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TEXT 263
karma-ninda, karma-tyaga, sarva-sastre kahe
karma haite prema-bhakti krsne kabhu nahe
SYNONYMS
karma-nindacondemnation of fruitive activities; karma-tyagarenunciation of fruitive activities; sarva-sastre kaheis announced in every revealed scripture; karma haitefrom fruitive activities; prema-bhaktidevotional service in ecstatic love; krsnefor Krsna; kabhu nahecan never be achieved.
TRANSLATION
"In every revealed scripture there is condemnation of fruitive activities. It is advised everywhere to give up engagement in fruitive activities, for by executing them no one can attain the highest goal of life, love of Godhead.
PURPORT
In the Vedas there are three kandas, or divisions: karma-kanda, jnana-kanda and upasana-kanda. The karma-kanda portion stresses the execution of fruitive activities, although ultimately it is advised that one abandon both karma-kanda and jnana-kanda (speculative knowledge) and accept only upasana-kanda, or bhakti-kanda. One cannot attain love of Godhead by executing karma-kanda or jnana-kanda. But by dedicating one's karma, or fruitive activities, to the Supreme Lord, one may be relieved from the polluted mind, and becoming free from mental pollution helps elevate one to the spiritual platform. Then, however, one needs the association of a pure devotee, for only by a pure devotee's association can one become a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. When one comes to the stage of pure devotional service, the process of sravanam kirtanam is very essential. By executing the nine items of devotional service, beginning with sravanam kirtanam, one is completely purified. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.12). Only then is one able to execute Krsna's orders in the Bhagavad-gita (18.65-66):
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo 'si me sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend. Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." In this way one develops his original constitutional position of rendering loving service to the Lord.
One cannot be elevated to the highest platform of devotional service by karma-kanda or jnana-kanda. Pure devotional service can be understood and attained only through the association of pure devotees. In this regard, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura states that there are two types of karma-kanda activities-pious and impious. Pious activities are certainly better than impious activities, but even pious activities cannot help one achieve ecstatic love of God, Krsna. Pious and impious activities bring about material happiness and distress, but there is no possibility of one's becoming a pure devotee simply by acting piously or impiously. Bhakti, devotional service, means satisfying Krsna. In every revealed scripture, whether stressing jnana-kanda or karma-kanda, the principle of renunciation is always praised. The ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge, Srimad-Bhagavatam, is the supreme Vedic evidence. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.12) it is said:
naiskarmyam apy acyuta-bhava-varjitam
na sobhate jnanam alam niranjanam kutah punah sasvad abhadram isvare na carpitam karma yad apy akaranam "Knowledge of self-realization, even though free from all material affinity, does not look well if devoid of a conception of the Infallible [God]. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities, which are naturally painful from the very beginning and transient by nature, if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord?" This means that even knowledge, which is superior to fruitive activity, is not successful if it is devoid of devotional service. Therefore in Srimad-Bhagavatam-in the beginning, middle and end-karma-kanda and jnana-kanda are condemned. For example, in Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.2 it is said: dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra.
This is explained in the following verses taken from Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.11.32) and the Bhagavad-gita (18.66).
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