rahūgaṇa - O King Rahūgaṇa; etat - this; tapasā - by severe austerities and penances; na yāti - one does not obtain; na - neither; ca - also; ijyayā - by gorgeous worship; nirvapaṇāt - by entering the renounced order of life; gṛhāt - by sacrifices while living in the home; vā - or; na chandasā - nor by scholarly study of the Vedas; na - nor; eva - certainly; jala-agni-sūryaiḥ - by worshiping water, fire or scorching sunshine; vinā - without; mahat-pāda-rajaḥ - of the dust of the lotus feet of a mahātmā; abhiṣekam - the sprinkling.

“ ‘O King Rahūgaṇa, without taking upon one’s head the dust from the lotus feet of a pure devotee [a mahājana or mahātmā], one cannot attain devotional service. Devotional service is not possible to attain simply by undergoing severe austerities and penances, by gorgeously worshiping the Deity, or by strictly following the rules and regulations of the sannyāsa or gṛhastha order; nor is it attained by studying the Vedas, submerging oneself in water, or exposing oneself to fire or scorching sunlight.’