FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.19.4

तपस्तीर्थं जपो दानं पवित्राणीतराणि च । नालं कुर्वन्ति तां सिद्धिं या ज्ञानकलया कृता ॥ ४ ॥
tapas tīrthaṁ japo dānaṁ
[tapas teertham japo daanam]
pavitrāṇītarāṇi ca
[pavitraaneetaraani cha]
nālaṁ kurvanti tāṁ siddhiṁ
[naalam kurvanti taam siddhim]
yā jñāna-kalayā kṛtā
[yaa jnaana-kalayaa kritaa]
tapaḥ — austerity tīrtham — visiting holy places japaḥ — offering silent prayers dānam — charity pavitrāṇi — pious activities itarāṇi — other ca — also na — not alam — up to the same standard kurvanti — they award tām — this siddhim — perfection yā — which jñāna — of spiritual knowledge kalayā — by a fraction kṛtā — is awarded.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tapas tīrthaṁ japo dānaṁ
tapaḥ
austerity
tīrtham
visiting holy places
japaḥ
offering silent prayers
dānam
charity
pavitrāṇītarāṇi ca
pavitrāṇi
pious activities
itarāṇi
other
ca
also
nālaṁ kurvanti tāṁ siddhiṁ
na
not
alam
up to the same standard
kurvanti
they award
tām
this
siddhim
perfection
yā jñāna-kalayā kṛtā
yā
which
jñāna
of spiritual knowledge
kalayā
by a fraction
kṛtā
is awarded.
That perfection which is produced by a small fraction of spiritual knowledge cannot be duplicated by performing austerities, visiting holy places, chanting silent prayers, giving in charity or engaging in other pious activities.

Jñāna here refers to a clear understanding of the Lord’s supreme dominion over all that be, and this realized knowledge is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That the Lord is supreme is confirmed in the previous verse by the words padam śreṣṭhaṁ vidur mama. One may perform penances or visit holy places with a proud mentality or material motivation; similarly, one may chant prayers to God, give charity or perform other externally pious activities with many bizarre, hypocritical or even demoniac motivations. Realized knowledge of the supremacy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, is a solid connection with the spiritual world, and if one pursues this holy understanding one is gradually promoted to the highest level of conscious existence, called Vaikuṇṭha, or the kingdom of God.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
That perfection which is produced by a small fraction of jñāna cannot be duplicated by performing austerities, visiting holy places, chanting silent prayers, giving in charity or engaging in other pious activities. Kalayā means “by a small portion.”
The perfection produced by a fraction of spiritual knowledge cannot be matched by austerities, pilgrimages, prayers, charity, or other pious activities. Knowledge has unmatched leverage.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I investing in pious activities while neglecting actual knowledge?
  • What study would yield more than my next pilgrimage?
📝 My note

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