रहूगणैतत्तपसा न याति
न चेज्यया निर्वपणाद्गृहाद्वा ।
न च्छन्दसा नैव जलाग्निसूर्यै-
र्विना महत्पादरजोऽभिषेकम् ॥
यत्रोत्तमःश्लोकगुणानुवादः
प्रस्तूयते ग्राम्यकथाविघातः ।
निषेव्यमाणोऽनुदिनं मुमुक्षो-
र्मतिं सतीं यच्छति वासुदेवे ॥
rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā |
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo’bhiṣekam ||
yatrottamaḥśloka-guṇānuvādaḥ
prastūyate grāmya-kathā-vighātaḥ |
niṣevyamāṇo’nudinaṁ mumukṣor
matiṁ satīṁ yacchati vāsudeve ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.12.12–13)
“[Jaḍa Bhārata:] O Rahūgaṇa, neither by austerity, nor by sacrifice, nor by giving, nor by household life, nor by the Vedas, nor by [worship of] water, fire, and the sun does one attain this without bathing in the foot-dust of the mahats, amongst whom is sung recounting of the qualities of he of highest praise [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān], on account of which termination of village talk occurs, and which upon being honored daily produces a seeker of mokṣa’s genuine inclination towards Vāsudeva.”
Commentary
etat-prāptiś ca mahat-sevāṁ vinā na bhavatīty āha he rahūgaṇa, etaj jñānaṁ tapasā puruṣo na yāti, ijyayā vaidika-karmaṇā, nirvapaṇād annādi-saṁvibhāgena, gṛhād vā tan-nimitta-paropakāreṇa, chandasā vedābhyāsena, jalāgny-ādibhir upāsitaiḥ || mahat-sevāyās tat-prāpty-upāyatām āha | yatra yeṣu mahatsu | grāhya-kathānāṁ vighāto yasmāt ||
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā; partially cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 185)
“Attainment of this [i.e., awareness of Supreme Entity (Tattva), Śrī Bhagavān], furthermore, does not occur without [performing] service to a mahat. Thus, he [i.e., Jaḍa Bhārata] says, ‘O Rahūgaṇa, a person does not attain this awareness by austerity (tapasā), by sacrifice (ijyayā), that is, by Vedic rites, by giving (nirvapaṇād), that is, by distributing food and the like, by household life (gṛhāt), that is, by helping others for that purpose [i.e., by helping others sustain their household lives], by the Vedas (cchandasā), that is, by study of the Vedas, or by worship of water, fire, and so on.
“He [i.e., Jaḍa Bhārata] describes service to the mahats’ being the means to attain of that [i.e., awareness of Supreme Entity (Tattva), Śrī Bhagavān]: yatra … [i.e., he speaks SB 5.12.13]. ‘Amongst whom’ (yatra) means among mahats. [Grāmya-kathā-vighātaḥ means] On account of which termination of village talk occurs.”
he rahūgaṇa etat śrī-vāsudeva-rūpaṁ yas tu tapasā puruṣo na yāti, ijyayā vaidika-karmaṇā, nirvapaṇāt annādi-saṁvibhāgena, gṛhād vā tan-nimitta-paropakāreṇa, chandasā vedābhyāsena, jalāgny-ādibhir upāsitair api | abhiṣeka-śabdena mahat-pāda-rajasaḥ sarvatīrthamayatvaṁ sūcyate |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.186)
“O Rahūgaṇa, a person does not attain this, which is the form of Śrī Vāsudeva, by austerity (tapasā), by sacrifice (ijyayā), that is, by Vedic rites, by giving (nirvapaṇād), that is, by distributing food and the like, by household life (gṛhāt), that is, by helping others for that purpose [i.e., by helping others sustain their household lives], by the Vedas (cchandasā), that is, by study of the Vedas, or by worship of water, fire, and so on. By the word ‘bathing’ (abhiṣeka), the foot-dust of mahats’ being constituted of all tīrthas is indicated.”
anayor arthaḥ—jñānaṁ viśuddham ity-ādi-pūrva-śloke bhagavat-saṁjñaṁ vāsudevaṁ brahmeti gatam asti | etac chrī-vasudeva-nandana-rūpaṁ bhagavat-saṁjñaṁ paraṁ brahma tapa-ādibhir na yāti na prāpnoti janaḥ | tapaḥ svadharmācaraṇaṁ manasa aikāgryaṁ vā, tenāpi ijyayā vaidika-karmaṇā, nirvapaṇāt annādi-saṁvibhāgena, gṛhād vā tan-nimitta-mṛdopakaraṇena, chandasā vedābhyāsena, jalādibhir upāsitair api | tatra jala-śabdena tad-adhikārī varuṇo jñeyaḥ | etair anye’pi devā upalakṣayitavyāḥ | yad vā, jalāgnyoḥ praveśenāpi tathā sūrya-maṇḍala-bhedenāpīty arthaḥ | mahatāṁ pāda-rajasā yo’bhiṣekaṁ snānaṁ parama-tīrthatvāt taṁ vinā | idam atra tātparyam—mahatām anugrahe sati tapasyādibhir api tat prāpyate, tair vinā ca kevalaṁ tenaiva prāpyate’pi | nanu taṁ vinā kadācid api na labhyeta, yad vā, kevalaṁ tenaiva labhyate na tu taiḥ, teṣāṁ tat-sādhanā-sāmarthyād iti | yatra yeṣu mahatsu uttamaślokasya uttamo nirmalaḥ, yad vā udgataṁ [apagataṁ] tamo yasmāt sa uttamaḥ śloko yaśo yasya, tasya bhagavataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇasya guṇānuvādaḥ bhakta-vātsalyādi-guṇa-kathā prastūyate svayam eva prastuto bhavati | yad vā yasmin mahat-pāda-rajo’bhiṣeke sati prastūyate janena | grāmya-kathānāṁ vighāto yasmāt sa ca parama-viṣayāsaktenāpy anudinaṁ niṣevyamāṇaḥ san śrī-vasudeva-nandane mumukṣor viṣaya-viraktasya matiṁ tatra ca satīṁ dṛḍhāṁ yacchati, yad vā mumukṣor api nitarāṁ sevyamānaḥ san śrī-vasudeva-nandane anudinaṁ satīṁ mumukṣādi-tyājanena uttamāṁ matiṁ yacchatīti |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14)
“In the previous verse jñānaṁ viśuddham … [i.e., SB 5.12.11], Vāsudeva, who is known as Bhagavān is understood to be Brahman. A person does not attain (yāti) this Supreme Brahman in the form of the blessed Son of Vāsudeva, who is known as Bhagavān, by means of austerity and so on. Austerity (tapas) refers to observance of one’s dharma, or, to one-pointedness of mind; even by that, by sacrifice (ijyayā), that is, Vedic rites, by giving (nirvapaṇāt), that is, distributing food and the like, by household life (gṛhāt), that is, by moderately helping others for that purpose [i.e., for the purpose of sustaining their household lives], by the Vedas (cchandasā), that is, by study of the Vedas, or even by worship of water and so on [one cannot attain that Supreme Brahman in the form of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa]. In that regard, by the word ‘water’ (jala), Varuṇa, the overseer thereof is to be understood. By this, other devas as well are to be regarded [as being referred to, i.e., the mention of ‘water, fire, and sun’ refers to the devatās of these elements, viz., Varuṇa, Agni, and Sūrya]. Alternately, the meaning is even by entering water or fire, and even by piercing into the sun [one cannot attain Śrī Bhagavān]. Without bathing (abhiṣekam) in the foot-dust of the mahats [one cannot attain Śrī Bhagavān by any of the aforementioned practices] because of [that bathing’s] being the supreme tīrtha. The intention (tātparya) here is this: he [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān] is attainable even by means of austerity and so on when one has the grace of the mahats, and [he] is also attainable just by that [i.e., by the favor of the mahats] alone without those [other means, viz., austerity and so on]. So, he [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān] is never attainable without that [i.e., without the favor of the mahats]. Alternately, he is attainable just by means of that [i.e., by the favor of the mahats] alone, and not, rather, by means of those [other means] because of their inability in regard to accomplishment of that [attainment of him].
“‘Amongst whom’ (yatra), that is, among mahats, recounting of the qualities, that is, discussion of the qualities beginning with affection for bhaktas, of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa—he whose glory (śloka) is uttama, meaning, taintless, or, [meaning] because of which darkness (tamas) becomes withdrawn (udgata)—is sung (prastūyate), that is, occurs of its own accord. Alternately, [yatra means] when bathing in the foot-dust of mahats occurs, recounting of the qualities of he of highest praise [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān] is sung by a person. That [i.e., recounting of the qualities of he of highest praise], on account of which termination of village talks occurs, furthermore, upon being honored daily even by one who is extremely attached to objects of the senses (viṣaya) produces the genuine, that is, firm, inclination towards the blessed Son of Vasudeva of a seeker of mokṣa, that is, of one who is detached from objects of the senses. Alternately, [i.e., recounting of the qualities of he of highest praise] upon being honored in full daily produces genuine, that is, excellent, inclination towards the blessed Son of Vasudeva even for a seeker of liberation by means of causing relinquishment of the desire for liberation and so on [i.e., as well as desire for all objects other than bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān].”
atha sat-saṅga-mātrasya para-tattva-sāmmukhya-mātre nidānatvaṁ vadan vyatirekeṇa tad āha—rahūgaṇeti | etad bhagavat-sañjñaṁ tattvaṁ chandasā brahmacaryeṇa gṛhād gārhasthyena tapasā vānaprasthena nirvapaṇāt sannyāsād ijyayā tatra tatra tat-tad-devatopāsanayā tasyām api viśeṣaḥ jalāgni-sūryair iti mahat-pāda-rajo’bhiṣekaṁ vineti tasyaiva sarva-śuddhi-hetutvena yogyatāhetutvāt || tatra viśeṣam api vadaṁs tat-tattva-prāpti-sopānam āha yatreti | mumukṣos tad-vyatirikta-sarva-parityāgecchor api, kiṁ punar bhakti-mātrecchoḥ | satīṁ mumukṣādy-anya-kāmanā-rahitām; tad-anyā tu vyabhicāriṇīti bhāvaḥ ||
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā)
“Now, he [i.e., Jaḍa Bhārata] describes association with the sat’s alone being the cause in regard even to intentness (sāmmukhya) upon the Supreme Entity (Para-tattva) and states [this] by means of a negative assertion: Rahūgaṇa … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. [One does not attain] This Entity, who is known as Bhagavān, by the Vedas (cchandasā), that is, by brahmacarya, by household life (gṛhāt), by austerity (tapasā), that is, by vānaprastha, by letting go (nirvapaṇāt), that is, by sannyāsa, by sacrifice (ijyayā), that is, by worship of the various devatās therein [i.e., those related to the aforementioned āśramas], or even by the particular activity in that regard of [worship of] water, fire, and sun, without bathing in the foot-dust of mahats because of only that’s [i.e. only bathing in the foot-dust of mahats’] being the cause of fitness [for awareness of that Entity] by virtue of [that bathing’s] being purifying of everything [i.e., all forms of disqualification].
“[Then,] Mentioning a particular as well in that regard, he describes the steps to the attain of that Entity: yatra … [i.e., he speaks SB 5.12.13]. [Recounting of the qualities of he of highest praise produces genuine inclination towards Vāsudeva] Even for a seeker of mokṣa, that is, [even] for one who has the desire to relinquish everything except that [Entity, whom they understand to be Brahman], and all more does so for one who has desire only for bhakti [i.e. for whom understands that Entity to be Bhagavān and desires only bhakti to Bhagavān]. ‘Genuine’ (satīm) means free from all other desires beginning with the desire for mokṣa. Inclination which is distinct from that [i.e., from such genuine inclination], however, is erring. This is the purport.”
etat-prāptiś ca mahat-kṛpāvirbhūtatayā bhaktyā vinā na bhavatīty āha dvābhyām | he rahūgaṇa, etad ukta-lakṣaṇaṁ trividhaṁ jñānaṁ tapa-ādibhir na prāpnoti | tatra tapaś cittaikāgryam, ijyā vaidikaṁ karma, nirvapaṇam annādi-saṁvibhāgaḥ, gṛhaṁ tan-nimitta-paropakārādi, chando vedābhyāsaḥ, jalāgni-sūryās tat-karaṇaka-tapaś-caraṇāni || te ca mahāntaḥ kṛṣṇa-bhaktā evety abhivyañjayati | yatra mahat-pāda-rajo’bhiṣeke sati yatra mahatsu vā guṇānāṁ bhakta-vātsalyādīnām anuvādaḥ punaḥ punaḥ kathanaṁ, mumukṣor mokṣa-kāmasyāpi satīṁ mokṣecchā-rāhityena śuddhāṁ matiṁ, vāsudeve vasudeva-nandane ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“Attainment of this [i.e., awareness of Supreme Entity (Tattva), Śrī Bhagavān], furthermore, does not occur without bhakti manifested by the grace of a mahat. He [i.e., Jaḍa Bhārata] states this with two [verses]. ‘O Rahūgaṇa, one does not attain this threefold awareness of the aforementioned characteristics [discussed the previous verse] by austerity and so on. In that regard, austerity (tapas) refers to one-pointedness of mind, sacrifice (ijyā) to Vedic rites, giving (nirvapaṇa) to distributing food and the like, household life (gṛham) to helping others and so on for that purpose [i.e., for the purpose of sustaining household lives], the Vedas (cchandas) to study of the Vedas, and ‘water, fire, and sun’ (jalāgni-sūryāḥ) to performances of austerities using those as means.
“He [i.e., Jaḍa Bhārata] indicates that those mahāntas, furthermore, are only Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas [i.e., he speaks SB 5.12.13]. ‘Amongst whom’ (yatra) means when one is bathing in the foot-dust of a mahat, or among the mahats, recounting (anuvādaḥ), that is, discussion again and again, of [Śrī Bhagavān’s] qualities such as affection for bhaktas, occurs. [Recounting of Śrī Bhagavān’s qualities produces] Inclination towards Vāsudeva, that is, the Son of Vasudeva [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa], that is ‘genuine’ (satīm), meaning, pure by virtue of being free from desire for mokṣa, even for a seeker of mokṣa [i.e., it causes a seeker of mokṣa to relinquish their desire for mokṣa and foster inclination only for bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān].”