FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.29.20

यथा वातरथो घ्राणमावृङ्क्ते गन्ध आशयात् । एवं योगरतं चेत आत्मानमविकारि यत् ॥ २० ॥
yathā vāta-ratho ghrāṇam
[yathaa vaata-ratho ghraanam]
āvṛṅkte gandha āśayāt
[aavrinkte gandha aashayaat]
evaṁ yoga-rataṁ ceta
[evam yoga-ratam cheta]
ātmānam avikāri yat
[aatmaanam avikaari yat]
yathā — as vāta — of air rathaḥ — the chariot ghrāṇam — sense of smell āvṛṅkte — catches gandhaḥ — aroma āśayāt — from the source evam — similarly yoga-ratam — engaged in devotional service cetaḥ — consciousness ātmānam — the Supreme Soul avikāri — unchanging yat — which.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yathā vāta-ratho ghrāṇam
yathā
as
vāta
of air
rathaḥ
the chariot
ghrāṇam
sense of smell
āvṛṅkte gandha āśayāt
āvṛṅkte
catches
gandhaḥ
aroma
āśayāt
from the source
evaṁ yoga-rataṁ ceta
evam
similarly
yoga-ratam
engaged in devotional service
cetaḥ
consciousness
ātmānam avikāri yat
ātmānam
the Supreme Soul
avikāri
unchanging
yat
which.
As the chariot of air carries an aroma from its source and immediately catches the sense of smell, similarly, one who constantly engages in devotional service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can catch the Supreme Soul, who is equally present everywhere.

As a breeze carrying a pleasant fragrance from a garden of flowers at once captures the organ of smell, so one’s consciousness, saturated with devotion, can at once capture the transcendental existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, in His Paramātmā feature, is present everywhere, even in the heart of every living being. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is kṣetra-jña, present within this body, but He is also simultaneously present in every other body. Since the individual soul is present only in a particular body, he is altered when another individual soul does not cooperate with him. The Supersoul, however, is equally present everywhere. Individual souls may disagree, but the Supersoul, being equally present in every body, is called unchanging, or avikāri. The individual soul, when fully saturated with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can understand the presence of the Supersoul. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that ( bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ) a person saturated with devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, either as Supersoul or as the Supreme Person.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Just as the fragrance is carried to the nose from its source by the wind, the mind is carried to the Supreme Lord by bhakti-yoga. An example of attaining without endeavor is given. The fragrance, carried by the air, goes to the nose from the source of smell (āśayāt). Similarly the heart engaged in bhakti-yoga, goes to Paramātmā (ātmānam). Just as wind takes the fragrance in a lotus goes to the nose, all the aṅgas of bhakti make the heart which ifixed in bhakti-yoga (yoga-ratam) attain the Lord.
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 verse keeps returning to Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • What part of your day still belongs entirely to your own enjoyment, and could even a corner of it be offered?
  • Whom in your life would notice if your devotional service deepened, and what would they see?
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