Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrita Madhya 9.263

karma-nindā, karma-tyāga, sarva-śāstre kahe

karma haite prema-bhakti krishne kabhu nahe

SYNONYMS

karma-nindā — condemnation of fruitive activities; karma-tyāga — renunciation of fruitive activities; sarva-śāstre kahe — is announced in every revealed scripture; karma haite — from fruitive activities; prema-bhakti — devotional service in ecstatic love; krishne — for Krishna; kabhu nahe — can 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 no one can attain the highest goal of life, love of Godhead, by executing them.

PURPORT

In the Vedas there are three kāndas, or divisions: karma-kānda, jñāna-kānda and upāsanā-kānda. The karma-kānda portion stresses the execution of fruitive activities. But ultimately it is advised that one abandon both karma-kānda and jñāna-kānda (speculative knowledge) and accept only upāsanā-kānda, or bhakti-kānda. One cannot attain love of Godhead by executing karma-kānda or jñāna-kānda. 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, Krishna. When one comes to the stage of pure devotional service, the process of śravanam kīrtanam is very essential. By executing the nine items of devotional service, beginning with śravanam kīrtanam, one is completely purified. Anyābhilāshitā-śūnyam jñāna-karmādy-anāvritam [Bhakti-rasāmrita-sindhu 1.1.11]. Only then is one able to execute Krishna's orders in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.65):

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām namaskuru

mām evaishyasi satyam te pratijāne priyo 'si me

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaranam vraja

aham tvām sarva-pāpebhyo mokshayishyāmi mā śucah

[Bg. 18.66]

"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-kānda or jñāna-kānda. Pure devotional service can be understood and attained only through the association of pure devotees. In this regard, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura states that there are two types of karma-kānda activities — pious and impious. Pious activities are certainly better than impious activities, but even pious activities cannot bring about ecstatic love of God, Krishna. Pious and impious activities can 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 Krishna. In every revealed scripture, whether stressing jñāna-kānda or karma-kānda, the principle of renunciation is always praised. The ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is the supreme Vedic evidence. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.12) it is said:

naishkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitam

na śobhate jñānam alam nirañjanam

kutah punah śaśvad abhadram īśvare

na cārpitam karma yad apy akāranam

"Knowledge of self-realization, even though freed 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 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam — in the beginning, middle and end — karma-kānda and jñāna-kānda are condemned. For example, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.2) it is said, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra.

This is explained in the following verses taken from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.11.32) and the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66).

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness