SB 1.5.17 (1962)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 17
Tyaktwa swadharmam charanambujam harer
Bhajan napakko atha patet tato yadi
Yatra kwa ba abhadram abhut amusya kim
Kobartha apto abhajatam swadharmatah.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Tyaktwa—having forshaken, Swadharmam—one's own occupational engagement, Charanambhujam—the lotus feet of, Harer—of Hari (the Lord), Bhajan—incourse of devotional service, Apakko—immatured, Atha—for the matter of, Patet—falls down, Tato—from that place, Yatra—whereupon, Yadi—if, Kwa—what sort of, Ba—used sarcastically, Abhadram—unfavorable, Abhut—shall happen, Amusya—of him, Kim—nothing, Kobartha—what interest, Apto—obtained, Abhajatam—of the nondevotee, Swadharmatah—being engaged in occupational service.
TRANSLATION
One who might have forshaken one's material occupational engagements and be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, may sometimes fall down in immature conditions and still he has no risk of being unsuccessful. On the other hand a nondevotee may be fully engaged in his occupational duties and yet does not gain anything.
PURPORT
So far duties of mankind are concerned there are innumerable duties. Every man is duty bound not only to his parents, family-members, society, country, humanity, other living beings, the demigods etc, but also he is duty bound to the great philosophers, poets, scientists, etc. It is enjoined in the scripture that one can relinquish all such duties and surrender himself unto the service of the Lord. So if one does so and becomes successful in the discharge of his devotional service unto the Lord, it is well and good. But it so happens sometimes that one surrenders himself unto the service of the Lord, by some temporary sentiment, and in the long run due to so many other reasons he falls down from the path of service by undesirable association and there are so many instances in the histories. Bharat Maharaj was obliged to take his birth as a stag on account of his intimate attachment with a cub of a stag and he was full with its thinking when he died. As such in the next birth he became a stag although he did not forget the incidence of his previous birth. Similarly Chitraketu also fell down on account of his offence at the feet of Shiva. But in spite of all these the stress is given here on the point of surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord even there is chance of falling down. Because, even though one falls down from the prescribed duties of devotional service he will never forget the lotus feet of the Lord. Once engaged in the devotional service of the Lord is enough for one's continuing the service at all circumstances. In the Bhagwat Geeta it is said that even a small quantity of devotional service can save one from the most dangerous position. There are many instances in the histories of such examples. Ajamil is one of them. Ajamil in his early life begun as a devotee but in his youth he fell down and still he was saved by the Lord at the end.