Text 7] Understanding Material Nature 1141

Rupa Gosvami explains very nicely in Bhakti-rasdmrta-sindhu how this
bhava, or preliminary stage of love of God, is achieved. He states that one
first of all has to become faithful (sraddhayanvitah). Faith is attained by
controlling the senses, either by yoga practice, following the rules and
regulations and practicing the sitting postures, or by engaging directly in
bhakti-yoga as recommended in the previous verse. Of the nine different
items of bhakti-yoga, the first and foremost is to chant and hear about the
Lord. That is also mentioned here. Mat-katha-sravanena ca. One may come
to the standard of faithfulness by following the rules and regulations of
the yoga system, and the same goal can be achieved simply by chanting
and hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord. The word ca
is significant. Bhakti-yoga is direct, and the other process is indirect. But
even if the indirect process is taken, there is no success unless one comes
fully to the direct process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord.
Therefore the word satyena is used here. In this connection Svami
Sridhara comments that satyena means niskapatena, “without duplicity.”
The impersonalists are full of duplicity. Sometimes they pretend to execute
devotional service, but their ultimate idea is to become one with the
Supreme. This is duplicity, kapata. The Bhagavatam does not allow this
duplicity. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhdgavatam it is clearly stated,
paramo nirmatsaranam: ‘This treatise of Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant for
those who are completely free from envy.” The same point is again
stressed here. Unless one is completely faithful to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and engages himself in the process of hearing and chanting the
glories of the Lord, there is no possibility for liberation.

TEXT 7

TATA fattonsreya: |
waa aaa Bay TATA Il 9 Il

sarva-bhitta-samatvena
nirvairenaprasangatah

brahmacaryena maunena
sva-dharmena baliyasa

sarva—all; bhita— living entities; samatvena—by seeing equally; nirvairena
—without enmity; aprasangatah—without intimate connections; brahma-
caryena—by celibacy; maunena—by silence; sva-dharmena—by one’s occupa-
tion; baltyasa—by offering the result.
