FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.19.22

కిం దుష్కరైర్న: క్రతుభిస్తపోవ్రతై- ర్దానాదిభిర్వా ద్యుజయేన ఫల్గునా । న యత్ర నారాయణపాదపఙ్కజ- స్మృతి: ప్రముష్టాతిశయేన్ద్రియోత్సవాత్ ॥ ౨౨ ॥
kiṁ duṣkarair naḥ kratubhis tapo-vratair
[kim dushkarair nah kratubhis tapo-vratair]
dānādibhir vā dyujayena phalgunā
[daanaadibhir vaa dyujayena phalgunaa]
na yatra nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja-
[na yatra naaraayana-paada-pankaja-]
smṛtiḥ pramuṣṭātiśayendriyotsavāt
[smritih pramushtaatishayendriyotsavaat]
kim — what is the value duṣkaraiḥ — very difficult to perform naḥ — our kratubhiḥ — with performances of sacrifice tapaḥ — with austerities vrataiḥ — vows dāna-ādibhiḥ — with executing charitable activities and so on vā — or dyujayena — with achieving the heavenly kingdom phalgunā — which is insignificant na — no yatra — where nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja — of the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa smṛtiḥ — the remembrance pramuṣṭa — lost atiśaya — excessive indriya-utsavāt — due to material sense gratification.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kiṁ duṣkarair naḥ kratubhis tapo-vratair
kim
what is the value
duṣkaraiḥ
very difficult to perform
naḥ
our
kratubhiḥ
with performances of sacrifice
tapaḥ
with austerities
vrataiḥ
vows
dānādibhir vā dyujayena phalgunā
dāna-ādibhiḥ
with executing charitable activities and so on
vā
or
dyujayena
with achieving the heavenly kingdom
phalgunā
which is insignificant
na yatra nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja-
na
no
yatra
where
nārāyaṇa-pāda-paṅkaja
of the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa
smṛtiḥ pramuṣṭātiśayendriyotsavāt
smṛtiḥ
the remembrance
pramuṣṭa
lost
atiśaya
excessive
indriya-utsavāt
due to material sense gratification.
The demigods continue: After performing the very difficult tasks of executing Vedic ritualistic sacrifices, undergoing austerities, observing vows and giving charity, we have achieved this position as inhabitants of the heavenly planets. But what is the value of this achievement? Here we are certainly very engaged in material sense gratification, and therefore we can hardly remember the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa. Indeed, because of our excessive sense gratification, we have almost forgotten His lotus feet.

The land of Bhārata-varṣa is so exalted that by taking birth there one can not only attain the heavenly planets but also go directly back home, back to Godhead. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25) :

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti mad-yājino ’pi mām

“Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.” People in the land of Bhārata-varṣa generally follow the Vedic principles and consequently perform great sacrifices by which they can be elevated to the heavenly planets. However, what is the use of such great attainments? As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21) , kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti: after the results of one’s sacrifices, charity and other pious activities expire, one must return to the lower planetary systems and again feel the pangs of birth and death. However, one who becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious can go back to Kṛṣṇa ( yānti-mad-yājino ’pi mām ). Therefore the demigods even regret having been elevated to the higher planetary systems. The denizens of the heavenly planets regret that they could not take full advantage of being born in the land of Bhārata-varṣa. Instead, they became captivated by a higher standard of sense gratification, and therefore they forgot the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa at the time of death. The conclusion is that one who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-varṣa must follow the instructions given personally by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama. One should try to return home, back to Godhead, to the Vaikuṇṭha planets — or to the topmost Vaikuṇṭha planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana — to live eternally in full, blissful knowledge in the company of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
What is the use of our performing difficult sacrifices, vows of austerity and acts of charity on earth, or attaining transient residence in heaven, where there is no remembrance of the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa or where the memory is carried away by excessive enjoyment of the senses? “But if you attain birth in Bhārata, by performing your rituals you will again enjoy the happiness of heaven.” No, such a birth is useless. Those activities are useless. Attainment of heaven is useless. That happiness is useless. That is expressed in this verse. What is the use of attaining Svarga (dyujayena)? There is no good result there. Why? In Svarga there is remembrance of the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa, but remembrance is carried away by excessive enjoyment of the senses.
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 19