The Most Intelligent Woman
9
we have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to disturb Kṛṣṇa or are actually serious. That is Māyā's business. So in the beginning there will be tests by Māyā, and we shall feel so many disturbances while making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if we follow the rules and regulations and chant regularly as prescribed, then we shall remain steady. If we neglect these principles, Māyā will capture us immediately. Māyā is always ready. We are in the ocean, and at any moment we may be disturbed. Therefore one who is not disturbed at all is called  paramahaṁsa .
Kuntīdevī therefore says,  tathā paramahaṁsānām : "You are meant to be understood by the  paramahaṁsas ." The word  parama  means "ultimate," and  haṁsa  means "swan." So  paramahaṁsa  means "the perfect swan." If we give a swan milk mixed with water, the swan will take the milk and leave aside the water. Similarly, this material world is made of two natures—the inferior nature and the superior nature. The superior nature means spiritual life, and the inferior nature is material life. Thus a person who gives up the material part of this world and takes only the spiritual part is called  paramahaṁsa .
One should know that the activities of the body are due to the soul within the body. That is the real fact. The body is only the outward covering. Similarly, one should know that Kṛṣṇa is the real center of all activities, and one who knows this is a  paramahaṁsa . Thus  bhakti-yoga  is for the  paramahaṁsa , one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the central fact. Kṛṣṇa says in  Bhagavad-gītā ,  ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate : "I am the source of everything; everything emanates from Me." So one who knows, not only theoretically but practically, that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes—one who is convinced of this—is a  paramahaṁsa .
Kuntīdevī says, "You are meant for the  paramahaṁsas , not for the rascals and fools. You are meant for the  paramahaṁsas  and  munis ." The word  munīnām  refers to those who are thoughtful or to mental speculators, and the word  amalātmanām  refers to one who has no dirty things in his heart. The heart of a materialistic person is full of dirty things. What are those dirty things? Lust and greed. All materialistic persons are lusty and greedy, and therefore their hearts are understood to be full of dirty things, but  amalātmanām  refers to those who are freed from these two contaminations.
Bhakti-yoga  is meant for those whose hearts are cleansed, not for the lusty and greedy. Of course, those who are lusty and greedy may try to advance, and gradually they may do so, but once one is situated in  bhakti-yoga  there is no more lust or greed.  Viraktir anyatra ca  ( Bhāg.  11.2.42). This is the test—when one is free from lusty desires and greed, then he is