256 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 3
long for those who live on this planet. Sutapa was the son of Brahma, and
as we have already understood from Bhagavad-gita (8.17), one day of
Brahma equals many millions of years according to our calculation
(sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh). We should be
careful to understand that to get Krsna as one’s son, one must undergo
such great austerities. If we want to get the Supreme Personality of God-
head to become one of us in this material world, this requires great
penance, but if we want to go back to Krsna (tyaktva deham punar
Janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna), we need only understand Him and love
Him. Through love only, we can very easily go back home, back to God-
head. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore declared, prema pum-artho
mahan: love of Godhead is the highest achievement for anyone.

As we have explained, in worship of the Lord there are three stages—
Jiiana, jfidnamayi and rati, or love. Sutapa and his wife, Présni, in-
augurated their devotional activities on the basis of full knowledge.
Gradually they developed love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and when this love was mature, the Lord appeared as Visnu, although
Devaki then requested Him to assume the form of Krsna. To love the
Supreme Personality of Godhead more, we want a form of the Lord like
Krsna or Rama. We can engage in loving transactions with Krsna
especially.

In this age, we are all fallen, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead
has appeared as Caitanya Mahaprabhu to bestow upon us love of Godhead
directly. This was appreciated by the associates of Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. Ripa Gosvami said:

namo mahda-vadaénydya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvise namah
In this verse, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is described as mahd-vadanya,
the most munificent of charitable persons, because He gives Krsna so
easily that one can attain Krsna simply by chanting the Hare Krsna
maha-mantra. We should therefore take advantage of the benediction
given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and when by chanting the Hare
Krsna mantra we are cleansed of all dirty things (ceto-darpana-
marjanam), we shall be able to understand very easily that Krsna is the
