‘Text 34] The Glories of Devotional Service 1041

jarayati—dissolves; asu—quickly; ya—which; kosam—the subtle body;

nigirnam—things eaten; analah—fire; yatha—as.
TRANSLATION

Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity

without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat.
PURPORT

Bhakti is in a far higher position than mukti because a person’s endeavor
to get liberation from the material encagement is automatically served in
devotional service. The example is given here that the fire in the stomach
can digest whatever we eat. If the digestive power is sufficient, then what-
ever we can eat will be digested by the fire in the stomach. Similarly, a
devotee doesn’t have to try separately to attain liberation. That very
service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the process of his
liberation because to engage oneself in the service of the Lord is already
liberation from material entanglement. Sri Bilvamangala Thakura explained
this position very nicely. He said, “If I have unflinching devotion unto the
lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, then mukti or liberation serves me as my
maidservant. Mukti, the maidservant, is always ready to do whatever I ask.”

For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. Liberation takes place
without separate endeavor. Bhakti, therefore, is far better than mukti or
the impersonalist position. The impersonalists undergo severe penances and
austerities to attain mukti, but the bhakta, simply by engaging himself in
the bhakti process, especially in chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna
Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,
immediately develops control over the tongue by engaging it in chanting
and accepting the remnants of foodstuff offered to the Personality of
Godhead. As soon as the tongue is controlled, naturally all other senses
are controlled automatically. Sense control is the perfection of the yoga
principle, and one’s liberation begins immediately as soon as he engages
himself in the service of the Lord. It is confirmed by Kapiladeva that
bhakti or devotional service is gariyasi, more glorious than siddhi, libera-
tion.

TEXT 34
aermat Fo aeata SR
weaeaaTAATAT «ARTE: |
