FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Bhagavad-gītā 11.55

మత్కర్మకృన్మత్పరమో మద్భ‍క్త: సఙ్గవర్జిత: । నిర్వైర: సర్వభూతేషు య: స మామేతి పాణ్డవ ॥ ౫౫ ॥
mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo
[mat-karma-krin mat-paramo]
mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ
[mad-bhaktah sanga-varjitah]
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu
[nirvairah sarva-bhooteshu]
yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
[yah sa maam eti paandava]
mat - karma - kṛt — engaged in doing My work mat - paramaḥ — considering Me the Supreme mat - bhaktaḥ — engaged in My devotional service saṅga - varjitaḥ — freed from the contamination of fruitive activities and mental speculation nirvairaḥ — without an enemy sarva - bhūteṣu — among all living entities yaḥ — one who saḥ — he mām — unto Me eti — comes pāṇḍava — O son of Pāṇḍu .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo
mat - karma - kṛt
engaged in doing My work
mat - paramaḥ
considering Me the Supreme
mat - bhaktaḥ
engaged in My devotional service
mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ
saṅga - varjitaḥ
freed from the contamination of fruitive activities and mental speculation
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu
nirvairaḥ
without an enemy
sarva - bhūteṣu
among all living entities
yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
yaḥ
one who
saḥ
he
mām
unto Me
eti
comes
pāṇḍava
O son of Pāṇḍu .
  • mat - karma - kṛt — who works for Me
    Compound: mat (My) + karma (work) + kṛt (doer). The first of the verse's qualifications. Even karma is not abandoned — it is re-directed.
  • mat - paramaḥ — who makes Me supreme
    Compound: mat + parama (supreme). The Lord is held as the highest value. Even good things become subordinate; only Kṛṣṇa is parama.
  • saṅga - varjitaḥ — free from attachment
    Compound: saṅga (attachment) + varjita (forsaken). Saṅga — the same word from 2.47. The chapter's last verse circles back to the karma-yoga of the second chapter; the Gītā's geometry closes.
  • nirvairaḥ — free from enmity
    Compound: nir (without) + vaira (enmity). One of the most beautiful single-word qualifications in the Gītā. The devotee is at war with no one — fitting that the chapter set on the battlefield ends on this word.
  • sarva - bhūteṣu — toward all beings
    Compound locative: sarva (all) + bhūta (being). Universal — no being excluded. The friendliness has no boundary.
  • eti — he goes, attains
    Third-person singular present of i — 'goes (to).' Paired with accusative mām, 'comes to Me.' The verb of arrival. After all the seeing, the chapter ends with going-to. Vision yields to journey; darśana opens into approach.
My dear Arjuna, he who engages in My pure devotional service, free from the contaminations of fruitive activities and mental speculation, he who works for Me, who makes Me the supreme goal of his life, and who is friendly to every living being – he certainly comes to Me.

Anyone who wants to approach the supreme of all the Personalities of Godhead, on the Kṛṣṇaloka planet in the spiritual sky, and be intimately connected with the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa, must take this formula, as stated by the Supreme Himself. Therefore, this verse is considered to be the essence of Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is a book directed to the conditioned souls, who are engaged in the material world with the purpose of lording it over nature and who do not know of the real, spiritual life. The Bhagavad-gītā is meant to show how one can understand his spiritual existence and his eternal relationship with the supreme spiritual personality and to teach one how to go back home, back to Godhead. Now here is the verse which clearly explains the process by which one can attain success in his spiritual activity: devotional service. As far as work is concerned, one should transfer his energy entirely to Kṛṣṇa conscious activities. As stated in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.255), anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate No work should be done by any man except in relationship to Kṛṣṇa. This is called kṛṣṇa-karma. One may be engaged in various activities, but one should not be attached to the result of his work; the result should be done only for Him. For example, one may be engaged in business, but to transform that activity into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has to do business for Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of the business, then Kṛṣṇa should enjoy the profit of the business. If a businessman is in possession of thousands and thousands of dollars, and if he has to offer all this to Kṛṣṇa, he can do it. This is work for Kṛṣṇa. Instead of constructing a big building for his sense gratification, he can construct a nice temple for Kṛṣṇa, and he can install the Deity of Kṛṣṇa and arrange for the Deity’s service, as is outlined in the authorized books of devotional service. This is all kṛṣṇa-karma. One should not be attached to the result of his work, but the result should be offered to Kṛṣṇa, and one should accept as prasādam the remnants of offerings to Kṛṣṇa. If one constructs a very big building for Kṛṣṇa and installs the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, one is not prohibited from living there, but it is understood that the proprietor of the building is Kṛṣṇa. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If, however, one is not able to construct a temple for Kṛṣṇa, one can engage himself in cleansing the temple of Kṛṣṇa; that is also kṛṣṇa-karma. One can cultivate a garden. Anyone who has land – in India, at least, any poor man has a certain amount of land – can utilize that for Kṛṣṇa by growing flowers to offer Him. One can sow tulasī plants, because tulasī leaves are very important and Kṛṣṇa has recommended this in Bhagavad-gītā. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. Kṛṣṇa desires that one offer Him either a leaf, or a flower, or fruit, or a little water – and by such an offering He is satisfied. This leaf especially refers to the tulasī. So one can sow tulasī and pour water on the plant. Thus, even the poorest man can engage in the service of Kṛṣṇa. These are some of the examples of how one can engage in working for Kṛṣṇa. The word mat-paramaḥ refers to one who considers the association of Kṛṣṇa in His supreme abode to be the highest perfection of life. Such a person does not wish to be elevated to the higher planets such as the moon or sun or heavenly planets, or even the highest planet of this universe, Brahmaloka. He has no attraction for that. He is only attracted to being transferred to the spiritual sky. And even in the spiritual sky he is not satisfied with merging into the glowing brahma-jyotir effulgence, for he wants to enter the highest spiritual planet, namely Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana. He has full knowledge of that planet, and therefore he is not interested in any other. As indicated by the word mad-bhaktaḥ, he fully engages in devotional service, specifically in the nine processes of devotional engagement: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering prayers, carrying out the orders of the Lord, making friends with Him, and surrendering everything to Him. One can engage in all nine devotional processes, or eight, or seven, or at least in one, and that will surely make one perfect. The term saṅga-varjitaḥ is very significant. One should disassociate himself from persons who are against Kṛṣṇa. Not only are the atheistic persons against Kṛṣṇa, but so also are those who are attracted to fruitive activities and mental speculation. Therefore the pure form of devotional service is described in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11) as follows: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā In this verse Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī clearly states that if anyone wants to execute unalloyed devotional service, he must be freed from all kinds of material contamination. He must be freed from the association of persons who are addicted to fruitive activities and mental speculation. When, freed from such unwanted association and from the contamination of material desires, one favorably cultivates knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, that is called pure devotional service. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam ( Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.676). One should think of Kṛṣṇa and act for Kṛṣṇa favorably, not unfavorably. Kaṁsa was an enemy of Kṛṣṇa’s. From the very beginning of Kṛṣṇa’s birth, Kaṁsa planned in so many ways to kill Him, and because he was always unsuccessful, he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Thus while working, while eating and while sleeping, he was always Kṛṣṇa conscious in every respect, but that Kṛṣṇa consciousness was not favorable, and therefore in spite of his always thinking of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day, he was considered a demon, and Kṛṣṇa at last killed him. Of course anyone who is killed by Kṛṣṇa attains salvation immediately, but that is not the aim of the pure devotee. The pure devotee does not even want salvation. He does not want to be transferred even to the highest planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana. His only objective is to serve Kṛṣṇa wherever he may be. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa is friendly to everyone. Therefore it is said here that he has no enemy ( nirvairaḥ ). How is this? A devotee situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness knows that only devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can relieve a person from all the problems of life. He has personal experience of this, and therefore he wants to introduce this system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, into human society. There are many examples in history of devotees of the Lord who risked their lives for the spreading of God consciousness. The favorite example is Lord Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the nondevotees, but he sacrificed his life for spreading God consciousness. Of course, it would be superficial to understand that he was killed. Similarly, in India also there are many examples, such as Ṭhākura Haridāsa and Prahlāda Mahārāja. Why such risk? Because they wanted to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it is difficult. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows that if a man is suffering it is due to his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, the highest benefit one can render to human society is relieving one’s neighbor from all material problems. In such a way, a pure devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord. Now, we can imagine how merciful Kṛṣṇa is to those engaged in His service, risking everything for Him. Therefore it is certain that such persons must reach the supreme planet after leaving the body. In summary, the universal form of Kṛṣṇa, which is a temporary manifestation, and the form of time which devours everything, and even the form of Viṣṇu, four-handed, have all been exhibited by Kṛṣṇa. Thus Kṛṣṇa is the origin of all these manifestations. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is a manifestation of the original viśva-rūpa, or Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of all forms. There are hundreds and thousands of Viṣṇus, but for a devotee no form of Kṛṣṇa is important but the original form, two-handed Śyāmasundara. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that those who are attached to the Śyāmasundara form of Kṛṣṇa in love and devotion can see Him always within the heart and cannot see anything else. One should understand, therefore, that the purport of this Eleventh Chapter is that the form of Kṛṣṇa is essential and supreme. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta Purports to the Eleventh Chapter of the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā in the matter of the Universal Form.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
55. He who works for Me, who holds Me as supreme, who is devoted to Me, without material attachment, devoid of hatred of any living being, attains Me, O Arjuna.
Commentary

In order to summarize the subject of bhakti, in this verse the Lord speaks about the general characteristics of various types of devotees who were described starting in the seventh chapter. Saṅga-varjitaḥ means devoid of material attachment. Arjuna understood that his victory on the battle field was dependent on the great power of Kṛṣṇa alone. This is the meaning of this chapter. Here ends the commentaries on the eleventh chapter of the Gītā for the pleasure of the devotees’ minds, by the mercy of the ācāryas.

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Gauḍīya
Translation
55. He who does work for Me, who holds Me as supreme, who is devoted to Me, without materialistic association, devoid of hatred of any living being, attains Me, O Arjuna.
Commentary

Having taught that exclusive bhakti is the means of attaining Himself, Kṛṣṇa now concludes. He who acts for Me (mat karma kṛt), doing such service as building and cleaning My temple, or cleaning the gardens containing My flowers and tulasī, who does not know as his goal (such as svarga) anything except Me (mat paramaḥ), who is engaged as My devotee by performing hearing and the rest of the nine processes of bhakti (mad bhaktaḥ), who does not tolerate associating with those opposed to Me (saṅga varjitaḥ), but who is devoid of enmity to even those opposed to Me (nirvairaḥ sarva bhūteṣu), since he considers that the suffering they cause is brought about by himself alone through his previous karmas –that person attains Me, Kṛsna, in My human form. No one else does. The eleventh chapter shows that Kṛsṇa is the complete form of God, because He is the source of all avatāras, and He is thus the cause of the victory for His devotees, the sons of Pāṇdu, on the battlefield in Bhārata. Chapter 12

Bhūrijana Dāsa Gauḍīya
Commentary

'Mat‑karma‑krn mat‑paramo', "engaged in doing My work, considering Me the Supreme." Not that one serves Krsna and considers the impersonal as the Supreme. That will not reveal the Truth. Srila Prabhupada says in his Purport: "In summary, the universal form of Krsna, which is a temporary manifestation, and the form of time which devours everything, and even the form of Visnu, four‑handed, have all been exhibited by Krsna. Thus Krsna is the origin of all these manifestations. It is not that Krsna is a manifestation of the original visva‑rupa, or Visnu. Krsna is the origin of all forms. There are hundreds and thousands of Visnus, but for a devotee no form of Krsna is important but the original form, two‑handed Syamasundara. In the Brahma‑samhita it is stated that those who are attached to the Syamasundara form of Krsna in love and devotion can see Him always within the heart and cannot see anything else. One should understand, therefore, that the purport of this Eleventh Chapter is that the form of Krsna is essential and supreme." This also shows that Krsna's devotees will be always victorious.

REVIEW: In Chapter Seven, Krsna described how He is the Supreme Lord and how one can see Him. How one can see the all universe as just an expansion of His two different energies. Krsna said that. Then in Chapter Nine, Krsna, more or less said it again, and He explained that everything is coming from Him and everything should be seen in relationship to Him because He is the Supreme Lord. Then, He described in the end of Chapter Nine, how one should worship Him ‑ with devotion. And He will protect everyone, no matter what their birth is, if they surrender to Him they all will attain Krsna. Then, in Chapter Ten, Krsna explained all His opulences and described 'aham sarvasya prabhavo...', that everything is emanating from Me'. Then, He explained in the end of Chapter Ten, 'ekamsena sthito jagat...', 'the all universe is being supported, sustained and pervaded by Me'. Anyone could repeat all this and just bluff saying that he is God, that everything comes from him, etc, etc,,,. Therefore, after explaining all that confidential knowledge about Himself, Krsna displayed the actual universal form in front of witnesses, including Sanjaya and the demigods. To see the criterion, that anyone who claims to be God has to have the ability to show the universal form to everyone. Therefore Krsna displayed the universal form to show that He was not just talking cheap words, but actually He had the potency to back up those words. The three aspects of the universal form: 1. Everything was situated in one place. 2. The radiance, the effulgence. 3. 'Kala‑rupa', the form of time (the horrible aspect of it)

This Chapter Eleven is less important then Chapter Ten. In this Chapter it shows 'ekamsena sthito jagat', the form by which the Lord pervades the entire universe. Arjuna had no desire to see it for himself but for others he asked Krsna to display it to prove this point that Krsna is not just talking that He is the Supreme, but He is actually proving it.

THUS ENDS THE STUDY OF CHAPTER ELEVEN.

Gauranga Priya Dāsa Study Key verse
Bhakti-śāstrī Notes, ISKCON Chowpatty (2009)
Theme
THIS VERSE IS CONSIDERED THE ESSENCE OF BHAGAVAD GITA

Because anyone who wants to approach the Supreme, in Krishnaloka

in the spiritual sky, in intimate connection, must take this formula

THEME: Only most purified devotional service free from Jnana and Karma, executed without envy can bring

one to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead

PLEASE NOTE: Some points of the purports are included as the sub-points; under the characteristics motioned

below. The remaining points of the purport are covered in the ‘Focus of Learning’ box thereafter.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCH DEVOTIONAL SERVICE (ANANYA-BHAKTI) ARE:

1. ‘Mad-bhaktah’ – Engages in My pure devotional service (Nine processes)

Either perform all nine or at least one – That will make life perfect

2. ‘Sanga varjitah’ – Free from contaminations of fruitive acts and mental speculation

Disassociate from persons against Krishna and Bhakti-yoga
Atheists
Fruitive workers
Mental speculators
Definition of pure devotional service – Ref Bhakti-rasamtra-sindhu 1.1.11 – “anya bhilasita...”
Free from all material desires
Free from fruitive acts and mental speculation (Karma and Jnana)
‘Think of Krishna’ and act for Krishna ‘favourably’ – e.g. Not like Kamsa who was always thinking of Krishna, but unfavourably
Accept favourable and reject unfavourable (Hari-Bhakti Vilasa – “anukulasya...”)
A pure devotee does not even want Goloka – only wants to serve Krishna

3. ‘Mat-karma Krt’ – Works for ‘Me’ – without attachment to the results (with mentality of Krishna as

proprietor) –

Krishna-karma – Implies that no work should be done except in relationship with Krishna
e.g. Businessman offering money to Krishna or Constructing a big temple for Krishna
Accept remnants of Krishna’s offering as Prasadam
Even poorest man can perform – e.g. Clean temple / Cultivate garden for flowers and tulasi (Bg. 9.26 – “patram pushpam...”)

4. ‘Mat-paramo’ – Makes ‘Me’ the Supreme Goal of Life

Considers Krishna’s association in Supreme abode as the highest perfection of life
No wish to elevate to Higher planets like Brahmaloka etc.
Not even satisfied with Brahmajyoti but only Krishna loka
Because he has full knowledge of that planet

5. ‘Nirvairah sarva-bhutesu’ – Friendly to all living beings

Because he knows Krishna consciousness as the only solution to all problems
Has personally experienced all this
Therefore wants to introduce Krishna consciousness in human society
Takes all risk to spread e.g. Jesus Christ / Prahlada Maharaja / Haridas Thakur
Krishna Conscious person knows the cause of suffering – “forgetfulness of eternal relationship with Krishna”
Highest benefit is ‘‘to relieve the neighbour from material problems’’

END OF CHAPTER 11 
Focus of Learning

(a) About Bhagavad-gita

For whom – For conditioned souls who are engaged in Lording over and do not know real spiritual life
Purpose – To show how to understand spiritual existence and eternal relationship with Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to go Back to Godhead
Process – Given in 11.55 – Work for Krishna (Devotional Service)
How to Work – Transfer all energy entirely to Krishna conscious acts e.g. Yukta-vairagya

(b) The Lord is very merciful to a person engaged according to 11.55 – Such a person reaches the

highest planet

(c) Conclusion / Purport of Chapter 11 –

Form of Krishna is Essential and Supreme
Krishna exhibits ‘Universal Form’ which is temporary
‘Form of Time’ which devours all
Even ‘Vishnu’ form which is four-handed
Thus Krishna is the origin of all
Krishna’s Form can only be understood by ‘His unalloyed devotees’
For a devotee, only two-handed ‘Syamasundara’ form is important
Who can see the Lord? – Eyes anointed with ‘Love of God’ (Brahma Samhita 5.39)

Bhagavad Gita Notes

CHAPTER 11 Appendix

Selected Texts extracted from “Surrender unto Me”

Śrī Śaṅkarācārya Classical
Translation
11.55 Pandava, O son of Pandu; yah, he who; mat-karma-krt, works for Me: work for Me is mat-karma; one who does it is mat-karma-krt-. Mat-paramah, who accepts Me as the supreme Goal: A servant does work for his master, but does not accept the master as his own supreme Goal to be attained after death; his one, however, who does work for Me, accepts Me alone as the supreme Goal. Thus he is matparamah-one to whom I am the supreme Goal-. So also he who is madbhaktah, devoted to me: He adores Me alone in all ways, with his whole being and full enthusiasm. Thus he is madbhaktah-. Sanga-varjitah, who is devoid of attachment for wealth, sons, friends, wife and relatives, Sanga means fondness, love; devoid of them-. Nirvairah, who is free from enmity; sarva-bhutesu, towards all beings-berefit of the idea of enmity even towards those engaged in doing unmost harm to him-. Sah, he who is such a devotee of Mine; eti, attains; mam, Me. I alone am his supreme Goal; he does not attain any other goal. This is the advice for you, given by Me as desired by you.
Śrī Rāmānujācārya Classical
Translation
11.55 Whosoever performs all acts like the study of the Vedas described above, considering them as several modes of worship, 'he works for Me.' He who 'looks upon Me as the highest,' namely, one to whom I alone am the highest purpose in all his enterprises, has Me as 'the highest end.' He who is 'devoted to me,' i.e., is greatly devoted to me and hence unable to sustain himself without reciting My names, praising Me, meditating upon Me, worshipping Me, saluting Me etc., he who performs these always considering Me as the supreme end - he is My devotee. He is 'free from attachments,' as he is attached to me alone, and is therefore unable to have attachment to any other entity. He who is without hatred towards any being, is one who fulfils all the following conditions: his nature is to feel pleasure or pain solely on account of his union or separation from Me; he considers his own sins to be the cause of his sufferings (and not the work of others); he is confirmed in his faith that all beings are dependent on the Parama-purusa. For all these reasons he has no hatred for any one.
Śrī Abhinavagupta Classical
Translation
11.54-55 Bhaktya etc. Mat-karma etc. Those, whose devotion, charming by the absence of any other object in it, bursts forth-to the field of realisation of those persons descends the Vasudea - tattva, the Absolute being, without any effort (on their part) just on account of their appreciation of the advice given earlier as 'Having the realisation that Vasudeva is all, one takes refuge in Me. etc.'
Swami Sivananda Classical
Translation
11.55 He who does all actions for Me, who looks upon Me as the Supreme, who is devoted to Me, who is free from attachment, who bears enmity towards no creature, he comes to Me, O Arjuna.
Commentary

11.55 मत्कर्मकृत् does actions for Me? मत्परमः looks on Me as the Supreme? मद्भक्तः is devoted to Me? सङ्गवर्जितः is freed from attachment? निर्वैरः without enmity? सर्वभूतेषु towards all creatures? यः who? सः he? माम् to Me? एति goes? पाण्डव O Arjuna.Commentary This is the essence of the whole teaching of the Gita. He who practises this teaching will attain Supreme Bliss and Immortality. This verse contains the summary of the entire philosophy of the Gita.He who performs actions (duties) for the sake of the Lord? who consecrates all his actions to Him? who serves the Lord with his heart and soul? who regards the Lord as his supreme goal? who lives for Him alone? who works for Him alone? who sees the Lord in everything? who sees the whole world as the Cosmic Form of the Lord and therefore cherishes no feeling of hatred or enmity towards any creature even when great injury has been done by others to him? who has no attachment or love to wealth? children? wife? friends and relatives? and who seeks nothing else but the Lord? realises Him and enters into His Being. He becomes one with Him.Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita? the science of the Eternal? the scripture of Yoga? the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna? ends the eleventh discourse entitledThe Yoga of the Vision of the Cosmic Form.,

Swami Gambhīrānanda Classical
Translation
11.55 O son of Pandu, he who works for Me, accepts Me as the supreme Goal, is devoted to Me, is devoid of attachment and free from enmity towards all beings-he attains Me.
Shri Purohit Swami Classical
Translation
11.55 He whose every action is done for My sake, to whom I am the final goal, who loves Me only and hates no one - O My dearest son, only he can realize Me!"
Related values
Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Guru Bhakti (Reverence for Teacher)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)Maitri (Friendship / Goodwill)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)Abhaya (Fearlessness)
Related verses
He who acts for Me, depends on Me, is My devotee, free from attachment and enmity to all beings — he attains Me, O Pāṇḍava.
Practical Applications
  • Audit five qualities: act for Me, depend on Me, devotee, no attachment to others, no enmity.
  • Note any of the five that's weak; address it.
  • Trust the formula.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of the five is weakest in me?
  • What single discipline addresses it?

A river that has been narrowed and narrowed by gorges finally opens onto a single delta — every drop arrives at the same sea. The Gītā has narrowed action, knowledge, sacrifice, austerity into the single delta of mat-karma-kṛt mat-paramaḥ mat-bhaktaḥ — to work for Me, to depend on Me, to love Me — and at this delta the soul enters the ocean.

Ambarīṣa Mahārāja's Life of Bhakti

King Ambarīṣa (SB 9.4) embodied every quality of 11.55. He worked for the Lord (mat-karma-kṛt) — engaging his royal duties in service. He held the Lord as supreme (mat-paramaḥ) — refusing even the sage Durvāsā's siddhis. He was the Lord's devotee (mat-bhaktaḥ). He was free of fruitive attachment (saṅga-varjitaḥ) and friendly to all beings (sarva-bhūteṣu nirvairaḥ).

The Bhāgavatam's portrait of Ambarīṣa is, in effect, a commentary on BG 11.55. Kṛṣṇa's promise in this verse — sa mām eti pāṇḍava, he certainly comes to Me — is the very fruit Ambarīṣa attained, sheltered by the Sudarśana-cakra and welcomed home.

📝 My note

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