Canto 1- Chapter 2

स वै पुंसां परो धर्मो यतो भक्तिरधोक्षजे ।

अहैतुक्यप्रतिहता ययात्मा सुप्रसीदति ॥ ६ ॥
That alone is the highest duty of men, from which follows devotion to
Sri Krsna—a devotion which is absolutely motiveless and knows no
obstruction, and as a result of which the soul realizes the all-blissful
God and thus attains its object

वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तियोग: प्रयोजित: ।

जनयत्याशु वैराग्यं ज्ञानं च यदहैतुकम् ॥ ७ ॥
Contact established with Bhagavan Vasudeva (Sri Krsna) through
Devotion speedily awakens dispassion and immediate knowledge.
(7)

धर्म: स्वनुष्ठित: पुंसां विष्वक्सेनकथासु य: ।

नोत्पादयेद्यदि रतिं श्रम एव हि के वलम् ॥ ८ ॥
A duty well performed is but labour lost, if it fails to generate love
for the stories of Bhagavan Viswaksena (Sri Krsna). (8)

धर्मस्य ह्यापवर्ग्यस्य नार्थोऽर्थायोपकल्पते ।

नार्थस्य धर्मैकान्तस्य कामो लाभाय हि स्मृत: ॥ ९ ॥
Riches cannot be the end of Dharma (virtue), which culminates in
absolution or final beatitude. Even so wealth is a means of earning
religious merit; sensuous enjoyment has not been recognized as its
consummation. (9)
कामस्य नेन्द्रियप्रीतिर्लाभो जीवेत यावता ।
जीवस्य तत्त्वजिज्ञासा नार्थो यश्चेह कर्मभि: ॥ १० ॥
Again, gratification of the senses is not the end of sensuous
enjoyment; keeping the body and soul together is the only use of
sensuous enjoyment. And enquiry into Truth is the object of
keeping the body and soul together and not the attainment of
heaven etc., through the performance of pious acts. (10)

वदन्ति तत्तत्त्वविदस्तत्त्वं यज्ज्ञानमद्वयम् ।

ब्रह्मेति परमात्मेति भगवानिति शब्द्यते ॥ ११ ॥
The knowers of Truth declare knowledge alone as the Reality—that
knowledge which does not admit of duality (the distinction of
subject and object), in other words, which is indivisible and one
without a second, and which is called by different names such as
Brahma (the Absolute), Paramatma (the Supreme Spirit or
Oversoul) and Bhagavan (the Deity). (11)

तच्छ्र द्दधाना मुनयो ज्ञानवैराग्ययुक्तया ।

पश्यन्त्यात्मनि चात्मानं भक्त्या श्रुतगृहीतया ॥ १२ ॥
Sages who are full of faith perceive that Truth as their own Self in
their own heart through Devotion coupled with Knowledge and
Dispassion and acquired through hearing (of Srimad Bhagavata
etc.). (12)

अत: पुम्भिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा वर्णाश्रमविभागश: ।

स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य संसिद्धिर्हरितोषणम् ॥ १३ ॥
Therefore, O noblest of Brahmanas, the consummation of duties
efficiently performed by men according to their respective Varna
(grade in society) and Asrama (stage in life) lies in securing the
pleasure of Sri Hari. (13)

तस्मादेके न मनसा भगवान् सात्वतां पति: ।

श्रोतव्य: कीर्तितव्यश्च ध्येय: पूज्यश्च नित्यदा ॥ १४ ॥
Hence with undivided mind one should ever hear and sing the
praises of, meditate upon and worship the Lord, who is the
protector of His devotees. (14)

यदनुध्यासिना युक्ता: कर्मग्रन्थिनिबन्धनम् ।

छिन्दन्ति कोविदास्तस्य को न कु र्यात्कथारतिम् ॥ १५ ॥
The learned who are armed with the sword of constant meditation
on Him cut asunder the hard knot of Karma therewith. Who, then,
would-not take delight in His stories? (15)

शुश्रूषो: श्रद्दधानस्य वासुदेवकथारुचि: ।

स्यान्महत्सेवया विप्रा: पुण्यतीर्थनिषेवणात् ॥ १६
By resorting to holy places of pilgrimage, O Brahmanas, one obtains
the privilege of waiting on exalted souls and thereby successively
develops a desire for hearing the stories of Bhagavan Vasudeva (Sri
Krsna), faith in and a relish for such stories. (16)

श‍ृण्वतां स्वकथा: कृ ष्ण: पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तन: ।

हृद्यन्त:स्थो ह्यभद्राणि विधुनोति सुहृत्सताम् ॥ १७ ॥
Sri Krsna is a disinterested friend of the virtuous and His praises
sanctify those who listen to or sing them. He abides in the heart of
those who hear His stories and uproots the evil propensities of their
mind. (17)

नष्टप्रायेष्वभद्रेषु नित्यं भागवतसेवया ।

भगवत्युत्तमश्लोके भक्तिर्भवति नैष्ठिकी ॥ १८ ॥
When the evil propensities are well-nigh eradicated through the
constant service of His devotees (or the day-to-day study of Srimad
Bhagavata), there wells up abiding devotion to the Lord of excellent
fame. (18)

तदा रजस्तमोभावा: कामलोभादयश्च ये ।

चेत एतैरनाविद्धं स्थितं सत्त्वे प्रसीदति ॥ १९ ॥
The mind is then freed from passions such as lust and greed, which
have their root in Rajas and Tamas, and established in Sattva,
attains purity. (19)

एवं प्रसन्नमनसो भगवद्भक्तियोगत: ।

भगवत्तत्त्वविज्ञानं मुक्तसङ्गस्य जायते ॥ २० ॥
In this way, when one is rid of all worldly attachment through
loving devotion to the Lord, and the mind is filled with delight, one
realizes the truth relating to God as a matter of course. (20)
भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशया: ।
क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि द‍ृष्ट एवात्मनीश्वरे ॥ २१ ॥
The momenta man sees God as his very self the knot of ignorance
in his heart is broken asunder, all his doubts are dispersed and the
entire stock of his Karmas gets liquidated. (21)

अतो वै कवयो नित्यं भक्तिं परमया मुदा ।

वासुदेवे भगवति कु र्वन्त्यात्मप्रसादनीम् ॥ २२ ॥
That is why with utmost delight the wise constantly practise
devotion to Lord Vasudeva which purifies the soul. (22)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति प्रकृ तेर्गुणास्तै-

र्युक्त: पर: पुरुष एक इहास्य धत्ते ।
स्थित्यादये हरिविरिञ्चिहरेति संज्ञा:
श्रेयांसि तत्र खलु सत्त्वतनोर्नृणां स्यु: ॥ २३ ॥
Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are the three attributes or modes of
Prakrti (Primordial Matter); assuming these for the preservation,
creation and destruction of this universe, the one Supreme Person
severally bears the names of Hari (Visnu), Virihci (Brahma) and
Hara (Siva). Yet the supreme good of men flows from Sri Hari alone,
whose body consists of pure Sattva. (23)

पार्थिवाद्दारुणो धूमस्तस्मादग्निस्त्रयीमय: ।
तमसस्तु रजस्तस्मात्सत्त्वं यद्ब्रह्मदर्शनम् ॥ २४ ॥
Just as smoke is higher (more active) than wood, which is an
earthly substance (and hence inert and dull), and higher than
smoke is fire, which is associated with many sacrificial acts
recommended in the three Vedas, even so Rajas (the principle of
motion or activity) is superior to Tamas (darkness or inertia) and
even higher than Rajas is Sattva (the principle of light or
knowledge), with the help of which one is able to realize God. (24)

भेजिरे मुनयोऽथाग्रे भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् ।

सत्त्वं विशुद्धं क्षेमाय कल्पन्ते येऽनु तानिह ॥ २५ ॥
Of yore sages worshipped for their salvation Bhagavan Visnu alone,
who is pure Sattva personified. Even now those who follow in their
footsteps likewise get qualified for blessedness. (25)

मुमुक्षवो घोररूपान् हित्वा भूतपतीनथ ।

नारायणकला: शान्ता भजन्ति ह्यनसूयव: ॥ २६ ॥
Those seeking liberation worship Bhagavan Narayana and His part
manifestations, all of whom are so gentle in aspect, leaving alone
the lords of evil spirits (Bhairava and others), who possess a terrible
form, though not reviling them. (26)

रजस्तम:प्रकृ तय: समशीला भजन्ति वै ।

पितृभूतप्रजेशादीन्श्रियैश्वर्यप्रजेप्सव: ॥ २७ ॥
Those, however, who possess a Rajasika or Tamasika disposition
and are seekers of wealth, power and progeny, worship the manes,
evil spirits and the lords of created beings, possessing as they do a
character similar to theirs. (27)

वासुदेवपरा वेदा वासुदेवपरा मखा: ।

वासुदेवपरा योगा वासुदेवपरा: क्रिया: ॥ २८ ॥
वासुदेवपरं ज्ञानं वासुदेवपरं तप: ।
वासुदेवपरो धर्मो वासुदेवपरा गति: ॥ २९ ॥
The Vedas ultimately treat of Bhagavan Vasudeva; the sacrifices
themselves aim at the attainment of Vasudeva; the various Yogas
eventually lead to Vasudeva; and all sorts of rituals too have their
end in Vasudeva. (28)

All wisdom has its culmination in Vasudeva; all austere penance

has Vasudeva for its goal; all virtue aims at the realization of
Vasudeva and all destinies culminate in Vasudeva. (29)

स एवेदं ससर्जाग्रे भगवानात्ममायया ।

सदसद्रूपया चासौ गुणमयागुणो विभु: ॥ ३० ॥
Although the Lord is Himself beyond Prakrti (Primordial Matter),
and its three modes (Sattva etc.), yet it was He who evolved this
universe at the beginning (of creation) through His own Maya
(Prakrti), which consists of the aforesaid three Gunas and is both
real (in its phenomenal aspect) and unreal (ontologically speaking).
(30)

तया विलसितेष्वेषु गुणेषु गुणवानिव ।

अन्त:प्रविष्ट आभाति विज्ञानेन विजृम्भित: ॥ ३१ ॥
Having entered into these three Gunas, that have been evolved by
the aforesaid Maya, He appears as possessed of these Gunas,
though essentially. He is Consciousness personified. (31)

यथा ह्यवहितो वह्निर्दारुष्वेक: स्वयोनिषु ।

नानेव भाति विश्वात्मा भूतेषु च तथा पुमान् ॥ ३२ ॥
Just as fire, though really one, appears as many when abiding in
the different logs of wood that manifest it, so does God, the soul of
the universe, (though essentially one) appear as many, when
manifested in different beings. (32)

असौ गुणमयैर्भावैर्भूतसूक्ष्मेन्द्रियात्मभि: ।
स्वनिर्मितेषु निर्विष्टो भुङ्क्ते भूतेषु तद्गुणान् ॥ ३३ ॥
Entering (as the soul) the various material bodies created by
Himself out of the various evolutes of the three Gunas such as the
subtle elements, the senses and the mind, the Lord enjoys the
sense-objects appropriate to such bodies. (33)

भावयत्येष सत्त्वेन लोकान् वै लोकभावन: ।

लीलावतारानुरतो देवतिर्यङ्‍नरादिषु ॥ ३४ ॥
It is He, again, who creates the different worlds and descending by
way of sport in different species such as the gods, the human
beings and the lower forms of life, protects all the beings through
His Sattva or goodness. (34)