So bhakti-yoga is the last status of yoga system. Therefore it is said, bhakti-vitāna-yogam. Bhakti... Just like you are going upstair, and step by step, when you go to the topmost step, that is the end of your going up, similarly, the karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and dhyāna-yoga, and then bhakti-yoga, so ultimate end is bhakti-yoga. So if you have got, gone few steps, that is karma-yoga, if you have got few more steps, that is jñāna-yoga, and if you go few more steps, that is dhyāna-yoga, and when you reach the ultimate status, that is called bhakti-yoga. The step is the same. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Everyone is going, trying to reach the ultimate Absolute Truth. But it is simply a partial understanding. By jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga, you can understand partially the Absolute Truth. But bhakti-yoga you can understand completely. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). He does not say, "By jñāna, by karma, by meditation, one can understand Me fully." No. He does not say. He says clearly, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Tattvataḥ, in truth what I am, that can be understood only by bhakti-yoga." You see Bhagavad-gītā.
So to understand the Absolute Truth you have to accept this sāṅkhya-yoga or bhakti-vitāna-yogam. Then you will understand very... Because question was, by Devahūti, that manda-dhīḥ sukhaṁ buddhyeya. Sukhaṁ buddhyeya: "Very easily, without any much trouble, I may understand. You kindly describe in this way—the Absolute Truth I can understand very easily." So that is bhakti-yoga. In the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is said, susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Susukham. If you practice bhakti-yoga, it is very easy, at the same time very pleasing, very pleasing. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. And avyayam. Avyayam means not deteriorating. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. If you execute even partially, it has got so potency that it will lead you more and more to the ultimate goal of life. This is called perfect sāṅkhya-yoga.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for giving education to the people of this sāṅkhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system, because it is the recommended process by authorities. And all the āmnāya, origin of the āmnāya, just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, then Kapiladeva—here is Kapiladeva—they are mahājana. Mahājana means great authorities. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). It is very difficult to understand the path of perfection. Therefore the śāstra recommended that "You follow the mahājana." This is called āmnāya. "You follow the mahājana." And who are mahājana? They are also described in the śāstras: svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Svayambhū means Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is... Another name is Svayambhū. He was found in the lotus flower emanating from the navel of Viṣṇu. So practically, he was not born of father and mother; therefore he is called Svayambhū. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ. Nārada Muni is authority. And Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Therefore there is Rudra-sampradāya, āmnāya, because he is authority. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ (SB 6.3.20), this Kumāra. And Kumāra means catuḥsana, Sanat-kumāra, catuḥsana. They are also authorities. And Kapiladeva, here, Devahūti-putra Kapiladeva, He is also authority. In this way, Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Kapiladeva, Manu, and Bhīṣmadeva, Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja, Bhīṣmadeva, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Prahlāda Mahārāja—in this way there are twelve authorities, and all of them are following the Sāṅkhya philosophy or bhakti-yoga, all of them.
So we have to accept one of these mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Then you will be successful. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ: If you want to learn the Absolute Truth by logic and argument, it will never be possible. Logician... You may be one logician, better logician than me, and another logician may be better than you. But the Absolute Truth is avan manasa-gocara. By logical arguments how you can reach? That is not possible. Tarko 'prati... Therefore it is useless waste of time. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures, even you take the Vedic scriptures, there are so many: four Vedas... Some of them are following the Yajur-veda, some of them following Ṛg-veda, some of them Sāma-veda, Atharva-veda. Then there are Upaniṣads. Then there are Purāṇas, then Brahma-sūtra, the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. They are all right. But because I am ill-advised, I take conclusion differently. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Or you take Bible or Koran. So by simply reading all the scriptures, it is very difficult also. So śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Muni, means thoughtful men, philosophers, they are also defeating, one thoughtful man, another thoughtful man. Unless he defeats another man, philosopher, he does not become a very big philosopher. Therefore it is said, nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Why? You cannot become a muni unless you propound a different system of philosophy. So this is the position. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. Therefore the truth of spiritual life is very complicated. It is very difficult to understand. Then how I shall be able to understand? The conclusion is mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You follow the mahājana. Out of these twelve mahājana, you follow any one of them, and you will be successful.