Bhakti-yoga means directly contact the Supreme Lord, Adhokṣaja. And that has been described in many places, the process how to be in contact with the Adhokṣaja. That is called dharma. In every country, in every human society there is a conception of dharma, religion. So what is the purpose? The purpose is to contact the supreme authority, Adhokṣaja. We cannot see Adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means beyond our sense perception. Akṣaja. Akṣa means eyes, and akṣa means autukya(?). So our knowledge, our experience, experimental knowledge, everything will fail to understand the supreme controller. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Still you have to understand that.
So that is recommended here:
- anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād
- bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje
- lokasyājānato vidvāṁś
- cakre sātvata-saṁhitām
- (SB 1.7.6)
People do not know it, how to become transcendental to this material conception of life and how to contact the supreme controller, Adhokṣaja. That is the only way. It is recommended . . . Not recommended; it is the fact. Bhakti-yogam: only by bhakti-yoga. There is no other way. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Adhokṣaja, that is the real purpose of religion. Religion is not a type of ritualistic ceremonies. That is external. Real fact is how to contact the adhokṣaja, who is beyond our material conception. But bhakti-yoga . . . If you take to bhakti-yoga, then it is possible. Anarthopaśamam. Then anartha will be cleansed—things which are not wanted.