504 Srimad Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 9

of many hundreds of thousands of people, one may try for perfection in the
human life, and out of many liberated souls one may know Him as He is.
Therefore, the knowledge of the Personality of Godhead may be attained
by devotional service only. Rahasyam means devotional service. Lord
Krsna instructed Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita because He found Arjuna to
be a devotee and friend. Without such qualifications, no one can enter into
the mystery of the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore, one cannot understand the
Personality of Godhead unless one becomes a devotee and discharges
devotional service. This mystery is love of Godhead. Therein lies the main
qualification for knowing the mystery of the Personality of Godhead. And
to attain the stage of transcendental love of Godhead regulative principles
of devotional service must be followed. The regulative principles are called
vidhi-bhakti, or devotional service of the Lord, and they can be practiced
by aneophyte with his present senses. Such regulative principles are mainly
based on hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord. And such hearing
and chanting of the glories of the Lord can be made possible in the asso-
ciation of devotees only. Lord Caitanya therefore recommended five main
principles for attaining perfection in the devotional service of the Lord.
The first is association of devotees (hearing); second is chanting the glories
of the Lord; third, hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam from the pure devotee;
fourth, residing in a holy place connected with the Lord; and fifth, wor-
shiping the Deity of the Lord with devotion. Such rules and regulations
are parts of devotional service. So, as requested by Lord Brahma, the
Personality of Godhead will explain all about the four questions put
forward by Brahma, and others also which are parts and parcels of the
same questions.

TEXT 32
TARE «TIA -aZTNANs: |
we aati 8 Aca NR

yavan aham yatha-bhavo
yad-ritpa-guna-karmakah

tathaiva tattva-vijniadnam
astu te mad-anugrahat

yavan—as | am ineternal form; aham—Myself; yatha—as much as; bhavah
—transcendental existence; yat—those; rijpa—various forms and colors;
