Text 3] The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata )
TRANSLATION

Devotees are certainly liberated persons. Therefore, O greatest
of the brahmanas, they cannot possibly be absorbed in family
affairs.

PURPORT

In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is said that by executing devotional ser-
vice to the Lord, one can understand the transcendental position of the
living being and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead cannot be understood by any means except bhakti.
The Lord confirms this in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.14.21). Bhaktyaham
ekaya grahyah: “‘Only by executing devotional service can one appreci-
ate Me.” Similarly, in Bhagavad-gita (18.55) Lord Krsna says, bhaktya
mam abhijanati: “Simply by discharging devotional service, one can un-
derstand Me.” Thus for a bhakta to become attached to family affairs is
impossible, since a bhakta and his associates are liberated. Everyone is
searching after dnanda, or bliss, but in the material world there can
never be any bliss. It is only possible in devotional service. Attachment
for family affairs and devotional service are incompatible. Therefore
Maharaja Pariksit was somewhat surprised to hear that Maharaja
Priyavrata was simultaneously attached to devotional service and to
family life.

TEXT 3
e NY ~
ment ae fase saMMTATeTT: |
srnferdatrnat a Set ereTafa: 1 3
mahatam khalu viprarse
uttamasloka-padayoh
chay4a-nirvrta-cittanam
na kutumbe sprha-matih

mahatam—of great devotees; khalu—certainly: vipra-rse—O great
sage among the brahmanas; uttama-sloka-padayoh—of the lotus feet of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead; chaya—by the shade: nirurta—
satiated; cittan@dm—whose consciousness: na—never: kutumbe—to
family members: sprhd-matih—consciousness with attachment.
