Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.1.19

tvam tv abja-nābhāńghri-saroja-kośa-

durgāśrito nirjita-shat-sapatnah

bhuńkshveha bhogān purushātidishtān

vimukta-sańgah prakritim bhajasva

SYNONYMS

tvam — yourself; tu — then; abja-nābha — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose navel is like a lotus flower; ańghri — feet; saroja — lotus; kośa — hole; durga — the stronghold; āśritah — taken shelter of; nirjita — conquered; shat-sapatnah — the six enemies (the mind and five senses); bhuńkshva — enjoy; iha — in this material world; bhogān — enjoyable things; purusha — by the Supreme person; atidishtān — extraordinarily ordered; vimukta — liberated; sańgah — from material association; prakritim — constitutional position; bhajasva — enjoy.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahmā continued: My dear Priyavrata, seek shelter inside the opening in the lotus of the feet of the Lord, whose navel is also like a lotus. Thus conquer the six sense organs [the mind and knowledge-acquiring senses]. Accept material enjoyment because the Lord, extraordinarily, has ordered you to do this. You will thus always be liberated from material association and be able to carry out the Lord's orders in your constitutional position.

PURPORT

There are three kinds of men within this material world. Those who are trying to enjoy the senses to the utmost are called karmīs, above them are the jñānīs, who try to conquer the urges of the senses, and above them are the yogīs, who have already conquered the senses. None of them, however, are situated in a transcendental position. Only devotees. who belong to none of the above-mentioned groups, are transcendental. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (14.26):

mām ca yo 'vyabhicārena

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa gunān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

"One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman." Lord Brahmā herein advises Priyavrata to remain transcendental in the fortress not of family life but of the lotus feet of the Lord (abja-nābhāńghri-saroja). When a bumblebee enters the opening of a lotus flower and drinks its honey, it is fully protected by the petals of the lotus. The bee is undisturbed by sunshine and other external influences. Similarly, one who always seeks shelter at the lotus feet of the personality of Godhead is protected from all dangers. It is therefore said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.58):

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam

mahat-padam punya-yaśo murāreh

bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padam param padam

padam padam yad vipadām na teshām

For one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, everything becomes easier. Indeed, even crossing the great ocean of nescience (bhavāmbudhi) is exactly like crossing the hoofprint created by a calf (vatsa-padam). For such a devotee, there is no question of remaining in a place where every step is dangerous.

Our actual duty is to carry out the supreme order of the Personality of Godhead. If we are fixed in our determination to carry out the supreme order of the Lord, we are always secure, regardless of where we are situated, whether in hell or in heaven. Herein the words prakritim bhajasva are very significant. Prakritim refers to one's constitutional position. Every living entity has the constitutional position of being an eternal servant of God. Therefore Lord Brahmā advised Priyavrata, "Be situated in your original position as an eternal servant of the Lord. If you carry out His orders, you will never fall, even in the midst of material enjoyment." Material enjoyment achieved by dint of one's fruitive activities differs from material enjoyment given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee sometimes appears to be in a very opulent position, but he accepts that position to follow the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore a devotee is never affected by material influences. The devotees in the Krishna consciousness movement are preaching all over the world in accordance with the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They have to meet many karmīs, but by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they are unaffected by material influences. He has blessed them, as described in the Caitanya-caritāmrita (Madhya 7.129):

kabhu nā bādhibe tomāra vishaya-tarańga

punarapi ei thāñi pābe mora sańge

A sincere devotee who engages in the service of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by preaching His cult all over the world will never be affected by vishaya-tarańga, material influences. On the contrary, in due course of time he will return to the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and will thus have perpetual association with Him.

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