1092
Śrimad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 24]
The word  sva-dharmam  (as in  sva-dharmam anutiṣṭhatām ) indicates that the system of  varṇāśrama —which indicates the occupational duties of the  brāhmaṇa ,  kṣatriya ,  vaiśya  and  śūdra  and which is the perfect institution for humanity—must be supported by  bhakti-yoga  if one at all wants security in life. Generally people think that simply by executing the occupational duties of a  brāhmaṇa ,  kṣatriya ,  vaiśya  or  śūdra , or the duty of a  brahmacārī ,  gṛhastha ,  vānaprastha  or  sannyāsī , one becomes fearless or securely attains liberation, but factually unless all these occupational duties are accompanied by  bhakti-yoga , one cannot become fearless. In  Bhagavad-gītā  there are descriptions of  karma-yoga ,  jñāna-yoga ,  bhakti-yoga ,  dhyāna-yoga , etc., but unless one comes to the point of  bhakti-yoga , these other  yogas  cannot help one attain the highest perfection of life. In other words,  bhakti-yoga  is the only means for liberation. We find this conclusion also in  Caitanya-caritāmṛta  in a discussion between Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya regarding a human being's liberation from this material world. In that discussion Rāmānanda Rāya referred to the execution of  varṇāśrama-dharma , and Lord Caitanya indicated ( eho bāhya ) that the  varṇāśrama-dharma  was simply external. Lord Caitanya wanted to impress upon Rāmānanda Rāya that simply by executing the duties of  varṇāśrama-dharma  one is not guaranteed liberation. Finally Rāmānanda Rāya referred to the process of  bhakti-yoga :  sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ  ( Bhāg.  10.14.3). Regardless of one's condition of life, if he practices  bhakti-yoga , which begins with hearing ( śruti-gatām ) the transcendental messages of the Lord through the mouths of devotees, he gradually conquers the unconquerable God.
God is known to be unconquerable, but one who submissively hears the words of a self-realized soul conquers the unconquerable. The conclusion is that if one is serious about liberation, he not only should execute the occupational duties of  varṇāśrama-dharma  but should also engage in  bhakti-yoga  by beginning hearing from a realized soul. This process will help the devotee conquer the unconquerable Supreme Personality of Godhead and become His associate after giving up the material body.
TEXT 54
भवान् भक्तिमता लभ्यो दुर्लभः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।
स्वाराज्यस्याप्यभिमत एकान्तेनात्मविद्गतिः ॥५४॥
bhavān bhaktimatā labhyo durlabhaḥ sarva-dehinām