FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.44

एतावानेव लोकेऽस्मिन् पुंसां नि:श्रेयसोदय: । तीव्रेण भक्तियोगेन मनो मय्यर्पितं स्थिरम् ॥ ४४ ॥
etāvān eva loke ’smin
[etaavaan eva loke ’smin]
puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasodayaḥ
[pumsaam nihshreyasodayah]
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
[teevrena bhakti-yogena]
mano mayy arpitaṁ sthiram
[mano mayy arpitam sthiram]
etāvān eva — only so far loke asmin — in this world puṁsām — of men niḥśreyasa — final perfection of life udayaḥ — the attainment of tīvreṇa — intense bhakti-yogena — by practice of devotional service manaḥ — mind mayi — in Me arpitam — fixed sthiram — steady.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
etāvān eva loke ’smin
etāvān eva
only so far
loke asmin
in this world
puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasodayaḥ
puṁsām
of men
niḥśreyasa
final perfection of life
udayaḥ
the attainment of
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
tīvreṇa
intense
bhakti-yogena
by practice of devotional service
mano mayy arpitaṁ sthiram
manaḥ
mind
mayi
in Me
arpitam
fixed
sthiram
steady.
Therefore persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life.

Here the words mano mayy arpitam, which mean “the mind being fixed on Me,” are significant. One should fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa or His incarnation. To be fixed steadily in that freedom is the way of liberation. Ambarīṣa Mahārāja is an example. He fixed his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord, he spoke only on the pastimes of the Lord, he smelled only the flowers and tulasī offered to the Lord, he walked only to the temple of the Lord, he engaged his hands in cleansing the temple, he engaged his tongue in tasting the foodstuff offered to the Lord, and he engaged his ears for hearing the great pastimes of the Lord. In that way all his senses were engaged. First of all, the mind should be engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord, very steadily and naturally. Because the mind is the master of the senses, when the mind is engaged, all the senses become engaged. That is bhakti-yoga. Yoga means controlling the senses. The senses cannot be controlled in the proper sense of the term; they are always agitated. This is true also with a child — how long can he be forced to sit down silently? It is not possible. Even Arjuna said, cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa: “The mind is always agitated.” The best course is to fix the mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. Mano mayy arpitaṁ sthiram. If one seriously engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the highest perfectional stage. All Kṛṣṇa conscious activities are on the highest perfectional level of human life.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Glories of Devotional Service.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The mind offered to me with pure bhakti with steadifness alone creates the highest benefit for men in this world. Thus, pure bhakti offered to me is the best of all. There is nothing higher than this. Everything else is inferior. This bhakti is firm (tivreṇa), without cheating, devoid of karma and jñāna, and pure. Thus ends the commentary on Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Twenty-six Creation of the Elements Fifth Description of Universal Form
The verse defines life's success by surrender, not by accumulation. What looks like 'giving up' from outside is, from inside, finally arriving at one's natural position. The pivot here is lotus feet of the Lord.
Reflection Questions
  • What part of your day still belongs entirely to your own enjoyment, and could even a corner of it be offered?
  • What would steady, unglamorous service look like for you this month?
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