Verse Text
tatra ādyaṁ yathā skānde—
tasmin samarpitaṁ karma svābhāvikam apīśvare |
bhaved bhāgavato dharmas tat-karma kim utārpitam ||184||
Translation
The first type (offering prescribed duties) is described in the Skanda Purāṇa: Prescribed duties, according to one’s nature, offered to that Lord become bhāgavata-dharma. What to speak then of actions of bhakti dedicated to the Lord alone?
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Even varnāśrama actions (karma-svābhāvikam) offered to that Lord (tasmin īśvare) become bhāgavata-dharma. What to speak then of actions for the Lord (tat-karma) such as hearing and chanting?
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
This is an example of offering prescribed actions being a type of dāsya.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
In the Skanda Purāṇa it is said that those who are attached to ritualistic activities, the four orders of social life and the four orders of spiritual life, are considered devotees. But when devotees are actually engaged in offering service to the Lord directly, these must be bhāgavatas, or pure devotees.