So by hearing about Kṛṣṇa from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotee, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, not completely finished . . . the contamination is there. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- api cet su-durācāro
- bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
- sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ . . .
- (BG 9.30)
Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, one who has taken to devotional service, hearing about Kṛṣṇa, he has not become completely perfect even. Because, due to his past habit, he may do something wrong. Just like one was habituated in smoking, and he has taken, initiated, and he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but due to the influence of some friend, he sometimes, suppose he smokes. So if unconsciously induced by others he commits some sinful activity, that is excused. But if he consciously does something sinful activity, that is not excused.
Kṛṣṇa says therefore that api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. If he sticks to the devotional service sincerely, but due to his past habit, if he's seen that he has committed something wrong, so Kṛṣṇa said, "Still, he's sādhu." Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ, samyag vyavasito hi . . . (BG 9.30). Because his faith in Kṛṣṇa is there. Therefore he is sādhu.
Now one may say that, "He's not following strictly the rules." But intentionally if he's doing so, then it is very risky. He'll fall down. But by chance if he does so, the next line says, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Because he's sticking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will be again reformed. Kṣipram. Very soon, he'll be reformed. These are . . . the things are there.
Therefore it is said, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Not that completely one becomes perfect. Even prāyeṣu, almost perfect, still, almost, not that completely, abhadreṣu, he has, he's trying to give up all bad habits, unwanted things. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. How it is possible? Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Not saptāhaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, officially. This is karma-kāṇḍīya. "I sit down for one saptāha in a year, and then 357 days I do all nonsense." No. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. One has to serve bhāgavata.