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The Process of Creation
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home, back to Godhead, as we have several times discussed in these pages.
According to the cult of devotion, generally known as the Vaiṣṇava cult, there is no bar for anyone to advance in the matter of God realization. A Vaiṣṇava is powerful enough to turn into a Vaiṣṇava even the Kirāta, etc., as above mentioned. In the  Bhagavad-gītā  also it is said by the Lord (Bg. 9.32) that there is no bar to becoming a devotee of the Lord (even for those who are low-born, or women,  śūdras  or  vaiśyas ), and by becoming a devotee everyone is eligible to return home, back to Godhead. The only qualification is that one take shelter of a pure devotee of the Lord who has thorough knowledge in the transcendental science of Kṛṣṇa ( Bhagavad-gītā  and  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ). Anyone from any part of the world who becomes well conversant in the science of Kṛṣṇa becomes a pure devotee and a spiritual master for the general mass of people and may reclaim them by purification of heart. A person, though he be even the most sinful man, can at once be purified by systematic contact with a pure Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava, therefore, can accept a bona fide disciple from any part of the world without any consideration of caste and creed and promote him by regulative principles to the status of a pure Vaiṣṇava who is transcendental to brahminical culture. The system of caste, or  varṇāśrama-dharma , is no longer regular even amongst the so-called followers of the system. Nor is it now possible to reestablish the institutional function in the present context of social, political and economic revolution. Without any reference to the particular custom of a country, one can be accepted to the Vaiṣṇava cult spiritually, and there is no hindrance in the transcendental process. So by the order of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the cult of  Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam  or the  Bhagavad-gītā  can be preached all over the world, reclaiming all persons willing to accept the transcendental cult. Such cultural propaganda by the devotees will certainly be accepted by all persons who are reasonable and inquisitive, without any particular bias for the custom of the country. The Vaiṣṇava never accepts another Vaiṣṇava on the basis of birthright, just as he never thinks of the Deity of the Lord in a temple as idol worship. And to remove all doubts in this connection, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has invoked the blessings of the Lord, who is all-powerful ( prabhaviṣṇave namah ). As the all-powerful Lord accepts the humble service of His devotee in devotional activities of the  arcanā , His form as the worshipable Deity in the temple, similarly the body of a pure Vaiṣṇava changes transcendentally at once by giving himself up to the service of the Lord and training by a qualified Vaiṣṇava. The injunction of Vaiṣṇava regulation in this connection runs