### CC Adi 8.17

> জ্ঞানতঃ সুলভা মুক্তির্ভুক্তির্যজ্ঞাদিপুণ্যতঃ ।\
> সেয়ং সাধনসাহস্রৈর্হরিভক্তিঃ সুদুর্লভা ॥১৭॥

> jñānataḥ su-labhā muktir\
> bhuktir yajñādi-puṇyataḥ\
> seyaṁ sādhana-sāhasrair\
> hāri-bhaktiḥ su-durlabhā

*jñānataḥ*—by cultivation of knowledge; *su-labhā*—easily obtainable; *muktiḥ*—liberation; *bhuktiḥ*—sense enjoyment; *yajña-ādi*—performance of sacrifices, etc.; *puṇyataḥ*—and by performing pious activities; *sā*—that; *iyam*—this; *sādhana-sāhasraiḥ*—execution of thousands of sacrifices; *hari-bhaktiḥ*—devotional service; *su-durlabhā*—is very rare.

**"By cultivating philosophical knowledge one can understand his spiritual position and thus be liberated, and by performing sacrifices and pious activities one can achieve sense gratification in a higher planetary system, but the devotional service of the Lord is so rare that even by executing hundreds and thousands of such sacrifices one cannot obtain it."**

Prahlāda Mahārāja instructs:

> matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
> mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
> (Bhāg. 7.5.30)

> naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
> spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
> mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ
> niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
> (Bhāg. 7.5.32)

These *ślokas* are to be discussed. Their purport is that one cannot obtain *kṛṣṇa-bhakti,* or the devotional service of the Lord, by official execution of the Vedic rituals. One has to approach a pure devotee. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, *chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā:* "Who has been elevated without rendering service to a pure Vaiṣṇava?" It is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja that unless one is able to accept the dust from the lotus feet of a pure Vaiṣṇava there is no possibility of achieving the platform of devotional service. That is the secret. The above-mentioned *tantra-vacana,* quoted from the *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu* (1.1.36), is our perfect guidance in this connection.