Text 13] Lord Rsabhadeva’s Teachings 18]
above. All these prescribed methods enable one to give up the material
body (lingam vyapohet) and be situated in his original spiritual body.
First of all one has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. This is advo-
cated by Srila Ripa Gosvami in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu: sri-guru-
padasrayah. To be freed from the entanglement of the material world.
one has to approach a spiritual master. Tad-vijidnartham sa gurum
evabhigacchet. By questioning the spiritual master and by serving him,
one can advance in spiritual life. When one engages in devotional ser-
vice, naturally the attraction for personal comfort—for eating. sleeping
and dressing—is reduced. By associating with the devotee, a spiritual
standard is maintained. The word mad-deva-sangat is very important.
There are many so-called religions devoted to the worship of various
demigods, but here good association means association with one who
simply accepts Krsna as his worshipable Deity.

Another important item is dvandva-titiksd. As long as one is situated
in the material world, there must be pleasure and pain arising from the
material body. As Krsna advises in Bhagavad-gita, tams titiksasva
bharata. One has to learn how to tolerate the temporary pains and
pleasures of this material world. One must also be detached from his
family and practice celibacy. Sex with one’s wife according to the scrip-
tural injunctions is also accepted as brahmacarya (celibacy), but illicit
sex is opposed to religious principles, and it hampers advancement in
spiritual consciousness. Another important word is vijfdna-virdyita.
Everything should be done very scientifically and consciously. One
should be a realized soul. In this way, one can give up the entanglement
of material bondage.

As Sri Madhvacarya points out, the sum and substance of these four
Slokas is that one should refrain from acting out of a desire for sense
gratification and should instead always engage in the Lord's loving ser-
vice. In other words, bhakti-yoga is the acknowledged path of liberation.
Srila Madhvacarya quotes from the Adhyatma:

atmano ’vihitarn karma
varjayitvanya-karmanah

kamasya ca parityago
nirthety dhur uttamah
