Devanagari
यद् युज्यतेऽसुवसुकर्ममनोवचोभि-
र्देहात्मजादिषु नृभिस्तदसत् पृथक्त्वात् ।
तैरेव सद् भवति यत् क्रियतेऽपृथक्त्वात्
सर्वस्य तद् भवति मूलनिषेचनं यत् ॥ २९ ॥
Verse text
yad yujyate ’su-vasu-karma-mano-vacobhir
dehātmajādiṣu nṛbhis tad asat pṛthaktvāt
tair eva sad bhavati yat kriyate ’pṛthaktvāt
sarvasya tad bhavati mūla-niṣecanaṁ yat
Synonyms
yat
—
whatever
;
yujyate
—
is performed
;
asu
—
for the protection of one’s life
;
vasu
—
protection of wealth
;
karma
—
activities
;
manaḥ
—
by the acts of the mind
;
vacobhiḥ
—
by the acts of words
;
deha
—
ātma — ja — ādiṣu — for the sake of one’s personal body or family, etc., with reference to the body
;
nṛbhiḥ
—
by the human beings
;
tat
—
that
;
asat
—
impermanent, transient
;
pṛthaktvāt
—
because of separation from the Supreme Personality of Godhead
;
taiḥ
—
by the same activities
;
eva
—
indeed
;
sat bhavati
—
becomes factual and permanent
;
yat
—
which
;
kriyate
—
is performed
;
apṛthaktvāt
—
because of nonseparation
;
sarvasya
—
for everyone
;
tat bhavati
—
becomes beneficial
;
mūla
—
niṣecanam — exactly like pouring water on the root of a tree
;
yat
—
which .
Translation
In human society there are various activities performed for the protection of one’s wealth and life by one’s words, one’s mind and one’s actions, but they are all performed for one’s personal or extended sense gratification with reference to the body. All these activities are baffled because of being separate from devotional service. But when the same activities are performed for the satisfaction of the Lord, the beneficial results are distributed to everyone, just as water poured on the root of a tree is distributed throughout the entire tree.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Utilizing one’s prāṇa, wealth, actions, mind and words for maintaining one’s body, sons and others is not proper since this endeavor is separate from the Lord. Utilizing these same things for service to the Lord is proper, since this endeavor is not separate from the Lord. This is service to all beings since it is watering the root.
This verse gives the conclusion. Whatever is used for the body or sons by one’s prāṇa, wealth, actions, mind or words is temporary. Using the senses, mind and wealth simply for the body is useless. Why? This is because it is separate, like watering the branches of a tree. Just as one thinks the branches are separate from the root and waters the branches instead of the root, the fool serves the body instead of serving the Lord. Using the prāṇas, wealth and senses for the Lord is correct. Why? It is not separate from the Lord. It is like watering the root. Just as one waters the root, understanding that the branch is not separate from the root, so one serves the Lord. This service (tat) is actually service to all beings from Brahmā to non-moving beings (sarvasya), because this is watering the root (yat mūla-nisecanam).
Thus ends the commentary on the Ninth Chapter of the Eighth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas
Chapter Ten
Battle Between the Devas and Demons
Purport
This is the distinction between materialistic activities and activities performed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The entire world is active, and this includes the
karmīs,
the
jṣānīs,
the
yogīs
and the
bhaktas.
However, all activities except those of the
bhaktas,
the devotees, end in bafflement and a waste of time and energy.
Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jṣānā vicetasaḥ:
if one is not a devotee, his hopes, his activities and his knowledge are all baffled. A nondevotee works for his personal sense gratification or for the sense gratification of his family, society, community or nation, but because all such activities are separate from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are considered
asat.
The word
asat
means bad or temporary, and
sat
means permanent and good. Activities performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa are permanent and good, but
asat
activity, although sometimes celebrated as philanthropy, altruism, nationalism, this “ism” or that “ism,” will never produce any permanent result and is therefore all bad. Even a little work done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a permanent asset and is all-good because it is done for Kṛṣṇa, the all-good Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is everyone’s friend (
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām
). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only enjoyer and proprietor of everything (
bhoktāraṁ yajṣa-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram
). Therefore any activity performed for the Supreme Lord is permanent. As a result of such activities, the performer is immediately recognized.
Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ
. Such a devotee, because of full knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is immediately transcendental, although he may superficially appear to be engaged in materialistic activities. The only distinction between materialistic activity and spiritual activity is that material activity is performed only to satisfy one’s own senses whereas spiritual activity is meant to satisfy the transcendental senses of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By spiritual activity everyone factually benefits, whereas by materialistic activity no one benefits and instead one becomes entangled in the laws of
karma.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Ninth Chapter, of the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
entitled “The Lord Incarnates as Mohinī-mūrti.”