'dharmÄdi' viá¹£aye yaiche e 'cÄri' vicÄra
sÄdhana-bhakti — ei cÄri vicÄrera pÄra
dharma-Ädi - of religious activities and so on; viá¹£aye - in the subject matter; yaiche - just as; e cÄri vicÄra - there is a consideration of four principles, namely the person, country, time and atmosphere; sÄdhana-bhakti - of devotional service; ei - these; cÄri - four; vicÄrera - to the considerations; pÄra - transcendental.
“ ‘As far as religious principles are concerned, there is a consideration of the person, the country, the time and the circumstance. In devotional service, however, there are no such considerations. Devotional service is transcendental to all such considerations.
When we are on the material platform, there are different types of religions — Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and so on. These are instituted for a particular time, a particular country or a particular person. Consequently there are differences. Christian principles are different from Hindu principles, and Hindu principles are different from Muslim and Buddhist principles. These may be considered on the material platform, but when we come to the platform of transcendental devotional service, there are no such considerations. The transcendental service of the Lord (sÄdhana-bhakti) is above these principles. The world is anxious for religious unity, and that common platform can be achieved in transcendental devotional service. This is the verdict of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. When one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, he becomes transcendental to all these limited considerations. This is confirmed by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (14.26):
mÄá¹ ca yo ’vyabhicÄreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇÄn samatÄ«tyaitÄn brahma-bhÅ«yÄya kalpate
“One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.â€
The devotional activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are completely transcendental to material considerations. As far as different faiths are concerned, religions may be of different types, but on the spiritual platform, everyone has an equal right to execute devotional service. That is the platform of oneness and the basis for a classless society. In his Amá¹›ta-pravÄha-bhÄá¹£ya, ÅšrÄ«la Bhaktivinoda ṬhÄkura confirms that one has to learn from a bona fide spiritual master about religious principles, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately liberation. These are the four divisions of regulated life, but they are on the material platform. On the spiritual platform, the four principles are jñÄna, vijñÄna, tad-aá¹…ga and tad-rahasya. Rules, regulations and restrictions are on the material platform, but on the spiritual platform one has to be equipped with transcendental knowledge, which is above the principles of religious rituals. Mundane religious activity is known as smÄrta-viddhi, but transcendental devotional service is called gosvÄmi-viddhi. Unfortunately many so-called gosvÄmÄ«s are on the platform of smÄrta-viddhi, yet they try to pass as gosvÄmi-viddhi, and thus the people are cheated. GosvÄmÄ«-viddhi is strictly explained in SanÄtana GosvÄmī’s Hari-bhakti-vilÄsa, wherein it is stated:
yathÄ kÄñcanatÄá¹ yÄti kÄá¹syaá¹ rasa-vidhÄnataḥ
tathÄ dÄ«ká¹£Ä-vidhÄnena dvijatvaá¹ jÄyate nṛṇÄm
“By chemical manipulation, bell metal is turned into gold when touched by mercury; similarly, when a person is properly initiated, he can acquire the qualities of a brÄhmaṇa.â€
The conclusion is that devotional service is open for everyone, regardless of caste, creed, time and country. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is functioning according to this principle.
