Text 36]
Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsa
313
ment. To check them artificially is no check at all because as soon as there is some opportunity for enjoyment, the serpent-like senses will certainly take advantage of it. There are many such instances in history, just like Viśvāmitra Muni, who fell a victim of the beauty of Menakā. But Thākur Haridāsa was allured at midnight by the well dressed  māyā , and still she could not induce that great devotee in her trap.
The whole idea is that without devotional service of the Lord, neither the  yoga  system nor dry philosophical speculation can ever become successful. Pure devotional service of the Lord, without being tinged with fruitive work, mystic  yoga  or speculative philosophy, is the foremost procedure to attain self-realization. Such pure devotional service is transcendental in nature, and the systems of  yoga  and  jñāna  are subordinate to such a process. When the transcendental devotional service is mixed with the other subordinate process, it is no longer transcendental but is called mixed devotional service. Śrīla Vyāsadeva, the author of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , will gradually develop all these different systems of transcendental realization in the text.
TEXT 36
सर्वं तदिदमाख्यातं यत्पृष्ठोऽहं त्वयानघ । जन्मकर्मरहस्यं मे भवतश्चात्मतोषणम् ॥३६॥
sarvam tad idam ākhyātam yat-pṛṣṭo'ham tvayānagha janma-karma-rahasyam me bhavataś cātma-toṣaṇam
sarvam—all; tat—that; idam—this; ākhyātam—described; yat—whatever; pṛṣṭaḥ—asked by; aham—myself; tvayā—by yourself; anagha—without any sins; janma—birth; karma—activities; rahasyam—mysteries; me—mine; bhavataḥ—your; ca—and; ātma—self; toṣaṇam—satisfaction.
TRANSLATION
O Vyāsadeva, you are freed from all sins. Thus I have explained my birth and activities for self-realization, as you asked. All this will be conducive for your personal satisfaction also.