FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.7.20

दुरापा ह्यल्पतपस: सेवा वैकुण्ठवर्त्मसु । यत्रोपगीयते नित्यं देवदेवो जनार्दन: ॥ २० ॥
durāpā hy alpa-tapasaḥ
[duraapaa hy alpa-tapasah]
sevā vaikuṇṭha-vartmasu
[sevaa vaikuntha-vartmasu]
yatropagīyate nityaṁ
[yatropageeyate nityam]
deva-devo janārdanaḥ
[deva-devo janaardanah]
Word-for-word
durāpā — rarely obtainable hi — certainly alpa-tapasaḥ — of one whose austerity is meager sevā — service vaikuṇṭha — the transcendental kingdom of God vartmasu — on the path of yatra — wherein upagīyate — is glorified nityam — always deva — of the demigods devaḥ — the Lord jana-ardanaḥ — the controller of the living entities.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
durāpā hy alpa-tapasaḥ
durāpā
rarely obtainable
hi
certainly
alpa-tapasaḥ
of one whose austerity is meager
sevā vaikuṇṭha-vartmasu
sevā
service
vaikuṇṭha
the transcendental kingdom of God
vartmasu
on the path of
yatropagīyate nityaṁ
yatra
wherein
upagīyate
is glorified
nityam
always
deva-devo janārdanaḥ
deva
of the demigods
devaḥ
the Lord
jana-ardanaḥ
the controller of the living entities.
Persons whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees who are progressing on the path back to the kingdom of Godhead, the Vaikuṇṭhas. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.
Purport

The path of liberation, as recommended by all authorities, is to serve the mahātmā transcendentalists. As far as Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, the mahātmās are the pure devotees who are on the path to Vaikuṇṭha, the kingdom of God, and who always chant and hear the glories of the Lord rather than talk of dry, profitless philosophy. This system of association has been recommended since time immemorial, but in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy it is especially recommended by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Even if one has no assets of favorable austerity, if he nevertheless takes shelter of the mahātmās, who are engaged in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord, he is sure to make progress on the path back home, back to Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Service to the devotees, those on the path to Vaikuṇṭha, who are constantly singing about the Supreme Lord, is rarely achieved for those who perform little austerity. Service to the great devotees is very rare. Though the verse says that those will little austerity rarely attain devotees, this is only a conventional expression. Service to devotees is attained only by mercy of devotees. It is not attained as a result of austerity. “Those on the path to Vaikuṇṭha” means those who are constantly engaged in sādhana-bhakti or sādhya (prema-bhakti).
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse places hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā at the centre of spiritual practice. It is not preparation for some later realization — it is itself the work that does the rewiring.
Reflection Questions
  • What podcast or playlist would you have to give up to make room for daily kṛṣṇa-kathā?
  • Whose hearing have you helped this month, and whose could you help next week?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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