Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.11.47

iṣṭā-pūrtena mām evaḿ

yo yajeta samāhitaḥ

labhate mayi sad-bhaktiḿ

mat-smṛtiḥ sādhu-sevayā

SYNONYMS

iṣṭā — by sacrificial performances for one's own benefit; pūrtena — and pious works for the benefit of others, such as digging wells; mām — Me; evam — thus; yaḥ — one who; yajeta — worships; samāhitaḥ — with mind fixed in Me; labhate — such a person obtains; mayi — in Me; sat-bhaktim — unflinching devotional service; mat-smṛtiḥ — realized knowledge of Me; sādhu — with all superior qualities; sevayā — by service.

TRANSLATION

One who has executed sacrificial performances and pious works for My satisfaction, and who thus worships Me with fixed attention, obtains unflinching devotional service unto Me. By the excellent quality of his service such a worshiper obtains realized knowledge of Me.

PURPORT

The word iṣṭā-pūrtena, which means "sacrificial performances and pious works," does not indicate deviation from the pure devotional service of the Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, is called Yajña, or the Lord of sacrifice, and in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) Lord Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraḿ yajña-tapasām: "I am the actual enjoyer of all sacrifice." The highest sacrifice is to chant the holy names of the Lord, and by taking shelter of the Lord's names, one will acquire unflinching devotion and realized knowledge of the Absolute Truth. A realized devotee is very attentive in his devotional service, taking it as his life and soul. He keeps himself fit for devotional service by constantly worshiping and glorifying the lotus feet of the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such hari-nāma-kīrtana and guru-pūjā are the only practical methods by which one can achieve pure devotional service. When hari-kīrtana is expanded, it is called kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtana. One should not dry up by performing unauthorized austerities or sacrifices; rather, one should engage with all enthusiasm in the great sacrifice of śrī-kṛṣṇa-sańkīrtana, which enables one to easily achieve the highest perfection of human life.

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