SB 10.84.37 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

अयं स्वस्त्ययन: पन्था द्विजातेर्गृहमेधिन: । यच्छ्रद्धयाप्तवित्तेन शुक्लेनेज्येत पूरुष: ॥ ३७ ॥

Verse text

ayaṁ svasty-ayanaḥ panthā dvi-jāter gṛha-medhinaḥ yac chraddhayāpta-vittena śuklenejyeta pūruṣaḥ

Synonyms

ayam — this ; svasti — auspiciousness ; ayanaḥ — bringing ; panthā — the path ; dvi — jāteḥ — for one who is twice-born (being a member of one of the three higher social orders) ; gṛha — at home ; medhinaḥ — who performs sacrifices ; yat — that ; śraddhayā — selflessly ; āpta — obtained by just means ; vittena — with his possessions ; śuklena — untainted ; ījyeta — should be worshiped ; pūruṣaḥ — the Personality of Godhead .

Translation

This is the most auspicious path for a religious householder of the twice-born orders — to selflessly worship the Personality of Godhead with wealth honestly obtained.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

This is the most auspicious path for a religious householder of the twice-born orders—to selflessly worship the Personality of Godhead with wealth honestly obtained. KB 10.84.37 “For everyone living as a householder in one of the higher social orders (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya), this worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, who is known as Puruṣottama, the original person, is recommended as the only auspicious path.

Purport

Both Śrīdhara Svāmī and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī here agree that the ritual karma of Vedic sacrifices is particularly meant for attached householders. Those who are already renounced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, like Vasudeva himself, need only cultivate their faith in the Lord’s devotees, His Deity form, His name, the remnants of His food and His teachings, as given in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

"Purely obtained wealth" means lawfully obtained through the occupations of the three higher castes.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

The method is further described. This method is auspicious for the household āśrama, since it pleases the Lord by surrender in the form of offering wealth to the Lord and since the twice- born householder is not qualified for anything accept artha, dharma and kāma. His wealth should be obtained according to his talents in a just manner. Viṣṇu-dharma describes the pure occupation: pratigraheṇa yal labdhaṁ yājyataḥ śiṣyatas tathā // guṇānvitebhyo viprasya śuklaṁ tat trividhaṁ smrṭam yuddhopalabdhaṁ kāraś ca daṇḍaś ca vyavahārataḥ // kṣatriyasya dhanaṁ śuklaṁ trividhaṁ parikīrtitam kṛṣi-vāṇijya-gorakṣāḥ kṛtvā śuklaṁ tathā viśaḥ dvija-śuśrūṣayā labdhaṁ śuklaṁ śūdrasya kīrtitam kramāgataṁ prīti-dāyaṁ prāptaṁ ca saha-bhāryayā aviśeṣeṇa sarveṣām dhanaṁ śukle prakīrtitam śuklena vittena kṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ bahu-phalaṁ bhavet The brāhmaṇa earns wealth purely by donations as gifts, from performing sacrifice and teaching received from persons with good qualities. The kṣatriya earns wealth purely by fighting, receiving taxes, punishment and administering justice. The vaiṣya earns purely by farming, selling and herding cows. The śūdra earns purely by serving the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya and vaiśyas. Money obtained when getting married, given with affection, and at the proper time, is considered pure for all castes. Performing pious acts with pure wealth produces great results. “If one worships the Lord, he should be worshipped by the main nine types of bhakti or by menial service to the deity and arcana. Is performing sacrifice (which householders perform) a secondary aṅga of bhakti?” This method is for person attached to household life (gṛha-medhinaḥ). This method is taught because the person lacks completely faith, or only to each the common people.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

“The direct activities are bhakti with hearing as the main item. Why engage in sacrifices with many secondary parts?” Two verses explain. The auspicious path for attaining bhakti without obstacles (svastyayanaḥ) for the householders of the three upper varṇas is this. One should worship the Lord by money earned by one’s profession in a correct manner. Wealthy persons who are not detached should first offer their wealth in sacrifices.