SB 11.21.15

SB 11.21.15

Devanagari

मन्त्रस्य च परिज्ञानं कर्मशुद्धिर्मदर्पणम् । धर्म: सम्पद्यते षड्‌भिरधर्मस्तु विपर्यय: ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

mantrasya ca parijṣānaṁ karma-śuddhir mad-arpaṇam dharmaḥ sampadyate ṣaḍbhir adharmas tu viparyayaḥ

Synonyms

mantrasya (the purification) of a mantra ; ca and ; parijṣānam correct knowledge ; karma of work ; śuddhiḥ the purification ; mat arpaṇam — offering unto Me ; dharmaḥ religiousness ; sampadyate is achieved ; ṣaḍbhiḥ by the six (purification of place, time, substance, the doer, the mantras and the work) ; adharmaḥ irreligiosity ; tu but ; viparyayaḥ otherwise .

Translation

A mantra is purified when chanted with proper knowledge, and one’s work is purified when offered to Me. Thus by purification of the place, time, substance, doer, mantras and work, one becomes religious, and by negligence of these six items one is considered irreligious.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

A mantra is purified when chanted with proper knowledge, and one’s work is purified when offered to me. Thus by purification of the place, time, substance, doer, mantras and work, dharma is accomplished, and by negligence of these six items adharma appears. Purification of mantra is described. Suitable knowledge from the mouth of the pure guru purifies a mantra. Action is purified by offering it to the Lord. If not offered, it is impure. By purity of these six items one should conduct oneself in life. After showing purity and impurity, everything is summarized. By the purity of six items—place, time, objects, performer, mantra and action—dharma is accomplished. When there is impurity of these items, it is a cause of adharma.

Purport

One receives a mantra from the mouth of a bona fide spiritual master, who instructs the disciple in the method, meaning and ultimate purpose of the mantra. The bona fide spiritual master in this age gives his disciple the mahā-mantra, or holy names of God, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. One who chants this mantra, considering himself to be the eternal servant of the Lord, gradually learns to chant offenselessly and by such purified chanting quickly achieves the highest perfection of life. The Lord here summarizes His discussion of purity and impurity, which manifest ultimately in religious and irreligious life.