FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.1

श्रीनारद उवाच कर्मनिष्ठा द्विजा: केचित्तपोनिष्ठा नृपापरे । स्वाध्यायेऽन्ये प्रवचने केचन ज्ञानयोगयो: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-nārada uvāca
[shree-naarada uvaacha]
karma-niṣṭhā dvijāḥ kecit
[karma-nishthaa dvijaah kechit]
tapo-niṣṭhā nṛpāpare
[tapo-nishthaa nripaapare]
svādhyāye ’nye pravacane
[svaadhyaaye ’nye pravachane]
kecana jñāna-yogayoḥ
[kechana jnaana-yogayoh]
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Nārada Muni said karma-niṣṭhāḥ — attached to ritualistic ceremonies (according to one’s social status as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra) dvi-jāḥ — the twice-born (especially the brāhmaṇas) kecit — some tapaḥ-niṣṭhāḥ — very much attached to austerities and penances nṛpa — O King apare — others svādhyāye — in studying Vedic literature anye — others pravacane — delivering speeches on Vedic literature kecana — some jñāna-yogayoḥ — in culturing knowledge and practicing bhakti-yoga..
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-nārada uvāca
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca
Nārada Muni said
karma-niṣṭhā dvijāḥ kecit
karma-niṣṭhāḥ
attached to ritualistic ceremonies (according to one’s social status as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra)
dvi-jāḥ
the twice-born (especially the brāhmaṇas)
kecit
some
tapo-niṣṭhā nṛpāpare
tapaḥ-niṣṭhāḥ
very much attached to austerities and penances
nṛpa
O King
apare
others
svādhyāye ’nye pravacane
svādhyāye
in studying Vedic literature
anye
others
pravacane
delivering speeches on Vedic literature
kecana jñāna-yogayoḥ
kecana
some
jñāna-yogayoḥ
in culturing knowledge and practicing bhakti-yoga..
Nārada Muni continued: My dear King, some brāhmaṇas are very much attached to fruitive activities, some are attached to austerities and penances, and still others study the Vedic literature, whereas some, although very few, cultivate knowledge and practice different yogas, especially bhakti-yoga.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Some brāhmaṇas are devoted to performing rituals and duties. Some are devoted to austerity. Some are devoted to studying and preaching the Vedas. Some are devoted to jñāna-yoga. The Fifteenth Chapter describes all the rules for the householder, and ends with a summary. In the previous chapter the superiority of the brāhmaṇa was described. Among the brāhmaṇas there are gradations. The householder fixed in karma is a vipra. When he is fixed in austerity he is a vanaprastha. When he is fixed in study and teaching he is a brahmacārī. When he is fixed in jñāna-yoga he is a sannyāsī. The word niṣṭhā should be understood to be included with each phrase. The latter are superior to the former in the list.
Brāhmaṇas naturally divide by their attachments — fruitive work, austerity, study, knowledge, yoga. Spiritual community is not uniform; people have different talents and emphases. Recognize the differences without ranking everyone by your own preference.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of these tendencies is most natural in you, and which do you secretly dismiss in others?
  • How can you honor a path that helps another even when it would not help you?
📝 My note

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