Text 5] Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura
759
sincere person may have a different impression on seeing the behavior of the present residents of the pilgrimage sites. He has recommended that instead of taking the trouble to travel to such places, one should concentrate his mind on Govinda, and that will help him. Of course, to concentrate one's mind on Govinda in any place is a path meant for those who are the most spiritually advanced; it is not for ordinary persons. Ordinary persons may still derive benefit from traveling to holy places like Prayāga, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana and Hardwar.
It is recommended in this verse that one find a person who knows the science of God, or a  tattva-vit .  Tattva-vit  means one who knows the Absolute Truth. There are many pseudo-transcendentalists, even at places of pilgrimage. Such men are always present, and one has to be intelligent enough to find the actual person to be consulted; then his attempt to progress by traveling to different holy places will be successful. One has to be freed from all contamination, and at the same time he has to find a person who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa helps a sincere person; as stated in the  Caitanya-caritāmṛta ,  guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde : by the mercy of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, one attains the path of salvation, devotional service. If one sincerely searches for spiritual salvation, then Kṛṣṇa, being situated in everyone's heart, gives him the intelligence to find a suitable spiritual master. By the grace of a spiritual master like Maitreya, one gets the proper instruction and advances in his spiritual life.
TEXT 5
तयोः संवदतोः सुत प्रवृत्ता ह्यमलाः कथाः । आपो गाङ्गा इवाधमीर्हरेः पादाम्बुजाश्रयाः ॥ ५ ॥
tayoḥ saṁvadatoḥ sūta pravṛttā hy amalāḥ kathāḥ āpo gāṅgā ivāgha-ghnīr hareḥ pādāmbujāśrayāḥ
tayoḥ —while the two (Maitreya and Vidura);  saṁvadatoḥ —were conversing;  sūta —O Sūta;  pravṛttāḥ —arose;  hi —certainly;  amalāḥ —spotless;  kathāḥ —narrations;  āpaḥ —waters;  gāṅgāḥ —of the River Ganges;  iva —like;  agha-ghnīḥ —vanquishing all sins;  hareḥ —of the Lord;  pāda-ambuja —the lotus feet;  āśrayāḥ —taking shelter.