Devanagari
किं वा भागवता धर्मा न प्रायेण निरूपिता: ।
प्रिया: परमहंसानां त एव ह्यच्युतप्रिया: ॥ ३१ ॥
Verse text
kiṁ vā bhāgavatā dharmā
na prāyeṇa nirūpitāḥ
priyāḥ paramahaṁsānāṁ
ta eva hy acyuta-priyāḥ
Synonyms
kim vā
—
or
;
bhāgavatāḥ dharmāḥ
—
devotional activities of the living beings
;
na
—
not
;
prāyeṇa
—
almost
;
nirūpitāḥ
—
directed
;
priyāḥ
—
dear
;
paramahaṁsānām
—
of the perfect beings
;
te eva
—
that also
;
hi
—
certainly
;
acyuta
—
the infallible
;
priyāḥ
—
attractive .
Translation
This may be because I did not specifically point out the devotional service of the Lord, which is dear both to perfect beings and to the infallible Lord.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Perhaps the path of bhakti pleasing to the most elevated devotees has not been sufficiently described. And the elevated devotees alone are dear to the Lord.
Purport
The dissatisfaction which was being felt by Śrīla Vyāsadeva is expressed herein in his own words. This was felt for the normal condition of the living being in the devotional service of the Lord. Unless one is fixed in the normal condition of service, neither the Lord nor the living being can become fully satisfied. This defect was felt by him when Nārada Muni, his spiritual master, reached him. It is described as follows.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Vyāsā begins to intuit the reason for his dissatisfaction. Prāyana means abundantly. The word te refers to the paramahaṁsas. It is not possible to explain the word bhāgavatā dharmā as jṣāna. It is bhakti only for it is later said:
tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api
nāmāny anantasya yaśo ’ṅkitāni yat śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ
The use of words in which, though not perfectly composed, there are the names of the Lord and descriptions of his glories which devotes hear, sing, and again receive, destroys the sins of all people. SB 1.5.11
And thus the word paramahaṁsānām refers only to the devotees, not to the jṣānīs. Bhāgavatam should always be connected with the devotees who are called paramahaṁsas. It should never be taken as the property of the jṣānīs.
bhavatānudita-prāyaṁ yaśo bhagavato ’malam
yenaivāsau na tuṣyeta manye tad darśanaṁ khilam
You have not actually broadcast the sublime and spotless glories of the Personality of Godhead. That philosophy which does not satisfy the transcendental senses of the Lord is considered worthless. SB 1.5.8