Prabhupāda: Even if we want to act very piously, the danger is not over. There are many instances. There was one king. He was very charitable and he was giving cows, many cows to the brāhmaṇas, and . . . you will find this story in the Kṛṣṇa book. So there was some mistake. One brāhmaṇa was taking another brāhmaṇa's cows, and both of them fought and they persisted. The owner wanted, "I want this cow returned back." And the king offered that "Instead of this cow you take ten cows from me. You settle up." No, he would not do that. In this way there was some misunderstanding, and the brāhmaṇa cursed him, as a result of which he had to become an . . . what is called?
Devotees: Lizard.
Prabhupāda: Lizard. Just see this karma-kāṇḍa. He had to become a lizard, that Kṛṣṇa delivered him. So this is karma-kāṇḍa. If there is little discrepancy, then there is great risk. Then jñāna-kāṇḍa. Jñāna-kāṇḍa means to understand things very properly. So jñāna-kāṇḍa is simply speculation, because there is no knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So that is also risky. So only bhakti-mārga is not risky. Bhakti-mārga means devotion, the path of devotional service. Because this material life means contamination of the three modes of material nature. Either you are on the goodness or in the passion or in ignorance, there is chance of falling down from one platform to another, so long you are on the material platform. But if you remain on the spiritual platform . . . just like we are trying to keep you on the spiritual platform. That is bhakti-yoga—always engaged in devotional service. Then you are above all these material qualities. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi
- bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
- sa guṇān samatītyaitān
- brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
- (BG 14.26)