FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.9.24

इष्ट्वा मां यज्ञहृदयं यज्ञै: पुष्कलदक्षिणै: । भुक्त्वा चेहाशिष: सत्या अन्ते मां संस्मरिष्यसि ॥ २४ ॥
iṣṭvā māṁ yajña-hṛdayaṁ
[ishtvaa maam yajna-hridayam]
yajñaiḥ puṣkala-dakṣiṇaiḥ
[yajnaih pushkala-dakshinaih]
bhuktvā cehāśiṣaḥ satyā
[bhuktvaa chehaashishah satyaa]
ante māṁ saṁsmariṣyasi
[ante maam samsmarishyasi]
iṣṭvā — after worshiping mām — Me yajña-hṛdayam — the heart of all sacrifices yajñaiḥ — by great sacrifices puṣkala-dakṣiṇaiḥ — comprehending distribution of great charities bhuktvā — after enjoying ca — also iha — within this world āśiṣaḥ — blessings satyāḥ — true ante — at the end mām — Me saṁsmariṣyasi — you will be able to remember.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
iṣṭvā māṁ yajña-hṛdayaṁ
iṣṭvā
after worshiping
mām
Me
yajña-hṛdayam
the heart of all sacrifices
yajñaiḥ
by great sacrifices
yajñaiḥ puṣkala-dakṣiṇaiḥ
puṣkala-dakṣiṇaiḥ
comprehending distribution of great charities
bhuktvā cehāśiṣaḥ satyā
bhuktvā
after enjoying
ca
also
iha
within this world
āśiṣaḥ
blessings
satyāḥ
true
ante māṁ saṁsmariṣyasi
ante
at the end
mām
Me
saṁsmariṣyasi
you will be able to remember.
The Lord continued: I am the heart of all sacrifices. You will be able to perform many great sacrifices and also give great charities. In this way you will be able to enjoy the blessings of material happiness in this life, and at the time of your death you will be able to remember Me.

The most important factor in this verse is the Lord’s instructions regarding how to remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead at the end of life. Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ: the result of whatever we do in executing spiritual activities is successful if we can remember Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This program of constant remembrance can be disturbed by many things, but Dhruva Mahārāja’s life would be so pure, as assured by the Lord Himself, that Dhruva would never forget Him. Thus at the time of his death he would remember the Supreme Lord, and before his death he would enjoy this material world, not by sense gratification, but by performing great sacrifices. As stated in the Vedas, when one performs great sacrifices he must give charity, not only to the brāhmaṇas, but also to the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. It is assured here that Dhruva Mahārāja would be able to perform such activities. In this Age of Kali, however, the great sacrifice is the performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is designed to teach people (and to learn ourselves) the exact instruction of the Personality of Godhead. In this way we shall continuously perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña and continuously chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then at the end of our lives we shall certainly be able to remember Kṛṣṇa, and our program of life will be successful. In this age, distribution of prasāda has replaced distribution of money. No one has sufficient money to distribute, but if we distribute kṛṣṇa-prasāda as far as possible, this is more valuable than the distribution of money.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After worshipping me, the heart of sacrifice by sacrifice and bountiful donations, after enjoying real blessings on earth, you will remember me at death. You will attain fame in this world.
You will perform great sacrifices, give great charities, enjoy material happiness — and at death, remember Me. The whole point of a well-arranged life is that final remembrance; design accordingly.
Reflection Questions
  • If my last conscious thought were of Him, what would have to be in place now?
  • Which charity or sacrifice am I being prompted to take up while I have the chance?
📝 My note

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