FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.17.31

वासुदेवे भगवति भक्तिमुद्वहतां नृणाम् । ज्ञानवैराग्यवीर्याणां न हि कश्चिद् व्यपाश्रय: ॥ ३१ ॥
vāsudeve bhagavati
[vaasudeve bhagavati]
bhaktim udvahatāṁ nṛṇām
[bhaktim udvahataam nrinaam]
jñāna-vairāgya-vīryāṇāṁ
[jnaana-vairaagya-veeryaanaam]
na hi kaścid vyapāśrayaḥ
[na hi kashchid vyapaashrayah]
vāsudeve — to Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead bhaktim — love and faith in devotional service udvahatām — for those who are carrying nṛṇām — men jñāna-vairāgya — of real knowledge and detachment vīryāṇām — possessing the powerful strength na — not hi — indeed kaścit — anything vyapāśrayaḥ — as interest or shelter.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vāsudeve bhagavati
vāsudeve
to Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa
bhagavati
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
bhaktim udvahatāṁ nṛṇām
bhaktim
love and faith in devotional service
udvahatām
for those who are carrying
nṛṇām
men
jñāna-vairāgya-vīryāṇāṁ
jñāna-vairāgya
of real knowledge and detachment
vīryāṇām
possessing the powerful strength
na hi kaścid vyapāśrayaḥ
na
not
hi
indeed
kaścit
anything
vyapāśrayaḥ
as interest or shelter.
Persons engaged in devotional service to Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, have naturally perfect knowledge and detachment from this material world. Therefore such devotees are not interested in the so-called happiness or so-called distress of this world.

Here is the distinction between a devotee and a philosopher who speculates on the subject matter of transcendence. A devotee does not need to cultivate knowledge to understand the falsity or temporary existence of this material world. Because of his unalloyed devotion to Vāsudeva, this knowledge and detachment are automatically manifested in his person. As confirmed elsewhere in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.7) :

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

One who engages in unalloyed devotional service to Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, automatically becomes aware of this material world, and therefore he is naturally detached. This detachment is possible because of his high standard of knowledge. The speculative philosopher tries to understand that this material world is false by cultivating knowledge, but this understanding is automatically manifested in the person of a devotee, without separate endeavor. The Māyāvādī philosophers may be very proud of their so-called knowledge, but because they do not understand Vāsudeva ( vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti ), they do not understand the world of duality, which is a manifestation of Vāsudeva’s external energy. Therefore, unless the so-called jñānīs take shelter of Vāsudeva, their speculative knowledge is imperfect. Ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They simply think of becoming free from the contamination of the material world, but because they do not take shelter at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, their knowledge is impure. When they actually become pure, they surrender to the lotus feet of Vāsudeva. Therefore, the Absolute Truth is easier to understand for a devotee than for jñānīs who simply speculate to understand Vāsudeva. Lord Śiva confirms this statement in the following verse.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Persons having bhakti for Vāsudeva, endowed with jñāna and vairāgya, do not take shelter elsewhere. Attaining realization of the unreality of objects seen in duality by practice of jñāna is difficult for the jñānī. The devotees however do not seek jñāna and vairāgya by practice of jñana because bhakti itself produces jñāna and vairāgya. The devotees have no other shelter in this world. Nothing attracts them. By pursuing only bhakti, they do not make distinctions of good or bad material objects. Please understand the nature of devotees.
Devotees of Vāsudeva are naturally perfect in knowledge and detached; the supposed happiness or distress of this world does not interest them. The destination produces the detachment, not vice versa.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I trying to detach without the destination?
  • Could attention to the destination itself produce the detachment?
📝 My note

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