Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.20.3
गुणदोषभिदादृष्टिमन्तरेण वचस्तव ।
नि:श्रेयसं कथं नृणां निषेधविधिलक्षणम् ॥ ३ ॥
guṇa-doṣa-bhidā-dṛṣṭim
[guna-dosha-bhidaa-drishtim]
antareṇa vacas tava
[antarena vachas tava]
niḥśreyasaṁ kathaṁ nṝṇāṁ
[nihshreyasam katham nreenaam]
niṣedha-vidhi-lakṣaṇam
[nishedha-vidhi-lakshanam]
Word-for-word
guṇa
—
piety
doṣa
—
sin
bhidā
—
the difference between
dṛṣṭim
—
seeing
antareṇa
—
without
vacaḥ
—
words
tava
—
Your
niḥśreyasam
—
perfection of life, liberation
katham
—
how is it possible
nṝṇām
—
for human beings
niṣedha
—
prohibitions
vidhi
—
positive injunctions
lakṣaṇam
—
characterized by.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
guṇa-doṣa-bhidā-dṛṣṭim
guṇa
piety
doṣa
sin
bhidā
the difference between
dṛṣṭim
seeing
antareṇa vacas tava
antareṇa
without
vacaḥ
words
tava
Your
niḥśreyasaṁ kathaṁ nṝṇāṁ
niḥśreyasam
perfection of life, liberation
katham
how is it possible
nṝṇām
for human beings
niṣedha-vidhi-lakṣaṇam
niṣedha
prohibitions
vidhi
positive injunctions
lakṣaṇam
characterized by.
Without seeing the difference between piety and sin, how can one understand Your own instructions in the form of Vedic literatures, which order one to act piously and forbid one to act sinfully? Furthermore, without such authorized Vedic literatures, which ultimately award liberation, how can human beings achieve the perfection of life?
Purport
If one does not accept the necessity of performing pious activities and avoiding sinful activities, it becomes very difficult to understand authorized religious scriptures; and without such scriptures, how can human beings attain salvation? This is the essence of Śrī Uddhava’s question.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Without seeing in terms of good and bad in the Vedas, which are your words, composed of orders and prohibitions, how can man achieve liberation?
“Then what are you inferring?” Without your words, the Vedas, indicating prohibition and order, seeing in terms of good and bad, (this is prescribed and thus good and that is forbidden and therefore bad), how can the Vedas produce liberation for humans?
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Without distinguishing piety and sin, how could Uddhava understand the Lord's instructions? Without authorized scripture, how could one achieve liberation? The questions defend categorical thinking.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I prefer fuzzy morality to take pressure off myself?
- What clarity would actually help me act better?
My note
Source: vedabase.io