तज्जन्म तानि कर्माणि तदायुस्तन्मनो वचः ।
नॄणां येन हि विश्वात्मा सेव्यते हरिरीश्वरः ॥
किं जन्मभिस्त्रिभिर्वेह शौक्रसावित्रयाज्ञिकैः ।
कर्मभिर्वा त्रयीप्रोक्तैः पुंसोऽपि विबुधायुषा ॥
श्रुतेन तपसा वा किं वचोभिश्चित्तवृत्तिभिः ।
बुद्ध्या वा किं निपुणया बलेनेन्द्रियराधसा ॥
किं वा योगेन साङ्ख्येन न्यासस्वाध्याययोरपि ।
किं वा श्रेयोभिरन्यैश्च न यत्रात्मप्रदो हरिः ॥
श्रेयसामपि सर्वेषामात्मा ह्यवधिरर्थतः ।
सर्वेषामपि भूतानां हरिरात्मात्मदः प्रियः ॥
taj janma tāni karmāṇi tad āyus tan mano vacaḥ |
nṝṇāṁ yena hi viśvātmā sevyate harir īśvaraḥ ||
kiṁ janmabhis tribhir veha śaukra-sāvitra-yājñikaiḥ |
karmabhir vā trayī-proktaiḥ puṁso’pi vibudhāyuṣā ||
śrutena tapasā vā kiṁ vacobhiś citta-vṛttibhiḥ |
buddhyā vā kiṁ nipuṇayā balenendriya-rādhasā ||
kiṁ vā yogena sāṅkhyena nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api |
kiṁ vā śreyobhir anyaiś ca na yatrātma-prado hariḥ ||
śreyasām api sarveṣām ātmā hy avadhir arthataḥ |
sarveṣām api bhūtānāṁ harir ātmātmadaḥ priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.31.9–13; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 51, 101)
“That is a birth, those are actions, that is a life, that is mind and [that is] is speech on the part of human beings whereby Hari, Īśvara, the Self of the universe, is worshiped. Here [in this world], what [is the use] of the three births—the seminal (śaukra), the sāvitra [i.e., the second birth brought about by dīkṣā into the sāvitra-mantra and investiture with the sacred thread, viz., the upanayana-saṁskāra], and the sacrificial (yājñika) [i.e., the third birth brought about by dīkṣā into the performance of a particular Vedic sacrifice (yajña)], what [is the use] of the rites prescribed in the three [Vedas], what [is the use] of even the lifespan of a deva for a human being, what [is the use] of hearing, austerity, words, and states of mind, what [is the use] of sharp intellect, [physical] strength, and acuity of the senses, what [is the use] of yoga [i.e., aṣṭāṅga-yoga], sāṅkhya [i.e., discrimination between the body and self], sannyāsa, and even study, and what [is the use] of any other means of benefit (śreyas) [e.g., vows (vratas), non-attachment (vairāgya), etc.] whereby Hari does not become a bestower of the Self [alt., himself]? In reality, the Self specifically is the culmination even of all means of benefit, and Hari is the Self, the Bestower of the Self, and the Beloved even of all beings.”
Commentary
aho gṛha-prasaktyā hari-sevāṁ vinā sarvaṁ janma-karmādikaṁ vyarthīkṛtam iti tān anuśocann āha—taj janmeti caturbhiḥ | yato janmāder hari-sevaiva phalam, atas tad-vihīnaṁ sarvaṁ vyartham ity arthaḥ | śukra-sambandhi janma viśuddha-mātā-pitṛbhyām utpattiḥ, sāvitram upanayanena, yājñikaṁ dīkṣayā | vibudhānām iva dīrghāyuṣāpi | vacobhir vāg-vilāsaiḥ | citta-vṛttibhir nānāvadhāna-sāmarthyaiḥ | indriya-rādhasā tat-pāṭavena | yogena prāṇāyāmādinā | sāṅkhyena dehādi-vyatiriktātma-jñāna-mātreṇa | sannyāsa-vedādhyayanābhyām api | anyair api vrata-vairāgyādibhiḥ śreyaḥ-sādhanaiḥ | nanv eṣāṁ nānā-phala-sādhanānāṁ hari-sevābhāva-mātreṇa kuto vaiyarthyam? tatrāha | śreyasāṁ phalānām ātmaivāvadhiḥ parākāṣṭhā | arthataḥ paramārthataḥ ātmārthatvenaivānyeṣāṁ priyatvād ity arthaḥ | bhavatv ātmāvadhir hareḥ kim āyātam? tatrāha—sarveṣām apīti | ātmā ātma-daś cāvidyā-nirāsena svarūpābhivyañjakaḥ | aiśvareṇāpi rūpeṇa bali-prabhṛtibhya ivātma-pradaḥ priyaś ca paramānanda-rūpatvāt |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 51)
“Aho! Without worship of Hari, as a result of attachment to household life, everything—[one’s] birth, actions, and so on—are made vain. Thus, lamenting them [i.e., births, actions, and the like that go in vain], he [i.e., Maitreya] speaks with four [verses]: taj janma … [i.e., he speaks SB 4.31.9–12]. [One’s birth, actions, and so forth go in vain] Since only worship of Hari is the fruition of [one’s] birth and so on. Thus, devoid of that, everything goes in vain. This is the meaning. The birth related to semen [i.e., the seminal birth] refers to the birth through a pure mother and father [i.e., a mother and father who are from a sinless caste (jāti), that is, who are brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, or vaiśyas, and endowed with all the necessary saṁskāras for their caste]. The sāvitra [birth] refers to that [which occurs] through the upanayana [-saṁskāra, i.e., the ceremony whereby one is initiated into the sāvitra-mantra, meaning, the gāyatrī-mantra, and invested with the sacred thread]. The sacrificial (yājñika) [birth] refers to that [which occurs] through dīkṣā [i.e., initiation into the performance of Vedic sacrifice (yajña)]. [‘Even the lifespan of a deva’ (vibudhāyuṣā) means] Even a lifespan long like the devas’. ‘Of words’ (vacobhiḥ) refers to eloquent speech. ‘Of states of mind’ (citta-vṛttibhiḥ) refers to capabilities for manifold attentiveness [i.e., the ability to remain attentive to multiple things at once]. ‘Of acuity of the senses’ (indriya-rādhasā) refers to sharpness thereof. ‘Of yoga’ (yogena) refers to prāṇāyāma and so on. ‘Of sāṅkhya’ (sāṅkhyena) refers only to knowledge of the self distinct from the body and so forth. ‘Of nyāsa and even study’ (nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api) refers to sannyāsa and study of the Vedas. ‘Of any others [i.e., other means of benefit]’ (śreyobhir anyaiś) refers to means of benefit such as vows (vratas) and non-attachment (vairāgya).
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, why do these [aforementioned] means to various attainments have futility just because of an absence of worship of Hari [in them]?’ To this, he says that the Self (Ātmā) specifically is the culmination (avadhiḥ) of the attainments of [all] means of benefit (śreyaṁsi). ‘In reality’ (arthataḥ) means in regard to ultimate reality (paramārthataḥ) because of all else’s being dear [to oneself] only on account of [all else’s] being for the sake of the Self [alt., self] This is the meaning.
“[Another question is raised:] ‘Let the Self (Ātmā) be the culmination. What follows of Hari [i.e., what then is the position of Hari]?’ To this, he says sarveṣām api … [i.e., he says that Hari is the Self, the Bestower of the Self, and the Beloved even of all beings]. [Hari is] The Self (Ātmā) and the Bestower of the Self (Ātmadaḥ), that is, the Revealer of the Essential Form (Svarūpa) [of the Self] by removing ignorance (ignorance) [from the jīva]. [He is also] The Bestower of the Self (Ātmadaḥ) with even a divine (aiśvara) form upon those like Bali and others [i.e., he also bestows himself in his divine form as Īśvara upon his bhaktas], and he is the ‘Beloved’ (Priyaḥ) because of [his] being a form of supreme bliss.”
dehaṁ dhṛtvā jīvātmanā yad yad vastu svataḥ prāptam abhūt tad eva bhagavat-sevāyām eva niyuñjītety etad evādhyātma-jñānam ity āha—taj janmeti trayodaśabhiḥ | tad eva janma yena hariḥ sevyate, tāny eva karmāṇi yair hariḥ sevyata ity evaṁ sarvatra yojyam | mano vaca ity upalakṣaṇaṁ buddhīndriya-bala-tapaḥ-śruta-yoga-sāṅkhya-sannyāsa-brahmacaryādīnām apy uttara-ślokārtha-dṛṣṭyā jñeyam | nṛṇām iti tat-sevopayoginy eva janmādīni manuṣya-sambandhīny ucyate, anyathā tu śūkarādi-paśu-sambandhīnīty arthaḥ | anvayaṁ vivṛtya vyatirekaṁ vivṛṇoti—kim iti tribhiḥ | śaukraṁ viśuddha-mātā-pitṛbhyāṁ janma, sāvitram upanayanena, yājñikaṁ dīkṣayeti trividhaṁ brahma-janmāpi na tan nṛ-janma, kintu śūkarādi-janmaiva phalatas tulyatvāt | caṇḍālādi-janmāpi bhagavat-sevānukūlaṁ sādhu nṛ-janma bhagavat-prāpakatvāt, ity evaṁ karmādiṣv api bhāvo vyākhyeyaḥ | trayī-proktair api kiṁ punar vyavahārikaiḥ, vibudhāyuṣāpi kiṁ punaḥ śatāyuṣā, śrutena vedāntādi-śravaṇena, vacobhiḥ śāstra-vyākhyāna-cāturyaiḥ, citta-vṛttibhir nānā-śāstrārthāvadhāraṇa-sāmarthyaiḥ, indriyāṇāṁ rādhasā pāṭavena | yogenāṣṭāṅgena, sannyāsa-vedādhyāyanābhyām ca anyair api vrata-vairāgyādibhiḥ śreyaḥ-sādhanaiḥ yatra yeṣu satsu harir ātma-prado na bhavatīti yogi-prabhṛtayo’pi yogādibhiḥ paramātmādy-anubhavaṁ na prāpnuvantīty arthaḥ | hariḥ khalv ātmānaṁ ca bhaktyā vinā na pradadāty eṣāṁ bhaktitvābhāvāt bhakti-kāraṇatvābhāvāc ca vaiyarthyam eva | prakārāntareṇa bhakti-sadbhāve tv eṣāṁ bhakti-miśratvenaiva sārthakatvaṁ, na tu svata iti bhāvaḥ | hari-bhaktiṁ vinā sarveṣāṁ tu śreyaḥ-sādhanānāṁ vaiphalye yuktim āha—śreyasāṁ phalānām ātmaivāvadhiḥ teṣām ātma-prīty-arthakatvāt, sarva-bhūtānām ātmanāṁ tu harir evātmā jīvātmanāṁ teṣāṁ tadīya-taṭastha-śaktitvāt | sa ca hariḥ priyaḥ kevalayā bhaktyā prīṇāti ced ātmadaḥ—‘nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena | yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām ||’ iti śruteḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“‘One should engage only in worship of Bhagavān all the various objects obtained of their own accord by a jīvātmā after having donned a body.’ This [understanding] specifically is [fit to be regarded as] spiritual (adhyātma) knowledge. Thus, he [viz., Śrī Nārada] speaks with thirteen [verses]: taj janma … [i.e., he speaks SB 4.31.9 and so on]. That alone is a birth by which Hari is worshiped. Those alone are actions by which Hari is worshiped. This is to be applied everywhere [i.e., the idea that something is successful only when utilized in worship of Hari is to applied in regard to all the other objects mentioned in the verse, that is, lifespan, mind, and words, and so on]. ‘Mind’ (manaḥ) and ‘words’ (vacaḥ) are to be understood as indicators (upalakṣaṇas) also of intellect, the senses, strength, austerity, hearing, yoga, sāṅkhya, sannyāsa, brahmacarya, and so on by reference to the meaning of the later verses. Regarding, ‘On the part of human beings’ (nṛṇām), only a birth and so forth [i.e., actions, a lifespan, a mind, words, etc.] that is suitable for his worship is said to belong to a human being. Otherwise [i.e., if they are not suitable for his worship], on the contrary, they [are said to] belong to animals like hogs. This is the meaning.
“Having thus stated a positive assertion (anvaya) [of the principle that Bhagavad-bhakti is the principal import of the śāstra], he states a negative assertion (vyatireka) [of this principle] with three [verses]: kim … [i.e., he speaks SB 4.31.10–12]. The birth related to semen (śaukra) [i.e., the seminal birth] refers to the birth through a pure mother and father [i.e., a mother and father who are from a sinless caste (jāti), that is, who are brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, or vaiśyas, and endowed with all the necessary saṁskāras for their caste]. The sāvitra [birth] refers to that [which occurs] through the upanayana [-saṁskāra, i.e., the ceremony whereby one is initiated into the sāvitra-mantra, meaning, the gāyatrī-mantra, and invested with the sacred thread]. The sacrificial (yājñika) [birth] refers to that [which occurs] through dīkṣā [i.e., initiation into the performance of Vedic sacrifice (yajña)]. Thus, even that threefold birth of a brāhmaṇa [i.e., that in and of itself] is a not human birth and rather is only the birth of a hog and so on [i.e., an animal] because of [its] being equivalent with respect to [its] result [i.e., even the birth of a person born in a family of brāhmaṇas who has received the second and third births that those of his varṇa with the requisite saṁskāras are eligible to receive goes in vain if it remains devoid of worship of Śrī Bhagavān]. [On the contrary,] Even the birth of an outcaste (cāṇḍāla) and others [i.e., and other low caste persons] that is favorable for worship of Bhagavān [i.e., that leads to engagement in worship of Bhagavān in that birth] is a true human birth because of [its] being causative of attaining Bhagavān [unlike even the threefold birth of brāhmaṇa which in and of itself is not causative of attaining Bhagavān]. This purport is to be explained in regard to rites and so forth as well [i.e., the rites and all the other objects mentioned and implied in SB 4.31.11–12 are to be understood in the same way that birth has been delineated here: if they are not utilized in worship of Hari, then they go in vain]. What [is the use] even of the rites prescribed in the three [Vedas], much less worldly activities? What [is the use] of even the lifespan of a deva, much less a lifespan of a hundred years? ‘Of hearing’ (śrutena) refers to hearing Vedānta and so on. ‘Of words’ (vacobhiḥ) refers to expertise in explaining śāstras. ‘Of states of mind’ (citta-vṛttibhiḥ) refers to capabilities for manifold attentiveness [i.e., the ability to remain attentive to multiple things at once]. ‘Of acuity of the senses’ (indriya-rādhasā) refers to sharpness [thereof]. ‘Of yoga’ (yogena) refers to aṣṭāṅga [-yoga]. [‘Of nyāsa and even study’ (nyāsa-svādhyāyayor api) refers to] Sannyāsa and study of the Vedas. ‘Of any others [i.e., other means of benefit]’ (śreyobhir anyaiś) refers to means of benefit such as vows (vratas) and non-attachment (vairāgya). [What is the use of any of these] ‘Whereby’ (yatra), that is, when because of which, Hari does not become a bestower of the Self? ‘Even yogīs and so on does not attain experience of the Supreme Self (Paramātmā) and so on by means of yoga and so on’ is the meaning [i.e., what is the use of yoga whereby one does not attain the goal of practicing yoga, viz., experience of Paramātmā? Such yoga has no use, and similarly, births, rites, hearing, austerity, and all the other means of benefit (śreyas) mentioned in the preceding verses are of no real use if they do not lead to experience of the Supreme Self (Paramātmā)]. Without bhakti, Hari does not bestow the Self [i.e., himself, upon one who has or engages in any of the aforementioned means of benefit (śreyas)]. Thus, these [i.e., all of the aforementioned means of benefit (śreyas) beginning with the three aforementioned births’] have only futility because of [their] lack of being bhakti and lack of being causes of bhakti. In the presence of bhakti on account of a distinct form [of all these aforementioned means of benefit (śreyas)], on the contrary, they have successfulness specifically on account of being mixed with bhakti, and not rather, of their own accord. This is the purport.