BHAGAVAD-GITA 9:28

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 9:28

 

subhasubha-phalair evam

moks yase karma-bandhanaih

sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma

vimukto mam upaisyasi

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

subha--from auspicious; asubha--and inauspicious; phalaih--results;

evam--thus; moksyase--you will become free; karma--of work;

bandhanaih--from the bondage; sannyasa--of renunciation; yoga--the

yoga; yukta-atma--having the mind firmly set on; vimuktah--liberated;

mam--to Me; upaisyasi--you will attain.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In this way you will be freed from bondage to work and its auspicious

and inauspicious results. With your mind fixed on Me in this principle

of renunciation, you will be liberated and come to Me.

 

PURPORT

 

One who acts in Krsna consciousness under superior direction is called

yukta. The technical term is yukta-vairagya. This is further explained

by Rupa Gosvami as follows:

 

anasaktasya visayan

yatharham upayunjatah

nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe

yuktam vairagyam ucyate

(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.255)

 

Rupa Gosvami says that as long as we are in this material world we

have to act; we cannot cease acting. Therefore if actions are

performed and the fruits are given to Krsna, then that is called

yukta-vairagya. Actually situated in renunciation, such activities

clear the mirror of the mind, and as the actor gradually makes

progress in spiritual realization he becomes completely surrendered to

the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore at the end he becomes

liberated, and this liberation is also specified. By this liberation

he does not become one with the brahmajyoti, but rather enters into

the planet of the Supreme Lord. It is clearly mentioned here: mam

upaisyasi, "he comes to Me," back home, back to Godhead. There are

five different stages of liberation, and here it is specified that the

devotee who has always lived his lifetime here under the direction of

the Supreme Lord, as stated, has evolved to the point where he can,

after quitting this body, go back to Godhead and engage directly in

the association of the Supreme Lord.

 

Anyone who has no interest but to dedicate his life to the service of

the Lord is actually a sannyasi. Such a person always thinks of

himself as an eternal servant, dependent on the supreme will of the

Lord. As such, whatever he does, he does it for the benefit of the

Lord. Whatever action he performs, he performs it as service to the

Lord. He does not give serious attention to the fruitive activities or

prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas. For ordinary persons it is

obligatory to execute the prescribed duties mentioned in the Vedas,

but although a pure devotee who is completely engaged in the service

of the Lord may sometimes appear to go against the prescribed Vedic

duties, actually it is not so.

 

It is said, therefore, by Vaisnava authorities that even the most

intelligent person cannot understand the plans and activities of a

pure devotee. The exact words are tanra vakya, kriya, mudra vijneha na

bujhaya

(Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 23.39). A person who is thus always engaged in

the service of the Lord or is always thinking and planning how to

serve the Lord is to be considered completely liberated at present,

and in the future his going back home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed.

He is above all materialistic criticism, just as Krsna is above all

criticism.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.