98 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

In this connection, Lord Chaitanya cited a verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam
which was delivered by Narada as the path of Bhagavat cultivation. He said
that the four divisions of human social life, as well as the four different orders
of life, are born out of the gigantic Form of the Lord: the Brahmins are born
out of the mouth of the Universal Form of the Lord, the Kshatriyas are born
out of the arms of His Personality, the Vaishyas are born out of His waist,
and the Sudras are born from the legs of that Personality. As such, they are
qualified in different modes of material Nature, within the Form of Virata
Purusha. Out of these four orders of life, or social divisions, if anyone is not
engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, then in spite of his being in his
prescribed occupational, functional duty, he falls from his position.

Lord Chaitanya says that those of the Mayavadi, or impersonalist, school
may artificially think themselves as one with God, or liberated, but according
to Him and to Srimad Bhagwatam, they are not actually liberated. In this con-
nection, He quoted a verse from the Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, Second
Chapter, in which it is said: “Those who think that they are liberated in the
Mayavadi philosophical way, but who do not take to the devotional service
of the Lord, even after undergoing the severest type of penance or austerity,
and even after sometimes approaching the Supreme post, still, for want of
devotional service, fall.”

The Lord explained that Krishna is just like the Sun, and Maya, or the
illusory material energy, is just like darkness. Therefore, one who is constantly
in the sunshine of Krishna does not have any chance of being deluded by the
darkness of material energy. This is very nicely explained in the four prime
verses of Srimad Bhagwatam, and is also confirmed in the Second Canto of
Srimad Bhagwatam, Fifth Chapter, which states: “The illusory energy, or Maya,
is ashamed to stand before the Lord.”

But the living entities are constantly being bewildered by the same illusory
energy. The living entity in his conditioned state discovers many kinds of
word-jugglery for getting apparent liberation from the clutches of Maya;
but actually a person who sincerely surrenders unto Krishna even by saying
only once, ”My dear Lord Krishna, from this day, Iam yours,” at once gets
out of the clutches of the material energy.

This is confirmed in the Ramayan, Lankakanda. There the Lord says, “It is
My duty and vow that if somebody surrenders unto Me without any reserva-
tion, then I give him all protection.” Somebody may develop the idea of
enjoying fruitive activities, or liberation, or Jnana, or perfection in the Yoga
system, but if such a person by chance becomes very intelligent, then he will
