FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.9

य: स्वधर्मेण मां नित्यं निराशी: श्रद्धयान्वित: । भजते शनकैस्तस्य मनो राजन् प्रसीदति ॥ ९ ॥
yaḥ sva-dharmeṇa māṁ nityaṁ
[yah sva-dharmena maam nityam]
nirāśīḥ śraddhayānvitaḥ
[niraasheeh shraddhayaanvitah]
bhajate śanakais tasya
[bhajate shanakais tasya]
mano rājan prasīdati
[mano raajan praseedati]
yaḥ — anyone who sva-dharmeṇa — by his occupational duties mām — Me nityam — regularly nirāśīḥ — without any motive śraddhayā — with faith and devotion anvitaḥ — endowed bhajate — worships śanakaiḥ — gradually tasya — his manaḥ — mind rājan — O King Pṛthu prasīdati — becomes fully satisfied.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yaḥ sva-dharmeṇa māṁ nityaṁ
yaḥ
anyone who
sva-dharmeṇa
by his occupational duties
mām
Me
nityam
regularly
nirāśīḥ śraddhayānvitaḥ
nirāśīḥ
without any motive
śraddhayā
with faith and devotion
anvitaḥ
endowed
bhajate śanakais tasya
bhajate
worships
śanakaiḥ
gradually
tasya
his
mano rājan prasīdati
manaḥ
mind
rājan
O King Pṛthu
prasīdati
becomes fully satisfied.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, continued: My dear King Pṛthu, when one situated in his occupational duty engages in My loving service without motive for material gain, he gradually becomes very satisfied within.

This verse is also confirmed by the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Occupational duties are known as varṇāśrama-dharma and apply to the four divisions of material and spiritual life — namely brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, and brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. If one works according to the varṇāśrama-dharma system and does not desire fruitive results, he gets satisfaction gradually. Discharging one’s occupational duty as a means of rendering devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal of life. Bhagavad-gītā confirms this as the process of karma-yoga. In other words, we should act only for the satisfaction and service of the Lord; otherwise we will be entangled by the resultant actions.

Everyone is situated in his occupational duty, but the purpose of material occupations should not be material gain. Rather, everyone should offer the results of his occupational activities. A brāhmaṇa especially should execute his occupational duties not for material gain but to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra should work in a similar way. In this material world everyone is engaged in various professional and occupational duties, but the purpose of such activities should be to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Devotional service is very simple, and anyone can adopt it. Let one remain what he is; he need only install the Deity of the Supreme Lord in his house. The Deity may be Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa (there are many other forms of the Lord). In this way a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra can worship the Deity with the results of his honest labor. Regardless of one’s occupational duty, one should adopt the devotional means of hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, offering everything to the Lord and engaging in His service. In this way one can very easily engage himself in the service of the Lord. When the Lord is pleased with one’s service, one’s mission in life is fulfilled.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O King! One who, without material desire, worships me regularly with faith through his duties gradually develops a satisfied mind. Having realized the above knowledge, one then endeavors by bhakti-miśra-jñāna (sva-dharmeṇa).
Engaging in occupational duty as loving service to Me, without material motive, gradually satisfies the heart. The same job, done with shift of purpose, transforms the worker; you don't have to change jobs to be transformed.
Reflection Questions
  • Where could I deliberately re-direct today's occupational duty into loving service?
  • What evidence of growing inner satisfaction would I expect if I did?
📝 My note

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