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Continuing Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura's teachings on the twenty-six qualities of a devotee, this article explains the true meaning of nirīha – the quality of a saintly devotee being free from selfish endeavour. Sarasvatī Ṭhākura clarifies that this does not indicate inactivity, but rather freedom from material pursuits while being fully engaged in eternal service to Śrī Hari. Originally published in Sajjana Toṣaṇī, Vol. 21, Issue 5, 1918.

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In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the manifestation of naiṣkarmya in the life of a devotee has been described. Naiṣkarmya means the absence of endeavour for karma. Endeavor for obtaining the results is itself a karmika endeavour. In bhagavad-dharma there is no endeavour for karma; therefore a devotee is nirīha (free from personal endeavour).

The desire to enjoy results is the purpose of karma-kāṇḍa. The jīva receives the opportunity to enjoy results through the subtle body and the gross body. As long as the jīva, identifying himself as conditioned, lives with the desire for results, at that time the path of karma alone is to be adopted by him. In the conditioned state, the jīva enjoys unconscious objects by means of his own gross and subtle bodies. The conscious entity’s enjoyment of unconscious objects is what is called the gross enjoyment of karma-kāṇḍa.

Enjoyment of the subtle aspects of unconscious matter by means of the subtle body is also a desire arising from karma. Rather than personally enjoying the results of karma through his own gross and subtle bodies while in the conditioned state, the devotee, by cultivating the ātmā through his transcendental mind, remains free from the desire to enjoy the results of karma. At that time, such a devotee, though still in the conditioned state, is designated as transcendental or jīvan-mukta (liberated while living) by conception.

The word īhā (in nir-īha) means endeavour. When the gross body and the material mind, which are subject to temporary time, engage in activities directed toward enjoyment, that is the bhukti-mārga (the path of enjoyment). Again, if there is no distinctive feature other than the attempt to reject that, it is the mukti-mārga (the path of liberation).

Whatever is undertaken with the aim of attaining these two results – bhukti (material enjoyment) and mukti (liberation) – is an endeavour from the standpoint of conditioned identification, or in other words, an endeavour unrelated to the ātmā. Only those who do not regard either bhukti or mukti as the ultimate goal are hari-parāyaṇa (worshippers of Hari), or sajjanas (saintly devotees).

Bhagavān Hari is eternal and transcendental; His pastimes are eternal, and His servants are eternal. As long as there remains the desire to enjoy the results produced by the endeavours of karma-kāṇḍa, even endeavours performed with Hari as their apparent objective are not pure. Only when the jīva’s spiritual propensity awakens solely for the sake of Bhagavān does it become manifest through the subtle and gross bodies. Externally, such activity appears to be the same as the actions of the karmī or the jñānī. However, upon subtle examination, one perceives a complete distinction between the endeavours of the bubhukṣu (one desiring material enjoyment) and the mumukṣu (one desiring liberation), and the endeavours of the sajjana. The endeavours of the bubhukṣu and the mumukṣu are always different from the sajjana’s endeavour to serve Hari.

When it is said that “a sajjana is nirīha,” it should be understood that he makes no endeavour for things unrelated to Kṛṣṇa. The sajjana, however, is full of endeavour for Kṛṣṇa, while remaining indifferent to matter. Śrī Kṛṣṇacandra, together with His associates, is the sole object of his aim in all of his endeavours. Indeed, all of the sajjana’s endeavours for Kṛṣṇa constitute one principal limb of service. If, in every condition, one engages sincerely in endeavouring for Kṛṣṇa through body, mind, and speech, then he may be called jīvan-mukta, or a transcendental sajjana. Therefore, when it is said that “a sajjana is nirīha,” it does not mean that his endeavours for Kṛṣṇa are obstructed – rather, it means that he has no eligibility for endeavours within the material realm.

By the affirmative method (anvaya), the cultivation of unconscious objects is itself a karmika endeavour; and by the negative method (vyatireka), when one becomes indifferent toward unconscious objects, that itself is endeavour for knowledge jñāna or vairāgya. When a renounced person turns away from the service of Hari and becomes occupied merely with eliminating the results of material enjoyment, at that time he is a mumukṣu – or being devoid of the inherent nature to serve Hari, he is self-interested, intent on removing his own distress, and engages in endeavours opposed to bhakti. None of these endeavours are ever found in a sajjana, nor are such endeavours desirable for him.

The person who seeks liberation separately from Hari and the servant of Hari are both free from karmika endeavours. The former’s laziness and impersonal temperament make him an offender at the feet of Bhagavān. Therefore, considering material inertia to be the highest good, he even regards everything related to Hari to be mundane and therefore insignificant. Because the mumukṣu possesses such endeavours devoid of bhakti, he has not actually become indifferent to material objects, which is characterised by material activity.

The jñānī’s excessive pursuit of knowledge – his search for the undifferentiated Brahman –has caused his knowledge to be diverted by the māyā potency, which is averse to Hari, away from knowledge of Bhagavān, which alone is the supreme object of attainment. Since the sajjana has no such māyika endeavour, he is called nirīha. The mumukṣu, taking shelter of karmika endeavours, strives to become free from dependence upon the realm of matter. The devotee of Bhagavān, however, does not resort to any such māyika attempts.

The anya-abhilāṣī (one who has other desires), the yathecchācārī (one who acts according to his own whims), the karma-phala-bhogī (one who enjoys the results of karma), and the jñānī who renounces the results of karma – all are troubled by the endeavours of the gross and subtle bodies. But the sajjana does not direct such tendencies toward the purpose of māyā; thus, he is nirīha. Moreover, although the eternal performance of being engaged in Hari’s service through the endeavour of the ātma is seen, he is indifferent to matter.

(Translated by Swami Bhaktivijñāna Giri)

About the Author: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda appeared in this world in Jagannātha Purī in 1874. He was the son of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Learning Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava philosophy from his esteemed father, he took initiation from the renowned ascetic, Śrī Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābāji in 1900. After accepting the sannyāsa order in 1918, he founded the Gauḍīya Maṭha with 64 centres in India and 3 abroad. Travelling the length and breadth of the subcontinent propagating the teachings of Śrī Caitanya, he departed from this world in 1937. He was the guru of many stalwart Vaiṣṇava ācāryas such as Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, Śrīla B.R. Śrīdhara Deva Gosvāmī and Śrīla B.P. Purī Gosvāmī.