Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.4.26
एवं प्रवृत्तस्य सदा भूतानां श्रेयसि द्विजा: ।
सर्वात्मकेनापि यदा नातुष्यद्धृदयं तत: ॥ २६ ॥
evaṁ pravṛttasya sadā
[evam pravrittasya sadaa]
bhūtānāṁ śreyasi dvijāḥ
[bhootaanaam shreyasi dvijaah]
sarvātmakenāpi yadā
[sarvaatmakenaapi yadaa]
nātuṣyad dhṛdayaṁ tataḥ
[naatushyad dhridayam tatah]
Word-for-word
evam
—
thus
pravṛttasya
—
one who is engaged in
sadā
—
always
bhūtānām
—
of the living beings
śreyasi
—
in the ultimate good
dvijāḥ
—
O twice-born
sarvātmakena api
—
by all means
yadā
—
when
na
—
not
atuṣyat
—
become satisfied
hṛdayam
—
mind
tataḥ
—
at that time.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
evaṁ pravṛttasya sadā
evam
thus
pravṛttasya
one who is engaged in
sadā
always
bhūtānāṁ śreyasi dvijāḥ
bhūtānām
of the living beings
śreyasi
in the ultimate good
dvijāḥ
O twice-born
sarvātmakenāpi yadā
sarvātmakena api
by all means
yadā
when
nātuṣyad dhṛdayaṁ tataḥ
na
not
atuṣyat
become satisfied
hṛdayam
mind
tataḥ
at that time.
O twice-born brāhmaṇas, still his mind was not satisfied, although he engaged himself in working for the total welfare of all people.
Purport
Śrī Vyāsadeva was not satisfied with himself, although he had prepared literatures of Vedic value for the all-around welfare of the general mass of people. It was expected that he would be satisfied by all such activities, but ultimately he was not satisfied.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O brāhmaṇas! Though he had engaged himself in this way for the welfare of all beings, his heart was not satisfied with all of that. Being not completely satisfied in heart, sitting in a solitary spot on the bank of the Sarasvatī River, the knower of dharma began to contemplate. He then spoke as follows.
Commentary
Sarvātmakena means the same as sarvātmanā (by the whole). Na ati prasīdad hrḍayaḥ means “he whose heart was not completely pleased.” Because of dissatisfaction in his heart he began to conjecture (vitarkayan). He spoke to himself internally.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Even after this enormous service, Vyāsa was not satisfied. Doing much for others isn't a guarantee of inner peace. Soul-level dissatisfaction is a signal worth listening to, not arguing with.
Reflection Questions
- Where have I done a lot of 'good work' but still feel hollow?
- What soul-level message might that hollowness be trying to deliver?
My note
Source: vedabase.io