526 Srimad Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 9

param gato ‘pi vedanam sarva-sastrartha-vedyapi
yo na sarvesvare bhaktas tarn vidyat purusadhamam.

“Even though one may have gone to the other side of all the Vedas, and
even though one is well versed in all the revealed scriptures, if one is not a
devotee of the Supreme Lord, he must be considered to be the lowest of
mankind.” Similarly, it is also stated indirectly as follows:

yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akificana
sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah

harav abhaktesu kuto mahat-guna-
mano-rathendsato dhavato yahi.

One who has unflinching devotion unto the Supreme Personality of
Godhead must have all the good qualities of the demigods, and contrarily
one who is not a devotee of the Lord must be hovering in the darkness of
mental speculation and thus must be engaged in the material imperma-
nence.

It is also said in the Eleventh Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam:

§abda brahmani nisnato na nisnayat pare yadi
Sravas tasya §rama-phalo hy adhenum iva raksatah

“One may be well versed in all the transcendental literature of the
Vedas, but if he fails to be acquainted with the Supreme, then it must be
concluded that all of his education is like the burden of the beast or as
one’s keeping a cow without milking capacity.”

Similarly, the liberty of discharging loving transcendental service to the
Lord is invested in everyone, even the women, the sidras, the forest
tribes, or any other living beings who are born in sinful conditions.

te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-mayam
stri-siidra-hiina-sabara api papa-jivah
yady adbhita-krama-parayana-silasik sas
tiryag-janda api kimu sruta-dharana ye
(Bhag. 2.7.46)

The lowest of human beings can be elevated to the highest stage of
devotional life if they are trained up by the bona fide spiritual master
well versed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. If the
