Verse Text
saṁmataṁ bhakti-vijṣānāṁ bhakty-aṅgatvaṁ na karmaṇām ||246||
Translation
The consensus of those knowledgeable of bhakti is that karma (varṇāśrama duties) is not an aṅga of bhakti.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Someone may argue as follows. “True, there is a glorification of all the aṅgas of pure bhakti (above all other processes), but Parāśara has glorified karma as well:
varṇāśramācaravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān |
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam ||
The Supreme Lord Viṣṇu is to be worshipped by man through the duties of varṇāśrama. There is no other path for satisfying the Lord. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.8.9
This Viṣṇu Purāṇa verse substantiates that karma is an aṅga of bhakti, for in that verse there is evident approval for worshipping Viṣṇu in combination with varṇāśrama activities.”
However, the author states that the consensus (sammatam) of those thoroughly experienced in bhakti, the pure devotees, including even Parāśara, is otherwise. Parāśara has also said:
yajṣeśācyuta govinda mādhavānanta keśava |
kṛṣṇa viṣṇo hṛṣīkeśety āha rājā sa kevalam |
nānyad jagāda maitreya kiṣcit svapnāntareṣv api ||
O Maitreya, King Bharata simply said, “O master of sacrifice, O Acyuta, Govinda, Mādhava, Ananta, Keśava, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Hṛśīkeśa!” He said nothing else, even in his dreams. Viṣṇu Purāṇa 2.13.10
Thus, the statement quoted from Viṣṇu Purāṇa that approves varṇāśrama as bhakti, has been spoken only to encourage those persons who are not qualified for pure bhakti.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Some scholars argue that simply by following the principles of varṇa and āśrama one can gradually rise to the perfections reached by practicing devotional service, but this argument is not accepted by the great authorities. Lord Caitanya also condemned this idea while He was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya about the gradual development of devotional service. He rejected the idea of the importance of varṇāśrama-dharma when it was put forward by Rāmānanda Rāya. He said that this advancement of varṇa and āśrama is merely external. There is a higher principle. In Bhagavad-gītā also the Lord says that one has to give up all other principles of elevation and take simply to the method of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will help one in achieving the highest perfection of life.