BHAGAVAD-GITA 18:54

[Guest guest]

> brahma-bhutah prasannatma

> na socati na kanksati

> samah sarvesu bhutesu

> mad-bhaktim labhate param

>

> WORD FOR WORD

>

> brahma-bhutah--being one with the Absolute; prasanna-atma--fully

> joyful; na--never; socati--laments; na--never; kanksati--desires;

> samah--equally disposed; sarvesu--to all; bhutesu--living entities;

> mat-bhaktim--My devotional service; labhate--gains;

> param--transcendental.

>

> TRANSLATION

>

> One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme

> Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have

> anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that

> state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.

 

 

This is a very powerful verse for devotees to memorize. Impersonalists like

to argue that the goal of all spiritual endeavours is for absolute oneness

with Brahman. But here Lord Krishna says that when one achieves such

oneness, one actually renders devotional service unto Him (mad-bhaktim

labhate paraam). It basically proves that devotional service continues even

after liberation, which is contrary to the misconceptions spread by

Advaitists.

 

yours,

 

Krishna

[Guest guest]

BHAGAVAD-GITA 18:54

 

brahma-bhutah prasannatma

na socati na kanksati

samah sarvesu bhutesu

mad-bhaktim labhate param

 

WORD FOR WORD

 

brahma-bhutah--being one with the Absolute; prasanna-atma--fully

joyful; na--never; socati--laments; na--never; kanksati--desires;

samah--equally disposed; sarvesu--to all; bhutesu--living entities;

mat-bhaktim--My devotional service; labhate--gains;

param--transcendental.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme

Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have

anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that

state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.

 

PURPORT

 

To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhuta stage, becoming one

with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure

devotee, one has to go still further, to become engaged in pure

devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure

devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in a state of

liberation, called brahma-bhuta, oneness with the Absolute. Without

being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, one cannot render service

unto Him. In the absolute conception, there is no difference between

the served and the servitor; yet the distinction is there, in a higher

spiritual sense.

 

In the material concept of life, when one works for sense

gratification, there is misery, but in the absolute world, when one is

engaged in pure devotional service, there is no misery. The devotee in

Krsna consciousness has nothing for which to lament or desire. Since

God is full, a living entity who is engaged in God's service, in Krsna

consciousness, becomes also full in himself. He is just like a river

cleansed of all dirty water. Because a pure devotee has no thought

other than Krsna, he is naturally always joyful. He does not lament

for any material loss or aspire for gain, because he is full in the

service of the Lord. He has no desire for material enjoyment, because

he knows that every living entity is a fragmental part and parcel of

the Supreme Lord and therefore eternally a servant. He does not see,

in the material world, someone as higher and someone as lower; higher

and lower positions are ephemeral, and a devotee has nothing to do

with ephemeral appearances or disappearances. For him stone and gold

are of equal value. This is the brahma-bhuta stage, and this stage is

attained very easily by the pure devotee. In that stage of existence,

the idea of becoming one with the Supreme Brahman and annihilating

one's individuality becomes hellish, the idea of attaining the

heavenly kingdom becomes phantasmagoria, and the senses are like

serpents' teeth that are broken. As there is no fear of a serpent with

broken teeth, there is no fear from the senses when they are

automatically controlled. The world is miserable for the materially

infected person, but for a devotee the entire world is as good as

Vaikuntha, or the spiritual sky. The highest personality in this

material universe is no more significant than an ant for a devotee.

Such a stage can be achieved by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, who

preached pure devotional service in this age.

 

Copyright 1983 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with

permission.