Text 12] The Demigods and Demons Declare a Truce 215

vious births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti-yoga only by the mercy of
the spiritual master and Krsna. Guru-krsna-prasa@de paya bhakti-lata-
bija. The seed of devotional service is obtainable by the mercy of guru,
the spiritual master, and Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Only by the practice of bhakti-yoga can one achieve the favor of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face (premanjana-
cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti). One
cannot see the Lord by other methods, such as karma, jidana or yoga.
Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must cultivate bhakti-
yoga (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam). Then,
even within this material world, although the Lord is not visible, a devo-
tee can see Him. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (bhaktya mam
abhijénati yavan yas cdasmi tattvatah) and in Srimad-Bhagavatam
(bhaktyaham ekayé grahyah). Thus by devotional service one can
achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is
not visible or understandable to materialistic persons.

In this verse, the cultivation of bhakti-yoga is compared to many ma-
terial activities. By friction one can get fire from wood, by digging the
earth one can get food grains and water, and by agitating the milk bag of
the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared to nectar, which
one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply drinking milk will
not make one immortal, but it can increase the duration of one’s life. In
modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, and
therefore they do not live very long. Although in this age men can live
up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do
not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali-yuga. In Kali-
yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and
eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of
Bhagavad-gitd, advises go-raksya, which means cow protection. The cow
should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk
should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and
thus one can prolong one’s life, develop his brain, execute devotional
service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the
earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean
milk from their milk bags.

The people of this age are inclined toward industrial enterprises for
