264
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 7, Ch. 9]
mauna —silence;  vrata —vows;  śruta —Vedic knowledge;  tapaḥ —austerity;  adhyayana —study of scripture;  sva-dharma —executing  varṇāśrama-dharma ;  vyākhyā —explaining the  śāstras ;  rahaḥ —living in a solitary place;  japa —chanting or reciting  mantras ;  samādhayaḥ —remaining in trance;  āpavargyāḥ —these are ten types of activities for advancing on the path of liberation;  prāyaḥ —generally;  param —the only means;  puruṣa —O my Lord;  te —all of them;  tu —but;  ajita-indriyāṇām —of persons who cannot control the senses;  vārtāḥ —means of living;  bhavanti —are;  uta —so it is said;  na —not;  vā —or;  atra —in this connection;  tu —but;  dāmbhikānām —of persons who are falsely proud.
TRANSLATION
O Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are ten prescribed methods on the path to liberation—to remain silent, not to speak to anyone, to observe vows, to amass all kinds of Vedic knowledge, to undergo austerities, to study the Vedas and other Vedic literatures, to execute the duties of varṇāśrama-dharma, to explain the śāstras, to stay in a solitary place, to chant mantras silently, and to be absorbed in trance. These different methods for liberation are generally only a professional practice and means of livelihood for those who have not conquered their senses. Because such persons are falsely proud, these procedures may not be successful.
PURPORT
As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.1.15):
kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
“Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed devotional service to Kṛṣṇa can uproot the weeds of sinful actions with no possibility that they will revive. He can do this simply by discharging devotional service, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays.” The