FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.14.12

मय्यर्पितात्मन: सभ्य निरपेक्षस्य सर्वत: । मयात्मना सुखं यत्तत् कुत: स्याद् विषयात्मनाम् ॥ १२ ॥
mayy arpitātmanaḥ sabhya
[mayy arpitaatmanah sabhya]
nirapekṣasya sarvataḥ
[nirapekshasya sarvatah]
mayātmanā sukhaṁ yat tat
[mayaatmanaa sukham yat tat]
kutaḥ syād viṣayātmanām
[kutah syaad vishayaatmanaam]
Word-for-word
mayi — in Me arpita — fixed ātmanaḥ — of one whose consciousness sabhya — O learned Uddhava nirapekṣasya — of one bereft of material desires sarvataḥ — in all respects mayā — with Me ātmanā — with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or with one’s own spiritual body sukham — happiness yat tat — such kutaḥ — how syāt — could it be viṣaya — in material sense gratification ātmanām — of those who are attached.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mayy arpitātmanaḥ sabhya
mayi
in Me
arpita
fixed
ātmanaḥ
of one whose consciousness
sabhya
O learned Uddhava
nirapekṣasya sarvataḥ
nirapekṣasya
of one bereft of material desires
sarvataḥ
in all respects
mayātmanā sukhaṁ yat tat
mayā
with Me
ātmanā
with the Supreme Personality of Godhead or with one’s own spiritual body
sukham
happiness
yat tat
such
kutaḥ syād viṣayātmanām
kutaḥ
how
syāt
could it be
viṣaya
in material sense gratification
ātmanām
of those who are attached.
O learned Uddhava, those who fix their consciousness on Me, giving up all material desires, share with Me a happiness that cannot possibly be experienced by those engaged in sense gratification.
Purport

The actual purport of Vedic knowledge is explained in this verse. The word viṣayātmanām includes those who are cultivating material peace of mind, self-control and speculative philosophy. But even if such persons rise to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, they do not attain perfection, because sattva-guṇa, being material, is also part and parcel of māyā, or illusion. As stated by Śrī Nārada Muni:

kiṁ vā yogena sāṅkhyena nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api kiṁ vā śreyobhir anyaiś ca na yatrātma-prado hariḥ

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is not inclined to award Himself even to one who executes the yoga system, speculative philosophy, the renounced order of life or Vedic studies. Indeed, no so-called materially auspicious process can induce the Lord to reveal Himself.” ( Bhāg. 4.31.12 ) According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, one enjoys the happiness spoken of in this verse while associating, in one’s own spiritual body, with the supreme transcendental form of the Lord. The Lord’s transcendental form is filled with infinite, wonderful qualities, and the happiness of being with the Lord is unlimited. Unfortunately, materialistic people cannot possibly imagine such happiness, since they are not at all inclined to love the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O learned Uddhava! Those who fix their consciousness on me, giving up all material desires, attain happiness because of me. This cannot possibly be experienced by those engaged in sense gratification. Therefore bhakti is the essence of the Vedas. Being defined as the best process, it brings about attainment of me. The rest of the chapter answers Uddhava’s question. The devotees attain happiness because of me, the shelter of prema, the ocean of form and qualities. Those who are fixed in material objects like sense control, mind control and knowledge, and even the jñānīs, who are fixed in material sattva, do not attain even Brahman. kiṁ vā yogena sāṅkhyena nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api kiṁ vā śreyobhir anyaiś ca na yatrātma-prado hariḥ What is the use of yoga, Sāṅkhya, sannyāsa, study of the Vedas, other auspicious acts, in which the Lord does not give realization of himself? SB 4.31.12
Related values & verses
Related verses
SB 4.31.12
Personal Guidance
Those who fix their consciousness on the Lord, giving up material desires, share a happiness sense-gratifiers cannot taste. The kingdoms of pleasure are not connected.
Reflection Questions
  • When have I touched a happiness sense pleasure simply could not produce?
  • What conditions allowed it?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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