82 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 7

transcendental qualities and activities of the Lord, always meditate
on the Lord’s lotus feet, and worship the Deity of the Lord strictly
according to the injunctions of the sastra and guru.

PURPORT

In the previous verse it has been said that the process which im-
mediately increases one’s love and affection for the Supreme Personality
of Godhead is the best of the many thousands of ways to become free
from the entanglement of material existence. It is also said, dharmasya
tattvam nihitam guhdydm: actually the truth of religious principles is
extremely confidential. Nonetheless, it can be understood very easily if
one actually adopts the principles of religion. As it is said, dharmam tu
sdksdd bhagavat-pranitam: the process of religion is enunciated by the
Supreme Lord because He is the supreme authority. This is also indicated
in the previous verse by the word bhagavatoditah. The injunctions or
directions of the Lord are infallible, and their benefits are fully assured.
According to His directions, which are explained in this verse, the per-
fect form of religion is bhakti-yoga.

To practice bhakti-yoga, one must first accept a bona fide spiritual
master. Srila Ripa Gosvami, in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.74—75),
advises:

guru-pdddsrayas tasmat
krsna-diksadi-siksanam

visrambhena guroh seva
sddhu-vartmadnuvartanam

sad-dharma-prccha bhogadi-
tyagah krsnasya hetave

One’s first duty is to accept a bona fide spiritual master. The student or
disciple should be very inquisitive; he should be eager to know the com-
plete truth about eternal religion (sandtana-dharma). The words guru-
SuSriisaya mean that one should personally serve the spiritual master by
giving him bodily comforts, helping him in bathing, dressing, sleeping,
eating and so on. This is called guru-susrisanam. A disciple should serve
the spiritual master as a menial servant, and whatever he has in his
