantraṁ sātvatam ācaṣṭa naiṣkarmyaṁ karmaṇāṁ yataḥ. The ātma-svarūpa, or eternal form of the living entity, is devotional service to the Personality of Godhead. But our perception of our eternal form is covered by a material concept of life, just as our normal understanding of our life is covered by a dream. Naiṣkarmyam, or the cessation of material work, is possible only by the devotional service of the Lord, as stated by Nārada Muni himself: naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam ( Bhāg. 1.5.12 ). The process of transforming ordinary karma into naiṣkarmya, or transcendental work, is summarized by Śrīla Prabhupāda in his commentary on this verse spoken by Nārada Muni. “Fruitive work, in which almost all people in general are engaged, is always painful either in the beginning or at the end. It can be fruitful only when made subservient to the devotional service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed that the result of such fruitive work may be offered for the service of the Lord, otherwise it leads to material bondage. The bona fide enjoyer of the fruitive work is the Personality of Godhead, and thus when it is engaged for the sense gratification of the living beings, it becomes an acute source of trouble.” According to the Matsya Purāṇa (3.10), Dharma, the father of Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi, was born from the right breast of Brahmā and later married thirteen of the daughters of Prajāpati Dakṣa. The Lord Himself appeared from the womb of Mūrtidevī.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord (as Nārāyaṇa with Nara) taught the very definition of naiṣkarmya—acting without selfish desire—showing that true freedom comes through purified action aligned with the divine.
They are divine sage-incarnations: Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Lord, and Nara is His companion sage; together they exemplify perfect peace, tapas, and the path of liberated, desireless action.
Do your duties sincerely, but drop ego and personal craving for results—offer the work to God, keep the mind calm, and let devotion and wisdom guide action.