यत्रोपगीयते नित्यं देवदेवो जनार्दनः ॥२०॥
durÄpÄ hy alpa-tapasaḥ
sevÄ vaikuṇá¹ha-vartmasu
yatropagÄ«yate nityaá¹
deva-devo janÄrdanaḥ
1 times this text was mentioned in purports to other texts: CC(1)
durÄpÄ - rarely obtainable; hi - certainly; alpa-tapasaḥ - of one whose austerity is meager; sevÄ - service; vaikuṇá¹ha - the transcendental kingdom of God; vartmasu - on the path of; yatra - wherein; upagÄ«yate - is glorified; nityam - always; deva - of the demigods; devaḥ - the Lord; jana-ardanaḥ - the controller of the living entities.
Persons whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees who are progressing on the path back to the kingdom of Godhead, the Vaikuṇá¹has. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.
The path of liberation, as recommended by all authorities, is to serve the mahÄtmÄ transcendentalists. As far as Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ is concerned, the mahÄtmÄs are the pure devotees who are on the path to Vaikuṇá¹ha, the kingdom of God, and who always chant and hear the glories of the Lord rather than talk of dry, profitless philosophy. This system of association has been recommended since time immemorial, but in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy it is especially recommended by Lord ÅšrÄ« Caitanya MahÄprabhu. Even if one has no assets of favorable austerity, if he nevertheless takes shelter of the mahÄtmÄs, who are engaged in chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord, he is sure to make progress on the path back home, back to Godhead.
