SB 8.24.51 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

जनो जनस्यादिशतेऽसतीं गतिं यया प्रपद्येत दुरत्ययं तम: । त्वं त्वव्ययं ज्ञानममोघमञ्जसा प्रपद्यते येन जनो निजं पदम् ॥ ५१ ॥

Verse text

jano janasyādiśate ’satīṁ gatiṁ yayā prapadyeta duratyayaṁ tamaḥ tvaṁ tv avyayaṁ jṣānam amogham aṣjasā prapadyate yena jano nijaṁ padam

Synonyms

janaḥ — a person who is not a bona fide guru (an ordinary person) ; janasya — of an ordinary person who does not know the goal of life ; ādiśate — instructs ; asatīm — impermanent, material ; gatim — the goal of life ; yayā — by such knowledge ; prapadyeta — he surrenders ; duratyayam — insurmountable ; tamaḥ — to ignorance ; tvam — Your Lordship ; tu — but ; avyayam — indestructible ; jṣānam — knowledge ; amogham — without material contamination ; aṣjasā — very soon ; prapadyate — achieves ; yena — by such knowledge ; janaḥ — a person ; nijam — his own ; padam — original position .

Translation

A materialistic so-called guru instructs his materialistic disciples about economic development and sense gratification, and because of such instructions the foolish disciples continue in the materialistic existence of ignorance. But Your Lordship gives knowledge that is eternal, and the intelligent person receiving such knowledge is quickly situated in his original constitutional position.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

An ignorant guru teaches his disciple material goals by which he surrenders to unsurpassable ignorance. But you teach indestructible knowledge (bhakti) which never fails to give results, by which a person quickly attains Vaikuṇṭha. An example is given to make the point clear. A materialistic guru teaches a disciple about material goals. Such a guru, a cause of obstacles, should be completely rejected. But you have made your appearance in the form of guru. You teach knowledge which arises from bhakti (avyayam jṣānam), not just knowledge composed of vidyā which is destroyed when liberation is reached. One attains your lotus feet or Vaikuṇṭha (nija-padam).

Purport

So-called gurus instruct their disciples for the sake of material profit. Some guru advises that one meditate in such a way that his intelligence will increase in regard to keeping his body fit for sense gratification. Another guru advises that sex is the ultimate goal of life and that one should therefore engage in sex to the best of his ability. These are the instructions of foolish gurus. In other words, because of the instructions of a foolish guru one remains perpetually in material existence and suffers its tribulations. But if one is intelligent enough to take instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā or the Sāṅkhya philosophy of Kapiladeva, one can very soon attain liberation and be situated in his original position of spiritual life. The words nijaṁ padam are significant. The living entity, being part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has the birthright to a position in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety. Therefore, one should follow the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna: after giving up one’s body, one will return home, back to Godhead. The Lord lives in the spiritual world in His original personality, and a devotee who follows the instructions of the Lord approaches Him ( mām eti ). As a spiritual person, such a devotee returns to the Personality of Godhead and plays and dances with Him. That is the ultimate goal of life.