SB 10.84.36 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.84.36

चित्तस्योपशमोऽयं वै कविभि: शास्‍त्रचक्षुषा । दर्शित: सुगमो योगो धर्मश्चात्ममुदावह: ॥ ३६ ॥

cittasyopaśamo ’yaṁ vai

[chittasyopashamo ’yam vai]

kavibhiḥ śāstra-cakṣusā

[kavibhih shaastra-chakshusaa]

darśitaḥ su-gamo yogo

[darshitah su-gamo yogo]

dharmaś cātma-mud-āvahaḥ

[dharmash chaatma-mud-aavahah]

Word-for-word

cittasya — of the mind upaśamaḥ — the pacification ayam — this vai — indeed kavibhiḥ — by learned scholars śāstra — of scripture cakṣuṣā — with the eye darśitaḥ — shown su - gamaḥ — easily performed yogaḥ — means of attaining liberation dharmaḥ — religious duty ca — and ātma — to the heart mut — pleasure āvahaḥ — which brings .

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

cittasyopaśamo ’yaṁ vai

cittasya

of the mind

upaśamaḥ

the pacification

ayam

this

vai

indeed

kavibhiḥ śāstra-cakṣusā

kavibhiḥ

by learned scholars

śāstra

of scripture

cakṣuṣā

with the eye

darśitaḥ su-gamo yogo

darśitaḥ

shown

su - gamaḥ

easily performed

yogaḥ

means of attaining liberation

dharmaś cātma-mud-āvahaḥ

dharmaḥ

religious duty

and

ātma

to the heart

mut

pleasure

āvahaḥ

which brings .

Important Words

upaśamaḥ — pacification, settling
From upa + √śam (to cease, become quiet). Pacification of the citta — the same the yoga (Patañjali 1.2 — yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ) seeks. Gauḍīyas hold that bhakti-yoga, of which yajña is a limb, accomplishes citta-upaśama by giving the citta a worthy object — Viṣṇu.
śāstra-cakṣuṣā — with the eye of scripture
śāstra + cakṣus (eye). The ṛṣis see by śāstra. Gauḍīyas hold that the Vaiṣṇava sees with three eyes — śāstra, sādhu, and guru — all three saying the same thing about Kṛṣṇa.
yogaḥ — means of attaining liberation
Here yoga = the way. Gauḍīyas note that the verse calls yajña a yoga — placing fire-sacrifice within the yoga genre, with bhakti-yoga as its inner meaning.
ātma-mut-āvahaḥ — which brings joy to the heart
ātma (self, heart) + mud (joy) + āvaha (bringing). Dharma is not killjoy. Gauḍīyas read this as a quiet preview of ānanda-maya — Bhagavān's nature, and the proper telos of every dharma-act.

Learned authorities who see through the eye of scripture have demonstrated that this is the easiest method of subduing the agitated mind and attaining liberation, and that it is a sacred duty which brings joy to the heart.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Commentary

The worship of Visnu is shown to cause peace to the heart (upasama), to be practical (sugama) because it takes shelter of action, to be a method of attaining liberation (yoga), and to give happiness to the mind (atma mudavahah).

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

The excellence of the method is explained. The method of reduction of karma (ayam) produces intelligence fixed on the Lord (śama) to the highest degree (upa). śamo manniṣṭhatā buddher: śama means fixing the intelligence on the Lord. (SB 11.19.36) This is moreover a process easy to perform. All sacrifices become successful since success is achieved simply by saṅkalpa dedicated to the Lord. It is not difficult to achieve like following the eight parts of yoga. This is the principal dharma since it gives shelter to all dharmas, since this dharma enters all other dharmas. Because it is always filled with the presence of the Lord, it brings joy to the ātmā. It is not like other dharmas filled with lust that makes envy and greed appear in the heart. Therefore this process is revealed by the knowers of scripture, while revealing the meaning of scriptures which are like eyes.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

The result is explained. This easy method alone (vai) is encouraged (darśitaḥ) by considering the meaning of scriptures (śāstra-cakṣusā). This method (yogaḥ) is bhakti. It is dharma which is bhakti, since its essence is worship of the Lord. It brings joy to all jīvas (ātma) or when the jīva performs bhakti since it produces a strong relationship with the Lord.

Related values & verses

Related values

Sthitaprajna (Steady Wisdom)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomShanti (Peace / Tranquility)Abhaya (Fearlessness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)

Concepts

YogaKarma

Personal Guidance

Scripture-seers have shown that this offering is the easiest path. The hardest spiritual reality is wrapped in the simplest action — work, but offer it. No esoteric requirement needed.

Reflection Questions

What about the simplest spiritual path makes me suspect there must be a harder one?
Where am I overcomplicating what is supposed to be straightforward?

Analogy

An overgrown garden, full of weeds and quick growths, needs both the sickle and the careful planting of one true tree. Yajña, when oriented to Viṣṇu, is both — it cuts the agitated mind down and plants something that fruits as joy. The sages call it dharma that brings joy to the heart: not duty-with-clenched-teeth.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io