102 Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

Eighteenth Chapter, 65th verse. The Lord said there: “My dear Arjuna, you
are My affectionate friend and relative, and therefore, for your benefit, I am
giving you the most confidential knowledge: Just become always mindful
of Me, become always a devotee of Mine, become a constant worshipper of
Me, and just become a soul surrendered to Me. That is the only way by which
you can achieve My Abode. Because you are My very dear friend, My most
confidential knowledge is disclosed herewith to you.”

Such a direct instruction of Krishna to Arjuna is more important than any
Vedic injunctions or regulative service. There are certainly many Vedic
injunctions, such as ritualistic performances, sacrificial performances, regulative
duties, meditation, and the speculative process of knowledge; but Krishna’s
direct order—“You just give up everything and become My devotee, My
worshipper” —should be taken as the final order of the Lord, and one should
follow that principle.

If one is convinced by this direct order of the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita,
and becomes attached to His devotional service and gives up all other engage-
ments, then he undoubtedly becomes successful. Srimad Bhagwatam also says,
to confirm this statement, that one should be engaged in other paths of self-
realization only so long as one is not convinced by the direct order of the
Lord, Sri Krishna. As stated in Srimad Bhagwatam and Bhagavad Gita, the direct
order of the Lord is to give up everything and be engaged in devotional
service.

This firm conviction is known as faith. Faith means that one is firmly
convinced that, simply by devotional service to Lord Krishna, everything
else is performed—including the regulative principles of ritualistic duties,
sacrifices, performance of Yoga, and the speculative pursuit of knowledge.
Everything else is performed if one is convinced that devotional service to the
Lord includes everything. This is also found in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Fourth
Canto, Thirty-first Chapter. It is said there: “As by watering the root of the
tree the branches, the twigs, the leaves, and the fruits become nourished; and
as in supplying foodstuffs to the stomach all the senses become satisfied—
similarly, simply by devotional service to Krishna, all other worship and all
other processes are completed.” Such a faithful and firmly convinced person
is eligible to be elevated as a pure devotee.

Now, amongst the devotees there are three classes, according to the degree
of conviction: The first class devotee is one who is conversant with all kinds
of Vedic literature, and at the same time has the firm conviction mentioned
above. He is a first class devotee, and he can deliver all others from the pangs
