Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 3
Viṣṇupadī Gaṅgā: Descent, Cosmic Pathways, and Śiva’s Praise of Saṅkarṣaṇa
तत: सप्त ऋषयस्तत्प्रभावाभिज्ञा यां ननु तपसआत्यन्तिकी सिद्धिरेतावती भगवति सर्वात्मनि वासुदेवेऽनुपरतभक्तियोगलाभेनैवोपेक्षितान्यार्थात्मगतयो मुक्तिमिवागतां मुमुक्षव इव सबहुमानमद्यापि जटाजूटैरुद्वहन्ति ॥ ३ ॥
tataḥ sapta ṛṣayas tat prabhāvābhijñā yāṁ nanu tapasa ātyantikī siddhir etāvatī bhagavati sarvātmani vāsudeve ’nuparata-bhakti-yoga-lābhenaivopekṣitānyārthātma-gatayo muktim ivāgatāṁ mumukṣava iva sabahu-mānam adyāpi jaṭā-jūṭair udvahanti.
随后，深知此水威德的七大圣贤，至今仍以恭敬将恒河水存于头顶的发髻之中。他们断定：在一切众生之灵的瓦苏戴瓦面前，获得不间断的奉爱瑜伽，才是苦行的究竟成就与至上财富。既已得此恒常奉爱，他们便轻弃其他所谓善法——达摩、阿尔塔、卡摩——甚至连融入至上之“解脱”也不取；正如智者以融入为最高真理，这七位尊者却以奉爱为人生圆满。
Transcendentalists are divided into two primary groups: the nirviśeṣa-vādīs, or impersonalists, and the bhaktas, or devotees. The impersonalists do not accept spiritual varieties of life. They want to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord in His Brahman feature (the brahmajyoti ). The devotees, however, desire to take part in the transcendental activities of the Supreme Lord. In the upper planetary system, the topmost planet is Dhruvaloka, and beneath Dhruvaloka are the seven planets occupied by the great sages, beginning with Marīci, Vasiṣṭha and Atri. All these sages regard devotional service as the highest perfection of life. Therefore they all carry the holy water of the Ganges on their heads. This verse proves that for one who has achieved the platform of pure devotional service, nothing else is important, even so-called liberation ( kaivalya ). Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that only by achieving pure devotional service of the Lord can one give up all other engagements as insignificant. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī confirms his statement as follows:
FAQs
This verse states that the ultimate fruit of austerity is gaining uninterrupted bhakti-yoga to Bhagavān Vāsudeva, the Supersoul of all.
Śukadeva explains that the Saptaṛṣis, knowing the place’s spiritual potency, honor it as supremely sacred—bearing it with reverence, like liberation-seekers who cherish what grants the highest goal.
Prioritize steady devotional practice (hearing, chanting, remembering Vāsudeva) as the main “success,” and let lesser goals become secondary rather than the center of identity.