SB 3.13.50

SB 3.13.50

Devanagari

को नाम लोके पुरुषार्थसारवित् पुराकथानां भगवत्कथासुधाम् । आपीय कर्णाञ्जलिभिर्भवापहा- महो विरज्येत विना नरेतरम् ॥ ५० ॥

Verse text

ko nāma loke puruṣārtha-sāravit purā-kathānāṁ bhagavat-kathā-sudhām āpīya karṇāṣjalibhir bhavāpahām aho virajyeta vinā naretaram

Synonyms

kaḥ who ; nāma indeed ; loke in the world ; puruṣa artha — goal of life ; sāra vit — one who knows the essence of ; purā kathānām — of all past histories ; bhagavat regarding the Personality of Godhead ; kathā sudhām — the nectar of the narrations about the Personality of Godhead ; āpīya by drinking ; karṇa aṣjalibhiḥ — by aural reception ; bhava apahām — that which kills all material pangs ; aho alas ; virajyeta could refuse ; vinā except ; nara itaram — other than the human being .

Translation

Who, other than one who is not a human being, can exist in this world and not be interested in the ultimate goal of life? Who can refuse the nectar of narrations about the Personality of Godhead’s activities, which by itself can deliver one from all material pangs?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Using his ears as hands to take the nectar, knowing the essence of all human goals to be bhakti, having drunk the sweet stories of the Lord among all the past narrations, which destroy material existence, what person would then reject them? Only an animal would reject them! Bhakti is the greatest attainment for the human being among all goals. Knowing this one knows the essence of everything. The person who says that bhakti is a practice for the ultimate goal but is not itself the final result is an animal. Puṛā-kathānām means “among previous events.” Bhavāpahām means “that which destroys material existence.” It is most astonishing (aho)! Who except an animal would refuse this? A person who refuses is an animal. Later the animal nature of the yogī who rejects the attractive topics of Lord will be described. evaṁ harau bhagavati pratilabdha-bhāvo bhaktyā dravad-dhṛdaya utpulakaḥ pramodāt autkaṇṭhya-bāṣpa-kalayā muhur ardyamānas tac cāpi citta-baḍiśaṁ śanakair viyuṅkte The unfortunate yogī who has developed love for the Lord, full of all sweet qualities, whose heart is somewhat soft because of devotion, whose body hairs stand on end in ecstasy, who is constantly overcome with intense tears of joy, gradually withdraws his hook-like mind from the Lord’s form. SB 3.28.34 Thus ends the commentary on Thirteenth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas Chapter Fourteen Impregnation of Diti

Purport

The narration of the activities of the Personality of Godhead is like a constant flow of nectar. No one can refuse to drink such nectar except one who is not a human being. Devotional service to the Lord is the highest goal of life for every human being, and such devotional service begins by hearing about the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. Only an animal, or a man who is almost an animal in behavior, can refuse to take an interest in hearing the transcendental message of the Lord. There are many books of stories and histories in the world, but except for the histories or narrations on the topics of the Personality of Godhead, none are capable of diminishing the burden of material pangs. Therefore one who is serious about eliminating material existence must chant and hear of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. Otherwise one must be compared to the nonhumans. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Appearance of Lord Varāha.”