Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 11.20.11

asmin loke vartamanah

sva-dharma-stho 'naghah sucih

jnanam visuddham apnoti

mad-bhaktim va yadricchaya

SYNONYMS

asmin -- in this; loke -- world; vartamanah -- existing; sva-dharma -- in one's prescribed duty; sthah -- situated; anaghah -- free from sinful activities; sucih -- cleansed of material contamination; jnanam -- knowledge; visuddham -- transcendental; apnoti -- obtains; mat -- to Me; bhaktim -- devotional service; va -- or; yadricchaya -- according to one's fortune.

TRANSLATION

One who is situated in his prescribed duty, free from sinful activities and cleansed of material contamination, in this very life obtains transcendental knowledge or, by fortune, devotional service unto Me.

PURPORT

Asmin loke indicates one's present duration of life. Before the death of one's present body one can obtain transcendental knowledge or, by great fortune, pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord. The word yadricchaya indicates that if one somehow or other gets the association of pure devotees and hears from them faithfully, one can achieve Krishna consciousness, the highest perfection of life. According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, through transcendental knowledge one obtains liberation, whereas through pure devotional service one can achieve love of Godhead, in which liberation is automatically included. Both results are certainly superior to ordinary, fruitive activities, by which one tries to enjoy much the same things that animals do. If one's devotional service is mixed with a tendency toward fruitive activities or mental speculation, then one may achieve the neutral stage of love of Godhead, whereas those who are inclined to serve only Lord Krishna advance to the higher stages of love of Godhead in servitude, friendship, parental love and the conjugal relationship.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari