24 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 9

devotees go back home, back to Godhead, and achieve success in every
effort. The demons or atheists have faith in their own endeavors, but al-
though they work very hard day and night, they cannot get any more
than their destiny. The devotees, however, can surpass the reactions of
karma and achieve wonderful results, even without effort. It is also said,
phalena pariciyate: one’s success or defeat in any activity is understood
by its result. There are many karmis in the dress of devotees, but the
Supreme Personality of Godhead can detect their purpose. The karmis
want to use the property of the Lord for their selfish sense gratification,
but a devotee endeavors to use the Lord’s property for God’s service.
Therefore a devotee is always distinct from the karmis, although the
karmis may dress like devotees. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (3.9),
yajnarthat karmano ’nyatra loko ‘yam karma-bandhanah. One who
works for Lord Visnu is free from this material world, and after giving
up his body he goes back home, back to Godhead. A karmi, however, al-
though externally working like a devotee, is entangled in his nondevo-
tional activity, and thus he suffers the tribulations of material existence.
Thus from the results achieved by the karmis and devotees, one can
understand the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
acts differently for the karmis and jndnis than for the devotees. The
author of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta therefore says:

krsna-bhakta—niskama, ataeva ‘santa’
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kami——sakali ‘asanta’

The karmis who desire sense gratification, the jridnis who aspire for the
liberation of merging into the existence of the Supreme, and the yogis
who seek material success in mystic power are all restless, and ultimately
they are baffled. But the devotee, who does not expect any personal
benefit and whose only ambition is to spread the glories of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, is blessed with all the auspicious results of
bhakti-yoga, without hard labor.

TEXT 29

Te IqasaTAeTaT aah.
Keay Traced TITAN |
