Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 5: The Creative Impetus | Chapter 7: The Activities of King Bharata |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.7.11
tasmin vāva kila sa ekalah pulahāśramopavane vividha-kusuma-kisalaya-tulasikāmbubhih kanda-mūla-phalopahāraiś ca samīhamāno bhagavata ārādhanam vivikta uparata-vishayābhilāsha upabhritopaśamah parām nirvritim avāpa
SYNONYMS
tasmin — in that āśrama; vāva kila — indeed; sah — Bharata Mahārāja; ekalah — alone, only; pulaha-āśrama-upavane — in the gardens situated i n Pulaha-āśrama; vividha-kusuma-kisalaya-tulasikā-ambubhih — with varieties of flowers, twigs and tulasī leaves, as well as with water; kanda-mūla-phala-upahāraih — by offerings of roots, bulbs and fruits; ca — and; samīhamānah — performing; bhagavatah — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ārādhanam — worshiping; viviktah — purified; uparata — being freed from; vishaya-abhilāshah — desire for material sense enjoyment; upabhrita — increased; upaśamah — tranquillity; parām — transcendental; nirvritim — satisfaction; avāpa — he obtained.
TRANSLATION
In the gardens of Pulaha-āśrama, Mahārāja Bharata lived alone and collected a variety of flowers, twigs and tulasī leaves. He also collected the water of the Gandakī River, as well as various roots, fruits and bulbs. With these he offered food to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, and, worshiping Him, he remained satisfied. In this way his heart was completely uncontaminated, and he did not have the least desire for material enjoyment. All material desires vanished. In this steady position, he felt full satisfaction and was situated in devotional service.
PURPORT
Everyone is searching after peace of mind. This is obtainable only when one is completely freed from the desire for material sense gratification and is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā: patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (9.26). Worship of the Lord is not at all expensive. One can offer the Lord a leaf, a flower, a little fruit and some water. The Supreme Lord accepts these offerings when they are offered with love and devotion. In this way, one can become freed from material desires. As long as one maintains material desires, he cannot be happy. As soon as one engages in the devotional service of the Lord, his mind is purified of all material desires. Then one becomes fully satisfied.
yato bhaktir adhokshaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
"The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self. By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Krishna, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world." (Bhāg. 1.2.6-7)
These are the instructions given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the supreme Vedic literature. One may not be able to go to Pulaha-āśrama, but wherever one is one can happily render devotional service to the Lord by adopting the processes mentioned above.
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness