FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.6.32

परं पदं वैष्णवमामनन्ति तद् यन्नेति नेतीत्यतदुत्सिसृक्षव: । विसृज्य दौरात्म्यमनन्यसौहृदा हृदोपगुह्यावसितं समाहितै: ॥ ३२ ॥
paraṁ padaṁ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tad
[param padam vaishnavam aamananti tad]
yan neti netīty atad-utsisṛkṣavaḥ
[yan neti neteety atad-utsisrikshavah]
visṛjya daurātmyam ananya-sauhṛdā
[visrijya dauraatmyam ananya-sauhridaa]
hṛdopaguhyāvasitaṁ samāhitaiḥ
[hridopaguhyaavasitam samaahitaih]
param — the supreme padam — situation vaiṣṇavam — of Lord Viṣṇu āmananti — they designate tat — that yat — which na iti na iti — “not this, not this” iti — thus analyzing atat — everything extraneous utsisṛkṣavaḥ — those who are desirous of giving up visṛjya — rejecting daurātmyam — petty materialism ananya — placing nowhere else sauhṛdāḥ — their affection hṛdā — within their hearts upaguhya — embracing Him avasitam — who is captured samāhitaiḥ — by those who meditate upon Him in trance.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
paraṁ padaṁ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tad
param
the supreme
padam
situation
vaiṣṇavam
of Lord Viṣṇu
āmananti
they designate
tat
that
yan neti netīty atad-utsisṛkṣavaḥ
yat
which
visṛjya daurātmyam ananya-sauhṛdā
na iti na iti
“not this, not this”
hṛdopaguhyāvasitaṁ samāhitaiḥ
iti
thus analyzing
atat
everything extraneous
utsisṛkṣavaḥ
those who are desirous of giving up
visṛjya
rejecting
daurātmyam
petty materialism
ananya
placing nowhere else
sauhṛdāḥ
their affection
hṛdā
within their hearts
upaguhya
embracing Him
avasitam
who is captured
samāhitaiḥ
by those who meditate upon Him in trance.
Those who desire to give up all that is not essentially real move systematically, by negative discrimination of the extraneous, to the supreme position of Lord Viṣṇu. Giving up petty materialism, they offer their love exclusively to the Absolute Truth within their hearts and embrace that highest truth in fixed meditation.

The words yan neti netīty atad-utsisṛkṣavaḥ indicate the process of negative discrimination, by which one engaged in the search for essential and absolute truth systematically rejects all that is superfluous, superficial and relative. Throughout the world people have gradually rejected the ultimate validity of political, social and even religious truths, but because they lack Kṛṣṇa consciousness they remain bewildered and cynical. However, as clearly stated here, paraṁ padaṁ vaiṣṇavam āmananti tat. Those who actually desire perfect knowledge must not only reject the nonessential but must also ultimately understand the essential spiritual reality called paraṁ padaṁ vaiṣṇavam: the supreme destination, the abode of Lord Viṣṇu. Padam indicates both the status and the abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which can be understood only by those who give up petty materialism and adopt the position of ananya-sauhṛdam, exclusive love for the Lord. Such exclusive love is not narrow-minded or sectarian, because all living entities, being within the Lord, are automatically served when one directly serves the supreme entity. This process of rendering the highest service to the Lord and to all living entities constitutes the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is taught throughout Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Giving up evil tendencies of I and mine, understanding what is not favorable for bhakti, eager to reject all things not related to Viṣṇu because of affectionate for the unalloyed devotees, the devotees fix themselves on the supreme form of Viṣṇu who is embraced and understood by devotees having deep concentration. The devotees concentrate by continual remembrance on the svarūpa of Viṣṇu (padam). They give up the evil tendency to think in terms of I and mine. They understand “this is not favorable, that is not favorable.” They desire to give up everything unrelated to the Lord such as body, house, sons, and wife which are objects of possessiveness, because they have friendship with the fully dedicated devotees. This form is understood (avasitam) by the devotees having full concentration, and not by others.
Those who want to give up everything inessential systematically discriminate, dropping the extraneous, until they reach the supreme position. The path is not just acquisition of truth but careful, ongoing release of what is not it.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'extraneous' am I being asked to release this week?
  • What helps me feel safe releasing it rather than gripping tighter?
📝 My note

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