868 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 21
material attachment and be satisfied. In this world there is no fruitive
activity superior to serving the brahmana class, for this can bring pleasure
to the demigods for whom the many sacrifices are recommended.
PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita it is said: prasade sarva-duhkhanam hanir asyopajayate
(Bg. 2.65). Unless one is self-satisfied, he cannot be free from the miserable
conditions of material existence. Therefore it is essential to render service
to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas to achieve the perfection of self-
satisfaction. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura therefore says:

tandera carana sevi bhakta-sane vasa
janame janame haya, ei abhilasa

“Birth after birth I desire to serve the lotus feet of the acaryas and live in
a society of devotees.” A spiritual atmosphere can be maintained only by
living in a society of devotees and by serving the orders of the acaryas.
The spiritual master is the best brahmana. At present, in the age of Kali, it
is very difficult to render service to the brahmana-kula or the brahmana
class. The difficulty, according to the Varaha Purana, is that demons, taking
advantage of Kali-yuga, have taken birth in brahmana families. Raksasah
kalim asritya jayante brahma-yonisu (Varaha Purana). In other words, in
this age there are many so-called caste brahmanas and caste Gosvamis who,
taking advantage of the sastra and of the innocence of people in general,
claim to be brahmanas and Vaisnavas by hereditary right. One will not
derive any benefit by rendering service to such false brahmana-kulas. One
must therefore take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and his associates
and should also render service to them, for such activity will greatly help
the neophyte in attaining full satisfaction. This has been very clearly
explained by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in his explanation of
the verse vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (Bg. 2.41). By
actually following the regulated principles of bhakti-yoga as recommended
by Srila Narottama dasa Thakura, one can very quickly come to the tran-
scendental platform of liberation, as explained in this verse (atyanta-
Samam). The particular use of the word anativelam (“without delay”) is
very significant because simply by serving brahmanas and Vaisnavas one
can get liberation. There is no need to undergo severe penances and
austerities. The vivid example of this is Narada Muni himself. In his
previous birth, he was simply a maidservant’s son, but he got the
opportunity to serve exalted brahmanas and Vaisnavas, and thus in his
