If we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa immediately, if we begin, practice this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and think of Kṛṣṇa always, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Very simple thing: always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Because this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra teaches how to think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours. Then you'll become perfect. Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam (BG 9.2).
In all types of religious system—yoga, jñāna, karma or anything, whatever you have manufactured—you are not certain how much you are advanced. But if you practice bhakti-yoga, you'll be personally feeling, "Yes, I'm making advancement." Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Otherwise, how you can make progress? Unless you make progress, unless you are firmly convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how long you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? One day, two days, that's all. Then you'll be disgusted. Therefore, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. One understands, "Yes."
We receive so many letters from our foreign student how they're feeling. Because they have taken seriously, they're feeling obliged, that "We have got life, pratyakṣāvagamam." Pratyakṣa means direct. Direct. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo. Just like if you eat, you will directly understand whether you are getting strength and whether hunger is being satisfied. You don't require to take certificate that, "I am eating. Am I satisfied?" You know. Why you want to take satisfaction . . . uh, certificate from other? You'll know. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. This is bhakti process.
Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (CC Madhya 23.14-15). These are the different stages. Every stage you will find that, "Yes, I am making progress." If you have got śraddhā, if you have got little faith, "All right, these people are teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let us see what they are talking about . . ." You come first of all, just like these boys came to me. Now, adau śraddhā, then they little like it, then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), then again came, again came, again came. Then offered themselves, bhajana-kriyā: "Now may you kindly accept me as your disciple."
As soon as the bhajana-kriyā, immediately there is anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. All unwanted things: no smoking, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling. We make this condition before making a student. It is not that, "You, you remain a śūdra, mleccha, and I make you a disciple. I'll never touch you, I'll never touch your foot, and I become your guru." It is not this guru business. It is not guru business. Guru must transfer his qualities to the student. How it is there that a man makes one's person as disciple and he remains a śūdra? What is this nonsense? Can śūdra be initiated? No. No śūdra can be initiated.
Dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇam, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām (Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 2.12). This is Sanātana Gosvāmī's injunction. Immediately he becomes brāhmaṇa if he's actually initiated. If you are falsely initiated, he remains a śūdra and you remain a rascal. That's all. Why you should falsely initiate a person, if you cannot make him a brāhmaṇa and elevate him to the highest stage of devotional service? Why should you cheat others? Initiation means making him dvijatvam. Tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. How an initiated person can remain a śūdra? This is going on. Therefore they are thinking that, "These American, they are mlecchas and yavana. How they can become a sannyāsī?" This is nonsense. How a sannyāsī can become a yavana? He must be elevated from the yavana position.
- kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
- ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
- ye 'nye ca pāpā (yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ)
- śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
- (SB 2.4.18)
This is the process. Therefore it is rāja-vidyā. Unless one comes to this rāja-vidyā state, he has no right to make disciples. He has no right. He's himself a fool. He does not know what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So, rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. This is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharma. How they are becoming ecstatic in chanting, that you can see. Pratyakṣam. They are surprised. Actually they are surprised how they have become so nicely a devotee. This is pratyakṣam. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam, and su-sukham . . . is it very difficult? How they have become Vaiṣṇava? Su-sukham: chant, dance and eat prasādam. That's all. Su-sukham. There is no prescription forced upon them, that "You kneel down yourself, and make your head down, and press your nose, and do this, do that." No. Su-sukham. "Please come here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, dance, and when you are tired, take prasādam." That's all. Su-sukham.
Su-sukhaṁ kartum. Kartum: to execute this devotional service is very pleasure. Pleasure. And avyayam: whatever you do, that is your permanent asset. It will never be lost. Bhakti-yoga process, if you can execute one percent, oh, it becomes asset, and next life you are guaranteed, because you will be given the facility of executing bhakti-yoga further. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, in every śāstra. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjayate (BG 6.41). One who could not prosecute . . . there is other, other passages in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also.
Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi bhajann apakvo 'tha (SB 1.5.17). If one by sentiments takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmam, giving up his own occupation, but maybe, for immature condition he may fall down, yatra kva va abhadram, what is the loss? And śāstra says and if person who is executing his religious process, sva-dharmeṇa, but he has no devotion service, what does he gain? What does he gain? Suppose a so-called brāhmaṇa or a perfect brāhmaṇa executes his religious process very perfectly, but he does not become a devotee, then what is his gain? These are the śāstric injunction.
So it is rāja-vidyā. This bhakti-yoga is the topmost educational system, and it is open for everyone. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grama. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126). Does it means He wanted to make a farce? If every city, every town was to be broadcast with the Caitanya cult . . . so what is Caitanya cult? Caitanya cult means realization of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya cult. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam (Caitanya-manjusa). This is Caitanya cult.