Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau: they were expert in scrutinizingly studying all the scriptures. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau. Nipuṇau means expert. Why? Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau: to establish real religion in the world. Real religion. Just yesterday we have received one letter from Mr. Renovich, Vancouver. He says that the Canadians, they want real religion. That is very good, encouraging. Anyone, if he is anxious to have real religion, for him this is the best thing, this kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-gāna-nartana. So without religion, human society is nothing but animal society. It is simply polished animalism.
So these Gosvāmīs, they made so many books to guide us. You have read Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. That is the first direction in the line. So they always worked very hard, day and night. Their business was writing books or chanting and dancing. And other necessities—eating, sleeping, mating and fearing—they practically abolished. There was no question of mating; there was no question of fearing. And sleeping, they used to sleep utmost one and a half hour daily in twenty-four hours. And eating, that is also practically nil. When they felt hungry they would go to some householder's home and beg one cāpāṭi or two cāpāṭis. That's all. Finished.
So nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. The mission of saintly person is simply to think how this suffering humanity will become happy by spiritual consciousness. That is their business. They are not for exploiting. The whole material world is trying . . . one man is trying to exploit another; one nation is trying to exploit another nation; one society is trying to . . . this is struggle for existence. They have invented this law that, "Might is right." You struggle, and if you are powerful . . . just like there is now a struggle between Russia and America, or China and America. This is going on.
So everyone is suffering. The struggle for existence means a condition of suffering. And these saintly persons, devotees of Kṛṣṇa—not only devotees of Kṛṣṇa, any devotee of God—they are . . . their business is to see how people become happy. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Therefore, tribhuvane mānyau: the devotees are worshiped not only in this planet but in other planets also—wherever they will go.
There is a nice verse in Cāṇakya Paṇḍita: vidvatvāṁ ca nṛpatyāṁ ca naiva tulyaṁ kadācana. He says that a rich man and a learned man cannot be compared. There is no comparison. Why? Because sva-deśe pūjyate rājan vidvān sarvatra pūjyate: a rich man may be honored in his own country, but a learned man, a devotee of God, he will be honored wherever he goes.
Sva-deśe pūjyate rājan vidvān sarvatra pūjyate. So this is the position of devotee. Therefore a devotee, wherever he goes he'll be honored. Therefore a devotee has no distinction whether it is heaven or hell, because Kṛṣṇa is with him either in heaven or hell. So where there is Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of hell; it is Vaikuṇṭha.
Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he did not enter Jagannātha temple at Purī. He thought himself that, "I am born in Muhammadan family. These Hindus, they're against any Muhammadans entering the temple. Why shall I go and disturb them? I shall chant here." So Jagannātha Himself was coming daily to him.
This is the power of devotee. He hasn't got to go to Jagannātha, but Jagannātha comes to see Him. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to come daily to Haridāsa Ṭhākura. When He was going to take bath in the sea, so He would first of all enter Haridāsa's cottage, "Haridāsa, what you are doing?" "Yes, my Lord. Please come." So this is the position of devotee. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā (SB 11.19.21). If somebody worships a devotee, that worshipment is more valuable than worshiping Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says like that.