Avajānanti means neglecting. "What is God? I am God? What is God? Why shall I serve God? This is avajānanti. Just like criminal, "Ah, what is government? I can manage my own affairs. I don't care for government." This is called avajānanti. But you cannot. If I say "I don't care for government," all right, you can say that, but the police department is there. It will give you pains, it will punish you. The material nature will punish you with threefold miseries. Go on.
Devotee: "The word avajānanti used in this verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also found in the Bhagavad-gītā. Avajānanti...
Prabhupāda: Māṁ mūḍhāḥ. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this word is used, avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ. Similarly the same word is used in Bhagavad-gītā: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Mūḍhāḥ means rascals. Only rascals, they think that...do not care for Me. Rascals. He does not know that he will suffer but he dares to say like that, "I don't care for..." that is avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). Without knowing the supreme position of the Lord. Cheaply, cheaply they select God. God has become so cheap. "I am God, you are God." What is the meaning of God? Do you know? If I am God, you are God, then what is the meaning of God? So, avajānanti, this word is very appropriate. Avajānanti means neglectful, don't care. But they are mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means senseless, without any knowledge. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Go on.
Devotee: "Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without any attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently they cannot properly distinguish between the word bhajanti and the word worship. So the culmination of all kinds of yoga practice lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are progressions toward this destination. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization. Karma-yoga without fruitive results is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes and the mind is on Him it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga."
Prabhupāda:Yes, the gradual progress of yoga system. Karma-yoga to jñāna-yoga. Karma-yoga means ordinary activities, fruitive activities. Ordinary activities means sinful activities also, but karma-yoga does not mean sinful activities. Only good, pious activities or prescribed activities. That is called karma-yoga. Then, by performing karma-yoga one comes to the platform of jñāna-yoga, knowledge. And from knowledge to this aṣṭāṅga-yoga, eightfold yoga system—dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, āsana—like that, those who are practicing the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Then from aṣṭāṅga-yoga concentrating the mind on Viṣṇu come to the point of bhakti-yoga. And when one comes to the bhakti-yoga platform, that is the perfectional stage of yoga. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means from the very beginning, directly, that bhakti-yoga. Go on.
Devotee: "Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely, one has to understand these other minor yogas. The yogi who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal auspiciousness. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, if somebody is practicing jñāna-yoga, if he thinks that this is finished, that is wrong. You have to make further progress. Just like we have given many times the example, there is a staircase. You have to go to the highest floor, which is, say hundredth floor. So somebody is on the fiftieth floor, somebody is on the thirtieth floor, somebody is on the eightieth floor. So if by coming to the particular eightieth, fiftieth or eightieth floor, one thinks, "This is finished," then he is not progressing. One has to go to the end. That is highest platform of yoga. The whole staircase can be called a yoga system, connecting, link. But don't be satisfied by keeping yourself on the fiftieth floor or eightieth floor. Go to the highest platform, the hundredth or hundred-fiftieth floor. That is bhakti-yoga. Go on.
Devotee: "But if one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all the different yogas."
Prabhupāda: Now, if somebody instead of crossing the steps, he is given chance of the elevator, within a second he comes to the top. So if somebody says, "Why shall I take advantage of this elevator? I shall go step by step," he can go. But there is chance. If you take this bhakti-yoga, immediately you take the help of the elevator and within a second you are on the hundredth floor. This is the process. Direct process. You can go step by step, following all other yoga systems. But you can take directly. Lord Caitanya has recommended in this age people are very short-living, they are disturbed, they are full of anxiety. Therefore by His grace, by His causeless mercy, He is giving you the lift immediately come to the bhakti-yoga by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Immediately. You haven't got to wait. Immediately take. That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī prays, offers respect to Lord Caitanya: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "Oh You are the most munificent incarnation because you are giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa. To attain love of Kṛṣṇa one has to pass through so many steps and stages of yoga system, and You are giving directly. Therefore You are the most munificent." So actually that is the position. Go on.
Devotee: "Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as when we speak of the Himalayas, we refer to the world's highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination. It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, on the path of bhakti-yoga and is well situated according to the Vedic directions. The ideal yogi concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, beautifully colored as a cloud, His lotus-like face effulgent as the sun and His dress brilliant with earrings and His body flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir. He incarnates in different forms, such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He descends like a human being as the son of Mother Yaśodā and is known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend, master, and He is full of all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogi. This stage of highest perfection in yoga can be attained only by bhakti-yoga, as is confirmed in all Vedic literature."
Prabhupāda: Bhakti, in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). In the beginning Kṛṣṇa says that out of millions of people, one may understand Me actually, factually. And that same factually word is used in the Eighteenth Chapter, that "If one wants to know Me," Kṛṣṇa or God, "then he has to go through the process of bhakti-yoga." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is clearly said. In the Vedas also it is said, simply through bhakti, devotional service, you can attain to the highest perfectional stage. Other yoga system there must be mixture of bhakti. But bhakti-yoga is unadulterated devotion. Therefore this direct process of bhakti-yoga is recommended for this age because they haven't got sufficient time to execute all the paraphernalia any other system of yoga.