FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.18.47

वर्णाश्रमवतां धर्म एष आचारलक्षण: । स एव मद्भ‍‍क्तियुतो नि:श्रेयसकर: पर: ॥ ४७ ॥
varṇāśramavatāṁ dharma
[varnaashramavataam dharma]
eṣa ācāra-lakṣaṇaḥ
[esha aachaara-lakshanah]
sa eva mad-bhakti-yuto
[sa eva mad-bhakti-yuto]
niḥśreyasa-karaḥ paraḥ
[nihshreyasa-karah parah]
varṇāśrama-vatām — of the followers of the varṇāśrama system dharmaḥ — religious principle eṣaḥ — this ācāra — by proper behavior according to the authorized tradition lakṣaṇaḥ — characterized saḥ — this eva — indeed mat-bhakti — with devotional service to Me yutaḥ — conjoined niḥśreyasa — the highest perfection of life karaḥ — giving paraḥ — supreme.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
varṇāśramavatāṁ dharma
varṇāśrama-vatām
of the followers of the varṇāśrama system
dharmaḥ
religious principle
eṣa ācāra-lakṣaṇaḥ
eṣaḥ
this
ācāra
by proper behavior according to the authorized tradition
lakṣaṇaḥ
characterized
sa eva mad-bhakti-yuto
saḥ
this
eva
indeed
mat-bhakti
with devotional service to Me
yutaḥ
conjoined
niḥśreyasa-karaḥ paraḥ
niḥśreyasa
the highest perfection of life
karaḥ
giving
paraḥ
supreme.
Those who are followers of this varṇāśrama system accept religious principles according to authorized traditions of proper conduct. When such varṇāśrama duties are dedicated to Me in loving service, they award the supreme perfection of life.

According to the varṇāśrama system, the members of different orders and statuses of life have many traditional duties, such as worshiping the forefathers to save them from possible sinful reactions. All such Vedic rituals, sacrifices, austerities and so forth should be offered to the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. They then become the transcendental means for going back home, back to Godhead. In other words, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or loving service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is the sum and substance of progressive human life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Following rules of varṇāśrama with a little mixture of bhakti produces impersonal liberation. Having spoken of mixed bhakti (where bhakti is more prominent than jñāna), Kṛṣṇa now describes secondary bhakti (where jñāna is more prominent than bhakti). Activities of varṇāśrama with offerings to me produce impersonal liberation (niḥśreaysa-karaḥ).
Followers of varṇāśrama accept dharma according to authorized traditions; when those duties are dedicated to the Lord in loving service, they yield supreme perfection. The system works when dedicated.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I perform duties without dedicating them?
  • What would dedicating change?
📝 My note

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