FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.29.32

अर्थज्ञात्संशयच्छेत्ता तत: श्रेयान्स्वकर्मकृत् । मुक्तसङ्गस्ततो भूयानदोग्धा धर्ममात्मन: ॥ ३२ ॥
artha-jñāt saṁśaya-cchettā
[artha-jnaat samshaya-chchettaa]
tataḥ śreyān sva-karma-kṛt
[tatah shreyaan sva-karma-krit]
mukta-saṅgas tato bhūyān
[mukta-sangas tato bhooyaan]
adogdhā dharmam ātmanaḥ
[adogdhaa dharmam aatmanah]
artha-jñāt — than one who knows the purpose of the Vedas saṁśaya — doubts chettā — one who cuts off tataḥ — than him śreyān — better sva-karma — his prescribed duties kṛt — one who executes mukta-saṅgaḥ — liberated from material association tataḥ — than him bhūyān — better adogdhā — not executing dharmam — devotional service ātmanaḥ — for himself.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
artha-jñāt saṁśaya-cchettā
artha-jñāt
than one who knows the purpose of the Vedas
saṁśaya
doubts
chettā
one who cuts off
tataḥ śreyān sva-karma-kṛt
tataḥ
than him
śreyān
better
sva-karma
his prescribed duties
kṛt
one who executes
mukta-saṅgas tato bhūyān
mukta-saṅgaḥ
liberated from material association
tataḥ
than him
bhūyān
better
adogdhā dharmam ātmanaḥ
adogdhā
not executing
dharmam
devotional service
ātmanaḥ
for himself.
Better than the brāhmaṇa who knows the purpose of the Vedas is he who can dissipate all doubts, and better than him is one who strictly follows the brahminical principles. Better than him is one who is liberated from all material contamination, and better than him is a pure devotee, who executes devotional service without expectation of reward.

Artha-jña brāhmaṇa refers to one who has made a thorough analytical study of the Absolute Truth and who knows that the Absolute Truth is realized in three different phases, namely Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. If someone not only has this knowledge but is able to clear all doubts if questioned about the Absolute Truth, he is considered better. Further, there may be a learned brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava who can explain clearly and eradicate all doubts, but if he does not follow the Vaiṣṇava principles, then he is not situated on a higher level. One must be able to clear all doubts and simultaneously be situated in the brahminical characteristics. Such a person, who knows the purpose of the Vedic injunctions, who can employ the principles laid down in the Vedic literatures, and who teaches his disciples in that way, is called an ācārya. The position of an ācārya is that he executes devotional service with no desire for elevation to a higher position of life.

The highest perfectional brāhmaṇa is the Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava who knows the science of the Absolute Truth but is not able to preach such knowledge to others is described as being in the lower stage, one who not only understands the principles of the science of God but can also preach is in the second stage, and one who not only can preach but who also sees everything in the Absolute Truth and the Absolute Truth in everything is in the highest class of Vaiṣṇavas. It is mentioned here that a Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa; in fact, the highest stage of brahminical perfection is reached when one becomes a Vaiṣṇava.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Better than the knower of the meaning of the Vedas is the brāhmaṇa who can cut doubts. Better than the one who cuts doubts is the brāhmaṇa who also performs his duties completely. Better still is the jñānī who does not enjoy the results of his previous actions of dharma. Better than the cutter of doubts, but does not perform all his duties, is a person who performs all his duties (and also cuts doubts). The liberated soul or jñānī is superior, because he does not accept the results of his previous actions of dharma.
Devotional service is named here as the central fact of spiritual life, not a hobby alongside it. The verse asks us to make the Lord the actual recipient of our daily activity rather than a polite afterthought. Its centre of gravity is pure devotee.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is your devotional life mostly verbal, and where is it actually costing you something?
  • Whom in your life would notice if your devotional service deepened, and what would they see?
📝 My note

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