Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.84.21
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
sat-gatyā
—
the goal of saintly persons
sat (true) + gati (goal). Kṛṣṇa is what sat-persons are heading toward. Gauḍīyas hold the prayojana of all the regulative limbs (sambandha-abhidheya) to be kṛṣṇa-prema, which is what 'sat-gati' here ultimately names.
-
sāphalyam
—
fruition, becoming fruitful
sa- (with) + phala (fruit) + -ya (abstract). Birth, education, austerity, sight — each one becomes a phala-bearer only on meeting Kṛṣṇa. Gauḍīyas read sāphalya as the same condition kārtsnyena named in verse 9.
-
śreyasām
—
of (all) benefits
Genitive plural of śreyas (highest good). Gauḍīyas distinguish preyas (immediately pleasant) from śreyas (ultimately beneficial), and within śreyas they hold prema-bhakti as the topmost. The sages name Kṛṣṇa as the śreyasām paraḥ — beyond even the standard śreyas-mokṣa.
-
saṅgamya
—
by obtaining association
From sam + √gam (to go together). The saṅga of saṅga-saṅgatī. Gauḍīyas treat satāṁ saṅga (SB 3.25.25) as the seed of all spiritual progress — exactly what this gerund names.
The sages here contrast their respect for the Lord with His reciprocal worship of them. Lord Kṛṣṇa honors brāhmaṇas as a means of instructing less intelligent men, whereas He is in fact absolutely independent. The brāhmaṇas who worship Him, on the other hand, benefit themselves more than they can imagine.
Our knowledge, austerity and eye have become successful today on our attaining association with you, the very form of the ultimate goal (sad gatya), because you are the ultimate limit of auspiciousness (sreyasam parah antah).
Let that be. Now we will reveal the bliss in our hearts by thinking of your inconceivable nature. Today, at this time, you reveal yourself as Svayam Bhagavān, without giving up the qualities we mentioned. Later Devakī will say avatīrṇau kilādya me: taking birth from me, you have now descended to this world. (SB 10.85.30) Today our births have been successful with study of the Vedas, spiritual knowledge of what is not visible in this world arising from actions (tapasaḥ), and knowledge of what is visible in this world (dṛśaḥ). What did we do? We have associated with you along with the supreme shelter of your devotees (sad-gatyā). “You have realized Brahman. You have seen my remarkable appearances in this world. Why then do you describe your birth as successful at the time of my appearance in the world?” You alone are the best of all human goals. You are the highest. Uddhava said: yan martya-līlaupayikaṁ sva-yoga- māyā-balaṁ darśayatā gṛhītam vismāpanaṁ svasya ca saubhagarddheḥ paraṁ padaṁ bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣaṇāṅgam Kṛṣṇa possesses that form suitable for human pastimes to show the full capacity of his yoga-māyā. That form astonishes even the lord of Vaikuṇṭha. It is the pinnacle of auspicious qualities and enhances the beauty of his ornaments. SB 3.2.12
Today our birth is successful, and spiritual and material knowledge and sva-dharma have become successful. Or today we have taken birth, because our birth is successful. It is otherwise useless, because of lack of knowledge. The various successes are mentioned starting with birth and ending with seeing the Lord (dṛk). Tapas is the cause of seeing the Lord. The Lord is to be attained by the devotees (sad-gatyā). He is the highest end (antaḥ) of what is beneficial. Or being fixed in you (yad antaḥ) brings the highest prema (paraḥ) for your lotus feet--among all beneficial things (śreyasām). That is attained by your mercy.
The sages confess: every credential they brought — birth, learning, austerity, the trained eye — was only a coin waiting for the kiosk of Your darśana. Today the kiosk opened. Kṛṣṇa is the redemption-point of every spiritual asset; meeting Him is what makes them count.
Nārada, in SB 1.5–6, recounts that in his previous life as a maidservant's son he had received the remnants of itinerant Vaiṣṇavas — and that one meal, taken with bhakti, redirected his entire trajectory.
Gauḍīyas read his story as the proof of this verse: birth and education count only as they converge on sat-saṅga.
My note
Source: vedabase.io