FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.24.47

जनोऽबुधोऽयं निजकर्मबन्धन: सुखेच्छया कर्म समीहतेऽसुखम् । यत्सेवया तां विधुनोत्यसन्मतिं ग्रन्थिं स भिन्द्याद् धृदयं स नो गुरु: ॥ ४७ ॥
jano ’budho ’yaṁ nija-karma-bandhanaḥ
[jano ’budho ’yam nija-karma-bandhanah]
sukhecchayā karma samīhate ’sukham
[sukhechchayaa karma sameehate ’sukham]
yat-sevayā tāṁ vidhunoty asan-matiṁ
[yat-sevayaa taam vidhunoty asan-matim]
granthiṁ sa bhindyād dhṛdayaṁ sa no guruḥ
[granthim sa bhindyaad dhridayam sa no guruh]
Word-for-word
janaḥ — the conditioned soul subjected to birth and death abudhaḥ — most foolish because of accepting the body as the self ayam — he nija-karma-bandhanaḥ — accepting different bodily forms as a result of his sinful activities sukha-icchayā — desiring to be happy within this material world karma — fruitive activities samīhate — plans asukham — but it is for distress only yat-sevayā — by rendering service unto whom tām — the entanglement of karma vidhunoti — clears up asat-matim — the unclean mentality (accepting the body as the self) granthim — hard knot saḥ — His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead bhindyāt — being cut off hṛdayam — in the core of the heart saḥ — He (the Lord) naḥ — our guruḥ — the supreme spiritual master.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
jano ’budho ’yaṁ nija-karma-bandhanaḥ
janaḥ
the conditioned soul subjected to birth and death
abudhaḥ
most foolish because of accepting the body as the self
sukhecchayā karma samīhate ’sukham
ayam
he
nija-karma-bandhanaḥ
accepting different bodily forms as a result of his sinful activities
sukha-icchayā
desiring to be happy within this material world
karma
fruitive activities
yat-sevayā tāṁ vidhunoty asan-matiṁ
samīhate
plans
asukham
but it is for distress only
granthiṁ sa bhindyād dhṛdayaṁ sa no guruḥ
yat-sevayā
by rendering service unto whom
tām
the entanglement of karma
vidhunoti
clears up
asat-matim
the unclean mentality (accepting the body as the self)
granthim
hard knot
saḥ
His Lordship the Supreme Personality of Godhead
bhindyāt
being cut off
hṛdayam
in the core of the heart
saḥ
He (the Lord)
naḥ
our
guruḥ
the supreme spiritual master.
In hopes of becoming happy in this material world, the foolish conditioned soul performs fruitive activities that result only in suffering. But by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one becomes free from such false desires for happiness. May my supreme spiritual master cut the knot of false desires from the core of my heart.
Purport

For material happiness, the conditioned soul involves himself in fruitive activities, which actually put him into material distress. Because the conditioned soul does not know this, he is said to be in avidyā, or ignorance. Because of a false hope for happiness, the conditioned soul becomes involved in various plans for material activity. Here Mahārāja Satyavrata prays that the Lord sever this hard knot of false happiness and thus become his supreme spiritual master.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Foolish people bound by their own actions perform actions with a desire for happiness, but those actions produce distress. You, by service to whom foolish people destroy those desires, should destroy the ignorance in our hearts which causes false conceptions. Except for you, there is no way of being delivered. The jīva (janaḥ) performs actions with a desire for happiness by which there is no real happiness (asukham). By service to you, they destroy those desires for happiness (tām). You destroy ignorance (granthim) situated in the heart.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Hoping to be happy, the foolish do fruitive activity that brings suffering — but service frees us from false desires. Cut the knot of false desires. The fruitive-misery loop is broken by service, not by better fruits.
Reflection Questions
  • What false hope of happiness through activity am I still pursuing despite repeated suffering?
  • Where would service replace pursuit as the actual liberation mechanism?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 24