1236 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 29
visayan abhisandhdya
yasa aigsvaryam eva va
’ arcadavarcayed yo mam
prthag-bhavah sa rajasah

visayan—sense objects; abhisandhadya—aiming at; yasah—fame; aisvaryam
—opulence; eva—indeed; va—or; arca-adau—in worship of the Deity and so
on; arcayet—may worship; yakh—he who; maém—Me; prthak-bhavah—a
separatist; sah—he; réjasah—in the mode of passion.

TRANSLATION

The worship of Deities in the temple by a separatist, with a motive for
material enjoyment, fame and opulence, is devotion in the mode of
passion.

PURPORT

The word “‘separatist” must be understood carefully. The Sanskrit
words in this connection are bhinna-drk and prthag-bhavah. A separatist is
one who sees his interest as separate from that of the Supreme Lord. Mixed
devotees, or devotees in the modes of passion and ignorance, think that
the interest of the Supreme Lord is supplying the orders of the devotee;
the interest of such devotees is to draw from the Lord as much as possible
for their sense gratification. This is the separatist mentality. Actually, pure
devotion is explained in the previous chapter; the mind of the Supreme
Lord and the mind of the devotee should be dovetailed. A devotee should
not wish anything but to execute the desire of the Supreme. That is
oneness. When the devotee has an interest or will different from the
interest of the Supreme Lord, that is the separatist mentality. When the
so-called devotee desires material enjoyment, without reference to the
interest of the Supreme Lord, or he wants to become famous or opulent
by utilizing the mercy or grace of the Supreme Lord, he is in the mode of
passion.

Mayavadis, however, interpret this word “separatist” in a different way.
They say that while worshiping the Lord, one should think himself one
with the Supreme Lord. This is another adulterated form of devotion
within the modes of material nature. The conception that the living entity
is one with the Supreme is in the mode of ignorance. Oneness is actually
based on oneness of interest. A pure devotee has no interest but to act on
behalf of the Supreme Lord. When he has even a tinge of personal interest,
then his devotion is mixed with the three modes of material nature.
