tenaikam ÄtmÄnam aÅ›eá¹£a-dehinÄá¹
kÄlaá¹ pradhÄnaá¹ puruá¹£aá¹ pareÅ›am
sva-tejasÄ dhvasta-guṇa-pravÄham
Ätmaika-bhÄvena bhajadhvam addhÄ
tena - therefore; ekam - one; ÄtmÄnam - unto the Supreme Soul; aÅ›eá¹£a - unlimited; dehinÄm - of the individual souls; kÄlam - time; pradhÄnam - the material cause; puruá¹£am - the Supreme Person; para-īśam - the transcendental controller; sva-tejasÄ - by His spiritual energy; dhvasta - aloof; guṇa-pravÄham - from material emanations; Ätma - self; eka-bhÄvena - accepting as qualitatively one; bhajadhvam - engage in devotional service; addhÄ - directly.
According to Vedic calculations, there are three causes of creation: time, the ingredient and the creator. Combined, these are called tritayÄtmaka, the three causes. Everything in this material world is created by these three causes. All of these causes are found in the Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Brahma-saá¹hitÄ, sarva-kÄraṇa-kÄraṇam. NÄrada Muni therefore advises the PracetÄs to worship the direct cause, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated before, when the root of a tree is watered, all the parts are energized. According to the advice of NÄrada Muni, one should directly engage in devotional service. This will include all pious activity. Caitanya-caritÄmá¹›ta states, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma ká¹›ta haya: when one worships the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, in devotional service, one automatically performs all other pious activity. In this verse the words sva-tejasÄ dhvasta-guṇa-pravÄham are very significant. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is never affected by the material qualities, although they all emanate from His spiritual energy. Those who are really conversant with this knowledge can utilize everything for the service of the Lord because nothing in this material world is unconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.