Revealed Scriptures 103

person who becomes attracted to places other than Mathura will
certainly be captivated by the illusory energy.” In the Brahmanda
Purana it is said that all the results of traveling on all the pilgrimages
within the three worlds can be achieved simply by touching the holy
land of Mathura. In many Sastras (scriptures) it is said that simply by
hearing, remembering, glorifying, desiring, seeing, or touching the
land of Mathura, one can achieve all desires.

In the Padma Purana, there is a nice statement praising the ser-
vice of the Vaisnavas or devotees. In that scripture Lord Siva tells
Parvati, ““My dear Parvati, there are different methods of worship,
and out of all such methods the worship of the Supreme Person is
considered to be the highest. But even higher than the worship of the
Lord is the worship of the Lord’s devotees.”

A similar statement is in the Third Canto, 7th Chapter, 19th verse,
of the Srimad-Bhagavatam: “Let me become a sincere servant of the
devotees because by serving them one can achieve unalloyed devo-
tional service unto the lotus feet of the Lord. The service of devotees
diminishes all miserable material conditions and develops within one
a deep devotional love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

In the Skanda Purana there is a similar statement: ‘Persons whose
bodies are marked with tilaka, symbolizing the conchshell, wheel,
club and lotus—and who keep the leaves of tulasi on their heads, and
whose bodies are always decorated with gopi-candana—even seen
once, can help the seer be relieved from all sinful activities.”

A similar statement is found in the First Canto, 19th Chapter, 30th
verse, of the Srimad-Bhdgavatam: “There is no doubt about one’s be-
coming freed from all reactions to sinful activities after visiting a
devotee or touching his lotus feet or giving him a sitting place. Even
by remembering the activities of such Vaisnavas, one becomes puri-
fied, along with his whole family. And what, then, can be said of ren-
dering direct service to him?”

In the Adi Purana there is the following statement by Lord Krsna
Himself, addressed to Arjuna: “My dear Partha, one who claims to
be My devotee is not so. Only a person who claims to be the devotee
of My devotee is actually My devotee.” No one can approach the
Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. One must approach Him
