FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.29

जिह्वा न वक्ति भगवद्गुणनामधेयं चेतश्च न स्मरति तच्चरणारविन्दम् । कृष्णाय नो नमति यच्छिर एकदापि तानानयध्वमसतोऽकृतविष्णुकृत्यान् ॥ २९ ॥
jihvā na vakti bhagavad-guṇa-nāmadheyaṁ
[jihvaa na vakti bhagavad-guna-naamadheyam]
cetaś ca na smarati tac-caraṇāravindam
[chetash cha na smarati tach-charanaaravindam]
kṛṣṇāya no namati yac-chira ekadāpi
[krishnaaya no namati yach-chira ekadaapi]
tān ānayadhvam asato ’kṛta-viṣṇu-kṛtyān
[taan aanayadhvam asato ’krita-vishnu-krityaan]
Word-for-word
jihvā — the tongue na — not vakti — chants bhagavat — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead guṇa — transcendental qualities nāma — and the holy name dheyam — imparting cetaḥ — the heart ca — also na — not smarati — remembers tat — His caraṇa-aravindam — lotus feet kṛṣṇāya — unto Lord Kṛṣṇa through His Deity in the temple no — not namati — bows yat — whose śiraḥ — head ekadā api — even once tān — them ānayadhvam — bring before me asataḥ — the nondevotees akṛta — not performing viṣṇu-kṛtyān — duties toward Lord Viṣṇu.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jihvā na vakti bhagavad-guṇa-nāmadheyaṁ
jihvā
the tongue
na
not
vakti
chants
bhagavat
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
guṇa
transcendental qualities
nāma
and the holy name
dheyam
imparting
cetaś ca na smarati tac-caraṇāravindam
cetaḥ
the heart
ca
also
na
not
smarati
remembers
tat
His
caraṇa-aravindam
lotus feet
kṛṣṇāya no namati yac-chira ekadāpi
kṛṣṇāya
unto Lord Kṛṣṇa through His Deity in the temple
no
not
namati
bows
yat
whose
śiraḥ
head
ekadā api
even once
tān ānayadhvam asato ’kṛta-viṣṇu-kṛtyān
tān
them
ānayadhvam
bring before me
asataḥ
the nondevotees
akṛta
not performing
viṣṇu-kṛtyān
duties toward Lord Viṣṇu.
My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy name and qualities of Kṛṣṇa, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Kṛṣṇa. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Viṣṇu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals.
Purport

The word viṣṇu-kṛtyān is very important in this verse because the purpose of human life is to please Lord Viṣṇu. Varṇāśrama-dharma is also meant for that purpose. As stated in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (3.8.9):

varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

Human society is meant to follow strictly the varṇāśrama-dharma, which divides society into four social divisions ( brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra ) and four spiritual divisions ( brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa ). Varṇāśrama-dharma easily brings one nearer to Lord Viṣṇu, who is the only true objective in human society. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: unfortunately, however, people do not know that their self-interest is to return home, back to Godhead, or to approach Lord Viṣṇu. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ: instead, they are simply bewildered. Every human being is expected to perform duties meant for approaching Lord Viṣṇu. Therefore Yamarāja advises the Yamadūtas to bring him those persons who have forgotten their duties toward Viṣṇu ( akṛta-viṣṇu-kṛtyān ). One who does not chant the holy name of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa), who does not bow down to the Deity of Viṣṇu, and who does not remember the lotus feet of Viṣṇu is punishable by Yamarāja. In summary, all avaiṣṇavas, persons unconcerned with Lord Viṣṇu, are punishable by Yamarāja.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Bring to me the non-devotees who have never served Viṣṇu, whose heads have never once bowed to Kṛṣṇa, whose tongues have never pronounced the name and qualities of the Lord, whose minds have never remembered his lotus feet. Those are called sat, or devotee, who have even once chanted the name of the Lord or remembered him. Bring persons other than those. Bring those who have not chanted once the name, and even if their tongues are not active, bring those whose minds have not once remembered the Lord. If their minds are disturbed, then at least bring those who have not once bowed their heads to the Lord. The word “once” should be understood for all the statements. Bring those who have not done any service to Viṣṇu, either purely or at least as the predominant process. These are non-vaiṣṇavas. “Once” can be interpreted as once in a lifetime, once in a year or once in a day according to different opinions.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Bring me only those whose tongues never chant Kṛṣṇa, whose hearts never remember Him even once, whose heads never bow. The minimum threshold for safety is astonishingly low — and we still fall under it.
Reflection Questions
  • Have I chanted, remembered, or bowed even once today?
  • What tiny act of devotion could I do right now that places me on the other side?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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