ei kali-kÄle Ära nÄhi kona dharma
vaiṣṇava, vaiṣṇava-Å›Ästra, ei kahe marma

 ei kali-kÄle - in this Age of Kali; Ära - other; nÄhi kona - there is not any; dharma - religious principle; vaiṣṇava - devotee; vaiṣṇava-Å›Ästra - devotional literature; ei kahe marma - this is the purport.


Text

In this Age of Kali there are no genuine religious principles other than those established by Vaiṣṇava devotees and the Vaiṣṇava scriptures. This is the sum and substance of everything.

Purport

One must have firm faith in the process of devotional service and the scriptures that support it. If one hears the activities of ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu with this faith, he can be freed from his envious position. ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam is meant for such nonenvious persons (nirmatsarÄṇÄá¹ satÄm). In this age a person should not envy ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu’s movement but should chant the holy names of Hari and Kṛṣṇa, the mahÄ-mantra. That is the sum and substance of the eternal religion, known as sanÄtana-dharma. In this verse the word vaiṣṇava refers to a pure devotee and fully realized soul, and the word vaiṣṇava-Å›Ästra refers to Å›ruti, or the Vedas, which are called Å›abda-pramÄṇa, the evidence of transcendental sound. One who strictly follows the Vedic literature and chants the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead will actually be situated in the transcendental disciplic succession. Those who want to attain life’s ultimate goal must follow this principle. In ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam (11.19.17), it is said:

Å›rutiḥ pratyaká¹£am aitihyam anumÄnaá¹ catuṣṭayam
pramÄṇeá¹£v anavasthÄnÄd vikalpÄt sa virajyate

“Vedic literature, direct perception, history and hypothesis are the four kinds of evidential proofs. Everyone should stick to these principles for the realization of the Absolute Truth.â€