Text 33
iti bhāgavatān dharmān
śikṣan bhaktyā tad-utthayā
nārāyaṇa-paro māyām
añjas tarati dustarām
iti — thus; bhāgavatān dharmān — the science of devotional service; śikṣan — studying; bhaktyā — by devotion; tat-utthayā — generated by it; nārāyaṇa-paraḥ — completely devoted to the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa; māyām — the illusory energy; añjaḥ — easily; tarati — crosses beyond; dustarām — impossible to cross.
Thus learning the science of devotional service and practically engaging in the devotional service of the Lord, the devotee comes to the stage of love of Godhead. And by complete devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, the devotee easily crosses over the illusory energy, māyā, which is extremely difficult to cross.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has pointed out that mukti, or liberation, which is described in this verse by the words māyām añjas tarati dustarām, is actually a by-product or secondary result of pure love of Godhead. In the second verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is pointed out, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo ’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ/ vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam teaches the science of devotional service, in which the ultimate goal is pure love of Godhead. According to the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, mukti, or liberation, is a by-product of love of Godhead. Śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam. One should not approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead for liberation, since one is automatically liberated by obeying the order of the Lord. Kṛṣṇa’s order is given at the end of Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. Every living being should give up his mundane conceptions of life and take full shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. If one carries out this order the Lord automatically provides liberation (mukti). Actual happiness comes from loving God without any tinge of mental speculation or fruitive desire.
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
“One should render transcendental loving service to Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11) So crossing over the insurmountable ocean of illusion, as described here, is not actually the principal result of bhāgavata-dharma, or devotional service to the Lord, but is a by-product of pure love of Godhead.