530 Srimad Bhagavatam . [Canto 2, Ch. 9
annihilated. He is worshiped in every millennium or yuga, as it is said,
krte yad dhyayato visnurh tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricarydyarm kalau taddhari-kirtanat

In the Visnu Purana it is written: ‘‘sa hdnis tan-mahacchidram sa mohah
sa ca vibhramah yan-muhirtarh ksanam vapi vasudevarn na cintayet.” If even
for a moment remembrance of Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of God-
head, is missed, that is the greatest loss, that is the greatest illusion, and that
is the greatest anomaly. The Lord can be worshiped in all stages of life.
For instance, even in the womb of their mothers Maharaja Prahlada and
Mah§araja Pariksit worshiped the Lord; even in his very childhood, at the
age of only five years, Dhruva Maharaja worshiped the Lord; even in full
youth, Maharaja Ambarisa worshiped the Lord: and even at the last stage
of his frustration and old age Maharaja Dhrtarastra worshiped the Lord.
Ajamila worshiped the Lord even at the point of death, and the Lord was
worshiped by Citraketu even in heaven and in hell. In the Narasimha
Purana it is said that as the hellish inhabitants began to chant the holy
name of the Lord they began to be elevated from hell towards heaven.
Durvasa Muni has also supported this view: “mucyeta yan-namny udite
narako ’pi.”’Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord the inhabitants
of hell became released from their hellish persecution. So the conclusion
of Srimad-Bhdgavatam, as given by Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit,
is: etad nirvidya mananam icchatam akuto-bhayam yoginanam api nirnitam
harer nadmanukirtanam: “® King, it is finally decided that everyone,
namely those in the renounced order of life, the mystics, and the enjoyers
of fruitive work, should chant the holy name of the Lord fearlessly to
achieve the desired success in their pursuits.”

Similarly, it is indicated indirectly in various places of revealed scrip-
tures:

1. Even though one is well versed in all the Vedas and scriptures, if one
is not a devotee of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, he is
considered to be the lowest of mankind.

2. In the Garuda Purana, Brhad-Naradiya Purana and Padma Purana, the
same is repeated: What is the use of Vedic knowledge and penances for one
who is devoid of devotional service of the Lord?

3. What is the comparison of thousands of Prajapatis with one devotee
of the Lord?

4. Sukadeva Gosvami said (Bhag. 2.4.17) that neither the ascetic, nor
one who is greatly munificent, nor one who is famous, nor the great
