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atha—therefore; abhaje—I shall engage in devotional service; tva—unto You; akhila—all-inclusive; purusa-uttamam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; guna-alayam—the reservoir of all transcendental qualities; padma-kara—the goddess of fortune, who carries a lotus flower in her hand; iva—like; lalasah—being desirous; api—indeed; avayoh—of Laksmi and me; eka-pati—one master; sprdhoh—competing; kalih—quarrel; na—not; syat—may take place; krta—having done; tvat-carana—unto Your lotus feet; eka-tanayoh—one attention.

Now I wish to engage in the service of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to serve just like the goddess of fortune, who carries a lotus flower in her hand, because His Lordship, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. I am afraid that the goddess of fortune and I would quarrel because both of us would be attentively engaged in the same service.

The Lord is here addressed as akhila-purusottama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord of the entire creation. purusa means “the enjoyer,” and uttama means “the best.” There are different kinds of purusas, or enjoyers, within the universe. Generally they can be divided into three classes—those who are conditioned, those who are liberated and those who are eternal. In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is called the supreme eternal of all eternals (nityo nityanam). Both the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entities are eternal. The supreme eternals are the visnu-tattva, or Lord Visnu and His expansions. So nitya refers to the Personality of Godhead, beginning from Krsna to Maha-Visnu, Narayana and other expansions of Lord Krsna. As stated in the Brahma-samhita (ramadi-murtisu), there are millions and trillions of expansions of Lord Visnu, as Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and other incarnations. All of them are called eternals.

The word mukta refers to the living entities who never come within this material world. The baddhas are those living entities who are almost eternally living within this material world. The baddhas are struggling very hard within this material world to become free from the threefold miseries of material nature and to enjoy life, whereas the muktas are already liberated. They never come into this material world. Lord Visnu is the master of this material world, and there is no question of His being controlled by material nature. Consequently, Lord Visnu is addressed here as purusottama, the best of all living entities—namely visnu-tattvas and jiva-tattvas. It is a great offense, therefore, to compare Lord Visnu and the jiva-tattva or consider them on an equal level. The Mayavadi philosophers equalize the jivas and the Supreme Lord and consider them to be one, but that is the greatest offense to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu.

Here in the material world we have practical experience that a superior person is worshiped by an inferior one. Similarly, purusottama, the greatest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, or Lord Visnu, is always worshiped by others. Prthu Maharaja therefore decided to engage in the service of the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. Prthu Maharaja is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Visnu, but he is called a saktyavesa incarnation. Another significant word in this verse is gunalayam, which refers to Visnu as the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. The Mayavadi philosophers take the Absolute Truth to be nirguna (“without qualities”), in accordance with the impersonalistic view, but actually the Lord is the reservoir of all good qualities. One of the most important qualities of the Lord is His inclination to His devotees, for which He is called bhakta-vatsala. The devotees are always very much inclined to render service unto the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord is also very much inclined to accept loving service from His devotees. In that exchange of service there are many transcendental transactions, which are called transcendental qualitative activities. Some of the transcendental qualities of the Lord are that He is omniscient, omnipresent, all-pervasive, all-powerful, the cause of all causes, the Absolute Truth, the reservoir of all pleasures, the reservoir of all knowledge, the all-auspicious and so on.

Prthu Maharaja desired to serve the Lord with the goddess of fortune, but this desire does not mean that he was situated on the platform of madhurya-rasa. The goddess of fortune is engaged in the service of the Lord in the rasa of madhurya, conjugal love. Although her position is on the chest of the Lord, the goddess of fortune, in her position as a devotee, takes pleasure in serving the lotus feet of the Lord. Prthu Maharaja was thinking only of the lotus feet of the Lord because he is on the platform of dasya-rasa, or servitorship of the Lord. From the next verse we learn that Prthu Maharaja was thinking of the goddess of fortune as the universal mother, jagan-mata. Consequently there was no question of his competing with her on the platform of madhurya-rasa. Nonetheless he feared that she might take offense at his engaging in the service of the Lord. This suggests that in the absolute world there is sometimes competition between servitors in the service of the Lord, but such competition is without malice. In the Vaikuntha worlds if a devotee excels in the service of the Lord, others do not become envious of his excellent service but rather aspire to come to the platform of that service.

SB4.20.28

TEXT 28

jagaj-jananyam jagad-isa vaisasam

syad eva yat-karmani nah samihitam

karosi phalgv apy uru dina-vatsalah

sva eva dhisnye ’bhiratasya kim taya

jagat-jananyam—in the mother of the universe (Laksmi); jagat-isa—O Lord of the universe; vaisasam—anger; syat—may arise; eva—certainly; yat-karmani—in whose activity; nah—my; samihitam—desire; karosi—You consider; phalgu—insignificant service; api—even; uru—very great; dina-vatsalah—favorably inclined to the poor; sve—own; eva—certainly; dhisnye—in Your opulence; abhiratasya—of one who is fully satisfied; kim—what need is there; taya—with her.

My dear Lord of the universe, the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, is the mother of the universe, and yet I think that she may be angry with me because of my intruding upon her service and acting on that very platform to which she is so much attached. Yet I am hopeful that even though there is some misunderstanding, You will take my part, for You are very much inclined to the poor and You always magnify even insignificant service unto You. Therefore even though she becomes angry, I think that there is no harm for You, because You are so self-sufficient that You can do without her.

Mother Laksmiji, the goddess of fortune, is well known for always massaging the lotus feet of Lord Narayana. She is an ideal wife because she takes care of Lord Narayana in every detail. She takes care not only of His lotus feet but of the household affairs of the Lord as well. She cooks nice foods for Him, fans Him while He eats, smoothes sandalwood pulp on His face and sets His bed and sitting places in the right order. In this way she is always engaged in the service of the Lord, and there is hardly any opportunity for any other devotee to intrude upon His daily activities. Prthu Maharaja was therefore almost certain that his intrusion into the service of the goddess of fortune would irritate her and cause her to become angry with him. But why should mother Laksmi, the mother of the universe, be angry with an insignificant devotee like Prthu Maharaja? All this was not very likely. Yet Prthu Maharaja, just for his personal protection, appealed to the Lord to take his part. Prthu Maharaja was engaged in performing the ordinary Vedic rituals and sacrifices according to karma-kanda, or fruitive activities, but the Lord, being so kind and magnanimous, was ready to award Prthu Maharaja the highest perfectional stage of life, namely devotional service.

When a person performs Vedic rituals and sacrifices, he does so to elevate himself to the heavenly planets. No one can become qualified to go back home, back to Godhead, by means of such sacrifices. But the Lord is so kind that He accepts a little insignificant service, and therefore it is stated in the Visnu Purana that by following the principles of varnasrama-dharma one can satisfy the Supreme Lord. When the Lord is satisfied, the performer of sacrifices is elevated to the platform of devotional service. Prthu Maharaja therefore expected that his insignificant service to the Lord would be accepted by Him as being greater than that of Laksmiji. The goddess of fortune is called cancala (“restless”) because she is very restless and is always coming and going. So Prthu Maharaja indicated that even though she might go away out of anger, there would be no harm for Lord Visnu, because He is self-sufficient and can do anything and everything without the help of Laksmiji. For example, when Garbhodakasayi Visnu begot Lord Brahma from His navel, He did not take any help from Laksmi, who was just sitting by Him and massaging His lotus feet. Generally if a son is to be begotten, the husband impregnates the wife, and in due course of time the son is born. But in the case of Lord Brahma’s birth, Garbhodakasayi Visnu did not impregnate Laksmiji. Being self-sufficient, the Lord begot Brahma from His own navel. Therefore, Prthu Maharaja was confident that even if the goddess of fortune became angry with him there would be no harm, neither to the Lord nor to himself.

SB4.20.29

TEXT 29

bhajanty atha tvam ata eva sadhavo

vyudasta-maya-guna-vibhramodayam

bhavat-padanusmaranad rte satam

nimittam anyad bhagavan na vidmahe

bhajanti—they worship; atha—therefore; tvam—You; atah eva—therefore; sadhavah—all saintly persons; vyudasta—who dispel; maya-guna—the modes of material nature; vibhrama—misconceptions; udayam—produced; bhavat—Your; pada—lotus feet; anusmaranat—constantly remembering; rte—except; satam—of great saintly persons; nimittam—reason; anyat—other; bhagavan—O Supreme Personality of Godhead; na—not; vidmahe—I can understand.

Great saintly persons who are always liberated take to Your devotional service because only by devotional service can one be relieved from the illusions of material existence. O my Lord, there is no reason for the liberated souls to take shelter at Your lotus feet except that such souls are constantly thinking of Your feet.

manye giram te jagatam vimohinim

The karmis are generally engaged in fruitive activities for material bodily comforts. The jnanis, however, are disgusted with searching after material comforts. They understand that they have nothing to do with this material world, being spirit souls. After self-realization, the jnanis who are actually mature in their knowledge must surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]). Self-realization is not complete unless one comes to the devotional platform. Therefore it is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that those who are atmarama, self-satisfied, are freed from all contaminations of the material modes of nature. As long as one is affected by the modes of material nature, especially by rajas and tamas, he will be very greedy and lusty and will therefore engage in hard tasks, laboring all day and night. Such false egoism carries one from one species of life into another perpetually, and there is no rest in any species of life. The jnani understands this fact and therefore ceases to work and takes to karma-sannyasa.

Yet this is not actually the platform of satisfaction. After self-realization, the material wisdom of the jnani leads him to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Then he is satisfied only in contemplating the lotus feet of the Lord constantly. Prthu Maharaja therefore concluded that liberated persons taking to the devotional path have acquired the ultimate goal of life. If liberation were the end in itself, there would be no question of a liberated person’s taking to devotional service. In other words, the transcendental bliss derived from self-realization, known as atmananda, is very insignificant in the presence of the bliss derived from devotional service to the lotus feet of the Lord. Prthu Maharaja therefore concluded that he would simply hear of the glories of the Lord constantly and thus engage his mind upon the lotus feet of the Lord. That is the highest perfection of life.

SB4.20.30

TEXT 30

varam vrnisveti bhajantam attha yat

vaca nu tantya yadi te jano ’sitah

katham punah karma karoti mohitah

manye—I consider; giram—words; te—Your; jagatam—to the material world; vimohinim—bewildering; varam—benediction; vrnisva—just accept; iti—in this way; bhajantam—unto Your devotee; attha—You spoke; yat—because; vaca—by the statements of the Vedas; nu—certainly; tantya—by the ropes; yadi—if; te—Your; janah—the people in general; asitah—not bound; katham—how; punah—again and again; karma—fruitive activities; karoti—perform; mohitah—being enamored.

My dear Lord, what You have said to Your unalloyed devotee is certainly very much bewildering. The allurements You offer in the Vedas are certainly not suitable for pure devotees. People in general, bound by the sweet words of the Vedas, engage themselves again and again in fruitive activities, enamored by the results of their actions.

Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, a great acarya of the Gaudiya-sampradaya, has said that persons who are very much attached to the fruitive activities of the Vedas, namely karma-kanda and jnana-kanda, are certainly doomed. In the Vedas there are three categories of activities, known as karma-kanda (fruitive activities), jnana-kanda (philosophical research) and upasana-kanda (worship of different demigods for receiving material benefits). Those who are engaged in karma-kanda and jnana-kanda are doomed in the sense that everyone is doomed who is entrapped by this material body, whether it is a body of a demigod, a king, a lower animal or whatever. The sufferings of the threefold miseries of material nature are the same for all. Cultivation of knowledge to understand one’s spiritual position is also, to a certain extent, a waste of time. Because the living entity is an eternal part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, his immediate business is to engage himself in devotional service. Prthu Maharaja therefore says that the allurement of material benedictions is another trap to entangle one in this material world. He therefore frankly tells the Lord that the Lord’s offerings of benedictions in the form of material facilities are certainly causes for bewilderment. A pure devotee is not at all interested in bhukti or mukti.

The Lord sometimes offers benedictions to the neophyte devotees who have not yet understood that material facilities will not make them happy. In the Caitanya-caritamrta the Lord therefore says that a sincere devotee who is not very intelligent may ask some material benefit from the Lord, but the Lord, being omniscient, does not generally give material rewards but, on the contrary, takes away whatever material facilities are being enjoyed by His devotee, so that ultimately the devotee will completely surrender unto Him. In other words, the offering of benedictions in the form of material profit is never auspicious for the devotee. The statements of the Vedas which offer elevation to heavenly planets in exchange for great sacrifices are simply bewildering. Therefore in Bhagavad-gita (2.42) the Lord says: yam imam puspitam vacam pravadanty avipascitah. The less intelligent class of men (avipascitah), attracted by the flowery language of the Vedas, engage in fruitive activities to become materially benefited. Thus they continue life after life, in different bodily forms, to search very, very hard.

SB4.20.31

TEXT 31

tvan-mayayaddha jana isa khandito

yad anyad asasta rtatmano ’budhah

yatha cared bala-hitam pita svayam

tatha tvam evarhasi nah samihitum

tvat—Your; mayaya—by illusory energy; addha—certainly; janah—the people in general; isa—O my Lord; khanditah—separated; yat—because; anyat—other; asaste—they desire; rta—real; atmanah—from the self; abudhah—without proper understanding; yatha—as; caret—would engage in; bala-hitam—the welfare of one’s child; pita—the father; svayam—personally; tatha—similarly; tvam—Your Lordship; eva—certainly; arhasi nah samihitum—please act on my behalf.

My Lord, due to Your illusory energy, all living beings in this material world have forgotten their real constitutional position, and out of ignorance they are always desirous of material happiness in the form of society, friendship and love. Therefore, please do not ask me to take some material benefits from You, but as a father, not waiting for the son’s demand, does everything for the benefit of the son, please bestow upon me whatever You think best for me.

ity adi-rajena nutah sa visva-drk

It is the duty of the son to depend upon his father without asking anything from him. The good son has faith that the father knows best how to benefit him. Similarly, a pure devotee does not ask anything from the Lord for material benefit. Nor does he ask anything for spiritual benefit. The pure devotee is fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord takes charge of him, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.66): aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. The father knows the necessities of the son and supplies them, and the Supreme Lord knows the necessities of the living entities and supplies them sumptuously. Therefore the Isopanisad states that everything in this material world is complete (purnam idam [Isopanisad, Invocation]). The difficulty is that due to forgetfulness the living entities create unnecessary demands and entangle themselves in material activities. The result is that there is no end to material activities, life after life.

Before us there are varieties of living entities, and everyone is entangled in transmigrations and activities. Our duty is simply to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and let Him take charge, for He knows what is good for us.

Prthu Maharaja therefore tells the Lord that, as the supreme father, He may elect to bestow whatever He considers beneficial for Prthu Maharaja. That is the perfect position of the living entity. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu teaches us in His Siksastaka:

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isa kamaye
mama janmani janmanisvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi

“O Almighty Lord! I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor have I any desire to enjoy beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service in my life, birth after birth.”

The conclusion is that the pure devotee should not aspire after any material benefit from devotional service, nor should he be enamored by fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. He should always be engaged favorably in the service of the Lord. That is the highest perfection of life.

SB4.20.32

TEXT 32

maitreya uvaca

tam aha rajan mayi bhaktir astu te

distyedrsi dhir mayi te krta yaya

mayam madiyam tarati sma dustyajam

maitreyah—Maitreya, the great sage; uvaca—spoke; iti—thus; adi-rajena—by the original king (Prthu); nutah—being worshiped; sah—He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); visva-drk—the seer of the whole universe; tam—unto him; aha—said; rajan—my dear King; mayi—unto Me; bhaktih—devotional service; astu—let it be; te—your; distya—by good fortune; idrsi—like this; dhih—intelligence; mayi—unto Me; te—by you; krta—having been performed; yaya—by which; mayam—illusory energy; madiyam—My; tarati—crosses over; sma—certainly; dustyajam—very difficult to give up.

The great sage Maitreya continued by saying that the Lord, the seer of the universe, after hearing Prthu Maharaja’s prayer, addressed the King: My dear King, may you always be blessed by engaging in My devotional service. Only by such purity of purpose, as you yourself very intelligently express, can one cross over the insurmountable illusory energy of maya.

This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, wherein the Lord also claims that the illusory energy is insurmountable. No one can transcend the illusory energy of maya by fruitive activity, speculative philosophy or mystic yoga. The only means for transcending illusory energy is devotional service, as the Lord Himself states: mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te (Bg. 7.14). If one wants to cross over the ocean of material existence, there is no alternative than to take to devotional service. A devotee, therefore, should not care for any material position, whether in heaven or in hell. A pure devotee should always engage in the service of the Lord, for that is his real occupation. Simply by sticking to that position, one can overcome the stringent laws of material nature.

SB4.20.33

TEXT 33

tat tvam kuru mayadistam

apramattah prajapate

mad-adesa-karo lokah

sarvatrapnoti sobhanam

tat—therefore; tvam—you; kuru—do; maya—by Me; adistam—what is ordered; apramattah—without being misguided; praja-pate—O master of the citizens; mat—of Me; adesa-karah—who executes the order; lokah—any person; sarvatra—everywhere; apnoti—achieves; sobhanam—all good fortune.

My dear King, O protector of the citizens, henceforward be very careful to execute My orders and not be misled by anything. Anyone who lives in that way, simply carrying out My orders faithfully, will always find good fortune all over the world.

gantum cakre ’cyuto matim

The sum and substance of religious life is to execute the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one who does so is perfectly religious. In Bhagavad-gita (18.65) the Supreme Lord Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah: “Just think of Me always and become My devotee.” Furthermore, the Lord says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Give up all kinds of material engagement and simply surrender unto Me.” (Bg. 18.66) This is the primary principle of religion. Anyone who directly executes such an order from the personality of Godhead is actually a religious person. Others are described as pretenders, for there are many activities going on throughout the world in the name of religion which are not actually religious. For one who executes the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, there is only good fortune throughout the world.

SB4.20.34

TEXT 34

maitreya uvaca

iti vainyasya rajarseh

pratinandyarthavad vacah

pujito ’nugrhitvainam