etÄá¹ vidyÄm adhigato
viÅ›varÅ«pÄc chatakratuḥ
trailokya-lakṣmīṠbubhuje
vinirjitya má¹›dhe 'surÄn
etÄm - this; vidyÄm - prayer; adhigataḥ - received; viÅ›varÅ«pÄt - from the brÄhmaṇa ViÅ›varÅ«pa; Å›ata-kratuḥ - Indra, the King of heaven; trailokya-laká¹£mÄ«m - all the opulence of the three worlds; bubhuje - enjoyed; vinirjitya - conquering; má¹›dhe - in battle; asurÄn - all the demons.
This mystical mantric armor given by ViÅ›varÅ«pa to Indra, the King of heaven, acted powerfully, with the effect that Indra was able to conquer the asuras and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds without impediments. In this regard, MadhvÄcÄrya points out:
vidyÄḥ karmÄṇi ca sadÄ
guroḥ prÄptÄḥ phala-pradÄḥ
anyathÄ naiva phaladÄḥ
prasannoktÄḥ phala-pradÄḥ
One must receive all kinds of mantras from a bona fide spiritual master; otherwise the mantras will not be fruitful. This is also indicated in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (4.34):
tad viddhi praṇipÄtena
paripraÅ›nena sevayÄ
upadeká¹£yanti te jñÄnaá¹
jñÄninas tattva-darÅ›inaḥ
“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.†All mantras should be received through the authorized guru, and the disciple must satisfy the guru in all respects, after surrendering at his lotus feet. In the Padma PurÄṇa it is also said, sampradÄya-vihÄ«nÄ ye mantrÄs te niá¹£phalÄ matÄḥ. There are four sampradÄyas, or disciplic successions, namely the Brahma sampradÄya, the Rudra sampradÄya, the ÅšrÄ« sampradÄya and the KumÄra sampradÄya. If one wants to advance in spiritual power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona fide sampradÄyas; otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Sixth Canto, Eighth Chapter, of the ÅšrÄ«mad-BhÄgavatam, entitled “The NÄrÄyaṇa-kavaca Shield.â€