In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that a person advancing in spiritual knowledge must come to the point of understanding Vasudeva . . . Vāsudeva. Then his knowledge is perfect. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Not ordinary men, but those who are actually searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, such persons, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, after many, many births of searching like that, he understands that "Vāsudeva is everything." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).
Such mahātmā, or advanced soul . . . mahātmā and kṣudrātmā, or durātmā. Those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge, they are called mahātmā. And the symptom of mahātmā is, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmā is not changing a dress or having a big beard. (break) Mahātmā is described, who is mahātmā. Mahātmā . . . mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. Mahātmā is not under the control of this material energy. He is under the shelter of spiritual energy, daivī-prakṛti. And the symptom is bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ: he has no other business than to serve the Supreme Personality. Bhajanti. Bhaja sevāyām.
This bhaja-dhātu is used in the sense of service, bhajanti. The bhajanti word is used in Bhagavad-gītā many places. Bhajanti. Ārtaḥ arthārthī jijñāsuḥ. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna (BG 7.16). Sukṛti. Sukṛti means pious. Those who have done pious activities, they come to the position of bhajanti. Not always. That is also explained in another place: yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. Those who have finished their sinful activities . . .
Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām (BG 7.28), those who are actually engaged in pious activity. Therefore, according to our Vedic civilization, people are advised to act piously. If a man is very poor, he has nothing to give in charity or make sacrifice, "Go to the Ganges, take your bath." That is also pious. Pious activities. So in this way the whole life, whole Vedic civilization, is based on inducing people to engage, to be engaged in pious activities. Because by acting piously, one day they come to the stage of bhajana.
India is trained . . . by culture, by birth, the land of Bhārata-varṣa is puṇya-bhūmi. Still, you will find in Kumbha-melā many millions of people will come to take bath, to take a dip into the Ganges, because they think it is pious. So through the veins of Indians, the spiritual fluid is flowing. Unfortunately the leaders are misguiding them, and they are becoming atheists generally. It is very regretful situation.
So anyway, after many pious activities, one may come to the platform of bhagavad-bhajana.
- catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ
- . . . sukṛtino 'rjuna
- ārto arthārthī jijñāsur
- jñānī ca bharatarṣabha
- (BG 7.16)
Four classes of men. Those who are distressed, ārta, suffering . . . everyone is suffering, but those who are acute with suffering. Ārtaḥ arthārthī: those who are in need of some money. Artha, jijñāsuḥ: and inquisitive what is God. And jñānī, means actually those who are in knowledge; they are searching after. Four classes of men begins bhajana. Not the others. Opposite numbers are na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are duskṛtina, background is simple sinful activities, they cannot take.