Text 20] The Payo-vrata Process of Worship 227
worshiping Lord Vasudeva, who is situated in everyone’s heart. He is the
friend of everyone and is known as Janardana because He can kill all
enemies. There are three modes of material nature—goodness, passion
and ignorance—and above material nature, transcendental to material
nature, is another existence, which is called suddha-sattva. In the ma-
terial world, the mode of goodness is considered the best, but because of
material contamination, even the mode of goodness is sometimes over-
powered by the modes of passion and ignorance. But when one tran-
scends the competition between these modes and engages himself in
devotional service, he rises above the three modes of material nature. In
that transcendental position, one is situated in pure consciousness.
Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam (Bhag. 4.3.23). Above material
nature is the position called vasudeva, or freedom from material con-
tamination. Only in that position can one perceive the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Thus the vasudeva condition fulfills a
spiritual necessity. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah.
When one realizes Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he
becomes most exalted.
Paramatma (Vasudeva) is situated in everyone’s heart, as confirmed in
Bhagavad-gita. The Lord says:
tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-piirvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
“To those who are constantly devoted and who worship Me with love, I
give the understanding by which they can come to Me.” (Bg. 10.10)
isvarah sarva-bhitanam
hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.”
(Bg. 18.61)
bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
