Prabhupāda: Yes?
Devotee: Again, Prabhupāda, in the reading this morning...
Prabhupāda: No, no question of morning. All right, you can ask, but the question and answers should be in the reading matter. Otherwise there will be no end of question and answer if you bring all the matters. You see. Anyway, you can finish that. Yes, any question?
Devotee: You mentioned that the gopas, Kṛṣṇa's friends, are playing with Him and they are said to have done very much pious deeds in their past lives. I understand that they are eternal associates...
Prabhupāda: No, those who are eternal associates… Some of them are eternal associates; some of them are promoted to that eternal association. Suppose if you go and become an associate, playmate of Kṛṣṇa. So your position also becomes, now, eternal. If simply the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa can play with Him, not others, then what is the meaning of your becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? You can become also. How? By pious deeds of many, many lives. You can also become promoted to that position. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). Actually in the bhauma Vṛndāvana in this material world, the Vṛndāvana, mostly the associates of Kṛṣṇa are these conditioned living entities who are promoted to that Kṛṣṇa conscious perfectional stage. They are first of all allowed to see Kṛṣṇa in the planet where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is going on. And then they are promoted to the transcendental Vṛndāvana. Therefore it is said in the Bhāgavata: kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. They are all promoted. But even they are promoted, they are now eternal associates. Is it clear? Hare Kṛṣṇa. So? Any other question?
Devotee: Prabhupāda? Is it possible, possible for one to engage himself in bhakti-yoga without rendering service to Kṛṣṇa? Let's say someone who...
Prabhupāda: Without Kṛṣṇa, where is bhakti?
Devotee: Well, someone is worshiping Lord Buddha or Lord Jesus...
Prabhupāda: That is not bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is simply in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti-yoga cannot be applied to anyone, anything else. How Buddha philosophy can be dovetailed with bhakti-yoga? Bhakti-yoga means to understand God. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (Vanisource:BG 18.55). You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Eighteenth Chapter. By bhakti-yoga you can understand Lord, the Supreme Lord, God. But in Buddha philosophy there is no God? That you know? So where is bhakti-yoga?
Devotee: In the case of Christians, some of them worship Jesus Christ.
Prabhupāda: That is bhakti-yoga. Because they accept God. Unless you accept God there is no question of bhakti-yoga. So Christian religion is also Vaiṣṇavism, because they accept God. Maybe in the, some stage, different from this. There are different stages of God realization also. The Christian religion says "God is great." Accept! That is very good. But just how great God is, that you can understand from Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But there is acceptance that God is great. That is, therefore, that is beginning of bhakti. You can apply that bhakti. Even the Mohammedan religion. That is also bhakti-yoga. Any religion where God is the target - that is, that can be applied in bhakti. But when there is no God, or impersonalism, there is no question of bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means bhaja dhatu kti, bhaja-sevayā. Service. Service means three things: the servitor, the served, and service. One must be present who will accept service. And one must be present to render service. And then the via media, the process of service. So bhakti-yoga means service. If there is nobody to accept the service, then where is the bhakti-yoga? So any philosophy or religious principle where there is no acceptance of God, the Supreme, there is no application of bhakti.