Text 5] The Activities of Maharaja Priyavrata 9
mits it. Since Krsna consciousness is eternal, it cannot be destroyed
altogether, but advancement may be checked for the time being. Thus
vaisnava-aparddha is one kind of impediment to devotional service.
Sometimes, however, the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee
desires to impede one’s devotional service. For example, Hiranyakasipu
and Hiranyaksa were formerly Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers in
Vaikuntha, but by the desire of the Lord, they became His enemies for
three lives. Thus the desire of the Lord is another kind of impediment.
But in both cases, the pure devotee, once advanced in Krsna conscious-
ness, cannot be lost. Following the orders of his superiors (Svayambhuva
and Lord Brahma), Priyavrata accepted family life, but this did not mean
he lost his position in devotional service. Krsna consciousness is perfect
and eternal, and therefore it cannot be lost under any circumstances.
Because the material world is full of obstructions to advancement in
Krsna consciousness, there may appear to be many impediments, yet
Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, declares in Bhagavad-gita
(9.31), kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: once one has
taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord, he cannot be lost.

In this verse, the word Sivatamam is very significant. Sivatamam
means “the most auspicious.”’ The devotional path is so auspicious that a
devotee cannot be lost under any circumstances. This is described in the
Srimad Bhagavad-gita by the Lord Himself. Partha naiveha nadmutra
vindsas tasya vidyate: ““My dear Arjuna, for a devotee there is no ques-
tion of being lost, either in this life or in the next.” (Bg. 6.40) In
Bhagavad-gita (6.43) the Lord clearly explains how this is so.

tatra tam buddhi-samyogam
labhate paurva-dehikam
yatate ca tato bhiyah
samsiddhau kuru-nandana
By the order of the Lord, a perfect devotee sometimes comes to this
material world like an ordinary human being. Because of his previous
practice, such a perfect devotee naturally becomes attached to devotional
service, apparently without cause. Despite all kinds of impediments due
to surrounding circumstances, he automatically perseveres in devotional
service and gradually advances until he once again becomes perfect.
Bilvamangala Thakura had been an advanced devotee in his previous
