yat-saṅga-labdhaṁ nija-vīrya-vaibhavaṁ

yat-saṅga-labdhaṁ nija-vīrya-vaibhavaṁ

tīrthaṁ muhuḥ saṁspṛśatāṁ hi mānasam

haraty ajo 'ntaḥ śrutibhir gato 'ṅgajaṁ

ko vai na seveta mukunda-vikramam

Kṛṣṇa, entering into the heart through the ears, removes the desires in the mind of those persons who constantly sip the holy water in the form of the Lord’s pastimes attained by devotee association. Who would not hear the pastimes of Mukunda?

This is a glorification of devotee association. The power of the Lord’s pastimes like lifting Govardhana attained by association with devotees is a holy place which purifies even sattva. Kṛṣṇa (ajaḥ) removes the impressions of desire (aṅgajam) related to the mind (mānasam) of men sipping (saṁspṛśatām) through the ear the holy waters of the Lord’s pastimes heard from the devotees. A second meaning is “Kṛṣṇa attracts the mind.” How? He enters through the ears. Who would not hear the pastimes of Mukunda, such as lifting Govardhana? His pastimes are outstanding because without devotee association they are rarely understood. 

 

|| 5.18.12 ||

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ

harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā

manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ

The devatās constantly dwell with all good qualities in that person who has pure bhakti for the Lord. There are no good qualities in the non-devotee who chases after temporary material objects with desire for material pleasure.

This verse praises the devotee, who attains his position by bhakti attained through association, mentioned in the previous verse with “who would not hear the pastimes of Mukunda?” Where there is niṣkāma (akiñcanā) bhakti to the Lord, the devatās live in that place completely with all qualities like dharma, jñāna and vairāgya.  He becomes filled with all the devatās. This means that by service to the Lord all the devatās are served. Or, the presiding deities of the senses such as Rudra (ego) reside there with all good qualities, and no bad qualities. Thus the bad qualities of pride arising from ahaṅkāra do not arise. How can the qualities without fault, the great qualities arising from bhakti (mahad-guṇāḥ,) reside with the non-devotee? If good qualities such as knowledge of scripture are present in a non-devotee, they coexist with bad qualities like envy and hatred. Such a person chases material pleasure or what is non-existent (asati) with the desire for happiness gained through position etc. (bahiḥ).

 

Or, the presiding deities of the senses in the material world live with bad qualities in material people, since the devatās must deal with saṁsāra. But they do not dwell constantly with the jñānīs absorbed in contemplating oneness of the ātmā. They tremble in fear, thinking “We will die today or tomorrow in the company of these ungrateful people who want to destroy us after getting knowledge from us.” They dwell constantly in the devotees who distribute spiritual knowledge, relishing the sweetness of the Lord, with all good qualities. We are like crude iron, being material, but becoming spiritual. By contact with Kṛṣṇa, we become followers of Kṛṣṇa. Having attained knowledge of the Lord’s form and qualities, they continually relish the sweetness of the Lord. “With that devotee’s association we can cross over death at least.” This is what they conclude with bliss and astonishment. The rest of the verse would be explained as before. 

|| 5.18.13 ||