SB 1.5.36

SB 1.5.36

Devanagari

कुर्वाणा यत्र कर्माणि भगवच्छिक्षयासकृत् । गृणन्ति गुणनामानि कृष्णस्यानुस्मरन्ति च ॥ ३६ ॥

Verse text

kurvāṇā yatra karmāṇi bhagavac-chikṣayāsakṛt gṛṇanti guṇa-nāmāni kṛṣṇasyānusmaranti ca

Synonyms

kurvāṇāḥ while performing ; yatra thereupon ; karmāṇi duties ; bhagavat the Personality of Godhead ; śikṣayā by the will of ; asakṛt constantly ; gṛṇanti takes on ; guṇa qualities ; nāmāni names ; kṛṣṇasya of Kṛṣṇa ; anusmaranti constantly remembers ; ca and .

Translation

While performing duties according to the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one constantly remembers Him, His names and His qualities.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

When those engaged in karma continuously perform those activities according to the instruction of the Lord, they also chant and remember the qualities and names of Kṛṣṇa.

Purport

An expert devotee of the Lord can mold his life in such a way that while performing all kinds of duties either for this or the next life, he can constantly remember the Lord’s name, fame, qualities, etc. The order of the Lord is distinctly there in the Bhagavad-gītā: one should work only for the Lord in all spheres of life. In every sphere of life the Lord should be situated as the proprietor. According to the Vedic rites, even in the worship of some demigods like Indra, Brahmā, Sarasvatī and Gaṇeśa, the system is that in all circumstances the representation of Viṣṇu must be there as yajṣeśvara, or the controlling power of such sacrifices. It is recommended that a particular demigod be worshiped for a particular purpose, but still the presence of Viṣṇu is compulsory in order to make the function proper. Apart from such Vedic duties, even in our ordinary dealings (for example, in our household affairs or in our business or profession) we must consider that the result of all activities must be given over to the supreme enjoyer, Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has declared Himself to be the supreme enjoyer of everything, the supreme proprietor of every planet and the supreme friend of all beings. No one else but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa can claim to be the proprietor of everything within His creation. A pure devotee remembers this constantly, and in doing so he repeats the transcendental name, fame and qualities of the Lord, which means that he is constantly in touch with the Lord. The Lord is identical with His name, fame, etc., and therefore to be associated with His name, fame, etc., constantly, means actually to associate with the Lord. The major portion of our monetary income, not less than fifty percent, must be spent to carry out the order of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Not only should we give the profit of our earning to this cause, but we must also arrange to preach this cult of devotion to others because that is also one of the orders of the Lord. The Lord definitely says that no one is more dear to Him than one who is always engaged in the preaching work of the Lord’s name and fame all over the world. The scientific discoveries of the material world can also be equally engaged in carrying out His order. He wants the message of the Bhagavad-gītā to be preached amongst His devotees. It may not be so done amongst those who have no credit of austerities, charity, education, etc. Therefore, the attempt must go on to convert unwilling men to become His devotees. Lord Caitanya has taught a very simple method in this connection. He has taught the lesson for preaching the transcendental message through singing, dancing and refreshment. As such, fifty percent of our income may be spent for this purpose. In this fallen age of quarrel and dissension, if only the leading and wealthy persons of society agree to spend fifty percent of their income in the service of the Lord, as it is taught by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is absolute certainty of converting this hell of pandemonium to the transcendental abode of the Lord. No one will disagree to partake in a function where good singing, dancing and refreshment are administered. Everyone will attend such a function, and everyone is sure to feel individually the transcendental presence of the Lord. This alone will help the attendants associate with the Lord and thereby purify themselves in spiritual realization. The only condition for successfully executing such spiritual activities is that they must be conducted under the guidance of a pure devotee who is completely free from all mundane desires, fruitive activities and dry speculations about the nature of the Lord. No one has to discover the nature of the Lord. It is already spoken by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā especially and in all other Vedic literatures generally. We have simply to accept them in toto and abide by the orders of the Lord. That will guide us to the path of perfection. One can remain in his own position. No one has to change his position, especially in this age of variegated difficulties. The only condition is that one must give up the habit of dry speculation aimed at becoming one with the Lord. And after giving up such lofty puffed-up vanities, one may very submissively receive the orders of the Lord in the Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavatam from the lips of a bona fide devotee whose qualification is mentioned above. That will make everything successful, without a doubt.

Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

It has just been said that by karma-yoga mixed with bhakti (bhakti-miśra-karma) one achieves jṣāna mixed with bhakti, which aims at liberation. Now it is said that sometimes, some people, who practice niṣkāma-karma mixed with bhakti, can develop bhakti mixed with karma (karma-miśra-bhakti) by association with devotees having karma-miśra-bhakti. When persons in karma-yoga perform actions according to the lord’s instructions, by unexpected association of devotees, some perform bhakti consisting of chanting and remembering. The instruction of the Lord is: yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat | yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam || Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform, offer it to Me, O son of Kuntī. BG 9.27 It is not befitting to explain this teaching of the Lord to be directed to the karma-yogī since this verse falls in the section on bhakti. The karma-yogī offers only Vedic karmas to the Lord in order that the results will come to him. The devotees however, understanding that their very selves belong only to the Lord, take Vedic, mundane, and daily duties, which are impelled by the Lord, and offer them all completely to the Lord. There is a great difference between these two persons. This is how the Gītā verse is explained by Śrī Rāmānujācārya. This is indicated by including the phrase “whatever you eat.” Because of the use of the present tense in the verb kurvāṇāḥ (while doing karmas according to the Lord’s instructions) and because the main verb (chanting and remembering) indicates that they simultaneously perform bhakti, the whole sentence refers to bhakti as the principle action mixed with karma. By karma-miśra-bhakti one achieves jṣāna-miśra-bhakti. From that one achieves rati for the Lord along with liberation. This is called śānta-bhakti. This is understood from the following verse: ātmārāmāś ca munayo nirgranthā apy urukrame kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ Some sages who are ātmārāmas, beyond the scriptures, false ego and rules, also practice unmotivated, pure bhakti to the master of pure bhakti, Kṛṣṇa, since he possesses qualities attractive to even them. SB 1.7.10