Dedication Slokas from the Srimad Bhagavatam

Yasoda nandana dasa
BY: VYASASAN DAS
 
June 14, 2016 —
Anyone who has had the good fortune to read and study Srila Prabhupada’s epic Srimad Bhagavatam will know that on the title page of each and every volume is a dedication sloka. I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of the dedication slokas from all of the original books. I stopped this collection of slokas with the Tenth Canto, Part Three, as this is where Srila Prabhupada left off, and where my collection of Srimad Bhagavatams stops.
 
FIRST CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-7 1.3.43
kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām eṣa
purāṇārko ‘dhunoditaḥ
kṛṣṇe—in Kṛṣṇa’s; sva-dhāma—own abode; upagate—having returned; dharma—religion; jñāna—knowledge; ādibhiḥ—combined together; saha—along with; kalau—in the Kali-yuga; naṣṭa-dṛśām—of persons who have lost their sight; eṣaḥ—all these; purāṇa-arkaḥ—the Purāṇa which is brilliant like the sun; adhunā—just now; uditaḥ—has arisen.
This Bhāgavata Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purāṇa.
 
Part Two Chapters 8-12 1.8.18
kunty uvāca
namasye puruṣaṁ tvādyam
īśvaraṁ prakṛteḥ param
alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām
antar bahir avasthitam
kuntī uvāca—Śrīmatī Kuntī said; namasye—let me bow down; puruṣam—the Supreme Person; tvā—You; ādyam—the original; īśvaram—the controller; prakṛteḥ—of the material cosmos; param—beyond; alakṣyam—the invisible; sarva—all; bhūtānām—of living beings; antaḥ—within; bahiḥ—without; avasthitam—existing.
Śrīmatī Kuntī said: O Kṛṣṇa, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all.
 
Part Three Chapters 13-19 1.17.10-11
yasya rāṣṭre prajāḥ sarvās
trasyante sādhvy asādhubhiḥ
tasya mattasya naśyanti
kīrtir āyur bhago gatiḥ
eṣa rājñāṁ paro dharmo
hy ārtānām ārti-nigrahaḥ
ata enaṁ vadhiṣyāmi
bhūta-druham asattamam
yasya—one whose; rāṣṭre—in the state; prajāḥ—living beings; sarvāḥ—one and all; trasyante—are terrified; sādhvi—O chaste one; asādhubhiḥ—by the miscreants; tasya—his; mattasya—of the illusioned; naśyanti—vanishes; kīrtiḥ—fame; āyuḥ—duration of life; bhagaḥ—fortune; gatiḥ—good rebirth; eṣaḥ—these are; rājñām—of the kings; paraḥ—superior; dharmaḥ—occupation; hi—certainly; ārtānām—of the sufferers; ārti—sufferings; nigrahaḥ—subduing; ataḥ—therefore; enam—this man; vadhiṣyāmi—I shall kill; bhūta-druham—revolter against other living beings; asat-tamam—the most wretched.
O chaste one, the king’s good name, duration of life and good rebirth vanish when all kinds of living beings are terrified by miscreants in his kingdom. It is certainly the prime duty of the king to subdue first the sufferings of those who suffer. Therefore I must kill this most wretched man because he is violent against other living beings.
 
SECOND CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-6 2.1.11
etan nirvidyamānānām
icchatām akuto-bhayam
yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ
harer nāmānukīrtanam
etat—it is; nirvidyamānānām—of those who are completely free from all material desires; icchatām—of those who are desirous of all sorts of material enjoyment; akutaḥ-bhayam—free from all doubts and fear; yoginām—of all who are self-satisfied; nṛpa—O King; nirṇītam—decided truth; hareḥ—of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; nāma—holy name; anu—after someone, always; kīrtanam—chanting.
O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.
 
Part Two Chapters 7-10 2.9.33
aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ‘vaśiṣyeta so ‘smy aham
aham—I, the Personality of Godhead; eva—certainly; āsam—existed; eva—only; agre—before the creation; na—never; anyat—anything else; yat—all those; sat—the effect; asat—the cause; param—the supreme; paścāt—at the end; aham—I, the Personality of Godhead; yat—all these; etat—creation; ca—also; yaḥ—everything; avaśiṣyeta—remains; saḥ—that; asmi—I am; aham—I, the Personality of Godhead.
Brahmā, it is I, the Personality of Godhead, who was existing before the creation, when there was nothing but Myself. Nor was there the material nature, the cause of this creation. That which you see now is also I, the Personality of Godhead, and after annihilation what remains will also be I, the Personality of Godhead.
 
THIRD CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-8 3.8.26
puṁsāṁ sva-kāmāya vivikta-mārgair
abhyarcatāṁ kāma-dughāṅghri-padmam
pradarśayantaṁ kṛpayā nakhendu-
mayūkha-bhinnāṅguli-cāru-patram
puṁsām—of the human being; sva-kāmāya—according to the desire; vivikta-mārgaiḥ—by the path of devotional service; abhyarcatām—worshiped; kāma-dugha-aṅghri-padmam—the lotus feet of the Lord, which can award all desired fruits; pradarśayantam—while showing them; kṛpayā—by causeless mercy; nakha—nails; indu—moonlike; mayūkha—rays; bhinna—divided; aṅguli—figures; cāru-patram—very beautiful.
The Lord showed His lotus feet by raising them. His lotus feet are the source of all awards achieved by devotional service free from material contamination. Such awards are for those who worship Him in pure devotion. The splendor of the transcendental rays from His moonlike toenails and fingernails appeared like the petals of a flower.
 
Part Two Chapters 9-13 3.15.25
yac ca vrajanty animiṣām ṛṣabhānuvṛttyā
dūre yamā hy upari naḥ spṛhaṇīya-śīlāḥ
bhartur mithaḥ suyaśasaḥ kathanānurāga-
vaiklavya-bāṣpa-kalayā pulakī-kṛtāṅgāḥ
yat—Vaikuṇṭha; ca—and; vrajanti—go; animiṣām—of the demigods; ṛṣabha—chief; anuvṛttyā—following in the footsteps; dūre—keeping at a distance; yamāḥ—regulative principles; hi—certainly; upari—above; naḥ—us; spṛhaṇīya—to be desired; śīlāḥ—good qualities; bhartuḥ—of the Supreme Lord; mithaḥ—for one another; suyaśasaḥ—glories; kathana—by discussions, discourses; anurāga—attraction; vaiklavya—ecstasy; bāṣpa-kalayā—tears in the eyes; pulakī-kṛta—shivering; aṅgāḥ—bodies.
Persons whose bodily features change in ecstasy and who breathe heavily and perspire due to hearing the glories of the Lord are promoted to the kingdom of God, even though they do not care for meditation and other austerities. The kingdom of God is above the material universes, and it is desired by Brahmā and other demigods.
 
Part Three Chapters 17-24 3.21.13
ṛṣir uvāca
juṣṭaṁ batādyākhila-sattva-rāśeḥ
sāṁsiddhyam akṣṇos tava darśanān naḥ
yad-darśanaṁ janmabhir īḍya sadbhir
āśāsate yogino rūḍha-yogāḥ
ṛṣiḥ uvāca—the great sage said; juṣṭam—is attained; bata—ah; adya—now; akhila—all; sattva—of goodness; rāśeḥ—who are the reservoir; sāṁsiddhyam—the complete success; akṣṇoḥ—of the two eyes; tava—of You; darśanāt—from the sight; naḥ—by us; yat—of whom; darśanam—sight; janmabhiḥ—through births; īḍya—O worshipable Lord; sadbhiḥ—gradually elevated in position; āśāsate—aspire; yoginaḥ—yogīs; rūḍha-yogāḥ—having obtained perfection in yoga.
The great sage Kardama said: O supreme worshipful Lord, my power of sight is now fulfilled, having attained the greatest perfection of the sight of You, who are the reservoir of all existences. Through many successive births of deep meditation, advanced yogīs aspire to see Your transcendental form.
 
Part Four Chapters 25-33 3.27.26
evaṁ vidita-tattvasya
prakṛtir mayi mānasam
yuñjato nāpakuruta
ātmārāmasya karhicit
evam—thus; vidita-tattvasya—to one who knows the Absolute Truth; prakṛtiḥ—material nature; mayi—on Me; mānasam—the mind; yuñjataḥ—fixing; na—not; apakurute—can do harm; ātma-ārāmasya—to one who rejoices in the self; karhicit—at any time.
The influence of material nature cannot harm an enlightened soul, even though he engages in material activities, because he knows the truth of the Absolute, and his mind is fixed on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
 
FOURTH CANTOM
Part One Chapters 1-8 4.7.45
brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ
tvaṁ kratus tvaṁ havis tvaṁ hutāśaḥ svayaṁ
tvaṁ hi mantraḥ samid-darbha-pātrāṇi ca
tvaṁ sadasyartvijo dampatī devatā
agnihotraṁ svadhā soma ājyaṁ paśuḥ
brāhmaṇāḥ—the brāhmaṇas; ūcuḥ—said; tvam—You; kratuḥ—sacrifice; tvam—You; haviḥ—offering of clarified butter; tvam—You; huta-āśaḥ—fire; svayam—personified; tvam—You; hi—for; mantraḥ—the Vedic hymns; samit-darbha-pātrāṇi—the fuel, the kuśa grass and the sacrificial pots; ca—and; tvam—You; sadasya—the members of the assembly; ṛtvijaḥ—the priests; dampatī—the chief person of the sacrifice and his wife; devatā—demigods; agni-hotram—the sacred fire ceremony; svadhā—the offering to the forefathers; somaḥ—the soma plant; ājyam—the clarified butter; paśuḥ—the sacrificial animal.
The brāhmaṇas said: Dear Lord, You are sacrifice personified. You are the offering of clarified butter, You are the fire, You are the chanting of Vedic hymns by which the sacrifice is conducted, You are the fuel, You are the flame, You are the kuśa grass, and You are the sacrificial pots. You are the priests who perform the yajña, You are the demigods headed by Indra, and You are the sacrificial animal. Everything that is sacrificed is You or Your energy.
 
Part Two Chapters 9-19 4.15.6
eṣa sākṣād dharer aṁśo
jāto loka-rirakṣayā
iyaṁ ca tat-parā hi śrīr
anujajñe ‘napāyinī
eṣaḥ—this male; sākṣāt—directly; hareḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aṁśaḥ—partial representative; jātaḥ—born; loka—the entire world; rirakṣayā—with a desire to protect; iyam—this female; ca—also; tat-parā—very much attached to him; hi—certainly; śrīḥ—the goddess of fortune; anujajñe—took birth; anapāyinī—inseparable.
In the form of King Pṛthu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared through a part of His potency to protect the people of the world. The goddess of fortune is the constant companion of the Lord, and therefore she has incarnated partially as Arci to become King Pṛthu’s queen.
 
Part Three Chapters 20-24 4.24.52
padā śarat-padma-palāśa-rociṣā
nakha-dyubhir no ‘ntar-aghaṁ vidhunvatā
pradarśaya svīyam apāsta-sādhvasaṁ
padaṁ guro mārga-gurus tamo-juṣām
padā—by the lotus feet; śarat—autumn; padma—lotus flower; palāśa—petals; rociṣā—very pleasing; nakha—nails; dyubhiḥ—by the effulgence; naḥ—our; antaḥ-agham—dirty things; vidhunvatā—which can cleanse; pradarśaya—just show; svīyam—Your own; apāsta—diminishing; sādhvasam—the trouble of the material world; padam—lotus feet; guro—O supreme spiritual master; mārga—the path; guruḥ—spiritual master; tamaḥ-juṣām—of the persons suffering in ignorance.
My dear Lord, Your two lotus feet are so beautiful that they appear like two blossoming petals of the lotus flower which grows during the autumn season. Indeed, the nails of Your lotus feet emanate such a great effulgence that they immediately dissipate all the darkness in the heart of a conditioned soul. My dear Lord, kindly show me that form of Yours which always dissipates all kinds of darkness in the heart of a devotee. My dear Lord, You are the supreme spiritual master of everyone; therefore all conditioned souls covered with the darkness of ignorance can be enlightened by You as the spiritual master.
 
Part Four Chapters 25-31 4.28.53
api smarasi cātmānam
avijñāta-sakhaṁ sakhe
hitvā māṁ padam anvicchan
bhauma-bhoga-rato gataḥ
api smarasi—do you remember; ca—also; ātmānam—the Supersoul; avijñāta—unknown; sakham—friend; sakhe—O friend; hitvā—giving up; mām—Me; padam—position; anvicchan—desiring; bhauma—material; bhoga—enjoyment; rataḥ—attached to; gataḥ—you became.
The brāhmaṇa continued: My dear friend, even though you cannot immediately recognize Me, can’t you remember that in the past you had a very intimate friend? Unfortunately, you gave up My company and accepted a position as enjoyer of this material world.
 
FIFTH CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-13 5.5.1
ṛṣabha uvāca
nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke
kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye
tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ
śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam
ṛṣabhaḥ uvāca—Lord Ṛṣabhadeva said; na—not; ayam—this; dehaḥ—body; deha-bhājām—of all living entities who have accepted material bodies; nṛ-loke—in this world; kaṣṭān—troublesome; kāmān—sense gratification; arhate—deserves; viṭ-bhujām—of stool-eaters; ye—which; tapaḥ—austerities and penances; divyam—divine; putrakāḥ—My dear sons; yena—by which; sattvam—the heart; śuddhyet—becomes purified; yasmāt—from which; brahma-saukhyam—spiritual happiness; tu—certainly; anantam—unending.
Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.
 
Part Two Chapters 14-26 5.18.9
svasty astu viśvasya khalaḥ prasīdatāṁ
dhyāyantu bhūtāni śivaṁ mitho dhiyā
manaś ca bhadraṁ bhajatād adhokṣaje
āveśyatāṁ no matir apy ahaitukī
svasti—auspiciousness; astu—let there be; viśvasya—of the entire universe; khalaḥ—the envious (almost everyone); prasīdatām—let them be pacified; dhyāyantu—let them consider; bhūtāni—all the living entities; śivam—auspiciousness; mithaḥ—mutual; dhiyā—by their intelligence; manaḥ—the mind; ca—and; bhadram—calmness; bhajatāt—let it experience; adhokṣaje—in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the perception of mind. intelligence and senses; āveśyatām—let it be absorbed; naḥ—our; matiḥ—intelligence; api—indeed; ahaitukī—without any motive.
May there be good fortune throughout the universe, and may all envious persons be pacified. May all living entities become calm by practicing bhakti-yoga, for by accepting devotional service they will think of each other’s welfare. Therefore let us all engage in the service of the supreme transcendence, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and always remain absorbed in thought of Him.
 
SIXTH CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-5 6.3.31
śṛṇvatāṁ gṛṇatāṁ vīryāṇy
uddāmāni harer muhuḥ
yathā sujātayā bhaktyā
śuddhyen nātmā vratādibhiḥ
tasmāt—therefore; saṅkīrtanam—the congregational chanting of the holy name; viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu; jagat-maṅgalam—the most auspicious performance within this material world; aṁhasām—for sinful activities; mahatām api—even though very great; kauravya—O descendant of the Kuru family; viddhi—understand; aikāntika—the ultimate; niṣkṛtam—atonement.
One who constantly hears and chants the holy name of the Lord and hears and chants about His activities can very easily attain the platform of pure devotional service, which can cleanse the dirt from one’s heart. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.
 
Part Two Chapters 6-13 6.12.8
lokāḥ sapālā yasyeme
śvasanti vivaśā vaśe
dvijā iva śicā baddhāḥ
sa kāla iha kāraṇam
lokāḥ—the worlds; sa-pālāḥ—with their chief deities or controllers; yasya—of whom; ime—all these; śvasanti—live; vivaśāḥ—fully dependent; vaśe—under the control; dvijāḥ—birds; iva—like; śicā—by a net; baddhāḥ—bound; saḥ—that; kālaḥ—time factor; iha—in this; kāraṇam—the cause.
All living beings in all the planets of this universe, including the presiding deities of all the planets, are fully under the control of the Lord. They work like birds caught in a net, who cannot move independently.
 
Part Three Chapters 14-19 6.14.5
muktānām api siddhānāṁ
nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ
sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā
koṭiṣv api mahā-mune
muktānām—of those who are liberated during this life (who are unattached to the bodily comforts of society, friendship and love); api—even; siddhānām—who are perfect (because they understand the insignificance of bodily comforts); nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ—a person who has concluded that Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme; su-durlabhaḥ—very rarely found; praśānta—fully pacified; ātmā—whose mind; koṭiṣu—out of millions and trillions; api—even; mahā-mune—O great sage.
O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in knowledge of liberation, one may be a devotee of Lord Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are extremely rare.
 
SEVENTH CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-5 7.5.23-24
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau
bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā
tan manye ‘dhītam uttamam
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca—Prahlāda Mahārāja said; śravaṇam—hearing; kīrtanam—chanting; viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu (not anyone else); smaraṇam—remembering; pāda-sevanam—serving the feet; arcanam—offering worship (with ṣoḍaśopacāra, the sixteen kinds of paraphernalia); vandanam—offering prayers; dāsyam—becoming the servant; sakhyam—becoming the best friend; ātma-nivedanam—surrendering everything, whatever one has; iti—thus; puṁsā arpitā—offered by the devotee; viṣṇau—unto Lord Viṣṇu (not to anyone else); bhaktiḥ—devotional service; cet—if; nava-lakṣaṇā—possessing nine different processes; kriyeta—one should perform; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; addhā—directly or completely; tat—that; manye—I consider; adhītam—learning; uttamam—topmost.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one’s best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
 
Part Two Chapters 6-9 7.9.43
naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās
tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ
śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-
māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān
na—not; eva—certainly; udvije—I am disturbed or afraid; para—O Supreme; duratyaya—insurmountable or very difficult to cross; vaitaraṇyāḥ—of the Vaitaraṇī, the river of the material world; tvat-vīrya—of Your Lordship’s glories and activities; gāyana—from chanting or distributing; mahā-amṛta—in the great ocean of nectarean spiritual bliss; magna-cittaḥ—whose consciousness is absorbed; śoce—I am simply lamenting; tataḥ—from that; vimukha-cetasaḥ—the fools and rascals who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; indriya-artha—in sense gratification; māyā-sukhāya—for temporary, illusory happiness; bharam—the false burden or responsibility (of maintaining one’s family, society and nation and elaborate arrangements for that purpose); udvahataḥ—who are lifting (by making grand plans for this arrangement); vimūḍhān—although all of them are nothing but fools and rascals (I am thinking of them also).
O best of the great personalities, I am not at all afraid of material existence, for wherever I stay I am fully absorbed in thoughts of Your glories and activities. My concern is only for the fools and rascals who are making elaborate plans for material happiness and maintaining their families, societies and countries. I am simply concerned with love for them.
 
Part Three Chapters 10-15 7.14.34
pātraṁ tv atra niruktaṁ vai
kavibhiḥ pātra-vittamaiḥ
harir evaika urvīśa
yan-mayaṁ vai carācaram
pātram—the true person to whom charity must be given; tu—but; atra—in the world; niruktam—decided; vai—indeed; kavibhiḥ—by learned scholars; pātra-vittamaiḥ—who are expert in finding the actual person to whom charity must be given; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva—indeed; ekaḥ—only one; urvī–īśa—O King of the earth; yat-mayam—in whom everything is resting; vai—from whom everything is coming; cara-acaram—all that is moving or nonmoving within this universe.
O King of the earth, it has been decided by expert, learned scholars that only the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, in whom all that is moving or nonmoving within this universe is resting and from whom everything is coming, is the best person to whom everything must be given.
 
EIGHTH CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-8 8.3.11
sattvena pratilabhyāya
naiṣkarmyeṇa vipaścitā
namaḥ kaivalya-nāthāya
nirvāṇa-sukha-saṁvide
sattvena—by pure devotional service; prati-labhyāya—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is achieved by such devotional activities; naiṣkarmyeṇa—by transcendental activities; vipaścitā—by persons who are sufficiently learned; namaḥ—I offer my respectful obeisances; kaivalya-nāthāya—unto the master of the transcendental world; nirvāṇa—for one completely freed from material activities; sukha—of happiness; saṁvide—who is the bestower.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is realized by pure devotees who act in the transcendental existence of bhakti-yoga. He is the bestower of uncontaminated happiness and is the master of the transcendental world. Therefore I offer my respect unto Him.
 
Part Two Chapters 9-16 8.9.29
yad yujyate ‘su-vasu-karma-mano-vacobhir
dehātmajādiṣu nṛbhis tad asat pṛthaktvāt
tair eva sad bhavati yat kriyate ‘pṛthaktvāt
sarvasya tad bhavati mūla-niṣecanaṁ yat
yat—whatever; yujyate—is performed; asu—for the protection of one’s life; vasu—protection of wealth; karma—activities; manaḥ—by the acts of the mind; vacobhiḥ—by the acts of words; deha-ātma-ja-ādiṣu—for the sake of one’s personal body or family, etc., with reference to the body; nṛbhiḥ—by the human beings; tat—that; asat—impermanent, transient; pṛthaktvāt—because of separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead; taiḥ—by the same activities; eva—indeed; sat bhavati—becomes factual and permanent; yat—which; kriyate—is performed; apṛthaktvāt—because of nonseparation; sarvasya—for everyone; tat bhavati—becomes beneficial; mūla-niṣecanam—exactly like pouring water on the root of a tree; yat—which.
In human society there are various activities performed for the protection of one’s wealth and life by one’s words, one’s mind and one’s actions, but they are all performed for one’s personal or extended sense gratification with reference to the body. All these activities are baffled because of being separate from devotional service. But when the same activities are performed for the satisfaction of the Lord, the beneficial results are distributed to everyone, just as water poured on the root of a tree is distributed throughout the entire tree.
 
Part Three Chapters 17-24 8.22.20
śrī-vindhyāvalir uvāca
krīḍārtham ātmana idaṁ tri-jagat kṛtaṁ te
svāmyaṁ tu tatra kudhiyo ‘para īśa kuryuḥ
kartuḥ prabhos tava kim asyata āvahanti
tyakta-hriyas tvad-avaropita-kartṛ-vādāḥ
śrī-vindhyāvaliḥ uvāca—Vindhyāvali, the wife of Bali Mahārāja, said; krīḍā-artham—for the sake of pastimes; ātmanaḥ—of Yourself; idam—this; tri-jagat—the three worlds (this universe); kṛtam—was created; te—by You; svāmyam—proprietorship; tu—but; tatra—thereon; kudhiyaḥ—foolish rascals; apare—others; īśa—O my Lord; kuryuḥ—have established; kartuḥ—for the supreme creator; prabhoḥ—for the supreme maintainer; tava—for Your good self; kim—what; asyataḥ—for the supreme annihilator; āvahanti—they can offer; tyakta-hriyaḥ—shameless, without intelligence; tvat—by You; avaropita—falsely imposed because of a poor fund of knowledge; kartṛ-vādāḥ—the proprietorship of such foolish agnostics.
Śrīmatī Vindhyāvali said: O my Lord, You have created the entire universe for the enjoyment of Your personal pastimes, but foolish, unintelligent men have claimed proprietorship for material enjoyment. Certainly they are shameless agnostics. Falsely claiming proprietorship, they think they can give charity and enjoy. In such a condition, what good can they do for You, who are the independent creator, maintainer and annihilator of this universe?
 
NINTH CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-8 9.4.18-20
sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane
karau harer mandira-mārjanādiṣu
śrutiṁ cakārācyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-liṅgālaya-darśane dṛśau
tad-bhṛtya-gātra-sparśe ‘ṅga-saṅgamam
ghrāṇaṁ ca tat-pāda-saroja-saurabhe
śrīmat-tulasyā rasanāṁ tad-arpite
pādau hareḥ kṣetra-padānusarpaṇe
śiro hṛṣīkeśa-padābhivandane
kāmaṁ ca dāsye na tu kāma-kāmyayā
yathottamaśloka-janāśrayā ratiḥ
saḥ—he (Mahārāja Ambarīṣa); vai—indeed; manaḥ—his mind; kṛṣṇa-pada-aravindayoḥ—(fixed) upon the two lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vacāṁsi—his words; vaikuṇṭha-guṇa-anuvarṇane—describing the glories of Kṛṣṇa; karau—his two hands; hareḥ mandira-mārjana-ādiṣu—in activities like cleansing the temple of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śrutim—his ear; cakāra—engaged; acyuta—of or about Kṛṣṇa, who never falls down; sat-kathā-udaye—in hearing the transcendental narrations; mukunda-liṅga-ālaya-darśane—in seeing the Deity and temples and holy dhāmas of Mukunda; dṛśau—his two eyes; tat-bhṛtya—of the servants of Kṛṣṇa; gātra-sparśe—in touching the bodies; aṅga-saṅgamam—contact of his body; ghrāṇam ca—and his sense of smell; tat-pāda—of His lotus feet; saroja—of the lotus flower; saurabhe—in (smelling) the fragrance; śrīmat-tulasyāḥ—of the tulasī leaves; rasanām—his tongue; tat-arpite—in the prasāda offered to the Lord; pādau—his two legs; hareḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; kṣetra—holy places like the temple or Vṛndāvana and Dvārakā; pada-anusarpaṇe—walking to those places; śiraḥ—the head; hṛṣīkeśa—of Kṛṣṇa, the master of the senses; pada-abhivandane—in offering obeisances to the lotus feet; kāmam ca—and his desires; dāsye—in being engaged as a servant; na—not; tu—indeed; kāma-kāmyayā—with a desire for sense gratification; yathā—as; uttamaśloka-jana-āśrayā—if one takes shelter of a devotee such as Prahlāda; ratiḥ—attachment.
Mahārāja Ambarīṣa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Kṛṣṇa or about Kṛṣṇa. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa’s temples and Kṛṣṇa’s places like Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasī offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasāda. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.
 
Part Two Chapters 9-16 9.9.47
atheśa-māyā-raciteṣu saṅgaṁ
guṇeṣu gandharva-puropameṣu
rūḍhaṁ prakṛtyātmani viśva-kartur
bhāvena hitvā tam ahaṁ prapadye
atha—therefore; īśa-māyā—by the external potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; raciteṣu—in things manufactured; saṅgam—attachment; guṇeṣu—in the modes of material nature; gandharva-pura-upameṣu—which are compared to the illusion of a gandharva-pura, a town or houses seen in the forest or on a hill; rūḍham—very powerful; prakṛtyā—by material nature; ātmani—unto the Supersoul; viśva-kartuḥ—of the creator of the whole universe; bhāvena—by devotional service; hitvā—giving up; tam—unto Him (the Lord); aham—I; prapadye—surrender.
Therefore I should now give up my attachment for things created by the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I should engage in thought of the Lord and should thus surrender unto Him. This material creation, having been created by the external energy of the Lord, is like an imaginary town visualized on a hill or in a forest. Every conditioned soul has a natural attraction and attachment for material things, but one must simply give up this attachment and surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
 
Part Three Chapters 17-24 9.24.58
yan māyā-ceṣṭitaṁ puṁsaḥ
sthity-utpatty-apyayāya hi
anugrahas tan-nivṛtter
ātma-lābhāya ceṣyate
yat—whatever; māyā-ceṣṭitam—the laws of material nature enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puṁsaḥ—of the living entities; sthiti—duration of life; utpatti—birth; apyayāya—annihilation; hi—indeed; anugrahaḥ—compassion; tat-nivṛtteḥ—the creation and manifestation of cosmic energy to stop the repetition of birth and death; ātma-lābhāya—thus going home, back to Godhead; ca—indeed; iṣyate—for this purpose the creation is there.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through His material energy in the creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation just to deliver the living entity by His compassion and stop the living entity’s birth, death and duration of materialistic life. Thus He enables the living being to return home, back to Godhead.
 
TENTH CANTO
Part One Chapters 1-5 10.2.32
ye ‘nye ‘ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ‘nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
ye anye—anyone, or all others; aravinda-akṣa—O lotus-eyed one; vimukta-māninaḥ—falsely considering themselves free from the bondage of material contamination; tvayi—unto You; asta-bhāvāt—speculating in various ways but not knowing or desiring more information of Your lotus feet; aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ—whose intelligence is still not purified and who do not know the goal of life; āruhya—even though achieving; kṛcchreṇa—by undergoing severe austerities, penances and hard labor; param padam—the highest position (according to their imagination and speculation); tataḥ—from that position; patanti—they fall; adhaḥ—down into material existence again; anādṛta—neglecting devotion to; yuṣmat—Your; aṅghrayaḥ—lotus feet.
[Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord’s lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:] O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.
 
Part Two Chapters 6-12 10.7.1-2
śrī-rājovāca
yena yenāvatāreṇa
bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
karoti karṇa-ramyāṇi
mano-jñāni ca naḥ prabho
yac-chṛṇvato ‘paity aratir vitṛṣṇā
sattvaṁ ca śuddhyaty acireṇa puṁsaḥ
bhaktir harau tat-puruṣe ca sakhyaṁ
tad eva hāraṁ vada manyase cet
śrī-rājā uvāca—the King inquired (from Śukadeva Gosvāmī); yena yena avatāreṇa—the pastimes exhibited by different varieties of incarnations; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hariḥ—the Lord; īśvaraḥ—the controller; karoti—presents; karṇa-ramyāṇi—were all very pleasing to the ear; manaḥ-jñāni—very attractive to the mind; ca—also; naḥ—of us; prabho—my lord, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; yat-śṛṇvataḥ—of anyone who simply hears these narrations; apaiti—vanishes; aratiḥ—unattractiveness; vitṛṣṇā—dirty things within the mind that make us uninterested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness; sattvam ca—the existential position in the core of the heart; śuddhyati—becomes purified; acireṇa—very soon; puṁsaḥ—of any person; bhaktiḥ harau—devotional attachment and service to the Lord; tat-puruṣe—with Vaiṣṇavas; ca—also; sakhyam—attraction to association; tat eva—that only; hāram—the activities of the Lord, which should be heard and kept on the neck as a garland; vada—kindly speak; manyase—you think it fit; cet—if.
King Parīkṣit said: My lord, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, all the various activities exhibited by the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are certainly pleasing to the ear and to the mind. Simply by one’s hearing of these activities, the dirty things in one’s mind immediately vanish. Generally we are reluctant to hear about the activities of the Lord, but Kṛṣṇa’s childhood activities are so attractive that they are automatically pleasing to the mind and ear. Thus one’s attachment for hearing about material things, which is the root cause of material existence, vanishes, and one gradually develops devotional service to the Supreme Lord, attachment for Him, and friendship with devotees who give us the contribution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you think it fit, kindly speak about those activities of the Lord.
 
Part Three Chapter 13 10.13.2
satām ayaṁ sāra-bhṛtāṁ nisargo
yad-artha-vāṇī–śruti-cetasām api
prati-kṣaṇaṁ navya-vad acyutasya yat
striyā viṭānām iva sādhu vārtā
satām—of the devotees; ayam—this; sāra-bhṛtām—those who are paramahaṁsas, who have accepted the essence of life; nisargaḥ—feature or symptom; yat—which; artha-vāṇī—the aim of life, the aim of profit; śruti—the aim of understanding; cetasām api—who have decided to accept the bliss of transcendental subjects as the aim and object of life; prati-kṣaṇam—every moment; navya-vat—as if newer and newer; acyutasya—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; yat—because; striyāḥ—(topics) of woman or sex; viṭānām—of debauchees, who are attached to women; iva—exactly like; sādhu vārtā—actual conversation.
Paramahaṁsas, devotees who have accepted the essence of life, are attached to Kṛṣṇa in the core of their hearts, and He is the aim of their lives. It is their nature to talk only of Kṛṣṇa at every moment, as if such topics were newer and newer. They are attached to such topics, just as materialists are attached to topics of women and sex.