bhagavān nārado muniḥ

maitreya uvāca

iti pracetasāṁ pṛṣṭo

bhagavān nārado muniḥ

bhagavaty uttama-śloka

āviṣṭātmābravīn nṛpān

Maitreya said: Requested by the Pracetās, the great sage Nārada, his mind absorbed in the Lord, then spoke to those kings.

Pracetasām should be pracetobhiḥ.

|| 4.31.9 ||

nārada uvāca

taj janma tāni karmāṇi

tad āyus tan mano vacaḥ

nṛṇāṁ yena hi viśvātmā

sevyate harir īśvaraḥ

Nārada said: The birth, activities, lifespan, mind and words of humans takes on real value by service to the Supreme Lord, the soul of the universe.

Whatever things the jīva obtains while in the body should be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is adhyātma-jñāna. This is explained in thirteen verses. The meaning is that one’s birth becomes real birth when the Lord is served. Karmas are real karmas when they serve the Lord. Also one can add intelligence, senses, strength, austerity, scriptural study, yoga, sāṅkhya, sannyāsa, brahmacarya, and other items. This should be understood from the later verses. Humans are mentioned because human life is suitable for service to the Lord. But if he does otherwise, then his life is like an animal’s life.

|| 4.31.10 ||

kiṁ janmabhis tribhir veha

śaukra-sāvitra-yājñikaiḥ

karmabhir vā trayī-proktaiḥ

puṁso 'pi vibudhāyuṣā

Without that service, what is the use of taking three births by semen, upanayanam  and initiation. What is the use of ritual acts mentioned in the Vedas? What is the use of the lifespan of a devatā for a human?

The first birth (śaukram) means birth from a pure mother and father. Sāvitram means birth by taking the sacred thread (Vedic initiation). Yājñikam means by initiation. With service to the Lord, these three, and even birth as Brahmā are equivalent to a pig’s birth, since the results are similar. Birth as an outcaste with service to the Lord is a proper human birth, because it enables one to attain the Lord. The other items should be understood in the same way. If Vedic actions are useless, what to speak of secular actions? Devatā life span is useless, and even Brahmā’s lifespan is useless, without service to the Lord.

 

|| 4.31.11 ||