FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.12

ज्ञानं यदाप्रतिनिवृत्तगुणोर्मिचक्र - मात्मप्रसाद उत यत्र गुणेष्वसङ्ग: । कैवल्यसम्मतपथस्त्वथ भक्तियोग: को निर्वृतो हरिकथासु रतिं न कुर्यात् ॥ १२ ॥
jñānaṁ yad āpratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram
[jnaanam yad aapratinivritta-gunormi-chakram]
ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ
[aatma-prasaada uta yatra guneshv asangah]
kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogaḥ
[kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogah]
ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt
[ko nirvrito hari-kathaasu ratim na kuryaat]
jñānam — knowledge yat — that which ā — up to the limit of pratinivṛtta — completely withdrawn guṇa-ūrmi — the waves of the material modes cakram — whirlpool ātma-prasādaḥ — self-satisfaction uta — moreover yatra — where there is guṇeṣu — in the modes of nature asaṅgaḥ — no attachment kaivalya — transcendental sammata — approved pathaḥ — path tu — but atha — therefore bhakti-yogaḥ — devotional service kaḥ — who nirvṛtaḥ — absorbed in hari-kathāsu — in the transcendental topics of the Lord ratim — attraction na — shall not kuryāt — do.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jñānaṁ yad āpratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram
jñānam
knowledge
yat
that which
ā
up to the limit of
pratinivṛtta
completely withdrawn
guṇa-ūrmi
the waves of the material modes
cakram
whirlpool
ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ
ātma-prasādaḥ
self-satisfaction
uta
moreover
yatra
where there is
guṇeṣu
in the modes of nature
asaṅgaḥ
no attachment
kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogaḥ
kaivalya
transcendental
sammata
approved
pathaḥ
path
tu
but
atha
therefore
bhakti-yogaḥ
devotional service
ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt
kaḥ
who
nirvṛtaḥ
absorbed in
hari-kathāsu
in the transcendental topics of the Lord
ratim
attraction
na
shall not
kuryāt
do.
Transcendental knowledge in relation with the Supreme Lord Hari is knowledge resulting in the complete suspension of the waves and whirlpools of the material modes. Such knowledge is self-satisfying due to its being free from material attachment, and being transcendental it is approved by authorities. Who could fail to be attracted?

According to Bhagavad-gītā (10.9) the characteristics of pure devotees are wonderful. The complete functional activities of a pure devotee are always engaged in the service of the Lord, and thus the pure devotees exchange feelings of ecstasy between themselves and relish transcendental bliss. This transcendental bliss is experienced even in the stage of devotional practice ( sādhana-avasthā ), if properly undertaken under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. And in the mature stage the developed transcendental feeling culminates in realization of the particular relationship with the Lord by which a living entity is originally constituted (up to the relationship of conjugal love with the Lord, which is estimated to be the highest transcendental bliss). Thus bhakti-yoga, being the only means of God realization, is called kaivalya. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī quotes the Vedic version ( eko nārāyaṇo devaḥ, parāvarāṇāṁ parama āste kaivalya-saṁjñitaḥ ) in this connection and establishes that Nārāyaṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is known as kaivalya, and the means which enables one to approach the Lord is called the kaivalya-panthā, or the only means of attainment of Godhead. This kaivalya-panthā begins from śravaṇa, or hearing those topics that relate to the Personality of Godhead, and the natural consequence of hearing such hari-kathā is attainment of transcendental knowledge, which causes detachment from all mundane topics, for which a devotee has no taste at all. For a devotee, all mundane activities, social and political, become unattractive, and in the mature state such a devotee becomes uninterested even in his own body, and what to speak of bodily relatives. In such a state of affairs one is not agitated by the waves of the material modes. There are different modes of material nature, and all mundane functions in which a common man is very much interested or in which he takes part become unattractive for the devotee. This state of affairs is described herein as pratinivṛtta-guṇormi, and it is possible by ātma-prasāda, or complete self-satisfaction without any material connection. The first-class devotee of the Lord attains this stage by devotional service, but despite his loftiness, for the Lord’s satisfaction he may play the voluntary part of a preacher of the Lord’s glory and dovetail all into devotional service, even mundane interest, just to give the neophytes a chance to transform mundane interest into transcendental bliss. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described this action of a pure devotee as nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. Even mundane activities dovetailed with service to the Lord are also calculated to be transcendental or approved kaivalya affairs.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
If jñāna, the path approved for attaining the Lord, which creates indifference to the multitude of material guṇas, arises and is followed by satisfaction of the self, which creates complete detachment from the guṇas, then bhakti-yoga should arise. Experiencing bliss in bhakti, how can that person not have attraction for topics of the Lord?
Commentary

“It is improper take shelter of one deity at the end of life after taking shelter of someone else for one’s whole life. How can it be proper to make the person who has always worshipped some devatā develop devotion to the Lord at the end?”

Such worshippers of devatās are actually very low, because even the worshippers of brahman take to the worship of the Lord. The progression is shown in this verse.

When (yad) there arises jñāna, which destroys the multitude of whirlpools of the guṇas, which brings satisfaction of the self, by which there is detachment from material enjoyment, and which is the path approved for merging, then bhakti-yoga arises.

One should not worry that one cannot attain association of devotees since that mercy is spontaneous, as explained previously. By the mercy of the Lord, Sanaka and others attained bhakti. By the mercy of devotees, persons such as Śukadeva attained bhakti through kīrtana and other processes. Who absorbed in the happiness of bhakti (nirvṛtaḥ) would not have attachment (ratim) for topics of the Lord? This means that the person without attachment for the topics of the Lord is not happy at all. Here the superiority of pure bhakti to karma, jñāna, yoga and worship of devatās is shown. And whatever they aim to achieve in those processes is accomplished by bhakti alone. And for all those persons practicing various methods, the highest result (prema) is finally attained by only bhakti. Thus pure bhakti which disregards karma and jñāna, without any of those desires, whose principle activities are hearing, glorifying and remembering the Lord, is the method of producing prema. This is the opinion of Śukadeva. Among those methods, chanting the name of the Lord is the supreme method. Thus five items (karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti and prema) have been delineated. This is the meaning of the section in summary.

Transcendental knowledge of Hari quiets the waves of the modes. It is self-satisfying because it carries no material attachment — and once tasted, who could fail to be drawn?
Reflection Questions
  • What waves in my inner sea are loudest today — and what knowledge could still them?
  • Where have I tasted hari-kathā enough to know its pull, and where am I still avoiding the taste?
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