Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.12.13

yatrottamaśloka-guṇānuvādaḥ

prastūyate grāmya-kathā-vighātaḥ

niṣevyamāṇo 'nudinaḿ mumukṣor

matiḿ satīḿ yacchati vāsudeve

SYNONYMS

yatra — in which place (in the presence of exalted devotees); uttama-śloka-guṇa-anuvādaḥ — discussion of the pastimes and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prastūyate — is presented; grāmya-kathā-vighātaḥ — due to which there is no chance of talking of worldly matters; niṣevyamāṇaḥ — being heard very seriously; anudinam — day after day; mumukṣoḥ — of persons who are very serious about getting out of material entanglement; matim — meditation; satīm — pure and simple; yacchati — is turned; vāsudeve — unto the lotus feet of Lord Vāsudeva.

TRANSLATION

Who are the pure devotees mentioned here? In an assembly of pure devotees, there is no question of discussing material subjects like politics and sociology. In an assembly of pure devotees, there is discussion only of the qualities, forms and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is praised and worshiped with full attention. In the association of pure devotees, by constantly hearing such topics respectfully, even a person who wants to merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth abandons this idea and gradually becomes attached to the service of Vāsudeva.

PURPORT

The symptoms of pure devotees are described in this verse. The pure devotee is never interested in material topics. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strictly prohibited His devotees to talk about worldly matters. Grāmya-vārtā nā kahibe: one should not indulge in talking unnecessarily about news of the material world. One should not waste time in this way. This is a very important feature in the life of a devotee. A devotee has no other ambition than to serve Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started to engage people twenty-four hours daily in the service of the Lord and in His glorification. The students in this institution engage in the cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness from five in the morning to ten at night. They actually have no opportunity to waste their time unnecessarily by discussing politics, sociology and current events. These will go their own way. A devotee is concerned only with serving Kṛṣṇa positively and seriously.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness