FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.4.6

यस्य ह पाण्डवेय श्लोकावुदाहरन्ति— को नु तत्कर्म राजर्षेर्नाभेरन्वाचरेत्पुमान् । अपत्यतामगाद्यस्य हरि: शुद्धेन कर्मणा ॥ ६ ॥
yasya ha pāṇḍaveya ślokāv udāharanti —
[yasya ha paandaveya shlokaav udaaharanti —]
ko nu tat karma rājarṣer
[ko nu tat karma raajarsher]
nābher anv ācaret pumān
[naabher anv aacharet pumaan]
apatyatām agād yasya
[apatyataam agaad yasya]
hariḥ śuddhena karmaṇā
[harih shuddhena karmanaa]
Word-for-word
yasya — of whom ha — indeed pāṇḍaveya — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit ślokau — two verses udāharanti — recite kaḥ — who nu — then tat — that karma — work rāja-ṛṣeḥ — of the pious King nābheḥ — Nābhi anu — following ācaret — could execute pumān — a man apatyatām — sonhood agāt — accepted yasya — whose hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead śuddhena — pure, executed in devotional service karmaṇā — by activities.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yasya ha pāṇḍaveya ślokāv udāharanti —
yasya
of whom
ha
indeed
pāṇḍaveya
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit
ślokau
two verses
udāharanti
recite
ko nu tat karma rājarṣer
kaḥ
who
nu
then
nābher anv ācaret pumān
apatyatām agād yasya
tat
that
hariḥ śuddhena karmaṇā
karma
work
rāja-ṛṣeḥ
of the pious King
nābheḥ
Nābhi
anu
following
ācaret
could execute
pumān
a man
apatyatām
sonhood
agāt
accepted
yasya
whose
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
śuddhena
pure, executed in devotional service
karmaṇā
by activities.
O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, to glorify Mahārāja Nābhi the old sages composed two verses. One of them is this: “Who can attain the perfection of Mahārāja Nābhi? Who can attain his activities? Because of his devotional service, the Supreme Personality of Godhead agreed to become his son.”
Purport

The words śuddhena karmaṇā are significant in this verse. If work is not carried out in devotional service, it is contaminated by the modes of material nature. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā: yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ. Activities performed only for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord are pure and are not contaminated by the modes of material nature. All other activities are contaminated by the modes of ignorance and passion, as well as goodness. All material activities meant for satisfying the senses are contaminated, and Mahārāja Nābhi did not perform anything contaminated. He simply executed his transcendental activities even when performing yajña. Consequently he obtained the Supreme Lord as his son.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O Parīkṣit! The citizens recited verses to praise Nābhi. What man could follow King Nābhi, for whom the Lord became his son by execution of pure bhakti? Śuddhena karmaṇā means “by pure bhakti.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Work done purely for the Lord's satisfaction transcends the modes; everything else, even good work, leaves karmic residue. Purity of motive is what makes activity 'pure,' not the activity itself.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of today's activities can you genuinely say are aimed only at the Lord's satisfaction?
  • Where is your work picking up karmic residue you have not noticed?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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