নৈষ্কর্ম্যমপ্যচ্যুতভাববর্জিতং ন শোভতে জ্ঞানমলং নিরংজনম্ কুতঃ পুনঃ শশ্বদভদ্রমীশ্বরে ন চার্পিতং কর্ম যদপ্যকারণম্
नैष्कर्म्यमप्यच्युतभाववर्जितं न शोभते ज्ञानमलं निरंजनम् कुतः पुनः शश्वदभद्रमीश्वरे न चार्पितं कर्म यदप्यकारणम्
naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam
Synonyms
naiṣkarmyam—which does not produce enjoyment of the resultant action; api—although; acyuta-bhāva—of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; varjitam—devoid; na—not; śobhate—looks beautiful; jñānam—speculative knowledge; alam—exceedingly; nirañjanam—which is without material contamination; kutaḥ—how much less; punaḥ—again; śaśvat—always (at the time of practicing and at the time of achieving the goal); abhadram—inauspicious; īśvare—to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; na—not; ca—also; arpitam—dedicated; karma—activities; yat—which; api—although; akāraṇam—causeless..
Translation
" 'When pure knowledge is beyond all material affinity but is not dedicated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead [Kṛṣṇa], it does not appear very beautiful, although it is knowledge without a material tinge. What, then, is the use of fruitive activities—which are naturally painful from the beginning and transient by nature—if they are not utilized for the devotional service of the Lord? How can they be very attractive?'
Purport
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.12). Even after writing many Vedic literatures, Vyāsadeva felt very morose. Therefore his spiritual master, Nāradadeva, told him that he could be happy by writing about the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Up to that time, Śrīla Vyāsadeva had written the karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa sections of the Vedas, but he had not written about upāsanā-kāṇḍa, or bhakti. Thus his spiritual master, Nārada, chastised him and advised him to write about the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Vyāsadeva began writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.