Kevala means

Expressions researched:
"Kevala means"

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

The word kevala means "pure" and indicates that the Lord's kālaśakti, or time potency, is a transcendental energy nondifferent from His personal body.

SB 11.9.19, Purport:

The word kevala means "pure" and indicates that the Lord's kālaśakti, or time potency, is a transcendental energy nondifferent from His personal body. The brāhmaṇa addresses King Yadu here as arindama, subduer of the enemies. This indicates that although the topic of māyā, or illusory creation, is being discussed, the King need not worry, because as a staunch devotee of the Lord, he is able to subdue the real enemies of life, namely lust, anger and greed, which make one a prisoner in māyā's kingdom. The word sūtram indicates the mahat-tattva, on which many material creations rest, just like jewels rest on a thread. In the state of pradhāna, or material equilibrium, the modes of nature do not interact. In the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Lord Kapila explains in His Sāṅkhya teachings that the Supreme Personality of Godhead agitates the neutral state of nature and thus creation takes place. The created manifest form of nature in which fruitive activities are stimulated is called mahat-tattva, as indicated in this verse.

If one tries to renounce the illusory creation of the Lord by taking shelter of impersonal Vedānta philosophy, thus artificially equating the infinite consciousness of the Lord and the infinitesimal consciousness of the conditioned soul, one's analysis will fall far short of reality. The word sva-māyām in this verse indicates that the illusory potency that covers the conditioned souls is always subordinate to the Lord, whose consciousness is infallible and infinite and who is always a person.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Kevala means only pure devotional service.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

So the next process, another alternative process is being suggested by Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

kecit kevalayā bhaktyā

vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ

aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena

nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ

(SB 6.1.15)

Kecit, not all. Kecit means somebody. Somebody, not all. Generally people understand austerity or pious life by this process. What is that? Brahmacarya, śama-dama, yama-niyama, tyāga, renunciation: "Oh, he's very pious man." But another man, kecit... That is also kecit, not all. Kecit means somebody. Kecit kevalayā bhaktyā (SB 6.1.15). Simply by pure devotional service, simply by pure devotional service, vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, I mean, inclined to Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Or somebody simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, aghaṁ dhunvanti, they kill all resultant action of sinful life. Dhunvanti. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena, wholesale. How it is? Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like there is fog and, as soon as the sun rises, whole fog gone, finished. Very good example. The fog is dense. You cannot see the next person. It is so dangerous. When there is fog in the ocean, they stop all the ships. I have experience. And the aeroplanes, sometimes they clash, they move very carefully. It is very dangerous, fog. Those who are... But as soon as there is sunrise, some way or other, everything finished. Similarly, some way or other, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the sinful reaction of your life immediately finished like the fog. So, but... This process is accepted kecit, somebody, very fortunate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said:

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for ordinary persons. It is meant for very, very fortunate persons. But simply by accepting one thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he finishes all business of brahmacarya, tyāga, yama, niyama, śama, dama, everything.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is prescribing, kecit kevalayā bhaktyā (SB 6.1.15). Kevalayā bhaktyā. Kevala-bhakti. There is no mixture. Kevala means only pure devotional service. What is that pure devotional service?

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(Brs. 1.1.11)

No other desire than to please Kṛṣṇa. Not that "I have become a devotee. Now my income will increase," or "I shall be..." That, that will come automatically. You want money to increase your income to become happy. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, automatically you'll be so happy that you'll neglect to collect money. That will automatically come. There is no need of separate endeavor. Happiness will come. Yaṁ labdhvā. Just like Dhruva, Dhruva Mahārāja. He was so lamenting. Those who are recording, I mean, transcribing my tapes, how he was lamenting, that "How foolish I was that I took to devotional service with a desire for some material profit." He was so much repentant. So that is, that is another profit of the devotee. For material profit, somebody goes to somebody, some boss, some rich man, some demigod, some powerful man. But a devotee does not go anywhere. He goes to Kṛṣṇa only. Even if he has got material desires. That is the advantage. This advantage: that if you go to Kṛṣṇa for some material advantage even, then day will come, you'll forget that material advantage.