Text 53] The Process of Devotional Service 355

SYNONYMS

rahGgana—O King Rahiigana; etat—this; tapasa—by severe austerities and
penances; na yati—one does not obtain; na—neither; ca—also; ijyaya—by
gorgeous worship; nirvapanat—by renounced order of life; grhat—by sacrifices
while living in the home; va—or; na chandasé—nor by scholarly study of the
Vedas; na—nor; eva—certainly; jala-agni-sGryaih—by those who worship water,
fire or scorching sunshine; vina—without; mahat-pada-rajah —of the dust of the
lotus feet of a mahatma; abhisekam—the sprinkling.

TRANSLATION

“‘O King Rahigana, without taking upon one’s head the dust from the lotus
feet of a pure devotee [a mahajana or mahatm4], one cannot attain devotional
service. Devotional service is not possible to attain simply by undergoing
severe austerities and penances, by gorgeously worshiping the Deity, or by
strictly following the rules and regulations of the sannydsa or grhastha order,
nor by studying the Vedas, submerging oneself in water, or exposing oneself
to fire or scorching sunlight.’

PURPORT

This verse appears in Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.12.12). Jada Bharata herein tells
King Rahiigana how he attained the paramahamsa stage. Maharaja Rahigana, the
King of Sindhu-sauvira, had asked Jada Bharata how he had attained the
paramaharisa stage. The King had called him to carry his palanquin, but when the
King heard from paramahamsa Jada Bharata about the supreme philosophy, he ex-
pressed surprise and asked Jada Bharata how he had attained such great libera-
tion. At that time Jada Bharata informed the King how to become detached from
material attraction.

TEXT 53
CARTS ASU AQHA fa ¢

MY STAA AIT HA’ |
AA ATeacataecase
fafeeatats 4 TS Was 1 eo |

naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim
sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah

mahiyasam pada-rajo-‘bhisekarn
niskificandnam na vrnita yavat
