110
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 2, Ch. 2]
PURPORT
Pure self-realization, as we have several times discussed, is the pure consciousness of admitting oneself as the eternal servitor of the Lord. Thus one is reinstated in his original position of transcendental loving service of the Lord, as it will be clearly explained in the following verse. This stage of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord without any hopes of emolument from the Lord, or any other way, can be attained when the material senses are purified and the original pure state of the senses revived. It is suggested herein that the process of purifying the senses is by the yogic way, namely the gross senses are merged in the modes of ignorance, and the subtle senses are merged in the mode of passion. The mind belongs to the mode of goodness and therefore is called  devamaya , or godly. Perfect purification of the mind is made possible when one is fixed in the conviction of being the eternal servitor of the Lord. Therefore simple attainment of goodness is also a material mode; one has to surpass this stage of material goodness and reach the point of purified goodness, or  vāsudeva-sattva . This  vāsudeva-sattva  helps one to enter into the kingdom of God.
We may also remember in this connection that the process of gradual emancipation by the devotees in the manner mentioned above, although authoritative, is not viable at the present age because of people's becoming primarily unaware of the  yoga  practice. The so-called  yoga  practice by the professional protagonists may be physiologically beneficial, but such small successes cannot help one in the attainment of spiritual emancipation as mentioned herein. Five thousand years ago, when the social status of human society was in perfect Vedic order, the  yoga  process mentioned herein was a common affair for everyone because everyone, specifically the  brāhmaṇas  and  kṣatriyas , was trained in the transcendental art in the custody of the spiritual master far away from home, in the status of  brahmacarya . Modern man, therefore, is incompetent to understand it perfectly.
Lord Śrī Caitanya, therefore, made it easier for the prospective devotee of the present age in the following specific manner. Ultimately there is no difference in the result. The first and foremost point is that one must understand the prime importance of  bhakti-yoga . The living beings in different species of life are undergoing different terms of encagement according to their fruitive actions and reactions. But in the execution of different activities, one who secures some resources of  bhakti-yoga  can understand the importance of service to the Lord through the causeless mercy of the Lord, as well as of the spiritual master. A sincere soul is