Verse Text
karma svābhāvikaṁ bhadraṁ japa-dhyānārcanādi ca |
itīdaṁ dvividhaṁ kṛṣṇe vaiṣṇavair dāsyam arpitam ||185||
Translation
There are two categories of this varṇāśrama-dāsyam offered by the Vaiṣṇavas to Kṛṣṇa: offering the auspicious among the prescribed actions according to one’s nature and offering only actions such as japa, meditation and deity worship.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
There are two types of offering obligatory actions in varṇāśrama. Svābhāvikam here means those impressions attained from previous lives which give one a particular identity in the varṇāśrama system. Among those actions prescribed by that identity, only those that are auspicious are offered to the Lord, and not others (such as cleaning oneself with earth after passing nature). As well, japa and other spiritual actions (which are part of varṇāśrama activities) are offered. If the Vaiṣṇava offers these two types of actions to Kṛṣṇa, they are called dāsyam.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Those who are engaged in fruitive activities, or prescribed duties according to the four orders of social and spiritual life, are not actually pure devotees. But still, because they are offering the result to the Lord, they are accepted as devotees. When one has no such desire, but acts spontaneously out of love of God, such a person must be accepted as a pure devotee. The conditioned souls who have come into contact with the material world are all more or less desirous of lording it over material nature. The system of varṇāśrama and the prescribed duties under this system are so designed that the conditioned soul may enjoy in the material world according to his desire for sense gratification and at the same time gradually become elevated to spiritual understanding. Under these prescribed duties of varṇa and āśrama there are many activities which belong to devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Those devotees who are householders accept Vedic ritualistic performances as well as the prescribed duties of devotional service, because both are meant for satisfying Kṛṣṇa. When householder devotees perform some Vedic ritualistic duties, they do so to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. As we have previously discussed, any activity aiming at satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead is considered devotional service.
Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes one who is fit for becoming engaged in devotional service. He says that persons who are neophytes and who have developed a little love of Godhead are not interested in the activities of sense gratification, in proportion to their devotion. But if there is still some attraction for sense gratifying activities, then the result of such activities should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. This is also called engagement in the service of the Lord, with the Lord as the master and the worker as the servant.