Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 11.3.41
Mukti· LiberationDedicate Your Work to the Lord
“King Nimi said: O great sages, please speak to us about the process of karma-yoga. Purified by this process of dedicating one’s practical work to the Supreme, a person can very quickly free himself from all material activities, even in this life, and thus enjoy pure life on the transcendental platform.”
What the purport teaches
- Activity is the nature of the soul; no one can remain inactive. Therefore, one should engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness rather than occupations dictated by the illusory energy.
- Selfish work for personal sense gratification brings further material bondage. Offering one's regular and occasional duties to the Supreme Lord makes those activities transcendental devotional service.
- The art of serving the Lord through work must be learned from a bona fide spiritual master. Freedom from fruitive reactions means transcendental activity under proper guidance, not inactivity.
Try this today
Choose one duty today and consider how to perform it for the Lord's service, following the guidance you have received rather than inventing your own standard.
Ask yourself
Am I seeking freedom by avoiding work, or by learning to serve the Lord through my work?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.