252 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 19

entities; andtmye—having no attachment; anirukte—who is beyond the
mind and speech; anilayane —not dependent on anything else; parama-
Gtmani—unto the Supreme Soul; vdsudeve—Lord Vasudeva, the son of
Vasudeva; ananya—without any other; nimitta—cause; bhakti-yoga-
laksanah —having symptoms of pure devotional service; nand-gati—of
varied destinations; nimitta—the cause; avidyd-granthi—the bondage
of ignorance; randhana—of cutting; dvdrena—by means; yadé—
when; hi—indeed; mahd-purusa—of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead; purusa—with the devotee; prasarigah—an intimate relation-
ship.

TRANSLATION

After many, many births, when the results of one’s pious ac-
tivities mature, one gets an opportunity to associate with pure
devotees. Then one is able to cut the knot of bondage to ignorance,
which bound him because of varied fruitive activities. As a result
of associating with devotees, one gradually renders service to Lord
Vasudeva, who is transcendental, free from attachment to the
material world, beyond the mind and words, and independent of
everything else. That bhakti-yoga, devotional service to Lord
Vasudeva, is the real path of liberation.

PURPORT

Brahman realization is the beginning of liberation, and Paramatma
realization is still further advancement toward the realm of liberation,
but one achieves real liberation when he understands his position as an
eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (muktir hit-
vanyatha ripam svariipena vyavasthitih). In the material world, in the
bodily concept of life, everyone is working in the wrong direction. When
one becomes brahma-bhita, spiritually realized, one understands that he
is not the body and that working in the bodily concept of life is useless
and misdirected. Then his devotional service begins. As Krsna says in

Bhagavad-gité (18.54):

brahma-bhitah prasannatma
na Socati na kanksati

samah sarvesu bhitesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
