Bhagavad Gita -Srila Prabhupada 304

Shrimad Bhagavad Gita As It Is -Shri Shrimad A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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Dhyäna-yoga
Chapter 6: Verse-47

yoginäm api sarvesam mad-gatenäntar-ätmanä
sraddhävän bhajate yo mäm sa me yuktatamo matah[1]


TRANSLATION

And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me—he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.


PURPORT

The word bhajate is significant here. Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of service. The English word “worship” cannot be used in the same sense as bhaj. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or a demigod and may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution. Failing to do this, he falls down. The [2] confirms this as follows:

ya esampurusam säksäd ätma-prabhavam isvaram na bhajanty avajänanti sthänäd bhrastäh patanty adhah

“Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the primeval Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position.”

In this verse also the word bhajanti is used. Therefore, bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word “worship” can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity. The word avajänanti, used in this verse of Srimad-Bhägavatam, is also found in the Bhagavad-gita. Avajänanti mäm müdhäh “Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna.” Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita without an attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word bhajanti and the word “worship.”

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References

  1. yoginäm=of yogis; api=also; sarvesam=all types of; mat-gatena=abiding in
    Me, always thinking of Me; antaH-ätmanä=within himself; sraddhä-vän=in full faith; bhajate=renders transcendental loving service; yah=one who;mäm=to Me (the Supreme Lord); sah=he; me=by Me; yukta-tamah=the greatest yogi; matah=is considered.
  2. Bhägavatam 11.5.3

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