dÄna-vrata-tapo-homa
japa-svÄdhyÄya-saá¹yamaiḥ
Å›reyobhir vividhaiÅ› cÄnyaiḥ
kṛṣṇe bhaktir hi sÄdhyate
dÄna - by charity; vrata - strict vows; tapaḥ - austerities; homa - fire sacrifices; japa - private chanting of mantras; svÄdhyÄya - study of Vedic texts; saá¹yamaiḥ - and regulative principles; Å›reyobhiḥ - by auspicious practices; vividhaiḥ - various; ca - also; anyaiḥ - others; kṛṣṇe - to Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhaktiḥ - devotional service; hi - indeed; sÄdhyate - is realized.
Devotional service unto Lord Kṛṣṇa is attained by charity, strict vows, austerities and fire sacrifices, by japa, study of Vedic texts, observance of regulative principles and, indeed, by the performance of many other auspicious practices.
ÅšrÄ«la ViÅ›vanÄtha CakravartÄ« explains the processes described here as follows. DÄna: donations given to Lord Viṣṇu and His devotees. Vrata: observing vows such as EkÄdaśī. Tapas: renunciation of sense gratification for Kṛṣṇa’s sake. Homa: fire sacrifices dedicated to Viṣṇu. Japa: privately chanting the holy names of the Lord. SvÄdhyÄya: study and recitation of Vedic texts such as the GopÄla-tÄpanÄ« Upaniá¹£ad.
