BHAGAVAD-GITA 10:9

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BHAGAVAD-GITA 10:9

 

mac-citta mad-gata-prana

bodhayantah parasparam

kathayantas ca mam nityam

tusyanti ca ramanti ca

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

mat-cittah--their minds fully engaged in Me; mat-gata-pranah--their

lives devoted to Me; bodhayantah--preaching; parasparam--among

themselves; kathayantah--talking; ca--also; mam--about Me;

nityam--perpetually; tusyanti--become pleased; ca--also;

ramanti--enjoy transcendental bliss; ca--also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully

devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss

from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me.

 

PURPORT

 

Pure devotees, whose characteristics are mentioned here, engage

themselves fully in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

Their minds cannot be diverted from the lotus feet of Krsna. Their

talks are solely on the transcendental subjects. The symptoms of the

pure devotees are described in this verse specifically. Devotees of

the Supreme Lord are twenty-four hours daily engaged in glorifying the

qualities and pastimes of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts and souls are

constantly submerged in Krsna, and they take pleasure in discussing

Him with other devotees.

 

In the preliminary stage of devotional service they relish the

transcendental pleasure from the service itself, and in the mature

stage they are actually situated in love of God. Once situated in that

transcendental position, they can relish the highest perfection which

is exhibited by the Lord in His abode. Lord Caitanya likens

transcendental devotional service to the sowing of a seed in the heart

of the living entity. There are innumerable living entities traveling

throughout the different planets of the universe, and out of them

there are a few who are fortunate enough to meet a pure devotee and

get the chance to understand devotional service. This devotional

service is just like a seed, and if it is sown in the heart of a

living entity, and if he goes on hearing and chanting Hare Krsna, Hare

Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare

Hare, that seed fructifies, just as the seed of a tree fructifies with

regular watering. The spiritual plant of devotional service gradually

grows and grows until it penetrates the covering of the material

universe and enters into the brahmajyoti effulgence in the spiritual

sky. In the spiritual sky also that plant grows more and more until it

reaches the highest planet, which is called Goloka Vrndavana, the

supreme planet of Krsna. Ultimately, the plant takes shelter under the

lotus feet of Krsna and rests there. Gradually, as a plant grows

fruits and flowers, that plant of devotional service also produces

fruits, and the watering process in the form of chanting and hearing

goes on. This plant of devotional service is fully described in the

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, Chapter Nineteen). It is explained

there that when the complete plant takes shelter under the lotus feet

of the Supreme Lord, one becomes fully absorbed in love of God; then

he cannot live even for a moment without being in contact with the

Supreme Lord, just as a fish cannot live without water. In such a

state, the devotee actually attains the transcendental qualities in

contact with the Supreme Lord.

 

The Srimad-Bhagavatam is also full of such narrations about the

relationship between the Supreme Lord and His devotees; therefore the

Srimad-Bhagavatam is very dear to the devotees, as stated in the

Bhagavatam itself (12.13.18). Srimad-bhagavatam puranam amalam yad

vaisnavanam priyam. In this narration there is nothing about material

activities, economic development, sense gratification or liberation.

Srimad-Bhagavatam is the only narration in which the transcendental

nature of the Supreme Lord and His devotees is fully described. Thus

the realized souls in Krsna consciousness take continual pleasure in

hearing such transcendental literatures, just as a young boy and girl

take pleasure in association.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.