Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.87.34
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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sarva-rase
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the embodiment of all pleasures
Compound: sarva (all) + rasa (taste, flavor, aesthetic essence). Bhagavān contains all five primary and seven secondary rasas (BRS). Gauḍīyas: this is one of the chapter's strongest rasa-theological statements — Kṛṣṇa is rasa-vigraha (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.50).
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mithunataḥ-rataye
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for sensual indulgence from sexual combinations
Phrase: mithuna (couple) + rati (pleasure). The verse's blunt verdict: this is what those who reject the Lord pursue. Gauḍīyas: the chapter does not romanticize sex-pleasure; sex within bhakti-marriage is dharma, but sex as ultimate is asat-upāsana.
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svajana-suta-ātma-dāra
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with servants, children, body, wife
Compound listing dependents. Gauḍīyas: not a call to abandon family arbitrarily, but to recognize they are not the source of happiness. Vidura, Yudhiṣṭhira, Janaka — all kept families while resting in the Lord.
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sva-vihate
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which is by its very nature subject to destruction
Compound: sva (own) + vihata (destroyed). The world destroys itself by its own structure — entropy is built in. Gauḍīyas: anitya-asukha. BG 9.33's anityam asukhaṁ lokam echoes here.
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sva-nirasta-bhage
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which is by its very nature devoid of any essence
Compound: sva + nirasta (devoid) + bhaga (essence/opulence). The world without Bhagavān is by nature null. Gauḍīyas: the world is real (acintya-bhedābheda), but its essence is borrowed; severed from its Source, it is hollow.
Devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu is considered pure when one’s sole desire is to please the Lord. Situated in that perfect consciousness, a Vaiṣṇava has no further interest in wordly gains and is thus excused from any obligation to perform ritual sacrifices and follow austere practices of yoga. As the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (1.2.12) states: parīkṣya lokān karma-citān brāhmaṇo nirvedam āyān nāsty akṛtaḥ kṛtena “When a brāhmaṇa recognizes that elevation to the heavenly planets is merely another accumulation of karma, he becomes renounced and is no longer corrupted by his actions.” The Bṛhad-āraṇyaka (4.4.9) and Kaṭha (6.14) Upaniṣads confirm: yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā ye ’sya hṛdi śritāḥ atha martyo ’mṛto bhavaty atra brahma samaśnute “When a person completely gives up all the sinful desires he is harboring in his heart, he exchanges mortality for eternal spiritual life and attains real pleasure in the Absolute Truth.” And the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad ( Pūrva 15) concludes, bhaktir asya bhajanaṁ tad ihāmutropādhi-nairāsyenāmuṣmin manaḥ-kalpanam etad eva naiṣkarmyam. “Devotional service is the process of worshiping the Supreme Lord. It consists of fixing one’s mind upon Him by becoming disinterested in all material designations, both in this life and the next. This indeed, is true renunciation.” The items the śrutis mention here are all measures of worldly success: svajanāḥ, servants; ātmā, a beautiful body; sutāḥ, children to be proud of; dārāḥ, an attractive and competent spouse; dhanam, financial assets; dhāma, a prestigious residence; dharā, holdings of land; asavaḥ, health and strength; and rathāḥ, cars and other vehicles that display one’s status. But one who has begun to experience the ecstasy of devotional service loses all attraction for these things, since he finds real satisfaction in the Supreme Lord, the reservoir of all pleasure, who enjoys by sharing His own pleasures with His servitors. We are each free to choose the course of our life: we can either dedicate our body, mind, words, talents and wealth to the glory of God, or else we can ignore Him and struggle instead for our personal happiness. The second path leads to a life of slavery to sex and ambition, in which the soul never feels real satisfaction but instead suffers continually. Vaiṣṇavas are distressed to see materialists suffering in this way, and so they always strive to enlighten them. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī prays: bhajato hi bhavān sākṣāt paramānanda-cid-dhanaḥ ātmaiva kim ataḥ kṛtyaṁ tuccha-dāra-sutādibhiḥ “For those who worship You, You become their very Self, their spiritual treasure of topmost bliss. What further use have they for mundane wives, children and so forth?”
In this way, the srutis have spoken about pure bhakti of the vaisnavas, unmixed with yoga or other processes. Now they establish that such bhakti should be devoid of other desires. "When you reveal your form as paramatma, to that person among men who serves you, what is the value of all enjoyables such as servants, sons with good qualities, beautiful body, beautiful loving women, wealth such as gold and jewels, luxurious house, spacious land, physical health, and vehicles such as horses and elephants since you are filled with all bliss (sarva rase)? The srutis say Etasyaivanandasyanyani bhutani matram upajivanti Other beings subsist upon he who is filled with bliss. Brhad Aranyaka upanisad 4.3.32 What value is there in this world for those who do not know this highest happiness, who unite together for sex pleasure for pleasure? They get pleasure from their servants, house, land etc. Why can these things not give pleasure? They are perishable, being under the grip of time (sva vihita), and therefore are by their nature devoid of good qualities even from their inception (sva nirasta bhagah). They are condemned by saints who understand the changeable nature of the material world." According to Amara kosa, "bhaga" can mean wealth, love, glory, courage, effort, the sun and fame. Sva vihita and sva nirasta bhaga also have the alternative reading svavihite and sva nirasta bhage. In that case those words modify "iha." The servants and house give pleasure to such persons in this world which is temporary and devoid of good qualities by nature. The srutis say: Bhaktir asya bhajanam tad ihamutropadhi nairasyenamusmin manah kalpanam etad eva naiskarmyam Bhakti is worship of the Lord, concentrating the mind on him, renouncing all material desires for enjoyment (upadhi)in this world and the next. It destroys all karmas. Gopala Tapani Upanisad Purva 15
Other śrutis decide to criticize other attachments. They worship (śrayataḥ) you, who manifest as the dearest (ātmani), without upādhis, since they understand that you are the highest svarūpa of all beings. This is not only a general manifestation or realization, but endowed with special rasas filled with prema (sarva-rase). Mithunataḥ means mithunī-bhūya (making pairs). The ordinary ātmā should see the Paramātmā as the dearest without conditions, because of the devotee’s unconditional prema, since Paramātmā respects all promises, being omniscient. na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati | na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvaṁ priyaṁ bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya sarvaṁ priyaṁ bhavati | ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyo maitreyi | ātmano vā are darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānenedaṁ sarvaṁ viditam || brahma taṁ parādād yo 'nyatrātmano brahma veda | kṣatraṁ taṁ parādād yo 'nyatrātmanaḥ kṣatraṁ veda | The husband is loved not for himself but because of Paramātmā. Everything is loved because of e Paramātmā. The Paramātmā should be seen, heard, considered and meditated upon, O Maitreyi! It should be known by knowledge, by seeing and hearing and considering. Know Brahman of the The brāhmaṇa ostracizes one who thinks otherwise of Paramātmā. The kṣatriya ostracizes one who thinks of Paramātmā otherwise. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.5 kṛṣṇam enam avehi tvam ātmānam akhilātmanām jagad-dhitāya so ’py atra dehīvābhāti māyayā You should know Kṛṣṇa to be the original soul of all living entities. For the benefit of the whole universe, he has, out of his causeless mercy, appeared as an ordinary human being. He has done this by the strength of his internal potency. SB 10.14.55
Svajana can mean friends or relatives and servants. Sutā means children and dārāḥ means wife. Ratha indicates conveyances and other luxuries. For one who surrenders (śrayataḥ) to you who are the form of all happiness or who produces the greatest bliss (sarva-rase), what use are friends, children, body, wife, wealth, house, land, health or conveyances? They are no use at all. The reason is given. Because material pleasure is temporary, it brings lamentation. Being insignificant, ti is devoid of happiness. Or “Why do these person who give up guru undergo such difficulties?” Men think they can be happy by their various types of possessions. Ātmā means attempts to protect the body. They have magnificent vehicles (su-rathaiḥ). What use does he who surrenders to the antaryāmī (ātmani) of all jivas (nṛṇām) have for all these things? Or nṛṇām can be joined with ajānatām: men who are ignorant of the truth (sat). What happiness is there for those who enjoy with women because of sex desire?
- Have I taken refuge in God expecting only safety and missed the joy?
- Where could refuge become the threshold of pleasure rather than mere relief?
Once You reveal Yourself within the heart as the embodiment of all rasa, what use are servants, children, body, wife, money, home, land, breath, vehicles? They were collected to give the happiness that You now give directly. As for those who do not know this and continue chasing sex-pleasure — what could a doomed and empty world ever offer them?
Emperor Bharata, after whom the planet is named, ruled the entire earth and then walked into the forest, leaving sons, wife, palace, treasury — because he had begun to taste the sarva-rasa within. The Bhāgavatam in Canto 5 narrates how he then fell once by attachment to a deer, was reborn as a deer himself, and finally as the jaḍa-bhakta Jaḍa-Bharata.
Gauḍīyas read this verse with Bharata in mind: when sarva-rasa is tasted, the world becomes obviously empty. The fall comes only if even one residual attachment remains — hence the verse's warning.
My note
Source: vedabase.io