Text 61] Talks Between the Lord and Ramananda Raya 115

Ramananda replied with this verse from Bhagavad-gita (9.27) that while remaining
in the system of varnasrama-dharma, one may offer the results of his activities to
Lord Sri Krsna in loving service. Naturally Lord $ri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was ask-
ing Ramananda Raya about the execution of devotional service. Rimananda Raya
first enunciated the principle of varndsrama-dharma in consideration of ma-
terialistic people. However, this conception is not transcendental. As long as one
is in the material world, he must follow the principles of varnasrama-dharma, but
devotional service is transcendental. The system of varndsrama-dharma refers to
the three modes of material nature, but transcendental devotional service is on
the absolute platform. $ri Caitanya Mahaprabhu belonged to the spiritual world,
and His methods for propagating the sankirtana movement were also imported
from the spiritual world. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung: golokera prema-
dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmila kene taya. This states that the
sankirtana movement has nothing to do with this material world. It is imported
from the spiritual world, Goloka Vrndavana. Narottama dasa Thakura laments that
mundane people do not take this sarikirtana movement seriously. Considering the
position of devotional service and the sankirtana movement, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu deemed the system of varnasrama-dharma to be material, although
it aims at elevation to the spiritual platform. However, the sankirtana movement
can raise one immediately to the spiritual platform. Consequently it is said that
varnasrama- dharma is external, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested Ramananda
Raya to proceed deeper into the matter and uncover the spiritual platform.

Sometimes materialists consider Lord Visnu a material conception. !mper-
sonalists think that above Lord Visnu is the impersonal Brahman. The imper-
sonalists misunderstand the worship of Lord Visnu. They worship Lord Visnu to
merge into His body. In order that visnu-aradhana not be misunderstood, $ri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested that Sri Ramananda Raya proceed further and
clear up the issue. Ramananda Raya quoted the verse from Bhagavad-gita stating
that the results of one’s occupational duty may be offered to Lord Visnu or Krsna.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.8) it is also said:

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathdsu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam

“If one executes the occupational duties of varnasrama-dharma but does not
cultivate his dormant Krsna consciousness, his activities are futile. His occupation
simply becomes unnecessary labor.”

TEXT 61

AF BR— “Ml AV BCA FE lA |”
A BCR, “MUA-St,— GE AieG-nIg W” ws 4
