FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.21.18

यतो यतो निवर्तेत विमुच्येत ततस्तत: । एष धर्मो नृणां क्षेम: शोकमोहभयापह: ॥ १८ ॥
yato yato nivarteta
[yato yato nivarteta]
vimucyeta tatas tataḥ
[vimuchyeta tatas tatah]
eṣa dharmo nṛṇāṁ kṣemaḥ
[esha dharmo nrinaam kshemah]
śoka-moha-bhayāpahaḥ
[shoka-moha-bhayaapahah]
yataḥ yataḥ — from whatever nivarteta — one desists vimucyeta — he becomes liberated tataḥ tataḥ — from that eṣaḥ — this dharmaḥ — the system of religion nṛṇām — for humans kṣemaḥ — the path of auspiciousness śoka — suffering moha — delusion bhaya — and fear apahaḥ — which takes away.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yato yato nivarteta
yataḥ yataḥ
from whatever
nivarteta
one desists
vimucyeta tatas tataḥ
vimucyeta
he becomes liberated
tataḥ tataḥ
from that
eṣa dharmo nṛṇāṁ kṣemaḥ
eṣaḥ
this
dharmaḥ
the system of religion
nṛṇām
for humans
kṣemaḥ
the path of auspiciousness
śoka-moha-bhayāpahaḥ
śoka
suffering
moha
delusion
bhaya
and fear
apahaḥ
which takes away.
By refraining from a particular sinful or materialistic activity, one becomes freed from its bondage. Such renunciation is the basis of religious and auspicious life for human beings and drives away all suffering, illusion and fear.

In Caitanya-caritāmṛta ( Antya 6.220) it is stated:

mahāprabhura bhakta-gaṇera vairāgya pradhāna yāhā dekhi’ prīta hana gaura-bhagavān

“Renunciation is the basic principle sustaining the lives of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s devotees. Seeing this renunciation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is extremely satisfied.”

Because of false ego one considers oneself to be the proprietor and enjoyer of one’s activities. Actually, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is the proprietor and enjoyer of our activities; recognition of this fact in Kṛṣṇa consciousness leads one to real renunciation. Every human being should perform his prescribed duty as an offering to the Supreme Lord. Then there will be no possibility of material entanglement. Lord Kṛṣṇa clearly explains in Bhagavad-gītā that prescribed duties performed as an offering to the Lord award liberation from material bondage. Sinful activities cannot be offered to the Lord but must be given up altogether. In effect, the distinction between piety and sin is made so that the living entities will become pious and eligible to surrender to the Supreme Lord. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) :

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.”

By thorough piety one’s life becomes auspicious and freed from lamentation, illusion and fear, and one can then take to the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
One becomes freed from whatever actions one refrains. This principle brings liberation for the human and frees him from suffering, illusion and fear. The purport of all rules concerning good and bad is detachment by restricting the tendency to enjoy.
Refraining from sinful or materialistic activity frees one from its bondage; such renunciation is the basis of religious life and drives away suffering, illusion, fear. Simple subtraction is powerful.
Reflection Questions
  • Which one activity, if subtracted, would shift my whole life?
  • What stops me from subtracting it?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 21