to understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has explained in so many ways. Simply to understand Kṛṣṇa makes you liberated. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). So therefore this is the process of understanding Kṛṣṇa. These Kṛṣṇa consciousness centers are being opened all over the world just to give the people the chance how to become liberated simply by seeing the Deity and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is the opportunity. But fools and rascals, they think that "It is nuisance." But actually it's not. This is a science. So by following this process, then what will be the...? Hṛtātmano hṛta-prāṇāṁś ca: "Then gradually, your mind will be fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mind and senses." Hṛtātmanaḥ and hṛta-prāṇa. Prāṇa, we..., our prāṇa, life, is at the senses. So if your mind and senses are fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is called bhakti. That is called bhakti. It is not sentiment; it is a practical science when your mind and senses are fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. The senses are engaged in serving Kṛṣṇa and mind is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Just like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he was a great devotee, and his business was, although he was a king, very responsible king and ruling over the world, but his mind was always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. This is possible. This is possible. That example is given, that a woman or a lady is always busy in his (her) household affairs, but she also takes care of her bunch of hair, how to set it up and very nicely comb it. She does not forget. In spite of her being engaged in so many household affairs, she does not forget to take care of the bunch of hair. Similarly, one who is actually devotee, he may be engaged in so many things, but he does not forget Kṛṣṇa. That is the example, very good example.
So hṛtātmano hṛta-prāṇāṁś ca bhaktiḥ. This is the perfection. This means that the gross body and the subtle body becomes digested, no more existence of this gross body. Gross body means sense gratification, and subtle body means speculation: "God is like that, God is like that," speculation, subtle body. Mana-buddhy-ahaṅkāra. And gross body means the senses. So when the senses and the mind, everything, is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that means you are already liberated. Already liberated. Therefore it is said, anicchato me gatim aṇvīṁ prayuṅkte. The liberated means that you have no more the activities of gross body and subtle body, but there are activities of the soul. This is wanted. The bhakti means the activities of the soul, not of the body, not of the mind.
The Brahman realization means stopping the activities of the body. But the activities of the mind is going on, or they do not know; it is not perfect knowledge. Therefore I have said several times that the Brahman realization, those who are Brahman realized souls, they are not in perfect knowledge. Aviśuddha-buddhi. They have been described as aviśuddha. Viśuddha means very purified, and a means "not." Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Their intelligence is not yet perfectly purified. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa. They are thinking that "Now we have become liberated." No. That is not liberation. Here is liberation. Why? Hṛtātmano hṛta-prāṇāṁś ca bhaktiḥ. When the mind and the senses are all absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, that is the bhakti state. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). The people think that bhakti is a sentiment thing. No. It is above liberation. Above liberation. Unless one is not liberated, he cannot stand on the platform of bhakti. That is bhakti. That is called parā-bhakti. Aparā-bhakti and parā-bhakti.
So any devotee who is serious about this Deity worship, hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, following the Vedic principle, or rejecting the sinful activities of life... In this way we can come to the platform of spiritual life, and if we act accordingly, that is called bhakti-yoga, or the liberated stage.