View source for O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure (SB 10.2.32) (Books)

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{{terms|"A person who doesn't have knowledge of devotional service may think himself liberated, but actually he is not"|"Although by severe austerities they rise to the exalted position of brahma-jnana, they nevertheless fall down due to imperfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth"|"Although the impersonalist rises to the Brahman effulgence and enters into that effulgence, he has no engagement in the service of the Lord, and therefore he is again attracted to materialistic philanthropic activities"|"Because Mayavadi philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world to open hospitals or schools or perform similar philanthropic activities"|"Because Mayavadi philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world"|"Because of ignorance, one speculatively thinks himself liberated from material contamination although actually he is not. Therefore even if one rises to brahma jnana, understanding of Brahman, one nevertheless falls down because of not taking shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna"|"Even having attained that param padam, having merged into the impersonal Brahman, he falls again to the material world"|"Even if one is liberated in this life, he becomes addicted to material desires because of offenses to the Supreme Personality of Godhead"|"Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet his intelligence is polluted"|"In actuality the Mayavadi philosophers very strictly follow the austerities and penances of spiritual life and in this way are elevated to the impersonal Brahman platform, but due to their negligence of the lotus feet of the Lord they again fall down to material existence"|"Mayavadi sannyasis who falsely think of themselves as liberated from the clutches of maya are called vimukta-maninah"|"Merging into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord is called param padam, but there is a higher transcendental position, which is the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead"|"My dear lotus-eyed Lord, there are persons who are puffed up with the thought that they have become liberated or one with God or have become God, but in spite of thinking in such a puffed-up way, their intelligence is not laudable. They are less intelligent"|"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet"|"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is not pure"|"O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet"|"Persons who are falsely puffed up, thinking they have become liberated simply by understanding their constitutional position as Brahman, or spirit soul, are factually still contaminated"|"Persons who are falsely under the impression of being liberated, without devotional service to the Lord, may reach the goal of the brahmajyoti, but because of their impure consciousness and for want of shelter in the Vaikunthalokas, such so-called liberated persons again fall down into material existence"|"The intelligence of the Mayavadis is not purified; therefore even though they practice austerities for self-realization, they cannot remain within the impersonal brahmajyoti. Consequently, they fall down again into this material world"|"The intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but have no information of the spiritual world is not yet clear"|"The jnani and yogis may rise to the highest position, Brahman realization, but because of their lack of devotion unto the lotus feet of the Lord, they again fall down into material nature"|"The jnanis, or monistic philosophers, because of their impersonal conception of the Lord, cannot enter the Vaikuntha planets, but they also cannot stay eternally in the brahmajyoti. Thus after some time they fall again to this material world"|"Those who think that they are liberated according to Mayavadi philosophy, but who do not take to the devotional service of the Lord, fall down for want of devotional service, even after they undergo the severest types of penances and austerities and even after they sometimes approach the supreme position"|"When the Rudra principle is exhibited by persons who are not engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the angry person falls down from the peak of his improved position"|"a person who gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and superficially considers himself liberated, never attains to liberation"|"although the Mayavadi philosophers strive to refrain from materialistic activities and merge in Brahman, and although they may actually merge in the Brahman existence, for want of activity they fall down again into materialistic activity"|"aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah"|"because they falsely think themselves liberated and at the same time think themselves equal with the Absolute Truth, their intelligence is not purified"|"both the Buddhists and the Sankarites are avisuddha-buddhayah"|"due to their poor fund of knowledge, the jnanis are not actually liberated"|"if one neglects to serve the lotus feet of Krsna, one cannot become free from the material clutches simply by knowledge. Even if one attains the stage of brahma-padam, merging in Brahman, without bhakti he is prone to fall down"|"one may merge in the Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth, but there is a chance that one may fall because of not being acquainted with Adhoksaja, or Vasudeva"|"one may rise to the platform of brahma-sukha, transcendental bliss, but even from that platform one may fall down to the material platform if he does not engage himself in devotional service"|"patanty adhah"|"people may become sannyasis, but unless they take shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, they will return to the material platform to perform philanthropic activities"|"persons who think themselves liberated but do not execute devotional service, not knowing their relationship with the Lord, are certainly misled"|"semiliberated souls falsely claim to be liberated, but unless one engages in devotional service to the Lord, he is still materially contaminated"|"such people may approach the impersonal Brahman effulgence, but they fall down again into material enjoyment because they have no knowledge of devotional service"|"the jnanis undergo severe austerities to attain the impersonal brahmajyoti, but because they do not find the lotus feet of the Lord, they fall down again into this material existence"|"those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence"|"those who think they are liberated in this life but do not render devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence"|"those who think they are liberated in this life but who are devoid of devotional service to You are of impure intelligence"}}
{{notes|VedaBase query:"10.2.32" or "patanty adho" or "their intelligence is impure"}}
{{compiler|MadhuGopaldas}}
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{{first|06Oct10}}
{{last|10Feb11}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=21|CC=18|OB=7|Lec=0|Con=0|Let=0}}
{{total|46}}
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[[Category:God Is Lotus-eyed|2]]
[[Category:Although|2]]
[[Category:God and the Nondevotees|2]]
[[Category:Accept|2]]
[[Category:Severe Penances|2]]
[[Category:Austerities and Penances|2]]
[[Category:Achieve|2]]
[[Category:Highest Position|2]]
[[Category:May (Might)|2]]
[[Category:Thinking Themselves|2]]
[[Category:Liberated|2]]
[[Category:Intelligent|2]]
[[Category:Impure|2]]
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam" class="section" sec_index="1" parent="compilation" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam"><h2>Srimad-Bhagavatam</h2>
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<div id="SB_Canto_3" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 3"><h3>SB Canto 3</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB3910_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="319" link="SB 3.9.10" link_text="SB 3.9.10">
<div class="heading">"Persons who are falsely under the impression of being liberated, without devotional service to the Lord, may reach the goal of the brahmajyoti, but because of their impure consciousness and for want of shelter in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, such so-called liberated persons again fall down into material existence."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.9.10|SB 3.9.10, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The impersonalists, who take much trouble in penance and austerity for self-liberation, may approach the impersonal brahmajyoti, but ultimately, because of not being situated in devotional service, they glide down again to the material world to undergo another term of material existence. This is confirmed as follows:</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>"Persons who are falsely under the impression of being liberated, without devotional service to the Lord, may reach the goal of the brahmajyoti, but because of their impure consciousness and for want of shelter in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, such so-called liberated persons again fall down into material existence." ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])</p>
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</div>
<div id="SB31211_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="434" link="SB 3.12.11" link_text="SB 3.12.11">
<div class="heading">When the Rudra principle is exhibited by persons who are not engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the angry person falls down from the peak of his improved position.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.12.11|SB 3.12.11, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">There are many earthly creatures who constantly represent the Rudra element. The snake, tiger and lion are always representations of Rudra. Sometimes, because of the extreme heat of the sun, there are cases of heatstroke, and due to the extreme coldness created by the moon there are cases of collapse. There are many sages empowered with the influence of austerity and many yogīs, philosophers and renouncers who sometimes exhibit their acquired power under the influence of the Rudra principle of anger and passion. The great yogī Durvāsā, under the influence of this Rudra principle, picked a quarrel with Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, and a brāhmaṇa boy exhibited the Rudra principle by cursing the great King Parīkṣit. When the Rudra principle is exhibited by persons who are not engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the angry person falls down from the peak of his improved position. This is confirmed as follows:</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])
<p>The most lamentable falldown of the impersonalist is due to his false and unreasonable claim of being one with the Supreme.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB32541_2" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_3" book="SB" index="1043" link="SB 3.25.41" link_text="SB 3.25.41">
<div class="heading">Lord Brahmā and other demigods prayed to the Lord when Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of Devakī: "My dear lotus-eyed Lord, there are persons who are puffed up with the thought that they have become liberated or one with God or have become God, but in spite of thinking in such a puffed-up way, their intelligence is not laudable. They are less intelligent."
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 3.25.41|SB 3.25.41, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">The terrible fear of birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti, Verse 41 </p>
<p>It is indicated herein that the cycle of birth and death cannot be stopped unless one is a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord. It is said, hariṁ vinā na mṛtim taranti. One cannot surpass the cycle of birth and death unless one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same concept is confirmed herewith: one may take to the system of understanding the Absolute Truth by one's own imperfect sensory speculation, or one may try to realize the self by the mystic yoga process; but whatever one may do, unless he comes to the point of surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no process can give him liberation. One may ask if this means that those who are undergoing so much penance and austerity by strictly following the rules and regulations are endeavoring in vain. The answer is given by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32): ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Lord Brahmā and other demigods prayed to the Lord when Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of Devakī: "My dear lotus-eyed Lord, there are persons who are puffed up with the thought that they have become liberated or one with God or have become God, but in spite of thinking in such a puffed-up way, their intelligence is not laudable. They are less intelligent." It is stated that their intelligence, whether high or low, is not even purified. In purified intelligence a living entity cannot think otherwise than to surrender. Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, confirms that purified intelligence arises in the person of a very wise man. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate ([[Vanisource:BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]). After many, many births, one who is actually advanced in intelligence surrenders unto the Supreme Lord.</p>
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</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_4" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 4"><h3>SB Canto 4</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB4929_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="397" link="SB 4.9.29" link_text="SB 4.9.29">
<div class="heading">In the opinion of many scholars, this sāyujya-mukti, although counted among the five kinds of mukti, is not actually mukti because from sāyujya-mukti one may again fall down to this material world. This information we have from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32), wherein it is said, patanty adhaḥ, which means "they again fall down."
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.9.29|SB 4.9.29, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Here in this verse the Lord is described as mukti-pati, which means "one under whose lotus feet there are all kinds of mukti." There are five kinds of mukti-sāyujya, sārūpya, sālokya, sāmīpya and sārṣṭi. Out of these five muktis, which can be achieved by any person engaged in devotional service to the Lord, the one which is known as sāyujya is generally demanded by Māyāvādī philosophers; they demand to become one with the impersonal Brahman effulgence of the Lord. In the opinion of many scholars, this sāyujya-mukti, although counted among the five kinds of mukti, is not actually mukti because from sāyujya-mukti one may again fall down to this material world. This information we have from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32), wherein it is said, patanty adhaḥ, which means "they again fall down." The monist philosopher, after executing severe austerity, merges into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord, but the living entity always wants reciprocation in loving affairs. Therefore, although the monist philosopher is elevated to the status of being one with the effulgence of the Lord, because there is no facility for associating with the Lord and rendering service unto Him, he again falls into this material world, and his service propensity is satisfied by materialistic welfare activities like humanitarianism, altruism and philanthropy. There are many instances of such falldowns, even for great sannyāsīs in the Māyāvāda school.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB4217_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="837" link="SB 4.21.7" link_text="SB 4.21.7">
<div class="heading">The impersonal Brahman region is also called paraṁ padam, but unless one is attached to the Personality of Godhead one must again fall down to the material world from the impersonal paraṁ padam situation. It is said, therefore, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: (SB 10.2.32) the impersonalists endeavor very strenuously to achieve the paraṁ padam, or impersonal brahmajyoti, but unfortunately, being bereft of a relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they come down again to the material world.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.21.7|SB 4.21.7, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">There are different types of great personalities—some are positive great personalities, some comparative and some superlative—but King Pṛthu exceeded all of them. He is therefore described here as mahattamaḥ, greater than the greatest. Mahārāja Pṛthu was a kṣatriya, and he discharged his kṣatriya duties perfectly. Similarly, brāhmaṇas, vaiśyas and śūdras can discharge their respective duties perfectly and thus at the ultimate end of life be promoted to the transcendental world, which is called paraṁ padam. Paraṁ padam, or the Vaikuṇṭha planets, can be achieved only by devotional service. The impersonal Brahman region is also called paraṁ padam, but unless one is attached to the Personality of Godhead one must again fall down to the material world from the impersonal paraṁ padam situation. It is said, therefore, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) the impersonalists endeavor very strenuously to achieve the paraṁ padam, or impersonal brahmajyoti, but unfortunately, being bereft of a relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they come down again to the material world. If one flies in outer space, he can go very high up, but unless he reaches a planet he must come down again to earth. Similarly, because the impersonalists who reach the paraṁ padam of the impersonal brahmajyoti do not enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they come down again to this material world and are given shelter in one of the material planets. Although they may attain Brahmaloka, or Satyaloka, all such planets are situated in the material world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB42311_2" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="953" link="SB 4.23.11" link_text="SB 4.23.11">
<div class="heading">The jñānī and yogīs may rise to the highest position, Brahman realization, but because of their lack of devotion unto the lotus feet of the Lord, they again fall down into material nature.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.23.11|SB 4.23.11, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Because of his regular discharge of devotional service, a devotee attains the transcendental stage of life. Since his mind is transcendentally situated, he cannot think of anything but the lotus feet of the Lord. This is the meaning of the word saṁsmaraṇa-anupūrtyā. By constantly thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord, the devotee immediately becomes situated in śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva refers to that platform which is above the modes of material nature, including the mode of goodness. In the material world, the mode of goodness is considered to be representative of the highest perfection, but one has to transcend this mode and come to the stage of śuddha-sattva, or pure goodness, where the three qualities of material nature cannot act.</p>
<p>Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives the following example: If one has strong digestive power, after eating he automatically lights a fire within his stomach to digest everything and does not need to take medicine to aid his digestion. Similarly, the fire of devotional service is so strong that a devotee does not need to act separately to attain perfect knowledge or detachment from material attractions. A jñānī may become detached from material attractions by prolonged discussions on subjects of knowledge and may in this way finally come to the brahma-bhūta stage, but a devotee does not have to undergo so much trouble. By virtue of his devotional service, he attains the brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]) stage without a doubt. The yogīs and jñānīs are always doubtful about their constitutional position; therefore they mistakenly think of becoming one with the Supreme. However, a devotee's relationship with the Supreme becomes manifest beyond all doubt, and he immediately understands that his position is that of eternal servant of the Lord. Jñānīs and yogīs without devotion may think themselves liberated, but actually their intelligence is not as pure as that of a devotee. In other words, the jñānīs and yogīs cannot become factually liberated unless they become elevated to the position of devotees.</p>
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])
<p>The jñānī and yogīs may rise to the highest position, Brahman realization, but because of their lack of devotion unto the lotus feet of the Lord, they again fall down into material nature. Therefore jñāna and yoga should not be accepted as the real processes for liberation. By discharging devotional service, Mahārāja Pṛthu automatically transcended all these positions. Since Mahārāja Pṛthu was a śaktyāveśa incarnation of the Supreme Lord, he did not have to act in any way to attain liberation. He came from the Vaikuṇṭha world, or spiritual sky, in order to execute the will of the Supreme Lord on earth. Consequently he was to return home, back to Godhead, without having to execute jñāna, yoga or karma. Although Pṛthu Mahārāja was eternally a pure devotee of the Lord, he nonetheless adopted the process of devotional service in order to teach the people in general the proper process for executing the duties of life and ultimately returning home, back to Godhead.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB42456_3" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="1034" link="SB 4.24.56" link_text="SB 4.24.56">
<div class="heading">The jñānīs undergo severe austerities to attain the impersonal brahmajyoti, but because they do not find the lotus feet of the Lord, they fall down again into this material existence.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.24.56|SB 4.24.56, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">In Bhagavad-gītā (10.34) it is said that the Lord in the shape and form of death destroys all a person's possessions. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham: "I am all-devouring death." The Lord in the shape of death takes away everything that is created by the conditioned soul. Everything in this material world is subject to perish in due course of time. However, all the strength of time cannot hamper the activities of a devotee, for a devotee takes complete shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord. For this reason only is a devotee free from formidable time. All the activities of the karmīs and jñānīs, which have no touch of devotional service, are spoiled in due course of time. The material success of the karmīs is destined to be destroyed; similarly, the impersonal realization attained by the jñānīs is also destroyed in the course of time.</p>
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])
<p>To say nothing of the karmīs, the jñānīs undergo severe austerities to attain the impersonal brahmajyoti, but because they do not find the lotus feet of the Lord, they fall down again into this material existence. Unless one is fully situated in unalloyed devotional service, there is no guarantee of liberation, even if one is elevated to the heavenly planets or to the impersonal Brahman effulgence. A devotee's achievement, however, is never lost by the influence of time. Even if a devotee cannot completely execute devotional service, in his next life he begins from the point where he left off. Such an opportunity is not given to the karmīs and jñānīs, whose achievements are destroyed. The bhakta's achievement is never destroyed, for it goes on perpetually, be it complete or incomplete. This is the verdict of all Vedic literatures. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo'bhijāyate ([[Vanisource:BG 6.41 (1972)|BG 6.41]]). If one is unable to complete the process of bhakti-yoga, he is given a chance in his next life to take birth in a pure family of devotees or in a rich family. In such families a person can have a good opportunity to further progress in devotional service.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB43031_4" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_4" book="SB" index="1341" link="SB 4.30.31" link_text="SB 4.30.31">
<div class="heading">Merging into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord is called paraṁ padam, but there is a higher transcendental position, which is the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 4.30.31|SB 4.30.31, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Lord asked the Pracetās to pray for some benediction, and they said, "What kind of benediction should we pray for? The Lord is unlimited, and there are unlimited benedictions." The purport is that if one must ask for benediction, he must ask for unlimited benediction. The words tvat parataḥ are very significant in this verse. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is parataḥ parāt. The word para means "transcendental, beyond this material world." The impersonal Brahman effulgence is beyond this material world, and this is called paraṁ padam. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]). Merging into the impersonal effulgence of the Lord is called paraṁ padam, but there is a higher transcendental position, which is the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.11|SB 1.2.11]]). The Absolute Truth is realized first as impersonal Brahman, then as Paramātmā, and finally as Bhagavān. Thus the Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, is parataḥ parāt, beyond Brahman and Paramātmā realization. In this connection, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out that parataḥ parāt means "better than the best." The best is the spiritual world, and it is known as Brahman. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, is known as Parabrahman. Therefore parataḥ parāt means "better than Brahman realization."</p>
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</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_5" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 5"><h3>SB Canto 5</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB555_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_5" book="SB" index="111" link="SB 5.5.5" link_text="SB 5.5.5">
<div class="heading">A person who doesn't have knowledge of devotional service may think himself liberated, but actually he is not. Such people may approach the impersonal Brahman effulgence, but they fall down again into material enjoyment because they have no knowledge of devotional service.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 5.5.5|SB 5.5.5, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Unless one understands the self and its activities, one has to be considered in material bondage. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) it is also said: ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. A person who doesn't have knowledge of devotional service may think himself liberated, but actually he is not. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) such people may approach the impersonal Brahman effulgence, but they fall down again into material enjoyment because they have no knowledge of devotional service. As long as one is interested in karma and jñāna, he continues enduring the miseries of material life—birth, old age, disease and death. Karmīs certainly take on one body after another. As far as jñānīs are concerned, unless they are promoted to the topmost understanding, they must return to the material world. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. The point is to know Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything and surrender unto Him. Karmīs do not know this, but a devotee who is one hundred percent engaged in the devotional service of the Lord knows fully what is karma and jñāna; therefore a pure devotee is no longer interested in karma or jñāna. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]]). The real bhakta is untouched by any tinge of karma and jñāna. His only purpose in life is to serve the Lord.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_6" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 6"><h3>SB Canto 6</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB6112_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="12" link="SB 6.1.12" link_text="SB 6.1.12">
<div class="heading">Because of ignorance, one speculatively thinks himself liberated from material contamination although actually he is not. Therefore even if one rises to brahma jñāna, understanding of Brahman, one nevertheless falls down because of not taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.1.12|SB 6.1.12, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">My dear King, if a diseased person eats the pure, uncontaminated food prescribed by a physician, he is gradually cured, and the infection of disease can no longer touch him. Similarly, if one follows the regulative principles of knowledge, he gradually progresses toward liberation from material contamination.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>One is gradually purified if one cultivates knowledge, even through mental speculation, and strictly follows the regulative principles enjoined in the śāstras and explained in the next verse. Therefore the platform of jñāna, speculative knowledge, is better than the platform of karma, fruitive action. There is every chance of falling from the platform of karma to hellish conditions, but on the platform of jñāna one is saved from hellish life, although one is still not completely free from infection. The difficulty is that on the platform of jñāna one thinks that he has been liberated and has become Nārāyaṇa, or Bhagavān. This is another phase of ignorance.</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])
<p>Because of ignorance, one speculatively thinks himself liberated from material contamination although actually he is not. Therefore even if one rises to brahma jñāna, understanding of Brahman, one nevertheless falls down because of not taking shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Nonetheless, jñānīs at least know what is sinful and what is pious, and they very cautiously act according to the injunctions of the śāstras.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB6145_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_6" book="SB" index="500" link="SB 6.14.5" link_text="SB 6.14.5">
<div class="heading">"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet."
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 6.14.5|SB 6.14.5, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">There are two kinds of jñānīs. One is inclined to devotional service and the other to impersonal realization. Impersonalists generally undergo great endeavor for no tangible benefit, and therefore it is said that they are husking paddy that has no grain (sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinaḥ). The other class of jñānīs, whose jñāna is mixed with bhakti, are also of two kinds—those who are devoted to the so-called false form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and those who understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead as sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), the actual spiritual form. The Māyāvādī devotees worship Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu with the idea that Viṣṇu has accepted a form of māyā and that the ultimate truth is actually impersonal. The pure devotee, however, never thinks that Viṣṇu has accepted a body of māyā; instead, he knows perfectly well that the original Absolute Truth is the Supreme Person. Such a devotee is actually situated in knowledge. He never merges in the Brahman effulgence. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet." Evidence of this same point is also given in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11), wherein the Lord says:</p>
:avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā
:mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam
:paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto
:mama bhūta-maheśvaram
:([[Vanisource:BG 9.11 (1972)|BG 9.11]])
<p>"Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be." When rascals (mūḍhas) see that Kṛṣṇa acts exactly like a human being, they deride the transcendental form of the Lord because they do not know the paraṁ bhāvam, His transcendental form and activities. Such persons are further described in Bhagavad-gītā (9.12) as follows:</p>
:moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo
:mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ
:rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva
:prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ
<p>"Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demoniac and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities and their culture of knowledge are all defeated." Such persons do not know that Kṛṣṇa's body is not material. There is no distinction between Kṛṣṇa's body and His soul, but because less intelligent men see Kṛṣṇa as a human being, they deride Him. They cannot imagine how a person like Kṛṣṇa could be the origin of everything (govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **). Such persons are described as moghāśāḥ, baffled in their hopes. Whatever they desire for the future will be baffled. Even if they apparently engage in devotional service, they are described as moghāśāḥ because they ultimately desire to merge into the Brahman effulgence.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_7" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 7"><h3>SB Canto 7</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB7135_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_7" book="SB" index="33" link="SB 7.1.35" link_text="SB 7.1.35">
<div class="heading">O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 7.1.35|SB 7.1.35, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Of course, a living entity who desires sāyujya-mukti remains in Kṛṣṇa's Brahman effulgence, which is dependent on Kṛṣṇa's body (brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham ([[Vanisource:BG 14.27 (1972)|BG 14.27]])). Such an impersonalist who takes shelter of the Brahman effulgence must surely fall down. This is stated in the śāstra ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]):</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet." The impersonalists cannot reach the Vaikuṇṭha planets to become associates of the Lord, and therefore, according to their desires, Kṛṣṇa gives them sāyujya-mukti. However, since sāyujya-mukti is partial mukti, they must fall again to this material world. When it is said that the individual soul falls from Brahmaloka, this applies to the impersonalist.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB7726_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_7" book="SB" index="279" link="SB 7.7.26" link_text="SB 7.7.26">
<div class="heading">Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet his intelligence is polluted.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 7.7.26|SB 7.7.26, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">As one can understand the presence of the air by the aromas it carries, so, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can understand the living soul by these three divisions of intelligence. These three divisions, however, are not the soul; they are constituted of the three modes and are born of activities.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>As already explained, there are three states to our existence, namely wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep. In all three states, we have different experiences. Thus the soul is the observer of these three states. Actually, the activities of the body are not the activities of the soul. The soul is different from the body. Just as aromas are distinct from the material vehicle in which they are carried, the soul is unattached to material activities. This analysis can be considered by a person who is fully under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. This is confirmed by the Vedic injunction yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). If one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can automatically understand everything else. Because of not taking shelter of the Lord's lotus feet, even great scholars, scientists, philosophers and religionists are always bewildered. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
<p>Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet his intelligence is polluted. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.42):</p>
:indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
:indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
:manasas tu parā buddhir
:yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
<p>Above the senses is the mind, above the mind is the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul. Ultimately, when one's intelligence becomes clear through devotional service, one is situated in buddhi-yoga. This also is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te). When devotional service develops and one's intelligence becomes clear, one can use his intelligence to return home, back to Godhead.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB7737_2" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_7" book="SB" index="289" link="SB 7.7.37" link_text="SB 7.7.37">
<div class="heading">One may merge in the Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth, but there is a chance that one may fall because of not being acquainted with Adhokṣaja, or Vāsudeva.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 7.7.37|SB 7.7.37, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">The real problem of life is the repetition of birth and death, which is like a wheel rolling repeatedly up and down. This wheel, however, completely stops when one is in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, by the transcendental bliss realized from constant engagement in devotional service, one is completely liberated from material existence. All learned men know this. Therefore, my dear friends, O sons of the asuras, immediately begin meditating upon and worshiping the Supersoul within everyone's heart.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>Generally it is understood that by merging into the existence of Brahman, the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, one becomes completely happy.  The words brahma-nirvāṇa refer to connecting with the Absolute Truth, who is realized in three features: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.11|SB 1.2.11]]).  One feels brahma-sukha, spiritual happiness, by merging into the impersonal Brahman because the brahmajyoti is the effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40).  Yasya prabhā, the impersonal Brahman, consists of the rays of Kṛṣṇa's transcendental body.  Therefore whatever transcendental bliss one feels from merging in Brahman is due to contact with Kṛṣṇa.  Contact with Kṛṣṇa is perfect brahma-sukha.  When the mind is in touch with the impersonal Brahman one becomes satisfied, but one must advance further to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for one's remaining merged in the Brahman effulgence is not always assured.  As it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) one may merge in the Brahman feature of the Absolute Truth, but there is a chance that one may fall because of not being acquainted with Adhokṣaja, or Vāsudeva.  Of course, such brahma-sukha undoubtedly eliminates material happiness, but when one advances through impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead in relationship with Him as a servant, friend, parent or conjugal lover, one's happiness becomes all-pervading.  Then one automatically feels transcendental bliss, just as one becomes happy seeing the shining of the moon.  One acquires natural happiness upon seeing the moon, but when one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one's transcendental happiness increases hundreds and thousands of times.  As soon as one is very intimately connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one surely becomes free from all material contamination.  Yā nirvṛtis tanu-bhṛtām.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB71327_3" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_7" book="SB" index="561" link="SB 7.13.27" link_text="SB 7.13.27">
<div class="heading">Although the Māyāvādī philosophers strive to refrain from materialistic activities and merge in Brahman, and although they may actually merge in the Brahman existence, for want of activity they fall down again into materialistic activity.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 7.13.27|SB 7.13.27, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">The actual form of life for the living entities is one of spiritual happiness, which is real happiness. This happiness can be achieved only when one stops all materialistic activities. Material sense enjoyment is simply imagination. Therefore, considering this subject matter, I have ceased from all material activities and am lying down here.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>The difference between the philosophy of the Māyāvādīs and that of the Vaiṣṇavas is explained herein. Both the Māyāvādīs and Vaiṣṇavas know that in materialistic activities there is no happiness. The Māyāvādī philosophers, therefore, adhering to the slogan brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, want to refrain from false, materialistic activities. They want to stop all activities and merge in the Supreme Brahman. According to the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, however, if one simply ceases from materialistic activity one cannot remain inactive for very long, and therefore everyone should engage himself in spiritual activities, which will solve the problem of suffering in this material world. It is said, therefore, that although the Māyāvādī philosophers strive to refrain from materialistic activities and merge in Brahman, and although they may actually merge in the Brahman existence, for want of activity they fall down again into materialistic activity (āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])). Thus the so-called renouncer, unable to remain in meditation upon Brahman, returns to materialistic activities by opening hospitals and schools and so on. Therefore, simply cultivating knowledge that materialistic activities cannot give one happiness, and that one should consequently cease from such activities, is insufficient. One should cease from materialistic activities and take up spiritual activities. Then the solution to the problem will be achieved. Spiritual activities are activities performed according to the order of Kṛṣṇa (ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.167|CC Madhya 19.167]])). If one does whatever Kṛṣṇa says, his activities are not material. For example, when Arjuna fought in response to the order of Kṛṣṇa, his activities were not material. Fighting for sense gratification is a materialistic activity, but fighting by the order of Kṛṣṇa is spiritual. By spiritual activities one becomes eligible to go back home, back to Godhead, and then enjoy blissful life eternally. Here, in the material world, everything is but a mental concoction that will never give us real happiness. The practical solution, therefore, is to cease from materialistic activities and engage in spiritual activities. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 3.9 (1972)|BG 3.9]])). If one works for the sake of pleasing the Supreme Lord—Yajña, or Viṣṇu—one is in liberated life. If one fails to do so, however, he remains in a life of bondage.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB71535_4" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_7" book="SB" index="650" link="SB 7.15.35" link_text="SB 7.15.35">
<div class="heading">One may rise to the platform of brahma-sukha, transcendental bliss, but even from that platform one may fall down to the material platform if he does not engage himself in devotional service.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 7.15.35|SB 7.15.35, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">When one's consciousness is uncontaminated by material lusty desires, it becomes calm and peaceful in all activities, for one is situated in eternal blissful life. Once situated on that platform, one does not return to materialistic activities.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>Brahma-sukha-spṛṣṭam is also described in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54):</p>
:brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
:na śocati na kāṅkṣati
:samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
:mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
<p>"One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed toward every living entity. In this situation, he begins transcendental activities, or devotional service to the Lord." Generally, once elevated to the transcendental platform of brahma-sukha, transcendental bliss, one never comes down. But if one does not engage in devotional service, there is a chance of his returning to the material platform. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) one may rise to the platform of brahma-sukha, transcendental bliss, but even from that platform one may fall down to the material platform if he does not engage himself in devotional service.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB71545_5" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_7" book="SB" index="658" link="SB 7.15.45" link_text="SB 7.15.45">
<div class="heading">If one neglects to serve the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become free from the material clutches simply by knowledge. Even if one attains the stage of brahma-padam, merging in Brahman, without bhakti he is prone to fall down.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 7.15.45|SB 7.15.45, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The word tattvataḥ, meaning "in reality," is very important. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā. Unless one understands Kṛṣṇa in truth by the mercy of the spiritual master, one is not free to give up his material body. As it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) if one neglects to serve the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become free from the material clutches simply by knowledge. Even if one attains the stage of brahma-padam, merging in Brahman, without bhakti he is prone to fall down. One must be very careful in regard to the danger of falling down again into material bondage. The only insurance is to come to the stage of bhakti, from which one is sure not to fall. Then one is free from the activities of the material world. In summary, as stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, one must get in touch with a bona fide spiritual master coming in the paramparā of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for by his mercy and instructions one is able to get strength from Kṛṣṇa. Thus one engages in devotional service and attains the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Viṣṇu.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_8" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 8"><h3>SB Canto 8</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB8413_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_8" book="SB" index="99" link="SB 8.4.13" link_text="SB 8.4.13">
<div class="heading">Although the impersonalist rises to the Brahman effulgence and enters into that effulgence, he has no engagement in the service of the Lord, and therefore he is again attracted to materialistic philanthropic activities.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 8.4.13|SB 8.4.13, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">When a devotee gets liberation, he becomes free from material contamination and engages as a servant of the Lord. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.10.6): muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ. The word svarūpa refers to sārūpya-mukti—going back home, back to Godhead, and remaining the Lord's eternal associate, having regained a spiritual body exactly resembling that of the Lord, with four hands, holding the śaṅkha, cakra, gadā and padma. The difference between the mukti of the impersonalist and that of the devotee is that the devotee is immediately appointed an eternal servant of the Lord, whereas the impersonalist, although merging in the effulgence of the brahmajyoti, is still insecure and therefore generally falls again to this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]). Although the impersonalist rises to the Brahman effulgence and enters into that effulgence, he has no engagement in the service of the Lord, and therefore he is again attracted to materialistic philanthropic activities. Thus he comes down to open hospitals and educational institutions, feed poor men and perform similar materialistic activities, which the impersonalist thinks are more precious than serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. The impersonalists do not think that the service of the Lord is more valuable than serving the poor man or starting a school or hospital. Although they say brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā—"Brahman is real, and the material world is false"—they are nonetheless very eager to serve the false material world and neglect the service of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_9" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 9"><h3>SB Canto 9</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB91119_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_9" book="SB" index="414" link="SB 9.11.19" link_text="SB 9.11.19">
<div class="heading">The jñānīs, or monistic philosophers, because of their impersonal conception of the Lord, cannot enter the Vaikuṇṭha planets, but they also cannot stay eternally in the brahmajyoti. Thus after some time they fall again to this material world.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 9.11.19|SB 9.11.19, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is endowed with great power. The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited and which displays the varieties of countless planets, with their different opulences, in millions and millions of universes." (Bs. 5.40) The brahmajyoti is the beginning of the spiritual world, and beyond the brahmajyoti are the Vaikuṇṭha planets. In other words, the brahmajyoti stays outside the Vaikuṇṭha planets, just as the sunshine stays outside the sun. To enter the sun planet, one must go through the sunshine. Similarly, when the Lord or His devotees enter the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they go through the brahmajyoti. The jñānīs, or monistic philosophers, because of their impersonal conception of the Lord, cannot enter the Vaikuṇṭha planets, but they also cannot stay eternally in the brahmajyoti. Thus after some time they fall again to this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]). The Vaikuṇṭha planets are covered by the brahmajyoti, and therefore one cannot properly understand what those Vaikuṇṭha planets are unless one is a pure devotee.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB92458_1" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_9" book="SB" index="862" link="SB 9.24.58" link_text="SB 9.24.58">
<div class="heading">Even having attained that paraṁ padam, having merged into the impersonal Brahman, he falls again to the material world.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 9.24.58|SB 9.24.58, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">"The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind." All the living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are as good as the Lord qualitatively, but quantitatively there is a great difference between them, for the Lord is unlimited whereas the living entities are limited. Thus the Lord possesses unlimited potency for pleasure, and the living entities have a limited pleasure potency. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Both the Lord and the living entity, being qualitatively spirit soul, have the tendency for peaceful enjoyment, but when the part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead unfortunately wants to enjoy independently, without Kṛṣṇa, he is put into the material world, where he begins his life as Brahmā and is gradually degraded to the status of an ant or a worm in stool. This is called manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. There is a great struggle for existence because the living entity conditioned by material nature is under nature's full control (prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 3.27 (1972)|BG 3.27]])). Because of his limited knowledge, however, the living entity thinks he is enjoying in this material world. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. He is actually under the full control of material nature, but still he thinks himself independent (ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate). Even when he is elevated by speculative knowledge and tries to merge into the existence of Brahman, the same disease continues.</p>
<p>Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]). Even having attained that paraṁ padam, having merged into the impersonal Brahman, he falls again to the material world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="SB_Canto_101_to_1013" class="sub_section" sec_index="10" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam" text="SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13"><h3>SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13</h3>
</div>
<div id="SB10232_0" class="quote" parent="SB_Canto_10.1_to_10.13" book="SB" index="94" link="SB 10.2.32" link_text="SB 10.2.32">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">(Someone may say that aside from devotees, who always seek shelter at the Lord's lotus feet, there are those who are not devotees but who have accepted different processes for attaining salvation. What happens to them? In answer to this question, Lord Brahmā and the other demigods said:) O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>Aside from devotees, there are many others, nondevotees, known as karmīs, jñānīs or yogīs, philanthropists, altruists, politicians, impersonalists and voidists. There are many varieties of nondevotees who have their respective ways of liberation, but simply because they do not know the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet, although they falsely think that they have been liberated and elevated to the highest position, they fall down. As clearly stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (9.3):</p>
:aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā
:dharmasyāsya parantapa
:aprāpya māṁ nivartante
:mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani
<p>"Those who are not faithful on the path of devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of foes, but return to birth and death in this material world." It doesn't matter whether one is a karmī, jñānī, yogī, philanthropist, politician or whatever; if one has no love for the lotus feet of the Lord, one falls down. That is the verdict given by Lord Brahmā in this verse.</p>
<p>There are persons who advocate accepting any process and who say that whatever process one accepts will lead to the same goal, but that is refuted in this verse, where such persons are referred to as vimukta-māninaḥ, signifying that although they think they have attained the highest perfection, in fact they have not. In the present day, big, big politicians all over the world think that by scheming they can occupy the highest political post, that of president or prime minister, but we actually see that even in this life such big prime ministers, presidents and other politicians, because of being nondevotees, fall down (patanty adhaḥ). To become president or prime minister is not easy; one must work very hard (āruhya kṛcchreṇa) to achieve the post. And even though one may reach his goal, at any moment one may be kicked down by material nature. In human society there have been many instances in which great, exalted politicians have fallen from government and become lost in historical oblivion. The cause of this is aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) their intelligence is impure. The śāstra says, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.31|SB 7.5.31]]). One achieves the perfection of life by becoming a devotee of Viṣṇu, but people do not know this. Therefore, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (12.5), kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Persons who do not ultimately accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead and take to devotional service, but who instead are attached to impersonalism and voidism, must undergo great labor to achieve their goals.</p>
:śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho
:kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.14.4|SB 10.14.4]])
<p>To achieve understanding, such persons work very hard and undergo severe austerities, but their hard labor and austerities themselves are their only achievement, for they do not actually achieve the real goal of life.</p>
<p>Dhruva Mahārāja at first wanted to achieve the greatest material kingdom and greater material possessions than his father, but when he was actually favored by the Lord, who appeared before him to give him the benediction he desired, Dhruva Mahārāja refused it, saying, svāmin kṛtārtho'smi varaṁ na yāce: ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 22.42|CC Madhya 22.42]]) "Now I am fully satisfied. I do not want any material benediction." (Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya 7.28) This is the perfection of life. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 6.20-23 (1972)|BG 6.22]]). If one achieves the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet, one is fully satisfied and does not need to ask for any material benediction.</p>
<p>At night, no one can see a lotus, for lotuses blossom only during the daytime. Therefore the word aravindākṣa is significant. One who is not captivated by the lotus eyes or transcendental form of the Supreme Lord is in darkness, exactly like one who cannot see a lotus. One who has not come to the point of seeing the lotus eyes and transcendental form of Śyāmasundara is a failure. premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who are attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in love always see the Lord's lotus eyes and lotus feet, whereas others cannot see the Lord's beauty and are therefore classified as anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ, or neglectful of the Lord's personal form. Those who neglect the Lord's form are surely failures on every path in life, but if one develops even a little love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one is liberated without difficulty (svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt). Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead recommends in Bhagavad-gītā (9.34), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: ([[Vanisource:BG 18.65 (1972)|BG 18.65]]) "Simply think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer some slight homage to Me." Simply by this process, one is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, and thus attain the highest perfection. The Lord further affirms in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54-55):</p>
:brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
:na śocati na kāṅkṣati
:samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
:mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
:bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
:yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
:tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
:viśate tad-anantaram
<p>"One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me. One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
</div>
<div id="CC_Adi-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Adi-lila"><h3>CC Adi-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi774_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1020" link="CC Adi 7.74" link_text="CC Adi 7.74">
<div class="heading">Although by severe austerities they rise to the exalted position of brahma-jñāna, they nevertheless fall down due to imperfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.74|CC Adi 7.74, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">A name that represents an object of this material world may be subjected to arguments and experimental knowledge, but in the absolute world a name and its owner, the fame and the famous, are identical, and similarly the qualities, pastimes and everything else pertaining to the Absolute are also absolute. Although Māyāvādīs profess monism, they differentiate between the holy name of the Supreme Lord and the Lord Himself. For this offense of nāmāparādha they gradually glide down from their exalted position of brahma-jñāna, as confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>Although by severe austerities they rise to the exalted position of brahma-jñāna, they nevertheless fall down due to imperfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Although they profess to understand the Vedic mantra sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma (Chāndogya Up. 3.14.1), which means "Everything is Brahman," they are unable to understand that the holy name is also Brahman. If they regularly chant the mahā-mantra, however, they can be relieved from this misconception. Unless one properly takes shelter of the holy name, he cannot be relieved from the offensive stage in chanting the holy name.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7113_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1057" link="CC Adi 7.113" link_text="CC Adi 7.113">
<div class="heading">The intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but have no information of the spiritual world is not yet clear. In this verse the term aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ refers to unclean intelligence. Due to unclean intelligence or a poor fund of knowledge, the Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand the distinction between material and spiritual varieties; therefore they cannot even think of spiritual varieties because they take it for granted that all variety is material.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.113|CC Adi 7.113, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“The Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of spiritual potencies. Therefore His body, name, fame and entourage are all spiritual. The Māyāvādī philosopher, due to ignorance, says that these are all merely transformations of the material mode of goodness.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>In the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead has classified His energies in two distinct divisions—namely, prākṛta and aprākṛta, or parā-prakṛti and aparā-prakṛti. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa the same distinction is made. The Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand these two prakṛtis, or natures—material and spiritual—but one who is actually intelligent can understand them. Considering the many varieties and activities in material nature, why should the Māyāvādī philosophers deny the spiritual varieties of the spiritual world? The Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) says:</p>
:ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
<p>The intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but have no information of the spiritual world is not yet clear. In this verse the term aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ refers to unclean intelligence. Due to unclean intelligence or a poor fund of knowledge, the Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand the distinction between material and spiritual varieties; therefore they cannot even think of spiritual varieties because they take it for granted that all variety is material.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7114_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1058" link="CC Adi 7.114" link_text="CC Adi 7.114">
<div class="heading">The Buddhist philosophers clearly deny both the soul and God, and although the Śaṅkarites do not openly deny God, they say that the Absolute is nirākāra, or formless. Thus both the Buddhists and the Śaṅkarites are aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32), or imperfect and unclean in their knowledge and intelligence.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.114|CC Adi 7.114, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Why the daivī-māyā, or illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa, takes away the knowledge of the Māyāvādī philosophers is also explained in the Bhagavad-gīta by the use of the words āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, which refer to a person who does not agree to the existence of the Lord. The Māyāvādīs, who are not in agreement with the existence of the Lord, can be classified in two groups, exemplified by the impersonalist Śaṅkarites of Vārāṇasī and the Buddhists of Saranātha. Both groups are Māyāvādīs, and Kṛṣṇa takes away their knowledge due to their atheistic philosophies. Neither group agrees to accept the existence of a personal God. The Buddhist philosophers clearly deny both the soul and God, and although the Śaṅkarites do not openly deny God, they say that the Absolute is nirākāra, or formless. Thus both the Buddhists and the Śaṅkarites are aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]), or imperfect and unclean in their knowledge and intelligence.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7114_3" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1058" link="CC Adi 7.114" link_text="CC Adi 7.114">
<div class="heading">In actuality the Māyāvādī philosophers very strictly follow the austerities and penances of spiritual life and in this way are elevated to the impersonal Brahman platform, but due to their negligence of the lotus feet of the Lord they again fall down to material existence.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.114|CC Adi 7.114, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Vyāsadeva composed the Vedānta-sūtra to deliver the conditioned souls from this material world, but Śaṅkarācārya, by presenting the Vedānta-sūtra in his own way, has clearly done a great disservice to human society, for one who follows his Māyāvāda philosophy is doomed. In the Vedanta-sūtra, devotional service is clearly indicated, but the Māyāvādī philosophers refuse to accept the spiritual body of the Supreme Absolute Person and refuse to accept that the living entity has an individual existence separate from that of the Supreme Lord. Thus they have created atheistic havoc all over the world, for such a conclusion is against the very nature of the transcendental process of pure devotional service. The Māyāvādī philosophers' unrealizable ambition to become one with the Supreme through denying the existence of the Personality of Godhead results in a most calamitous misrepresentation of spiritual knowledge, and one who follows this philosophy is doomed to remain perpetually in this material world. Therefore the Māyāvādīs are called aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, or unclean in knowledge. Because they are unclean in knowledge, all their austerities and penances end in frustration. Thus although they may be honored at first as very learned scholars, ultimately they descend to physical activities of politics, social work, etc. Instead of becoming one with the Supreme Lord, they again become one with these material activities. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>In actuality the Māyāvādī philosophers very strictly follow the austerities and penances of spiritual life and in this way are elevated to the impersonal Brahman platform, but due to their negligence of the lotus feet of the Lord they again fall down to material existence.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7142_4" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1086" link="CC Adi 7.142" link_text="CC Adi 7.142">
<div class="heading">Persons who think themselves liberated but do not execute devotional service, not knowing their relationship with the Lord, are certainly misled. One must know his relationship with the Lord and act accordingly. Then the fulfillment of his life's mission will be possible.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.142|CC Adi 7.142, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“By practicing this regulated devotional service under the direction of the spiritual master, certainly one awakens his dormant love of Godhead. This process is called abhidheya.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>By the practice of devotional service, beginning with hearing and chanting, the impure heart of a conditioned soul is purified, and thus he can understand his eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That eternal relationship is described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: jīvera "svarūpa" haya kṛṣṇera "nitya-dāsa." ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108-109|CC Madhya 20.108]]). "The living entity is an eternal servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." When one is convinced about this relationship, which is called sambandha, he then acts accordingly. That is called abhidheya. The next step is prayojana-siddhi, or fulfillment of the ultimate goal of one's life. If one can understand his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and act accordingly, automatically his mission in life is fulfilled. The Māyāvādī philosophers miss even the first stage in self-realization because they have no conception of God's being personal. He is the master of all, and He is the only person who can accept the service of all living entities, but since this knowledge is lacking in Māyāvāda philosophy, Māyāvādīs do not have knowledge even of their relationship with God. They wrongly think that everyone is God or that everyone is equal to God. Therefore, since the real position of the living entity is not clear to them, how can they advance further? Although they are very much puffed up at being liberated, Māyāvādī philosophers very shortly fall down again to material activities due to their neglecting the lotus feet of the Lord. That is called patanty adhaḥ:</p>
:ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
:([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]])
<p>Here it is said that persons who think themselves liberated but do not execute devotional service, not knowing their relationship with the Lord, are certainly misled. One must know his relationship with the Lord and act accordingly. Then the fulfillment of his life's mission will be possible.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi819_5" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1135" link="CC Adi 8.19" link_text="CC Adi 8.19">
<div class="heading">Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world to open hospitals or schools or perform similar philanthropic activities.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 8.19|CC Adi 8.19, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">While executing devotional service, one must be naturally inclined to serve Kṛṣṇa in one of these transcendental relationships. That is the actual success of life. For a devotee, to get liberation is not very difficult. Even one who is unable to establish a relationship with Kṛṣṇa can achieve liberation by merging into the Brahman effulgence. This is called sāyujya-mukti. Vaiṣṇavas never accept sāyujya-mukti, although sometimes they accept the other forms of liberation, namely sārūpya, sālokya, sāmīpya and sārṣṭi. A pure devotee, however, does not accept any kind of mukti. He wants only to serve Kṛṣṇa in a transcendental relationship. This is the perfectional stage of spiritual life. Māyāvādī philosophers desire to merge into the existence of the Brahman effulgence, although this aspect of liberation is always neglected by devotees. Śrīla Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, describing this kind of mukti, which is called kaivalya, or becoming one with the Supreme, has said, kaivalyaṁ narakāyate: "Becoming one with the Supreme is as good as going to hell." Therefore the ideal of Māyāvāda philosophy, becoming one with the Supreme, is hellish for a devotee; he never accepts it. Māyāvādī philosophers do not know that even if they merge into the effulgence of the Supreme, this will not give them ultimate rest. An individual soul cannot live in the Brahman effulgence in a state of inactivity; after some time, he must desire to be active. However, since he is not aware of his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and therefore has no spiritual activity, he must come down for further activities in this material world. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world to open hospitals or schools or perform similar philanthropic activities.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya6168_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1137" link="CC Madhya 6.168" link_text="CC Madhya 6.168">
<div class="heading">The intelligence of the Māyāvādīs is not purified; therefore even though they practice austerities for self-realization, they cannot remain within the impersonal brahmajyoti. Consequently, they fall down again into this material world.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 6.168|CC Madhya 6.168, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Although the Buddhists are directly opposed to Vaiṣṇava philosophy, it can easily be understood that the Śaṅkarites are more dangerous because they accept the authority of the Vedas yet act contrary to Vedic instruction. Vedāśraya nāstikya-vāda means "agnosticism under the shelter of Vedic culture" and refers to the monistic philosophy of the Māyāvādīs. Lord Buddha abandoned the authority of the Vedic literature and therefore rejected the ritualistic ceremonies and sacrifices recommended in the Vedas. His nirvāṇa philosophy means stopping all material activities. Lord Buddha did not recognize the presence of transcendental forms and spiritual activities beyond the material world. He simply described voidism beyond this material existence. The Māyāvādī philosophers offer lip service to Vedic authority but try to escape the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. They concoct some idea of a transcendental position and call themselves Nārāyaṇa, or God. However, God's position is completely different from their concoction. Such Māyāvādī philosophers consider themselves above the influence of karma-kāṇḍa (fruitive activities and their reactions). For them, the spiritual world is equated with the Buddhist voidism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism. Voidism can be directly understood, but the impersonalism enunciated by Māyāvādī philosophers is not very easily understandable. Of course, Māyāvādī philosophers accept a spiritual existence, but they do not know about the spiritual world and spiritual beings. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>The intelligence of the Māyāvādīs is not purified; therefore even though they practice austerities for self-realization, they cannot remain within the impersonal brahmajyoti. Consequently, they fall down again into this material world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya6235_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1204" link="CC Madhya 6.235" link_text="CC Madhya 6.235">
<div class="heading">Māyāvādī sannyāsīs who falsely think of themselves as liberated from the clutches of māyā are called vimukta-māninaḥ. Actually, they are not liberated, but they think that they have become liberated and have become Nārāyaṇa Himself. Although they have apparently realized that they are not the material body but spirit soul, they nonetheless neglect the duty of the spirit soul, which is to render service to the Supreme Soul. Therefore their intelligence remains unsanctified.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 6.235|CC Madhya 6.235, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">""When a person takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without reservation, the unlimited, merciful Lord bestows His causeless mercy upon him. Thus he can pass over the insurmountable ocean of nescience. Those whose intelligence is fixed in the bodily conception, who think, "I am this body," are fit food for dogs and jackals. The Supreme Lord never bestows His mercy upon such people.""</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>The Supreme Lord never bestows His benediction upon those fixed in the bodily conception. As Kṛṣṇa clearly states in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66):</p>
:sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
:ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
<p>"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."</p>
<p>The verse that Caitanya Mahāprabhu quoted (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.7.42) explains the meaning of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's statement. Kṛṣṇa bestowed His causeless mercy upon Arjuna just to get him out of the bodily conception. This was done at the very beginning of the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā (2.13), where Kṛṣṇa says, dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. In this body, there is an owner, and one should not consider the body to be the self. This is the first instruction to be assimilated by a devotee. If one is under the bodily conception, he is unable to realize his true identity and engage in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Unless one comes to the transcendental position, he cannot expect the causeless mercy of the Supreme Lord, nor can he cross over the vast ocean of material nescience. Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Without surrendering unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot expect release from the clutches of māyā, the illusory energy. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32), Māyāvādī sannyāsīs who falsely think of themselves as liberated from the clutches of māyā are called vimukta-māninaḥ. Actually, they are not liberated, but they think that they have become liberated and have become Nārāyaṇa Himself. Although they have apparently realized that they are not the material body but spirit soul, they nonetheless neglect the duty of the spirit soul, which is to render service to the Supreme Soul. Therefore their intelligence remains unsanctified. Unless one's intelligence is sanctified, one cannot apply it to understanding devotional service. Devotional service begins when the mind, intelligence and ego are completely purified. Māyāvādī sannyāsīs do not purify their intelligence, mind and ego, and consequently they cannot engage in the service of the Lord or expect the causeless mercy of the Lord. Although they rise to a very high position by executing severe austerities and penances, they still hover in the material world without the benediction of the lotus feet of the Lord. Sometimes they rise to the Brahman effulgence, but because their minds are not completely purified, they must return to material existence.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya6269_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1237" link="CC Madhya 6.269" link_text="CC Madhya 6.269">
<div class="heading">These semiliberated souls falsely claim to be liberated, but unless one engages in devotional service to the Lord, he is still materially contaminated.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 6.269|CC Madhya 6.269, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The word siddha is very significant. Siddha refers to one who has realized the Brahman effulgence and who has complete knowledge that the living entity is not a material atom but a spiritual spark. This understanding is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]). In the conditioned state, the living entity is known as jīva-bhūta, or "the living force within matter." Brahma-bhūta living entities are allowed to stay in Brahmaloka or Siddhaloka, but unfortunately they sometimes again fall into the material world because they are not engaged in devotional service. This is supported by the verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam beginning ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa. ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]) These semiliberated souls falsely claim to be liberated, but unless one engages in devotional service to the Lord, he is still materially contaminated. Therefore these living entities have been described as vimukta-māninaḥ, meaning that they falsely consider themselves liberated although their intelligence is not yet purified. Although these living entities undergo severe austerities to rise to the platform of Siddhaloka, they cannot remain there perpetually, for they are bereft of ānanda (bliss). Even though these living entities attain the brahma-bhūta stage and realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His bodily effulgence, they nonetheless fall down due to neglecting the Lord's service. They do not properly utilize whatever little knowledge they have of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not attaining ānanda, or bliss, they come down to the material world to enjoy. This is certainly a falldown for one who is actually liberated. The bhaktas consider such a falldown equal to achieving a place in hell.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya19148_3" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="4387" link="CC Madhya 19.148" link_text="CC Madhya 19.148">
<div class="heading">Due to their poor fund of knowledge, the jñānīs are not actually liberated. They simply think that they are liberated. The perfection of knowledge culminates when one comes to the platform of knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.148|CC Madhya 19.148, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“Out of many millions of such wise men, one may actually become liberated (mukta), and out of many millions of such liberated persons, a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa is very difficult to find.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) it is said that due to their poor fund of knowledge, the jñānīs are not actually liberated. They simply think that they are liberated. The perfection of knowledge culminates when one comes to the platform of knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.11|SB 1.2.11]]). The Absolute Truth (satya-vastu) is described as Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Knowledge of impersonal Brahman and the Supersoul is imperfect until one comes to the platform of knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is therefore clearly said in this verse, koṭi-mukta-madhye "durlabha" eka kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Those who search after the knowledge of impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā are certainly accepted as liberated, but due to their imperfect knowledge they are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as vimukta-māninaḥ. Since their knowledge is imperfect, their conception of liberation is imperfect. Perfect knowledge is possible when one knows the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is supported by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (5.29):</p>
:bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram
:suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
<p>"A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries."</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya20135_4" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="4624" link="CC Madhya 20.135" link_text="CC Madhya 20.135">
<div class="heading">Sometimes the living entity is misled into trying to merge into spiritual existence, thinking himself as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that when he comes to the spiritual platform, he will be disturbed and will again return to the material platform. Such people may become sannyāsīs, but unless they take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, they will return to the material platform to perform philanthropic activities.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.135|CC Madhya 20.135, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The mystic yoga process is compared to a black snake that devours the living entity and injects him with poison. The ultimate goal of the yoga system is to become one with the Absolute. This means finishing one's personal existence. But the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead has an eternal individual existence. The Bhagavad-gītā confirms that the individual soul existed in the past, is existing in the present and will continue to exist as an individual in the future. Artificially trying to become one with the Absolute is suicidal. One cannot annihilate his natural condition.</p>
<p>A yakṣa, a protector of riches, will not allow anyone to take away riches for enjoyment. Such a demon will simply create disturbances. In other words, a devotee will not depend on his material resources but on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can give real protection. This is called rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāsaḥ or (in the Bengali poetry of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Śaraṇāgati) "avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa"—viśvāsa pālana. The surrendered soul must accept the fact that his real protector is Kṛṣṇa, not his material acquisitions.</p>
<p>Considering all these points, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is the real treasure house for the living entity. When one comes to the platform of devotional service, he always remains opulent in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is bereft of devotional service is swallowed by the black snake of the yoga system and bitten by the wasps and drones of fruitive activity, and he suffers consequent material miseries. Sometimes the living entity is misled into trying to merge into spiritual existence, thinking himself as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This means that when he comes to the spiritual platform, he will be disturbed and will again return to the material platform. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>Such people may become sannyāsīs, but unless they take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, they will return to the material platform to perform philanthropic activities. In this way, one's spiritual life is lost. This is to be understood as being devoured by the black snake.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya2230_5" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5072" link="CC Madhya 22.30" link_text="CC Madhya 22.30">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but do not render devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 22.30|CC Madhya 22.30, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“"O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but do not render devotional service to You must be of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet."</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya24131_6" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5447" link="CC Madhya 24.131" link_text="CC Madhya 24.131">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 24.131|CC Madhya 24.131, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“"O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet."</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya24141_7" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5457" link="CC Madhya 24.141" link_text="CC Madhya 24.141">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 24.141|CC Madhya 24.141, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“"O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but are without devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet."</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya2532_8" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5704" link="CC Madhya 25.32" link_text="CC Madhya 25.32">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but who are devoid of devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus fee.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 25.32|CC Madhya 25.32, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“"O lotus-eyed one, those who think they are liberated in this life but who are devoid of devotional service to You are of impure intelligence. Although they accept severe austerities and penances and rise to the spiritual position, to impersonal Brahman realization, they fall down again because they neglect to worship Your lotus feet."</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32).</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CC_Antya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Antya-lila"><h3>CC Antya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya3257_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="644" link="CC Antya 3.257" link_text="CC Antya 3.257">
<div class="heading">O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 3.257|CC Antya 3.257, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“The holy name of Lord Rāma certainly gives liberation, but the holy name of Kṛṣṇa transports one to the other side of the ocean of nescience and at last gives one ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>In an indirect way, this verse explains the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—includes both the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa and the name of Lord Rāma. Lord Rāma gives one the opportunity to be liberated, but simply by liberation one does not get actual spiritual benefit. Sometimes if one is liberated from the material world but has no shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, one falls down to the material world again. Liberation is like a state of convalescence, in which one is free from a fever but is still not healthy. Even in the stage of convalescence, if one is not very careful, one may have a relapse. Similarly, liberation does not offer as much security as the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. It is stated in the śāstra:</p>
:ye ‘nye ‘ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ‘nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is impure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerities, they are sure to fall down again into material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet." (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.2.32) Yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ refers to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. If one does not take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, he falls down (patanty adhaḥ), even from liberation. The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, however, gives liberation and at the same time offers shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. If one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa after liberation, he develops his dormant ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest perfection of life.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya826_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="1581" link="CC Antya 8.26" link_text="CC Antya 8.26">
<div class="heading">Even if one is liberated in this life, he becomes addicted to material desires because of offenses to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 8.26|CC Antya 8.26, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Rāmacandra Purī was thus denounced by Mādhavendra Purī. Due to his offense, gradually material desire appeared within him.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>The word vāsanā ("material desires") refers to dry speculative knowledge. Such speculative knowledge is only material. As confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.4), a person without devotional service who simply wants to know things (kevala-bodha-labdhaye) gains only dry speculative knowledge but no spiritual profit. This is confirmed in the Bhakti-sandarbha (111), wherein it is said:</p>
:jīvan-muktā api punar yānti saṁsāra-vāsanām
:yady acintya-mahā-śaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ
<p>"Even though one is liberated in this life, if one offends the Supreme Personality of Godhead he falls down in the midst of material desires, of which dry speculation about spiritual realization is one."</p>
<p>In his Laghu-toṣaṇī commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32), Jīva Gosvāmī says:</p>
:jīvan-muktā api punar bandhanaṁ yānti karmabhiḥ
:yady acintya-mahā-śaktau bhagavaty aparādhinaḥ
<p>"Even if one is liberated in this life, he becomes addicted to material desires because of offenses to the Supreme Personality of Godhead."</p>
<p>A similar quotation from one of the Purāṇas also appears in the Viṣṇu-bhakti-candrodaya:</p>
:jivān-muktāḥ prapadyante kvacit saṁsāra-vāsanām
:yogino na vilipyante karmabhir bhagavat-parāḥ
<p>"Even liberated souls sometimes fall down to material desires, but those who fully engage in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not affected by such desires."</p>
<p>These are references from authoritative revealed scriptures. If one becomes an offender to his spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he falls down to the material platform to merely speculate.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya968_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="1724" link="CC Antya 9.68" link_text="CC Antya 9.68">
<div class="heading">Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 9.68|CC Antya 9.68, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">One should be completely free from all material desires and should serve Kṛṣṇa simply to please Him. When people become interested in their own sense gratification (bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī), some of them desire to enjoy the material world to the fullest extent, some of them desire to be liberated and merge into the existence of Brahman, and others want to perform magic through mystic power and thus become incarnations of God. These are all against the principles of devotional service. One must be free from all material desires. The desire of the impersonalist to merge into the existence of Brahman is also material because such an impersonalist wants to gratify his senses by merging into the existence of Kṛṣṇa instead of serving His lotus feet. Even if such a person merges into the Brahman effulgence, he falls down again into material existence. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho ‘nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding the transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come down again to this material world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" class="section" sec_index="3" parent="compilation" text="Other Books by Srila Prabhupada"><h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
</div>
<div id="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya"><h3>Teachings of Lord Caitanya</h3>
</div>
<div id="TLC11_0" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="17" link="TLC 11" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 11">
<div class="heading">Those who think that they are liberated according to Māyāvādī philosophy, but who do not take to the devotional service of the Lord, fall down for want of devotional service, even after they undergo the severest types of penances and austerities and even after they sometimes approach the supreme position.
</div>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 11|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 11]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There are eight divisions of human society created to facilitate the execution of duty (the brāhmaṇas, or intellectuals; the kṣatriyas, or administrators; the vaiśyas, or businessmen and farmers; and the śūdras, or laborers—as well as the four āśramas: the brahmacārī, or student; the gṛhastha, or householder; the vānaprastha, or retired person; and the sannyāsī, or the person in renounced life), but if a person is lacking in devotion or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he cannot be released from material bondage, even if he executes his prescribed duty. On the contrary, even by discharging his prescribed duty he will glide down into hell due to material consciousness. Therefore whoever is engaged in his occupational duty must simultaneously cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service if he wants liberation from material clutches.</p>
<p>In this regard, Lord Caitanya recited a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which was delivered by Nārada Muni to indicate the path of bhāgavata cultivation. Nārada Muni pointed out that the four divisions of human society, as well as the four orders of life, are born out of the gigantic form of the Lord. The brāhmaṇas are born from the mouth of the universal form of the Lord, the kṣatriyas are born out of the arms, the vaiśyas out of the waist, and the śūdras out of the legs. As such, they are qualified in the different modes of material nature within the form of the virāṭ-puruṣa. If a person is not engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, he falls from his position, regardless of whether he executes his prescribed occupational duty or not.</p>
<p>Lord Caitanya further points out that those who belong to the Māyāvādī or impersonalist school consider themselves to be one with God, or liberated, but according to Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are not actually liberated. In this regard Caitanya Mahāprabhu again quotes Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>"Those who think that they are liberated according to Māyāvādī philosophy, but who do not take to the devotional service of the Lord, fall down for want of devotional service, even after they undergo the severest types of penances and austerities and even after they sometimes approach the supreme position."</p>
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<div id="TLC15_1" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="21" link="TLC 15" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 15">
<div class="heading">O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is not pure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerity, they are sure to fall down again into this material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 15|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 15]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There are two kinds of liberated souls having material bodies: the soul liberated by devotional service and the soul liberated by the cultivation of knowledge. The liberated soul in devotional service, attracted by the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, becomes more and more elevated, whereas those who engage in dry speculation and simply cultivate knowledge without devotion fall due to their many offenses. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) where it is stated:</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>"O Lord, the intelligence of those who think themselves liberated but who have no devotion is not pure. Even though they rise to the highest point of liberation by dint of severe penances and austerity, they are sure to fall down again into this material existence, for they do not take shelter at Your lotus feet." This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā:</p>
:brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
:na śocati na kāṅkṣati
:samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
:mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
<p>"One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments nor desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to every living entity. In that state, he attains pure devotional service unto Me." ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]])</p>
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<div id="TLC21_2" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="27" link="TLC 21" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 21">
<div class="heading">A person who gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and superficially considers himself liberated, never attains to liberation. With great labor, austerity and penance, he may be elevated to the liberated platform, but for want of shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, he falls down again into material contamination.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 21|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 21]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">After Lord Caitanya explained the Vedānta-sūtra by directly interpreting the verses, the chief disciple of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī stood up in the assembly and began to praise Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa. He not only very much appreciated the explanation of Vedānta-sūtra by Lord Caitanya, but he stated publicly that the direct explanation of the Upaniṣads and Vedānta-sūtra "is so pleasing that we forget ourselves and forget that we belong to the Māyāvādī sect." Thus it is herein admitted that Śaṅkarācārya's explanations of the Upaniṣads and Vedānta-sūtra are all imaginary. We may sometimes accept such imaginary explanations for the sake of sectarian feuds, but actually such explanations do not satisfy us. It is not that one becomes free from material entanglements simply by accepting the order of sannyāsa. Yet if we actually understand the explanations given by Lord Caitanya, we will be helped. For instance, when Lord Caitanya explains the meaning of harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam ([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.21|CC Adi 17.21]]), everyone is pleased, for it is a fact that there is no alternative to devotional service. Without devotional service no one can attain liberation from the material clutches. Especially in this age, one can achieve the highest liberation simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.4) it is stated that when a person abandons the path of devotional service and simply labors for knowledge, he has no profit other than the trouble he takes to understand the difference between matter and spirit. It is useless labor to try to get grains from empty husks. Thus it is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) that a person who gives up the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord and superficially considers himself liberated, never attains to liberation. With great labor, austerity and penance, he may be elevated to the liberated platform, but for want of shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, he falls down again into material contamination.</p>
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<div id="Krsna_The_Supreme_Personality_of_Godhead" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead"><h3>Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead</h3>
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<div id="KB87_0" class="quote" parent="Krsna,_The_Supreme_Personality_of_Godhead" book="OB" index="91" link="KB 87" link_text="Krsna Book 87">
<div class="heading">The very fact that the Māyāvādī claims to be one with the Supreme Lord means that he is not yet freed from the reactions of sinful activities. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that such persons are aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, which means that because they falsely think themselves liberated and at the same time think themselves equal with the Absolute Truth, their intelligence is not purified.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:KB 87|Krsna Book 87]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The Māyāvādī philosopher claims to be equal to God, but he cannot reply to the question of why he has fallen into material entanglement. If he is the Supreme God, then how is it that he has been overtaken by impious activities and thereby subjected to the tribulations of the law of karma? When the Māyāvādīs are asked about this, they cannot properly answer. The speculation that one is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is another symptom of sinful life. One cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless one is completely freed from all sinful activities. The very fact that the Māyāvādī claims to be one with the Supreme Lord means that he is not yet freed from the reactions of sinful activities. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that such persons are aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.2.32|SB 10.2.32]]), which means that because they falsely think themselves liberated and at the same time think themselves equal with the Absolute Truth, their intelligence is not purified. The personified Vedas said that if the yogīs and the jñānīs do not free themselves from sinful desires, then their particular process of self-realization will never be successful.</p>
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<div id="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Renunciation Through Wisdom"><h3>Renunciation Through Wisdom</h3>
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<div id="RTW44_0" class="quote" parent="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" book="OB" index="36" link="RTW 4.4" link_text="Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.4">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:RTW 4.4|Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.4]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The goddess of learning, Sarasvatī, inspired Dr. Radhakrishnan to say "Man cannot become God." We would like to clarify this statement by saying "Even after becoming liberated, a man cannot become God." A liberated person can become a pure devotee of God, but he cannot become God or merge into God and lose his identity. There are innumerable instances in which a liberated soul, failing to become God, also refused to become God's devotee. The only option then open to him is aptly described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32):</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.</p>
<p>Attracted by material nature's external glare, such "liberated" souls have to come down to this earth and become wrapped up in some sociopolitical or altruistic work.</p>
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<div id="RTW51_1" class="quote" parent="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" book="OB" index="39" link="RTW 5.1" link_text="Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1">
<div class="heading">O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:RTW 5.1|Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) states:</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>O lotus-eyed Lord, although nondevotees who accept severe austerities and penances to achieve the highest position may think themselves liberated, their intelligence is impure. They fall down from their position of imagined superiority because they have no regard for Your lotus feet."</p>
<p>Thus the yogic process a surrendered servant of the Supreme Lord practices is altogether different form Patañjali's eightfold yoga system, beginning with sense control, yogic postures, and breath control. These practices are, in a sense, meant to increase physical prowess for better sense enjoyment. The devotee, on the other hand, follows the best yoga system of God-realization, which is enunciated in the Bhagavad-gītā. His activities are not selfishly motivated, aimed at realizing his own cherished dreams, but are directed toward fulfilling the will of God on earth. This yoga is known as buddhi-yoga, wherein lies the entire world's good fortune.</p>
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<div id="Narada-bhakti-sutra_sutras_1_to_8_only" class="sub_section" sec_index="10" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)"><h3>Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)</h3>
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<div id="NBS2_0" class="quote" parent="Narada-bhakti-sutra_(sutras_1_to_8_only)" book="OB" index="4" link="NBS 2" link_text="Narada Bhakti Sutra 2">
<div class="heading">Persons who are falsely puffed up, thinking they have become liberated simply by understanding their constitutional position as Brahman, or spirit soul, are factually still contaminated. Their intelligence is impure because they have no understanding of the Personality of Godhead, and ultimately they fall down from their puffed-up position.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NBS 2|Narada Bhakti Sutra 2, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Devotional service manifests as the most elevated, pure love for God.</p>
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<div class="purport text"><p>As stated before, after attaining the highest stage of self-realization, one becomes situated in devotional service to the Lord. The perfection of devotional service is to attain love of God. Love of God involves the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the devotee, and the process of devotional service. Self-realization, the brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]) stage, is the beginning of spiritual life; it is not the perfectional stage. If a person understands that he is not his body and that he has nothing to do with this material world, he becomes free from material entanglement. But that realization is not the perfectional stage. The perfectional stage begins with activity in the self-realized position, and that activity is based on the understanding that a living entity is eternally the subordinate servitor of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, there is no meaning to self-realization. If one is puffed up with the idea that he is the Supreme Brahman, or that he has become one with Nārāyaṇa, or that he has merged into the brahmajyoti effulgence, then he has not grasped the perfection of life. As the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32) states,</p>
:ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
:tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
:āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
:patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
<p>Persons who are falsely puffed up, thinking they have become liberated simply by understanding their constitutional position as Brahman, or spirit soul, are factually still contaminated. Their intelligence is impure because they have no understanding of the Personality of Godhead, and ultimately they fall down from their puffed-up position.</p>
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