Text 146] The Process of Devotional Service 415

advancement in devotional service. Actually this is not a fact. The path of knowl-
edge, mystic yoga and renunciation has nothing to do with the pure soul. When
one is temporarily in the material world, such processes may help a little, but they
are not necessary for a pure devotee of Krsna. In the material world, such activities
end in material enjoyment or merging into the effulgence of the Supreme. They
have nothing to do with the eternal loving service of the Lord. If one abandons
speculative knowledge and simply engages in devotional service, he has attained
his perfection. The devotee has no need for speculative knowledge, pious activity
or mystic yoga. All these are automatically present when one renders the Lord
transcendental loving service.

TEXT 146
BWUASSLSrr catfarat ca AAT: |
A BAL AG CAAA Wier CMT Scafws tb r8y I

tasman mad-bhakti-yuktasya
yogino vai mad-atmanah

na jAanam na Ca vairdgyam
prayah sreyo bhaved iha

SYNONYMS

tasmat—therefore; mat-bhakti—in My devotional service; yuktasya—of one
who is engaged; yoginah—the first-class yogi or mystic; vai—certainly; mat-dt-
manah—whose mind is always engaged in Me; na—not; jfidnam—speculative
knowledge; na—not; ca—also; vairagyam—dry renunciation; prayah—for the
most part; sreyah—beneficial; bhavet—would be; iha—in this world.

TRANSLATION

“‘For one who is fully engaged in My devotional service, whose mind is
fixed on Me in bhakti-yoga, the path of speculative knowledge and dry renun-
ciation is not very beneficial.’

PURPORT

The path of devotional service is always independent of other activity. The
path of speculative knowledge or mystic yoga may be a little beneficial in the
beginning, but it cannot be considered part of devotional service. This verse
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.20.31) was spoken by Lord Krsna when He was speaking
to Uddhava before His departure from this material world. These are important in-
structions given directly by Lord Krsna. Sti Uddhava asked the Lord about the two
kinds of instructions given in the Vedas. One instruction is called pravrtti-marga,
