FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.16

वरं च मत्कञ्चन मानवेन्द्र वृणीष्व तेऽहं गुणशीलयन्त्रित: । नाहं मखैर्वै सुलभस्तपोभि- र्योगेन वा यत्समचित्तवर्ती ॥ १६ ॥
varaṁ ca mat kañcana mānavendra
[varam cha mat kanchana maanavendra]
vṛṇīṣva te ’haṁ guṇa-śīla-yantritaḥ
[vrineeshva te ’ham guna-sheela-yantritah]
nāhaṁ makhair vai sulabhas tapobhir
[naaham makhair vai sulabhas tapobhir]
yogena vā yat sama-citta-vartī
[yogena vaa yat sama-chitta-vartee]
varam — benediction ca — also mat — from Me kañcana — whatever you like mānava-indra — O chief of human beings vṛṇīṣva — please request te — your aham — I guṇa-śīla — by elevated qualities and excellent behavior yantritaḥ — being captivated na — not aham — I makhaiḥ — by sacrifices vai — certainly su-labhaḥ — easily obtained tapobhiḥ — by austerities yogena — by practice of mystic yoga vā — or yat — because of which sama-citta — in one who is equipoised vartī — being situated.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
varaṁ ca mat kañcana mānavendra
varam
benediction
ca
also
mat
from Me
kañcana
whatever you like
mānava-indra
O chief of human beings
vṛṇīṣva te ’haṁ guṇa-śīla-yantritaḥ
vṛṇīṣva
please request
te
your
aham
I
guṇa-śīla
by elevated qualities and excellent behavior
nāhaṁ makhair vai sulabhas tapobhir
yogena vā yat sama-citta-vartī
yantritaḥ
being captivated
na
not
aham
I
makhaiḥ
by sacrifices
vai
certainly
su-labhaḥ
easily obtained
tapobhiḥ
by austerities
yogena
by practice of mystic yoga
vā
or
yat
because of which
sama-citta
in one who is equipoised
vartī
being situated.
My dear King, I am very captivated by your elevated qualities and excellent behavior, and thus I am very favorably inclined toward you. You may therefore ask from Me any benediction you like. One who does not possess elevated qualities and behavior cannot possibly achieve My favor simply by performance of sacrifices, severe austerities or mystic yoga. But I always remain equipoised in the heart of one who is also equipoised in all circumstances.

Lord Viṣṇu was very pleased with Mahārāja Pṛthu’s good character and behavior and offered him a benediction. The Lord openly says that performing great sacrifices or undergoing the austerities of mystic yoga practice cannot satisfy Him. He is pleased only by elevated character and behavior. But these cannot develop unless one becomes a pure devotee of the Lord. Anyone who has developed unalloyed, unflinching devotional service unto the Lord develops his original good qualities as spirit soul. The spirit soul, as part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has all the good qualities of the Lord. When the spirit soul is contaminated by the material modes of nature, one is considered good or bad with reference to the material qualities. But when one is transcendental to all material qualities, all the good qualities come out. These qualities of a devotee, twenty-six in number, are listed as follows: (1) kind to everyone, (2) does not quarrel with anyone, (3) fixed in the Absolute Truth, (4) equal to everyone, (5) faultless, (6) charitable, (7) mild, (8) clean, (9) simple, (10) benevolent, (11) peaceful, (12) completely attached to Kṛṣṇa, (13) has no material hankering, (14) meek, (15) steady, (16) self-controlled, (17) does not eat more than required, (18) sane, (19) respectful, (20) humble, (21) grave, (22) compassionate, (23) friendly, (24) poetic, (25) expert, (26) silent. The Lord is satisfied by development of the transcendental qualities of the living entity and not by artificial performance of sacrifices and mystic yoga. In other words, unless one is fully qualified to become a pure devotee of the Lord, one cannot expect to be liberated from material entanglement.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O King of men! Ask any benediction from me. I am controlled by your qualities and nature. I am not easily attained by sacrifices, difficult austerities or yoga, since I am situated in all their hearts neutrally. The Lord speaks with mercy, without any mystery. I am controlled (yantritaḥ) by your good qualities and behavior. Because it is impossible for the Lord to be controlled by material qualities and conduct, Pṛthu’s qualities and nature were all spiritual, arising from bhakti. He had qualities of mercy, forgiveness and had a nature (śīla) of humility and affection. I am not obtained by other processes because I am situated in their hearts equally or neutrally, as the overseer, not controlled by them.
I am captivated by your qualities; ask any benediction. Elevated qualities, not just sacrifices, win the Lord's favor; the back door is character.
Reflection Questions
  • Which quality of mine am I cultivating that would attract divine favor more reliably than any project?
  • Where have I been depending on yajña-output without tending the underlying character?
📝 My note

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