Bhagavatapurana 11.2: atha dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ

11.2.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
govinda-bhuja-guptāyāṃ dvāravatyāṃ kurūdvaha /
avātsīn nārado 'bhīkṣṇaṃ kṛṣṇopāsana-lālasaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / In Dvāravatī, protected by the arms of Govinda, O best of the Kurus, / Nārada resided constantly, eager to worship Kṛṣṇa.

1. Sri Suka said:—In Dwaraka protected by the arms of Govinda, Narada every now and then stayed in his ardour to wait upon and worship, Krishna, O best of Kurus.

11.2.2

ko nu rājann indriyavān mukunda-caraṇāmbujam /
na bhajet sarvato-mṛtyur upāsyam amarottamaiḥ //

Who indeed with senses, O king, facing death from all sides, / would not worship the lotus feet of Mukunda, which are adored even by the foremost immortals?

2. Who indeed, O king, possessed of sound senses and invested by Mrityu (death) on every side, would neglect to worship the lotus-like feet of Mukunda which are contemplated by the highest gods?

11.2.3

tam ekadā tu devarṣiṃ vasudevo gṛhāgatam /
arcitaṃ sukham āsīnam abhivādyedam abravīt //

Once, when the divine sage had arrived at his house, / Vasudeva, having worshipped him as he sat comfortably, bowed and spoke thus:

3. On a certain occasion the divine sage coming on a visit to his house, Vasudeva worshipped him and to him who was comfortably seated, bowed and said as follows:—

11.2.4

/0 śrī-vasudeva uvāca
bhagavan bhavato yātrā svastaye sarva-dehinām /
kṛpaṇānāṃ yathā pitror uttama-śloka-vartmanām //

Śrī Vasudeva said: / Lord, your wanderings are for the welfare of all embodied beings, / just as parents are for the wretched, O you who walk the path of He of highest renown.

4. Vasudeva said:—O worshipful one, thy travels like those of parents, bring welfare to all the helpless creatures that take to the path of the glorious Lord.

11.2.5

bhūtānāṃ deva-caritaṃ duḥkhāya ca sukhāya ca /
sukhāyaiva hi sādhūnāṃ tvādṛśām acyutātmanām //

The deeds of the gods bring both misery and happiness to creatures; / but the deeds of saints like you, whose souls are devoted to Acyuta, bring happiness alone.

5. The work of a deity may tend both to the misery and happiness of beings and the work of the righteous like thyself devoted to Achyuta, tends indeed only to their happiness.

11.2.6

bhajanti ye yathā devān devā api tathaiva tān /
chāyeva karma-sacivāḥ sādhavo dīna-vatsalāḥ //

In whatever way men worship the gods, the gods reward them in that very way, / like a shadow accompanying actions; but the virtuous are affectionate to the distressed.

6. The gods recompense men in the same way as these worship them (according to the intention of men that worship); for following one's action the gods act like one's shadow; but the righteous are very kind to to the afflicted and helpless.

11.2.7

brahmaṃs tathāpi pṛcchāmo dharmān bhāgavatāṃs tava /
yān śrutvā śraddhayā martyo mucyate sarvato bhayāt //

Even so, O brāhmaṇa, we ask you about the dharmas taught to the Bhāgavatas, / by hearing which with faith a mortal is liberated from all fear.

7. Still O Sage, we request you to tell us of those Dharmas or righteous courses which delight the Lord and listening to which with faith, the mortal man gets free from all fear.

11.2.8

ahaṃ kila purānantaṃ prajārtho bhuvi mukti-dam /
apūjayaṃ na mokṣāya mohito deva-māyayā //

Long ago on earth, desiring offspring, I worshipped the infinite Lord / who gives liberation, but not for the sake of liberation, deluded by the Lord's creative power.

8. Formerly desirous indeed of an issue I worshipped the Lord Ananta who confers Mukti on His devotees! But deluded by God's Maya, I did not worship Him for Moksha.

11.2.9

yathā vicitra-vyasanād bhavadbhir viśvato-bhayāt /
mucyema hy añjasaivāddhā tathā naḥ śādhi su-vrata //

Instruct us, O you of noble vows, so that we may easily and truly / be freed by you from this cycle of rebirth with its manifold afflictions and fears from every quarter.

9. O one of rigid vows, pray so thoroughly teach us that I may surely get release from Samsara of various miseries and beset with fear on every side.

11.2.10

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
rājann evaṃ kṛta-praśno vasudevena dhīmatā /
prītas tam āha devarṣir hareḥ saṃsmārito guṇaiḥ //

Śrī Śuka said: / Questioned thus by the wise Vasudeva, O king, / the divine sage, pleased, spoke to him, reminded of the virtues of Hari.

10. Sri Suka said:—O king, thus solicited by the thoughtful

_Vasudeva_, the divine sage was very much pleased to remember the qualities of Hari (at his instance) and said to him.

11.2.11

/0 śrī-nārada uvāca
samyag etad vyavasitaṃ bhavatā sātvatarṣabha /
yat pṛcchase bhāgavatān dharmāṃs tvaṃ viśva-bhāvanān //

The glorious Nārada said:
Proper indeed is this resolve of yours, O bull of the Sātvatas,
in that you ask about the dharmas of the Bhāgavatas, which purify the entire world.

11. Narada said:— Thou hast well decided upon this course, O bull among Satvatas, in that thou enquirest about the virtues and duties that delight the Lord and purify all.

11.2.12

śruto 'nupaṭhito dhyāta ādṛto vānumoditaḥ /
sadyaḥ punāti sad-dharmo deva-viśva-druho 'pi hi //

Heard, recited, meditated upon, revered, or approved,
the dharma of the virtuous instantly purifies even those who hate the gods and the universe.

12. Whether listened to or uttered or contemplated or regarded with esteem or assented to or appreciated, that praiseworthy and righteous course would at once purify even those that have done wrong to all creature.

11.2.13

tvayā parama-kalyāṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ /
smārito bhagavān adya devo nārāyaṇo mama //

By you has the most auspicious Lord, God Nārāyaṇa,
whose listening and glorification are purifying, been brought to my remembrance today.

13. By Thee, the most auspicious and almighty Narayana whose name, heard or sung, brings merit, is to-day called to my memory.

11.2.14

atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam /
ārṣabhāṇāṃ ca saṃvādaṃ videhasya mahātmanaḥ //

Regarding this, they also cite this ancient narrative,
the dialogue between the sons of Ṛṣabha and the great-souled king of Videha.

14. On this question a certain old story is told. It refers to a conversation between the sons of sage Rishabha and the great king of Videhas.

11.2.15

priyavrato nāma suto manoḥ svāyambhuvasya yaḥ /
tasyāgnīdhras tato nābhir ṛṣabhas tat-sutaḥ smṛtaḥ //

The son of Svāyambhuva Manu named Priyavrata
had a son Āgnīdhra; from him came Nābhi, and his son is known as Ṛṣabha.

15. Priyavrata, the famous son of Manu Swayambhuva, had a son called Agnidhra of whom was born Nabhi and his son is known as Rishabha.

11.2.16

tam āhur vāsudevāṃśaṃ mokṣa-dharma-vivakṣayā /
avatīrṇaṃ suta-śataṃ tasyāsīd brahma-pāragam //

They declare him to be an incarnation of a portion of Vāsudeva, descended with the desire to expound the dharma of liberation.
He had one hundred sons, all masters of the Veda and Brahman.

16. The wise say that Rishabha is an amsa of Vasudeva (Narayana) who appeared on earth in order to teach _dharmas_ leading to Moksha and he had a hundred sons, all thoroughly versed in the Vedas.

11.2.17

teṣāṃ vai bharato jyeṣṭho nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ /
vikhyātaṃ varṣam etad yan- nāmnā bhāratam adbhutam //

Among them, Bharata was the eldest, devoted wholly to Nārāyaṇa,
after whose name this wonderful continent is famously called Bhārata.

17. Of the hundred the eldest was Bharata devoted to Narayana and after him this wonderful continent is widely known as Bharata Varsha.

11.2.18

sa bhukta-bhogāṃ tyaktvemāṃ nirgatas tapasā harim /
upāsīnas tat-padavīṃ lebhe vai janṛnabhis tribhiḥ //

Having enjoyed earthly pleasures and then renounced them, he went forth and, worshiping Hari
with austerities, attained His abode after three births.

18. Bharata abandoned this earth after it was duly enjoyed and renouncing the kingdom he worshipped Hari by tapas and attained to His region in three lives.

11.2.19

teṣāṃ nava nava-dvīpa- patayo 'sya samantataḥ /
karma-tantra-praṇetāra ekāśītir dvijātayaḥ //

Nine of them became the rulers of the nine divisions all around this land;
eighty-one were twice-born creators of ritual manuals.

19. And nine of them became the rulers of nine _dwipas_ all round and eighty one became brahmins and authors of treatises on Karma.

11.2.20

navābhavan mahā-bhāgā munayo hy artha-śaṃsinaḥ /
śramaṇā vāta-rasanā ātma-vidyā-viśāradāḥ //

Nine were greatly fortunate ascetics who taught the highest truth,
renouncers clad only in the wind, experts in the science of the self:

20. The remaining nine of blessed nature became sages that were able to propound the highest truth; having laboured much for the sake of wisdom they were sky-clad and deeply learned in the lore of Atman.

11.2.21

kavir havir antarīkṣaḥ prabuddhaḥ pippalāyanaḥ /
āvirhotro 'tha drumilaś camasaḥ karabhājanaḥ //

Kavi, Havir, Antarīkṣa, Prabuddha, Pippalāyana,
Āvirhotra, then Drumila, Camasa, and Karabhājana.

21. Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayana, Avirhotra, Drumila, Chamasa and Karabhajana.

11.2.22

ta ete bhagavad-rūpaṃ viśvaṃ sad-asad-ātmakam /
ātmano 'vyatirekeṇa paśyanto vyacaran mahīm //

Seeing this universe, composed of being and non-being, as the form of the Lord
and not separate from the self, they wandered over the earth.

22. These realised the universe, both subtle and gross, to be the Almighty Himself and to be nothing different from their self; and they traversed the earth.

11.2.22.p1

avyāhateṣṭa-gatayaḥ sura-siddha-sādhya- $ gandharva-yakṣa-nara-kinnara-nāga-lokān &

With their desired movement unimpeded, through the worlds of gods, Siddhas, Sādhyas,
Gandharvas, Yakṣas, humans, Kinnaras, and Nāgas,

23. Unobstructed in their course they freely go about the regions of the gods, Siddhas, Sadhyas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, men, Kinnaras and Nagas, of sages, Charanas, Bhutas (Kailasa), Vidyadharas, stars and Kamadhenus.

11.2.23

muktāś caranti muni-cāraṇa-bhūtanātha- % vidyādhara-dvija-gavāṃ bhuvanāni kāmam //

liberated, they wandered at will through the realms of sages, Cāraṇas, the lord of spirits,
Vidyādharas, twice-born sages, and sacred cows.

11.2.24

ta ekadā nimeḥ satram upajagmur yadṛcchayā /
vitāyamānam ṛṣibhir ajanābhe mahātmanaḥ //

Once, by chance, they arrived at the sacrificial session of the great-souled Nimi,
which was being performed by sages in Ajanābha.

24. On one occasion, by chance they were at the great sacrifice of the glorious Nimi, which was conducted by Rishis in the continent of Bharata.

11.2.25

tān dṛṣṭvā sūrya-saṅkāśān mahā-bhāgavatān nṛpa /
yajamāno 'gnayo viprāḥ sarva evopatasthire //

Seeing those exalted Bhāgavatas resplendent like the sun, O king,
the sacrificer, the sacred fires, and the priests all rose in reverence.

25. On seeing them who shone like the sun and were the most devoted followers of the Lord, O king, the sacrificer, the fires, brahmins and all worshipfully rose to wait on them.

11.2.26

videhas tān abhipretya nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇān /
prītaḥ sampūjayāṃ cakre āsana-sthān yathārhataḥ //

Recognizing them as devoted wholly to Nārāyaṇa, the king of Videha,
filled with joy, honored them suitably once they were seated.

26. The king of Videhas was very much pleased to know them rightly as devotees of Narayana, offered them a seat according to their greatness and worshipped them.

11.2.27

tān rocamānān sva-rucā brahma-putropamān nava /
papraccha parama-prītaḥ praśrayāvanato nṛpaḥ //

Shining with their own radiance and resembling the sons of Brahmā,
the king, bowed with humility and exceedingly delighted, questioned the nine:

27. The highly delighted king modestly bowed to those sages brilliant with their glory and resembling the suns of Brahma and enquired.

11.2.28

/0 śrī-videha uvāca
manye bhagavataḥ sākṣāt pārṣadān vo madhu-dvisaḥ /
viṣṇor bhūtāni lokānāṃ pāvanāya caranti hi //

The glorious king of Videha said:
I consider you to be direct attendants of the Lord who is the foe of Madhu;
for the servants of Viṣṇu wander about to purify all the worlds.

28. Videha said:— I think that you are directly the attendants of the Almighty Lord Narayana; Vishnu's messengers go about the worlds indeed to purify them.

11.2.29

durlabho mānuṣo deho dehināṃ kṣaṇa-bhaṅguraḥ /
tatrāpi durlabhaṃ manye vaikuṇṭha-priya-darśanam //

Rare is a human body for embodied beings, and it perishes in a moment;
even rarer than that, I consider, is the sight of those dear to Vaikuṇṭha.

29. This human body is not easily attained by jivas and it would break down in a moment (i. e., a transient one) in that life

too it is a still rarer lot to meet those that are beloved of Sri Narayana.

11.2.30

ata ātyantikaṃ kṣemaṃ pṛcchāmo bhavato 'naghāḥ /
saṃsāre 'smin kṣaṇārdho 'pi sat-saṅgaḥ śevadhir nṛṇām //

Therefore, O sinless ones, we ask you about the ultimate good;
in this cycle of rebirth, even half a moment's company with virtuous devotees is a great treasure for mortals.

30. Therefore, O sinless sages, we enquire of you what leads to the final beautitude; for in this samsara even half a minute of association with the righteous and wise is a great treasure to human beings.

11.2.31

dharmān bhāgavatān brūta yadi naḥ śrutaye kṣamam /
yaiḥ prasannaḥ prapannāya dāsyaty ātmānam apy ajaḥ //

Please speak of the Bhāgavata dharmas, if we are fit to hear them,
pleased by which the Unborn gives even Himself to one who has surrendered.

31. Please explain if fit for our ears to us the righteous duties with which the unborn Lord may be so pleased as to grant to the suppliant even His own self.

11.2.32

/0 śrī-nārada uvāca
evaṃ te niminā pṛṣṭā vasudeva mahattamāḥ /
pratipūjyābruvan prītyā sa-sadasyartvijaṃ nṛpam //

The glorious Nārada said:
Thus questioned by Nimi, O Vasudeva, those most exalted sages
honored the king, together with his priests and assembly members, and spoke with affection.

32. Narada said:— O Vasudeva, thus requested by Nimi those most worshipful sages complimented the king and gladly spoke to him (king), to the Sadasyas (the sacrificial council) and Rithvics.

11.2.33

/0 śrī-kavir uvāca
manye 'kutaścid-bhayam acyutasya pādāmbujopāsanam atra nityam /
udvigna-buddher asad-ātma-bhāvād viśvātmanā yatra nivartate bhīḥ //

The glorious Kavi said:
I consider constant worship of Acyuta's lotus feet to be the place free from all fear in this world,
wherein, for one whose mind is agitated through identifying the self with what is unreal, fear ceases completely through the Self of all.

33. Kavi said:— I believe that in this samsara the uninterrupted contemplation of and service to the lotus like feet of Achyuta are the way to be free from all fear, for the person whose mind is bewildered by mistaking the worthless body for Atman; for, at the feet of the Lord all fear absolutely disappears.

11.2.34

ye vai bhagavatā proktā upāyā hy ātma-labdhaye /
añjaḥ puṃsām aviduṣāṃ viddhi bhāgavatān hi tān //

The means declared by the Lord Himself for attaining the Self
easily by ignorant persons—know those to be the Bhāgavata dharmas.

34. Indeed do thou thoroughly know those duties delightful to the Lord and tending to His realisation, which were by the Lord Himself taught for the realisation of self (Atman), (intelligible and practicable) even to men of no learning;

11.2.35

yān āsthāya naro rājan na pramādyeta karhicit /
dhāvan nimīlya vā netre na skhalen na pated iha //

Relying on these, O king, a person will never go astray;
even running with eyes closed, he would neither stumble nor fall here.

35. O king, a person having taken to them would never go astray; that devotee would not, run as he may with eyes shut, err or fall into samsara.

11.2.36

kāyena vācā manasendriyair vā buddhyātmanā vānusṛta-svabhāvāt /
karoti yad yat sakalaṃ parasmai nārāyaṇāyeti samarpayet tat //

Whatever one does with the body, speech, mind, senses,
intellect, or self, through the impulse of one's nature—all that one should dedicate to the Supreme, thinking: 'This is for Nārāyaṇa.'

36. Whatever a man does by his physical organs, tongue, mind and other senses, by Reason or himself, by force of nature, he should resign (everything) as service to the highest Lord Narayana.

11.2.37

bhayaṃ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ /
tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṃ bhaktyaikayeśaṃ guru-devatātmā //

Fear arises from absorption in a second [entity]; for one turned away from the Lord there is inversion and loss of memory
due to His creative power. Therefore, recognizing the guru as his deity and self, the wise person should worship the Lord with unswerving devotion.

37. He who has turned away from the Supreme Lord, is, under the force of Maya, subject to fear through attachment to a second existence, to misapprehension and loss of memory; therefore

the discerning ought to worship Him with faith and with unmixed devotion to the Guru and the Deity.

11.2.38

avidyamāno 'py avabhāti hi dvayo dhyātur dhiyā svapna-manorathau yathā /
tat karma-saṅkalpa-vikalpakaṃ mano budho nirundhyād abhayaṃ tataḥ syāt //

Even though absent, duality appears to the mind of the meditator like a dream or a daydream;
therefore, the wise person should restrain the mind that imagines and projects karma; thence fearlessness will arise.

38. Though it does not exist in reality, the world of differences like dreams and fancies, seems to be, on account of the mind of the man that thinks of it. Therefore the wiseman should control the mind which by its thoughts institutes the existence and the difference of things.

11.2.39

śṛṇvan su-bhadrāṇi rathāṅga-pāṇer janmāni karmāṇi ca yāni loke /
gītāni nāmāni tad-arthakāni gāyan vilajjo vicared asaṅgaḥ //

Hearing of the most auspicious births and deeds of the Wielder of the Discus in this world,
and singing the sacred names that celebrate them, free from shame and unattached, one should wander.

39. Therefore man should here listen to (know of) the most auspicious Avataras and deeds of Krishna, the weilder of Chakra, and to His names sung in the Vedas describing His work and sing them without any fear of being mocked at and live on without attachments.

11.2.40

evaṃ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ /
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ //

Keeping such a vow, with affection awakened by chanting the names of his beloved, his heart melted,
he laughs aloud, weeps, shouts, sings, and dances like a madman, transcending worldly ways.

40. The man who is constant in this course of divine service and develops his love to Him by singing the names of his beloved Hari, with his heart completely melting in devotion, laughs, weeps, screams, sings, or dances like a mad man, quite out of the way of the world.

11.2.41

khaṃ vāyum agniṃ salilaṃ mahīṃ ca jyotīṃṣi sattvāni diśo drumādīn /
sarit-samudrāṃś ca hareḥ śarīraṃ yat kiṃ ca bhūtaṃ praṇamed ananyaḥ //

Space, wind, fire, water, earth,
the heavenly bodies, living beings, the directions, trees and the rest,
the rivers and oceans, and whatever entity exists—he should bow to them all as the body of Hari, with undivided devotion.

41. In absolute devotion to Hari he should bow to every

41. V. *In absolute devotion to Hari*. Understanding that he is also the body of the Lord he should consider the sky etc., as the body etc., and bow to them. being as His body whether it is the sky, Vayu, Agni, water, earth, stars, planets, living animals, cardinal points, the trees and the like, or rivers or seas.

11.2.42

bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa trika eka-kālaḥ /
prapadyamānasya yathāśnataḥ syus tuṣṭiḥ puṣṭiḥ kṣud-apāyo 'nu-ghāsam //

Devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from all else—this triad occurs simultaneously
for one who surrenders, just as satisfaction, nourishment, and relief from hunger occur with every morsel eaten.

42. In a person who has resigned himself to the Lord, these three—devotion, realisation of the Supreme Lord and renunciation of other things, are always found together, just as in a person who eats, satisfaction, nourishment and relief from hunger are simultaneously experienced with every morsel of food (that is swallowed).

11.2.43

ity acyutāṅghriṃ bhajato 'nuvṛttyā bhaktir viraktir bhagavat-prabodhaḥ /
bhavanti vai bhāgavatasya rājaṃs tataḥ parāṃ śāntim upaiti sākṣāt //

Thus, to the Bhāgavata who continually serves Acyuta's feet,
devotion, detachment, and knowledge of the Lord arise, O king;
and from that he attains supreme peace directly.

43. The Lord’s votary who slowly and steadily, in this manner and in uninterrupted course, worships the feet of Achyuta, attains devotion, renunciation and direct realisation of the Lord and then (ultimately) he attains to the highest state of happiness or Moksha.

11.2.44

/0 śrī-rājovāca
atha bhāgavataṃ brūta yad-dharmo yādṛśo nṛṇām /
yathācarati yad brūte yair liṅgair bhagavat-priyaḥ //

The glorious king said:
Now tell of the Bhāgavata among humans: what his dharma is, what he is like,
how he behaves, what he says, and by what marks one is dear to the Lord.

44. The king said:—Now kindly describe a votary of the Lord, how he acts, how he talks and all other characteristics by which he may be distinctly known as the one beloved of the Lord.

11.2.45

/0 śrī-havir uvāca
sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyed bhagavad-bhāvam ātmanaḥ /
bhūtāni bhagavaty ātmany eṣa bhāgavatottamaḥ //

The glorious Havir said:
He who sees the Lord's presence in all beings,
and sees all beings within the Lord and within himself—he is the highest Bhāgavata.

45. Hari said:— He is the foremost one among the votaries of the Lord, who sees his relation to all beings as being Brahman and all beings in his self which is essentially Brahman.

11.2.46

īsvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca /
prema-maitrī-kṛpopekṣā yaḥ karoti sa madhyamaḥ //

He who maintains love toward the Lord, friendship toward His dependents,
compassion toward the ignorant, and indifference toward those who hate—he is an intermediate devotee.

46. He is a middling votary who cherishes affection, friendly feeling, compassion and a feeling of indifference respectively to Iswara, to those that are under His control, to the ignorant and to those that hate Him.

11.2.47

arcāyām eva haraye pūjāṃ yaḥ śraddhayehate /
na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ //

He who desires to offer worship with faith only to Hari in an image,
and not to His devotees or others—he is considered a novice devotee.

47. He is the beginner who with faith worships Hari as present only in the image and not in His votaries or in other creatures.

11.2.48

gṛhītvāpīndriyair arthān yo na dveṣṭi na hṛṣyati /
viṣṇor māyām idaṃ paśyan sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ //

Even when perceiving sense objects with the senses, he who neither hates nor rejoices,
seeing this as the creative power of Viṣṇu—he indeed is the highest Bhāgavata.

48. He is indeed a devotee of the highest order who, though he only receives the objects through his senses, neither hates nor is rejoiced at them, but perceives this (universe) to be only Vishnu's Maya.

11.2.49

dehendriya-prāṇa-mano-dhiyāṃ yo janmāpyaya-kṣud-bhaya-tarṣa-kṛcchraiḥ /
saṃsāra-dharmair avimuhyamānaḥ smṛtyā harer bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ //

He who, by remembering Hari, is not bewildered by the attributes of the cycle of rebirth—
birth and decay, hunger, fear, thirst, and distress—pertaining to body, senses, vital breath, mind, and intellect,
is foremost among Bhāgavatas.

49. He is the foremost devotee of the Lord who by the strength of his contemplation of Hari, remains unbewildered under the conditions of Samsara, viz., birth, death, hunger, fear, thirst, difficulties that affect the body, the senses and organs, the breath, the mind and reason.

11.2.50

na kāma-karma-bījānāṃ yasya cetasi sambhavaḥ /
vāsudevaika-nilayaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ //

In whose mind the seeds of desire and karma do not arise,
and whose only refuge is Vāsudeva—he indeed is the highest Bhāgavata.

50. He is the foremost devotee of the Lord in whose heart the seeds of passion and action do not find place and to whom Vasudeva (Narayana) is the one resort.

11.2.51

na yasya janma-karmabhyāṃ na varṇāśrama-jātibhiḥ /
sajjate 'sminn ahaṃ-bhāvo dehe vai sa hareḥ priyaḥ //

He whose notion of 'I' does not attach to this body
through birth or deeds, nor through class, life-stage, or caste—he indeed is dear to Hari.

51. He is indeed beloved of Hari who has no attachment to the body and claims no superiority by birth and deed or by the Varna, asrama and jati, (caste, order or race).

11.2.52

na yasya svaḥ para iti vitteṣv ātmani vā bhidā /
sarva-bhūta-samaḥ śāntaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ //

He who sees no distinction of 'mine' and 'another's' in possessions or in oneself,
equal toward all beings and tranquil—he indeed is the highest Bhāgavata.

52. He is indeed the highest votary of the Lord who is tranquil and equal to all beings and in whose view the distinction in respect of wealth or even the body does not exist as one's own or as belonging to another.

11.2.52.p1

tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave 'py akuṇṭha- $ smṛtir ajitātma-surādibhir vimṛgyāt &

Whose remembrance is unswerving, even for the sake of the sovereignty of the three worlds,
from the lotus feet of the Lord, sought after by gods and others who have not conquered themselves,

53. He is the foremost follower of Vishnu whose memory of the Lord is not interrupted even for the sake of the wealth of the three worlds and who does not get away from (forget), even for half a minute or half a second, the lotus-like feet of the Lord which are sought after by the gods and others that have not conquered their mind.

11.2.53

na calati bhagavat-padāravindāl % lava-nimiṣārdham api yaḥ sa vaiṣṇavāgryaḥ //

and who does not stray [from them] for even half the blink of an eye—he is the foremost of Vaiṣṇavas.

11.2.54

bhagavata uru-vikramāṅghri-śākhā- nakha-maṇi-candrikayā nirasta-tāpe /
hṛdi katham upasīdatāṃ punaḥ sa prabhavati candra ivodite 'rka-tāpaḥ //

In a heart whose burning anguish has been dispelled by the moonlight of the gem-like nails on the toes of the Lord of wide strides,
how could that distress ever rise again, just as the sun's burning heat cannot when the moon has risen?

54. How could any affliction find place in the heart of a worshipper from which it is all expelled by the moon-light of the jewel-like nails of the Almighty Lord's feet that measured the world in three steps? How could there be the heat of the Sun when the moon has risen?

11.2.55

visṛjati hṛdayaṃ na yasya sākṣād dharir avaśābhihito 'py aghaugha-nāśaḥ /
praṇaya-rasanayā dhṛtāṅghri-padmaḥ sa bhavati bhāgavata-pradhāna uktaḥ //

Whose heart Hari never leaves—Hari who destroys the flood of sins even when uttered involuntarily—
his lotus feet held fast by the cord of love: he is declared the foremost Bhāgavata.

55. He is declared as the first among the votaries of the Lord whose heart is fastened to His lotus-like feet with the cords of love and devotion and is never left by Hari Himself who, though unconsciously remembered by name, destroys all sin (is ever filled with the presence of Hari etc.)