SB 10.47.24 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

दानव्रततपोहोम जपस्वाध्यायसंयमै: । श्रेयोभिर्विविधैश्चान्यै: कृष्णे भक्तिर्हि साध्यते ॥ २४ ॥

Verse text

dāna-vrata-tapo-homa japa-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ śreyobhir vividhaiś cānyaiḥ kṛṣṇe bhaktir hi sādhyate

Synonyms

dāna — by charity ; vrata — strict vows ; tapaḥ — austerities ; homa — fire sacrifices ; japa — private chanting of mantras ; svādhyāya — study of Vedic texts ; saṁyamaiḥ — and regulative principles ; śreyobhiḥ — by auspicious practices ; vividhaiḥ — various ; ca — also ; anyaiḥ — others ; kṛṣṇe — to Lord Kṛṣṇa ; bhaktiḥ — devotional service ; hi — indeed ; sādhyate — is realized .

Translation

Devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa is attained by charity, strict vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of Vedic texts, observance of regulative principles and, indeed, by the performance of many other auspicious practices.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa is attained by charity, strict vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of Vedic texts, observance of regulative principles and, indeed, by the performance of many other auspicious practices. KB 10.47.24 He is the goal of all pious activities and ritualistic performances, such as giving charity, rigidly following the austerity of vows, undergoing severe penances and igniting the fire of sacrifice. He is the purpose behind chanting different mantras, reading the Vedas, controlling the senses and concentrating the mind in meditation.” These are some of the many different processes for self-realization and attainment of perfection of life. But actually they are meant only for realizing Kṛṣṇa and dovetailing oneself in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā also; although there are descriptions of different processes of self-realization, at the end Kṛṣṇa recommends that one give up everything and simply surrender unto Him. All other processes are meant for teaching one how to surrender ultimately unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. The Bhagavad-gītā also says that this surrendering process is completed by a sincere person after executing the processes of self-realization in wisdom and austerity for many births. Since the perfection of such austerity was completely manifested in the lives of the gopīs, Uddhava was fully satisfied upon seeing their transcendental position.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains the processes described here as follows. Dāna: donations given to Lord Viṣṇu and His devotees. Vrata: observing vows such as Ekādaśī. Tapas: renunciation of sense gratification for Kṛṣṇa’s sake. Homa: fire sacrifices dedicated to Viṣṇu. Japa: privately chanting the holy names of the Lord. Svādhyāya: study and recitation of Vedic texts such as the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Devotion to Krsna is produced by various processes (sadhana) such as giving. In the case of bhakti, giving (dana) must refer to giving to vaisnavas. Vrata must refer to vaisnava vratas like ekadasi. Tapah must refer to giving up objects of enjoyment for krsna’s sake (krsanrtha bhoga tyagadi-see nectar of devotion angas). Homa refers to vaisnava homas and japa refers to chanting visnu matras. Svadyaya refers to recitation of the gopala tapani upanisad and other text concerning Krsna. Other auspicious practices refers to those actions which are angas of bhakti (producing bhakti). That is because other practices, such of dana, tapa etc., in themselves are incapable of producing bhakti. That has been explained before.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

This point is emphasized using kaimutya. All auspicious acts like charity and others like jñāna, sāṅkhya and yoga (anyaiḥ) are successful when offered to Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti, a taste of hearing about the Lord and other process, unto Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, is accomplished when these processes are offered to the Lord. naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam | kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam || Even the stage of jñāna without the bondage of karma is not glorious if it is devoid of bhakti to the Supreme Lord. What is the use of having destroyed ignorance? What then to speak of sakāma-karma which causes suffering, both during practice and at the stage perfection, and niṣkāma-karma, when not offered to the Lord? SB 1.5.12 This fact is expressed positively and negatively in the following verses: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje | ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati || The supreme dharma for all human beings (sādhana bhakti) is that by which prema-bhakti to the Lord arises, which is not caused by anything other than itself, cannot be obstructed, and which satisfies the mind completely. SB 1.2.6 dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ | notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam || Varṇāśrama-dharma of the human being, which does not produce attraction for topics of the Lord, is only wasted effort. SB 1.2.8 In the verse vrata means following rules, tapa refers to austerities and saṁyama means control of the senses.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

“Success is attained by attaining Kṛṣṇa, not by concentrating the mind.” This is expressed in two verses. Vrata means austerirites. Tapaḥ means following one’s dharma. Homa means sacrificies. Svādhyāya means study of the Vedas. Saṁyama means control of all the senses. Dāna means charity and japa means chanting silently. Since these are necessary, and known among people as the best acitons, they are clearly mentioned. By jñaṇa (śreyobhiḥ) and other methods such as liberation, one can also attain the Lord. Vividhaiḥ modifies all the items. There various types of liberation such as sālokya etc. according to Vedānta and Nyāya. The rest is clear. The order of methods is according to increasing effectiveness. By these methods certainly (hi) bhakti to Kṛṣṇa, the supreme Lord, is accomplished. Otherwise, whatever else is attained by these methods is useless. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁṣām: varṇāśrama-dharma of the human being, which does not produce attraction for topics of the Lord, is only wasted effort. (SB 1.2.8)