4 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 1

are satisfied in their fruitive activities, jridnis are satisfied to merge into
the effulgence of Brahman, and devotees are satisfied to engage in the
Lord's service. The Lord is self-satisfied because He is fully opulent, and
one who is satisfied by serving Him is called bhagavata dtmaramah.
Manusyaénam sahasresu: out of many thousands of persons, one may en-
deavor for liberation, and of many thousands of persons attempting to
become liberated, one may achieve liberation from the anxieties of
material existence and become self-satisfied. Even that satisfaction,
however, is not the ultimate satisfaction. The jridnis and the karmis have
desires, as do the yogis, but devotees have no desires. Satisfaction in the
service of the Lord is called akama, freedom from desire, and this is the
ultimate satisfaction. Therefore Maharaja Pariksit inquired, “How could
one who was fully satisfied on the highest platform be satisfied with
family life?”

The word pardbhavah in this verse is also significant. When one is
satisfied in family life, he is doomed because he must already have
forgotten his relationship with the Lord. Prahlada Maharaja describes
how the activities of family life implicate one more and more. Atma-
patam grham andha-kipam: household life is like a dark well. If one
falls into this well, his spiritual death is assured. How Priyavrata
Maharaja remained a liberated paramahamsa even within family life is
described in the next verse.

TEXT 2
aad geagai aeaail far |
geafafaaist gat aque 2

na ninam mukta-sanganam
tadrsanam dvijarsabha

grhesv abhiniveso ’yam
pumsam bhavitum arhati

na—not; niinam—certainly; mukta-sariganadm—who are free from
attachment; tddrsdndm—such; dvya-rsabha—O greatest of the
brahmanas; grhesu—to family life; abhinivesah—excessive attach-
ment; ayam—this; pummsam—of persons; bhavitum—to be; arhati—is
possible.
