SB 1.18.10

SB 1.18.10

Devanagari

या या: कथा भगवत: कथनीयोरुकर्मण: । गुणकर्माश्रया: पुम्भि: संसेव्यास्ता बुभूषुभि: ॥ १० ॥

Verse text

yā yāḥ kathā bhagavataḥ kathanīyoru-karmaṇaḥ guṇa-karmāśrayāḥ pumbhiḥ saṁsevyās tā bubhūṣubhiḥ

Synonyms

yāḥ whatever ; yāḥ and whatsoever ; kathāḥ topics ; bhagavataḥ about the Personality of Godhead ; kathanīya were to be spoken by me ; uru karmaṇaḥ — of Him who acts wonderfully ; guṇa transcendental qualities ; karma uncommon deeds ; āśrayāḥ involving ; pumbhiḥ by persons ; saṁsevyāḥ ought to be heard ; tāḥ all of them ; bubhūṣubhiḥ by those who want their own welfare .

Translation

Those who are desirous of achieving complete perfection in life must submissively hear all topics that are connected with the transcendental activities and qualities of the Personality of Godhead, who acts wonderfully.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Those who desire their own benefit should hear those topics concerning the qualities and activities of the Lord who performed the greatest actions.

Purport

The systematic hearing of the transcendental activities, qualities and names of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa pushes one towards eternal life. Systematic hearing means knowing Him gradually in truth and fact, and this knowing Him in truth and fact means attaining eternal life, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Such transcendental, glorified activities of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa are the prescribed remedy for counteracting the process of birth, death, old age and disease, which are considered to be material awards for the conditioned living being. The culmination of such a perfectional stage of life is the goal of human life and the attainment of transcendental bliss.

Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Bubhūṣubhiḥ means “by those who desire their own good.” To do anything other than this is to waste one’s life.