Avaiṣṇava. Those who are not following the principles of Vaiṣṇava behavior, professional . . . there are some professional reciters. That is forbidden. Don't hear from them. Now here it is said, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). It is not said saptāhaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Where this saptāha comes, I do not know. Is Bhāgavata such a thing that by hearing one saptāha he'll understand everything?
He cannot understand one word by reading Bhāgavata-saptāha, what to speak of eighteen thousand verses. The whole Vedic knowledge is there. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). What you'll understand? This is profession.
The real prescription is given here: nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Every day, or every moment, you should remember Bhāgavatam. Then naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, the dirty things which are within our heart, that is the . . . the process is going on to wash the dirty things. And the process is hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that, that you hear about Kṛṣṇa patiently and the dirty things within your heart will go away. What is the dirty things? The dirty things is the rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). That will be explained.
So by hearing about Kṛṣṇa from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotee, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, not completely finished . . . the contamination is there. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- api cet su-durācāro
- bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
- sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ . . .
- (BG 9.30)
Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, one who has taken to devotional service, hearing about Kṛṣṇa, he has not become completely perfect even. Because, due to his past habit, he may do something wrong. Just like one was habituated in smoking, and he has taken, initiated, and he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but due to the influence of some friend, he sometimes, suppose he smokes. So if unconsciously induced by others he commits some sinful activity, that is excused. But if he consciously does something sinful activity, that is not excused.
Kṛṣṇa says therefore that api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. If he sticks to the devotional service sincerely, but due to his past habit, if he's seen that he has committed something wrong, so Kṛṣṇa said, "Still, he's sādhu." Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ, samyag vyavasito hi . . . (BG 9.30). Because his faith in Kṛṣṇa is there. Therefore he is sādhu.
Now one may say that, "He's not following strictly the rules." But intentionally if he's doing so, then it is very risky. He'll fall down. But by chance if he does so, the next line says, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Because he's sticking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will be again reformed. Kṣipram. Very soon, he'll be reformed. These are . . . the things are there.
Therefore it is said, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Not that completely one becomes perfect. Even prāyeṣu, almost perfect, still, almost, not that completely, abhadreṣu, he has, he's trying to give up all bad habits, unwanted things. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. How it is possible? Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Not saptāhaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, officially. This is karma-kāṇḍīya. "I sit down for one saptāha in a year, and then 357 days I do all nonsense." No. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. One has to serve bhāgavata.
Bhāgavata means this . . . one who is related with Bhagavān. Bhāgavata. From bhagavat-śabda, from the word bhagavata, bhāgavata. So bhāgavata means the grantha-bhāgavata, the book Bhāgavata, and the devotee bhāgavata. So either you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam . . . but Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be relished, understood through person bhāgavata. It is recommendation.
Svarūpa Dāmodara, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's secretary, personal secretary, he chastised one brāhmin. He wrote something wrong, and after all, he gave him advice that, "If you want to study Bhāgavata, then bhāgavata paro giya bhāgavata sthāne, try to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a devotee, not from a professional man who is earning his livelihood by reading Bhāgavata." He must be practical bhāgavata. Then you will gain.
Sanātana Gosvāmī has also said that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam (Padma Purāṇa). Hari-kathā, amṛta, nectar, but still, although it is amṛta, it is not to be received from the mouth of a nondevotee. One must be practical devotee, pure devotee. When he speaks, you should receive Bhāgavata, the message of Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā from him. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam.
Do not hear. Reject. Professional readers, reject immediately. Those who are earning their livelihood by the Bhāgavata reading profession, you should immediately reject. This is the injunction. Not that "Oh, here is Bhāgavata. Here is Bhāgavata. I must sit down." No. Sanātana Gosvāmī says no. Śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam.
Why? Hari-kathā. "He may be whatever he may be, but he's speaking Bhāgavata. What is the harm to hear from him?" One can argue like that. No, Sanātana Gosvāmī says: "Yes, sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ. Milk is amṛta, nice, but as soon as it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it is . . . it is poison." Sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ. He has given this very example. Milk is very nice, undoubtedly. Everyone will agree. But as soon as it is touched by the lip of a serpent, you cannot drink it. Then you'll die.
Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also warned like that, that māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If you hear from a Māyāvādī who misinterprets things according to their whims, so then you'll be spoiled. You'll not get any benefit. And Svarūpa Dāmodara, secretary of Lord Caitanya, he has also said the same thing, that bhāgavata paro giya bhāgavata sthāne. Those who are practical bhāgavata, life bhāgavata, from them, from him, try to understand Bhāgavata.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, His secretary's instruction, and Sanātana Gosvāmī's . . . these are mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow the path of great personalities, not of the fools and rascals. Then you'll get the result.