FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.32.6

निवृत्तिधर्मनिरता निर्ममा निरहङ्कृता: । स्वधर्माप्तेन सत्त्वेन परिशुद्धेन चेतसा ॥ ६ ॥
nivṛtti-dharma-niratā
[nivritti-dharma-nirataa]
nirmamā nirahaṅkṛtāḥ
[nirmamaa nirahankritaah]
sva-dharmāptena sattvena
[sva-dharmaaptena sattvena]
pariśuddhena cetasā
[parishuddhena chetasaa]
nivṛtti-dharma — in religious activities for detachment niratāḥ — constantly engaged nirmamāḥ — without a sense of proprietorship nirahaṅkṛtāḥ — without false egoism sva-dharma — by one’s own occupational duties āptena — executed sattvena — by goodness pariśuddhena — completely purified cetasā — by consciousness.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nivṛtti-dharma-niratā
nivṛtti-dharma
in religious activities for detachment
niratāḥ
constantly engaged
nirmamā nirahaṅkṛtāḥ
nirmamāḥ
without a sense of proprietorship
nirahaṅkṛtāḥ
without false egoism
sva-dharmāptena sattvena
sva-dharma
by one’s own occupational duties
āptena
executed
sattvena
by goodness
pariśuddhena cetasā
pariśuddhena
completely purified
cetasā
by consciousness.
By executing one’s occupational duties, acting with detachment and without a sense of proprietorship or false egoism, one is posted in one’s constitutional position by dint of complete purification of consciousness, and by thus executing so-called material duties he can easily enter into the kingdom of God.

Here the word nivṛtti-dharma-niratāḥ means “constantly engaging in executing religious activities for detachment.” There are two kinds of religious performances. One is called pravṛtti-dharma, which means the religious activities performed by the gṛhamedhīs for elevation to higher planets or for economic prosperity, the final aim of which is sense gratification. Every one of us who has come to this material world has the sense of overlordship. This is called pravṛtti. But the opposite type of religious performance, which is called nivṛtti, is to act for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Engaged in devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has no proprietorship claim, nor is one situated in the false egoism of thinking that he is God or the master. He always thinks himself the servant. That is the process of purifying consciousness. With pure consciousness only can one enter into the kingdom of God. Materialistic persons, in their elevated condition, can enter any one of the planets within this material world, but all are subjected to dissolution over and over again.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Engrossed in actions of detachment, with no sense of possessiveness or ego, with consciousness purified completely, having attained sattva by performance of prescribed duties, going by the path of the sun they attain the perfect Lord, the controller of higher and lower beings, who is the material and efficient cause of the universe. Gaining knowledge, they attain the perfect (viśvato-mukham) Supreme Lord. This means they actually attain liberation. Śruti also says sūrya-dvāreṇa te virajāḥ prayānti tatrāmṛtaḥ puruṣo hy avyayātmā: purified, they go by the sun planet to the place where the indestructible immortal person resides. (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 2.11) They attain the Lord who is the material cause (prakṛti) of the universe (asya) and the efficient cause (utpatty-anta-bhāvanam).
Mind and senses, left ungoverned, will quietly run a life into the ground. The verse implies that small daily regulation is more powerful than occasional dramatic resolve. The pivot here is Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • Which sense, if you watched it for one day, would surprise you with how often you indulge it?
  • What small regulation of routine would free up the most attention for inner life?
📝 My note

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