Steering Toward the Supreme 75
Understanding this, the wise man will surrender
immediately and not wait to take many, many births.
He understands that this information is given by the
Supreme Lord out of His infinite mercy on the con-
ditioned souls. We are all conditioned souls, suffering
the threefold miseries of this material world. Now the
Supreme Lord is giving us the opportunity to escape
these miseries by the surrendering process.

At this point one may ask that if the Supreme
Personality is the ultimate goal and one has to sur-
render to Him, why are there so many different
processes of worship in the world? This question is
answered in the next verse.

kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah
prapadyante’nya-devatah
tam tam niyamam asthaya
prakrtya niyatah svaya
‘Those whose minds are distorted by material desires
surrender unto demigods and follow the particular
rules and regulations of worship according to their
own natures.” (Bg. 7.20)

There are many different types of men in the
world, and they’re functioning under the different
modes of material nature. Generally speaking, most
men are not after liberation. If they take to spiritu-
ality, they wish to gain something by spiritual power.
It is not uncommon in India for a person to go to a
svami and say, ““Svamiji, could you give me some
medicine? I am suffering from this disease.” He
thinks that because a doctor is too expensive, he can
go to a svami who can work miracles. In India also
