न साधयति मां योगो न साङ्ख्यं धर्म उद्धव ।
न स्वाध्यायस्तपस्त्यागो यथा भक्तिर्ममोर्जिता ॥
na sādhayati māṁ yogo na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava |
na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo yathā bhaktir mamorjitā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.20; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.601; Bhakti Sandarbha: 78, 103, 147, 327; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.134)
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Uddhava, neither yoga, nor sāṅkhya, nor dharma, nor study, nor austerity, nor renunciation cause attainment of me like powerful bhakti to me [does].”
Commentary
ata evaṁbhūtaṁ śreyo nānyad astīty āha—na sādhayatīti dvābhyām |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“Therefore, there is no other beneficial act (śreyas) of such nature. Thus, he [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] states this with two [verses beginning]: na sādhayati ….”
na sādhayati na vaśīkaroti | ūrjitā parama-samarthā |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.601)
“‘Does not cause attainment’ (na sādhayati) means does not captivate. ‘Powerful’ (ūrjitā) means supremely capable.”
na sādhayati na vaśīkaroti | tapo jñānam | tyāgaḥ sannyāsaḥ | mat-sādhanārthaṁ prayukto’pi yogādis tathā māṁ na sādhayati— vaśayan nonmukhaṁ karoti, yathorjitā [jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtā tīvrā prabalottameti yāvat] bhaktiḥ sādhanātmikā |
(Krama-sandarbha-tīkā)
“‘Does not cause attainment’ (na sādhayati) means does not captivate. ‘Austerity’ (tapas) refers to knowledge (jñāna). ‘Renunciation’ (tyāga) refers to asceticism (sannyāsa). Yoga and so forth, even [when] employed for the purpose of attaining me, do not cause attainment of me, that is, do not captivate and make me inclined [to someone], as powerful bhakti existent as a means of attainment [of me] does, [‘powerful’ meaning unobstructed by jñāna, karma, and so forth, intense, strong, and excellent].”
nanu bhaktir yathā tvat-prāpti-sādhanaṁ tathā jñāna-yogādikam apīti kenāṁśena bhakter utkarṣa ity ata āha—neti dvābhyām | na sādhayati na mat-prāpti-sādhanaṁ bhavati | ūrjitā jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtatvena prabalā tīvrety arthaḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, as bhakti is a means of attainment of you, so too are jñāna, yoga, and so on. So, by virtue of what aspect [of bhakti] does bhakti have superiority [to jñāna, yoga, and so forth]?’ Thus, he [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] speaks with two [verses beginning] na …. ‘Does not cause attainment’ means is not a means of attainment of me. ‘Powerful’ (ūrjitā) means strong and intense on account of being unobstructed by jñāna, karma, and so on.”