1090 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 24
In Bhagavad-gita it is said that in order to make spiritual progress, one

must become fearless. A bhayam sattva-samsuddhih (Bg. 16.1). Fearfulness
is the result of material involvement. It is also said in Srimad-Bhagavatam:
bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah syat (Bhag. 11.2.37). Fearfulness is a creation
of the bodily conception of life. As long as one is absorbed in the thought
that he is this material body, he is fearful, and as soon as one is freed from
this material conception, he becomes brahma-bhuta, or self-realized, and
immediately becomes fearless. Brahma-bhittah prasannatma (Bg. 18.54).
Without being fearless, one cannot be joyful. The bhaktas, the devotees ,
are fearless and always joyful because they are constantly engaged in the
service of the lotus feet of the Lord. It is also said:

evam prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah

bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam mukta-sangasya jayate (Bhag. 1.2.20)

By practicing bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, one becomes fearless and joyful.
Unless one becomes fearless and joyful, he cannot understand the science
of God. Bhagavat-tattva-vijianarn mukta-sangasya jayate. This verse refers
to those who are completely liberated from the fearfulness of this material
world. When one is so liberated, he can really understand the transcendental
features of the form of the Lord. Lord Siva therefore advises everyone to
practice bhagavad-bhakti-yoga. As will be clear in the following verses, by
doing so one can become really liberated and enjoy spiritual bliss.

It is also stated:

om ajiiana-timirandhasya jiiananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

The Lord is the supreme spiritual master, and the bona fide representa-
tive of the Supreme Lord is also a spiritual master. The Lord from within
enlightens the devotees by the effulgence of the nails of His lotus feet, and
His representative, the spiritual master, enlightens from without. Only by
thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and always taking the spiritual
master’s advice can one advance in spiritual life and understand Vedic
knowledge.

yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah (Svet. Up. 6.23)

Thus the Vedas enjoin that for one who has unflinching faith in the lotus
feet of the Lord, as well as in the spiritual master, the real import of Vedic
knowledge can be revealed.
