ŚB 3.13.50
Devanagari
को नाम लोके पुरुषार्थसारवित्
पुराकथानां भगवत्कथासुधाम् ।
आपीय कर्णाञ्जलिभिर्भवापहा-
महो विरज्येत विना नरेतरम् ॥ ५० ॥
पुराकथानां भगवत्कथासुधाम् ।
आपीय कर्णाञ्जलिभिर्भवापहा-
महो विरज्येत विना नरेतरम् ॥ ५० ॥
Verse text
ko nāma loke puruṣārtha-sāravit
purā-kathānāṁ bhagavat-kathā-sudhām
āpīya karṇāñjalibhir bhavāpahām
aho virajyeta vinā naretaram
purā-kathānāṁ bhagavat-kathā-sudhām
āpīya karṇāñjalibhir bhavāpahām
aho virajyeta vinā naretaram
Synonyms
kaḥ — who; nāma — indeed; loke — in the world; puruṣa-artha — goal of life; sāra-vit — one who knows the essence of; purā-kathānām — of all past histories; bhagavat — regarding the Personality of Godhead; kathā-sudhām — the nectar of the narrations about the Personality of Godhead; āpīya — by drinking; karṇa-añjalibhiḥ — by aural reception; bhava-apahām — that which kills all material pangs; aho — alas; virajyeta — could refuse; vinā — except; nara-itaram — other than the human being.
Translation
Who, other than one who is not a human being, can exist in this world and not be interested in the ultimate goal of life? Who can refuse the nectar of narrations about the Personality of Godhead’s activities, which by itself can deliver one from all material pangs?
Purport
The narration of the activities of the Personality of Godhead is like a constant flow of nectar. No one can refuse to drink such nectar except one who is not a human being. Devotional service to the Lord is the highest goal of life for every human being, and such devotional service begins by hearing about the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. Only an animal, or a man who is almost an animal in behavior, can refuse to take an interest in hearing the transcendental message of the Lord. There are many books of stories and histories in the world, but except for the histories or narrations on the topics of the Personality of Godhead, none are capable of diminishing the burden of material pangs. Therefore one who is serious about eliminating material existence must chant and hear of the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead. Otherwise one must be compared to the nonhumans.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Appearance of Lord Varāha.”