Radha Krishna - Chapter 2: Divinity and Divine Service

(1) Completely satisfied with the correct questions of the sages there, the son of Romaharshana [Sûta] tried to reply after thanking them for their words. (2) Sûta said: "He [S'ukadeva] who went away to live with the renounced order without the prescribed ceremony of reform of the sacred thread, made Vyâsadeva, being afraid of the separation exclaim: 'Oh my son!', and all the trees and all living beings responded sympathizing in the heart of the sage. (3) Let me offer my obeisances to him who, from his experience of life, as the only transcendental torchlight in desiring to overcome the darkness of material existence of materialistic men, assimilated the cream of the Vedas and out of his causeless mercy conveyed the very confidential holy story as the master of the great sages. (4) After offering first one's obeisances to Nara-Nârâyana, the [Lord as the] supermost human being, the goddess of learning and Vyâsadeva, let then all be announced that is needed for the conquering.

(5) O sages, your questions about Lord Krishna are of relevance for the welfare of the world because they satisfy the true self. (6) That duty no doubt is for mankind the highest, of which there is the causeless, uninterrupted devotional service unto Krishna as the One in the Beyond [Vishnu] that leads to the full satisfaction of the soul. (7) The practice of connecting oneself in devotion unto Vâsudeva, the Personality of Godhead, very soon leads to the detachment and spiritual knowledge that relies on its own power. (8) Whatpeople do according to their societal positions,, is useless labor leading nowhere, if it does not lead to the message of Vishvaksena [Krishna as the Supreme Commander]. (9) One's occupational activities are certainly meant for ultimate liberation and not for the end of material gain, neither is, according to the sages, the material progress of the dutiful ones in devotional service meant for the attainment of sense-gratification. (10) One's longing is not so much there for sense-gratification, profit and self-preservation, instead one's karma is there for no other purpose than inquiring after the Absolute Truth. (11) The learned souls say that the reality of nondual knowledge is known as Brahman, Paramâtmâ, and Bhagavân [the impersonal, localized and personal aspect]. (12) The sages who with the good of knowledge and detachment are of serious inquisition, will see within themselves and the Supersoul in devotional service, exactly that, what they have heard from the Vedas. (13) So by the human being, oh best of the twice-born, the highest perfection of occupational duties according to the divisions of status and vocation is achieved in the pleasing of the Lord. (14) Therefore one should with a one-pointed mind constantly hear about, glorify, remember and worship the Supreme Lord, the protector of the devotees. (15) Who would not attend to this message of intelligently

remembering the Lord which gives one the sword for cutting through the bonds of materially motivated labor [karma]? (16) One who listens with care and attention in respect of Vâsudeva, will find affinity with the message through the devotional service rendered to pure devotees, oh learned ones, and be purified from all vice. (17) Those who developed this hearing of Krishna His own words will find virtue listening and singing and will certainly in their hearts see their desire to enjoy purified by the benefactor of the truthful. (18) By regular attention to that fortune [of the book and the devotee] as good as all the inauspicious will lose its hold, and thus serving the Supreme Lord with transcendental prayers irrevocably loving service will come into being. (19) At that time the consciousness not being spoiled by the effects of passion and ignorance such as lust, greed and whatever else, will be fixed in goodness and find happiness. (20) The mind, in contact with the devotional service of the Lord thus cleared, becomes, liberated because of the association, then effective in the knowledge of wisdom regarding the Fortunate One. (21) Seeing the [true] self that way as being the master for sure will cut the knots in the heart to pieces, put an end to all doubts and terminate the chain of materially motivated actions [karma]. (22) Therefore all transcendentalists have always delighted in the service of Lord Krishna - it enlivens the soul. (23) The ultimate benefit of the Transcendental Personality, that is associated with the material qualities of nature of goodness, passion and ignorance and with the maintainer Vishnu, the creator Brahmâ and the destroyer S'iva, is of course for the human being found in the form of the quality of goodness [Vishnu]. (24) The way we have the firewood from sacrifices stemming from the earth producing smoke set afire, so we also have passion stemming from ignorance leading to the goodness from which the essential nature is realized.

(25) Whoever follows these sages who previously this way rendered service to the transcendental Lord above these three modes of nature, deserves the same benefit. (26) For that reason they who desire liberation reject the less attractive forms of the demigods, and are sure to worship, without any envy, the many forms of the all-blissfull Lord Vishnu [Nârâyana]. (27) Those who are ignorant and of passion, desire wealth, power and progeny, clinging to forefathers and other beings of cosmic control with a likewise character. (28-29) But Vâsudeva is the object of knowledge, the purpose of the sacrifices and the yoga, the controller of all material activity, and the supreme knowledge, austerity, quality, religion and goal of life. (30) From the beginning of the manifestation He, by His internal potency, has been the cause and effect of all forms and the transcendental Absolute of the modes of nature. (31) Although He, manifesting by the modes, having entered them, appears to be affected by the modes, He is the full manifestation of all wisdom. (32) He, as the Supersoul, pervades all living beings as the source of creation like fire does in wood and shines forth as different living entities, at the same time being the Absolute Person. (33) That Supersoul, created the subtle senses influenced by the modes of nature by entering the living beings in His own creation, causing them to enjoy those modes. (34) Thus He maintains all in the mode of goodness, being incarnated Himself in the performance of His pastimes mastering all worlds of divine, human and animalistic beings."