Text 30] Lord Viṣṇu's Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena
805
Yet this is not actually the platform of satisfaction. After self-realization, the material wisdom of the  jñānī  leads him to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Then he is only satisfied in contemplating the lotus feet of the Lord constantly. Pṛthu Mahārāja therefore concludes that liberated persons taking to the devotional path have acquired the ultimate goal of life. If liberation were the end in itself, there would be no question of a liberated person's taking to devotional service. In other words, the transcendental bliss derived from self-realization, known as  ātmānanda , is very insignificant in the presence of the bliss derived from devotional service to the lotus feet of the Lord. Pṛthu Mahārāja therefore concluded that he would simply hear of the glories of the Lord constantly and thus engage his mind upon the lotus feet of the Lord. That is the highest perfection of life.
TEXT 30
मन्ये गिरं ते जगतां विमोहिनीं
वरं वृणीष्वेति मजन्तमात्थ यत् ।
वाचा नु तन्त्या यदि ते जनोऽसितः
कथं पुनः कर्म करोति मोहितः ॥३०॥
manye giram te jagatām vimohinīm
varam vṛṇīṣveti bhajantam āttha yat
vācā nu tantyā yadi te jano 'sitaḥ
katham punaḥ karma karoti mohitaḥ
manye —I consider;  giram —words;  te —Your;  jagatām —to the material world;  vimohinīm —bewildering;  varam —benediction;  vṛṇīṣva —just accept;  iti —in this way;  bhajantam —unto Your devotee;  āttha —You spoke;  yat —because;  vācā —by the statements of the  Vedas ;  nu —certainly;  tantyā —by the ropes;  yadi —if;  te —Your;  janaḥ —the people in general;  asitaḥ —not bound;  katham —how;  punaḥ —again and again;  karma —fruitive activities;  karoti —perform;  mohitaḥ —being enamored.
TRANSLATION
My dear Lord, what You have said to Your unalloyed devotee is certainly very much bewildering. The allurements which You offer in the  Vedas  are certainly not suitable for pure devotees. People in general are bound