FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.18.12

यस्यास्ति भक्तिर्भगवत्यकिञ्चना सर्वैर्गुणैस्तत्र समासते सुरा: । हरावभक्तस्य कुतो महद्गुणा मनोरथेनासति धावतो बहि: ॥ १२ ॥
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
[yasyaasti bhaktir bhagavaty akinchanaa]
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
[sarvair gunais tatra samaasate suraah]
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
[haraav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunaa]
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
[manorathenaasati dhaavato bahih]
Word-for-word
yasya — of whom asti — there is bhaktiḥ — devotional service bhagavati — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead akiñcanā — without any motive sarvaiḥ — with all guṇaiḥ — good qualities tatra — there (in that person) samāsate — reside surāḥ — all the demigods harau — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead abhaktasya — of a person who is not devoted kutaḥ — where mahat-guṇāḥ — good qualities manorathena — by mental speculation asati — in the temporary material world dhāvataḥ — who is running bahiḥ — outside.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
yasya
of whom
asti
there is
bhaktiḥ
devotional service
bhagavati
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
akiñcanā
without any motive
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
sarvaiḥ
with all
guṇaiḥ
good qualities
tatra
there (in that person)
samāsate
reside
surāḥ
all the demigods
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
harau
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
abhaktasya
of a person who is not devoted
kutaḥ
where
mahat-guṇāḥ
good qualities
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
manorathena
by mental speculation
asati
in the temporary material world
dhāvataḥ
who is running
bahiḥ
outside.
All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva. On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in the service of the Lord’s external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a man?
Purport

As explained in the next verse, Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all living entities. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (15.7) , wherein Kṛṣṇa says:

mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.” All living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore when they revive their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they possess all the good qualities of Kṛṣṇa in a small quantity. When one engages himself in the nine processes of devotional service ( śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam/ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam ), one’s heart becomes purified, and he immediately understands his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. He then revives his original quality of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In the Ādi-līlā of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Chapter Eight, there is a description of some of the qualities of devotees. For example, Śrī Paṇḍita Haridāsa is described as being very well-behaved, tolerant, peaceful, magnanimous and grave. In addition, he spoke very sweetly, his endeavors were very pleasing, he was always patient, he respected everyone, he always worked for everyone’s benefit, his mind was free of duplicity, and he was completely devoid of all malicious activities. These are all originally qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and when one becomes a devotee they automatically become manifest. Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, says that all good qualities become manifest in the body of a Vaiṣṇava and that only by the presence of these good qualities can one distinguish a Vaiṣṇava from a non-Vaiṣṇava. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja lists the following twenty-six good qualities of a Vaiṣṇava: (1) He is very kind to everyone. (2) He does not make anyone his enemy. (3) He is truthful. (4) He is equal to everyone. (5) No one can find any fault in him. (6) He is magnanimous. (7) He is mild. (8) He is always clean. (9) He is without possessions. (10) He works for everyone’s benefit. (11) He is very peaceful. (12) He is always surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. (13) He has no material desires. (14) He is very meek. (15) He is steady. (16) He controls his senses. (17) He does not eat more than required. (18) He is not influenced by the Lord’s illusory energy. (19) He offers respect to everyone. (20) He does not desire any respect for himself. (21) He is very grave. (22) He is merciful. (23) He is friendly. (24) He is poetic. (25) He is expert. (26) He is silent.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The devatās constantly dwell with all good qualities in that person who has pure bhakti for the Lord. There are no good qualities in the non-devotee who chases after temporary material objects with desire for material pleasure. This verse praises the devotee, who attains his position by bhakti attained through association, mentioned in the previous verse with “who would not hear the pastimes of Mukunda?” Where there is niṣkāma (akiñcanā) bhakti to the Lord, the devatās live in that place completely with all qualities like dharma, jñāna and vairāgya. He becomes filled with all the devatās. This means that by service to the Lord all the devatās are served. Or, the presiding deities of the senses such as Rudra (ego) reside there with all good qualities, and no bad qualities. Thus the bad qualities of pride arising from ahaṅkāra do not arise. How can the qualities without fault, the great qualities arising from bhakti (mahad-guṇāḥ,) reside with the non-devotee? If good qualities such as knowledge of scripture are present in a non-devotee, they coexist with bad qualities like envy and hatred. Such a person chases material pleasure or what is non-existent (asati) with the desire for happiness gained through position etc. (bahiḥ). Or, the presiding deities of the senses in the material world live with bad qualities in material people, since the devatās must deal with saṁsāra. But they do not dwell constantly with the jñānīs absorbed in contemplating oneness of the ātmā. They tremble in fear, thinking “We will die today or tomorrow in the company of these ungrateful people who want to destroy us after getting knowledge from us.” They dwell constantly in the devotees who distribute spiritual knowledge, relishing the sweetness of the Lord, with all good qualities. We are like crude iron, being material, but becoming spiritual. By contact with Kṛṣṇa, we become followers of Kṛṣṇa. Having attained knowledge of the Lord’s form and qualities, they continually relish the sweetness of the Lord. “With that devotee’s association we can cross over death at least.” This is what they conclude with bliss and astonishment. The rest of the verse would be explained as before.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
All good qualities — knowledge, renunciation, religion — manifest naturally in one who has unalloyed devotion to Vāsudeva. Without devotion, even apparent virtue runs on mental speculation and material force. Don't chase virtues; cultivate the root.
Reflection Questions
  • Which virtue have I been trying to engineer that might appear effortlessly if I focused on devotion instead?
  • Where is my 'goodness' actually fueled by ego or social pressure rather than love of God?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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