Devanagari
श्रीउद्धव उवाच
ज्ञानं विशुद्धं विपुलं यथैत-
द्वैराग्यविज्ञानयुतं पुराणम् ।
आख्याहि विश्वेश्वर विश्वमूर्ते
त्वद्भक्तियोगं च महद्विमृग्यम् ॥ ८ ॥
Verse text
śrī-uddhava uvāca
jṣānaṁ viśuddhaṁ vipulaṁ yathaitad
vairāgya-vijṣāna-yutaṁ purāṇam
ākhyāhi viśveśvara viśva-mūrte
tvad-bhakti-yogaṁ ca mahad-vimṛgyam
Synonyms
śrī
—
uddhavaḥ uvāca — Śrī Uddhava said
;
jṣānam
—
knowledge
;
viśuddham
—
transcendental
;
vipulam
—
extensive
;
yathā
—
just as
;
etat
—
this
;
vairagya
—
detachment
;
vijṣāna
—
and direct perception of the truth
;
yutam
—
including
;
purāṇam
—
traditional among great philosophers
;
ākhyāhi
—
please explain
;
viśva
—
īśvara — O Lord of the universe
;
viśva
—
mūrte — O form of the universe
;
tvat
—
unto You
;
bhakti
—
yogam — loving devotional service
;
ca
—
also
;
mahat
—
by great souls
;
vimṛgyam
—
sought after .
Translation
Śrī Uddhava said: O Lord of the universe! O form of the universe! Please explain to me that process of knowledge which automatically brings detachment and direct perception of the truth, which is transcendental, and which is traditional among great spiritual philosophers. This knowledge, sought by elevated personalities, describes loving devotional service unto Your Lordship.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Uddhava said: Please explain to me more elevated knowledge, greater knowledge, endowed with detachment and realization, which is approved by previous jṣānīs. O Lord of the universe! O form of the universe! Teach me about pure bhakti which is sought by the great sages.
Having heard about tvam, the ātmā, Uddhava asks about knowledge and realization of tat, Brahman, along with vairāgya, and asks about most rarely attained bhakti-yoga, since he is dissatisfied with jṣāna. Tell me about pure knowledge (viśuddham), beyond knowledge of tvam, the jīva. Tell about knowledge which is greater, since it is about Brahman, tat. This knowledge is approved by the previous jṣānīs. Uddhava addresses the Lord. O power of the universe! O form of the universe! By these names Uddhava implies that if the universe were false, talking about is power and form would be meaningless. The bhakti which is especially sought (vimṛgyam) by the great sages like Śuka and Sanaka is pure bhakti.
Purport
Those who are able to cross over the darkness of material existence are called
mahat,
or great personalities. Secondary items like cosmic consciousness or universal control do not deviate the attention of such great souls from loving service to the Lord. Śrī Uddhava desires to hear knowledge of the eternal religious principles that are the traditional aim and objective of all superior personalities.