SB 11.29.21
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 21
- yo yo mayi pare dharmaḥ
- kalpyate niṣphalāya cet
- tad-āyāso nirarthaḥ syād
- bhayāder iva sattama
SYNONYMS
yaḥ, yaḥ — whatever; mayi — unto Me; pare — the Supreme; dharmaḥ — is religion; kalpyate — tends; niṣphalāya — toward becoming free from the result of material work; cet — if; tat — of that; āyāsaḥ — the endeavor; nirarthaḥ — futile; syāt — may be; bhaya-ādeḥ — of fear and so on; iva — as; sat-tama — O best of saintly persons.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
O Uddhava, greatest of saints, in a dangerous situation an ordinary person cries, becomes fearful and laments, although such useless emotions do not change the situation. But activities offered to Me without personal motivation, even if they are externally useless, amount to the actual process of religion.
PURPORT
Even the most insignificant activity, when offered to the Supreme Lord without personal desire, can elevate one to the perfection of spiritual life. Actually, Lord Kṛṣṇa always protects and maintains His devotee. But if a devotee cries to the Lord for protection or maintenance, desiring to continue his devotional service unimpeded, Lord Kṛṣṇa accepts such apparently unnecessary appeals to be the highest religious process.