Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 7.1.27

yatha vairanubandhena

martyas tan-mayatam iyat

na tatha bhakti-yogena

iti me niscita matih

SYNONYMS

yatha -- as; vaira-anubandhena -- by constant enmity; martyah -- a person; tat-mayatam -- absorption in Him; iyat -- may attain; na -- not; tatha -- in a like manner; bhakti-yogena -- by devotional service; iti -- thus; me -- my; niscita -- definite; matih -- opinion.

TRANSLATION

Narada Muni continued: By devotional service one cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one can through enmity toward Him. That is my opinion.

PURPORT

Sriman Narada Muni, the topmost pure devotee, praises Krishna's enemies like Sisupala because their minds are always completely absorbed in Krishna. Indeed, he thinks himself deficient in the inspiration of being feelingly absorbed in Krishna consciousness. This does not mean, however, that the enemies of Krishna are more elevated than Krishna's pure devotees. In the Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi 5.205) Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami also thinks of himself in such a humble way:

jagai madhai haite muni se papishtha

purishera kita haite muni se laghishtha

"I am a worse sinner than Jagai and Madhai and am even lower than the worms in the stool." A pure devotee always thinks himself more deficient than everyone else. If a devotee approaches Srimati Radharani to offer some service to Krishna, even Srimati Radharani thinks that the devotee is greater than She. Thus Narada Muni says that according to his opinion the enemies of Krishna are better situated because they are fully absorbed in thoughts of Krishna in terms of killing Him, just as a very lusty man always thinks of women and their association.

The essential point in this connection is that one should be fully absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, twenty-four hours a day. There are many devotees in raga-marga, which is exhibited in Vrindavana. Whether in dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa or madhurya-rasa, all the devotees of Krishna are always overwhelmed by thoughts of Krishna. When Krishna is away from Vrindavana tending the cows in the forest, the gopis, in the madhurya-rasa, are always absorbed in thoughts of how Krishna walks in the forest. The soles of His feet are so soft that the gopis would not dare keep His lotus feet on their soft breasts. Indeed, they consider their breasts a very hard place for the lotus feet of Krishna, yet those lotus feet wander in the forest, which is full of thorny plants. The gopis are absorbed in such thoughts at home, although Krishna is away from them. Similarly, when Krishna plays with His young friends, mother Yasoda is very much disturbed by thoughts that Krishna, because of always playing and not taking His food properly, must be getting weak. These are examples of the exalted ecstasy felt in Krishna's service as manifested in Vrindavana. This service is indirectly praised by Narada Muni in this verse. Especially for the conditioned soul, Narada Muni recommends that one somehow or other be absorbed in thoughts of Krishna, for that will save one from all the dangers of material existence. Full absorption in thought of Krishna is the highest platform of bhakti-yoga.

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