TEXT 9
manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas-
tejah-prabhava-bala-paurusa-buddhi-yogah
naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumso
bhaktya tutosa bhagavan gaja-yutha-paya
SYNONYMS
manyeI consider; dhanariches; abhijanaaristocratic family; rupapersonal beauty; tapahausterity; srutaknowledge from studying the Vedas; ojahsensory prowess; tejahbodily effulgence; prabhavainfluence; balabodily strength; paurusadiligence; buddhiintelligence; yogahmystic power; nanot; aradhanayafor satisfying; hiindeed; bhavantiare; parasyaof the transcendent; pumsahSupreme Personality of Godhead; bhaktyasimply by devotional service; tutosawas satisfied; bhagavanthe Supreme Personality of Godhead; gaja-yutha-payaunto the King of elephants (Gajendra).
TRANSLATION
Prahlada Maharaja continued: One may possess wealth, an aristocratic family, beauty, austerity, education, sensory expertise, luster, influence, physical strength, diligence, intelligence and mystic yogic power, but I think that even by all these qualifications one cannot satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the Lord simply by devotional service. Gajendra did this, and thus the Lord was satisfied with him.
PURPORT
No kind of material qualification is the means for satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, only by devotional service can the Lord be known (bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]). Unless the Lord is pleased by the service of a devotee, the Lord does not reveal Himself (naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]). This is the verdict of all sastras. Neither by speculation nor by material qualifications can one understand or approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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