FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.21.16

స వై తేభ్యో నమస్కృత్య ని:సఙ్గో విగతస్పృహ: । వాసుదేవే భగవతి భక్త్యా చక్రే మన: పరమ్ ॥ ౧౬ ॥
sa vai tebhyo namaskṛtya
[sa vai tebhyo namaskritya]
niḥsaṅgo vigata-spṛhaḥ
[nihsango vigata-sprihah]
vāsudeve bhagavati
[vaasudeve bhagavati]
bhaktyā cakre manaḥ param
[bhaktyaa chakre manah param]
saḥ — he (King Rantideva) vai — indeed tebhyaḥ — unto Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the other demigods namaḥ-kṛtya — offering obeisances niḥsaṅgaḥ — with no ambition to take any benefit from them vigata-spṛhaḥ — completely free from desires for material possessions vāsudeve — unto Lord Vāsudeva bhagavati — the Supreme Lord bhaktyā — by devotional service cakre — fixed manaḥ — the mind param — as the ultimate goal of life.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vai tebhyo namaskṛtya
saḥ
he (King Rantideva)
vai
indeed
tebhyaḥ
unto Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and the other demigods
namaḥ-kṛtya
offering obeisances
niḥsaṅgo vigata-spṛhaḥ
niḥsaṅgaḥ
with no ambition to take any benefit from them
vigata-spṛhaḥ
completely free from desires for material possessions
vāsudeve bhagavati
vāsudeve
unto Lord Vāsudeva
bhagavati
the Supreme Lord
bhaktyā cakre manaḥ param
bhaktyā
by devotional service
cakre
fixed
manaḥ
the mind
param
as the ultimate goal of life.
King Rantideva had no ambition to enjoy material benefits from the demigods. He offered them obeisances, but because he was factually attached to Lord Viṣṇu, Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he fixed his mind at Lord Viṣṇu’s lotus feet.

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung:

anya devāśraya nāi, tomāre kahinu bhāi, ei bhakti parama karaṇa

If one wants to become a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord, one should not hanker to take benedictions from the demigods. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) , kāmais tais tair hṛta-jṣānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ: those befooled by the illusion of the material energy worship gods other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, although Rantideva was personally able to see Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, he did not hanker to take material benefits from them. Rather, he fixed his mind upon Lord Vāsudeva and rendered devotional service unto Him. This is the sign of a pure devotee, whose heart is not adulterated by material desires.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jṣāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

“One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
King Rantideva, with no ambition to enjoy material benefits, offered them obeisances. Free of all material desires, he fixed his superior mind with devotion on the Supreme Lord Vāsudeva. His mind is called superior (param) because it meditated on the form and qualities of the Lord.
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