FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.41

धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाख्यं य इच्छेच्छ्रेय आत्मन: । एकं ह्येव हरेस्तत्र कारणं पादसेवनम् ॥ ४१ ॥
dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣākhyaṁ
[dharmaartha-kaama-mokshaakhyam]
ya icchec chreya ātmanaḥ
[ya ichchech chreya aatmanah]
ekaṁ hy eva hares tatra
[ekam hy eva hares tatra]
kāraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
[kaaranam paada-sevanam]
dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa — the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation ākhyam — by the name yaḥ — who icchet — may desire śreyaḥ — the goal of life ātmanaḥ — of the self ekam hi eva — only the one hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead tatra — in that kāraṇam — the cause pāda-sevanam — worshiping the lotus feet.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣākhyaṁ
dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa
the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation
ākhyam
by the name
yaḥ
who
ya icchec chreya ātmanaḥ
icchet
may desire
śreyaḥ
the goal of life
ātmanaḥ
of the self
ekaṁ hy eva hares tatra
ekam hi eva
only the one
hareḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
tatra
in that
kāraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
kāraṇam
the cause
pāda-sevanam
worshiping the lotus feet.
Any person who desires the fruits of the four principles religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, at the end, liberation, should engage himself in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for worship of His lotus feet yields the fulfillment of all of these.

In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that only with the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can the demigods offer benedictions. Therefore, whenever any sacrifice is offered to a demigod, the Supreme Lord in the form of nārāyaṇa-śilā, or śālagrāma-śilā, is put forward to observe the sacrifice. Actually, the demigods cannot give any benediction without the sanction of the Supreme Lord. Nārada Muni, therefore, advised that even for religiosity, economic development, sense gratification or liberation, one should approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, offer prayers and ask for the fulfillment of one’s desire at the lotus feet of the Lord. That is real intelligence. An intelligent person never goes to demigods to pray for anything. He goes directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the cause of all benediction.

As Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa has said in Bhagavad-gītā, performance of ritualistic ceremonies is not actually religion. The real path of religion is to surrender at the lotus feet of the Lord. For one who is actually surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord, there is no question of any separate endeavor for economic development. A devotee engaged in service to the Lord is not disappointed in the satisfaction of his senses. If he wants to satisfy his senses, Kṛṣṇa fulfills that desire. As far as liberation is concerned, any devotee fully engaged in the service of the Lord is already liberated; therefore there is no separate necessity for his liberation.

Nārada Muni therefore advised Dhruva Mahārāja to take shelter of Vāsudeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and engage himself in the way that his mother had advised, for that would help him fulfill his desire. In this verse Nārada Muni has especially stressed the devotional service of the Lord as the only way. In other words, even if one is full of material desires, he can continue his devotional service to the Lord, and all his desires will be fulfilled.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
If one desires the goals of dharma, artha, kāma or mokṣa, the only method to achieve this is worship of the feet of the Lord.
Whether you want dharma, artha, kāma or mokṣa, the worship of the Lord's lotus feet yields all four. One root practice waters every fruit you'd be tempted to chase separately.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I running four parallel pursuits when one rooted practice could yield all four?
  • Which of the four am I chasing in isolation, drying out from the very thing that would supply all of them?
📝 My note

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