So by bhakti, by devotional service, one can completely root out the causes of sinful life. Not by otherwise. It is not possible.
- kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
- vāsudeva parāyaṇāḥ
- aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena
- nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
- (SB 6.1.15)
- na tathā hy aghavān rājan
- pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ
- yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas
- tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā
- (SB 6.1.16)
(door opens) (aside:) Yes, come on. Aiye. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī comments, na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ. Tapasya, austerity; brahmācārya, celibacy; controlling the mind; controlling the senses—they are also recommended, but they are not as strong means as devotional service. Na tathā hy aghavān rājan pūyeta tapa-ādhibhiḥ. That aghavān, those who are sinful persons, they cannot become so much purified by observing austerity, penances, celibacy, as one can become completely freed from sinful reaction by becoming devotee. Yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. One who has dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇārpita prāṇa. Prāṇa means life, and arpita means dedicated unto Kṛṣṇa. Or kṛṣṇārpita, two things: one to dedicate his life to Kṛṣṇa, and at the same time tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. Tat puruṣa means the spiritual master who is a bona fide devotee of Kṛṣṇa. By serving him, niṣevayā.... Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. We have to acquire two kinds of benedictions: one from Kṛṣṇa and one from the spiritual master. By serving the spiritual master we get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. By serving the spiritual master we please Kṛṣṇa. We cannot please Kṛṣṇa directly. This is nonsense. It is not possible. Just like we cannot approach any big man without going through his secretary. Similarly, we cannot approach directly Kṛṣṇa without going through His bona fide representative. Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā.
Bhakti svapalpy pumarpi... (reading commentary) Tat-puruṣa-niṣevaya. Kṛṣṇa arpita prāṇa jñeya. Then again he says, sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo akuto-bhayaḥ. Therefore this process of devotional service is without any danger, akuto-bhayaḥ. Akuto-bhayaḥ means without any fearfulness. You can go express. Just like a child taking shelter of his father, catching the hand of his father, crosses the street without any fear. There is no cause of fear. He knows, "My father is there." Similarly, by accepting this process of devotional service these things they do not consider, they do not.... Now yesterday the two boys, medical boys, they were arguing, "Why not other way?" Other ways are not so safe. Any other way is—jñāna-mārga, yoga-mārga, karma-mārga—they are not safe. Exactly the same way—prāyaścitta, atonement. They are not safe. The only safest way is bhakti-mārga.