Prabhupāda: Merging means this. Just like the machine merges with the machine . . . a screw merges with the machine, but still a screw remains the screw and the machine remains the machine. But as soon as they are mixed together, the screw has value and the machine is complete. But not that the screw becomes the machine or the machine becomes screw. Is it not?
Guest: . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: So merging means that the machine and the screw, some screw being slackened, it has fallen down on the ground, so, so long it is out of the touch of the machine it is useless. It has no value. So merging into the Supreme means your value is now useless without being merging into the Supreme. And as soon as you become adjusted with the Supreme, your original value is revived. That is real meaning of merging.
Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā. When one understands Kṛṣṇa in truth, tattvata—tattvata means in truth—then he is allowed to enter, or merge. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). That also, that entrance is allowed by bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Tattvato jñātvā. You can understand Kṛṣṇa in truth by devotional service. Not by any other means.
Suppose you are a big lawyer. I want to make friendship with you, I want to know about your inside life. That I can know by knowing you completely, and by satisfying you some way or other, by serving you. Then you will say: "Oh, my dear sir, you want to know me? All right. This is this." So similarly, bhakti means service. You have to please Kṛṣṇa, then you can know Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is safe(?). Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti pūrvakam (BG 10.10): "Those who are always engaged in love and affection," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, "I say unto Him, I give him intelligence." Not to ordinary persons.
Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Lord, he can get instruction from Kṛṣṇa. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā. And when he gets instruction fully, and he is fully aware of Kṛṣṇa, viśate tad anantaram, then merging question comes. Without understanding . . . without clear understanding of Kṛṣṇa, where is the question of merging? Simply imagining that I am merge into Kṛṣṇa? No. That is not possible. You should know first of all what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God. Then there is question of merging. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Therefore this merging process takes place after many, many births. Is it not? So we first of all have to understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. If he has vague idea of Kṛṣṇa, vague idea of . . . where is the question of merging?
Guest: And that we understand by service.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes, that service. Yes, service. Therefore only by devotional service you can understand Kṛṣṇa. There is no other way. That I have explained: bhaktyā. Bhaktyā, by bhakti, you can become perfect, you can understand Kṛṣṇa, God, and you can enter into the kingdom of God, make your life perfect. Only bhakti. There is no compromise. One who says that there are so many other ways, any way . . .
Especially this Ramakrishna Mission, that whatever way you accept, that is complete. No. Only. That is the recommended process. Bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti yāvān . . . (BG 18.55). In the Vedas, in the Purāṇas, in the Bhāgavata, in . . . everywhere. That is the process. Simply by devotional service you can understand God. Otherwise, it is not possible.
So is it becoming clear?
Guest: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Don't keep yourself in doubt. So long you are in doubt, you go on searching.
Guest: No, no, I . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Yes. One difficulty is that we go to some saintly person, we hear, and we challenge, "Whether the saintly person corroborated my idea?" If he does not, then he's not good.
Guest: (laughs) not . . .
Prabhupāda: If it is against my conviction, "Oh, he is not good."
Guest: . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: No, I am speaking not of you. I know what you are doing. But we should corroborate. But as a preacher, we should simply speak the real truth. There is no question of corresponding with your ideas and another idea. No. We . . . whatever we know, whatever we have heard from our authorities, we'll speak. That's all. It may be somebody may know better than me. That is another thing. But I have to present what I have learned from the authority. That's all. And our authority is Kṛṣṇa, mainly.