TEXT 25
harer muhus tatpara-karna-pura-
gunabhidhanena vijrmbhamanaya
bhaktya hy asangah sad-asaty anatmani
syan nirgune brahmani canjasa ratih
SYNONYMS
harehof the Supreme Personality of Godhead; muhuhconstantly; tat-parain relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karna-puradecoration of the ear; guna-abhidhanenadiscussing transcendental qualities; vijrmbhamanayaby increasing Krsna consciousness; bhaktyaby devotion; hicertainly; asangahuncontaminated; sat-asatithe material world; anatmaniopposed to spiritual understanding; syatshould be; nirgunein transcendence; brahmaniin the Supreme Lord; caand; anjasaeasily; ratihattraction.
TRANSLATION
The devotee should gradually increase the culture of devotional service by constant hearing of the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These pastimes are like ornamental decorations on the ears of devotees. By rendering devotional service and transcending the material qualities, one can easily be fixed in transcendence in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
PURPORT
This verse is especially mentioned to substantiate the devotional process of hearing the subject matter. A devotee does not like to hear anything other than subjects dealing with spiritual activities, or the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We can increase our propensity for devotional service by hearing Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam from realized souls. The more we hear from realized souls, the more we make advancement in our devotional life. The more we advance in devotional life, the more we become detached from the material world. The more we become detached from the material world, as advised by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the more we increase in attachment for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, a devotee who actually wants to make progress in devotional service and go back home, back to Godhead, must lose interest in sense enjoyment and associating with persons who are after money and sense gratification. This is the advice of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu:
niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya
param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya
sandarsanam visayinam atha yositam ca
ha hanta hanta visa-bhaksanato py asadhu
(Cc. Madhya 11.8)
The word brahmani used in this verse is commented upon by the impersonalists or professional reciters of Bhagavatam, who are mainly advocates of the caste system by demoniac birthright. They say that brahmani means the impersonal Brahman. But they cannot conclude this with reference to the context of the words bhaktya and gunabhidhanena. According to the impersonalists, there are no transcendental qualities in the impersonal Brahman; therefore we should understand that brahmani means in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as admitted by Arjuna in Bhagavad-gita; therefore wherever the word brahma is used, it must refer to Krsna, not to the impersonal Brahman effulgence. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate (Bhag. 1.2.11). Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan can all be taken in total as Brahman, but when there is reference to the word bhakti or remembrance of the transcendental qualities, this indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not the impersonal Brahman.

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